Best Laptops For Working From Home 2026

About a third of Americans work from home, and for most of us, the laptop is the hub of the home office. After more than a decade of working remotely, I know firsthand how important a reliable laptop is for productivity and for keeping connected to coworkers. To find the best laptop for working from home, we tested 20 models side-by-side over several days. Our panel testers named the Apple MacBook Air as the best laptop for working from home, because it’s powerful, reliable, easy to use and compact for traveling and commuting. Read on to find the best laptops for working from home across a range of categories.

We tested more than 20 models to find the best laptops for working from home.

ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERS

A Sleek And Lightweight Build

Our testers unanimously named the Apple MacBook Air (M5) as the best laptop for working from home because of its impressive processing power, gorgeous display and comfortable ergonomics. “Like all Apple products, this laptop’s design is ultra-sleek, slim and lightweight,” one panelist said. Many noted how easy it was to open the MacBook Air with one hand. They also appreciated the backlit keys and large, responsive track pad. The laptop comes in both 13- and 15-inch sizes, but our testers felt the 13-inch model was better for portability. Its battery life is also impressive, says consumer tech and electronics editor Rebecca Isaacs in her Apple MacBook Air (M5) review. “It wasn’t until after 15 hours that I was finally forced to plug into a socket,” she says, “Even then, it still had 12% life, which makes Apple’s 15- to 18-hour battery life claims maybe a hair conservative.”

We also tested the 15-inch version of the Apple MacBook Air (M5), shown here.

Rebecca Isaacs for Forbes

A Capable Processor That Can Multitask

The Apple MacBook Air features a speedy M5 chip to help you multitask across multiple applications. It comes with as much as 4TB SSD storage, too, depending on your needs. “This is a good laptop for browsing, productivity and graphic design,” said one tester, who added that they use the M4 version for editorial work every day. When our tester had multiple spreadsheets and documents open simultaneously, the processor stayed speedy and responsive. That said, our testers don’t recommend playing intense AAA video games on this laptop; the 60Hz refresh rate just isn’t fast enough for top-tier gaming graphics.

A Great Screen, But Too Small For Some Projects

The MacBook Air’s screen doesn’t feel small when you only have one window open, but if you try to multi-task on it, it gets cramped. “The screen isn’t really large enough for anything other than a primary task,” said one tester, adding, “you’d need a second monitor if you really need more screen space.” Any monitor will need to connect via USB-C/Thunderbolt cable or use an adapter, as this laptop has a limited number of ports. Still, its Liquid Retina display is sharp and crisp, and the colors look vivid with the brightness set anywhere above about 30%. At full illumination, the screen was brighter than needed for comfortable interior use and can easily be used in sunlight. Additionally, the MacBook Air’s speakers offer “decent audio quality,” without much bass or raw power, but with “good clarity and balance.”

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Just Enough Display For Multitasking

The Acer Swift 14 AI has a decent processor, plenty of memory and enough storage capacity to meet the needs of most people who work from home. The screen offers just enough room for dual-window multitasking, while the touchscreen enables multiple working styles, from tapping and swiping to more precise on‑screen navigation. Our testers felt the touchscreen was responsive and accurate, too. The price tag is also attractive; our recommended configuration, which offers 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, costs less than $1,500.

Our testers found that the Acer Swift 14 laptop offers a great balance of price and performance.

James Ransom For Forbes

A Sharp Screen, With Minor Color Issues

Most testers approved of the “crisp, firm keys” and its sleek and simple design. While our testers found the display “clear and sharp,” its colors were a bit distorted, no matter the brightness setting. “It exhibits slight color distortion and is less vibrant than some competing laptops,” one tester said. “Additionally, blacks and dark colors appear somewhat grayish, suggesting lower overall contrast.”

Processing Power Comes With Some Bloatware

The Acer Swift 14 AI laptop turned on and restarted quickly, and it remained fast and responsive when our testers ran many demanding websites simultaneously. Keep in mind that the laptop comes with some bloatware, but it’s easy to uninstall. While it claims to feature a 26-hour battery life, it only lasted three hours from a socket during our battery tests. If you plan to work at a coffee shop for an hour or two, you’ll be fine; any longer, and plan to pack the charging cable.

