Laptops

Apple's newest chip has two 16-core Neural Engines, which Apple says run AI tasks up to 1.9 times faster than the M5. It's the pick if you want a Mac that runs AI apps and local models for years.

• Up to 32GB of unified memory
• Apple quotes up to 24 hours of battery life, its longest on a Mac
• macOS with Apple Intelligence

Maker's price: $1,999 with 16GB of memory and 1TB of storage; on sale November 6, 2026. Store prices change; check the current price before you buy.

Source: Apple Newsroom, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6

16GB of memory comes standard and storage starts at 512GB, so the base model already meets the bar most AI features need. Fanless and silent.

• 16GB standard, up to 32GB
• Apple quotes up to 18 hours of battery life
• 15-inch model also available

Maker's price: Launched at $1,099 in March 2026; Apple raised it to $1,299 on June 25, 2026, citing memory costs. Store prices change; check the current price before you buy.

Source: Apple Newsroom, the new MacBook Air with M5

Microsoft's own Copilot+ PC, with an 80 TOPS NPU, twice Microsoft's 40 TOPS minimum for Copilot+ features like Recall and Click to Do.

• Snapdragon X2 Plus with an 80 TOPS NPU
• Copilot+ PC
• Windows 11 on Arm

Maker's price: $1,199; in stores October 13, 2026. The previous model started at $899. Store prices change; check the current price before you buy.

Source: Thurrott, Surface Laptop 13-inch with Snapdragon X2

A light Copilot+ PC with outstanding battery life: ASUS claims over 33 hours of video, and Windows Central measured 23 hours 38 minutes in its own test.

• Snapdragon X2 Elite with an 80 TOPS NPU
• 16GB memory and 512GB storage in the base model
• Copilot+ PC

Maker's price: From $1,149.99 when it reached US stores in 2026. Store prices change; check the current price before you buy.

Source: Windows Central, ASUS Zenbook A14 (2026) review

The least expensive way into a current Copilot+ PC we could confirm, with the same 80 TOPS NPU class as laptops costing far more.

• Snapdragon X2 Plus
• 16GB memory, 512GB storage
• Copilot+ PC

Maker's price: Lenovo's estimate at CES in January 2026 was $899; its own store later listed it at $969.99. Store prices change; check the current price before you buy.

Source: Lenovo StoryHub, Lenovo at CES 2026

For running AI models on your own machine, graphics memory matters most. The RTX 5060 has 8GB; the RTX 5070 Ti steps up to 12GB, enough for mid-size models at good speed.

• Look for 12GB of graphics memory or more
• 32GB of system memory recommended
• Heavier, with shorter battery life

Maker's price: RTX 50-series laptops started from $1,099 for the RTX 5060 at launch in May 2025 (NVIDIA); Ti and higher models cost more. Store prices change; check the current price before you buy.

Source: NVIDIA, RTX 5060 laptops available now

The cheapest new Mac, with an iPhone-class A18 Pro chip. Fine for school, browsing, and documents; its 8GB of memory can't be upgraded, so it's not the one for heavy AI work.

• A18 Pro chip
• 8GB memory (fixed), 256GB storage
• Education pricing for students

Maker's price: Launched at $599 on March 4, 2026; raised to $699 on June 25, 2026. Education price $649. Store prices change; check the current price before you buy.

Source: MacRumors, Apple announces MacBook Neo

A big-screen Chromebook built to a military durability standard. Google now gives Chromebooks 10 years of updates, counted from when the model was released.

• Intel Core 3 N355, 8GB memory
• 15.3-inch screen
• MIL-STD-810H durability testing

Maker's price: Lenovo's estimate at CES in January 2026 was $469.99. Store prices change; check the current price before you buy.

Source: Notebookcheck, Lenovo Chromebook Plus i 15 launches

Last year's ThinkPads, Latitudes, and EliteBooks often come back from company leases. Certified Refurbished on eBay means the maker or an approved refurbisher restored it, with a two-year warranty.

• Look for 16GB of memory and an SSD
• Check it runs Windows 11
• Two-year warranty on Certified Refurbished

Maker's price: Prices vary by model and condition; compare a few listings. Store prices change; check the current price before you buy.

Source: eBay Refurbished