The Stuff Gadget Awards 2025: our laptops of the yr

Laptops had been one more space the place AI rose to the fore this yr. Windows 10 formally reached end-of-life on 14th October, prompting tens of millions to hitch Windows 11’s Copilot+ period.

This migration accelerated computing’s greatest transformation: AI changing into {hardware}, not simply software program. Microsoft added devoted Copilot keys to keyboards (the primary new Windows key since 1995!) while producers embedded Neural Processing Units, able to 45 trillion operations per second, into on a regular basis laptops.

The shift proved dramatic. Copilot+ PCs delivered AI options like Recall (controversial screenshot-based search), Live Captions translating 44 languages in real-time and Studio Effects for video calls.

Gaming laptops reached absurd efficiency ranges, with high-powered GPUs discovering their manner into ultra-portable chasses. DLSS 4.0 AI upscaling grew to become important moderately than optionally available, boosting body charges dramatically the place uncooked rasterization couldn’t.

Premium ultraportables advanced too, with OLED shows, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and hybrid designs balancing inventive credentials towards real gaming capabilities.

Without additional ado, let’s have a look at this yr’s finest transportable computer systems, as determined by us.

Gaming laptop computer of the yr: Razer Blade 16

Gaming laptops have at all times required compromise: choose energy or portability, however by no means each. The Razer Blade 16 obliterates that trade-off. At simply 17mm thick and over 300g lighter than its predecessor, it’s barely thicker than a MacBook Pro but someway homes Nvidia’s RTX 5090, the beefiest cell GPU cash can purchase. That’s desktop-crushing efficiency in a backpack-friendly package deal.

The 16in QHD+ OLED display hits a wonderful 240Hz and delivers excellent blacks and vibrant colors that make demanding video games look totally beautiful. Performance by no means falters: 100-200fps in Counter Strike 2, clean 60fps+ in ray-traced titles, and DLSS 4.0 working miracles on body technology. But right here’s the kicker – switching to AMD internals will get you near 10 hours of video playback and as much as seven hours of productiveness work. Even gaming stretches to a few hours.

It’s ruinously costly positive, however that is the gaming laptop computer that goes wherever and dominates every thing.

Highly recommended

Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI

The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI proves that smart cash can nonetheless purchase severe efficiency, undercutting rivals like our award-winner the Razer Blade 16 while delivering remarkably comparable grunt. Intel’s Core Ultra 9 275HX and Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti deal with every thing from Counter Strike 2 at over 150fps to ray-traced Cyberpunk 2077, with DLSS multi-frame technology pushing demanding titles previous 100fps.

The star attraction is that beautiful 16in 2560 x 1600 OLED display working at a slick 240Hz – flawless blacks, killer distinction and hues correct sufficient for inventive work. At just below 20mm thick and a pair of.3kg, it’s fairly transportable too, with connectivity that shames pricier rivals: rear-mounted energy and HDMI, twin USB-C, three USB-A ports and Ethernet. 

Sure, the blended supplies can’t match metallic unibody builds, and battery life sits round 5 hours for desktop work. But whenever you’re getting this a lot laptop computer for this a lot money, these are compromises value making.

Razer Blade 14 (2025)

Like its award-winning 16in large brother, Razer’s 2025 version of the Blade 14 balances energy and portability like a attraction. A 1.6kg pocket book with Nvidia RTX 5070 graphics is a few achievement, even when its 650g energy brick (mandatory when the GPU alone guzzles 100W+) provides numerous additional heft.

It’s a spectacular performer. AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 365 delivers 50% extra processing energy than Intel options, while that 14in 120Hz OLED display exploits each body superbly. Cyberpunk 2077 hit 130fps in our assessments, with visible settings that depart rivals struggling to get 30fps. Razer’s design decisions impress too: per-key RGB lighting, an enormous glass touchpad, a very good 1080p webcam and really succesful audio system.

There are drawbacks to its high-performance method, with followers getting loud underneath load and battery life barely reaching eight hours for gentle work – advantageous for gaming {hardware}, disappointing for an ultraportable. But it’s among the finest transportable gaming machines on the planet.

Mainstream laptop computer of the yr: Lenovo Chromebook 14 Plus

The Lenovo Chromebook 14 Plus is the best Chrome OS laptop computer in years, and proof that premium design and efficiency don’t require a restrictive price ticket. With its elegant, light-weight all-aluminium chassis, this machine seems and feels considerably costlier than its price ticket would recommend.

The centrepiece is the distinctive 14in show. Delivering a crisp 2.5K decision, a productivity-friendly 16:10 facet ratio and a slinky clean 120Hz refresh charge, it gives an expertise often reserved for high-end laptops. This visible feast is backed up by a remarkably succesful quad-speaker audio system.

Powered by a contemporary Intel Core processor and the seamless velocity of Chrome OS, the 14 Plus effortlessly handles multitasking and gives wonderful 10-hour battery life. For college students, residence customers and anybody who depends on cloud-based work, the Chromebook 14 Plus is an undisputed champion, delivering a high-end expertise with out compromise. This is likely to be the perfect Google-powered laptop computer on the planet.

