Welcome to our guide to the best laptops of 2020. We live in a world where smartphones are ubiquitous, tablets are common, and even smartwatches are something people talk about regularly. But throughout all these developments, the humble laptop has persisted – and with good reason. Whether it’s editing photos, writing lots of emails, compiling documents, or staying in touch with colleagues and family, we’re here to help you find the best laptops for your work.
Best Laptops of 2020
Our other choices for the best laptops of 2020 are the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, the MacBook Pro 16, and the HP Elite Dragonfly. See the full list of the best laptops below.
Dell XPS 13
Best laptop in the world
Dell XPS 13 9300 13.4-inch FHD InfinityEdge Touchscreen Laptop (Silver), Intel Core...
- Precision cut from a block of aluminum in two pieces so there is no variability in construction.
- Corning Gorilla Glass 6 is tough, damage resistant, durable, elegant and allows for no flex in its display.
- Precision cut from a block of aluminum in two pieces so there is no variability in construction.
- Corning Gorilla Glass 6 is tough, damage resistant, durable, elegant and allows for no flex in its display.
- Dual fans separated to spread heat over a larger area, to dual heat pipes to hidden exhaust venting through the hinge,
- The power button lets you log on with just a touch
- A 2.25mm high quality HD webcam gives you the best camera experience.
If you’re looking for a laptop that does just about everything right, we recommend the latest Dell XPS 13. It features a robust, 10th generation Intel processors with powerful integrated graphics and a nearly bezel-free 16:10 panel.
The screen is what you are likely to notice first. It has an image-to-body ratio of 91.5 percent with a lower edge of only 4.6 mm. You can configure the XPS with a display of 1920 x 1200 pixels or 4K, but the lower resolution model should be sufficient for anyone who is not creative. It delivers up to 500 nits of brightness (enough for working in a bright room or even outdoors) and accurate, vibrant colors. It also gives you significantly better battery life, in addition to lower costs.
You can customize some other specifications; the current basic model has a Core i5-1035G1, 8GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 1920 x 1200 non-touch display. (There is reportedly a model with a Core i3 and 4GB of RAM floating around, but this is not currently listed on the Dell website. It would be best if you avoided it when you see it). We recommend this basic model for anyone who wants to browse; if you’re planning on gaming or working creatively, it’s worth upgrading for more storage and RAM.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
A gaming laptop with the best battery life
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14" VR Ready 120Hz FHD Gaming Laptop,8Core AMD...
- 14in Full HD Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution with 120Hz refresh rate, Latest AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS(beat 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H), 8 Core processor up to 4.30GHz
- 1TB SSD, 16GB DDR4 RAM
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics Backed by 6GB GDDR6 dedicated video memory, Virtual Reality Ready
- 14in Full HD Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution with 120Hz refresh rate, Latest AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS(beat 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H), 8 Core processor up to 4.30GHz
- 1TB SSD, 16GB DDR4 RAM
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics Backed by 6GB GDDR6 dedicated video memory, Virtual Reality Ready
- Speakers with Smart AMP Technology and Dolby Atmos, Two 2.5W speakers produce incredible Dolby Atmos sound, Wireless/Wired connectivity (WiFi 6 - 802.11 ax)
- Chiclet keyboard with white backlight, Allows you to enjoy comfortable and accurate typing, even in dim lighting., Weighs 3.64 lbs. and measures 0.7" thin, Windows 10 Home
The Zephyrus G14 is an amazingly powerful gaming laptop at a low price (compared to other notebooks with similar hardware). It connects AMD’s new Ryzen 9 4900HS to an Nvidia RTX 2060 Max-Q GPU and a 120HZ display, and can effortlessly run demanding games at their highest settings. It’s also relatively light for such a powerful laptop, weighing just over 3.5 pounds. The battery life is also impressive for a gaming rig; we’ve spent almost nine hours multitasking.
