Best laptops for business: See where the MacBook Pro ranks on our list

The Dell XPS 13(opens in a new tab) is a powerful laptop that’s designed for business thanks to its ultraportable build and powerful performance with Windows 10 Pro as its operating system. The computer company designed the laptop for people who want to remain productive with about 14 hours of streaming time on the FHD+ model and Killer Wi-Fi 6 connectivity to keep streams (and Zooms) smooth. Plus, it comes with a suite of productivity applications like Microsoft Office 365 built-in — a 30-day free trial is standard, but you can upgrade it to arrive with the full suite installed. While your programs will look just fine running on the 13.4-inch FHD+ 1,920 x 1200 Non-Touch Anti-Glare 500-Nit display, an even sharper option is an upgrade to the Ultra HD 3,840 x 2,400 InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflective display, though it’ll cost you some $$$.

Although Dell placed the laptop’s webcam at the bottom of the display — seriously, why do computer companies keep doing this — at least it's centered, rather than off to the side like past models. On the plus side, the fans have been redesigned so the machine won’t get quite as warm (or loud) an hour into your Zoom meeting, 

The ultraportable computer is fantastic for business due to its assortment of ports, brilliant display, and performance power with its 11th Generation Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4 Processor (6MB Cache, up to 4.1 GHz) and Intel UHD Graphics card working together to deliver a top-notch experience.

For a business laptop that’s light on its feet (both in terms of power and actual weight), not much beats the latest and greatest version of the iconic ThinkPad, one of the consistently best business laptops out there. Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Nano features an 11th-generation Intel Core i5-114-G7 processor with vPro (1.8 GHz, up to 4.20 GHz with Turbo Boost). While that’ll keep work swimming along smoothly, you’ll also be able to see it clearly on the computer’s anti-glare, 2160 x 1350 2K display with a 16:10 ratio (the first of the ThinkPads to have it) that lets you spread out your windows. And did we mention that it clocks in at less than 2 pounds? It weighs 1.99 pounds, making it (while not the most feather-weight machine out there) Lenovo’s lightest ThinkPad yet. 

Other perks for business users? Wi-Fi 6 for some of the best connectivity possible, instant wake, and super-powered rapid charging features. There’s also a fingerprint identification reader and a dTPM 2.0 chip(opens in a new tab) that helps protect your sensitive data. 

The downsides are that there are no other ports beyond your headphone jack and Thunderbolt 4 ports, and the battery life is around seven hours or so. Some users might also find the keyboard setup cumbersome, to say the least: The function and control keys are swapped, so if you tend to rely on shortcuts, making the mental switch could be difficult. But when it comes to everyday business use, it couldn’t be better: It’ll keep up with your web-based applications (if not a ton of complex gaming), charges quickly, and won’t weigh you down on the way to work. 

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a powerful workhorse that will get you through the workday with ease. The laptop features up to 16.7 hours of battery life, with a Rapid Charge feature that injects juice into the machine at record speed. This means you can get a fast charge during your lunch break or an airport layover — that's a major win.  

The redesigned chassis helps you get more done, faster, with a resolution to one of the previous generation’s biggest pain points — a noisy fan and quick-to-get-hot touch — courtesy of a new one-bar hinge, dual fan, and rear venting. It has 16GB of memory (twice that of older models) and 512 GB of solid-state storage in this model, though there are plenty of configurations available. 

While you experience the full power of this workhorse machine, you can also enjoy its luxurious 14-inch full HD IPS anti-glare display at a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels and a great keyboard to help you hit peak WPM.

The Lenovo Yoga Book(opens in a new tab) is an interesting 2-in-1 laptop. While it’s lightweight and compact for easy portability, the laptop has a special folding screen that makes it possible to use as a notebook or sheet of paper. No joke. The Lenovo Yoga Book is the best solution to quickly jotting down notes and messages in your own handwriting, but on a digital surface. This feature comes in handy when drawing up charts and diagrams on the fly, especially in a business and office setting like a meeting or presentation. The laptop even comes with a real pen and a real book pad with 15 pages that’s used in conjunction with the Lenovo Active Pen 2.

The hybrid laptop comes in two variants with different operating systems: either Android or Windows 10. While it would be great if both were available in one model, Windows 10 is the best option for business with its suite of productivity applications like Office 365. Since Windows 10 is built for tablets too, the Lenovo Yoga Book can be converted into a slate with its world-class hinge system that lets you arrange the hybrid in any position.

However, there are some downsides with the Yoga Book, namely its on-screen keyboard. The laptop doesn’t have a traditional keyboard, but rather its second screen turns into a virtual keyboard with a push of a button in laptop mode. While it has some haptic feedback and vibrations when you use it, there’s no substitute for the real thing. But for the laptop’s versatility and price point, the Lenovo Yoga Book is a great solution, especially if you’re looking for a combination laptop, tablet, and digital paper in one device. 

Read our full review of the MacBook Pro (M1).

Apple is considered the best at making high-end laptops that run their own powerful operating system. The Apple MacBook Pro continues the tradition with an all-new superpower: Apple’s proprietary M1 chip yields better performance and better graphics than previous MacBook Pros.

