Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch
Apple's entry-level MacBook, with an A18 Pro chip in a light 13-inch body.
Check Price on Amazon Read the full reviewThe 10 Best Laptops of 2026, Ranked
Our verdict: The best laptop in 2026 is the Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch. It tops our ranking with 8.7 out of 10.
Our laptop picks
Fewer picks than usual: no other model in the top half is better value.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5
The all-round MacBook for people who want one laptop to last.
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All 10 laptops, compared
We compared 23 laptops sold in the UK and ranked ten by owner ratings. They cover two 13-inch MacBooks and eight Windows laptops of 14 to 16 inches, from entry-level Core i3 machines to OLED models for work and travel. Every product links to its full review below.
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1
Apple MacBook Neo 13-inchBest Choice
8.7 out of 10
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2
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5Best Premium
8.6 out of 10
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3
ASUS Zenbook A14 UX3407QA
8.4 out of 10
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4
Honor MagicBook Pro 14
8.2 out of 10
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5
Dell 14 Plus DB14250
8.2 out of 10
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6
Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro 14-inch
8.2 out of 10
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7
ASUS Vivobook Go 14 E1404GA
8.2 out of 10
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8
HP OmniBook 5 16-ba1004na
8.2 out of 10
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9
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 14IAN8Best Budget
8.2 out of 10
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10
Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-73
8.1 out of 10
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Why No. 1 beats No. 2
The Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch (8.7) edges the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 (8.6) on the balance of all three parts.
The full laptop reviews
1.Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch
Apple's entry-level MacBook, with an A18 Pro chip in a light 13-inch body. It is the cheapest way into macOS here and suits students.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are1st of 10
- How many rated it2nd of 10
- How new it is1st of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- A18 Pro chip handles browsing, documents, video calls and light photo editing smoothly
- 13-inch Liquid Retina screen at 500 nits, with a 1080p camera
- Light at about 1.2kg and sturdy, with an aluminium body
- Two USB-C ports and a headphone jack
Keep in mind
- 8GB of memory limits heavy multitasking and long-term use
- Battery life in published reviews falls short of the Air
- No keyboard backlight, and the speakers are modest next to the Air
2.Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5
The all-round MacBook for people who want one laptop to last. It starts at 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, and owners praise its speed and battery.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are2nd of 10
- How many rated it4th of 10
- How new it is1st of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- Starts at 16GB memory and 512GB storage
- Apple quotes up to 18 hours, and reviewers report a full working day and more
- Weighs about 1.23kg and 11.3mm thin, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports and MagSafe charging
- Wi-Fi 7, a 12MP Center Stage camera and a 13.6-inch screen at 500 nits
Keep in mind
- Memory and storage are soldered, so choose the right size at purchase
- The 60Hz screen is glossy and not an OLED
- Only two ports, both on the left side, and no SD card slot
3.ASUS Zenbook A14 UX3407QA
A very light Windows laptop with an OLED screen and a Snapdragon X chip. It is the pick for people who commute and want battery life above all.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are3rd of 10
- How many rated it1st of 10
- How new it is7th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- Weighs 980g, among the lightest here
- 14-inch Full HD OLED with strong colour coverage
- ASUS claims up to 32 hours of video playback, and reviewers of the A14 line report very long battery life
- Two USB4 ports, HDMI 2.1 and a full-size USB-A port
Keep in mind
- Snapdragon X runs Windows on Arm, so some older apps and drivers are slower or unsupported
- The screen is Full HD at 60Hz with no touch option
- Soldered memory and storage, so the amount bought is the amount kept
4.Honor MagicBook Pro 14
A big, sharp OLED touchscreen and a 92Wh battery at a lower cost than the Samsung and the MacBook Air. The Amazon version pairs Core Ultra 5 with 24GB of memory and a 1TB drive.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are6th of 10
- How many rated it7th of 10
- How new it is4th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 14.6-inch 3.1K OLED touchscreen at 3120 x 2080, with 700 nits peak brightness
- 92Wh battery, with 100W USB-C charging
- 24GB of memory and a 1TB SSD in the Amazon version
- Dual M.2 SSD slots in Honor's specification
Keep in mind
- At about 1.4kg it is heavier than the Air and the Zenbook
- The OLED touchscreen is glossy, so reflections can show in bright rooms
- Honor is a newer name in UK laptops, so service and long-term support are less established than Dell, HP or Lenovo
5.Dell 14 Plus DB14250
A well-equipped mainstream 14-inch for home and study. The Amazon listing is a Core Ultra 7 with 16GB of memory and a 1TB SSD.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are8th of 10
- How many rated it6th of 10
- How new it is5th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 14-inch 2560 x 1600 anti-glare screen at 120Hz
- Core Ultra 7 with 16GB of memory and a 1TB SSD in the Amazon version
- Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, USB-C and USB-A ports, plus Wi-Fi 7
- 64Wh battery and Dell's widespread UK support
Keep in mind
- Only 300 nits, so it is dim by a sunny window or outside
- At 1.55kg it is heavier than the thin-and-light picks
- Memory is soldered on the board
6.Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro 14-inch
Samsung's premium 14-inch, with an AMOLED screen and a 67Wh battery. It is the choice for Android phone owners who want a thin work laptop.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are10th of 10
- How many rated it10th of 10
- How new it is3rd of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- AMOLED display with HDR brightness of up to 1,000 nits
