9 Of The Best Laptops You Can Buy In 2026, According To Consumer Reports

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A good laptop is an investment you shouldn't make without adequate research. An impulse purchase or an overly pocket-friendly deal can lead to you acquiring a laptop that keeps you satisfied for a few measly years before you inevitably have to switch things up for your own sanity. This is why working professionals and tech-savvy individuals should prioritize buying a quality laptop in 2026 with positive reviews from reputable publications. The trustworthiness of the manufacturer and a satisfying user experience should also be considered here.

Consumer Reports is very useful in this regard, gauging a laptop's Overall Score, Brand Reliability, and Owner Satisfaction. This site has reviewed several laptops, giving people a broad idea of what they can expect from the most popular devices this year. While some laptops should be given a wide berth, others boast the performance, utility, and design that people expect from the substantial investment they'll make in this department. Since this year has only just begun, expect to see some laptops that have already made the cut for the best laptops in 2025, as per Consumer Reports.

The LG Gram lineup has knocked it out of the park and established itself as one of the best laptop brands on Consumer Reports. Almost every model has attained high Overall Scores from the publication, and the 17-inch LG Gram is no exception. PCMag's score of 4 out of 5 is worth a mention as well. Despite weighing barely above 3 pounds, the massive 16:10 screen is a treat to behold. The 2,560x1,600 display is colorful, sharp, and sufficiently bright. If that wasn't good enough, the device has received MIL-STD-810H certification, meaning it looks good while having passed military vibration and other durability testing.

A 3.3GHz Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor, 32GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD provide strong performance, letting you carry out numerous system-intensive processes without worrying about lag impeding your workflow. The laptop also comes with AI-powered solutions, combining Copilot tools with LG's proprietary Gram AI that aid in offline troubleshooting and performance optimization. 

Battery life is also worth noting, with the LG Gram 17 lasting as long as 19 hours in some tests. It's a testament to this laptop's engineering, although there is one area where the build quality is more debatable. The magnesium alloy chassis is certainly durable, but it feels less premium. Another thing to note is the cost — $1,599 is a steep asking price, but perhaps justified by the LG Gram's beautiful screen, durable construction, long battery life, and high-quality performance.

Apple's MacBooks are ridiculously popular, and no one can argue that they don't deserve to enjoy this market dominance. The Apple MacBook Air is the sleekest offering, but keep in mind that Consumer Reports has only rated the M4 model for now. Still, its Overall Score is admirable and makes it clear that the $999 M4 MacBook Air is arguably the only Apple laptop you need to buy. Consumer Reports isn't the only publication that has given glowing reviews to this laptop — out of 10, CNET and WIRED both gave the M4 model a 9. PCMag gave it a score of 4 out of 5, and TechRadar's 4.5 stars make it clear that they were very impressed with this laptop. A 256GB SSD is limiting, but Mac users will adjust to it.

The M4 chip is a decent, if somewhat nominal, upgrade over the M3, boasting 10 cores and a 4.06GHz top clock speed. Multitasking is a cinch on this laptop, no matter how many programs and tabs you have open. While the laptop handles these processes smoothly, one thing to note is that the MacBook Air is prone to overheating after prolonged use. The lack of any fans is to blame here, but its iconic look and a weight of just 3.3 pounds may make you forget all about this issue. The updated 12MP camera with Center Stage is another notable upgrade, as is the doubled 16GB RAM. The cherry on top of this amazing package is the MacBook Air's battery life. Apple claimed that the 15-inch model and its 66.5Wh battery will last you for 18 hours.

Some people prefer Chromebooks because of how cheap they are, making them a choice for college students and light users. This is why the launch price of $699 seemed rather excessive for the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514. However, you can get it for $493 at the time of writing. 

The Plus Spin 514 is a high-rated portable computer on Consumer Reports. Engadget was equally glowing with a score of 85 out of 100. XDA Developers gave it a rating of 9 out of 10, while PCMag, Tom's Guide, PCWorld, and IT Pro gave it 4 out of 5 ratings. The ergonomic design looks good and makes this device a laptop-tablet hybrid. A 256GB SSD, 12GB RAM, and a 3.6GHz MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 processor all combine to ensure that this laptop's performance feels swift and satisfying.

