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PC Travel Review 2024: Great For PC Insiders

Thinking about becoming a PC Insider and not sure how to use PC Travel? The PC Insiders program launched in 2018 and […]

Thinking about becoming a PC Insider and not sure how to use PC Travel?

The PC Insiders program launched in 2018 and has exploded in popularity amongst Canadians.

Since PC Travel is closely tied with PC Insiders and PC Optimum, I thought I would do a PC Travel review to see if it would be worth using to book travel.

Pros of PC Travel

Cons of PC Travel

Table of Contents

What is PC Travel

PC Travel is a travel agency started by the President’s Choice brand. You can book hotels, flights, vacations, cruises, and car rentals through the website.

Who can use PC Travel?

There are only two ways you can be qualified to use PC Travel:

• If you hold one of the three President’s Choice Financial Mastercard.
• If you are a PC Insiders Member.

Here are the three different Mastercards that qualify. Note the salary requirements:

What is PC Insiders

The  PC Insiders  program is a new subscription service that unlocks perks & benefits on select food, apparel and more at participating retailers where  PC Optimum   points are earned and redeemed, and also online at  shoppersdrugmart.ca and  joefresh.com .

Cost: Annual Subscription for $119/year

Benefits: 20% back in  PC Optimum  points at participating retailers on:

• All brands of baby diapers and formula
• All  PC  Organics products
• All  PC  Black Label Collection purchases
• All Joe Fresh ®  purchases
• All beautyBOUTIQUE online orders

Free Shipping on:

• joefresh.com
• shoppersdrugmart.ca
• No pickup fee on online grocery orders picked up at  PC Express

There is also a  PC  Travel services credit for annual subscribers, meaning if you use this travel credit, your PC Insiders membership is essentially free.

If you already shop a lot at PC Brands stores like Superstore, Loblaws, Nofrills, and Shoppers Drug Mart, the PC Insiders program is a great deal.

If you take at least one flight a year, you can take advantage of the travel credit also on PC Travel, which essentially makes your PC Insiders membership free. With that kind of deal, there’s no downside to joining up with PC Insiders.

How to earn PC Optimum points with PC Travel

Here is a breakdown of the different credit cards you can use and how many PC Optimum points you can earn when booking with PC Travel.

• If you are a PC Financial Mastercard holder, you will earn 20 points per $1 spent on PC Travel
• If you are a PC Financial World Mastercard holder, you will earn 20 points per $1 spent on PC Travel
• If you are a PC Financial World Elite Mastercard holder, you will earn 30 points per $1 spent on PC Travel.

Translating this into dollar amounts:

For every 10,000 points you receive, you will $10 in Optimum points, which is the same as cashback since it is deducted from your purchases at PC stores.

If you’re booking with PC Travel, and you have the maximum card of PC Financial World Elite card, you will get 30 points for every dollar spent. This means to earn 10,000 points, you will need to spend around $333 to earn $10 in Optimum points. This is equal to 3% cashback.

If you don’t have the max card and are only earning 20 points for every dollar, you will need to spend $500 to earn $10 in Optimum points, which is equal to 2% in optimum points awards.

3% is an excellent points reward for a no-fee credit card. There are also elite-level rewards like travel medical insurance included when you purchase the flights.

PC Travel vacations vs Redtag.ca vacations

I made a comparison for an identical vacation from Toronto to Cancun, Mexico. There was the same hotel, Smart Cancun by Oasis, which was $1,168 on PC Travel, but only $968 on redtag.ca. That is a massive $200 difference. The PC Optimum points you earn will not even come close to making up that difference.

How long does it take to receive my PC Optimum points?

Looking at PC’s terms and conditions, it will take between 3-5 weeks for your PC Points to be awarded to your account. 

Where can you redeem PC Optimum points?

When you get 10,000 PC optimum points, you can redeem them for up to $10 worth of free products and groceries at any  participating stores . Here is the list of those stores; there are a lot of choices!

• Real Canadian Superstore
• Shoppers Drug Mart
• Atlantic Superstore
• Independent grocer
• Extra Foods
• Bloor Street Market
• Maxi & Cie
• City Market

PC Travel Flights vs Google Flights

I did a search for a Vancouver to Edmonton flight to compare prices with the PC Travel platform and Google Flights.

Although the flight prices for Air Canada and Westjet were the same for both platforms, one thing that stood out is that on PC Travel, you won’t be able to book discount airlines such as Swoop or Flair.

Google Flight – Flair Airlines is available

PC Travel – Same Flight, no Flair Air was available to book!

Who should use PC Travel

• If you’re a PC Insiders member, make sure to use up your PC Travel credit every year.

Who should not use PC Travel

• If you don’t shop at any PC or Loblaws-affiliated stores much.
• If you don’t have a PC Insiders membership or PC Mastercard.

Get the PC Insiders if you shop a lot at PC Brands like Superstore, Loblaws, NoFrills, Shoppers Drug Mart. Then, you can use the travel credit to fly using PC Travel. You can’t redeem PC Optimum for travel, but you can earn PC Optimum points by booking with your credit card through PC Travel.

PC Travel flights and PC Travel vacations don’t seem to be a great deal, though, and there are better deals to be had elsewhere.

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PC Travel Review

In an era where the world is your oyster, and adventures beckon from every corner of the globe, the process of planning and booking your dream trip should be as exciting as the journey itself. This is where PC Travel steps onto the stage as a trusted companion for both seasoned globetrotters and those just dipping their toes into the world of travel.

PC Travel, proudly backed by President’s Choice Financial , represents a seamless blend of innovation and convenience. It’s a travel booking platform that’s revolutionizing the way we explore, offering a plethora of travel services right at your fingertips. But it’s not just about ease; it’s about elevating your travel experience, providing options galore, and, perhaps most enticingly, the promise of savings that allows you to dream bigger and go further.

In this comprehensive exploration, we embark on a journey to uncover the intricacies of PC Travel. We’ll delve into its user-friendly interface, which feels like a breath of fresh air in the often cluttered world of online travel booking.

We’ll navigate through the myriad of travel options it offers, from flights that whisk you away to far-flung destinations to the cozy comforts of home-away-from-home hotels. But it doesn’t stop there; PC Travel brings a unique twist by seamlessly integrating with PC Financial services, offering financial products that could potentially turn your travel dreams into reality. And, of course, we’ll unveil the alluring world of rewards that await savvy travelers who choose PC Travel as their go-to platform.

So, fasten your seatbelts, dear readers, as we embark on this exploration of PC Travel—a platform that strives not only to be your travel assistant but your partner in crafting unforgettable adventures. Whether you’re seeking sandy shores, mountain peaks, or urban adventures, PC Travel promises a passport to discovery, and we’re here to guide you through its wonders. Let’s begin!

What Is PC Travel? 

Key features and aspects of PC Travel include:

User-Friendly Interface : PC Travel is known for its easy-to-use website, making it simple for users to search for and book travel services.

Variety of Travel Options : It offers a wide range of travel options, including flights to domestic and international destinations, accommodations from budget to luxury hotels, vacation packages that bundle flights and hotels, and car rentals.

Integration with PC Financial : PC Travel is closely linked with PC Financial, which offers financial products like credit cards . Users of PC Financial can earn rewards, such as PC Optimum points, that can be used for travel-related expenses through PC Travel.

Rewards Program : PC Travel has its own rewards program where customers can earn PC Optimum points on their travel bookings. These points can be redeemed for discounts on future travel expenses.

Customer Support : PC Travel provides customer support through phone and email to assist customers with their travel plans or address any issues.

While PC Travel offers several benefits, it’s important for users to consider factors like pricing, rewards program suitability, and the availability of travel options compared to other booking platforms before making their travel arrangements through PC Travel. It’s also wise to check for any updated information or changes in services, as the travel industry can be dynamic and subject to change.

PC Travel: A Brief Overview

Before we delve into the nitty-gritty of PC Travel, let’s get to know this platform a bit better. PC Travel is a travel booking service backed by President’s Choice Financial. It aims to simplify the travel planning process while offering potential savings and a wide array of options. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or an occasional traveler, PC Travel promises to be a trusted ally.

User-Friendly Interface and Convenience

One of the standout features of PC Travel is its user-friendly interface. The platform boasts an intuitive design that makes it easy for users to navigate. Even if you’re not tech-savvy, you can quickly figure out how to search for flights, hotels, and vacation packages.

Booking a flight or a hotel room is a breeze. You simply enter your destination, travel dates, and the number of passengers, and PC Travel provides you with a list of options. The search results are displayed clearly, with all the essential details, such as prices, flight times, and layover information, readily available. This simplicity is a breath of fresh air, especially for those who have spent hours on other travel websites trying to piece together their ideal trip.

Variety of Travel Options

PC Travel isn’t limited to just flights and hotels; it offers a variety of travel options. You can book flights to domestic and international destinations, find accommodations ranging from budget-friendly to luxury, and even explore vacation packages that bundle together flights and hotels for added savings.

What sets PC Travel apart is its partnership with various travel providers. This partnership allows you to access a vast selection of airlines, hotels, and tour operators. Whether you’re planning a relaxing beach getaway, an adventurous trek through the mountains, or a city-hopping tour of Europe, PC Travel can cater to your needs.

Perks of PC Financial Services

One unique advantage of using PC Travel is its integration with PC Financial services. If you’re already a PC Financial customer, you can leverage their financial products to enhance your travel experience. For example, the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard offers PC Optimum points, which can be redeemed for travel-related expenses such as flights and hotels. This synergy between PC Travel and PC Financial can result in significant savings and added benefits for frequent travelers.

Rewards Program and Potential Savings

PC Travel offers a rewards program that can be enticing for travelers looking to maximize their savings. The program allows you to earn PC Optimum points on your travel bookings. These points can be redeemed for discounts on future travel expenses, effectively lowering the overall cost of your adventures.

Additionally, PC Travel often provides exclusive deals and promotions. These can include discounts on flights, hotel stays, or vacation packages. By keeping an eye on these offers, you can secure fantastic deals that make your travel dreams more affordable.

Customer Support and Reliability

When booking a trip, it’s crucial to have reliable customer support in case you encounter any issues or have questions. PC Travel provides customer support through phone and email, ensuring that you have assistance when you need it. While the quality of customer support can vary, many users have reported positive experiences with the platform’s support team.

Drawbacks and Considerations

While PC Travel offers many advantages, it’s essential to consider its drawbacks and limitations. One notable limitation is that PC Travel may not always have access to the same range of travel options as some larger booking platforms. This means that in some cases, you might not find the absolute cheapest flights or accommodations on PC Travel.

Additionally, while the rewards program can be beneficial, it’s essential to evaluate whether it aligns with your travel habits . If you’re not a frequent traveler, it might take a while to accumulate enough PC Optimum points to make a significant difference in your travel expenses.

How Does PC Travel Work? 

PC Travel is a travel booking platform that simplifies the process of planning and booking travel arrangements. Here’s how it typically works:

Visit the PC Travel Website

Start by visiting the official PC Travel website. You can access it through your web browser on a computer or mobile device.

Search for Travel Services:

On the PC Travel website, you’ll find search options where you can specify your travel preferences. This typically includes entering your destination, travel dates, the number of passengers, and any other relevant details.

Browse Search Results:

After entering your travel criteria, PC Travel will provide you with a list of search results. These results will include various options for flights, hotels, vacation packages, car rentals, and more, based on your preferences.

Compare Options:

You can then browse through the search results to compare different travel options. PC Travel will typically display important details such as prices, flight times, layover information, hotel amenities, and more. This allows you to make informed decisions based on your preferences and budget .

Select and Book:

Once you’ve found the travel services that meet your needs, you can select them and proceed with the booking process. PC Travel will guide you through the booking steps, including providing passenger information, payment details, and any additional services you may wish to add, such as travel insurance.

Payment and Confirmation:

After providing all the necessary information, you’ll make your payment using the method you prefer, such as a credit card . Once your payment is processed successfully, you’ll receive a confirmation of your booking via email, which includes all the relevant details of your trip.

Access to Rewards and Benefits (Optional):

If you are a PC Financial customer and have integrated your PC Travel booking with your PC Optimum rewards program, you may earn rewards points for your booking. These points can be redeemed for discounts on future travel expenses or other rewards.

Customer Support:

If you have any questions or encounter issues during the booking process or while traveling, you can contact PC Travel’s customer support via phone or email for assistance.

It’s important to note that the specific features and offerings of PC Travel may change over time, so it’s advisable to visit their official website for the most up-to-date information and to explore any new features or benefits they may have introduced. Additionally, PC Travel’s integration with PC Financial can provide added advantages for those who use PC Financial services, including credit cards with travel-related benefits.

Final Words

In conclusion, PC Travel is a valuable tool for travelers seeking convenience, potential savings, and the integration of financial benefits through PC Financial services. Its user-friendly interface, variety of travel options, and rewards program make it a compelling choice for those looking to simplify their travel planning process.