But you don’t have to be a gamer to appreciate the Zephyrus G14. It’s also a great notebook for business and everyday multitasking with a unique retro design. Plus, the keyboard and touchpad are exceptional and quiet enough not to bother the office crowd. On the other hand, if you need to use your laptop for video conferencing, the G14 wouldn’t be the right choice because it lacks a webcam. Still, this is one of the best laptops that you can buy right now.
Apple MacBook Air
The best budget MacBook
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) - Space Gray...
- Stunning 13.3-inch Retina display with True Tone technology
- Backlit Magic Keyboard and Touch ID
- Tenth-generation Intel Core i3 processor
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- Fast SSD storage
- Stunning 13.3-inch Retina display with True Tone technology
- Backlit Magic Keyboard and Touch ID
- Tenth-generation Intel Core i3 processor
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- Fast SSD storage
- 8GB of memory
- Stereo speakers with wider stereo sound
- Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
- Up to 11 hours of battery life
- Force Touch trackpad
eDe 2020 MacBook Air is the best option for most people who prefer the Apple ecosystem. The Air comes with 10th generation Intel processors (but with a lower power variation than the XPS 13), a sharp Retina display, and a new scissor-switch keypad. The basic configuration (including a Core i3, 8GB RAM, and 256GB of storage) is available for less than $1,000, but we recommend you choose at least the enhanced model with a Core i5 processor.
MacBook keyboards have been almost universally maligned in recent years. But the Air 2020 Air has inherited the new and improved keyboard from the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro, bringing back the “inverted T” arrow layout and keys with 1mm of spring travel. There is no Touch Bar, but that’s already a controversial feature, and most users should be OK with the standard top row and function keys. However, the Touch ID fingerprint scanner is retained for easy login and payment authentication.
Dell XPS 15 2020
The best 15-inch laptop
Dell XPS 15 9500 15.6 inch UHD+ Touchscreen Laptop (Silver) Intel Core...
- Enjoy a 16:10 display that features a stunning edge-to-edge view, now with 922k more pixels on 4K Ultra HD+.
- Equipped with 100% Adobe RGB, 94% DCI-P3 color gamut, VESA certified DisplayHDR 400, and Dolby Vision, this display delivers more than 16 million ultra-vivid colors that are 40 times brighter than ever before
- Enjoy a 16:10 display that features a stunning edge-to-edge view, now with 922k more pixels on 4K Ultra HD+.
- Equipped with 100% Adobe RGB, 94% DCI-P3 color gamut, VESA certified DisplayHDR 400, and Dolby Vision, this display delivers more than 16 million ultra-vivid colors that are 40 times brighter than ever before
- With a 62% larger touchpad, 5% larger screen, and 5.6% smaller footprint, every element is carefully considered—from its inlayed stainless logos to its high-polished diamond-cut sidewalls
- Integrated Eyesafe display technology helps reduce harmful blue light.
- Corning Gorilla Glass 6 is tough, damage resistant, durable, elegant and allows for no flex in its display
Like the latest Dell XPS 13, the XPS 15 2020 makes one of the best laptops available. That’s mainly thanks to an even more immersive 15.6-inch InfinityEdge display, which throws out the bottom of the screen for a stunning 92.9% aspect-to-body ratio. The new XPS 15 has also been enhanced by several smart design adjustments, including larger keyboards and a responsive touchpad more than 60% larger than the previous generation.
Don’t be fooled by its sleek and stylish design either; the XPS 15 2020 is an absolute workhorse. Intel’s 10th generation Core processors can easily juggle multiple tasks, and it is optional Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU gives us some serious power for graphics and gaming. Factor in a few impressive speakers and stable battery life for a 4K laptop, and the new Dell XPS 15 2020 is one of the best 15-inch laptops you can buy.
MacBook Pro 16-inch
MacBooks for power users
Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage, 2.6GHz Intel Core i7)...
