Whether you are working in the office or from home, the best business laptops provide strength, power, security, and ease of use. Any business that hires employees must make a tough choice. Choosing the ideal laptop for work is similar: You have a wide range of alternatives when it comes to finding something that will be strong, safe, powerful, lightweight, and able to last throughout a long workday. Our favourite notebooks for getting work done have been narrowed down after scanning our most recent reviews, but even choosing from this subset requires caution, as we’ll explain in more detail after the following picks. Not every laptop is suitable for how you or your staff operate or what you do. Consider some of the top available choices.
1. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9)
The flagship business laptop from Lenovo received several nice updates for the 9th generation. Longer battery life (15 hours), powerful quad speakers, a new 14-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, plenty of connections, and quick performance from 11th Gen Intel CPUs are all included in an improbably light chassis (2.5 pounds). The best-in-class keyboard, stealthy black/red aesthetics, and sturdy design (with MIL-STD-810G strength) are still classic ThinkPad attributes that elevate the X1 Carbon to brilliance. Yes, we wished the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s webcam was better and that the SD card slot hadn’t been removed. Additionally, top configurations can be rather expensive, but it would be difficult to find a better company.
2. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano
The ThinkPad X1 Nano from Lenovo is a fantastic business laptop since it is strong, durable, and portable. The Nano is the lightest laptop on this list, weighing only 2 pounds, yet with a proven battery life of 12 hours, it still has enough power to get you through a full day of work without the need for a charger. If you need to keep connected while you’re on the go, you may also pay extra for 4G/5G access. Lenovo did not skimp on either performance or usability. The Nano’s Intel 11th Gen Tiger Lake CPUs provide you with the performance you need for plenty of work, in addition to the regular set of security features and durability ratings all ThinkPads have, and its keyboard offers a comfortable typing experience.
3. 13-Inch Apple MacBook Pro (2022, M2)
While the 2,560-by-1,600-pixel Retina display on Apple’s most recent 13-inch MacBook Pro can’t match the resolution of many screens on newer models, it is strange to see the Touch Bar, which has received a lot of criticism, still present above the keyboard after it was quietly removed from other MacBooks. However, this three-pound device’s performance is topped by the newer M2 processor, which outperforms the older Apple M1 and the majority of Intel CPUs. Additionally, the Pro’s battery life is exceptional, lasting nearly 22 hours in our tests, far exceeding the performance of even a few Windows laptops.
4. Macbook Pro From Apple 2. (14-Inch, 2021)
With the M1 Pro proprietary SoC, Apple continues to consciously decouple from Intel. With a 10-core processor, a 16-core graphics chip, and a 16-core Neural Engine, the ARM-based 5-nanometer chip can be regarded as mid-tier in the M1 family, but it’s by no means a slouch. The 14-inch MacBook Pro offers great battery life in addition to impressive performance. In addition to Big Sur, you also get lightning-fast webpage loads and a superior 1080p camera experience thanks to Apple Silicon. The new MacBook Pro is, in essence, everything Apple claimed it to be and more. Consider the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 or MacBook Air with M1, which offer even more features, if the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a little too expensive.
5. HP Spectre X360
A strong convertible business laptop with a stylish, sophisticated design and exceptional performance for both work and pleasure is the HP Spectre x360 14. The HP Spectre x360, which comes in three hues (silver, black, and navy blue) and has an incredibly thin profile of just 0.67 inches, adds a touch of classy design to your desk that perfectly complements its internal components. Although the cost may be high if you equip the Spectre x360 with premium components, we believe the device’s performance and svelte, durable design are worth the cost. A rechargeable MPP2.0 Tilt Pen is also included in the kit, which is ideal for digital artists or anyone who prefers to take handwritten notes during meetings.
6. ThinkPad P1 Gen 4 From Lenovo
Lenovo’s flagship mobile workstation is the ThinkPad P15, which is more powerful and expandable than the ThinkPad P1 Gen 4. Even so, it has a lot of CPU and GPU power, including options for Core i7, Core i9, and Xeon CPUs from Intel, as well as GeForce and professional RTX A-series graphics from Nvidia. Its 16-inch IPS screen has a 3,840 by 2,400 resolution option and is incredibly bright, vibrant, and precise. Additionally, it features the renowned TrackPoint pointer and MIL-STD 810G strong construction as a ThinkPad (an alternative to its responsive touchpad). It is a winner since it offers all of this in a chassis that is lighter and thinner than the P15 (weighing only 4 against 6.3 pounds).
