# 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.
- Title: The Best Laptops We've Tested (September 2026) · PCMAG
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: pcmag, hp omnibook 5, laptop, battery life, 2026, best laptops, windows laptop, macbook air, dell xps 13, apple macbook neo, lenovo thinkpad, dell xps 14
- Source: PCMAG — https://pcmag.com/picks/the-best-laptops
- Author: Brian Westover
- Published: 2026-09-22T20:51:33+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: pcmag, hp omnibook 5, laptop, battery life, 2026, best laptops, windows laptop, macbook air, dell xps 13, apple macbook neo, lenovo thinkpad, dell xps 14
## 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.
## Key takeaway

PCMag's 2026 best laptop list features HP OmniBook 5 with 34-hour battery life as top pick for most people.