CES 2024 is pumping out a wave of new laptops, CPUs, and exciting tech that we'll see flow in throughout the year. There are so many new machines that I need to get my hands on, but which ones should you keep your eye on throughout the year?
We've gathered a shortlist of our favorite laptops at CES 2024 so far to help you decide. Stay tuned to CES and our ongoing coverage throughout the week and you'll see exciting new machines unveiled and this list bloom in tandem.
However, from what we've seen, these are our favorite laptops at CES 2024 so far.
We're on the scene in Las Vegas to check out the latest tech at this year's CES 2024 showcase. Be sure to tag along on our CES 2024 journey by following Laptop Mag on TikTok, Twitter/X, Instagram, Flipboard, and Facebook for the most up-to-date hands-on impressions and news coming from the convention floor.
1. MSI Claw
Oh hell yes, we're getting yet another gaming handheld device that we're still counting as a laptop because... well, we said so! The MSI Claw is an Intel-powered Windows gaming handheld, boasting an Intel Core Ultra processor. It has a 7-inch 1920 x 1080 touch display at a 120Hz refresh rate, alongside 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM.
Recent gaming handhelds have opted for AMD components, so it'll be interesting to see where this lands. The MSI Claw also has a larger battery than the Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go (we hope that means it'll actually last longer). Another key feature is its exclusive dock that connects to a TV like the Nintendo Switch.
The MSI Claw looks promising, and time will tell if it manages to outdo its competitors in ergonomics, battery life, performance, and software when we get in for proper testing. Stay tuned for the price and release date.
2. Alienware m16 R2
You gotta respect the skinny bois, especially those that can give you a lot of real estate in a thin design. Let us present the Alienware m16 R2. This beefcake can be outfitted with an Intel Ultra 7 or 9 CPU, an Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, 64GB of RAM, and 8TB of SSD storage through dual 4TB PCIe M.2 NVMe.
Then you get a big ol' 16-inch display clocking in with a 2560 x 1600-pixel resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate with a 3ms response time. This thing will glow in the front, but you can make it as inconspicuous as any other laptop with Alienware's new "Stealth Mode," which disables the RGB lighting with a simple click.
Launching on January 11 at $1,649, we will know quite soon whether or not the Alienware m16 R2 lives up to the hype it is generating at CES 2024.
3. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid
The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is one of the most wild 2-in-1 detachables we've ever seen. This thing is a full Windows 11 PC when it's docked with its keyboard, but when it's removed, it becomes an Android tablet. They even have different components.
The tablet itself features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor with a Qualcomm Adreno GPU, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of UFS3.1 storage. However, the keyboard (or the Hybrid Station) features the Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU with Intel Arc GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. The tablet alone features a 38Whr battery, while the Hybrid Station features a 75Whr battery.
This is a pretty wild concept for a detachable, but it actually makes sense. Hopefully the transition between Windows and Android is as seamless as it should be. This'll be an exciting release for 2024. Stay tuned for more info.
4. LG gram Pro
LG is pumping out a new version of the gram called the LG gram Pro — it's everything we love about the original (including the lightweight design) but it can now do flips. Oh, and of course, it also boasts Intel's AI Boost along with the new Intel Core Ultra processor.
The LG gram Pro 2-in-1 is the world's lightest 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop, and that's a Guinness World Record right there, weighing just 3.1 pounds. Stuffed into that light frame is up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 16-inch, 2.8K+ OLED display clocked at 120Hz and 400 nits of brightness.
That's one hell of a package for a laptop. You won't find a more portable 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop, quite literally. We don't have an official price yet, but we're expecting it to launch sometime in 2024.
5. HP Spectre x360 2-in-1
There's nothing I love more than a slick premium laptop with a gorgeous display and a gaming GPU. That's where the HP Spectre x360 2-in-1 comes in. It's nothing new, of course, as we've seen this in its predecessors and laptops like the XPS 15. But it remains to be my favorite combination of laptop.
The HP Spectre x360 16 slides in at 0.8 inches and 4.3 pounds with a 16-inch, 2.8K OLED display clocked at a 120Hz refresh rate. Powering this machine is up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 (6GB VRAM) GPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD.
This is great for video-editors, photo-editors, or gamers that need a professional looking notebook to sneak a little Baldur's Gate 3 in before class or work (and by little we mean a lot).
