Essentials

Best laptops for Christmas 2022: Apple MacBook, Samsung Galaxy Book2, Microsoft Surface and more

By Kaylyn McKenna

October 4, 2022 / 12:24 PM EDT / Essentials

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The holidays are quickly approaching. If someone on your list needs a new laptop, we've got you covered. Keep reading our laptop holiday gift guide to find the perfect laptop to give this Hanukkah or Christmas.

Top products in this article

Save on the newest MacBook: 13.6" MacBook Air (2022 model, 8GB), $1,099 (reduced from $1,199)

$1,099 at Amazon

Get a laptop/tablet hybrid: 14" Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 laptop, $1,529

$1,529 at Lenovo

Save big on a 4.6-star-rated Surface: 12.3" Microsoft Surface Pro 7+, $690 (reduced from $1,030)

$690 at Amazon

Laptops are a generous yet practical holiday gift. A new laptop makes a versatile gift that students, gamers, creatives and streaming enthusiasts will all enjoy.

If someone on your list this year needs a new laptop, you may want to start shopping now. Due to the ongoing chip shortages, many laptop manufacturers and retailers have been struggling to keep up with demand. If you wait until the last minute, you may find that the perfect laptop for your loved one has already sold out.

Thankfully, there are plenty of great laptops from popular brands like Lenovo, Apple, Samsung and Microsoft in stock right now. You can also find laptops that double as tablets for any recipients with both items on their holiday lists. There are some deep discounts available on these laptops at Amazon and Walmart, even before Black Friday 2022.

Keep reading to find the best laptops for Hanukkah and Christmas 2022-- and the best deals on laptops.

Best Apple MacBooks of 2022

If the gift recipient is an Apple user, they'll likely prefer a MacBook. MacBook laptops seamlessly sync up with other Apple products like iPhones and iPads to provide an integrated experience.

14" MacBook Pro (M1 chip)

A step up from the MacBook Air, the slightly weightier (3.0 pound) 14-inch MacBook Pro boasts a powerful active cooling system, which helps keep the 8-core CPU running fast. It delivers up to 21 hours of battery life on a single charge, and features a Retina display that's brighter than the MacBook Air.

14" Apple MacBook Pro (Apple M1 Chip, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD), $1,599 (regularly $1,999)

$1,599 at Amazon

14" Apple MacBook Pro (Apple M1 chip, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD), $2,099 (regularly $2,499)

$2,099 at Amazon

16" MacBook Pro

Is the 14-inch MacBook Pro not powerful, or big enough for you? Then try its sibling, the 16-inch MacBook Pro. On Amazon, you can get a deal on the 16-inch MacBook Pro with a 10-core CPU, as well as 16GB of unified memory, and 512GB of storage. All of that is more than enough for you to be able to edit 8K videos on the machine. You also get four Thunderbolt ports, an HDMI port and a SDXC card slot.

With its size and more powerful guts, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is aimed at professionals who need a seriously powerful laptop for graphics-intensive applications, such as video-rendering and design. Just keep in mind, this is a machine that comes with a professional-level price tag.

16" Apple MacBook Pro (Apple M1 Pro, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD), $2,099 (regularly $2,499)

$2,099 at Amazon

13.6" MacBook Air (2022)

The new-for-2022 Apple MacBook Air will definitely make an impressive gift. Right now, you can also save some money by shopping early and getting it on sale. The laptop features a 13.6-inch Retina display, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a backlit keyboard. Designed for portability, it weighs just 2.7 pounds and lasts for up to 18 hours on a single charge thanks to the Apple M2 chip.

13.6" MacBook Air (2022 model, 8GB), $1,099 (reduced from $1,199)

$1,099 at Amazon

Best Samsung laptops of 2022

Consider placing one of Samsung's top-rated laptops under the Christmas tree this year.

15.6" Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro (Intel Core i7)

Like the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro, the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro includes 16 GB of memory and 512 GB storage. This lightweight laptop features a powerful Intel Core i7 processor inside.

15.6" Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro (i7 processor), $1,300

$1,300 at Samsung

15.6" Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 (Intel Core i7)

Give them the power and features of the Samsung Galaxy Book2 combined with the convenience of a tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 has a 360-degree hinge that flips the device between laptop mode and tablet mode. It also has a AMOLED touchscreen, an Intel Core i7 processor and Samsung's longest-lasting battery.

