What is the leading laptop of 2025?

The choice ultimately boils down to a traditional dilemma: Windows or Apple?

As of December 2025, the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) emerges as the top MacBook for the majority of users. This laptop melds a sleek aesthetic with remarkable performance, accommodates two external displays, boasts a 12MP Center Stage camera, and starts at an affordable price of $1,199, which is $100 lower than its M3 predecessor.

The finest Windows laptop we have assessed is the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7. This elegant and agile Copilot+ PC delivers an astounding battery life of almost 23 hours. Microsoft also provides an Intel version that may entice users wary of app compatibility with Windows on ARM, although it is a business-oriented model with a steeper price point.