One of the most common questions we get asked at ZDNET is “what’s the fastest laptop?” It’s tough to answer, because ultimately, it depends. Fastest at what? There are a lot of factors that go into a laptop’s speed (and how it’s measured) but we’ve put together a list of the best-performing laptops for the use cases where speed and performance matter most.
If you’re talking about creative tasks, “fastest” might refer to the speed at rendering 4K video and working with high-resolution image files. In that case, the fastest laptop will have a powerful graphics card and lots of RAM. Namely: the Asus ProArt P16, a powerhouse built for creative tasks. If you’re talking about productivity, “fastest” is going to mean ease at multitasking across multiple displays, something the MacBook M4 Max<!–> can do without skipping a beat.
Also: The best laptops: Expert tested and reviewed
While we did include benchmarking metrics to accompany our picks here, we chose these laptops for their overall performance in their specific use cases, and the price relative to feature set. This means that we used a combination of our own personal experience over the course of several days and weeks of testing and regular use, as well as industry-standard benchmarking programs, to form a holistic impression.
What’s the fastest laptop you can buy right now?
All the laptops on this list are considered fast. But the number one driving metric for speed comes down to processing power: how quickly and effortlessly can it handle challenging tasks? The Apple MacBook M4 Max–> leads the charge in that department with the new M4 Max chip — the latest in Apple’s lineup of silicon chips that’s as high-performing as it is versatile. Read on for the rest of our top picks.
There’s no doubt about it: the MacBook Pro M4 Max is blazing fast. Yes, it kills it on the benchmarking metrics, but this laptop’s real speed comes from how well it handles the tasks the majority of users do every day.
When it comes to multitasking, the MacBook M4 Max doesn’t skip a beat. This laptop is designed to seamlessly switch from app to app, including demanding tasks like editing video, working in Adobe Photoshop, and gaming across multiple displays.
Also: I replaced my M1 MacBook Pro with a base model M4 – and it blew my $3,000 system away
The new M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pros feature USB-C Thunderbolt 5 ports, becoming some of the first laptops on the market to support faster 120Gbps transfer speeds and up to 240W charging. For professional creatives who use external GPUs and storage solutions and need a portable system that can swiftly move large files, paying for the extra processing power is justifiable.
The M4 MacBook Pro series outperforms its predecessors, as well as some of the latest Windows machines running on Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) chipsets. The main factor to consider with this device is the cost, however. The M4 Max starts at $3,199, which may be prohibitive for some, but in terms of speed and power, it remains at the top.
MacBook Pro M4 Max tech specs: Display size: 14-inch or 16-inch | Display type: Liquid Retina XDR | Resolution: 6K | RAM: 16GB-24GB Unified memory | Storage: Up to 1TB SSD | CPU: 14-core M4 Max | Battery life: Up to 18 hours
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Featuring the new ARM-compatible Snapdragon X Elite processor, the XPS 13 is a 2.6-pound performance powerhouse in a sleek and well-designed form factor with all the hallmarks of XPS’s design: the invisible trackpad, the zero-lattice keyboard, and the brilliant display.
Dell’s XPS 13 has a future-forward design, but it’s the cutting-edge hardware that makes it fast. In my benchmarking, the Dell XPS 13 showed off its multitasking horsepower by leveraging the processor’s dual-core boost.
Review: Dell XPS 13 (Copilot+ PC)
Additionally, boot times move at warp speed, and browsing behavior feels snappy and responsive. When paired with the brilliant tandem OLED display, it feels like a true high-end productivity device. Whether you’re using it for creative tasks like editing video, or working with large files, the XPS 13 is well-optimized as a work machine.
The battery life on this machine is, like all the other Copilot+ PCs, very good. Dell has a handful of different performance modes that will affect the battery life, and of course, the OLED screen is going to be a lot more power-hungry than the FHD, but overall, it’s impressive. In our testing, we got over 17 hours of battery life running a livestream video over Wi-Fi.
- Cinebench 24 Single core: 123
- Cinebench 24 Multi core: 977
- Geekbench 6 Single core: 2830
- Geekbench 6 Multi core: 14687
Dell XPS 13 tech specs: Display size: 13-inch | Display type: Non-touch FHD or Touch OLED | Resolution: 2.8K | RAM: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB SSD | CPU: Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 | GPU: Qualcomm Adreno | Battery life: Up to 17 hours
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The Zenbook S 14 comes with the recently-announced Intel Core Ultra 7 200V (Series 2) processor on a 32GB, 1TB loadout, resulting in a fast, battery-efficient laptop. The new chip comes with an enhanced NPU 4.0 AI Engine for 47 TOPs, aiming to bridge the gap with other AI-powered processors in a thin, light form factor.
And light it is. The Zenbook S 14 weighs just 2.65 pounds and is 0.47 inches thick when closed. The ceraluminum body is a unique material that resists fingerprints and is cool to the touch, while being easy to grip. This is a laptop I wouldn’t mind carrying around to and from the office, and is sturdy enough to receive a MIL-STD 810H durability rating.
