Amazon’s latest Prime Day sale includes a handful of deals on notebooks we like, from MacBooks to Chromebooks to gaming laptops. Prime Day usually brings decent laptop sales, but the biggest downside is that your only options are the configurations that Amazon offers. There's usually good variety, but we still recommend going directly to your manufacturer of choice if you want to spec out your new machine precisely. But for those who are comfortable picking up a pre-configured model, here are the best Prime Day laptop deals we could find this year.

Apple MacBook Air M2 (15-inch)

The 15.3-inch version of Apple’s MacBook Air M2 is down to $1,399 for a configuration with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. That’s a modest $50 drop from its usual price on Amazon, but the notebook only just arrived last month, and it's $100 less than buying from Apple directly. The M2 Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and we gave it a review score of 96 in June. It checks just about all the requisite boxes for a mainstream notebook, with a thin and light design, bright and accurate display, comfortable keyboard, long-lasting battery, and more than enough performance for everyday use. This 15-inch model has all the same benefits of the prior 13-inch model, but adds a more powerful speaker system and slightly upgraded GPU alongside the bigger screen.

Apple MacBook Air M1

The M1 MacBook Air released back in 2020, but it remains a worthy option if you want a Mac for light work and web browsing for as little cash as possible. The entry-level configuration is now on sale for $750, which is a new low. Apple sells this device for $999, though we’ve seen it go for $799 for most of the past few months. This model’s keyboard, trackpad, display and battery life continue to impress, and the quiet M1 chip is still fast enough for the essentials. This configuration is strictly for casual use, though, as it only has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. You’ll have to live with a more basic 720p webcam, too, and you’ll miss out on the improved speakers and slimmer bezels of the M2 model. We gave the M1 Air a review score of 94 at launch.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023)

While the MacBook Air is more than enough laptop for most, the MacBook Pro should appeal to creatives who need more power for serious media editing. As of this writing, the 14.2-inch Pro with an M2 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD is available for $1,799. We've seen it go for $50 less in the past, but if you don't want to wait for another sale, this is still $200 cheaper than buying from Apple direct. Apart from the faster internals, the Pro’s mini-LED display can get brighter than the Air for HDR content, plus it has a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother motion. There’s also a wider port selection, including three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port and an SDXC card reader. There’s no USB-A port, though, and the chassis is thicker and heavier. We reviewed this notebook back in January and gave it a score of 92.

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023)

A similar configuration of the 16-inch MacBook Pro is available for $2,299. Again, this isn't an all-time low, but it's about $75 lower than this model's average street price in recent months and $200 off Apple's MSRP. Compared to its smaller counterpart, the 16-inch Pro is rated for a few more hours of battery life, and the base config here has a slightly beefier CPU and GPU.

Acer Chromebook C423

This Acer Chromebook with a Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage is down to a new low of $180 for Prime Day. Acer makes some of our favorite Chromebooks, and while you can find more powerful models, this C423 laptop should work well if you plan on using the machine for web browsing, email checking and other simple tasks. If you'd rather invest in a strong Chromebook, this Prime Day sale also includes the Acer Chromebook Spin 314 with a Pentium processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $339.

Acer Nitro 5

The Acer Nitro 5 is the runner up pick in our guide to the best budget gaming laptops, and right now a configuration with a Core i5-12500H, GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 144Hz 1080p display, 16GB of RAM and 512GB is available for $780. That’s a new low and roughly $120 off this model’s typical street price. This is a chunky plastic machine, and you’ll need to ratchet down the settings in certain games to hit a decent frame rate. But getting a 144Hz display and enough power to keep up with modern games is a plus at this price. As an affordable yet competent entry point to PC gaming, it’s a fine value.

Razer Blade 15

A configuration of the Razer Blade 15 with a Core i7-12800H processor, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 240Hz QHD display, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD is down to $1,923 for Prime Day. That’s about $375 off its usual street price in recent months. We gave the Blade 15 a review score of 86 last year, and we currently recommend it as a premium pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops. This config is a 2022 model – the latest version is largely a spec bump – but it’ll still be powerful enough to play most modern games at high settings and frame rates, particularly with DLSS. The main reason to pay the premium for any Blade laptop, though, is because it packs that power in a slim and premium-feeling aluminum design. Just note that it can run hot, and that its battery life is fairly short.

If you want a larger 17-inch display, a version of the Blade 17 with similar specs is available for $2,000. The smaller Blade 14, meanwhile, is more modestly discounted at $2,300 for a 2022 config with a Ryzen 9 6900HX, RTX 3080 Ti and 165Hz display.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

Intel is bowing out of making its own mini PCs. The chip designer has confirmed to Engadget that it's ending its "direct investment" in its Next Unit of Compute (NUC) business. Instead, the company will rethink its approach to help partners foster the NUC PC market. The firm will honor its existing commitments, including support for NUC systems already in customers' hands.

