The 5 Longest Lasting Laptops of 2023
We updated this article in May to cover the new models on the market in 2023. Most of our top picks have been updated to include this year’s improvements.
When buying a new PC, why does it so often feel like you’re getting something that isn’t built to last more than a couple of years?
I know how frustrating this can be. Thankfully, we’ve reviewed a ton of decent laptops and have put this list together to rank them for longevity to save you the heartache of disappointment!
This isn’t a list of the most expensive laptops. I’ve specifically sought out choices that represent a combination of great longevity and value. Yes, the most future-proof laptops will technically be several thousand dollars, but there are huge diminishing returns over the choices below.
1
Longest Lasting Laptop for Business/General Use
Lenovo ThinkPad E15
Our Rating: 10/10
2
Longest Lasting Laptop for Gaming & High-End Production
MSI GE66 Raider
Our Rating: 9.5/10
Longest Lasting Laptop for Business/General Use: Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen 3
Lenovo is nearly always at the top of my list when someone enquires about a non-gaming focussed laptop built for the long-term (think e-mails, web browsing, Netflix, and basic software/Microsoft Office).
ThinkPads have a fantastic reputation as a rugged, high-durability laptop range. They’re not only made to last physically but also boast fantastic battery life and an internal build/thermal quality that retains over years.
Of course, you still need the ThinkPad to have decent specs, and that’s where this E15 model comes in.
The specific capacity that we’re highlighting boasts a fantastic Ryzen 7 5700U Octa Core processor & 16GB RAM. This pairing (and the onboard graphics of the 5700U) will work together to handle pretty much any business/general use task you can throw at them with great speed.
We love the inclusion of a 1TB NVMeSSD too, which is the fastest mainstream storage solution available for laptops. Not only will this mean the included Windows 10 Professional will run very smoothly, but you’ll have a huge amount of space (more than most laptops) for long-term file storage.
Note: depending on your budget, there are many different versions of the Thinkpad Gen 3 to consider. You can increase the specs to include 40GB RAM, lower the specs to reduce the storage, or downgrade the processor to a 5500U. I was most impressed by the 5700U model @ 16GB RAM in terms of value.
- 16GB vs 40GB: the latter is a nice upgrade but will have diminishing returns. Don’t feel forced to upgrade to it (I personally run a laptop on 16GB and do lots of intensive tasks).
- Storage space is completely dependent on your needs. I think many longevity-focussed users will like the freedom of 1TB but you will be fine with 512GB, or even 256GB if you mostly use cloud storage.
- 5500U vs 5700U: I prefer the value of the 5700U, but the 550U is still more than capable if the price makes a real difference to you. So don’t feel forced to stretch to the 5700U version unless you do a lot of intensive business tasks (e.g. extra large spreadsheet processing/production work).
The E15 has some other nice quality-of-life features we like to see in a premium laptop like a full HD IPS screen, a 720p webcam + shutter for privacy and a USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1 port.
Overall, if you’re not doing lots of gaming or work that requires a high-end GPU (video editing or rendering), then I think you’ll love what the Thinkpad E15 can do. I’ve not come across anything that balances durability, thermal quality, specifications and price better than this range.
2023 update: Lenovo has released a Gen 4 version of the ThinkPad E15 series.
The main improvement is a slightly superior screen, but aside from that the models are quite comparable as the new CPU the Gen 4 uses (5625U) is about level in quality with the 5700U. At the time of writing this, the 16GB 512GB storage version of the Gen 3 runs slightly cheaper than the Gen 4, and for that reason, we’ve kept it as the top pick for now.
That said, if you happen to see the Gen 4 when it is similarly priced or cheaper than the Gen 3, then we’d recommend picking it up for the better screen.
Longest Lasting Laptop for Gaming / High-End Production: MSI GE66 Raider
Now, for those after some serious longevity for gaming or video editing/rendering, you’ll want something with a powerful GPU to go alongside the other high-end specs.
