Cute name, especially if it were a wookiee. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Finding a good laptop under $500 was hard enough before RAMageddon. They nearly always had cheap hardware and underpowered, often outdated chips. That's what made the MacBook Neo so disruptive: It offered great build quality and good-enough performance starting at $599. Windows laptops couldn't touch it. Even though it's gone up to $699, it's still the laptop to beat.
So when little-known Chinese brand Chuwi announced a $450 Windows laptop with an aluminum build and a brand-new Intel Wildcat Lake processor, it sounded too good to be true.
It is.
Chuwi UniBook
Score: 3
Pros
Cons
It's $450
Tons of ports for a small laptop (though none are very …
If you’re looking for the absolute best performance in a gaming laptop, then you’ll likely want to consider a desktop replacement. If you’re in the market, the HyperX Omen Max 16 makes a strong case with a 16-inch form factor and a thick chassis that accommodates some beefy hardware.
Our review unit carries a sticker price of $4,699, packs a Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor, and includes an RTX 5090 GPU. It also tips the scales at 6.56 pounds, making it a more suitable companion for your desk than for lugging around while traveling.
Despite its imposing dimensions and beefy hardware, the Omen Max 16 doesn’t quite pass muster in performance against its slimmer competitors among the best gaming laptops.
Design of the HyperX Omen Max 16
“Solid, solid as a rock,” is the phrase that comes to mind when describing the Omen Max 16. The laptop feels like it was forged from a solid piece of granite, but in actuality, it’s aluminum. It’s also thick, measuring 1.13 inches at its thickest point (at the rear).
To my eyes, the Omen Max 16 is attractively designed with no outrageous styling gimmicks. The aluminum is coated in a matte black finish, and design flourishes (like the O16 printed vertically along the deck and the HyperX logo on the lid) are subdued and don't draw significant attention. There’s also a laser-etched grille that runs nearly the width of the chassis that sits above the keyboard.
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The only thing that really clues you into the gaming nature of the laptop (other than its sheer size) is the per-key RGB lighting for the keyboard, and a single LED strip on the bottom front edge of the chassis that you can configure with the Omen software.
When it comes to external ports, the Omen Max 16 has a USB-A (10 Gbps) port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a 3.5 mm audio jack on the left. On the right side of the chassis, you'll find another USB-A port. The back panel of the laptop is home to an HDMI 2.1 port, a 2.5 GbE port, and a proprietary power port (a 460W GaN power adapter is included).
The Omen Max 16 measures 14.04 x 10.59 x 1.03 inches and weighs 6.56 pounds. For comparison's sake, the Razer Blade 16 is 13.98 x 9.86 x 0.69 inches and weighs 4.71 pounds. The MSI Raider 16 HX comes in at 14.29 x 10.62 x 1.14 inches and weighs 5.73 pounds. The Alienware 16 Area-51 weighs 7.49 pounds and measures 14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 inches.
HyperX Omen Max 16 Specifications
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
Graphics
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU (24GB GDDR7, 1,597 MHz Boost Clock, 175 W Max TGP)
Memory
32GB DDR5-6400 (2x 16GB)
Storage
2TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display
16-inch, 2560x1600, 240 Hz, 16:10, OLED
Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Ports
2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB 3.2 Type-A Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm headphone jack, 2.5 GbE
Camera
1080p IR webcam
Battery
83 Whr
Power Adapter
460 W
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Dimensions (WxDxH)
14.04 x 10.59 x 1.03 inches
Weight
6.56 pounds
Price (as configured)
$4,699.99
Gaming and Graphics on the HyperX Omen Max 16
The Omen Max 16 is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor, 32GB of RAM, and an RTX 5090 GPU (175W TGP). Given these specs and a sizable chassis to aid cooling (300W total system power), I was expecting strong numbers from the Omen 16 Max. Instead, the laptop was relegated to the back of the pack, except for one game benchmark: Far Cry 6.
My game of choice these days is Battlefield 6, running at native resolution in Overkill detail mode, with DLSS Quality and frame generation enabled. Using these settings, I was able to average between 100 and 110 frames per second.
For the competitive set, we have the Blade 16 (Core Ultra 9 386H at 25W, RTX 5090 at 175W TGP), MSI Raider 16 Max HX (Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus at 55W, RTX 5090 at 175W TGP), and the Alienware 16 Area-51 (Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus at 55W, RTX 5080 at 175W TGP). It should be noted that the Omen Max 16 uses slower DDR5-6400, whereas systems like the Blade 16 use faster LPDDR5X-9600.
We started our benchmarking spree with Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Highest setting), and here the Omen Max 16 achieved 171 FPS at 1080p, putting it in last place behind the Razer Blade 16 (182 FPS). At 1600p, it landed in a comfortable third place (114 FPS) behind the Alienware 16 Area-51.
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ray Tracing Ultra settings) wasn't a strong showing for the Omen Max 16, either. It brought up last place at 1080p (59 FPS) and 1600p (37 FPS).
Far Cry 6 (Ultra settings) was the lone bright spot for the Omen Max 16, as it garnered 144 FPS at 1080p and 125 FPS at 1600p, easily putting it in first place. Both of these results far outpaced the rest of the field, with the next closest competitor being the MSI Raider 16 Max HX at 119 FPS and 114 FPS, respectively.
Moving to the Red Dead Redemption 2 (Medium settings) benchmark, the Omen Max 16 again wound up in last place, hitting 93 FPS at 1080p and 65 FPS at 1600p. However, in this instance, the margin between the Omen Max 16 and The Blade 16 at 1080p was just 1 FPS.
The Omen Max 16 again had trouble during the Borderlands 3 (Badass settings) benchmark, falling well off the pace set by its three competitors. The laptop hit 146 FPS at 1080p, nearly 20 FPS off the pace of the third-place Alienware 16 Area-51. At 1600p, it mustered just 113 FPS.
Metro Exodus is our go-to benchmark for laptop stress testing. Our review unit averaged 141.62 FPS at 1080p across 15 loops using the RTX benchmark preset. The CPU performance cores averaged 4.91 GHz, and the efficiency cores averaged 3.95 GHz. The RTX 5090 GPU ran at 1.81 GHz.
Productivity Performance on HyperX Omen Max 16
With its Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB PCIe 5.0 SSD, the Omen Max 16 fared better in the productivity tests than it did with gaming.
On Geekbench 6, the Omen Max 16 with the Core Ultra 9 290HX was able to muscle past the Blade 16 with its Core Ultra 9 386H on both the single-core (3,182) and multi-core (17,989) benchmarks. However, the Alienware 16 Area-51 and Raider 16 Max HX, which use the same Core Ultra 9 290HX processor, achieved much higher multi-core numbers (each surpassed 20,000).
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The PCIe 5.0 SSD used in the Omen Max 16 performed quite well in our 25GB file transfer test, coming in second place at 2,439.22 MBps. The Alienware 16 Area-51 was a few ticks ahead at 2,738.90 MBps.
The soft performance of the Omen Max 16 continued with our Handbrake test, which involves transcoding a 4K video file to 1080p. Here the laptop performed the task in 2 minutes and 59 seconds. However, at least one other laptop with the same Core Ultra 9 290HX did the deed in less than two minutes.
Display on the HyperX Omen Max 16
The Omen Max 16 uses a 16-inch 2560 x 1600 OLED panel with a 240 Hz refresh rate. As is the case with most OLED displays that we test, this one had a glossy finish.
Instrumented testing on the OLED panel showed it excelling against the competition, covering 131.2 percent of the DCI-P3 color space and 185.2 percent of sRGB. Even better, the Omen Max 16 nudged past the Raider 16 Max HX to also take the crown for panel brightness (464.6 nits versus 455.6 nits).
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
OLED panels rarely disappoint, and I was more than impressed with the overall quality and brightness. The brightness was high enough that I was able to game while on my back porch during a partly cloudy day with minimal interference from reflections on the glossy panel.
