Articles by Joanna Nelius, Contributing Writer

Joanna Nelius is a contributing writer to Laptop Mag. She has reported on and reviewed laptops for The Verge, Gizmodo, PC Gamer, and USA Today.

Articles by: Joanna Nelius

The arrival of AMD chips in MSI laptops is a huge win for gamers

By Joanna Nelius published 22 January 25

The arrival of AMD chips in MSI gaming laptops at CES in Las Vegas a few weeks ago signals that longtime leader Intel has competition in a space it is used to dominating.

Best laptops for graphic design in 2025

By Joanna Nelius last updated 20 January 25

These are the best laptops for graphic design in 2025, whether you’re a student learning the craft or a professional using the laptop for work

The MSI Summit 13 AI Evo sitting on a table at the MSI suite at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I loved the Summit 13 AI Evo before, but a new add-on makes it a must-buy

By Joanna Nelius published 20 January 25

Even though I’ve had my eye on MSI’s gorgeous black, gold-trimmed 2-in-1 Summit laptop since it debuted, I couldn't bring myself to buy it. That may now change.

Teal-colored translucent WASD keys on the MSI Cyborg 17 laptop.

These MSI budget laptops might make you say, "I love the '90s"

By Joanna Nelius published 16 January 25

Three new budget-priced gaming laptops from MSI ooze translucent teal and all the '90s style that Millennials and Zoomers alike will love.

I'm a veteran laptop reviewer. Here are my top 10 laptops of CES 2025.

By Joanna Nelius published 15 January 25

It was a treat to see dozens of laptops that debuted at CES a few years ago return to the show floor, further refined thanks to chip architecture and power efficiency advances.

The best 4K laptops in 2025

By Joanna Nelius last updated 14 January 25

Here are the best 4K laptops you can buy right now, including 2-in-1s, gaming notebooks and workstations.

Rokid AR Lite suite using multiscreen augmented reality windows.

The Best Gaming Headset at CES 2025 was a pair of smart glasses

By Joanna Nelius published 10 January 25

Valve Steam Deck showing the Nvidia GeForce NOW cloud-based game streaming service.

The Best Streaming Gadget of CES 2025 is the Steam Deck + Nvidia GeForce Now

By Joanna Nelius published 10 January 25

Why the Best Gaming Keyboard at CES 2025 is the Keychron K2 HE

By Joanna Nelius published 10 January 25

The Best Gaming Mouse at CES 2025: HyperX PulseFire Saga and Saga Pro

By Joanna Nelius published 10 January 25

The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x G4 with lid open on a white table

Best touchscreen laptops in 2025

By Joanna Nelius last updated 2 January 25

From clamshell ultrabooks to convertible workstations, these are the best touchscreen laptops in 2025 after hundreds of hours of testing and reviews.

Best 14-inch laptops in 2025: Small size, big potential

By Joanna Nelius last updated 2 January 25

The best 14-inch laptops in 2025 for consumers and business users — including our most well-reviewed 2-in-1s, gaming notebooks, and Chromebooks.

Acer Swift 16 AI (Intel) open on a white background shot from above with the display facing the camera.

Sometimes a "no-compromise" laptop comes with too many compromises

By Joanna Nelius published 22 December 24

The Acer Swift 16 AI needed one killer feature to make it stand out

Acer Swift 16 AI (Intel) review: Polarizing potential

By Joanna Nelius published 21 December 24

The Swift 16 AI’s greatest strengths lie in its display and speakers — but they aren’t strong enough to make up for this laptop’s biggest weakness: heavy multitasking performance.

This is the budget Windows laptop I’d buy over a Chromebook

By Joanna Nelius published 19 December 24

It’s more powerful and cheaper than some Chromebooks

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i 14 Gen 7 review: A budget laptop that comes with few regrets

By Joanna Nelius published 12 December 24

Why get a Chromebook when this Windows laptop exists?

Best video editing laptop 2025: 5 top picks for video editors

By Joanna Nelius last updated 28 November 24

The best video editing laptops feature fast processors, discrete graphics and high-resolution displays. Here are the best picks in 2024 based on our reviews and testing.

Man using Dell Inspiron 14 Plus on wooden tablet

Best Dell laptops in 2025: 5 top picks based on testing and reviews

By Joanna Nelius last updated 22 November 24

Whether you're a heavy multitasker, gamer, or want all-day and night battery life, these are the best Dell laptops you can buy right now.

Best 16-inch laptops in 2025: 7 top picks I recommend

By Joanna Nelius last updated 18 November 24

The best 16-inch laptops offer a balance between affordability and quality, without compromising graphics or power. Here's our selection of the best you can buy.

I'm a multitasking machine on my laptop — this Intel Lunar Lake change is a dealbreaker

By Joanna Nelius published 16 November 24

Maybe Intel shouldn’t have ditched Hyperthreading after all

15-inch MacBook Air M3 on a wooden table outdoors

Best laptops for writers 2025

By Joanna Nelius last updated 14 November 24

The best laptops for writers are perfect for work and play, on any given day.

Acer Swift 14 AI (Intel) open on a white background showing the display, keyboard, and touchpad

Acer Swift 14 AI (Intel) review: A good laptop with one crucial flaw

By Joanna Nelius published 13 November 24

The Acer Swift 14 AI Intel is a decent productivity laptop with some highlight features, but not so good that you should add it to your cart immediately.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 keyboard closeup

I’m a teacher — here’s the gaming laptop I would use in my classroom

By Joanna Nelius published 6 October 24

A gaming laptop has been the only thing that lets me teach how I want to without disrupting the other teacher’s space and keeps me on IT’s good side.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024) review: A gaming laptop that shouldn’t be overlooked

By Joanna Nelius published 6 October 24

Get long battery life for a modern gaming laptop

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