Review: Asus Zenbook S 14 (Intel 200V)
The Intel Core Ultra 7 “Lunar Lake” Series 2 processor is a direct response to the Snapdragon X Elite chips released earlier this year, and it performs very well on this device. It’s snappy, with rapid-fire load times and smooth transitions while multitasking. Additionally, the laptop’s gorgeous OLED display with a variable 120Hz refresh rate feels smooth and premium.
But as with all ultrathin laptops, there are tradeoffs. Namely, the heat dispersion is limited, as the body is less than half an inch of thick. Second, the thin clamshell can field vibrations from the device’s speakers. But both of these things only come into play if you’ve got the sound blasting and are cranking the graphics.
- Cinebench 24 Single core: 119
- Cinebench 24 Multi core: 481
- Geekbench 6 Single core: 2748
- Geekbench 6 Multi core: 11050
Dell XPS 13 tech specs: Display size: 14-inch | Display type: Touch OLED | Resolution: 2.8K | RAM: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB SSD | CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 (Series 2) | GPU: Intel Arc Graphics | Battery life: Up to 17 hours
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Asus’ ProArt P16 lives up to its name as a powerful device for professional artists, creatives, and gamers. With an arsenal of powerful hardware, this is a machine committed to providing solid performance across industry-standard programs like Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and other software creatives use.
In other words, when it comes to rendering video, exporting files, and working with high-fidelity content, this thing is fast. The 32GB of RAM and AMD’s Strix Point processor ensure snappy, responsive load times and smooth multitasking, while the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card powers the gorgeous 4K OLED display.
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The cherry on top is the Asus Dialpad, a circular wheel on the trackpad that allows for quick access to customizable brush and settings tools across different programs.
Regarding its form factor, the ProArt P16’s sleek, all-black exterior is minimalistic, but it’s lighter than you’d expect for a 16-inch laptop with this amount of power. The only drawback from said power is the laptop’s tendency to run warm, despite an efficient cooling system that knows when to kick in and doesn’t let anything get too hot.
- Cinebench 24 Single core: 115
- Cinebench 24 Multi core: 1096
- Geekbench 6 Single core: 2804
- Geekbench 6 Multi core: 12787
Asus ProArt P16 tech specs: Display size: 16-inch | Display type: OLED, 60Hz | Resolution: 4K | RAM: 32GB | Storage: 1TB | CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 | Battery life: 13 hours
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Among Lenovo’s slew of gaming laptops, the 9th-generation Legion Pro 7i gets crowned as champion. This machine is not the most portable, weighing a heavy six pounds. But what you get is worth the extra heft.
The 14th-generation Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, paired with a GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card and 32GB of memory results in a fast, ultra-responsive gaming machine. Plus, it has a 2TB SSD: storage for days. Basically, this laptop is a beast, capable of running all of the latest games in ultra-high resolution and a high frame rate without skipping a beat.
Also: The best Lenovo laptops: Expert tested and reviewed
The powerful hardware works in tandem with the display’s blazing-fast 240Hz refresh rate to deliver a sharp, responsive image at a high-end 2560 x 1600 resolution, which is a must for laptop gaming. But it’s the
Speaking from experience, a laptop like this can run hot, and heat can destroy internal components. So, the robust cooling system keeps things running within optimal temperatures. And if that wasn’t enough, it has speakers powerful enough to fill a room — a rarity among laptops.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 tech specs: Display size: 16-inch | Display type: WQXGA, 240Hz | Resolution: 2560 x 1600 | RAM: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 2TB SSD | CPU: Intel Core i9 | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 | Battery life: Up to 7 hours
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Gaming on a Chromebook? Absolutely. Acer’s latest top-tier Chromebook Plus came out earlier this year, and it delivers on some solid cloud gaming performance. The Chromebook Plus models from this year are equipped with more robust processors, more high-end builds, and above all, huge leaps forward in battery life. The 516 GE is no exception.
With ChromeOS, you get a slimmed-down operating system that’s fast and efficient without worrying about installing massive game files. Streaming the latest titles results in a gaming experience that feels like a laptop two or three times the price, and for this reason, it’s our pick for the fastest budget gaming laptop.
Review: Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE
With swift boot times and fast app launches, multitasking is just as fast as gaming. When I was testing this device with GeForce Now running, Chrome, the YouTube app and other apps open, navigating ChromeOS felt light and responsive, with minimal lag.
The display on the Acer 516 GE runs at a speedy 120Hz refresh rate and the matte finish and WQXGA resolution make for a solid visual experience (especially for the $550 price point).
