Which? Don't Buy laptops

Buying a terrible laptop will leave you tearing your hair out at its painfully slow processor, drab screen and awkward keyboard. 

Our unique laptop testing can save you time - and money - by alerting you to the Don't Buy laptops to leave on the shelf, and the Best Buy laptops you should consider instead.

Join Which? to find out which laptops we've named as Don't Buys. You will also get access to all of our expert, independent online reviews - from laptops, to desktop PCs, to electric cars.

What makes a Don't Buy laptop?

If you've ever spent minutes waiting for your computer to load up a simple web browser, you'll already know how frustrating a rubbish laptop can be. But it doesn't stop there. Don't Buy models may have touchpads that are so erratic you have to take a few goes to select what you want, and screens that make even the most exciting blockbusters appear as dull as dishwater.

Big discounts can easily make a poor laptop look like a tempting bargain. But even if you don't want to spend big, you can still pick a great model. We've discovered sub-£300 PCs that are nippy enough for light use and are great for documents and browsing the web. If you buy a laptop that we score highly, you can be confident that it won't let you down.

While most Don't Buy laptops will receive the label due to a poor showing in our test lab, others may be highlighted as they are subject to a safety alert although this is thankfully very rare.

Unique laptop testing by Which?

Which? tests laptops from all the biggest brands you may be considering buying. Models of all shapes and sizes from Apple, Dell, Acer, Asus, Lenovo and more are all tested, and we can assure you that even the biggest names are capable of producing some disastrous laptops.

• We test laptops on over 200 unique criteria - from processor speed and screen clarity, to battery life and build quality - to ensure that we have every angle covered.
• Those ratings combine to create a total test score out of 100 so that you can see at a glance which laptops are worth your time.
• We don't show any bias towards more expensive models, either. Every laptop and Chromebook review is objective, and we've uncovered some brilliant bargains.

If we declare a laptop to be a Don't Buy, you can be sure that it's one you should 100% avoid. No matter how tempting its price tag might be, you'll inevitably end up regretting ever buying it.

Which? is independent – we work for you, the consumer, so you can be sure that our product recommendations are influenced only by our test results. We're not influenced by third parties and we don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers. We buy all the products that we test ourselves, so our advice helps you to make the right choice first time and avoid costly mistakes.

To find out which laptops are Don’t Buys and which are Best Buys, join Which? today.