I also viewed the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer using the display, and besides getting a tiny bit emotional while watching it, was delighted with the color reproduction, particularly in the short battle between Gambit and Shang-Chi, with flashes of purple playing cards and orange rings.
Keyboard and Touchpad on the HyperX Omen Max 16
The Omen Max 16 features a full-size RGB backlit keyboard (with per-key lighting) and NKRO anti-ghosting technology. RGB effects are customizable using HP's Omen app or directly from within Windows 11.
The keys felt quite springy when typing, and I found it incredibly comfortable to rest my fingers and click away. And while some keyboards audibly make their presence known as you type at a furious pace, the key actuation on the Omen Max 16 was whisper-quiet.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
Turning my attention to the Keyhero.com typing test, I plugged away at 95 words per minute with 97% accuracy, which is definitely on the high side for me (I’m usually in the mid-80s realm).
Given the Omen Max 16 price tag of over $4,500, I was disappointed that HP didn’t go with a haptic touchpad. Instead, we get a top-hinged trackpad that is just OK. It gets the job done, but for this much money, I’d prefer to be able to click anywhere on the touchpad surface without hitting a dead zone. At least while gaming, you probably use a mouse or controller.
Audio on the HyperX Omen Max 16
Audio quality is another area where I think HP missed the mark. To beat a dead horse, but this is a laptop that retails for $4,699, and it only comes with stereo speakers. Would it have killed HP to add another pair of speakers in this tank of a chassis?
While the speakers had good overall volume levels, I felt the sound lacked some depth compared to similarly priced laptops with four (Raider 16 Max HX) or even six speakers (Blade 16). While I was more than happy listening to Keane’s “Fly to Me” from the album Hopes and Fears, I was disappointed in the sound while playing Battlefield 6.
When it came to gunfire, vehicle sounds, and background explosions while gaming, I wasn't impressed. I prefer throwing on a pair of the best gaming headsets, but there’s still no excuse to drop the ball at this price point.
Upgradeability of the HyperX Omen Max 16
Six screws need to be extracted to remove the bottom aluminum panel. While that was easy enough, it’s only half the battle. All of the serviceable components (save for the readily accessible battery) are underneath an extensive metal shield. That shield is held in place by roughly a dozen screws, making upgrades a bit tedious.
Once the shield is removed, you’ll find access to the M.2 slot for the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module, two SO-DIMM slots (both of which were filled on our review unit), and an additional M.2 slot for a second SSD. Yet another metal shield covers the first M.2 SSD slot, although I didn’t go through the process of removing another dozen screws to uncover it.
Battery Life on the HyperX Omen Max 16
Despite its considerable girth, the Omen Max 16 is equipped with just an 83 WHr battery. For comparison, the thinner and lighter Blade 16 manages to squeeze in a 90 WHr battery.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The Omen Max 16 lasted 5 hours and 7 minutes on our battery test, which consists of web browsing, video streaming over Wi-Fi, and OpenGL testing with the screen brightness set at 150 nits. This was over three hours shorter than the Raider 16 Max HX, while the Blade 16 lasted over twice as long on a charge (12:46).
Heat on the HyperX Omen Max 16
During the Metro Exodus stress test, we measured the Omen Max 16's keyboard at 106 degrees Fahrenheit (F) between the G and H keys, while the touchpad was 84.9 F.
The hottest part of the laptop was near the rear center of the bottom of the chassis, which measured 114 F.
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While running the Metro Exodus stress test, the CPU measured 87 degrees Celsius (C). Meanwhile, the RTX 5090 was cooler at 75 C.
Webcam on the HyperX Omen Max 16
Another area where it feels like HP skimped is with the webcam. Rather than going with a higher resolution unit, the Omen Max 16 features a bog-standard 1080p unit that looks about as good as one you’d find in a $1,000 entry-level gaming laptop.
The camera didn’t do particularly well with a nearby window where light was shining through, and there were a lot of noise artifacts in less-than-ideal light conditions. In addition, the camera didn’t really pick up fine details well, which is disappointing considering the price.
Software and Warranty on the HyperX Omen Max 16
Like many HP laptops, the HyperX Omen Max 16 comes loaded with additional software bloat that you can mostly ignore or simply delete. Scrolling down the list of “H” apps in the Start Menu, HP basically set up camp with no less than eight apps/shortcuts—everything from HP Documentation to HP Privacy Settings to HP TV+. In addition, you’ll find the usual third-party add-ons like McAfee and promotional links for Dropbox, Adobe, and Booking.com.
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The only really useful preinstalled app is the Omen Gaming Hub. It gives you control over power modes, lets you see CPU/GPU/RAM utilization, and provides plenty of configuration options for the onboard RGB lighting.
The Omen Max 16 comes with a one-year manufacturer warranty.
HyperX Omen Max 16 Configurations
Our Omen Max 16 came configured with an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor, 32GB of DDR5-6400 memory, a 2TB PCIe 5.0 SSD, RTX 5090 GPU, and a 16-inch 1600p 240 Hz OLED display. The MSRP on our review unit was a staggering $4,699.99.
There are also several less expensive options, with the cheapest being a $2,699 SKU with a Core Ultra 7 270HX processor, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and an RTX 5080. For $3,099, you can swap the Core Ultra 7 270HX for an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 475 and double the SSD capacity to 2TB.
Bottom Line
The HyperX Omen Max 16 represents a swing and a miss. When I first saw the enormity of the chassis, I was looking forward to some impressive gaming performance given the 55W processor and 175W RTX 5090 onboard. Instead, what I was left with was a $4,699 gaming laptop that lingered in last place for most of the gaming benchmarks, and often by a large margin. Even the Razer Blade 16 with its 25W processor managed to get the upper hand in most benchmarks.
But the gaming wasn’t the only disappointment. Given the price tag, I would have expected a better-equipped machine. Where’s the haptic trackpad, and why do we only get two speakers? And on a minor annoyance angle, while I appreciate the two M.2 slots for storage and replaceable memory, why do I need to remove another dozen screws just to access those components?
In the end, the Omen Max 16 could have been so much more. Quite frankly, it would make sense to spend the extra $200 and grab a Razer Blade 16. Not only is it thinner and lighter (by two pounds), but it offers double the battery life.
MacBook Neo sales have given Apple something the Mac rarely achieved through its premium models: immediate access to the enormous market for affordable everyday notebooks.
The new line arrived in March 2026 with a launch price of $599, or $499 through education pricing. That placed a current MacBook within reach of buyers who previously depended on discounted older models, inexpensive Windows laptops or Chromebooks.
Price opened the door, but appearance helped people walk through it. MacBook Neo entered the market in blush, indigo, silver and citrus, avoiding the visual compromises commonly associated with entry-level computers. The aluminum enclosure, color-matched keyboard and 13-inch Liquid Retina display made it look like a deliberate new Mac rather than a reduced MacBook Air.
Those choices changed the conversation around an affordable Apple notebook. Buyers could select a computer according to personality and style before considering processor benchmarks. Students could carry something visibly different from institutional gray and black laptops. Families could distinguish multiple computers by color, while first-time Mac owners received a product with its own identity.
Early shipment estimates suggest that strategy worked. IDC data shared with TechCrunch placed MacBook Neo shipments at approximately 1.1 million units during the March quarter, even though the computer had been available for only about three weeks. Apple does not disclose sales by individual Mac model, so the figure remains an independent market estimate rather than an official unit count.
The pace was nevertheless substantial enough to make MacBook Neo one of the strongest recent Mac introductions. It also pushed the story beyond one successful product launch. Apple had entered a price segment responsible for tens of millions of notebook purchases each year and found customers who had never seriously considered macOS.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.
MacBook Neo Sales Started With a Missing Price Tier
Apple spent years concentrating the MacBook line above the mainstream notebook market. MacBook Air became the accessible model, but its price still placed it beyond many students, families and buyers in countries where local income and currency conversion make Apple hardware especially expensive.
Discounted older MacBook Air generations partially filled that gap. Retailers could keep M1, M2 or M3 models available after newer versions arrived, offering buyers lower prices without Apple designing a dedicated entry-level computer.
