With so many new models and versions in the market, choosing a laptop can get overwhelming. Every year, we see innovations like super retina displays and edge-to-edge keyboards. And while it can be tempting to cash in on the latest units, the reality is that you probably don’t need all the fancy features.
So whether you’re a gamer, marketing professional, or just like to browse for leisure, here are the best laptops for every budget coming out this 2020.
HP Chromebook 14
Price: $200
If you’re simply looking for a laptop that can browse, run Microsoft Office, and perform other basic activities, you can buy a Chromebook. And this year, the HP Chromebook 14 happens to be the best of the bunch. At a very affordable price, the HP Chromebook 14 already features an Intel Celeron processor and HD Graphics 500 card — the standard for any decent laptop. In fact, when you put it side-by-side with HP’s other Windows 10-powered laptops, you’ll find that besides graphics and memory, the HP Chromebook 14 offers similar specs.
Google Pixelbook Go
Price: $649
Then again, 2020 is also the year where Chromebooks go premium—and the Google Pixelbook Go is a good example of this. Priced between a typical Chromebook and the average laptop, the Google Pixelbook Go features the Intel Core i7 (8th Gen) processor, 4K display, and a battery life that lasts up to 12 hours. It comes in two colors as well: Not Pink and Just Black.
Dell XPS 13
Price: $999
The Dell XPS line has always been one of the best laptops for some time now, but the new models they recently revealed at the Consumer Electrics Show in January appear to be even sleeker, stronger, and faster. It comes with the year’s newest 10th-generation Intel Core processors too, so you can be sure that it’s up to par in terms of performance, graphics, and battery life.
Apple MacBook Pro
Price: $2399
Much like how Dell is the go-to laptop for the everyday Windows user, Mac owners always look forward to the latest MacBook Pro line. The new MacBook Pro was released last November, featuring an impressive 16-inch retina display and an 80% faster performance. Plus, it’s the only laptop so far to have an in-house Magic Keyboard. However, compared to the butterfly switch design of an Apple Magic Keyboard, the MacBook Pro’s keyboard is designed with a scissor-switch. This means that keys have more room between them, which suggests fewer chances of accidentally pressing the wrong button.
Alienware Area-51m
Price: $1950 (configurable to $5000)
Alienware Area-51m is by far the most powerful gaming laptop on the market, thanks to its desktop-class hardware. The entry-level model starts off with an Intel Core i7-8700 processor, 8GB of RAM, an RTX 2060, and 1TB of SSHD. But if you want exceptional specs, The Verge recommends the $5000 setup, which includes a fast Intel Core i9-9900K processor, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage (plus another 1TB of SSHD), and a desktop-class Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080.
It sounds pricey, but the best thing about the Alienware Area-51m is that it’s customizable down to its chips. All in all, the most important thing to consider is what you’re going to be using the laptop for. For instance, if it’s for heavy-duty processes (like gaming and graphic design), then be prepared to invest in a laptop that can keep up with your work. But if it’s for basic functions like browsing or typing, you can definitely get the top-of-lines for $500. At the end of the day, it’s about how much you’re willing to pay for the specs.
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