Microsoft for the win: The best Windows laptops of 2024

Only a few years ago, choosing the best laptop with Windows on it rather than a Mac would heavily limit which applications you could use. But now the software gap has closed and there's much more in common between a Mac, Windows or Chrome operating system than ever before. That said, we all have our favourites when it comes to user interface and functionality. Thankfully, for fans of the Microsoft ecosystem, some of the best laptops now come with Windows 11 as standard.

Now, the best Windows laptop isn't necessarily the biggest or the most powerful. Why? Well, many users who choose Windows aren't necessarily 'power-users'; they just need a light and functional machine that works in a familiar way for typical office applications they're used to. A Windows laptop under £300 isn't going to play the latest games, but it is going to be a perfect Office 365 and browsing machine. But what about those who want more computing oomph?

Best Windows laptop of 2024 at a glance:

• Best overall: Acer Aspire 5 Laptop – View on Amazon
• Best budget: ASUS Vivobook 15 X515JA Full HD Laptop – View on Amazon
• Best Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 – View on Amazon
• Best gaming: ASUS ROG Strix G16 G614JZ Gaming Laptop – View on Amazon

It always helps to understand the key specs to keep an eye out for. The CPU and RAM are responsible for the overall performance and regular use of your laptop, keeping it running smoothly and reducing load times. The GPU is the graphics card, mostly relevant for gaming and other intensive programs. The storage is the file capacity of the laptop, which is ideally a spacious SSD. And, of course, battery life is always important for any portable device.

We've looked at some of the best laptop deals for Windows users, and that includes machines for those on a budget as well as gamers, video editors and high-end users. But, with so much to choose from, it's always tempting to go for cheaper deals that may not work for you. Our experts have looked at specs, usability, and price – with laptops well under £1000 to well over the two-grand mark. So, with a list of options to make die-hard Microsoft enthusiasts drag competing OSs into the recycle bin, here are our picks for the best Windows laptop of the year.

Best Windows laptops of 2024

All prices are correct at the time of writing. Prices, stock and deals are subject to change without notice.

Best Windows laptop of 2024: Buyer's guide

Consider your needs

Knowing what you want to achieve with your new Windows laptop is essential in making a great purchasing decision. So, if you're a digital creative working in media or photography, prioritise the graphics card and RAM; not to mention the size of the screen, with the best 17-inch laptops being a great choice here. If you're looking for a hardy and reliable Office 365 laptop, look at the CPU and keyboard. Of course, if you have enough cash to splash, the world is your computing oyster thanks to some of the high-end machines available that can outperform some desktop machines.

Set a budget

With ever-amazing specifications and big claims about graphics and screen sizes, it's incredibly easy to overspend. Before you know it you've doubled your budget and you haven't even thought about peripherals or a bag. The opposite is also true - you find what looks like the best laptop for less than £500 and before you know it you've gone for something under £300 that looks great but doesn't have what it takes under the hood.

So, set a sensible limit to your budget and check the laptop specs against your list of software needs. As a rule of thumb, this should make for a wise purchase.

Protect your investment

Don't forget that you'll need to set some of that budget aside for accessories and any peripherals you might need like a mouse. Make sure you have enough money left to keep it safe and secure too, with a laptop backpack, case or an impact-resistant bag.

Consider a VPN

At some point, even the best Windows laptop needs to connect to public wifi. Antivirus is great of course, and you should definitely invest in security suite software such as Bitdefender or McAfee to protect you from the worst. However, what about your personal data? A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a secure tunnel to the internet that hides your IP address from would-be hackers and snoopers. If privacy is your priority, we highly recommend an affordable VPN for that extra layer of security.

Best Windows laptop of 2024: Frequently asked questions

Do laptops come with MS Office?

A trial version of Microsoft Office used to be commonplace with all new Windows machines, but now Microsoft offers most of its products online via its 365 service. If the best Windows laptop doesn't come with it as part of a bundle deal, you can get Microsoft 365 (with free antivirus at the time of writing) at an excellent price.

Which brand of Windows laptop is best?

As you'd expect, this is really down to your preferences. But, we always look for well-established and renowned brands, such as Acer, ASUS, Dell and HP. However, that's not to say that some of the up-and-coming brands like Huawei can't compete on quality and price.

Are Windows laptops good for gaming?

Absolutely. With so many games made to run on the platform, it's probably the operating system of choice for most gamers. Driver and update support for graphics cards and other game-related hardware is another reason why Windows is the de facto standard for gamers. As for hardware, a dedicated gaming laptop is best. But remember - even the latest and greatest laptops can suffer from slow-down depending on software, settings and more. So, we've put together a simple guide on how to make your Windows laptop run faster.

We recommend 17-inch laptops, as the increased screen size means more freedom to adjust the resolution and UI of your games; not to mention the increased immersion. If you're not travelling anywhere, you could even connect a second or even third monitor and reap the benefits of having multiple screens - or one large ultrawide monitor.

Best Windows laptop of 2024: Jargon buster

Windows 10 / Windows 11 'S' mode

Windows S mode is a streamlined version of Windows 10 or 11 ideal for some laptops. S mode improves security and only allows apps from the Microsoft Store, and Microsoft Edge for browsing. Microsoft’s S mode FAQ is a good starting point.

Hard drive disks (HDD)

HDDs use spinning disks (or platters) and an actuator arm reads and writes data as it moves across the platter. The platters are broken down into a series of tracks and sectors. It's within these that data is stored and addressed with a location. External hard drives can also be attached to a computer via USB.

Solid State Drives (SSD)

SSD is a newer technology and uses no moving parts: it's far quicker at data retrieval. It's also a lot smaller in size and runs more efficiently. They write and read using electronic flash memory, much like USB flash drives. Data is stored in grids and blocks, and though the process is more complicated than in HDD, the available space is utilised more efficiently thanks to a series of processes that go on behind the scenes.

CPU

A Central Processing Unit, or CPU, processes and executes instructions. They often consist of multiple cores - the higher the number of cores the more processes it can carry out, improving performance. CPUs have a 'clock speed' that is measured in GHz - the frequency of the number of operations. In theory, the higher the GHz number, the better and quicker a computer can operate.

RAM

Random Access Memory, or RAM, is short-term memory. It temporarily holds information for quick access by the CPU as it runs various programs and services. The more RAM available, the more quick-access information there is for the CPU, thereby improving computer performance.

GPU

A GPU is a Graphical Processing Unit - the central component of a graphics card. It handles the rendering of images to the computer screen

Resolution

Resolution is the measurement of pixels on your screen, such as 1920 x 1080 (Full HD). Therefore, the higher the pixel count, the greater the resolution of your screen which means more detail. 4K screens are currently at the higher end of available PC and laptop resolutions.

Chris Duffill is a Senior Tech Product Writer for What's The Best and Yours. His background includes writing, editorial, marketing, design, video production and photography.

He specialises in home entertainment and audiovisual tech, including speakers, amplifiers, turntables, streaming media players, and TVs. He is also one of our resident experts in computing (PCs, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches), DSLR photography and all kinds of digital cameras. He also writes about retro gaming, game consoles and various electronic gadgets. If it plugs in, lights up or makes a noise, he’ll write about it.

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