In search of the greatest business laptop to propel you forward in 2024? Take advantage of the current sales on models from last year, and if you can wait a little, the laptops showcased at CES 2024 will begin delivering in the next months. No matter what you’re looking for, our team of laptop specialists is here to help you find the best laptops for business. We examine hundreds of laptops every year.
In order to determine the finest business laptops across all major manufacturers, we subject them to extensive laboratory and real-world testing. This allows us to compare their mobility, performance, battery life, and other features. No corporate laptop is complete without top-tier security features, such as fingerprint sensors, infrared cameras, security processors, and, in many cases, military-grade endurance. These features are essential for business computers and not found on consumer models.
With its stunning screen, reliable hardware, and impressive battery life of fifteen hours, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is now our top choice for a business laptop. But, if you lean more toward Acer, Apple, Dell, or HP, you’ll find attractive choices across a range of pricing points from each of those brands.
THE ABSTRACT
Excited to discover the ideal laptop for you? Rest assured, we have compiled a comprehensive list of all the laptops on the market today and included links to our in-depth reviews of each one.
1. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
Robust, potent, and lasting
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1355U
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB
- Display: 14-inch, 1200
- Size: 12.4 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches
- Weight: 2.5 pounds
AWE-INSPIRING FEATURES
- Extremely light weight
- Super-fast solid-state drive
- Long battery life
- Top-notch keyboard
- Vibrant screen
DETERMINANT FACTORS
- Unsatisfactory webcam
- Visuals might be more vibrant
Following a year-long absence, the X1 Carbon from Lenovo has returned to its rightful place as the best business laptop. Long gone is the 2022 model’s underwhelming battery life; in its place comes a lightweight powerhouse that returns to its rightful place at the top. With a slim profile and a light weight of 2.6 pounds, the X1 Carbon won’t be a burden on your travel or commute laptop bag. Plus, it has been tested and approved by MIL-SPEC, so it can withstand any drops or bumps that may occur.
X1 Carbon Gen 11 includes a fingerprint reader and a TPM 2.0 chip to encrypt critical data, recognizing that security is a high priority for many corporate users. While not included by default, the Windows Hello-compatible IR camera is a cheap add-on for individuals who desire it. You won’t need to lug around a USB-C hub when you get down to business on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon because it comes with a plenty of ports. While business users are more concerned with brightness, creatives would prefer a more vibrant display. The 14-inch panel provides more than enough light. The legendary keypad provides the same level of comfort that we’ve grown to expect. A smaller touchpad would be ideal, though, so you might want to
In our battery test, the X1 Carbon lasted an impressive 13 hours and 45 minutes, and in terms of performance, it significantly outperformed the averages of our premium laptops. With a few little drawbacks like a disappointing webcam and display vibrance, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 11) isn’t the greatest business laptop, but it is still the finest when it comes to the specs that matter to business users.
2. Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga
Notable at less than $1,000
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Intel Core i5-1135G7
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB
- Display: 14-inch, 1080p
- Size: 12.6 x 8 x 0.7 inches
- Weight: 3.3 pounds
PROS:
- Great construction
- Comes with a smart pen.
- Has a fingerprint scanner built into the power button
- Affordable price
Things to Stay Away From:
- Silent voices
- Chassis that attracts fingerprints
With its sturdy construction, integrated Smart Pen, and long battery life, the ThinkBook 14s Yoga offers incredible value for less than $1,000.
Although it won’t double as a gaming laptop, the Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga has more than enough power to handle any productivity tasks you throw at it. You should be able to get through a whole workday on a battery life that is just minutes shy of 10 hours.
The ThinkBook’s integrated Smart Pen, which stores neatly in the chassis, is a fantastic accessory for those times when you need to doodle, make notes by hand, or even sign a document. You may likely forego allocating funds for an external webcam because the webcam is above average, continuing the theme of solid inclusions.
If you’re looking for a 14-inch convertible laptop with an integrated Smart Pen and a price tag of less than $1,000, the ThinkBook 14s Yoga is a great pick.
3. HP Elite Dragonfly G3
Marathon battery life
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1265U vPRo
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe graphics
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 13.5-inch, 1920 x 1280-pixel display
- Size: 11.7 x 8.6 x 0.64 inches
- Weight: 2.2 pounds
REASONS TO PURCHASE:
- Long battery life
- High-quality webcam
- Roomy touchpad
- Portability and ease of use
THINGS TO STAY AWAY FROM
- Flat performance
With a battery life that exceeds fourteen hours and a lightweight, portable design, the HP Elite Dragonfly G3 is an energy-efficient treasure. It also has a fantastic webcam.
Business users should prioritize efficiency over brute power, and the Dragonfly G3 more than meets their needs for productivity and web browsing, even while its performance won’t have you using it as a gaming laptop in your spare time.
