10 Best Laptops for Project Management in 2024

Choosing the best laptop for project management is vitally important because your decision will cement your productivity for years.

Project managers oversee several projects, often big ones. This involves planning, budgeting, presenting, communicating, and—most importantly— getting everything organized, which requires working with massive files and running multiple applications simultaneously.

The management industry has embraced remote work more quickly than other sectors. With increasing access of project managers to remote and hybrid working opportunities, portability, connectivity, and an excellent battery life become extremely important for business laptops.

This is especially true for civil engineers and construction managers who are often working on construction sites.

In this guide, I rated and reviewed the 10 best laptops for project management. I’ve provided key specifications, pros, cons, and recommendations to help you find the right laptop. At the end of this post, you’ll find a super-detailed comparison table of the best business laptops.

Let’s get right into the list of recommended laptops for project managers.

What is the best laptop for project management?

Here are my top picks for the best laptops for project management:

• Best overall laptop for project management: Apple MacBook Pro (M3)
• Best innovative laptop for project managers: Asus Zenbook
• Best performance laptop for project management: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
• Best value for money business laptop: Apple MacBook Air (M2)
• Best portable laptop for project management: Microsoft Surface Pro 9
• Best laptop for meetings: HP Elite Dragonfly G3
• Best creative laptop for project management: ASUS Vivobook Flip
• Best classic laptop for project management: Dell XPS
• Best budget laptop for project managers: HP ENVY x360
• Best emerging laptop for project managers: Acer Swift X

1. Apple MacBook Pro M3 (14.2”)

Best overall laptop for project management

The new MacBook Pro M3 is a powerful laptop computer with amazing design and computing capacity.

The new Apple M3 chips can be way faster than earlier MacBook editions with Intel core processors and M1 or M2 models.

The battery can last for up to 18 hours, which is amazing for any project manager who is traveling, working in fields, or remotely.

Key specifications:

• Processor: Apple M3 Pro chip with a 12-core CPU and an 18-core GPU
• Memory (RAM): 18 GB of RAM (unified)
• Display: 3K Liquid Retina XDR display
• Battery life: Up to 18 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Connectivity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Battery life: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros:

• Up to 18 hours of battery life
• Blazing-fast performance thanks to the M3 chip
• Beautiful design
• Works smoothly with other products in the Apple ecosystem
• Powerful mac apps
• Improved connectivity (finally)

Cons:

• Pricy

2. ASUS ZenBook (14’’)

Best innovative laptop for project managers

The Asus Zenbook is a compact yet powerful business laptop powered by the latest AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor. With a compact yet powerful configuration, light weight, great connectivity, and access to MyASUS apps, the Asus Zenbook can accommodate highly mobile project managers.

This laptop computer comes with some cool innovations, including the dual-function touchpad, which can be used as a second keyboard, the ErgoLift hinge, which makes it easy to type by increasing the angle for ergonomic work, and the beautiful all-metal design.

Key specifications:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB
• Display: FHD with 1920 x 1080 resolution
• Battery life: Up to 15 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Connectivity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Battery life: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros:

• Solid performance
• Great storage capacity
• Beautiful design
• Innovative solutions (dual-function touchpad, ErgoLift hinge)
• Nice portability and connections

Cons:

• 720 p camera

3. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (14’’)

Best performance laptop for project management

The Lenovo ThinkPad X is one of the best laptops for project management with amazing specs. It comes with a 12th-generation Intel i7 processor, 32 GB RAM, a touch screen, award-winning keyboards, and a full HD camera.

This business laptop has eight ports for maximum connectivity. Security is at the heart of ThinkPad: a fingerprint sensor, a Kensington security slot, and a camera privacy shutter, among many others, will all add up to your privacy and security.

Key specifications:

• Processor: IntelCore i7 (12th generation)
• Memory: 32 GB
• Display: IPS touchscreen with 1920×1200 resolution
• Battery life: Up to 13 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Display: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Portability: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Connectivity: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Battery life: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pros:

• Excellent performance with the Intel i7 12th-generation processor and 32 GB memory
• Great connectivity with plenty of ports
• Large storage place
• Touch screen
• Excellent portability, lightweight
• Full HD camera

Cons:

• Battery could last longer
• High price
• Maybe this device deserves a superior display

4. Apple MacBook Air M2 (15.3″)

Best value for money business laptop

The MacBook Air M2 comes close to the MacBook Pro in almost all features. It comes with a Retina display, an amazing battery life of up to 18 hours, industry-leading security and privacy specs, redesigned keyboard scissor mechanism, and more. The only major difference between the Air and Pro models is the processor and audio support.

Thanks to the M2 chip, your MacBook Air laptop will stay silent, because it doesn’t use a fan for cooling.

