Check this post for some of the best laptop brands in 2021 for everyday use, complex workloads, and more.

As the first month of the new year is almost over, let’s take a look back at the best laptop brands of 2021. And while finding the best of the best can be challenging and is somewhat subjective, we looked at the balance of power, efficiency, portability, and comfort when picking our top four brands. In addition, we have considered the display quality for bright and sharp images, a comfortable keyboard and trackpad, gaming and video editing performance, battery life, and design. 

Please find our four best laptop brands of 2021 below.

Best of the Best: Apple. Best Apple Laptop of 2021: MacBook Pro 14 

Apple is famous for its beautifully designed, high-performing gadgets. So naturally, it just had to make the cut. Specifically, we want to highlight the very latest 14-inch MacBook Pro line. The laptop hits the sweet spot between the older 13-inch and 15-inch series, But most importantly, it offers superior performance, thanks to M1 Pro and M1 Pro Max Apple chips. This computer is the most powerful and lightest MacBook Pro to date, perfect for creative professionals and Mac lovers alike. The MacBook Pro 14 2021 is less expensive than the Pro 16-inch, yet it offers speedy processors and a stellar screen. In addition, you get a better ports selection (HDMI, Thunderbolt 4 ports, SD slot), improved battery life, and more. Honestly, Apple may have outdone themselves with the MacBook Pro 14-inch model, therefore, it rightfully sits at the top of our best laptop brands of 2021 list.

Best Price to Performace Ratio: Dell. Best Dell laptop of 2021: Precision 7550

Historically, Dell makes solid, affordable computers hugely popular among consumers. So it comes as no surprise that this is the brand we buy the most! 

Throughout 2021, Dell released many great laptop models on the market for any taste and budget. But we want to highlight one model in particular: the Dell Precision 7550. It is a monster mobile workstation designed for complex computer-aid design, 3D, virtual reality rendering, and scientific data analysis. And it comes in plenty of configurations to choose from—Intel Core i7-10750H, Intel Core i7-10875H, and Intel Xeon W-10855M processors, for example. Plus, users can configure their graphics card preferences as well: the dedicated NVIDIA Quadro T1000 with 4GB GDD VRAM, NVIDIA Quadro T2000 with 4GB GDDR6, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000, 8GB GDDR6 and NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000, 16GB GDDR6. And the line offers independent software vendor certifications for specialized apps. Not to mention, the Dell Precision 7550 supports up to 6TB of high-speed storage and 128GB of RAM. In addition, its ultra-sharp 4K display colors are just gorgeous. 

Overall, the Dell Precision 7550 is a high-speed, powerful laptop built for multi-tasking. And one of our favorite features has to be the proximity sensor. It puts the device to sleep when the user walks away and wakes it up when they return for more rational power consumption.

Best Budget Brand: Acer. Best Acer Laptop of 2021: Swift 3X

Next on the list of the best laptop brands of 2021 is Acer with their Swift 3X little laptop. The model is a lightweight and sleek 14-inch computer with an all-aluminum chassis. But don’t let the size fool you, as the Swift 3X can definitely pack a punch! It runs on the latest 11th generation Intel Core processors paired with the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. Users also love this model for its comfortable and responsive keyboard.

Overall, the Acer Swift 3X is an ultraportable laptop that provides a competitive performance and excellent battery life for a very reasonable price. The base configuration starts at only $629.99.

Best High-End Design Brand: HP. Best HP Laptop of 2021: Envy 13

HP makes beautifully designed and affordable laptops. Even the more expensive models are still significantly cheaper than their Apple counterparts. One of the laptop models that caught our eye in 2021 was the HP Envy 13. And the best part is that you can get this beautiful laptop for less than $1000. It offers a premium design, backed by excellent performance and solid battery life. The 2021 HP Envy 13 runs on the 11th generation Intel processors. And while its RAM size is somewhat underwhelming, capping at 16GB, you can configure your computer to 1TB SSD storage.

The Envy 13 has a solid, nearly edgeless display with an optional touchscreen, perfect for work and everyday use. Its keyboard is comfortable to type on, with a crisp and bright backlight. In addition, the HP Envy 13 has a good amount of connectivity ports, a Thunderbolt 4 input, and two USB Type-A ports.

Even today, in 2022, we think the HP Envy 13 is a solid choice for those who want a great-looking high-functioning laptop without breaking the bank.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio

Okay, so Microsoft laptops are a hit on the tech market as of late. Those are some of the best computers for students and creative professionals. And when thinking about the best Microsoft laptop of 2021, the Surface Studio immediately comes to mind. Honestly, it is a next-generation hybrid laptop. For example, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio can be transformed into a digital drawing board without compromising the traditional laptop mode. Besides, it offers outstanding performance and all-day battery life.  

Equipped with the Intel Core i7-11370H CPU and the dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio aces even the most demanding tasks and even supports AAA gaming. In addition, it has a gorgeous 14.4-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, fantastic keyboard, powerful speakers, and a 1080p built-in webcam.  

We think it is one of the best laptop brands of 2021 because of its flexibility, performance, and design. 

Bottom Line

Tech giants treated us with many new and ever-updating laptop models in 2021. Therefore, picking the best one was a difficult assignment. We have settled on the four best laptop brands of 2021, but honestly, we could add more. We believe that every laptop mentioned in this post is a perfect balance of design, performance, and durability. On top of that, each of those brands holds a very good resale value over time. So if and when you decide to upgrade, you can easily sell used laptops and recover a decent amount of cash in return.