Top 10 Laptop Brands: Choosing the Right Laptop for Your Needs

Feeling bewildered by the endless array of competing laptop brands?

We’re here to demystify the portable PC industry so you can make an informed purchasing decision. This independent laptop brand comparison will weigh up the key players, outline their pros and cons, and offer recommendations for different user profiles.

Let’s get stuck in. 

Understanding Laptop Brands

The top laptop brands have spent decades developing a reputation. While some companies are known for aesthetics, others focus on performance, affordability, or specific considerations such as battery life.

But there’s also plenty of overlap. Within big brands, you’ll find models catering to gamers, students, on-the-go office workers, and home users. Don’t be surprised to see a brand known for affordability offering a range of premium, high-tech alternatives. Many laptop shoppers focus on specific requirements rather than the name on the tin.

Nonetheless, here’s a breakdown of all the major laptop brands and what they’re most famous for:

• Apple: Expensive but aesthetically pleasing laptops with exceptional performance and battery life.
• Dell: Reliable, high-performance business laptopsfor large enterprises.
• ASUS: Cutting-edge gaming laptops like the ROG series plus awesome business-orientated notebooks.
• Lenovo: Sleek business laptops like the ThinkPad series and flexible convertibles like the Yoga.
• Acer: Budget-friendly laptops catering tostudents and families with limited resources.
• HP: Large manufacturer with different laptops aimed at every conceivable demographic.
• Samsung: Lightweight and versatile convertible laptops with energy-efficient ARM processors.
• Microsoft: Ultra-light business laptops like the slick Surface series.
• Razer: Premium gaming laptops with high-performance hardware.
• MSI: High-end laptops with solid GPUs for gamers and video editors.

Lesser-known brands like VAIO and Framework have begun competing with the big players.

Criteria for Choosing the Right Laptop Brand

We’ve slapped together a list of critical factors when comparing laptop brands.

User Experience

A high-resolution display, responsive keyboard, intuitive interface, and in-built hardware affect the overall user experience.

Customer Service

Premium brands like Apple and Dell tend to offer better after-sales support than budget-friendly manufacturers.

Warranty

An extended warranty means you won’t be left out of pocket should your laptop malfunction soon. Australian Consumer Law may provide extra protection on top of the existing manufacturer warranty.

Quality

Premium brands like Apple and Lenovo use better materials to achieve sleek aesthetics and a durable design.

Innovation

Big-name brands invest eye-watering sums into research and development to build innovative solutions. Examples include the Apple M1/M2 chips and ASUS dual-screen displays.

Reputation

Brands perceived to score well across the above metrics earn a solid industry reputation. 

Laptop Comparison

All these criteria are super subjective and open to fierce debate. Nonetheless, we’ve awarded the top brands a quantifiable ranking (out of 10) to give you a rough idea of where they stand.

Brand	User Experience	Customer Service	Warranty	Quality	Innovation	Reputation
Apple	10	10	8	10	10	10
Dell	9	9	8	9	9	9
Microsoft	9	8	9	9	9	9
Samsung	9	8	8	9	9	9
ASUS	8	8	8	8	9	8
Lenovo	8	8	8	8	8	9
Razer	8	8	8	9	9	8
HP	8	7	7	8	7	8
MSI	8	7	7	8	8	8
Acer	7	7	7	7	7	7

The Top 10 Laptop Brands

Need more than just numbers?

Here are summarised laptop brand reviews for the top 10 players. Again, this is all subjective, so don’t get mad if you disagree.

Apple

• Popular Model: MacBook Pro (M2 Chip)
• Unique Selling Proposition: Seamless macOS integration
• Pros: Long battery life, excellent display, superior build quality.
• Cons: Super expensive, limited port selection.

Dell

• Popular Model: Dell XPS
• Unique Selling Proposition: Compact design with superb performance for workers on the go.
• Pros: Excellent build quality, thin and light, great battery life.
• Cons: Pricier than other business laptops.

Microsoft

• Popular Model: Microsoft Surface.
• Unique Selling Proposition: Premium design and excellent performance.
• Pros: Portable, good battery life, nice touch screen.
• Cons: Limited ports, expensive, fewer hardware customisations.

Samsung

• Popular Model: Samsung Galaxy Book
• Unique Selling Proposition: Seamless Samsung ecosystem integration.
• Pros: Sleek, modern design, great battery life, lightweight, and portable.
• Cons: Expensive and fewer configuration options.

Lenovo

• Popular Model: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
• Unique Selling Proposition: Durable design with robust business features.
• Pros: Excellent keyboard, solid performance, durable build.
• Cons: Expensive for what you get.

HP

• Popular Model: HP Spectre x360
• Unique Selling Proposition: Wide range of laptops for varying user profiles.
• Pros: Large, well-known brand, laptops for all user types, good support.
• Cons: Some reports of poor durability.

ASUS

• Popular Model: ASUS ROG Zephyrus
• Unique Selling Proposition: Compact design with top-tier gaming power.
• Pros: Excellent performance, great for gaming and productivity.
• Cons: Shorter battery life.

Razer

• Popular Model: Razer Blade
• Unique Selling Proposition: High-end gaming laptops with top-tier performance.
• Pros: Stunning displays, excellent gaming performance, premium build, and long battery life.
• Cons: Extremely expensive and generally heavier than other gaming laptops.

MSI

• Popular Model: MSI GE76 Raider
• Unique Selling Proposition: Great gaming performance with impressive specs.
• Pros: High-end GPUs, high refresh rate displays, excellent cooling system.
• Cons: Heavy and bulky, expensive for non-gaming use.

Acer

• Popular Model: Acer Swift
• Unique Selling Proposition: Budget-friendly laptops offering solid value for money.
• Pros: Affordable, good everyday performance, lightweight design, long battery life.
• Cons: Flimsy build quality, lacklustre display on cheaper models.

What Laptop Do I Need?

There’s no universally agreed best laptop brand as the ideal option depends on your unique needs. However, certain user types tend to prefer certain brands. 

• Gamers: MSI or Razer
• Tech enthusiasts: Apple or Microsoft
• On-the-move white-collar professionals: Dell or Lenovo
• Budget-conscious users: HP or Acer
• Creatives: Apple or Lenovo

Laptop Buying Guide

Consider the following when shopping for a new laptop, regardless of brand.

• Hardware requirements: Determine what specs you need to run your essential applications. Only get a dedicated GPU if you’re gaming or editing video. 
• Portability: Purchase a small, lightweight device if you’re frequently on the move.
• Size: Larger displays enhance the user experience at the cost of portability.
• Value: Compare multiple models to confirm you’re getting a good deal. Laptop prices vary considerably.

Laptop Trends

Current laptop trends include AI integration, such as Microsoft CoPilot, and 5G compatibility for blistering download speeds. Some fancy newer models come with foldable screens, though these are too expensive for mainstream consumers.

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• What is the best Apple laptop?

  The MacBook Air is among our favourite Apple laptops.

• Which is the best-selling laptop currently?

  The Apple MacBook Air is currently the world’s best-selling laptop.

• What are the key differences between Apple MacBooks and Windows laptops?

  Apple laptops use macOS, while Windows laptops run on Windows.

• What should I look for when buying a laptop?

  Look for the right balance between power, portability, and price.

• Which is the best generation of laptops?

  12^th and 13th-generation Intel processors offer the best value.