1. The list in brief
2. Best overall
3. Best portable
4. Best display
5. Best 2-in-1
Attending Zoom meetings has become a standard part of everyday life in the last few years, and whether you need to participate in online classes or collaborate with your co-workers, having a device with a good webcam and microphone for Zoom video conferencing is essential, and you'll want some decent speakers, too.
Thankfully, plenty of affordable yet capable laptops fit the bill. Some will want a laptop that can do it all, spending enough money to secure the best laptop for video conferencing, but if you're just looking to be able to work remotely and have good quality meetings over Zoom, you don't need to break the bank.
All of these laptops have been rigorously tested by the Windows Central team, and we're confident in their ability to make Zoom meetings that much better for you.
The quick list
A laptop with green credentials, but that's also perfect for Zoom meetings. The combination of a great value package, a 1440p webcam and some AI smarts to enhance video calls makes it an absolute winner.
For true on-the-go Zoom meetings, there's little better than the Surface Go 3. The built-in kickstand and compact size make it perfect to use for video calls whenever or wherever you are.
The webcam is important for Zoom calls, but so is the display you're going to spend all day looking at. This laptop has an optional OLED display that for its price is simply unbeatable.
As an all-around business laptop, this is hard to beat, with a stunning combination of hardware and software that makes it a champion of remote workers if you have the budget.
Best overall
The Acer Aspire Vero is a unique laptop in many regards, but for the purpose of conducting remote meetings over Zoom, it has one killer feature. Acer has squeezed a 1440p webcam inside it, compared to 1080p which is found on most laptops. Resolution isn't everything, but it certainly helps, and with this laptop you get great looking video.
It's also excellent value, packing a quality spec sheet without breaking the bank. The latest version uses Intel 13th Gen CPUs, up to 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. It also has serious green credentials, using recycled plastics in the chassis, keyboard, power adapter and trackpad. The latter feels like glass, but it's actually entirely made from ocean plastics.
Acer also paid attention to its software for remote meetings. PurifiedView and PurifiedVoice applies AI to your webcam and microphone to add features such as automatic framing, background blur and background noise suppression for both you and the other end of your call. It's a little chunky, sure, but the whole package makes it absolutely killer for conducting those Zoom meetings.
Best portable
The Surface Go 3 might be tiny, but it's a rather versatile laptop, with enough performance from an optional Core m3 processor (CPU) to get through most productivity work. Compared to the Surface Go 2, the Go 3 is nearly identical, save for the performance upgrade. Keep in mind that Instant On capabilities, thinner bezel, and larger display have carried over from the Go 2. There is now a more powerful Surface Go 4, but it's more expensive and currently only available to business customers, so for most people, the Surface Go 3 is still the one to get.
It features a relatively standard 10.5-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio using an FHD 1920x1280 resolution on a touchscreen that supports the Surface Pen. Thanks to the 2-in-1 form, you can use the device as a tablet, with that built-in kickstand allowing you to prop it up anywhere. You can also effectively turn it into a notebook by attaching a Type Cover with its built-in keyboard and touchpad.
You get front- and rear-facing cameras for those all important calls, Wi-Fi 6, and dual 2W stereo speakers. A selection of ports for accessories and external storage include USB-C, a 3.5mm jack, Surface Connect, and a slot for microSD cards. The beauty of the Surface Go 3 for remote work is its size and portability. This is one of the most convenient ways to conduct a Zoom meeting wherever you are.
Best display
HP's Pavilion Plus 14 is affordable, thanks in part to offering previous-gen Intel 13th Gen processors, but it's still well made and can be configured with up to a 2.8K OLED display. For Zoom meetings, much focus is on the webcam, which here is a good quality 5MP unit, but you're going to be looking at the display all day, too, and that's the real killer feature here.
In his Pavilion Plus 14 review, Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino called it "the best $1,000 you can spend on a powerful OLED laptop right now." That's saying something, as many manufacturers were focusing heavily on improving their mid-range lineups. Port selection on the latest model includes Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB-A, and HDMI 2.1, while Wi-Fi 6E ensures a strong connection to Zoom.
The 5MP webcam with True Vision is perfect for those all important video calls, dual speakers pump out decent audio, and the keyboard is comfortable. The 14-inch model with a 2.8K OLED screen features a 90Hz refresh rate and up to 400 nits brightness, which is plenty. It also hits 100% sRGB, 97% AdobeRGB, and 100% DCI-P3 color, making it ideal for photo or video editing, too.
Best 2-in-1
Lenovo has wholly shifted Tech Editor Ben Wilson's opinion on the business-focused category, convincing him away from settling for gaming laptops that double up as work machines. The Gen 8 model of the ThinkPad X1 Yoga always reviewed well with each iteration, while this entry won Ben over within his first day with a sample.
It might not be the prettiest laptop, but it's practically flawless in function and makes day-to-day work more accessible. We wouldn't hesitate to take it on a long journey, solving the issue of cramped spaces in public transport with a transformation into tablet mode and a phenomenal battery. Lenovo also has a number of thoughtful software additions to make the work day better, and a built-in privacy shutter for the webcam is now standard fare on ThinkPads.
Anyone looking for the best 2-in-1 laptops focusing on portable working will love it since Lenovo offers generous warranty coverage and software support. We'd choose it a hundred times over the company-designated machines we've been stuck with in the past.
Choosing the best laptop for Zoom meetings
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Having a good device for Zoom meetings is very important these days, and thankfully, there are plenty of affordable and well-made laptops on the market that have a good webcam, display and microphone.
All of the laptops chosen here offer their own benefits, be that a top quality webcam and audio, software features to assist make your meetings better for everyone, or even supreme portability.
Whichever you choose, you can be assured that your Zoom meetings will be the best quality they can be.
