Hundreds of laptops are released each and every year, and the lines are blurring between everyday devices and those specifically designed for business. That's especially true during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with many tasks usually reserved for the office desktop needing to be done from home.
Dedicated business laptops aren't always the best choice, but that makes your decision on which to go for all the more complicated. Whether running a small independent business or choosing a laptop that will play nice with a large enterprise network, there are certain features, specs and design traits to look out for.
You might be buying for yourself to run your startup in your rented workspace, or you could be here looking for something to kit out all your employees with. You might even be buying for thousands of people.
Here are the best laptops for business in 2021. Each entry links out to a full review with more information on price, design, features, specs, battery life and software. They are ranked, but that doesn't mean the #1 laptop here is right for your specific budget, taste and needs. We can easily recommend all the models listed, but make sure you're fully aware of what the device can do before taking the plunge.
As it turns out, many consumer devices from our best laptop chart make for excellent work companions. You may also be interested in the extra flexibility offered by a 2-in-1 laptop - business-friendly options include Microsoft's Surface Book 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 2, although they didn't quite make it into our top 10 below.
1. LG Gram 17
- Stunning large display
- Thin and lightweight
- Superb performance
Cons
- Expensive
- Software tweaks not for everyone
$1,799
For many business tasks, a regular laptop display simply won't cut it - you need something with extra screen real estate.
With that in mind, allow us to introduce you to the LG Gram 17. It represents the pinnacle of laptop design in 2021, offering a huge 17in (2560x1600) display within a chassis that's just 17.8mm thick and 1.35kg in weight.
It's powered by the latest Intel Tiger Lake processors, as well as up to 16GB of RAM and a bumper 1TB SSD on high-end models. If that's not enough, you also get stellar battery life from the 80Wh cell.
The below-par trackpad and speakers - our two biggest complaints about the 2020 model - have also both been addressed by LG, making this the best big-screened laptop you can buy.
If you're looking for something slightly smaller, the LG Gram 16 is also an excellent option.
Read our full LG gram 17 (2021) review
2. HP Envy 13 (2020)
- Solid performance
- Light and portable
- Excellent port selection
Cons
- Poor speaker placement
- Reflective screen
- Noisy fan
From $1,049.99
HP has once again made an excellent all-rounder offering a balance of design, specs and features.
As well as being extremely portable, the Envy 13 has plenty of ports including full-size USB and a microSD card reader, both of which are rarely spotted on modern laptops. It also has all-day battery life.
You need to splash out on the most expensive model to get a discrete graphics card, but even that is a reasonable price and many users will find the cheapest option has enough power.
An interesting feature for business users is the Sure View privacy screen that limits what onlookers can see from the side. Perfect if you're working on something sensitive in public.
Read our full HP Envy 13 (2020) review
3. Apple MacBook Air (M1)
- Fantastic performance
- Great battery life
- Useful pre-installed software
Cons
- Sub-par webcam
- Limited port selection
From $999
The release of the M1 chip has transformed the MacBook Air from a solid everyday device to one of the most powerful laptops you can buy.
Compared to the Intel version, Apple's new processor delivers incredible improvements to performance and power efficiency, with the latter delivering a big boost to battery life.
Much of the rest of the device is unchanged, although you do get the much-improved Magic Keyboard.
You also shouldn't overlook the wide range of software that's either pre-installed or free to download on macOS - everything from Pages and Keynote to GarageBand and iMovie are included at no extra cost. This may avoid the need to spend extra on software.
Be warned though, the webcam and port selection still isn't great, while you're limited to just one external display.
Read our full Apple MacBook Air (2020) M1 review
4. Huawei MateBook X Pro
- Great performance
- Stunning design
- Solid battery life
Cons
- Slightly tired design
- Poor webcam placement
From €1499 (about $1600)
Huawei has once again made an extremely luxurious laptop which will suit business users who want just about everything to be high-end.
The design is especially attractive so the X Pro is a great choice if you want to make a statement when you get it out of your bag at a meeting.
There's plenty of power on offer too with up to an Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, Nvidia MX250 graphics and 1TB storage. We're also in love with the keyboard, although the webcam is awkwardly placed here so this isn't a good choice if you need to make regular video calls.
Read our full Huawei MateBook X Pro (2020) review
5. Microsoft Surface Pro 7+
- Solid performance
- Lightweight and versatile
- Great range of accessories
Cons
- Dated design
- Can get expensive
From $899.99 | Model reviewed $1,499.99
The Surface Pro 7+ is specifically aimed at business an education customers, making it a great option for on-the-go productivity.
It's now powered by Intel's 11th-gen processors, alongside Iris Xe graphics and up to 32GB of RAM. As you might expect, performance is excellent. High-end configurations also offer 1TB of storage, but you probably won't need that much - the Pro 7+ has a removable SSD.
Other business-friendly upgrades include 4G LTE connectivity on selected models and much-improved battery life.
Microsoft's persistence with a dated design won't be much of an issue here, although it can get expensive. The starting price is significantly higher, while you'll need to buy a Type Cover to make the most of it.
Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ review
6. Dell XPS 13 (late 2020)
- Great performance
- Excellent keyboard
- Improved thermal management
Cons
- Expensive
- Not many ports
From $999 | Model reviewed $1,499
Dell has its Latitude business range, but the XPS should be considered too with the XPS 13 being one of the best laptops around for many years.
The 9310 is the second model for 2020, introducing 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake processors and improved thermals. It's still not perfect but a decent upgrade in this department.
It's really a spec refresh so the XPS 13 still has a stunning display (now 16:10), best-in-class keyboard and various design improvements. However, the price is a little steep and ports are limited.
Read our full Dell XPS 13 9310 (late 2020) review
7. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
- Solid performance
- Great display
- Impressive battery life
Cons
- Dated design
- Loud fans
- Prices climb quickly
From $999.99 (13.5in) | From $1,299.99 (15in)
The Surface Book line might be the obvious choice when it comes to a business laptop but we think the Surface Laptop 4 is better for most people.
This latest model has only minor upgrades over its predecessor, but a choice of capable Intel or AMD chips and a useful boost in battery life will be enough for newcomers to choose it over the Surface Laptop 3.
You can choose between 13.5in and 15in models once again, with both benefitting from an excellent touchscreen display. The premium experience is topped off by a smooth Alcantara fabric on some 13.5in models.
However, this is very much a cautious upgrade from Microsoft. We're still waiting for an updated design, so you'll have to make do with the sizeable bezels. An annoying fan also kicks in regularly, and it quickly gets expensive if you want a lot of power.
Like all the PCs in this list, it will get the free upgrade to Windows 11. It's an impressive all-round laptop, albeit with few standout features.
Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 review
8. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
- Premium build
- Solid performance
- Great range of features
Cons
- 4K model hits battery life
- Can overheat at times
From $1,445.95 (inc VAT)
The Lenovo ThinkPad succeeds in the ways in which you would expect from a premium X1 Carbon model.
You get a combination of top-notch build quality, excellent ergonomics and a powerful set of specs. It's a lot of laptop that will no doubt serve you well for many years.
Our main advice is to avoid the 4K display as it's unnecessary and contributes to middling battery life. You might also want to look at a Core i5 model to save some money, which will still be powerful enough for most day-to-day tasks.
9. Asus ZenBook Flip S
- Stunning 4K OLED display
- 2-in-1 functionality
- Lightweight design
Cons
- Slim chassis limits performance
- No fingerprint sensor
$1,549
If display and portability are your top priorities, the ZenBook Flip S is a great option.
It comes with a gorgeous 13.3in 4K OLED panel, one of the very best on the market, while coming in at just 13.9mm thick and 1.2kg in weight. There's also Thunderbolt 4 support and 1TB of SSD storage.
That slim chassis counts against it, though - performance from Intel's 11th-gen chips is noticeably limited as a result. You also miss out on a headphone jack and fingerprint sensor.
Nonetheless, the Flip S is a powerful, premium device that's worth considering.
Read our full Asus ZenBook Flip S UX371 review
10. Acer Chromebook Spin 713
- Great display
- Solid performance
- Impressive battery life
Cons
- Average keyboard
- Fan can get loud
From $629.99
For those that have lighter workloads, a Chromebook could be just the ticket - especially if you have a tight budget as they are often cheaper than Windows rivals.
You can certainly get cheaper laptops running ChromeOS but the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is worth spending a little more on.
As the name suggests, it's got a versatile 360-degree hinge design and build quality is good. Performance is solid and the star of the show is the 713's excellent display featuring a 3:2 aspect ratio suited to work applications.
An alternative in the Chromebook space would be Google's own Pixelbook Go or the Asus Chromebook C433TA. Check out our best Chromebook chart for more great options.
Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 713 review
Business Laptop Buying Guide
So which laptop is going to please everyone? It won’t be the same one for every situation (if only it were that simple). Once you’ve decided if your style of business suits Windows 10, ChromeOS or macOS then you can set about choosing the model.
You'll also want to consider whether these laptops come with Windows 10 Pro as standard. If they don't it's easy to upgrade. As mentioned at the top, a dedicated business model like a ThinkPad might not be the right option so we've included a range of consumer laptops which are likely to do the job just as well, often for less money.
Price is a factor, of course. Some high-end laptops are indeed excellent but you may want to save some money while still getting decent performance. Thankfully those laptops do exist and that's why a Chromebook might be a great choice, especially if your needs aren't demanding.
Some of the laptops in this list are higher priced, but they often represent good value considering the features and specifications they have. We've included a range of different prices and options.
Robust build could be of importance if you work in the field, or you might want something featherweight to carry from meeting to meeting around the globe. Then features such as fingerprint readers for additional security or long-lasting battery life might be top of your must-have list.
It's important to make sure the laptop you choose has the right specs for your line of work. Do you need a powerful processor and graphics card for demanding software or can you save money by getting something lower-end?
Also, make sure the display will suit your environment. Someone working outside will need to make sure the screen is bright enough to view.
Ports are often forgotten about, but a laptop is no good if you can't plug a vital accessory in. Many laptops come with USB-C only now, so you might need an adapter or a hub.
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