The best 14-inch laptops of 2024: Not too big, not too small

If you’ve been shopping for a laptop for quite some time you’ll notice that this 14-inch laptop isn’t heaving with power in any one area. And it’s precisely that mid-level balanced spec and equally sensible price that makes this MSI Modern 14 an overall winner.

Under the hood of this solid yet light machine, you have an Intel Core i5 processor - powerful enough for all kinds of everyday tasks and a little more if needed. Graphic capability comes courtesy of the integrated Intel Xe Graphics which means you’ll be enjoying YouTube and light 3D graphics applications without issue. Also, in a world of cheap compact laptops that often come with a measly 4GB of RAM, this MSI Modern has a healthy 8GB. The battery life is average, but will still last you the working day without a charge. Add to that a decent 512 GB of SSD storage, and this laptop is a brilliant all-rounder.

Despite having a level of specification you’d normally find in the average Chromebook, this HP Laptop PC 14s-dq0033sa is actually running Windows 11. That said, as with most light-use laptops, it’s running Windows in S mode. Think of S mode as ‘Windows Lite’ - it’ll give you a streamlined experience that uses fewer resources than normal. But, if you do want all of the usual Windows 11 bells and whistles, you can do this by changing a simple setting. This model comes with 4 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD - so while it’s nice and fast it’s not a powerhouse for advanced applications like design, video editing or games.

But, that simplified spec does make it absolutely ideal as a budget buy for someone who needs a quick, easy and reliable laptop for note-taking and internet browsing. This one also comes with a free 12-month subscription to Microsoft 365. That means online access to all of the usual MS Office applications like Word, Excel and more. The blue case adds some interest to the typically solid HP build too.

Dell has a well-deserved reputation for some of the best-built and reliable laptops on the market - and that makes them a top choice for many businesses. This Dell Inspiron 14 5425 laptop is far from being the typical below-average office machine too. Inside that sleek platinum silver case lies a specification to beat some desktop PCs. Leading the charge is the AMD Ryzen 7 CPU - a really capable processor that can handle even the most active multitasker. And then there’s the 16GB of RAM - that’s double the norm for this size of laptop.

Storage is healthy too, at 512 GB - more than enough for your files, projects and apps. But we really like the addition of the camera plus for video calls - and there’s even a fingerprint scanner here. At a time when security is more important than ever, this enables an extra layer of it thanks to biometrics. It’ll also mean faster and easier logins and more. Lastly, you can work into the evening or on the evening commute with this, as it has a backlit keyboard too.

Heading off to uni? You’ll be needing something small, light and super-portable - but with enough power to support your studies. You may even want to watch some Netflix and browse Amazon after you leave the lecture hall. And, most importantly, you’ll need it to be sturdy yet affordable. Well, this Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Gen 8 laptop is a perfect solution. 

The CPU is the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U is a little less powerful than an Intel Core i3, making it less useful for sheer productivity with more advanced apps. But, in terms of supporting all your studies with typical office applications, it’s perfect. The laptop comes with Windows 11 64-bit with 8GB of RAM, keeping everything running smoothly. There’s a built-in camera for calling your friends and family, and the battery is reasonable at around 7 hours - ideal for a typical day on campus.

Not everyone who goes for a compact 14-inch laptop is looking for a glorified notepad or office machine. Some will want to do all of that - and more. Despite its 14-inch panel, this Acer Swift Go laptop has a hardware specification to rival much larger PCs. Looking for a rich, vibrant screen with amazing contrast and inky blacks for your movies and streaming shows? This laptop has an OLED display. That’s right, OLED on a 14-inch laptop. So, no matter whether you’re editing photos during the day and watching Disney+ at night, this laptop is a media beast. 

And it has the rest of the specs to match, with a scorchingly fast AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and a staggering 16GB of RAM. Storage is better than most too, at 512 GB - plenty for a tonne of professional apps. Build-wise, this is a thing of beauty too, with a good-sized keyboard and a fingerprint reader for good measure.

