These Business Laptops Will Help You Conquer Work and Look Good in the Process
There are few things more frustrating than a slow work laptop. Just think of all the functions you’ll be cycling through as the work hours tick by: word processing, loading webpages, editing spreadsheets, probably even streaming some music to get you through the day.
What we’re saying is choosing a laptop for work (should you even have the chance) is an extremely important decision.
The most important things to consider when shopping for a business laptop are power, portability, and battery life. Of course, the notebook must also be well-built and capable of surviving everything — from hopping between conference rooms to changing airport terminals.
To make your decision even more difficult is the litany of options on the market. So, we researched all the top choices out there to pick out the five business laptops that are the cream of the crop to power you through anything that comes your way.
Best PC
Key Specs
• 8th generation Intel Core i7 CPU (quad-core)
• 14-inch Full HD IPS touchscreen with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels; 120 Hz refresh rate; Sure View privacy tech
• 8 GB of RAM; 512 GB of SSD storage
• 2 USB-C 3.1 ports (one with Thunderbolt 3 support); USB 3.0 port; HDMI port; smart card reader
• Built-in fingerprint scanner
• Stereo speakers tuned by Bang & Olufsen
• Up to 14 hours of battery life
The HP EliteBook 850 G5 is the best Windows-powered PC for work out there. The all-metal notebook is elegant, exceptionally crafted, powerful, packed with connectivity features, and capable of lasting through a regular business day between battery charges. The device's design and performance earned it high review scores from PCMag and Laptop Mag.
Crucially, the HP EliteBook 850 G5 has built-in display privacy tech. Dubbed Sure View, the feature allows users to view content only when looking directly at the display. You can easily turn it on and off when necessary. The one downside: Sure View has a negative effect on the notebook's battery endurance.
Depending on your needs, you can pick between variants of the notebook with a quad-core Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor. In case you are an avid multitasker, you have the option to configure the notebook with up to 32 GB of RAM.
We like the keyboard and trackpad of the notebook, since it's precise, durable, and perfect for lengthy work sessions. The device's Bang & Olufsen-tuned speakers are impressive, too. The same goes for its built-in microphone.
Best Mac
Key Specs
• 8th generation Intel Core i5 CPU (quad-core)
• 13.3-inch Retina IPS display with True Tone tech
• 8 GB of RAM; 512 GB of SSD storage
• 4 USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support
• Built-in Touch ID fingerprint scanner
• Up to 10 hours of battery life
The latest Apple MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar is the best business laptop for Mac users looking for a mobile workstation.
It's lightweight, timelessly elegant, and effortlessly powerful. There are two colors to choose from: silver and space gray. CNET, PCMag, and The Verge all gave the latest 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro praise for its hardware specs and top-notch performance.
As expected from a device at this price point, the MacBook Pro has a superb display, an excellent keyboard and trackpad, and a good set of connectivity options. Since most office equipment is a bit dated, you’ll likely have to invest in a USB-C hub in order to make the notebook compatible with standard USB flash drives and other legacy accessories.
Apple offers the notebook in a plethora of hardware configurations, headlined by a quad-core Intel Core i5 or a Core i7 CPU. In case you need even more power, consider the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro instead. The full-size notebook is available with a monstrously powerful, six-core Intel Core i9 CPU and Radeon Pro graphics, though it will cost you a pretty penny.
With Apple macOS on board, the notebook also offers a secure platform with an intuitive user interface and a rich selection of productivity apps, all neatly organized in the App Store. As of recently, this includes Microsoft Office offerings, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Best Chromebook
Key Specs
• Eighth-generation Intel Core i5 CPU (quad-core)
• 13.5-inch IPS touchscreen with 2,256 x 1,504 pixels; 360-degree hinge
• Built-in stylus by Wacom
• 8 GB of RAM; 128 GB of eMMC storage
• 2 USB-C 3.1 ports; USB 3.0 port; microSD card slot
• Up to 10 hours of battery life
In terms of Chrome OS laptops, the Acer Chromebook Spin 13 stands above the rest as a work laptop.
The notebook has a sleek metal body with top-notch durability, a powerful Intel processor with quad-core architecture, and an excellent touch screen with a 360-degree hinge.
With a built-in stylus by Wacom, the Chromebook Spin 13 is also great for annotating documents, or simply for jotting down notes. The notebook received a high review score from ZDNet, whose tester praised it for its versatile design, robust build quality, and reliable battery life.
