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Ever since the world went through a major pause in 2020, more and more people have shifted to working from home. Many of them still maintained their work setup long after restrictions everywhere eased. If you ask someone who works from home what they like about it, they will list all these advantages: the flexible hours, how you can work from virtually anywhere, and how you don’t need a lot of equipment. Gone are the days wherein you need to invest in a powerful desktop for work because all you need these days is a reliable, high-quality laptop. Laptops have evolved tremendously over the years, and many models on the market come packed with power. When choosing the right laptop for work, you should take your time and consider all the options carefully. Fortunately, you have tons of options to choose from, and no matter which brand you’re looking at (Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, Dell, Asus, Acer, etc.), the essential features you’ll need are found in most of them. Regardless of what you do for a living, working from home requires a laptop that isn’t too heavy and that has a long battery life to get you through the day. Functionality and high-speed performance are also crucial factors to look out for, and you’d want to ensure that your laptop of choice has enough internal storage for you to store your important files. Since most people who work at home hop on video calls regularly, you should check if the laptop has a decent webcam and microphone too. Here are some of the best laptops for those working from home in 2022.
When looking at laptops, or most gadgets actually, Apple would be one of the top brands you would always check out. They have always been a frontrunner in creating modern devices that are impressive and reliable, and there’s no doubt that their MacBook Pro is an ideal laptop for those who work at home. They came out with a new generation for their 16-inch model in 2021, and it’s now powered by the Apple M1 Pro chip, which has a 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. Apple’s powerful chip ensures that all your apps load and run smoothly, and you won’t have issues even if you have a good number of windows open. The variant with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage is their cheapest offer, but you can get up to 32GB RAM and 8TB storage. Users also have the option to get the laptop with the more advanced Apple M1 Max chip, which you can get with up to 64GB of RAM. The MacBook Pro 16-inch’s hardware isn’t the only impressive thing about it because you get an incredible 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display. You won’t be disappointed with its brightness, contrast, and color performance, and its ProMotion technology allows you to get up to a 120Hz refresh rate. A significant change with the 2021 MacBook Pros was the slimmer top bezel with an added notch and the disappearance of the touch bar. Its keyboard and touchpad remain incredible, and you get Touch ID for easy authentication and logging in. The MacBook Pro 16-inch will help elevate everyone’s video calls at home because it now comes with an enhanced 1080p Facetime HD camera. The laptop has a spectacular high-fidelity six-speaker system with wide stereo sound and force-canceling woofers. You will have an audio experience like no other because its speakers support Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio. Apple also improved the connectivity options of their laptops because aside from the expected Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports and headphone jack, it now has an HDMI port and SDXC card slot. Its charger doesn’t use a USB Type-C to Type-C cable anymore like its predecessors because Apple brought back their MagSafe charger. The laptop also doesn’t fall short with its battery life because you can get up to 11 hours of usage per charge. The MacBook Pro 16-inch might not be the cheapest option out there, but its specs and overall performance make it worth every single penny.
Outstanding performance from its Apple M1 Pro chipSuperb 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion technologyModern, stylish, and lightweightTop-notch built-in speakers1080p Facetime HD cameraFantastic battery lifeBetter port selection than its predecessor
Expensive, especially when you choose models with higher RAM and storageCould use an USB Type-A portDisplay resolution is still not 4K
The Dell XPS 15 is undoubtedly one of the best Windows laptops you can purchase in 2022. It features a 15.6-inch 3.5K OLED InfinityEdge touchscreen display that promises vivid color and top-notch quality. This laptop is perfect for those who use heavy programs or frequently multitask because it’s equipped with a powerful 12 Gen Intel Core i7-12700H processor. It even features an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, which is perfect for creative professionals who want to be more immersed when working on a project. Its GPU also promises a decent performance for when you want to play games in your free time. The bundle we suggest you get is the one with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage, but Dell offers a ton of flexibility when you purchase a laptop from them. You can get a model with 8GB, 32GB, or 64GB RAM as well, and 512GB and 2TB are the two other storage options you can choose from. Typing won’t be an issue on the laptop because you get large keys, and its spacious touchpad guarantees comfort while working. You might not need earphones to use with the laptop because its built-in quad speakers feature Waves Nx 3D Audio, which is the first time such speakers were placed in a laptop. The Dell XPS 15 isn’t only futuristic with its aesthetic; it also comes with cool features like a fingerprint reader and facial recognition for easy log-ins. The laptop comes with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, two Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack. Thankfully, Dell provides you with a Type-C to Type-A and HDMI 2.0 adapter. Regarding battery life, it’s not too impressive because you only get up to 10 hours of continuous streaming per charge, so you can imagine how faster your juice will run out when you’re using programs like FinalCut Pro and Adobe Photoshop.
