Ive reviewed hundreds of laptops these are the best ones that have launched so far in 2026

Date:
Fri, 03 Jul 2026 13:54:09 +0000

Description:
Price hikes, RAM shortages, and new chips: picking my top laptops of the year so far was a struggle, which is on brand for 2026.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Early last month, when I was planning this half-year look at the best laptops that have so far been released in 2026, it was easy for me to pick the number one spot: the MacBook Neo .

Launched in March for $599 / 599 / AU$899, it was a shot across the bows of other laptop and Chromebook makers, as Apple showed that you could have a stylish and well-built budget laptop that didnt have to feel cheap. Sure, there were compromises, such as the 8GB of memory and slow USB ports, but those were easily forgiven thanks to such an affordable price especially
when so much of the MacBook Neo puts similarly priced budget laptops to
shame. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

However, at the end of June, Apple announced a Neo price increase , taking it up to $699 / 699 / AU$1,049. While thats not the biggest price rise in a
world that, at the moment, seems to be full of them, its enough to make the MacBook Neo less of an easy recommendation. Suddenly, all those compromises are harder to accept.

The MacBook Neo still earns a spot in this list, however, due to the huge influence its had on the laptop market. Since its launch, Ive seen numerous laptop makers, including Acer and Dell , release products directly aimed at challenging the MacBook Neo; offering slim and stylish designs, strong performance and screens, all for around the Neo's original $599 / 599 /
AU$899 price. While Apple has raised the price of the MacBook Neo, many of those new challengers havent yet done the same, which makes them even
better value in comparison. You may like The best laptops of Computex 2026
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Now, its probably inevitable that those new MacBook Neo rivals will
eventually increase in price too (thanks, AI, for gobbling up all the RAM and making price rises an everyday reality for a lot of tech). However, due to
the variety of Windows 11 laptops available and where theyre sold compared to MacBooks, if you shop around you should find prices remain relatively competitive.

So, Apple might have just inspired its rivals to make better, and cheaper, alternatives. That might not be great for Apple, but for us consumers, it certainly is. So, as were at the halfway point of the year, lets look at the five best or most influential laptops that have been released so far in 2026. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. 5. HP OmniBook 7 Aero Reviewed: February 2026 Rating: 4.5/5 (Image credit: Future) The HP OmniBook 7 Aero is a brilliant example of how Windows laptops are looking to beat Apple at its own game. The HP OmniBook 7 Aero is a thin,
light and stylish laptop, with a capable AMD AI 5 or AI 7 CPU, integrated graphics, and a starting RAM configuration of 16GB, plus a 512GB SSD.

It launched at $949.99 / 649 (around AU$1,420), undercutting the MacBook Air and even (in the UK) the MacBook Neo after the price rise. For such a nicely designed laptop, this price is incredibly good value.

In our review we were impressed with the clear, bright, and vibrant screen
and huge 26 hour battery life. Depending on the tasks you use it for, this laptop could go for multiple work or school days on a single charge, which is seriously impressive. It even manages to play games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 , and while you certainly wouldnt want to buy it as a gaming laptop , it shows how far Windows laptops, and the mobile components they use, have come in recent years. What to read next The best gaming laptops 2026 The best Windows laptop 2026 The best budget laptop in 2026 Today's best HP OmniBook 7 Aero deals 649 View 899.99 View 999 View Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices 4. Razer Blade 18 (2026) Reviewed:
June 2026 Rating: 4.5/5 (Image credit: Future) This years Razer Blade 18 is another hit from the gaming laptop pros, which my colleague Christian Guyton, in his review, claimed "annihilates the competition". It features cutting
edge mobile components such as an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX or Intel Core
Ultra 9 290HX Plus, Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti RTX 5090 laptop GPUs, up to 128GB of RAM and a stunning 18-inch Dual UHD+ 240Hz / FHD+ 440Hz screen, which allows you to switch between resolutions to get even higher refresh rates. All of this is packed into a slim and stylish body that once again proves that
gaming laptops dont need to be big and bulky these days.

Gaming-wise, its a beast, hitting up to 160fps when playing Cyberpunk 2077 , and 218fps with Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Basically, itll handle any modern game you throw at it, and allow you to play at 4K resolution and the highest of settings. Its battery life often the Achilles heel of gaming laptops is pretty impressive, hitting almost eight and a half hours in our tests.

Whats the catch? Well, theres the price, starting at a whopping $3,499.99 / 3,299.99 (around AU$4,870), but going up to $6,999.99 (around 5,200 / AU$9,735) for the highest specification. Ouch.

Razer s devices are premium products, and when you combine that with some of the most powerful components you can get, and the ongoing memory crisis driving up prices, you end up with a brilliant laptop thats wildly expensive. Its a brilliant investment if you can afford it, its just a shame so few of
us can. Today's best Razer Blade 18 (2026) deals No price information Check Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices 3. Apple MacBook Neo Reviewed: March 2026 Rating: 4.5/5 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) As I mentioned earlier, if Id written this article before Apples price rises, the MacBook Neo would probably be number one in this
list. When it launched, it really was a game-changer. It proved that affordable laptops could still feel premium, with exceptional build quality, modern features and solid performance.

