Dell XPS 13 (2026)

As of Sept. 1, 2026, here are the laptops I’d actually put on a short list. I’m weighting both review quality and models/configurations people are visibly buying—for example, Best Buy’s current laptop best-seller page lists the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 16GB/512GB as its #1 monthly best-seller and the HP OmniBook 3 16-inch Intel Core Ultra 7 16GB/512GB as #2. (bestbuy.com)

Quick picks — exact models

My top recommendations

1. Apple MacBook Air 13-inch — M5, 16GB, 512GB

This is the default answer for most students, professionals, writers, travelers, and general users. It is Best Buy’s current #1 best-selling laptop configuration, and Tom’s Guide still ranks the MacBook Air M5 as the best laptop for most people, citing the 512GB base storage, Wi‑Fi 7, strong battery life, and portability. (bestbuy.com)
Buy if: you don’t need Windows-only software or gaming.
Skip if: you need touchscreen, upgradeable parts, or serious gaming.

2. Apple MacBook Air 15-inch — M5, 16GB, 512GB

Get this if you want the Air but prefer a larger screen. Best Buy lists the 15-inch M5 16GB/512GB model among popular laptop listings, and Tom’s Guide calls the 15-inch MacBook Air one of the strongest large-screen portable laptops for the money. (bestbuy.com)
Buy if: you want a bigger display without jumping to a heavy pro laptop.

3. Dell XPS 13 (2026) / DX13260 — Core 5 320, 16GB, 512GB

This is the Windows laptop I’d consider first if you want something compact and premium but don’t want macOS. Multiple reviews position the Dell XPS 13 (2026) as the new budget/premium Windows benchmark; Tom’s Guide calls it the best budget Windows laptop right now, and Tom’s Hardware says the entry model launched with Intel Core 5 320, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. I’d strongly choose the 16GB RAM version over the 8GB version. (tomsguide.com)
Buy if: you want a MacBook-Air-like Windows laptop.
Avoid: the 8GB RAM version unless you are a very light user.

4. HP OmniBook 5 14-inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC 14-he000 — Snapdragon X, 16GB, 512GB, 2K OLED

This is the sleeper pick for people who mostly use browser, Office, streaming, Zoom, email, and cloud apps. PCMag/Yahoo lists the HP OmniBook 5 14 as a top laptop/ultraportable pick with exceptional battery life, and HP’s own listing advertises the 14-inch OmniBook 5 with up to 34 hours of battery life in a Snapdragon X / 16GB / 512GB / OLED configuration. (tech.yahoo.com)
Buy if: battery life and OLED matter more than raw Windows app compatibility.
Caution: it’s Snapdragon/Windows-on-Arm, so check specialty apps, VPNs, drivers, and older peripherals.

5. HP OmniBook 3 16-inch 2K Touchscreen — Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB, 512GB

This is not the sexiest laptop, but it’s exactly the kind of model people actually buy when it goes on sale: Best Buy currently lists this exact HP OmniBook 3 16-inch 2K Touchscreen Laptop — Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB, 512GB as its #2 best-selling laptop. (bestbuy.com)
Buy if: you want a big-screen Windows laptop for home, school, or office work at a sane price.
Skip if: you need a premium chassis or travel-friendly weight.

6. Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 14-inch 2K OLED — Core Ultra 5 322, 16GB, 512GB

If you want a convertible/touch laptop, this is the exact current mainstream pick I’d look for. Best Buy lists the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 14-inch 2K OLED Touchscreen Laptop — Core Ultra 5 Processor 322, 16GB, 512GB SSD among its best-selling laptop models. (bestbuy.com)
Buy if: you want Windows, OLED, touchscreen, tablet/tent mode, and a good sale price.
Skip if: you never use touch or tablet mode—get an Air, XPS, or OmniBook instead.

7. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition

For work travel, consulting, corporate use, writing, coding, and keyboard-heavy productivity, get the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition. PCMag/Yahoo names it a top work laptop for its mobility, connectivity, business features, battery life, and OLED screen, while Tom’s Hardware praises its light chassis, keyboard, OLED display, and everyday performance. (tech.yahoo.com)
Recommended config: Core Ultra X7 / 32GB RAM / 1TB SSD if budget allows.
Buy if: keyboard, durability, ports, and manageability matter.

8. Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch or 16-inch — M5 Pro, 24GB, 1TB

For video editing, software development, music production, photography, 3D-light workflows, and long heavy workloads, skip the Air and buy the Pro. The MacBook Pro 16-inch M5 Pro, 24GB memory, 1TB SSD is an exact retail configuration at Best Buy, and Tom’s Guide praises the 16-inch M5 Pro for performance, battery life, display, port selection, and design. (bestbuy.com)
Buy 14-inch if: portability matters.
Buy 16-inch if: you want the bigger screen, better sustained comfort, and don’t mind weight.

9. Lenovo Legion Pro 5i / Pro 7i for gaming

For gaming, I’d shop Lenovo Legion first. Best Buy’s gaming best-seller list includes the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 16-inch 3K OLED Gaming Laptop — Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, 32GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 1TB, while Tom’s Guide and Tom’s Hardware continue to rate Lenovo’s Legion Pro line highly for serious gaming performance. (bestbuy.com)
Buy Legion Pro 5i if: you want the sensible high-performance gaming buy.
Buy Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 if: you want a more premium build/performance tier.
Also consider: ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 if you want a more aggressive gaming design and top-end GPU options.

10. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14

If you want ChromeOS, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the one I’d start with. Tom’s Guide calls it the best Chromebook you can buy right now, highlighting its design, ergonomics, OLED display, and productivity chops. (tomsguide.com)
Cheaper Chromebook people buy: Best Buy’s Chromebook best-seller list includes the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook — 14-inch 2K Touchscreen, MediaTek Kompanio 540, 8GB memory, 128GB storage. (bestbuy.com)

My “don’t overthink it” answer

• Most people: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5, 16GB, 512GB
• Most Windows users: Dell XPS 13 (2026), 16GB, 512GB
• Best Windows battery/value: HP OmniBook 5 14-inch, Snapdragon X, 16GB, 512GB, 2K OLED
• Best work laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition
• Best gaming buy: Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 16-inch RTX 5070 Ti
• Best pro/creator laptop: MacBook Pro 14-inch M5 Pro, 24GB, 1TB

If you tell me your budget, screen-size preference, and whether you need Windows, I can narrow this to one exact model/configuration.

Best Laptops in 2026 — Actual Models Worth Buying

Here's a breakdown by category, based on current reviews and what's actually popular:

🍎 For Mac Users

• MacBook Air (M-series) and MacBook Pro (M5/M5 Pro/M5 Max) — these deliver pristine build quality, minimalist aesthetics, excellent inputs, and an unmatched daily experience in performance, thermals, and battery life (20+ hours), thanks to Apple silicon and tight OS integration. Apple's latest chip lineup includes the M5 series, including the M5 Pro and M5 Max, found in the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lineup. There's also a current deal worth noting — you can save $400 on a new 14-inch MacBook Pro M5.

💻 Best Overall Windows Laptop

• Dell XPS 13 (2026) — Reviewers call it "the new bar for mainstream Windows laptop excellence".
• Dell XPS 14 — Dell revived the XPS name at CES 2026 with new models. Dell announced it was reviving the XPS brand, showing off the Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16, powered by Intel's new Core Ultra 300 series processors, which reviewers called "two of the most exciting laptops" they'd tested that year. The 14-inch model stands out as the real star of the show for being smaller and slightly more affordable.
• The 2K version of this laptop also impressed on battery: the 2K non-touchscreen version of the new XPS 14 lasted more than 24 hours on the battery test, setting a new record.

