The best laptops of 2022 : a list divided by price and quality , which includes models from gaming , by students , graphics , professionals and more, updated in May 2022.
- HP – PC 15s
- Huawei MateBook D
- Surface Laptop 4
- MacBook Air M1
- XPS 13 Plus
- Lenovo Legion 5
Choosing a new laptop is very important, because it is a device that will accompany us for years. The market is now so large that there are products in all price ranges , and finding the best notebook is not always an objective question. The first question you need to ask yourself is: what do I need it for? Does it have to be very light or not? Should it have a great deal of autonomy or can I give it up? How big should the screen be? Will I play it too? The questions are so many, to the point that the best notebook does not exist , ever. There is the one that best suits everyone's needs.
Ideally, you might think that the best laptop is the one with the quality / price ratio that is cheaper, but that's not necessarily the case. Maybe you are looking for a product that is only the cheapest possible , or maybe you really need a top of the range, with all due respect to the price. We have therefore tried to offer you very heterogeneous solutions, both in terms of model type and price, in order to satisfy everyone's needs.
- – under € 500
- Mid-range – under € 1,000
- High-end (1,000-2,000 €)
- Top (> 2,000 €)
- Gaming
- Quality / price
Lenovo IdeaPad 3
At the low end of the market, the Chromebooks deserve a lot of consideration, since they offer an excellent browsing experience at a low cost; experience often superior to Windows counterparts of the same hardware. The downside is that Chrome OS isn't Windows. The use of eMMC memories also significantly slows down all I / O operations.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet
Let's stay in the Chromebook field with this excellent convertible tablet with a beautiful display , ideal for multimedia and use with Stylus. We talked about it in more detail in the full review, so you can learn more there: we just tell you that for less than 200 euros it's a real bargain.
HP 255 G8
A 15.6 '' full HD with 128 GB SSD at this price looks very good. But eye the processor, AMD 3020e , accompanied by only 4 GB of RAM . There is the advantage of Windows 11 Pro, but only for those with little performance needs.
Acer Aspire 1 A114-33-C90V
If you're looking for a Windows notebook for the price of a Chromebook, you've just found it. However, the hardware is very low-end: processor Celeron N4500 , 4 GB of DDR4 RAM , 128 GB eMMC , and 14 '' full HD screen. We then have 3 USB-A ports, HDMI, audio jack and also ethernet.
Lenovo Traiteck
An excellent entry-level with 15.6 “full HD screen, AMD Ryzen 3 3250U processor , 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 256 GB SSD . To make it even more versatile we find a SD slot , as well as 3 USB-A, an HDMI output and the audio jack. Hard to ask for more at this price.
HP – PC 15s-eq2007sl
The match between Lenovo and HP continues with this model equipped with CPU AMD Ryzen 3 5300U , 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD, and 15.6 'screen 'FHD . To embellish it we have a USB-C port, as well as 2 USB-A, HDMI, audio jack and SD slot. At this price, hard to ask for more.
HP – PC 15s-eq2032nl
AMD Ryzen 5 5500U , with 8 GB of RAM, and 512 GB SSD: with this HP you can do all the most basic activities, and even something more. 15.6 '' full HD display , and also fingerprint reader complete the hardware equipment. Good supply of ports: 2 USB-A, 1 USB-C , HDMI, audio jack and SD slot; in addition, there is also the numeric keypad . This HP is really very complete, suitable for the whole family.
MSI Modern 15 is a “multipurpose” notebook. Equipped with a powerful Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor, it is suitable for both work and gaming, with ample storage space (512 GB) and with an eye to the autonomy , assisted by the large 15.6 '' full HD display . Connectivity is also top notch, with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
MateBook D
MateBook D is one of the best-selling and popular models of Huawei, a company famous in the smartphone world, which for some years has been making excellent Windows laptops. MateBook D is available in different configurations, with fluctuating availability and equally variable prices, for this reason we leave you more choices below.
It starts with the Ryzen 5 5500U , and then goes into Intel territory with two models equipped with i5-1135G7 , which differ only in storage space. Net of personal memory needs, the lower price wins in this case, because the two processors are both valid, even if Intel has just a bit more inspiration in gaming (which is still only low-end).
Acer Swift 3 SF314-43-R7ZF
A compact 14-inch full HD IPS processor AMD Ryzen 5 5500U , 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, and 512 GB of SSD. Acer offers a purebred laptop, at a very attractive price, capable of satisfying both performance and mobility well.
There is also a version with discrete GPU NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 , but be careful because in this way the autonomy suffers, and the price goes up: only for those who want to play regularly, and in any case without excessive pretensions, because it is a rather low-end card.
Surface Laptop 4
The latest notebook from Microsoft confirms its extreme pleasure of use . The finishes in alcantara or metal , the pleasantness of the display in 3: 2 , the excellent face unlock , the precision of the keyboard, the instant-on: everything contributes to making you use it again and again, always with the immediacy typical of a smartphone rather than a PC.
At the moment there is only one version of Laptop 4 for less than a thousand euros, and it represents a great offer . Unfortunately, all the others are much more expensive, and can cost twice as much, but the Surface Laptop experience is addictive. To find out why, read our full review.
