We regularly test the most promising laptops, from sleek ultrabooks to cheap Chromebooks to massive gaming laptops and beyond. Here are the best models you can buy in every category, along with advice on how to choose which type of laptop is right for you.
Best Buy Laptops And Printers
Where they fall short: Laptops with color-accurate screens and enough power for creative professionals are expensive, and even more so with add-ons like extra storage and memory. Editing laptops also tend to be larger and heavier than ultrabooks, with most weighing more than 4 pounds. The powerful processors in editing laptops generate lots of heat, as well, so some can get too hot to use comfortably on your lap, though our top pick stayed cool even under the heaviest workloads. In addition, the MacBook Pro is impossible to service on your own, but Apple provides excellent support.
Andrew Cunningham is a former senior staff writer on Wirecutter's tech team. He has been writing about laptops, phones, routers, and other tech since 2011. Before that he spent five years in IT fixing computers and helping people buy the best tech for their needs. He also co-hosts the book podcast Overdue and the TV podcast Appointment Television.
As Chromebooks have become more common and widely used, most printers are fully compatible with Chrome OS, giving you many options to choose from. So, which are the best? To help you, we've put together a list of the best printers, from premium, feature-rich all-in-ones designed for office use to cheap home models for the occasional print jobs. These printers work with Chromebooks out of the box without needing to install any drivers or third-party apps.
We've tested over 120 printers, and below are our recommendations for the best printers for Chromebook you can buy. You can also see our recommendations for the best home printers, the best inkjet printers, and the best all-in-one printers.
The best printer for Chromebook we've tested is the Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw, a color laser all-in-one designed for small or home office use. It has a large display with a user-friendly user interface, a scanner with an automatic feeder and single-pass duplex scanning, and plenty of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, USB, and Ethernet. It produces very high-quality documents and is fast, printing up to 29 pages per minute. The toner cartridges last a long time, so it doesn't need much maintenance, and what little it does need is cheap. It works with Chromebooks out of the box without installing additional drivers or apps. The only thing it doesn't do well is photo printing, which is typical for most laser printers.
Our best budget pick is the Brother MFC-J1205W, also known as the Brother MFC-J1215 at Walmart. It's a good inkjet all-in-one option if you don't print all that often and only need basic features. It has a sturdy build, Wi-Fi and USB connectivity, and a flatbed scanner with extendable lid hinges. It prints high-quality black and color documents, although you'll have to be patient, as it only prints nine black or six color pages per minute. It's not bad for photo printing; it prints very detailed pictures but has trouble reproducing bright, saturated colors and darker tones.
Last but not least, the cheap printers. Our pick is the Canon PIXMA MG3620, a basic inkjet all-in-one model. It isn't super sturdy, lacks a display, and only has a flatbed scanner with no ADF, but it produces sharp documents and good-looking photos. The main drawback is that it only has a black and tri-color cartridge, and they only yield about 200 black and color prints. The cost-per-print is still low because the cartridges are cheap; it just needs a lot of maintenance. Since it only has one color cartridge, you need to replace it even if one color runs out. It's a good option if you only need to print one-off projects once in a blue moon; otherwise, you're better off getting a model with better page yields, like the Brother MFC-J1205W above.
For small places like a dorm or bedroom, the HP DeskJet 3755 is a good option. You may find it under a different model number as it changes depending on the region and retailer, like the HP DeskJet 3772 or 3722; you can see the variants in our full review. It's a super compact all-in-one with Wi-Fi and USB connectivity and a sheetfed scanner. It produces reasonably sharp documents and very detailed photos; it's just a little slow, as it can only print up to five black or three color pages per minute. The main drawback is its page yield, as the ink cartridges are only good for about 100 black and 40 color prints. The cartridges are cheap, but the cost will still add up quickly if you print a lot, so this is best suited for people who only print occasionally. There's no need to install drivers or third-party apps to use the printer; it works fully with Chrome OS devices straight out of the box.
These days, printers come in all different price ranges, but it can still be a little challenging to find the best printer when you're on a budget. However, you don't need to break the bank to find good-performing printers at a reasonable price. Although printers often go on sale, we've chosen printers that have a low Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) rather than a low sale price so that even when there isn't a discount available, they remain very affordable picks. Also, our picks aren't always the absolute cheapest options, as those tend to have extremely low page yield, meaning you'll likely end up paying more over time for replacement ink.
