The best notebooks for school and office
Which is the right laptop for me? In order to answer this question, we will show you our recommendations in different categories: from cheap entry-level laptops to high-end computers, everything is included. GIGA also explains what you should definitely pay attention to when buying a laptop.
In many areas of life, a laptop would be indispensable. Be it in the home office, in the office or at school. The range of devices is at least as large as their purposes. So the question quickly arises: What kind of laptop should I buy? That depends on what exactly you want to use the laptop for and how. We are therefore presenting various models from different price ranges so that you are well informed when making your next purchase. So you are guaranteed to find your ideal everyday companion.
Contents
The best laptops of 2022: All models at a glance
| GIGA tip Acer Swift 3 | price tip Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 | Microsoft Surface Pro 8 | Lenovo ThinkPad E15 G3 | Asus Zenbook Pro 17 |
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from 699 euros |
from 399 euros | from 849 euros | from 912 euros |
from 1,499 euros |
Acer Swift 3
GIGA tip That Acer Swift 3 is one of the cheapest models on our list at around 700 euros. It has a matte display with a screen diagonal of 14 inches and an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor. It is a six-core CPU that works particularly energy-efficiently. Nevertheless, it offers enough performance to do all office work without problems. Older or less demanding games shouldn’t be a problem either. Incidentally, in our detailed review of the predecessor, we go into detail about the strengths and weaknesses of the budget laptop.
In addition to the built-in 16 GB of RAM, the laptop also has 1 TB of SSD storage. The hard drive should give you a fast system start and fast loading times. It also offers enough space for your files and programs. According to the manufacturer, the battery should last for almost 12 hours, which is absolutely solid in this price range.
advantages
- Noble aluminum housing
- fingerprint sensor
- Backlit keyboard
- Sufficient connection options
Disadvantages
- Mediocre speakers
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3
price tip That Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 is not a laptop in the traditional sense – it is a so-called Chromebook. The main difference is therefore the pre-installed operating system, in this case Chrome OS. In contrast to Windows, the range of functions is quite limited, but devices of this type are much more affordable. They are particularly suitable for less computationally intensive tasks such as surfing the web, writing e-mails or editing documents. They are therefore also ideal companions for school or university.
What also makes the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 special in addition to its operating system: the detachable keyboard. The tablet can be transformed into an almost fully-fledged laptop in no time at all. The only disadvantage is the small memory, which is rather tight at just 64 GB. One of the reasons for this is that almost everything on the device can be stored in the cloud, which in turn requires an active Internet connection. This should therefore be taken into account before purchasing.
advantages
- Detachable keyboard included
- Fast loading times thanks to Chrome OS
- Light weight
Disadvantages
Microsoft Surface Pro 8
If you can’t decide between a tablet or a laptop, you can Microsoft Surface Pro 8 precisely. Here you get a compact tablet that weighs just 891 grams. If necessary, the separately available Type cover incl. pen attached magnetically to the device, which means that the tablet can also be used as a laptop. Both in combination still only weighs just over a kilo, which makes the Surface Pro 8 an ideal companion for on the go.
However, you have to make compromises in terms of connection options, since you only have 2 USB ports (Thunderbolt 4) available here. An HDMI port is also missing. With its equipment, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is primarily aimed at all those who work a lot on the go and do not want to carry a heavy laptop around with them. However, the tablet is less suitable for gaming or other computationally intensive tasks such as rendering or video editing. Before making a purchase, you should think carefully about what you mainly want to use the device for.
advantages
- Powerful Windows tablet
- Can be used as a laptop with the optional Type Cover
- Display with touch function
- Light weight
Disadvantages
- Few connectivity options
- Glossy screen
- Optional type cover relatively expensive
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 G3
That Lenovo ThinkPad E15 G3 is a true all-rounder. Despite the 15.6-inch display, the compact design weighs just under 1.7 kg. The SSD is sufficiently large at 512 GB and can be upgraded later if necessary. So there should be more than enough space for personal files and memory-hungry applications. The device also has an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U and 16 GB of DDR4 RAM.
Other highlights are the integrated fingerprint sensor and the infrared webcam with eye tracking and the so-called ThinkShutter. This allows you to use the webcam to unlock your laptop via Windows Hello, for example. When not in use, you can also cover the camera at any time thanks to the mechanical switch, which means that sticking notes on it should finally be a thing of the past.
advantages
- Track-Point improves ergonomics
- Infrared webcam incl. mechanical slider
- fingerprint sensor
- Solid battery life
Disadvantages
Asus Zenbook Pro 17
That Asus Zenbook Pro 17 just oozes performance. This is ensured, among other things, by the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H in combination with fast DDR5 RAM, of which a total of 16 GB are available to you. Finally, the battery with 76 Wh provides the necessary endurance so that you don’t have to keep an eye on a socket while you work. According to the manufacturer, this should last up to 14 hours.
Other highlights are the 17.3-inch display, the SD card reader and the lavish NVMe SSD with a total capacity of 1 TB. However, all of this has its price, because the Asus Zenbook Pro 17 is certainly not a bargain at just under 1,500 euros.
advantages
- Outstanding performance
- Diverse connection options
- fingerprint sensor
- SD card reader
Disadvantages
- Rather heavy with a total weight of 2.5 kg
- high price
This is how we selected the recommendations
We conduct intensive research for every article of this type so that we can then pass on the knowledge we have gained to our readers in a compact and, above all, understandable way. Likewise, all listed products are always selected with care and different applications and price segments are taken into account.
I myself have been enthusiastic about video games and the necessary hardware since my childhood. I assembled my first own gaming computer in 2012 and since then numerous others have followed. So over the years I have acquired all the knowledge related to games and (PC) hardware myself – often to the delight of my family or friends. There I am usually the first point of contact when it comes to repairing something or advising you on the purchase of new equipment.
How we test at GIGA and why you trust our judgement we have explained here:
In the related article you will find out what is important when buying a laptop:
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