Best Windows laptop for 2021 – CNET [CNET]

Whether you’re looking for a Windows laptop for work, school, entertainment or gaming — or all of the above — you’ll find CNET’s top picks from the best Windows laptop brands on the market: Dell, HP, Microsoft, Asus, Acer, Lenovo and more. What you won’t find here are the best Apple laptops or Chromebooks (but here’s where you can find our top picks for those, too). This list is only loaded with the best laptops we’ve tested running Windows 10.

Because 2021 models are only now starting to roll out, many of the laptops on this list were tested in 2020 but are the most current models available. This list will be updated periodically when new models are tested, reviewed and make the cut. 

Also, while there are a lot of laptops here, we have more granular recommendations for the best gaming laptops, 15-inch laptops, two-in-one and Chromebooks, as well as the best laptop for college students, the best laptop for creatives and the best MacBook Pro alternatives for the Windows set. Need to stay as low as possible on the price of a new laptop computer? Check out our picks for budget laptops and budget gaming laptops.