We've tested over 120 printers, and below are our recommendations for the best value printers you can buy. You can also check out our recommendations for the best printers with cheap ink, the best wireless printers, and the best home printers.
The best budget printer we've tested is the Brother MFC-J1205W, also known as the Brother MFC-J1215W at Walmart. It's an all-in-one color inkjet model designed for general home use. You can connect to the printer via Wi-Fi or USB, and it supports Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, so you can easily print from your smartphone without needing a third-party app. The scanner captures a good amount of fine details, making it suitable for digitizing photos, and its lid hinges can extend to accommodate thicker items like books and magazines. It doesn't have an automatic feeder, so scanning multi-page documents might take a while.
If you find our budget pick too expensive, check out the Canon PIXMA MG3620, the best cheap printer we've tested. It's a simple all-in-one inkjet printer designed for people who only print occasionally. We say 'occasionally' because this model has a black and a tri-color cartridge. It still produces high-quality black and color prints, but it runs out of ink quickly, so you'll have to replace the cartridges often. Also, you'll have to replace the tri-color cartridge even if only a single color runs out. It isn't so much a cost issue, as the ink cartridges are fairly cheap; it's just a lot of maintenance, and you might end up with lots of faded or incomplete prints.
If you only print black and white documents, a monochrome laser printer might be a better option. We recommend the Brother HL-L2350DW, a variant of the Brother HL-L2325DW we've tested. There's nothing wrong with the HL-L2325DW; it's just a little hard to find right now, so the HL-L2350DW is your best bet since it performs almost identically. It has the usual Wi-Fi and USB connectivity and is compatible with Brother's mobile companion app, which you can use to print or perform maintenance tasks right from your smartphone.
Is your item badly damaged? Some locations may reject items (like old TVs with broken cathode ray tubes) that are a health and safety hazard. Call ahead to ask.
Computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and printers are not included in the E-Cycle WA program. Call 1-800-RECYCLE or search the database for items not covered in the program.
Peripherals and the other electronics noted below can be dropped off at these participating retailers and recycled at no charge.
This is one of the best times of year for sales, and the deals this Labor Day are better than usual as retailers are offering larger discounts. Whether it's a new iPad or a new air fryer, you'll be able to find great prices at Best Buy.
We've rounded up our favorite Best Buy Labor Day sales below. Or, check out our Best Buy deals and Best Buy coupon codes coverage to find the best deals throughout the whole year. And make sure to follow our Labor Day live blog for the latest deal updates.
TCL 65" 4K QLED Roku TV: $649 $549 @ Best Buy (opens in new tab)
This killer Best Buy Labor Day sale knocks $100 off one of the best 4K TVs on the market. We found this TV to be an excellent pick for anyone who wants good quality on a budget. It delivers solid, quantum-dot 4K picture quality and Google's smart TV software at an unbeatable price. This model features a bright and vibrant 55-inch 4K QLED display, Dolby Vision/HLG/HDR10/HDR10 Plus support, and compatibility with AI voice assistants.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5: $499 $379 @ Best Buy (opens in new tab)
The original Lenovo Chromebook Duet earned a spot on our list of best Chromebooks. While we've yet to test the Duet 5, on paper this Chromebook appears to be a worthy successor. It features a detachable keyboard and fabric back cover with built-in kickstand, 13.3-inch 1080p OLED display, Snapdragon SC7180 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB eMMC.
Surface Pro 7+: $929 $699 @ Best Buy (opens in new tab)
The Surface Pro 7+ is one of the best tablets on the market. With Windows 10, a great 12.3-inch display and its Type Cover included, this Surface Pro 7+ package is a steal for anyone wanting a premium 2-in-1 laptop at an affordable price.
MacBook Pro 13" (M1/256GB): $1,299 $999 @ Best Buy (opens in new tab)
The MacBook Pro with Apple's M1 chip delivers performance that runs circles around Windows laptops, and you get a brighter display than the MacBook Air and beefier 8-core graphics. Even better, the system lasted over 16 hours in our battery test. This sale ends today!
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