With dozens of new laptops launching every month, navigating the market takes a method. Here’s a selection of fourteen models organized by price range and use case, from the cheapest entry-level pick to laptops built for creators and professionals.
The ranking at a glance
HP Laptop 15 (Ryzen 3) — cheapest option: a 15.6” Full HD display at the lowest price.
HP 250 G9 — reliable base pick: sober design and Windows 11 Pro preinstalled.
Acer Aspire Lite 14 — the lightest: 1.17 kg with a nice 16:10 IPS touch display.
ASUS Vivobook 15 — best RAM-to-price ratio: 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD in the mid-range.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (Snapdragon X) — best battery life: outstanding power efficiency thanks to the ARM chip.
Samsung Galaxy Book4 — best mid-range build quality: a metal body and great Samsung integration.
Lenovo V15 G4 IRU — best for work and security: BitLocker, remote management, and a Privacy Shutter.
HP Victus 15 — best budget gaming pick: an RTX 5050 with DLSS4 at the best entry price.
MSI Cyborg 15 — balanced gaming pick: an H-series Core i7 and an RTX 5060 with a 144 Hz display.
HP Omen 16 — top-of-the-line gaming pick: a Ryzen 9 and an RTX 5070 for desktop-replacement performance.
HP OmniBook Ultra Flip X360 — best OLED display: a 3K 120 Hz panel in a convertible with a pen.
HP OmniBook X Flip 16 — best on-device AI: a 47 TOPS NPU for Copilot+ PC features.
MacBook Air M5 — best Apple ultrabook: battery life and efficiency at the top of the category.
MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max — best portable workstation: power for video, 3D, and professional workloads.
How to navigate the tiers
If your budget is under €450, the HP Laptop 15 and HP 250 G9 cover the basics without frills. In the mid-range (€500-800) the choice widens considerably: the Acer Aspire Lite 14 and ASUS Vivobook 15 lean on portability and configuration, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 on battery life, the Galaxy Book4 on build quality and ecosystem, while the Lenovo V15 G4 IRU remains the most sensible pick for anyone handling sensitive business data.
Anyone who wants to game has three tiers to choose from: the HP Victus 15 to get started without overspending, the MSI Cyborg 15 for a clear step up in performance, and the HP Omen 16 for anyone unwilling to compromise. Finally, the premium tier — HP OmniBook Ultra Flip X360, HP OmniBook X Flip 16, MacBook Air M5, and MacBook Pro M5 Pro/Max — is where you’ll find OLED displays, on-device AI, and the performance needed for professional multimedia work.
In summary
Don’t just chase the lowest price or the most familiar name: define your budget and real-world use first, then choose by looking at display, processor, and RAM in that order. A dedicated GPU only makes sense if you game or work with heavy graphics software — otherwise, that money is usually better spent on more RAM or a better display.