In case you're worried about device longevity, the Plus Spin 514 will receive Google updates until June 2035. This laptop's build quality is solid, and its weight of 2.9 pounds and height of just 0.6 inches make it an ultraportable ChromeOS machine. The 14-inch 1,920x1,200 16:10 display achieves a brightness level of up to 350 nits. Professionals who don't want to scramble for a charger on the regular will be glad to know that the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 claims to last for 17 hours on a full charge.

Looking for a laptop with a vivid OLED screen, high build quality, and AI-powered software? Look no further than the Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro. This portable computer has received a nice Overall Score on Consumer Reports, a rating of 9 out of 10 from XDA Developers, and 4 stars on both Laptop Mag and PCWorld. The 76.1Wh battery is one of its best parts, letting you use this laptop uninterrupted for more than 24 hours. The paltry weight of 3.44 pounds is music to the ears of frequent travelers, which is doubly impressive given how sturdy the laptop's aluminum chassis is.

The AI features of this laptop are also worth noting, combining both Copilot and Galaxy AI functionality to great effect. The former is great if you want to use Cocreator to generate images, Automatic Super Resolution to improve refresh rates when gaming, Recall to access the device memory, and Windows Studio Effects to improve your webcam's picture quality. Meanwhile, Galaxy AI lets you clean up and restore blurry images with the Photo Remaster tool or use AI Select to search the web for specific results.

Keep in mind that, even with the higher-tier Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor, a 1TB SSD, and 16GB RAM, multithreaded performance is reportedly lacking. Still, the $1,299 price is lower than what it was at launch, and the 16-inch 2,880x1,800 AMOLED touchscreen display is so tempting that some people may select this laptop based on the screen alone.

The HP OmniBook X Flip 16 is a beautiful piece of machinery that will leave you in awe of its high-fidelity display. The 2,880x1,800 OLED touchscreen supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate. Sure, $1,988.99 is an eye-watering amount to pay for a laptop, but its expansive list of features might convince you to spend the big bucks for this device. An Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor, 32GB RAM, and a 2TB SSD help justify this price tag. The only notable downside on the hardware front is an 8GB Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics adapter, which doesn't do justice to this laptop's advanced display.

Still, that didn't stop Consumer Reports from giving a high rating to this laptop. IT Pro gave it a perfect 5-star rating, Stuff settled for 4 stars, and XDA Developers gave it an 8.5 score out of 10. If you needed another reason to get the OmniBook X Flip, how about a stylus that comes with the laptop? Sure, it's annoying that you need a separate USB-C cable to charge the stylus instead of an easier inductive solution, but that's a minor complaint in the grand scheme of things, as is the possibility that some may consider the 4.15-pound weight to be a bit on the heavy side.

The ASUS Zenbook S 14 is another laptop that features a 3K 14-inch OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a brightness rating of 600 nits for HDR content... but that isn't even the most remarkable thing about this laptop! Take a look at this behemoth's specs — 32GB RAM, a 1TB NVMe 2.0 SSD, an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, and a 72Wh battery are all impressive. The ASUS Zenbook S 14 weighs a mere 2.65 pounds. This makes it the lightest laptop on this list and the very definition of an ultraportable device, with even the MacBook Air and its 3.3-pound weight paling in comparison to the Zenbook S 14.

This speaks volumes about the Zenbook S 14's build quality, with its Ceraluminum — a mix of ceramics and aluminum — finish furbishing a premium look and feel. A Lunar Lake CPU helps bolster this laptop's performance, and both the keyboard and touchpad feel ergonomic and pleasant to use. 

It's little wonder that Consumer Reports gave this laptop a good Overall Score. Ultrabookreview.com settled for a 4.25 score out of 5, while PCMag gave it a 4-out-of-5 rating. While $1,399.99 may be a tad bit on the expensive side, the Zenbook S 14 has everything that makes this price point reasonable. The only negative that can be brought up is a limited 130-degree screen angle, but even that is subjective.

