Searching for the best laptop for working from home? The remote work trend is rapidly growing, especially with more companies transitioning to remote work culture due to the pandemic. Currently, almost 20% of people worldwide are working remotely full-time. What does this mean? It means home offices and the need for the best work-from-home technologies. Laptops are convenient remote-work tools because they give you the flexibility to work from home or carry it to a coffee shop or co-working space.
Finding the best laptop for working from home can seem like a challenging task, with so many options to choose from. We’ve done the research to help you compare and decide which purchase is the best for your work lifestyle. Combine one of the following laptops with the best available trackball mouse and you’re all set to maximize your productivity from home.
Best Laptop for Working From Home: 10 Best Choices
Affordability, size, battery life, and video capabilities are just some features to consider when purchasing a laptop to help you stay productive from home. Read on to learn more about 10 of the best laptops for working from home available in the market today.
Dell XPS 15 9510
The latest Dell XPS 15 is one of the best 15-inch laptops available on the market. With the latest Intel processors and an upgraded 3.5K OLED touchscreen, this laptop is a portable video-editing powerhouse. However, you have to choose to upgrade to the powerful Intel i7 chip option to get the OLED screen. You’ll also want to stay plugged in because the battery life isn’t as optimal.
This laptop comes with an HD IR webcam with a digital microphone that’s great for zoom meetings and video conferencing. There is also a fingerprint reader on the power button, a display resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB C, and a full-sized SD card reader.
Key Features
- Processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11900H
- Battery Life | 8 hours
- Screen Size | 15.6 inches
- RAM | 32GB
- Storage | 1TB
- GPU | GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 4.22 pounds
- Stylus | Not included
Pros
- Classic design with thin bezels
- Great keyboard and trackpad
- OLED touchscreen option available
- Options for additional RAM and SSD space
- Great for video and photo editing
Cons
- Wider screen and weight makes it less portable
- Battery life could improve
HP Envy x360
If you want one of the best 2-in-1 laptops, consider the HP Envy x360 full HD touchscreen laptop. It also has a powerful processor and great camera quality compared to other 2-in-1 models on the market, making it great for live streaming and video conferencing. The screen is sufficiently bright and has an anti-glare coating when viewed against direct sunlight.
This laptop has a USB C port, two USB A ports, Thunderbolt 3 support, and a multi-format SD media card reader. There are also dual speakers and a combo headphone or microphone jack. Overall, it’s a great portable design for anyone working from home and wanting a laptop on the go.
Key Features
- Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U 1.8GHz Octa-Core
- Battery Life | 12 hours
- Screen Size | 15.6 inches
- RAM | 16GB
- Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
- GPU | AMD Radeon Graphics
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 4.42 pounds
- Stylus | Supports, not included
Pros
- Flexible 2-in-1 display
- Great HD camera quality
- Fingerprint scanner included
- Sleek and portable design
- Good battery life
Cons
- Stylus pen not included with purchase
- No ethernet port available
HP Pavilion 15
The HP Pavilion 15 is a fairly affordable laptop that’s the best model for regular office work. This laptop comes with an integrated Intel Iris XE Graphics G7 that offers good graphics performance without consuming too much energy. The design is relatively lightweight and offers firm keyboard keys and a touchpad with smooth traction. While the screen is overall good, its dim backlight can make visibility poor if you plan to take this laptop outdoors under sunlight.
On the laptop, you’ll find a USB-C and USB-A port, MicroSD reader, and an HDMI 2.0 port instead of 1.4, meaning it properly supports external monitors up to 4K at 60 FPS. Unfortunately, there aren’t any thunderbolt ports.
Key Features
- Processor | 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Battery Life | 8 hours
- Screen Size | 15.6 inches
- RAM | 16GB
- Storage | 512GB
- GPU | Intel Iris XE
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 3.86 pounds
- Stylus | No
Pros
- Great performance
- Decent amount of ports
- Durable design with slim bezels
- Runs silently under low loads
- Good audio quality
- Budget-friendly option
Cons
- Battery life isn’t great
- Outdoor screen visibility is poor
Acer Aspire 5
Another budget-friendly option for working from home is the Acer Aspire 5. In 2021, Acer upgraded this model to include the 11th Intel Core processor for better performance in these no-frills and reliable laptops. It has a great backlit island keyboard and responsive trackpad with better quality than you might expect in budget laptops. There are also 3 fan modes to help keep your laptop cool during multitasking sessions.
If you want the most affordable version, you will find limited RAM. However, this model allows you to easily swap out the RAM and SSD card to expand your storage. The connectivity is also updated, eliminating some Bluetooth issues from later models. The laptop comes with an HDMI port, USB C port, two USB A 3.2 ports, and a USB 2.0 port.
Key Features
- Processor | 11th Generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 Processor
- Battery Life | 7 hours
- Screen Size | 15.6 inches
- RAM | 12GB
- Storage | 256GB
- GPU | Intel UHD graphics
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 5.79 pounds
- Stylus | No
Pros
- Budget-friendly option
- Updated and great connectivity
- Includes fingerprint reader
- Great keyboard and responsive trackpad
- Storage expandability
Cons
- Chassis is quite flexible
- Battery life could be better
Apple MacBook Air M1
MacBook Airs are great for anyone who prefers the Mac OS system but wants a more lightweight, sleek design at a competitive price point. With the Apple M1 chip, this laptop offers fast performance and lets you run any existing Mac app and iOS apps on your laptop. While the keys are flat on this design, it’s still very tactile and responsive.
The 13.3-inch screen offers a 2,560 x 1,600 Retina True Tone display resolution and is fitted with a 720p FaceTime HD webcam which is a little outdated compared to 1080p webcams but still works great.
