As well as a decent screen and keyboard, knowledge workers need solid all-round performance, a spare connection for an external monitor, if required, and a good webcam/mic/speaker combo for handling video calls (this will be particularly important if the user is also working remotely). Knowledge workers spend a lot of time staring at the screen and pounding the keyboard, mostly running a mix of productivity and collaboration apps. If you want to know about gaming laptops, we suggest you head over to our sister site, CNET. Our 11 laptop categories are: Knowledge workers Mobile professionals Power users and creators Workstation users Budget-limited users Field workers Early adopters Apple users Microsoft Surface users Chromebook users and Linux users.

As always, though, individual requirements and preferences will vary, so when choosing a laptop check out other similar models, examine the specifications and price points, visit the manufacturers' online forums to see how customer relations are working out in practice, get hands-on, if you can, to get a feel for the ergonomics - and, of course, read the reviews. Then there are the platform enthusiasts who will only consider Windows, MacOS, Chrome OS, or Linux devices, for whatever reason, or determined early adopters who must have the latest and greatest mobile technology.Īs a result, this 'best laptop' roundup covers different use cases and compute platforms to provide a late 2021 overview of the cream of the laptop market. The best laptops compared: Mac, PC, Chromebook, and more.įaced with the question 'what's the best laptop?', the first sensible response is: 'What do you want to use it for?' That's because the best laptop for knowledge workers in the office or home, for example, will be very different from the kind of device that's suitable for power users and creators, or for students and the otherwise cash-strapped, and so on. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.īest laptop 2022: Top notebooks, 2-in-1s, and convertibles If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards.

Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. ZDNet's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. Neither ZDNet nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. ZDNet’s recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. ‘ZDNet Recommends’: What exactly does that mean?

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