🔄 Best 2-in-1 / Convertible

• Lenovo Yoga 7 (2-in-1) — the best value 2-in-1 available today, offered in either 14-inch or 16-inch display sizes, built on multiple hardware platforms across generations, either Intel or AMD.
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 — a well-regarded thin-and-light option, notable for its Snapdragon X Elite chip delivering strong battery efficiency.

⚙️ Best for AI/Snapdragon Performance

• HP OmniBook Ultra 14 — praised for potent Snapdragon performance, great endurance, though at a premium price.
• HP OmniBook X Flip 14 — offers premium design, though with middling performance.

🎮 Best Gaming Laptop

• Razer Blade 18 (2026) — a high-end gaming machine reviewed as "coming in fast and hot" in 2026 tests.
• Budget-conscious gamers can also check out OLED-equipped RTX 5090 laptops, with some deals bringing prices to $3,599 (a $800 discount) for OLED RTX 5090 configurations.

🧠 Chip Landscape to Know (2026)

When picking a Windows laptop, chip choice matters a lot:

• Intel's most recent chips are its Core Ultra Series 3, code-named Panther Lake, while AMD launched its "Gorgon Point" Ryzen AI processors at CES.
• Qualcomm released its Snapdragon X2 Elite Xtreme, Elite, and Plus chips earlier in the year, competing directly with Intel/AMD in efficiency-focused ultrabooks.
• Nvidia announced that its RTX Spark chips will launch in laptops from Microsoft, Dell, Lenovo, HP, and more starting in the fall, aimed at Windows-on-Arm devices.

If you want the best laptops people actually buy, the safest “buy-it-now” picks are the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5), HP OmniBook 5 14, Dell XPS 14 (2026), and Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (14" Intel, 2026), with the MacBook Air most often named the best overall choice for most people.

A practical shortlist by use case:

• Best overall: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5)
• Best Windows laptop for most people: HP OmniBook 5 14
• Best premium ultraportable Windows pick: Dell XPS 14 (2026)
• Best 2-in-1: Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (14" Intel, 2026)
• Best business laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition
• Best budget laptop: Acer Chromebook Plus 514 or Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 depending on whether you want a clamshell or convertible
• Best for long battery life: MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+
• Best gaming pick: Asus ROG Zephyrus G16
• Best content-creator laptop: Apple MacBook Pro family, with reviewers often highlighting the 14-inch or 16-inch Pro models

If you want the single safest recommendation, buy the MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) unless you specifically need Windows, gaming, or a touchscreen 2-in-1.

If you want, I can also give you:

• best laptops under $1,000
• best Windows laptops only
• best laptops for students
• best laptops with exact current model names and prices

Here are the specific models people actually buy right now, broken down by use case. These are exact product names, not just brands.

Best Overall (Windows + macOS)

• Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024)
  Model: MacBook Air 13" M3 (A3113)
  The default laptop for most people: ridiculously fast, silent, 18-hour battery, great screen.

• Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition (Snapdragon X Elite)
  Model: Surface Laptop 7th Edition, 13.8"
  The best Windows laptop for normal users right now — excellent build, amazing battery life, and ARM compatibility is solid.

Best for Productivity / Business (Windows)

• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
  Model: ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 (21KC)
  The classic business laptop, now with a great 120Hz display and the best keyboard on the market.

• Dell XPS 13 (9345)
  Model: XPS 13 9345 (Snapdragon X Elite)
  Sleek, premium, great battery life. People buy this because it looks and feels like a MacBook but runs Windows.

Best Budget / Everyday (Under $700)

• Acer Aspire 5 (A515-58M)
  Model: Acer Aspire 5 15.6" (A515-58M)
  The most-bought budget Windows laptop. Good enough for school, Netflix, and Office.

• Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15ABR8
  Model: IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6" (82XQ)
  Cheap, light, and reliable. Often the top seller at Best Buy / Amazon for under $500.

Best for Gaming

• ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA403)
  Model: ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA403UI or GA403UU)
  The most recommended 14-inch gaming laptop. People actually buy it because it’s portable and powerful.

• Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (Gen 9)
  Model: Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 (83DF)
  The best-selling “serious” gaming laptop with RTX 4060/4070. No gimmicks, great cooling.

Best Chromebook (What most people actually buy)

• Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Flex 5
  Model: IdeaPad Chromebook Flex 5 13" (82X8001KUS)
  The #1-selling Chromebook on Amazon for years. Quiet, fast, touchscreen, under $400.

• Acer Chromebook Spin 514
  Model: Chromebook Spin 514 (CB514-2H)
  Popular for students and office workers who just use Google apps. Sturdy and cheap.

Best Ultra-Portable / Travel

• LG gram 16 (2024)
  Model: LG gram 16” (16Z90S-G.AA75U)
  Weighs under 3 pounds, huge screen, 20+ hour battery. This is what frequent flyers buy.

• Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)
  Model: MacBook Pro 14" M4 (A2992)
  The choice for creators and developers who need real power but still want portability.

Best for Linux / Tinkerers

• Framework Laptop 13
  Model: Framework Laptop 13 (AMD Ryzen 7040 series)
  The only laptop people buy specifically because they can fix and upgrade it themselves.

Short answer if you just want one:

• Most people should buy the MacBook Air 13" M3 if they want the easiest, best experience.
• If you need Windows, buy the Surface Laptop 7th Edition or ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12.
• If you’re on a budget, buy the Acer Aspire 5.
• If you’re gaming, buy the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14.

The most popular and frequently recommended specific laptop models right now (as of late August/early September 2026) are dominated by Apple’s MacBook lineup due to strong sales data, followed by a few standout Windows options praised for value, battery life, and performance.

These recommendations draw from expert review sites (PCMag, Wirecutter, Mashable, Tom’s Hardware) and real-world sales data (Amazon best-sellers and market analyses), which highlight what consumers are actually purchasing in volume.

Top Overall / Best-Selling Picks (What People Actually Buy)

• Apple 2026 MacBook Neo 13-inch (A18 Pro chip): Consistently ranks as the #1 or top best-selling laptop on Amazon globally and in the US, often with tens of thousands of units sold monthly in recent analyses. It’s positioned as an affordable “budget bombshell” with solid build quality, good battery life (~11–14 hours in tests), a Liquid Retina display, and Apple Intelligence features—making it a hit for students, everyday users, and first-time Mac buyers at around $689.
• Apple 2026 MacBook Air 13-inch (M5 chip): A perennial top seller and expert favorite for most people. It offers excellent performance, battery life, build quality, and value in the ~$1,200–$1,500 range (common configs with 16GB RAM/512GB SSD). Reviewers across PCMag, Mashable, and Wirecutter highlight it as the go-to MacBook for productivity and portability.
• Apple 2026 MacBook Air 15-inch (M5 chip): Strong seller in the mid-range premium segment (~$1,300–$1,600), appealing to those wanting a larger screen without jumping to Pro models.

These Apple models lead in unit sales and revenue share on major platforms, reflecting broad consumer preference for macOS ecosystem integration, reliability, and resale value.

Best Windows Laptops (Expert Picks That Also Sell Well)

• HP OmniBook 5 14: PCMag’s top Windows laptop for most people. It stands out for its thin/light design, affordability (~$860), and exceptional battery life (often 30+ hours in tests). It’s a practical daily driver with strong value.
• Asus Zenbook A14 (e.g., UX3407NA configs, often Snapdragon X2 or similar): Frequently cited by Mashable and others as the best Windows ultraportable for most users. It excels in performance, battery life, and portability (~$1,350), with strong reviews for everyday tasks.
• Dell XPS 14 (2026): Praised as a premium ultraportable with excellent build, OLED options, and performance; positioned as a direct MacBook rival in the higher-end Windows space.

