The small, ultraportable laptops valued by people who regularly traveled may have suddenly become woefully inadequate for working from home. The pandemic changed how and where a lot of people work. Also, while Macs might have a reputation for being safer, with the popularity of the iPhone and iPad helping to drive Mac sales, they've become bigger targets for malware. Over the years, though, Microsoft has done its best to follow suit and, with Windows 11 coming in October, it's trying to remove any barriers. MacOS is also considered to be easier and safer to use than Windows, especially for people who want their computers to get out of the way so they can get things done. Gaming is definitely an advantage for Windows, though.

Software between the two is plentiful, so unless you need to run something that's only available on one platform or the other, you should be fine to go with either.

With Windows and Chromebooks (more on these below), you get an amazing variety of devices at a wide range of prices. Also, you're limited to just Apple laptops. But, the company's most powerful laptop, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, still hasn't been updated to Apple silicon.īut, again, that great hardware comes at a price. Apple recently moved to using its own processors, which resulted in across-the-board performance improvements compared to older Intel-based models. But, in general, it'll be at least $1,000 for a new MacBook, and the prices just go up from there.įor the money, though, you're getting great hardware top to bottom, inside and out. You can sometimes find it discounted or you can get educational pricing from Apple and other retailers. Apple's base model laptop, the MacBook Air, starts at $999. If you're looking for the fastest performance, the best battery life, the slimmest, lightest designs and top-notch display quality, expect to spend at least $1,000.ĭeciding between MacOS and Windows for many people will come down to personal preference and budget.

In this price range, you'll also find faster memory and solid-state storage - and more of it - to improve performance.Ībove $1,000 is where you'll find premium laptops and two-in-ones. You can also find touchscreens and two-in-one designs that can be used as a tablet or a laptop - and a couple other positions in between. Higher-end components like Intel Core i-series and AMD Ryzen processors and premium design touches like thin-display bezels and aluminum or magnesium bodies have made their way to laptops priced between $500 and $1,000. If you're shopping for a laptop around $500 or less, check out our top picks here, as well as more specific buying advice for that price range. The good news is you can get a nice-looking, lightweight laptop with excellent battery life at prices under $500. Setting a budget is a good place to start when shopping for the best laptop for yourself.

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