Key specifications:

• Processor: Apple M2 chip with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB of RAM
• Display: 2.8K Liquid Retina display
• Battery life: Up to 18 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Connectivity: ⭐⭐
• Battery life: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros:

• Amazing battery life (18 hours)
• Fast processor
• Specs come close to the MacBook Pro
• Powerful mac apps
• Works smoothly with other products in the Apple ecosystem
• Beautiful design

Cons:

• Limited connectivity (requires a MacBook dongle)

5. Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (13’’)

Best portable laptop for project management

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is a business laptop and tablet 2-in-1 with a 13-inch screen. Thankfully, the tablet functionality doesn’t come at the expense of performance and battery life. Microsoft Surface Pro comes with the 12th-generation IntelCore i5 and i7 processors, and the battery can last for up to 15.5 hours.

With the lightweight and foldable design, high-resolution touchscreen, and full HD camera supporting Windows Hello face authentication, this business laptop will quickly find its way to any project manager’s heart.

Key specifications:

• Processor: IntelCore i5 (12th gen)
• Memory (RAM): 8 GB (configurable up to 32 GB)
• Display: PixelSense touchscreen with 2880×1920 resolution
• Battery life: Up to 15.5 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐⭐⭐
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Connectivity: ⭐⭐⭐
• Battery life: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros:

• Ultra-portable design (foldable, lightweight, compatible with Surface Slim Pen)
• High-resolution display
• Long-lasting battery (especially for such a large display)
• Full HD camera

Cons:

• Limited connectivity (you need to buy and carry around adapters)
• A bit of limited performance compared to laptops in this price range (the tablet mode will compensate for that)

6. HP Elite Dragonfly G3 (13.5’’)

Best laptop for meetings

I picked the HP Elite Dragonfly G3 over the Chromebook version because project managers need multiple applications and cross-platform functionality that Chrome OS doesn’t seem to accommodate. The G3 version is a Windows laptop thereby supporting multitasking and running a whole range of applications supporting the work of project managers, construction managers, and civil engineers.

The G3 business laptop is a highly customizable model. This basic version comes with a 12th-generation IntelCore i5 processor, 16 GB memory, 5MP privacy camera, HP’s power manager, AI-driven audio, and an amazing battery life. The magnesium-based laptop is solidly built up and portable.

Key specifications:

• Processor: IntelCore i5 (12th gen)
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB
• Display: 1920×1280 resolution
• Battery life: Up to 16 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐⭐⭐
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Connectivity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Battery life: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros:

• Long battery life
• Solid materials, durable design
• Fairly great connectivity with USB-A, USB-C, and HDMI
• Lightweight laptop
• 5 MP camera

Cons:

• Display and performance could be better

7. ASUS Vivobook Flip (14’’)

Best creative laptop for project management

The ASUS Vivobook Flip leaves no room for compromise. It’s powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 5800 processor with 16 GB memory and 1 TB SSD storage. Vivobook looks cool with the second-generation NumberPad and highlighted Enter key, and comes with a 2.8K OLED touch screen for maximum productivity.

With the 360° hinge, 2.8K touch screen, and Asus Pen support, this business laptop can be used either as a tablet or a computer supporting project managers with their creative efforts.

Key specifications:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB
• Display: 2.8K (2880 x 1800) touchscreen
• Battery life: Couldn’t find an official statement on the Asus website, but it’s predicted to last for about 10 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Connectivity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Battery life: ⭐⭐⭐

Pros:

• Solid performance
• 360° hinge
• Asus Pen support
• New touchpad (NumberPad)
• 2.8K touchscreen display

Cons:

• 720p camera
• Medium battery life

8. Dell XPS (15”)

Best classic laptop for project management

The Dell XPS 15 is a solid business laptop with great design, massive setup, and good performance thanks to the 13th-generation, 14-core Intel i7 processor.

The model comes with a non-touch 15.6’’ full HD display, 16 GB RAM, dedicated graphics, and a 720 p camera. Models with OLED and 4K+ displays are also available (with gradually decreasing battery life).

Key specifications:

• Processor: Intel Core i7-13700H, 14 cores, up to 5 GHz (13th gen)
• Memory (RAM): 32 GB
• Display: FHD 1920×1200 resolution
• Battery life: Up to 13 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Connectivity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Battery life: ⭐⭐⭐

Pros:

• Solid performance
• Great materials
• Generous storage place
• Quite good connectivity (although I miss the HDMI port)

Cons:

• Battery life could be better
• Bit heavy
• 720 p camera
• High price for this configuration

9. HP ENVY x360 (15.6″)

Best budget laptop for project managers

The HP Envy x360 laptop computer is an excellent choice for project managers who love mobility. This model has a 15.6’’ full HD touch screen, a nice foldable and esthetic design, a large storage place, and perfect connectivity to accommodate working from practically everywhere.

