Best Laptops and Tablets to Give as Holiday Gifts for 2023 - CNET
Giving a laptop or tablet as a gift can be tricky unless you know how the recipient will use it — everyone has different needs. Our recommendations for the best laptops and tablets to give as holiday gifts take many different laptop users and budgets into account.
The holidays are the best time of year to score a great deal on a new computer, too (something to keep in mind if you’re the gift giver and recipient. Most if not all of these laptops and tablets will be discounted through the holiday shopping season. The prices listed below are the best current prices we’ve found right now. But deals come and go, so we’ll continue to update this list with sale prices as we spot them. If you need more options than those listed below, check out our full best laptops of 2023 list, where you’ll also find links to our top picks across all categories of laptops.
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The newer M2 MacBook Air has advantages over its older M1 Air sibling: a larger display (13.6 inches versus the previous 13.3 inches), a faster M2 chip and an upgraded higher-res webcam. However, the entry-level M1 MacBook Air remains our top choice for gift-giving because its performance is good enough for everyday school and home office use, and it’s more affordable. It regularly gets discounted, too.
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Apple MacBook Air M1
- Big boost to battery life
- Performance in benchmark tests shows the M1 Air easily outperforming Intel versions
- Fanless design runs cool and quiet
- No external design or feature changes
- App compatibility is an issue for early adopters
- No mobile broadband options, 5G or otherwise
The newer M2 MacBook Air has advantages over its older M1 Air sibling: a larger display (13.6 inches versus the previous 13.3 inches), a faster M2 chip and an upgraded higher-res webcam. However, the entry-level M1 MacBook Air remains our top choice for gift-giving because its performance is good enough for everyday school and home office use, and it’s more affordable. It regularly gets discounted, too.
Apple MacBook Air M1
- Big boost to battery life
- Performance in benchmark tests shows the M1 Air easily outperforming Intel versions
- Fanless design runs cool and quiet
- No external design or feature changes
- App compatibility is an issue for early adopters
- No mobile broadband options, 5G or otherwise
The newer M2 MacBook Air has advantages over its older M1 Air sibling: a larger display (13.6 inches versus the previous 13.3 inches), a faster M2 chip and an upgraded higher-res webcam. However, the entry-level M1 MacBook Air remains our top choice for gift-giving because its performance is good enough for everyday school and home office use, and it’s more affordable. It regularly gets discounted, too.
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HP packed a lot of value into the Aero 13: Eye-pleasing magnesium-aluminum chassis, strong processing performance, long battery life, a bright, colorful display and a weight of around 2 pounds (0.91 kilograms). Amazingly, with all that it offers though, it has an affordable starting price.
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HP Pavilion Aero 13
HP packed a lot of value into the Aero 13: Eye-pleasing magnesium-aluminum chassis, strong processing performance, long battery life, a bright, colorful display and a weight of around 2 pounds (0.91 kilograms). Amazingly, with all that it offers though, it has an affordable starting price.
HP Pavilion Aero 13
HP packed a lot of value into the Aero 13: Eye-pleasing magnesium-aluminum chassis, strong processing performance, long battery life, a bright, colorful display and a weight of around 2 pounds (0.91 kilograms). Amazingly, with all that it offers though, it has an affordable starting price.
