15 Best Laptop for Working from Home in October 2024
You know that the most essential weapon of a remote worker is a laptop or desktop computer. However, determining the best laptop for working from home is not very easy. There are so many different laptops on the market, and it can be hard to know which one is right for you. And not all jobs require the same type of laptop. Different types of computers are required for different types of work.
For example, if you are doing any simple web search-related work then you don’t need a powerful laptop. But if you do any programming or video editing work, you need a much more powerful laptop. Even if you spend a lot of time working with a laptop outside the home, a laptop with a good battery backup is necessary.
This blog post will help you narrow down your choices and find the best work from home laptops for your needs.
Our research team has tested more than 100 laptops and compiled their result of research to find the best laptops for working from home for you.
And they have selected these laptops keeping the following things in mind.
Before discussing the best laptop for working from home, let me tell you how to identify the best laptop and what different things to consider when selecting the best one.
How to choose the best laptop for remote work?
While some people may look only at cost when choosing the best laptop to work from home, it’s also important to consider other factors that contribute to the durability and quality of the product.
It can help you to choose the right laptop to improve productivity and ensure that it’s hassle-free.
Your Needs(Think about your main uses for a laptop)
For Light Use:
If you need to use your laptop for basic web browsing, editing documents, watching videos, and listening to music, then you can choose a laptop equipped with 4 GB or higher RAM and a screen size between 12” to 15.6”.
For Medium Use:
If you’re working on large documents, complex spreadsheets, and presentations, then choose the laptop with 8 GN RAM and a screen size of 12” to 15.6”.
For Heavy Use:
For heavy uses like Graphic Design, professional gaming, 3D animation, running 3rd party software, and software development, choose a laptop that comes with 16 GB ram or higher and a screen size between 15.6” to 17.3”.
Decide how much money you want to spend
When you’re going to purchase the best laptop for remote work price of the laptop should be kept in mind. It should be within your budget while satisfying your needs. Most people look for cheap laptops.
If the price is not a problem for you then I highly recommend you, don’t go for the cheap one.
Because the quality of the component of a cheap laptop is low. This will hamper your work efficiency.
Choose the right operating system
Before buying the laptop, you must figure out which operating system works best for your needs.
There are four major types of operating systems available in the market right now. These are Windows, Mac OS X, Chrome Os, and Linux.
Almost all operating systems support basic things like connecting to an external monitor or using a wired or wireless headset.
Windows
Windows is the most popular and common operating system in the world. The best part of Windows is it works with almost all devices.
If you’re going to use it for gaming or other gaming-related things then I can say it is the only natural choice.
Mac OS X
The beauty of MacOS is its interface. It is very user-friendly.
Moreover, you can choose Mac OS, if you have other Apple Devices like iPhone, iPad, etc.
If you’re looking for a laptop that can handle basic things such as email checking, web browsing, and basic editing work, go for the MacBook Air Series.
And if you’re interested in heavy apps using, designing, and coding-related work, then go for MacBook Pro Series.
ChromeOS
ChromeOS is very popular because of its simplicity and price.
It’s so simple that your grandfather or grandmother can use it. Also, it boots up in seconds and works fast.
Generally, ChromeOS is cheaper than Windows and macOS as it doesn’t need high-end hardware to run.
It’s mainly designed for simple tasks like browsing the internet, watching YouTube videos, or running android apps.
Linux
If you’re searching for an OS that is extremely flexible, easy to use, and secure, then go for Linux OS.
It is one of the best-operating systems as it supports all kinds of programming languages.
You can even run or try it without installing it.
If you are learning to program or want to learn, then choose Linux as you will be able to design your own custom operating system.
Most big companies like Google, Facebook, or Amazon use Linux to protect their systems as it is highly secure and reliable.
And the beauty of this system is you don’t need to use any antivirus to scan it regularly. So, you can choose Linux for work from home jobs if you prefer flexibility and security.
Screen Size:
11-13 inches:
If you’re working from home, a bigger screen might be more comfortable for you. But if you need to travel a lot, then opt for a smaller screen size of 11 to 13 inches.
14-16 inches:
If you’re a movie lover or an entry-level gamer, then 14-16 inches is best for you. Because of its usability and portability, 14-16 inch screen size is the most popular screen size.
17-19 inch
This screen size is ideal for graphic designers, high-end gamers, and editors.
