From PCMAG · Brian Westover · · 2m
The Best Laptops We've Tested (September 2026)
PCMag tests top laptops for 2026, highlighting HP OmniBook 5 as best overall with 34-hour battery life.
In brief
PCMag tests top laptops for 2026, highlighting HP OmniBook 5 as best overall with 34-hour battery life. PCMag's 2026 best laptop list features HP OmniBook 5 with 34-hour battery life as top pick for most people. Originally reported by PCMAG.
PCMag's Laptop Testing
PCMag has tested thousands of laptops for over 40 years with more than a century of combined experience.
2026 Best Laptop Picks
PCMag tests over 100 laptop models yearly for CPU performance, graphics, design, usability, and value.
Best Windows Laptop
HP OmniBook 5 14-inch laptop offers 34-hour battery life at $859.99 with vivid OLED display and ultra-thin design.
Best MacBook
Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2026, M5) costs $1,540.00 with boosted SSD speed and M5 chip for productivity.
Best Budget Windows Laptop
Dell XPS 13 (2026) costs $699.99 with 120Hz touch display and marathon battery life at budget price.
Best Budget MacBook
Apple MacBook Neo costs $699.00 with premium aluminum build and longer battery life than budget laptops.
Best Business Laptop
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition costs $2,407.30 with repairable design and longer battery life.
Best Ultraportable Laptop
Dell XPS 14 (2026) costs $2,079.99 with vivid OLED screen and class-leading battery life for portability.
Best Chromebook
Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 costs $759.99 with Intel Core Ultra processing and on-device AI features.
Best Gaming Laptop
MSI Katana 15 HX costs $1,227.96 with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 for smooth 60fps gaming at budget price.
Best High-End Gaming Laptop
MSI Raider 18 HX AI costs $3,695.00 with Core Ultra 9 HX CPU and GeForce RTX 5080 GPU for top performance.
Best Desktop Replacement Laptop
Framework Laptop 16 (2025) costs $1,599.00 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU.
Best Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop
LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 16 (2025) costs $3,049.99 with vivid OLED screen and long battery life for portability.
Best Detachable 2-in-1 Laptop
Asus ProArt PZ13 costs $1,249.99 with OLED touch screen and kickstand cover for Windows 11 detachable use.
Best Workstation Laptop
Dell Pro Max 18 Plus costs $4,109.31 with tower-like power for mobile workstations and high-end display.
Best Content Creation Laptop
Apple MacBook Pro 14-Inch (2025, M5) costs $1,886.99 with M5 chip for AI and graphics performance.
Best Long Battery Life Laptop
MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ costs $2,399.00 with record-setting battery life and 34-hour endurance.
What to remember
PCMag's 2026 best laptop list features HP OmniBook 5 with 34-hour battery life as top pick for most people.
