Top 5 Best High-Performance Laptops in 2025

Looking for the fastest laptop money can buy? That’s a challenge because it depends on how “fast” is defined—different types of speed apply when discussing laptop performance. This is where thegadgetex comes in. Our analysts have decades of experience testing laptops and understand how to identify the fastest machines for any situation. Every year, we review over 100 laptops and put them through a rigorous test suite that measures speed for productivity, content creation, and graphics workloads. (We also evaluate design, usability, connectivity, bundled software, and so on.) MSI’s Titan 18 HX is our current top pick for the fastest laptop we’ve tested, boasting unrivaled raw processing and graphics performance.

We’ve selected additional fast laptops for more specific use cases and budgets. Check them out, and learn how to shop for laptops based on sheer speed. It is easy to overspend, but our advice will keep you from doing so.

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Last update on 2025-03-27 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Top 5 Best High-Performance Laptops in 2025

1.MacBook Air M4

Last update on 2025-03-27 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

With the twin 2025 reboots of its MacBook Air laptops, Apple is surrounded by some fierce competition, with AMD- and Intel-based Windows notebooks ready to outperform and outlast the Airs. Perhaps, in part, this explains why Apple did something unusual: It pushed for a price cut. Cupertino reduced the starting configurations for the MacBook Air in 2025 by each. With a new standard of 16GB of memory, the 13-inch MacBook Air becomes, surprisingly, one of the best deals in computing this year. That’s especially true when you consider Apple’s included software and the now-cheaper upgraded configurations.

All 13-inch MacBook Air configurations feature the same 13.6-inch Liquid Retina LED display with a resolution of 2,560-by-1,664 pixels. The screen refreshes at 60Hz and has a brightness rating of up to 500 nits. All models get an upgraded 12-megapixel Center Stage camera. The 2025 MacBook Air design features two distinct changes: an upgraded 12-megapixel Center Stage camera and a brand-new color scheme, Sky Blue.

The upgraded webcam is a carryover feature from the M4-powered MacBook Pro and iMac computers. It uses a wide-angle lens and the M4’s 16-core Neural Engine coprocessor to track you as you move around the camera’s larger field of view.

The new Sky Blue color is a welcome addition to the Air’s basic silver, gold, and black hues of the past few years. While I’d still go for the black MacBook Air every time, the Sky Blue pulls off a neat, albeit subtle, two-tone effect. It looks silver, or a pale blue, depending on the lighting conditions and the angle at which you’re looking at it. Better yet, you can get your Air in Sky Blue without paying extra. The new color is not locked behind buying any specific configuration.

Otherwise, this is the same MacBook Air that we’ve become accustomed to since its last redesign in 2022. It’s just as thick (0.44 inch) and as light (2.7 pounds). That’s thinner but slightly heavier than the new Dell Pro 14 Premium, which is 0.71 inch thick and weighs only 2.52 pounds. Similarly, the Asus Zenbook S 14 is thicker (0.51 inch) but lighter (2.65 pounds), demonstrating that the PC laptop world has made significant inroads into Apple’s feathery domain.

Of course, an unchanged design means that Apple fans’ (and Apple haters’) standard quibbles remain, notably the display “notch” at the top of the screen, housing the webcam hardware. Considering that this space is already occupied onscreen by the macOS menu bar, the notch doesn’t bother me too much. That said, I wouldn’t miss it if it somehow went away in the next design update. Notch aside, Apple might want to consider moving to OLED with its next pass at the MacBook Air’s display. OLED panels are appearing more often than ever on sub-$1,000 PC laptops, particularly from Asus, and the color-coverage and contrast boosts that OLED brings are looking increasingly absent on the MacBook Air panel.

2.Acer Swift Go 14

Last update on 2025-03-27 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

If we compare the Acer Swift Go 14 to a car, it would be similar to driving a Honda Accord. It’s a solid laptop that looks good but is far from premium. Some aspects of it even appear cheap. However, for the majority of those looking for a laptop, it does the job as advertised.

In that regard, it could be considered one of the best laptops for the average person because it is reasonably priced and provides enough power to handle daily tasks for the next three to five years.It also includes a few interesting extra features, such as the built-in Copilot AI. Even though that’s a Microsoft thing, Copilot has its own processing unit and a physical button on the keyboard to activate it. The multi-gesture touchpad, as well as the feature-rich webcam and microphone, are also welcome additions.

If you don’t have a tight budget, the Acer Swift Go 14 may not be one of the best Ultrabooks to consider. However, given how much inflation has affected us all, most of us looking for a daily laptop for emails, streaming, and the like are probably trying to stretch our budgets as far as possible. And with that in mind, the Acer Swift Go 14 is an easy choice.