Unlike the Air, the latest M5 MacBook Pro has been reviewed by Consumer Reports. However, the higher Overall Score is reserved for the MacBook Pro model with the M4 Pro chipset. It's clearly one of the more impressive Pro models, especially given how other review outlets have also given glowing scores to this device. Out of 10, both How-To Geek and XDA Developers gave this device a 9. PCMag gave it a score of 4 out of 5, while Tom's Hardware was slightly more generous with a 4.5-star rating. $1,799 is definitely an exorbitant asking price, but the M4 Pro's performance alone makes up for the hole it'll burn in your wallet.

This 4.51GHz 14-core CPU is comprised of 10 perform­ance cores and four efficiency cores, with both single and multi-core performance being similar to that of the M3 Max chipsets of the previous generation. This, coupled with 24GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 20-core GPU, makes this laptop perfect for content creators.

For all the power it can generate, it's amazing how quiet the MacBook Pro is. Battery life is also astounding, lasting a full day — if not more — on a full charge. The 12MP camera supports Center Stage. Is this laptop perfect? Well, not exactly. Upgrades are expensive — especially if you want the coveted nano-texture display — and the laptop lacks support for Wi-Fi 7, but the rest of the specs are alluring enough to make up for these minor drawbacks.

ChromeOS can thrive with the proper hardware, and the Asus Expertbook CX54 Chromebook Plus exemplifies this. At $599.99 the Expertbook CX54 may win you over with its performance, courtesy of a 2.1 GHz Intel Core Ultra 5 115U processor and 8GB of RAM. Build quality is also exceptional, in terms of both safety and design. A military-grade MIL-STD 810H protection standard means that you don't have to worry about this Chromebook evaporating into dust after a fall. Meanwhile, the Ergolift hinge and a thickness of just 0.67 inches make this slim Chromebook nice looking and easy to handle.

A 14-inch 16:10 anti-glare touchscreen reaches a display resolution of 2,560x1,600 and provides a clear, crisp image that enhances the satisfaction of using this Chromebook. Finally, the battery life is adequate, lasting a little under 11 hours. It's easy to see why Consumer Reports rated this device highly, making it the third-highest Chromebook model on the site. Android Police was also impressed by this device, giving it a score of 8 out of 10. The 128GB SSD is decent enough to handle light use, and guaranteed Google updates up to mid-2034 will help this Chromebook last for a long time.

The LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 is a high-rated laptop on Consumer Reports, making it clear that this device is no slouch. Both PCMag and Laptop Mag gave it a score of 4 out of 5. However, this performance comes at the steep cost of $2,096.99, making the LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 the most expensive device listed here by quite some margin. Does it justify this price? Well, this laptop-tablet hybrid has a lot of things going for it that make it a satisfying and advanced device for people with funds to spare. The specs are where this ultraportable shines, with a 2GHz Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB solid-state drive being more than competent enough to ensure that your productivity will never be hampered on this device.

However, it's the touchscreen that is one of the Gram Pro 2-in-1's biggest selling points. This 16-inch, 2,880x1,800 WQXGA+ OLED supports a refresh rate of 120Hz. Build quality extends to its magnesium chassis, which is extremely thin without compromising on protection. The Gram Pro 2-in-1 weighs just 3.08 pounds with a thickness of 0.51 inches. Rounding off this entire package is a stylus that — unlike the HP OmniBook X Flip — snaps onto the laptop to charge wirelessly.

Laptops on Consumer Reports with scores of 75 or more have qualified here. CR calculates Overall Score based on the following metrics — Lab Tests, Reliability, Owner Satisfaction, Data Privacy and Security.

Relevant scores from reputed publications have also been mentioned to lend credence to these CR Overall Scores. These include Laptop Mag, PCWorld, XDA Developers, How-To Geek, PCMag, Stuff, CNET, WIRED, Android Police, Engadget, Tom's Guide, IT Pro, Ultrabookreview.com, and TechRadar. Mentions are also restricted to two laptops per manufacturer to prevent similar models with high CR scores from flooding this list.