- Samsung rates the battery for a full day
- Core Ultra processors with 16GB or more of memory
- Works with Galaxy phones and tablets for file and call sharing
Keep in mind
- Dear next to the Air and the OLED Windows rivals here
- Few long-term owner reports yet, as it only launched in 2026
- The glossy AMOLED screen shows reflections in bright rooms
7.ASUS Vivobook Go 14 E1404GA
A budget 14-inch for email, documents, streaming and school work. It has a roomier 512GB drive than most laptops at this level.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are4th of 10
- How many rated it3rd of 10
- How new it is9th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 14-inch Full HD screen, with a backlit keyboard on some versions
- 512GB SSD gives more room than the 128GB or 256GB drives common at this level
- Core i3-N305 is fast enough for browsing, office apps and video calls
- Comes with Windows 11 Home
Keep in mind
- 8GB of memory fills quickly with many browser tabs
- The 250-nit screen is dim in bright rooms
- Plastic body and a modest battery compared with the premium picks
8.HP OmniBook 5 16-ba1004na
A large-screen family and home laptop with 16GB of memory. It suits people who work on spreadsheets and want a number pad.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are9th of 10
- How many rated it9th of 10
- How new it is5th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 16-inch screen gives room for two windows side by side
- 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD in the Amazon version
- Full-size keyboard with a number pad
- HDMI and USB-C ports for monitors and chargers
Keep in mind
- Core i5-1334U is an older generation than the Core Ultra and Snapdragon chips here
- A 16-inch body is bulky to carry every day
- Plain screen with no OLED or high refresh option, so it is not aimed at heavy creative work
9.Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 14IAN8
The cheapest laptop here. A sensible first laptop or a second machine for school and basic office use.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are5th of 10
- How many rated it4th of 10
- How new it is9th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- Slim, light body that is easy to carry to school or work
- Core i3-N305 with 8GB of LPDDR5 memory
- 14-inch Full HD screen
- 512GB SSD is roomy for this price tier
Keep in mind
- Basic Full HD display with no OLED or high-refresh option
- Soldered 8GB of memory cannot be upgraded
- Wi-Fi 6 only, and the chip is entry level for heavy multitasking
10.Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-73
A mid-range 14-inch with a 2.8K OLED screen and a Core Ultra chip, for people who want a better display without paying for a premium laptop. It weighs about 1.25kg.
What makes up the score
- How happy owners are6th of 10
- How many rated it7th of 10
- How new it is8th of 10
Each bar shows its place in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
Why it's here
- 14-inch 2.8K OLED screen with sharper colour and contrast than the IPS panels in cheaper laptops
- Core Ultra 5 processor with 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD
- Slim aluminium body at about 1.25kg
- Wi-Fi 6E and HDMI alongside USB-C ports
Keep in mind
- Memory is soldered, so the amount bought is the amount kept
- The glossy OLED screen shows reflections in bright rooms
- Battery life trails the Snapdragon and MacBook picks here
Before you buy a laptop
How much should I spend on a laptop?
For email, documents, streaming and school work, a budget laptop does the job if it has an SSD and a Full HD screen. A mid-range laptop gets 16GB of memory, a better screen and a longer battery, which is the tier most people keeping a laptop for four years or more should look at. A premium laptop adds OLED panels, thin metal bodies and better build.
How much RAM and storage do I need in a laptop?
8GB of RAM runs browsing, documents and video calls, but 16GB is safer if you want the laptop to last several years, because apps and browser tabs use more memory over time. For storage, 256GB is the minimum and fills quickly. 512GB suits most people, and cloud storage such as iCloud or OneDrive helps if you buy less. Many laptops here have soldered memory and storage, so you cannot upgrade later.
Is a MacBook better than a Windows laptop?
Neither is better outright. MacBooks give strong battery life, quiet running and years of software updates, and the Air starts at 16GB of memory. Windows laptops offer a wider range of prices, touchscreens, OLED options and more ports, plus full compatibility with older Windows software. Snapdragon X laptops such as the Zenbook A14 run Windows on Arm, which still has some app gaps.
How long should a laptop last?
Most laptops give four to six years of useful life, and a MacBook or business-grade model often lasts longer. The thing that ends a laptop's working life is usually 8GB of memory or a small drive, so buy more of both than you need today. Batteries fade after a few hundred charge cycles, and a laptop with a 1-year warranty has less cover than one with two or three years.
What is the best laptop for home use or students?
For home use and study, the main needs are weight, battery life and a keyboard you can type on for an hour. The MacBook Neo and MacBook Air suit students who want macOS, and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and ASUS Vivobook Go 14 suit a tight budget. We compared 23 models and ranked these ten from owner ratings, so the order reflects what buyers report. Gaming laptops, Chromebooks and workstations are not covered.
Is it worth buying a laptop with an OLED screen?
OLED gives deeper blacks, better contrast and richer colour than a basic IPS or TN panel, which is noticeable when watching video or editing photos. It costs more, most OLED laptops have glossy screens, and some have a higher power draw than IPS, so check battery claims. If you work mostly in documents near a window, a bright matte IPS screen can be the more practical choice.
How we ranked these ten laptops
Every score here comes from our ranking model; no editor sets the order. We haven't read the review sites for this guide yet, so for now it is led by owners. It ranks products by how happy owners are, holding back any product few owners have rated until more agree. How many rated it and how new it is only settle close calls, and value for money earns its own badge rather than a higher place. We compared 23 models for this guide before settling on these ten.
Brands can't pay to be included or to move up. We last checked these picks in November 2026.
How we rank, in fullOur No. 1 laptop
Apple MacBook Neo 13-inch
Apple's entry-level MacBook, with an A18 Pro chip in a light 13-inch body. 8.7 out of 10.