That approach had limitations. Availability depended on remaining inventory, configurations varied among retailers and the product still looked like a previous generation being cleared from the channel. It could attract value-conscious buyers, but it did not establish a permanent starting point for the Mac.
MacBook Neo created that starting point. Apple designed the model around an A18 Pro chip rather than the M-series processors used by MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The base configuration included 8GB of unified memory and 256GB of storage, enough for browsing, school assignments, communication, streaming and everyday productivity without competing directly with higher-performance Macs.
The model retained features that buyers encounter every day: an aluminum body, a 13-inch high-resolution display, a Magic Keyboard, a large Multi-Touch trackpad, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera and a fanless design. Apple rated its battery for as long as 16 hours under its testing conditions.
Performance headroom, memory capacity and external-display support remain more limited than on a MacBook Air. Those compromises are easier to accept when the computer is purchased for writing, research, web applications, video calls and media consumption rather than professional video production or complex development work.
IDC estimated that the sub-$700 segment represented about 75 million annual notebook shipments, close to 40% of global notebook volume. Windows and ChromeOS historically controlled more than 95% of that tier. Apple had been competing for a small premium section of the market while a far larger pool of buyers purchased elsewhere.
MacBook Neo sales gave the company a way into that pool without placing an old design or plastic enclosure at the entrance to the Mac line. A buyer comparing computers at similar prices could now choose macOS without first accepting a major premium.
Color Gave the Affordable MacBook an Identity
Low-cost laptops are frequently designed to disappear. Dark plastic, conservative finishes and generic bodies keep manufacturing simple and reduce the risk that one color will remain unsold. MacBook Neo took the opposite approach by making color one of the most recognizable parts of the product.
Silver preserves a familiar Mac appearance, while indigo offers a darker alternative without returning to standard black. Blush gives the line a softer finish, and citrus creates the visual signature that separates Neo from every other MacBook on a table.
The colors do more than decorate an inexpensive computer. They prevent the model from being defined entirely by what it lacks. Instead of asking why it has an A18 Pro rather than an M5, buyers can begin with which finish they want.
That distinction is valuable among younger customers. IDC described reactions from teenagers who focused on the display, weight and appearance rather than memory specifications or processor architecture. Their interest centered on how the computer would look at school compared with the Windows laptops and Chromebooks already around them.
Apple used a similar strategy when color helped turn the original iMac into a cultural object. Later iBook models carried bright finishes into portable computing, while colorful iMac and MacBook designs made personal computers feel less institutional. MacBook Neo revisits that idea for a generation accustomed to selecting colors for phones, headphones, cases and watches.
The approach also avoids making affordability look like punishment. A lower price does not force the buyer into an anonymous product with a visibly cheaper exterior. Neo has limitations, but its design gives owners something exclusive to the line instead of presenting the computer as a substitute for the MacBook they could not afford.
Color alone did not produce MacBook Neo sales. The launch price, battery life, macOS integration and recognizable MacBook construction carried more purchasing weight. Color made those advantages easier to notice and gave stores a product that could attract attention before a salesperson explained its specifications.
First-Time Buyers Changed the Mac Equation
Apple said customer response exceeded its expectations and connected the launch with record participation from people buying their first Mac. That audience may prove more valuable than existing owners choosing a less expensive replacement.
A first Mac purchase can introduce a customer to applications and services that become part of daily work. People who already use an iPhone can access Messages, FaceTime, Photos, iCloud, AirDrop and iPhone Mirroring from the computer without rebuilding their digital routines.
That familiarity lowers one of the barriers to changing computer platforms. A person may have used Windows throughout school or work while carrying an iPhone for years. MacBook Neo makes the switch less financially demanding, while the connected features reduce the amount of relearning required after purchase.
MacBook Neo sales also challenge the assumption that low-cost notebook buyers care only about the lowest available price. Many customers are willing to spend more than the cost of an entry Chromebook when the difference provides a better display, metal construction, longer useful life or closer integration with a phone.
The line is therefore competing on perceived value rather than absolute cheapness. A $599 launch price remains expensive beside the least costly education laptops, but it enters the same purchasing discussion as many mainstream Windows models. It no longer requires a buyer to stretch directly toward MacBook Air pricing.
Education represents a particularly large opportunity. Schools and families make purchases around durability, battery life, software management, support requirements and the number of years a computer can remain useful. A lower acquisition price gives the Mac a better chance of surviving the first stage of that calculation.
Small businesses face similar decisions. A company that previously reserved Macs for designers or executives can consider Neo for administrative work, communication and browser-based services. Wider Mac deployment then becomes possible without assigning a premium notebook to every employee.
MacBook Neo sales may also protect Apple from depending entirely on upgrades. Mature computer owners can keep a capable Mac for many years, extending replacement cycles. Bringing new people onto the platform creates additional demand without waiting for an existing MacBook Air or MacBook Pro to become obsolete.
Worldwide Adoption Is the Larger Story
The geographic distribution of the first units shows both progress and unfinished work. IDC estimated that 44% of March-quarter shipments went to the United States. That concentration is unsurprising for an Apple launch, but the larger opportunity sits in markets where Mac adoption has remained limited by price.
India offers an early example. Approximately 18,000 units reportedly shipped there during the short March launch period, while retailers later experienced difficulty obtaining enough inventory. The local starting price of ₹69,900 remained above the direct currency conversion of the U.S. price, yet it sat far below the ₹119,900 entry point reported for MacBook Air at the time.
Older MacBook Air generations had previously generated Indian sales when retailers offered substantial discounts. Neo gives Apple and its partners a current model to promote throughout the year rather than depending on irregular clearance inventory.
Availability timing will influence adoption elsewhere. The computer reached some markets later than the initial launch, including Indonesia in May. Local taxes, currency movements, distribution capacity and supply allocation can produce a very different value proposition from one country to another.
Independent forecasts remain optimistic despite severe pressure across the PC industry. TrendForce projected Apple notebook shipments could grow 7.7% during 2026 and estimated that MacBook Neo could reach between 4 million and 5 million units. IDC later said stronger-than-expected demand from the model contributed to an upward revision of its notebook forecast.
Those gains are occurring while memory shortages and rising component costs are pushing much of the computer industry toward higher prices. IDC expects worldwide PC shipments to contract during 2026, making Apple expansion unusual in a market where many manufacturers are reducing configurations and protecting margins.
Supply control helped Apple enter the lower tier at a difficult moment. The company already designs the A18 Pro, uses a highly standardized configuration and purchases components at enormous scale. That structure gave it more room to assemble a focused notebook without relying on a separate processor vendor for the central chip.
Recent Mac price increases caused by rising memory costs may test how much of the early advantage Apple can preserve. Neo depends on remaining close enough to mainstream notebooks that first-time buyers continue placing it on the same shortlist. A widening price gap would return the Mac to the premium territory the new line was created to escape.
The next evidence will arrive through education purchasing cycles and expansion in price-sensitive countries. A personal citrus or blush MacBook can win attention in a store, but deployments across schools and small businesses will depend on supply, local pricing, management costs and useful life. The first semester filled classrooms with individual Neo buyers; the coming academic year will reveal whether entire institutions are ready to replace rows of gray laptops with macOS.
Boy, sure is a hot one today, huh? Okay, I get the irony: that's a take so cold you could use it to replace your freezing Wim Hof showers. But when the metaphorical mercury creeps this high, you've got to keep your cool. The same goes for your laptop, which is why you might want to grab a laptop cooling pad this summer.
Fortunately for you, I've spent this week testing every laptop cooling pad I can get my hands on to see which offers the superior AC for your computer. Not only that, but I've brought receipts — this piece has more graphics and graphs than election night coverage. So if you want objective numbers about which pad is genuinely gusty and which is all bluster, I've got the data you need.
I get that it can be tempting to overlook cooling your laptop during warm weather — I've been more worried this summer about tracking down a fan to keep myself cool than my laptops. But you overlook the best laptop cooling pads at your peril.
