Update: It isn’t the thinnest or most stylish laptop you can buy, but the Acer Swift 3 is one of the best laptops today. Offering a whole lot of bang for the buck in terms of performance and inputs, read on to number 11 to find out more about the Acer Swift 3!
If you're looking to discover what is the best laptop to buy before the end of 2017, you've come to the right place. We've tested hundreds of the latest laptops, including all of the best models from the most popular and trusted brands, so that you can be sure you're getting the best laptop for you at a price that makes sense.
So whether you're after a thin and light laptop to throw in a bag every day, a desktop replacement to stay at home, a gaming laptop to have fun with in the evenings, a 2-in-1 laptop that doubles as a touchscreen tablet or a cheapo Chromebook - we've got lots of recommendations for you!
Rest assured, while there are 15 laptops in this list, the order they're placed in doesn't particularly matter. We've included something for everyone, starting with the Dell XPS 13 which we think is the out-and-out best laptop in the world right now. And underneath that you'll find a whole range of our top recommendations - so whether the one you like the look of is at number 1 or number 15 - rest assured every laptop in this list is worth buying and gets a solid recommendation from us.
What's more, our funky price comparison tools will show you where you can buy each one for the absolute cheapest price, so you won't have to trawl through the web comparing prices. If you want to see a more comprehensive list of prices and retailers, simply click the 'view all prices' link on each widget!
The best laptops of 2017:
Slim, light, powerful and majestic - Dell’s 2017 flagship XPS 13 is the best laptop in the world. If you're after a brilliant all-rounder with powerful performance, a superb screen and extremely slim dimensions it simply cannot be beaten. This laptop squeezes a 13.3-inch 'Infinity Edge' screen into an 11-inch frame- that means it's the smallest/slimmest 13-inch laptop out there, with the screen stretching almost all the way to the edge of the device. Couple that with Intel’s latest Kaby Lake Core i7 and Core i5 processors, plus the availability of a multi-use USB-C port, standard USB 3.0 and SD slots, and what you end up with is the worlds' most popular Windows laptop. You can buy this one in many flavours too - the most expensive versions have super high-res multi-touch screens plus Core i7 processors and loads of memory and storage, but you can save money in several steps which include opting for a non-touch full HD screen, Core i5 processor and less memory/storage etc. But rest assured, whichever version of the Dell XPS 13 you go for, it'll be best in class and well worth the money.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
If you love the look of the Dell XPS 13 but you don't want to pay the steep asking price, the Asus Zenbook UX310UQ is the best alternative. It costs substantially less - in fact it's usually about half the price - while retaining a fabulous screen, excellent build quality and looks, plus top performance for everyday tasks. Because of this, it's also a viable alternative to the 2017 Macbook if you want something super slim that's not a Mac and doesn't cost as much. Like most laptops of this kind, it comes in various specifications so the cheaper versions have Intel Core i3 CPUs and full HD screens while the most expensive options come with a super high res display and Intel Core i5. Whichever one you go for, though, you're getting a fantastic laptop. Asus has long been a great brand for offering great value on these kinds of laptops so it's not much of a surprise that in 2017 we find ourselves recommending another Asus laptop in this price bracket.
Read the full review: Asus Zenbook UX310UA
See more like this: The best Ultrabooks 2017
If you're after a cheap laptop that offers something a bit special, look no further than the Lenovo Yoga Book 2017. As with all Yoga devices, the screen folds flat so you can use it either as a tablet or a laptop. To add more versatility, Lenovo has now added the option to buy it with either Windows 10 or Android 6.0 onboard - which one you choose will depend how you're more likely to use the device. The screen on this thing defies the cheap asking price and the keyboard and capacitive touch-keyboard are both fantastic too. This is a great option if you want something cheap for basic computing tasks, for creating art using the built-in Wacom digitizer or a train device for watching movies. But for more heavy lifting you'd be better off choosing one of the options above as the Intel Atom CPU in this thing is great at saving power and making the battery last for ages but not so good at super speedy processing.
Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga Book
See more like this: The best 2-in-1 laptops 2017
If you're after the latest and greatest laptop from Apple, welcome to the 13-inch Macbook Pro with touchbar. It's the best laptop Apple has ever made, and builds new features into the classic design. Of course the headline feature is the touchbar - it's a thin OLED display at the top of the keyboard which can be used for any number of things, whether that be auto-suggesting words as you type or offering Touch ID so you can log in with just your fingerprint. If you're a massive fan of the Macbook Pro 2017 you'll be happy with this model but there are some serious reasons why you should consider one of the Windows alternatives. For a start, this laptop is very expensive for what is is, especially considering the better value alternatives. On top of this, it's not as powerful, the screen is lower-res versus the competition and isn't touchscreen friendly, plus the battery is a bit disappointing too. So if you're open to switching to a PC, definitely consider the XPS 13 as a more modern, cheaper alternative. But if you're a steadfast Apple die hard, this is definitely the best laptop for you!