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Its Design Includes A Number Pad

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-In-1 can be used in tablet orientation or like a laptop. While it’s a large laptop that features a full keyboard and number pad, it “folds all the way open to work like a touchscreen tablet,” a tester explained. While you can pack it in your backpack, at over 4 pounds and featuring a 16-inch screen, it’s heavy and bulky and not completely ideal for portability. Also note that several of our testers found the Yoga 7i hard to open and unfold one-handed, so be ready for a bit of effort as you reposition it each time.

A Good Touchscreen And Trackpad, But An Annoying Keyboard

In tablet form, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-In-1’s display impressed our testers. “The touchscreen is responsive and accurate, with smooth scrolling, and it’s easy to click on buttons and links and close windows,” said a tester. The large screen offers “excellent” brightness with “no distortion or pixelation,” according to another. Our testing found the screen plenty big for watching movies or shows, drawing, taking video calls and multitasking. In laptop orientation, the trackpad works well, but the keyboard left our testers unimpressed. “The key placement seems odd; I keep making typos,” a tester commented, while another felt the keys were very soft. Unless you’re considering this device primarily because of the tablet-style option, you may want to opt for a more traditional laptop.

Sufficient Processing Capabilities

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-In-1’s Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and 16GB of RAM easily serve most demands of remote work. Our team felt the processor easily handled intensive commands when our testers recreated demanding tasks. “At one point, I had 14 different tabs open. After quickly toggling between them—which included jumping around various 8K video feeds—I didn’t notice any lag or choppiness,” said one tester.

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A Sleek, Durable Build With Snappy Keys

The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i impressed our testers for its sleek, sturdy build, and our testers liked that it’s easy to open one-handed. Its keys feel snappy and comfortable to write on, and our testers noted that it includes “a generous selection of three USB-C ports, one USB-A port and a headphone jack.” It also features 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage space. It easily handled multiple programs, sites and applications all running simultaneously.

A Screen Our Testers Loved

The EliteBook Ultra G1i’s display is a great size for most professional applications, from drafting documents to creating decks to working with spreadsheets. “The laptop’s large display is suitable for comfortably handling work, and it offers plenty of maximum brightness for clear viewing,” said a panelist. “Even when dimmed almost completely, the colors remain accurate, and the screen content is easy to identify.” However, our testers felt the sound quality was “fairly tinny.”

Included Security Software

If you’re mindful of your on-device documents and files, our testers noted that the model offers HP’s Wolf Security software. It’s not necessary to use—and some users may go so far as to call it bloatware. But our testers appreciated this offering, which they found easy to use. There’s also the HP AI Companion app which is similar to Microsoft Copilot and can summarize documents, answer questions and more. Still, HP’s homegrown AI chatbot is pretty intuitive for most needs.

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An Excellent Combination Of Portability And Power

If you travel frequently in addition to working from home, the Asus Zenbook S14 OLED is a great option for its excellent blend of power and portability. At 2.7 pounds, this is one of the lightest laptops our team tested, but don’t think it achieves its lightness by sacrificing on toughness or design quality. This slender laptop features a large trackpad and satisfying key travel, which greatly impressed many of our panelists. “I love the build quality. It’s light but solid, with a really cool stylized design,” said one tester. “It was my favorite typing experience. The keys feel responsive and snappy without feeling like they require too much force.”

The Asus Zenbook S14 OLED was one of the lightest laptops our team tested and weighs 2.7 pounds.

James Ransom for Forbes

Powerful Components, With A Gorgeous Display

The Asus Zenbook S14 OLED features one of the most powerful processors on the market, the Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 258V. Combined with 32GB RAM, it can easily handle intense applications and keep any multitasking smooth. Our testers loved the OLED display, too. “From any practical angle, the HDR video looked stunning with vibrant and saturated colors. I see really inky blacks and a full palette of colors. The bright colors really pop,” said one tester. While it showcases lovely colors, keep in mind that it only offers an Intel Integrated Arc graphics card, which won’t be powerful enough for most photo and video editors. However, those working with light photo editing will find it suitable enough.

