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Many laptop designs now incorporate non-removable batteries that can't be swapped out. While the move toward sealing batteries into the chassis does allow for thinner designs, it removes the possibility of swapping out batteries on the go for longer use between charging. On the other hand, the efficiency gains of Intel's newest processors mean that most laptops will still last for the better part of a day.
Beyond Plastic
As designs get sleeker and slimmer, manufacturers are using an array of materials in their construction. Plastic (or polycarbonate) is the least expensive and most commonly used material in laptop frames, but manufacturers have shown great ingenuity in making plastic not look cheap. The most common technique is in-mold decoration or in-mold rolling, a process made popular by Acer, HP, and Toshiba, in which decorative patterns are infused between plastic layers. This process has evolved into etched imprints and textures, commonly seen on laptop lids.
In the end, though, plastics are often associated with low-priced laptops, while higher-end models rely on metals. Common premium choices include aluminum, which has a more luxurious look, and can be fashioned into a thinner chassis than plastic. Unibody construction, where the entire chassis is made from a single piece of metal, has become the gold standard, as seen on Apple's MacBook and MacBook Pro lines. Other all-metal designs mimic this same look and feel, securely sandwiching two separate layers together.
Other common chassis materials include magnesium alloy and carbon fiber, both of which add strength while keeping overall weight low. Glass has long been found covering displays, but with ultra-strong variants like Gorilla Glass, you'll find the material being used in everything from the lid to the touchpad.
Most laptops are backed by a one-year warranty on parts and labor. The standard warranty is limited, so it won't cover accidents that stem from, say, spilling a drink on the keyboard or dropping the system to a hard surface.
Most laptop manufacturers also sell accidental coverage as a separate plan on top of optional extended warranties, so you might end up spending close to $300 for three years of comprehensive coverage. Apple offers a maximum three-year extended warranty ($249 to $379), while most Windows-based laptop manufacturers offer up to four years.Our rule of thumb is that if the warranty costs more than 15 percent of the laptop's purchase price, you're better off spending the money on backup drives or services that minimize downtime. Of course, you can't put a price tag on peace of mind. There are instances when the logic board or the display—the most expensive parts of a laptop—fail, and while rare, such a catastrophe can cost you half of what the laptop is worth. Defective components usually break down during the first year; anything after that is typically attributed to wear and tear. If the breakdown can be attributed to a design flaw, laptop manufacturers will sometimes extend free warranties to cover these flaws, but only for certain models built during limited time periods.
The Top Laptops We've Tested (for Now)
The systems below, some of the best we've recently tested, span the spectrum of features, performance, and price to provide top choices for each type of user. We refresh the list constantly to include the newest products, but because of the large number of laptops we review every year, not every top-rated product makes the cut. For the latest reviews, and to search for more top-rated products, check out the Laptop Product Guide.
Pros: Excellent battery life. Core i9 processing muscle. Sleek, thin all-metal design. Beautiful display with automatic color-temperature adjustment. Roomy SSD.Cons: High starting price, and painfully expensive as configured. Limited I/O options.Bottom Line: With the addition of an Intel Core i9 processor, the sleek 15-inch MacBook Pro is now one of the most powerful desktop-replacement laptops you can buy, making it an excellent choice for well-heeled, on-the-go creative pros.Cons: No HDMI or USB Type-A ports. 4K display means shorter battery life than its predecessor. Webcam looks up your nose.Bottom Line: A new rose gold and white color scheme-well worth an extra $50-makes the Dell XPS 13 a stunning fashion statement, and it's backed by strong performance and a svelte but sturdy build.
Pros: Superb audio quality. Comfortable, oversized touchpad. Thin, sleek design. Screen aspect ratio makes editing documents easier. USB-C and USB 3.0 ports.Cons: Awkward webcam placement.Bottom Line: With a sleek aluminum body, ample computing power, and superb audio quality, in some ways, the Huawei MateBook X Pro is a better ultraportable than the Apple MacBook Pro that inspired it.Pros: Integrated stylus. Thin and light. Stylish metal design with multiple color options. Optional 4K display. Webcam privacy filter. Dolby Vision (HDR) support. Excellent battery life.Cons: No SD-card reader. Ships with some bloatware.
Bottom Line: With a revamped hinge, an integrated stylus, and a sleek design, Lenovo's Yoga C930 2-in-1 convertible laptop is even better than its winning predecessor.Pros: Thin, light design. Slender bezels. Hinge with lifting action works well. Plenty of ports. Comfy keyboard. Fingerprint scanner.Cons: Poor webcam quality. Awkward touchpad.Bottom Line: A svelte laptop with thin bezels, lots of color options, and a unique hinge design that keeps it running cool and quiet, the Asus VivoBook S15 is a winner for students and casual buyers alike.
Pros: Elegant detachable design. Spiffy screen. More lap-friendly than tablets with kickstands. Strong performance and battery life.Cons: Expensive. No backlit keyboard. Mediocre cameras.Bottom Line: It could use a $50 or $100 price cut, but HP's pioneering Chromebook x2 detachable joins Google's $999 Pixelbook as the elite of the Chrome OS field.Bottom Line: The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon offers premium features in a slim and attractive package that business users will love-just be prepared to open your wallet wide for this top-notch ultraportable laptop.Pros: Premium alloy construction. Elegant convertible design. Sharp high-resolution touch display in new larger size. Discrete Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics. Very long battery life. Multiple configuration options. Xbox wireless controller receiver is integrated.
Cons: 16GB RAM maximum. Surface Pen is an additional purchase. Adding SSD storage is pricey. Some finicky issues required troubleshooting in our tests.Bottom Line: The Surface Book 2 is a feat of design, a top-of-the-line premium convertible 2-in-1 laptop that's fast, long lasting, versatile, and portable. It's even up for gaming.Despite having really good battery life and a thoroughly comfortable keyboard, the Dell G5 15 Gaming doesn't have a lot going for it. It's bigger and heavier than laptops with stronger GPUs, and its Core i7 processor and GTX 1050 Ti GPU don't perform as well as other mainstream gaming laptops. Combine that with its dull 15.6-inch display, distorted speakers and lack of gaming utilities, and it simply isn't worth $1,049 (starting at $949), especially with better gaming laptops out there for a similar or cheaper price.