Select the processor and RAM:
If you just want to use your laptop for basic tasks such as web browsing and watching youtube videos, then 4GB of RAM is enough and you don’t need a powerful processor.
But if you’re a power user i.e you want to use your laptop for graphic design or software development purposes, then you need a laptop with more RAM. In this case, 16GB or higher RAM is needed. And you need a more powerful processor.
Figure out how much storage you need
There are two types of storage in the market right now. These are SSDs(Solid State Drive) and HDDs(Hard Disk Drive).
HDDs are much cheaper than SSDs but SSDs are faster than HDDs.
For better performance, I highly recommend going for an SSD.
And if you use cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox to store your files then you don’t need a lot of storage but if you want to store your file on your machine then you need more storage.
But I always suggest you buy a laptop that comes with at least 256GB of SSD storage. This will make your machine faster.
Choose the best graphics card:
You’ll find that most laptops come with integrated graphics cards. They mostly come with Intel XE GPU or Intel Iris XE graphics. These graphics cards are enough if you are an average user.
Also, these consume less battery.
But if you need a machine with strong video performance, then you should go for a laptop that has a high-performance graphics card such as the Nvidia graphics card. This will cost you more but you will get the best video experience.
Choose a good battery:
If you travel a lot then you need a laptop with longer battery life. Because it is not possible to take the power chord everywhere you go. In this case, you need to choose a laptop that comes with a powerful battery.
Check out the ports:
At present time, almost all laptops come with Bluetooth and wifi connectivity features. But to choose the best laptop, you have to think about other ports.
Here is the list of the best laptop for working from home.
1. Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, Apple M1 Pro chip with 10‑core CPU)-The Best Laptop for Work from Home!
Specifications
- Screen Size: 16.2 Inches
- Color: Space Gray/Silver
- GPU: 16-Core/32-Core
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB/1 TB
- Ram Memory: 16 GB
- Operating System: Mac OS
- Graphics Card Description: Integrated
- Graphics Coprocessor: M1 Pro
Longer battery life & Blazing fast Speed: Its blazing-fast M1 Pro or M1 Max chip gives you game-changing performance and longer battery life of up to 21 hours. With Apple MacBook Pro, you can easily handle video or photo editing and programming-related work for longer hours. This is why it is the best laptop for working remotely.
Liquid Retina XDR display: Its liquid retina XDR display gives an incredible contrast ratio. You’ll get unbelievable detail in shadows and more variant colors than before.
1080p FaceTime HD camera: With Apple MacBook Pro’s 1080p FaceTime HD camera, you’ll get sharper video calls in any business calls.
2. Microsoft Surface Book 3 – 15″ Touch-Screen
Microsoft Surface Book 3
Specifications
- Screen Size: 15 Inches
- Color: Platinum
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB/512 GB/1 TB/ 2TB
- CPU Model: Core i7
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Ram Memory: 16 GB
- Graphics Coprocessor: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
Pros
- 30% faster than Surface Book 2 15”
- Up to 17.5 hours of battery life
- Fastest graphics
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 3
- Expensive
3. Google Pixelbook Go – Lightweight Chromebook Laptop – Up to 12 Hours Battery Life
Google Pixelbook Go
Specifications
- Brand: Google
- Series: Pixelbook Go
- Screen Size: 13.3 Inches
- Color: Just Black
- Hard Disk Size: 128 GB/256 GB
- CPU Model: Core i5-8200Y/Core i7-8500Y
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 8 GB/16 GB
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- Graphics Coprocessor: Intel UHD Graphics
Pros
- Up to 12 hours of battery life
- Lightweight
- Titan C security chip and built-in antivirus software
- Starts up in seconds
- Brilliant HD touchscreen display
- Excellent speakers
Cons
- Only has USB-C ports.
- No biometric login
4. Lenovo IdeaPad 3
Lenovo IdeaPad 3
Specifications
- Brand: Lenovo
- Series: Ideapad 3
- Screen Size: 14 Inches
- Color: Abyss Blue
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB SSD/512GB SSD/1TB SSD/
- CPU Model: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 8 GB/12 GB/20 GB
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Graphics Coprocessor: AMD Radeon 7 Graphics
Pros
- Full-time privacy control-Protect your webcam with the built-in privacy shutter.
- High performance
- Thin and light
Cons
- Small touchpad
5. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage)-One of the Best Laptops for Work at Home!
