The best new computers to replace your old Windows 10 PC
With Microsoft officially ending support for Windows 10 on October 14, anyone with an older PC is faced with a dilemma. Sure, you can kick the can down the road by signing up for the free 12-month Extended Security Updates. But even if your computer meets the minimum system requirements for a free Windows 11 upgrade, anything older than a year won't be able to take advantage of Microsoft's Copilot+ AI PC features, like Windows Recall or Studio Effects for video chats. So if you've already been feeling that your current aging PC is on the verge of dying — slow performance, whining fans, batteries that barely keep a charge — it's probably time to consider replacing it with a new system.
We've already done the legwork of researching and selecting new hardware in our best laptop and best Windows notebook guides (we've also covered more powerful gaming and schoolwork systems), but here are some suggestions if you're just looking to snap up something quickly.
The best Windows 10 laptop replacements
Surface Laptop 13.8-inch
In many ways, the Snapdragon-powered Surface Laptop is emblematic of where Windows PCs are headed. It's incredibly light, surprisingly powerful for something with a mobile chip and its battery lasted over 17-and-a-half hours in our testing. While you may run into some compatibility issues if you're running ancient Windows programs, for most people the Surface Laptop is one of the best PC experiences they can have today. If you're looking for something smaller and cheaper, there's also a $700 13-inch model, and the $1,200 15-inch version is worth it if you need a bigger screen. (Check out our full review of the Surface Laptop 13.8-inch.)
Dell 14 Premium laptop
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Dell 14 Premium
We loved last year's XPS 14, and now that it’s been renamed as the Dell 14 Premium, it’s still a fantastic machine. It looks and feels luxurious, and it has one of the best screens around. You may just need some time getting used to its invisible trackpad (which is blended into the palm rest), and its capacitive function key row. (Check out our full Editor’s Choice review of the Dell 14 Premium.)
ASUS ZenBook S 14
The ZenBook S14 wowed us with its powerful hardware, excellent battery life (of over 16 hours) and solid construction. It's a sign of how far ASUS has come from simply copying Apple. The S14 is also lighter than the MacBook Air, and it includes more useful ports (two USB-C, one USB-A, HDMI and a headphone jack). Its Ceraluminum case (a unique ceramic material) also feels surprisingly polished, and its OLED screen looks simply amazing. (Check out our full review of the ASUS ZenBook S 14.)
Apple MacBook Air
Don't yell at me — Apple's new computers are so good that Windows users should seriously consider jumping ship to Macs. While the software may take some getting used to, it's worth the struggle for the speed and incredible battery life from Apple's M-series chips. The MacBook Air remains one of the best computers around, with an incredibly thin and fan-less case and far more power than you'd think. And if you're an iPhone user, you'll also have access to features like phone mirroring that are tough to replicate on Windows. (Check out our full review of the M4 MacBook Air.)
Dell Slim Desktop
Dell
The best Windows 10 desktop replacements
Dell Slim desktop
If you're just looking for a basic desktop replacement, it's hard to go wrong with the Dell Slim. While we haven't reviewed this specific model, the specs on even the entry-level configuration have all of the power you need for basic computing, despite housing everything in a frame that's notably smaller than older tower PCs. And if you need a bit more performance, consider the slightly more expensive Dell Pro, which can squeeze in up to 32GB of RAM and a handful of dedicated graphics cards.
Apple Mac Mini
Apple's Mac mini is one of the most powerful mini-desktops around, it's adorably small and it starts at just $599 (look for the frequent sales that drop the price by as much as $100). Just as I argued above for the MacBook Air, it's worth considering the jump to MacOS simply because Apple's hardware is so impressive now. And don't worry, you can connect any monitor to it, and you won't have to replace your existing PC keyboard and mouse.
Geekom A6 Mini
While I haven't tested the Geekom A6 Mini yet, it's widely considered one of the best Windows mini-desktops around $400 to $500. The A6 Mini features a very capable AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor with a bit of gaming power, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. You honestly don't need much more for basic productivity work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to upgrade to a new computer if my current Windows 10 PC still works fine for me?
Your computer will still continue to run after Microsoft ends support for Windows 10 on October 14, but that’s not a wise longterm strategy. The free Extended Security Updates will buy you another year, but that's effectively a limited life support: After that, Windows 10 PCs won’t receive security updates or any sort of improvements, so they’ll be vulnerable to hacking and malware. And if you’ve still got an old Windows 10 machine, there’s a good chance that its components may wear out soon. If you choose to continue using a Windows 10 PC, be sure to back up your important data and try not to rely on it for critical tasks.
Can a Mac run native Windows software?
Virtualization software like VMWare and Parallels can let you run Windows apps inside of macOS, but be aware that also involves buying a copy of Windows and dedicating a large chunk of disk space for it. These days, most major apps are available across both platforms, so be sure to check if there’s a Mac version of your favorite Windows app.
Can a Chromebook or iPad replace a Windows 10 PC?
Chromebooks and iPads both have very specific purposes: Chromebooks are great budget-friendly machines for accessing the web and running online apps. iPads are a handy way to upgrade your mobile internet experiences, since their large screens are better for browsing the web, running apps and watching media. But neither are ideal replacements for a Windows 10 PC, which can access the full breadth of Windows software in addition to the web. If either one works for you, great; but we think the options listed above are better full-service PC replacements.
I have a ton of PC games. What's my best upgrade option?
It’s easy to find a decent gaming desktop from a reliable computer maker these days, just make sure you’re equipped with at least 32GB of RAM (new titles can be pretty memory intensive), and an NVIDIA RTX 40-series or AMD Radeon RX 9000-series GPU.
As for CPUs, I’d recommend sticking with Intel’s 13th-gen chips or AMD’s Ryzen 8000-series processors at a minimum. Don’t count out gaming laptops either, as they’ve come a long way over the last decade. It’s not hard to find a gaming notebook that’s powerful, portable and useful for multimedia and productivity work as well..
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-best-new-computers-to-replace-your-old-windows-10-pc-134500000.html?src=rss