The company doesn't explain why it's ending production of first-party NUC machines. However, there's little doubt the company is reeling from a bleak computer market prompted by both a rough economy and the early pandemic surge in sales. Intel's revenue has plunged by more than a third in the past two quarters, and its PC-oriented Client Computing Group has been one of the worst-hit divisions. As ServeTheHomenotes, a move like this lets Intel offload a non-essential business and focus on making chips. The company sold its server business to MiTAC earlier this year.

Intel launched the first NUC in 2013 as a tiny, barebones PC kit meant to showcase both the latest processors as well as the possibilities for compact desktops. Over time, they evolved into more complete systems with robust performance and, in some later incarnations, dedicated GPUs. You could use them at home, but they also had a following in business — they were useful for compute clusters and other situations where size and simplicity mattered.

The NUC faced a number of challenges, however. While some models were better-suited to gaming and other demanding tasks, it became a challenge to stuff increasingly power-hungry CPUs and GPUs into compact cases. Intel also faced increasingly stiff competition. In the home market, the Mac mini is arguably the best-known mini computer. At work, brands like Dell and Lenovo offer more flexible configurations and stronger support for the corporate crowd. Simply put, there's not as much reason for the NUC to exist as there was a decade ago.

Amazon’s latest Prime Day sale includes a handful of deals on notebooks we like, from MacBooks to Chromebooks to gaming laptops. We still recommend buying directly from your manufacturer of choice if you want to spec out your new machine, but if you’re OK with buying a pre-configured model, here are the best Prime Day laptop deals we can find. Note that you'll need to be an Amazon Prime member to see some of the discounts. 

Apple MacBook Air M2 (15-inch)

The 15.3-inch version of Apple’s MacBook Air M2 is down to $1,399 for a configuration with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. That’s a modest $50 drop from its usual price on Amazon, but the notebook only just arrived last month, and it's $100 less than buying from Apple directly. The M2 Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and we gave it a review score of 96 in June. It checks just about all the requisite boxes for a mainstream notebook, with a thin and light design, bright and accurate display, comfortable keyboard, long-lasting battery, and more than enough performance for everyday use. This 15-inch model has all the same benefits of the prior 13-inch model, but adds a more powerful speaker system and slightly upgraded GPU alongside the bigger screen.

Apple MacBook Air M1

The M1 MacBook Air released back in 2020, but it remains a worthy option if you want a Mac for light work and web browsing for as little cash as possible. The entry-level configuration is now on sale for $750, which is a new low. Apple sells this device for $999, though we’ve seen it go for $799 for most of the past few months. This model’s keyboard, trackpad, display and battery life continue to impress, and the quiet M1 chip is still fast enough for the essentials. This configuration is strictly for casual use, though, as it only has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. You’ll have to live with a more basic 720p webcam, too, and you’ll miss out on the improved speakers and slimmer bezels of the M2 model. We gave the M1 Air a review score of 94 at launch.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is down to $469 for a version with a Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. That’s a new low and about $150 less than usual. If you’re willing to trade some power for a more premium look and feel, the Surface Laptop Go 2’s lightweight frame is nicer than most laptops we see in this price range. Its battery life is strong, too. The specs here are only suitable for lighter use, and the 12.4-inch, 1,536 x 1,024 resolution display is short of full HD. There’s no keyboard backlight, either. But those shortcomings should be easier to accept at this price. We gave the Surface Laptop Go 2 a score of 86 last year and highlight it in our guide to the best cheap Windows laptops.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

The 15-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is down to $1,680 for a high-end model with a Core i7-1255U, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. That’s about $370 below its typical street price. We can’t say this is the best Windows laptop you can buy, as the port selection is lacking, the 720p webcam is mediocre and there are more performant notebooks in this price range. Still, the slim and tasteful design, crisp 3:2 display, and respectable battery keep this a fine general-purpose option for those who like the Surface design language. We reviewed the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 5 late last year, giving it a score of 83.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

The Surface Pro 9 is the top Windows pick in our tablet buying guide, and a configuration that includes a Core i7-1255U processor, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD is now on sale for $1,600. Clearly, that’s not cheap, but it’s $300 off this model's recent street price and represents the lowest price we’ve tracked for this variant. You probably know where you stand on the Surface Pro at this point: It’s still not particularly comfortable to use on your lap, but it remains the gold standard for 2-in-1s that behave and perform like a laptop more than a traditional tablet. While this version isn’t a huge shake-up, it should be a nice bump for those upgrading from a three- to five-year-old model. Just note that this deal doesn’t include a keyboard or stylus.

Acer Nitro 5

The Acer Nitro 5 is the runner up pick in our guide to the best budget gaming laptops, and right now a configuration with a Core i5-12500H, GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 144Hz 1080p display, 16GB of RAM and 512GB is available for $780. That’s a new low and roughly $120 off this model’s typical street price. This is a chunky plastic machine, and you’ll need to ratchet down the settings in certain games to hit a decent frame rate. But getting a 144Hz display and enough power to keep up with modern games is a plus at this price. As an affordable yet competent entry point to PC gaming, it’s a fine value.