I still have vivid memories of the summer I redlined my laptop during a heatwave. While the video skittering should have been a hint, it was only when it stopped booting up and started bleeping SOS in Morse code that I began questioning my life choices. Turns out I'd burnt out the memory — quite literally: there were scorch marks on the inside of the case.
So at this time of year, it's worth considering whether a laptop cooling pad can help you out. And I can definitely help out there.
Laptop cooling pads: cooling
Temperature Rise Using Laptop Cooling Pad
The temperature rise during a stress test while using the laptop cooling pad on max settings
Baseline
31.9
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
22.8
Klim Mistral
20.4
Klim Wind
19.5
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
18.4
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
17.9
Klim Ultimate
15.5
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
15.3
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
12
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
8
010203040
Temperature difference (°C) Data
Product
Value
Baseline
31.9
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
22.8
Klim Mistral
20.4
Klim Wind
19.5
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
18.4
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
17.9
Klim Ultimate
15.5
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
15.3
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
12
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
8
Baseline
57.4
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
41
Klim Mistral
36.7
Klim Wind
35.1
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
33.1
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
32.2
Klim Ultimate
27.9
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
27.5
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
21.6
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
14.4
015304560
Temperature difference (°F) Data
Product
Value
Baseline
57.4
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
41
Klim Mistral
36.7
Klim Wind
35.1
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
33.1
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
32.2
Klim Ultimate
27.9
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
27.5
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
21.6
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
14.4
Lower values indicate better cooling.
How I tested
To test each laptop cooling pad's performance, I ran a 3DMark Steel Nomad stress test on an Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. The test ran for 15 minutes, with each cooling pad set to maximum. Using a thermal camera, I clocked the hottest point before and after the test, then calculated the temperature differential between the two to determine how much warming each cooling pad allowed.
Assessing which laptop cooling pad is a breezy wonder and which is a wheezy blunder ultimately comes down to how frosty each model's cooling is. That's why I went through every pad I could get my hands on to see how much each one prevented our gaming laptop from heating up during a 3DMark stress test.
As you can see, by far the weakest cooling offered by any laptop cooling pad I tested was from the TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad. Compared to the 57.4°F / 31.9°C baseline rise of our gaming laptop alone, the C12 was only able to limit it to a 41°F / 22.8°C rise — that might be better than frantically waving a dish towel in its general direction, but only barely.
Probably the biggest disappointment of these tests was how the Klim Mistral performed. Not only did it seem to perform worse than the more affordable Klim Wind — resulting in 36.7°F / 20.4°C warming compared to the Wind's 35.1°F / 19.5°C — but it was pretty inconsistent to boot, achieving even worse results on a retest.
Skipping ahead a little, the laptop cooling pad I was most surprised by was the TECKNET. Although it's cheaper than quite a few of the pads I tested here, setting me back just $21.59 / £21.99, the 32.2°F / 17.6°C warming it presided over put it firmly in the top half of the pack. It's the little laptop cooling pad that could.
(Image credit: Future)
Given that the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad and Klim Ultimate both achieved an almost photo finish, it would be easy to assume there's not much daylight between them. However, like a bottle of wine, you really need to weigh up what you're spending here to calculate its true value. And as the Liangstar costs $20.99 / £23.59 versus the Klim Ultimate's $44.97 / £44.97 price tag, that definitely takes the edge here.
But, frankly, there's a reason Llano is the absolute GOAT in my eyes. As you can see, it took both first and second place on my cooling pad podium. While the Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad stopped our gaming laptop from warming up more than 21.6°F / 12°C, the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad kept it down to just 14.4°F / 8°C of warming. This boi makes liquid nitrogen look positively toasty.
Laptop cooling pads: noise levels
1 / 2
Noise Level — cooling pad alone
Noise level of the cooling pad or laptop alone taken at head height and from 3 inches away
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
71
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
64.5
Klim Mistral
52.6
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
45
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
43.5
Laptop alone
42
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
37.4
Klim Wind
36.2
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
36
Klim Ultimate
36
020406080
dB
Head height Data
Product
Value
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
71
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
64.5
Klim Mistral
52.6
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
45
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
43.5
Laptop alone
42
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
37.4
Klim Wind
36.2
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
36
Klim Ultimate
36
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
85
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
77
Klim Mistral
62.6
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
59
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
58
Laptop alone
60
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
50.2
Klim Wind
48.8
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
60
Klim Ultimate
46
0255075100
dB
Near Data
Product
Value
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
85
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
77
Klim Mistral
62.6
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
59
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
58
Laptop alone
60
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
50.2
Klim Wind
48.8
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
60
Klim Ultimate
46
Noise Level — cooling pad & laptop
Combined noise level of the cooling pad and laptop taken at head height and from 3 inches away
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
64
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
57.5
Klim Mistral
51.5
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
45
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
45
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
45
Klim Ultimate
44.4
Klim Wind
44
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
44
020406080
dB Head height Data
Product
Value
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
64
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
57.5
Klim Mistral
51.5
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
45
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
45
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
45
Klim Ultimate
44.4
Klim Wind
44
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
44
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
79
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
69
Klim Mistral
61.5
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
58.5
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
58
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
59
Klim Ultimate
55.2
Klim Wind
58.5
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
61
020406080
dB Near Data
Product
Value
Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
79
Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad
69
Klim Mistral
61.5
TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
58.5
TECKNET Laptop Cooling Pad
58
Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
59
Klim Ultimate
55.2
Klim Wind
58.5
Almiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad
61
How I tested
When it came to noise levels, I measured the noise of each cooling pad from 3 inches away and from my head height when sitting in front of it. I also recorded the combined noise of each cooling pad and the testing laptop's fans 10 minutes into each stress test from the same distances.
You may think that your gaming laptop makes a lot of noise. But believe me: that's scarcely more than a murmur compared to some cooling pads. Given they're essentially just an LED-adorned box with a whopping great fan inside, they can get pretty shouty. That's why I grabbed the sound level meter from my utility belt and started measuring like the world's nerdiest superhero.
Perhaps predictably, the pad that blows coolest blows loudest. While I love the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad's glacial chilling, I can't get away from the fact that it's pretty noisy. I'm 5 foot 11 inches tall, and from my head height, I clocked it at 71dB — according to the Center for Hearing and Communication, that's roughly as loud as a coffee grinder or freeway traffic. In my book, that's a worthy price to pay for keeping your laptop cool, but it might not be ideal if you're planning to use it in the office.
In fact, you might assume there's an inverse relationship between cooling and fan noise. And while that does hold true for the most part, there are some interesting exceptions. For example, while I found the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad offered the third best cooling in my tests overall, it was substantially quieter than either of the Llanos, clocking in at a much less brash 45dB.
Conversely, the Klim Mistral manages to buck the trend in the other direction, running surprisingly loud compared to some of the other competitors here. At 52dB, it kicks out a similar level of noise as a fridge — which is pretty ironic given it offered some of the worst cooling in my testing.
(Image credit: Future)
And there are some surprising candidates for the winner's podium when it comes to sound levels. The TECKNET offers far from the worst cooling, and yet it ties for first place as the quietest pad on test here at 36dB — again, not at all bad given its super affordable price tag.
Honestly, though, if you want whisper-quiet running without sacrificing performance, my pro tip would be to check out the Klim Ultimate. Unlike Klim's two cheaper cooling pads, it offers very credible chilling while also measuring noise levels of 36dB from head height — that's apparently quieter than a library, which isn't known for being a raucous place.
Fundamentally, noise levels probably shouldn't be the deciding factor when picking your perfect laptop cooling pad. Both cooling power and budget come higher up the pecking order in terms of my personal preferences. But that doesn't mean you should ignore it completely — depending on where and how you use your laptop, you could find strapping a jet engine to the bottom of it to be a bit of a deal breaker.
Do I even need a laptop cooling pad?