However, like any travel booking platform, PC Travel has its limitations. It may not always offer the absolute lowest prices, and the rewards program’s benefits may vary depending on your travel frequency.

As you plan your next adventure, consider PC Travel as a helpful resource in your travel toolkit. It has the potential to streamline your planning, save you money , and enhance your overall travel experience. Remember to stay informed about any updates or changes to the platform, and don’t hesitate to reach out to their customer support when needed.

With PC Travel, you have the opportunity to explore new horizons, create unforgettable memories, and embark on journeys that will leave you with stories to tell for years to come. Happy travels!

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Location & Hours

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2810 Matheson Boulevard E

Mississauga, ON L4W 5J8

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Overall rating

When I canceled my booking, PC travel not only charged me $50 admin fee, but also told me the refund will take 10 WEEKS! However, the PC points were just reversed immediately!!!

I booked with PC partially because the agent assured me I could cancel with no penalty. When I got confirmation, it stated there would be no charge to cancel. I cancelled 3 days ahead of the deadline. Then they informed me there would be a $50.00 charge. I argued and all they would do is reduce it by half. These people lie and don't honour what they say, or even what it says on the confirmation. Buyer beware. Stay away from them.

Very dishonest travel agency. They charged $300+ and for last 6 months they are "processing refunds".

Took a week to change a travel arrangement (where I paid for that flexibility). As a result, rate increased and nothing was done to assist. Avoid.

Totally dishonest travel services company which Loblaws should be ashamed to associate its much valued PC brand with. Before I booked my hotel, I already made sure I do much due diligence by calling in and asking their change/cancellation policies. I was specifically told of their "generous" price guarantee offer which allows price matching plus an extra $25 credit if found a lower price within 24 hours of booking. This comforted me enough to go ahead with the reservation without comparing the competitors. Merely hours after the reservation (booked in the morning, called back in the early afternoon), I finally found time to look into the pricing if booked directly on the hotel chain's website and of course found the hotel price to be cheaper. I called back only to be told that the price matching isn't be valid because the hotel's website ends in .com. Fine, I said, but every online travel services such as expedia.ca also has the price at a cheaper rate, what can you say about that?? "Oh, but you've already made the booking, so price matching isn't valid anymore." I said what do you mean? You guys told me your best price guarantee is extended to 24 hours after booking. "Oh but the policy has recently changed, now you can only price-match at the time of booking." What??? That's not what another agent just told me hours ago! "Well, do you see anything about the 24 hours period anywhere within our terms and conditions?" I said in fact yes, I still see it. All you need to do is on PC Travel website, select you're a "PC Optimum Member" first (not any of the Mastercards), and then find the "Best Price Guarantee" link under the "Contact Us" page. Section 4B states "Ensure that all submitted screenshots display the date and time when they were captured and must be valid at the time of booking or dated within 24 hours after the date and time of the booking confirmation you received from PCTM travel services. Screenshots dated outside this timeframe will not be considered. Please retain all screenshots until your claim has been reviewed and completed." Then they told me this is "really old" policy which should not be there anymore and blame on my browser cache. I told them I've never been in the website before but I can see the same via another browser as well as on my mobile phone. Refer to the screen capture. I was told the only option I now have is to cancel the entire booking and re-book again for the price-match, but I'll lose any associated credits and fees. How ludicrous! In any case, these cheaters are willing to go the extra mile to deny their own price guarantee policy. I hope everyone reads this review before their booking and stay FAR away from their website and their deceitful business practice!

Price matching policy currently shown on PCTravel.ca

Worse customer service process AND staff. Took me 3 days and being talked down to by the agent whose job is to tell me that I'm gonna get a call back! She kept asking me why I've been calling for then for 3 straight days! My problem was not resolved yet and I was promised something that I didn't get so what am I supposed to do? Everytime I need to talk to someone I was told to wait for a call back WHITIN 24 hours! So I have to watch my phone for 24 hrs to ask a simple question otherwise I'd have to call again to be told to WAIT again. You just lost a customer and I'll make sure to warn my network not do business with pc travel.

After a few conversations with a representative from the company they took responsibility and refunded my for the tickets. Great customer service!!! Would definitely purchase tickets from their website again.

DO NOT BUY ANY SERVICE FROM  ***  WWW.PCTRAVEL.CA *** Booked a flight to Europe through www.pctravel.ca which is managed by Travel Nation Canada. The connection flight in Europe was changed from 1.5 hours layover to 24 hours layover. No one contacted me to let me know about this change. My parents in-law had to find a hotel, pay for it and stay over night in order to be able to get their connection flight to get to the final destination. Their luggage was lost as well.  I was supposed to get extra PC Points for booking Air Canada flight through this website which did not happen. I had to e-mail them 4-5 and finaly after 9 weeks I got my points. VERY dissapointed with this compnay. WILL NEVER EVER buy anything from them again.  DO NOT BUY anything from   *** WWW.PCTRAVEL.CA ***

Very bad service. Get around of this place. I was their customer for a long time but now it not worth even to earn PC points. The website doesn't work well. I called them and they did so many mistakes in the ticket and finally charged $12000 instead $1200. That is was second time that I have to open dispute with PC mastercard to receive money back. Because of them I left PC insider club.

Pathetic experience while canceling the ticket which I booked it through PC Travel agent. Huge penalties for each ticket (more then 50%) and on top of that cancelling charges which is absolutely weird. Agent told that cancelation charges is for all tickets but they charge actually for each ticket. Also, no refund if you use $99 PC Insider Credit. Money would credit it back in two weeks of time and they don't know what would be actual charges, really?? I booked it through PC travel for first time but after this would not recommend anyone to use this.

A few weeks ago I was finally ready to book our family trip to Disney World. I was going to book our flights through West Jet as I've always had a good experience with them, and had picked out our flights and dates and got everything priced out. Then I remembered I got bonus points through PC travel so went online to book the flights there. The flights listed were at least double the price of what I was looking at on the West Jet website. I called and spoke to a travel agent, who was telling me the flights I was looking at on West Jet were unavailable or fully booked despite me being able to select them, and the flight being 7 months away. After providing her flight numbers and departure details she was finally able to find the flights. In total it took over half an hour to get the flights booked over the phone when I could have done it on the West Jet website in about 5 minutes. Not really worth the extra $24 I got for spending over $2,000 on flights. At one point the travel agent started telling me about a trip she took once and about this overweight woman on the flight who didn't really fit in the seats properly. Certainly not the decorum I had ever been taught for any of my professional roles, but whatever, I just wanted to get the tickets booked so I could get off the phone. Fast forward roughly two weeks later and I get an email from the travel agent but from her Travel Nation email (they are associated with PC Travel) saying 'Hi Shannon, Your client wants to cxld chf tkt.. I have them on my line...' and then a screenshot of their internal system showing the info for a flight to a different destination on a different date than ours. I responded asking why she was sending me this. Her response was 'Because this is your booking...'. I responded again questioning the fact that I was supposedly flying to this other destination in 2 weeks (rather than Florida in 7 months). She then responds by sending me another screenshot of their internal system which showed the full legal names of the family, their telephone number, and their email address. She said it was the booking I had made yesterday. I responded saying I made no bookings and had no idea who any of those people were. She responded with 'Sorry, wrong e-mail address'. Wtf? She had three opportunities to not send me personal and private information of these other customers: 1) when she first went to send the initial email; 2) when I responded asking why she was sending me the flight info; and 3) when I indicated for a second time that I didn't know what she was talking about. I had a party of 5 flying to Florida in 7 months. This was a party of 3, with totally different names, different area code and phone number, and completely different email address, flying to a different state 6 months apart from our date. There is no way this could have been a simple mistake, just plain disregard for people's personal and private information, followed with a woops, wrong email. Before posting this publicly I wanted to reach out to PC Travel to voice my concerns and see what they would do to rectify it. I filled out an online 'contact us' form explaining the situation and providing my contact info. That was 9 days ago and I have yet to receive a response. Clearly they show very little concern for customer's private information (or their travel agent's general level of professionalism). Dare I add that I'm still waiting on my points?

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Recent updates, all reviews, the 6 best travel laptops - summer 2024 reviews.

When shopping for a travel laptop, a couple of requirements immediately come to mind: size, weight, and battery life. Finding a thin and light laptop isn't so much a problem when it comes to general productivity and media consumption devices, but finding a relatively portable mobile workstation or gaming laptop can still be challenging. You must also ensure that portability doesn't come at the cost of a flimsier, cheaper-feeling build, or that it hampers performance. Screen brightness is another thing to consider, as you want a display that can overcome glare in bright settings, and you'll want a good keyboard and touchpad, as they're your primary input methods. A good port selection is a must if you don't want to carry around a hub or dock, and webcam quality is important if you're often on video calls. Biometrics isn't necessary but nice to have, especially if you don't like typing out your password or PIN in a public area.

We've bought and tested over 125 laptops. Below are our recommendations for the best laptops for travel you can buy. You can also see our recommendations for the best laptops , the best business laptops , and the best laptops for college .

Best Laptop For Travel

The best travel laptop we've tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023). This 14-inch workstation has nearly everything you could ask for in a premium model: a sturdy all-metal chassis, a compact design, tons of processing power, and a long battery life. It sports a bright 120Hz Mini LED display, a spacious keyboard, and a gigantic, easy-to-use haptic touchpad. The display is suitable for color work, as it has full DCI P3 coverage and superb factory calibration. Its 1080p webcam is excellent, so your colleagues can see and hear you clearly on video calls.

New in this generation of MacBook Pro is the addition of a base M3 model, similar to the discontinued 13-inch model with Touch Bar. This can be a great option if you don't need all the processing power but still want the 'Pro' features, like the display and up-firing speakers. The main downside is that the RAM and storage aren't user-replaceable, and upgrading them increases the total cost considerably.

See our review

Best Upper Mid-Range Laptop For Travel

If your workload includes lighter tasks like text processing, web browsing, spreadsheets, and video playback, get the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) instead. It's also a high-end model that provides a premium user experience; however, its base M3 SoC doesn't have as much processing power as the M3 Pro or Max variants, so you aren't overpaying for performance you don't need. While its IPS panel isn't as impressive as the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) 's 120Hz Mini LED display, it's still pretty and bright enough for outdoor use. The main drawback is the port selection, which comprises two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports; these support two external displays, but only if you close the laptop's lid.

A Windows alternative would be the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) . Though slightly bulkier and heavier than the MacBook Air, this 14-inch model still fits easily into most bags. As its name implies, this is a 2-in-1 convertible, which means you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. Its 120Hz 2.8k OLED display also supports pen input if you want to take handwritten notes or draw, though you may have to buy the stylus separately, depending on the retailer. You get Wi-Fi 6E, a 4k webcam, and a wider port selection with multi-display support. Two things to know about: the display doesn't get as bright as the MacBook Air's, so visibility won't be as good in well lit settings or outdoors in broad daylight, and the screen flickers at 480Hz, which might bother those sensitive to flickering.

Best Mid-Range Laptop For Travel

If you want a more affodable mid-range option, check out the HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2024). Available with AMD Zen 4 CPUs, this 13-inch ultraportable can easily handle general productivity tasks like web browsing and spreadsheets, as well as more demanding workloads like programming. It only comes with 16GB of soldered RAM, which is both good and bad, as you don't have to spend more money to upgrade from the measly 8GB found in most base models, but you also can't get more or add more later. As for the display, you can choose between an FHD+ or QHD+ IPS panel; both get bright enough to provide good visibility in well lit settings.

The biggest difference between this model and the more premium models mentioned above is build quality. Its chassis—a mix of aluminum and plastic—exhibits a fair amount of flexing, and the device as a whole feels hollow. Additionally, the finish is prone to scratches even from regular, everyday use. The keyboard feels spacious, albeit a tad fatiguing over an extended period of use, and the touchpad is responsive but makes some actions like dragging and dropping hard to perform. Its 1440p webcam supports Windows Hello facial recognition, allowing you to log in quickly and avoid typing your password in public areas.

Best Budget Laptop For Travel

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2023) is the best travel laptop we've tested with a budget-friendly price. This 14-inch model is a great option if you only need a portable device to browse the web or get some light work done while on the go. It feels decently well built for the price, sporting an aluminum and plastic chassis, and its battery life is outstanding at around 12 to 13 hours. You get Wi-Fi 6E, a surprisingly excellent 1080p webcam, and a decent port selection with two USB-As, one USB-C. and an HDMI. The keyboard feels spacious but a tad mushy, and unfortunately, the touchpad is small and sometimes unresponsive.

While there are many CPU and display configuration options available, we recommend getting a Core i3 model with 8GB of RAM and a 1080p IPS display, which you can regularly find on sale for about $400 to $500 USD via  Lenovo . The N100/N200 models with 4GB of RAM are likely fine if you only use the laptop to access the internet and want to pay as little as possible; just know that you'll experience more frequent stutters and slowdowns when multitasking. Lastly, remember that Chrome OS is limited in the type of applications you can install, so make sure you can do everything through a Chrome browser or Android app.

