There are a lot of laptops to look forward to in 2021. And we got an avalanche of them at the recently concluded CES 2021. So, we thought to compile all of those you can get soon.
These are mostly the machines for general users and enterprise and education segments. But we also have the gaming laptop list coming after. So, watch out for that!
We opted to take out the laptops the companies just mentioned in passing, and we wanted to focus on what the brands are pushing and the frankly more exciting releases. If there are missing models we skipped out on that deserves to be mentioned, please let us know!
ACER
The Aspire 7 and Aspire 5 get refreshed for those who want to get work done while they’re mobile. The latter stays within the budget range to help out amateur bloggers and photographers as well as students. Both get AMD’s brand-new Ryzen 5000 Series mobile processors. And the Aspire 7 pairs this with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, capable of handling some light gaming and media work. The Aspire 5 swaps out NVIDIA graphics for AMD’s entry-level Radeon RX 640 GPUs, which can handle basic gaming at most. The Aspire 7 and Aspire 5 are coming to North America in March, with the Aspire 7 starting at USD 749.99 (PHP 36,028) and the Aspire 5 starting at USD 549.99 (PHP 26,420). Both will also come to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in February, while the Aspire 5 is coming to China this January.
The Spin 514 Chromebook is for those who want their Chromebooks to do more. It’s Acer’s first Chromebook equipped with AMD’s new Ryzen 3000 C-Series mobile processors, which can give its users a speed boost. It can come with up to 16GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive. And it now features a sandblasted and anodized aluminum shell available in gray, silver, and “mist” green color options. Acer is also launching a Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514 variant. The Chromebook Spin 514 will have a USD 479.99 (PHP 23,058) starting price when it begins shipping in February, while the Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514’s starting price is at USD 749.99 (PHP 36,037) and it is expected to become available in March.
ASUS
The BR1100 is for the young ones in your life that need a machine that can handle a few bumps and scrapes. This 12-inch laptop is built with durability in mind. The keyboard is resistant to spills and tampering, and the I/O ports are reinforced for extra protection. It has a modular design that makes it serviceable. And frequently-touched surfaces have a special antibacterial treatment. It runs on an unspecified Intel processor with at least 4GB of RAM. It has a special convertible model with a touchscreen and stylus support for kids still learning to type. We don’t have details on pricing and availability yet.
The Chromebook CX9 is for Chrome OS users who want a more premium machine. It’s the company’s most premium Chromebook to date, and it comes equipped with all the bells and whistles you expect from high-end hardware. It has ASUS’ trademark NanoEdge screen, a light 2.2lb chassis, and a razor-thin 16mm profile. It runs on up to an 11th-gen Core i7 processor, up to Intel Iris Xe GPU, up to 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and up to 2TB NVMe storage (starts at 128GB). We don’t have pricing or availability details at the moment.
The Chromebook Flip CM5 and Chromebook Flip C536 are built for the students who need to stay online, especially in these times. The Chromebook Flip CM5 runs on up to a Ryzen 5 3500C, while the Chromebook Flip C536 is powered by up to an 11th-gen Intel Core i7 processor. Both get up to 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. They have backlit keys with a number pad and a 1.4mm key travel. With support for the USI stylus, the kids can even quickly draw or take notes on these Chromebooks screens. These new machines are expected to launch in Q2 2021, but we don’t have their price yet.
The ExpertBook B9 and ExpertBook B1 are for the professionals who need a new capable machine. The ExpertBook B9 is built on the Intel vPro platform and features a two-way AI noise-canceling technology for clearer audio during video conferencing. The laptop has a 66Whr battery that claims to offer 13 hours of productivity and 20 hours of video playback. It has a 14-inch Full HD display and runs on an Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor, Intel Iris Xe graphics, up to 32GB RAM, and up to 2TB SSD storage. Meanwhile, the ExpertBook B1 is powered by the 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processors paired with up to Intel Iris Xe graphics (optional NVIDIA graphics), up to 2TB HDD and 1TB SSD, and up to 8GB RAM. Both are military grade-certified, which should speak well for their durability.
We’ve also seen mentions of the ExpertCenter D7 and Asus ExpertCenter D5 SFF laptops. The availability and pricing of these products haven’t been announced yet.
