This Anker 3-Port 65W Foldable Charger Is Going for Peanuts, Never Seen a Price This Low
Leave it to Anker to create a 3-port wall charger with 65 watts of high-speed charging power that can also fit in your hand or your pocket. That's the Anker 735 Charger, and it's a stunning Amazon deal right now for just $26. As if the regular $40 price isn't reasonable enough, at this price, you might want more than one.
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'Only charger you need' is a bold statement indeed, but what else would you call a super-compact foldable wall charger (1.5 x 1.15 x 2.6 inches and 3.95 ounces) with two USB-C and one USB-A port that's capable of charging your smartphone, tablet, and laptop simultaneously? When you connect just one device at a time — say, a 13-inch 2020 MacBook Pro — you devote all 65W of charging power to it, enough to power it up at the same full speed as the massive Apple wall charger that came with it.
That slender design really earns its stripes when you need to plug it into a tight space, either a wall outlet hiding behind furniture or a power strip with other devices hogging all the space. That teeny profile and light weight also make it the perfect travel companion so you can keep all of your devices powered up in a hotel room without scrambling for outlets that may or may not work.
The Anker 735 is universally compatible — MacBooks, PC laptops, Chromebooks and Google Pixelbooks, tablets from Apple and Samsung and all their many competitors, earbuds and smartwatches, even handheld gaming consoles like the Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck — they're all ready for fast, safe power-ups, as many as three at a time. And safe is a key word here — the Anker 735 has GaN II technology for upgraded heat dissipation so even with all that power surging into your devices, nothing gets fried.
The pocket-sized Anker 735 Nano II 65W charger, its three ports, and its universal charging compatibility are there for the taking right now at Amazon. It's an incredible $26 price — 35% down from its regular $40 — that should have you seriously considering stocking up to bring fast charging to all the devices in the house and one for the road.
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Best Laptop for College Students: Top Laptops for School in 2025
The summer has passed its midpoint. August is two weeks away, which means the next school year will be here before you know it. If you need a new laptop for school, then it's time to start looking. Whether you want a MacBook or Windows laptop, there are some great options right now. Apple's latest M4 MaBook Air has been selling for a steady $849 at Amazon, which is $150 less than Apple's price for it. I've also got some Windows recommendations that offer great designs and, in some cases, battery life that's even better than the battery life of the long-running MacBook Air. What's the best laptop for college students? Apple's new M4 MacBook Air offers better performance at a lower price inside the same thin-and-light design, making it an easy pick as our go-to recommendation for college students. It starts at $999, which is $100 less than what Apple charged for the previous M3 model. And students can always save $100 on it with Apple's educational discount if you can't find it on sale at Amazon. Before you buy your own laptop for school, it's worth checking if your college offers free or discounted laptops for students. For students on tighter budgets, I still recommend the original MacBook Air M1. It's available as a Walmart exclusive for only $599. It should also get you through four years of school, but I think the extra money is worth it for the updated design, slightly larger display, higher-resolution webcam and better performance of the newer M4 model. The M4 Air is also available in 13- and 15-inch sizes, so you can choose between greater mobility or more workspace. A Windows rival to the MacBook Air has arrived with Microsoft's first Copilot Plus PC. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite X CPU, the Surface Laptop 7 offers strong application and AI performance and outstanding battery life. It's the first Windows laptop we've tested with a longer runtime than the Air's. At $2,000, the Surface Laptop 7 model I reviewed may be beyond the reach of student budgets, but the line starts at a more approachable $1,000 and should still offer ample performance for most students and the same lengthy runtime of the system I tested. I love the overall design of the Surface Laptop 7, but the Asus Zenbook A14 is arguably better suited for campus life with its ultralight design and an even longer runtime than that of the Surface Laptop 7. With so many resources and so much of your course curriculum available online, it's next to impossible to get through college without a laptop. There is no shortage of laptops for sale, which makes it difficult to zero in on one that will fit your needs and budget. That's where my laptop colleagues and I come in. We've done research and testing to find the best laptop for college students in 2025. Whether you are looking for a MacBook, a Windows laptop or a Chromebook for school, we've rounded up several college laptop picks that will serve most students well. Best laptops for students in 2025 Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 The Surface Laptop 7 model I reviewed rings in at $2,000, which is beyond the reach of most student budgets. The line starts at $1,000, which makes it a bit more accessible. Students will like its polished design and class-leading battery life. Our test model ran for nearly 20 hours on a single charge, and you can expect a similar runtime from the entry-level unit. Why we like it I like it for its polished design and class-leading battery life. The Surface Laptop 7 ran for nearly 20 hours in testing -- that's the longest of any 13- or 14-inch laptop I've ever tested -- including the M4 MacBook Air. The Surface Laptop 7 competes with the MacBook Air in performance and battery life and supplies a similarly sleek and solid build. Who it's best for People who love the look and long battery life of the MacBook Air but want a Windows laptop. I wish there were an OLED display option, and you'll need to do a compatibility check for your mission-critical applications before embracing the Arm-based Surface Laptop 7, but if you can get past those hurdles, then you'll get a well-built, good-looking and long-running Windows ultraportable. You don't necessarily need to spend the roughly $2,000 that our test system costs; one of the lower-priced configurations that starts at $900 should meet the needs of most people. Who shouldn't get it Anyone worried about potential Windows-on-Arm compatibility issues should skip Qualcomm-based laptops and pick out an Intel or AMD model. The Surface Laptop 7 is also not the pick if you want an OLED display on your next laptop. For more, check out my other favorite Windows laptops. See at Amazon MacBook Air M1 This model has been surpassed, but not replaced, by the newer M4 model. Now, the M1 Air is available at Walmart for $649, which is a hefty $350 less than its original price. It's also $350 less than the new M4 MacBook Air. Why we like it The M1 MacBook Air was released in November 2020. It offered a huge leap in performance from the previous Intel-based MacBook Air. Fast-forward nearly four-and-a-half years, however, and you arrive at the M4 MacBook Air that Apple launched earlier this year. We tested it and unsurprisingly found the M4 Air's performance was significantly better than that of the M1 Air. Even if you don't think you need the added performance, the newer processor means the M4 model will have a longer useful lifespan. But at just $649, the M1 MacBook Air at Walmart costs significantly less than the $999 M4 Air at Apple. Who it's best for It's a great pick for students and other budget shoppers looking for a speedy and stylish do-it-all laptop. It's thin, light and built like a tank. It has a slightly smaller display than the current M4 Air and offers only two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, but for most people that's enough. And even though it's been surpassed by newer generations, the original M1 Air is still powerful enough for general use and a great buy at its discounted price. Who shouldn't get it Buyers whose budgets extend to $1,000 should skip the older M1 model and opt instead of the latest M4 Air. See at Walmart Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 Like other gaming laptop makers, Acer has two lines: a budget-friendly Nitro series and midrange and premium models that carry the Predator label. Oddly enough, it's under the latter you'll find our budget gaming pick: the Helios Neo 16. Why we like it It's strikingly similar to the Acer's own Nitro 16 but with slightly better build quality and graphics performance. The only place it really faltered was its speakers, which put out disappointingly flat audio with nonexistent bass. Who it's best for It's a great pick for gamers on student budgets. It's getting harder to find the Predator Helios Neo 16 I reviewed with RTX 4050 graphics, but a model with a RTX 4060 isn't a bad deal at its $1,400 price at Amazon. Who shouldn't get it Gamers with more than $1,000 or so to spend can get a better design, higher-resolution display and a newer GPU than what the Predator Helios Neo 16 supplies. See at Amazon Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 Gen 10 Featured Deal. See at Lenovo Most recent addition The Acer Aspire 14 AI is the newest laptop on the list. It's the cheapest Copilot Plus PC I've reviewed and one of the best budget laptops for its sturdy design, competitive performance and long battery life. And unlike with other Copilot Plus PCs based on Qualcomm's Arm-based Snapdragon X series processors, you don't have to worry about any potential Windows-on-Arm compatibility issues with the Intel-based Aspire 14 AI. It's a great budget pick for students. Factors to consider There's a multitude of laptops on the market that would be a fit for students, and almost all of those models are available in multiple configurations to match your performance needs and budget restraints. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, we're here to help with advice on what to consider when shopping for a school laptop. Price The search for a new laptop for most people starts with price, particularly for cash-strapped college students. To end up with a laptop that will last you at least through four years of school, I would advise against choosing a bargain-basement, entry-level model. Additionally, you could get away with spending less upfront in past years with an eye toward upgrading memory and storage in the future. Laptop makers are increasingly moving away from making components easily upgradeable, so it's best to get as many laptop capabilities as you can afford from the start. Generally speaking, the more you spend, the better the laptop. That could mean better components for faster performance, a nicer display, sturdier build quality, a smaller or lighter design from higher-end materials or even a more comfortable keyboard. Right now, the sweet spot for a reliable laptop that can handle average school tasks is between $700 and $800. For art and STEM students who need to run demanding graphics or STEM apps (or those looking for a bit of gaming, after your homework is done, of course), you'll need to spend about $1,000 or a bit more. The key is to look for discounts on models in all price ranges so you can get more laptop capability for less. Size If you plan on taking your laptop to class each day, then you'll want a lighter and thinner laptop. I recommend a model with a 13- or 14-inch display for most students. Larger 15- and 16-inch models provide more screen real estate for getting work done and juggling multiple windows, but you'll probably get tired of dragging it across campus. Specs If you are targeting a 14-inch laptop for school, then the basic display resolution of 1,920x1,200 should suffice for creating crisp text and images. The sharpness of the picture will improve as you go up in resolution, but you don't need a 4K display for such a small screen. If your budget allows, look for an OLED display with a 2240x1400, 2560x1600 or 2880x1800. Not only will the increased pixel count improve the picture, but the superior contrast ratio and color performance of an OLED will be evident compared with that of an IPS LED display. For internals, Intel and AMD are the main CPU makers for Windows laptops, with Qualcomm as a new third option with its Arm-based Snapdragon X processors. Both Intel and AMD offer a staggering selection of mobile processors. Making things trickier, both manufacturers have chips designed for different laptop styles, like power-saving chips for ultraportables or faster processors for gaming laptops. Their naming conventions will let you know what type is used. You can head to Intel's or AMD's sites for explanations so you get the performance you want. Generally speaking, the faster the processor speed and the more cores it has, the better the performance will be. Apple makes its own chips for MacBooks, which makes things slightly more straightforward. The entry-level MacBook Air uses an M1 chip, and the latest Air models feature M3 chips. Battery life is paramount for a student laptop, and it has less to do with the number of CPU cores and more to do with CPU architecture, Arm versus x86. Apple's Arm-based MacBooks and the first Arm-based Copilot Plus PCs we've tested offer better battery life than laptops based on x86 processors from Intel and AMD. If you plan to study art and your course of study will involve using graphics-intensive creative apps, then you will need a Windows laptop with a dedicated Nvidia GPU or a more powerful MacBook Pro. The same can be said for STEM students who will be using powerful scientific apps as well as any student who might want to play PC games on their laptop. Costs increase quickly, however, when you jump from integrated graphics to an Nvidia GeForce RTX GPU or from a MacBook Air to a MacBook Pro. For memory, I highly recommend 16GB of RAM, with 8GB being the absolute bare minimum. RAM is where the operating system stores all the data for currently running applications, and it can fill up fast. After that, it starts swapping between RAM and SSD, which is slower. I suggest at least 16GB of RAM for a Windows laptop, but most students should be fine with the standard 8GB that Apple offers on its baseline MacBook Air. Plus, Apple charges a hefty sum for 16GB. For storage, get at least a 256GB SSD and 512GB SSD if you can. If you need to go with a smaller drive, you can always add an external drive down the road or use cloud storage to bolster a small internal drive. The one exception is gaming laptops: I don't recommend going with less than a 512GB SSD unless you really like uninstalling games every time you want to play a new one. Operating system Choosing an operating system is part personal preference and part budget. For the most part, Microsoft Windows and Apple's MacOS do the same things (except for gaming, where Windows is the winner), but they do them differently. Unless there's an OS-specific application you need, go with the one you feel most comfortable using. If you're not sure which that is, head to an Apple store or a local electronics store and test them out. Or ask friends or family to let you test theirs for a bit. If you have an iPhone or iPad and like it, chances are you'll like MacOS too. When it comes to price and variety (and PC gaming), Windows laptops win. If you want MacOS, you're getting a MacBook. Apple's MacBooks regularly top our best lists, they are costly although the original M1 MacBook Air is still available for just $649. Windows laptops can be found for as little as a couple of hundred