Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses are encouraging their employees to work from home. This new way of working has become surprisingly effective but does require workers to source good laptops for remote work.

Choosing the ideal work laptop depends on many factors. One of these is the type of job you do. Those with creative jobs, such as graphic designers, will need a powerful processor, whereas remote workers who teach or attend virtual meetings may want to consider the webcam quality.

Regardless of what type of work you do or where you do your job, it's important to find a suitable laptop that meets your demands.

Here are the best laptops for working from home.

Our Top Laptops for Remote Work in 2023

Side shot of Dell XPS 15 with colorful screensaver
Dell XPS 15
Best Overall

A Revered Choice for Remote Work

The Dell XPS 15 is an excellent choice for remote workers, offering a lightweight design, powerful performance, and a high-quality display and speakers. While its battery life may not be the strongest, it remains a superior option for those working from home with reliable access to power.

Pros
  • Powerful processor
  • Thin and lightweight
  • Excellent build quality
  • Satisfying keyboard
  • High-quality speakers
Cons
  • 720p webcam
  • Average battery life

The Dell XPS 15 is a superior choice for those working from home. It's lightweight, has a powerful processor, a vibrant screen, and exceptionally high-quality speakers.

The Intel Core i7 processor and 1TB SSD storage can handle tasks demanded by most jobs using CPU-intensive apps. Architects and engineers, for example, will be confident with its performance thanks to the generous 64GB of RAM and 8-core processor. At the same time, writers will enjoy its excellent keyboard and love the large and accurate trackpad.

The display is vibrant and suitable for indoor and outdoor use. However, those needing color accuracy should know it has an average Delta E grade. Therefore, it may not be ideal for photographers, graphic designers, etc.

While the Dell XPS 15 is undoubtedly a powerhouse, it doesn't boast a particularly strong battery. It is okay if you work from your kitchen and have access to a steady power supply, but it could be a problem for digital nomads living somewhere with an unreliable supply or anyone living in a disaster-prone area.

The vibrant display of the MacBook Pro 16.2-inch M2 Pro
MacBook Pro 16.2-Inch M2 Pro
Best MacBook

Mighty M2 Power

The MacBook Pro, powered by the M2 Pro chip, excels as a reliable and versatile tool for remote work. Its powerful performance combined with a sleek design, lightweight build, and impressive battery life makes it an ideal choice for remote professionals seeking a high-quality device to enhance productivity in any work environment.

Pros
  • Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
  • Up to 22-hour battery life
  • Outstanding sound and picture quality
  • 1080p webcam
  • Sleek design and lightweight
Cons
  • Lacks a USB-A port

While the M2 Max chip is more powerful than the already mighty M2 Pro, it’s probably overkill for most of us. Professional photographers, video editors, graphic designers, and the like may well benefit from the Max chip. For the rest of us, the M2 Pro has plenty of power with its 12 CPU cores, 19 GPU cores, and up to 16GB of unified memory, and it will save a few bucks in the process. These specs plus 1TB of storage should satisfy most professionals. But it’s a highly customizable machine, and you can get up to 32GB of unified memory and a colossal 8TB of SSD storage should you require it.

With a robust yet lightweight aluminum enclosure, the build quality of this device is outstanding. Its sleek design and manageable weight make it an excellent option for remote workers, while the impressive battery performance caters to both on-the-go professionals and remote workers seeking a change of scenery from the kitchen.

After a long day, you can also indulge yourself by unwinding with the MacBook Pro. Whether you're engrossed in Apple TV, connecting with friends on FaceTime, or simply browsing the web, the immersive 16-inch display and exceptional audio quality make it difficult to resist bedtime.

A Lenovo16-Inch IdeaPad 5
Lenovo16-Inch IdeaPad 5
Best Value

An Affordable Laptop for Remote Workers

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is a budget-friendly laptop ideal for working from home. With its affordable price and features tailored for productivity, it offers a suitable solution for professionals seeking an efficient and cost-effective option for their remote work needs.

