12+ Best Laptops for Remote Work in 2024

Laptops have gotten more and more important as workplaces shift to incorporate extra distant and hybrid roles. Distant work presents a whole lot of advantages, similar to extra flexibility and freedom in terms of hours, nevertheless it will also be troublesome if you do not have the appropriate instruments. Laptops allow you to function your corporation from wherever on this planet.

Distant-work laptops have to be highly effective sufficient to deal with quite a lot of duties and transportable sufficient to take with you. You may select from many types, every with its personal professionals and cons. For instance, a two-in-one laptop computer capabilities as each a laptop computer and pill, permitting artists extra flexibility in how they sketch. If pill performance isn’t one thing you want, no downside—there are a lot of different sorts to think about.

From mild and transportable choices to highly effective machines that may deal with extra intensive duties, we have got you lined. This text discusses the perfect high-quality laptops for distant work, contemplating components like tech specs, professionals and cons, fashion, and consumer objectives.

• Best laptops for remote work
• What to consider when choosing your laptop

Greatest laptops for distant work

MacBook Professional

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Should you’re on the lookout for a top-of-the-line laptop computer that may deal with absolutely anything you throw at it, the MacBook Pro is a stable alternative. It is Apple’s strongest laptop computer, with a big Retina show, quick processing pace, and all of the options you could get work finished (after which some). The laptop computer is obtainable in 13-, 14-, or 16-inch fashions and has completely different configuration choices. As an illustration, the 16-inch MacBook Professional has three choices with variations in SSD storage and GPU.

Its Magic Keyboard, with Contact ID, permits you to simply enter emojis, lock your laptop computer, and carry out many system capabilities on the contact of a key. With Contact ID, use your fingerprints to lock and unlock your laptop computer, make purchases on Apple apps, or use Apple pay on web sites.

The Apple MacBook Professional can be a terrific alternative for graphic designers, video editors, and different artistic professionals who want a robust machine that’s straightforward to make use of. Mac is often the preference for professional creatives due to the straightforward, streamlined, and trendy Apple OS system and high-quality artistic purposes (like Last Reduce Professional) that run on Apple units. The worth is excessive, however a MacBook Professional’s energy and flexibility make it price contemplating.

MacBook Pro 16-inch specs:

• 16-Core GPU
• 512GB SSD Storage
• Three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3 port
• Magic Keyboard with Contact ID
• 140W USB-C Energy Adapter

Professionals:

• Highly effective processor and graphics card
• Excessive-quality, high-resolution show
• Mild and skinny, contemplating the standard and backbone of the show

Cons:

• Worth (beginning at $1,299 for the 13-inch and $2,499 for the 16-inch)
• Sluggish scroll efficiency
• Soldered RAM in place, non-upgradable after buy

‍MacBook Air

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The MacBook Air is a extra inexpensive choice from Apple that also presents loads of options for distant employees. The MacBook Air can simply deal with net searching, engaged on paperwork, mild photograph and video edits, and most gaming with Apple’s M1 processor. Nonetheless, hardcore avid gamers and video editors could want to analysis earlier than they buy, because the processing energy will not be ample for heavy video games or video initiatives.

The Air is barely much less highly effective than the MacBook Professional however nonetheless has a ravishing Retina show and quick processing pace. Plus, it is ultra-portable, light, and skinny, making it good for many who must journey usually for work or wish to throw it in a backpack to work on the go.

The MacBook Air is obtainable with the M1 processor or the brand-new M2. You can even choose your reminiscence (8GB, 16GB, and 24GB choices), storage (512GB SSD, 1TB SSD, and 2TB SSD choices), energy adaptor, keyboard language, and software program choices.

MacBook Air 13-inch specs:

MacBook Air 13-inch specs:

• 8-core CPU
• 16GB of unified reminiscence
• 512GB SSD storage
• 13.3-inch Retina show with True Tone

Two Thunderbolt 3 ports

Professionals:

• Highly effective processor and graphics card
• M1 chip for higher efficiency
• Light-weight and transportable

Cons:

• Worth (beginning at $999 for the 13-inch and $1,299 for the 15-inch)
• Restricted storage
• Solely two USB-C ports

HP Pavilion 15

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The HP Pavilion 15 earns its place on our record for affordability and high-spec {hardware}. It’s a mid-range laptop computer with all of the necessities, like a speedy 512GB SSD and a touch-screen FHD show. Whereas the laptop computer physique isn’t as slim as a MacBook Air, it’s nonetheless skinny and well-designed, wanting costlier than it’s.