7. ThinkPad 14s Yoga From Lenovo
For less than $1,000, you can have a sturdy 2-in-1 with a built-in Smart Pen, good performance, and long battery life like the ThinkBook 14s Yoga. Even while it was never able to take the top spot in our benchmarks, it constantly received a silver, making it a well-rounded laptop that won’t let you down in any way. Overall, you can’t go wrong with the ThinkBook 14s Yoga if you don’t want to spend a dime more than $1,000 and want an outstanding 14-inch business-oriented convertible with an included Smart Pen.
8. Apple MacBook Air With M1
The M1 microprocessor from Apple transformed laptops, and the MacBook Air was one of the first computers to use one. With a battery life of 14 hours and 41 minutes on Tom’s Guide battery test, this chip offers the best performance the Air has ever experienced. Additionally, signal processing has improved the clarity and colour accuracy of the MacBook Air’s webcam, and the Magic Keyboard continues to provide a wonderful typing experience. All things considered, the M1-equipped MacBook Air is the best option if you require a MacBook for work. It is strong, durable, and capable of handling everything, from meeting presentations to work sessions at a coffee shop.
9. Dell Latitude 7420
Does your business purchase laptops in bulk—say, a hundred or a thousand—rather than a few at a time? Your upcoming company rollout won’t go any easier than the Dell Latitude 7420, a 14-inch business leader that comes in a 2-in-1 convertible and regular clamshell configurations. It offers superior speed, long battery life, and nearly limitless configurability with options ranging from Intel vPro processors to LTE mobile broadband for staying connected when not near Wi-Fi hotspots, making it a better purchase than the company’s flagship Latitude 9000 series.
10. Detachable Dell Latitude 9420
The Dell Latitude 9420 2-in-1 is a professional laptop for you if battery life is a concern. Even with the screen brightness turned up, the 2-in-1 laptop easily sustained me for the entire day. But the Latitude 9420 2-in-1’s 15+ hours of battery life aren’t the only benefits of purchasing this laptop; it also boasts a stylish, adaptable design, quick performance, and some practical sign-in choices. The fact that you can maintain such incredible endurance while using a laptop with a beautiful 14-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel 16:10 display is maybe the most impressive. Due to its proximity sensor, this Dell can detect your presence simply by walking up to it. You don’t even need to look at an IR camera or enter any passwords, which makes logging in really simple.
11. Dell XPS 13
Because of its outstanding performance, stunning display, and sleek design, the Dell XPS 13 is one of our favourite laptops. While the battery life isn’t as outstanding as some other laptops of similar price, it’s usually adequate to get you through a day of work without fumbling for a charger. All of these advantages make it a great business laptop. Additionally, Dell started providing the XPS 13 with a 3.5K OLED touchscreen option in 2021. The OLED’s deep, inky blacks, vibrant colours, and high contrast ratios really shine when mounted in the non-OLED 4K screen configuration, so if you can afford it (it’s typically a couple of hundred dollars more, about the same price as the non-OLED 4K screen configuration), it’s well worth the investment.
12. Dell Latitude 5430 Rugged
Similar to Panasonic’s Toughbooks, Dell’s Latitude Rugged laptops come in fully rugged and semi-rugged varieties, with the former being able to withstand falls from six feet as opposed to three feet, among other distinctions. The Latitude 5430 is a semi-rugged model, making it more appropriate for field workers and first responders than genuine combat personnel, but it’s still incredibly durable. This 14-inch workhorse weighs 4.35 pounds, which makes it far lighter and simpler to carry than many tough notebooks, but its MIL-STD 810H and IP53 certifications give you peace of mind that it won’t malfunction when put to the test in the outdoors or on a manufacturing floor.
13. Microsoft Surface Pro 8
The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 doesn’t represent a significant advancement over its predecessors. However, it adds enough significant improvements to a 2-in-1 tablet that was previously good to rank it among the best 2-in-1 laptops once more. The larger screen and smaller bezels give it a more contemporary appearance, while the rounded corners and some of the new software features in Windows 11 make it much more tablet-friendly. The new Slim Pen 2 and Type Cover gives you a built-in stylus with a tactile feel for a better inking experience, making it ideal for creatives or frequent note-takers.
14. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
Given that it’s the closest product the company makes to a Windows laptop that commands premium prices, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 is a decent option for corporate use. This 2021 addition to the Surface Laptop lineup features premium components packed into a thin chassis and a fresh, bloatware-free installation of Windows 10. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 is the best option if you’re searching for a high-end Windows laptop to use wherever you are. It offers a lovely Alcantara deck option that provides your wrists with a little more comfort than a conventional all-metal laptop, as well as a comfortable keyboard with good-sized, pleasing keys. Consider the screen’s large 3:2 display ratio and the respectable 10+ hour battery life, which can aid you.
15. ZBook Firefly 15 G8 From HP
The ZBook Power is HP’s official economy model for engineering students and other price-conscious clients, but the ZBook Firefly 15 G8 is our favourite selection due to its small size (3.74 pounds), long battery life, gorgeous 4K screen, and 5G broadband access. Although it lacks the powerful ZBook Fury’s processor and graphics options—its highest CPU only has four cores as opposed to six or eight—it is nevertheless capable of handling any task thanks to all the independent software vendor (ISV) certifications for specialised apps of its bigger brothers.
16. HP Pro C640 Chrome Business
The best choice in this emerging area is Chromebook Enterprise. The Pro C640 is a viable Windows or macOS substitute for small business owners or boutique enterprises because it runs on Chrome OS with Chrome Enterprise, Google’s cloud-based IT platform. Its refusal to forgo features to conform to the traditional Chromebook persona as being inexpensive and made of plastic is what makes it such an attractive laptop. Instead, the Pro C640 boasts a stunning, military-grade hardened metal chassis, a tonne of security features, including a fingerprint scanner, and quick speed provided by an Intel Core i7 10th generation processor.
17. Acer Swift 3 (6) (AMD)
The Acer Swift 3 demonstrates that you can get exceptional performance at a surprisingly low price if your company is on a tight budget and you want to get the most value for your money. This laptop, which features AMD hardware, has a large battery life (11:09) and a portable design. Additionally, it has three USB Type-A, one HDMI, and more ports than some of the laptops above it on this list. Additionally, a fingerprint reader is included. The keyboard’s quiet, pleasant keys make it an excellent tool for completing tasks in an office setting. Just a little more colour, brightness, and bass from the Swift 3’s speakers would be nice.
18. ZBook Studio G8 By HP
The Z Book Studio G8 is the versatile workstation in HP’s lineup; it comes with your choice of an RTX A-series professional GPU from Nvidia or Nvidia GeForce gaming graphics. It has an RGB-rainbow-backlit keyboard like fancy gaming rigs (if you’re wondering which side of the fence it tilts toward). The Studio weighs just a little bit more than the ZBook Firefly (3.96 pounds), but it offers more potent combinations, such as a stunning 4K OLED touch screen and the 4K DreamColor non-touch panel we adored on the top-tier ZBook Fury 15.
19. Detachable Dell Latitude 7320
With the Latitude 7320 Detachable, Dell successfully competes against the Surface Pro 7. A stunning 13-inch display, quick performance, a comfortable detachable keyboard with a built-in pen slot, practical security features, and a class-leading webcam are some of the standout features (yes, you read that right). All of these come in a stylish metal chassis that can be quickly tucked into a bag or backpack. There are some places where the Latitude varies. All but the highest-ranking executives or the wealthiest corporations will be put off by the kickstand’s feeling of flimsiness and the outrageous price. Despite these drawbacks, Dell enterprise users have a great option for this ultra-mobile form factor with the Latitude 7320, allowing them to work or unwind from any location.
20. Dell Xps 15 Oled
If you require a large screen for your work laptop, we suggest the XPS 15, which is remarkably thin and fashionable for its size and has the same excellent performance and lovely thin-bevelled appearance as its XPS siblings. Smart design changes like larger keycaps and a sensitive touchpad that is more than 60% larger than the previous generation make the new XPS 15 even better. Additionally, Dell started providing the XPS 15 with a 3.5K OLED touchscreen option in 2021. It’s well worth the investment if you have the extra $1,000 or so it costs (though you also get a few updated components bundled in with that in addition to the OLED screen), as the OLED screen alone is worth the extra money.
Conclusion
Spend some time thinking about the specifics of your employment. You should then be able to identify the appropriate business laptop. Spending a bit more now to get more power or skills will prevent headaches later. Some of the extra advantages you might get with a business laptop include a longer warranty (some come with three years), professional tech support, and a more durable frame (reinforced with carbon fibre or magnesium alloy).
