Skip to main content

Latest by Mark Coppock

Apple Mac Studio front view showing ports.

Why the Mac Studio offers something Windows PCs can’t compete with

The Apple Mac Studio is its most powerful machine and offers a tiny, well-built, and fast PC for most users. But Windows desktop PCs have their advantages.
Apple Mac Studio front view showing ports.

Have the M3 MacBook Pros made the Mac Studio irrelevant?

The Apple Mac Studio and MacBook Pro can serve as your desktop PC, with roughly identical performance and prices. Which is better comes down to finer points.
A mother and daughter use the Surface Go 3 together.

The best laptops for kids, tested and selected by experts

Younger kids need great laptops just like older kids, and these are the best we could find that provide what those younger kids need.
Working From Home

The best laptops for writers from Apple, Dell, HP, and more

The best laptops for writers are those with the best keyboards. These are the best you'll find.
Apple Mac Studio front view showing ports.

Mac Studio review: can it replace my Windows PC?

Apple's Mac Studio is its most powerful desktop PC for almost all users. It's small, elegant, and fast. But the price is high when fully configured.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro on a window sill.

After decades of Windows loyalty, I’m switching to Mac

After decades of being a Windows devotee, I've decided to make a transition to all-Apple computing. It's a big step, and here are the reasons why.
The ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2 on a table outside.

Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2 review: late to the game

The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2 is an excellent laptop. But it's not quite the standout machine it was when its first generation hit the streets.
The two screens of the Yoga Book 9i open on a table.

Laptops are going to feel very different in 2024

While 2023 was a relatively boring year for laptops, 2024 promises more significant updates. It all starts with Intel's Meteor Lake and Qualcomm's latest chip.
HP Spectre Foldable PC in several modes.

This was the weirdest, most exciting laptop I reviewed this year

Of the 40 or so laptops I reviewed in 2023, the HP Spectre Foldable PC was the laptop that stands out the most. If only it were more affordable.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 front view showing display and keyboard.

I’m a laptop reviewer, and these were my biggest disappointments of 2023

I reviewed a lot of very good laptops in 2023. However, not all of them lived up to their promise. Here are the six most disappointing laptops.
HP Envy Move front view showing AiO and keyboard.

HP Envy Move review: a PC unlike any you’ve seen

The HP Envy Move is a well-executed design, offering an AiO that's easy to carry around. It has some compromises, though, to hit an affordable price.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max chip seen from behind.

Here’s how the M3 Max chip compares to the most powerful Windows laptops

The Apple M3 Max is an incredibly powerful chip that offers the best CPU and GPU performance in a MacBook. How do the fastest Windows laptops compare?
HP Spectre Foldable PC front view showing full length display and separate keyboard.

These were the laptop trends that dominated 2023

Laptops were pretty boring in 2023, as affordability and better displays were the most important trends, with the most prominent lines stagnating.
Asus Zenbook 14X OLED front angled view showing display and keyboard.

Stop spending so much money on your laptop

The days of affordable laptops being slow, cheaply built, and generally disappointing are long past. Today, you don't have to overspend to get a great laptop.
Apple MacBook Pro 14 front view showing display and keyboard deck.

I’m a laptop reviewer. Here’s why I still use a laptop from 2021

I keep going back to a laptop I purchased in 2021, even as I continue to review solid alternatives. My Apple MacBook Pro 14 from 2021 remains my favorite.
Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air seen from above and the side.

This is one of my favorite Windows laptops. But can it beat the MacBook Air?

The Asus Zenbook 14X OLED and Apple MacBook Air 15 are both great laptops. But the MacBook enjoys Apple's quality design and incredible battery life.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro on a window sill.

The new MacBook Pros make the Dell XPS 15 look totally outclassed

The Dell XPS 15 is a very good laptop for creating on the go. But the Apple MacBook Pro 14 is simply in another class entirely.
HP Spectre Foldable PC front view showing desktop mode.

