HP

Chromebooks have become a go-to choice for students, casual users and anyone who wants a simple, fast and affordable laptop. Powered by Google’s lightweight ChromeOS, these devices are great for web browsing, streaming, word processing and using popular apps like Google Docs or Zoom. Whether you need something for school, work or everyday use, the best Chromebook can offer solid performance, long battery life and a surprisingly premium experience — all without breaking the bank.

Laptops are evolving fast, with some new models harnessing AI-powered features that adapt to your usage and improve performance in real time. These AI PCs can optimize battery life, manage power across tasks and even enhance webcam quality during video calls. While AI integration is still relatively new in laptops, it’s a feature to watch if you’re considering future-proofing your setup.

We review a number of the best laptops with Windows 11 Home and other versions of the OS every year at Engadget, but the cheapest among them often fall to the bottom of the list. Unlike our top picks for best Windows laptop, or even more niche devices like the best gaming laptops, these machines don’t have pricey OLED panels, high-powered graphics cards or super thin-and-light designs.

Graduating college is a huge achievement. If you’d like to show your appreciation for a tech-savvy grad, or if you just want to help them acclimate to their new life, there are tons of gadgets and services you can gift to make it easier for them. We at Engadget spend our days testing these kinds of products and figuring out which ones are actually good — if you need some help jogging your brain, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite college graduation gift ideas below.

We love tech of all shapes and sizes around here, but over the past decade it’s become increasingly obvious that our gadget fervor comes at a cost —especially when it comes to the environment. Metal and plastic don’t fully decompose over time, and almost everything we buy now has rare earth elements in it. But all is not lost as companies and consumers alike have become more cognizant of the problem, and offer possible solutions.