Best Compact Laptop For Travel

If you need something compact to browse the web or answer emails on the go, get the Microsoft Surface Go 3 (2021), a 10.5-inch tablet PC with a built-in kickstand and a detachable keyboard. It's super compact, and its battery lasts a little over seven hours of light use. Its FHD+ display looks very sharp, gets bright enough to combat glare, and supports pen input. You get an excellent 1080p webcam, a second back-facing camera, and a facial recognition IR camera for quick logins. Like all Microsoft 2-in-1 tablets, you must buy the keyboard and stylus separately. The keyboard is worth getting, as it's much more comfortable to type on than an on-screen keyboard, and it protects the screen from scratches.

The Surface Go 3 is available with an Intel Pentium Gold or Core i3 CPU. They perform well enough for this tablet PC's intended use, which is to say simple tasks like web browsing, emails, and video playback, but don't expect to do anything remotely intensive. If your budget allows, it's worth upgrading the memory to 8GB, as you'll get a much smoother experience with fewer slowdowns when multitasking. Port selection is limited; you only get a USB-C, a headphone jack, and a proprietary Surface Connect charging port.

Best Gaming Laptop For Travel

For gaming on the go, we recommend the sleek and compact ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024). This 14-inch model is available with AMD Ryzen CPUs and NVIDIA 40-series GPUs (up to an RTX 4070), providing plenty of processing power for a smooth gaming experience in intensive AAA titles. Its 120Hz 2.8k OLED display has a fast response time, so you get a clear image in fast-moving games and great input responsiveness, and there's also VRR support to minimize screen tearing. There's a wide port selection for peripherals and external displays, including four USBs, a MicroSD card reader, and an HDMI 2.1. Unfortunately, there's no Ethernet port, though you do get Wi-Fi 6E.

Configuration-wise, every model can handle gaming at 1080p, but if you want to play at 1440p or at the display's native 2.8k resolution, we recommend going up to an RTX 4060 or 4070 GPU, as the RTX 4050 will struggle to reach 60 fps in highly intensive titles. Storage configuration maxes out at 1TB, which isn't a lot these days, but thankfully, you can easily replace the SSD, as this laptop uses a standard M.2 SSD. Unfortunately, the battery life lasts less than two hours when gaming, so you'll need to bring the charger when gaming on the go.

• ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (2024): If you want a Windows alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) with a more traditional clamshell form factor, check out the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (2024). It has a 120Hz 2.8k OLED display like the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024), but its battery life is shorter at around eight hours of light use, and its CPU throttles significantly under load. See our review
• Framework Laptop 13 (2023): The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024) if you want a laptop that's easy to repair or upgrade. You can replace any component in the laptop, even the CPU and motherboard. All the parts are available via Framework, and the company provides manuals to guide you through the replacement process. However, its keyboard, touchpad, speakers, and webcam aren't as good. Also, depending on where you live, it might be harder to get one because you can only get it via Framework's website. See our review
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023): The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023) is a great ultraportable alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2024). It has a wider port selection and Thunderbolt 4 support, and its SSD is user-replaceable. However, it's slightly bulkier, and its battery doesn't last as long. It's also more expensive. See our review
• Lenovo Yoga 6 13 (2023): The Lenovo Yoga 6 13 (2023) is a cheaper alternative to the HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2024). It has a sturdier build and a better touchpad; however, its display doesn't get as bright, and its webcam is significantly worse. It also doesn't perform as well because it uses slower AMD Zen 3-based CPUs, whereas the HP uses newer Zen 4 processors. See our review
• Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021): The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021) is a good alternative to the Microsoft Surface Go 3 (2021) if you only need a device for media consumption. It has a much nicer OLED display, and its battery lasts longer. It's a 13-inch device, though, so it isn't as portable as the Surface Go 3. See our review

Aug 01, 2024: Replaced the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) with the HP Pavilion Aero 13 (2024) because the Acer is an older model and harder to find. Replaced the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020) with the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2023) because the Acer is discontinued. Replaced the Razer Blade 14 (2022) with the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) because the ASUS is easier to find and available with NVIDIA 40-series GPUs.

May 13, 2024: Replaced the Apple Macbook Air 13 (2022) with the Apple Macbook Air 13 (2024). Replaced the LG gram 14 (2023) with the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) as an alternative to the Apple Macbook Air 13 (2024). Added the HP Omen Transcend 14 (2024) as a Notable Mention. Minor text changes to reflect the changing availability of Dell XPS 15 (2023).

Mar 15, 2024: Removed the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 (2023) from the Notable Mentions because it's discontinued. Added the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) as a Notable Mention. Minor text changes to provide information about new models of the Dell XPS 15, Apple MacBook Air 13, and Razer Blade 14.

Jan 23, 2024: Replaced the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023) with the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) because Apple no longer sells the M2 model.

Nov 16, 2023: Minor text changes to provide information about the new M3 MacBook Pro and to add the Dell XPS 15 (2023) as a Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro. Added the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 (2023) and Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023) as Notable Mentions.

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best travel laptops you can get. In addition to the test results, we factor in the price (a cheaper laptop wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability.

If you prefer to make your own decision, here’s the list of all of our laptop reviews. Keep in mind that most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it’s best to see the full review for information about other variants.

• $119 annual fee
• 25,000 PC Optimum points when using a referral link
• Earn 10% back in PC Optimum points on every single PC product
• Free shipping at Joe Fresh and Shoppers Drug Mart
• No pickup fees at PC Express
• 10% back in points on all Joe Fresh purchases
• 5% back in points on PC Travel bookings
• Welcome gift after joining

As you can see, PC Insiders comes packed with benefits. Getting 10% back in PC Optimum points on every single PC product is huge. There are more than 12,000 PC products available and that includes PC organics and PC black label. I honestly didn’t think this was a big deal when it was announced, but then I looked at my recent grocery run and noticed the following PC products in my cart:

• Organic tomatoes
• Black label pasta
• Pasta sauce
• Animal crackers
• Pork sausage
• Taco shells

I wasn’t even purposely trying to grab PC products on this run. These were items I bought on a regular basis. I ended up earning about 10,000 points from PC Insiders alone. Families that prefer PC products will definitely be excited about PC Insiders. I find PC products to be cheaper than the name brand items. With PC Insiders, you would get an additional 10% back in points. After having access to the new PC Optimum Insiders program, I’ve added more PC products to my grocery list. I’m sure that’s what Loblaws wanted all along, but I get 10% back in points, so I think it’s a fair tradeoff.

Joe Fresh already has incredibly affordable clothes. With a PC Insiders membership, you’re basically getting 10% off in points on every purchase which is huge. As someone with a young child, this discount is great for me and the free shipping is an added bonus.

The reason PC Express is so attractive is that you no longer need to spend time going through grocery aisles for the things you need. All you need to do is order them online and someone will collect them for you. Some people are concerned about the quality of the produce or the expiry dates on items, but I’ve never had an issue. Normally, this service will cost you $3-5 each time, so how much you save depends on how often you use it.

The welcome gift changes every year, but my gift was Italian themed which came with flour, pizza sauce, and olives. If I had to guess, the retail value was about $25. Remember, this welcome gift is a one-time deal.

As someone who’s been using PC Insiders for a few years, I believe I’m getting more value now than I previously was with the old benefits. In fact, my PC Optimum app tells me how much I’ve earned from PC Insiders and it doesn’t even include the gift or travel credit that I used to get. Free grocery pickups are reason enough for my PC Insiders review to be positive. It’s crazy how many extra points I’ve earned without changing my shopping habits.

The annual fee for PC Optimum Insiders is $119. There is no longer a monthly fee that was offered before. While the $119 may seem high, you just need to look at the benefits to see if it’s worth it.

One could argue that the no-fee grocery pickup with PC Express is the defining benefit. Normally using PC Express will cost you $3-5 each time. If you used it every week, it would cost you $156-$260. Clearly, a PC Insiders membership would be worth it. In addition, PC Insiders get priority time slots. When you log in to PC Express, it’ll see that you’re a member and give you timeslots that may otherwise be full.

With this program, you get 10% back in points on PC products. That means you would need to spend $1,190 on PC products alone to make it worthwhile. That may seem impossible for some people, but you can’t focus just on product purchases. You also need to factor in all the other benefits that are included such as the free PC Express which I just mentioned.

Earn PC Optimum points on every purchase

PC Insiders is only worth it if you’re maximizing your earn rate. Normally, you would only earn PC Optimum points with in-store or targeted offers. However, if you were to sign up for a PC Financial Mastercard, you would earn PC Optimum points on every purchase. For example, take a look at what the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard offers you.

PC Financial World Elite Mastercard

• No annual fee
• Earn 45 PC Optimum Points per $1 dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart
• Earn 30 PC Optimum Points per $1 spent where PC Products are sold and at PC Travel
• Earn at least 30 PC Optimum Points per litre at Esso/Mobil locations
• Earn 10 PC Optimum Points per $1 spent on all other purchases

As you can see, this card gives you the highest earn rate for a credit card that earns you PC Optimum points. Technically speaking, you don’t need a PC Mastercard to join PC Insiders, but that seems like a missed opportunity since you’d be earning fewer points.

To redeem $10 at Loblaws owned grocery stores and Shoppers Drug Mart, you need 10,000 PC Optimum points. That means 1,000 PC Optimum points are worth $1. You can redeem up to $500 (500,000) points for any one purchase, but points can only be redeemed in 10,000 increments.

Although 10,000 PC Optimum points for $10 is the base value, there are ways to increase the value of your points. A couple of times of the year, Shoppers Drug Mart has bonus points events where you can get more cash for your points. For example, you’d get the following:

• 100,000 points = $150
• 130,000 points = $200
• 200,000 points = $300

As you can see, it pays to save your points. That said, this bonus event typically only happens at Shoppers Drug Mart which has a much smaller selection of groceries.

PC Optimum also recently introduced some more ways to earn points. For example, one time they offered 6,000 points ($6) value when you spend $12 on PC Cheese bars. That stacks with PC Insiders, so I was able to get 60% back in points. The cheese was also on sale that week so there was an added incentive.

PC Travel is a full-service travel agency that is incredibly beneficial for PC Optimum Insiders members since you get 5% back in points on travel bookings. This essentially means that you’re getting a 5% return on your travel reservations which is a higher earn rate than any of the best travel credit cards in Canada .

You can increase your earn rate to 8% if you pay with your PC Financial World Elite Mastercard since it gives you 30 points per $1 spent on PC travel. Here’s a direct quote I got from PC Optimum / PC Financial.

“As a PC Optimum Insiders TM  member, you’ll get 5% back in PC Optimum TM  points exclusively on PC® Travel. Plus, when you book with a PC Financial® Mastercard®, earn up to an additional 3x the regular  PC Optimum  points.”

However, if you read the fine print, things appear to be more complicated than they have to be. The points earned apply to purchases before tax. Since most travel purchases include tax in the price, they would calculate your points based on the price pre-tax.

You also only get the extra PC Optimum points if the travel booking you’re making is for you or someone in your household. If you want to make a group booking, you wouldn’t get bonus points for everyone.

It’s also worth noting that to use PC Travel doesn’t have every hotel and flight available. They also don’t always have the lowest prices, but they do price match (Thanks to Chantale for pointing this out). When booking travel, you just need to do the math to see if the points earned end up giving you the best price.

In case you’re not familiar with PC Optimum , you can redeem 10,000 points for $10 in groceries or merchandise. Points are earned through targeted offers and in-store promos. However, if you have one of the PC Mastercards, then you would earn points on all your purchases.

For example, the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard gives you 30 points for every $1 spent at participating stores where PC products are sold. You also earn 45 points per $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart. That means your credit card gives you a 3% and 4.5% return in PC Optimum points respectively at those stores. That’s a crazy high earn rate for a credit card with no annual fee. You can read my full review of the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard here .

World Elite Mastercards typically have a higher income requirement, but PC Financial also has an entry-level card in the PC Financial Mastercard which earns you 25 PC Optimum Points per $1 dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart and 10 PC Optimum Points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Credit cards are a great way to earn points, but the in-store promos are what really earn you some crazy amount of points. For example, Joe Fresh recently had a promo where you would get 10,000 PC Optimum points when you spent $50.

These types of promotions also happen at Shoppers Drug Mart on a regular basis so make sure you’re signed up for their newsletter or check the app regularly.

My PC Optimum Insiders review is positive. If you take advantage of the free PC Express, you’re saving time and money. Adjusting your shopping habits so you’re buying more PC products can also save you big. You could easily earn more points than what you’re paying in annual fees.

About Barry Choi

Barry Choi is a Toronto-based personal finance and travel expert who frequently makes media appearances. His blog Money We Have is one of Canada’s most trusted sources when it comes to money and travel. You can find him on Twitter: @barrychoi

65 Comments

It’s 10,000 points for $10 off, not 1,000 as your article says.