1 / 2
MacBook Air M5 encode test
Performance after an hour during a standard encode test both with and without cooling
Versus Comparison Data
Attribute
Benchmark — MacBook Air M5
Klim Ultimate — MacBook Air M5
Average FPS
2.52
2.77
Estimated encode time
122
114
VS
Average FPS (fps)
2.52
2.77+10%
Estimated encode time (minutes)
+7%122
114
Re-encoding a 4K stereo .mov file at highest quality, the MacBook Air M5 showed a modest reduction in throttling in terms of average FPS and encode time when using the Klim Ultimate laptop cooling pad.
Acer Predator Helios 300 encode test
Performance after an hour during a standard encode test both with and without cooling
Versus Comparison Data
Attribute
Benchmark — Acer Predator Helios 300
Klim Ultimate — Acer Predator Helios 300
Average FPS
2.8
2.8
Estimated encode time
115
113
VS
Average FPS (fps)
2.8
2.8
Estimated encode time (minutes)
+2%115
113
Re-encoding a 4K stereo .mov file at highest quality, the Acer Predator Helios 300 showed essentially no reduction in either average FPS or estimated encode time, suggesting limited heat-related throttling took place.
How I tested
Here I used a standard encoding test. I re-encoded the 4K stereo version of the Creative Commons animated movie Big Buck Bunny at 4K 120fps at the slowest encode speed, then ran it for an hour to allow throttling to take place and recorded the total estimated encode time and average encode rate. I ran this on both my MacBook Air M5 and our testing Acer Predator Helios 300, uncooled and cooled with the Klim Ultimate, to see the impact it had on performance.
So it's pretty clear which cooling pads offer ice-cold AC and which sound like a tumble dryer breaking the sound barrier. But I've left the biggest question until last — do you actually need one at all?
Aiming to prove my theorem that 'cold CPU = good', I whipped up a quick encode test designed to stress out the CPU of several laptops over a longer period. In theory, after an hour, their core temperature should have risen, their CPUs throttled, and the length of the encode spiked and the encode rate dropped. Running the same test with one of our top cooling pads, the Klim Ultimate, would then show how much it could reduce this throttling.
On my MacBook Air M5, after an hour of using its passive cooling alone, the total estimated encode time had crept up to 122 minutes, and the average encode rate was sitting at 2.52 FPS. When I reran the test with the Klim Ultimate running on max cooling, that total encode time was trimmed to 114 minutes, and the encode rate had increased to 2.77 FPS. That's not a huge difference, but it shows the Klim Ultimate was able to trim back some of that temperature-related throttling.
Running the same test on our Acer Predator Helios 300 was a much more ambiguous experience. During my first run, the encode crashed within minutes, and during the second it crashed moments after the test concluded. So it was honestly far from stable.
I was able to eventually get some results, however, and they showed... nothing. Whether I was using the Klim Ultimate or not, the test results were essentially identical, with Handbrake clocking an estimated encode time of 115 minutes uncooled and 113 with the Klim's help. Meanwhile, the encode rate remained steady, sitting at a reasonable 2.8 FPS.
(Image credit: Future)
What does that mean? That I've wasted several hours of my life? Not quite. There are a couple of key conclusions to take away from this. One is that a performance laptop with whacking great fans built in is already pretty good at keeping itself cool. Shocking revelation, I know.
But probably the more critical takeaway is that the mileage you get out of a laptop cooling pad is going to vary depending on how well optimized it is for handling heat, as well as the kind of tasks you're doing. Had I tried to run Cyberpunk 2077 on max graphics settings with ray-tracing switched on, the Predator Helios 300 would likely have caused it to melt into the earth's core.
There's also another caveat. While it's definitely been warm the last week or so in the TechRadar testing lab, it hasn't reached the kind of desiccating highs that have hit both the US and UK in recent months. Past a certain point, any laptop will struggle in the heat. Forget CPU throttling — in that heat, I'd be more worried about your components liquefying like a chocolate bunny on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral.
In light of that, I'd say a laptop cooling pad is still worth exploring, especially if you tend to do a lot of resource-intensive tasks like 3D work, Photoshopping or gaming.
Any thoughts or personal experiences you'd like to share? Please feel free to chime in down in the comments!
Tough sell. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
The HP HyperX Omen 15, which I first saw at CES, replaces the HP Victus 15, a longtime bestselling budget gaming laptop. The Victus cost just $800, or less when on sale, and was a good entry point to decent laptop gaming.
The Omen 15 has nice little upgrades over the Victus. Its RTX 5050 Laptop GPU can play 2026's latest games, albeit on low-ish settings. But it's also got a brighter 16:10 aspect ratio display with higher refresh rate, and a 1080p webcam to make it a little better for non-gaming stuff.
I'd call it a working-class gaming laptop, but thanks to RAMageddon, the Omen 15 starts at $1,200 - a far cry from the $800 that made its …
I’ve used thousands of laptops over the years, between testing and trade shows, so it isn’t often that an issue pops up that I haven’t encountered before. But that’s exactly what happened recently while working with Acer’s Swift Go 16 AI (review coming soon). This unassuming mid-range portable packs AMD’s Gorgon Point silicon, alongside a large IPS screen and a roomy 7-inch touchpad – nothing groundbreaking, but a solid, svelte system with a metal shell and an affordable price (at least when it’s on sale).
But pretty quickly, when I started setting it up and photographing it, I noticed that the screen would often go black, briefly, when I tried typing, and I would then get kicked out to the Windows lock screen. Since I was using a local account with no password to type in, this was only a minor annoyance at first. But it kept happening – not every time I tried to use the laptop, but often enough that I pretty quickly decided that the review unit must be faulty. Eventually, I reached out to Acer to explain and show them the problem.
Company engineers thought it might be a software conflict, and suggested I reset the system, which I did, to no avail. The screen was still flashing black and kicking me out to the lock screen. In fact, after some experimenting, I could sometimes make the issue occur when I was barely even touching the touchpad. I discussed it with colleagues, sent them the same video I had sent to Acer, and became convinced it was some kind of strange electrical fault with the touchpad. I eventually got a second review unit of the laptop, but by that time I was onto other priorities, so it sat for a week or so, until I decided to at least bring the original “faulty” laptop back to the office so I could box it up and return it to Acer.
Before I boxed it up to send back to Acer for their evaluation, though, I decided to show another colleague, Tom’s Guide’s lab tester Arif Bacchus, in our New York office. He watched me demonstrate the problem for about ten seconds before casually suggesting, “I think it might be your watch.”
This hadn’t even occurred to me, but as soon as he said it, everything started to fall into place in my mind. I had been wearing my Galaxy Watch 7 this and every time I had the issue, because I wear my watch pretty much whenever it isn’t charging. And my watch band (which Amazon tells me I’ve had since May of last year) has a magnetic clasp on the bottom, which sits a few inches behind my right wrist when I’m wearing it. And as I moved my wrist across the lower-right edge of the laptop, the screen went black for a second, and I was once again kicked back to the Windows lock screen.
The touchpad was never the issue, and the laptop isn’t faulty – although it does have a lid sensor that is triggered by a magnet embedded in the upper-right bezel, which can also be triggered by most other magnets if they get close to the bottom-right of the deck. I was able to duplicate the issue with a fridge magnet, a magnetic Qi 2 accessory, and a borrowed Apple Watch, which also had a band with a magnetic clasp.
Using a piece of magnetic field paper, it’s easy to see the magnets embedded in the Swift Go 16 AI’s bezel. The corresponding sensors in the laptop’s deck tell the system when it’s closed. A magnet attached to your wrist can easily fool the sensor and kick you to the lock screen. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
While perhaps not the greatest of design choices, this is, to be clear, an issue that probably won’t affect a large portion of people. To run into the problem I had with this laptop specifically, you’d need to have a magnetic watch band and either be left-handed or the odd right-hander like me who also likes wearing their watch on their right wrist.
I wasn’t able to replicate this issue on any of the four other laptops (Dell, Apple, Lenovo, and Framework models) around my desk area. And the issue must be quite rare as, again, I have been wearing this watch band every day for 14 months or so, at CES in Las Vegas and two Computexes in Taiwan, where I put my fingers on dozens of laptops, and have never encountered screens that dim or turn off as my hands land on the keyboard deck.