Business customers who travel often or who work remotely will find this 2.2-pound laptop to be an excellent choice, thanks to its productivity-enhancing 3:2 aspect ratio, comfortable clicky keyboard, spacious touchpad, good webcam, and lightweight design.
4. Dell Latitude 9430
A versatile convertible with a gorgeous touchscreen
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: 12th-Gen Intel Core i7-1265U
- GPU: Iris Xe
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
- Display: 14-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel 16:10
- Size: 12.2 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
- Weight: 3.2 pounds
ATTRIBUTES
- Stunning Infinity Edge screen
- Ergonomic, well-traveling keyboard
- Wide, responsive touchpad
- Long, reliable battery life
- HDMI input
DO NOT USE IT BECAUSE:
- There is a small range of ports
- When used in tablet mode, it seems clumsy
The ideal 2-in-1 business laptop is the Dell Latitude 9430 because of its combination of portability and battery life. In our test with the Laptop for Work Battery, it cruised to a duration of 12 hours and 39 minutes. The brilliant Infinity Edge display allows Dell to fit a 14-inch panel into a remarkably thin 0.54-inch chassis, but it is far from the sole selling point.
With this GPU, you won’t have any trouble multitasking between all of your productivity apps and those tabs you opened in your browser but forgot to dismiss. Its versatile 2-in-1 convertible form factor and sturdy yet stylish construction both contribute to its long service life.
The business laptop’s high price tag is justified by its superb enterprise-grade security, which is provided by its vPro processor. Logging in is also made secure and convenient with the FHD IR camera or fingerprint reader.
5. Acer Swift 5 (2022)
Best Lightweight Business Laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1260P
- GPU: Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Display: 14-inch, 2560 x 1600
- Size: 12.2 x 8.4 x 0.59 inches
- Weight: 2.65 pounds
AWESOME FEATURES Lightning
- fast video transcoding
- Ultra-fast solid-state drive (SSD)
- Rival-beating performance.
CAUTIONS:
The volume of the speakers could be increased.
Laptops from Acer always manage to impress with their excellent value-to-performance ratio. As an example, consider the Acer Swift 5. This Mist Green aerospace-grade aluminum system is “the most attractive notebook I’ve seen this year,” according to our reviewer, so you know it’s good for the eyes. The Swift 5 isn’t just an attractive phone, though.
Our comprehensive performance and file transfer testing showed that the Swift 5, powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with integrated Intel graphics, could hold its own against its competitors. It also far outpaced the average in its category. With a score of 9,859 on Geekbench 5.4, the Swift 5 performed admirably. The integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics on the laptop pleasantly pleased us as well; it managed 26 fps on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI benchmark. Even if it didn’t get it to our page for the longest-lasting laptops, the Swift 5’s battery life is still over 11 hours. An abundance of connectors and a brilliant, colorful 14-inch screen are two further selling points.
However, there is a lot of bloatware on the laptop, so it’s not a flawless system. Additionally, the speakers had room for improvement. Nonetheless, these are only nitpicking on an excellent Windows 11 laptop.
6. Apple MacBook Air M2 (13-inch)
This MacBook means business.
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Apple M2
- GPU: Apple M2
- RAM: 8GB/16GB/24GB
- Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB
- Display: 13.6 inches, 2560 x 1664-pixel
- Size: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches
- Weight: 2.7 pounds
REASONS TO BUY
- Sleek new design
- Reliable performance
- Vibrant, vivid screen
- Ergonomic keyboard
- Long-lasting battery
WHY YOU SHOULD NOT USE IT
- SSD is not as fast as M1 Air.
With the same great speed and battery life as previous Apple laptops, the MacBook Air M2 is practically flawless. However, it has a new look borrowed from the MacBook Pro 14 and 16, as well as an exquisite 13.6-inch screen.
For people who are comfortable within the macOS ecosystem, this should be your go-to laptop because of the exceptional combination of portability and performance it offers. Although the SSD’s write speed is little slower than its predecessor, the Air M2’s nevertheless above-average performance should not dissuade you from purchasing it.
Although there are two USB-C ports and a new Mag Safe charging port, the most up-to-date MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SD card slot, an HDMI port, and Mag Safe; however, there is still no USB-A port.
7. Apple MacBook Air M2 (15-inch)
A bigger screen MacBook for business
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Apple M2
- GPU: Apple M2 (integrated)
- RAM: 8GB/16GB/24GB
- Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB
- Display: 15.3 inches, 2880 x 1864-pixel
- Size: 13.40 x 9.53 x 0.45 inches
- Weight: 3.3 pounds
REASONS TO BUY
- Ultra-slim chassis
- Lovely Liquid Retina display
- Excellent battery life
- Good performance
- Affordable
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not a lot of ports
The 15-inch MacBook Air is the true meaning of the phrase “bigger is better.” Through and through, this is basically the 13-inch MacBook Air from above, but larger, and with that extra size comes some impressive upgrades to the end user experience.
