Buying a laptop can seem really complicated. Not only do these essential devices get more capable every year, but new features (some of which are little more than marketing gimmicks) crop up on a regular basis and can be hard to sort out. What should the screen size be? Do you need ultra-high-definition (UHD or 4K) resolution, or is standard high definition enough? What about memory, ports, and 2-in-1 functionality? Will a Chromebook suffice?

　　Our guide to the Best Places to Buy Laptop will not only help you choose the best laptop for your needs but the best retailer as well. We looked at major factors that affect the buying experience and came up with the seven best places to purchase your new laptop. See coupons for these and other retailers here.

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　　The Best Places to Buy a Laptop

　　#1 Best Buy

　　#2 Walmart

　　#3 Newegg

　　#4 Amazon

　　#5 Target

　　#6 Staples

　　#7 TigerDirect

　　Compare the Best Places to Buy a Laptop in 2021

　　Best Places to Buy a Laptop in 2021

　　COMPANYIN-STORE PICKUPS AND RETURNSINSTALLMENT FINANCINGRETURN POLICYSHIPPING COSTLEARN MORE

　　Best Buy »

　　4.2 out of 5Up to 15 DaysFree for orders $35+View Deals on Best Buy »

　　Walmart »

　　4.1 out of 5Up to 90 DaysFree for orders $35+View Deals on Walmart »

　　Newegg »

　　4.1 out of 5Up to 45 DaysVariesView Deals on Newegg »

　　Amazon »

　　3.9 out of 5Up to 30 DaysVariesView Deals on Amazon »

　　Target »

　　3.8 out of 5Up to 90 DaysFree for orders $35+View Deals on Target »

　　Staples »

　　3.3 out of 5Up to 14 DaysFree for orders $45+View Deals on Staples »

　　TigerDirect »

　　2.9 out of 5Up to 30 DaysFree for orders $250+ and under 50 poundsView Deals on TigerDirect »

　　Best Places to Buy a Laptop in Detail

　　Best Buy

　　View Deals on Best BuyBest Overall

　　360 OVERALL RATING

　　4.2 out of 5IN-STORE PICKUPS AND RETURNS

　　EDUCATION OR MILITARY DISCOUNT

　　INSTALLMENT FINANCING

　　RETURN POLICY

　　Up to 15 Days

　　Best Buy: Best Buy is probably the most well-known U.S. electronics store, and it's our No. 1 Best Place to Buy a Laptop of 2021. Part of Best Buy's rating has to do with selection, as it offers 21 of our Best Laptops of 2021. You can buy online and pick up your laptop in a physical store, and Best Buy will even match Amazon's prices on identical items. There's also a loyalty program and free shipping for orders of $35 or more. On the downside, the 15-day return policy is one of the least generous among the stores in our rating.

　　One advantage of purchasing a laptop from Best Buy is that you can add Geek Squad protection. Prices for a three-year or five-year Geek Squad protection plan depend on the cost of the laptop you buy. A Geek Squad protection plan essentially extends the laptop's warranty. It covers 100% of the parts and labor if you need a battery replacement or a repair, either from damage or normal wear and tear.

　　See our Best Buy coupons for savings opportunities.

　　Walmart

　　View Deals on WalmartMost Brick-and-Mortar Locations

　　360 OVERALL RATING

　　4.1 out of 5IN-STORE PICKUPS AND RETURNS

　　EDUCATION OR MILITARY DISCOUNT

　　INSTALLMENT FINANCING

　　RETURN POLICY

　　Up to 90 Days

　　Walmart: You may think a store that sells everything would have just an average selection of most things, including laptops. However, Walmart sells 20 of our Best Laptops of 2021. Like Best Buy, you can purchase and return items either in a physical store or online. Also like Best Buy, Walmart's shipping is free for items that cost at least $35. And with more than 4,700 stores in the U.S. alone, you're likely to have a Walmart somewhere relatively close to you.

　　Walmart's return window for laptops is 30 days. You can return items in-store, by mail, or via a scheduled pickup from your home. Items purchased at a Walmart store can only be returned in a store, while merchandise purchased online may be returned in-store or by mail.

　　See our Walmart coupons for savings opportunities.

　　Newegg

　　View Deals on NeweggMost Payment Options

　　360 OVERALL RATING

　　4.1 out of 5IN-STORE PICKUPS AND RETURNS

　　EDUCATION OR MILITARY DISCOUNT

　　INSTALLMENT FINANCING

　　RETURN POLICY

　　Up to 45 Days

　　Newegg: Newegg is an online-only retailer that calls itself "the leading tech-focused e-retailer in North America." It has the largest selection of laptops in our Best Laptops of 2021 rating (25 models). The company also stocks an extensive variety of other consumer electronics, computer parts, tablets, software, and office supplies, along with more general merchandise like apparel, sports equipment, and toys. Although there's no option to see or purchase anything in a physical store, the company does offer an unusually large choice of payment methods, including Apple Pay, Bitcoin, Ethereum, QuadPay, and Dogecoin. Installment financing is available.