Apple MacBook Air
Specifications
- Brand: Apple
- Model Name: New Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage) – Space Gray
- Screen Size: 13 Inches
- Color: Space Gray
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB SSD
- CPU Model: Core i5-3320M
- Ram Memory: 8 GB
- Operating System: Mac OS
- Graphics Card Description: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- Graphics Coprocessor: Intel Iris Plus
Pros
- Stunning 13-inch Retina Display
- Faster Graphics
- Touch ID
- Facetime HD Camera
- All-Day Battery Life
Cons
- Only two USB-C Ports
6. HP Pavilion 15 Laptop-best hp laptop for working from home!
HP Pavilion 15
Specifications
- Brand: HP
- Series: HP Pavilion 15 Laptop
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
- Color: Natural Silver
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB SSD
- CPU Model: Core i7
- Ram Memory: 16 GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
- Graphics Coprocessor: Intel Iris
Pros
- HP Fast Charge(50% charge in approximately 45 minutes)
- HP Wide Vision HD Camera
- Full HD IPS micro-edge Display
Cons
- Battery
7. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – 12.3″ Touch-Screen
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
Specifications
- Brand: Microsoft
- Series: Surface Pro
- Memory Storage Capacity: 256 GB SSD
- RAM Memory: 8GB
- Screen Size: 12.3 Inches
- Display Resolution Maximum: 2736 x 1824
- Graphics Coprocessor: 10th Gen Intel Core i5
Pros
- Laptop-to-tablet versatility
- Faster than surface pro 6
- Ultra Slim and Light Design
- Fast Charging
Cons
- Only two ports, and no Thunderbolt support
8. Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light Laptop, 14″ Full HD IPS, AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core
Acer Swift 3
Specifications
- Brand: Acer
- Series: Swift 3
- Screen Size: 14 Inches
- Color: Silver
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB/512 GB
- CPU Model: Ryzen 7 4700U/AMD Ryzen 5 4000-Series
- Ram Memory: 8 GB/ 16GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Graphics Coprocessor: AMD Radeon Graphics
Pros
- Fingerprint Reader
- Built-in Alexa
- Backlit keyboard
- Up to 11.5 Hours of Battery Life
Cons
- Dim display
9. Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, Apple M1 Pro chip with 8‑core CPU and 14‑core GPU)-One of the Best Laptops for Work from Home!
Apple MacBook Pro
Specifications
- Brand: Apple
- Model Name: MacBook Pro
- Screen Size: 14.2 Inches
- Color: Space Gray/Silver
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB/1 TB SSD
- CPU Model: Apple M1
- Ram Memory: 16 GB
- Operating System: Mac OS
- Graphics Coprocessor: M1 Pro
Pros
- Up to 11x faster machine learning performance
- Up to 17 hours of Battery Life
- 1080p FaceTime HD camera
- Powerful Six Speaker Sound System
Cons
- No USB-A port
10. Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6 Creator Laptop
Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6
Specifications
- Brand: Acer
- Series: SFX14-41G-R1S6
- Screen Size: 14 Inches
- Color: Gold
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB SSD
- CPU Model: AMD Ryzen 7
- Ram Memory: 16 GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Special Feature: Fingerprint Reader, Backlit Keyboard, HD Audio, Multi-touch Gesture