Good catch, that was typo on my end. The article has been updated.

Hi Barry, is the product price higher when you use PC Express than the price in store?

Nope, it’s the same price as your local store and you also get access to the same flyer deals.

unless you’re getting it delivered via instacart. Then it’s definitely 10-20% higher. Instacart charges more for PC Express items.

Nice review. Thanks. I just got an offer for PC Insiders for a year free of charge. Googled is it worth paying for and your article came up. I do occasionally use PC Express. So yes, I’m going to try it out. I pay for everything on my World Elite card and it is amazing how the points just keep adding up and up.

It really is a game changer IMO. PC Express saves you so much time and the added PC optimum points are huge. It’s totally worth renewing after too since you get the annual travel credit.

Same here! Got the email for free 1 year and googled the program and this article popped up. I wonder if I can cancel the subscription after accepting it but am still able to use it for the 1 year. I don’t want to forget about it and get surprised with a bill for 99$

With cards I plan to cancel, I typically set a calendar reminder about 1 month before the annual fee is due. If you shop at Loblaw’s owned stores, I think you’ll quickly see the value of PC Insiders.

I got mine free too and I love it. Never go in the store unless I want to, quick and easy online ordering and when booking through PC travel if you find a better rate elsewhere they will match it and give you 25000 points. I did that twice recently booking 2 hotels for the same trip across 2 days.

Thanks for writing this Barry! My wife and I were just discussing and it makes so much sense. You confirmed some of the things we were wondering about.

It’ll definitely make your life easier especially with a little one. PC Organics makes a lot of baby food and the PC Express free pickup will save you a lot of time at the grocery store.

your article covers everything but I want to know if you have optimum app offers plus pc credit car plus pc insiders subscription then do you get all the points? for example if there is get 10,000 when you spend $50 on joe fresg on my pc app then I use my PC elite credit card to pay for it and also have pc insiders, how will that work? I am considering paying for it. those who got free trial offer are so lucky!

They all stack. You would get the 10K points when you spend $50. You would then get 20% in PC Optimum points which is another 10K points and then 30 points for every $1 spent with your PC Financial World Elite Mastercard which is 1,500 points for a total of 21,500 points or just over 40% cash-back.

Im still a bit confused here. So i signed up for the annual subscription and it mentioned that it will add 50,000 welcome bonus points for upgrading to the pc insider on top of the other benefits it is mentioned. Its been around 10 days and i did not see the points added to my points card yet. How come? Thanks Daphnie

Hey Daphne,

I’m not familiar with this promo so you’d have to check with PC Optimum directly. That being said, it usually takes a few weeks for any bonus points to show up.

Pc is offering 100k bonus points for ppl who get one of their credit cards by June 6. I’m interested in the world elite credit card but I’m afraid of getting denied, even though I have an excellent credit score. If I do get rejected, would they at least give me the world mastercard or the entry level one?

The World Elite Mastercard has a personal income requirement of $80K or household income of $150K. If you don’t meet those requirements, you could apply for the PC Financial World card which has an income requirement of $60K/100K

It’s not 100% “free” – you pay tax on the $99 annual fee (so it cost $114 for me in Nova Scotia) but the travel credit is only $99 and has restrictions (minimum 3 nights hotel or use it for flights). The surprise box was probably worth at least $15 but it was things I would not have bought. I got an intro offer last year of 100k points for subscribing so it was worth it. I was able to call months ahead and cancel effective on the renewal date.

Hey Barry, love your site and all the information. Quick question if you know. Would i accumulate more points spending our $800/month on groceries at Superstore with the PC Financial Mastercard/PC Insiders or putting it right on my Scotia Visa Infinite?

I suspect you may come out ahead with the Scotia Visa Infinite since you’d earn 4% in cash-back vs. 3% cash-back equivalent vs. the PC Financial World ELite Mastercard. You should still sign up for PC Optimum as you’ll still be able to take advantage of in-store and targetted offers.

Thanks Barry! I guess the only difference would be we would need to use the credit for travel with the Passport instead of food on the MC.

Love the Optimum Insiders subscription…so many opportunities to stack promos. However, after chasing my welcome gift for 6 months, I was told they wouldn’t be sending me anything (I believe they cancelled the gifts late last year). I got 20,000 points instead. After looking at some unboxing videos, I guess that’s close to the value of the gifts ‍♀️

Yeah, I’d rather have the extra points than a welcome gift.

I joined early this year,but didn’t see any bonus posted at all.

Do you know the phone number I should call?

This is the number I found for customer care on the website 1-866-PC POINTS (727-6468)

a couple of observations: @ SF – good luck getting the bonus PC points – I applied for card last Dec, was approved ; card issued and I’ve been using it but the request/demand as to why the bonus points have not been credited have been “under investigation” since I raised the issue in Feb. – my thinking is they are hoping for me to give up

@ Barry I received the ‘free’ offer to PC Insider so I thought I’d give PC express a try – it was a complete and utter failure 1) the ordering website is a piece of junk – it DEMANDS you to save a credit card before processing the order but it doesn’t tell you that – took over 30 minutes with a totally clueless help desk to finally get the order processed – I solved the problem 2) the order was not ready when promised even though they send a confirmation email 3) I was charged a ‘convenience fee’ even though PC express is supposed to be free for PC Insiders 4) there were missing PC points on the stuff I bought

so something that would have taken about 10 minutes – walk in store, pick stuff up, pay, leave ended up costing me about 1.5 hours of time – some convenience

Also I find there is a bit of a ‘yuck’ factor in having some else picking out my groceries – ok for packaged /canned goods i guess, but fresh veggies, baked goods and meat – no thanks – I’m know the pickers are not as careful as I would be – I’ve seen them in action in the store – not a pretty sight..

PC insiders even if free is worthless and I’ve had less than stellar results with PC Optimum.

From my experience, PC Express has been flawless. I get a call when my order is ready and they even confirm I’m okay with the expiry dates on any baked goods. The vegetables and fruit are always in good condition too. If you got charged the convenience fee, your account may not have been linked to your PC Insiders account, but I’m not sure how that’s possible.

well PC Express could explain the complete fail either – lame ” I’m sorry that happened” – they are not getting a second chance. YMMV

We use it weekly and it is great.. We are busy with a family and would rather have someone pick our order.. As for the yuck factor, have you seen people finger all the stuff while it is out. It ain’t clean if you pick it yourself.

each to his own

Thanks Barry.

After you sign up when do you receive free gift

THere’s no set time each year. They just send it out.

Do you get points for no name brand or just PC brand? Thanks.

With PC Insiders, you earn 200 PC Optimum points per $1 spent on PC Organics products, Joe Fresh purchases, PC Black Label Collection purchases, all brands of baby diapers and formula, and all luxury beautyBOUTIQUE products on shoppersdrugmart.ca.

You do not earn extra points on NO Name products. That said, if you have a PC Mastercard, you earn points on all your purchases.

Another plus factor with PC Express is that you can price match! You do it on their website, or by emailing them when you get home. I love that I’m able to do this 🙂

I have had very few issues with PC Express. I think you have to be willing to give up a little control for convenience. For items, you don’t want someone else to pick for you, go instore and buy them, before your scheduled pick-up time. We do this for items they were unable to substitute or just wanted to pick ourselves.

We get really specific in the comments for certain items like milk and creamer where we specify how long expiry dates should be like 10 days for milk or creamer etc. so we don’t end up with an item expiring in 5 or 6 days.

Also, a little tip when using your 99$ PC travel credit. Sometimes hotels you want, or other deals do not appear on the PC Travel website. No worries if it’s offered on Expedia.ca, you let them know, and they will book it for you through Expedia and you get all the points. As long as you talk with an agent. I found this out last year when trying to book my flight and hotel stay in New York. I booked my flight and mentioned that I would book the hotel too, but I could not find the hotel on the PC Travel site, it was on Expedia. I did the same this past summer. All 3 hotels available on Expedia, but not PC Travel, not a problem. It’s actually better now since they give you the 99$ credit the current transaction, instead of sending you a cheque a few weeks later like before.

Hey Nelson,

Great tips! I’m not sure if this is for all PC Express stores, but the one I order from always calls me and asks if X expiry date okay before I come pick it up. With bread, the expiry date is always “close” to my pick up date, but I’ve never had any issues with dairy. That said, I like your idea about just leaving a comment about what’s accceptable.

Hi Barry I’m new to pc optimum and just sign up to pc insiders to avail the free for the first month.. I ordered at fortinos pc express, used my Pc mastercard and pick it up. But I can’t see any points from my recent grocery from pc insiders? How many days should it reflect? Or i didn’t get any points because I avail the free month for pc insiders?

With PC Insiders, you only earn 200 points per $1 spent on select items e.g. PC Organics products. Besides that, if you don’t have a PC Financial Mastercard, you’d only earn PC Optimum points on in-store promos or targeted offers. If you think you’re still missing points, you’d have to contact them directly and put in a missing points request.

I tried this plan for 6 months and earned exact 0 of anything. If you are just a basic shopper and it is the worst subscription plan ever. I wouldn’t recommend it. Wish I could get my $60 back as I seriously regret just giving PC my money for nothing. Seriously angry about the whole thing.

Not that you can use it now, but don’t forget you get a $99 PC Travel credit.

I purchased Luxury Beauty products on Shoppers website. They had x20 promotions and so they didn’t give me the 200 points per dollar for my insider subscription. I contacted customer service and they replied: insider points are not stacked with promotions. Are you sure it works with Joe Fresh? Have you tried it yourself? Because they sometimes trick you. As shoppers often runs good promotions on the Luxury Beauty products, I don’t see any advantage for becoming PC Insider and pay subscription fees as points are not stackable!

I was indeed able to take advantage of the Joe Fresh promo I mentioned. I did notice that not every promo stacks with PC Insiders. You have to read the fine print of the promotion you’re trying to take advantage of. One time I was able to stack three promos. Get $400 when you redeem 250K PC Optimum points, 20X the points when you spend $75 or more and additional points on Dyson products. The Dyson product I was buying was $500, but I ended up paying about $30 after factoring all the discounts.

I think you should mention that you, Barry, also receive 10k in points when someone (like I just did) uses your code. You’re welcome!

Good point, I’ll do that now. Thanks for using my referral link!

It is now changing. $119 for the year (previously $99), down to %10 back and only on pc brand (no longer for baby prodor organic/black lable) – was previously %20 back. Oh and no more gifts 🙁 Only at sign up. So overall, more expensive, less benefits. Was good while it lasted!

While I like the fact that the changes will benefit more people, I feel like the negative changes are going to upset a lot of people. The $99 annual travel credit and gift were enough of a reason for me to stay enrolled. I still like free PC Express pickup, but it might be difficult for me to get $119 out of it. I’ll have to run the numbers based on my spending last year to decide if I’ll remain a PC Insider.

Just checked the PC Insider website again and it says that you do get points on Organic, Black Label, Blue Menu, and even Free From. Basically if it has the PC logo, you get credit back.

Subscribe the insider because of it’s 20% back on luxury beauty and pc organic rewards, so disappointed of all the changes, just did cancel it, the new pc insider program is worthless for me.

Yes there’s no doubt that many people who subscribed to PC Insiders for the previous perks will no longer find it valuable. I mainly use it for PC Express so I’ll be monitoring it this year to see how much I’m getting back.

Do you know if the 5% PC Travel reward is on top of the 3% back by using PC World Elite Mastercard? I’ve tweeted at a few different PC/Optimum accounts but still haven’t gotten a response! ~8% back on travel could be a massive benefit once the pandemic subsides!

I have no clue, but I could look into it. I suspect the answer is no.

I looked into this. This is what PC Financial / PC Insiders told me.

“As a PC Optimum InsidersTM member, you’ll get 5% back in PC OptimumTM points exclusively on PC® Travel. Plus, when you book with a PC Financial® Mastercard®, earn up to an additional 3x the regular PC Optimum points.”

Oh wow, that’s great! Thanks for checking into that Barry – this alone could be worth the membership during normal times!

Thanks for the details and offer!

Barry, it seems like PC Travel has a price match guarantee. https://www.pctravel.ca/info/price-match-guarantee.aspx?set-lang=en

Interesting, I never noticed that.

Price match guarantee plus up to 8% back in PC Optimum points is pretty good.

HI Barry, I have a free 3 months PC Insider membership. this is a trial and I use it very well. It saving me in 2 month 65 dollars. I wonder If I can use your referral when my trial end. It will be in a month. I am willing to wait to try to get the referral points. Any ideas about this.

I’m not sure if this would work, but you could cancel your membership before the 3 months is up and then sign up again with the referral code.

If I sign up for the PC Optimum Insiders membership with my account, do the benefits extend to my wife’s account witch is linked by household?

As far as I know, ir should apply to all accounts connected.

PC Insiders is not for everyone. I am an average, late middle-aged shopper who shops for my own food. I don’t buy organics, I don’t use PC Express and I don’t buy baby items. I spend about $800/mo on groceries and $100 more at the gas bar. After a year as an Insider member, I did not save enough to even cover the cost of the annual membership.

