Year 2021 was definitely the year of on-the-go workaholics despite the work-from-home setup. In fact, the term workation was invented this year. A workation is a vacation that allows you to work remotely while integrating elements of leisure that let you unwind, relax and be more productive. In essence, a workation is taking a break from your usual place of work, but not from the work itself. After all, a work-from-home setup in even the most expensive houses in the Philippines would not be complete without the best devices. Think of it as “work away from work.” And since we are entering the year 2022 in the ever-changing New Normal, it is important to take note of the 2021 best laptops that helped working individuals adapt during these interesting times.
Statista forecast: shipments of tablets, laptops, and desktop PCs in 2010-2025, showing the highest shipment rate of laptops in 2020.
With the Covid-19 pandemic hitting all over the globe, millions of workers and students were forced to stay at home. Because of this, sales of personal computers shot to their highest level in six years. Sales of laptop and desktop computers exceeded 302 million USD in 2020, a 13% increase from the year before and the most since 2014, according to market tracker International Data Corp.
Furthermore, more and more businesses are adopting the Bring Your Own Device option, where instead of using a standard laptop provided by a company, employees bring their own hardware based on their specific preferences. It is expected that this trend will continue to rise in 2022 due to the New Normal.
The effectiveness of your work from home setup depends on several factors | Photo by Sanni Sahil
You should first consider the purpose of buying yourself a laptop. If you want a dual-purpose device that can function as your work essential by day and gaming outlet by night, then you would want to look into more specs such as the graphics card. The nature of your work might also demand more from your laptop, which is especially important for people in the creative field (photo editor, video editor, and 3D designers, among others).
For regular corporate jobs, opt for a mid-range Core i5 or i7 processor (or AMD equivalent), 8GB-16GB RAM, 256GB-512GB SSD, and an integrated graphics card.
Ergonomics is a key factor nowadays when it comes to all work from home devices, including computer chairs, tables, and even keyboards. Make sure the laptop you are purchasing has a keyboard with well-spaced keys and is comfortable for your hands and wrists. However, you can always buy a separate keyboard that you prefer.
A laptop was invented for movement, an evolution from the good old traditional desktop device. However, some laptops are easier to carry around than others. And if you are someone who enjoys workations, you should definitely consider the weight and thickness of your laptop. In case you move a lot, go with a laptop that weighs less than 2.0 lbs.
MSI or Micro-Star International Co., Ltd is a Taiwan-based company best known for laptops, desktops, motherboards, graphics cards, industrial computers, etc. Its products are definitely in the list of 2021 best laptops for gaming, and the steady trend of computer gaming in an increasingly growing market during the pandemic has only helped MSI Global reach new heights. This is because of their high-quality graphics cards and motherboards which were essential for gamers, students, and workers alike. Now it is considered among the top-rated and best-selling laptop brands in the World in 2021.
Toshiba is a Japanese manufacturer commonly known for being one of the pioneers in the modern laptop industry. And although the brand is quite old, its continuous innovations have helped it survive through the tests of time with modern offerings. The 2021 best laptops of the Toshiba brand are led by the Toshiba Satellite model. This model is certainly a worthy investment if you want to enjoy a great battery life, full HD display, dual styluses, and a sleek design. No wonder it is one of the top-selling laptops this year.
HP 14 Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD Storage, 14-inch Full HD Display, Windows 10 Home, Thin & Portable, Micro-Edge & Anti-Glare Screen, Long Battery Life (14-fq1021nr, 2021)
HP (Hewlett-Packard) is a worldwide popular laptop brand best known for its high performance and stylish look. It is a go-to brand for individuals who want to purchase a functional device at an affordable price. This is perfect for students whose needs revolve around research and productivity applications.
Although more popular for its mobile devices than Apple’s competitor, Samsung is a Korean brand that also offers high-end laptops for all budgets. The brand’s ATIV Book 9 Plus laptop is the best-selling model in 2021.
Sony is one of the most trustworthy brands that has the widest range of electronics. It aims to serve as a one-stop shop for everything you need at home and at work, which the brand has definitely achieved through the years. In fact, Sony Corporation operates through the following segments: Game and Network Services, Music, Pictures, Home Entertainment and Sound, Imaging Products and Solutions, Mobile Communications, Semiconductors, Financial Services, and All Others. Sony launched a variety of laptop products, including touch screen ones for better functionality.
Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K Slim Laptop | 15.6″ Full HD IPS | AMD Ryzen 3 3350U Quad-Core Mobile Processor | 4GB DDR4 | 128GB NVMe SSD | WiFi 6 | Backlit KB | Amazon Alexa | Windows 10 Home (S mode)
The list of 2021 Best Laptops would not be complete without mentioning the Acer brand. What sets it apart from its competitors are its utility, portability, and most of all, simplicity. It simply offers everything that you need, nothing too complicated. That is why this is a great brand for first-time laptop users or buyers. The Acer Travelmate P645 is one of the best laptops ever manufactured by the Acer Company and is one of the world’s best-selling laptops to this day.
Lenovo Legion 5 15 Gaming Laptop, 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) Display, AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti, Windows 10H, 82JW0012US, Phantom Blue
Lenovo is one of the 2021 best laptops because of its sleek design matched with hardware and quality components. The laptop brand has also proved its genius through unique products in recent years. It is probably the most creative manufacturer on this list, exceeding expectations left and right. Likewise, Lenovo is very famous for its range of 2-in-1 laptops. This release grew in popularity very quickly because while other brands were focused on increasing profits by selling regular laptops and conventional tablets, Lenovo’s products changed the game with laptops that could also be detached from the keyboard to function as a tablet. Nonetheless, the Lenovo ThinkPad T450s is the best-selling laptop ever formed by the company and is common in many office spaces.
There is no need for an introduction because Dell is actually the most popular laptop manufacturer in the world because of its high-quality products and arguably the best service out of its competitors. The latest models have an added HD touch screen display and low carbon footprint. Nowadays, consumers are leaning towards brands that invest in sustainability because electronics are also quite harmful for the environment. But do not worry because this does not affect Dell’s highly competitive laptop products.
Asus is number two in the list of 2021 best laptops in terms of global sales. Apart from its product performance, efficient components, and highly accessible service centers, Asus is a top-selling brand because of its variety of high-end and low-end products. It is also entering the gaming industry with new and improved laptops but has yet to match MSI Global’s standards in that department. The Asus notebooks are highly acclaimed because of their ultra-thin aluminum body, extra-long battery life, and bright matte display.
2021 Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, Apple M1 Pro chip with 8‑core CPU and 14‑core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) – Silver
No surprise here. Apple takes the spotlight among the 2021 Best Laptops. This can also be attributed to Apple’s popularity and the fact that the IOS operating systems function best only with other Apple devices. Its laptop devices are certainly more of an investment compared to its competitors, but they are well worth every cent because of their futuristic features that are quite unique, not to mention its cutting edge technology without compromising technical specifications. This brand’s best models are MacBook Pro and Apple MacBook Air.
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