What are the different kinds of laptops in 2024?

When it comes to getting things done, a laptop is easily the first device that comes to mind. While the efforts to build personal computers began in the 1970s, they have evolved so much that there are now several different types of laptop computers available in the market.

ALSO READ: Best 2-in-1 laptops for 2024

One can argue that laptops look the same and do many of the same things but they also don’t fit into one category. There are laptops with high-end components for creative professionals while others with powerful GPUs are designed for gamers. Then there are thin and light laptops and laptops which are extremely thin and portable. All these attributes in terms of design and features also become their differentiators. Here’s a look at the kinds of laptops that you can buy in 2024.

Different types of laptops in 2024:

1. General purpose or everyday laptops

2. Ultrabooks

3. Gaming laptops

4. Workstation or creator laptops

5. 2-in-1s and convertibles

6. Chromebooks

7. Foldable laptops

1. General purpose or everyday laptops

A general-purpose or everyday laptop is a laptop designed to meet the needs of most consumers in the market. These laptops are mostly jack of all trades, master of none since they try to balance performance, design, utility, and price. These laptops won’t come with top-of-the-line hardware nor will they meet the demands of a gamer or creative professional but they will easily meet the needs of a professional or a student. Laptops like Acer Aspire 3, Lenovo IdeaPad 3, Asus Vivobook, and Dell Inspiron series fall under this category.

2. Ultrabooks

An ultrabook is any thin and light productivity laptop even though the term was first coined by chipmaker Intel in 2011. Though Intel’s branding for this form factor has evolved to be called Evo Certified now, these laptops are certified to have quick boot times, Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt 4, and up to 9 hours of battery life. Even laptops with AMD chips and Apple’s MacBook lineup offer similar features and are seen to be ideal for students and professionals on the move. Apple MacBook Air, Microsoft Surface Laptop 5, and Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra are some of the popular models in this category.

3. Gaming laptops

A type of laptop with powerful hardware, difficult to carry around, and capable of playing even the most demanding gaming title falls under this category. A typical requirement for a gaming laptop is a powerful discrete graphics card, the latest processor from Intel or AMD, and carefully designed cooling components.

ALSO READ: How long do laptops last? Signs you need to buy a new one

These laptops also have high refresh-rate displays and RGB lighting. The likes of Acer Nitro 5, HP Omen 16, Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, and ASUS TUF Gaming F15 dominate this segment.

4. Workstation or creator laptops

A workstation or creator laptop is a type of laptop that shares a lot of hardware features with a gaming laptop but is aimed at professionals completing demanding tasks from a portable device. These laptops tend to be extremely powerful and are tuned for professional software, stability, and repairability. Since they are designed for creative professionals, these laptops generally have some of the best displays, rich-sounding speakers, and a plethora of ports. Apple MacBook Pro is a good example of a creator laptop that has found space in studios as well as music production while Lenovo’s Yoga 9 brings flexibility to this segment. 

5. 2-in-1s and convertibles

A 2-in-1 is a kind of laptop that can transform into different form factors. Within this category also, there are two types: a convertible and a detachable. A convertible is a laptop that can change from a laptop to a tablet or be used in stand or tent mode. These models use a 360-degree hinge to achieve this versatility. A detachable, on the other hand, is a laptop that becomes a tablet as soon as you detach the screen or keyboard. These models work well either as a laptop or a tablet but cannot keep up with a dedicated laptop or a tablet like Apple’s iPad. While the HP Spectre 14 x360 represents a traditional 2-in-1 convertible laptop, the new Lenovo Yoga Book 9 pushes the idea further with its dual-screen design.

6. Chromebooks

If you are looking for a laptop that ditches a full-fledged operating system like Microsoft Windows or macOS and puts cloud computing at the centre then look no further than Chromebooks. A Chromebook is a laptop running ChromeOS, which is a Google Chrome browser-based operating system that works best when connected to the internet. These laptops have a thin form factor, long battery life, and rely on web-based applications instead of downloaded applications. They have become popular in schools and leading laptop brands have jumped on the bandwagon. HP x360 Chromebook and Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook are popular models.

7. Foldable laptops

They may be a few years away from becoming mainstream but this is a type of laptop that could be the future of personal computing. A foldable laptop relies on bendable screen technology like the ones used in foldable smartphones. They come with an optional full-sized keyboard and can be folded for two side-by-side displays. They come with the latest hardware but have been found to lack proper software optimisation. Don’t be surprised if all 2-in-1 and convertibles become foldable eventually.

Which laptop is right for you

There are a lot of different types of laptops out there and they can be classified further depending on the make of their processor or operating system running on them. However, when it comes to choosing the right laptop for you, you need to first decide what you plan to accomplish with the device. A laptop should also be seen as a long-term investment and choose one that meets all your needs.