Razer Blade 15

A configuration of the Razer Blade 15 with a Core i7-12800H processor, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 240Hz QHD display, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD is down to $1,923 for Prime Day. That’s about $375 off its usual street price in recent months. We gave the Blade 15 a review score of 86 last year, and we currently recommend it as a premium pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops. This config is a 2022 model – the latest version is largely a spec bump – but it’ll still be powerful enough to play most modern games at high settings and frame rates, particularly with DLSS. The main reason to pay the premium for any Blade laptop, though, is because it packs that power in a slim and premium-feeling aluminum design. Just note that it can run hot, and that its battery life is fairly short.

If you want a larger 17-inch display, a version of the Blade 17 with similar specs is available for $2,000. The smaller Blade 14, meanwhile, is more modestly discounted at $2,300 for a 2022 config with a Ryzen 9 6900HX, RTX 3080 Ti and 165Hz display.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

One of the best things about the Windows PC landscape is the sheer amount of diversity. Laptops range from tiny 8-inch handhelds to huge 18-inch (or larger) gaming behemoths and beyond. And if there’s a specific feature (like a touchscreen or stylus input) that you really need, there’s a great chance you’ll be able to find it on a notebook that works for you. However, that abundance of choice can also make it difficult to know where to start when shopping. And before you even begin to search, it’s critical that you consider what you’re planning to do with your new laptop. If your main focus is on general productivity, a sleek ultraportable is all you need. But if you’re looking to edit photos and videos or play AAA games, you may want a bigger system with discrete graphics. That said, there’s a handful of general criteria we look for when selecting our top picks.

Performance

The challenge when thinking about performance is figuring out your sweet spot. That’s because while a laptop with blazing speed is nice, you may be paying for more oomph than you need. But if you skimp and get a weak processor, even simple tasks can become a chore and you might end up in a situation where you need to upgrade again sooner than you’d like. Performance is more than just clockspeeds too, so we also consider things like fast wake times, storage speeds and more advanced features like support for ray tracing.

Display and webcams

Regardless of whether a notebook has a touchscreen or a more traditional panel, we look for bright displays (300+ nits or more) that are easy use outdoors or in sunny rooms, accurate colors and wide viewing angles. Screens with high refresh rates are great for competitive gamers, while those with wider color gamuts are important for content creation. And even if you don’t plan on spending a ton of time on video calls, every laptop needs a decent webcam (1080p or higher).

Ports and connectivity

Even with advancements in cellular modems and WiFi, dedicated ports for transferring data or connecting peripherals can make or break a laptop. Ideally, all but the thinnest and lightest systems come with three USB ports, while things like built-in SD card readers can be extremely handy when trying to import media from a camera. And if a notebook is saddled with a slow or outdated WiFi modem (we’re looking for Wi-Fi 6 or later), that’s basically an immediate disqualification.

Battery life

It doesn’t matter how powerful a laptop is if it conks out when you need it the most. Typically we look for runtimes of at least eight hours on a charge, but longer is always better. That said, on gaming machines with thirsty GPUs, you may have to settle for a bit less. And on bigger machines, it’s also important to consider if the system can charge via USB-C or if it needs a larger, proprietary power brick.

The best Windows laptops

Best overall: XPS 13

It’s no surprise that we love the Dell XPS 13. It’s thin, light and it has one of the best screens you can find on a 13-inch ultraportable. And while the XPS 13 doesn’t have the fastest CPU around, a 12th-gen Intel chip is more than enough for basic productivity work. The latest XPS 13 model is the slimmest yet, though it loses the headphone jack in the process. If you need a 3.5mm port, or you’re just looking to save some money, it’s also worth considering the slightly older XPS 13 models. And if you want to future-proof your next laptop a bit more, consider the XPS 13 Plus, which comes with 13th-gen Intel processors and is currently the best Windows laptop for college students in our book.

Best budget Windows laptop: Acer Aspire 5

There’s a reason we selected the Acer Aspire 5 as our top choice in our best cheap Windows laptop guide: It’s sturdy, fast enough and offers decent battery life. We typically don’t expect much with laptops under $500, but the Aspire 5 has consistently been a solid performer. It’s an ideal laptop for students or kids, or for anyone who isn’t particularly demanding. We’re also surprised by the wide variety of ports it offers, including HDMI and Ethernet. While we normally don’t recommend laptops with just 8GB of RAM and tiny 128GB SSDs, those specs are more excusable in the Aspire 5 since it’s so darn cheap. Just think of it as a slightly more capable Chromebook.

Best gaming laptop: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

One of our favorite gaming PCs for years, the ROG Zephyrus G14 remains our choice as the best gaming laptop for most users. It weighs just 3.5 pounds, it sports AMD’s powerful new Ryzen chips and it also has the company’s fastest Radeon RX 6000-series mobile graphics. The ROG Zephyrus G14 has a sleek retro-future aesthetic, a comfortable keyboard and a smooth 144Hz, 14-inch screen. While you’d be more immersed in a 15-inch notebook, those typically cost more and are far heavier than the Zephyrus G14. If you’re looking for a balance between power, style and value, the G14 is tough to beat.

