When you’re working from home, you need a laptop powerful enough to multitask all of your important programs—and that’s doubly true if you’re using high-performance, resource intensive software like a video editor. After researching dozens of choices, we named the Dell XPS 13 as the best laptop for working from home thanks to its light build, powerful processor and long battery life that can last all day.
The best laptops for working from home include machines from Dell, Apple, Lenovo and Asus.
Illustration: Forbes / Photos: Retailers
But not everyone runs Windows—so if you find yourself firmly in camp Macintosh, the MacBook Pro 14 (M3) should be your go-to choice. We researched models that can make your home office as efficient as the real office, with an eye on evaluating processors, graphics cards, storage and battery life. No matter your workload, here are the best laptops for working from home.
Best Laptop For Working From Home Overall: Dell XPS 13
Best Budget Laptop For Working From Home: Dell Inspiron 3530
Best Professional Laptop For Working From Home: Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 Gen 12
Best MacBook For Working From Home: Apple MacBook Pro 14 M3
Best Creative Laptop For Working From Home: Asus ZenBook Duo (2025)
Best 2-In-1 Laptop For Working From Home: Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ PC (11th Edition)
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite | RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X | Graphics: Intel Arc graphics | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display: 13.4-inch OLED touchscreen | Resolution: 2,880 x 1,800 | Battery: Up to 27 hours
Pros:
Unmatched battery life
Lightweight design makes it easy to take on the go
Gorgeous 3K OLED touchscreen display
Cons:
60Hz refresh rate may be off-putting to some
Some manufacturers put a lot of the sticker price into one part of the laptop—like a top-end video driver or tons of storage space. The latest Dell XPS 13, on the other hand, offers a solid balance of performance, battery life and lots of storage space for all your files. But while previous generations have been considered some of the best laptops to date, the latest XPS 13 model goes a step further: It was designed with the Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite X processor in mind, which brings AI NPUs front and center for an enhanced performance and improved battery life.
Tack on 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and you can expect a powerful performance—all in a package that only weighs 2.6 pounds, so it’s one of the lighter laptops available right now. You get a gorgeous 3K OLED touchscreen, too. Battery life lasts around 20 hours, give or take.
That said, the display only hits a 60Hz refresh rate. Those who work with video may not feel it’s enough for their needs. It also only has an Intel Arc graphics card, so don’t expect to play the latest AAA titles on it.
Good port selection for connecting all your must-have peripherals
High refresh rate display works well for casual gamers
Cons:
Lacks the performance of more powerful laptops
512GB may be too small for those that need to store a large amount of files
If you’re seeking a laptop for lighter office tasks like word processing and internet apps, take a look at the Dell Inspiron 3530. The entry-level Intel Core i5 processor still manages to sport 10 cores, which is impressive for a laptop at this price range, and it helps lend to its processing power and efficiency for your office needs. And, with a 10-hour battery life, you should be able to power through your work day if you need to take your work on the go.
It’s also worth noting that unlike the Dell XPS 13, the Inspiron 3530 has a 120Hz refresh rate. With a 1080p display and the onboarded Iris Xe graphics, it’s good enough for playing casual games like Stardew Valley. Could the storage at 512GB be better? Absolutely, but if you plan to use cloud storage for most of your files, that won’t matter too much. You’ll also have plenty of ports for all your needs, including a USB-A and microSD card reader, too.
The Intel processor can handle almost anything you throw at it
One of the most lightweight laptops you can get right now
Cons:
Can’t fold flat for a tablet-like experience
The Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 Gen 12 should be the go-to for working professionals thanks to its strong processor performance, light yet sturdy build quality and great battery life. It can last up to 15 hours when using it for a mix of tasks. In addition to the Intel Ultra 7 chip’s powerful processing, its 2.4-pound weight is one of the lightest builds you can get right now. The keyboard also features a nipple for quick mouse adjustments on the fly, but our testing showed that the mousepad was quick and responsive. I also loved the typing experience on the keyboard—movements felt natural and I could type for multiple hours in comfort.
The build feels sturdy enough to protect it from accidental drops, and if you’re looking for a tablet-laptop two-in-one, this model doesn’t fold flat (you can get this option, but you’ll pay an extra amount for it). The 3K OLED screen suffices for most professional tasks, and the 14-inch display feels large enough for most multitasking needs, too. With 32GB RAM and 1TB of storage this laptop can handle almost anything you toss at it. We also named this the best business laptop you can get right now, too.
CPU: Apple M3 Pro 12-Core | RAM: 8GB Unified Memory | Graphics: Apple M3 GPU 18-core | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display: 14.2-inch | Resolution: 3,024 x 1,964 | Battery: Up to 22 hours
Pros:
Apple’s signature Liquid Retina Display looks gorgeous for artists
M3 processors give you excellent performance
You can opt for various storage needs
Cons:
Top configurations (i.e., more storage and RAM) can get very pricey
MacOS and Apple fans, look no further than the MacBook Pro 14 (M3)—it has the best blend of performance and efficiency thanks to the new Apple M3 processor. It features 12 cores that can handle most anything you toss at it, and it’s far from the top model. If you want more cores and raw power, you can opt for the M3 Max chipset. Just keep in mind that when you start adding in higher configurations, the price hikes significantly. Apple’s M3 GPU graphics chip sports 18 cores to handle plenty of CAD or art projects, too.
