We have to talk about RAMageddon
It's a tough time to be a new Windows laptop. PCs have been hit especially hard by the global RAM shortage. Many popular models have gotten steep price hikes as new AI data centers hog their components, making good values in the budget and mid-range tiers scarcer. (Unfortunately, that probably won't change anytime soon.)
MacBooks have managed to avoid such price increases, but they're not necessarily the ideal computers for everyone. Windows laptops are still much better for PC gaming, and they're more customizable with dedicated GPUs, OLED displays, and convertible designs.
So, before you defect to Team Apple, explore our guide to the best Windows laptops that are actually worth buying these days. Yes, they're still out there — just fewer and further between.
How we chose the top Windows laptops
To select our current picks, my colleagues and I have spent the last few months reviewing some of the newest Windows laptops using our in-house testing methodology. I've also re-evaluated some of last year's releases that remain in stock and don't feel like drastic downgrades.
As of mid-2026, the ultraportable Asus Zenbook A14 leads the pack as my top pick for most buyers.
What's new
I overhauled this guide with new Windows laptops in June 2026.
The Asus Zenbook A14 replaces the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 as my top choice for most people, since the latter is older but newly much more expensive.
The Acer Swift Edge 14 AI succeeds the older Zenbook A14 as my favorite ultraportable; it's even slimmer and lighter.
The HP OmniBook 3 16 is my new battery life winner, dethroning the OmniBook 5 14 with an extra seven-plus hours of stamina.
The Asus Zenbook A16 ousts the Acer Swift Go 16 as the best 16-inch laptop with its amazing performance and lightweight build.
The repairable Framework Laptop 13 with Intel Core Ultra Series 1 chips has been retired in favor of the newer AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series model.
I also removed several previous picks that were no longer available at the time of writing, including the 2026 MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, the 2024 Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, the 2025 Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition, and the 2025 Lenovo Yoga Book 9i.
A note about Windows laptops with Snapdragon X series chips
Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series chips use ARM-based architecture, not traditional x86 architecture like Intel and AMD chips. As such, their compatibility differs; ARM-based laptops don't work with certain specialty software, PC games, and older peripherals (like printers and scanners). It's important to consider these limitations for your use cases.
This is one big reason why I recommend the Lenovo Yoga 7 14 for students: It runs on an x86-based AMD chip, not an ARM-based Snapdragon X chip. When I examined the 20 top public universities' hardware recommendations last fall, I found that a few schools explicitly advised their students against getting ARM-based laptops because they aren't compatible with certain essential software and peripherals.
The good news is that ARM compatibility has gotten better over the past couple years, and it will definitely continue to do so now that Nvidia is coming out with its own Windows on ARM chips.