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE tech specs: Display size: 16-inch | Display type: Non-Touch LED, 120Hz | Resolution: WQXGA | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | CPU: Intel Core 5 (Series 1) | GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics | Battery life: 10+ hours
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So why did we choose these six laptops specifically? We’re not claiming they’re the absolute fastest laptops in existence. We chose them for their performance relative to their feature sets, and of course, their value.
If performance is of top of mind for you when you’re looking for a laptop, all six of these are solid choices, it just depends on what you plan on using your laptop for. Here’s a summary of their different use cases below.
Choose this laptop… | If you want… |
MacBook M4 Max | A powerful laptop that can connect to multiple external displays and still multitask like a boss. |
Dell XPS 13 | A fast and battery-efficient Copilot+ PC for work with a bold design and nice display. |
Asus Zenbook S 14 | A thin and lightweight laptop with solid performance and a marathon battery. |
Asus ProArt P16 | A powerful, creator-focused laptop with some usability perks unique that artists and designers will love. |
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i | A gaming laptop with the right amount of hardware to deliver solid performance. |
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE | A snappy and responsive Chromebook for cloud gaming that won’t break the bank. |
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All of the laptops on this list are fast, responsive machines with enough hardware to handle diverse workloads. However, their performance will edge out the competition when it comes to their specialized use cases. Here’s a closer look at how they compare with some core hardware specs.
Price | RAM/Storage | Processor | Graphics | Battery life | |
MacBook M4 Max | $3,199 | Up to 48GB Unified memory, 1TB SSD | M4 Max | Up to 32-core GPU | Up to 18 hours |
Dell XPS 13 | $1,199 | Up to 32GB, 1TB SSD | Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 | Qualcomm Adreno | Up to 17 hours |
Asus Zenbook S 14 | $1,399 | Up to 32GB, 1TB SSD | Intel Core Ultra 7 (Series 2) | Intel Arc Graphics | Up to 17 hours |
Asus ProArt P16 | $2,699 | Up to 64GB, 2TB SS | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 | Up to 13 hours |
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i | 1,999 | 32GB, 1TB SSD | Intel 14th Gen Core i9 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 | Up to 7 hours |
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE | $649 | 8GB, 256GB SSD | Intel Core 5 120U | Intel Iris Xe Graphics | 10+ hours |
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We use a combination of methods to test laptops here at ZDNET. First, we acquire data from benchmarking software to analyze a system’s metrics under the hood, and compare those to advertised numbers. Then, we spend an extended amount of time with the laptop (usually a week or two) using it the same way a normal consumer would, in order to analyze its portability, form factor, and how well the battery actually holds up, among others. For an extensive breakdown, check out our comprehensive laptop testing methodology.
- Benchmarking: First, we run a series of tests to put the computer’s hardware through the wringer in order to see what it’s capable of. Cinebench is one of the most commonly-used hardware testing suites, which tests the laptop’s rendering performance on single and multiple CPU cores. PCMark 10 is another powerful program that covers a wide variety of tasks performed in the workplace, and there are many others that we use in tandem to gather as much data as we can. Some components we run tests on include:
- Processor: The “brain” of the laptop, and one of the most important factors that determines performance. The four biggest manufacturers that make most of the CPUs found in laptops today are Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and Apple (in their own machines only). This is tested in benchmarking software.
- The display: The size of the display (measured diagonally from corner to corner) is also what dictates the laptop’s overall size, and play a big role in the laptop’s cost. Brightness is measured in “nits,” and color spectrums are tested in benchmarking software.
- The graphics processor (GPU): Whether it’s integrated into the CPU or a dedicated graphics card, how well the machine handles graphics is a key factor when it comes to demanding visual tasks like video editing, rendering, and of course, gaming. We test the GPU with a combination of benchmarking software, gaming, and media playback.
- Physical form factor: Finally, the laptop’s overall appearance and physical form factor encompasses its weight, thickness, how the keyboard and trackpad feel, and whether or not it has a display that can be folded back to form a tablet. We carry the laptop around for at least a week and note how well it commutes.
- Battery testing: We test a unit’s battery in a few ways. A handful of benchmarking programs have their own battery testing components, but we also will just let the laptop run for as long as it can under a medium load. We ensure screensavers and hibernation mode are turned off, set the display’s brightness and audio at 50%, load up a livestream on YouTube in Chrome, and wait ’til the end.
- The human element: As we mentioned earlier, metrics and system data is important, but numbers alone don’t give you the full picture. This is where we weave in our personal experience with the device and tap into the practical use cases that consumers actually care about.
Ultimately, our goal is to break down the capabilities of each and every laptop we test into digestible terms that real people can find useful. There is a lot of noise and confusion when it comes to navigating the laptop and computer consumer market, so we hope to bring an intuitive element to the whole process by leveraging our team’s decades of experience.
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Absolutely, these six laptops are by no means an exhaustive list; there have been a handful of ultra-fast and responsive devices released this year alone. If you’re looking for something a little bit different, here are some additional choices that we approve of.
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Source: Robotics - zdnet.com