The VivoBook S14 is for those who want to keep things light yet versatile. In its slim chassis, it runs on the newest Intel 11th-gen processors and up to Iris Xe for graphics. This 14-inch Evo-certified laptop promises a full work day’s use while handling some content creation and light gaming. The VivoBook S14 is scheduled for a launch at the end of this year’s first quarter, with a starting price of EUR 799 (PHP 46,626).
The ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is for the creators who want more screens to work with. Its 4K ScreenPad Plus is the star of the show. It raises on a sturdy hinge to provide a comfortable viewing angle and help with the machine’s airflow as it exposes the wide vents underneath. The ScreenPad Plus works like other secondary displays, allowing you to place windows there. Adobe product users get a custom control interface with this panel. It runs on a 10th-gen Intel CPU up to an 8-core, 16-thread Core i9 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. The main display is a 15.6-inch OLED 4K UHD panel covering 100% of the DCI-P3 color space and is Pantone Validated. The Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is expected to arrive in North America starting in April, but no pricing was announced yet.
The ZenBook Duo 14 provides you with a dual-screen experience but in a smaller form factor. This 14-inch model runs on Intel’s newest 11th-gen Core processors paired with 512GB PCIe SSD and optional NVIDIA GeForce MX450 GPU. It comes in a classy Celestial Blue finish and comes in size similar to 13-inch models. The ZenBook Duo is available for preorder in the US with a starting price of USD 999.99 (PHP 48,050).
The ZenBook 14 and ZenBook 13 are for those looking for stylish, lightweight machines. The ZenBook 14 comes in as little as 1.13kg at 14.3mm thin, while the ZenBook 13 weighs around 1.07kg at 13.9mm thin. With the ZenBook 14, you get two FHD panel options (250-nit or 400-nit). It has an organic LED panel with VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 badge and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. These laptops are powered by AMD Ryzen 5000-series mobile CPUs and up to 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM. We don’t have pricing or availability details yet.
DELL
The Latitude 9420 is for those who need a decent laptop for video conferencing. It comes equipped with a powerful built-in speakerphone and camera enhancements like automatic light correction and background blur. It runs on the latest 11th-gen Intel Core i7 vPro processors with the Intel Evo platform. It’s expected to be available this spring, starting at USD 1,949 (PHP 93,716).
The Latitude 7520 offers more screen real estate. It now comes in a 15-inch 4K UHD display and optional full high-definition (FHD) camera. It’s available now, starting at USD 1,649 (PHP 50,438).
The Latitude 5420 and the other Latitude 5000 series laptops are for those who want a more eco-friendly laptop. The company commits to sustainability, and this line hopes to help with that plan. These are Dell’s first laptops to use bioplastic from tree waste. The Latitude 5420’s lid contains around 21% bioplastic content. The Latitude 5420’s starting price is USD 1,049 (PHP 50,415).
The Latitude 3210 and Chromebook 3100 are for those who need laptops for their kids who are doing online classes right now and possibly well into their school lives. The Latitude machine is a durable notebook capable of handling a few spills and drops. It runs on either an Intel Pentium Silver or Celeron processor, plus it comes equipped with the latest Wi-Fi 6 tech. While the Chromebook 3100 is Dell’s first Chromebook for education to offer LTE for its users, which should be useful for those without Wi-Fi. It is also a durable machine that can take a few scrapes. The Latitude 3210 will start at USD 429 (PHP 20,618), while the Chromebook 3100 pricing and availability will be announced in the spring of 2021.
HP
The EliteBook 840 G8 Aero is a light yet powerful laptop made with recycled materials. Its starting weight comes in under 1.1kg, and its magnesium chassis is made with 90% recycled materials and recycled plastics. It runs on Intel’s latest 11th-gen Intel Core processors, Wi-Fi 6, and optional 5G connectivity. An integrated Tile tracker makes it possible to track in case it goes missing. The HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8 will be available in March. HP hasn’t released its price yet.
