The best Windows laptops: Put these models on your Prime Day shopping list

Read Mashable's full review of the HP OmniBook X 14.

The HP OmniBook X 14 is for users searching for a reasonably priced PC that balances serious performance and fun features. It's just not the most exciting laptop to look at.

Another Qualcomm-powered Mashable Choice Award winner, the OmniBook X 14 is a more affordable way to hop on the Copilot+ PC train. While it wasn't quite as zippy as the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, our Snapdragon X Elite-powered test unit crushed M3 MacBooks in CPU testing, and lasted a commendable 17-ish hours on a charge. It packs the same entertaining AI features as the Surface Laptop 7, too: "I had a blast playing around with the new-and-improved [Microsoft] Paint," said Gedeon. Other highlights include a satisfyingly clicky backlit keyboard, a good mix of legacy and modern ports, and a vivid (though dim) 14-inch touchscreen display.

Alas, all of this is wrapped up in an aggressively plain package: "[The] OmniBook X [14] is a bit of a snoozefest in the looks department," Gedeon wrote. "HP wants this to be the laptop that you bring into the office — and it blends right in with the sterile, clinical vibes." Its speakers aren't great, either (though they're plenty loud). That said, the OmniBook X 14's great performance and price point make these pretty easy to brush off — so easy, in fact, that it was set to be our top Windows laptop last year before the Surface Laptop 7 came along.

Read Mashable's full review of the Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 (Gen 9).

A frugal alternative to our top 2-in-1 laptop, Lenovo's latest Yoga 7i 14 is a convertible Copilot+ PC that has just the right price-to-power ratio for students and other undemanding everyday users. It's also packed with a good mix of ports, if you're someone who likes using an arsenal of peripherals.

For well under $1,000, a laptop doesn't need to be revolutionary or impressive — it just needs to get the job done. Mashable contributor and reviewer Sarah Chaney found that the Yoga 7i 14 fit that bill nicely, offering a "bouncy, comfortable [backlit] keyboard, fantastic port selection, and semi-powerful, highly efficient processor" for $899.99. ("A great deal," in her words.) Regarding the latter, the Yoga 7i 14 notched the third-highest Geekbench 6 multi-core score out of all the sub-$1,000 laptops we've tested to date — not too shabby, considering the two models that beat it were gaming laptops with desktop-level Intel Core H-series processors. It's more than fine for general productivity tasks and web browsing. It also lasted a respectable nine hours and 17 minutes in our battery life test, which is better than the current median runtime among all the Windows laptops we've tried.

The question remains: What sort of corners did Lenovo cut to keep this thing priced this way? Per Chaney, you'll have to put up with a dim display, a clicky trackpad that was "occasionally glitchy" in her testing, and a somewhat weak hinge (though it was only really apparent when the laptop wasn't on a solid surface). If those cons make you wary, look for the Yoga 7i 14 on sale. We've caught Best Buy marking it down to just $549.99 before — that's "steal" territory.

Read Mashable's full review of the Alienware m16 R2.

With nice performance and good build quality for the dollar — plus the ability to "un-game" itself for everyday use — the Alienware m16 R2 is the Windows laptop we recommend for most gamers. You will need to wear headphones and stay put while you play, though.

Powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, the m16 R2 we tested "[delivered] impressive benchmark figures on our tests, particularly for a mid-level gaming laptop," said Gedeon. She also appreciated the silkiness and vibrancy of its 240Hz display when she used it to play CyberPunk 2077, even though she thought it could use a little boost in the brightness department.

The other great thing about the m16 R2 is that it recognizes that most gamers aren't gamers 24/7. There's a "Stealth Mode" hotkey that turns off its lighting effects and activates Quiet performance mode, reducing the whir of its fans. It brings support for Nvidia Advanced Optimus, too — a feature that lets it automatically swap between its integrated and discrete GPUs for browsing and gaming, respectively. (You can also do this manually using its built-in MUX switch.) It could definitely double as your go-to everyday computer when you punch out of Valorant for the day.