Read our full review of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

Best 360-degree 2-in-1: Lenovo Yoga 9i

Adaptability is the biggest strength of a 2-in-1, with devices like the Yoga 9i capable of transforming into a number of different modes at a moment’s notice. And even though it’s got a relatively portable 14-inch OLED display, Lenovo still found room on the Yoga 9i for three USB-C ports, a fingerprint scanner and a clever rotating soundbar to ensure audio sounds good in any position. Lenovo also includes a free stylus in the box though, sadly, unlike previous models there isn’t a dedicated storage slot for it on the machine anymore. And while its general design hasn’t changed much for 2023, Lenovo has improved the Yoga 9i’s performance with updated 13th-gen Intel processors.

Read our full review of the Lenovo Yoga 9i

Best tablet-style 2-in-1: Microsoft Surface Pro 9

For people who want to travel super light, it’s hard to do better than a tablet-style 2-in-1. And, having basically invented the category, Microsoft’s line of Surface Pro devices are hard to beat. With the Surface Pro 9, you get a bright touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate, along with a stylus support. Though, you’ll need to remember to buy one of Microsoft’s folding keyboards (which includes the pen) separately. You also get solid battery life and surprisingly powerful speakers. That said unless you’re deeply familiar with using Windows on ARM-based systems, we’d recommend sticking with the Intel-powered version instead of the model based on Microsoft’s SQ3 chip.

Read our full review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Best powerful thin-and-light: MSI Stealth Studio

Regardless of if you’re editing videos or playing games, MSI’s Stealth 14 Studio packs a lot of power in a very portable package. The base model comes with a 1080p screen, but if you have the money, you’ll want to consider the optional 2,560 x 1,600 display, which boasts a faster 240Hz refresh rate and wider color gamut (100% of DCI-P3). At just 3.75 pounds, the Stealth 14 Studio weighs half a pound less than similarly sized rivals while still supporting up to an NVIDIA RTX 4070 GPU. And the redesigned 2023 model has a stunning magnesium and aluminum chassis that’s also available in a larger 16-inch model.

Read our full review of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio

Best super high-end pick: Razer Blade 18

Razer’s revamped Blade 18 is a monster. It packs full-fat versions of the most powerful components you can put in a laptop including up to an Intel Core i9 13-980HX CPU and an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU that runs at up to 175 watts. You also get a massive 18-inch QHD+ display with a 240Hz refresh, tons of ports (including an SD card reader) and gorgeous per key RGB lighting. Holding everything together is Razer’s unibody aluminum chassis, which offers some of the best build quality on any Windows laptop. The one big downside is price: Starting at $2,900 (or closer to $5,000 for a fully loaded model), the Blade 18 is not for people with limited budgets.

Read our full review of the Razer Blade 18

Not everyone needs an NVIDIA RTX 4080, or a blazing fast 500Hz screen. These days, you can find plenty of affordable gaming notebooks that can easily hit decent frame rates in modern games. Cheaper machines are ideal for high school or college students who don't need the absolute best performance. And they're also great options for younger gamers, who may not be ready for the responsibility of a premium, $2,000 notebook.

What is a budget gaming laptop?

At the high end, you can easily spend $5,000 on a fully tricked-out notebook like the Razer Blade 18. When it comes to budget models, we're focusing on the other end of the pricing spectrum: laptops under $1,000. It used to be tough to find a decent gaming option at that price point but, as PC prices have fallen, they no longer seem like unicorns.

Stepping up a bit to systems between $1,000 and $2,000 puts you firmly in mid-range territory, which is beyond the scope of this guide. Still, it's worth keeping an eye out for sales that can push those PCs below $1,000. Be sure to check out our gaming laptop guide for a general overview of what to look out for in these more expensive systems.

Are budget gaming laptops worth it?

Budget gaming laptops are definitely worth it if you’re trying to save money and are being realistic about what you can get at this price range. You can expect to find Intel and AMD's latest (but not greatest) CPUs, as well as entry-level GPUs like NVIDIA's RTX 3050. They're also typically paired with 1080p screens running at 120Hz or beyond. There are some exceptions though: Dell's G16 (currently discounted to $900) is notable for its 16-inch quad HD+ screen.

Many cheap gaming laptops also skimp on RAM and storage. We'd recommend getting at least 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. Modern games need a decent chunk of memory to run, and they also tend to be large, so you wouldn't be able to fit much alongside Windows 11 on a 256B SSD. You might be tempted to jump on one of those dirt-cheap gaming laptop deals from Walmart or Best Buy, but it's just not worth it if you're stuck with 8GB of RAM or a tiny SSD.

As for build quality, expect to find more plastic than metal on budget systems. Still, everything we're recommending should be sturdy enough to last a few years. Affordable systems will also be heavier and thicker than mid-range and premium models, and they typically don't have great battery life. These are worthwhile trade offs if you're looking to save money, though, and even the priciest gaming laptops struggle with battery life.

