5 best laptops in 2016 you can buy

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1. Dell XPS 13

Dell’s latest Ultrabook is a masterpiece ahead of the curve

CPU: 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-6200U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 256GB SSD

Gorgeous bezel-less display
Lightweight, compact frame
Off-center webcam
Small frame limits battery life

The Dell XPS 13 isn’t just an astonishingly thin and light laptop, it’s a revolution in design. Fitting a 13.3-inch screen into a 11-inch laptop frame is no small feat, however, Dell has pulled off a miracle creating a nearly borderless Infinity display. This is also one powerful and long lasting machine powered by Intel’s latest Skylake processors, all while coming in at a very affordable starting price. For these reasons, it easily takes the top slot as the best Ultrabook, the best Windows laptop and the best overall laptop.

2. Asus ZenBook UX305

Better than the MacBook and at a fraction of the price

CPU: 900MHz Intel Core M3-6Y30 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 IPS display | Storage: 256GB SSD

Incredibly thin and light
Vibrant, glare-free screen
Weak sauce graphics
Tinny speakers

The Asus ZenBook UX305 might look like a MacBook from every angle, but it’s a better machine in almost every way. It’s thinner and even more attractive in some ways with its purple-tinged aluminum body. With a sharp display and hearty helping of storage space, it’s better equipped than Apple’s titular thin-and-light. Add in the fanless design and long battery life, and this machine is one hot ticket. Most importantly, though, you can get this great package at a very affordable price.

3. Asus Chromebook Flip

A premium Chromebook that backflips on command

CPU: 1.8GHz Rockchip 3288-C | Graphics: ARM Mali T624 | RAM: 2GB LPDDR3 SDRAM | Screen: 10.1-inch, WXGA (1,280 x 800) IPS multi-touch display | Storage: 16GB eMMC

Fully metal construction
Excessive battery life
Large screen bezels

When most people think of Chromebooks they might expect some cheap, plastic device that’s only just good enough to get them by through a day of surfing the web. Asus on the other hand offers the fully metal Chromebook Flip that doubles as a tablet just for the heck of it. The 10.1-inch, 2-in-1 Chromebook is an exceedingly light laptop that feels premium to the touch. Thanks to a little known Rockchip processor, it can also outrun most other Chrome OS machines and out last them with its eight hour battery life.

4. 13-inch MacBook Air (early 2015)

Light and faster than ever

CPU: 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 6000 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, LED-backlit glossy display (1440 x 900) | Storage: 256GB SSD

Excellent battery life
Nippy storage
Dated design
Low-res display

While the latest MacBook Air sticks to its guns with a dated design and low-resolution screen, it’s not showing any signs of slowing down on the performance front. Thanks to a capable CPU, this thin and light machine can handle everything from simple web browsing to serious number crunching and even some light gaming. Sure the New MacBook is lighter and thinner, but it does not come with the Air’s spread of full-sized ports nor a 13 hour battery life to last you though an entire day.

5. Surface Pro 4

The best iteration in Windows 10 tablets

CPU: 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-6300U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 12.3-inch, 2,736 x 1,824 PixelSense display | Storage: 256GB

Larger, sharper screen
Vastly improved Type Cover
Type Cover still sold separately
Battery life hasn’t improved much

There’s a new reigning king of Windows tablets and its name is the Surface Pro 4. Building on everything the last iteration got right, this new slate introduces a larger and more sensitive touchscreen perfected for everything from penning documents to painting images. Yapping away on the redesigned Type Cover’s island-style keys feels almost as good as a real notebook keyboard and the glass trackpad feels simply superb. Internally, the new model also features a faster processor and storage, all in a shell that’s actually lighter and thinner than the Surface Pro 3. Overall, these improvements make the Surface Pro 4 an affordable Windows tablet that really can replace your laptop.