Read the full review: Apple Macbook with touchbar (2017)
See more like this: The best Macs and Macbooks 2017
Part of a new generation of Max-Q gaming laptops in 2017, the Asus ROG Zephyrus is both ridiculously powerful and astonishingly thin and light. Make no mistake, this thing is large compared to a Macbook Pro or Dell XPS 13, but compared to gaming laptops of the past this effort from Asus is something of a holy grail achievement. Your expectations of a 15-inch gaming laptop will never be the same after seeing the Zephyrus in action. It's expensive of course, but with powerful Core i7 CPU and GTX 1080 graphics it'll be easily powerful enough to play the best games for many years to come on the built-in 1080p screen. It's an ideal top-end desktop replacement that is, possibly for the first time ever, also extremely portable.
Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501
See more like this: The best gaming laptops 2017
If you're after a new gaming laptop and you don't have the kind of money that you need for the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 above, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming laptop is your best option. It comes in at well under half the price and offers absolutely fantastic value for money. The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics chip is easily powerful enough to lubricate the best games on the built-in 1080p display while general performance in Windows is super slick thanks to the Core i5 CPU. If you're going to be moving around a bit, you'll be pleased to know that the battery life on this laptop is also superb - we got nearly 8 hours out of it while watching HD video. A gaming session with Tom Clancy's The Division on medium settings for two hours only dropped the battery to 66%. This is far better than similarly priced rivals. So in the reasonably-priced category, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is definitely the best laptop around at the moment.
Read the full review: Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming
See more like this: The best gaming laptops 2017
The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is 2017's best laptop for you if you're looking for the perfect cross between a nimble Windows tablet and a fully functional laptop. The base version of the Surface Pro 4 is just a tablet - you get the main unit itself with kickstand but if you want the Surface Pen or the fantastic Type Cover keyboard you'll need to pay extra for a bundle or buy it separately. Often the best value option is a bundle but even the tablet on its own represents pretty good value. The Surface Pro, alongside the also-excellent Surface Book laptop, is to Windows what the Pixel is to Google's Android. It's the benchmark Windows device, with software and hardware working together in perfect harmony. So if you need a new laptop and a tablet, the Surface Pro is the best does-it-all 2-in-1 option. If you want this but need something a little cheaper, check out the Acer Switch 3 below!
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Pro 4
See more like this: The best 2-in-1 laptops 2017
If you want the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 but you want to spend a lot less, the Acer Switch Alpha 12 is definitely the your best option. It's designed around essentially the same concept as the Surface Pro and it's a less capable thanks to slightly lower power innards, but for most tasks it's a brilliant little machine. What's more, to add further value this 2-in-1 laptop/tablet comes with the keyboard upgrade which means no little extras to pay for. As usual it comes in several different versions, with USB Type-C, 8GB RAM, an IPS display and Intel Core i3 7100U CPU coming with the more expensive option.
Read the full review: Acer Switch Alpha 12
See more like this: The best 2-in-1 laptops 2017
If you love the look of the XPS 13 at the top of this list but need something a little bigger with more graphics power, the Dell XPS 15 2017 could be the best laptop for you. Packing the same InfinityEdge technology, the screen extends right to the edge of the machine which means it's as small as it's possible to make a 15-inch laptop in 2017. It's quite pricey though, depending on which version you get. The very top end version has a 4K colour-accurate display which makes it perfect for graphic design, and gaming performance is decent as long as you play at either a lower resolution or on medium settings.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 15
And finally - HP's best 2-in-1 laptop is a really stunner. It's super thin and light while packing in fantastic performance and a fast charging battery. It's expensive, but for the money what you're getting is the best ultra portable laptop available in 2017. As with many laptops on the list, this laptop comes in a number of different builds - with the bottom end one starting with a full HD screen while the top end model packs in a 4K one. Whichever one you go for though, you're getting a fabulous laptop that you'll love carrying around with you.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x360
See more like this: The best 2-in-1 laptops 2017
Which type of laptop is best for you?
General laptops: Where the best cheap laptops are found, devices that focus more on practicality than style, portability or power. That’s not to say they can’t be fast, but you’ll typically find a non-Ultrabook clamshell laptop with an HD screen and spinning drive-based storage for less than $600 or £400.
Ultrabooks: Where you’ll find thin-and-light notebooks sporting SSD storage and display resolutions that exceed 1080p. Paired with powerful, albeit mobile-centric components and especially long battery life, the best Ultrabooks will cost a pretty penny – $700 or £500 to $2,000 or £1,800.
2-in-1 laptops: Where notebooks that double as tablets are located. The Surface Book 2 might be a ways off, but many of the best 2-in-1 laptops are available right now. Outfitted with both detachable and 360-degree rotating hinges, these hybrids are the most versatile way to experience Windows 10 (or Chrome OS) on a touchscreen.
Gaming laptops: Need a laptop to play games (almost) just like a shiny desktop PC can? Then you’ll want one of the best gaming laptops. These machines generally cost from $800 or £600 to upwards of $3,000 or £2,800 and they’ll likely be the ones to take advantage of AMD’s laptop-grade Ryzen processors first.
Laptop-tablet hybrids: Designed from the tablet-first approach to laptop-tablet hybrids, the best Windows tablets pack beyond-HD touchscreens, sometimes with kickstands in their frames or provided via keyboard covers. These generally shine with a stylus, and range from the budget to the premium price ranges.
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