Best AI laptops (2026): for AI features and for running models locally

“AI laptop” means two different things, and they need different machines. If you want the AI features built into Windows and macOS, such as translated captions, writing tools and smarter search, almost any recent laptop with 16 GB or more will do. If you want to run AI models on the laptop itself, the spec that matters is memory: how much the models can use, and how fast it is.

We picked laptops for both jobs at September 2026 prices, from $1,499 to $6,699.

Which kind of AI laptop do you need?

• AI features only. Choose a Copilot+ PC (a Windows laptop with an NPU rated above 40 TOPS) or a recent Mac, and pick it like any laptop: screen, keyboard, battery. Our guide to AI PCs explains the labels.
• Small and mid-size local models (up to about 20B, for chat, writing and coding help). 24 to 48 GB of memory. The MacBook Air and Zenbook A16 below cover this.
• Large local models (70B and 120B-class). 128 GB of unified memory, shared between processor and graphics. Only a few laptops offer it: a MacBook Pro with M5 Max, or a laptop with AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395.
• The fastest speed on models up to about 35B. A laptop with NVIDIA’s RTX 5090, whose 24 GB of video memory is the fastest of any laptop here.

What each laptop can run

Estimated writing speed, tokens per second

Machine	Qwen3.5 9B5.68 GB file	gpt-oss 20B12.11 GB file	Qwen3.6 35B-A3B22.13 GB file	Llama 3.3 70B42.52 GB file	gpt-oss 120B63.39 GB file
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 24 GB) 24 GB, 153 GB/s	17-23	34-44	No fit	No fit	No fit
ASUS Zenbook A16 (Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, 48 GB) 48 GB, 228 GB/s	20-26	40-52	39-51	No fit	No fit
ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128 GB) 128 GB, 256 GB/s	29-38	57-74	56-73	4-5	41-53
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5 Max, 128 GB) 128 GB, 614 GB/s	49-63	96-124	94-122	6-8	68-88
ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (2025, RTX 5090) 24 GB GPU, 896 GB/s	113-147	197-255	195-252	1-2*	No fit

Two caveats on these estimates. On the Snapdragon laptop we assume models run on the processor, the option local AI apps support most widely there. A processor can write at a good pace but reads long prompts slowly: in our tests a desktop processor read prompts 15 to 20 times more slowly than an RTX 4060 (T0001 and T0002). And laptop graphics chips run at lower power than desktop cards, so the RTX 5090 laptop may land below its estimates.

The picks

Best for most people Researched, not tested

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 24 GB)

M5 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24 GB, 512 GB. Apple M5, 10-core CPU

Memory

24 GB unified

Bandwidth

153 GB/s

Price

$1,499

Apple's thin, fanless laptop, configured with enough memory for mid-size local models. 24 GB of unified memory at 153 GB/s runs gpt-oss 20B and models up to about 14B at reading speed, alongside Apple's built-in AI features.

The MacBook Air is the laptop most people should buy for AI, as long as you choose 24 GB instead of the base 16 GB. The extra $100 at Apple is what lets it hold gpt-oss 20B, a mixture-of-experts model that writes quickly because it reads only a small part of its weights for each word: we estimate 34 to 44 tokens per second. Models up to about 14B also run at reading speed. Anything much bigger does not fit, and the memory cannot be upgraded later.

What we like

• 24 GB fits gpt-oss 20B, which the 16 GB model cannot hold
• Silent, with no fan
• Only $100 more than the 16 GB model at Apple

What we don't

• Memory can't be upgraded later
• No fan, so very long jobs can slow down as it heats up
• Too little memory for 70B or 120B-class models

Where to buy

• Check price at Apple 24 GB / 512 GB
• Check price on Amazon 24 GB / 512 GB, Midnight

list price $1,499 (Apple store price for 24 GB / 512 GB; $1,399 with 16 GB; checked Sep 26, 2026). Prices change often; the buttons show today's price at each store.

