Best Business Laptops 2023 | Laptops For Work

Updated on February 6, 2022
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No matter what business you run, a computer is going to be a necessity. Adding in the portability of a laptop makes you more mobile and more effective at getting your job done.

You don’t want a sub-par machine keeping customers waiting or freezing up during work presentations. Below we’ve rounded up eight of the current best business laptops in 2023 covering every possible usage from small business to enterprise office settings.

Want to jump to a specific category? Check out each of our contenders in the list below, or scroll down to get started looking what’s available in every price range and style!

Best Business Laptop In 2023 Reviews

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon- Best Overall

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
If you’re looking for the best business you can find then the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is your best bet. From the design alone you can tell that this laptop gives off a professional and reliable feel as well. This laptop is being sold at a premium price but this is justified with its thin design, amazing keyboard performance, powerful specs, and remarkable battery life. Its simply has everything that you’re looking for in a business laptop.

The Thinkpad X1 Carbon is one of the most famous and well established product lines Lenovo has to offer. You can even equate Lenovo’s reputation of having amazing business laptops with the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.

So what makes this laptop amazing for business?

Well it’s amazing specs are a start, it features a powerful Core i7-10510U processor, 16 GB of RAM,  1 TB SSD, and a Intel UHD 620 graphics card. The specs are good and it will ensure that you’ll be able to multitask effectively as you’re running multiple files at once and ensuring that your work runs smoothly without any lag.

Its design is something else as well since Lenovo added a new carbon-fibre weave and carbon-fibre chassis to this 8th generation model. Because of this this makes the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon very lightweight as well as very durable as well since it will be able to resist being damaged thanks to the extremely durable nature of carbon-fibre. 

The laptop also features two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports allowing for faster file transfers in the office. It also features comfortable keyboards that allow for easier typing which is essential if you want to write and finish a lot of documents on time.

Lastly, the laptop has the longest battery life in this list, with a battery life  of 19.5 hours which makes things more convenient for the user allowing them to avoid charging their laptops in the office for the entire day.

Overall the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is definitely a reliable business laptop that boosts your performance at work. It’s a good laptop to invest in  if you want to get the job done and earn the respect of your peers and colleagues at work.

Hardware specifications for Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

CPU: 10th Gen Core i7-10510U processor | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620| RAM:16 GB | Screen: 14-inch LCD 1920×1080 resolution (400 nit); 3840 x 2160 VESA400 HDR with Dolby Vision (500 nit)  | Storage:  512 GB SSD | Operating System:  Windows 10 Pro | Battery Life: 19.5 hours | Weight: 4.6 pounds

HP Spectre X360 – For Travel And Work

HP Spectre x360
Need an awesome laptop that can handle any task on the go? This should be your pick for the best portable laptop to take while traveling on business!

We’ve mentioned different versions of the Spectre in some of our other articles before, and for very good reason.

If you want a business machine rather than a gaming rig, HP’s offering is one of the best in class for nearly any kind of user.

The Spectre hits the trifecta for a true workhorse of a machine – portable, powerful, and connective. You aren’t going to find better specs in a thin and light machine, and you can hook up to multiple monitors and printers at the same time.

Besides the thin and lightweight aspects, there’s even more reason to take this model as your travel laptop. It comes with the pen stylus for working on the touch screen while on the road.

The backlit keyboard is also an excellent feature if you are working on late-night flights or in a dark office setting after business hours.

Finally, you get excellent battery life with the Spectre. It can even compete with our contender below for the best business laptop battery.

If you live outside the U.S. this may not be your best choice, however. One frequent complaint from international buyers is that the warranty doesn’t cover much in other countries.

