The Best Laptops Of 2022

From Ultrabooks like the Dell XPS 13 to large-screen marvels like the LG Gram 17, top-tier laptops released in the year 2022 arrived in a variety of sizes and weights. While several manufacturers are actively working to make their products lighter and more portable, weighty laptop enthusiasts can still find a gaming PC that meets their expectations on the market. Moreover, several companies have been experimenting with laptop concept designs like the dual-screen laptop, as is seen on the ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo. And it's not just the exterior design bunch: even chip manufacturers, like Intel and now Apple, are doing their part to keep processing power at pace with memory, storage, and other hardware components.

Whether it's for professional purposes or creative work, users will find that there's a high-quality laptop available to service every need. This article discusses some of the best laptops of 2022, their specifications, special features, and why they're this year's big winners.

Enter the Dell XPS 13 2022, Dell's annual refresh of the 13-inch ultrabook lineup. Among the several laptop models that run on the Windows operating system, Dell PCs are highly reputed for their top quality. And this year's XPS 13 is proof that Dell has not let up on its promise to always deliver PCs ranking among the best. The XPS 13 runs on a 12th-Gen Intel Core i5 processor, features a 13.4-inch Full HD+ display, houses a 51 Wh triple-cell battery charged with a 45 W USB-C adapter, and records media with a 720p HD camera. With 8 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD storage, and an Intel Iris Xe graphics card, there's no doubt about the processing power of this device for various apps and games.

But this year, Dell didn't stop at the XPS 13. The company also delivered a Dell XPS 13 Plus, which has sparked some debate based on its design, utility, and... existence. The XPS 13 Plus sports a simple but refreshing design, stretching the keyboard to both edges of the PC. In addition, it upgrades several features from the base-level XPS 13, including a larger 55 Wh battery, a 60 W USB-C AC adapter, and a Gen 4 PCIe solid-state storage drive. With a starting weight of 2.71 pounds, the XPS 13 Plus is also heavier than the 13. Other specifications found in both PCs include a backlit keyboard with a fingerprint reader, impressive thermal design, and double stereo speakers allowing for remarkable sound quality.

Strangely enough, but to the delight of some consumers, the lines between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are rapidly blurring. Apple has historically released both laptops for different market classes, with the MacBook Pro known to be superior to the MacBook Air in every spec category. Now the MacBook Air doesn't just look and feel like the MacBook Pro; it also runs like the MacBook Pro. The company's decision to not only revamp the MacBook Air's design but also use the M2 chip has been met with admiration, but how this will affect Apple's laptop sales trends in the long term is yet to be determined.

Of course, the M2 MacBook Air still maintains certain differences, though minor, from the M2 MacBook Pro. For one, the Air's M2 chip starts with an octa-core GPU, which can then be configured to a 10-core GPU like the Pro. Other features of the MacBook Air include a 52.6 Wh lithium-polymer battery charged with a 30 W or 35 W adapter, a 13.6-inch, 1664p 224 PPI liquid retina display, a 1080p HD camera housed in a top-central display notch, a main Magsafe 3 charging port with two Thunderbolt ports that support charging, a touch ID sensor, and a backlit keyboard. At a weight of 2.7 pounds, the MacBook Air is a great choice for several use cases, and its market has widened due to these spec upgrades.

It's 2022, and no list of the best laptops can be complete without mentioning that of the gaming niche. Gaming PCs are some of the most feature-stacked gadgets overall, but even among these PCs, few stand out like the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15. ASUS found a window of opportunity in non-console gaming, first with their ROG gaming phones and then with the ROG laptops. And the company is not looking back, as it has made strides — and made money — with this fan-favorite lineup.

The ROG Zephyrus G15 features an AMD Ryzen 7 Mobile Processor with 4.7 gigahertz (GHz) max frequency, paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. With a 15.6-inch 1440p display, the G15 promises an immersive and lag-free experience for gamers. Other specs include a double 8 GB RAM setup totaling 16 GB, an internal storage space of 1 TB on the SSD, a 720p HD infrared camera that supports Windows Hello authentication, and improved thermals for rapid cooling. At just above four pounds of weight, users would find that it's not a pain to carry around. 

To further boost the experience, ASUS provides a slew of accessories that can be used with the ROG Zephyrus G15. These include the ASUS Pen, the ASUS Marshmallow Mouse, the ASUS Active Stylus, a universal adapter for charging, a multi-device gaming mouse, and of course, a carry bag for the PC. With the ROG Zephyrus G15 already starting at close to $3,000, including these accessories would surely take the price up a notch. 

LG, originally known for its electrical and electronic appliances, has made a name for itself in the PC market by masterfully implementing a simple strategy: lightweight laptops. The company's track record in light PCs is already extensive within a relatively short period, and in fact, LG holds a Guinness World Record for the lightest 16-inch laptop in the world which is its LG Gram 16. With the LG Gram 17, the ultra-slim, ultra-lightweight laptop niche solidifies itself as one to be taken seriously.

To start with, the LG Gram 17 weighs less than three pounds. Within this minimal weight rests a 12th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor, an Intel Iris XE graphics card, 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of storage. The 17-inch laptop display has a 1600p resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio with rich colors. And the entire machine is powered by an 80 Wh lithium-ion battery, which comes with a 65 W USB-C charger. Fitting all of these high-end specifications into such a slim laptop is a commendable feat of hardware engineering by LG.

With the success of the LG Gram 16 and Gram 17, one is left to wonder where the company is headed with PCs. The previously released LG Gram 2-in-1 conveyed LG's interest in the dual-purpose laptop space, and the brand may not be looking back from there. It's worth watching how the Gram PC lineup will evolve, even as LG works its way to the top of the fiercely competitive PC market through ultra-lightweight tech.

A major difference between today's PC market and that of the past is that laptop manufacturers are intentionally considering specific use cases and building PCs in accord. Take the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 laptops, for instance, which are made with business people in mind. Lenovo has sought to meet professional needs with its ThinkPad X1 Yoga series, and the 2022-released Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 exemplifies how far the company has come with this vision.

Of course, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 does not sacrifice premium features for anything. This 2-in-1 convertible PC runs on the 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, which comes with an Intel Iris Xe graphics card for smooth usage. It's powered by a 57Wh battery that supports fast charging through a 65W Rapid Charge brick. Its memory specs are also high-level, with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. And for security, the ThinkPad pairs a facial recognition camera with a fingerprint sensor that powers the PC on when touched.

At a considerably light 3.04 pounds, the 14-inch 1200p display laptop works perfectly for its target consumers. It's easy to carry around and even easier to use, especially since it ships with the Lenovo Integrated stylus pen. Outside its audience, students who can afford the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 — which goes for close to $1.600 and can increase beyond $2,000 based on spec choices — might also find this a great back-to-school PC for note-taking in classes and flexible academic work.