With an absolutely beastly 3070 Ti, this is one of the best graphics card available for laptops today and works alongside a top-range 12900HK & 32GB of RAM to achieve fantastic framerates on pretty much any title available. You can expect Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2, the latest Call of Duty, and all current upcoming games for the next few years to run at an impressive spec.
To be very clear; when it comes to gaming, there is no such thing as full future-proofing. There are always new graphics cards and more intensive games coming out.
With that said, this set of specs is not just fantastic by today’s standard but is good enough that even when they’re no longer “top-of-the-line”, I expect them to hold some real power for way longer than a majority of competitors.
If you happen to use your machine for general use too, know that between the main specs of the MSI GE66 Raider, it will pretty much destroy any task you can throw at it for a long time.
Another reason we love this machine is its wonderful screen. This is a QHD 240hz display. Not only are you getting the capability to games and other content at an incredibly high spec, but with decent contrast/color accuracy too. We’re impressed by the screen included here, it will be the perfect accompaniment for a top-tier laptop for many years to come, and with the RTX 3070Ti at the helm, you’ll have a GPU powerful enough to make the most of it.
With any decent gaming PC needs to come to a lot of storage. This GE66 model includes a very fast 1TB NVMe SSD which will provide fantastic loading times and speed during non-gaming tasks. That said, if there’s anything I wish was better about this laptop, it would be an inclusion of a 2TB drive. Given so many games reach 200GB these days, it can be easy to fill up even 1 terabyte of space.
That said, there’s a very important inclusion; a second M.2 SSD slot. This gives you the freedom to upgrade your storage later on. The good thing about this is adding a second NVMe yourself is very easy and usually a lot cheaper than having it built in. So my advice to you is start with the base model, see how 1TB feels, and if you’re running out, pick up a second large drive to meet your needs!
With longevity being the focus, I also rate MSI’s track record in producing durable and efficient laptops. With a very sturdy (yet ergonomic) exterior, a beautifully laid out inner internal cooling, and options to customize the level of noise/fans yourself within MSI’s custom software, I’m really pleased to see the design of the laptop suit the quality of the internal specs. You would be surprised how many high-end picks reduce the price by ultimately not creating a product designed to last, especially when it comes to thermal performance.
It is an expensive device, but between its fantastic internal/external build quality, screen and specs? There’s so much value in this choice.
The GE66 Raider is such a joy to use, and my comfortable pick for the top long-lasting gaming laptop available today.
Longest Lasting Gaming Laptop (Mid-Range): ASUS TUF Gaming F15
As much as I’d love to recommend the above pick to everyone, I understand many gaming budgets will be in the lower 4-figure range. The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is perfect for someone after some serious longevity for gaming, but without the budget for our top MSI pick.
Boasting an RTX 3060 graphics card alongside an Intel Core i7-12700H. This GPU/CPU combo is quite formidable at a mid-range price in 2023. You’ll be able to play close to every title in excellent sittings at FHD with high FPS (which will last into the future for many games too).
You’re also getting 16GB DDR4 RAM and a 1GB NVMe SSD. I’m happy to see that ASUS didn’t skimp out and include 512GB here (which would be almost expected at the price). For hungry users, there’s still an additional slot to upgrade later if needed.
You might be thinking “at this price, where does the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 cut corners?”. Well, I can’t really find an answer to that as it excels in its other areas too!
Take its screen for instance, with a decent IPS panel running at 300hz and adaptive sync to counter screen-tearing; you’ll be getting sharp, and smooth gameplay on a laptop that can actually produce high FPS. The color accuracy and brightness aren’t as impressive as some higher-end screens, but it’s perfectly decent for the price.
It’s worth bearing in mind that 300FPS will be achieved in games like Fortnite, LoL, and other well-optimized competitive titles. Don’t expect these framerates while maxing out the latest meaty single-player games. This is completely fine, as ultra-high Hz are more important for competition anyway.
The TUF also boasts a beautiful and sturdy design, a comfortable backlit keyboard with enough tactlessness for gaming, and inbuilt thermals that have had a good track record from most other users. ASUS really focussed a lot on durability in this build, even passing some well-regarded tests for military-grade toughness.
If you can’t stretch to our top RTX 3070Ti pick, don’t fret. This is such a great gaming offering for anyone looking in the mid-range price point.
2023 update: If you like the look of this pick but want something slightly cheaper, there is a 3050Ti model with an 11th Gen Intel CPU to cater to lower budgets.
While I would certainly recommend you pick up the 3060 12700H version if you can afford it, this cheaper model is still an impressive offering for its price and will do well in most modern games.
Best Cheap Long Lasting Laptop: Lenovo Ideapad 3i
Now, for general users, we would definitely steer you towards the ThinkPad if possible (even reducing its specs) because those machines are built like tanks, and have long-lasting battery life.
That said, if you’re looking for the cheapest laptop that still offers specs we see as being suitable for the medium-long term (for business and personal use, not gaming/high-end production), then this cheaper Lenovo offering packs a decent punch!
Boasting some specs not often seen from a reputable laptop manufacturer in this price range, you’re getting 8GB RAM, a 256GB SSD & a Core i5-1135G7 processor. We expect these to all provide you with everything you need for general use like basic software, Office, internet browsing, and Netflix/Amazon Prime/Disney Plus for a decent amount of time.
So with all that said, why is this our budget long-lasting laptop choice? Well, there are two areas that may bother some users:
- 8GB RAM is a notable downgrade compared to 16GB. If you like to do a lot of tasks at once (e.g. multiple tabs/programs), you’ll begin to notice your machine become slower more than you would with 16GB. This usually won’t be observable in the initial year or two, but it will become more of a problem faster than with 16GB.
- A 256GB SSD might be plenty for some, but I like the freedom a 512GB-1TB drive gives to longevity focussed users (this is mostly personal preference though, if you mostly use online apps and stream, you won’t be affected too much)
- The CPU is a notable downgrade compared to the ThinkPad options. This will be mostly fine if you are a basic user, but its age will show more quickly as the years pass
This makes our take sound super negative, but for the price, the 3i is still a very well-built machine. I would definitely recommend stretching to our top Thinkpad picks if possible, but if that isn’t achievable for you, then this laptop will still serve your personal use better than any other competitors at its price range.
2023 update: If you are interested in the 3i but would prefer even cheaper, there are now smaller-sized models available in this listing. Most of these do have slightly lesser specs than the 3i we’ve linked but are still impressive for their lower price-point.
Longest Lasting Touchscreen Laptop: HP Envy X360
If you’re looking for a high-performance touchscreen laptop that is as future-proof as a mid-range device can get, the HP Envy X360 edition is a fantastic option.
The latest version of this classic flagship line from HP’s laptop division has a lot going for it, alongside its 15.6-inch touchscreen (with a gorgeous 400-nit IPS panel) is a powerful Intel 11th Gen Corei7-1195G7 CPU with 16GB RAM and a TB M.2 NVMe SSDs (which will make your OS/file use feel like a smooth dream).
With these specs, you can expect this to last a long time for personal use and general work; but the LG Gram excels in another type of longevity: battery life.
With an awesome 3-cell 51W lithium battery, the laptop can last up to a juicy 9.5 hours (of course, don’t expect this for a bunch of intensive tasks, but it’s still a great achievement).
If touch and/or battery are important to you, the X360 is a great pick-up and one of the most popular setups on the market for a reason.
Laptop Brands that Last the Longest?
To end this feature, we just wanted to address this common query. Prospective buyers often ask “how long do Lenovo/HP laptops last?”, etc.
The truth is there isn’t a one-size-fits-all long-lasting brand, it depends on the model (namely build/cooling quality, CPU, GPU, RAM).
If we had to name the longest-lasting laptop brand, it would typically be Lenovo, specifically their ThinkPad range.
However, this is a huge generalization, and a $1,000 HP laptop will (usually) last longer than an $800 ThinkPad.
So we’d highly recommend looking at the picks above which have been tailored to this question, but if you want to look further, focus on user reception and laptop reviews of certain models that seem to fare in the medium/long term and making sure you have decent enough specs (including a beefy GPU if you’re gaming).
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