Best Windows AI laptop Researched, not tested

ASUS Zenbook A16 (Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, 48 GB)

UX3607OA-XS99, X2E-94-100, 48 GB, 1 TB, 16-inch 3K OLED. Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme X2E-94-100 (18 cores, up to 4.7 GHz)

Memory

48 GB

Bandwidth

228 GB/s

Price

$1,999.99

A thin 16-inch Copilot+ laptop with Qualcomm's fastest chip. Its 48 GB of memory runs at 228 GB/s, about 1.5 times Intel's Core Ultra X7 358H, and the 80 TOPS NPU handles the Windows AI features.

If you want Windows, this is the Copilot+ laptop with the most room for local AI at a mainstream price. Qualcomm’s X2 Elite Extreme has its memory on the chip package at 228 GB/s, about 1.5 times Intel’s Core Ultra X7 358H, and this model comes with 48 GB. That fits mixture-of-experts models up to about 35B, such as Qwen3.6 35B-A3B, at an estimated 39 to 51 tokens per second on the processor. Windows on Arm runs most everyday apps, natively or through emulation, but check that any specialist software or drivers you depend on support it.

What we like

• 48 GB at 228 GB/s holds mixture-of-experts models up to about 35B
• 80 TOPS NPU for Copilot+ features
• Thin 16-inch OLED design

What we don't

• Windows on Arm, so a few apps, games and drivers still don't run
• Fewer local AI apps can use its graphics and NPU than on Apple, AMD or NVIDIA chips
• Memory is soldered

Where to buy

• Check price at Best Buy 48 GB / 1 TB
• Check price on Amazon 48 GB / 1 TB

$1,999.99 at Best Buy for 48 GB / 1 TB on Sep 26, 2026. Prices change often; the buttons show today's price at each store.

Best for big models on Windows Researched, not tested

ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128 GB)

GZ302EA-XS99, 128 GB, 1 TB, 13.4-inch 2.5K 180 Hz touch screen. AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (16 cores / 32 threads, up to 5.1 GHz)

Memory

128 GB unified

Bandwidth

256 GB/s

Price

$3,299.99

A 13-inch detachable tablet with a keyboard cover, built on the same Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip as the biggest AI mini PCs. Its 128 GB of 256 GB/s unified memory holds gpt-oss 120B and 70B-class models, which no other Windows laptop in this guide runs at a usable speed.

This 13-inch detachable has the same chip and 128 GB of 256 GB/s unified memory as the 128 GB mini PCs we recommend, in a machine you can carry. It holds gpt-oss 120B, which we estimate at 41 to 53 tokens per second, and 70B dense models at a slow 4 to 5. At $3,299.99 at Best Buy it costs about half as much as a 128 GB MacBook Pro. The trade-offs are a small screen and a keyboard cover instead of a laptop keyboard.

What we like

• 128 GB of unified memory runs 70B and 120B-class models
• Copilot+ PC with a 50 TOPS NPU
• About half the price of a 128 GB MacBook Pro

What we don't

• Writes large models at roughly 60% of an M5 Max's speed, by our estimates
• Small 13.4-inch screen for the price
• Memory is soldered

Where to buy

• Check price at Best Buy 128 GB / 1 TB
• Check price on Amazon 128 GB / 1 TB

$3,299.99 at Best Buy for 128 GB / 1 TB on Sep 26, 2026. Prices change often; the buttons show today's price at each store.

Fastest for big models Researched, not tested

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5 Max, 128 GB)

M5 Max 18-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 128 GB, 2 TB. Apple M5 Max, 18-core CPU

Memory

128 GB unified

Bandwidth

614 GB/s

Price

$6,699

The fastest laptop for large local models. The 40-core M5 Max reads its 128 GB of unified memory at 614 GB/s, more than twice a Ryzen AI Max+ 395, so gpt-oss 120B and 70B-class models run faster than on any other laptop here.

