Hey,
It’s Pete Matheson with a new issue of Experiments in Progress.
If you're in the market for a new laptop right now, this one's for you.
Prices have gone up across the board — Mac and Windows both — and a lot of "safe" recommendations from a few months ago aren't safe anymore.
I went through what's actually available today and cut it down to 3 laptops that are still worth buying. Everything else, skip.
Only 3 Laptops Worth Buying Right Now
I went through what's actually available today and narrowed it down.
Three laptops, one for basically every kind of buyer:
🍏 If you want a Mac: MacBook Neo or MacBook Air
Start here if you're in the Apple ecosystem.
The MacBook Neo is still the cheapest way into a real Mac. It's the best-built laptop anywhere near that price.
The MacBook Air (M5) is the safer, more capable pick if you can stretch the budget. You're getting a proper 10-core CPU, 16GB RAM standard, Wi-Fi 7, and 18-hour battery life. This is still the "just buy this and stop thinking about it" Mac for most people.
🪟 If you want lightweight Windows: Asus Zenbook A14 (2026)
For Windows, this is difficult right now — a lot of "great value" Windows laptops from a year or two ago aren't great value anymore.
The one I keep coming back to is the Zenbook A14.
Under 2.2 lbs — one of the lightest Copilot+ laptops you can buy
If you want more screen and power, there's also a new Zenbook A16 (16-inch, faster "Extreme" chip)
The honest caveat: this runs Windows on ARM. App and Linux compatibility can still be spotty. If you live in mainstream apps and browsers, you won't notice. If you rely on niche software, check compatibility first.
🖥️ If you want premium Windows: Dell XPS 14 / XPS 16
Dell XPS is back.
Dell killed the XPS name in early 2025, rebranded everything to "Dell Premium," and then reversed course a year later after basically everyone hated it.
XPS returned at CES 2026, fully redesigned:
Genuinely well-reviewed — Panther Lake Intel chips, CNC aluminum, Gorilla Glass, physical function keys again
Strong performance and battery life across early reviews
The trade-off: it's expensive versus a MacBook Pro with similar specs, and you're stuck with integrated graphics only
It's still widely regarded as one of the best Windows laptops you can buy.
Source: Reddit
📊 Which laptop should you actually buy?
If you care about… | Get this |
|---|---|
Cheapest way into macOS | |
A Mac as your main computer | MacBook Air M5 |
Lightest possible Windows laptop | Zenbook A14 |
More screen, more power, still portable | Zenbook A16 |
Premium Windows build quality | Dell XPS 14 / 16 |
Waiting for what's next | Hold until after Snapdragon Summit (Sept) |
What matters most to you in a laptop right now?
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Disclaimer: Some of the links in this newsletter are affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services I believe will add value to you.