dollars and come in all manner of sizes and designs. Granted, we'd be hard-pressed to find a $200 laptop we'd give a full-throated recommendation to, especially if you need it to last you through four years of school. If you are on a tight budget, consider a Chromebook. ChromeOS is a different experience than Windows; more streamlined and easier to use. It's limited, in that basically everything runs through the Chrome browser. Just make sure that your school or coursework doesn't require you to use apps that run only on a Windows or Mac machine. How to get the best laptop for high school students There is plenty of overlap between what makes a good laptop for college and a good laptop for high school. Without college-level coursework and with other PCs perhaps in the house, high school students may be able to use a Chromebook for all of their school needs and requirements. High schoolers may be able to look at a laptop purchase as a shorter-term investment: buy an inexpensive, lower-end model to get you to graduation, at which point summer job earnings or a grad gift from a grandparent could lead you to your next laptop for college and beyond. How we test laptops for students The review process for laptops consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features with respect to price. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments. We test all laptops with a core set of benchmarks, including Primate Labs Geekbench 5 and 6, Cinebench R23, PCMark 10, a variety of 3DMark benchmarks (whichever can run on the laptop), UL Procyon Photo and Video (where supported) and our own battery life test. If a laptop is intended for gaming, we also run benchmarks from Guardians of the Galaxy, The Rift Breaker (CPU and GPU) and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. For the hands-on test, the reviewer uses it for their work during the review period, evaluating how well the design, features (such as the screen, camera and speakers) and manufacturer-supplied software operate as a cohesive whole. We also place importance on how well they work given their cost and where the manufacturer has potentially made upgrades or tradeoffs for its price. We also weigh the laptop to see how its heft compares to other similarly sized laptops, which is especially important for students who will be toting their laptop to and from school each day. We also pay attention to the build quality to assess how sturdy or flimsy a laptop is, which is another important consideration for students who will rely on a laptop day and and day out for at least four years. The list of benchmarking software and comparison criteria we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. You can find a more detailed description of our test methodology on our How We Test Computers page. Other student laptops we tested HP OmniBook X Flip 14: This two-in-one laptop offers style, value and configuration options abound, including a 3K OLED display for only an extra $100. Microsoft Surface Laptop (13-inch): It's compact, solidly built and great for travel, but the 13.8-inch version is the better choice as your daily driver. Dell 14 Plus: Skip the two-in-one and opt for the clamshell laptop I tested, when it goes on sale. Acer Swift Go 16 (2025): Built around a beautiful 16-inch OLED screen, the latest Swift Go 16 improves on its predecessors without significant price inflation. Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1: This big-screen, mini-LED convertible laptop certainly has some positives, but there are a few too many negatives to give this Plus a full-throated recommendation. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: It's a great business laptop, but it can get pricey fast with upgrades. Acer Swift 14 AI: This midrange Copilot Plus PC offers incredible battery life but is missing one key feature. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10: It's ultrastylish and ultracompact, but maybe don't hide the camera behind the display next time? Acer Chromebook Plus 516: The 16-inch display provides plenty of room to work but Acer has a similar model that offers more for less. HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Similarly priced systems offer better performance and longer battery life, but HP's flagship convertible laptop boasts an unrivaled design and awesome OLED panel. HP Pavilion Plus 14 (2025): Parts of the HP Pavilion Plus 14 are great, but there's one poor-quality feature that totally ruins the experience. M4 MacBook Air (15-Inch, 2025): The smaller Air is the perfect student laptop, but once you're out of school you should graduate to the larger, but still highly portable, 15-inch model. Acer Swift 16 AI: It's thin. It's light. It's long-running. And it boasts a big, bright 16-inch OLED display. So, what's holding this Copilot Plus PC back from being more than just a big-screen productivity machine? HP Pavilion Aero 13: When it comes to runtime, Snapdragon X laptops and the MacBook Air run laps around it. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i: It's thin and light for its size, but a short runtime and a few design miscues make this a low-cost laptop to skip. Acer Swift Go 14 AI: This Snapdragon X-powered laptop can run all day, but its overall look might put you to sleep. Acer Swift 14 AI: It's a long-lasting if basic Copilot Plus PC, but do we really need an AI indicator light on the touchpad? Asus Zenbook S 14: Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 processors show improvement from the first generation, but Apple's and Qualcomm's ARM-based chips still lead the way. HP OmniBook X 14: The latest Copilot Plus PC runs for more hours than there are in a day. Laptop FAQs How to get the best deal on laptops as a student? The good news for college students on tight budgets is you can get a nice-looking, lightweight laptop with excellent battery life that will last you through four years of college for less than $1,000. In the $700 to $800 range, you'll even find models with premium design touches like thin-display bezels and aluminum or magnesium bodies. Above $1,000 is where you'll find premium laptops and two-in-one convertible models that act as both laptops and tablets. If you're looking for the fastest performance, the best battery life, the slimmest, lightest designs and top-notch display quality with an adequate screen size, expect to spend at least $1,000. Dell, HP, Lenovo and other manufacturers are constantly rotating discounts across their laptop lines, so it pays to monitor pricing -- we do it for you with our constantly updated best laptop deals -- and wait for a deal to land on the model you want. Apple rarely if ever offers discounts itself, but you can find good discounts on MacBook at Amazon, Best Buy and elsewhere -- keep an eye on our best MacBook deals for the best prices. Is Mac or Windows better for college students? Deciding between MacOS and Windows laptops for many people will come down to personal preference and budget. Apple's base model laptop, the M1 MacBook Air, starts at $999 but is regularly discounted to $750. For a newer M2 MacBook, be prepared to spend $1,000 or more. For the money, you're getting great hardware top to bottom, inside and out. Apple has moved to using its own processors, which resulted in across-the-board performance improvements compared to older Intel-based models. That great hardware comes at a price. Also, you're limited to just Apple laptops. With Windows and Chromebooks (more on these below), you get an amazing variety of devices at a wide range of prices. Software between the two is plentiful, so unless you need to run something that's only available on one platform or the other, you should be fine to go with either. Gaming is definitely an advantage for a Windows laptop. MacOS is considered to be easier and safer to use than Windows, especially for people who want their computers to get out of the way so they can get their schoolwork done. Over the years, Microsoft has done its best to follow suit and try to remove any barriers with Windows 11. Also, while Macs might have a reputation for being safer, with the popularity of the iPhone and iPad helping to drive Mac sales, they've become bigger targets for malware. Are Chromebooks worth it for students? Yes, they are, but they're not for everyone. Google's ChromeOS has come a long way in the 10-plus years since it arrived, and Chromebooks -- laptops that run on ChromeOS -- are great for students who do most of their work in a web browser or using mobile apps. They are secure, simple and, more often than not, a bargain. What they can't do is natively run Windows or Mac software. With their low cost and ease of use, Chromebooks are a natural fit for students, but be sure your school or particular course of study doesn't have certain software requirements that make a laptop with either Windows or MacOS a requisite. Is Dell or HP better for college students? One isn't necessarily better than the other, and each has at least one laptop that's a good fit for students. We like HP's Pavilion 14 Plus is great for providing a solid, all-metal design and OLED display for less than $1,000. Dell's Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 is another good $1,000 laptop with a sturdy, all-aluminum enclosure that also provides incredible, all-day battery life thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor. What is the best laptop for school work and gaming? You can play games on any laptop. What games you play and what content you create -- and the speed at which you do them -- varies greatly depending on the components inside the laptop. For casual browser-based games or using streaming game services like Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming, you don't need a powerful gaming laptop. Similarly, if you're trimming video clips, cropping photos or live-streaming video from your webcam, you can get by with a modestly priced laptop or Chromebook with integrated graphics. For anything more demanding, you'll need to invest more money in discrete graphics like Nvidia's RTX 30- or 40-series GPUs. Increased system memory of 16GB or more, having a speedy SSD of at least 512GB for storage and a faster processor such as an Intel Core Ultra 7 or AMD Ryzen 7 will all help you get things moving faster too. The other piece you'll want to consider is the display. For gaming, look for screens with a high refresh rate of 120Hz or faster so games look smoother while playing. For art students and content creators, look for displays that cover at least 100% sRGB color space or, better yet, 100% DCI-P3.