The Pavilion 15 has some notable enhancements from the earlier model, the HP Pavilion 14, like two occasions higher multi-core CPU efficiency, thinner bezels, contact display, and the power to run fashionable video games at about 28% to 38% greater FPS. Read more from the comparison on Nanoreview.

The HP Pavilion 15 is a superb alternative for enterprise professionals who want a machine that does not break the financial institution however can nonetheless get the job finished. It’s greater than sufficient for net searching, engaged on paperwork, informal photograph enhancing, streaming a film, and all of your primary day-to-day desktop work.

HP Pavilion 15 specs:

• eighth Technology Intel® Core™ i7 processor
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card
• 1 TB exhausting drive and 128 GB solid-state drive
• 15.6-inch full HD IPS show
• Two USB 3.0 ports, one HDMI port, one Ethernet port, and one headphone jack

Professionals:

• Highly effective processor and graphics card for the worth
• Reasonably priced, mid-range laptop computer
• Loads of ports

Cons:

• No backlit keyboard
• Excessive energy consumption and brief battery life
• Disagreeable fan noise beneath load

Different laptops price contemplating

Now that you simply’ve reviewed the highest three choices for distant work laptops, let’s evaluation a number of extra high quality choices that will higher suit your wants.

Google PixelBook Go

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Earlier than diving into the Google PixelBook Go, we have to discuss Chromebooks basically. Chromebooks have some distinctive benefits (e.g., inexpensive, light-weight, easy UI, secure, quick), however additionally they have some notable disadvantages in comparison with different laptops.

Chromebooks have restricted storage—though some have the choice to increase storage with the acquisition of an SD card. Nonetheless, they’ve wonderful cloud storage to make up for this. One other subject to notice is that Chromebooks can’t use applications like Adobe’s Artistic Suite (Photoshop, Premier, and so forth.) or help video games apart from on-line video games or apps. They’ve restricted offline capabilities, and are greatest suited to use with an web connection.

That being stated, the Google PixelBook Go is dependable, quick, and light-weight. The “restricted capabilities” could even be a lovely choice to distant employees on the lookout for a easy, stripped laptop computer with none of the extras they received’t want. Distant employees whose day-to-day work is restricted to duties in Chrome or different Google purposes could have every thing they want, given they’ve a secure web connection.

Google Pixelbook Go specs:

• eighth Technology Intel® Core™ i7 processor
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card
• 1 TB exhausting drive and 128 GB solid-state drive
• 15.6-inch full HD IPS show
• Two USB 3.0 ports, one HDMI port, one Ethernet port, and one headphone jack

Professionals:

• Very transportable, light-weight, and inexpensive
• 12 hours of rated battery life
• Contact display

Cons:

• No fingerprint scanner
• Dearer than non-Google Chromebooks
• No microSD storage enlargement

Samsung Galaxy Ebook

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The Samsung Galaxy Book earns an honorable point out on our record of greatest laptops for distant employees for a number of causes. First, it has spectacular built-in 4G LTE connectivity. Second, it has practically all-day battery life (16 hours). Each of those options make it a lovely choice for distant employees who discover themselves touring usually. It’s additionally the world’s first laptop computer with a built-in S Pen, with an amazingly exact stress degree sensor.

The Samsung Galaxy Ebook is the newest Home windows on Snapdragon laptop computer that mixes the standard laptop computer with the mobility, battery life, and pace of a smartphone. And it does a great job of it, actually residing as much as the mobility, battery life, and connectivity of a smartphone. Nonetheless, these advantages come at a worth (beginning at $999), and it isn’t probably the most highly effective laptop computer on this record in terms of efficiency.

Samsung Galaxy Ebook specs:

• eighth Technology Intel® Core™ i7 processor
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card
• 1 TB exhausting drive and 128 GB solid-state drive
• 15.6-inch full HD IPS show
• Two USB 3.0 ports, one HDMI port, one Ethernet port, and one microphone/headphone jack

Professionals:

• Wonderful 16-hour battery life
• Contact display and S Pen
• Skinny, elegant design

Cons:

• Shallow keyboard
• No anti-glare show
• Software program compatibility points

 

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Acer Aspire

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The Acer Aspire E 15 is a stable funds laptop computer. It has an incredible beginning worth of $315 and all kinds of ports. With a cushty, well-spaced keyboard and respectable battery life, the Acer Aspire E 15 is an effective alternative for budget-conscious distant employees.

