Apple took the overall laptop award in CNET’s 2026 People’s Picks survey, winning eight of the 10 categories covered. Readers rated MacBooks highly for satisfaction, battery life, display quality, construction and performance, though the results also highlighted other brands for affordability and value.
Among Apple laptop users surveyed, 74.2% said they were extremely satisfied and another 22.5% said they were satisfied, for a combined positive rating of 96.7%. MacBooks also received strong marks for value: 44% of owners described theirs as exceptional value, while 50.9% said it was worth the price.
The survey found that 81.8% of Apple owners paid at least $1,000 for their laptop, and 43.5% paid $1,500 or more. CNET noted that Apple’s lower-priced MacBook Neo brought its starting laptop price to $699. The publication’s laptop editor, Matt Elliott, said MacBooks’ higher prices are offset in part by their build quality and reliability.
Battery life was another strong point. A total of 44.4% of surveyed MacBook owners said their laptop lasts at least eight hours, including 25.7% who reported more than 10 hours. CNET’s streaming tests measured 13 hours and 26 minutes for the MacBook Neo and 17 hours and two minutes for the 13-inch MacBook Air M5.
Readers also rated Apple’s displays highly: 99.2% said they were satisfied or extremely satisfied with screen performance, and none reported dissatisfaction. On durability, 87% of Apple users said their MacBook had experienced no hardware failures. Brand loyalty was high, too: 68% said they would buy the same model again, while 29.1% would choose another Apple laptop.
For buyers looking beyond Apple, the survey pointed to Acer and Asus as alternatives at lower price points. Acer had the highest overall satisfaction score among non-Apple brands, at 92.6%. More than a third of Acer owners said they paid under $500, while 44% rated their laptop’s value as exceptional.
Asus was highlighted as a midrange option: 67% of its surveyed owners paid between $500 and $1,499, and 48% said they were extremely satisfied. The survey also recognized Lenovo for battery life and build quality. CNET reported that 16% of Lenovo owners said their laptops last at least eight hours, and 68% said they had not experienced hardware issues.
Sources: CNET.