There are definitely other documented instances of this happening, though. Once I knew what to look for, it was easy to find a few (but not particularly a lot) of discussions about this and related issues, on Reddit, Apple, Dell, and Acer forums, and a Medium article about Chromebooks confusing Apple watches. Some older mentions also note that magnetic bracelets can cause the same issue (somewhat obviously).
Clearly, this isn’t a new problem, but it isn’t well known. It was confusing enough that I was convinced the laptop was faulty and asked for a replacement. If I owned this Acer, it probably would have led me to return it and deal with an RMA process, only to eventually get another laptop that, even more frustratingly, would have the same issue. And yes, the replacement Swift Go 16 AI that Acer sent was also fooled by my watch band.
So what do you do if you have a laptop with a lid sensor that is triggered by your watch band? Your options should be pretty obvious.
You could get a new, non-magnetic band. I do love the convenience and easy removal of my current band, but this is probably the simplest solution.
You could learn to love wearing your watch on your opposite arm. For most people, this might be tough, but I do switch up watch arms now and then when my right wrist gets irritated by the fact that I track nearly every waking and sleeping moment of my life with my smartwatch. And if you aren’t using your PC during most of your waking hours like me, switching your watch to your other arm or taking it off just while working or gaming might be easy enough.
Also, if you just bought a laptop that is triggered by your favorite watch band, and you don’t want to give that up, you could return the laptop for something else.
The good news is that it’s unlikely any other random model you choose will have the same problem. Perhaps this magnetic sensor issue is more common on Chromebooks (which I tend to avoid), but none of the dozens of other laptop models I’ve put my wrists on since May of 2025 have been triggered by my watch strap. So if you’re unlucky enough to be struck by the curious watch strap laptop curse once, it probably won’t happen with the next laptop you choose. Still, it’s always good to check out a laptop in a store, if you can, for this and several other reasons.
MacBook Neo helped Apple move against the global PC market in the second quarter of 2026, delivering double-digit Mac shipment growth while most leading computer manufacturers sold fewer units than a year earlier.
Preliminary data from IDC estimates that Apple shipped 6.7 million Macs during the quarter, up 10.1% from 6.1 million in Q2 2025. Its worldwide market share rose from 8.5% to 9.9%, placing the company within a fraction of the 10% threshold.
The rest of the industry moved in the opposite direction. Global shipments fell 4.9% year over year to 68.2 million units, ending nine consecutive quarters of growth. A separate Omdia estimate placed the decline at 3.6% and Apple growth at 15.9%, but both research groups identified the same pattern: the Mac gained ground while established Windows PC vendors contracted or remained flat.
IDC directly connected the Apple increase with the arrival of its lowest-priced notebook. MacBook Neo began shipping in March, giving the model its first complete quarter of retail availability between April and June.
MacBook Neo Drives Mac Shipment Growth
MacBook Neo entered the market as an alternative for buyers previously priced out of the Mac lineup.
The 13-inch notebook launched at $599 with an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of unified memory, a Liquid Retina display and up to 16 hours of video playback. It also brought macOS, Apple Intelligence and integration with the iPhone ecosystem into a price range commonly occupied by mainstream Windows laptops and Chromebooks.
That positioning attracted students, families and first-time Mac customers who did not need the performance or display technology of a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. The four-color aluminum design also gave the entry model a more recognizable identity than the older Mac notebooks that frequently remained on sale through discounts.
IDC had already identified the computer as an unusual source of strength when it revised its notebook forecast earlier in 2026. Demand exceeded initial expectations in several markets, and reported inventory shortages appeared shortly after the March launch.
The effect became much more visible in Q2. MacBook Neo was available for the entire three-month period, allowing Apple to increase production, expand retail distribution and serve customers who could not obtain the computer during its first weeks.
The entry model also widened the Mac lineup without replacing the MacBook Air. Buyers seeking more memory, faster ports, longer wireless web use or additional external-display support could continue moving toward the M5-powered Air, while the less expensive machine handled education, office work, web browsing and communication.
That separation allowed Apple to reach lower price points without reducing the value of its premium notebooks.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.
Lenovo, HP and Dell Lose Shipments
Apple remained the fourth-largest traditional PC vendor, but its performance contrasted sharply with the companies above it.
Lenovo retained first place with 16.6 million units and 24.4% market share. Its shipments declined 2.1% from the previous year.
HP experienced the steepest drop among the top five, falling 9% to 13 million units. Dell shipped 9.3 million computers, representing a 5% decline. Asus remained nearly flat at 5 million units, up only 0.2%.
Manufacturers outside the five largest brands collectively suffered a 10.5% contraction, indicating that weaker demand and component inflation placed even more pressure on smaller companies.
The figures measure shipments into distribution channels or directly to end users, not confirmed retail purchases by individual consumers. A manufacturer can therefore record shipment growth while some inventory remains unsold in stores or warehouses.
MacBook Neo demand appears to have been strong enough to support Apple production increases rather than simply filling channels. The company reportedly doubled its annual production target after the initial response, although later quarters will reveal how much of Q2 reflected lasting demand rather than launch-period enthusiasm.
Apple also benefits from operating at a scale that provides leverage with memory, storage and semiconductor suppliers. Smaller PC brands face greater difficulty securing components at competitive prices when shortages intensify.
Memory Costs Reverse the PC Recovery
The Q2 contraction arrived after manufacturers and commercial customers accelerated purchases during late 2025 and early 2026.
Buyers expected memory and storage prices to rise, encouraging some businesses to replace computers earlier than planned. Vendors also increased inventories while components remained available.
That activity supported nine quarters of market growth but borrowed demand from later periods. Once the early purchases were completed, the industry faced a more difficult combination of expensive components, cautious consumers and elevated retail prices.
The memory shortage is closely connected to the AI infrastructure boom. Chipmakers are dedicating more production capacity to high-bandwidth memory used by data center accelerators, limiting the supply of conventional DRAM needed for personal computers.
IDC expects little relief before the end of 2027 or early 2028. The research company forecasts an 11.3% decline in worldwide PC shipments across 2026, with the fourth quarter potentially falling 20% from the previous year.
Computer revenue may not decline at the same pace. Manufacturers have raised prices faster than shipments have fallen, allowing them to collect more money from fewer units.
That strategy creates another problem. Retailers and distributors can become trapped with expensive inventory if customers refuse the new prices, forcing promotions or production reductions later.
MacBook Neo initially softened that pressure by giving Apple a new product near the bottom of the notebook market. Its original $599 price made the Mac competitive with midrange Windows machines at the moment many rivals were becoming more expensive.
Image Credit: Freepik
The Price Increase Creates the Next Test
The strongest Q2 MacBook Neo shipments were recorded while most customers could still buy the computer at its introductory price.
Apple raised the U.S. starting price to $699 in late June as memory and storage costs affected the Mac and iPad lineups. The education price remained at $599, preserving the original offer for eligible students and educators.
A $100 increase changes the comparison with discounted Windows notebooks and places the entry model closer to older MacBook Air configurations available through third-party retailers.
Apple must now determine whether the appeal came primarily from the low launch price or from the combination of macOS, battery life, design and iPhone integration.
The company remains better positioned than many rivals to absorb supply disruption, negotiate long-term component agreements and promote several notebooks at different prices. MacBook Neo also uses an iPhone-class A18 Pro processor rather than an M-series chip, providing another way to manage silicon costs and production capacity.
IDC expects the full PC market to deteriorate during the second half of 2026. Apple will enter that period with almost 10% worldwide share, but the September quarter will be the first to measure MacBook Neo demand almost entirely at the higher $699 retail price.
TL;DR: Get a near-mint 2018 MacBook Air for $199.97 (reg. $1,199)—this lightweight, everyday laptop is perfect for travel, families, or as a second Mac.
Not every MacBook has to be your primary computer. Sometimes the smartest buy is the one that’s always ready to travel, gets passed around the family, or lives in your backpack instead of your desk.