Hardware specifications for HP Spectre x360

CPU:Intel Quad Core i7-1065G7 Processor (1.3GHz, up to 3.9GHz, 8MB cache, 4 cores)  | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM | Screen: 13.3″ FHD IPS WLED-backlit multitouch-enabled IPS(1920 x 1080) Display | Storage: 512GB SSD with 32GB Optane | Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit | Battery Life: 16 hours | Weight: 5.2 pounds

Huawei Matebook 13  – Mid-end laptop 

Huawei Matebook 13
Need a top-of-the-line machine for your office with amazing screen resolution, low weight, and plenty of power? This should be your pick, so long as you don’t mind the lower angle of the webcam.

Hands down, the Huawei Matebook 13   is one of the best portable computers on the market. While its a killer choice for home users, it has some amazing features for an office environment as well.

The big draw here is that you get the signature edition of Windows. That means absolutely no bloatware, and for a business setting, that’s a major plus.

Your IT guys won’t need to spend time uninstalling useless features that eat up memory. With the MateBook, you also get a full day’s worth of battery on a single charge at 9-10 hours depending on usage.

Security is always a concern in a business environment, and that’s why you should be on the lookout for the fingerprint reader. With this tech, you ensure no unauthorized users are logging into your office laptops.

In terms of raw specs, you get a bit of everything here as well. There’s tons of power under the hood for running any application your business might need.

There’s really only one main downside to keep in mind that could be a deal-breaker. The webcam is secured within the machine, so you actually have to tap the cam to bring it up.

While that’s a nifty security feature, it means the webcam is placed at the bottom of the screen rather than the top. If you take part in daily video conferences, that can get annoying as the bottom angle isn’t as useful for long video chats.

Hardware specifications for Huawei Matebook 13  

CPU: 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8265U processor | Graphics:NVIDIA GeForce MX250 with 2 GB GDDR5, Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8 GB RAM| Screen: 13.3-inch 2160 x 1440 3:2 display

| Storage: 256 GB SSD | Operating System:Windows 10 Home | Battery Life: 10 hours | Weight: 2.86 pounds

Lenovo IdeaPad 330 – For Remote Work

Lenovo Ideapad 330
Want the best possible specs with lots of ports for connecting to external devices at a very low cost? This should be your pick for the best business laptop!

Need a business class machine but don’t have a bunch of extra capital available to spend? This Lenovo model isn’t just under a thousand, it’s way, way under a thousand!

To reach that budget pricing, you have to give up a few features. Depending on your work requirements, you may not need them anyway and won’t miss them here.

Many business settings just flat out don’t need a touch screen, but they do need more viewing area. That’s what you get with the IdeaPad’s traditional clamshell design and a 15.6-inch screen.

This model also features a wide array of ports for connecting peripherals or hooking up to external displays for presentations. If you still run any disc-based installation program for your business, don’t forget you still get an optical drive as well.

Aside from ports and screen size, the main draw here is the 256 GB SSD. You won’t run out of storage space for your work projects, and you get the faster solid-state drive technology.

Two main downsides should be considered before going this route. First up, a 15.6-inch screen means you get a heavier laptop.

If you take this thing on business flights often, the reduced portability is going to get annoying. Second, you only get about five hours on a charge, so you will need to plug in at some point during the workday.

Looking for something a bit more compact instead? The Lenovo ThinkPad T480 is only 14 inches but offers similar specs.

Hardware specifications for Lenovo IdeaPad 330

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2500U Processor (2.0 GHz base frequency up to 3.6 GHz, 6 MB cache, 4 cores) | Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 8 | RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM| Screen: 15.6 inch HD (1366 x 768) IPS Anti-Glare Display | Storage: 256GB SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 Home  | Battery Life: 6 hours| Weight: 4.1 pounds

LG Gram – Long Battery Life

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LG Gram
Until now, it was quite hard to combine big size with lightweight design – until LG Gram. This laptop doesn’t only feature powerful configuration but it also features a vivid display, comfortable keyboard, and a great HD camera. Wherever you go, you’ll be backed up by a reliable all-day battery.

