Shopping for a new laptop computer can be an overwhelming task, simply due to the sheer volume of options that are available to you. There are different operating systems, different manufacturers, similar model numbers and a whole other slew of information that can make it difficult to make a decision on the right computer for you. Fortunately Amazon has a list of their most popular and best-selling laptops, which provides an excellent starting point for any prospective laptop shopper.
The logic behind the importance of a best-seller list is simply that you are taking the collective work and research of thousands of other laptop customers and producing a simple list where the computers that were chosen most frequently are at the top. Whether this is due to a great price, outstanding reviews or simply a popular feature, there is usually a reason that a best-selling computer has gained that ranking. So with that in mind, check out the 5 best-selling laptops at Amazon on October 8, 2013.
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Click here to see the full list of best-selling laptops. Note that these are updated constantly, so the laptops discussed below may no longer be in the top five positions if you check later in the future.
1. Samsung Chromebook (Wi-Fi, 11.6-Inch)
This Chromebook is a very different laptop than most people are accustomed to, and in several different ways. The first thing to notice about it is the small screen size. An 11.6″ inch laptop is only roughly larger than an iPad, which makes it very light, portable and convenient for a lot of situations.
The second thing that makes this so unique is that it doesn’t run the Windows operating system, and the majority of your data is going to be stored online in the cloud. The Chromebook utilizes something called the Chrome OS, which basically means that your computer will be starting directly in the Google Chrome Web browser. You will only be able to store a small amount of data directly on your hard drive, and the majority of your work will be done online, while connected to the Internet and with files that are stored in Google Drive.
This may seem intimidating, but people that are always on the move, or that primarily use their computers to browse the Internet and work on documents and spreadsheets will find that this is a really convenient way to do things. If this seems like something that might appeal to you, then it is definitely worth reading more about this popular new piece of affordable technology.
Who should buy this laptop: People with constant Internet access, people that are already heavily invested in the cloud, particularly Google Drive, and people that value speed, portability and simplicity above anything else.
Read more about the Samsung Chromebook here
2. Apple MacBook Pro MD101LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION)
It’s interesting that the Chromebook is the most popular laptop on Amazon and that this is the second-most popular. These are very different computers. It’s also worth noting that neither of the two most popular laptops are running any version of the Windows operating system.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro is simply an amazing computer. The build quality is better than basically any other laptop you will find, and the trackpad is well known as the best on the market. It’s got a lot of power under the hood, and is more than capable of heavy media editing, and it comes in several different size and storage configurations. Switching to the Mac OS for the first time can be somewhat daunting to lifetime Windows users, but most quickly find that Mac is a well-polished operating system that functions just as well as Windows.
Some of the current popularity of this particular model is likely due to the fact that it is currently priced below its’ lifetime price average (again, this article was written on October 8, 2013, and prices fluctuate a lot), making it quite a value at the current asking cost. If you have been in the market for a 13-inch MacBook Pro, then this is a great time to pick one up.
Who should buy this laptop: People looking to buy their first Mac, people that want a laptop that will have a high resale value, people that just want to worry about using their computer and don’t want to worry about the problems that often arise in Windows computing environments and people waiting for a good deal on a MacBook Pro.
Read more about the Apple MacBook Pro MD101LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop here.
3. Dell Inspiron 15 i15RV-6190BLK 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black Matte with Textured Finish)
We’ve finally found our first Windows laptop, and it’s running Windows 8. This is the new default for any machine that runs the Windows operating system, and it brings a bit of a change for people that are used to the standard Windows environment. But once you switch over to the Desktop view, everything starts to look pretty familiar. You will even find that there are certain shortcuts and features that you probably prefer from Windows 7.
This budget laptop is meant to appeal to people that don’t require a lot of performance out of their computer, and just want something simple and reliable that doesn’t cost a lot of money. This Dell model certainly fits the bill, as it has been carefully designed to lower the price while still providing a good usage experience. It has multiple USB ports, a DVD drive and an HDMI port, meaning that you will be able to connect all of your phones, MP3 players and other devices without a problem. The HDMI cable will also make it a simple matter to connect your laptop to your TV if you want to share something on the computer with additional people in the room.
Who should buy this laptop: Students looking for an affordable basic computer for Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint or Outlook, families that need a laptop for around the house, traveling business types that need to check email on the road, browse the Internet or do some document editing.
Read more about the Dell Inspiron 15 i15RV-6190BLK here.
4. Toshiba Satellite C55-A5245 15.6-Inch Laptop (Satin Black in Trax Horizon)
We have written a full review of this laptop here, if you want to learn a little more about it, but we really like this Toshiba Satellite for a wide variety of different user types. It is the perfect combination of performance features and price, and it has all of the features that today’s typical laptop customer is searching for. Oh yeah, and it also has Windows 7, which is a huge selling point for the people out there who actively don’t want to use Windows 8.
The i3 processor and the 4 GB of RAM should be more than enough for most users, but the RAM is upgradeable later if you decide that you need more speed and want to purchase and install the RAM yourself. This isn’t going to be a great laptop for people that need to do a lot of video-editing or want to play the newest video games on ultra-high settings, but it performs extremely well for Web-browsing, Netflix streaming and Microsoft Office use.
Who should buy this laptop: Students with a more demanding course load, business users that work on their computers for hours at a time, home users that want to do a lot of media streaming or light picture editing and individuals that need more performance than other budget laptops, but don’t want to pay more for a more powerful processor like the i5 or the i7.
Read more about the Toshiba Satellite C55-A5245 here.
5. Acer Aspire E1-531-2438 15.6″ Laptop Glossy Black
This is basically a combination of numbers 3 and 4 on this list. A budget laptop, but one that is running Windows 7. The processor is not as powerful as the one on the Dell at number 3, but the difference is not very significant. This Acer is ideal for people that want the increased 15.6″ screen size, are apprehensive about the Windows 8 upgrade, or for someone that needs a computer to check their email and keep up with friends, but probably won’t be installing a lot of programs or using this for work.
I highly recommend this computer as a reliable option for someone that just wants something that works, is easy to use and doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on the latest and greatest gadgets. It has received very favorable reviews on Amazon, and the price is hard to beat.
Who should buy this laptop: Anyone looking for a budget Windows 7 computer, home users that want to browse the Internet and occasionally open Microsoft Word or Excel, and students that need a computer but don’t need to use a lot of resource-intensive applications.
Read more about the Acer Aspire E1-531-2438 here.
If none of these laptops seem like they fit the type of computer for which you are searching, we have also written full reviews for many of the more popular and well-reviewed laptops available on Amazon. You can read all of our laptop reviews here.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.