I review laptops for a living, and these are 7 Prime Day laptop deals I recommend for work or school

Apple MacBook Air M3: $1,099 $849 @ Amazon (w/ coupon)
Lowest price! Amazon slashed $250 off the MacBook Air M3 in this limited-time deal. In our MacBook Air M3 review, we gave it a near-perfect rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

It's the Editor's Choice best overall laptop for outstanding battery life and powerful performance. If you're looking for a portable and reliable daily driver, you can't go wrong with the MacBook Air M3.

Features: 13.6-inch (2560 x 1664) 500-nit Liquid Retina display, M3 8-core processor, 8-Core GPU, 16-core neural engine, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 1080p FaceTime HD camera, three-mic array with directional beamforming, Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, quad-speakers with Spatial Audio support, macOS 

Price check: Best Buy $899

Dell XPS 14 OLED (2024): $2,499 $2,099 @ Dell
Save $400 on the 2024 Dell XPS 14 (model 9440). Sleek, minimalist, and stylish, the XPS 14 borrows its design from the Dell XPS Plus. This is exactly the configuration that we reviewed and awarded 4 out of 5 stars.

Features: 14.5" 3.2K (3200 x 2000) OLED touch screen, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H 16-core CPU, 32GB RAM, RTX 4050 GPU w/ 6GB VRAM, 1TB SSD, Stereo speakers with Waves MaxxAudio Quad-speaker design,1080p RGB-IR camera with dual array microphones, Windows 11 Home

Apple MacBook Air M3 15": $1,299 $1,049 @ Amazon
Lowest price! Save $250 on the 15-inch MacBook Air M3 at Amazon. In our 15-inch MacBook Air M3 review, we were impressed by its strong performance, thin, light form factor, and over 15-hour long battery life. 

Features: 15.3-inch (2880 x 1864) 500-nit Liquid Retina display, M3 8-core processor, 10-Core GPU, 16-core neural engine, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 1080p FaceTime HD camera, three-mic array with directional beamforming, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, six-speakers with force-cancelling woofers, macOS

Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 Gaming Laptop: $1,149 $969 @ Amazon
Lowest price! Save $180 during Amazon's Prime Day sales when purchasing the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 in this epic gaming laptop deal. You might have a tough time bringing this one into the office, but it's a fantastic option for school so that you can game in your downtime.

Features: 16-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) 165Hz LED display, Intel Core i7-13650HX CPU, 16GB RAM, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 512GB SSD, DTS X: Ultra audio, customizable four-zone RGB keyboard, Windows 11 Home, and a sweeping selection of ports.

Price check: Target $849 (Refurbished) | Newegg $1,299

Apple 14" MacBook Pro M3: $1,599 $1,399 @ Amazon
Lowest price! Save $200 on the excellent MacBook Pro M3. The best laptop for power users, Apple's M3 processor is 35% faster than its first-generation M1 chip (rated). Graphics performance is up 65 percent faster so you'll notice all the subtle nuances during gameplay, from realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections. Whether you are attending class or a meeting, this laptop will get the job done and look good doing it.

Features: 14-inch (3024 x 1964) 1,000-nit 120Hz Liquid Retina XDR display, Apple M3 8-core chip, 16-core Neural Engine, Apple M3 10-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Mac OS

Price check: Best Buy $1,399 w/ Plus | Apple $1,499 + free $150 gift card w/ edu discount

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11: $2,889 $1,531 @ Lenovo
Save 47% on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 via coupon, "THINKJULYSALE3" at checkout. In our ThinkPad Carbon Gen 11 review, we rate it a solid 4 out of 5 stars for its shockingly lightweight feel, fast SSD, and great battery life. While it's most at home in the office, the majority of students will find that the X1 Carbon Gen 11 is a fantastic classroom companion too.

Features: 14-inch (1920 x 1200) 400-nit display, 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1365U vPro 10-core CPU, 32GB of RAM, Intel Iris Xe graphics, and speedy 512GB SSD.

Apple MacBook Air M1: $999 $649 @ Walmart
Vintage in laptop years, the M1 MacBook Air is $350 off at Walmart and the cheapest MacBook you can buy. Succeeded by the previous-gen M2 MacBook Air, it's still one of the best laptops out there. It packs blazing performance and long battery life into a slim, unibody design. As long as your needs aren't incredibly demanding, the Air M1 remains a solid choice for budget-conscious buyers.

Features:13.3-inch (2560 x 1600) IPS Retina display, Apple M1 8-core processor, 8GB RAM, Apple M1 7-core GPU, 256GB SSD, macOS

Lenovo Legion 5i Pro Gen RTX 4060: $1,499 $1,299 @ Best Buy
This Best Buy Black Friday in July deal knocks $200 off the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro Gen 9. We awarded it 4.5 out of 5 stars and an Editor's Choice award. Battery life is its biggest weakness, so consider that if you are frequently away from an outlet, but the amazing performance, powerful RTX 4060 GPU, and satisfying keyboard should all make it a fitting choice for shoo

Features: 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) 165Hz 300-nit anti-glare display, 14th Gen Intel Core i7-14650HX 16-core CPU, 16GB RAM, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU w/ 8GB VRAM,  1080P FHD with dual mics, 512GB SSD, Windows 11 Home.