The Screen Looks Good, But It’s Small

While our testers loved the display quality, they found the 14-inch display too small for multitasking. “I think those who want a larger display will be disappointed by the display size,” said one tester. It’s easy to add an external monitor, at least, as this slim laptop has an HDMI port among its several port options. (And if you’re seeking some options, our tech team has also tested the best portable monitors.)

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Sleek—And Heavy

The Dell 16 Premium features a sleek design with a large, spacious keyboard and trackpad. Keep in mind that the trackpad isn’t quite as defined compared with other models we tested, but our testers found it easy to use after a short learning curve. The 16.3-inch display is plenty large for working across multiple tabs simultaneously, which our testers appreciated. However, that’s several inches more than other models tested, which can make it tricky to fit into a backpack. Our testers also noted that at 4.6 pounds, it was one of the heaviest models tested. While it might be a pain to carry around all day, it’s perfectly suitable for working from your home desk.

The Dell 16 Premium’s trackpad has a small learning curve.

James Ransom for Forbes

A Lovely Display, With Exceptional Color Rendering

At 33% brightness, our testers felt the Dell 16 Premium’s color reproduction was accurate and vivid. Image quality looked sharp when playing 4K videos, and one tester noted the picture looked “clear, with no distortions or color degradation, even from the side or from other angles.” Our testers also noted that the combination of the Intel Core 7 processor and Nvidia graphics card makes this model an excellent choice for photo and video editors. The laptop speakers produced clear highs and mids, and its bass was deeper than other contenders.

Weak Battery Life

In addition to being heavy, our testing found another issue—battery life. During our battery tests, our tech team played a 4K video at 50% brightness until the battery died. Our tests showed the Dell 16 Premium’s battery life lasted only five-and-a-half hours. While you can eke out slightly more life if you’re using battery-saving settings, don’t expect to last all day away from a charger.

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If your work involves video or photo editing, CAD work and other intensive applications, consider the Apple MacBook Pro. Our testers loved its sleekness and praised its premium, durable build. Apple’s most powerful laptop also features the brand’s signature Liquid Retina display, which produces “vivid, rich colors that are clear, sharp and brighter than those on the MacBook Air,” said one tester. It features “true blacks and maintains a clear picture quality without distortion or color degradation from all viewing angles,” which helps make it an excellent option for graphics work.

The Apple MacBook Pro is one of the most powerful laptops on the market, but unless you’re working with video editing or CAD projects, it’s overkill for most users.

James Ransom for Forbes

A Processing Powerhouse

You can get the Apple MacBook Pro in a variety of configurations, ranging from 16GB to 128GB RAM and up to 8TB SSD storage. But for most, our current configuration recommendation—the Apple M4 Max chip with 36GB RAM and 1TB of storage—will suit. The Apple MacBook Pro’s processor was the strongest our tech team benchmarked—and by an impressive margin, too. No matter which processor you choose, you can expect plenty of power to run demanding video applications with ease. During testing, our team found the laptop to showcase “excellent performance, handling multitasking well with no lag or choppiness upon opening websites or toggling tabs,” according to one tester.

A Pricey Device With A Screen That May Be Too Small For Media

While the MacBook Pro comes in two display sizes, 14 and 16 inches, we recommend the 14-inch model for portability, with the caveat that the display may be too small for multitasking. “The screen is only large enough for a primary task, requiring a second monitor for increased screen space,” said one tester. Keep in mind that the 16-inch model is also more expensive. Also, unless you’re working with the heaviest applications on the market, this model is likely overkill for your needs.

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Gaming is one of the most challenging activities a laptop can do, so it comes as no surprise that a dedicated gaming laptop is also more than capable of handling most professional demands. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is a smart investment if you want one laptop to use for your day job and for gaming after hours. The laptop features fun RGB lighting and “great ergonomics,” according to our testers. Make sure you have a power source nearby; during our testing, we found the battery lasts up to four hours away from a socket. It reduces even faster when you game on battery life.

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i features a large, bright display and snappy keys.