Other Notable Mentions by Category

• Versatile/2-in-1: Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (Gen 10 or similar) — Wirecutter and other picks for its OLED touchscreen, battery life, and convertibility; popular for students and creative work.
• Budget Windows: HP 14 or 15 series (various configs like 14-dq or 15-fc lines) — Frequently appear in Amazon top-sellers lists for basic use at lower price points (~$300–$500).
• Gaming: ASUS ROG Strix models (e.g., G16) or MSI Katana/Raider lines lead sales and reviews in this category, though they sell in lower volumes than mainstream options.

Key trends: Apple dominates both expert “best for most people” lists and actual purchase data due to ecosystem appeal and perceived quality. Windows options like HP OmniBook and Asus Zenbook win on battery/value for non-Apple users. Prices fluctuate with configs (RAM/storage) and sales—check current deals on Amazon, Best Buy, or manufacturer sites.

For the latest availability or specific use cases (e.g., gaming, heavy creative work), cross-reference recent reviews, as new variants (M5 Pro/Max, refreshed Intel/AMD/Snapdragon chips) continue to emerge.

The best laptops of 2026 include options for everyday use, gaming, Windows, Mac, budget, and Chromebook users, with specific models such as the Apple MacBook Air M5, Dell XPS 14 (2026), and Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.

1. Apple MacBook Air M5 — Best Overall

Processor: Apple M5, 10-core CPU | GPU: up to 10-core | RAM: 16GB standard, upgradable | Storage: 512GB base, up to 2TB | Screen: 13-inch or 15-inch | Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 7 | Weight: 3.24 lbs Why it’s great: Offers excellent speed, battery life, portability, and a 512GB base storage. Ideal for students, office workers, programmers, and travelers. The fanless design is quiet for everyday tasks, though sustained heavy workloads can reduce performance. Up to 11.5 hours of video playback.

2. Apple MacBook Neo — Best Value for macOS

Processor: Apple A18 Pro, 6-core CPU | GPU: 5-core | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB or 512GB | Screen: 13-inch Liquid Retina | Weight: 2.7 lbs | Ports: 2 USB-C, headphone jack Why it’s great: Affordable, quiet, and portable, making it perfect for students or casual users. Strong build quality and long battery life (~13 hours). Entry models lack backlit keyboard and Thunderbolt support, so higher configurations may be preferable.

3. Dell XPS 14 (2026) — Best Windows Laptop

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5–X9 | GPU: varies (Intel or optional Nvidia) | RAM: 8–32GB | Storage: 512GB–2TB | Screen: OLED, 14-inch | Ports: USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, headphone/mic combo Why it’s great: Premium design for productivity, creative work, and occasional gaming. OLED display provides vivid HDR visuals, with up to 14–20 hours battery life depending on configuration.

4. Dell XPS 13 (2026) — Best Budget Windows Laptop

Processor: Intel Core 5-320 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB SSD | Screen: 13.4-inch 2.5K touchscreen | Ports: 2 USB-C | Weight: 2.2 lbs Why it’s great: Lightweight, portable, with a sharp touchscreen and strong web battery life (~14 hours). Ideal for students and office tasks; limitation: limited ports and not suitable for heavy multitasking.

5. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 — Best Gaming Laptop

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX | RAM: 16–64GB | Storage: 1–2TB | Screen: 16-inch, 3K OLED, 240Hz | Weight: 4.3 lbs | Ports: USB-A, USB-C, Thunderbolt, HDMI, SD Why it’s great: Strong gaming and productivity performance, lightweight for its category, with vivid display and smooth frame rates. Battery life under heavy gaming is short (~1 hour 45 minutes), so keep it plugged in during long sessions.

6. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 — Best Chromebook

Processor: MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 256GB UFS | Screen: 14-inch OLED | Weight: 2.78 lbs | Ports: USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, headphone jack Why it’s great: Excellent for browser-based work, streaming, and Google Workspace. OLED screen and ergonomics make it a user-friendly budget alternative, with ~13 hours battery life.

These specific laptop models cover a wide range of budgets, operating systems, and use cases for 2026, giving users clear options depending on their priorities such as performance, portability, gaming, or affordability.