PC Optimum deliberately classified the miniature cards as “stolen”, to make it inconvenient, impossible for point collectors to earn and to use the accumulated points. That’s not a fair practice. Regulating agency (agencies) should investigate.

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HelloSafe » Travel Insurance » PC Financial

Is PC Financial Travel Insurance good? Review 2024

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Our articles are written by experts in their fields (finance, trading, insurance etc.) whose signatures you will see at the beginning and at the end of each article. They are also systematically reviewed and corrected before each publication, and updated regularly.

Travelling without travel insurance can be financially devastating. For example, a single night's hospital stay in the U.S. can cost you over $14,000, and some countries may deny medical assistance without prepayment.

Though not mandatory, travel insurance is crucial, covering healthcare costs, flight disruptions, lost baggage, and more . While there are traditional travel insurance options out there, PC Financial offers these benefits through its World Elite Mastercard , ensuring you have essential travel insurance included with your credit card.

So what does PC Financial Travel Insurance cover? Is it sufficient? What are its pros and cons? What does it cost? Let's find out in this comprehensive review of PC Financial Travel Insurance.

PC Financial Travel Insurance Canada: Key Points

• No Extra Cost for Travel Insurance : Included with the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard.
• High Medical Coverage : Up to $1,000,000 for emergency medical expenses.
• Best for Short-Term Travel : Coverage for trips up to 10 days.
• Age : Only covers travelers under 65 years old.
• Additional Perks : Also includes car rental and identity theft coverage.

Our PC Financial Travel Insurance Review 2024

PC Financial Travel Insurance is primarily offered through the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard, providing a comprehensive suite of travel insurance benefits at no additional cost beyond the card itself . This includes up to $1,000,000 in emergency medical insurance for trips up to 10 days , car rental collision/loss damage waiver insurance for up to 31 days, identity theft assistance, and 24/7 concierge services.

These features make it a cost-effective option, especially for frequent short-term travelers and those who shop at Loblaws-owned stores, maximizing the value of PC Optimum points. Compared to standalone travel insurance policies, PC Financial travel insurance saves on additional fees and provides competitive coverage limits.

However, it has notable drawbacks: it only covers travelers under 65 years, has a 10-day limit on trip duration , and the PC Optimum points can only be redeemed at specific stores, limiting flexibility. Despite these limitations, the card's extensive coverage and added perks make it a valuable choice for those fitting its usage profile, particularly those seeking to avoid the high costs of separate travel insurance

Expert advice

PC Financial travel insurance, offered through the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard, is a robust and cost-effective option for frequent travellers who typically take short trips . Its high coverage limits and additional perks like concierge services make it a valuable card for those who can utilize its benefits. However, its limitations on trip duration and age restrictions should be considered when choosing this as your primary travel insurance.

Pros of PC Financial Travel Insurance

• No Additional Cost : Travel insurance benefits come included with the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard, meaning no extra fees beyond the card itself.
• High Coverage Limits : Offers up to $1,000,000 in travel emergency medical insurance for trips up to 10 days, which is competitive among travel insurance providers.
• Comprehensive coverage : Includes other useful benefits like car rental collision/loss damage waiver insurance and 24/7 concierge services.
• Wide Acceptance : The card is accepted at numerous locations, including all Loblaws-owned stores and any retailer that accepts Mastercard.
• Additional Perks : Includes identity theft assistance and purchase insurance.

Cons of PC Financial Travel Insurance

• Income Requirement : The World Elite Mastercard requires a minimum annual personal income of $80,000 or a household income of $150,000, which might be restrictive for some.
• Limited Travel Duration : Coverage is only for trips up to 10 consecutive days, which may not be sufficient for longer trips.
• Redemption Limitations : PC Optimum points can only be redeemed at participating Loblaws-owned stores, which might limit flexibility compared to other rewards programs.
• Pre-existing Conditions : Coverage generally does not extend to pre-existing medical conditions unless specifically stated.
• Age restrictions: Does not cover travellers above 65 years old

Good to know

If you want to check if your credit card includes travel insurance and/or compare it with other cards, you can do it using our free tool HelloCard - Credit Card Insurance . Get instant results.

If you're looking for more comprehensive coverage, traditional travel insurance policies offer diverse options. You can use our free tool below to compare the best travel insurance policies online and get instant quotes.

Compare the best travel insurance plans on the market!

How is the PC Financial Travel Insurance Coverage?

PC Financial offers travel insurance benefits through its World Elite Mastercard, which provides a comprehensive package at no additional cost to the cardholder. Here are the key PC financial travel insurance credit card benefits:

• Travel Emergency Medical Insurance : Covers up to $1,000,000 for emergency medical expenses when travelling outside your province for trips up to 10 consecutive days. This includes hospital stays, doctor fees, private nursing, ambulance services, emergency air transport, and prescription drugs.
• Car Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver Insurance : Provides coverage if your rental car is damaged or stolen for rental periods up to 31 consecutive days, provided the full rental cost is charged to your PC Financial World Elite Mastercard.
• Identity Theft Assistance : Offers support and information on preventing identity theft and recovering from it if it occurs.
• 24/7 Concierge Services : Assists with travel arrangements, entertainment bookings, medical provider appointments, emergency medical transportation, and more.

What does PC Financial Travel Insurance cover?

Here is a table to give you a quick overview of the coverage provided under PC Financial Travel Insurance

If you want coverage specifically for your medical needs during travel, explore our guide on the best travel health insurance . Compare plans and get free quotes.

What does PC Financial Travel Insurance not cover?

The coverage typically does not include:

• Pre-existing Medical Conditions : Generally not covered unless specified.
• High-Risk Activities : Excludes coverage for injuries from high-risk activities like extreme sports.
• Incidents Related to Alcohol or Drugs : Does not cover incidents arising from intoxication or drug use.
• Government Travel Advisories : If there is a Government of Canada travel advisory for your destination on your departure date, COVID-19-related benefits may not apply.

PC Financial Travel Insurance does not cover seniors over 65. If you're looking for coverage for those above 65, explore our guide on the best travel insurance for seniors . Compare the best deals and get instant quotes.

How much does PC Financial travel insurance cost?

PC Financial travel insurance is provided through the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard at no additional cost beyond the card itself. Here are the key details:

PC Financial World Elite Mastercard

• Annual Fee : $0 (No annual fee for the card itself).
• Travel Insurance Benefits : Included with the card at no extra charge.

For traditional travel insurance coverage, use our free tool to compare quotes from Canada's top providers and get instant results.

How do I get PC Financial travel insurance?

Here’s how you can obtain it:

• Eligibility Requirements : Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard, which includes having a minimum annual income of $80,000 for individuals or $150,000 for households.
• Application Process : Visit the PC Financial website and complete the online application form for the World Elite Mastercard. You will need to provide personal information, employment details, and financial information.
• Approval : Once your application is submitted, it will be reviewed by PC Financial. If approved, you will receive your new card in the mail.
• Activation : Activate your card by following the instructions provided with it, which typically involves calling a phone number or activating it online.

How do I contact PC travel insurance?

You can get in touch with the PC Financial travel insurance phone number: 1-844-862-8466 or 1-866-246-7262 . They are both toll-free numbers. You may have to wait a few seconds to minutes in the queue when the lines are facing an unexpectedly high volume of enquiries.

The numbers are available only between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm (ET) from Monday to Friday. Weekends are closed for in-phone enquiries.

You could also fill up and submit a form on their website that is available under the Contact Us category and an agent will get in touch with you shortly after.

If you're an insurance holder, however, in the event of an emergency, you can call the toll-free at 1-855-856-7569.

How do I file a claim for PC financial travel insurance?

To file a claim, you can get in touch with your provider directly on the phone and a customer service agent will guide you through the process.

You could also login on the PC Financial website to fill out the claim form. It is extremely important to make sure you have all the supporting documents like invoices for purchases, bills, etc, at the time of the claims process.

How do I cancel my PC financial travel insurance?

If you are looking for information and instructions to cancel travel insurance from PC Financial at any time, please  call 1-866-246-7262 to speak with a representative.

But cancelling your travel insurance might mean putting yourself at risk of financial stress should you be faced with unforeseen medical and other related issues during your travel. So, it's strongly recommended that you opt for travel insurance that best suits your needs.

Nishadh Mohammed is a seasoned news editor and financial writer, working with HelloSafe since May 2023. Nishadh has developed expertise in financial markets, insurance, and investment products, with a deep understanding of the Canadian financial landscape. He has honed his SEO skills and content marketing strategies while writing for Canadian publishing houses. Armed with a master's in Business Analytics and extensive journalistic experience, Nishadh uniquely combines data proficiency and thorough research to deliver comprehensive and accessible information.

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Home » Gear » best travel laptop

10 BEST Travel Laptops (MUST READ! • 2024)

From the sleek and mighty powerhouses to the budget-friendly gems, our list is tailored for diverse itineraries and preferences. Imagine unwinding in a quaint café with a laptop that boasts a battery life longer than your layover, or editing your travel vlog on a device that handles heavy graphics like a breeze.

I put this guide together with one goal in mind – to help you find the best travel laptop for YOUR travel style. With the help of this epic guide, you’ll easily to be able to know which laptop is best for your needs, style, and budget.

Alllrighty then, do you wanna find out what the best computer for travel is? Well, let’s get to it!

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Quick answer: The Best Portable Travel Laptops

What type of traveller are you, best overall laptop for travel – macbook air, best laptop for professionals – macbook pro, best midrange travel laptop – dell xps 13″, best value for money laptop – samsung galaxy book4 pro, best budget travel laptop – lenovo ideapad, other great budget laptops for travel, the best overall travel laptop, what specs to consider before buying the best travel laptop, choosing the best travel laptop faqs, how we tested the best travel laptop, faq about the best travel laptop, final thoughts on the best laptops for travel.

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• Macbook Air – Best Lightweight Laptop
• 16.2 Inch MacBook Pro – Best Laptop for Professionals
• Dell XPS 13″ – Best Midrange Laptop
• SAMSUNG Galaxy Book4 Pro – Best Value Laptop
• Lenovo Idea Pad – Best Budget Laptop
• Jump to –> Travel Laptop Reviews

Macbook Air

• Price > $1,444.99
• Portability > 6.3 lbs
• Battery Life > 18 hour battery
• Storage Space > 256 – 512GB SSD
• Processing Power > M3 chip
• Operating System > Mac OS Ventura

16.2 Inch Macbook Pro

• Price > $2,549
• Portability > 8.3 lbs
• Battery Life > 22 hour battery
• Storage Space > 512 GB – 1 TB SSD

Dell XPS 13

• Price > $599
• Portability > 2.7 lbs
• Battery Life > 7 hour battery
• Storage Space > 128 GB SSD
• Processing Power > Intel Core i5-7200U 3MB cache, up to 3.10 GHz 8G memory 128G SSD
• Operating System > Windows 10

Samsumg Galaxy Book4 Pro

• Price > $1,149.99
• Battery Life > 15.5 hour battery
• Storage Space > ?512 GB
• Processing Power > Intel Core 7 Ultra Processor
• Operating System > ?Windows 11 Home

Lenovo Ideapad

• Price > $569
• Portability > 5 lbs
• Storage Space > 500 GB Hard Drive
• Processing Power > Intel Pentium 4405U (2M Cache, 2.10 GHz), 2 cores, 4 threads
• Operating System > Windows 10 Pro

My laptop has literally changed my life – not only can I earn money online but I can also stream Game of Thrones wherever I go… and I think we can all agree that that’s pretty damn important.

But what about your needs?

You see, “the best travel laptop” is a pretty broad statement since there are many different types of travelers. The question is – which kind of traveler are YOU?

Here are some extremely important things to consider…

1. Do you need to get work done on your laptop?

If you aren’t planning on using your travel laptop for online work, you don’t necessarily need to splash out on a top of the range laptop.

While it might be tempting to spend $2,000 on the new best laptop, the truth is that only digital nomads and other professionals really need that sort of tech. If you don’t have any work deadlines to meet, it might be better to keep it simple.

2. What will you use your laptop for?

Will you be working on the road (writing, editing, etc.), or mainly surfing the web? Do you need the processing power to run multiple editing programs, or is your prime concern staying connected to social media?

Identifying exactly what you need a laptop for will help you decide on which one is best for your travels.

3. Do you have any size requirements?

Are you traveling with minimal room in your backpack? Are you bringing a bag with certain size requirements?

For instance, some expensive daypacks can’t fit 15-inch laptops, or some laptop sleeves can’t fit larger than a 13 inch. If you buy a special backpack for your laptop , then most of your needs should be met. Either way, make sure to keep these in mind.

4. Are you traveling heavy or light?

The more powerful the laptop, the more it weighs. The difference between a 1.5 lb tablet and a 7 lb professional laptop is HUGE.

