The top 10 laptops our readers bought this year (No. 1 surprised us)
Publish Time: 01 Jan, 1970
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6
Kyle Kucharski/

It's hard to believe, but 2025 is almost over. During this time, we reflect back on the best laptop models and innovations that defined the year. From the continued rise of AI-powered systems to the dominance of lightweight machines, it has been a standout time for mobile computing. Here at , we test dozens of laptops in real-world environments to determine which ones are worth your hard-earned money. But for this list, we're not highlighting our favorites.

Also: Our favorite Black Friday laptop deals live now

We've compiled the top 10 most popular laptops of 2025, based on aggregated details from our retail partners, as determined by our readers. The following entries are listed in order of units sold through the links clicked from articles. (Don't worry, your privacy is protected. only has access to aggregate data from our specific user base. There's no way for us to identify individuals.)

Here are the readers' favorite laptops for 2025, based on their actual purchases. (Some of these laptops are on sale right now for Black Friday.)

Recommends
1. Acer Aspire Go 15 Slim
Acer Aspire Go 15
1. Acer Aspire Go 15 Slim
View now View at Amazon
2. Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640
Dell Inspiron Plus 16
2. Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640
View now View at Amazon
3. Microsoft Surface Go 3
microsoft-surface-go-3-top-10-laptop-image-1.png
3. Microsoft Surface Go 3
View now View at Backmarket
4. Apple MacBook Air M4
Apple MacBook Air M4 in Sky Blue
4. Apple MacBook Air M4
View now View at Amazon
5. Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6
5. Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6
View now View at Amazon
6. Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6
lenovo-thinkpad-t14s-gen-6-outdoors
6. Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6
View now View at Lenovo
7. Microsoft Surface Laptop
Microsoft Surface Laptop in Sapphire
7. Microsoft Surface Laptop
View now View at Amazon
8. Asus Vivobook S15
Asus Vivobook S 15
8. Asus Vivobook S15
View now View at Amazon
9. Apple MacBook Pro M4
M4 MacBook Pro
9. Apple MacBook Pro M4
View now View at Amazon
10. Microsoft Surface Pro (2024)
Microsoft Surface Pro (12-inch)
10. Microsoft Surface Pro (2024)
View now View at Best Buy
Show more (7 items)

Best laptop deals of the week

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Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

The 10 most popular laptops among readers


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1. Acer Aspire Go 15 Slim

3.7 / 5 Score

Kicking off our list is the Acer Aspire Go 15 Slim, a top-notch, budget-friendly laptop. For $300, you get a highly capable device that is perfect for everyday usage. It can handle lightweight workloads with ease. What's more, Acer's model is slim, has a decent webcam, and battery life of eight hours.

If you need a cheap laptop for work or school, the Aspire Go 15 Slim is highly recommended. Multiple configurations with differentiating memory amounts and storage space are available on Amazon.

Review: Acer Aspire Go 15 Slim

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Acer Aspire Go 15
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2. Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640

Dell's Inspiron 16 Plus 7540 is a versatile laptop that strikes a perfect balance between power and functionality without breaking the bank. With its Intel Core Ultra processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card, and 16GB of memory, it is well-equipped for a wide range of tasks. The laptop even boasts a vibrant 2.5K display. If that wasn't enough, the Inspiron 16 Plus houses features powered by generative AI to help with everyday workloads.

Review: Dell's Inspiron Plus 16 (2024)

Deal: The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7540 is currently 23% off at Best Buy.

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Dell Inspiron Plus 16
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3. Microsoft Surface Go 3

I must admit: It's surprising to see a tablet from 2021 make it onto the list, but the numbers don't lie. I can see why, too, because there's a lot to like. Microsoft's Surface Go 3 remains a solid, travel-friendly option. The 10.5-inch PixelSense display delivers bright, crisp visuals. Above the screen is a 5MP camera that records crystal-clear video, while the Dolby Audio speakers output rich, high-quality audio. You have two ways to interact with the Surface Go 3. You can use either a detachable keyboard for a traditional laptop experience or a stylus ...

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