The Elite Dragonfly Max is for those who want a better webcam for all those Zoom/Teams/*inserts videoconferencing app of choice* calls. It has a 5-megapixel + IR camera with a manual slider for privacy and four wide-range mics with AI-driven audio optimization. Since it’s a Dragonfly laptop, it is lightweight, too, around 1.1kg. This 13.3-inch machine runs on the latest 11th-gen Intel Core chips and offers either 4G or 5G connectivity. It also has a Tile tracker integrated into the WLAN module. HP hasn’t released pricing for the Dragonfly Max, but the company plans to release this laptop in some markets this month.
The Elite Dragonfly G2 is a light business laptop you can track with Tile. It has a starting weight of less than 1kg, and this upgrade from the first Elite Dragonfly laptop integrates recycled materials in its design, including ocean-bound plastics. This 13.3-inch laptop also runs on the latest 11th-gen Intel Core processors and offers 4G or 5G connectivity. It also has Tile tracking integrated into this machine. The G2 keeps snoops at bay with HP’s new intrusion detection tech. Tamper Lock will alert you if the device has been physically opened or compromised. It has no manual webcam privacy slider like the Max but replaces it with a button on the keyboard that activates the webcam shutter. HP also plans to launch this laptop in January, but the company hasn’t released pricing details yet.
The Elite Folio is for those who want a pull-forward, convertible laptop that can transition between being a work and personal machine. It switches between a tablet and laptop by pulling the screen in front of the keyboard. The 13.5-inch Folio is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G processor. It also has a 76-degree FOV webcam, dual mic array, and HD speakers with audio tuned by Bang & Olufsen. When you sign off work and want to watch your favorite shows on this vegan leather-bound machine, it promises up to 24.5 hours of video playback. The HP Elite Folio will launch in February, with pricing being made available closer to the release.
The Envy 14 is a powerful personal creative studio. HP refreshes the Envy 14 and equips it with a new 16:10 WUXGA (1920 x 1200) multi-touch-enabled IPS display with an 11% greater viewing area than traditional 16:9 laptops. The first 14-inch HP laptop has color calibration with Delta E <2 for color accuracy right out of the box. It runs on the latest 11th-gen Intel Core processors and up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q graphics, which is unusual to see on a non-gaming laptop. The Envy 14 can keep up with your demands, with up to 16.5 hours of battery life. We’re tickled by the Envy 14’s use of HP Enhanced Lighting, which is a selfie light that uses lighting controls in the display to customize and enhance your appearance in video calls. We definitely want more of that. The HP Envy 14 will be available in April, with a starting price of USD 999 (PHP 47,987).
Lenovo
The IdeaPad 5G is for those who need faster connectivity with support for both 4G/LTE and 5G cellular. This 14-inch machine promises up to 20 hours of battery life with continuous video playback. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G chipset with Andreno 680 graphics and Snapdragon X55 modem-RF system. And you can also get a 14-inch 4G/LTE variant running on the Snapdragon 8C platform. There is no pricing available yet for these laptops.
The IdeaPad 5i Pro and IdeaPad 5 Pro are laptops that can easily switch from work to play. Both come with 14- or 16-inch options with a wider 16:10 aspect ratio and thinner bezels on all sides, 100% sRGB quality, and 90% screen-to-body ratio. The IdeaPad 5i Pro runs on up to an 11th-gen Intel Core i7 processor and up to NVIDIA MX450 GPU. If you want an AMD Ryzen-powered laptop, you can opt for the IdeaPad 5 Pro. The 14-inch IdeaPad 5i Pro comes with a EUR 699 (PHP 40,663) starting price, the 16-inch IdeaPad 5i Pro has a starting price of EUR 899 (PHP 52,297), the 14-inch IdeaPad 5 Pro comes with a EUR 799 (PHP 46,480), and the 16-inch IdeaPad 5 Pro’s starting price is EUR 1,150 (PHP 66,898).
The Lavie Pro Mobile is for those looking for a laptop that can keep up with you. Coming in at under 1.95 lbs, it has a carbon fiber cover and other lightweight materials. The Lavie Pro Mobile runs on up to an 11th-gen Intel Core i7 processor with Iris Xe graphics, and it can run for up to 10 hours on a single charge. Its starting price is USD 1,700 (PHP 81,677).