Being a Chrome OS laptop, the Acer Chromebook Spin 13 is best suited for buyers who use Google's productivity apps for work. The device also offers access to Android apps via the Google Play store, but it is well-know that the selection of titles that are optimized for a big screen could use an improvement.
Best Budget Buy
Key Specs
• AMD Ryzen 5 CPU (quad-core)
• 14-inch Full HD IPS display with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels
• 8 GB of RAM; 256 GB of SSD storage
• USB-C 3.1 port; USB 3.1 port; HDMI port; microSD card slot
• Up to 8 hours of battery life
Lenovo ThinkPad E485 proves you don’t have to splurge to get a top-functioning business laptop.
Designed by one of the industry giants, the notebook has timeless design, excellent build quality, and a plethora of connectivity options. Also, like all ThinkPad products, the E485 is equipped with an excellent keyboard and trackpad.
With a quad-core AMD Ryzen 5 processor on board, the Lenovo ThinkPad E485 is considerably more powerful than its price tag suggests. The 14-inch display with a matte finish of the notebook is also quite good. I like that it has an 180-degree hinge, which allows you to easily share work materials with others.
The ThinkPad E485 can last up to a rather unimpressive nine hours between battery charges. However, given its performance and price tag, I don't think that this is a deal-breaker. Also, it's nice that Lenovo opted to bundle the notebook with a fast charger.
Best 2-in-1 Pick
Key Specs
• 8th generation Intel Core i5 CPU (quad-core)
• 12.3-inch PixelSense IPS touchscreen with 2,736 x 1,824 pixels
• 8 GB of RAM; 256 GB of SSD storage
• USB 3.0 port; Mini DisplayPort; microSD card slot
• Built-in adjustable kickstand
• Up to 14 hours of battery life
The Surface Pro 6 by Microsoft is essentially a Windows 10 PC powerhouse tucked into the body of a thin tablet.
With an adjustable kickstand and optional Surface Pen and keyboard cover, the Surface Pro 6 is a more versatile option than any other entry on this list. It can effortlessly transform from a serious business laptop to an entertainment device and back.
Thanks to Intel's latest quad-core processors, the Surface Pro 6 is capable of powering through work tasks with ease. The device's battery life is also praiseworthy, especially given how lightweight it is. Review editors from Engadget and The Verge also liked the design, craftsmanship, and performance of the slate.
There are multiple Surface Pro 6 hardware configurations to choose from. What the elegant slate oddly lacks is a USB-C connector. Also, it's really important to note that you will need to spend extra to equip the Surface Pro with a keyboard and a stylus pen. Microsoft's decision to not bundle the must-have accessories with the device is really strange.
Best for Graphic-Intensive Tasks
Key Specs
• 8th generation Intel Core i7 CPU (six-core)
•NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics
• 15.6-inch Full HD IPS touchscreen with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels; 144 Hz refresh rate
• 32 GB of RAM; 512 GB of SSD storage
• USB-C 3.1 port (one with Thunderbolt 3 support); 3 USB 3.1 ports; HDMI port; Mini DisplayPort
• Built-in fingerprint scanner
• Up to 8 hours of battery life
The MSI P65 Creator is the best laptop for buyers whose workflow consists of graphic-intensive tasks.
The surprisingly elegant, yet insanely powerful laptop is an especially great option for editing photos and high-resolution video on the go.
With a six-core Intel Core i7 CPU, ample amount of pre-installed RAM, and NVIDIA graphics, you will be hard-pressed to slow the machine down regardless of the occasion. Having hardware this powerful at your disposal means that you can also effortlessly enjoy today's best video games when the workday is over.
I wasn't surprised to discover that powerful hardware and the big screen with a high refresh rate of the MSI P65 creator will require a bit of compromise. The battery life of the notebook is definitely not wow-inducing — you'll need to carry its wall charger in your bag every day. But considering that the notebook is a legit replacement for a high-end desktop power station, I find the tradeoff to be well worth it.
Read More:
Our Favorite Touchscreen Laptops to Buy in 2019
The Best Laptop Bag for Carrying Your Tech in Style
The Best Portable Speakers for Every Lifestyle
Follow BestProducts.com on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest!
You Might Also Like
