Top MacBook Alternatives for 2025: What to Buy

As we usher in the new year, the tech world welcomes the latest MacBooks, including the stunning new MacBook Air. However, if you're like me and deeply rooted in the Windows ecosystem, switching might not be on the cards. Fear not, as there are several excellent alternatives to the MacBook, and my top overall pick is the Asus Zenbook S 16.

TL;DR - The Best MacBook Alternatives:

Our Top Pick### Asus Zenbook S 16

4See it at Best Buy### Acer Swift Go 16

2See it at Acer### Asus Zenbook S 14

1See it at AsusSee it at Best Buy### Asus TUF Gaming A14

0See it at AmazonSee it at Best BuySee it at Asus### Microsoft Surface Pro 11

0See it at AmazonSee it at Microsoft

Finding a worthy alternative to the iconic MacBook isn't easy. Any laptop aiming to fill those shoes must excel in several key areas: it should be lightweight and ultra-portable, powerful, feature a high-quality screen, and offer a battery life that lasts at least a full workday. My selections for this list are based on extensive reviews over the past year, ensuring they meet these high standards. Whether you're seeking a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air alternative, or need a versatile 2-in-1 for creative work, I have recommendations tailored to your needs.

1. Asus Zenbook S 16

The Best MacBook Alternative

Our Top Pick### Asus Zenbook S 16

2The Asus Zenbook S 16 is a compelling Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro. It's incredibly easy to carry and a pleasure to use, making it an excellent choice for those needing a larger screen without sacrificing portability.

See it at Best BuySee it at Asus

Product Specifications

• Display: 16" (2880 x 1800)
• CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
• GPU: AMD Radeon 890M
• RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X
• Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
• Weight: 3.31 pounds
• Size: 13.92" x 9.57" x 0.47" - 0.51"
• Battery life: Around 15 hours

PROS

• Thin, light, and exceptionally portable
• High performance while still offering great battery life
• Stunning 3K OLED touchscreen
• Surprising gaming performance

CONS

• Can get hot

The Asus Zenbook S 16 stands out as the premier alternative to the Apple MacBook Pro, particularly for those who need a larger screen. Its slim and lightweight design belies its processing prowess, making it ideal for everything from productivity to demanding creative tasks like 4K video editing. It's one of the most visually appealing laptops I've reviewed, thanks to its elegant design.

The Zenbook S 16 is powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 CPU, which features 12 cores and 24 threads, with a maximum clock speed of 5.1GHz. This makes it a powerhouse for a wide range of tasks, including gaming, as it's used in top-tier Windows gaming handhelds.

While it doesn't match the efficiency of Apple's M3 or M4 chips, it still offers impressive battery life. At around 50-60% screen brightness, I achieved about 15 hours of battery life, which is more than enough for a full day's work.

The laptop's design is nothing short of stunning, featuring a new Ceraluminum lid that combines ceramic and aluminum for durability and resistance to fingerprints. The ventilation area above the keyboard, composed of over a thousand tiny milled holes, adds to its premium feel.

Connectivity is another area where it excels over the MacBook, with dual USB Type-C ports, a full-size USB Type-A, an SD card reader, a headphone jack, and an HDMI-out port for external monitors.

The screen is a highlight, boasting a bright 500-nit OLED display with a 2.8K resolution (2880x1880) and multi-touch support. It dynamically adjusts between 60Hz and 120Hz, ensuring smooth motion while conserving battery life.

The only downside is that it can get hot during intense use. However, this is mitigated when placed on a desk, and it's a small price to pay for the laptop's overall excellence.

2. Acer Swift Go 16 OLED

Best Budget MacBook Alternative

### Acer Swift Go 16

0A beautiful OLED screen, great battery life, and a thin and light design on a budget

See it at Acer

Product Specifications

• Display: 16" (3200 x 2000), OLED multitouch
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 125H
• GPU: Intel Arc
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage: 512GB
• Weight: 3.53 pounds
• Dimensions: 14.02" x 0.59" x 9.55"

PROS

• High resolution OLED display
• Thin, light, and portable
• Great battery life

CONS

• Limited memory and storage

Priced well under $1,000, the Acer Swift Go 16 OLED is an affordable alternative to the MacBook Air, offering a stunning screen and all-day battery life in a highly portable package.