As a mid-tier laptop, the Acer Swift Go 14 has its share of compromises, beginning with the fact that it has an aluminum lid and top plate but is plastic underneath, preventing this laptop from feeling truly premium. But if you don’t look too closely, the silver and black color scheme looks good enough. And, at slightly more than 3 pounds, it’s relatively light; this is essentially a mid-range Ultrabook.

As for components, it will not be the most powerful computer available. However, given who this is intended for, it’s more than adequate, with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, integrated Intel Arc graphics, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and a large 1TB SSD.

The Acer Swift Go 14 should last at least a few years if you’re looking for a computer that’s good enough for daily tasks that don’t involve a lot of editing or gaming. It’s also somewhat future-proof, or at least forward-looking, because it has an Intel AI boost neural processing unit that handles the AI processing that you’ll primarily access through Copilot (more on that later). The screen is capable here, though not wow-level, though there are some impressive upgrade options. The review model comes with an IPS 1920x1200p 16:10 ratio display with a standard 60Hz refresh rate; it doesn’t support HDR, but it can handle HDR streaming.

3.Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425)

Last update on 2025-03-27 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Another Zenbook, another day. We’re kidding, but Asus offers a variety of Zenbook models to suit specific needs. The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Q425 is a mobile device. This model, which has Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H processor, is thin, light, and has a battery life of almost a full day. Its 1TB SSD and OLED screen enhance usability, making it a satisfying and adaptable small laptop with sufficient processing power for daily office and home tasks. Although it has a limited power ceiling, it’s a good deal with no significant compromises.

Here, we’re examining the Q425 model, which is a single SKU. The Zenbook 14 Q425 and has a 1TB SSD, 16GB of RAM, and an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor. If you want more storage (1TB is rare at this price) or are especially interested in Intel’s AI-ready Core Ultra chips, that’s a compelling package. This configuration is offered by Asus’ online store and amazon.Our recent favorite Zenbook 14—the UM3406 model—is priced at $849 for an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU, 16GB of memory, a 512GB SSD, and the same OLED display. That chip, too, includes AI features, so unless you must insist on the doubled-up storage, it’s a better value overall on paper.

This ultraportable has another classic Zenbook appearance rather than pushing the boundaries of design. With just a metallic Asus logo on the lid, this simple gray design does the trick. Although the lightweight plastic material will cause you to feel flex around the touchpad, the chassis quality is respectable. Although it won’t draw much attention and doesn’t feel particularly upscale (in contrast to some other, sleeker Zenbooks), it’s reasonable given the cost.The upside of the material used is that this laptop is especially portable. It weighs only 2.82 pounds and measures 0.59 by 12.3 by 8.7 inches (HWD), ready to tuck under your arm or slip into nearly any bag with its super-thin frame.

You would accept a smaller screen because 14-inch laptops are typically portable, but this is still thinner than many of its peers. While the Acer Swift Go 14 and Lenovo Slim 7i 14 Gen 9 are slightly heavier at 2.91 pounds and 3.15 pounds, respectively, and equally thick, the new Dell XPS 14 is heavier at 0.71 inches and 3.7 pounds. Its sibling, the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406), has the same footprint.This (and its reasonable pricing) is really its calling card in terms of design—you won’t find much else to write home about. The keyboard is fairly comfortable for typing, and the touchpad is responsive, but neither is especially remarkable.

Naturally, the display is a highlight. OLED screens have become increasingly common in entry-level and lower-end midrange machines, and this Zenbook is yet another model to include such a vivid panel. As we’ve come to expect from OLED, its vibrancy is superior to IPS panels, and even if it’s not exactly a necessity, it’s sure hard to go back.

If you were hoping for a super-high resolution, this is only a full HD (1,920 by 1,200) screen, though that is the same as all of the alternative 14-inch laptops mentioned above. This isn’t the brightest screen around (more on that in the testing section later), but it’s luminous enough when turned up to max, the colors are vibrant, and it looks sharp.

Connectivity-wise, the laptop has two USB Type-C ports on the right side with Thunderbolt 4 support, an HDMI connection, and a headphone jack; you will need to use one of those USB-C ports for the charger, but having a full-size USB port and an HDMI connection is a plus at this size. The left edge of the laptop has a single USB Type-A port.

4.Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406)

Last update on 2025-03-27 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Asus has joined the Intel Core Ultra 200 series (codename Lunar Lake) with the Zenbook S 14. Does Team Blue attend the party as the chip wars get more intense? In a way.

This thin and light notebook, which sits just below an incredibly good OLED panel, has an absolutely stunning design and amazing ergonomics. Asus has given it a fierce college try. Although the port array is somewhat limited, it is sufficient to accomplish tasks.