Although it isn’t a powerhouse, it has a solid computing capacity for that price, which makes HP Envy the best budget laptop for project managers.

Key specifications:

• Processor: IntelCore i5 4.20 GHz (11th gen)
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB
• Display: IPS touchscreen with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080
• Battery life: Up to 15 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐⭐⭐
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Connectivity:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Battery life: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros:

• Large screen size
• Affordable price
• Perfect connectivity
• Foldable design and touchscreen
• Generous storage place

Cons:

• Quite heavy
• 720 p webcam

10. Acer Swift X (14’’)

Best emerging laptop for project managers

The Acer Swift X is a high-performance laptop with a generous configuration for project managers. Its only major limitation, as I found out, is the somewhat limited portability due to the not-so-competitive battery life.

Otherwise, it’s a pretty solid business laptop with top-notch features like the 2.2K screen, the FHD camera (which is surprisingly rare in that category), the latest Intel i7 processor, and lots of ports for full connectivity.

Key specifications:

• Processor: IntelCore i7, 12 cores, 4.7 GHz (12th gen)
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB
• Display: 2.2K IPS display (2240 x 1400 resolution)
• Battery life: Couldn’t find an official statement on Acer’s website, but it’s predicted to last for about 11 hours

Csaba’s Rating:

• Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Portability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Connectivity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Battery life: ⭐⭐⭐

Pros:

• FHD camera
• Screen real estate
• Superior connectivity
• Solid performance

Cons:

• Not competitive battery life (note, however, that it comes with a 2.2K display)
• Could be lighter

What is the best laptop for project management, anyway?

If you’re looking for the best laptop for project management, you may want to consider what makes up your time as a project manager:

• Working with files: In today’s cloud-based world, storage space might not be of concern, however, when working with large files and running demanding applications, you need to keep an eye on this point. If you’re working in the field or want to access your working files quickly or offline, having sufficient storage place is essential.
• Communication: Having a good camera, internal mics, and speakers can be beneficial if you want to manage your online meetings properly. Unfortunately, most laptops come with a 720p camera, which is not bad, but having a 1080p can make a difference.
• Presentation: Giving presentations is one of the key tasks of a project manager. It requires great connectivity through different ports. You may need a HDMI port to connect your business laptop to a projector. Having an array of ports can be highly beneficial here. A great battery life will also support your work because presentation mode can quickly eat up power.
• Traveling and remote work: This is where portability comes into the scene. A highly portable laptop for project managers requires low weight, high connectivity through different ports, solid battery life, and a good webcam. There’re also 2-in-1 options available: you can use some laptops as a tablet with touchscreens, pens, and flipping.
• Fieldwork: If you’re a construction manager or civil engineer, you may want to consider a rugged laptop for extra durability. Construction work is not within the scope of this review, but you may find excellent options among the recommended business laptops.
• Running applications: Working as a project manager or civil engineer requires running multiple applications, sometimes demanding ones, which need processing power. The performance of your laptop computer is largely determined by the processor, storage, graphics card, and available memory. Having at least 8 GB of RAM and a quad-core processor is highly recommended for project managers. If you’re working with large files or complex datasets, more memory, and higher-end processors might benefit your work.
• Working with specific software: Project management software like ClickUp, Monday, Asana, or Trello might not need high-performance laptops, but Basecamp, Wrike, or Zoho Projects may require more power if you run complex project workflows. Document management software, financial management software, agile tools, or special software such as CAD may require computing power, too.

FAQ

1. What’s the difference between Intel and AMD Ryzen processors? Which one should I get?

Intel and AMD Ryzen processors are both solid choices for productivity. Generally, Intel processors consume more power, while AMD processors are more efficient, but they may vary across models and configurations.

2. What’s the difference between the Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processor series?

As a rule of thumb, i5 processors are good enough for everyday mundane tasks, while i7 processors often offer higher performance, which is good for video editing, CAD, and other intensive tasks. Core i7 processors often come with larger cache sizes, more cores, and higher clock speed thereby supporting higher performance. However, this high performance comes at a price: i7 processors cost more and consume more power.

3. What are the key specs of a good laptop for project management?

I created this content to have an overview of the most important specs of a good business laptop. These include battery life, portability, processor, memory, storage space, display, and more. What makes a great business laptop depends on your work, whether you’re multitasking with demanding applications such as video editing software or CAD, working with large files, working offline or online, giving presentations at different locations, etc.

4. Does 16 GB of memory make a difference in my laptop’s performance as compared to 8 GB of memory?

The choice depends on how many apps you will run at the same time. Upgrading to 16 GB is probably a good thing and will make a difference for your laptop computer if you’re multitasking or running demanding applications. 16 GB memory is also a great way in the long run, to prepare your business laptop for the future. 8 GB, however, is enough for typical office work.

Best business laptops for project management compared

Cover photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash