This article dives into the best laptops available in 2025, focusing on models that offer great value and performance without the hefty price tag of the newest releases. We'll explore options for light users, those needing portable power, and even some big, powerful machines, highlighting their pros and cons to help you make an informed decision.
Finding Value in Today's Laptop Market
Laptop prices are going up, especially in the USA, due to manufacturers increasing costs for small improvements and rising tariffs. It's common to see new gaming laptops over $5,000 and thin-and-light models near $2,000. While other countries have dealt with high prices for a while, this current trend is getting out of hand. The good news is you don't have to pay full price. Many laptops from last year still offer 90% of what new ones do, often for half the cost. This guide will cover some of the best laptops from last year that are still top-notch and frequently go on sale.
Thin and Light Laptops
These laptops are great for everyday tasks, offering portability and good battery life without breaking the bank.
HP Pavilion Aero 13
A consistent favorite, this very light and portable 13-inch laptop often sells for around $600. Unlike many laptops in this price range, it gets the basics right: a comfortable keyboard, a decent screen, and a processor with plenty of power for basic home and office use. You get 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage. Its main downsides are a plain look and a slightly cheap feel.
Lenovo Slim 7x
If you mostly use basic office apps and browse the web, this is a great choice. It's a good-looking laptop that feels premium, performs well, has a fantastic keyboard, and offers great battery life. It features a large 14.5-inch OLED display—bright, high-resolution, and fast refresh rate, with no screen door effect. The Slim 7x can often be found for $799, sometimes even $749, making it one of the best deals.
The catch? It's a Qualcomm laptop running the ARM version of Windows, meaning some specialized apps and many games won’t work. Also, its trackpad isn’t great, requiring a lot of force to click, and it's loud, which can make the experience feel less premium.
Surface Laptop 7
A personal favorite, it looks stunning, has a bright, high-resolution screen, and one of the most comfortable keyboards available. It feels very well-built, is light and portable, and features an excellent haptic trackpad. The X+ version can often be found for $950, which is the one to get. The X Elite version offers extra performance but drains the small battery faster.
Like the Slim 7x, it uses a Qualcomm processor requiring the ARM version of Windows, limiting app compatibility. It can also get warm to the touch. Microsoft sells an Intel Lunar Lake version to businesses, which fixes these issues—but at a much higher price.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition
For those who prefer a good Windows laptop without Qualcomm limitations or high costs, this 15.3-inch laptop is a top pick. Its screen is bright, high-resolution, and fast refresh rate, with a better trackpad than the Slim 7x and a similarly comfortable keyboard.
Despite its slightly larger size and a plain look, it's compact, lightweight, and portable. Powered by Intel's Lunar Lake processor, it offers long battery life, no heat or fan noise, and snappy performance. At $999 on sale, it's a great deal.
Asus Zenbook S 14
For something smaller with the same Intel Lunar Lake processor, this is the one to get. It's very compact and lightweight, looks stunning, offers fantastic battery life, and features an OLED fast refresh rate display.
It often retails for $1,000, but its glossy and reflective display isn’t bright enough to combat reflections, making it best for darker environments.
HP OmniBook Ultra Flip
Ideal for light users and students, this 2-in-1 laptop includes touch and pen support, a flip screen with better brightness, and a haptic trackpad. Compared to the Zenbook S 14, it's slightly larger but offers minimal downsides.
Both laptops often retail for around $1,000, but the Zenbook S 14 is smaller, lighter, and has better battery life.
MacBook Air M3 & M4
The recently announced M4 MacBook Air was a bit disappointing, mostly unchanged from previous models. Shortcomings like the 60Hz display, low-travel keyboard, small starting storage (256GB), and limited ports remain. However, its price was lowered by $100, making the older MacBook Air M3 a great value.
We've seen the M3 model for $300 off, meaning $800 for the 16GB RAM/256GB storage version and $1,000 for the 512GB storage version. At these prices, it’s a reliable premium laptop with excellent integrated graphics. The M3 chip is fast enough for light use and is built on TSMC 3nm, just like the M4, ensuring similar power efficiency and battery life.
Laptops for Serious Performance On The Go
If you need more power for demanding tasks, these laptops offer a significant boost.