Powered by an Intel Core i5 processor, it has more than enough performance for everyday tasks like web browsing, email, streaming, online shopping, document editing, light photo editing, and video calls. The sharp 13-inch Retina display keeps everything looking crisp, while up to 12 hours of battery life means you can leave the charger at home for most of the day.
With a Grade A near-mint refurbishment rating, you get a laptop that looks great, performs reliably, and costs a fraction of what a brand-new MacBook would.
If you're starting to plan for the upcoming school year and are finding your current laptop a little lacking, the good news is retailers have already launched some solid deals across a vast range of devices from the likes of Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP, and more. So, I've taken a look and picked out what I think are eight of the best laptop deals if you're shopping for a new device for the year ahead.
I've taken a variety of budgets and needs into consideration: whether you want a cheap Chromebook for basic schoolwork and light use, or a powerful machine for more demanding needs.
One of the standouts has to be this Dell XPS 13 that drops to $599.99 with a student discount. That's a fantastic price for a brand-new version of one of our favorite laptops here at TechRadar, which boasts excellent all-around performance and a stylish design.
Apple fans will also want to check out the manufacturer's Education Store, which has just launched its college offer for the year. As well as special pricing on several devices, including the much-loved and impressive value MacBook Neo, you can also get gift cards of up to $150 on select Macs and iPads.
As someone who finds the best laptop deals regularly for TechRadar, you can browse all of my top picks below, and stick with TechRadar over the next few weeks for even more of our back-to-school coverage, featuring top tech recommendations and the best offers on must-have products.
If you want a cheap Windows laptop, then I think this Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i is a good value-for-money option for basic needs. I like it as a simple and effective device for school or college, with enough power for browsing, word processing, and other general admin tasks.View Deal
If storage is important to you, then I think this HP OmniBook 3 could be worth the price, as it features a 512GB SSD — something I don't regularly see at this price. Of course, that means some compromises have been made elsewhere, with a slightly weaker Ryzen 3 CPU and only 8GB of RAM. Still, that's perfectly fine for light use. Just be aware that the larger 17-inch form factor makes it a less portable option, too.View Deal
If you want a flexible device that's just as easy to use for work and admin jobs as well as casual web browsing and streaming media, then this Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 14 is an excellent buy. It mainly features entry-to-mid-level components, but there's enough power to keep up with light daily use. Plus, you get the added benefit of a versatile 14-inch touchscreen, effectively giving you a laptop and tablet in one.View Deal
Display: 13 inches Processor: A18 Pro RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB
The MacBook Neo just got a price bump, but students can get it cheaper again thanks to Apple's education discount. The latest MacBook packs a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life, all for under $600, which is fantastic value. Discounts have been better in the past, but I think these will be rarer to see over the coming months and this price likely won't be beaten over Black Friday.View Deal
This is a solid discount on a modern laptop powered by one of the efficient Snapdragon X CPUs. As well as excellent levels of all-around performance, this device boasts a huge all-day battery life, so you won't need to worry about being attached to a charger at all times. There's even 512GB of SSD storage, which you don't often see in combination with those other strong performance components at this price point. This is an all-around excellent laptop for everyday, college and business use.View Deal
The Dell XPS 13 has regularly been one of our favorite laptops here at TechRadar, and this brand-new version continues that trend. With an Intel Core 5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, it has everything you need for solid all-around performance at work or college. Students can also save an extra $100, bringing the price down to a ridiculously low $599.99.View Deal
Here's one of the best deals on a modern, all-purpose, and well-rated laptop in Dell's latest sale. You can now get $550 off this machine, which features a powerful Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, a healthy 16GB of RAM, and a decent 512GB SSD. With all of those components, you'll have no issues with all of your everyday computing and work needs. And at 14 inches, it's an easily portable device, too. Altogether, it's an excellent value all-around option and a laptop we scored 4.5/5 in our review.View Deal
One of Samsung's latest premium laptops just got its biggest discount yet at Best Buy. While similarly powered devices can be picked up for less, you do get a gorgeous 16-inch LED screen with smooth and responsive 120Hz support with this Galaxy Book6. It's powerful elsewhere, too, with an excellent battery life of up to 24 hours, making it a great pick for college, work, and productivity needs.View Deal
HP’s convertible OmniBook has a great feature set for the price. | Image: HP
With storage and memory prices still at an all-time high, we’re happy to tell you about a solid deal on a good laptop when we find one, rare as they are. Best Buy is selling the HP OmniBook X Flip 2 in 1 for $999.99 (usually $1,649.99) with an Intel Core 7 Ultra CPU, 16GB of LPDDR5X memory, and a 1TB SSD. The star of the show is the 1920 x 1200 OLED touchscreen, an uncommon perk at this price point. It will display deeper black levels and have faster response times than screens in other similarly-priced models. Also, it has a 360-degree hinge that lets the screen flip so you can use it like a tablet instead, or tent it if you need some portable entertainment.
This model, like other OmniBooks in this year’s lineup, is a Copilot Plus machine, meaning it has a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) to assist with specialized tasks like helping you quickly find files or live transcribing videos. Whether you use Copilot or not, there’s plenty else to like about this model. For connectivity, the HP includes a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.1, two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.0. One other perk is that the OLED screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio, so you’ll be able to see more content at once.
Snappy performance, long battery life, great keyboard and excellent new haptic touchpad make the best of Windows 11
Microsoft’s Surface laptop for consumers is back, faster and with longer battery life and a hefty price increase because of the high cost of memory and chips.
The Surface Laptop 8 is a straight replacement for the seventh edition from 2024, which was the first of Microsoft’s new generation of ARM-based, Qualcomm-powered PCs designed to better rival Apple’s MacBook Air and other thin and light machines.
The refreshed lineup of Dell laptops has turned out to be even better than many of us hoped for, including the return of the XPS line — and right now, Dell's 'Days of Deals' sale is offering even better pricing than the Amazon Prime Day laptop deals I've been seeing.
Right off the top, you have the new Dell 16 Laptop for $499.99 (originally $1029.99), which is a better price for a Windows 11 Home laptop than just about any other model on Amazon that doesn't come with junk hardware inside. Instead, you get an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 250 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD, far better than most sub-$500 laptops on sale for Prime Day.
There's more to explore at Dell.com, and I encourage you to check out their sale if you're in the market for new computer hardware, but I've pulled together my favorite laptop picks and configurations from the sale to help make it easier to find what you're looking for.
Today's best laptop deals at Dell.com
AMD Ryzen 7 250 | 16GB DDR5 RAM | 512GB SSD
I always think of the Dell 16 Laptop as the everyday workhorse for remote and hybrid workers. Likewise, If you or your child is off to college this September, then get ahead of the curve with this outstanding deal.View Deal
AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 | 16GB DDR5 RAM | 512GB SSD
The Dell 14 Plus is one of our favorite mid-range Windows laptops thanks to its excellent design and competitive specs. If I were looking for a decent everyday laptop for everything from work to demanding productivity applications, then I'd be very tempted by this deal.View Deal
Intel Core 5 320 | 8GB DDR5 RAM | 512GB SSD
Dell's answer to the Neo comes with a touchscreen display and a special price for students (matching Apple's $599). This is the cheapest XPS 13 yet and one with a smaller-than-A4 footprint.View Deal
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | 32GB DDR5 RAM | 1TB SSD
Dell ships 32GB of RAM with this laptop and this is the optimal amount of memory for serious productivity/business workloads. 'Between great general computing performance for any college student or executive and long-lasting battery life, it's a solid mid-tier laptop and it's even cheaper than last year!View Deal
Dell's XPS 13 laptops are always worth keeping an eye out for during Prime Day, as we often see big price cuts for what are some of the best laptops you can currently buy. Right now, one of the biggest discounts you'll find is for this Snapdragon-equipped model, which also features an impressive 32GB of RAM. With a Snapdragon chipset, you'll get great performance and almost unbeatable battery life out of this model.View Deal
Save $350 on the Alienware Aurora 15 gaming laptop. This system strikes a sensible balance between gaming proficiency and affordability. For less than $1,000, it's a capable workhorse for both casual and professional tasks.View Deal
This Alienware Aurora 16 isn't the cheapest laptop on the market, but you're getting an Intel Core Ultra-7 240H chipset, RTX 5060 graphics card, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD - superb specs for 1080p gaming. If you need a decent machine with a premium build, then this is a fantastic choice in the Dell Black Friday in July sale.View Deal
Well, I’m not here to tell you that Amazon’s Prime Day makes everything better. But the discounts certainly don’t hurt.