Surface Pro 8
Always staying at Microsoft, it's hard not to recommend a Surface Pro , the best Windows tablet , as long as you can call it a tablet.
The eighth version in particular is the more mature one, because it also includes Surface Pen with slot in the keyboard, Intel 11th generation chip that also allow some light gaming, and displays with refresh at 120Hz . Prices start immediately below a thousand euros, but unfortunately reach well above in the top versions.
For this reason, if you do not have any playful needs and if you did not use the pen, it may certainly be worth considering the previous model , which certainly has a better price.
MacBook Air M1
The new MacBook Air with Apple Silicon M1 is in fact the best in its price range (€ 1,159 in the list) and more. If you find it, grab it, but be careful not to confuse it with the previous model, equipped with an Intel CPU, because they are two completely different machines.
Fortunately, it is now permanently under 1000 euros in the basic version, which is fine for most uses. Net of the storage space , on the capacity of which is a very subjective question, settle for 8 GB of RAM and the “base” M1, because they are not worth updating.
We are faced with an uncommon model, with this Summit E13 Flip Evo, and it can be understood just by looking at the image above. A 360 ° rotating convertible with stylus support , embellished with a golden profile, which stands out from the matt black of the rest of the body. Inside we have state-of-the-art hardware, with 11th generation Intel i7-1185G7 CPU, the most powerful Tiger Lake , accompanied by ben 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage space. The display is 13.4 '' and the total weight is just 1.35 Kg .
LG Gram 16
Portability, lightness , and autonomy are the key to reading LG Gram notebooks. Our favorite remains the 14-inch, but it's still the hardest to find. With the 16-inch, however, you will have a significantly larger screen, and all the power of the processor Intel i7-1165G7 , which has now become a real wildcard.
16 GB of DDR4 RAM , and 512 GB of SSD complete the equipment, but do not underestimate the 80 Wh battery, which allows you to reach a excellent autonomy.
And then of course there is him: the 16 “QHD IPS display (2,560 x 1,600 pixels, 16:10) that combines space and high resolution, to comfortably enjoy any type of content.
NOTE: The best quality / price ratio was reached on 14 '', but it is nowhere to be found. We have a few more doubts about 17, which you can learn more about in our review.
HP – PC Envy 17-ch1001sl
Beyond the complicated names, this laptop from HP has all it takes. A large 17.3 '' full HD IPS gives you plenty of space that you won't regret a desktop . The Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor, with 16GB of RAM, is great for both work and play, and with a 1TB SSD you won't run out of storage easily.
The equipment is completed by a fingerprint reader , 3 USB-A, a USB-C, an HDMI and also an SD reader, in addition to the audio jack. A true all-rounder with a big screen, ideal for multiple uses and at an attractive price. Portability and autonomy will not be his strong point, but after all if you buy a 17 inch you will hardly do it to always have it in your backpack, right?
Dell XPS 13 (Plus)
The XPS have always been Dell's flagship, and the new XPS 13 Plus is one of the most innovative models of recent years.
Keyboard flush with the body , without space between the keys, and with a row of capacitive buttons in place of the function keys, which allowed to insert a cooling system inside state-of-the-art (saving space for physical keys), capable of controlling even 12th generation Intel Cores, up to i7-1260P .
Highly customizable in terms of RAM and storage, the XPS 13 Plus also boasts 4 different panels, all 13.4 '': 500 nit full HD touch / non touch, 400 nit 3.5K OLED touch, and 500 nit UHD + touch nit. Full HD recommended to maximize autonomy.
Price from € 1,649 exclusively on the Dell website.
ZenBook Duo 14 (2021)
While waiting for the model with the latest generation Intel and AMD processors, the “old” 14 '' ZenBook Duo remains an excellent choice for those looking for a dual screen, also because it is the only one on the market.
Thanks Tiger Lake and a new design, we have rather high-end performance, two screens increasingly integrated with each other, and a very good starting price. For all the details, we refer you to our review. And where do you find another laptop with two screens?
ThinkPad X1 Carbon / X1 Nano
X1 Carbon is a model historical and that has taught. Lightweight, robust, work-oriented . The pleasure of using this 14 '' must be tried to be understood, but in its case it is really worth underlining not to judge it only by the classic components such as CPU, RAM, SSD etc. because you would go astray.
The tenth generation of this machine has just arrived, starting from € 1,999, falling within this price range by a whisker. From its the usual ThinkPad quality, now combined with 12th generation Intel. At the moment, however, the availability on Amazon is scarce, so it is better to contact the Lenovo site, where however you will easily pay them at full price.
But if for you portability and mobility were a primary need, take X1 Nano seriously: it is a little less powerful than its big brother, but it still boasts good performance, good autonomy and a screen even higher than certain versions of X1 Carbon. It is always better to contact the Lenovo website, for the same reasons as above.
MSI Creator Fujiwara Hiroshi is a powerful gaming notebook, with an equally unique and distinctive design. Equipped with NVIDIA RTX 3060 Max-Q GPUs and an Intel Core i7-11800H , this laptop enables you to play even the latest AAA titles , on its generous 16 '' QHD display at 165 Hz , with very high brightness to fully enjoy watching movies and other contents.