Best overall: Dell G15

Dell was one of the first PC makers to combine a decent amount of gaming power in a sub-$1,000 system. The latest G15 builds on that experience. It starts at $800 with Intel's 13th-gen i5-13450HX, an RTX 3050 GPU and 8GB of RAM. We'd recommend bumping up to the $1,000 model with 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and a 165Hz 1080p screen with NVIDIA's G-SYNC technology.

While it's no Alienware, the G15 carries over some of that premium brand's design cues with a sharp, angular case and LED-backlit keys. There's a distinct lack of gamer bling, which for some may also be a plus. If you're looking for something larger, consider the 16-inch G16 mentioned above (which, funny enough, is also slightly lighter than the G15).

Runner-up: Acer Nitro 5

The Acer Nitro 5 is another great option, though we've yet to see it get Intel's 13th-gen chips. Still, the 12th-gen model is no slouch: It's equipped with 16GB of RAM, NVIDIA's RTX 3050 and 512GB of storage. (At the time of writing, it's also on sale for $800 at Best Buy, though it typically sells for $1,000.)

Just like Dell, Acer has plenty of experience building gaming laptops, so this will likely survive years of extreme play. The Nitro 5's multi-colored backlit keyboard and rear red accents also give off a stronger gamer vibe than the G15. Side note: Acer's Nitro 16 may also be worth considering if it dips below $1,000, since it features newer CPUs and GPUs.

A more understated option: HP Victus 15

The HP Victus 15 is the ideal gaming laptop for someone who doesn't want to be seen with a gaming laptop. Its all-black design is wonderfully understated, and its edge-to-edge screen is impressive for such an affordable system. It also has enough power to handle today's games, including an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, NVIDIA's RTX 3050 Ti graphics, 16GB of RAM and a 144Hz 1080p display. And best of all, it's almost always on sale somewhere. In fact, at the time of writing, it's $828 on Amazon.

Today Intel is cleaning up its processor branding, hopefully making it easier to understand. Starting with the new Meteor Lake generation of processors, the company is moving from its traditional "i3/i5/i7/i9" branding to a simpler "Core 3/5/7/9" concept. Intel says the rebranding “better aligns to customer requests” to simplify its processor names and that the change will be reflected in text and on the badge. This is significant as Intel has been using the "i" branding for its processor for well over a decade.

Intel’s higher-end processors will include "Ultra" in their branding before the number — in practice that would look like “Intel Core Ultra 9." And for those who want more information, Intel says generational information will continue to be tacked on to the end ("Intel Core 9 processor 1300AB," for example.) The company stated that both the standard Core and Core Ultra processors can be paired with its Intel Arc graphics.

As far as what hasn't changed in Intel's processor branding, the higher number still denotes a faster processor. Naturally, Core Ultra models will come packed with additional speed and power. At the time of writing, Intel has yet to announce a release date or specifics for its new Meteor Lake processors. Though, rumors suggest that they’ll be coming sometime this year.

Razer is back with a refresh for its popular Blade 14 ultra-premium gaming laptop line and the specs are beefier than a trip to the meat-packing plant. There had been speculation as to what chips would power Razer’s latest and greatest, but those questions are now answered. The new Razer Blade 14 features AMD’s Ryzen 9 7940HS with eight cores, 16 threads and a 24MB cache. The basic model ships with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU but it’s upgradeable to the RTX 4070.

That’s a whole lot of power for modern gaming applications. The laptop features a minimum of 16GB of DDR5 RAM, upgradeable to 32GB. Each model ships standard with 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage. The previous generation was already plenty capable, so these upgrades should truly make this an ultra-premium gaming laptop.

As the name suggests, the Razer Blade 14 includes a 14-inch QHD display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 240Hz refresh rate. This is a slim laptop, at 0.7 inches, and weighs just four pounds, making it a portable-friendly option for gamers on-the-go. Other features include a pair of USB-C ports, two USB-A ports and a 1080p webcam with a built-in privacy shutter. The 68.1 Wh battery gets around ten hours of battery life per charge and includes a battery health optimization feature and quick-charging capabilities.

So what’s the downside? This is not a budget-friendly laptop line. The basic RTX 4060 model starts at $2,400 and the RTX 4070 version starts at $2,700. It’s available in both black and white colors and orders start shipping today. The company is throwing in a free Chroma Joyplot Razer Skin, worth $60, to lure in new customers. 

Dell makes arguably the best laptops for Windows users through its XPS brand, and two fairly recent models are currently on sale. When we reviewed the 2022 Dell XPS 15, we called it the best 15-inch Windows laptop around. You can pick one up for a sizable discount, as the price has dropped by $800 to $1,099. Meanwhile, Dell has cut the price of last year's XPS 17 by $650 to $1,449.

Aside from the screen size, the two models have very similar specs. They each have a 12th-gen i7 Intel Core processor and a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU. You'll get 16GB of DDR5 memory and a 512GB SSD. Both models have FHD+ displays with 500 nits of brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate.

If you're looking for a laptop and don't mind having slightly older specs, these are good deals. You'll need to pay quite a bit more for newer models with the latest graphics cards.

We gave last year's Dell XPS 15 a score of 93 in our review. We felt it has a nice design with a terrific trackpad and keyboard (save for them getting a bit messy after light use). It performed well in our testing, with the battery running for over 13 hours on a single charge. While the laptop could stand to have a wider variety of ports, it's still an excellent machine.

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Last year's Mac Studio was the super-powered Mac mini many Apple fans were begging for. But, for the most demanding users, it was unclear if it was worth shelling out $3,999 for the high-end Mac Studio with an M1 Ultra chip, or if they should just wait for the inevitable Mac Pro refresh. Now that Apple has revamped the Mac Pro with an M2 Ultra chip, the company's desktop lineup finally has something for everyone.

At the most basic level, there's the $599 Mac Mini. If you need a bit more power, you can get that same slim machine with an M2 Pro chip for $1,299. Meanwhile, all-in-one fans have several iMacs to choose from, starting at $1,299 (though it's probably worth waiting for an M2 spec bump).

That leaves the $1,999 Mac Studio as the ideal machine for Apple power users. It'll be enough for video editing work, and it also comes standard with 32GB of RAM (it could use more than 512GB of storage, though). Step up to the $3,999 model with an M2 Ultra chip, and you've got a system that can destroy just about any task you put in front of it. The few professional users who need PCIe expansion can now opt for the M2 Ultra-equipped Mac Pro, which starts at an eye-watering $6,999.

All of sudden, the higher-end Mac Studio makes so much more sense. It has the same raw power as the Mac Pro, a ton of ports, and it won't take up much room on your desk. What seemed like a curiosity last year, now feels like a tremendous value for power users. Funny how that works, isn't it? (Apple reportedly shelved plans for an even more powerful M2 chip, which could have offered double the power of the M2 Ultra, according to Bloomberg.)

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

The base Mac Studio is now equipped with an M2 Max chip, featuring a 12-core CPU (with eight performance and four efficiency cores) and a 30-core GPU, as well as 32GB of RAM. Compared to last year's M1 Max, the new chip has two more efficiency cores and six additional GPU cores. What's most notable is the additional upgrade options: You can configure the M2 Max chip with a 38-core GPU and 96GB of RAM (previously you were capped at 32GB of memory).

Step up to the M2 Ultra and you effectively get two M2 Max chips: It starts with a 24-core CPU, 60-core GPU and 64GB of memory. If you want to truly push your system (and wallet) to the limit, the M2 Ultra can also be configured with a 76-core GPU and 192GB of RAM. With all that power, who needs a full-sized PC tower?

And really, that's what I kept asking myself as I tested our review unit, which was equipped with an M2 Ultra and 192GB of RAM. The Mac Studio is so ridiculously overpowered, only the most demanding users would need the Mac Pro's PCIe expansion. Since the M2 chips feature unified memory integrated alongside the CPU and GPU, there's no way to add additional RAM down the line, which used to be another reason to get the Mac Pro. At least you can stuff the Mac Studio to the gills with RAM, if you need it.

Much like the M2 Max-powered 14-inch MacBook Pro, Apple's latest chips deliver noticeable performance increases over the M1 generation in just about every benchmark. But it's also not significant enough to run out and replace an M1 system. Instead, the new Mac Studio is an even more tempting machine for Mac users still trucking along with Intel processors, even for some Mac Pro owners.

In the Geekbench 5 CPU benchmark, the Mac Studio scored higher than any system we've tested this year. But really, that's not a surprise – even last year's M1 Ultra Mac Studio scored higher than the Razer Blade 16, which features Intel's fastest mobile 13th-gen chip. Apple doesn’t always come out ahead: that Blade 16 beat the Mac Studio in the Geekbench 5 Compute benchmark, which you can chalk up to the NVIDIA RTX 4090 under the hood. Still, the Mac Studio's multithreaded Cinebench R23 score (a test that mostly measures CPU performance) was more than double the Blade 16's.

The new Mac Studio transcoded a 4K video file to 1080p using Handbrake in 21 seconds, three seconds faster than last year's M1 Ultra model. That same job took the Razer Blade 16, the fastest PC we've seen this year, 26 seconds to complete. Scale that saved time up to a feature length project, or encoding jobs you'll need to run several times a day, and the Mac Studio seems like a no-brainer upgrade for some creatives.

Years ago, some professionals would buy the Mac Pro for its sheer performance, while the internal expansion possibilities were more of an afterthought. The Mac Studio is a system made for them. And now, thanks to Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4, external storage options are fast enough to deal with the demands of a video production shop.

