Whether you're in your first year of college, in the middle of a rigorous PhD program, or planning to really invest in your side hustle this year, it's time to reevaluate the device that powers you through late-night emails and supports your downtime streaming. The battery on your existing laptop doesn't need to be struggling for you to consider an upgrade: With plenty of affordable, but high-performing options, it's easy to find a model that will work for you.
Ahead, the best laptops to consider for every budget.
Your Price Range: $1,000 plus
Our Pick: HP Spectre x360 - 15t
For any design students looking for a laptop that will do it all, check out the HP Spectre x360 - 15t. Not only does it have a touch screen and the ability to fold into a tablet, but it also comes with a stylus pen. It's not the most portable, it weighs just under five pounds, but you can get up to one terabyte of storage which is ideal if you work with large files like high resolution images or video.
HP HP Spectre x360 - 15-ch011nr, $1449.99, available at HP
Your Price Range: $1,000-plus
Our Pick: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch)
While Apple's latest MacBooks tout an upgraded version of the Touch Bar, they run upwards of $1,699. Instead, opt for the slightly less expensive, though still high performing, 13-inch MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar. You'll still get a gorgeous retina display and 8 GB of memory, as well as up to 10 hours of battery life to power you through classes and library time.
Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro, $1249, available at Apple
Your Price Range: $1,000-plus
Our Pick: Microsoft Surface Book 2
Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is slightly more expensive than the MacBook Pro, but it's also more versatile: You can detach the screen to use it as a standalone tablet, reattach it for "Studio Mode" streaming, or simply use the device as a regular touchscreen laptop. Our testing showed impressive battery life and speedy charging (an 18% boost in just 20 minutes), though the 13-inch model is a bit heavier at 3.38 pounds (compared to the MacBook Pro's 3.02 pounds).
Microsoft Surface Book 2 - 13.5" Display / 256GB / Intel Core i5, $1299, available at Microsoft
Your Price Range: $500-$1,000
Our Pick: Google Pixelbook
Google's 11.4-by-8.7-inch Pixelbook is unbelievably light (2.4 pounds) and has the Google Assistant built in. This is especially useful for those times when you need a quick answer on the go or just don't want to open an extra tab online to do a search. The responsive touchscreen is helpful when annotating readings and a 25% battery boost from just 15 minutes of charging is a big perk. On a full charge, you can get up to 10 hours of battery life. Plus, right now, students can save an extra 10%, bringing the price down to $900.
Google Google Pixelbook, $999, available at Google Store
Your Price Range: $500 - $1,000
Our Pick: Dell XPS 13
Dell's XPS 13 calls itself the "smallest 13.3-inch [laptop] on the planet." That's because it has an infinity display that stretches from edge-to-edge and is almost bezel-free. It also weighs in at just 2.7 pounds — a difference you'll notice when you have to lug your computer with you from one end of campus to the other, and promises up to 13 hours of battery life when streaming and browsing online.
Dell XPS 13, $749.99, available at Dell
Your Price Range: Under $500
Our Pick: Lenovo Flex 14
Lenovo's 14-inch Flex laptop will weigh you down a bit more (3.68 pounds), but is multi-purpose thanks to a 360-degree hinge that lets you rotate the screen. Use a stylus to mark up papers on screen, and, if you find yourself running low on power between classes, plug in for just 15 minutes to get up to two hours more battery life.
Lenovo Flex 14, $479.99, available at Lenovo
Your Price Range: Under $500
Our Pick: Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA
Asus's Chromebook is smaller than other options: It has a 12.5-inch HD touchscreen and weighs just 2.65 pounds, making it incredibly portable. You can download Android apps from Google Play to use and get up to 10 hours of battery life.
Asus ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA, $499, available at Best Buy
Your Price Range: Under $500
Our Pick: HP 15.6" 250 G6 Series Notebook
Not only is this laptop under $500, it's currently under $300! The HP 250 G6 has a large display and up to one terabyte of storage which is a steal for a laptop in this price range. The battery life isn't the best, at about 9 hours, but the features far outweigh the battery life.
HP HP - 15.6" Laptop - AMD A6-Series, $229.99, available at Best Buy
Your Price Range: $1,000-plus
Our Pick: Apple MacBook Air (13-inch)
Apple announced an upgrade to the MacBook Air this fall, and we absolutely loved it when we gave it a test run in November. The new-and-improved laptop includes 48 percent more colors than past models and "razor-sharp" text clarity. Yet it still weighs under 3 pounds, making it perfect for anyone who lugs their laptop to different coffee shops to find the best coffee/croissant/WiFi combo. The 12 hours of battery life are pretty essential, too.
Apple 13-inch MacBook Air, $1199, available at Apple
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