It can be hard to choose between the best laptops of 2025. As we move into 2025, the laptop landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation with the rise of AI-powered machines and revolutionary processor architectures. Gone are the days when choosing a laptop was simply a matter of comparing specs—today’s machines are sophisticated tools designed to meet a range of needs, enhance creativity, and seamlessly integrate into digital lives.
The latest generation of laptops has redefined expectations for portable computing, with manufacturers pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in increasingly slim and lightweight designs. From groundbreaking AI capabilities to stunning OLED displays and battery life that truly lasts all day, there has never been a more exciting time to shop for a new laptop. We have spent countless hours testing and evaluating the latest models to help you find the best laptops of 2025 for your needs and budget.
ASUS Zenbook S14 UX5406SA
When ASUS announced the new Zenbook S14 UX5406SA at IFA 2024, I was immediately floored and excited to try it all out. As someone who’s constantly on the move, covering tech events and writing reviews, I am always excited when a laptop promises a slim design and performance, all with a good battery. After spending several weeks with this sleek ultraportable, I can confidently say that ASUS has crafted something truly special, and the Zenbook S14 has quickly become my favourite laptop of the year.
Even though it’s incredibly thin, ASUS has packed the Zenbook S14 with enough performance and specs to make it more than just a showpiece for meetings—it’s a legitimate primary laptop for everyday use. Opening the lid, you’re greeted by the 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED panel, which is a true feast for the eyes. Colours pop with vivid intensity, blacks are inky deep, and the 120Hz refresh rate ensures buttery-smooth scrolling and animations. Whether I was editing photos, watching Netflix, or simply browsing the web, the display consistently wowed me with its clarity and vibrancy.
The combination of a stunning OLED display, a powerful Intel Core Ultra processor, long battery life, and thoughtful design touches makes the Zenbook S14 one of the best ultrabooks I’ve ever tested. While it’s not cheap, it delivers an experience that’s rare in a machine this light and thin, managing to outperform laptops twice its size. Although the price may be a hurdle, for those seeking a premium, portable Windows experience, the Zenbook S14 UX5406SA is an easy recommendation.
From design to performance, the ASUS Zenbook S14 UX5406SA is one of the best ultrabooks I have ever used, making it the ideal choice for anyone seeking a premium laptop in 2024.
- WINDOWS 11 HOME
- NEARLY FRAMELESS DISPLAY — A stunning 14″ OLED display lets you scroll, create and work with perfect brightness and colors even outdoors.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i
The ThinkBook 13x Gen4 is Lenovo’s latest iteration of the ThinkBook series. This compact, 13-inch laptop provides a smaller profile solution to meet the demands of high productivity settings. Armed with an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor, the latest Intel Arc integrated graphics solution and 16GB of RAM, the ThinkBook 13x aims to be the go-to mobile solution for professionals on the go.
While testing, I ran it through a 4K video editing test on Davinci Resolve. Using some stock 4k footage, it could handle editing impressively well. While it was necessary to scale down the live preview during editing if given a few seconds, it could easily handle transition edits or even create fusion clips. Again, it isn’t the fastest at performing these tasks, but once title cards and transitions had live rendered (taking only a few extra seconds to do so), the ThinkBook 13x could then work with them smoothly and without issue. Even during rendering at 4K, the render time was much faster than I assumed, considering the unit’s specs.
The ThinkBook 13x is a solid addition to the Lenovo productivity lineup. It offers great value for dollars with a premium aluminum chassis, solid hardware and a compact form factor. A lack of IO is unfortunate, and while possible, the unit might struggle to keep up with more demanding tasks such as high-end video editing or 3D rendering. For everyday productivity tasks, though, the ThinkBook 13x is a solid offering for professionals on the go.
Equipped with a smart design and solid hardware specs for productivity, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x is a good solution for professionals who value mobility and battery life.
- Processor – Intel 14th Gen Ultra 9 185H Processor (E-cores up to 3.80 GHz P-cores up to 5.10 GHz)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Pro 64
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15-inch
Microsoft’s Surface lineup has long been a showcase for Windows devices, but recent iterations left some feeling the brand had lost its innovative edge. With the 2024 Surface Laptop 15, Microsoft aims to recapture that spark by embracing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip and the promise of Windows on Arm. While a bold move, it delivers solid results that look to only get better as the platform develops.
What makes this a unique offering that lets this laptop last through a day of work without needing a charge is the new Snapdragon X Elite SoC. For anyone who does not follow laptop hardware news, 2024 marks the first year an ARM-based SoC is found in the full Surface lineup. This marks a significant departure from previous Surface devices, which typically offered both Intel and AMD options beyond select models that have dipped their toes with ARM, such as the Surface Pro X. While this is a risky move, it is the strongest push Microsoft has made to move Windows in this direction, and so far, I am impressed, although more on that later.
