Laptops come in so many sizes, configurations and levels of performance. Here’s how we help you find the right computer for your needs.
We’ll only recommend appliances you’ll love to own, that work well and keep working well for a long time.
Our lifetime score combines test performance (how well the laptop works) with predicted reliability (how likely models from the brand are to remain fault-free) and owner satisfaction (how likely owners of the brand are to be very satisfied).
Performance
Our independent lab testing measures a laptop’s quality when it’s new. It forms a core part of our overall score because a slow or poorly-designed computer isn’t going to get good, long-term use.
Design and ease of use is our most important subscore, covering:
build quality, balance and comfort in your lap
heat generated and noise from the fan
quality of the keyboard and touchpad (and touchscreen, if applicable)
physical connectivity, including USB and HDMI ports
audio quality.
Processing speed measures performance during both CPU and graphical processing tasks using the benchmarking tool Geekbench 5. We also test storage speeds (both reading and writing) and WiFi speed.
Display includes colour accuracy, brightness and contrast, angles of view and surface reflections.
As part of our test, we also check how much of the claimed storage space is actually available to the user, as well as measuring weights and dimensions.
Battery life
This score reflects how long the battery lasts while playing an HD-quality video on loop, with high screen brightness and WiFi connected. It also covers the time required to recharge the battery.
Laptop battery life is important. Batteries have a finite number of recharges before they degrade, so a shorter cycle means less total use before the battery needs replacing. Because many manufacturers make that hard to do, some owners choose to throw out the whole computer. Either way, a long battery cycle means you don’t have to make that decision as quickly.
Predicted reliability
It’s reasonable to expect a new laptop to remain fault-free for five years. Our predicted reliability ratings won’t tell you whether a laptop will stop working tomorrow, but it does show which brands make models that are less likely to fail.
Brand satisfaction
A big purchase should never be a source of buyer regret. Laptops with satisfied owners are more likely to remain in service for a long time, rather than being swapped out for a shiny new model after a couple of years.
Survey data
In our reliability and satisfaction surveys, consumers tell us about faults that have left a product they own unusable or mean they’ve had to change how they use it. We also ask them how satisfied they are with the product. We use this data to produce our predicted reliability and brand satisfaction scores.
We use a statistical test to rate the relative performance of each brand. Compared to data we have for all products of the same type in the survey, we rate each brand with highest, high, average, low or lowest for reliability and satisfaction, respectively.
You can compare the rating of different brands for the same product type (for example, the reliability rating of ASUS and HP laptops), but you can’t compare the results for different product types (for example, satisfaction of Acer laptops and Apple speakers).
We analyse brands that get at least 30 responses in our survey. That means there are some brands we can’t analyse because we don’t have enough data. For those brands, we assume they have average reliability and satisfaction.
Our data is based on 3,009 responses from owners of laptops in our 2026 survey.
Why we test tablets
The line between laptop and tablet is blurrier than ever, now that many laptops have fold-back or detachable screens. To capture the crossover, we include some high end tablets in the laptops test. We always test a tablet with its official keyboard case, and include the cost of the case in the price we give.
