So, what makes a laptop worth buying? First, it needs to offer excellent value for money. That means budget laptops below AED 1,500 price point need to still offer good performance and build quality.
Meanwhile, ultra-expensive devices need to justify their high price tags with best-in-class performance, premium build quality and lengthy battery lives.
If you want something to work on, a laptop with a modern processor, at least 8GB of RAM and a large screen (and comfortable keyboard) are worth considering.
For gaming, you'll want a gaming laptop with a dedicated graphics card and fast and responsive screen.
Check out our guide on what you should look for when buying a new laptop at the end of this page for more in-depth advice on buying a laptop.
Best laptops 2022
1. Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
The best laptop of 2021
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Apple M1
Graphics: Integrated 7-core /8-core GPU
RAM: 8GB – 16GB
Screen: 13.3-inch (diagonal) 2,560 x 1,600 LED-backlit display with IPS technology
Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
Dimensions: 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.63 inches (30.41 x 21.24 x 1.61cm; W x D x H)
REASONS TO BUY
+Silent to use
+Amazing battery life
REASONS TO AVOID
-No new design
-Fanless design could impact performance
The new Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) isn't just the best laptop Apple has ever made, it's the best laptop money can buy right now. This is the first time a MacBook has topped our list, but the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is worthy of this spot. Thanks to the revolutionary ARM-based Apple M1 chip that powers the new MacBook Air (Apple has ditched Intel for these new laptops), this is a stunning achievement: a thin and light laptop that offers great performance, even with 4K video editing, while also offering incredible battery life.
Easily managing over 11 hours on a single charge, this is a laptop you can easily carry around with you at work or school, and its price is incredibly competitive compared to Windows 10 rivals like the Dell XPS 15 (below). Running both new and old Mac apps, the new MacBook Air can now also run iOS apps for iPhone and iPads, giving it access to hundreds of brilliant mobile applications and games as well.
Even if you've only ever used Windows laptops before, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is well worth getting and making the jump to macOS. Yes, it really is that good. Make sure you check out all the best MacBook Air deals and sales available now before you buy.
2. MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021)
The best laptop in 2021 for productivity
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Apple M1 Pro 8-core – M1 Max 10-core
Graphics: Integrated 14-core – 32-core GPU
RAM: Up to 64GB
Screen: 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display
Storage: Up to 8TB
REASONS TO BUY
+ Brilliant performance
+ Best screen on a laptop
REASONS TO AVOID
-14-inch screen may be a bit small
The brand-new MacBook Pro 14-inch is easily the best productivity laptop you can buy in 2021. For creative professionals such as photographers, video editors and music producers, the MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) is a dream to use, thanks to a choice between powerful new M1 Pro or M1 Max chips that can handle even the most intensive workloads with ease.
Not only that, but its Liquid Retina XDR display with mini-LED technology is absolutely stunning, and the best screen you can get on a laptop right now. Add in a 1080p webcam and boosted port selection, and you have a brilliant business and productivity laptop. It won't be for everyone – the price and power will be too much for most people's needs – but if you want a killer laptop to do creative work on, this is the laptop to get. For everyone else, check out the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) instead.
3. Huawei MateBook 14s (2021)
Small in size, big on power
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11370H
Graphics: Intel Iris XE
RAM: Up to 16GB DDR4-3200
Screen: 14-inch 2K 90 Hz display
Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe
REASONS TO BUY
+Excellent 2K screen with 90 Hz
+11th Gen high-end Intel Core Processor
The Huawei MateBook 14s is easily one of the best Ultrabook you can get right now. It has an excellent screen size of 14.2-inches with a high-resolution and fast refresh rate. It also comes with Intel's high powered Core i7-11370H Processor, 16GB or RAM and 512GB of storage.
It's also part of Huawei's 'Super Device' lineup, meaning it can wirelessly interact with select Huawei tablets and smartphones to - quite literally - extend your screen's desktop or even run mobile apps, or simply to drag and drop files between devices. It's an uncanny offering for sure, but one that we're sure will be the norm fairly quickly.
On the security side, Windows Hello is supported through a fingerprint scanner or the camera. Add to that all kinds of ports such as HDMI, USB3.2 and USB-C along with fast charging and a 60 Wh battery and you have a laptop that it just about perfect.
4. Asus ZenBook 13 (2021)
A stunning Ultrabook from Asus
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i3 – i7 / AMD Ryzen 5000
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics / AMD Radeon
RAM: 8GB - 32GB
Screen: 13.3-inch, OLED 1080p, 400 nits
Storage: 256GB - 1TB SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+Gorgeous OLED display
+Phenomenal battery life
REASONS TO AVOID
-No headphone jack
-Radeon graphics underperform
The Asus ZenBook 13 is a brilliant laptop, and the 2021 model comes with some of the best mobile tech you'll find in a modern notebook. So, it packs a choice of an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor, or Intel 11th gen CPU. It also has an absolutely stunning 13.3-inch OLED screen and one of the best battery lives around.
There's also up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage, which makes this a brilliant laptop for working on.
It's also supremely thin and light, as well as stylishly designed, which makes it a joy to carry around and use. It's also pretty respectably priced compared to competitors like the Dell XPS 13. The only downsides are that there's no headphone jack – which is a bit of a shame, but likely a result of its ultra-thin design, and during our time testing the Asus ZenBook 13, we found that the integrated AMD Ryzen graphics weren't quite as good as Intel's offering. Despite that, this is still a brilliant ultra-thin laptop that's well worth considering.
5. Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)
Dell does it again
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Up to 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7
Graphics: Up to Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: Up to 32GB 4267MHz LPDDR4x
Screen: 13.4" FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge Non-Touch Anti-Glare 500-Nit – 13.4" UHD+ (3840 x 2400) InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflective 500-Nit Display
Storage: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe
REASONS TO BUY
+Stunning design
+Gorgeous 16:10 display
+Excellent battery life
REASONS TO AVOID
-Sound quality is just OK
-Pricey
At this point, we doubt that the Dell XPS line can do anything wrong. Its yearly updates have consistently made it to our best laptops list, and they’re only getting better. The Dell XPS 13 (2020) is not only a gorgeous piece of kit. It also comes, as expected, with excellent performance, a stunning display and long battery life, alongside a few others.
Much like its predecessor, it’s a pricey investment – but that is barely reason enough for us to discourage Ultrabook fans. This is among the best laptops of 2021, and it’s worth every penny.