Key Features
- Processor | Apple M1 chip with 8‑core CPU
- Battery Life | 15 to 18 hours
- Screen Size | 13.3 Inches
- RAM | 16 GB
- Storage | 256 GB
- GPU | Integrated 7-core/8-core
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 2.8 pounds
- Stylus | No
Pros
- Big Sur is fast and responsive
- Sleek, thin, and lightweight design
- Excellent battery life for web browsing or video
- Includes fingerprint touch ID button
- Runs very silent
Cons
- Fanless design can prevent heavy task loads
- Webcam could be updated
Apple Macbook Pro 16
If maximizing screen size and having a productivity powerhouse are your priorities, you’ll want to check out the MacBook Pro 16. The 16.2-inch screen has been updated to a Liquid Retina XDR display featuring mini-LED technology. You’ll also find additional ports, including one HDMI port, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SDXC card slot, a USB-C, and MagSafe 3 port. These ports let you easily plug in your additional remote work needs, such as monitors and cameras.
The MacBook Pro is a powerful workstation that can easily handle heavy workloads. If you’re creative, you can also run all Adobe programs without complications, lagging, or shutting down the system. If you don’t mind a smaller screen size and less battery life, the MacBook Pro 14-inch offers similar performance.
Key Features
- Processor | Apple M1 Pro chip 10‑core CPU
- Battery Life | 21 hours
- Screen Size | 16.2 inches
- RAM | 16GB
- Storage | 512GB / 1TB
- GPU | Integrated Apple 16-core
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 4.62 pounds
- Stylus | No
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Amazing mini-LED display
- Plenty of ports
- 1080p webcam
- Very long battery life
- Upgrade options to M1 Max chip available
Cons
- Large screen size makes it less portable
- Not budget-friendly
Lenovo IdeaPad 3
If you want a budget-friendly Lenovo laptop, the IdeaPad 3 is one of their best models. It has a great processor that can reach up to 4.0GHz when you’re running demanding tasks and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 lets you run graphics-intensive tasks easily. This laptop also runs on the latest Windows 11 operating system; no upgrade is needed.
While the RAM is on the lower end, it’s reasonable for a budget laptop. You can increase storage by buying a new SSD for the slot. The HD inbuilt webcam comes with a privacy shutter to protect your identity and there are HDMI, USB, and USB-C ports.
Key Features
- Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
- Battery Life | 8 hours
- Screen Size | 14 inches
- RAM | 8GB
- Storage | 256GB
- GPU | AMD Radeon RX Vega 7
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 4.64 pounds
- Stylus | No
Pros
- Affordable, budget-friendly option
- Great performance
- Good display quality
- Quiet fan noise and stays cool
- Expandable storage
Cons
- Average webcam quality
- Build is plastic, less durable
Microsoft Surface Pro 8
Do you prioritize high-resolution webcams because you’re video conferencing or presenting a lot? The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is the ultimate solution with a 5MP front camera and 8MP back camera. The front camera also provides added security with the Windows Hello face recognition feature.
This laptop comes with a built-in kickstand and you can purchase a detachable keyboard featuring a built-in stylus pen storage and charging area. It offers the flexibility of a tablet with the power of a laptop since the processor’s Turbo Boost technology was made specifically for it by Microsoft and Intel. There are also two USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 4 port, and a micro SD card reader.
Key Features
- Processor | Intel Core i5-1135G7
- Battery Life | 10 hours
- Screen Size | 13 inches
- RAM | 8GB
- Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB
- GPU | Intel Iris XE Graphics G7
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
- Keyboard | Detachable backlit keyboard, not included
- Weight | 1.96 pounds
- Stylus | Supports, not included
Pros
- Lightweight and convertible design
- Excellent webcam quality
- Great display quality
- Built-in storage and charging for stylus pen
- Decent battery life
- Supports external devices
Cons
- Stylus and keyboard not included
- No more USB-A ports
Asus Zenbook 13
Asus is a popular laptop manufacturer best known for its ultra-premium Zenbook series. This ultra-slim laptop is one of the lightest Windows laptops available and provides great lag-free performance for working from home. It also features an amazing battery life of 13 hours and a gorgeous OLED display screen with nano edge bezels.
The edge-to-edge ergonomic keyboard is also worth mentioning for its added comfort and contributions to productivity. If security is your thing, the built-in IR camera has facial recognition sign in with Windows Hello. It also has a USB 3.1 Gen A port and two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 2 support.
Key Features
- Processor | Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Battery Life | 13 hours
- Screen Size | 13.3 inches
- RAM | 8GB
- Storage | 512GB
- GPU | Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 2.45 pounds
- Stylus | No
Pros
- Lightweight and sleek design
- Great battery life
- Attractive display screen
- Lag-free performance
- Ergonomic and comfortable keyboard
Cons
- No headphone jack
- Audio is moderately loud
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 15
For a larger screen size and one of Asus’ best workstation laptops, you’ll want to consider the Asus ProArt StudioBook 15. It has great performance and graphics and a stunning 4K display, making it suitable for professional content creators requiring a high-productivity machine.
It’s also lightweight for its size, has plenty of storage, and features a stylish design. One of its major downfalls is the lack of a built-in front webcam, requiring you to buy one separately for video-conferencing needs. However, it does come with HDMI, USB-C, and USB 3.1 Gen 1 and Gen 2 ports.
Key Features
- Processor | Intel Core i7-9750H
- Battery Life | 7 hours
- Screen Size | 15.6 inches
- RAM | 48GB
- Storage | 2TB
- GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060
- Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 4.4 pounds
- Stylus | No
Pros
- Lightweight and stylish design
- Amazing 4K screen display
- High-performance laptop
- Ideal for creatives
- Excellent speakers
- Quiet cooling fans
Cons
- No built-in front webcam
- Battery life could be better