The Mac Studio certainly won't leave you wanting when it comes to ports: On the rear, it features four USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 Type A connections, 10Gbps Ethernet, full-sized HDMI and a headphone jack. There are also two USB-C ports on the front (USB 3 by default, Thunderbolt 4 on the M2 Ultra), alongside a full-sized SD card slot. Just like last year, video editors I've spoken with said they'd prefer a headphone jack on the front, but at least it's easy to get behind the Studio to plug things in. Given the user this machine is aimed at, it also would have been nice to get Thunderbolt 4 ports on the front for every configuration.

Physically, the Studio is no different than what we saw last year. It's a beautifully polished box that looks like two Mac minis stacked together. It’s far more prominent than that slim desktop, but for Apple devotees, that may be more of a feature than a bug. Now that it no longer seems like a stopgap solution for people eagerly waiting for an upgraded Mac Pro, the Mac Studio looks like the purest expression of what Apple wants a desktop to be in 2023. Why fiddle around with internal hardware when the package Apple delivers is so fully featured?

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

As I said in my review last year, the Mac Studio isn't meant for everyone: It's a system targeted at people who know their demands are lightyears beyond mainstream users. They won't balk at a $1,999 starting price, or even the $3,999 for the M2 Ultra model, if it means they'll be able to deliver projects faster. On the PC side, you've got alternatives like Intel's NUC Extreme small-form factor desktop, but that system has ballooned in size so much that you can't really compare it to the Mac Studio.

I've gone from being intrigued by the Mac Studio to truly impressed. It continues to blow PCs away when it comes to heavy-duty work, and it has so much connectivity I don't miss the lack of internal expansion. It's more than just the big Mac mini – it's a compact Mac Pro that many creatives can actually afford.

When Apple announced the 15-inch MacBook Air last week, it was exactly what you’d expect. Apple simply took the design and internals of the M2-powered Air it announced a year ago and stuck it in a bigger case with a bigger screen. Done and done.

As such, I went into this review thinking it would be a simple assignment. “It’s a MacBook Air, but bigger.” But that undersells the actual experience of using the 15-inch MacBook Air. See, for a long time, a 15-inch Mac was my ideal computer, from the days of the first titanium-clad PowerBook G4 through the 15-inch MacBook Pro Apple sold a decade ago. Those laptops were powerful and had a screen big enough to use all day, but they were also compact enough to take anywhere. In recent years, though, Apple really leaned into the “Pro” designation, with the price skyrocketing well above $2,000, making it cost-prohibitive for most people.

But the M2-powered, 15-inch Air brings me back to those days. I could easily see using this laptop as my only computer. Like the 13-inch model, it’s powerful, has long battery life and a high-quality (if not cutting-edge) display. It’s also surprisingly thin and light, another hallmark of the Air lineup. And with a starting price of $1,299, it’s significantly more affordable than any laptop that Apple has offered with this size screen.

There are only a few things that the MacBook Air doesn’t have in common with its smaller sibling. Most obvious is the 15.3-inch display with a 2,880 x 1,864 resolution. That works out to 224 pixels per inch, the same as the 13-inch Air. It’s one of Apple’s “Liquid Retina” displays, which has 500 nits of brightness, support for the P3 “wide color” gamut and a modest 60Hz refresh rate.

It’s missing the niceties you’ll find in the mini LED displays on the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, including a much more dramatic contrast ratio, support for HDR, slightly more pixels per inch and a 120Hz max refresh rate. But Apple’s standard displays are still very nice, and the MacBook Air’s screen is bright, sharp and entirely pleasant to look at for extended periods of time. I use a MacBook Pro as my daily driver, and while I noticed the lower refresh rate at first, I mostly forgot about it after a short while.

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

The rest of the differences between the two Air models are minor. The base 15-inch model comes with the 10-core GPU variant of the M2 to power the bigger display’s extra pixels; the 13-inch has an 8-core GPU by default. The other internal specs are similar for both base models: 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. (The model I’m testing has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, a configuration that costs $1,699.)

The 15-inch Air also has a six-speaker sound system with “force-canceling woofers” for improved bass, compared to a four-speaker setup in the smaller model. Apple has been making surprisingly excellent laptop speakers for a few years now, and these also sound very lively and full when playing back music or movies. They’re not nearly as good as the ones in the 16-inch MacBook Pro, but that laptop is significantly thicker and heavier than the Air; that extra space surely helps with resonance and bass. But the speakers in the Air still sound lively and fun to listen to. Cranking the volume up to the max reveals the lack of bass, but I was happy to listen to music at mid-range volume all day long.

Beyond those things, the 15-inch Air is just a slightly bigger version of the 13-inch model. It has the same relatively meager port selection: just two USB-C ports, MagSafe for power and a headphone jack. The laptop comes in the same four colors (or, more accurately, shades of gray). The keyboard, large trackpad and Touch ID sensor are all excellent, which is true of all Mac laptops at this point. The butterfly keyboard debacle is fortunately a distant memory.