This pays huge dividends, whether you’re working a traditional 9-to-5 and are the kind of person with a million browser tabs open or a creative who relies on Adobe’s Creative Suite or Apple’s own Final Cut Pro. (Speaking of, the audio from the studio-quality microphone is way better on this model too, no matter if you’re just chiming in during a Zoom meeting or recording a song.) 

The other thing we love about the new MacBook Pro? The battery life. It’s truly a dream, even if you’re spending the day multitasking to the max. Our reviewer found that she still got 10 hours of battery life with 20-plus tabs open, taking calls on Google Hangout, and running a few other apps at the same time, too. For slower days, Apple says you can get up to 20 hours of video playback and 17 hours of web browsing.

However, while the Apple MacBook Pro is considered one of the best of the best laptops out there, there are a few gripes we’ve had with previous generations that persist. There’s still a horrible lack of ports on a laptop meant for creatives and media workers — just two USB-Cs on one side — meaning you’ll have to buy a dongle that sadly isn’t included in the hefty purchase price. Our reviewer also found that the trackpad was too large and that their hand placement on the laptop triggered it inadvertently. And, of course, not everyone loves the controversial Touch Bar, which is designed to replace the upper function keys and automatically personalizes its “keys” to whatever application you have open. 

We've chosen a model with basic storage, RAM, etc., but you can always pay more for more features.

Still, even with these unresolved issues, there are few better computers out there if you’re working heavily with media like music or films — and of course, the cool factor is enough for people who’ll just be using it for more basic workflow tasks and apps like Slack or Google’s online apps.  

We are really impressed with the Huawei MateBook X Pro(opens in a new tab). Yes, it’s an Apple MacBook Pro clone (it even comes in Space Gray), but the laptop is one of the best Windows 10 machines for business and personal use. In fact, it runs Windows 10’s Signature Edition, which means there’s no free trial software or bloatware that you will never use and will only bog down the laptop. It delivers the best and cleanest Windows experience inside of a sleek and sexy design that might actually make you convert from Mac to PC. 

The laptop is one of the most powerful around with its Intel Core i7-8550U processor and Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics card working together to give you the best performance to get work done (or watch some Netflix to unwind). The machine features an immersive 13.9-inch 3K touchscreen with a resolution of 3,000 x 2,000 in an almost bezel-less display. Moreover, Huawei achieves this 91% screen-to-body ratio with a clever design choice that removes the laptop’s webcam from the top of the display to inside a pop-out in its keyboard. While it’s very astute, it makes for odd viewing angles when in use. It’s a minor flaw, but something that should be pointed out if you are always in video meetings and conference calls.

Overall, the Huawei MateBook X Pro is one of the best laptops for business with its compact and lightweight design at just under three pounds. The laptop also features many ports, including one USB 3.0 port and a Mate Dock (the included dongle you wish Macs had) with a USB-A port, USB-C port, HDMI port, and VGA port. The battery is designed for up to 14 hours of office work, 12 hours of video playback, or 15 hours of web browsing, and the laptop is still recommended for travel thanks to its design and durability. The machine looks really good and will have random people coming up to you to ask “Is that a MacBook Pro running Windows?,” which is not a bad icebreaker or conversation starter for networking, if you ask us.

Read our full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 2.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop(opens in a new tab) seems intentionally limited to keep you focused and productive. While this might seem like a bad thing for users who want to use their laptops for everything, this is a very good option for others who just want to get work done with no distractions.

First up, the Surface Laptop is not a touchscreen device like other Microsoft devices, so it will feel like a very traditional experience when you're doing work. This is a good thing though because the keyboard and trackpad, however small, are a joy to use with accurate navigation and precision keystrokes. 

The laptop is powered with the Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB of RAM out of the box. Microsoft included a sharp 13.5-inch PixelSense display with a resolution of 2256 x 1504. This machine just screams reliability and focus with the Window 10 S operating system, which only allows users to download apps from the Windows Store. If there’s a piece of software you need that’s not available, then you’d have to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. However, this laptop is still recommended for its design, portability and travel, and impressive battery life of a productive 14.5 hours.

The Dell Latitude 7424 Rugged Extreme Laptop(opens in a new tab) is built for rugged environments and extreme durability on the job. While it might be too big and bulky for the boardroom, the laptop is more than capable of completing tasks at a construction site, the dock, and in the field — no matter the rough conditions. Dell designed the laptop to withstand essentially any weather condition, like miserable rain, extreme heat or ice cold, and unforgiving sandstorms, while making the Dell Latitude 7424 tough enough to survive a six-foot drop.

The waterproof laptop features a 14-inch full HD touch embedded touch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 that can even be used if you’re wearing thick gloves or in the rain, while its seventh-generation Intel Core i3-7130U processor is powerful enough to help you complete your daily tasks and provide you with up-to-the-minute information while you’re in the field. (If you need more, it’s available: You can upgrade up to an eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8650U processor). The 7.6-pound laptop works with a durable keyboard and tough cover, along with a stylus sold separately. 

The Dell Latitude 7242 is a great choice for businesses that aren’t exclusively based in an office setting. If you’re an architect at a construction site, a police officer on the beat, or an Army soldier on the frontlines, then this is a dependable and tough laptop that you can take in any rough condition to get work done.