Remember that a light traveler is a happy traveler, so if you don’t need a heavier laptop, there’s no reason to cause extra strain on your body.

There are different specs you need to considers when choosing the best laptop for you…

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Two quick things….

• If you are a digital nomad, working professional, or aspiring to work online. Do not pick this travel laptop.
• If you hate Macs or iOS. Do not pick this computer.

Everyone else. This is the best travel laptop. 

If you’re an Apple user, this is Apple’s best Mac laptop for the money and this was the first laptop I took traveling which was adequate for working online. The pros (as with any MacBook) are its integration with apple products, ease-of-use, trackpad and keyboard, design, and reliable performance. It’s also the lightest laptop for travel, so that’s a major win.

I’ve used MacBooks for 7 years now (my first one from 2010 is still alive and kicking!), and I’ve never needed repairs (except to replace an old battery). I can’t say the same for any of the PCs I’ve owned, which is why I think Macs are the best user-friendly laptops if you don’t have a computer background.

If you want a MacBook for browsing, streaming, social, and office, the MacBook Air is fast enough, especially with 2024’s updated processor speed and default memory. But if you want a Retina resolution screen, “Kaby Lake” processors, and more power for editing programs, you’ll have to fork out the money for a MacBook Pro instead.

I recommend you go for as much storage as you can afford if you plan on storing music, images or video because you can’t add storage to Apple computers after purchase. If your laptop is used for browsing and light document work (Excel, Word, etc.) the 256GB SSD should be fine.

• Fast and durable!
• Lightweight (super important)
• Can handle your internet needs and then some
• Not as powerful as other options
• Not good for working professionals

Is the MacBook Air for you?

If you are looking for a light laptop that can handle all of your basic internet needs and then a little bit more – the MacBook Air is my highest recommendation. It’s light and sleek design makes it ideal for travelers, and it comes at a reasonable price.

If you are interested in making money online, you need to invest in a great laptop. The MacBook Pro is my highest recommendation. Its starting price plus lack of ports can be a deal breaker for many, but I still think it is the most versatile, user-friendly laptop out there and mine has allowed me to start and run several businesses from all over the world. I love my MacBook Pro and investing in it was the smartest move I made.

Whether you are freelancing, doing graphic design, blogging or editing photo or video – if you are a traveling professional, it’s hard to beat the MacBook Pro. If you’re in the market for the best lightweight laptop that still has a ton of storage space, the 16.2-inch MacBook is the best choice for you. Weighing less than a 2 kg, this is the best lightweight laptop for travel. Overall, the MacBook Pro is one of the fastest computers on the market. It’s the best traveling laptop for digital nomads, but you have to pay for it.

This is a great choice for bloggers, freelance photographers , etc too. It outperforms the other laptops on this list, but if you’re not set on the Mac OS system, the Dell XPS and Microsoft Surface Book have competing specs for a much more affordable cost.

• Powerful – can handle anything
• Great battery life
• Great for Digital Nomads or professionals
• Unnecessary for normal web users

Is the MacBook Pro for you?

If you can afford a notebook above $1800, or have to bite the bullet because of work, these laptops are going to be fantastic options because they have powerful processors, larger storage space, and better quality build.

High-end laptops are the best laptops for travelling photographers, videographers, laptop bloggers, etc., but not necessary for the average traveller.

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The Dell XPS is best mid-range laptop for travel because of its superb battery life, 7th-generation Core performance and excellent Wi-Fi range. I love that it has more ports than on competing laptops, as well as an SD port. It also has a touch-screen higher-resolution option (for a bit more weight and quite a bit more money).

As for its design, the Dell XPS has a comfortable soft-touch, carbon-fibre deck, infinity display, and rose-colour option. Often the trade off for a thin, best ultralight laptop is shorter battery life and too few ports. The XPS 13, however, gives you nearly 14 hours of battery power, and all the connection options you need while also remaining pretty light and compact for travel.

If you are a PC user, the Dell XPS 13″ is the best travel computer within the $1000 range. Though if you want more memory than 256MB, or an i7 processor, you will have to pay more money. This is a high quality laptop at a great price…

• Incredible value
• Powerful – good for those who  work and travel
• Great alternative if you don’t like Apple products
• Pricey for a PC
• Touch screen option is very expensive

Is the Dell XPS right for you?

For under $1000, you should be able to find a high quality travel laptop for many of the specs that matter most to the average traveler: weight, portability, and reliability. If you are willing to spend a couple hundred more, I would recommend picking up the Dell…

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When it comes to weight, size, features, and battery, the Galaxy Book4 Pro is the best travel laptop for your money. It’s compact size and lightweight design make it highly portable, perfect for on-the-go use. The vibrant display offers crisp and clear visuals, ideal for multimedia consumption and productivity tasks. If you are going pro and embracing the digital nomad lifestyle, I would recommend getting a Macbook instead.

It’s got a powerful Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor, ideal for keeping you productive without the frustration of slow-loading apps. I had used a touchscreen laptop before but I was very impressed with the responsiveness and how much I used it. One downside is it doesn’t come with a stylus you will have to purchase one of these separately.

• Great value
• Laptop AND a tablet
• Overall pick for best value
• Not powerful enough for professionals/Digital Nomads
• Not as durable

Is the Galaxy Book4 Pro right for you?

If you’re travelling and looking for a lightweight, portable laptop that can get the job done this one is for you. If you need something with a bit more processing power then I’d recommend looking into the Macbook Pro.

The Lenovo is one of the best ultra-lightweight laptops in the budget price range. This Windows OS laptop has 9 hours of battery life, a nice design, and is one of the cheapest light laptops for travel. The performance is good enough for web surfing, editing documents, and viewing movies. The keyboard and touchpad’s quality, however, is less than subpar.

Overall, this is a cheap laptop and a solid choice for the minimal traveller, who wants to stream online and run basic programs. This is definitely not adequate for anybody who needs to work online and certainly the Lenovo cannot handle Lightroom or other photo editing programs.

The team felt this was a great option for those with pretty basic needs looking for something lightweight, affordable and that performs well enough given the tasks expected of it. For those working mostly on word processors and looking to store their travel photos, this is a great option. The standard edition comes with a massive hard drive too making it great for storing and doing some basic processing to travel photos on the road.

• Good for basic surfing and Netflix-ing
• Not durable

Is the Lenovo right for you?

If you are trying to get any work done or be productive, the Lenovo is NOT for you. This is a budget computer that can handle some basic browsing and streaming for the few years it lasts. If that is what you need it for, then this is one of the best budget options!

What are 2-1 Laptops?  They are travel tablets that can be converted into full laptops. Unlike conventional tablets, they’re made to be used offline and can run computer programs. Moreover, unlike with normal tablets, 2-1 laptops allow you to upload data (music, videos, photos, documents).

Just keep in mind, 2-1 laptops rarely have enough storage space for a lot of videos and photos. A 2-1 tablet/laptop isn’t the best laptop for GoPro users or videographers either since they cannot run intensive video editing programs without sacrificing performance and speed.

1. Samsung Chromebook

The Samsung Chromebook Plus offers a decent design, long battery life, touchscreen, and a hybrid hinge that turns it into a tablet, and is the lightest Chromebook on this list.

Unlike other ChromeBooks, this one is using the sister system, that allows you to download Android apps and use them offline, making it a great Chromebook for travel.

As an alternative to expensive and heavy Macbooks, the team felt the Samsung Chromebook Plus was a really viable option for those not wanting to travel with that kind of laptop but wanting similar performance levels.

2. Acer Chromebook

The Acer Chromebook is one of the better budget lightweight laptops on the market. The laptop has ultra portability, a comfortably sized keyboard, and a touchscreen. The downside is it does feel very “cheap” with a plastic like frame. At 1.1 Kg and 11.6 inches, this is one of the best budget laptops for surfing the internet, and a great option if you’re looking for a small, portable laptop to stream movies on or run other basic tasks with.

Note:  I have listed the starting price for the storage space available. Often you can add more storage space for a higher price.

3. Lenovo Yoga 910

An alternative to the Surface Pro and another one of the best tablets for traveling is another hybrid with cool features like a fingerprint sensor. At 1.4kg (3.09lbs), the Yoga 910 is a heavier than most 2-1s, but also has more storage space to start, an all-metal finish, the latest Kaby Lake processors (i7), and 14in HD display.

It’s reasonably well-priced for a hybrid of this quality, but there is a cheaper, more basic version called the Lenovo Yoga 710 if you’re trying to save some cash. The 910, however, is the best no-compromise option for work and pleasure making it one of the best laptops for travel and digital nomad life.

Tie Between MacBook Pro and Dell XPS 13 for the best travel laptop

MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro is the best laptop for travel for Mac users, who want the fastest, most reliable computer on the market. The MacBook Pro uses Kaby Lake processors (Intel’s seventh generation chips), has a sleek design, retina (2560 x 1600-pixel) display, touch ID, and the best rated audio sound.

The Dell XPS is the best Windows 10-based laptop. It comes with 13.3 HD display, nearly 14 hours of battery power, and all the connection options you while remaining plenty light and compact for travel. This is a great choice if you want to save a bit of cash and avoid Macs…

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Price is probably the most important factor when choosing the best laptop for traveling.

Unless you are working online, you really don’t need to spend $1000+ to get the best travel laptop. There are several cheap travel laptops and mid-range options that make great laptops for travel.

Remember that high-value items, such as a top of the range laptop, are often harder to claim for on insurance. There are some cheap lightweight laptop options on the market too and overall the price of laptops continues to come down… You get what you pay for though so if you need a laptop for work, I recommend not going for the cheapest laptop option.

2. Portability

Portability is especially essential for the on-the-go, minimal traveler, and an important factor to consider when choosing the best laptop for travel.

You want something lightweight so that your backpack doesn’t end up weighing too much (As we say in the hiking world, ounces add pounds and pounds add pain!). If you haven’t yet picked up a backpack for your trip, check out this post for plenty of backpack inspiration. 

Your laptop’s size is also important (usually correlating with weight) to easily pull your computer in/out of your bag at the TSA security line, etc. The smallest travel laptops and tablets have less storage space and processing power, but they are also cheap and highly portable. If you are going to be on the road a lot, I recommend trying to find a lightweight laptop.

If you have a smaller unit, you can also invest in a smaller laptop bag . So portability not only applies to the laptop itself, but what you’re going to use to carry it.

3. Battery Life

It’s always nice to have a reliable battery life, especially if you are taking your laptop up into the mountains. The best laptops on the market have at least 8 hours of battery life, and some can last for an entire day. If you are spending a lot of time off the grid and still need access to your laptop then consider picking up a portable battery capable of charging a laptop.

Quick travel tip: make sure your wi-fi and blue tooth are turned off (when you’re not using them) to save battery!

4. Storage Space

Most of the top travel laptops (with ample battery life and affordability) lack a large amount of storage space, and if you’re going to store a lot of photos and videos from your travels, it’s important to have ample hard drive space!

I’ve found it’s well worth investing in a cloud drive and/or an external hard drive, especially since photos and videos take up a lot of room. This way you don’t have to sacrifice laptop portability for storage space on the actual laptop.

My first backpacking laptop, a MacBook Air, didn’t have too much storage space so I kept a lot of my photos and videos on Dropbox and stored my movies on a nearly bulletproof portable hard drive .

Typical external drives with 1 terabyte cost around $80 USD, and cloud storage (through Google, Dropbox Microsoft, etc.) average around $10 a month. It’s also important to back up your files in case your travel laptop gets stolen (like my friend Ana’s did in Costa Rica)!

5. Processing Power

If you are running editing programs and high-resolution videos, you should also prioritize the processing power.

The CPU is like the “brain” of your computer. At the moment, Intel Core i7 is the highest performer, but also the most expensive. Intel Core i5 should work for most of the best travel computers, and anything older is fine if you’re just surfing the web.

A separate graphics chip allows gamers, 3D designers, and high-res video editors to run their programs without taking up a ton of RAM and slowing the overall performance of the computer.

An integrated graphics chips (one that shares system memory) is just fine if you don’t have these needs.

If you want a separate graphics chip, keep in mind Apple only puts separate graphics chips in their MacBook Pro 15in computers. The 15 inch MacBooks are more expensive, and in my opinion, anything over 13 inches is too large to be considered one of the best laptops to travel with.

6. Do you prefer Mac, Windows, or Chrome OS?

Most laptops run one of these three operating systems: Windows, Chrome OS, or Mac OS X (for MacBooks only).

Windows notebooks offer the largest range of options for the best travel laptop. The newest window computers offer cool features like touch screens, 2-1 convertible tablets, fingerprint readers, and dual graphics chips.

Mac’s newest operating system, MacOS Sierra, comes with all Apple computers. Once you get the hang of Apple’s programs and trackpad/keyboard short cuts, Mac is the best user-friendly laptop (in my opinion) for the average person who knows nothing about computer engineering or coding.