15.6" Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 (8GB RAM, 512GB), $1,450

$1,450 at Samsung

Best Lenovo laptops of 2022

Lenovo makes excellent Windows 11 laptops that are popular with CBS Essentials readers. One great thing about giving a Lenovo laptop as a gift is that many of the brand's top models also function as tablets. (A 2-in-1 device counts as 2 gifts, right?)

Lenovo ThinkPad E14

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 is a great gift choice this holiday -- and it's on sale right now. The ThinkPad E14 runs on Windows 11 Pro. It features Dolby Audio, a 1080p HD camera and 8GB of memory. The ThinkPad also includes biometric sign-on with fingerprint or facial recognition.

Lenovo ThinkPad E14, $1,589

$1,589 at Lenovo

Lenovo Chromebook 5i

If you're looking for a lightweight, affordable laptop, consider a Chromebook. The Lenovo Chromebook 5i features a 13.3-inch full HD display, 8GB of RAM and 64GB of SSD storage. The Chromebook 5i comes with a Waves Audio-certified sound system, so that you can enjoy music, podcasts, and movies with clear, crisp sound. Battery life is estimated at 10 hours.

Lenovo Chromebook 5i, $375 (reduced from $550)

$375 at Amazon

Lenovo ThinkBook 14

If you're planning to use your new laptop for virtual classes or work calls, you'll want to check out the Lenovo ThinkBook 14. With AI-powered background noise reduction and improved audio and video capabilities, this laptop is perfect for Zoom meetings. It also features a 14-inch HD display and an advanced Intel graphics card, plus 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14, $631 (reduced from $971)

$631 at Lenovo

Lenovo Flex 5

Looking for a new 2-in-1 to gift for the holidays? You won't have to pay a lot for a new hybrid laptop with the well-received Lenovo Flex 5.

Rated 4.5 stars (out of 5) by Amazon users, this touchscreen notebook from Lenovo is praised for its combination of strong performance and features such as Dolby Audio speakers, responsive keyboard and up to 14 hours of battery life. It features 16GB of RAM and 256 of SSD storage.

14" Lenovo Flex 5, $620 (reduced from $730)

$620 at Amazon

Lenovo 14" Yoga 9i 14 2-in-1 laptop

This Windows 11 upgradable Lenovo model features a powerful Intel i7 quad-core processor. It has 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage. This laptop is also great for streaming: You can view shows or movies in up to 4K resolution on the laptop's OLED screen.

14" Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 laptop, $1,529

$1,529 at Lenovo

Best Microsoft Surface computers

Score great savings on Microsoft Surface computers and tablets.

13" Microsoft Surface Pro X

The ultra-slim Microsoft Surface Pro X is a compact yet powerful laptop with a reasonable price tag. The Surface Pro X is built with a 13-inch screen with a virtually end-to-end display. It offers Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity. It is powered by Microsoft's new custom SQ1 processor for high-powered laptop performance in an ultra-thin, tablet-like device.

13" Microsoft Surface Pro X, $800 (reduced from $889)

$800 at Amazon

13" Microsoft Surface Pro 8

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is the latest model in the lineup and another great gift option. It is the first Microsoft Surface device built on the Intel Evo platform, providing improved graphics, performance and battery life. Score this 2-in-1 device for $300 off now on Amazon.

13" Microsoft Surface Pro 8, $899 (reduced from $1,200)

$899 at Amazon

12.3" Microsoft Surface Pro 7+

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ can operate as a laptop or tablet for work, streaming, creating digital art and more. It runs on Windows 11 and a powerful Intel Core processor. It features a USB-A port, USB-C port, headphone jack, and a dedicated charging port for flexible connectivity.

12.3" Microsoft Surface Pro 7+, $690 (reduced from $1,030)

$690 at Amazon

10.5" Microsoft Surface Go 3 touchscreen

The Surface Go 3 is a portable, yet powerful device that can be used as a tablet or laptop. The device features an Intel Pentium Gold processor, 4 GB of RAM and an 11-hour battery life.

If you're giving this item as a gift, you may want to consider adding on a compatible wireless keyboard ($29) so the recipient can enjoy full laptop functionality.

Microsoft Surface Go 3, $400

$400 at Amazon