Wherever you go and whatever you do, LG Gram provides the support you will need at any given time. With a combination of the latest Intel Core i7 processor, dual-channel memory, and a large yet quick storage drive, this laptop will never slow you down or make you wait.

Combined with the Windows 10 operating system, it ensures a smooth and reliable work experience.

Even though LG Gram is a bit on a bigger side, it’s still on the light side as well. Confusing, maybe, but it’s ideally the best laptop for businessmen who are into larger laptops yet don’t want to sacrifice mobility.

LG Gram features impressive screen size due to its size, a full-sized keyboard, and yet is light enough for you to take it around.

You can think of this laptop as a canvas on a whole new scale.

We’re talking about more versatility here than it meets the eye. We’re talking about exciting features such as a backlit keyboard for the dark environment, a touchpad that supports four-finger multiple gestures, and even a webcam that’s made for video calls and conferences.

It’s an ultimate business laptop that you will love to use anywhere you work.

Hardware specifications for LG GRAM

CPU: Intel 10th Gen Core i7 1065G7 processor | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 16 GB RAM | Screen: 17″ IPS WQXGA (2560 x 1600)| Storage: 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD (512GB x2) | Operating System: Windows 10 home | Battery Life: 17 hours | Weight: 2.98 pounds

Apple MacBook Air – Best For Business Owners

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Apple MacBook Air
If ultimate versatility is one of your biggest priorities, there is no thinner laptop than MacBook Air. It’s a laptop that will easily fit in your briefcase, but will provide a quick & smooth performance with a long-lasting battery – once you open it and start using it at work.

With Apple’s unique Touch ID feature, you’ll never have to rely on passwords again, and even if your laptops get stolen or lost (which is probably the worst-case scenario), it’s good to know that your laptop will still be secured.

You’ll be able to do everything from unlocking the laptop, paying for your purchases, unlocking files, and making important changes to your laptop with only your fingerprint.

The latest-generation MacBook Air features a keyboard that has gone through a complete redesign and now features a Butterfly mechanism.

It’s proven to provide more key stability than ever before and is 3 times precise than other keyboards that still use traditional scissor mechanism.

We’ve enjoyed the precision, responsiveness, and comfort that Apple has featured in the latest Air laptop.

MacBook Air isn’t just the thinnest laptop on the market but is also one of the lightest laptops out there.

However, it’s definitely not far from being the best when it comes to performance either. You can think of Air as a combination of lightness that has the capability to strike at any given time. Open the beautiful Retina display, login with the help of Touch ID, and you’re ready for business.

Hardware specifications for Apple MacBook Air

CPU: Intel Core i5-1030NG7 processor. | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics  | RAM: 8 GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600. | Storage: 512 GB SSD | Operating System: MAC OS| Battery Life:13 hours | Weight: 5.37 pounds

Dell XPS 15 – Best 2-In-1

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When it comes to hybrid laptops, nothing beats Dell’s XPS 15 at the moment. You don’t lose any functionality at all here with a full 15-inch screen, 360-degree hinge, and truly top-notch specs.

Between the 8th gen processor and dedicated graphics card, this 2-in-1 can function as a business machine or a gaming rig for after work. The battery life is also extremely high for a unit with so much graphical power.

Buyers often mention the high-quality display and the extremely narrow bevel for the most viewing space possible. You also get a stylus included, and it attaches directly to the laptop magnetically so you won’t ever lose it.

Despite the near-perfection of this particular 2-in-1, there is one issue frequently mentioned by reviewers. The XPS 15 features a revamped keyboard design that some love and others hate.

You get shallow keys for quiet operation, but the page up and page down buttons are located to the left and right of the arrow keys. This means you will accidentally hit the wrong key quite often while you get used to the keyboard layout.

The price tag may also be prohibitive for small business operations, at well over two thousand dollars. If you want something similar for half the price, take a look at the HP Spectre listed above.