The 2024 Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 isn’t just a good laptop; it’s one of the best examples of why Windows working on ARM is so impressive. The Surface Laptop 7 proves that ARM-based Windows devices can be viable alternatives to traditional x86 laptops, offering a balance of performance and efficiency that many users will find appealing. If they can usher in gaming, it would be a complete package, one I would recommend to anyone looking for a new portable machine.
As it stands now, if you’re in the market for a premium Windows ultraportable and don’t need serious gaming capabilities, the 2024 Surface Laptop 7 deserves a spot on your shortlist. It’s a glimpse into the future of mobile computing, available today, complete with AI features, amazing battery life, and solid performance, all wrapped in a stunning package that is sure to turn heads.
For those who want a premium Windows experience with exceptional battery life and don’t plan on gaming, the Surface Laptop 7 is an excellent choice.
- ARM-BASED(NOT INTEL CPU) – Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus Processor, Better battery life(all-day usage), AI acceleration-Copilot+ and local AI tasks. A dedicated NPU Qualcomm Hexagon with blazing speed for seamless productivity and AI apps. Paired with 16GB DDR5 8448 MT/s memory, and 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD.
- INTRODUCING Copilot+ PC – Experience enhanced performance and AI capabilities with Copilot+ PC, boosting productivity with security and privacy in mind. Power, speed, and touchscreen versatility with AI features. Surface Laptop 7 transforms your work, play, and creativity with a razor-thin display, long battery life and best-in-class specs.
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro
Samsung is one of the few companies offering a compromise-free solution on their lineup of Ultrabooks. This year, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro offers a premium build while offering both a generous offering of ports while packing all that into a chassis both thinner and lighter than even Apple’s own MacBook Pro lineup.
In this year’s Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro comes with Intel’s latest Core Ultra processors, along with plenty of RAM and SSD storage to allow for all your computing needs. Our model came with the Intel Core Ultra 7 paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X and 512GB of NVME SSD storage, which starts at $1999.99, although buyers can opt for a 1TB SSD for a few hundred more. While not the cheapest upgrade, users may be better off carrying a portable SSD for additional storage. All 14” models come with a 16:10 2880 x 1800 AMOLED touchscreen and Intel ARC graphics.
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro is an excellent laptop for students or business workers who need a slim and light laptop. It manages to pack all essential ports into an incredibly well-built chassis and delivers enough power and performance to tackle your workload with ease. While I personally thoroughly loved my time with the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro, I would like to see Samsung start incorporating dedicated GPUs into their smaller laptop models for those times where you need a little more graphic power. Competitors should definitely watch out and take note of the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro.
Samsung has built a truly solid ultrabook with the Galaxy Book4 Pro that manages to pack not only a generous offering of port selection but solid battery life and performance as well.
- POWER FOR YOUR MOST PRODUCTIVE DAYS: Breeze through every task with a powerful Intel processor; Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 155H; Enhanced with AI Intel ARC Graphics
- POWERFUL. LIGHT. AMAZINGLY SLIM: Take premium power on the go with an ultralight and amazingly slim laptop; 16” Thickness: 12.5mm, Weight: 3.44 lbs; 14″ Thickness: 11.6mm, Weight: 2.71 lbs
Framework 13
I am old enough to remember a time when there were ways to upgrade laptops, and it was the norm to be able to expand or change what a laptop could do. In the age of the ultrabook, most of that modularity is gone, at least if you are not Framework. This is a company I have been trying to get into since I first heard of it and saw the potential. Enter the Framework 13 Laptop, the company’s latest entry into the modular laptop space that’s as innovative as it is stylish. Designed with repairability and upgradability in mind, the Framework 13 is a breath of fresh air in an industry that often prioritizes form over function.
The Framework 13 Laptop starts at $999 for the base model, which includes a Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. While this may seem steep compared to other Ultrabooks on the market, it’s important to remember that you’re paying for the laptop’s unique modular design and upgradeability. With the ability to easily swap out components and customize your ports, the Framework 13 has the potential to last much longer than a traditional laptop. When you only need to buy the parts you need to upgrade in a few years’ time, you can see why the small premium is worth the investment.
Although it may sound too good to be true, the Framework manages to deliver an ultrabook experience, even with all its features, and that includes being a relatively powerful laptop. Now temper your expectations: this is not a gaming machine. The unit I tested had an AMD Ryzen 7840U with Radeon 780M graphics and 16 GB of RAM, and it performed admirably across a range of tasks, including light video editing, browsing and even some gaming. It won’t replace your gaming desktop, but it’s not meant to. The laptop feels snappy and delivers a very fluid experience in all the tasks I put it through.
The Framework 13 is a truly unique device that’s sure to appeal to anyone who values customization and upgradability. With its modular design, premium build quality, and wide range of accessories, it’s a laptop that’s built to last. It’s a device that’s as innovative as it is practical, and it’s sure to make waves in the laptop world for years to come.
The Framework 13 Laptop brings back the lost art of laptop modularity with style and substance.