Weighing just 3.53 pounds, this laptop is easy to carry throughout the day. Its 16-inch screen boasts an impressive 3200x2000 resolution, making it a standout at this price point.

Despite being a generation older, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H CPU provides ample power for daily productivity and light creative work. It also includes a neural processing unit for enhanced AI functionality and support for Microsoft Copilot.

The budget pricing reflects its 8GB of memory and 512GB of storage. While the storage is adequate for smaller files, the limited memory may restrict multitasking and performance with more demanding tasks like video editing.

For users who don't need to juggle multiple heavy applications, this laptop offers a great balance of screen quality and portability at a budget-friendly price.

Asus Zenbook S 14 – Photos

13 Images

3. Asus Zenbook S 14

Best MacBook Air Alternative

### Asus Zenbook S 14

1Move over MacBook Air because the ZenBook S14 offers incredible performance, a great screen, multi-day battery life, and a beautiful chassis.

See it at AsusSee it at Best Buy

Product Specifications

• Display: 14" (2880 x 1800)
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
• GPU: Intel Arc
• RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X
• Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
• Weight: 2.65 pounds
• Size: 12.22" x 8.45" x 0.51"
• Battery life: 15+ hours

PROS

• Thinner, lighter, and more powerful
• Great battery life
• Improved gaming performance
• Gorgeous OLED touchscreen

CONS

• No microSD card reader

The Asus Zenbook S 14 is an excellent alternative to the MacBook Air, sharing many features with its larger sibling, the Zenbook S 16. However, it stands out with its own unique advantages, making it a fantastic choice for those looking for a smaller, highly portable laptop.

Powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, it delivers high performance and surprising gaming capabilities. It handled Adobe Premiere Pro, Microsoft Excel, and web browsing with ease, never faltering. It also runs cooler than the S 16 and is even more portable.

Weighing in at just 2.65 pounds and less than half an inch thick, it's incredibly easy to carry. Its 14-inch screen might seem small, but its portability is a significant advantage.

The battery life is exceptional, easily lasting multiple days with intermittent use. In testing, it exceeded 15 hours, which is remarkable.

The 2.8K OLED display (2880x1800) is another highlight, reaching up to 500 nits and offering an excellent viewing experience, especially for HDR gaming. While you may need to adjust settings for optimal performance, it's impressive for a laptop without a dedicated graphics card.

Overall, the Asus Zenbook S 14 is an outstanding MacBook Air alternative, offering top-notch performance at a reasonable price.

Asus TUF Gaming A14 – Photos

10 Images

4. Asus TUF Gaming A14

Best MacBook Pro 14 Alternative

Product Specifications

• Display: 14” (2560 x 1600) IPS
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS to AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
• GPU: Nvidia RTX 4060
• RAM: 16GB to 32GB (7500MHz)
• Storage: 1TB
• Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Dimensions: 12.24" x 8.94" x 0.67" – 0.78"

PROS

• Impressive battery life
• Quiet, efficient cooling

CONS

• Expensive

The Asus TUF Gaming A14 is the perfect choice for those seeking a MacBook Pro 14 alternative. It's compact, powerful, and quiet, with excellent battery life. When it's time to game, its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU delivers top performance. At just 3.2 pounds, it's even lighter than the MacBook Pro 14.

Available in three configurations, you can choose between the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS or AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, and either 16GB or 32GB of RAM. The faster RAM gives it an edge over competitors like the MSI Stealth 14. The entry-level model with the Ryzen 7 8845HS outpaces Apple's M3 in multicore performance, making it ideal for creatives and power users.

While it has more fan noise than the MacBook Pro, it's significantly quieter than most gaming laptops and stays cooler, preventing thermal throttling.

The dedicated graphics card does affect battery life, but using Advanced Optimus helps mitigate this. On the processor alone, it lasts around 10 hours, sufficient for a full workday.

The main challenge is its price. While the entry-level model is suitable for many, the top-tier version with 32GB of memory, necessary for heavy applications like Adobe Premiere Pro, costs $1,699. However, for those who can't abandon Windows and need high performance, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 is an excellent choice.