Apple MacBook Pro 14/16 (2021)
At the end of October 2021, Apple revamped its flagship MacBook Pros, introducing a new 14-inch model, and revamping the 16. Both come with a new design , many ports more than the past (very welcome the return of the MagSafe ), say goodbye to the touchbar , have displays XDR mini LED at 120Hz , and above all the new processors M1 Pro and Max , the pinnacle of the M1 SoC in terms of power.
Prices rise a lot by customizing them, but the basic 14-inch version, equipped with “only” 8 cores on the CPU instead of the 10 of the ordinary version, risks being convenient , because it is rare to find a notebook so complete and so high-end in every aspect, not least also the audio , endowed with an incredible spatiality.
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo
A laptop with two screens . And the second display is not a tiny rectangle, it is a true second screen , which will come in handy in various situations, especially when working with “creative” applications. After all, it is a top of the range with very few compromises, which could hold you back only for the high price (it even exceeds 3,000 euros in the top versions). To get to know it better, however, we refer you to our review.
ThinkPad X1 Extreme
You know what I said earlier about the ThinkPad X1 Carbon? Here, if you are an even more demanding user, know that there is also the Extreme version, even more powerful, with discrete GPU GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (and above) and Intel processors of 11th generation H series , up to 32 GB of RAM and 16 '' UHD + IPS screen .
It starts from € 2,500 , but with the top model the figure doubles. However, they are portable in their own way unique, which go beyond mere specs. For further details and configurations currently available you can refer to the Lenovo website.
Dell XPS 15/17
The anti-Apple par excellence. Dell XPS 15 or even the new 17-inch variant has been a guarantee for years. In fact, various iterations have occurred over time, even if a certain refurbishment is now needed not so much to the design as to the cooling system. In any case, the XPS 15 hardly disappoints, and above all it has a very large price list, with prices ranging in the 2,000-4,000 euro range for the 15-inch and 2,600-4,600 euro for the 17-inch.
We have dedicated a separate guide dedicated to the best gaming laptops , because prices and models vary very quickly and above all because otherwise we would have further burdened this page which wants to be more generic.
You can reach the section dedicated to gaming notebooks by clicking on the title of this paragraph, below are a couple of models that at the moment are to be understood as authentic best buy in the respective price range.
MSI GF63 Thin 11SC-497IT
A 15.6 “FHD gaming notebook with 144Hz refresh, powered by the Intel i7-11800H processor and with NVIDIA GTX 1650 4GB graphics GDDR6 : not enough to let you play modern triple A without worries, but it is more than enough for competitive Fortnite, MOBA and FPS.
To complete the equipment we find 8GB of DDR4 RAM, 512 GB of SSD and good Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, essential for online gaming.
Lenovo Legion 5
One of the best laptops for quality / price ever . A 15.6 '' FHD 165Hz with Ryzen 7 5800H and RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6 : a true all-rounder , to play anything and also wanting to work, given the power put in place.
To complete the picture we have 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD, but above all a truly irresistible price , which at the time of writing is 1,442 euros.
Having to choose, among the models that we have proposed to you in each price range, the one more convenient (which does not mean that it is the best, but that it has the best quality / price ratio or in any case that has more SKUs than others to choose from), our preference falls on the following 5 notebooks.
- Low-end: HP – PC 15s
- Mid-range: MacBook Air M1
- High End: ASUS ZenBook Duo
- Top: MacBook Pro 14 M1 Pro 8-core
- Gaming: Legion 5
As we have just seen, finding the best notebook is a subjective matter. We therefore decided to divide our proposals on the basis of the only objective fact: the price. You will first find a selection of inexpensive laptops , within 600 euros. We then move on to the mid-range, ideally between 600 and 1,200 euros, and then to the high-end, between 1,200 and 2,000 euros. Finally we have also selected the best top-of-the-range laptops , real workstations , dedicated to content creator and to the most demanding users, who don't care (too much) about the price. At the end we have collected a short selection of the best notebooks for quality / price , to give you a rough indication of which the most affordable laptops can be ).
In each range we have also tried to include different models by type. Convertible, rotating, with or without stylus, small or large . However, we have excluded the solutions without SSD. This cuts a little off the ultra-low-end of the market, but if you need such basic models, this selection basically doesn't serve you – one is as good as another. You will also not find any gaming laptops in this selection. If you are interested in gaming notebooks, you must visit this page. Finally, we have excluded many import models, such as Xiaomi's Mi Notebook . Not because they are not valid, but because we only want to offer you products officially sold in Italy, and which therefore do not present warranty, software or keyboard layout problems.
In any case, keep in mind that the various manufacturers often have a very similar line-up from year to year, even with the same name , mostly updating the processor and some other components, but without upsetting the whole. So if you like a particular laptop, maybe look for its various versions to see which one best suits your budget / needs.
- Best video cards
- Best keyboards
- Best Monitors
- Best Mice
- Best Antivirus
- Best External Hard Drive
- Best Mac
