WIRED’s updated guide to the best laptops 2026 keeps Apple’s MacBook Air with the M5 chip at the top, even after Apple raised the starting price by $200, from $1,099 to $1,299. The guide says the Air remains the safest recommendation for most buyers because its trackpad, speakers, battery life and everyday performance are consistently strong.
The update is less a victory lap for Apple than a reminder that laptop pricing has become a mess. WIRED says it reassessed its recommendations after recent price increases, including across Apple’s MacBook lineup. It also notes that retail links in its coverage may generate compensation, while saying its product picks are made independently by editors.
What is the best laptop in 2026?
According to WIRED’s July 2026 testing, the best laptop for most people is the Apple MacBook Air M5. The guide says the M5 model has enough performance and battery life for typical users, while its fanless, thin design still gives it headroom for occasional gaming or video editing.
WIRED says the M5 Air’s graphics performance matches the M3 Pro MacBook Pro, which is a spicy data point for a machine that is not sold as a workstation. The recommendation comes with a caveat: Apple’s cheaper MacBook Neo may appeal to casual buyers, but WIRED says the Air is the better tool for people who work at a computer all day because it has stronger performance, more memory, faster storage and Thunderbolt ports.
Which Windows laptops made the list?
For buyers who need Windows, WIRED names HP’s OmniBook Ultra 14 as the strongest MacBook Air alternative. The tested configuration used Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite, 32 GB of RAM and a 2880 x 1800 OLED display. WIRED praises the build, haptic trackpad, speakers and three Thunderbolt 4 ports, while calling out the glossy OLED panel for being reflective and lacking an anti-glare coating.
Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 5x is WIRED’s other main Windows alternative, especially against the 15-inch MacBook Air. The guide says its price has climbed from $900 at review time to $1,150, but the machine still stands out because of its 2560 x 1600 OLED display with a 165-Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon X2 Plus chip, solid battery life and practical ports including HDMI, USB-A and an SD card slot.
For under $1,000, WIRED points buyers to the Dell 14 Plus. The guide describes it as one of the few Windows laptops worth buying at that price, citing a sharp screen, decent touchpad, strong battery life, 16 GB of RAM and previous-generation Intel chips.
What are the cheaper picks?
WIRED’s budget pick is HP’s OmniBook 5 14, with the tested model using a Snapdragon X processor, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage and a 14-inch OLED screen. The guide says the 256-GB model was available from HP for $630, though discounts change often.
Apple’s MacBook Neo also makes the budget section after rising from $599 to $699. WIRED says it has the best display at its price and feels premium for students, travelers and casual users, but its 8 GB of RAM, older ports and slower SSD make the MacBook Air a better choice for remote workers.
Among Chromebooks, WIRED favors Acer’s Chromebook Plus 516 for buyers under $500, saying it has a good touchpad and can fall to $349. The pricier Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is described as premium, with OLED, 16 GB of RAM and strong battery life, but WIRED says its $849 price is too high for what it offers.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