The ThinkBook 14p and 16p are AMD-powered laptops. These run on up to AMD Ryzen 9 5000H processors. The 14-inch 14p has an OLED display option. But if you want the extra power, then you’ll want to get the 16p with its optional next-gen NVIDIA GeForce RTX discrete graphics. Both options will be available in Q1 2021, with the ThinkBook 14p starting at USD 849 (PHP 40,990), while the 16p starting at USD 1,299 (PHP 62,411).
The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 is for those who think it might be useful to have an E Ink panel on the laptop lid. The 12-inch outer screen supports multitouch and a pop-out stylus, which might come in handy for reading e-books, taking notes, or showing your calendar or other documents. Inside there is an IPS display with the same 2,560 x 1,600 resolution as the external display. It runs on the latest 11th-gen Intel Core processors, 16GB of LPDDR4x memory, and up to 1TB of storage. If you want the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 form factor, but don’t want the E Ink screen, then you can spring for the ThinkBook 13x. Lenovo calls it one of the “slimmest 13-inch Intel Evo business laptops.” Both will arrive in Q1 2021 with a starting price of USD 1,549 (PHP 74,547) for the ThinkBook Plus and USD 1,199 (PHP 57,634) for the ThinkBook 13x.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 and X1 Yoga Gen 6 are for those who want machines built for online conferencing. Lenovo claims these laptops are the first to support Dolby Voice, which promises a “supreme conferencing experience” that “feels more natural, reduces listener fatigue, and sounds stunningly clear for more productive meetings.” Both laptops also have Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos Speaker System. They’re also equipped with new 16:10 aspect ratio displays with a low blue light feature, an integrated fingerprint reader on the power button, and Computer Vision Experiences for better security and ease of use. These run on 11th-gen Intel Core vPro processors with 5G connectivity options. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga will be available starting February 2021. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a starting price of USD 1,429 (PHP 68,724), while the X1 Yoga has a starting price of USD 1,569 (PHP 75,457).
The ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is a sleek and slim business laptop. Covered in titanium, it has an 11mm thin profile and a 3:2 ratio 13.5-inch low power display with Dolby Vision HDR support and Dolby Atmos Speaker System. It is powered by 11th-gen Intel Core processors with Iris Xe graphics, Wi-Fi 6, and a 5G connectivity option. The ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is already available this month, starting at USD 1,899 (PHP 91,328).
The ThinkPad X12 Detachable is for those who want a laptop and a tablet combo. As its name suggests, its screen is a 12.3-inch detachable tablet protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. The screen supports input from Lenovo’s Precision Pen or Digital Pen. Its backlit folio keyboard makes it easy to transition between modes. It has 5G support and built-in Wi-Fi 6, too. The ThinkPad X12 Detachable is available this month, with a base price of USD 1,149 (PHP 55,724).
The Yoga Slim 7i Pro is for those who want a stunning display. It now comes with a 14-inch OLED 90Hz panel option. It’s an Intel Evo-certified device and runs up to the latest 11th-gen Intel Core processor with either Iris Xe graphics or NVIDIA GeForce MX450 discrete graphics. There is no information on pricing and availability yet.
LG
The LG Gram laptop series gives you a lot of screen to work on. This ultra-light line comes in different sizes as well as a 2-in-1 model. The Gram gets slimmer bezels on all sides for a 90% screen-to-body ratio and a 16:10 aspect ratio for more display to work with. Performance-wise, these get Intel Evo Platform-verified designs running on 11th-generation Intel Core processors and Iris Xe graphics. We don’t have pricing or availability at the moment.
Microsoft
The Surface Pro 7+ is built specifically for business and education users. This 2-in-1 device offers optional LTE Advanced, and this device runs on 11th-gen Intel Core processors and up to 15 hours of battery life. It supports 1080p Full HD video with Dolby Atmos speakers and dual far-field Studio Microphones for your online video chats or conferences. The Surface Pro 7+ starts at USD 899 (PHP 43,249).
Samsung
The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is an eye-catching Chrome OS machine. It has a 13.3-inch QLED display with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. It runs on either a 10th-gen Intel Core i3-10110U processor or a Celeron 5205U chip. It maintains its sub-three-pound weight and slim aluminum chassis. It’s available at a starting price of USD 550 (PHP 26,459).