- Ninth-generation 6-Core Intel Core i7 Processor
- Stunning 16-inch Retina Display with True Tone technology
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- AMD Radeon Pro 5300M Graphics with GDDR6 memory
- Ultrafast SSD
- Ninth-generation 6-Core Intel Core i7 Processor
- Stunning 16-inch Retina Display with True Tone technology
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- AMD Radeon Pro 5300M Graphics with GDDR6 memory
- Ultrafast SSD
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
- Six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers
- Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
- Up to 11 hours of battery life
- 802.11AC Wi-Fi
The 16-inch MacBook Pro is your type if you’ve been waiting for the right keyboard from Apple. The Magic Keyboard on this premium laptop swallows up the Butterfly mechanism in favor of the scissor switches, and the result is a much more comfortable typing experience. Besides, you get a crisp and sharp 16-inch display with slimmer edges, powerful performance from an available Intel Core i9 CPU, and robust AMD’s Radeon 5300M or 5500M graphics.
You can also configure the laptop with up to 64GB of RAM and 8TB of storage space if you want to splurge. The 11-hour battery life is another advantage of this laptop that doesn’t fall into the runtimes of its competitors. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is expensive, and Apple still doesn’t have full-size USB ports, but overall this is one of the best laptops for creative professionals.
HP Spectre x360
The best 2-in-1 laptop
HP Spectre x360 13t (10th Gen Intel i7-1065G7, 4K OLED, 16GB, 1TB...
- Include Windows 10 Professional activation key(outside HP box), HP Premium Warranty, 3 Years McAfee Internet Security Key(self-activation required), HP Stylus Pen, HP Sleeve, BEST LAPTOP by HP Authorized Partner
- Include Windows 10 Professional activation key(outside HP box), HP Premium Warranty, 3 Years McAfee Internet Security Key(self-activation required), HP Stylus Pen, HP Sleeve, BEST LAPTOP by HP Authorized Partner
- Newest 10th Generation Intel Core i7-1065G7 (1.3 GHz, up to 3.9 GHz, 8 MB cache, 4 cores) + Intel Iris Plus Graphics + 16GB onboard + 1TB PCI NVMe SSD
- 13.3" diagonal 4K UWVA BrightView micro-edge AMOLED multitouch (3840x2160), HP TrueVision HD IR Camera with integrated dual array digital microphone, Fingerprint reader, Webcam Kill Switch, Precision Touchpad Support
- Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 Combo, 1 headphone/microphone combo; 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (HP Sleep and Charge); 2 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C with Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gb/s signaling rate, Power Delivery 3.0, DisplayPort 1.4, HP Sleep and Charge)
- Full size backlit keyboard, Bang & Olufsen dual speakers, HP Audio Boost, microSD card reader
The HP Spectre x360 is back – smaller and more beautiful than ever. The laptop has strong performance combined with a lightning-fast SSD, a vibrant 13.3-inch 4K OLED display, and a comfortable keyboard, all wrapped up in the Spectre’s gorgeous signature design. It’s easily the best 2-in-1 laptop available today. The excellent results from our performance benchmarks and file transfer trials show that it’s a skilled worker, despite its relatively slim frame.
Heck, it performed even better than the previous iteration in the graphics department. In short, the HP Spectre x360 is in a class of its own. It’s the consumer’s favorite laptop on the hunt for a first-class laptop that offers portability, serious versatility, and a surprising punch in the performance department. It’s also for people who want an incredibly good looking and one of the best laptops that can be turned into a tablet and tent mode.
MacBook Pro 13-inch
A compact and powerful MacBook
Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD Storage, Magic Keyboard) -...
