Welcome to our pick of the best laptops 2021 has to offer. On this page you'll find hand-picked laptops that have been rigorously tests by us.
We're constantly updating this guide, so you can be sure you're getting the most recent recommendations and most up-to-date buying advice possible. We've just updated this guide to include the brand-new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6, which we think is the best 2-in-1 laptop we've ever used.
But if you're after the best laptop overall, then our pick remains MacBook Air (M1, 2020), as it's yet to be beaten when it comes to design, performance, value and battery life.
Meanwhile, the Acer Swift 3 is our choice for the best budget laptop you can buy right now, offering a perfect balance of affordability and performance. If that doesn't take your fancy then we have a rundown of the best cheap laptop deals to help you pick a device that won't hurt your wallet.
Not sure what to look for when buying the best laptop for your needs? Check out our guide on what you should look for when buying a new laptop at the end of this page for in-depth advice on buying a laptop.
Apple MacBook Air M1
Key Features:
Weight: 1.29kg
Size: 4.1-16mm thick
Battery life: 15 hours
Screen: 13.3-inch 2560x1600
RAM: 8/16GB
Storage: Up to 2TB SSD CPU: M1
OS: MacOS Big Sur
The MacBook Air M1 (from £899) is the ideal option for students: it has the power to handle work assignments, from essay writing and photo work to content creation and video tasks. While the design is yet to get a significant overhaul, this look has stuck around for a reason – it remains one of the most stunning and high-quality laptops around. It’s remarkably thin and the metal unibody soars above many rival manufacturers – including the impressive-in-its-own-right XPS 13.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
Key Features:
Weight: 1.11kg
Size: 15.69mm thick
Battery life: Up to 8 hours
Screen: 12.4-inch 1536x1024
RAM: Up to 8GB
Storage: Up to 256GB SSD
CPU: 11th Gen Core i5
OS: Windows 10 Home S Mode
While the MacBook Air M1 hits so many of the key factors a student should be looking for in a laptop in time for back to school, it isn't a cheap laptop. For those who don’t want to spend £1,000 but still want slimline ultrabook looks and design, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go (£540) is a great option for a student Windows laptop.
Asus VivoBook M413
Key Features:
Weight: 1.4kg
Size: 19mm thick
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
Screen: 14inch 1080p
RAM: Up to 8GB
Storage: Up to 512GB SSD
CPU: Up to Ryzen 7 4700U
OS: Windows 10 Home
The Asus VivoBook M413 (£670) is our favourite budget laptop you can buy and, while the current model available is a tad pricier than the best value for money model, you are still getting a strong deal – even at just over £650.
Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Duet
Key Features:
Weight: 420g (920g w/ cover and keyboard)
Size: 7.35mm thick (18.2mm w/ cover and keyboard)
Battery life: Up to 10 hours
Screen: 10.1-inch 1080p
RAM: Up to 4GB
Storage: 64GB eMCP
CPU: MediaTek P60T
OS: Windows 10 Home S Mode
The Lenovo Ideapad Chromebook Duet (£255) is a perfect balance of portability and functionality. It runs right up to the line of being too small for getting work done before gently slotting itself into your bag or rucksack without you noticing. The value is unmatched too, with a case and keyboard included – unlike Microsoft’s Surface line, in which they come as a pricey extra.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7
Key Features:
Weight: 1.4kg
Size: 14.9mm thick
Battery life: Up to 13 hours
Screen: 14-inch 1920x1080
RAM: 8/16GB
Storage: Up to 512GB SSD
CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen 7 4800U
OS: Windows 10 Home
Think laptop and you’re likely to think of Apple, Dell or, even, HP. It's less likely that Lenovo would pop into your head but, with the Yoga Slim 7 (from £599), it should. While this model may not be as flashy as a Dell XPS 13 (£1,599) or MacBook Air M1, it’s the best bang-for-your-buck device around – with an ultrabook design and impressive performance.
Google Pixelbook Go
Key Features:
Weight: 1.06kg
Size: 13.4mm thick
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
Screen: 13.3-inch FHD/4K |
RAM: 8/16GB
Storage: Up to 256GB SSD
CPU: Up to 8th Gen Intel Core i7
OS: Chrome OS
Chromebooks are getting better across the board, evolving from the cheap designs and low specs of the freshman models. The Google Pixelbook Go (from £629) is everything a ChromeOS device can be – offering a unique build that’s lightweight and, as such, great for lugging from class to class.
Huawei MateBook 14
Key Features:
Weight: 1.49kg
Size: 15.9mm thick
Battery life: 11 hours
Screen: 14-inch 2160x1440
RAM: 8/16GB
Storage: 1TB SSD
CPU: AMD Ryzen 4600H/Ryzen 7 4800H
OS: Windows 10 Home
The Huawei MateBook 14 (from £579) is the ultrabook for students that never want to worry about performance dips when throwing upwards of 12-15 browser tabs or three different programs at once at a device. The AMD processor under the hood and upwards of 8GB RAM means this device will eat up and spit out your day-to-day uni tasks.