Pros
  • Good battery life for the price
  • Durable design
  • High-quality display
  • Sound everyday performance
  • Affordable
Cons
  • 720p webcam
  • Unsuitable for very demanding workloads

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is an affordable laptop suitable for various types of remote work. It comes equipped with a Ryzen 5 processor, AMD Radeon RX Vega6 GPU, and a 512GB SSD. Additionally, its 8GB of RAM provides sufficient memory for office and administrative tasks. It can also handle content creation activities like basic graphic design and photo or video editing when using entry-level software. Additionally, most online educators will find the laptop to be fit for their purposes. However, you may want to opt for an external webcam if the built-in 720p camera does not meet your requirements.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 features a stunning 16-inch QHD IPS display, providing a resolution of 2560x1440p. Its color accuracy and clarity enhance the visual experience, while the anti-glare energy-efficient IPS micro-edge LED screen ensures comfortable viewing in various lighting conditions. The keyboard is backlit for those working into the night, while it also offers a plethora of ports, including USB types A and C and HDMI.

Despite its affordable price, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 offers exceptional build quality. Combined with its slim design and impressive battery life of up to ten hours, you can see why this laptop is a favored option among remote workers on a budget.

An HP Spectre 16-Inch x360 2-in-1 laptop
HP Spectre 16-Inch x360
Best 2-in-1

2-in-1 Versatility and Convenience

The HP Spectre x360 is an ideal choice for remote work with its versatile 2-in-1 design. Its adaptability allows seamless switching between laptop and tablet modes, providing flexibility to accommodate various work styles. With its practicality and functionality, the HP Spectre x360 offers a reliable and efficient solution for professionals working from home.

 

Pros
  • Multi-touch capability
  • Good selection of ports
  • Up to 17 hours of battery life
  • Fingerprint reader
  • Backlit keyboard
Cons
  • Onboard RAM

The 16-inch HP Spectre x360 combines convenience and power, making it one of the top choices for a versatile 2-in-1 laptop. With its powerful 14-core i7-12700H CPU, it effortlessly handles various tasks. Moreover, its flexible design lets you switch between laptop, tablet, tent, and stand modes. You can do everyday remote work duties in tablet or tent mode, while you can place it in stand mode after your shift and indulge in entertainment on the gorgeous 3K+ IPS display.

With its powerful processor combined with 16GB of RAM, Iris Xe Graphics, and a spacious 1TB SSD, this laptop is suitable for a wide range of remote work. However, you may benefit from a higher RAM capacity if you frequently work with CPU-intensive applications. If so, you should note that the x360’s RAM is onboard and can’t be upgraded.

It conveniently comes with the MPP2.0 Tilt Pen. It’s a perfect accessory for those who take notes by hand when attending virtual meetings or for anyone working in the creative industries. The pen's battery has a long life, so you can feel confident it will last for the entirety of any task.

A MacBook Air 13.6-Inch with M2 chip
MacBook Air 13.6-Inch M2
Best Midrange

A Mighty Midrange MacBook

The MacBook Air M2 strikes a balance between affordability and performance, making it an attractive midrange option for remote workers. With its suitability for working from home, this laptop offers a reliable and cost-effective solution to enhance productivity and meet the needs of professionals away from the office.

Pros
  • Stylish, slim, and lightweight
  • Beautiful display
  • Excellent battery life
  • 1080p webcam
Cons
  • Lack of convenient ports

While the MacBook Pro is an altogether more powerful lineup given its M2 Pro and Max processors, the MacBook Air M2 is a perfectly usable and more cost-effective option for remote workers. With a unified memory of 8GB and a 256 SSD, the MacBook Air M2 packs plenty of room for everyday tasks and functions. This model is the 13.6-inch version, but it’s also available with a 15.3-inch display if you require more screen real estate. You can also configure your Mac at an extra cost to a more powerful device with up to 24GB of unified memory and a 1TB SSD.

The Liquid Retina Display is stunning and ensures the laptop doubles as an excellent option for watching content. The colors are vibrant and natural, and it can pump out a peak brightness of 500 nits. Additionally, the webcam has finally been given a significant upgrade. Your video calls and conferences will be crystal clear thanks to its 1080p resolution, while the three-mic array and four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio ensure your voice is crystal-clear.

With an 18-hour battery life, remote workers can freely choose to work outside their kitchens without the hassle of finding a power source. Its super-slim and lightweight design also means you can transport it to and from your home office with little trouble.

