QUESTION

What are the best MacBook, Dell XPS, ThinkPad, HP, and ASUS laptops?

10 upvotes0 downvotes

Asked May 28, 2026Last updated June 10, 2026Answers can change over time.

Answer95% confidence

Top picks by brand:

MacBook: MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) — the ultimate everyday laptop with superb battery life, silent fanless performance, and strong ecosystem integration.
Dell XPS: Dell XPS 13 — a highly premium, ultra-compact Windows laptop with a futuristic, minimalist design and vivid display options.
ThinkPad: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon — the gold standard for business, featuring legendary keyboard comfort, robust security, and lightweight durability.
HP: HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 — HP's premier 2-in-1 convertible (the successor to the iconic Spectre x360 series) offering excellent versatility and stylus support.
ASUS: ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED — outstanding overall value, combining a gorgeous high-refresh-rate OLED screen, long battery life, and competitive pricing.

Quick Verdict: Choose the MacBook Air 13-inch if you prefer macOS, or the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED if you want the best overall balance of price and features in a Windows laptop.

Our pick

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Best for most macos users

Maars picked this for most Apple users who want a light everyday laptop: it is fast, quiet, portable, and easy to recommend for school, work, and travel.

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At a glance

Compared picks

Swipe to compare

	MacBook Air 13 M4	Dell XPS 13	ThinkPad X1 Carbon	HP Spectre x360 14	ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED
Best overall fit	Best for most macOS users	Best premium compact Windows laptop	Best business ultraportable	Best premium convertible	Best Windows value pick
Operating system	macOS	Windows	Windows	Windows	Windows
Main strength	Battery life, quiet design, everyday speed	Premium build and compact design	Keyboard, business features, durability focus	Touchscreen flexibility and premium feel	OLED screen value and everyday performance
Best for	Students, writers, office work, travel	Windows users who want a sleek laptop	Business users and heavy typists	Note-taking, presentations, tablet-style use	Buyers who want screen quality for the money
Main tradeoff	Not for users who need Windows-only software or lots of ports	Can be expensive for the specs	Premium business models can cost more than consumer laptops	2-in-1 design may not matter if you never use touch or pen input	Build, keyboard, and battery vary by exact configuration
Recommended baseline specs	16GB memory and at least 512GB storage if budget allows	16GB memory and at least 512GB storage	16GB memory minimum; 32GB if you multitask heavily	16GB memory and OLED/touch option if you want the full experience	16GB memory and 512GB storage for best long-term value

Also compared

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Dell XPS 13

Best for premium windows travel

Maars picked this for Windows users who want a premium compact laptop: it focuses on sleek design, portability, and a high-end feel.

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

Best for business users

Maars picked this for business users and heavy typists: it combines a lightweight design with the ThinkPad keyboard, security, and serviceability focus.

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HP Spectre x360 14

Best for premium 2-in-1 users

Maars picked this for people who want a premium laptop that can also fold into tablet or presentation modes: it is the most flexible pick here.

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ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Best for best windows value

Maars picked this for Windows buyers who want a sharp screen and strong everyday value: it often delivers premium display quality without the highest premium-laptop price.

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Alternatives

MacBook Air 15-inch M4
Best larger MacBook
Better if you want a bigger screen without moving up to a heavier MacBook Pro.
MacBook Pro 14-inch
Best performance MacBook
Better for sustained creative workloads, more ports, and higher-end display needs.
ThinkPad T14 or T14s
Best ThinkPad value
Often a better buy than the X1 Carbon if you want business durability at a lower price.

What could change this answer

Laptop lineups, chip options, and pricing change often.
Before buying, verify the current processor generation, RAM/storage configuration, display option, warranty, and return policy.
Laptop configurations (CPU, RAM, storage, and screen options) vary.

Found this helpful?

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Our pick

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Best for most macos users

Maars picked this for most Apple users who want a light everyday laptop: it is fast, quiet, portable, and easy to recommend for school, work, and travel.

Search on Amazon

At a glance

Compared picks

Swipe to compare

	MacBook Air 13 M4	Dell XPS 13	ThinkPad X1 Carbon	HP Spectre x360 14	ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED
Best overall fit	Best for most macOS users	Best premium compact Windows laptop	Best business ultraportable	Best premium convertible	Best Windows value pick
Operating system	macOS	Windows	Windows	Windows	Windows
Main strength	Battery life, quiet design, everyday speed	Premium build and compact design	Keyboard, business features, durability focus	Touchscreen flexibility and premium feel	OLED screen value and everyday performance
Best for	Students, writers, office work, travel	Windows users who want a sleek laptop	Business users and heavy typists	Note-taking, presentations, tablet-style use	Buyers who want screen quality for the money
Main tradeoff	Not for users who need Windows-only software or lots of ports	Can be expensive for the specs	Premium business models can cost more than consumer laptops	2-in-1 design may not matter if you never use touch or pen input	Build, keyboard, and battery vary by exact configuration
Recommended baseline specs	16GB memory and at least 512GB storage if budget allows	16GB memory and at least 512GB storage	16GB memory minimum; 32GB if you multitask heavily	16GB memory and OLED/touch option if you want the full experience	16GB memory and 512GB storage for best long-term value

Also compared

Search on Amazon

Dell XPS 13

Best for premium windows travel

Maars picked this for Windows users who want a premium compact laptop: it focuses on sleek design, portability, and a high-end feel.

Search on Amazon

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

Best for business users

Maars picked this for business users and heavy typists: it combines a lightweight design with the ThinkPad keyboard, security, and serviceability focus.

Search on Amazon

HP Spectre x360 14

Best for premium 2-in-1 users

Maars picked this for people who want a premium laptop that can also fold into tablet or presentation modes: it is the most flexible pick here.

Search on Amazon

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Best for best windows value

Maars picked this for Windows buyers who want a sharp screen and strong everyday value: it often delivers premium display quality without the highest premium-laptop price.

Search on Amazon

Alternatives

MacBook Air 15-inch M4
Best larger MacBook
Better if you want a bigger screen without moving up to a heavier MacBook Pro.
MacBook Pro 14-inch
Best performance MacBook
Better for sustained creative workloads, more ports, and higher-end display needs.
ThinkPad T14 or T14s
Best ThinkPad value
Often a better buy than the X1 Carbon if you want business durability at a lower price.

What could change this answer

Laptop lineups, chip options, and pricing change often.
Before buying, verify the current processor generation, RAM/storage configuration, display option, warranty, and return policy.
Laptop configurations (CPU, RAM, storage, and screen options) vary.

Found this helpful?

More buying options

May include affiliate links

Search Amazon Search eBay

What are the best MacBook, Dell XPS, ThinkPad, HP, and ASUS laptops?

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Compared picks

Dell XPS 13

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

HP Spectre x360 14

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Alternatives

What could change this answer

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Compared picks

Dell XPS 13

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

HP Spectre x360 14

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Alternatives

What could change this answer

Tags

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Compared picks

Dell XPS 13

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

HP Spectre x360 14

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Alternatives

What could change this answer

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Compared picks

Dell XPS 13

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

HP Spectre x360 14

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Alternatives

What could change this answer

Tags

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Compared picks

Dell XPS 13

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

HP Spectre x360 14

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Alternatives

What could change this answer

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Compared picks

Dell XPS 13

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

HP Spectre x360 14

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Alternatives

What could change this answer

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Compared picks

Dell XPS 13

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

HP Spectre x360 14

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Alternatives

What could change this answer

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4

Compared picks

Dell XPS 13

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

HP Spectre x360 14

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Alternatives

What could change this answer

Ask Maars another question

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