The 14-inch laptop has small — but noticeable — screen size upgrade over even the best 13-inch laptops, making them better choices for entertainment, gaming, or professional design, while still being slim and portable enough to carry anywhere with you.
If this seems like a good fit for your busy life, we have the best 14-inch laptops you should check out, beginning with the excellent all-rounder Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Its 2020 model has all the latest features and a fantastic array of component choices. We also have picks for gaming, extra power, and affordability, so there should be something for everyone.
You can also take a look at our list of the overall best laptops for 2021 for more options.
The best 14-inch laptops at a glance
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Eighth Generation)
The latest version of Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 line offers plenty of portable power with a laptop that’s a good fit, no matter what tasks you have in mind! In addition to the 14-inch HD screen, the base model comes with a 10th-gen Intel Core i5-10210U processor (up to 4.20GHz with Turbo Boost), 5GB of RAM, and a 256GB solid-state drive. Ports include HDMI, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, and two USB-A 3.2 ports. The battery is rated for up to 13.5 hours of typical activity. We also like the slim, spill-resistant keyboard with backlighting.
While you can upgrade a few different specs, including RAM and storage (new versions also include brightness and resolution upgrades), the base model of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon makes for an ideal 14-inch laptop that’s ready for the long haul. However, the integrated graphics card is somewhat limited, and gamers, in particular, may want to look for something a little more specialized.
Asus ExpertBook B9450
Can you have a lot of power without giving up the slim and portable nature of 14-inch laptops? Asus thinks so, and this ExpertBook is proof. Inside, you’ll find a 10th-gen Intel Core i7-10510U processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD. This is all housed in a slender frame that includes military-grade durability and a touchpad that can double as a touch-based numeric keypad.
For connections, you have a USB-A, a Thunderbolt 3/USB-C, and HDMI, as well as a microSD card reader. Asus also reports that, with optimal settings, the battery can last up to 24 hours. All this on a laptop that weighs about 2.2 pounds. The Asus ExpertBook B9450 is a great pick for designers and video editors on the go or anyone who wants to push the power possibilities for a laptop of this size.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
The Zephyrus G14 is a good gaming laptop up to the task of tackling even the most taxing of modern games, with a third-gen AMD Ryzen 9 processor and GeForce RTX 2060 GPU. You also get 16GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe SSD to handle your entire gaming library. On its 1080p display, this laptop manages to render even intensive games like Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey at over 60 fps at high detail settings and almost 120 fps in Fortnite. With a 120Hz refresh rate, you can really take advantage of that in competitive games for reduced input lag.
With such impressive specifications, you might expect that the G14’s battery would suffer, but it’s one of the best in its class. In our web browsing test, it managed six hours, and over 10 hours in our video playback test — easily beating out competition like Dell’s G7 and the Alienware M15.
There’s no USB-C on the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, but you do get 2 USB-A and an HDMI port for connecting a bigger display when you’re at home.
Read our full Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 review
Lenovo Flex 5 14 (2021)
The Flex 5 14 is a more affordable laptop that Lenovo has updated with strong specs for an excellent work-oriented 2-in-1 model that will fit in well in the office or classroom. In addition to the 14-inch Full HD display, the laptop comes with a two-core 11th-gen Intel i3-1115G4 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB PCIe SSD for storage.
The versatile design of the Flex 5 14 may allow for tablet-like work, but it includes useful professional laptop features as well, like a 720p camera for web conferencing (with a shutter for quick privacy) and a built-in fingerprint reader for reliable security. Connections include USB-C, HDMI 1.4b, and USB-A 3.2. The biggest downside for this laptop is that it isn’t Wi-Fi 6 ready, which is disappointing for a model that has updated many other specs but missed this one. However, if you aren’t worried about the latest Wi-Fi standards, it’s an affordable option to consider for a variety of work considerations!
HP EliteBook 840 G7
For the shoppers searching for a good business laptop, try HP’s latest 14-inch EliteBook 840 series. One of the main priorities for this laptop is its security: HP’s security software suite is automatically included. The computer supports several other standout features, like NFC compatibility, which ultimately helps your files transfer efficiently. The 840 series also comes with two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, two USB-C ports, a charging port for your accessories, and an HDMI connection.
The 840 series’ interior comes with a 10th-gen Intel Core i5-10210U processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and two memory slots for expansion. For the users with a bit more cash to burn, HP also has an EliteBook with a touchscreen display. Currently, HP rates the EliteBook 840 G7‘s battery at approximately 23 hours of activity between charges under the right conditions. That battery capacity is a huge selling point and will ensure that your device won’t shut down in the middle of a crucial moment.
Lenovo ThinkBook 14S Yoga
Lenovo’s latest ThinkBook Yoga is an excellent example of what a modern 2-in-1 can do. If you want a laptop with tablet mode, you don’t really need to give up anything, making this model a great fit for professionals. In addition to the 14-inch FHD touchscreen, the laptop comes with an 11th-gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor and Intel’s Iris Xe graphics chip. There are plenty of models with 8GB to 16GB of RAM for dealing with more demanding software.
Don’t let the slim design of the ThinkBook 14s Yoga fool you when it comes to storage, either. Base storage starts at 256GB of PCIe SSD storage, quickly rising to 512GB and 1TB for later models. It’s also compatible with Wi-Fi 6 for the latest wireless benefits, and comes with a fingerprint reader for some biometric protection, too.
Acer Swift 3 (2021)
The Swift 3 is consistently updated to offer some of the most well-rounded specs we’ve seen in a utilitarian laptop that’s suitable for just about anything — and packs enough power to handle impressive tasks. This particular update offers a quad-core 11th-gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor with Iris Xe graphics (there are also some excellent and affordable Ryzen 8 versions of the Swift 3 that we think very highly of), with a variety of options for 8GB or 16GB of RAM depending on your preferred configuration.
The Acer Swift 3 (2021) also offers 512GB of SSD storage with various options for upgrading that to 1TB if necessary. Ports include HDMI 2.0, Thunderbolt 4/USB-C, USB-C, and USB-A, along with support for Wi-Fi 6. The immense amount of configuration options here, plus all the tech updated and ready for 2021, makes the Swift 3 an amazing pick, especially if you want a laptop ready for a little of everything.
HP Spectre x360 14
We are huge fans of the Spectre 360 lines, compact and versatile laptops that pack plenty of power to handle even more demanding business situations. This 2-in-1 is no exception, portable enough to take anywhere and powerful enough to serve as desktop replacement on business trips or in similar situations. Plus, HP’s reliable security features will help keep your data safe. The excellent configuration options also let you scale this laptop to exactly where you need it based on your software demands.
Inside, this 14-inch version of the Spectre 360 starts with an 11th-gen, quad-core Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, 256GB of SSD storage (upgradeable to 2TB if necessary), and 16GB of RAM (upgradeable to 32GB if you’re configuring a real powerhouse). There are also two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports with USB4 support that are ready for all your upcoming connection upgrades, along with DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0. You can also choose a UHD display option if the details are especially important in your line of work!
Editors’ Recommendations