The Intel component of the equation enters the picture at this point. In a few key areas, the Core Ultra 200 series has made some noteworthy advancements. Out of all the new chipsets, this one has the best graphical performance in the Windows laptop market, and the battery life is significantly better than it was the previous year.

However, Intel lags behind companies like AMD and Qualcomm in terms of overall performance. While endurance improvements are commendable, Arm-based computers continue to outperform Intel’s conventional x86 approach.

I spent the majority of my early time with the Asus Zenbook S 14 installing and running benchmarks for our review of the Lunar Lake chip because it was Intel’s launch laptop for its newest Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) processors. The Lunar Lake review goes into much more detail about the laptop’s performance on battery power and at its highest performance settings, though I’ll replicate some of my benchmarks there. I take a far more comprehensive approach to the laptop in this review.

We received the Zumaia Gray version from Asus and Intel to review. Asus refers to the material used to make the Zenbook S 14 as Ceraluminum, which is a portmanteau of “ceramic aluminum.” Your fingers will likely remove the somewhat plasticky feel from it all, even though it does have a slight ceramic feel. The display’s chassis on the back was etched with silvery lines by Asus, which gave it the regrettable appearance of some cracks. The laptop looks prestigious overall, but it’s not particularly opulent.

5.MacBook Pro (16-inch, M4 Pro)

Last update on 2025-03-27 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

With the 16-inch MacBook Pro Apple has once again stolen a march on the industry’s top mobile workstation laptops. When it comes to content-creation tasks, the M4 Pro-equipped model reviewed here performs competitively with some of the best silicon from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia. Apple now provides the essential nano-texture display feature, which lowers screen glare and reflections, in addition to the lightning-fast speeds (though it’s an optional, extra-cost extra). The MacBook Pro now has the company’s Center Stage webcam, which is useful but not as revolutionary as the nano-texture screen. The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro wins an Editors’ Choice award for high-end mobile workstations and delivers all-day battery life once more.

The MacBook Pro must be significantly more expensive than the entry-level 14-inch model in order to upgrade to a 16.2-inch screen. The M4 Pro processor’s 16-inch bundles serve as its CPU baseline, at the very least.the base model of the 16-inch MacBook Pro includes the M4 Pro, 24GB of unified memory, and a 512GB solid-state drive in addition to all the other features that are included with all 16-inch MacBook Pro models, such as Thunderbolt 5 connectivity.

The price of my particular MacBook Pro configuration, which includes an M4 Pro, 48GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and a nano-texture screen, is a substantial However, this is not the 16-inch MacBook Pro configuration I would choose if I had the money, given that the least expensive MacBook Pro with the superior M4 Max processor (albeit with less memory and storage). (The additional 12 GPU cores are simply too good to refuse.) Note: Since you cannot access the laptop to upgrade any components later, you are limited to the options you select at checkout.

This part of the review is relatively easy to write: Apple changed nothing about its MacBook Pro laptop design except for the optional nano-texture display and the move to Thunderbolt 5 connectivity.

The 2024 16-inch MacBook Pro measures and weighs the same as last year’s model, and none of the connection options has changed or grown in number beyond the Thunderbolt upgrade: three Thunderbolt 5 ports, an HDMI-out, an SD card slot, and an audio jack. I’m still just as appreciative of Apple’s MacBook keyboard and trackpad: They’re consistently among the best you’ll find on any laptop, from the touchpad’s smooth comfort level to the keys’ uniform, bright backlighting.

What Does ‘Speed’ Really Mean in a Laptop?

There are numerous ways to define speed in a laptop. Practically speaking, it can be thought of as a combination of two elements: (1) CPU processing power and (2) graphical skill for applications like 3D rendering, gaming, and graphics-accelerated content production. Since the two are so dissimilar, we compare all of the systems we examine to both types of speed.

A few of the fastest laptops excel in one area while lacking in another. For instance, a notebook with a high-end processor with many cores and threads could have a minimal graphics solution (perhaps just the CPU’s built-in graphics, which has never been able to compete with a discrete graphics chip). For workloads and programs that use a lot of CPU resources, such a laptop can provide exceptional performance; however, it can use little power for gaming or applications that depend on graphics acceleration.

Which CPU Type Is Best for a Laptop?

From a raw CPU perspective, the fastest laptops tend to fall into four classes. The first comprises business machines with high-end processors but integrated graphics. You’ll find them under top vendors’ business brands, such as Dell’s Latitude, Lenovo’s ThinkPad, and HP’s EliteBook.

Second are high-end gaming laptops that pair a powerful mobile GPU, chosen to blaze through the latest games at a level appropriate for the system’s screen, with a CPU that is at least sufficient not to hamper the graphics chip. (That malady, when it affects PC gaming, is often dubbed as being “CPU-limited.”)