Mark Coppock
Computing Writer
Mark has been a geek since MS-DOS gave way to Windows and the PalmPilot was a thing. He’s translated his love for technology into a marketing, consulting, and freelance writing career aimed at helping people use technology to enhance their lives. At Digital Trends, he reviews laptops and desktops, including the latest from HP, Dell, Lenovo, Apple, and more, and writes news and easy to understand how-to articles about the computing industry as a whole.
When he’s not writing, you’ll find him reading and watching science fiction, taking photos with his family, and obsessing over Indiana University basketball.
Laptop Reviews
Best Budget Laptops
Best 2-in-1 Laptops
Best Business Laptops
Best Laptops Under $1,000
The best budget laptops for 2023
Looking for a budget notebook for work or play? The best budget laptops will get the job done without gouging your wallet.
This Windows laptop costs under $1,000 and handily beats the MacBook Air
The Apple MacBook Air M1 and Asus ZenBook 14 OLED are both great laptops for less than $1,000. But the Asus wins out thanks to its vastly superior display.
The one other Windows laptop that could dethrone the Dell XPS 15
The Dell XPS 15 is a better overall laptop than the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i, but the latter is less expensive. If pure performance is the measure, either works.
I’m a laptop reviewer, and this is the one to send your kid to college with
The Asus ZenBook 14 OLED offers tremendous value, as well as the performance, battery life, and display quality that college students will love.
Lenovo Slim Pro 9i review: upsized and powered up
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i takes what's best about the Slim 9i and beefs it up, with a superfast CPU, a competent GPU, and a Mini-LED display great for creators.
The Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 is another budget laptop that falls short
The Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 provides competent productivity performance and great battery life, but its build and display quality fall short of the competition.
Don’t just buy the latest version of a laptop. It’s not always worth it
Buying the latest generation of a laptop isn't always the best idea. Sometimes the changes are minimal, while the price on older models can be much lower.
The Lenovo Flex 5i falls into the common cheap laptop pitfalls
The Lenovo Flex 5i 14 has an attractive entry-level price when on sale. But in the reviewed configuration, its battery life, display, and build hold it back.
The premium ThinkPad that outdoes the X1 Carbon in almost every way
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is in its 11th generation and is close to being perfected. Can the upstart ThinkPad Z13 compete?
Acer Swift X 14 review: fast but not long-lasting
The Acer Swift X 14 is easy to recommend thanks to its fast performance, particularly for creators. Its battery life is a negative, though.
Best VPN services 2023: today’s top picks
It's scary knowing your data might not be private. VPNs help shield your online activities. To help you pick the right one, these are the best VPN services.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is both faster and longer-lasting
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 received low-power CPUs that increase battery life, as expected. But the added and unexpected benefit is faster performance.
HP Envy 16 (2023) review: a cheaper MacBook Pro alternative
The 2023 HP Envy 16 significantly increases performance for gamers and creators. Everyone else can stick with the previous year's model and save some cash.
Why the latest ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 isn’t worth the upgrade
Lenovo's business-oriented 2-in-1, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga, is now in its 8th generation. The newest model is only a modest improvement over the 7th-gen.
MSI’s attempt at a MacBook Pro killer is a disaster. What went wrong?
The MSI Prestige 16 Studio has some high-end components, but its performance was inconsistent and unstable. And its Mini-LED display disappoints.
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED review: outstanding screen, outrageous value
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED somehow manages to pack solid performance, excellent battery life, and an OLED display into a near-budget price. It's a true bargain.
Dell XPS 17 (2023) review: still great, but going a bit gray
The XPS 17 9730 isn't any faster than its predecessor unless you're gaming, and its design remains the same. It's a good laptop, but it's no longer a leader.
How to clean a laptop fan
Cleaning your laptop fan is an important step in maintaining your machine for the best performance. Here, we provide a simple guide to get you started.
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i review: dual-screen experiment succeeds
The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i takes the dual-display concept and makes it work. There are a few glitches, but for the most part, there's a ton of useful flexibility.
Acer Swift Go 14 review: a solid value, with one flaw
The Acer Swift Go 14 is an affordable laptop with excellent performance and an OLED display. Only an issue with color accuracy held it back from a higher score.
MSI Creator Z17 HX Studio review: large and in charge
The MSI Creator Z17 HX Studio provides great performance thanks to one of the fastest CPUs around and a solid discrete GPU. It's also well-built and -designed.
This Windows laptop beats the MacBook Air in one important way
The Zenbook S 13 OLED 2023 falls short of the Apple MacBook Air M2 in a few very important areas. But its OLED display keeps it in the running.
Why I can’t recommend buying the prettiest laptop of the year
The LG Gram Style is the best-looking laptop around. But its gorgeous chassis hides some serious flaws, and I couldn't recommend it despite its good looks.
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED (2023) review: a serious contender
The 2023 version of the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED makes some significant changes from the previous generation's Editor's Choice model. But it's still great.
LG Gram Style review: more style than substance
The LG Gram Style is the best-looking laptop so far in 2023. Looks aren't everything, though, and the laptop suffers some flaws that hold it back.
HP’s new Envy x360 14 looks like a killer value for what you get
HP has introduced upgrades to its Envy x360 lineup, with a new 14-inch model that hits a budget laptop price.
Dell XPS 15 (2023) review: a great laptop starts to falter
The Dell XPS 13 (9530) upgraded the CPU and GPU, but left everything else unchanged. That makes for a lackluster update this year.
Lenovo Slim Pro 7 review: a fast and affordable thin and light laptop
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 manages to pack a lot of power into a thin and light chassis, at a price that's closer to midrange than premium. It's well worth a look.
How to factory reset Windows 10 or Windows 11
If your PC is being sold or has serious errors, then your best option is to factory reset Windows. We'll walk you through the entire process, step by step.
MacBook Pro M2 vs. MacBook Pro M1: Max, Pro, and more
The MacBook Pro 14 and 16 M2 versions are faster and more efficient than their predecessors. Is that enough to convince you to upgrade?
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i vs. Asus Strix Scar 17: gaming laptop showdown
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and Asus Strix Scar 17 are both extremely fast gaming machines. It's an Intel versus AMD shootout, but which is the best gaming laptop?
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 vs. Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: which is best?
The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 offers a superior display, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i trumps it in CPU performance, Which is the better gaming laptop?
LG Gram 17 Pro (2023) review: a good idea, poorly executed
The LG Gram 17 Pro is plenty fast and has great battery life, and its display is a pleasure to use. But it's unstable and doesn't feel as durable as it should.
Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 review: a delightful OLED laptop
The Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 is fast and well-built, and it sports a spectacular OLED display. It's expensive, but as Lenovo's 2-in-1 flagship, it's worth a look.