Apple dominated CNET’s inaugural People’s Picks awards for laptops, sweeping eight out of 10 categories and claiming the overall winner title. CNET surveyed readers to evaluate laptop brands across daily essentials such as battery life, durability, and task performance to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
Apple Claims Overall Win and High Satisfaction
Apple captured the overall winner spot and achieved an exceptional satisfaction rating, with 74.2% of Apple users stating they are extremely satisfied and 22.5% reporting they are satisfied, totaling a near-perfect score of 96.7%. Furthermore, 68% of MacBook owners indicated they would purchase the exact same laptop model again from Apple.
Although 43.5% of Apple users paid at least $1,500, MacBooks ranked high for value perception. Matt Elliott, CNET’s laptop editor, noted that while MacBooks cost more than the average laptop, their premium build quality ensures long-term durability. Features like M-series processors, robust battery life, and MacOS 27 contribute to this high-end perception. Survey results showed 44% of Apple users found their MacBook has exceptional value, while 50.9% stated it was worth the price paid.
Apple users also praised battery longevity, with 25.7% reporting battery life exceeding 10 hours and 18.7% lasting between 8 and 10 hours. In display quality, 99.2% of users expressed satisfaction with screen performance. Josh Goldman, CNET’s managing editor for computers, highlighted that MacBook displays remain a favorite for creative professionals. Additionally, 87% of Apple users reported zero hardware failures, and 70.9% stated MacBooks handle workloads flawlessly.
Top Non-Apple Laptop Contenders
Asus emerged as a top midrange laptop choice, with 67% of owners paying between $500 and $1,499. Asus earned a 48% extremely satisfied rating and stood out for its Zenbook A14, which combines a thin, lightweight design with an OLED display and strong battery performance. Asus also led non-Apple options for task execution, with 47.7% of readers giving it high ratings.
Acer secured recognition as a budget-friendly option, with 38% of owners paying under $500. Acer achieved an overall satisfaction score of 92.6%, the highest among non-Apple brands, alongside a 94.6% positive cost-to-value score. The Acer Aspire 16 AI won CNET’s Editors’ Choice award for offering a 16-inch screen, lightweight build, and over 21 hours of battery life for $700.
Lenovo impressed readers with its compact designs, tablet-convertible Yoga line, and ThinkPad business models. Survey data showed 16% of Lenovo owners experienced battery life of 8 hours or more, while 68% reported no hardware issues. Lenovo achieved an 83% overall satisfaction rating.
Dell secured recognition as a top choice for high-end laptops, with one-third of Dell owners spending over $1,500. Dell’s lineup caters heavily to gaming and business through devices like the Alienware 16X Aurora, Alienware 16 Area-51, and the higher-end Dell XPS 14.
The CNET People’s Picks survey was conducted online by Alchemer among 1,003 weighted US adults aged 18 and older between Sept. 1 and Oct. 10, 2026.
