Best Apple deal Apple MacBook Air (M4 chip, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799 (save $200)
Best Windows laptop deal Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $599 (save $400)
Best 2-in-1 deal Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,399.99 (save $350)
Hunting for a new laptop can quickly and easily lead to analysis paralysis. The options are seemingly endless and the specs can get pretty convoluted. So allow us to be your tour guide through the computer cosmos.
Mashable's laptop experts have been busy testing different models all year and have selected just three that meet our high expectations in 2025. And as of July 30, all three laptops are on sale for record-low prices. It's a really good time to be shopping for a laptop. Here's the essential details you need in order to seal the deal.
Best Apple deal: M4 MacBook Air
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air (M4 chip, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799 at Amazon $999 Save $200
Why we like it
If you're more of a Mac than a PC person, the M4 MacBook Air is hard to beat. While it didn't exactly reinvent the wheel with the latest model, it's next-gen upgrades and crazy low price (for a MacBook, that is) make it the best pick for most people. Faster than the M3 version by 24 percent, it's one of the speediest laptops in our testing database. Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder said its power is "almost overkill." The 13-inch version starts at only $999 for 16GB of RAM and 256GB storage and is currently down to only $799 at Amazon and Best Buy. That's $50 cheaper than it was on Prime Day, officially a new best price ever for the laptop.
Want a little more screen real estate? The 15-inch M4 Air is also at a record-low price of $999. Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $169.99(List Price $249.00) Meta Quest 3S 128GB VR Headset With Gorilla Tag Cardboard Hero Bundle — $249.00(List Price $299.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB Wi-Fi Retina Tablet (Blue, 2025 Release) — $279.00(List Price $349.00) DJI Mini 4K Drone With 4K UHD Camera — $239.00(List Price $299.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 64GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet — $148.94(List Price $219.99) Blink Mini 2 Indoor Wireless 1080p Camera (2-Pack) — $34.99(List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus Video Doorbell (2023 Release) — $79.99(List Price $149.99) Shark AV2501S AI Robot Vacuum With Self-Empty Base — $229.99(List Price $549.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 32GB Tablet (2023 Release, Black) — $69.99(List Price $139.99) Wyze Cam v4 2K Wired Wi-Fi Smart Security Camera — $25.95(List Price $35.98)
Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4).
Best Windows laptop deal: Asus Zenbook A14
Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $599 at Best Buy $999 Save $400
Why we like it
Our resident laptop expert Haley Henschel was pleased to report that the Asus Zenbook A14 lived up to most of our very high expectations. Its OLED display and Ceraluminum chassis are gorgeous, it's incredibly lightweight and thin, and its battery life lasts 22 hours. The base model features a Snapdragon X Plus processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage and came just shy of the M3 MacBook Pro in our processing power test, meaning it's pretty dang fast. It's not perfect (its speakers are awful), but value-wise, it's hard to find a better Windows laptop on a budget — especially right now with a $400 discount.
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Best 2-in-1 deal: Lenovo Yoga 9i Aura Edition
Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,399.99 at Best Buy $1,749.99 Save $350
Why we like it
The "Aura edition" version of the premium Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 essentially means it's loaded with cool AI features — like a "Wellness Mode" that analyzes your posture. But here's where it really makes its mark: It's the longest-lasting laptop we've ever tried, with a battery life of over 23(!) hours. Our tester Sarah Chaney raved about its "super vibrant" 2.8K OLED touchscreen display and island-style keyboard. It scored slightly lower on our power test than its predecessor, even with its newer Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor, which is kind of a bummer. But it's on par with the other models we've tested with Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors and costs less, making this our favorite 2-in-1 laptop of 2025.
As of July 30, it's down $350 from its list price, marking its lowest price to date.