No other laptop runs large models this quickly. The 40-core M5 Max reads its memory at 614 GB/s, so gpt-oss 120B should write at 68 to 88 tokens per second and a 70B dense model at 6 to 8, both clearly ahead of the Flow Z13. The cost is steep: $6,699 at Apple with 128 GB and 2 TB, and in the MacBook Pro, 128 GB is only offered with the 40-core M5 Max. If you don’t need 120B-class models, a MacBook Pro with less memory costs thousands less.

What we like

• 614 GB/s across all 128 GB of memory
• Runs gpt-oss 120B and 70B-class models faster than any other laptop here
• Also sold as a 16-inch model for $300 more

What we don't

• By far the most expensive pick
• On the 16-inch model, 128 GB costs $2,000 more than 48 GB
• macOS only, no CUDA

Where to buy

• Check price at Apple 128 GB / 2 TB
• Check price on Amazon 128 GB / 2 TB, Silver

list price $6,699 (Apple store price as configured; the 16-inch model with the same chip, memory and storage is $6,999; checked Sep 26, 2026). Prices change often; the buttons show today's price at each store.

Fastest up to 35B Researched, not tested

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (2025, RTX 5090)

G635LX-XS97, RTX 5090 Laptop GPU 24 GB, 32 GB DDR5, 2 TB. Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 cores)

Memory

32 GB

GPU memory

24 GB

GPU bandwidth

896 GB/s

Price

$4,599

A 16-inch gaming laptop with NVIDIA's fastest laptop graphics chip. Its 24 GB of video memory runs at 896 GB/s, so models that fit, up to about 35B, write faster than on any other laptop here, with the NVIDIA software every local AI app supports.

For models that fit in 24 GB, nothing else here comes close: NVIDIA’s RTX 5090 laptop chip reads its video memory at 896 GB/s, and every local AI app supports NVIDIA’s CUDA software. We estimate 197 to 255 tokens per second on gpt-oss 20B and 41 to 53 on the dense Qwen3.8 27B. Bigger models spill into the laptop’s much slower system memory, which sits in two standard slots, so you can add more: with 64 GB, we estimate gpt-oss 120B at 21 to 29 tokens per second, split between graphics chip and system memory. It is a gaming laptop first, and it is not a Copilot+ PC.

What we like

• 24 GB of video memory at 896 GB/s, the fastest memory of any laptop here
• NVIDIA CUDA, supported by every local AI app
• System memory in two standard slots, so you can add more

What we don't

• 24 GB limits fast local AI to models up to about 35B
• Not a Copilot+ PC; its NPU is rated at 13 TOPS
• About $4,600 at the stores we checked

Where to buy

• Check price on Amazon 32 GB / 2 TB
• Check price at Best Buy 32 GB / 2 TB, Sold by Adorama
• Check price at Newegg 32 GB / 2 TB, Sold by Adorama

$4,599 at Newegg (sold by Adorama) for 32 GB / 2 TB on Sep 26, 2026. Prices change often; the buttons show today's price at each store.

What about Intel?

Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 chips, such as the Core Ultra X7 358H, are strong Copilot+ chips. With memory at 153.6 GB/s they are in the same class as the MacBook Air’s M5 for local models. The model we priced, LG’s gram Pro 16 with a Core Ultra X7 358H and 32 GB, listed at $3,649.99 at LG in September 2026 (Best Buy had it on sale for $2,599.99 until September 28), more than the Zenbook A16 with 48 GB, so it did not make our list.

Laptop, mini PC or desktop?

If the laptop will mostly sit on a desk, the same money buys more elsewhere: a 128 GB Ryzen AI Max+ 395 mini PC costs about the same as the Flow Z13 with a bigger choice of ports, and a desktop graphics card adds fast local AI to a PC you already own. Our calculator shows what fits on any of them.

How we chose

We compared current laptops on the memory available to AI models, its bandwidth, and prices checked at Apple, Best Buy, LG and Newegg on September 26, 2026, and estimated their speed with the method in our bandwidth study. We have not tested these laptops ourselves; our own results come from a desktop RTX 4060 and Ryzen 9 7900X.