Weve tested over 30 laptops in the past year. Here are the 12 best for 2026.

What is the best laptop for 2026?

My answer ultimately boils down to your operating system preference: Windows or macOS?

As of January 2026, I think the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) is the best MacBook for most people. It's a sleek-as-ever notebook featuring impressive performance, open-lid support for two external displays, a great 12MP Center Stage camera, and an extremely reasonable starting price of $1,199 (making it $100 cheaper than its M3 predecessor).

The best Windows...