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Unsurprisingly, it sports the same design language that Apple first unveiled with the MacBook Pro refresh a few years ago and then carried over to the Air last year. That means the Air’s formerly iconic wedge shape is gone, replaced with a uniform thickness of less than half an inch, noticeably thinner than the 16-inch MacBook Pro and about identical to the 13-inch Air. Naturally, the 15-inch Air is heavier and bigger in other dimensions, but it still feels extremely thin and also far more portable than either of the MacBook Pro models.

There’s also a notch in the display for the 1080p webcam — again, the same one we’ve seen on other recent MacBooks. It’s much better than the old camera Apple was using until recently, and I don’t mind trading the notch for an improved webcam. The bezels around the display are otherwise nice and thin: not quite as thin as those on the MacBook Pro, but not thick enough for me to give them a second thought.

Performance-wise, the 15-inch Air is also essentially identical to the smaller model. Geekbench 5 scores were almost the same as those we got when testing both the 13-inch Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, both of which also use the M2 chip. The same goes for Cinebench R23 and a few others we tried. It's worth noting that while single-core performance is similar to the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 Max chip, multi-core and graphics performance is where the M2 can't quite keep up. That said, for most users, there's plenty of power here. 

Performance-wise, the 15-inch Air is also essentially identical to the smaller model. Geekbench 5 scores were almost the same as those we got when testing both the 13-inch Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, both of which also use the M2 chip.

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Beyond the benchmarks, the 15-inch Air is just as capable as the smaller model we reviewed last year — it can handle most computing tasks without breaking a sweat, and despite having no fans, I never really noticed it getting warm. Of course, that changes a bit if you’re running games or doing more intense tasks like video editing. But my workflow, which consists of dozens of tabs open across multiple Safari windows along with apps like Mail, Slack, Music, Trello, Todoist, Bear and Lightroom, didn’t cause any hiccups. To be fair, these aren’t taxing apps, but dipping into Lightroom to edit some large RAW photos didn’t tax the computer either.

My only concern is that this brand-new Air is running a chip that’s already about a year old. It’s so powerful that this shouldn’t be a problem for the Air’s target audience, but it’s still something worth considering. If you’re going to spend more than $1,000 on a laptop that you’ll likely own for years, the ideal situation is to start out with the newest, fastest, most future-proof tech that you can afford. The M2, as capable as it is, has been around for a while already. If you want bleeding-edge Apple silicon you might be better served with a MacBook Pro or waiting for the next Air refresh. But given that Apple just released this computer with the M2 chip inside, it’s fair to say the company is in no hurry to release an M3.

All of the Apple silicon laptops I've tried have had outstanding battery life, and the 15-inch Air is no exception. It exceeded the 18 hours that Apple claims for video playback by about an hour before eventually running out of juice. And while the battery didn't quite last as long during my normal work routine, I still got about 12 hours before I needed a charger. I easily got through the work day and still some power left for some couch browsing and messaging. I think it's safe to say most people can charge overnight and then not worry about plugging in again until their day is over.

One thing to note on battery, though. Apple offers a compact 35W dual-port charger, which is handy if you want to have your computer charger and another cable right at hand. But after using more powerful chargers for the last few years, this one definitely felt pokey — while I was using the Air, it took about two hours to charge from 45 percent to full while in use. Since Apple gives you the option of swapping in a single-port 70W for no extra charge, I'd recommend that if charging speeds are at all important to you. On the other hand, the battery lasts so long that just charging it more slowly overnight, when speed doesn't matter, is also a fine option.

As usual, Apple dropped a lot of hyperbole about how the 15-inch Air compares to the “most popular 15-inch Windows laptop running an Intel i7 chip.” The claims are that the Air is much faster, the screen is better, the battery is longer while the laptop itself is thinner and lighter. Apple is being very deliberate about these claims, but the MacBook Air does stack up well compared to some of the most popular 15-inch laptops available.

Dell’s XPS 15 is one of the best overall laptops out there, and the $1,299 base model has double the RAM and storage of the Air. You can also get one with a discrete graphics card, which can make a big difference in more demanding tasks. But it’s also much thicker, a pound heavier and has a lower-resolution display and webcam. Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 5 is probably a closer comparison for the Air – it’s a little bit thicker and heavier, but more svelte than the XPS 15, and has a higher-resolution screen. But it doesn’t have the newest Intel, and the M2 bests the 12th-generation chip that it does offer.

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

As you’re surely aware, the 15-inch MacBook Air is little more than a bigger version of the computer that Apple released a year ago. But that’s damming it with faint praise when actually this is one of the best Apple laptops I’ve used in a long time. It does everything the 13-inch MacBook Air does with a noticeably larger screen and only a modest price increase. The only real catch is that I think the RAM and storage in the base model is rather stingy, not an unusual tactic for Apple. The M2 smokes even with only 8GB of RAM, but consider adding more if you want your computer to remain speedy for years to come.

If you travel a lot, or value portability above all else, by all means get the 13-inch model. But if I were in the market for a new laptop right now, I think the 15-inch Air would be at the top of my list. It’s fast, light and extremely pleasant to use. And getting a big screen in a compact package is just icing on the cake.