10 best laptops available at Best Buy 2021

Best overall: Dell XPS 13 9310

Dell’s XPS 13 keeps on getting better, and its latest 9310 refresh is no exception. It’s one of the best-looking Ultrabooks on the market thanks to almost no wasted space on the aluminum chassis. The comfortable keyboard stretches from edge to edge, the touchpad makes great use of space below the keys, and the screen seems to take up the entire lid. The display has a taller 16:10 aspect ratio that eliminates the chin, and bezel is otherwise minimal.

Best Buy has a couple of XPS 13 9310 models available. The cheaper option includes a 13.4-inch touch display with 1920×1200 (FHD+) resolution, Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor (CPU), 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe solid-state drive (SSD). This is an Intel Evo certified laptop, meaning it can guarantee snappy performance on battery life. It also means the battery will last through a full eight-hour workday.

If you’d like to take things to the next resolution, there’s also an option with UHD+ touch display and 16GB of RAM with otherwise similar specs. The XPS 13 9310 is a great multipurpose laptop for anyone who doesn’t need a convertible or discrete GPU.

The HP Spectre x360 14 — actually sized at 13.5 inches — is a convertible laptop without any blind spots. HP essentially thought of everything, though you will have to look elsewhere if you want LTE connectivity to remain in contact wherever you go. The tall, brilliant OLED display has a 3:2 aspect ratio with 3000×2000 resolution and included active pen, the quad speakers pump out awesome audio, and the keyboard is a pleasure to type on.

Bezel is thin for a truly modern look, and the port selection includes Thunderbolt 4. Even with the bright OLED display, battery life lasted more than seven hours on a charge. Best Buy’s offering is a rather high-end version of the x360 14, with Core i7-1165G7 CPU (with Intel Evo certification), 16GB of RAM, and 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD.

If you’re looking for the best convertible on the market today and have the budget for a high-end version, this laptop should no doubt be near the top of your list.

Razer already makes some of the best gaming laptops on the market today, but its first shot at an everyday Ultrabook is also an incredible machine. The Razer Book 13 has an impeccable aluminum design with sharp lines and no wasted space. It’s thin and lightweight, it’s well balanced, at it feels premium. The keyboard, camera, touchpad, and speakers are all top of class, making for one great package.

Like the XPS line, Razer uses Sharp IGZO panels for the 13.4-inch displays. They have a 16:10 aspect ratio, and you can choose from FHD+ or UHD+ at Best Buy. The more affordable version comes with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD. The more expensive version with the UHD+ display has the same performance hardware, except the SSD is boosted up to 512GB. All models are Intel Evo certified and come with Wi-Fi 6.

If you’re looking for a flawless 13-inch Ultrabook and don’t want to go with Dell’s XPS 13, this will make a great alternative.

The Dell XPS 15, now refreshed to a 9510 model, is our pick for best 15-inch laptop. Not only does it have some awesome 15.6-inch Sharp IGZO display options with 16:10 aspect ratio, but it also comes with Intel’s 11th Gen Core H-series CPUs and NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti discrete GPU. It’s all built into a slim aluminum chassis with carbon fiber palm rests, and it’s equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports for modern connectivity. Top-firing speakers, comfortable keyboard, and enormous touchpad round things out.

Best Buy has a couple of models available. The more affordable option includes an Intel Core i7-11800H CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD. It also has an FHD+ non-touch display and a NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti GPU. If that all sounds great but you want 1TB of storage and a higher-res display, there’s also an option with the new 3.5K OLED touch display. That’s a 3300×2200 resolution with truly deep color.

The XPS 15 is much like the XPS 13, except it’s equipped with the performance hardware to get you into specialized work. If you’re looking for a 15-inch Ultrabook that can handle just about anything, it should fare quite well.

The HP ENVY x360 15 is one of my favorite laptops so far this year thanks to excellent performance from AMD Ryzen 5000 Mobile CPUs, stellar touch display, comfy keyboard and touchpad, long battery life, and a thin aluminum convertible build. Best part? Prices start well below the $1,000 mark.

Best Buy has both Intel and AMD versions available, with the cheapest coming from Team Red. It has an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD. The 15.6-inch display has an FHD resolution with 100% sRGB color reproduction, and it’s capable of inking with an included active pen. For better performance, move up to the Ryzen 7 5700U CPU with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD.

There’s also an Intel version available with silver finish rather than black. It costs more, but it was an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD. This is a great option if you’d like a laptop with high-end performance and a larger display that can rotate around for tent, stand, and tablet modes.

Microsoft released both 13- and 15-inch versions of the Surface Laptop 4, as well as offering the choice of AMD or Intel hardware. You can check out our Surface Laptop 4 15 (AMD) review for more information on that front. While the Surface Laptop 4 is basically the same as the Surface Laptop 3 in terms of design — right down to the same USB-C, USB-A, 3.5mm audio, and Surface Connect ports — performance hardware, battery, and audio got a boost.

In the case of the 13-inch Intel-based Surface Laptop 4 readily available at Best Buy, there are plenty of options available. You can start with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD and go all the way up to a Core i7-1185G7 CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD.

