Apple
MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020)
Test score
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Knowing how long a laptop brand will last you, which brands develop the most faults and when you can expect to see problems is invaluable when it comes to choosing a laptop. That’s why we asked 15,000 Which? members to tell us about the problems and experiences they’ve had with brands over the past eight years.
Our unique survey data reveals the truth about brand loyalty to find out who you turn to time and again, and crucially reveals how long you can expect laptop brands to last. We have also uncovered when popular brands developed a fault, how serious this fault was and the reasons why products are replaced
This is how we know the most common issue people encounter with their laptops is a severe drop in battery performance over a very short space of time. In fact, our research indicates this accounts for up to 23% of faults.
Keep reading to find out more about laptop brands.
Whatever your budget, our lab tests reveal which models are worth your money and which aren't. See our expert pick of the best laptops for 2022.
The table below summarises this year’s results. Brands are ranked by their customer satisfaction score, which relates to whether a brand's customers would recommend it to a friend.
Which? members can log in now to view the brands in the table below. Not a member? Join Which? today to access our laptop brand research and all of our online reviews – including laptops, desktops and computer monitors.
Brand | Customer satisfaction score | Satisfaction rating | Average test score | % Fault-free after three years | % fault-free after six years | Estimated lifetime |
87% | ★★★★☆ | 88% | 97% | 93% | 9.6 years | |
83% | ★★★★☆ | 82% | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
80% | ★★★★☆ | 80% | 95% | 92% | n/a | |
75% | ★★★☆☆ | 71% | 93% | 88% | 8.4 years | |
74% | ★★★☆☆ | 79% | 94% | 87% | 8.9 years | |
72% | ★★★☆☆ | 65% | 96% | 91% | 8.5 years | |
72% | ★★★☆☆ | 64% | 95% | 88% | 8.8 years |
Table notes:
As the graph below demonstrates, there is a big difference between the top-scoring and bottom-scoring brands in our tests, and a sizeable difference in terms of how satisfied people are with their laptops.
Best | Worst | |
---|---|---|
Average score in our laptop tests | 88% | 63% |
Fault-free after six years | 93% | 87% |
Customer satisfaction score | 87% | 69% |
On average, a laptop should last just under nine years. The very best brands exceed this, while some come up a little short.
Which? members can log in to view which laptop brands last the longest before they need to be replaced. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access to our laptop brand research and all of our online reviews – from laptops to cars.
We've pulled together our survey data and independent test results – with some insight from our laptop experts too – to give you an in-depth look at each brand.
Which? members can log in to view our unique lab test scores and customer satisfaction survey results.
If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access our verdicts on the following laptop brands, listed here in alphabetical order:
By far and away the most common hardware problem people experience with their laptops is a severe drop in battery performance over a very short space of time. Of course, batteries only have a limited lifespan, but we would still expect them to have a gradual reduction in performance rather than a substantial drop-off.
Owners of laptops from our worst-rated manufacturer reported that more than one in three of their devices experienced a problem within just six years of ownership.
Get more help on fixing a laptop with our top tips for computer repair and guide on how to to speed up a slow laptop.
Which? has a wealth of information on the UK's favourite computing brands. Every year we ask Which? members to tell us about the technology products they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand, to how reliable the products are once they get them home.
This year more than 10,000 Which? members told us about more than 20,000 devices. We calculate a brand's estimated lifespan and its customer score based on the results of our annual survey.
Our reliability surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best laptops you should buy – simply use our expert laptop reviews.
This data is crucial for our testing, too. If a brand falls far below the category average, we take away the manufacturer's Best Buy status and won’t recommend any of their products unless a marked improvement in reliability is shown.
Know which laptop brand you want? Use the links to go straight to our reviews and find your ideal model:
Or browse all of our laptop reviews.