Apple’s battery life in its laptops is pretty renowned, too, and lasts well over a full work day. Apple’s Liquid Retina XDR Display on its MacBooks also looks gorgeous, with True Tone technology to keep colors accurate when it’s necessary for video work. The MacBook also has Apple Intelligence, Apple’s in-house AI framework that can complete a slew of tasks, including help you write emails, create images for presentations and more.
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X | Graphics: Intel Arc | Storage: 1TB SSD | Display: 2 x 14-inch OLED touchscreen | Resolution: 2,880 x 1,800 | Battery: Up to 13.5 hours
Pros:
Two displays in one give you a huge amount of screen space
OLED display showcases gorgeous colors
Strong performance from the latest-generation hardware
Cons:
Lacks a dedicated GPU for 3D rendering
After testing the latest-gen Asus ZenBook Duo, we’re fully obsessed with it and its dual-display real estate. You can opt to use it like a traditional laptop, but if you need to multitask or use multiple displays, remove the Bluetooth-enabled keyboard and prop the display to use two 14-inch OLED displays. That extra display, quite frankly, is a game-changer for creatives–you can use the Asus pen to hand write or draw on the touchscreen. If the Bluetooth keyboard runs out of battery life, no worries: Tap six fingers on the lower display and a keyboard with custom controls opens. You can also tap two fingers to open a mousepad on the touchscreen for flexibility, too.
Its main issue: It doesn’t have a dedicated GPU, so don’t expect to run graphics-heavy applications, and that was our biggest noted drawback during our testing. But for multitaskers, the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and 32GB feel speedy and responsive for most of your needs.
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X | Graphics: Snapdragon X Plus GPU | Storage: 512GB SSD | Display: 13-inch OLED touchscreen | Resolution: 2,880 x 1,920 | Battery: Up to 14 hours
Pros:
Doubles as a tablet in a pinch when on the go
Long battery life lasts up to 14 hours on a charge
Microsoft Copilot can help streamline your workflow
Cons:
Expensive for just the device
Keyboard and accessories are sold separately
Kickstand setup when in laptop mode may be off-putting to some
The Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ PC (11th Edition) essentially perfects the two-in-one model, adding ARM to Windows for an impressive blend of AI features and performance. Tack on a powerful battery life that lasts up to 14 hours and a lovely OLED display and it feels like a workhorse built specifically for flexibility. We also love that it’s easily portable, clocking in a hair under two pounds.
That said, that light weight is before tacking on the keyboard, which also just happens to be sold separately. It’s a hard pill to swallow buying a keyboard separately when the “tablet” portion of the setup already is fairly pricey. For those on tighter budgets, you can swap out the OLED display for LCD and reduce the cost by up to $500, give or take and depending on sales. But for the price, you get 512GB of storage and 16GB RAM which is pretty standard for most needs. Keep in mind that for a two-in-one, you’ll need to place the laptop on a flat surface since it uses a kickstand, too.
The Forbes Vetted team has published hundreds of tech and electronic guides, including home office essentials like the best home printers and Wi-Fi extenders.
Consumer tech and electronics editor Rebecca Isaacs; she’s spent the past six years testing and reviewing the latest in consumer technology. She has personally tested many of the laptops on this list and can speak to benchmarking, build quality and more.
When she’s not personally testing the latest laptops, she’s testing the best gaming TVs, the best Android phones and the best writing tablets.
To ensure our recommendations are accurate and current, we routinely review this guide. This story was most recently updated in February 2025 to add frequently asked questions to help consider when shopping for a working-from-home laptop.
How We Chose The Best Laptops For Working From Home
To determine the best laptops for working from home, we leaned on our own expertise and consumer reviews while looking at bestselling models from top brands and comparing key features.
We selected models from brands we know and love, such as HP, Dell, Apple and Lenovo. We’ve tested and used laptops from several of these brands and they all scored high in positive customer ratings, durability and performance.
We evaluated features that matter most for work-from-home laptops—specifically, powerful processors, clear and bright displays, extensive battery life and a lightweight construction.
We tested many of the laptops on this list, including the Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 Gen 12 and the Asus ZenBook Duo.
Because every remote work has unique tech needs, we included options that span a variety of budgets and tasks. For example, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is great at editing colorful images and video, while the MacBook Pro 14 M3 is our recommended choice for those who primarily use Apple applications.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Are The Best Laptops For Working From Home?
After researching dozens of laptops, we determined the Dell XPS 13 to be the best laptop for working from home. It has an impressive battery life and is designed with the Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite X processor for a strong performance. We also like that its lightweight design makes it easy to transport.
How Does A Laptop’s Processor Impact Multitasking And Productivity?
James Robbins, General Manager at Dynabook Americas, Inc., says processing power is key to smooth multitasking and productivity. “The processor is the backbone of a laptop’s performance, especially for multitasking,” he says. He notes that higher core counts and efficiency cores allow for a more seamless performance when running multiple apps and software. Laptops with newer processors, like the Dell XPS 13, integrate AI NPUs that better enhance background tasks, including noise cancellation and security threat detection.
What Are The Most Important Factors When Buying A Laptop From Home?
Performance, processing power and battery life are all important factors to consider when buying a laptop for working from home.
Robbins also recommends considering the visual experience before choosing a laptop. “A 14-inch or larger display helps reduce eye strain and offers an overall more comfortable experience,” he says.
However, buying a laptop for working from home often comes down to your specific work needs and requirements. Those who work from different locations will want something lightweight that’s easy to take on the go, while creative and graphics-heavy users should prioritize a laptop with a high-quality display and dedicated GPU.
