Mashable best laptops 2026 guide adds two Asus picks amid price hikes
Mashable updated its 2026 laptop picks after testing 80-plus models, adding two Asus machines and warning memory shortages are lifting prices.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Mashable’s best laptops 2026 guide has been updated with two new Asus recommendations after the publication said it tested more than 80 laptop configurations over the past two years.
The tech site said its laptop coverage is built on more than a decade of testing. For the latest guide, Mashable said its team researched dozens of models and ran contenders through real-world stress tests and benchmark tests, judging them on performance, battery life, design and build quality, and value.
The fresh July 2026 changes put Asus in the spotlight. Mashable named the Asus ExpertBook Ultra its favorite business laptop, citing its thin and light build and strong performance. The Asus Zenbook A16 was added as the recommended 16-inch laptop for most people, with Mashable pointing to portability, everyday performance, and value.
One machine left the list: the Alienware 16X Aurora gaming laptop. Mashable said it removed the model because the tested configuration was out of stock at the time the guide was updated, and said replacement candidates are being tested.
What changed in Mashable’s best laptops 2026 list?
- Mashable added the Asus ExpertBook Ultra as its top business laptop pick.
- Mashable added the Asus Zenbook A16 as its 16-inch laptop choice for most buyers.
- Mashable removed the Alienware 16X Aurora gaming laptop because the configuration it reviewed was unavailable.
- Mashable adjusted prices for three MacBooks after Apple raised laptop prices in mid-June.
The update also comes with a blunt warning for shoppers: laptop prices are under pressure. Mashable attributed the increase to a worldwide shortage of RAM and SSD storage chips linked to the recent boom in AI data center construction, a squeeze the site referred to as “RAMageddon.”
According to Mashable, many consumer tech products that depend on those parts have become more expensive this year. The site said the shortage is expected to get worse and could continue into 2028, making strong budget and mid-range laptop deals harder to find.
Apple was the latest brand cited by Mashable for laptop price increases. The publication said MacBooks rose by $100 to $300, and that it has rechecked several recommendations after their prices climbed.
So far, Mashable said only one former top pick became too expensive to keep recommending: the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. The site said the tested version rose from $750 to $1,000, prompting it to swap in a cheaper Chromebook option that it described as less flashy but suitable for most Chromebook users.
Should you buy a Windows laptop with a Snapdragon chip?
Mashable said several strong Windows laptops it has tested use Qualcomm Snapdragon X and X2 chips, including the Asus Zenbook A14 and A16. Those chips use ARM-based architecture rather than the x86 architecture used by Intel and AMD processors.
ARM-based Windows laptops can deliver strong battery life and performance, according to Mashable, but they may not work with certain specialist programs and PC games. Mashable said ARM support is improving, while advising college students and people who mainly game on their PC to be cautious for now.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.