7 Best Laptops for Working From Home (Pros, Cons and Features)

Working from home is gradually gaining popularity and as such will require the best laptop computers to get the best results. So, whatever the type of work you do from home – be it freelance writing, virtual assistant, editor, customer service representative, etc, finding the best laptop for working from home is paramount to your success.

image of best laptop for working from home

Besides, since there are many options in the marketplace – finding the best laptop could be challenging but with this guide, you can make an informed decision based on the reviews, specifications, and recommendations.

What To Look Out For When Buying The Best Laptop For Working From Home

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You do not need to break the bank when getting a laptop to work from home but you need to ensure that it meets some requirements to make you productive and efficient. The following are some requirements for your work from home laptops;

Memory:

At least 8GB of RAM is needed to run different browser tabs and applications. Do not settle for anything less, you can even go for a 16GB RAM if you can afford one.

Storage:

A 256GB storage space and nothing less will do. A smaller space will only be recommended if you will be storing everything in the cloud. However, if you can afford a laptop that has up to 512GB – you should go for that.

Display:

A laptop with a screen measuring 13 inches will get the job done while those of higher resolutions permit more space especially if you work a lot with spreadsheets. But laptops with higher screen resolutions are heavier and larger.

CPU:

The CPU helps to maintain a balance between power efficiency and performance. A core i5 ‘U’-class will surely get the job done. Considering Core i3 ‘U’-class might be slow while Core i7 ‘U’-class will be superb if you can afford one.

Webcam:

Working from home will mean that you are likely to be having a lot of video conferencing. So, a laptop with an integrated webcam of up to 720p resolution will be sufficient for using Zoom or Skype.

Ports:

Your laptop for working from home must come with HDMI, audio, and USB ports. So, at least one USB port-A and port-C, an audio jack, and an integrated SD card slot if you take many pictures with a digital camera. 

Battery Life:

The longer the battery life, the longer you can work on it without being connected to a power source. So, when buying a laptop – the minimum battery life should be 6-hours but you can aim for something higher than that.

Weight And Size:

The bigger the screen, the heavier the laptop – it is recommended to buy a lightweight device especially if you will not be restricted to a particular place.

Price:

This means you have to work within a budget and this will affect the type of device to buy. A tight budget can affect the type of laptop you will eventually get. Therefore, it is recommended to stretch your budget a bit to get something of quality and high performance.

Best Work From Home Computer

The following are some of the best work from home computers, check them out;

1. Apple Macbook Pro

Photo of Apple Macbook; one of the best laptop for working from home

Do you love Apple products or do you belong to the creative space? The Apple Macbook Pro is your ideal choice because it can run all Adobe programs without slowing down. So, if you are looking for one of the best laptops for working from home – the Apple Macbook Pro is highly recommended. 

Features:

  • Memory:  8GB – 64GB
  • Processor: M1 Pro
  • Screen resolution: 13, 14, and 16- Inches are available
  • Weight: Between 3 – 5 pounds (based on the model)
  • Battery life: 17 – 20-hours (based on the model)
  • Storage: 256GB (512GB) – 8TB storage space
  • Touchscreen (touch bar and touch ID)
  • Two thunderbolt ports
  • Recommended for video editors and graphic designers

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Impeccable battery life
  • Amazing creative performance
  • Good speaker and webcam

Cons

  • Pricey
  • Limited variety of ports
  • It has a low-quality camera

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2. Microsoft Surface Book 3 (Windows 10 OS)

Photo of Microsoft Surface Book 3; one of the best laptop for working from home

This is another amazing laptop for working from home that can easily be converted into a tablet. This laptop is much similar to the Microsoft Macbook Pro in specifications and performance but differs in OS. Also, the Microsoft Surface Book 3 has a detachable keyboard and touch screen, making it more versatile. Therefore, if you want a laptop for working from home that offers the best performance and output – consider buying the Microsoft Surface Book 3

Features:   

  • Memory:  32G
  • Processor: With 10TH Gen Intel Core i7
  • Screen resolution: 13 – 15 Inches
  • Weight: Between 3.62 Pounds
  • Battery life: Up to 15-hours
  • Storage: 256GB – 1TB storage space