Like our pick of the best budget laptop, this one comes in at a very affordable price - but this is a genuine Chromebook. That means a trimmed-down and optimised Google operating system and a slim and lightweight machine to match. Even better, in a sea of other Chromebooks on offer, this one is solidly made by HP. The HP Chromebook 14" Laptop PC isn’t as light as some others, but we prefer the robust build on a portable device this compact. It has a very minimal specification with 4GB of RAM and a small 32GB SSD - but remember, the point of a Chromebook is to support simple tasks at lightning speed. And that means keeping everything running efficiently. 

And it’s that efficiency that will see you using this for up to 10 hours between charges. Being able to surf the web, use the webcam, work on documents or presentations and do light computing tasks for that long without worrying about power is what a Chromebook is all about. On those terms alone, HP has nailed this one as it’s well-regarded by users too.

Dell makes it back onto our list with this eye-catching Dell Inspiron 5410 14" 2-in-1 laptop. It’s one of the few laptops on the market from a respected brand that can actually fold into a tablet form. And the touchscreen is what helps that magic to happen, as the Full-HD screen folds back completely - allowing you to hold and use this just like any tablet.

Although it’s a two-in-one machine, it’s definitely more laptop than tablet when it comes to the hardware on offer. Inside we have an Intel Core i5 processor for typical mid-range laptop power when it comes to pure number-crunching ability. And that’s supported by the 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Finished in platinum silver, this really does look the part too. The screen may only be 14 inches, but the super-thin bezels in the case design make for an uncluttered and premium look - particularly in tablet mode.

Although this isn’t the only 14-inch laptop on this list with a large amount of storage, this one caught our eye because the massive 1TB SSD doesn’t come with the usual collection of expensive laptop components. And that means it’s more affordable for someone looking for a reasonably capable machine with big storage at the top of the wish list. This Lenovo 14-inch IdeaPad 1 ticks all of those boxes. 

Firstly, as mentioned, this isn’t a speed and performance powerhouse. With 4GB of RAM and an Intel Celeron N4020 CPU, it’s no surprise that this runs Windows 11 in S mode out of the box. It’s meant for light computing duties, except for the SSD. Here, we have a surprising 1TB of storage – so if you’re looking to take a lot of work with you or need a large collection of simple apps for things like presentations, spreadsheets and documents, this is ideal. But it’s not just about office data. It could even store a large collection of media like photos or videos. A photographer who wants to be able to download and check their shots at the end of the day could find this laptop very handy out in the field, too.

Are you worried about all of the e-waste that ends up in our seas and landfill sites? Acer is leading the war against waste with its line of Acer Green PCs. This Acer Vero 14-inch Chromebook Plus set out to deliver a speedy and slim machine that has enough punch to suit most everyday uses. Inside, there’s an Intel Core i5 processor, which is a real step-up in terms of Chromebook laptops. The same goes for RAM and storage - with 8GB and 256GB respectively.

But it’s the Acer build that counts here. Firstly, it’s been made to be disassembled easily for repairs and upgrades (are you reading this, Apple..?), and the touchpad itself is entirely made from plastic that would have been ocean-bound. The case is partly made from recycled plastic, and the whole thing arrives in sustainable packaging. But surely, all that recycled material means a slightly flimsier build? Not at all; its rugged chassis is made to US military standards. There’s no better laptop choice for the environmentally-minded.

If you’re after the best of the best and money is no obstacle, this ACER Swift X 14" Laptop is the miniature marvel you need on your desktop. It’s hard to describe how much power has been crammed into this slim, lightweight chassis. At the top of the hardware tree sits the Intel Core i7 processor – the sort of CPU you’d find in mid to high-range PCs not long ago. And then there’s the mammoth 16G of RAM with a 1TB SSD to keep everything running fast. 

But perhaps the star of the show is the stunning OLED display. That means this thing will run media authoring and creativity apps and show you everything with gorgeously vivid colours and deep blacks. The fact that ACER claims a battery life of up to 15 hours with this much computing power under the hood is staggering. It even has a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card inside – so that the latest and greatest generation of games can be looked after in true style.