James Ransom for Forbes

A Truly Capable Processor

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i’s Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor is an impressive piece of hardware and can handle any application thrown at it. The laptop comes with 32GB RAM, which is plenty for running multiple tasks simultaneously. It starts with 1TB of storage space, which is ample for most needs, but if you need more, you can opt for 2TB. Our testers noted this laptop produces some fan noise when it’s working with heavy applications, but it remained cool during testing.

Looks Great But Watch The Size

Like any good gaming laptop, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a stunning display with a refresh rate that can go up to 240Hz. It delivered some of the “best video quality,” one of our testers has seen, “offering a super colorful, vibrant and crystal clear image with seamless smoothness.” Its OLED display also creates an excellent contrast that helps “colors remain very vibrant, even when displaying a mixture of bright and dark elements.” That said, it’s not a very portable laptop—at 6 pounds, our testers felt it’s better to keep this more as a desktop replacement than as an on-the-go laptop.

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Other Laptops We Tested For Working From Home

Our tech team tested 20 different contenders to determine our best laptops for working from home. While our top picks represent some of the best models you can find on the market, we tested several others that deserve your consideration. Here are some other models we tested that we recommend.

• Best Overall, Runner-Up: Razer Blade 14: (Forbes Vetted Score: 4.3 stars) Although this model is technically a gaming laptop, it has plenty of processing power for your work needs. “It’s light enough for travel, and the included hardware is powerful enough to tackle just about anything you throw at it,” said one of our testers. That said, the speakers are subpar and the display skews blue.
• Best Value, Runner-Up: Dell 14 Plus (Forbes Vetted Score: 3.4 stars) Priced under $700, this “affordable workhorse” kept a dozen websites running without loading or lagging issues during testing. While the display was “clear and crisp,” according to our panelists, it’s heavy for a laptop with a 14-inch screen, weighing more than 3.5 pounds, and two testers used the word “clunky” to describe its keyboard.
• Easiest-To-Use: Microsoft Surface Laptop (Forbes Vetted Score: 4 stars) This model is ideal for “more casual everyday uses like work, productivity and web browsing,” according to our testers. We especially appreciated its responsive touchscreen and the quiet, firm keyboard. It’s not a powerhouse, but this laptop requires minimal setup right out of the box.

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Laptops We’re Testing Next For Working From Home

We routinely test new laptops to keep our recommendations up to date, and we’re currently evaluating several new models to see how they compare to our existing list of winners. Below, see a few of the laptops we’re testing now.

• Dell XPS 14: A new laptop from Dell that launched in January with an updated processor, 14-inch screen and a slim, lightweight build that clocks in at 3 pounds.
• Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition: One of Lenovo’s newest 2-in-1 laptops that comes with a 14-inch OLED touchscreen, updated Intel processor and improved AI capabilities.
• Asus ZenBook S14: A recently refreshed model from Asus with improved configurations for 2026. It includes upgrades such as a new processor and a more durable body.
• HP OmniBook 7: A replacement for the HP Pavilion Plus that launched in late 2025. It features a large 17.3-inch display and the Intel Core Ultra 7 chip.

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How We Tested The Best Laptops For Working From Home

To test the best laptops for working from home, we assembled a dozen panelists and compared how well each laptop fared in work, gaming and streaming scenarios.

Testing Process

• Expert led: The testing process was overseen by our in-house laptop experts: consumer tech and electronics editor, Rebecca Isaacs, and former staff writer Steven John. They chose the contenders for our testing process and gave each panelist a comprehensive checklist to follow while they evaluated each model.
• Diversity of experience: Our panel was intentionally made up of people with a range of consumer technology backgrounds, including other members of the Forbes Vetted team, several experienced gamers and programmers, and a handful of more casual computer users.
• Multi-day testing: Our laptop testing included multiple phases. We tested 20 models over the course of a week. We followed that up, when possible, with long-term testing for at least two additional weeks to assess real-world use and identify any glitches that didn’t appear during panel testing.