- Tenth-generation quad-core Intel Core i5 processor
- Brilliant Retina display with True Tone technology
- Backlit Magic Keyboard
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- Tenth-generation quad-core Intel Core i5 processor
- Brilliant Retina display with True Tone technology
- Backlit Magic Keyboard
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- Ultrafast SSD
- Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
- Up to 10 hours of battery life
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi
- Force Touch trackpad
The MacBook Pro 13-inch 2020 solves the biggest problem with Apple’s other outstanding 13-inch laptop: the keyboard. By dropping the shallow keys of the older Butterfly keyboard in favor of the fabulous Magic Keyboard, the latest MacBook Pro 13-inch provides the comfortable and responsive typing experience we’ve been longing for on Apple’s flagship laptop. However, a great new keyboard isn’t everything the new MacBook 2020 has.
The new 13-inch model gets a nice power boost with a 10th generation Core i7 processor. Combining the available 3733MHz RAM, blazing-fast SSD, and Intel Iris Plus graphics give a reliable performance for multitasking and photo and video editing. The 2560 x 1600 on the MacBook Pro is as beautiful as ever, and the laptop lasts almost 11 hours. Apple has doubled the price for RAM on the entry-level model, and you pay for the 10th generation power, but overall the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro is an excellent laptop.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
The best business laptop
Lenovo_ThinkPad_X1 Carbon Business Ultrabook Laptop (Intel i7-10510U, 16GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD,...
- Processor: Intel Core i7-10510U Quad Core Processor (8MB Cache, 1.8GHz-4.9GHz) 15W
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR3 2133MHz | Hard Drive: 1TB NVMe Solid State Drive
- Wireless: 802.11 AC Wireless with Bluetooth 5.0 | Operating System: Windows 10 Pro x64
- Processor: Intel Core i7-10510U Quad Core Processor (8MB Cache, 1.8GHz-4.9GHz) 15W
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR3 2133MHz | Hard Drive: 1TB NVMe Solid State Drive
- Wireless: 802.11 AC Wireless with Bluetooth 5.0 | Operating System: Windows 10 Pro x64
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Display: 14.0" 4K UHD IPS Glossy HDR 400 Display (3840 x 2160) | External DVD-ROM Included
- 512GB NVMe SSD + External DVD-ROM Upgrades | 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty (View warranty section below for more details.)
Lenovo has made our favorite business laptop even better by enhancing its speakers, giving it a sleek carbon fiber structure, and adding several useful security features, including a webcam shutter and an IR camera. You’ll even get distant field microphones in case you need a digital assistant. Plus, you get the strong performance and fast SSD. This means that if you are working on large spreadsheets with many calculations, the X1 Carbon will process them with aplomb.
You can also expect long battery life (on the 1080p model) and two nice, 1080p, and 4K display options, all in an impossibly lightweight chassis. But it’s that classic ThinkPad X1 with a durable (military tested) chassis, best-in-class keyboard, and stylish black/red aesthetics that carry the X1 Carbon to perfection. Overall, this is one of the best laptops you can buy now.
Microsoft Surface Book 3
The best 2-in-1 detachable laptop
Microsoft Surface Book 3 - 15" Touch-Screen - 10th Gen Intel Core...
- Most powerful Surface laptop yet, with quad-core powered, 10th Gen Intel Core processors. Now 30% faster than Surface Book 2 15”.
- Fastest graphics on Surface, powered by NVIDIA GTX GeForce GPU.
- Power when you need it. Up to 17.5 hours battery life[1] — plus improved standby that extends battery life when you’re away.
- Most powerful Surface laptop yet, with quad-core powered, 10th Gen Intel Core processors. Now 30% faster than Surface Book 2 15”.
- Fastest graphics on Surface, powered by NVIDIA GTX GeForce GPU.
- Power when you need it. Up to 17.5 hours battery life[1] — plus improved standby that extends battery life when you’re away.
- Robust laptop, powerful tablet, and portable studio in one.
- The connections you need, including USB-A, USB-C, and full-size SD card slot.
