Mashable has been testing laptops for over 10 years. Over the past two years alone, the team and I have researched dozens of models and tried over 90 of the most promising configurations available. We use a meticulous testing procedure involving real-world stress tests and artificial benchmarks to evaluate our contenders on the basis of performance, battery life, design/build quality, and value.
This regularly updated guide serves as our laptop trophy case, highlighting the best-in-class models we’ve tried across different subcategories. For even more recommendations, check out my dedicated guides to the best MacBooks, the best Windows laptops, the best cheap laptops, and the best Chromebooks.
Why are laptops so expensive right now?
Laptop prices have skyrocketed in 2026 for several reasons. One is the recent boom in AI data center construction, which has caused a global shortage of RAM and SSD storage chips (often referred to as “RAMageddon“). As a result, many consumer tech devices that use these components, including the best laptops, have become vastly more expensive than they would’ve been otherwise. Most PC makers have been affected, including Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and Acer.
The memory crisis is expected to worsen and could last into 2028, driving up prices even further and making good values in the budget and mid-range tiers even scarcer. On top of that, the Trump administration is reportedly mulling new tariffs on semiconductors that would apply to laptops and other electronics.
Further complicating things is that Microsoft reportedly raised its Windows 11 licensing fees by higher-than-usual percentages. In other words, both hardware and software prices have gone up for PC makers this year, forcing them to pass on the extra costs to consumers. Lucky us.
The Mashable team is taking the current state of the market into consideration as we assess and select laptops to recommend to our readers. Moreover, we’ve gone back and re-evaluated several models that have gotten more expensive since we first tested them.
At the time of writing, only two previous top picks have gotten so pricey that we think they’re no longer worth buying. That would be the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, which jumped from an already-high $750 to $1,000, and the Acer Chromebook Plus 516, which went from $479 to $649. We’re currently testing some other Chromebook options and will update this guide with a new top pick soon.
Recent updates to this guide
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Mid-September 2026: I’ve added the Dell XPS 13 as a new pick following our latest round of testing. It’s now the best budget Windows laptop we’ve tried. I also checked all of our current picks for any new pricing and availability updates; there are none to report at this time.
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Early September 2026: I added more information about the various factors affecting laptop prices right now. I also added a new section about some new laptops that shoppers can look forward to in the coming months. Finally, I updated three of our picks in the wake of recent pricing and availability changes. I removed the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 as our top Chromebook because of its value-zapping $170 price hike, and I’m now looking for its replacement. The Asus Zenbook A16 got a $300 price bump, but I’m keeping it as our best 16-inch laptop (for now) because it’s still not a rip-off in the current market. Lastly, the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI was out of stock at the time of writing, but may not be sold out for good. I’ll continue to monitor its listings over the next few weeks and will swap it for another model if it turns out it’s actually been discontinued. In the meantime, a refurbished Swift Edge 14 AI is readily available.
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July 2026: The Acer Swift Edge 14 AI is officially the most portable laptop we’ve ever tested: It only weighs 2.18 pounds and measures 0.37 inches thin at its slimmest point. I added it as a new pick.
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June 2026: I made the Asus ExpertBook Ultra our new favorite business laptop and named the Asus Zenbook A16 the best 16-inch laptop. I also removed the Alienware 16X Aurora as our top gaming laptop because the configuration we tested has been discontinued. We’re currently testing potential replacements.
What to look forward to
In early September, PC makers showed off a slew of new Windows laptops at IFA, an annual tech trade show in Berlin. Among them are the ultralight Acer Swift Blade 14, the very repairable Acer Swift Vero 16, two new Lenovo creator laptops running on Nvidia RTX Spark, and a pair of colorful MacBook Neo competitors: the Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe and the pared-down Dell 14S. The IdeaPad Vibe is confirmed to arrive this October, starting at $699.99, but most other IFA debutants don’t have set prices or release dates just yet.
On the MacBook side, Apple is rumored to be working on a refreshed MacBook Pro with an M6 chip (first seen in this summer’s new Mac mini), as well as a higher-end MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen. The latter might be called the “MacBook Ultra,” if the gossip mill is correct. The M6 model is reportedly coming this fall, while the Ultra could debut at the end of this year or early next.
Read this before you buy a Windows laptop
Many great Windows laptops we’ve tried run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X and X2 series chips, which use ARM-based architecture instead of standard x86 architecture like Intel and AMD chips. The Zenbook A14 and A16 are two great examples of outstanding ARM laptops.
These Qualcomm chips are great because they offer amazing performance and battery life, but they’re not compatible with some specialty software and PC games. Having said that, ARM support is getting better and should dramatically improve in the near future. Right now, I would only avoid ARM laptops if you’re a student or if gaming is the main thing you do on your PC. You can read more about this in my dedicated guides to the best Windows laptops and the best laptops for college.
Source: https://mashable.com/roundup/best-laptops-2026-expert-reviewed