All 13-inch models have the same great display with 2256×1504 resolution, touch and inking support, and excellent color. The keyboard is great for all-day typing, the Precision touchpad tracks flawlessly, and the premium design fits in whether you’re at a cafe or in the boardroom.

When it comes to business laptops, the ThinkPad is certainly one of the most iconic on the market today. If you’re looking for something durable, secure, and lightweight, the X1 Carbon (Gen 9) might do the trick. It’s one of our picks for the overall best Lenovo laptops thanks to a new 16:10 display aspect ratio, optional 5G connectivity, Intel Evo certification, and 11th Gen Intel Core performance hardware. The chassis starts at just 2.49 pounds (1.13kg) and it measures just 0.59 inches (14.9mm) thin.

Best Buy has a couple of models available, each with an Intel Core i5-1145G7 CPU and 1920×1200 resolution display. From there, you can choose either 8GB or 16GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of M.2 PCIe SSD storage space. All models come with Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt 4, fingerprint reader, webcam shutter, dTPM 2.0, and Dolby software for speakers, screen, and microphones.

If you need a durable business partner that includes extra security measures and speedy performance (not to mention excellent battery life), the X1 Carbon should be considered. It also happens to have one of the best keyboards on any laptop today, making it a great option for anyone who types all day.

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 7 is back with a number of improvements that keep it at the top of the 2-in-1 game. If you want a PC that is equally comfortable acting as a tablet or a notebook, this is the one. The old Mini DisplayPort has been replaced with USB-C 3.1, Wi-Fi 6 is now included, and there’s Instant On for immediate resumption of where you left off. You’re still getting a 12.3-inch touch display with 3:2 aspect ratio and 2736×1824, compatible with the Surface Pen for quality inking.

Best Buy has a number of models available, each seemingly with a Type Cover keyboard and touchpad included. These start with a 10th Gen Intel Core i3 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB M.2 SSD, and go up to a Core i7 CPU with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB M.2 SSD. There are also Platinum and Matte Black color schemes to choose from to help you get the look you want.

If you’d like to split your time between a tablet and a notebook, the Surface Pro 7 is the way to go. It’s portable, it’s versatile, and it has the performance and battery life needed to cut through a day’s work.

If you love the idea of the Surface Pro 7 but need something that’s just a bit more portable, the Surface Go 2 should be where you turn. It’s not as powerful as the Pro 7, but its 10.5-inch chassis is much easier to carry around and you still get the same great 2-in-1 experience that lets you use it as a tablet or notebook. Compared to the original Surface Go, the second has a larger display with slimmer bezel, an Intel Core m3 CPU option for more power, and Wi-Fi 6.

The 10.5-inch display still has a 3:2 aspect ratio (ideal for a tablet), and 1920×1280 resolution that looks great at this size. Best Buy has a number of configurations available, ranging from the Intel Pentium 4425Y CPU with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage up to a Core m3-8100Y CPU with 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD. If you’re looking to do anything but some light web browsing and streaming, we recommend the Core m3 model with faster SSD.

The Blade 14 is the first AMD-powered gaming laptop from Razer, coming in a slightly smaller 14-inch package compared to the larger Blade 15. It still has the same great design with slim chassis and smooth lines, as well as top-firing audio, large touchpad, and comfy RGB keyboard. Razer didn’t take the cheap road here when it comes to displays, opting for FHD with 144Hz refresh rate or QHD with 165Hz refresh rate.

As for performance hardware, all models have an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU for incredible performance on AC power. Things change on battery power, but that’s mostly a moot point for a gaming laptop since you will be plugged in most of the time. You can check out our Razer Blade 14 review for more information about performance slowdown.

In any case, Best Buy has QHD models with either an RTX 3070 or RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, capable of handling even the most intensive AAA games. Both models come with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD. Take note: these are not cheap PCs and you will need a big budget to afford one. But if you do have some money to burn, it’s going to set you up nicely for the next few years of PC gaming.

Bottom line

Best Buy has a ton of great laptops for sale, but it also has quite a few not-so-great laptops lurking in the background, waiting to reel in the unsuspecting shopper. That’s why we put together this collection of the best laptops available at Best Buy. If it’s where you want to shop, any one of these 10 PCs will satisfy.

If you want the absolute best right now and don’t mind a 13-inch Ultrabook without discrete GPU, be sure to have a look at the Dell XPS 13 9310. It’s essentially flawless thanks to gorgeous display options, comfy keyboard, large touchpad, and excellent performance. The camera is a bit lacking, but the overall design and premium look make up for it.

If it’s not quite what you need, there are plenty of other laptops available, ranging from gaming powerhouses to portable 2-in-1 Surface devices.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Cale Hunt Cale Hunt is a staff writer at Windows Central. He focuses mainly on PC, laptop, accessory coverage, and the emerging world of VR. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user and spends most of his time either tinkering with or writing about tech.

Daniel Rubino is the executive editor of Windows Central. He has been covering Microsoft since 2009, back when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Surface, HoloLens, Xbox, and future computing visions. Follow him on Twitter: @daniel_rubino.

Enjoy a bigger display

The best docks for your Dell XPS 13 2-in-1

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is a fantastic Ultrabook, but what if you want to use it desktop-style? You’re going to want to get yourself a laptop dock for that. Here are some of our favorites.