Macs are expensive, but also reliable, which is important when you are travelling around the world and don’t have time/money to take a computer in for repairs.

Chrome-OS is Google OS’ – simple and secure operating system, usually available on small portable laptops. The drawback? It’s mainly limited to surfing the web, checking email, and navigating social networks, not doing stuff offline. Still, ChromeBooks are the best cheap and light laptops for the minimal traveller.

Conclusion? Most travellers are going to need to prioritise versatility , weight , battery life , and price when picking the best travel laptop. Digital nomads and travellers working remotely are going to need powerful laptops for travel to handle multi-tasking and intensive programs.

Q. What is the best laptop for the money?

In my humble opinion, the best value laptop is definitely the Microsoft Surface Book  – from a specs / weight / price ratio, this laptop outperforms all the others.

Q. What is the best cheap laptop?

The Lenovo Idea Pad  is the best cheap laptop on the market at the moment. It is adequate for streaming movies and casual web browsing but that’s about it… Still, for less than $300, it’s a steal.

Q. What is the lightest travel laptop?

The MacBook Ai r is the most compact, thinnest and lightest laptop for traveling on the market… If space and weight is your primary concern, this is the laptop to choose.

Q. What is the best laptop for blogging?

The Macbook Pro  is the best laptop for bloggers and photographers – it can handle whatever you throw at it and edit photos without any problems, even on very advanced, space hungry, software.

Q. What is the smallest travel laptop?

The Macbook Air  takes the gold again for the smallest laptop for traveling…

Q. What is the most durable laptop?

The Macbook Pro  is the toughest laptop in this list and if you put it in a case it can take some knocks… Still, be careful with it.

Q. Should I travel with a laptop or a tablet?

A 2-1 will give you a lot more versatility than just traveling with a laptop or a tablet. If you ARE a fan of tablets, I recommend that you consider getting a 2-1 laptop / tablet combo rather than just a tablet. The Microsoft Surface 7 Pro  is definitely the best 2-1 laptop / tablet on the market.

There is no perfect or exact science when it comes to testing out what the best work travel laptop is. Having been digital nomads for a number of years, we think we’re in a decent position to give our 2 cents on the matter!

So when it came to assessing the best travel computers, we looked at a few different factors like specific performance for certain jobs and tasks, memory, storage, speed, weight and durability too. Of course, when it comes to the best laptop for travel and work, much of what is needed is individual depending on your needs. But we tried to cover most of the common uses as well as generalised purposes for travelling with a laptop.

Finally, we also take into account how an item is priced. Travel computers vary wildly in price and the most expensive isn’t always the best for your needs and your trip. However, we did scrutinise the more expensive laptops and gave the cheaper ones a bit more leeway.

Still have some questions about the best laptops for travel? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

What is the overall best travel laptop?

The perfect all-rounder for digital nomads is the Macbook Air . It packs style, efficiency, plenty of battery life and storage space and a solid operating systen in one little rectangle. For even more storage space, we’d suggest upgrading to a Macbook Pro .

What is the most affordable travel laptop?

The Lenovo Ideapad is one of the best budget options for digital nomads. While the value might not be as high as a Macbook, you’ll definitely get some real bang for your buck.

Which is the lightest travel laptop?

The Macbook Air is one of the best lightweight travel laptops on the market, with only 2.5lbs!

Should I get an insurance for my laptop during my travels?

Hell yes! If you’re relying on your laptop, having your electronics insured is one of first steps to travelling without any worries.

Our GREATEST Travel Secrets…

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There you have it!

Our epic reviews of the most versatile laptops, the most cost-efficient laptops, the best laptop for blogging and digital nomads and, of course, the best budget laptop on the market.

Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the listed choices. I personally tend to lean towards MacBooks because of their reliability and my own personal experiences.

However, some of the newest Microsoft, Lenovo, and Dell laptops have unique, useful features like touch screen, and 2-1 convertibility that give them a leg up as the best traveling laptops.

If you just want the best cheap travel laptop to surf the web and stream online, one of the budget laptops or Chromebooks would be perfect for you.

You will need to upgrade from the ChromeBooks and budget options to one of the travelling tablet 2-1’s or more expensive laptop options if you want to store data but you can get around this by buying a portable hard drive. Personally, I’m a big fan of Macbook Pros but what does the data say? When we compare all the factors, what is the best laptop for traveling?

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You can now buy The Broke Backpacker a coffee . If you like and use our content to plan your trips, it’s a much appreciated way to show appreciation 🙂

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31 Comments

Your writing is so relatable and down-to-earth It’s like chatting with a good friend over a cup of coffee Keep sharing your wisdom with us

Great article and certainly needed. However, I wouldn’t use a Lenovo product, even if you gave it to me for free. They have lots of problems!

Nicely comprised info for travelers. Like you, I once brought a laptop while traveling, only for it to not turn on due to the none air conditioned climate. It worked fine once I got back to the air conditioned USA. Do you have a laptop suggestion for those traveling to poor areas where cool flowing air is not an option? I’ve heard someone say there are ASUS laptops that can take the heat, but I have yet to find an article that states this.

This is a tough question because I feel like most laptops would be susceptible to this problem. You should buy a laptop with a high-quality frame or invest in an industrial-grade laptop.

Hey, thanks for your effort. I love working outside and i am trying to become more independent. After going through your choices real quick, the microsoft surface pro seems to be the most fit for me. Although i would love to be able to use a powerbank or something to charge it. Any suggestions in that regard?

The most important information thats missing for me is, the ability to work outside. Are all of them equal in that regard? Will i be able to work in the sun? Because my current notebook will not let me do that.

Hey Flo! I’m working off a Surface Pro 4 and I love mostly love it…. Mine has a factory error that dates back to 2016, but new ones should be fine. I’m able to work in the sun… if I need to. But working in the sun is both miserable and can cause eye damage. You’re not meant to be focusing on tiny text on a screen while inundated with blazing sunlight!

The best Windows 10 option for creatives and travelers needing versatility, speed, and power. While technically a powerful laptop, this is also one of the best tablets for travel. I will go for it.

I think this is great and you have totally nailed it by making that statement. Right on.

Thanks for the review. I am going to making some tour videos and for that, I will buy a laptop for video editing. I hope MacBook Pro will do that job greatly.

very informative blog, to bring a laptop while traveling actually I am making a plan to go an India for some time before that I definitely will check your mention points like battery life, processing power etc.

I’ve had my MacBook Air for a couple years now and it’s starting to show signs of needing replacement. Kinda nervous about this and what Apple is currently offering. Hopefully, it will hold out for a bit longer to see what else Apple might have in store.

You should really add the “Surface Laptop” to the list, it’s a great little laptop that allows you to choose how much storage you want along with three different processor options

I am looking for a new laptop and your list is helpful. Thank you.

Thank you for sharing this. A lot of people recommended me to buy the MacBook pro definitely expensive but worth every penny especially for us freelancer who like to travel and do work not just outside our home. Anyways, thank you for sharing this list. I love that you also share how informative and being detailed about the pros and cons.

Glad you found our laptop reviews helpful Esther! I’m a Macbook Pro man myself! 🙂

Please stop using the term “Digital Nomad.” It’s cringeworthy… Also, being a “DM” isn’t the only reason to have a high-powered laptop.

If you have heaps of money to spend on a high end laptop purely for leisure then good for you dude but for most people that kind of investment is only worth making if you’re going to be working online, with your laptop, as you travel.

that was wonderful details on the travel laptpops for all the techno freaks. Good post with all the essential details.

The performance of the SurfaceBook 2 is everything you could want form a laptop and thanks to the dual battery the battery life on offer here is impressive from a performance-focused device.

While choosing the laptop for traveling it is most important to consider which specs will optimize the digital experience. Which type of laptop is best for traveling and also how you plan to use your laptop while traveling

I’m definitely a windows user! The surface book 2 is just awesome, I’m gonna buy it soon.

Chromebooks are pretty much the perfect laptop for travelling. I mean not only are they cheap and super light and portable, but you can’t do much on them – which hopefully means you’ll STAY THE HECK OFF OF THEM and actually enjoy your vacation 😉

Comprehensive and detailed. I love that you have included comparison and required specs of the different travel laptops. I’d go for portability, memory, and battery life. Thanks for providing the best choices!

Hii Will Hatton,

I would like to say big thank you for your post. I really love to read it , this is such a very appreciable & informative post for each travelers. Keep posting

Yeah portability is what makes laptops great 🙂

I’ve been looking for a laptop to use for my business when I am away from home. So glad I found your blog. It has great info and I think I’ve narrowed it down to 2 different ones. Price is going to effect my choice, but that’s how it goes.

Hi, I’m going to India this winter but I’m also a student so I do have to be checking my laptop to see if my assignments and homework. I’m a little worried about wifi coverage. When you go to 3rd world countries how do you get reliable wifi? What provider/coverage plan do you use?

You’ll be fine – WiFi can be found in most places these days, which is kind of a shame. I don’t have reliable WiFi when I travel, I just get on with it.

Yes, but what no travel writer thinks to mention is which of these computers, all or none or in between, can connect to Channels 12 (in Canada and the rest of the world) 13 (in Europe and the rest of the World) and 14 in Japan. I’ve bought devices in the past, for world traveling, only to discover that the devices had been needlessly throttled for US customers at the firmware level. In other words, they could only connect on Channels 1-11.

Hi Will, Great detailed post. For me, a travel laptop has to be extra portable and have long-lasting battery. Chromebooks tend to meet those requirements and I always keep one for when I am on the road.

I’m truly impressed with your business finesse while traveling in some really interesting places. Nicely done!

I used to be a MacBook fan, but this last one as well as my latest iPhone has made me look elsewhere. The Dell XPS and the Lenovo Yoga products definitely seems to get great reviews and rock solid performance. I think I’ll be checking them out next. And, of course, your travel on $10 a day…didn’t think that was possible anymore! Thanks for some great reads

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PC Insiders Review – Is it worth it? Updated 2022

When I first published the Canadian grocery store comparisons , some readers pointed out the benefits of the PC Insiders subscription program. Since we have been doing more and more shopping at Superstore, the idea of earning more PC Optimum points was quite enticing. I began to wonder…Is the PC Insiders membership fee worth it? Below is my honest and unbiased PC Insiders review and whether PC Insiders is worth it.

After one year, here are some data points based on our family of four: 

• We earned extra $320 with of PC Optimum points
• Saved $146 in PC Express pickup fees
• Saved 30 hours from shopping in the store
• Received $40 worth in PC Insiders surprise gift box
• $99 PC Travel credit 
• A net benefit of $506  

Is the PC Insiders subscription worth it? After being a PC Insider for a year, I believe the answer is yes. My PC Insiders review is positive. However, Loblaws implemented some changes to the PC Insiders program in Oct 2020. Many of these changes are significant so I have updated this post to closely examine these changes and determine whether the PC Insiders membership is still worth it with these recent changes. 

If you are looking to sign up for PC Insiders, please use my referral code BL1611 to get 25,000 PC Optimum Points for free (an equivalent of $25) when you sign up for an annual subscription.

PC Insiders Benefits – Old vs. New

PC Insiders is a subscription based membership program. It is Loblaws’ answer to Costco’s membership program. The PC Insiders subscription program is available at the following stores: No Frills, Loblaws, Superstores, Shoppers Drug Mart, Zehrs, Extra Foods, Pharmaprix, Atlantic Superstore, valu-Mart, BloorStreet Market, Maxi, Independent, Fortinos, Provigo, and Joe Fresh.

Old PC Insiders Benefits

When you enroll in the PC Insiders program, you get many benefits as a PC Insider. The old PC Insider benefits are: 

• $99 PC Travel credit via PC Travel website. Note: You only get this benefit if you are on the annual subscription.
• Earn 200 PC Optimum Points per $1 spent on PC Organics products, Joe Fresh purchases, PC Black Label Collection purchases, all brands of baby diapers and formula, and all luxury beautyBOUTIQUE products on shoppersdrugmart.ca.
• Free shipping at Joe Fresh and Shoppers Drug Mart
• No pickup fees at PC Express. Without this PC Insider benefit, PC Express pickup would cost between $3 to $5, depending on the pickup time (i.e. $5 for busier time slots).
• Exclusive offers on PC Insiders Collection
• Exclusive PC Optimum offers
• One surprise gift annually (with annual subscription only)

When you pay the $99 annual membership (plus tax), you would get a $99 PC Travel credit. In this case, you are almost breaking even. 

New PC Insiders Benefits 

PC Insiders program went through some major changes on October 8, 2020. As a result, the PC Insiders benefits are going to be quite different. The first big change is that the annual subscription fee will change from $99 to $119 (plus tax). The monthly subscription option is no longer available. The new PC Insiders benefits are: 

• Earn 10% back in PC Optimum points on all over 12,000 PC products
• Free PC Express pickup with priority time slots
• Free shipping at Joe Fresh and Shoppers Drug Mart 
• 10% back in points on all Joe Fresh purchases
• 5% back in points on PC Travel bookings, including car rentals, hotel bookings, flights, and vacation packages
• A Welcome Box featuring PC products (only for new PC Insiders members)
• Exclusive inspirational contents: recipes, cooking tips, insightful videos, and more
• Get the scoop on innovative new PC products and services and sneak peeks
• Dedicated member care

Here’s a quick & easy comparison between PC Optimum vs. PC Insiders:

As you can see, there are significant changes. Whether the PC Insiders membership fee is worth it will depend heavily on your shopping style as I will examine later.