Hardware specifications for Dell XPS 15

CPU: Intel Core i7-9750H Processor | Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5  | RAM: 16 GB RAM| Screen: 15.6″ 4K UHD (3840×2160) Touch Display, | Storage: 512 GB SSD  | Operating System: Windows 10 | Battery Life: Dell XPS 15 7590 | Weight: 4 pounds

Acer Chromebook Spin 13 – Best Chromebook

Acer Chromebook Spin 13
Want a high end Chromebook to handle basic office or point of sale tasks? This should easily be your pick.

Chromebooks aren’t typically the first choice for an office or business setting, but they offer more features than you may realize.

Now that Chromebooks are compatible with the Google Play store, it’s simple to download apps for accepting credit card payments and tips direct from customers.

There are a few other upsides to consider by ditching Windows 10. Security is a big issue, since Chromebooks aren’t going to get infested with malware nearly as often.

Acer’s chromebook also has stellar battery life, so it can last a full workday without ever needing to plug into an outlet. That is easily the most frequently mentioned positive feature in nearly all reviews.

You often find lower screen resolutions with Chromebooks, but that isn’t the case with this model. If the prefer the Chrome OS over Windows, you can’t go wrong with this pick, especially for a small business.

For larger enterprises with bigger budgets, the Google Pixelbook is another high end Chromebook to consider.

Hardware specifications for Acer Chromebook Spin 13

CPU: 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8 GB RAM | Screen: 13.5″ 2256 x 1504 resolution, high brightness, LED backlit IPS technology with Corning Gorilla Glass NBT multi touch screen | Storage: 128 GB  | Operating System: Google Chrome Operating System | Battery Life: 10 hours | Weight: 3.5 pounds

Asus VivoBook – Best Laptop For Small Business 

ASUS VivoBook
Want portability and power in one package without an extremely high price tag? The Asus VivoBook should be your pick for best small business laptop if you don’t need a touch screen.

When you need power in a small package and at a budget price, the VivoBook should be high on your list of contenders. If you are buying a laptop specifically for business purposes, then of course the purchase cost is a tax write-off in the U.S.

While sporting better specs than many budget models, you still get a very high build quality here. The VivoBook features an extremely thin bezel, with a 15-inch screen packed into a 14-inch chassis.

This is also a durable model, and it comes with any port you could possibly need, from HDMI to SD to USB.

There are a few potential downsides to keep in mind here, as the lack of a touch screen. When you need a 2-in-1 display, you should check out the other contenders listed above instead.

The base model of this VivoBook features an HDD instead of a solid-state drive, although that may not matter in many small business applications. If you find the data transfer with an HDD is too slow, an upgraded version of this model with an SSD is available for an extra $100.

Reviewers frequently mention two features that may make this model less attractive to you based on some personal keyboard preferences.

The power button is built-into the keyboard and next to the delete key, which isn’t an ideal location. This model also lacks a caps lock indicator light, so you may have to tab the caps key more often than normal.

Hardware specifications for Asus VivoBook

CPU: Intel Core i7-10510U| Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce MX250 | RAM: 16 GB | Screen: 15.6 inch Full HD 4 way NanoEdge bezel display| Storage: 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD| Operating System:  Windows 10 Home| Battery Life: 8 hours | Weight: 3.97 pounds

Dell Latitude 7390 – Best Durability

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The Dell Latitude series is known for its durability and long-life. They very much like the turtles of laptops but this has a downside of them being bulky and hard to carry around. The Dell Latitude 7390 has improved on its weaknesses and is now thinner and much more easy to carry.

This is because they’re introduced a new carbon-fibre design to this laptop like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Thanks to the hardness and durability of the carbon-fibre, this laptop is now lighter yet as durable as ever. It’s resistant to shocks, extreme temperatures, and its very compact allowing it to disperse vibrations easily in its body.

For performance, the Dell Latitude 7390 features a 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8350U processor, 8GB  of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a Intel UHD Graphics 620.  These specs are good, especially with the laptops affordable price.