It maintains the incredibly lightweight construction, which will definitely come in handy when on-the-go. The Liquid Retina display, while not the most colorful on the block, is the most accurate and the brightest. And that extra screen real estate is great when multi-tasking across different windows.
Plus, the entry-level M2 chip can more than handle my daily workload, and the Magic Keyboard makes for a comfortable typing experience hours later. Speaking of which, at just short of 15 hours of battery life, the Air 15 can more than hang during work hours and some off-the-clock activities if so inclined. And the step up to six speakers is a great look for the Air.
You can get all of this from just $1,699, which puts the MacBook Air 15 in that sweet spot of affordability — a godsend in this economy (even more surprising that it’s coming from Apple and its typically premium pricing).
8. Dell Precision 5470
Witness the power of this fully operational workstation
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Intel Core i9-12900H CPU
- GPU: Nvidia RTX A1000
- RAM: 32GB
- Storage: 1TB
- Display: 14-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel IPS (16:10)
- Size: 12.2 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
- Weight: 3.3 pounds
PROS INCLUDE:
- Demonstrative performance
- An elegant chassis with a premium look
- A stunning InfinityEdge touchscreen
- Amazing battery life
- Premium cooling technology
DISCONTINUED FEATURES
- No HDMI or USB-A connectors
Why isn’t the Dell Precision 5470 higher on this list? It has 5 stars! It’s obvious that not all business laptop users require such high levels of processing power. With its powerful Intel Core i9-12900H processor and Nvidia RTX A1000 graphics processing unit, this laptop is clearly a workstation. Although it falls short when compared to top gaming laptops, it easily outperforms the average work laptop.
If your profession ever involves creating content, if you’re like me and tend to load your laptop with a million little chores, or if you often transmit massive data files, the 5470’s blistering performance will be well worth the 3.3 pounds it weighs.
Last but not least, I’ll talk about the screen. It’s a stunning 14-inch anti-glare Infinity Edge touchscreen that can dominate any brilliantly lit room thanks to its 499-nit maximum brightness and 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution.
9. HP Dragonfly Folio G3
This luxurious business laptop is dressed to impress
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: 12th-Gen Intel Core i7-1265U
- GPU: Iris Xe
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
- Display: 13.5-inch (1920 x 1280)
- Size: 11.7 x 9.21 x 0.7 inches
- Weight: 3.1 pounds
REASONS TO BUY
- Detail-oriented, vibrant screen
- Performs admirably
- Presents a stunning dual-purpose design.
- Prevents overheating.
DETERMINANT FACTORS
- Pricing starts at around $2,100
- The battery life might use some improvement
The Dragonfly Folio G3 is just as deserving of praise as HP’s Elite Dragonfly G3 when it comes to battery life. With its plush faux leather cover and genuinely practical convertible design, HP’s exceptionally luxurious 2-in-1 laptop offers both practicality and style.
With the accompanying stylus, you may use the Folio G3 in any of its many flexible orientations to jot down notes or draw up simple diagrams. In addition to being a significant improvement over the standard built-in 720p or 1080p cams, the 8MP webcam’s versatility is useful for determining the optimal viewing angle during video meetings.
Even though it isn’t really a workstation, the Folio G3 has above-average performance, so it can readily handle standard productivity tasks and even manages to stay cool in our heat testing.
The HP Dragonfly Folio G3 isn’t exactly inexpensive, starting at about $2,100. However, it does the honor of appearing just as
10. HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook
A business Chromebook makes more sense than you think
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3
- RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X
- Storage: 256GB NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD
- Display: 13.5-inch, 2256 x 1504-pixel touchscreen
- Size: 11.6 x 8.7 x 0.65 inches
- Weight: 2.8 pounds
REASONS TO BUY
- An excellent 2K display
- A versatile 360-hinge design
- Amazing performance
- The option for 5G connectivity Stylish and long-lasting
DETERMINANT FACTORS
- Low battery life
- Price starts at $1,149
Chromebooks…for commercial enterprises? The answer is yes. Presently, your best bet is the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook Enterprise. With its fingerprint sensor, Titan C processor, and Intel vPro security, the Dragonfly is light years ahead of the competition when it comes to Chromebook security. Any Windows software you might require can be accessed fully with a free year of Parallels for Chromebooks.
The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook’s security features and user-friendly management interface are its biggest draws, but that’s not all it offers. The 13.5K 2K screen, which can reach a brightness level of 400 nits, is visually stunning. It is ideal for frequent fliers thanks to its 2-in-1 design, lightweight chassis (2.8 pounds), and optional 5G compatibility.
A little over 9 hours on our Laptop for Work battery test isn’t great, and the price tag makes it hard to justify if your company isn’t footing the bill, but companies who anticipate significant support cost savings will find it to be well worth the investment.