Heaviness, poor battery life, and shoddy speakers aside, we think it's totally worthy of a Mashable Choice Award.

Read Mashable's full review of the Acer Swift X 14.

The Acer Swift X 14 is a lesson in not judging a laptop by its boring gray chassis. Photo and video editors with intense workload needs will appreciate its beautiful OLED display and unassuming brawn.

That "Swift" in its name is not false advertising. Its Intel Core Ultra 7 155H configuration is the second-fastest Intel laptop we've tested to date (the speediest being a $4,485 gaming laptop). And while it can't quite compete with Apple's supercharged M4 Pro chips, it's significantly more powerful than the M3 MacBook Pro we tried back in late 2023. All this power means the Swift X 14's fans can get quite noisy, but fortunately, its battery life doesn't take a hit. It lasted for about 8.5 hours in our trial, which "isn't half bad for a laptop with discrete graphics," Gedeon wrote in her review.

Media editors and other creative types will also make good use of the Swift X 14's ample port selection (there's a microSD card slot and an HDMI port) as well as its 14.5-inch 120Hz OLED display, which Gedeon deemed "a visual treat." The same can't be said of its overall design; this is an objectively boring-looking aluminum laptop, so seek artistic inspiration elsewhere. But that was hardly enough to stop us from giving it a Mashable Choice Award.

Read Mashable's full review of the Lenovo Yoga 9i (Gen 9).

A stunning hybrid laptop with stellar speakers, Lenovo's latest Yoga 9i 14 is geared toward users who need a sleek, flexible machine for moderately intense productivity. Bonus points if you have a dedicated work spot, as it needs to stay plugged in.

This Mashable Choice Award winner isn't a cheap laptop, but realistically, it's a sneak for the money. The configuration we tested has a pretty 2.8K OLED display, a solid mid-range Intel Core Ultra Series 1 CPU, "and a rotating soundbar that gives your favorite tunes a full-bodied, atmospheric sound you won’t find on most other laptops — all for just $1,449!" wrote reviewer Sarah Chaney. "In my book, that’s an excellent deal, especially if you’re searching for a laptop with flexible 2-in-1 functionality." (It can flip between laptop, tablet, tent, and stand modes.) It also includes a Lenovo Slim Pen and a protective case, upping the value factor even further.

Zeroing in on that processor, the Yoga 9i performed admirably in our testing, scoring just a tad faster than the M3 MacBooks in our Geekbench 6 benchmark, and on par with several modern gaming laptops. The trade-off there is that the battery doesn't last very long and it runs quite hot. (Good thing it has those fantastic speakers — you'll want to drown out the sound of its hardworking fans.) Still, "[for] me," Chaney said, "its premium positives easily outweigh its few negative traits."

Read Mashable's full review of the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024).

Prolific multitaskers who want a nontraditional (but ungimmicky) Windows laptop will delight in Asus' dual-screened Zenbook Duo. It's a convenient all-in-one package with a futuristic look but a down-to-earth price.

Decked out with a pair of 120Hz OLED displays that make it easy to bounce between different apps, the Zenbook Duo dazzles. "[Single-screen] laptops are now canceled," Gedeon gushed, adding that she would "gladly give up my M2 MacBook Air for Asus’ dual-screen beauty." Moving under its hood, the Zenbook Duo is powered by a new Intel Core Ultra CPU, and we got nine-ish hours of battery life out of the starting 7 155H configuration. Considering it's powering two screens at once, that's commendable. It also has a surprisingly good array of ports for a hybrid device that can switch between laptop, dual-screen, desktop, and sharing/laid-flat modes.

But what's extra great about the Zenbook Duo is that it includes compatible accessories like a built-in kickstand, a stylus, and a clicky detachable keyboard (complete with a full touchpad), so you don't have to spend any more cash on top of its extremely reasonable $1,500 entry fee. Too bad about its quiet speakers and dull webcam, but those are just minor nit-picks that don't distract from its productivity potential and general cool-as-hellness. It should come as no surprise that the Zenbook Duo is a Mashable Choice Award-winner.