The top three laptops of 2025 (up to now)

2025 has already been a remarkable year for laptops. In the past six months, there have been significant developments in the tech industry, including Microsoft’s AI PC project expansion, the launch of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 50 series graphics cards, and the release of the most affordable Apple MacBook in years. Amidst the chaos caused by tariffs earlier this spring, Mashable’s laptop team also experienced a significant year of changes.

### A New Testing Methodology
In April, Mashable introduced a new testing methodology for laptops, focusing on performance, battery life, design/build quality, and overall value. This update also included a standardized scoring rubric to ensure consistency across different writers. It was the first major overhaul of Mashable’s laptop testing process in over a decade, resulting in more comprehensive and conclusive reviews.

Since the implementation of this new methodology, only three current-generation laptops out of many tested earned a score of 4.5/5 or higher, making them eligible for a Mashable Choice Award. Below are the top picks from Mashable’s reviews, along with an honorable mention from 2024 that was recently tested.

### 1. The Asus Zenbook A14
The Asus Zenbook A14 received high praise for its thin and light design, durable Ceraluminum chassis, and impressive battery life. Despite some drawbacks, such as subpar speakers, the Zenbook A14 stood out as the longest-lasting sub-$1,000 laptop with excellent performance. Priced at $999.99 after a tariff-related increase, the Zenbook A14 offers great value for budget-conscious consumers.

### 2. The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition
The latest version of the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1, known as the Aura Edition, boasts exclusive AI features like Shield Mode and Wellness Mode. However, it’s the build quality and exceptional battery life that truly set this convertible apart. With a vibrant OLED touchscreen display and a long-lasting battery that lasted over 23 hours, the Lenovo Yoga 9i Aura Edition stands out as the longest-lasting laptop Mashable has ever tested.

There is, of course, a catch. The Yoga 9i Aura Edition has triple the battery life of last year’s Lenovo Yoga 9i (Gen 9), its forebear, but it got a 20 percent lower Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 10,765 — even with a newer Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor. (That means the Zenbook A14 also outscored it, for what it’s worth.) In the Aura Edition’s defense, both of the other Intel Core Ultra Series 2 laptops we’ve tried this year scored similarly and cost more. Ultimately, I think it’s still safe to call this puppy our new favorite 2-in-1 laptop. For her part, Chaney thinks the “less power, more stamina” trade-off is totally worth it.

Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD)

3. The M4 Apple MacBook Air

In March, Apple extended its M4 era with the launch of a new MacBook Air in two sizes and one bland new color. Some of its upgrades feel like obvious next-gen tweaks: It has an improved 12MP FaceTime camera, for instance, and it can now support two external displays with its lid open. Its jump in processing power is impressive, though not entirely unexpected given the track record of Apple’s M-series chips. (The 15-inch model got an amazing Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 14,992; last year’s iteration clocked in at 12,057.)

No, what really blows us away is the fact that the M4 MacBook Air starts at just $999, making it $100 cheaper than its predecessor: The base M3 MacBook Air cost $1,099 before it was discontinued. For added context, $999 also matches the final going rate of the M2 model from 2022, following a post-M3 discount in 2024, and that one came with a mere 8GB of RAM for most of its lifespan. In a year when many laptops have gotten more expensive, not less (see above), this feels remarkable.

After trying the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air, Mashable’s Stan Schroeder deemed it “the best-buy Apple laptop, period.” It’s our current favorite MacBook for most people, while its 13-inch counterpart is our top pick for budget shoppers. The latter has two fewer speakers, a slightly lower-resolution display, and an eight-core GPU instead of a 10-core GPU.

Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD)

Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD)

Honorable mention: The Framework Laptop 13 (Intel Core Ultra Series 1)

A few weeks ago, I tested the DIY Edition of last year’s Framework Laptop 13, a modular laptop that’s powered by a previous-gen Intel Core Ultra Series 1 CPU. (Read my full review here.) It’s not as powerful or as nicely specced as other premium PCs in its price range, but freshness and flair aren’t the point here — fixability is.

The Framework Laptop 13 makes at-home repairs and upgrades so easy and accessible that it’s almost jarring. After assembling and tinkering with my loaner, I’ve started to re-evaluate my relationship with most of the tech I use. (Do I really own something if I have to outsource all of its servicing? Why should I have to replace an entire device if only one of its components gets obsolete? Consider me a right-to-repair radical.) It’s a bigger upfront investment than other laptops, but an unbeatable long-term value.

Framework released a newer version with an AMD processor, a different thermal system, and an updated keyboard this April, which I’d like to try ASAP. In the meantime, this model is the best repairable laptop I can personally vouch for.