The only downside to the Dell Latitude 7390 has a low-travel keyboard making it harder to type which makes it less appealing as a business laptop. 

Hardware specifications for Dell Latitude 7390

CPU: 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8350U Processor, | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB RAM| Screen: 13.3″ FHD Touch Anti-Glare Display Laptop | Storage: 512GB SSD | Operating System: Window 10 Pro | Battery Life: 10 hours| Weight: 4.78 pounds

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – Most versatile

Microsoft Surface Pro 7
If you want to do many things with a single laptop, then the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is your best bet. This laptop is portable, easy to type in, has touch screen capabilities, long battery life, and most importantly, it's affordable. The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is simply an amazing all-in-one laptop that can be used for more than just business.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is a contender to the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon however its fits the category of most versatile laptop more. This is because this laptop has many different uses. It is lightweight and very portable, and it has touchscreen functioning making it easier to navigate your files and programs with a single touch. 

This also also means that you can use a stylus pen for this one and write down your documents instead of typing them. The laptop also has decently powerful specs at an affordable price. It features a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor,  16 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD, and a Iris Plus 940 graphics card.  

With these specs you can run multiple files without trouble as well as play most mid to high-end games with no problem.  Lastly, the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 has a battery life of 10 hours and 30 minutes which makes it a very convenient for travel as well.

Overall the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is an amazing business laptop that contends with the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. However its really expensive which is why the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon won in the end.

Hardware specifications for Microsoft Surface Pro 7

CPU: Core i7-1065G7 processor | Graphics: Iris Plus 940 graphics card | RAM: 16 GB| Screen:  | Storage: 512 GB SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 Home | Battery Life: 10.5 hours | Weight: 1.74 pounds

Picking The Best Laptop For Business in 2023

A local coffee shop or bakery looking to accept credit card swipes on a 2-in-1 has very different needs than an office that requires a fleet of high end computers.

Whether you only have a few hundred dollars to spend or can drop thousands on a large order of dozens of machines, there are still key features to look out for before buying a new laptop.

From physical storage space to HDMI ports for using external displays, every business laptop is going to feature pros and cons.

We can help you narrow down your choices and focus on which specific features are most critical to your business.

Form / Design

Other than choosing laptops depending on their performance or price, some businessmen are mainly looking for versatility and mobility.

Looking at form & design is one of the first factors you should be looking into if you’re interested in versatility and portability. Even if you’re not, it’s always a great idea to find a laptop with a quality and durable design, don’t you think?

Other than the weight and thickness of the laptop, the main material used to build out the laptop is important too. After you’ve looked into these main factors, checking out additional design features and style is something you should do next.

When you’re satisfied with the design and the laptop’s form, you’ll only then know if a laptop will be a good tool for your business.

Keyboard

As a businessman, you’re most likely going to use a laptop to input a lot of information, data, statistics, and others – and having a great keyboard is not only going to pay off in the long run but having a comfortable keyboard to type on is something everyone should look for.

Other than comfort, finding a keyboard that is precise, has a great key travel, is made of good material, and is well placed in the laptop is really important as it all has an impact when it comes down to the keyboard choice.

After you’ve checked out the keyboard, we even recommend you to pay attention to the trackpad, and other doing some quality tests – make sure it’s not in the way when you’re using the keyboard. Some laptops have awkwardly placed trackpads or are too large and unfortunately, won’t be a great fit for most people.

Performance

Business laptops are required to be one of the most reliable laptops out there and there’s no better way to achieve reliability than with a great configuration that works well with the laptop’s operating system.

Paying attention to configuration and components is very important since it will easily let you know what type of performance can you expect out of the laptop.

Even if you don’t know much about the laptop’s components, we highly recommend you to go with Intel processor (at least Core i3), 6 GB of RAM, and an SSD storage (in combination with HDD – if necessary).