The third edition of Microsoft’s Surface Book is, of course, the best so far, and it’s unique among laptops – a full-sized portable notebook with a right keyboard and laptop specifications, but at the same time with a screen that you can completely disconnect and use as a keyboard. It comes on the tablet-laptop hybrid device from the opposite direction from the Surface Pro and the Apple iPad Pro, in other words, and we think this is an approach that many people will like.
It means that you can pack the Surface Book 3 at full power – you can put an Intel Core i7 processor and a GeForce GTX 1650 graphics chipset from Nvidia into this laptop if needed. Like all other devices in the Surface range, the build quality and hardware aesthetics are impressive, and you also have a choice of 13.5-inch and 15-inch screens – it depends on how much you want to spend and how portable you want your portable computer to be.
HP Envy 13
A premium laptop under $1000
HP Envy 13.3" 4K Ultra HD Touch-Screen Laptop 10th Gen Intel i7-1065G7...
- 13.3" diagonal 4K IPS BrightView micro-edge WLED-backlit multitouch-enabled edge-to-edge glass with Corning Gorilla Glass NBT, 400 nits, 72% NTSC (3840 x 2160);Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 Processor (1.3 GHz base frequency, up to 3.9 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 8 MB L3 cache, 4 cores); Upgraded performance with smooth responsiveness and fast load times for an exceptional PC experience. Stream premium content or even create your own.
- 13.3" diagonal 4K IPS BrightView micro-edge WLED-backlit multitouch-enabled edge-to-edge glass with Corning Gorilla Glass NBT, 400 nits, 72% NTSC (3840 x 2160);Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 Processor (1.3 GHz base frequency, up to 3.9 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 8 MB L3 cache, 4 cores); Upgraded performance with smooth responsiveness and fast load times for an exceptional PC experience. Stream premium content or even create your own.
- 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (5 Gb/s signaling rate, Power Delivery 3.0, DisplayPort 1.2, HP Sleep and Charge); 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (HP Sleep and Charge); 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (Data Transfer Only); 1 AC smart pin; 1 headphone/microphone combo
- Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 Combo (Supporting Gigabit file transfer speeds)
- 4-cell, 53 Wh Li-ion polymer; Audio by Bang & Olufsen; Quad speakers; HP Audio Boost 2.0;
HP has a long tradition of making laptops you can rely on, and the HP Envy 13 is no different – it’s one of the best choices you’re going to find in the mid-market laptop market. We include it here because of its excellent balance between price and performance. This is a laptop that will last a long time. The 13.3 inches, 1920 x 1080 resolution display is paramount here – bright and sharp and great for streaming video, surfing the web, and working on documents.
Creatives may want a little more screen space, but the smaller screen size makes this a portable laptop, and its reliable build quality doesn’t make it feel like you need to be extra careful. With a choice of Intel’s Core processors inside and some compelling combinations of RAM and internal storage also available, this is a laptop ready to handle anything but the most demanding tasks (try not to gamble on it). A special mention for the audio developed in collaboration with Bang and Olufsen, which sounds great.
Asus ZenBook 14
A thin and light premium laptop
Asus ZenBook 14 Ultra-Slim Laptop 14” Full HD NanoEdge Bezel, Intel Core...
- Innovative screen pad: 5.65-Inch interactive touchscreen trackpad that adapts to your needs for smarter control and multitasking
- App switcher on screen pad: easily move docked Windows between your main display and screen pad Display
- Innovative screen pad: 5.65-Inch interactive touchscreen trackpad that adapts to your needs for smarter control and multitasking
- App switcher on screen pad: easily move docked Windows between your main display and screen pad Display
- Handwriting on screen pad: take note or jot down your ideas by writing on the screen pad
- Number key on screen pad: turn screen pad into a numeric keypad for easy numeric data entry
- 14 inch wide-view full HD 4-way NanoEdge bezel Display Glossy
A simply beautiful laptop from Asus that we like to have in our best laptop list; if you want the perfect combination of power and style, this may be the case. As a bonus, you get a trackpad that can also be used as a convenient secondary display. If you look at the specs, you’ll see that this is a laptop that more than lends itself to any task you want to perform, even some low-resolution video editing and gaming (note the Nvidia GeForce option).