　　Shipping costs depend on the item purchased. Next-day, two-day, and three-day shipping options are available. You can also choose a slower and cheaper option such as ground (one to five business days), Super Eggsaver (four to seven business days), and APO/FPO/DPO (two to six weeks). All of these options have their own terms and conditions.

　　See our Newegg coupons for savings opportunities.

　　Amazon

　　View Deals on AmazonBest for Fast Shipping

　　360 OVERALL RATING

　　3.9 out of 5IN-STORE PICKUPS AND RETURNS

　　EDUCATION OR MILITARY DISCOUNT

　　INSTALLMENT FINANCING

　　RETURN POLICY

　　Up to 30 Days

　　Amazon: Coming in at No. 4 in our rating, Amazon offers 20 models from our Best Laptops of 2021 list, matching Walmart. The company famously offers free two-day Prime shipping for many items and even faster shipping in some cases. Becoming an Amazon Prime member has a long list of other perks as well, including Prime Video content, discounts, and online photo storage. On the downside, while Amazon does have physical bookstores, you can't buy a laptop in person.

　　You can return laptops and other merchandise within 30 days to any UPS or Kohl's location or an Amazon Hub Locker. You can even have UPS pick up the item at your house for an extra charge.

　　See our Amazon coupons for savings opportunities.

　　Target

　　View Deals on Target360 OVERALL RATING

　　3.8 out of 5IN-STORE PICKUPS AND RETURNS

　　EDUCATION OR MILITARY DISCOUNT

　　INSTALLMENT FINANCING

　　RETURN POLICY

　　Up to 90 Days

　　Target: Target sells a lot of things, including a good variety of laptops from well-known brands like Dell, Asus, HP, and Lenovo. There's also a selection of pre-owned laptops. However, Target stocks only one laptop in our Best Laptops rating. Target allows payment via PayPal, and installment financing is available. You can buy online and return in a store or vice versa, and orders of $35 or more ship free in two days. The company's Target Tech service provides technical support and upgrades for devices and plans. Plus, it has a RedCard rewards program that offers 5% discounts on every purchase. Target's two-year laptop protection plans run from $20 to $111 and are backed by Allstate.

　　Most unopened items bought at Target in new condition and returned within 90 days will receive a refund or exchange. However, you need to return laptops and other electronics within 30 days.

　　See our Target coupons for savings opportunities.

　　Staples »

　　View Deals on Staples360 OVERALL RATING

　　3.3 out of 5IN-STORE PICKUPS AND RETURNS

　　EDUCATION OR MILITARY DISCOUNT

　　INSTALLMENT FINANCING

　　RETURN POLICY

　　Up to 14 DaysSEE REVIEW

　　Staples: Staples is an office supply and electronics retailer that sells a decent selection of laptops, but like Target, it only carries one of the models in our Best Laptops of 2021 list. The company has a lot of other things going for it, though. You will find a wide choice of computer peripherals here along with just about everything else you need to fully stock your home office. Like most of its competitors, Staples offers a loyalty program and in-store pickups and returns for items purchased online. There's no two-day shipping option, but shipping is free for orders of at least $45. The company offers electronics protection plans that last between two and four years and cost from $19.99 to $49.99 a year. Some of these plans include accident protection and/or technical support.

　　Technology purchases must be returned within 14 days. If you no longer have a receipt, you can get a refund to the credit card used to make the purchase. Otherwise, you're only eligible for a store credit.

　　See our Staples coupons for savings opportunities.

　　TigerDirect

　　View Deals on TigerDirect360 OVERALL RATING

　　2.9 out of 5IN-STORE PICKUPS AND RETURNS

　　EDUCATION OR MILITARY DISCOUNT

　　INSTALLMENT FINANCING

　　RETURN POLICY

　　Up to 30 Days

　　TigerDirect: This online electronics store sells a host of computers and accessories, including five of our Best Laptops of 2021. Dell, Lenovo, and HP are particularly well-represented here. On the downside, shipping your laptop isn't free. Also, while returns up to 30 days from the date of purchase are sometimes possible, the return policy notes that products from HP, Lenovo, and other manufacturers are not returnable to TigerDirect. If you're thinking about buying a laptop from this company, check the return policy for that specific make and model first.

　　What Should I Look for in a Laptop Retailer?

　　Price: A lot of things go into a laptop's price, particularly processor speed, screen size, resolution, and memory. Where you make the purchase can also affect the price of a given machine. That said, because the market for laptops is so competitive, many retailers offer to match a competitor's lower price for the same make and model. Some of the retailers in our Best Places to Buy a Laptop list also offer installment financing, which can make an expensive purchase like this easier to swallow. You may also want to check out coupons for these and other retailers on our Deals page.

