15 best laptops you can buy in 2017 Laptops The best laptops for your every need

15 best laptops you can buy in 2017
Laptops 

The best laptops for your every need

Update: With last year's MacBook Air likely poised to be Apple's very last, we've replaced it in our list with a new contender so slick it received our coveted Editor's Choice award, the 2016 Razer Blade Stealth, in spot #4. Read on to find out why below!

Just a few years ago pundits were declaring the death of the PC, thanks in part to the introduction of the original iPad in 2010. Fortunately for PC makers and users, that never happened. In fact, Microsoft managed to circumvent the criticisms of the often-detested Windows 8 with Windows 8.1 and, later on, Windows 10.

A newly beloved operating system, paired with the best graphics cards and processors from companies like AMD, Nvidia and Intel, brought personal computing back from the brink. Laptops in particular were destined to thrive, albeit with a greater swath of form factors to choose from. Thin, light and stylish budget notebooks, like the HP Chromebook 13 now make laptops much more affordable for those unfazed by the latest MacBook Pro and MacBook Air offerings.

Even so, higher-end, traditional laptop offerings remain for activities such as high-end multimedia rendering and gaming. Meanwhile, you might consider an Ultrabook if you’re drawn more to the idea of lengthy battery life, fanless designs and light word processing; 2-in-1 laptops, meanwhile, make life easier by serving as both notebooks and tablets.

So there's a lot of choice out there, but finding a laptop that suits your needs doesn’t have to be a chore. To help you in your quest we’ve gathered together the best laptops money can buy, narrowing them down to a list of 15 for your convenience.

1. Dell XPS 13

Dell's latest Ultrabook is a masterpiece ahead of the curve

CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 – Intel Iris Graphics 540 | RAM: 4GB – 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FH (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 128GB – 256GB SSD

$887.99
VIEW AT AMAZON
$979.99View at Newegg
$1199.00View at Microsoft
See all prices (37 found)
Gorgeous bezel-less display
Lightweight, compact frame
Off-center webcam
Small frame limits battery life
The Dell XPS 13 is, bar none, the best laptop you can buy today. It features a revolutionary design that's astonishingly thin and light. Fitting a 13.3-inch screen into an 11-inch frame is no small feat; however, Dell has pulled off a miracle creating a nearly borderless Infinity display. It's a powerful and long-lasting machine even by today's Ultrabook standards. The XPS 13 comes outfitted with Intel's latest Skylake processors plus lighting, quick storage and memory, all while coming in at a very affordable starting price. For these reasons, it easily takes the top slot as the best Ultrabook, the best Windows laptop and the best overall laptop.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 13

2. Asus ZenBook UX305

Better than the MacBook and at a fraction of the price

CPU: Intel Core Intel Core M3-6Y30 – M7-6Y75 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD+ (3200 x 1800) IPS display | Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD

$684.63
VIEW AT AMAZON
$699.00View at Microsoft
$799.99View at Newegg
See all prices (11 found)
Incredibly thin and light
Vibrant, glare-free screen
Weak sauce graphics
Tinny speakers
If you're looking for a Windows alternative to Apple's latest rose-tinted MacBook, the Asus ZenBook UX305 might be more your speed. Though it looks like a MacBook clone from every angle, it's actually superior in almost every way. From its purple-tinged aluminum design to its sharp display and hearty helping of built-in storage space, the UX305 puts Windows back in style, fanless design, long battery life and all. And, while the low-cost is enticing, if you're shopping for something with a bit more horsepower (not to mention an even more compact design), look no further than the Asus ZenBook 3.