Pros

  • Good battery life
  • Solid performance and can accommodate heavy applications
  • Detachable screen
  • Excellent graphics processor
  • Dual 1080p camera

Cons

  • Could be expensive but if you want quality and excellent performance, try your shot
  • Lacks Thunderbolt 3 support
  • Weighty because of the keyboard base
  • Poor quality speakers

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3. Apple Macbook Air M1

Photo of Apple Macbook Air M1; one of the best laptop for working from home

This is another ideal laptop for working from home. So, if your work isn’t restricted to a place – this device is the ideal choice because of its small size that can easily be moved from place to place. Interestingly, the Apple Macbook Air laptop is regarded as the best budget-friendly laptop for working from home (for fans of Apple products).

Features:

  • Memory:  8GB
  • Processor: With the Apple M1 chip
  • Screen resolution: 13.3 Inches
  • Weight: Between 3 Pounds
  • Battery life: Between 18 – 20-hours
  • Storage: 256GB – 512GB storage space

Pros

  • It’s pretty fast
  • Excellent battery life
  • Lightweight
  • It runs quietly because it is not built with any moving parts
  • Good display quality

Cons

  • It’s pricey
  • It can only allow one monitor connected

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Best Computer For Working From Home

One of the things that make working from home productive and successful is having the right equipment, hence, the need to look out for the best computer for working from home. Consider the following best computers for working from home;

1. Dell XPS 13 Inches

Photo of Dell XPS 13 inches; one of the best laptop for working from home

The Dell XPS 13-Inches is the best for Windows users. It has a relatively good battery life and will be good for you if you work with different tabs and applications opened simultaneously. It is built with an Intel Core i7-1185 G7 processor that makes its performance amazing.

Also, it comes with one of the newest technologies – Bluetooth 5 and WIFI six, making it one of Dell’s best laptops for working from home.

Features:

  • Memory:  16GB
  • Processor: With the Apple M1 chip
  • Screen resolution: 13.4 Inches
  • Weight: Between 2.8 Pounds
  • Battery life: Up to 12-hours
  • Storage: 512GB storage space but can be upgraded to 1TB
  • 2 thunderbolts/4 ports

Pros

  • High-resolution touchscreen display
  • Lightweight
  • Great performance

Cons

  • No HDMI
  • Not very good battery life
  • Pricey

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2. Acer Aspire 5 (Windows 10)

Photo of Acer Aspire 5; one of the best laptop for working from home

This is one of the budget-friendly laptops for working from home. It has good performance for its price and it’s also made with an in-built HD webcam that is suitable for Zoom meetings and video-conferencing.

Besides, it comes with the latest technology (in-built Alexa and WIFI 6) that makes it sleek and enjoyable. 

Features:

  • Memory:  8GB
  • Processor: With Core i3 processor
  • Screen resolution: 15.6 Inches
  • Weight: Between 4.19 Pounds
  • Battery life: Up to 8-hours
  • Storage: 256GB storage space 

Pros

  • Good sound output
  • Reasonable storage and memory space
  • Upgradable RAM and storage space

Cons

  • Battery life might not be as good as other laptops on this list
  • Not very good display

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3. ASUS Zenbook 13

The ASUS Zenbook 13 portability and lightweight makes it the right choice for people whose work isn’t restricted to a particular location. It is built with a beautiful HD OLED display and AMD Ryzen processors for improved performance.   

Photo of ASUS Zenbook 13; one of the best laptop for working from home

Features:

  • Memory:  16GB
  • Processor: With Intel Core i5-8265U processor    
  • Screen resolution: 13.3 Inches
  • Weight: Between 2.51 Pounds
  • Battery life: Up to 10-hours
  • Storage: 512GB storage space

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Excellent CPU performance
  • Good battery life

Cons 

  • Poor display quality
  • Crampy keyboard design
  • No headphone jack

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4. HP Envy X360

Photo of HP Envy X360; one of the best laptop for working from home

The HP Envy X360 is a 2-in-1 laptop (which can be used as a laptop and also as a tablet) that is versatile and a good choice for working from home. Interestingly, it comes with a pen that can be used for taking notes and for drawing.