Excellent 12 Gen Intel Core i7-12700H processorPremium and lightweight build15.6-inch 3.5K OLED touchscreen displayNice keyboard and touchpad16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storageQuad speakers with Waves Nx 3D AudioFingerprint reader and facial recognition
PriceyNot the best battery lifeGraphics card could be betterNeed to use an adaptor for Type-A and HDMI connections
If you like the Apple MacBook Pro line but think it’s too expensive, you can opt for the company’s other laptop offer, the MacBook Air. This model is well-known for its ultra-thin and lightweight design. A new generation of the laptop launched in 2022, and it now features the latest M2 chip, which has a 10-core GPU, 8-core CPU, and 16-core Neural Engine, and it’s only 0.44 inches thick. With this much power, you can rest assured that you can multitask all you want without any lag or delays. The laptop has a 13.6-inch LED-backlit IPS display with a native resolution of 2560 x 1664, True Tone technology, and wide color (P3). The screen looks spacious because of its slimmer bezels, and its design is similar to the 2021 MacBook Pro lineup because you get a notch instead of a thicker upper bezel. The notch is where you’ll find the laptop’s upgraded 1080p FaceTime HD camera. Regarding RAM, you can get up to 24GB RAM. Storage options remain flexible; you can pick between 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of SSD storage. We believe 16GB RAM and 1TB would be enough for those handling their workloads in the comfort of their homes. The laptop’s keyboard and touchpad are still impressive, and you get a Touch ID like the MacBook Pros. You can expect the best network performance from the device because it supports Wi-Fi 6 and comes with Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology. Users will also get an excellent audio experience from the laptop’s four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support. Unfortunately, the laptop is lacking when it comes to ports because you only get two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and a headphone jack. The new MacBook Air comes with four color choices (Space Gray, Midnight, Starlight, and Silver), and now that it comes with a MagSafe charging port, you get a USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable whose color matches your laptop’s color. You will love the laptop’s battery life because you can get as much as 14 hours of usage on a single charge. Customers can choose between receiving a 35W dual USB Type-C adapter (charge two devices simultaneously) or a 67W USB Type-C adapter that promises faster charging speeds.
Outstanding M2 chipExcellent designBright and vibrant display with slim bezels and small notch1080p FaceTime HD cameraImpressive battery life
More expensive than predecessorsLimited port selectionNeed to spend more for more RAM and storageCan throttle hard and get hot during heavy workloads
The HP Envy 17 is a magnificent laptop to own when you work at home because its massive 17.3-inch FHD display allows you to have several windows open simultaneously without your screen feeling cramped. Its display isn’t an ordinary display because it’s a multitouch display and its slim bezels make it look premium and modern. It has a 100% sRGB color gamut, but we wish its 300-nit brightness were higher. The laptop is ideal for those who use many apps when working because of its excellent Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor and 16GB of RAM. The integrated Integrated: Intel Iris Xe Graphics might not be the best for gaming, but it’s enough for workers who won’t use too many programs heavily reliant on graphics. It only comes with a 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, but if you’re the type whose projects have a large file size, you can always purchase an external hard drive or invest in a cloud storage plan. The HP Envy 17 doesn’t fall short in the port department because it comes with one Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4 Type-C) port, three SuperSpeed USB Type-A ports, one HDMI port, one headphone/mic combo jack, and a multi-format SD media card reader. For Zoom calls, you will benefit from the laptop’s HP Wide Vision 720p HD camera and dual array digital microphones. The laptop also has dual Bang & Olufsen speakers, which deliver a decent audio performance. Its battery life is estimated to be over 9 hours, and its 65W charger allows you to get around 50% of juice back in only 30 minutes. Upon purchase, customers will get a one-year limited hardware warranty.
Massive 17.3-inch touchscreen displayExcellent performance brought by its Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor16GB of RAMFantastic port selectionComfortable keyboardDual Bang & Olufsen speakers
Size and weight not for everyoneTouchpad could be betterCould use more storageDisplay only has 300-nit brightness
The Lenovo Ideapad 3 is ideal for those who have a tight budget and don’t need the most premium laptop available since their workloads aren’t too heavy. This budget-friendly option would only cost you $530, and its specs are pretty impressive. It features a 15.6-inch FHD LED-backlit touchscreen display, which undoubtedly increases your productivity when working. It’s powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, which is enough for most workloads, and you get decent visuals from its Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU. What’s incredible about the laptop is its 12GB RAM, which is rare for affordable options. The bundle with the low price only comes with 256GB SSD storage, but you can get up to 1TB storage if you have extra cash to spare. The laptop comes with a webcam for video calls, but its quality is disappointing. The webcam has a privacy shutter, so you can be sure that no one is secretly spying on you. The Lenovo Ideapad 3’s port selection is decent because you get two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, an SD card reader, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack. There’s no denying that it keeps up with all the new models on the market because it also has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 support. Sadly, it needs significant improvements with its battery life because you will only get up to seven hours of usage per charge.
Budget-friendlyExcellent CPU performance for its priceLarge touchscreen display12GB RAMHas an HDMI port and SD card readerWi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 support
Disappointing webcam qualityBattery life, keyboard, and touchpad could be betterBudget-friendly models has low storage
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