The 5 Best Laptops of 2019

Although Apple’s larger 15-inch MacBook Pro offers more power, we think the 13-inch MacBook Pro is a better fit as it’s more portable and offers more than enough horsepower to meet most users’ needs, and the mid-range 13-inch version is the sweet spot — you’re now getting an 8th-gen quad-core Intel Core i5 CPU that clocks in at 2.4 GHz and can burst up to impressive speeds of 4.1GHz. And, if you need more power than that, you can get Apple to soup it up to a lofty 2.8GHz i7, with a turbo-boost peak of 4.7GHz. The standard models include 8 GB of RAM and either a 256 GB or 512 GB SSD, configurable up to 1TB or 2TB for more storage on the go. It has four Thunderbolt 3 ports as well, so plugging in high-speed external storage isn’t going to be a problem. 

You can also relish Apple’s gorgeous True Tone Retina display, which offers a resolution and color accuracy unrivaled by most other laptops. The display dynamically adjusts its color temperature to the ambient lighting, so your blues always look blue and your reds always look red regardless of whether you’re at the beach or in the office. Apple has also made some useful tweaks to its butterfly keyboard design this year that should make it even more solid and reliable, so don’t let reports of past keyboard problems scare you away.

The Dell XPS 13 is a premium ultraportable laptop designed not only for looks but also for functionality and performance. One noticeable and welcome design change in the 9380 model is the placement of an improved webcam above the 13.3-inch screen, instead of previous versions that awkwardly aimed it up your nose from below the screen. But going beyond that, the XPS 13 maintains or improves on the features and build that make it a top-of-the-line machine.

Whether you opt for a classic platinum silver exterior or a more fashionable frost or rose gold, the XPS 13 embodies style and elegance. Thanks to its “InfinityEdge” design, you’ll get almost impossibly thin bezels surrounding an attractive IPS display. It weighs a very portable 2.7 pounds, but its slimness—0.46 inches down to 0.3 inches at its thinnest—is even more impressive. This doesn’t leave room for HDMI or full-size USB-A ports, but Dell does include three USB-C ports, two of which have Thunderbolt 3 capability.

You have several customizable hardware configurations to choose from, with high-end versions packing a 1.8 GHz Intel Core i7 processor with 16GB of RAM. The top models also offer SSD hard drives with up to 2TB of storage and a 4K Ultra HD touchscreen option that adds striking visuals to its already great-looking, hard-working design. 

Often overlooked in favor of its Windows and Mac counterparts, the Acer Chrome R 13 is an extremely underrated machine and an incredible value at under $400. Powered by Google’s Chromebook OS, the entire system is based on the Google Chrome browser and features built-in virus protection, lightning-fast boot speeds, and regular auto-updates from Google that continually enhance its performance. With thousands of downloadable apps available in the Google Play Store, the Chromebook environment can easily mimic a Windows or Mac laptop with downloadable versions of ubiquitously used apps like Microsoft Office, along with popular photo and video editing apps. It's also a lot more versatile than a typical laptop — with 360 degrees of flexibility, the R 13 can switch between tablet mode, laptop mode or presentation mode for screen sharing.

Internally, the Chromebook R 13 runs a MediaTek quad-core CPU and has 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (that's not including the 100GB of Google Drive space that’s provided with every Chromebook purchase). The 12-hour battery life far outpaces competitive models in this price range. Additionally, Acer keeps things moving quickly with 802.11ac Wi-Fi and 2x2 MIMO for catching the best signal.

Labeled as a 2-in-1 computer, Microsoft's Surface Pro 6 is actually capable of three different modes of use: tablet mode, laptop mode (when the Type Cover keyboard is attached), and studio mode (where the screen is propped up slightly for writing and drawing). Although it's basically a large tablet, the Surface Pro 6 has the power of a laptop and can function as one once you attach the keyboard.

If you want a laptop that's hyper-versatile and extremely portable, the Surface Pro 6 truly is two devices in one. It's especially good for people who are comfortable transitioning between touchscreen functionality and typing. Students, in particular, will gravitate toward the Pro’s ability to work in nearly every type of environment. Weighing only 1.7 pounds without the keyboard, it’s the perfect size for a backpack or book bag. But the slim size doesn’t mean Microsoft skipped out on power — inside the Surface Pro 6 is an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Paired with a battery that can last up to 13.5 hours on average, it has more than enough power to get you through the day. That you have a choice of keyboard and hardware colors makes it fun to personalize.

Want to take a look at some other options? Read through our best 2-in-1 laptops​ article.