At that worth, you may be questioning what the tradeoff is. With rave reviews from most of the greatest laptop computer evaluation websites, it’s troublesome to see its faults. Whereas it simply handles the each day duties of distant work, multitasks, and even performs video games, it could not have the ability to deal with heavy video games at their highest settings. The design additionally leaves one thing to be desired. It’s massive, a bit clunky, and weighs 5 kilos. If these tradeoffs are definitely worth the affordability, then the Acer Aspire E 15 may be the laptop computer for you.

Acer Aspire E 15 specs:

• eighth Technology Intel® Core™ i7 processor
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card
• 1 TB exhausting drive and 128 GB solid-state drive
• 15.6-inch display measurement, full HD IPS show
• Two USB 3.0 ports, one HDMI port, one Ethernet port, and one microphone/headphone jack

Professionals:

• Extensive port vary
• Good battery life
• Very inexpensive

Cons:

• Cumbersome design
• Thick and heavy
• Lacks Home windows Howdy, Fingerprint Reader, or Iris scanner

Acer Swift 3

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In keeping with the Acer website, it’s time to “say hi there to the all-new pick-up-and-go.” This laptop computer has an accessible worth for its measurement, a touchpad, a backlit keyboard, and a fingerprint reader. Should you’re on the lookout for an enormous laptop computer with a beneficiant display that’s nice at multitasking for day-to-day work, the Acer Swift 3 is price consideration.

Its mid-range pricing does include a number of tradeoffs. Whereas the battery life is stellar (12+ hours in testing), the webcam and show brightness could possibly be higher and efficiency falls behind with demanding apps. Regardless of its cons, the Swift 3 is a superb laptop computer with mass enchantment. It’s particularly suited to writers, college students, or distant employees who’ve locations to go and folks to see.

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Acer Swift 3 16-inch specs:

• Intel Core i7-11370H
• 16-inch 1080p LCD
• Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• Home windows Howdy fingerprint reader
• 720p webcam

Professionals:

• Glorious for multitasking
• Nice efficiency for the worth
• Fingerprint reader included

Cons:

• Not as highly effective as another laptops on this record
• Dim show
• Audio system aren’t nice

Dell XPS 13

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A review by Engadget states that the Dell XPS 13 is “every thing we would like in a compact pocket book.” It’s straightforward to know the glowing critiques from specialists contemplating its thinner show bezels, ultra-portability, fashionable design, and wider keyboard. The XPS 13 is an Ultrabook, a laptop computer that’s lower than 0.8 inches thick and weighs lower than 3.1 kilos. The slim, light-weight XPS 13 competes with Apple’s MacBook Air.

Consultants rated the Dell XPS 13 one of the best laptops, however is it the appropriate laptop computer for you? Should you’re on the lookout for a luxurious laptop computer, all-day battery life, stable efficiency, and exquisite design, it simply may be. Nonetheless, it comes with a excessive price ticket (at the moment $1,169.99).

This laptop computer has a number of doable configurations (measurement, video card, exhausting drive, LCD, shade, and keyboard), however listed here are some Dell XPS 13 specs:

• Home windows 11 House
• 13.4-inch laptop computer show FHD+ 1920×1200, 60Hz, Contact, Anti-Replicate, 500 nit, InfinityEdge
• 256 GB, M.2, PCIe NVMe, SSD
• Touchpad
• 2 Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, 1 headset (headphone and microphone combo) port

Professionals:

• Modern, luxurious design
• Thinner show bezels
• Improved, bigger touchpad

Cons:

• Common webcam
• Dim show
• Dearer than the predecessor

LG Gram 16

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The LG Gram 16-inch laptop computer is without doubt one of the lightest (because the title implies), high-quality, high-resolution laptops for working from house. The truth is, it holds the Guinness World Record for the lightest 16-inch laptop. Should you’re on the lookout for a featherweight laptop computer with nice connectivity, the LG Gram 16 may be the laptop computer for you. Freelance writers will love engaged on a laptop computer that’s virtually as mild as a pocket book.