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Best MacBooks We've Tested (August 2025)
We've been reviewing MacBooks since the very first polycarbonate MacBook appeared in 2006 -- and we covered Apple's PowerBooks and iBooks before that. Apple's current laptop lineup is split between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, and the differences between the two lines are significant. The current MacBook Pros are great for those who need higher-level processing and graphics performance for content creation, graphic design, advanced STEM work and gaming. The Air is more of an everyday laptop that favors portability over performance, though it has power to spare and a long battery life, according to our tests. That's why the MacBook Air is CNET's pick for the best MacBook for most people. What is the best overall MacBook? With the release of the M4 MacBook Air earlier this year, both the MacBook Pro and Air lines now feature Apple's latest silicon. The 15-inch MacBook Air acts as the bridge between the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro line, providing a bigger display without the MacBook Pro premium. With Apple dropping the price by $100 for the M4 MacBook Air models, the price gap between MacBook Air and MacBook Pro is even bigger than it was before. Starting at $1,199 at Apple (and regularly discounted at $999 at Amazon), the 15-inch Air sits in the sweet spot, making it the best MacBook for most people. As I sit here in August, the larger MacBook Air is my favorite MacBook for its roomy display, trim design and reasonable price. The smaller and cheaper 13-inch Air remains a great pick for students (especially when it's on sale for $799) and others with busy lives and slim wallets. The older MacBook M1 is still available as a Walmart exclusive for just $599 for budget shoppers, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 provides the added power for graphics pros but at a greater expense. For more, please read my MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro comparison and you can also check out the new look and features of the next version of Apple's Mac operating system, MacOS Tahoe. Read more: Best VPN for Mac Best MacBooks of 2025 Most recent additions The new M4 versions of the MacBook Airs are the newest additions to the list. The 15-inch Air acts as the bridge between the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 and MacBook Pro line and offers fans the best of both worlds: a larger display without the MacBook Pro premium. Since Apple has dropped the price by $100 for the M4 MacBook Air models, the price gap between the Air and Pro has grown. Factors to consider when buying a MacBook The first fork in the road you'll come to when shopping for a MacBook is whether to follow the Air path or head down the Pro road. For people who are looking for an everyday home laptop or a work laptop for running basic office apps, a MacBook Air will suffice. An Air is also a better pick for students on tight budgets. For creative types who need the added processing and graphics muscle of Apple's new M4 Pro and Max chips, a MacBook Pro is worth the added cost. To help you find the right MacBook for your needs and budget, here are the main considerations to keep in mind. Price The entry price for a MacBook is $649. That gets you the M1 MacBook Air that was released in 2020, but that offer is exclusive to Walmart. If you are shopping at Apple, pricing starts at $999 for the13-inch MacBook Air M4 and $1,199 for the 15-inch MacBook Air M4. Stepping up to a MacBook Pro model starts at $1,599. Here are the starting prices of Apple's current MacBook lineup: 13-inch M4 MacBook Air: $999 15-inch M4 MacBook Air: $1,199 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro: $1,599 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro: $2,499 Size and display If you'll be taking your MacBook with you to class, work or even down to your local coffee shop most mornings, an Air is the better choice. The 13-inch MacBook Air models weigh less than 3 pounds, and the roomier 15-inch Air weighs only 3.3 pounds, which is still lighter than the 14-inch MacBook Pro. The flip side to portability is screen size. The 16-inch MacBook Pro gives you ample room to work and multitask, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro tries to hit the sweet spot between roomy display and travel ease. Unless you need Pro-level performance, we feel the 15-inch Air does a better job of hitting that target. 13.3-inch M1 MacBook Air: 13.3-inch display (2,560x1,600 pixels), 2.8 pounds 13.6-inch M4 MacBook Air: 13.6-inch display (2,560x1,664 pixels), 2.7 pounds 15.3-inch M4 MacBook Air: 15.3-inch display (2,880x1,864 pixels), 3.3 pounds 14.2-inch M4 MacBook Pro: 14.2-inch display (3,024x1,964 pixels), 3.4 pounds 16.2-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro: 16.2-inch display (3,456x2,234 pixels), 4.7 pounds Processor The processor, aka the CPU, is the brains of a laptop. MacBooks have used Apple's own processors since the introduction of the M1 processor in 2020. The M1-based MacBooks were clear improvements over Apple's earlier Intel-based machines in terms of overall performance, efficiency and battery life. The M1 MacBooks were more powerful, boasted longer runtimes and operated more coolly and quietly. The latest lineup of MacBook Airs feature Apple's latest M4 chip, and the MacBook Pro line offers a choice of M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max processors. The M4 MacBook Air models offer slightly better performance than the M3-based versions, but the jump in performance is not nearly the same as going from Intel CPUs to the M1. Graphics The graphics processor handles all the work of driving the screen and generating what gets displayed, as well as speeding up a lot of graphics-related (and increasingly, AI-related) operations. Apple's