HP OmniBook Ultra (Traditional Clamshell Version)
Initially disliked, this laptop has become a favorite due to its price. Often found for $1,000, sometimes as low as $900, it features a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 Zen5 processor and 32GB of memory, offering exceptional performance compared to other small portable laptops.
Since it has an AMD chip, all applications work without compatibility issues. However, its trade-offs include being heavy for a 14-inch laptop, a 60Hz display, and a low-travel keyboard.
It’s a great choice for programmers or audio engineers who need power and high quality around $1,000 or less.
IdeaPad 5 Pro 16
If you're looking for dedicated graphics on a budget, this laptop is a good option. While not a premium device, it gets the job done, and you can get low-end dedicated graphics for around $800.
Laptops for Serious Performance On The Go
If you need more power for demanding tasks, these laptops offer a significant boost.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 & G16
These famous portable gaming laptops were completely redesigned last year to be super compact, light, and premium-feeling. Both feature OLED displays and powerful dedicated graphics:
- G14 with RTX 4060 → ~$1,100
- G16 with RTX 4070 → ~$1,400
Downsides:
- The G14 uses an older Zen 4 chip, which isn’t as powerful or efficient as Zen 5 chips, leading to heat issues due to its tiny size and metallic chassis.
- The G16’s cheaper models use an older Intel Core Ultra Series 1 Meteor chip, which is powerful but inefficient, resulting in higher heat, fan noise, and reduced battery life.
- Newer versions exist, but they aren't priced as competitively.
Yoga Pro 9i
A strong all-around performance laptop from last year. It’s larger and heavier than the G16 and looks slightly dated, but its advantages include:
- Mini-LED display with a fast refresh rate, making text & code sharp and easy to read
- Highly comfortable keyboard
- Strong overall performance
Pricing:
- RTX 4050 version → $1,300 with 32GB of memory
- RTX 4060 version → $1,500
It’s an excellent choice for programmers, content creators, and casual gamers.
Predator Helios Neo 14
For those wanting more graphics power at around $1,300, this hidden gem offers:
- RTX 4070
- Core Ultra 9 Series 1 processor
- 32GB of memory
- Good display (bright, high resolution, fast refresh rate)
- Comfortable keyboard
Trade-offs:
- Gets quite warm under load
- Heavy and has an odd keyboard layout
- Display lacks a wide color gamut
Despite these drawbacks, it packs incredible value for the price.
MacBook Pro M4 Series
Whether 14-inch or 16-inch, these MacBooks are fantastic choices. The M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips deliver:
- Extreme performance
- Unmatched power efficiency
- Reliable unplugged usage for demanding tasks
- Less heat & fan noise vs. Windows alternatives
Apple ensures top-tier attention to detail, including:
- Great speakers, trackpad, webcam, and ports
- Premium build quality
- Long-lasting durability & resale value
Although they rarely get big discounts, a $200 price cut is worth considering, especially since many comparable Windows laptops are now priced higher.
Big and Powerful Laptops
For those who need maximum power, these laptops deliver, though they might be less portable.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
Many large, powerful Windows laptops don’t get big discounts, but this last-gen model is an exception.
Available with:
- RTX 4080 → ~$2,200
- RTX 4090 → ~$2,500
- Intel 14th-gen HX processor (extremely powerful)
- Upgradeable memory
- Top-tier display (wide color gamut, bright, fast refresh rate, high resolution)
- Comfortable keyboard
Downsides:
- Thick & heavy
- Sharp edge that may dig into your wrist
- Loud fan noise during intense workloads
- Dated ports (only one Thunderbolt 4 port and no 2.5 Gig Ethernet)
Despite these trade-offs, it’s an incredible powerhouse for the price.
Key Takeaways
- Don't pay full price: Laptop sales prices are the real prices; MSRPs are often inflated to make sales seem better.
- Older models offer great value: Many laptops from last year provide nearly the same performance as new ones for significantly less money.
- Check for sales: Use price trackers to find deals, as prices can change with tariffs and market conditions.
- Support the channel: Liking the video and subscribing helps create more content and fight against rising laptop prices.
Remember, the best way to push back against manufacturers raising prices is to stop buying laptops at full price. By choosing wisely and waiting for sales, you can get a great machine without overspending.
