2 weeks Ago By Haley Henschel
The best Windows laptops run an impressive gamut, from Qualcomm-powered workhorses that refuse to die to dual-display stunners and subtle gaming stations. (Some of them, dare we say, will tempt even the most devoted Apple Macbook disciples.) Users who need a new laptop for everyday productivity, creativity, or entertainment have no shortage of options.
And that's for better or worse. To help you pick out your next PC from the crowded Windows market, we've broken out our best laptops rundown into this separate guide to the best Windows machines of 2025. All of these laptops have been thoroughly hands-on tested by members of the Mashable team for performance, build quality, and battery life, and we stand by their value — or at least think they're worth hunting down on sale.
Our top picks As of April 2025, Mashable's favorite Windows laptop is the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 , an elegant workhorse powered by the impressive Snapdragon X Elite processor. It's got high-end power, a premium design, interesting AI features, and an incredible battery life. It's actually the longest-lasting laptop we've ever reviewed: Even the latest M4 MacBooks can't keep up.
For almost as much Snapdragon oomph at a lower price point, opt for the HP Omnibook X 14 , the best mid-range Windows laptop. It's not much to look at, but it's plenty power-efficient and equipped with a great keyboard. It also comes with the same AI tools as the Surface Laptop 7.
Those on an even tighter budget should look into the Lenovo Yoga 7 14 (Gen 9) : Solid performance, a good amount of ports, and a versatile 2-in-1 design have made it our new favorite cheap Windows laptop . It dethrones our previous pick, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 , a pretty ultraportable with specs that are too dated for 2025 buyers. If you're shopping for a convertible across all price points, the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 (Gen 9) is our top 2-in-1 laptop overall, earning praise from our reviewer for its gorgeous 2.
8K OLED touchscreen, its peppy (albeit piping-hot) CPU, and its clear Bowers & Wilkins soundbar. For a twist on the hybrid form factor, we also highly recommend the 2024 Asus Zenbook Duo , a beautiful dual-screener. We've got additional picks for specialty users — the Alienware m16 R2 is the best gaming laptop we've tested thus far, and the Acer Swift X 14 is our go-to Windows laptop for photo and video editing.
Read on for Mashable's in-depth guide to the best Windows laptops of 2025. FYI: We've listed the pricing and specs of our testing units, which may not apply to each laptop's base model..