Pros
- Biometric fingerprint reader
- Built-in Alexa
- Thin and Lightweight, Easy to Carry
- 12 Hours of Battery Life
Cons
- No SD or microSD card slot
11. Microsoft Surface Pro 4
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
Specifications
- Brand: Microsoft
- Series: Surface Pro 4
- Memory Storage Capacity: 256 GB/ 512GB
- RAM Memory: 8 GB
- Screen Size: 12.3 Inches
- Display Resolution Maximum: 2736×1824 pixels
- Configuration 1: Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB
- Configuration 2: Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB
Pros
- Infrared (IR) face-detection camera
- Larger, sharper screen
- Improved Surface Pen
Cons
- Battery Life
- Type Cover sold separately
12. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13″ Laptop
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
Specifications
- Brand: Lenovo
- Series: ChromeBook Flex 5
- Screen Size: 13.3 Inches
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- Hard Disk Size: 64 GB
- Color: Graphite Grey
- CPU Model: Core i3-10110U
- Graphics Coprocessor: Intel Integrated Graphics
- CPU Speed: 2.1 GHz
Pros
- 360° convertible
- Excellent build quality
- Responsive keyboard
Cons
- Battery Life could be Better
- Dim display
13. Apple MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip-One of the Best Laptops to Work from Home!
Apple MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip
Specifications
- Brand: Apple
- Model Name: MacBook Air
- Screen Size: 13.6 Inches
- Color: Starlight/ Space Gray/ Midnight/ Silver
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB/ 512 GB
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 8 GB
- Operating System: Mac OS
- Graphics Coprocessor: Apple M2
Pros
- All-day battery life
- Great performance
- 1080p FaceTime HD Camera
- 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display
Cons
- Expensive
14. Lenovo Chromebook C330 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop
Lenovo Chromebook C330
Specifications
- Brand: Lenovo
- Series: Chromebook C330
- Screen Size: 11.6 Inches
- Color: Blizzard White
- CPU Model: Mediatek Mt8173C
- Ram Memory: 4 GB
- Hard Disk Size: 64 GB
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- Special Feature: 2-in-1 Chromebook with a 10-point touchscreen
Pros
- boots up in seconds
- 360⁰ convertible
- built-in virus protection
- Long battery life
- Affordable price
Cons
- Dull, low-resolution display
- The keyboard isn’t backlit
15. Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R3UB -Last one but one of the best laptops for working at home!
Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R3UB
Specifications
- Brand: Acer
- Model Name: Aspire 5
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
- Color: Silver
- CPU Model: Ryzen 3 3350U
- Ram Memory: 4 GB
- Hard Disk Size: 128 GB NVMe SSD
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Graphics Coprocessor: AMD Radeon Vega 6
Pros
- Biometric fingerprint reader
- Respectable Battery Life at this price
- Slim and light design
- Backlit keyboard
Cons
- Low Storage & RAM
Conclusion
I hope this post will help you figure out the best laptop for remote work. I personally use Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, Apple M1 Pro chip with 10‑core CPU). This laptop is superb in quality. It has improved my productivity and helped me to do my work efficiently.
If money is not the problem for you then go for this Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, Apple M1 Pro chip with 10‑core CPU). According to my own experience, this is the best laptop for working from home.
If you can’t afford it then go for the other options available in the list. Our research team has carefully tested all the above laptops so that you can buy any one of the above laptops without any hesitation.
FAQs(Frequently Asked Questions)
How Much RAM Do I Need to Work From Home?
It depends on what type of work you’re doing. If you need a desktop computer or laptop that can handle basic web browsing and watching youtube videos then 4 GB RAM is enough. But if you’re a power user who needs to handle heavy work like graphic design, and software development then you need more RAM. In that case, you need 16GB RAM or more.
Is a Bigger Laptop Screen Better?
Yes, a bigger screen means a better watching experience and more room for windows.
How much does a good laptop cost?
A good laptop costs $1000 or more.
Which is better, Mac OS Or Windows?
If you prefer security first then Mac OS is better than Windows. On the other hand, Windows is the most popular operating system in the world.
What is the best laptop for working from home?
1. Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, Apple M1 Pro chip with 10‑core CPU)
2. Microsoft Surface Book 3 – 15″ Touch-Screen
3. Google Pixelbook Go – Lightweight Chromebook Laptop
4. Lenovo IdeaPad 3
5. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage)
6. HP Pavilion 15 Laptop
7. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – 12.3″ Touch-Screen
8. Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light Laptop, 14″ Full HD IPS, AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core
10. Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6 Creator Laptop
11. Microsoft Surface Pro 4
12. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13″ Laptop
13. Apple MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip
14. Lenovo Chromebook C330 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop
15. Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R3UB
Are Chromebooks worth it?
Chromebook is popular for its simplicity and price. If you need to handle basic work like browsing the internet and watching youtube videos, then Chromebook is perfect for you.
What is the best laptop for working remotely?
1. Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, Apple M1 Pro chip with 10‑core CPU)
2. Microsoft Surface Book 3 – 15″ Touch-Screen
3. Google Pixelbook Go – Lightweight Chromebook Laptop
4. Lenovo IdeaPad 3
5. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage)
6. HP Pavilion 15 Laptop
7. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – 12.3″ Touch-Screen
8. Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light Laptop, 14″ Full HD IPS, AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core
10. Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6 Creator Laptop
11. Microsoft Surface Pro 4
12. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13″ Laptop
13. Apple MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip
14. Lenovo Chromebook C330 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop
15. Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R3UB
How much do good laptops cost?
A good laptop costs $1000 or more.