M-series CPUs integrate the GPU. The more processing cores the GPU has, the better the graphics performance. Here's the breakdown: M1: 7-core or 8-core GPU M2: 8-core or 10-core GPU M3: 8-core or 10-core GPU M4: 8-core or 10-core GPU M4 Pro: 20-core or 32-core GPU M4 Max: 32-core or 40-core GPU Memory Memory (or RAM) is where the operating system stores all the data for currently running applications, and it can fill up fast. After that, it starts swapping between RAM and SSD, which is slower. With the exception of the older M1 Air sold at Walmart, MacBook Air models now start at 16GB of RAM along with the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro. The minimum on the M4 Pro MacBook Pro models is 24GB, and the M4 Max MacBook Pros serve up 36GB or more. You can't upgrade the memory on recent MacBooks post purchase, so you'll need to get all of the RAM you'll need up front. MacBooks are able to smoothly run MacOS and the preinstalled apps with the minimum RAM offered, but doubling the RAM will make your MacBook feel faster and likely lead to a longer life of the laptop. Storage MacBooks feature solid-state drives, or SSDs. MacBook Air models start with a 256GB SSD, and MacBook Pros offer a 512GB SSD at minimum. If you use cloud storage for your files, music collection and photo library, then you might be able to get away with a 256GB SSD without filling it up before too long. We were happy to see the 13-inch MacBook Pro with its paltry 256GB SSD go away -- Pro users need 512GB at the very least. How we test laptops The review process for laptops consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features with respect to price. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments. Our benchmark tests consist of a core set we run on every compatible system, including several we can run on both MacOS and Windows PCs. There's also an extended set of tests for specific use cases, such as gaming or content creation, where systems may have more powerful GPUs or higher-resolution displays that need to be evaluated. For the hands-on portion of the reiview, the reviewer uses the laptop for their work during the review period, evaluating how well the design, features like the screen, camera and speakers) and manufacturer-supplied software operate as a cohesive whole. We also place importance on how well everything works given the cost, and where the manufacturer has potentially made upgrades or trade-offs for the price. The list of benchmarking software and comparison criteria we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. You can find a more detailed description of our test methodology on our How We Test Computers page. Other laptops we've tested HP OmniBook X Flip 16: While it has a handful of appealing features, this midrange 16-inch convertible ends up being a clumsy assemblage of disparate parts. Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition: It offers a cheap path to an OLED ultraportable, but is a ThinkPad a ThinkPad without the little red nub in the middle of the keyboard? HP OmniBook X Flip 14: This two-in-one laptop offers style, value and configuration options abound, including a 3K OLED display for only an extra $100. Microsoft Surface Laptop (13-inch): It's compact, solidly built and great for travel, but the 13.8-inch version is the better choice as your daily driver. Dell 14 Plus: Skip the two-in-one and opt for the clamshell laptop I tested, when it goes on sale. Acer Swift Go 16 (2025): Built around a beautiful 16-inch OLED screen, the latest Swift Go 16 improves on its predecessors without significant price inflation. Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1: This big-screen, mini-LED convertible laptop certainly has some positives but there are a few too many minuses to give this Plus a full-throated recommendation. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: It's a great business laptop but can get pricey fast with upgrades. Acer Swift 14 AI: This midrange Copilot Plus PC offers incredible battery life but is missing one key feature. HP EliteBook X G1a: X does not mark the spot for this biz laptop when the Ultra version costs roughly the same and supplies a far better display inside a slimmer, more compact design. HP EliteBook Ultra G1i: With its compact, elegant design and excellent OLED display, HP's flagship EliteBook is a fantastic machine -- but it's worth waiting for a sale before buying. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10: It's ultrastylish and ultracompact, but maybe don't hide the camera behind the display next time? Laptop FAQs Which is better: MacOS or Windows? For many people, deciding between a MacOS laptop and a Windows machine will come down to personal preference and budget. Apple's base model laptop, the M4 MacBook Air, starts at $999. You can sometimes find it discounted or you can get educational pricing from Apple and other retailers. In general, it'll be at least $1,000 for a new MacBook, and the prices just go up from there. For the money, you're getting great hardware top to bottom, inside and out, but you're limited to just Apple laptops. With Windows and Chromebooks, you get an amazing variety of devices at a wide range of prices. Software between the two is plentiful, so unless you need to run something that's available on only one platform, you should be fine to go with either. Gaming performance is definitely an advantage for Windows laptops, though. What's the difference between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro? On the whole, MacBook Pro models are more powerful and more expensive, while also being slightly thicker and heavier than their Air counterparts. The MacBook Air is available with a 13.6-inch or a 15.3-inch display. The 13-inch Air starts at $999, and the 15-inch Air starts at $1,199. The MacBook Pro is available with a 14.2-inch or 16.2-inch display. The 