The best laptops of summer 2024 - 61 reviewed laptops compared

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9 16 achieved a very high top rating of 91.7 per cent (v7). The Yoga Pro 9 can be classed as an allrounder that is just as happy when editing image and video materials as it is running games or undertaking office jobs. Fitted with a fast RTX 4050, the Yoga is more of an entry-level gamer and it doesn't feature an OLED screen but nevertheless, its installed IPS panel still did very well in our test and even when it comes to its CPU performance, the laptop delivered first-class results. Its runtimes of up to 9 hours are impressive and its speakers sound good, too. The Yoga Pro 9 isn't cheap, coming in at US$1,699.99.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x G4 also still completed our tests using the old v7 rating, managing a very good total score of 90.1 per cent. The compact and robust 13.5-inch laptop is primarily intended for mobile users who are looking to use their device on the go. Weighing only 1.2 kilograms, the ThinkBook 13x ran for over 11 hours during our practical test. Its bright display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a matte surface is well-suited for professional applications. The laptop retails for US$1,106.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T16 G2 AMD is aimed at professional users who use their device intensively every day—mostly for office and web applications. The laptop comes in several variants, so you can customize the laptop to fit your specific needs. Our test version with an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and a WUXGA low-power display achieved great runtimes of up to 11 hours during our practical test, is fitted with a familiar robust case made from carbon and magnesium, features a very good keyboard, and manages to run silently for the most part. Price: from around US$1,080.

The HP Envy x360 2-in-1 14-fc took fourth place with 89.2 per cent and thus managed the best score using our new v8 rating so far. The Envy is a mobile all-rounder that supports a range of different application scenarios, particularly thanks to its convertible design with a foldable display. The laptop impressed us with its build quality, its high-quality 120 Hz OLED display and its largely silent operation. Price: Around US$1,140 for the OLED version but with an IPS display, the Envy costs slightly less.

The MateBook X Pro 2024 is no less than the flagship laptop in Huawei's current portfolio. A 14.2-inch OLED display with a 1,200-nit brightness meets a magnesium case weighing just 980 grams. The result is impressive: Its screen looks great, its keyboard is also a success and its system performance is high. The device costs just under US$3,600.

Alienware's x16 R2 recently received the Meteor Lake update and with it came the ability to support AI tasks at chip level. Its power consumption is now slightly lower as well. The Alienware x16 R2 is available in numerous configurations—you can choose from different displays, processors and GPUs up to an RTX 4090. The entry-level configuration can be found from US$2,100 from Dell.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2in1 G9, so the convertible version of the X1 flagship series, has recently been given an entirely new case from Lenovo. In any case, an active stylus—which you can also connect magnetically to the device—is now included as standard. Its new touchpad with haptic feedback did well during our test but at the same time, it put the trackpad at a slight disadvantage when it came to its operation. Aside from its keyboard, the OLED display and high-resolution webcam are similarly first-class. The version we tested with an OLED display currently costs US$3,456.

The last laptop to achieve an overall rating of Very Good during the period under review is the Asus ProArt P16—which it even managed using our new v8 rating. The laptop with a generous 16-inch display is primarily aimed at creative workers, aka creators, who rely on a balanced combination of CPU and GPU performance as well as an excellent display. AMD's brand-new Ryzen AI 9 HX CPU is able to unleash its potential in this device in combination with the RTX 4070 from Nvidia, while its 4K OLED screen fits just as well into the laptop's overall package—but this comes at a price. The configuration with an RTX 4070 costs US$2,699.99.

Based on our test results during the period under review, we carried out an editorial vote among the senior authors and then presented the Editors' Choice Award. Special awards are given to those laptops that stand out due to their successful overall package, absolute top performance in special evaluation areas, or a particularly good price-to-performance ratio, representing an attractive purchase option for our editors in the respective category.

There are no surprises when it comes to the laptop's other features. Our test device's low-power WUXGA display is a fitting choice to match the rest of its hardware, its case is robust as usual, its keyboard ensures you won't have to reach for external solutions and the T14s isn't missing anything when it comes to its connectivity either.

The version we tested with a Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 32 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD currently costs US$1,590 on Amazon. Variants with 512 GB of storage are also occasionally listed at a slightly lower price.

Please note: Commercial use of the award graphics may require a license. Further details can be found here.

The table above shows all the laptops we tested during the period under review with their overall and partial ratings from our detailed test as well as a selection of important parameters and benchmarks. All results and details can be found in the linked reviews. 
The table can be sorted in each column, simply click on the respective column title, for example “Weight”.