Having a dedicated graphics card isn’t very important, but it’s something you could get in case you aren’t on a tight budget and you’re getting a high-end laptop. If you ever have to work in any visual software – you’ll be prepared.

Battery Life

You’re not always going to be around the power plugs, and you won’t always have space for your laptop’s charger in your briefcase. That’s why you should look for laptops that come with modern batteries which are able to last for at least 6 hours straight.

This will help you work from anywhere and never shift your focus off the important business tasks due to the battery level. If you’re not on a tight budget, going for a laptop that comes with all-day battery life is the best thing you can possibly do.

What’s even better is that most laptops nowadays feature a very versatile design yet still have a decent battery that can last for long and even charges super quickly.

If you’re getting a high-end laptop, we can’t stress how important is the battery life since high-end laptops will require a bit better batteries.

Storage

Every businessman will work on different projects and will have to use different software, store different type of files, but everyone will be dealing with information.

No matter what type of information you’ll be working with, you’ll need plenty of space in your laptop to store it. Thinking about the storage up front is important since you don’t want to end up upgrading later or having to get an external storage drive.

And other than paying the attention to the amount of space you’ll have on the drive, we recommend you to pay attention to the type of storage drive too. With the sleek and fast SSD’s, we can only recommend you go with an SSD, and in case you need a lot more space, you can combine it with a great HDD.

This won’t only increase the space but also the efficiency of your laptop since SSD’s are almost 4 times faster than regular HDD’s.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sets a business laptop apart from other laptops?

Security features are often more prevalent in business-class laptops. Fingerprint readers are usually featured in these models, and you can expect higher end anti-virus software to come pre-loaded. Whenever possible, be on the lookout for business laptops labeled as “signature editions.” This is industry jargon that means “no included bloatware.”

What features do I absolutely need for an office laptop?

For any office or business setting, you want high speeds and plenty of storage space with a solid state drive. If video conferencing is a major component of your weekly work schedule, make sure to check the reviews on the laptop’s webcam before buying! In terms of operating system choices, Windows 10 Pro isn’t as much of a necessity as you might imagine for most businesses.

What pitfalls should I look out for when shopping for a business notebook?

Take stock of your business software before making a buying decision. Some businesses are still using legacy software that actually run better in Window 7 or 8 with older processors. In that case, you may want to go with one of the best 2015 – 2017 business laptops instead of the latest models.

What Is the Best Laptop Brand for Business?

A lot of laptop brands have their versions of a business laptop but none of them are on the level of Lenovo. Lenovo has tons of premium business laptops that have everything a businessman or salaryman needs. Good specs, portability, and a long battery life.  

Why Are Business Laptops More Expensive?

Business laptops are generally more expensive because they feature higher than normal specs, a more durable design, as well as a longer battery life. All of this requires above average materials and higher costs to achieve.

What Is The Most Durable Laptop?

One of the most durable laptops currently on the market right now is the Dell Latitude. Just by looking at it you can tell that its very rugged and very durable. It really looks more like a miniature tank than a laptop.

This means that it can take a lot of abuse and dropping it won’t necessarily damage the laptops since Dell claims that it has been tested to resist damage from micro-drops as well as from bumping into hard surfaces.

What Laptop Is Best For Office Work?

The best laptop for office work would definitely have to be the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. It has everything you need to work effectively in the office plus its keyboards is good for typing ensuring that you get your work done ahead of time. 

Finding The Best Laptop for Work In 2023

From slim and lightweight 2-in-1 hybrids to large 17 inch models with extra ports, there’s no shortage of options when looking for the best business laptops.

Did you find the right machine for your business in our roundup of contenders? Let us know what you think of our picks, and be sure to drop a comment if you notice any better models we didn’t list here!

Article by:
Ty Arthur
After more than a decade of searching for the perfect gaming rig, Ty knows a thing or two about picking the right hardware. He'd like to share that knowledge with all of you through his work at NetbookNews.com, whether you need a business machine, college laptop, or killer gaming computer.

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