14-inch Pro starts at $1,599, and the 16-inch Pro starts at $2,499. The 16-inch model has such a higher starting price because it has a more powerful M4 Pro chip, while the base model of the 14-inch Pro features a regular M4 chip. The M4 Pro chip in the 16-inch MacBook Pro is truly a pro-level processor, with 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores, while the M4 chip in the baseline 14-inch model has 10 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores. If you don't need the power of a MacBook Pro, you can save on weight with an Air. The 13-inch MacBook Air weighs 2.7 pounds, and the 15-inch Air weighs 3.3 pounds. The 14-inch MacBook Pro weighs 3.4 pounds, and the 16-inch Pro weighs 4.7 pounds. For more, check out my MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro article. Which Macs support Apple Intelligence? The current generation of MacBook Air and Pro models as well as the previous generation allow you to use Apple Intelligence features. Both the M3 and M4 chips feature a 16-core neural engine that supports Apple Intelligence, but Apple claims that the M4 is twice as fast as the M3 with AI workloads. What are the best MacBook alternatives? The two Windows laptops I've tested that come closest to a MacBook's mix of solid build quality, streamlined design, strong performance and long battery life are the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X CPU, the Surface Laptop 7 offers strong application and AI performance along with outstanding battery life. It was the first Windows laptop I've tested with a longer runtime than that of the MacBook Air. The OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 doesn't offer as long a runtime but supplies a high-resolution OLED display that detracts from battery life, but is beautiful to look at.
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My top 2 growth stocks to consider for an ISA right now
Businesses with lots of 'optionality' can make for exciting investments. Optionality is simply jargon for having multiple avenues of ongoing or potential growth. In other words, different ways to win. Here are two growth stocks I think fit the bill and are worth considering. Established tech giant Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is a classic case study in building optionality. It started out as an online book seller, before morphing into the 'everything store' by allowing third parties to sell on its platform. Today, Amazon is the e-commerce behemoth we all know, as well as a global leader in cloud computing through AWS. Then there's Prime, Alexa, Twitch, and developing projects like self-driving cars, delivery robots and drones, an internet satellite constellation, and more. Amazon is also quickly becoming a digital advertising giant. In Q2, ad revenue hit nearly $16bn, up 23% year on year. This income has far higher margins than retail sales, and should noticeably boost Amazon's profitability over time. However, all these things rolled into one does invite regulatory scrutiny, especially in Europe. So antitrust action could force tighter rules or even a break-up one day. Nevertheless, with the stock trading at a fairly reasonable 34 times forward earnings, I think Amazon looks attractive. Especially when the long-term growth opportunities in higher-margin digital advertising and AI cloud computing appear substantial. Emerging tech giant Next is a mini Amazon in the making: MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI). Indeed, it's often called the 'Amazon of Latin America'. That's because the company also has a large e-commerce marketplace and extensive logistics network, as well as a fast-growing advertising business and Prime-like subscription service. But MercadoLibre's optionality extends to fintech offerings, namely Mercado Pago (digital payments, savings and investment features) and Mercado Crédito (loans to both merchants and unbanked consumers). These operations spin into each other like a well-oiled flywheel across 18 nations. In Q2, net revenue rose 34% to $6.8bn, with gross merchandise volume growth in all markets. Mexico performed strongly while Argentina returned to growth after years of economic turbulence. Of course, it's important to acknowledge that Latin America isn't always the safest sandbox to play in. Wild currency swings, hyperinflation, and political instability in core markets can impact profitability. These are unavoidable risks moving forward here. However, this is also a region where traditional banks have often treated customers poorly, or left them behind completely. MercadoLibre already has 68m monthly active fintech users. But to fully capitalise on the opportunity, it's aiming to become a fully licensed digital bank. This would allow it to grow the loan book more aggressively and at a potentially lower cost, as well as offer a wider range of financial products. And while this increases the risk of rising bad loans, it also opens up a massive long-term growth opportunity. In e-commerce, the firm is slashing shipping costs for millions of consumers, which is putting pressure on margins. But over time, this should keep shoppers loyal and deepen the company's competitive advantages. And like Amazon, digital advertising should help boost profitability. The stock is trading at 36 times next year's forecast earnings. Given that the company is still decisively prioritising growth over profits, that's by no means outrageous. Overall, MercadoLibre strikes me as a compelling long-term play on the digitisation of Latin America. The post My top 2 growth stocks to consider for an ISA right now appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 One Top Growth Stock from the Motley Fool Ben McPoland has positions in MercadoLibre. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Amazon and MercadoLibre. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
