It might not be as flashy as the hybrid tablet-laptop design that made Microsoft's Surface brand famous, but the new Surface Laptop 4 is everything a laptop should be: slim and lightweight with an excellent screen and keyboard.
Ports are one place where Surfaces skimp [like MacBooks], but you now get a USB-C port, along with a good old-fashioned USB-A port. It also has a magnetic charging port; if you're a klutz who trips over the power cord all the time, this can be a lifesaver. It severs the connection between the wall plug and the computer before the laptop goes flying across the room like a Frisbee.
The Surface Laptop 4 comes in 13- and 15-inch sizes. There are also AMD Ryzen chip and Intel chipsets available. If you're hoping to do some light gaming or video editing, I suggest the Ryzen. Either will be plenty powerful enough for working on documents, browsing the web, and checking email. One great change from its predecessor is the much-improved battery life. Microsoft is claiming upwards of 17 hours. My testing so far has been closer to 16, but that's still way more than enough for a full day of work.
Specs to look for: AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD
A cheaper Surface: If you don't need as much power and want something cheaper and lighter, I really like the Surface Laptop Go [7/10, WIRED Recommends]. The small form factor is great for travel, and performance is good for the price. The downside is the low-resolution screen.
The Pixelbook Go is Google's latest vision of what a Chromebook should be. Unlike previous efforts, the Go doesn't shoot for the stars. Its price reflects that, and it starts at a full $350 less than its predecessor. If, however, you like the original Pixelbook's high-end specs, you can order a high-end Go with a Core i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, 256 GB storage, and a 4K display.
The Go's design is very much function over form, and an interesting ridged underside is the only thing that sets it apart from standard laptops. The base model uses the Intel Core M3 chip, but we recommend going for the Core i5. You'll get 8 GB of RAM either way, which is plenty for average Chromebook use.
Chrome OS has progressed significantly in recent years and feels very mature. Support for Linux makes the Chromebook decent for light development work too. Using Android apps can still be an exercise in frustration, but things have improved in recent releases.
Specs to look for: Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD
Another great Chromebook: Want something newer? Consider Samsung's Galaxy Chromebook 2 [7/10, WIRED Recommends] for $700. It has a premium, all-aluminum build that's lightweight, with a beautifully minimalist design. It also has a sharp, bright screen. The model I recommend has an Intel Core i3 and 8 gigabytes of RAM inside.
If none of these laptops quite rings your bell, that's OK! There are far more laptops out there than we have time to test.
To help you make smart choices, we put together a complete laptop buying guide. To make sure you buy something that will serve you well for years to come, we recommend sticking to these guidelines:
- RAM: Make sure you get at least 8 GB of RAM16 GB would be even better.
- Ninth-generation or higher: There are dozens of chips on the market, but we prefer eighth-generation or higher Intel chips [Eleventh is the latest generation].
- Core i5 or higher: We suggest going with at least an Intel Core i5, though an i7 will give you more power, which you'll be glad you have if you're doing anything taxing, like editing video or even processing large batches of photos. AMD has wisely elected to follow a similar naming convention, and we suggest a Ryzen 5 chipthough again, for more processor-intensive tasks the Ryzen 7 is the better choice.
- Screen resolution: The display depends on the size of the laptop. A 1080p [HD] screen on a 13-inch laptop looks good enough. A 1080p screen on a 15-inch laptop does not. If you spend all day staring at your screen, a higher-resolution screen [like a 4K screen] can ease eyestrain.
- 10 hours of battery: Finally, make sure it gets at least 10 hours of battery life.
It might not be as flashy as the hybrid tablet-laptop design that made Microsoft's Surface brand famous, but the new Surface Laptop 4 is everything a laptop should be: slim and lightweight with an excellent screen and keyboard.
Ports are one place where Surfaces skimp [like MacBooks], but you now get a USB-C port, along with a good old-fashioned USB-A port. It also has a magnetic charging port; if you're a klutz who trips over the power cord all the time, this can be a lifesaver. It severs the connection between the wall plug and the computer before the laptop goes flying across the room like a Frisbee.
The Surface Laptop 4 comes in 13- and 15-inch sizes. There are also AMD Ryzen chip and Intel chipsets available. If you're hoping to do some light gaming or video editing, I suggest the Ryzen. Either will be plenty powerful enough for working on documents, browsing the web, and checking email. One great change from its predecessor is the much-improved battery life. Microsoft is claiming upwards of 17 hours. My testing so far has been closer to 16, but that's still way more than enough for a full day of work.
Specs to look for: AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD
A cheaper Surface: If you don't need as much power and want something cheaper and lighter, I really like the Surface Laptop Go [7/10, WIRED Recommends]. The small form factor is great for travel, and performance is good for the price. The downside is the low-resolution screen.