Unlike other recent MacBooks, the Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip (which powered the iPhone 16 Pro ), rather than Apples more powerful M-series chips. Compared to chips found in budget Windows 11 laptops and Chromebooks, the A18 Pro proved impressive on test, handling regular macOS apps with ease.

It's possible to use an iPad as a second screen, and see your iPhones
messages and answer calls all from the desktop features weve come to expect from more expensive MacBooks. The bright and vibrant screen makes a mockery
of other cheap laptops that often feature dim, low resolution screens, to
keep down prices.

When it first launched, this budget laptop (from a brand thats more
associated with luxury devices), which undercut and outperformed the competition, was a surefire hit. Apple has commented about how well the Neo sold, and even more importantly, it seemed to light a fire underneath many of its competitors. Not only was the MacBook Neo one of the best laptops of
2026, it was one of the most impactful.

What a difference $100 / 100 makes. While the new price doesnt completely undermine the MacBook Neos value proposition, it makes it harder to recommend to everyone.

It makes some of Apples compromises to keep the price down, particularly the rather paltry 8GB of memory, slow USB speeds (it has two USB-C ports, but
uses older USB 3.0 and the practically ancient USB 2 technology) and lack of
a backlit keyboard, much harder to justify as well.

Worse, those competitors that Apple inspired are fighting back. Acers Swift Air 14 (2026) will launch at the same original price of the Neo, with a great-looking display, and an Intel Core Series 3 processor. An Acer employee I spoke to at Computex 2026 was particularly pleased to point out that the Swift Air has faster USB-C ports than the Neo, an extra USB-A port and is thinner and lighter as well. The fact that its also now cheaper spells
trouble for Apple, and its why the MacBook Neo has slipped down in my
ranking. Today's best Apple MacBook Neo deals 699 599 View 684 599 View
735.97 View Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices 2. Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewed: February 2026 (Image credit: Future) Ill be honest: I was torn between putting the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra or the MacBook Air (M5) in this spot. The reason I went for Samsungs ultrabook in the end is that while the latest MacBook Air
is undoubtedly a fantastic device (it sits atop our best laptops list for a reason), its also a bit well boring. Its a simple spec update to the M5 chip
, with no new design flourishes, but a new, higher price (which has since risen even higher after Apples price hikes).

The Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra, on the other hand, feels a lot more
ambitious. Samsung's laptops have never particularly impressed me, but with the Galaxy Book series, thats changed.

As with Samsung's Galaxy phones and tablets, Galaxy Book laptops are
high-end, premium devices, and as the name suggests, the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra is the pinnacle of this. Its thin, light and powerful (especially if
you go for the option with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU), and with a
strong battery life of over 15 hours, this is a great choice for anyone seeking a stylish workstation laptop that can handle heavy duty tasks such as 3D modeling.

Its AMOLED screen is also stunning, and easily one of the best displays you can get on a laptop (another category that Apple was once untouchable in).

What I really like about the Galaxy Book6 Ultra is how Samsung has been working on integrating its ecosystem of devices, so its laptops, earbuds, smartphones, and tablets can all work nicely together. It leads to some very Apple-like features, such as the ability to use a Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet
as a second screen for the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra, simply by moving the devices close together.

Its not quite as seamless as Apples implementation, mainly because Samsung doesnt make the software its products run on (Windows and Android), but its come a huge way. If you have a few Samsung devices, the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra is particularly great, then, but even if you dont, this is still a brilliant laptop thats doing new things, not just resting on its laurels. Today's best Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra deals 2,999 View 3,049 View 3,299
View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices 1. Dell XPS 16 (2026) Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewed: May 2026 (Image credit: Future) The
Dell XPS 16 is a remarkable laptop for many reasons. Its a beautifully
crafted device with a stunning OLED screen, as well as premium and powerful components, and its a great showcase for how good Windows 11 laptops can be.

Its also noteworthy for bringing the XPS lineup back with a bang. Last year, Dell made the baffling decision to drop its XPS branding . It was one of the few product names outside of Apple that had mainstream recognition, and had long been associated with Dells most premium laptops. Thankfully, Dell realized its mistake and has resurrected the XPS brand for 2026 , and the new Dell XPS 16 makes a fantastic statement: XPS is back, and its better than ever.

In our review, we gushed over this laptop's slimline design and high resolution OLED display, whilst also praising its performance. Powered by an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, which has an Arc B390 integrated GPU, the Dell XPS 16 can handle demanding tasks, and even a spot of gaming. Battery life is
also superb, with the Dell XPS 16 (2026) lasting well over 17 hours in our tests.

Its pricey, but the quality on offer helps justify the investment. Welcome back, XPS. Youve been missed. Today's best Dell XPS 16 (2026) deals 1,949
View No price information Check Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. The best laptops for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best laptops 1. Best overall: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 2. Best budget: Apple MacBook Neo 3. Best Windows 11 laptop Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch 4. Best thin and light: Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 5. Best Ultrabook Asus Zenbook S 16



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/laptops/ive-reviewed-hundreds-of-laptops-t hese-are-the-best-ones-that-have-launched-so-far-in-2026


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