Despite all this raw power, the price is not too high. And then there’s the design: this is one of the best looking laptops we’ve seen, and even the display hinge is a work of art. It will run everything you need with aplomb, and it will make the part look the way you do – what more do you need?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
A powerful and slim laptop
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 for Business Ultra-Thin 15” Touchscreen Laptop Black (Metal)...
- PLEASE NOTE: This LAPTOP IS MADE FOR ENTERPRISE/ BUSINESS USE. IT DOES NOT come in RETAIL PACKAGING and MADE on SPECIAL ORDER . Laptop 3 for Business 15” 13.4” x 9.6” x .57” (339.5 mm x 244 mm x 14.69 mm)
- PLEASE NOTE: This LAPTOP IS MADE FOR ENTERPRISE/ BUSINESS USE. IT DOES NOT come in RETAIL PACKAGING and MADE on SPECIAL ORDER . Laptop 3 for Business 15” 13.4” x 9.6” x .57” (339.5 mm x 244 mm x 14.69 mm)
- Quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 Processor, 16GB Ram, 512GB SSD
- Windows 10 Pro
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- 1 x USB-C 1 x USB-A 3.5 mm headphone jack Mini DisplayPort 1 x Surface Connect port Compatible with Surface Dial off-screen interaction*
The Surface Laptop 3 for Business with Intel’s processors is a better laptop than its AMD sibling. It has better performance, longer battery life, faster hard drive, and comes with Windows 10 Pro. If the difference in price would be greater – the Intel model is only $100 more expensive – then we could consider the AMD model. Still, we strongly recommend going to Microsoft’s online store and order the corporate edition instead.
Without taking Microsoft’s misleading “for business” designation into account, the Surface Laptop 3 is one of the best laptops out there. It has excellent performance, long battery life, a fast hard drive and comes with Windows 10 Pro. Plus, you get Microsoft’s sleek aluminum chassis and a beautiful display. If you’re a fan of Microsoft notebooks, this is the best laptop for you.
Acer Aspire 5
The best budget laptop
Acer Aspire 5 A515-55G-57H8, 15.6" Full HD IPS Display, 10th Gen Intel...
- 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 Processor (Up to 3.6GHz)| 8GB DDR4 Memory | 512GB NVMe SSD
- 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED backlit IPS Display | NVIDIA GeForce MX350 with 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
- 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 Processor (Up to 3.6GHz)| 8GB DDR4 Memory | 512GB NVMe SSD
- 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED backlit IPS Display | NVIDIA GeForce MX350 with 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
- Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 AX201 802.11ax | Backlit Keyboard | HD Webcam | Up to 8 Hours Battery Life
- 1 - USB 3.1 (Type-C) Gen 1 port (up to 5 Gbps), 2 - USB 3.1 Gen 1 Port (one with Power-off Charging), 1 - USB 2.0 Port & 1 - HDMI Port with HDCP Support
- Windows 10 Home
The Acer Aspire 5 proves that you don’t have to spend a lot to get a great laptop. This notebook has a full HD screen that’s pretty bright, so it’s great for surfing the web, doing fast photo editing, and watching videos on Netflix, YouTube, or Disney Plus. And it has all the power you need for everyday tasks and multitasking, thanks to a 10th generation Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD. It’s all packaged in a relatively lightweight 3.8-pound package.
The most pleasant surprise with the Aspire 5 is battery life. This laptop lasted almost 9 hours on our web surf battery test, which is very good for a 15-inch system. There are a few things we don’t like about this budget laptop; while the lid is a premium aluminum, the rest of the machine is made of plastic. You shouldn’t expect to play the latest games either. But overall, the Aspire 5 is one of the best laptops you can buy right now.