　　Selection: Selection is important when buying a laptop for two reasons. First, if you know the make and model you want, you're more likely to find it at a retailer with lots of models to choose from. Second, if you're not sure what sort of laptop is best for you, visiting a retailer with a large selection lets you compare models and features that you might not have been aware of. Electronics stores like Best Buy sometimes have a better choice of laptops than more general-purpose retailers like Target, although this isn't always true. In addition, a given company's online offerings are frequently more extensive than the selection in its brick-and-mortar locations (if it has any). Among the laptop retailers in our rating, Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon stock the highest number of our Best Laptops of 2021.

　　In-person viewing: Although you may have a wider selection from an online-only retailer like Amazon, there are distinct advantages to purchasing a laptop from a physical store where you can examine it first. Not only are laptops expensive, but using one is a very hands-on experience. Is the keyboard comfortable to type on? Is the screen bright and easy to read? Does it weigh too much to cart around regularly? These and other questions are sometimes best answered after seeing the model you're considering in person.

　　In-store pickups and returns: Even if you purchase a laptop online, it can be more convenient to pick it up in a physical store. Returns are often easier in person as well.

　　How to Buy a Laptop

　　To buy a laptop, follow these steps:

　　Decide how you will use the laptop: Determine if you will use it just for basic computing tasks, like email and web browsing, or if you need it for more demanding jobs, like photo and video editing or gaming. While a midrange or budget laptop will suffice for surfing the web and using productivity apps, you will need a faster processor and more memory for gaming and photo or video editing. Because most people keep their computers for at least several years, think about both your current and future needs when making your purchase decision.

　　Pick an operating system: Apple’s macOS, Microsoft’s Windows, and Google’s Chrome OS are the three primary choices when it comes to operating systems. While all of them can handle basic computing tasks, if you need a computer for work, more companies use Windows than macOS machines. Macs are particularly good for photo and video editing, while gamers will appreciate laptops that run Windows and have dedicated graphics processors. If your child needs a computer, check to see which operating system his or her school prefers, and make the purchase before the back-to-school shopping rush. Finally, your choice of phone or tablet may also be a factor. That's because Apple computers like the MacBook Pro can sync easily with iPhones and iPads and even transfer files between them wirelessly.

　　Choose a screen size and resolution: The display is one of the most important parts of a laptop, as you will sometimes be staring at it for hours on end. Most laptop displays are 13 to 15 inches measured diagonally in a 16:9 or 16:10 widescreen aspect ratio (the ratio of width to height). That said, you can get screens that measure up to 17 inches.

　　When it comes to resolution, the main options are full HD (FHD) at 1920 x 1080 and ultra HD (UHD) at 3840 x 2160. At the screen size of a laptop, we don't recommend UHD because it costs more and you probably won't be able to see a difference.

　　Finally, consider whether you want a touch screen. If so, your choices will be limited to Windows and Chrome OS, as Mac laptops don't currently offer this feature.

　　Choose a processor, storage, and memory: There's a trade-off between processor speed and battery life. Generally speaking, the faster the processor, the more battery power it uses. Midrange processors are fast enough for most people, unless you're gaming or editing video. Even slower (and cheaper) processors are fast enough for basic tasks like email and web surfing.

　　When it comes to storage, many people make the mistake of not getting enough and eventually running out of room for all of their photos, videos, and other data. The 128 gigabyte (GB) drives that come on low-end machines are large enough for Chromebooks, but you will need at least 256 GB for macOS and Windows computers because those operating systems take up a lot more space, leaving you with less room for your files.

　　Finally, most Chromebook owners can get by with 4 GB of random access memory (RAM), which the computer uses for tasks like loading and running software. If you have a Windows or macOS laptop, get at least 8 GB of RAM – more if you play games or edit photos or videos on a regular basis.

　　For more information, see our guide on How to Buy a Laptop.

　　Laptops can be expensive, but many manufacturers offer rewards and discounts. See the table below for details.

　　Rewards and Discounts

　　COMPANYPOINTS OR CASH BACK REWARDSLOYALTY OR BENEFITS MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMGIFT CARDS AVAILABLEEDUCATION OR MILITARY DISCOUNTLEARN MORE

　　Best Buy »

　　4.2 out of 5View Deals on Best Buy »

　　Walmart »

　　4.1 out of 5View Deals on Walmart »

　　Newegg »

　　4.1 out of 5View Deals on Newegg »

　　Amazon »

　　3.9 out of 5View Deals on Amazon »

　　Target »

　　3.8 out of 5View Deals on Target »

　　Staples »

　　3.3 out of 5View Deals on Staples »

　　TigerDirect »

　　2.9 out of 5View Deals on TigerDirect »

　　What's the Best Time of Year to Buy a Laptop?

　　The best times of year to buy a laptop are during the back-to-school and holiday seasons. Lots of parents buy laptops for their kids before school starts, and retailers often provide discounts during this time. Likewise, Black Friday and holiday seasons frequently see deep discounts on a variety of electronics, including laptops. You also can find deals on the previous year's model of a given laptop when a company releases a new model. This often happens in the spring, although Apple usually announces new products in September, while Microsoft tends to wait until October.