5. Microsoft Surface Pro 11

Best 2-in-1 MacBook Alternative

### Microsoft Surface Pro 11

0This 2-in-1 is especially great for artists but has enough power and efficiency to be a great daily driver

See it at Amazon See it at Microsoft

Product Specifications

• Display: 13-inch OLED or LCD touchscreen (2,880 x 1,920)
• CPU: Snapdragon X Plus or Snapdragon X Elite
• GPU: Integrated
• RAM: Up to 64GB
• Storage: Up to 1TB (expandable)
• Weight: 1.97 pounds
• Dimensions: 11.3” x 8.2” x 0.37”

PROS

• OLED display is excellent
• Very portable and easy to carry through the day
• Snappy performance
• Great accessories (including the Surface Pen)

CONS

• Single-day battery
• App compatibility is still expanding (though is fairly extensive already)

For creative professionals, the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 offers the versatility of a 2-in-1 device, making it an ideal MacBook alternative. Its design is perfect for digital artists, but it's also a great choice for productivity and entertainment. I've used it extensively since reviewing it earlier this year and continue to appreciate its portability and versatility.

The Surface Pro 11 is powered by the latest Snapdragon X processors, similar to Apple's M-series chips. You can choose between the Snapdragon X Plus or Snapdragon X Elite, offering 10 or 12 CPU cores. These processors deliver excellent performance in creative apps like Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and Illustrator. While the battery life tops out at around 10 hours, it's sufficient for a full day's work, and fast charging can replenish about 80% in an hour.

The hardware is robust, with storage options from 256GB to 1TB, expandable via a panel behind the kickstand, and RAM options from 16GB to 64GB. The display comes in either LCD or OLED variants, both with a 2880x1920 resolution, providing a crisp and vibrant viewing experience.

The primary challenge is app compatibility, as the Snapdragon processors differ from traditional x86 processors. While an emulation layer helps, not all applications are fully compatible. However, the list of supported apps continues to grow, covering most major applications used by creatives and professionals.

How to Choose the Best MacBook Alternative

Navigating the sea of MacBook alternatives can be daunting. Here are key factors to consider when selecting a laptop that meets your needs:

Processor: The number of cores is crucial. Aim for at least six cores, preferably eight, depending on your use. For a true MacBook alternative, opt for the highest clock speed available, such as an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, and avoid processors more than a generation old unless your needs are minimal.

Memory: Choose a laptop with at least 16GB of RAM. While 8GB may suffice initially, it's the minimum for modern use and can quickly become outdated. 16GB ensures smooth multitasking and future-proofing.

Storage: Your storage needs depend on your usage. If you rely on cloud storage, 256GB may be enough, but it's small by today's standards. For local storage, 512GB is the minimum, with 1TB preferred, especially for large files, photos, music, or games.

Display: Don't settle for less than 1080p resolution, as lower indicates outdated technology. Higher resolutions enhance clarity but can strain system resources for video editing or gaming. OLED panels offer superior quality but require care to prevent burn-in.

Form Factor: Consider the laptop's weight and size, as even a slight increase can become burdensome. Evaluate screen size, touch capabilities, and whether a 2-in-1 form factor suits your current or future needs.

Macbook Alternatives FAQ

What is the best M3 and M4 competitor?

Apple's M3 and M4 chips are renowned for their efficiency and power. While Intel and AMD offer high-performance alternatives like Intel's Core Ultra 7 and 9 CPUs and AMD's HX AI series, they don't quite match Apple's efficiency and battery life. For the best performance, opt for the latest generation from Intel or AMD.

Are MacBooks good for gaming?

MacBooks can run many games, but the selection and optimization of titles are limited compared to Windows gaming laptops. If gaming is a priority, a Windows laptop is a better choice.

Is a MacBook better than PC?

Whether a MacBook is better than a PC depends on your needs and preferences. MacBooks excel in creative applications due to their efficiency, power, and portability. However, PCs offer a more open ecosystem with broader software availability, especially for gaming. The choice ultimately depends on your specific use case and ecosystem preference.