Laptop buyer guide 2026: RAM, chip, screen, weight

Check RAM and storage first. The chip name sells the laptop, but a base configuration is where makers cut corners.

RAM and storage

The Dell XPS 13 starts at $699.99 and ships with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage in that entry config. Dell's page showed a sold-out notice when I checked, on November 1, 2026. I'd skip that config.

Compare the MacBook Air 13 at $1,299. Apple's base has 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. Apple solders its RAM and SSD, per Notebookcheck's review. I couldn't confirm whether the Dell's memory can be upgraded, so treat both as fixed at purchase.

The worst case in our catalog is the ASUS Chromebook CX14. It costs $559.99 and has 8 GB of RAM and only 64 GB of eMMC. That's fine for a browser and annoying at that price.

My rule: 16GB of RAM for anything you keep more than three years.

Chip

Match it to the job. The Chromebook runs Intel Processor N150, enough for web apps. The MacBook Air uses Apple M5, 10-core CPU. The Zenbook 14 uses AMD Ryzen AI 7 445, and the Surface Laptop 13 uses Snapdragon X2 Plus, 6-core, an Arm chip.

Arm on Windows means some older apps may not run. Check the apps you need before you buy.

Screen

Resolution is rarely the issue. Refresh rate and panel type are. The Zenbook 14 has an OLED panel that tops out at 60 Hz, per ASUS's listing, while the Zenbook S14 reaches 120 Hz and costs $1,999.99. The Surface Laptop 13 sits at 60 Hz at $1,199.99.

If you scroll all day, 120 Hz is the nicer upgrade. It's also one I'd pay for last.

Weight and battery

Under 1.4 kg is where a laptop stops feeling like cargo. The numbers:

XPS 13: 1 kg, 52 Wh battery
Zenbook 14: 1.2 kg, 75 Wh
MacBook Air 13: 1.23 kg, 53.8 Wh
MacBook Air 15: 1.51 kg, 66.5 Wh

Watt-hours compare only across similar chips, so use them as a clue. Apple rates the 13-inch Air at up to 18 hours of video, and Microsoft rates the Surface Laptop 13 at up to 22.5 hours of local video. Those are maker claims.

Ports and upgrades

The Framework Laptop 13 starts at price unconfirmed as a DIY kit, so you add RAM, storage and an OS. It's the one here where the base price tells you almost nothing.

Pick by budget

Use the laptop finder to filter by price and weight. Then read my Dell XPS 13 review, the MacBook Air 13 against the XPS 13 and the college-student roundup.