Best laptops of 2020 – CNET

Best windows ultraportable

Dell XPS 13 2020

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We already had the XPS 13 as a top choice for anyone looking for excellent performance and battery life in the smallest possible case for a 13.3-inch display. For 2020, however, Dell made the laptop even smaller, enlarged the screen, and increased performance for both CPU and graphics-intensive tasks. It’s not a big leap, but it’s still the best in this category.

Read our Dell XPS 13 (2020) review.

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HP has surpassed itself with its latest ultra-portable premium two-in-one system. At first glance, it seems to be little more than a processor update – it runs on a great 10th generation Intel CPU – the latest x360 is significantly smaller than its predecessor without compromising on user-friendliness. New functions such as an immediate mute of the microphone combine other data protection and security functions such as an IR camera and a fingerprint reader and switch off the webcam. It is also available with 4G LTE Wireless, so you can do your job wherever and whenever you want.

Read our review of the HP Specter x360 13 (late 2019).

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While HP and Dell have excellent premium convertible two-in-one laptops, they do have small 13.3 and 13.4 inch displays. If you want a little more space for your work or entertainment, the 14-inch C940 is a good choice. The C940 is one of Intel’s Project Athena laptops and offers faster response and longer battery life. Everything about it is quick.

Read our review of the Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch).

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The Surface Pro continues to hit the marks when you’re looking for an all-round Windows tablet that doubles as a Windows laptop. These powerful laptops have the 8th generation Intel Core processor and a long battery life. Microsoft recently announced the updated Pro 7, but expects the Surface Pro 6 to be available at potentially lower prices, especially given its excellent keyboard and pen.

Read our Microsoft Surface Pro 6 review.

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The combination of the hardware of the MacBook Pro and MacOS extracts the maximum performance of the components and at the same time offers a first-class battery life that Windows systems never seem to do. The high resolution screen stays great. However, you pay for it – the base price for the 15-inch model of this device is $ 2,399, and that on a meager 256 GB SSD hard drive. And you have to overlook the potential defects of the keyboard.

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Razer’s featureless, plate-aesthetic briefs blend seamlessly into almost any environment. If you choose one of the high-end configurations, this (not surprisingly) is a great laptop for creative work and games. If you choose black and an empty wallet, you’ll get a 4K OLED display calibrated with Adobe RGB and a GeForce RTX 2070 for $ 3,300.

If you need graphics of the workstation class and Windows, you can switch to the Studio Edition of this laptop, which is also a balanced combination of design, speed and functions.

Read our Razer Blade 15 Advanced Review.

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This is our recommendation for anyone looking for a MacOS laptop for everyday use. The MacBook Air has been updated for 2020 with new processors and especially a new keyboard. Apple lowered the entry price back to $ 1,000, making its cheapest laptop more affordable. Still, it’s not exactly a bargain and you can get a lot more computers for your money if you work with Windows. Regardless, the Air remains one of the best laptops available for battery life, performance, and design.

Read our Apple MacBook Air 2020 review.

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This thin 3-pound convertible is regularly available for less than $ 750 and is a good choice for anyone who needs a laptop for office or school work. The all-metal housing gives it a first-class appearance and has a comfortable keyboard and a responsive, smooth precision touchpad. Although it offers few additional features compared to its premium Linemate, the C940, it has one of Lenovo’s sliding shutters for its webcam that gives you privacy when you want it. And it has a long battery life to boot.

Read our review of the Lenovo Yoga C740 (14-inch).

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A gaming powerhouse with a Core i processor in a thin and light package. The keyboard is not very good and can run hot and loud. As with any gaming laptop, the battery life is quite short. However, if you need maximum graphics, a fast refresh rate, and CPU performance in a relatively portable laptop, this is a good option.

Read our Acer Predator Triton 500 review.

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This update to Asus’ award Chromebook Flip C434 Boosts performance with new 10th generation Intel Core i3 and i5 processors, faster NVMe SSD storage, and fast Wi-Fi 6. Starting at $ 800, it is expensive, but if you value the lightweight Google operating system Already know, it’s the C436 Designed to offer the best Chrome experience in an ultra-portable two-in-one design.

Read our review of the Asus Chromebook Flip C436FA.

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Acer knows how to put together a solid, budget-friendly laptop, and the Aspire 5 is a good example of this. A remarkable offering for simple tasks like email, word processing and the like. It’s also thin and relatively light for a 15.6-inch laptop. This device has a backlit keyboard, an Intel Core i5-8265U processor, a fingerprint reader and a USB Type-C port. It’s available in a variety of configurations starting at $ 400, but can cost up to $ 650 if needed Discreet entry-level graphics for basic games and content creation. Our $ 530 version balances performance and affordability.

Read our Acer Aspire 5 (2019) review.

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The mid-range G5 15 hits the mark with an excellent price-performance ratio, build quality and design. Dell’s G-series gaming laptops are cheaper than those of the Alienware division, but can still play the latest AAA titles.

Read our Dell G5 15 5590 review.