Key Criteria

• Design and ergonomics: We paid close attention to the appearance and feel of each laptop, prioritizing keyboard feedback, trackpad responsiveness, screen size and other physical attributes. We also took note of the model’s weight, as many WFH positions involve occasional travel and commuting.
• Processing power: We simultaneously opened 14 websites, all of which featured video clips or constantly updating features, like a live flight tracker. We then toggled between the sites, keeping an eye on whether the laptops showed signs of lagging, glitching or overheating. We also benchmarked each model using Geekbench 6 software and took note of the scores.
• Display: We watched various video clips to review color accuracy, contrast, clarity and pixelation. We also noted refresh rates and motion handling to determine which laptops were ideal for video editing and casual document processing.
• Speaker quality: We listened to three different songs—“The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, “Angel” by Massive Attack and “The 1812 Overture” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky—to get a well-rounded speaker profile. As we tested, we considered whether frequencies were balanced and took note of any audio distortion or muddling.

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How To Choose The Best Laptops For Working From Home

A laptop for working from home needs to be more self-sufficient than an office computer since it often isn’t hooked up to an external monitor, keyboard or mouse. It also “benefits from a balanced blend of battery life and ergonomics because it may be moved between home offices, meeting rooms or travel,” says Jeremy Rambarran, director of campus and clinical IT services at Touro University. With that in mind, here are the features to consider when shopping.

Performance

A laptop’s performance is measured by its processor, known as the CPU, which essentially acts as its brain. While most Windows laptops use either a Qualcomm Snapdragon, Intel Core or AMD Ryzen processor, Apple MacBooks use their own M-series chips. Each processor name typically has a number in it; the higher the number, the more powerful the processor. That said, a common mistake people make is “overspending on a high-end CPU,” says Cameron Prockiw, the founder of Nerder. For reference, a MacBook with an M4 or higher will suffice. Windows users should look for a Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite, an Intel Core Ultra 7 or an AMD Ryzen 7 or better.

RAM

While the processor is considered the brain, the RAM is your laptop’s messengers. This chip helps your applications and multitasking running smoothly, and you can opt for multiple size options, measured in GB. The minimum standard for any laptop is 16GB. However, those working with demanding applications or gaming may want to consider a minimum of 32GB RAM.

Display

“Screen size and resolution affect comfort and productivity,” said Rambarran. “Larger, higher-resolution displays are easier on the eyes for multitasking, creative work or large spreadsheets, but they also consume more power and increase device size and weight.” If you regularly have two or more windows open and don’t use an external monitor, you may want to opt for a laptop with at least a 15-inch screen. And if your work involves graphics, modeling, media production or other visually-intense projects, plan to look for laptops with OLED displays and at least a 2.5K screen. Note that 4K is ideal for graphics work, though.

Battery Life

While it’s quite likely you have an outlet at the ready if you have a home office, if you tend to work away from a socket, make sure to choose a WFH laptop with a long battery life. The minimum battery life the Forbes Vetted tech team recommends is eight to 10 hours of battery life—enough to last your work day. However, most laptops can last much longer under the right settings.

Ports

A good WFH laptop should serve you well as a standalone device, but if you plan to connect a second monitor or external speakers, the type and number of ports matter. “If you frequently use USB-connected devices, SD cards, an ethernet cable or multiple monitors, more built-in ports reduce reliance on dongles and hubs,” Rambarran said. If you plan to connect your laptop to a KVM switcher or external monitor, also check to make sure it has an HDMI part.

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Why Trust Forbes Vetted

We’ve authored scores of tech and electronic guides over the years, which include all sorts of stories on computers, tablets and accessories. Our work is informed by extensive research, hands-on testing, conversations with industry experts and, of course, our team’s decade of combined expertise.

• Former Forbes Vetted staff writer Steven John helped establish the laptop testing criteria, created the survey the testers used during the process and personally tested the laptops featured in this story. In addition to this guide, he’s written about the best laptops overall in 2026.
• Forbes Vetted consumer tech and electronics editor Rebecca Isaacs has more than seven years of experience covering computers. She regularly tests the latest laptop launches, and she’s attended demonstrations where laptops have been dissected down to their processors, graphics cards and other components to learn about their inner workings.
• We regularly revisit this guide to check that our advice is current. It was last updated in August 2026 by Forbes Vetted commerce writer Alexandra Garrett, who has been involved in laptops testing for over five years.

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Our Experts

• Jeremy Rambarran, director of campus and clinical IT services at Touro University
• Cameron Prockiw, the founder of Nerder

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