Highly recommended

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus

The Galaxy Chromebook Plus deserves recognition for the best way it units new requirements for premium Chrome OS laptops. Samsung has crafted a very elegant ultraportable, beginning with a beautiful 15.6in AMOLED show that delivers excellent distinction and dynamic colors that make media pop.

This beautiful visible expertise is paired with a top-quality featherlight metallic chassis in a particular Neptune Blue end. Beneath this slimline shell, the highly effective Intel Core 5 CPU and 8GB of RAM guarantee ample efficiency and multi-tasking capabilities, backed up by dependable all-day battery life.

The Galaxy Chromebook Plus additional impressed us with its deep integration of Google’s Gemini AI, providing sensible instruments for writing and summarising. While its excessive price ticket locations it in a price tier above extra budget-friendly competitors – a pity contemplating it lacks a 120Hz show – it goes a good distance in the direction of justifying the fee by delivering top-tier {hardware} in a beautiful package deal.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3X Gen 10

Affordable laptops often resort to utilizing yesterday’s tech, however Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 3X rides the leading edge as an alternative. The Snapdragon X chipset brings real AI capabilities and noteworthy battery effectivity – we received almost 16 hours of YouTube streaming out of it earlier than reaching for the cable.

The design retains issues sensible. A metallic lid provides a cultured contact to the otherwise-plastic physique, the reliable keyboard features a NUM pad and the 15in anti-glare display foxes reflections successfully. Connectivity impresses too, with HDMI, twin USB-A, USB-C plus a full-size SD slot.

Compromises exist after all: the touchpad feels plasticky, the webcam has an outdated 720p decision and the audio system are fully devoid of bass. Most considerably, display color saturation disappoints – deep reds and greens merely don’t render correctly. But anticipating miracles at this value misses the purpose, which is that the IdeaPad delivers latest-generation processing energy with excellent battery life, all for relative peanuts.

Also shortlisted

Acer Aspire 14 AI, Framework Laptop 13

Premium laptop computer of the yr: Apple MacBook Air (M4, 2025)

The MacBook Air stays the on a regular basis laptop computer to beat, much more so now with its cheaper beginning value. The M4 chip delivers a strong efficiency enhance over the M3, with single-core speeds that outpace just about every thing else in the marketplace. But the true headline? Apple lastly ditched that miserly 8GB base RAM for 16GB minimal – important for anybody working professional software program.

Full twin exterior show help now works with out closing the lid. The 224ppi LED show stays attractive, battery life stretches to fifteen hours of intensive use, and at simply 1.13cm thick it’s one of many slenderest laptops round. 

The elephant within the room? Upgrade prices. Need greater than base RAM or storage? Prepare for a painful value enhance. The design hasn’t advanced since 2022 both. But for on a regular basis work on the base spec, nothing else comes near this mix of energy, portability and value.

Highly recommended

Asus Zenbook A14

At simply 990g, the Asus Zenbook A14 is so skinny and light-weight you’ll genuinely overlook it’s in your bag. But this featherweight ain’t fragile: Ceraluminum building delivers MIL-STD-810H sturdiness. More impressively, Asus hasn’t sacrificed connectivity for slimness, packing in full-size HDMI, two USB4 Type-Cs and USB-A – no dongle required right here.

Battery life astounds. Snapdragon X silicon paired with a 70Whr cell delivers 17 to 19 hours of desktop work and mid-20s for video streaming. That’s two full working days between fees. The 1920 x 1200 OLED display provides excellent blacks and 100% DCI-P3 color protection, while the 1.3mm key journey retains typing snug regardless of the svelte dimensions.

The entry-grade Snapdragon CPU exhibits its limits with sustained workloads like video modifying, and the 60Hz show feels dated when rivals provide 120Hz. You’re paying a premium for max portability too. But for travelling employees prioritising weight and endurance over uncooked energy, that is the ultraportable to beat.

Apple MacBook Pro (M4, 2024)

The MacBook Pro M4 is nearly embarrassingly highly effective: Cinebench single-core efficiency is world-beating, while multi-core outcomes solely path precise server chips. The M4 Pro’s 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU tear by way of 4K video modifying, with SSD write speeds surpassing 6500MB/s. Yet the followers barely spin up throughout demanding work, and battery life stretches far past a full working day.

That beautiful mini-LED show delivers 1600-nit brightness with ProMovement’s variable refresh, while connectivity impresses: three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, SD card reader and MagSafe. The 16in mannequin’s 100Wh battery makes charger nervousness a factor of the previous.

Thing is, you most likely don’t want this a lot energy. The MacBook Air M4 handles on a regular basis duties comfortably, making the Pro overkill until you’re commonly rendering movies or working digital machines. Upgrades are extortionate too, so rising RAM and storage hurts. But for true energy customers who want Pro-level efficiency, this powerhouse will final years.

Also shortlisted

Dell XPS 13 (9350), Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura version, Asus Zenbook Pro 14 OLED