As usual, we’re doing our best to surface the best Prime Day tech deals. And here, we’ve pulled together the biggest discounts happening not just on laptops, but also on keyboards, mice, webcams, or other worthwhile PC accessories. And since Prime Day has counter-deals running at other retailers like Best Buy (and its Tech Fest Sale), there are also laptop deals for non-Amazon shoppers alike.
The best deals on MacBooks
The days of multi-hundred-dollar discounts on MacBooks are behind us for now, but the base 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 chip for $1,549 ($150 off) at Amazon and Best Buy is still a solid deal. It’s powerful enough for the average content creator, comes with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and has lots of ports. Read our review.
Apple MacBook Air (M5)
Apple’s 2026 MacBook Air has an M5 chip and starts with 512GB of storage that’s significantly faster than previous generations. It’s still as excellent as ever despite a higher base price. Read our review.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro chip (15-core CPU / 16-core GPU), 24GB of memory, and 1TB of storage is $2,034 (around $165 off) at Amazon and $2,049 at Best Buy. It’s a pretty nice step-up model from the standard M5 MacBook Pro, with a bit more RAM, a more powerful chip, and faster Thunderbolt 5 ports.
The best deals on Windows laptops
Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13-inch
Microsoft’s slightly smaller, entry-level Surface Laptop trims some of the size and a few features from its bigger 13.8-inch counterpart, but it maintains excellent battery life and solid performance. It’s just a shame it’s price went up. Read our review.
Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro is smaller, with a new design and updated keyboard. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Arm64 Snapdragon X Plus chip. Read our review.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x was one of the laptops I tested against the MacBook Neo and… it got smoked. But a 512GB config for $449 ($251 off) at Walmart? Not bad. The speakers are an assault on your ears and the trackpad ain’t great, but if you can live with those shortcomings, you get a decent laptop with a competent Snapdragon X processor and marathon battery life. Just read our review and be aware of its shortcomings.
Like the Lenovo above, the Acer Aspire 14 AI is another MacBook Neo contender I tested that’s on sale. It’s $589.99 (about $288 off) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. Best Buy has it for anyone, sold via Acer, for $599.99. Let me set your expectations: The screen on this laptop is pretty washed out, the speakers are tinny, and the build quality feels cheap. But what you’re getting a deal on is a great Intel Core Ultra 7 256V “Lunar Lake” processor that’s a solid performer while also being quite power efficient. It also has plenty of ports (including Thunderbolt 4) and can even do some light gaming.
For a higher-end Acer offering, the Swift X 14 AI is selling for a new low of $1,559.99 ($140 off) at Amazon for Prime members. The 14-inch laptop has a 2880 x 1800 / 120Hz OLED, AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU, RTX 5060 discreet graphics, 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. It even has a haptic trackpad that should be a nice upgrade over Acer’s mechanical ones that can be a bit basic.
Asus Zenbook A14
Asus’s Zenbook A14 is a bit of a MacBook Air wannabe, but it’s a compelling alternative if you value a superlight Windows laptop with long battery life. The last-gen 2025 model sports an Arm-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus chip, a nice 14-inch OLED display, and a sleek textured beige finish.
Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14 is the go-to choice for a portable gaming machine that’s great at regular laptop duties. It’s got a lovely OLED display, great keyboard and trackpad, and solid battery life. There’s a new Intel model that’s much pricier, but the 2025 version with AMD chips is still a great choice.
The 2025 Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is $1,574.99 ($575 off) at Best Buy. The larger version of the Zephyrus twins sports a 240Hz OLED display and a thin profile to make it travel friendly. This configuration includes an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H CPU, RTX 5070 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD.
HP’s Omen 16 gaming laptop from last year is $1,619.99 ($600 off) at Best Buy through a third-party seller. The 16-inch laptop is configured with an AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX processor, RTX 5060 graphics, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. Not bad for around $1,500, but while its screen’s 144Hz refresh is nice, the resolution is only 1920 x 1200.
For a little more money, you can get a Lenovo Legion 5i at Walmart for $1,589 ($261 off). This 15-inch Legion has an Intel Core i9 14900HX CPU, RTX 5070 GPU (the 8GB VRAM version), 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. You’re getting less RAM than the HP Omen deal, but in exchange it’s got a better GPU and 2560 x 1600 OLED display with 165Hz refresh rate.
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 AI (2025)
An affordable mid-ranger from Acer running RTX 5070 or 5070 Ti graphics, a 16-inch 240Hz display, and lots of ports.
Acer’s Nitro V 16S AI gaming laptop is selling for $1,099.99 ($300 off) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. It’s got an AMD Ryzen 7 260 CPU, RTX 5060 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. The specs are close to the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 deal above, but it’s much chunkier, has more RAM, and its display is larger but a lower-res LCD.
The best deals on keyboards, mice, and other PC peripherals
Moft has a variety of deals on its origami-style cases and stands. You can get its folding 2-in-1 Laptop Carry Sleeve, a sleek laptop case that doubles as a portable stand, for $51.96 ($13 off) at Amazon in four sizes and up to 11 different colors. Or, if you don’t mind some adhesive, the Moft Laptop Stand in select colors is $19.99 ($5 off) at Amazon. The super thin attachment sticks to the bottom of your laptop to give you a fold-out stand anywhere you go.
Logitech MX Master 3S
The MX Master 3S is a favorite among many Verge staff members because of its comfort and customization. It can connect via Bluetooth, via its included 2.4GHz receiver, or wired with its USB-C cable.
The fairly new Keychron V5 Ultra mechanical keyboard with Silk POM red linear switches is $107.99 ($12 off) at Amazon. The near-full-size 96-percent layout board has an incredibly long battery life thanks to its ZMK-based firmware, and it supports a fast 8,000Hz polling rate via its 2.4GHz wireless connection. Its plastic case isn’t as nice as ones with a metal chassis, but it’s a great no-nonsense keyboard for the money. Read our review.
Ugreen’s Dock and Stand for the Mac Mini M4 / M4 Pro is $49.99 ($40 off) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. The dock sits below your Mac Mini and plugs in to a rear USB-C port, dramatically expanding the port offerings of your tiny desktop and making your power button more accessible with a tiny lever. It has SD / microSD card slots and two USB-A ports on the front, and three USB-C and three USB-A ports on the rear. Plus, inside is an M.2 SSD slot for extra built-in storage. (You’ll have to BYO SSD.)
LG’s 32-inch UltraGear 32GX850A-B OLED gaming monitor is $684.50 ($600 off MSRP) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. LG also has it for anyone for a slightly higher $699.99. The dual mode 4K OLED supports a fairly high 165Hz refresh rate but can dip down to 1920 x 1080 resolution to output a super fast 330Hz for specialized uses like competitive gaming.
For a much more affordable and down to Earth OLED, check out the 27-inch Acer Predator Gaming Monitor X27U, selling for $314.99 ($235 off) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. It’s a sweet spot of 2560 x 1440 resolution that isn’t as demanding on games while supporting a high 240Hz refresh.
Elgato Stream Deck MK. 2
The MK.2 version of the standard Stream Deck comes with 15 programmable buttons, a swappable faceplate, and a detachable stand.
This mechanical keyboard is inspired by the original Xbox, with a translucent green color scheme and two large customizable buttons. Along with Bluetooth support, it offers a standard tenkeyless layout with clicky hot-swappable Kailh Jellyfish X switches.
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