I reviewed 40 laptops in 2023. Here are the 5 that stood out

I reviewed a ton of laptops in 2023, and a handful stood out. Whether you're looking for value, innovation, or performance, one of these five laptops will suffice.
The lid of Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air seem from above.

5 things you need to know before buying a new MacBook Pro

With the advent of the new M3 MacBook Pros, there are some important things to keep in mind when configuring your machine. Here are five of the most important.
Acer Swift X 16 front view showing display and keyboard.

Acer Swift X 16 review: the anti-MacBook Pro

The Acer Swift X 16 offers enough performance to compete with other relatively affordable creative workstations, with an OLED display to match.
HP Pavilion Plus 14 2023 front angled view showing display and keyboard.

This HP laptop almost does it all for under $1,000

The 2023 HP Pavilion Plus 14 uses fast, efficient AMD processors and offers a spectacular OLED display. Buy it from the right place and it's a great value, too.
Razer Blade 14 angled view showing display and keyboard deck.

The best thin and light gaming laptops 2023

Not everyone wants to haul around a massive, obnoxious gaming laptop. That's why there are a number of excellent thin and light options with good performance.
Lenovo ThinkVision P49w-30 monitor front view showing screen and base.

Lenovo’s 49-inch ultrawide is absurdly wide — and pretty great

The Lenovo ThinkVision P49w-30 is an extreme example of the ultrawide monitor, and it's quite expensive. But its image quality and features are very good.
Asus Zenbook 14X front view showing display and keyboard.

The Asus Zenbook 14X OLED is almost everything you could need in a laptop

The Asus Zenbook 14X OLED is another great value, with strong performance, a solid build, and a spectacular OLED display. But battery life suffers.
Windows 11 set up on a computer.

I love Macs. But here are 5 reasons I keep coming back to Windows

Windows 11 and macOS are the two dominant operating systems in use today. But Windows holds three times the market share. Here are five reasons why.
HP Spectre Foldable PC top down view showing keyboard and dual display.

The HP Spectre Foldable perfects the formula of the foldable PC — almost

The HP Spectre Foldable PC is one of the most innovative laptops around, with a quality build and great attention to detail. But it's incredibly expensive.
Asus ZenBook 14 OLED front angled view showing display and keyboard.

This sleeper Asus laptop is faster and cheaper than Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Go 3

The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED is less expensive than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 at the low end, and a better value overall thanks to a superior OLED display.
Someone typing on the Surface Laptop Studio 2's touchscreen.

Is the MacBook Pro 14 still better than the Surface Laptop Studio 2?

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a very good laptop with good performance and a ton of flexibility. But the Apple MacBook Pro 14 remains best of class.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 front view showing display and keyboard.

Don’t buy the Surface Laptop Go 3 — here’s what you should get instead

Microsoft priced the budget-oriented Surface Laptop Go 3 at midrange levels. That was a mistake. It simply can't compete at this level.
Dell XPS 15 9530 front angled view showing display and keyboard deck.

Against the Dell XPS 15, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 falters

The Surface Laptop Studio 2 seriously ups the performance -- on paper. That makes it a stronger competitor to the excellent Dell XPS 15, at least in theory.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 front view showing display and keyboard.

The Surface Laptop Go 3 is no match for the MacBook Air

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 got a price increase, putting it in competition with two excellent laptops in the Apple MacBook Air M1 and MacBook Air M2.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 front view showing display and keyboard.

Outclassed and overpriced, the Surface Laptop Go 3 can’t play with the big boys

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go started out as an attractive budget laptop. In its third generation, its price has creeped up and it's largely lost its appeal.
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 6 front view showing display and keyboard.

How much is too much? Lenovo’s spendy workstation can’t make the math work

The Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 6 is an incredibly expensive portable workstation that doesn't offer much compared to laptops costing thousands of dollars less.
Photo of an HP Envy 16 laptop.

Does Dell or HP make the best 16-inch laptop? You might be surprised

The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus and the HP Envy 16 are both attractively priced 16-inch powerhouses. But the Envy 16 is a more elegant and configurable laptop.