8 laptops for people who want the absolute best

Price: $2,760

Screen size: 15.4-inch

Screen resolution: 2880 x 1800 (sharper than 1440p 2K, less sharp than 4K)

Touchscreen: No

CPU: Intel Core i7-7920HQ (4 cores up to 4.1 GHz)

RAM: 16GB

Graphics chip: AMD Radeon Pro 560 (4GB, similar performance to NVidia GTX 1050Ti)

Storage: 1TB SSD

Ports: 4 Thunderbolt 3 USB-C

Good: I can fully recommend refurbished Macs for their quality and like-new presentation. Runs clean and simple macOS. Repairs at Apple store are usually easier than getting Windows 10 laptop repaired.

Bad: Much more expensive than others on this list. Runs on last year's 7th-generation Intel CPU. Known issue with Apple's butterfly keyboard, Apple offers free repairs for four years as of the date of purchase. 2018 model with newer specs also has butterfly keyboard, and it's unclear if it's more reliable, and it's not included in Apple's keyboard repair program, so I can't recommend it. No standard USB ports.

Price: $1,900

Screen size: 13.3-inch

Screen resolution: 4K

Touchscreen: Yes

CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U (4 cores up to 4.0GHz)

RAM: 16GB

Graphics chips: None

Storage: 512GB SSD

Ports: microSD slot, 1x USB-C 3.1, 2x USB-C Thunderbolt 3

Good: Slim bezels deliver premium experience.

Bad: Expensive compared to others in this list. No standard USB ports.

Price: $2,100

Screen size: 15.6-inch

Screen resolution: 4K

Touchscreen: Yes

CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H (6 cores, up to 4.1 GHz)

RAM: 16GB

Graphics chips: Nvidia GTX 1050Ti (4GB, suitable for casual gaming and other visual-based work)

Storage: 512GB SSD

Ports: 1x SD card, 2x USB 3.1, HDMI 2.0, 1x USB-C Thunderbolt 3

Good: Slim bezels deliver premium experience. Comes with standard USB ports.

Bad: Expensive compared to others in this list.

Price: $1,900 + $130-plus for detachable keyboard

Screen size: 12.3-inch

Screen resolution: 2736 x 1824 (similar to the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro's resolution, sharper than 1440p, less sharp than 4K)

Touchscreen: Yes

CPU: Intel Core i7-7660U (2 cores up to 4.0 GHz)

RAM: 16GB

Graphics chip: None

Storage: 512GB SSD

Ports: 1x USB 3.0, 1x microSD, 1x mini DisplayPort

Good: Can be used like a tablet. Incredibly portable. 3:2 display aspect ratio looks more square than typical 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, but is great for apps where you scroll down often, like a web browser. Comes with a standard USB port.

Bad: Runs on last year's 7th-generation Intel CPU. Expensive, but you're partially paying for incredible portability option in this list. Does not include keyboard, have to buy detachable keyboard separately.

Price: $1,600 ($1,455 on Amazon at the time of writing)

Screen size: 15.6-inch

Screen resolution: 4K

Touchscreen: Yes

CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U (4 cores up to 4.0GHz)

RAM: 16GB

Graphics chip: Nvidia MX150 (less powerful than the Nvidia GTX 1050Ti that's included with some laptops in this list, but should help with visual tasks)

Storage: 512GB SSD

Ports: 1x Thunderbolt 3 USB-C, 1x USB-C 3.1, 1x USB 3.1, 1x HDMI

Good: Best value in this list considering 15-inch screen size and resolution. Can flip screen for tablet-like experience. Comes with a standard USB port.

Bad: Comparatively large bezels compared to others in this list.

Price: $1,600

Screen size: 14-inch

Screen resolution: 4K

Touchscreen: Yes

CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U (4 cores up to 4.0GHz)

RAM: 16GB

Graphics chip: None

Storage: 1TB SSD

Ports: 2x USB Type-C, 1x USB 3.0

Good: Excellent Lenovo keyboard. Can flip screen for tablet-like experience. Comes with a standard USB port.

Bad: Comparatively large bezels compared to others in this list.

Price: $1,500

Screen size: 14-inch

Screen resolution: 3K (3000 x 2000)

Touchscreen: Yes

CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U (4 cores up to 4.0GHz)

RAM: 16GB

Graphics chip: Nvidia MX150 (less powerful than the Nvidia GTX 1050Ti that's included with some laptops in this list, but should help with visual tasks)

Storage: 512GB SSD

Ports: 2x USB-C Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB 3.0

Good: Extremely thin bezels around display gives most premium experience out of all laptops on this list. 3:2 display aspect ratio looks more square than typical 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, but is great for apps where you scroll down often, like a web browser. Comes with a standard USB port.

Bad: Not much, really.

Price: TBA

Screen size: 14-15.6-inch

Screen resolution: 4K

Touchscreen: Yes

CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H (6 cores up to 4.1 GHz) - Intel Core i9-8950HK (6 cores up to 4.8GHz)

RAM: 16GB

Graphics chip: Nvidia GTX 1050Ti (4GB)

Storage: 1 TB SSD

Ports: 2 USB-C Thunderbolt 3, 2 regular USB 3.1, HDMI, microSD

Worth noting: Ultra-high end specs. Could be expensive. Touchpad is also a 5.5-inch touchscreen for secondary functions in apps.