LG Gram 16 specs:

• Intel eleventh Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor
• 16GB of RAM
• 1TB NVMe M.2 2280 SSD
• 16-inch IPS LCD show with a 16:10 side ratio at WQXGA (2560×1600) decision
• Two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 help, two USB-A 3.2 ports, a full-size HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack

Professionals:

• Featherweight
• Excessive-resolution display
• Two-in-one laptop computer, combining a laptop computer with a pill

Cons:

• Mediocre battery life
• Costly
• Mediocre audio system

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5

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The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13-inch laptop computer is at the moment out there for $387 on Amazon. As a result of it’s a Chromebook, it does have distinct disadvantages and capabilities. For extra data on Chromebooks, confer with the part above on the Google PixelBook Go or learn an in-depth article devoted to the subject here.

Should you’re on the lookout for a funds laptop computer and a Chromebook is an effective match in your wants, the Lenovo Flex 5 is properly price your consideration. Chromebooks are nice for distant employees who don’t must run high-end software program or heavy video games and simply want fundamentals like net searching and Google apps.

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 specs:

• tenth Technology Intel® Core™ i3-10110U Processor
• 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, shiny, contact display, 250 nits
• 4 GB DDR4 2667MHz (Soldered)
• 128 GB PCIe SSD
• 2 front-facing 2W audio system

Professionals:

• Slim and light-weight 360-degree convertible design with digital pen help
• Reasonably priced laptop computer
• Nice for video conferencing

Cons:

• Disappointing battery life
• Restricted ports
• Some customers may want extra RAM or storage

Microsoft Floor Ebook 4

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The Microsoft Surface Book 4 is probably the most highly effective Floor laptop computer but. Not solely does it have pace and exquisite show graphics, nevertheless it’s additionally a removable two-in-one laptop computer. This implies it presents the reliability of a laptop computer with the performance and adaptability of a pill. It’s out there in 13.5-inch or 15-inch sizes, each with a high-resolution contact display.

As a result of this laptop computer capabilities as a transportable studio, the Microsoft Floor Ebook 4 could possibly be among the finest laptops for working from house should you’re a freelance artist. Just like the Floor Professional, it’s wonderful for sketching, animating, and drawing on the display. It’s even nice for gaming! Nonetheless, it’s dear, beginning at $899.

Microsoft Floor Ebook 3 specs:

• Intel tenth Gen Core i7-1035G7 quad-core CPU
• 512GB SSD
• Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q
• Two USB 3.1 Sort-A ports, one USB 3.1 Sort-C, one 3.5mm headphone jack, one UHS-II SD card reader, Floor Join port
• 8-megapixel 1080p rear-facing digicam, 5-megapixel 1080 front-facing digicam

Professionals:

• Two-in-one laptop computer, pill, and contact display
• 3:2 practically 4K show with removable display
• GPU efficiency

Cons:

• Underwhelming battery life
• Expensive
• No Thunderbolt 3 help

ASUS Zenbook 15

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The Asus Zenbook 15 is a high-quality, lovely, well-designed laptop computer that’s at house among the many greatest laptops for working from house. It’s a robust machine with an OLED panel, highly effective Ryzen processors, and Ampere graphics, which is able to improve rendering efficiency attributable to its NVENC encoding capabilities.

The Asus Zenbook is ideal for video editors, animators, and creatives who use Adobe Creative Cloud or different heavy enhancing and manufacturing software program.

ASUS Zenbook 15 specs:

• Home windows 10 House OS
• Intel® Core™ i7-8750H processor
• Intel® Core™ i5 processor 8300H
• NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 Ti
• 7.3mm-thin bezel with 83% screen-to-body ratio

Professionals:

• Glorious battery life (15 hours)
• Highly effective (additionally good for gaming)
• Comfy keyboard

Cons:

• Solely 2GB of VRAM
• The show could possibly be brighter
• Lacks Thunderbolt 3 port

Lenovo IdeaPad

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The brand-new Lenovo IdeaPad 5i (15-inch, Intel) laptop computer is the direct successor to the favored Lenovo IdeaPad S540. With new efficiency and beauty enhancements, it’s a great worth for the worth level and does properly beneath strenuous duties. It’s constructed with enterprise in thoughts. Lenovo’s website states that the laptop computer’s “webcam privateness shutter and fingerprint reader provide further safety with a single contact,” nice for distant employees.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5i (15-inch) specs:

• eleventh Technology Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor
• Home windows 11 House OS
• 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-glare, contact display
• 8 GB DDR4 3200MHz (Soldered)
• As much as 11 hours battery life, with Fast Cost 2.0

Professionals:

• Ports and connectivity
• Comfy keyboard and touchpad
• Fingerprint reader and privateness shutter

Cons:

• Beneath-average show
• Efficiency could possibly be higher
• Intel processor pales compared to AMD Ryzen

What to think about when selecting your laptop computer

Laptops provide a variety of advantages, and a few of them are mutually unique. If worth is a limiting issue, for instance, you may need to compromise on pace and even efficiency. Should you want a robust laptop computer, you may need to compromise on weight, measurement, or worth. Relying in your line of labor, some laptops could also be higher suited to your wants than others.

Listed below are some components to think about earlier than making a purchase order:

Objective and performance

What do you want your laptop computer to do? Should you’re a web developer, you may want a robust laptop computer with extra RAM and storage than somebody who simply must examine electronic mail and surf the online.

Should you work from home however sometimes journey or run to the workplace, you want a light-weight laptop computer that’s transportable and straightforward to take with you.

Weight and measurement

How a lot area do you’ve for a laptop computer? Do you want a laptop computer that may slot in your purse or backpack, or are you on the lookout for one thing a bit bigger?

Light-weight laptops are gaining popularity as folks transfer away from desktop computer systems and search for methods to be extra cellular. As an illustration, a freelance producer may need one thing small and light-weight to take to conferences or on-location shoots.

Battery life

What number of hours of battery life do you want? This is a vital consideration for anybody who wants to have the ability to work with out being tethered to an influence outlet.

Should you’re a content creator, lengthy battery life is wonderful for editing videos on the go. Most laptops will get you thru a workday, nevertheless it’s vital to decide on a mannequin with wonderful battery life.

Ram and storage

How a lot RAM and storage do you want? Should you’re an influence consumer like a graphic designer or video editor, you may want a machine with a whole lot of RAM so you’ll be able to have a number of applications open on the similar time with out slowing down your laptop.

Should you’re simply utilizing your laptop computer for primary duties, 4GB of RAM ought to be loads. As for storage, most individuals will discover that 128GB is loads of area for his or her wants. These working with massive recordsdata or who retailer a whole lot of photographs and movies could wish to think about getting a machine with a bigger exhausting drive and extra processing energy.

CPU

What sort of CPU and graphics do you want? You will not want a robust processor or devoted graphics card should you’re simply utilizing your laptop computer for primary duties. Nonetheless, should you’re an influence consumer or plan on doing any gaming, you may wish to select a machine with a great CPU and graphics card.

Working system

Which working system do you want? Home windows 10 is the most well-liked alternative for enterprise customers, whereas creative professionals usually prefer Apple macOS for its design and video editing software.

Should you’re simply on the lookout for a primary machine to browse the online and examine electronic mail, a Chromebook could also be a greater (and extra inexpensive) match in your wants.

Usability and Interface

Is the laptop computer straightforward to make use of? Some laptops have a whole lot of options and buttons, whereas others are quite simple. Select a machine that’s straightforward to make use of, consists of all of the options you want, and has a user-friendly interface.

Webcam

Does the laptop computer have a webcam? If you could take part in video conferences or take footage and movies, guarantee your laptop computer has a built-in webcam. As an illustration, streamers want a webcam to indicate their face on digicam.

Worth

How a lot are you prepared to spend on a laptop computer? Yow will discover funds laptops for beneath $500, however they could not have all of the options you want. Should you’re prepared to spend extra, you may get a machine with a greater processor, extra RAM, and a bigger exhausting drive. The purpose is to seek out a terrific laptop computer with every thing you want at a worth level that works for you.

Put your new laptop computer to good use

Now that we have explored the perfect laptops for distant work, it is time to put your new laptop computer to good use. Should you’re an impartial skilled trying to increase your work, discover new purchasers, or land the proper job, Upwork will help. We are the world’s largest freelancer market with over 12 million registered impartial professionals and 4 million purchasers.