Our favorite laptops at every budget (PC, Mac and Chromebook)

Most people have one or two gadgets running simultaneously and can do fine keeping them charged with a couple of cables and a wall outlet. But for those who have multiple devices, that’s simply not enough. Tap or click here for the top charging stations for all your devices.

Tablets are great for browsing the web, reading ebooks, playing games, listening to music and video calls with friends and family. But you should look at a laptop for handling lots of emails, creating documents and general work/business needs. While tablets rely mostly on touchscreens, which is OK for texting, you’ll want a full keyboard for more intensive tasks.

Here are our picks for the best laptops that fit into any budget.

Best laptops under $500

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i

Why we picked it: It’s lightweight and affordable, with a powerful Intel Core i5 processor.

You get a lot of bang for your buck with the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i. It packs in a 12th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage via the solid-state (SSD) drive.

The 14-inch FHD display with narrow bezels gives you a great viewing experience, whether streaming movies or on a conference call. Connect your favorite devices via the USB-C port, two USB ports, HDMI or Bluetooth.

This laptop is travel-ready, weighing just over 3 lbs. and with a battery life of up to 10 hours. Windows 11 Home is included, so you don’t need to worry about upgrading your OS anytime soon. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i laptop is suitable for home, school and business use.

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HP 15 Laptop

Why we picked it: For a budget laptop, this is powerful with 8GB of RAM.

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Working from home? You need a VPN now more than ever

You’ve heard Kim talk about how important it is to have a virtual private network (VPN). Now that a lot of you are working from home, it’s even more important to choose a VPN you can trust.

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted many companies across the U.S. to have employees work from home (WFH). That means it’s not just the personal information stored on your device at risk from security threats, but also your work data.

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The future is hybrid

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Volvo just dropped its all-electric plan, joining other carmakers moving away from EVs. With limited charging stations and a focus on hybrids, the push for electric cars is losing steam.

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Mandatory pit stops coming to Formula E. Pit Boost fast-charging stations are debuting at the Jeddah E-Prix this weekend. They’ll power up the electric racecars 10% in just 30 seconds.

Chicago's Tesla graveyard charging stations

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Want to charge your Tesla in the cold? Here’s why it might not work as well as you’d hope.

1 in 4 EV charging stations don't work

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Why is it so hard to charge an electric car? Here’s the full story, in 60 seconds.