If you’ve held on to an aging Windows laptop for too long, it’s now a great time to upgrade. With all the hype around AI PCs, computer makers are rushing to release new designs featuring efficient new chips from Intel and AMD. And thanks to Microsoft’s Copilot+ initiative, which launched last year, we’re finally seeing decent notebooks powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips, which are leading to better battery life and lighter designs.
Whether you need a premium ultraportable, a powerful gaming rig or a versatile mobile workstation, our current list of the best Windows laptops highlights our favorites that have been rigorously tested by our team. You may even find a Windows laptop that suits you better than an Apple MacBook if you’re looking to make the switch. For those on a budget, check out our list of the best cheap Windows laptops to find great options that won't break the bank.
Best Windows laptops for 2025
Dell / Engadget 91 100 Expert Score Best Windows laptop overall Dell 14 Premium Screen size: 14.5-inch | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 | Installed memory: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 3.6 pounds | Battery life: Up to 8.5 hours (as tested) Read our full Dell 14 Premium review For 2025, Dell rebranded the XPS 14 into the 14 Premium and gave it some updated specs. And while its new name is a shame, its pedigree remains unsullied (at least for now), which allows Dell's flagship 14-inch laptop to retain its title as one of the best Windows notebooks around. It features a slick, futuristic design with a hidden touchpad and love-or-hate-it multimedia controls along with solid performance, good enough battery life and welcome optional upgrades like a 3.2K OLED display and a discrete RTX 4050 GPU. So if you're looking for a portable and well-rounded Windows PC, it's hard to go wrong with the Dell 14 Premium. Pros Sleek design
Vivid optional OLED display
Solid performance
Giant touchpad Cons Divisive capacitive touch buttons
Optional discrete GPU is one generation old $1,500 at Dell
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget 88 100 Expert Score Best Windows laptop - runner up ASUS Zenbook S14 Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | Installed memory: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 2.6 pounds | Battery life: 16:08 Read our full ASUS Zenbook S14 review The Zenbook S14 shows how far ASUS has come. It’s a gorgeous premium notebook powered by Intel’s new Lunar Lake chips, giving it a healthy dose of power and battery life. In our battery testing, it lasted 16 hours and eight minutes, putting it among the best Windows PCs we’ve seen. The Zenbook S14 is also lighter than Apple’s MacBook Air, while also offering more ports (two USB-C, one USB-A, HDMI and a headphone jack). Overall, though, we were just won over by everything ASUS did right. Its Ceraluminum case feels incredibly polished, and its OLED screen also makes just about everything look great. Pros Attractive modern design
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