Best Laptops UK (2026)
The right laptop depends heavily on what you'll actually run on it, from browsing and email to gaming or creative work. This guide compares laptops tested by Expert Reviews, spanning budget Chromebooks to premium ultraportables and gaming machines.
We have not hands-on tested these products. Our picks are based on published independent tests and reviews, listed at the bottom of this page. How we pick.
Our top pick
Honor MagicBook Pro 14 (2025)
Best overall
Expert Reviews' overall winner, offering what it calls workstation performance for a pittance, with an excellent OLED screen, though it's heavier than comparable laptops and lacks 6GHz Wi-Fi support.
- Workstation-level performance for the price
- Excellent OLED screen
- Strong overall performance
Quick comparison
| Product | Best for | Key spec | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honor MagicBook Pro 14 (2025) | Best overall | Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, 32GB RAM, OLED, 16hr battery | Check price |
| Apple MacBook Air 13in (M5, 2026) | Best premium MacBook | Apple M5, 16GB RAM, Liquid Retina, 15hr battery | Check price |
| Apple MacBook Neo | Best budget Mac | Apple A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, from £549 | Check price |
| Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 Gen 10 | Best Chromebook | MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, 12GB RAM, OLED, £499 | Check price |
| Asus Zenbook A14 (2025) | Best for travel | Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, under 1kg, 20hr battery | Check price |
| Asus TUF Gaming A14 (2025) | Best for gaming | AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, RTX 5060, 16GB RAM | Check price |
| Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406) | Best MacBook Air alternative | Intel Core Ultra 9 288V, 32GB RAM, 120Hz OLED | Check price |
Our picks in detail
Best overall
Honor MagicBook Pro 14 (2025)
Expert Reviews' overall winner, offering what it calls workstation performance for a pittance, with an excellent OLED screen, though it's heavier than comparable laptops and lacks 6GHz Wi-Fi support.
- Processor
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285H
- RAM
- 32GB
- Display
- 3,120 x 2,080 OLED
- Battery
- 16hr 10min
- Price guide
- From £1,000
Pros
- Workstation-level performance for the price
- Excellent OLED screen
- Strong overall performance
Cons
- Heavier than comparable models
- Lacks 6GHz Wi-Fi support
Best premium MacBook
Apple MacBook Air 13in (M5, 2026)
Fast performance, reliable build quality and long battery life, though it costs more than the previous M4 model and is less repairable than some rivals.
- Processor
- Apple M5
- RAM
- 16GB
- Display
- 2,560 x 1,664 Liquid Retina
- Battery
- 14hr 59min
- Price guide
- From £999
Pros
- Fast performance
- Reliable build
- Long-lasting battery life
Cons
- Higher price than the M4 model
- Less repairable than newer alternatives
Best budget Mac
Apple MacBook Neo
Apple's first proper budget laptop, offering excellent value in a sturdy, easy-to-repair aluminium chassis, though battery performance is disappointing and there's no keyboard backlight.
- Processor
- Apple A18 Pro
- RAM
- 8GB
- Display
- 2,408 x 1,506 IPS
- Battery
- 11hr 51min
- Price guide
- £549
Pros
- Excellent value
- Sturdy aluminium chassis
- Easy to repair
Cons
- Disappointing battery performance
- Poor speaker quality
- No keyboard backlight
Best Chromebook
Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 Gen 10
A lightweight Chromebook with a genuinely exceptional OLED screen and top-tier performance for the category, though the display is limited to Full HD and ports are limited.
- Processor
- MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910
- RAM
- 12GB
- Display
- 1,920 x 1,080 OLED
- Battery
- 14hr 53min
- Price guide
- £499
Pros
- Lightweight design
- Exceptional OLED screen
- Top-tier Chromebook performance
Cons
- Only Full HD resolution
- Limited port selection
Best for travel
Asus Zenbook A14 (2025)
Weighs under 1kg with a vivid OLED display and exceptional battery endurance, making it well suited to travel, though the webcam is subpar and graphics performance is weak.
- Processor
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X
- RAM
- 16GB
- Display
- 1,920 x 1,080 OLED
- Battery
- 20hr 20min
- Price guide
- £1,100
Pros
- Weighs under 1kg
- Vivid display
- Exceptional battery endurance
Cons
- Subpar webcam
- Weak graphics capability
Best for gaming
Asus TUF Gaming A14 (2025)
Strong gaming capability with solid battery life and dual SSD slots for expansion, though it uses Wi-Fi 6E rather than 7 and has no RGB keyboard lighting.
- Processor
- AMD Ryzen AI 7 350
- Graphics
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060
- RAM
- 16GB
- Display
- 2,560 x 1,600
- Battery
- 13hr 31min
- Price guide
- £1,300
Pros
- Strong gaming capabilities
- Solid battery life for a gaming laptop
- Dual SSD slots
Cons
- Wi-Fi 6E rather than 7
- No RGB keyboard lighting
Best MacBook Air alternative
Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406)
A premium, feature-rich ultraportable with extended battery life, though Expert Reviews notes the Core Ultra 9 underperforms relative to its price and the Core Ultra 7 version offers better value.
- Processor
- Intel Core Ultra 9 288V
- RAM
- 32GB
- Display
- 2,880 x 1,800 OLED, 120Hz
- Battery
- 18hr 28min
- Price guide
- £1,499
Pros
- Premium aesthetics
- Extended battery life
- Feature-rich design
Cons
- Core Ultra 9 underperforms relative to price
- Core Ultra 7 model offers better value
Buying guide
Windows, Mac or Chromebook?
Windows laptops offer the widest range of software and hardware options, including gaming. Macs pair tightly with Apple's ecosystem and often lead on battery life and build quality. Chromebooks are simpler, cheaper and well suited to browser-based tasks, but limited for demanding software.
How much RAM do I need?
8GB is a practical minimum for everyday browsing and office work. 16GB suits multitasking and most creative work comfortably, while 32GB benefits heavier workloads like video editing or running multiple demanding applications at once.
Do I need a dedicated graphics card?
If you play modern games or do GPU-accelerated creative work like video editing, a dedicated GPU (like the RTX 5060 here) makes a big difference. For browsing, office work and streaming video, integrated graphics are usually enough.
What battery life should I look for?
Manufacturer-stated battery life is measured under specific conditions and real-world use is usually shorter. Look for laptops rated well above the battery life you actually need, and treat the figures here, which come from Expert Reviews' own testing, as a more realistic guide than marketing claims.
Sources
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