Razer Book 13 01
Razer Book 13
Best Gaming Hybrid

A Remote Work and Gaming Hybrid

The Razer Book 13 is a versatile laptop that excels in both remote work and gaming pursuits. With its strong performance for work-from-home tasks and the option to add an eGPU for gaming, it offers a balanced solution for those seeking productivity and leisure in one device.

 

Pros
  • Excellent design and build quality
  • Impressive 4K display
  • RGB lit keyboard
  • 16:10 edge-to-edge lit display
  • Excellent multi-core performance
Cons
  • Average file-transfer performance
  • Unsuitable for serious gaming without the eGPU

Although Razer Books are usually for gamers, the Razer Book 13 deserves mention as a suitable laptop for working from home. It is Razer's first laptop intended for work productivity. It boasts an Intel Core i7-1165G7 4-Core processor, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD storage. Additionally, the 13.4-inch touch display is UHD+ and simply looks stunning.

However, for those remote-working gamers out there, never fear—you can fit the Razer Book 13 with an eGPU, such as the Razer Core X, which will convert it into a laptop you can use for work and gaming in your spare time. The major downfall, though, is that a good eGPU doesn't come cheap, and for digital nomads, it will add considerable weight and take up more space in your luggage.

The Razer Book 13 alone has a good enough performance for working from home, so it is one traveling remote workers can consider. If you tend not to travel so much, you can use the eGPU for gaming and work productivity.

An Acer Aspire 5 (A515-45-R74Z model) laptop
Acer Aspire 5 (A515-45-R74Z)
Most Affordable

Everyday Affordable Performance


The Acer Aspire 5 is an affordable option ideal for budget-conscious remote workers. With its competitive price point and suitability for many types of remote work, it offers a cost-effective solution without compromising on essential functionality.

Pros
  • Cheap
  • Good display
  • Decent battery life
  • Plenty of ports
Cons
  • Dim display
  • 720p webcam

The Acer Aspire 5 is another affordable option suitable for budget-conscious remote workers. While it may not be the most powerful laptop on the market, its AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Hexa-Core Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and AMD Radeon graphics card make it a worthwhile investment. Whether you do online teaching, content writing, data analyzing, or many other types of work, the Acer Aspire 5 will serve you well.

It has a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with strong color saturation that makes media content shine during your downtime. It doesn’t get particularly bright but is still sufficient when working the night shift, although you’ll need to position it away from glaring light. It’s stylish to the point that it resembles a MacBook and is slim and lightweight. It also has an 8-hour battery life, plenty for when you want to take your work away from home, and a decent choice of ports. These include USB-A, C, and HDMI.

All in all, the Acer Aspire 5 isn’t a game-changer in terms of performance, but it certainly suffices and may even surprise when considering its excellent price point.

What to Consider When Buying a Laptop for Working from Home

When choosing your laptop for remote work, it all comes down to the type of job you do. If you are a writer, office administrator, or similar, a budget laptop with suitable specs will likely do. You’ll want at least 8GB of RAM and a decent processor. Storage is also something to consider, although you can keep all your files backed up elsewhere. Budget laptops like the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 or the Acer Aspire 5 also suffice for online teachers and video conferencing. However, their webcams usually fall into the 720p class, which is sufficient enough, but you may want to consider a laptop with a 1080p webcam.

The MacBook Pro M2 Pro has a quality webcam, but it also boasts power for those that need it. Architects, software developers, and such need more performance, and the M2 Pro covers the needs of most professionals. However, for even more oomph, you could consider the M2 Max chip.

Yet, the Dell XPS 15 is a laptop that is renowned for all types of remote work. It’s a robust all-purpose laptop that not only provides power and performance for your day job but it’s also an excellent choice for your downtime entertainment.

Side shot of Dell XPS 15 with colorful screensaver
Dell XPS 15
Best Overall

A Revered Choice for Remote Work

The Dell XPS 15 is an excellent choice for remote workers, offering a lightweight design, powerful performance, and a high-quality display and speakers. While its battery life may not be the strongest, it remains a superior option for those working from home with reliable access to power.

Pros
  • Powerful processor
  • Thin and lightweight
  • Excellent build quality
  • Satisfying keyboard
  • High-quality speakers
Cons
  • 720p webcam
  • Average battery life