Also, it is lightweight – which makes it easily moved from one place to another. The backlighting of the keyboards also makes it something to behold especially when working with it in the dark.

Features:

  • Memory:  16GB, 32GB and 64GB available
  • Processor: With Core i7 1165g7 chip processor   
  • Screen resolution: 15.6 Inches
  • Weight: Between 4.3 Pounds
  • Battery life: Up to 10-hours
  • Storage: 512GB – 1TB SSD

Pros

  • Good performance laptop
  • Bright display
  • Upgradable RAM

Cons

  • Not very good battery life
  • A bit heavy

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Best Desktop Computer For Working From Home

The following are some of the best desktop computers for working from home especially when your working will be restricted to a certain location, check them out;

1. Apple iMac

Photo of Apple IMac; one of the best laptop for working from home

The Apple iMac desktop computer is an all-in-one system that is beautifully designed to help you achieve all your tasks. So, if you are thinking of something with outstanding quality for your home office – think of the Apple iMac desktop computer.

Features:

  • Memory:  8GB
  • Processor: With Intel Core i5 processor    
  • Screen resolution: 27 Inches
  • Weight: Between 19.7 Pounds
  • Storage: 256GB to 512GB storage space

It also comes with a magic keyboard, magic mouse, webcam, mic, speakers, power cord, 5K retina display

Pros

  • Fast processors and graphics
  • Expandable storage and memory
  • Good quality video and audio output
  • Amazing retina 5K display

Cons

  • Pricey
  • Not upgradable
  • No touchscreen

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2. HP All-In-One (Windows 10)

Photo of HP ALL in One; one of the best laptop for working from home

It combines its functionality and style effectively.

Features:

  • Memory:  16GB
  • Processor: With Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor  
  • Screen resolution: 27 Inches diagonal, FHD (1920 by 1080)
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics
  • Weight: Between 23.4 Pounds
  • Operating System: Windows 10
  • Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD

Pros

  • New design
  • It can be easily moved
  • Designed with HDMI input

Cons

  • Not designed with USB-C ports
  • Poor webcam quality

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3. Microsoft Surface Studio All-In-One

Photo of Microsoft Surface studio; one of the best laptop for working from home

Though it is pricey, it is an ideal choice for you if you are within the artistic space. It will help to boost your productivity and creativity.

Features:

  • Memory:  16GB or 32GB
  • Processor: With 3.5GHZ Intel Core i5-6440HQ Quad-Core processor
  • Screen resolution: 28 Inches
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics
  • Weight: Between 28.7 Pounds
  • Operating System: Windows 10
  • Storage: 1TB to 2TB

Pros

  • Good performance
  • Designed with a USB-C port

Cons

  • It is pricey
  • It is not upgradable
  • No support for thunderbolt 3

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FAQ

  1. What Laptop Specs Do I Need To Work-From-Home?

The following are the laptop specs needed for working from home;

  • Battery life of not less than 8 hours
  • The screen size of around 13-Inches
  • Storage and RAM space of SSD 256GB and 8GB RAM
  • A processor of i5 or something better
  • Weight of not more than 1.5KG
  1. Which Is The Best Between Mac And PC?

You will be faced with choosing between these two, especially when considering the best laptop for working from home. Both devices offer good performance and great quality – also, they can perform the same function like photo and video editing, and content creation.

However, PCs are affordable and upgradable. They also come with better configuration and hardware options while Mac on the other hand is preferred by graphics designers because of the built-in retina that improves the computer’s visual elements.

  1. Are Chromebooks Good For Working From Home?

Yes, it’s a good option but then it will depend on the type of work you do from home. Chromebooks are just fine for simple stuff, school tasks, or other tasks which the Chrome OS can carry. 

But, Chromebooks cannot do the following;

  • Photoshop
  • Gaming
  • Video editing
  • Multitasking
  • File organization, etc

Final Thoughts

Spending hundreds of dollars on a good laptop is not a waste but rather an investment because the device will determine your productivity and output per time on any task.

Therefore the above list of the best laptops for working from home will guide you in making an informed decision, especially from the many options available in the marketplace. So, read through the features, pros, cons, and other details to pick the one that suits you best.

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