PC Travel Credit 

One thing to note is that you only get the PC Travel credit only if you subscribe for the annual PC Insiders program.

You can redeem the $99 PC Travel credit by booking something through PC Travel. You either use the travel credit or you lose it, since it cannot be transferred or refunded. The travel credit can be used for flights, hotels, car rentals, even cruises and vacation packages. If you plan to redeem the credit for hotels, the hotel stay has to be at least 3 nights. 

Note: Although my experience with PC Travel was positive, I have found that PC Travel prices are more expensive than other travel websites. There are also some restrictions when booking through PC Travel. For complex travel itineraries, I would be hesitant to book through PC Travel.

2021 Update: With the new changes to PC Insiders, the PC Travel Credit will no longer be available. Instead, PC Insiders will earn 5% PC Optimum points when booking through PC Travel.

PC Insiders surprise gift box

When we signed up for the PC Insiders membership, I was very curious about the annual PC Insiders surprise gift box. 

We received two surprise annual gift packages during the first year of being a PC Insider even though you’re supposed to get one only. The surprise gift packages contained PC Black Label products and a few recipes. 

After looking up these products online, I would estimate the value of each PC Insider surprise gift box at approximately $20. 

2021 Update: This benefit will now be called the Welcome Box and will only be shipped to new PC Insider members. If you’re renewing the membership, you won’t receive the Welcome Box. 

Free PC Express pickups

Mrs. T and I have been looking at Superstore’s online grocery shopping (PC Express) as a way to save time, but we didn’t want to pay for the $3 to $5 pickup fee every time.

As a PC Insider, PC Express pickups are free. We now order groceries online and then pick them up in-store at a time slot that is convenient for us. It is easy to select grocery items on the Superstore website. The website also displays the most frequently shopped items. Since we usually buy more or less the same things, we can quickly select the items we need and check out. It usually takes us less than five minutes to pick out everything we need, select a pickup time slot, and check out. 

When I arrive at Superstore, I would pull into a designated PC Express parking stall, call the PC Express number, give the representative the parking stall number, and have my groceries delivered right to my car within five minutes. If I want to redeem our PC Optimum points, I would let the representative know during the phone call, and he or she would take the amount off our bill. 

Overall, PC Express has been straightforward and simple. I had my doubts about online grocery shopping before, but I am now a true believer. Using the PC Express has saved me a lot of time because I no longer need to spend time walking around the store and pick up things that we need. 

After a year of PC Insiders membership, we saved $146 in PC Express pickup fees and approximately 30 hours. The time saving with PC Express alone makes the PC Insiders program worth every single penny.

2021 Update: Fortunately PC Express pickups remain to be free under the new PC Insiders program. 

Free delivery

As a PC Insider, you can get Joe Fresh and Shoppers Drug Mart products delivered for free. This can be a big benefit for those that shop frequently at Joe Fresh and Shoppers Drug Mart.

We don’t shop at Joe Fresh and Shoppers Drug Mart frequently so we haven’t taken advantage of the free delivery benefit.

2021 Update: The free delivery benefit continues but this may not benefit too many people. 

Maximizing PC Optimum Points

Every 10,000 PC Optimum Points is worth $10. You can redeem the points in $10 increments at checkout. PC Optimum Points are earned through targeted weekly offers and in-store weekly promotions.

To earn more points, you can apply for one of the no annual fee PC Mastercards . We have the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard which gives us 30 points for every $1 spent at participating stores or 45 points per $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart. You can also double up on the offers too, as you can see from my tweet below. Points do add up pretty quickly.

Since I’m a math nerd, it’s becoming a fun game for me to figure out how to maximize PC Optimum Points each week.

PC Insiders Benefits Analysis

For me, the most intriguing part of PC Insiders is the increased earn rate of PC Optimum Points . In the last few years, we have been more mindful of our food consumption . As a result, we have been purchasing and consuming more and more organic products. Naturally, when we shop at Superstore, we have been purchasing more and more PC Organics products. 

Comparing prices between Costco and Superstore , the PC Organic products usually are very price competitive. The pricing gets even better when you consider all the PC Optimum points we can earn by combining weekly flyer offers, 3% back on the PC World Elite Mastercard, and the 20% extra points for being a PC Insider. 

For example, organic bananas are $0.87 per pound at both Costco and Superstore. If we add the extra PC Optimum points we could earn, it would mean the organic bananas cost $0.67 effectively. 

It is not always cheaper at Superstore though. For example, baby spinach cost $1.28 per 100g at Costco and $1.76 per 100g at Superstore. Even with the 20% and 3% extra PC Optimum earn rate, baby spinach would come out at $1.36 per 100g, slightly more expensive than Costco. In other words, we need to pick and choose which PC Organic products to purchase at Superstore. It is also important to check the weekly flyer offers.

After one year of PC Insiders subscription, we were able to earn extra PC Optimum points that worth $320. We could then use this money to redeem against our grocery bills. 

Therefore, our experience with the PC Insiders program has been extremely positive. I’m convinced that the PC Insiders program is worth it based on our grocery shopping habits. 

Changes to PC Insiders Benefits – An Analysis

Initially, I was not too pleased when I learned about the new PC Insiders program. However, I do understand why Loblaws wanted to make some changes to the PC Insiders program and perhaps make some small improvements. The old PC Insiders benefits were great, especially for new parents that needed diapers and baby formula, and people that purchase PC Organic products.

Note: For expecting parents and new parents, check out 20 Baby Freebies you can get in Canada . These freebies will save you a ton of money.

If we compare the old vs. new benefits, here are the biggest changes:

• Subscription fee increased by $20 per year (plus taxes)
• A reduction of earn rate from 20% to 10% for PC Organics, Joe Fresh, PC Black Label Collection purchases.
• Removal of 20% PC Optimum earn rate on baby diapers and formula
• Removal of 20% on all luxury beautyBOUTIQUE products on shoppersdrugmart.ca.
• Earn 10% on all PC products, including PC, PC Organics, PC Black Label Collection, PC Blue Menu, PC Nutrition First, and PC Chef. -> New benefit
• Welcome Box only applicable to new members.
• 5% earn rate when using PC Travel -> New benefit

Whether you will earn more or less PC Optimum points with the new PC Insiders program depends on your shopping style. If you frequently buy PC products, then you may come out ahead with the new changes. 

For us, based on our one year shopping history, 7% of our purchases were Joe Fresh products and 93% of our purchases were PC Organic products. We rarely buy other PC products. We do buy No Name products occasionally and it’s really unfortunate that No Name products aren’t included under the PC Insiders benefits umbrella.

Parents are the biggest losers of new PC Insider changes. Parents that shop at Loblaws stores for baby diapers and formula will no longer earn 20% PC Optimum points. This is a huge blow. Under the new PC Insiders program, it would be way more worthwhile to purchase baby diapers and formula from Amazon, Walmart, or Costco. 

Another big change is the removal of the $99 PC Travel credit. Although my experience with PC Travel was positive, my overall review of PC Travel was not due to some of the PC Travel shortcomings. It seems that prices via PC Travel are generally more expensive than other travel booking websites. Therefore, I can see that the $99 PC Travel credit went unclaimed for many PC Insiders previously. 

While the new PC Insiders program offers a 5% earn rate for bookings made via PC Travel, I’d be hesitant to book any complex travel itineraries with PC Travel. 

Based on the old benefits and an earn rate of 20%, we earned 320,000 in PC Optimum points after one year of being PC Insiders. This is equivalent to $320 that we could redeem on grocery bills. Since the new program dropped the earn rate from 20% to 10%, that means we’d have earned 160,000 PC Optimum points or $160 based on the new PC Insiders benefits.

With the new annual membership fee of $119 plus tax ($133.28 for BC), that means we’d come out ahead by $26.72, not including the savings we’d have gotten from free PC Express pickups. 

I’d argue this dollar amount alone isn’t significant, but it certainly covered the cost of the new PC Insiders annual membership fee of $119. Since we’d still come out ahead, it makes sense for us to continue with the new PC Insiders program. This especially considering the time you may save by utilizing PC EXpress.

Based on the PC Insiders calculator, a family would need to buy $23 per week or $1,196 per year on PC Products to break even with the PC Insiders annual subscription fee (ignoring tax here). If a family spends $50 per week or $2,600 per year on PC Products, they would come out ahead by $141. So whether the PC Insiders program is worth it or not depends on whether you purchase many PC products or not.  

PC Insiders Review – The pros and cons of PC Insiders

After being a PC Insider for one year and renewing it for the second year, here are some of the pros and cons of the PC Insiders program. I’d like to mention this is my review of the PC Insiders program and these pros and cons of PC Insiders are purely my personal opinions. Your experience may vary based on your grocery shopping style. 

With the new PC Insiders program, I have decided to re-evaluate the pros and cons of the new PC Insiders program.

• Earning 200 PC Optimum points per $1 spent on select brands like PC Organic products.
• Free PC Express pickup for online grocery shopping.
• The $99 travel credit pays for the annual membership fee itself.
• Earn 100 PC Optimum points per $1 spent on all PC products. 
• The extra 200 PC Optimum earn rate is only for a handful of brands. For example, we don’t shop baby formula and diapers anymore, so the extra earn rate on baby formula and diapers is no use for us. 
• You may be able to find better rates than PC Travel. So this may prevent you from using the $99 travel credit. 
• If you prefer shopping in the store yourself and do not take advantage of PC Express, then the free PC Express pickup isn’t of any value. 
• If you don’t buy PC products regularly, the extra 10% earn rate may not be worth it. 

Who is the PC Insiders subscription program best suited for?

With the old PC Insiders program, I think the program is worth it and everyone can benefit from it. Given the current economic conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it makes some sense for Loblaws to review its PC Insiders program. But many of the existing PC Insider members certainly won’t be happy with the new changes. Who is the new PC Insiders subscription program best suited for? 

• Buy organic food regularly. At 200 extra points for PC Organic products ($0.20 value), if you buy $500 worth of PC Organic products, you’d already get the value of the $99 annual membership. You’ll earn additional points for all future PC Organic purchases.
• Want to save time and money by shopping for groceries online and picking up at the store. If you usually pick up during after work rush hours, you only need 20 PC Express pickups to get your annual $99 PC Insiders subscription worth it you need 24 PC Express pickup to get your annual $119 PC Insiders subscription worth it. That’s 2 PC Express pickup per month which should be quite easy to hit for the average Canadian family. 
• Young families using baby diapers and formula for their newborns or toddlers. Baby and toddlers will go through a lot of disposable diapers. It’s nice to be able to earn extra points on this newborn & toddler essential item.
• Occasionally purchase PC Black Label products 
• Shop Joe Fresh and Shoppers Drug Mart and have things delivered for free. 
• Buy PC products regularly. If you spend $23 per week on PC products ($1,196 per year), you’d break even (excluding tax). 

On the old PC Insiders program, we earned most of our points on PC Organic products. We also utilized PC Express pickup quite a bit to save time. So were very well suited for the PC Insiders program. This is probably the key reason why our experience with the PC Insiders program has been overwhelmingly positive. 

Is PC Insiders worth it? Depends on your shopping style. 

With the old PC Insiders program, we earned extra PC Optimum points worth $320, saved $146 in PC Express pickup fees, received approximately $40 values of surprise packages, and received the $99 PC Travel credit. This means we got a net benefit of $506, making the PC Insiders subscription well worth the money .

Our experience with PC Insiders has been extremely positive. We have been thoroughly pleased with PC Insiders and the extra benefits we have received. In fact, the experience is so positive, so we decided to renew our annual membership for another year. 

However, I was not too happy that Loblaws decided to change the PC Insiders program with a month’s notice to existing members. To make matters worse, the new program is a shadow of the former self. Many existing PC Insider members would not be happy with these new changes, especially those members that are new parents and rely on PC Insiders to earn extra PC Optimum points on baby diapers and formula or those members, like us, buy primarily PC Organic products. 

For me, I think these new changes were a big slap to the face to loyal Loblaws customers. Loblaws gave very short notice and would not provide any sort of grandfather terms to existing PC Insider members. Grandfathering the terms and old benefits would have been the least Loblaws could have done. Since we don’t regularly buy other PC products, the new PC Insiders program means our earn rate will reduce by 50%.

With the old program, we received $99 PC Travel credit, earned extra PC Optimum points worth $320, saved $146 in PC Express pickup fees, and got approximately $40 values of surprise packages during our one year PC Insider subscription. In other words, by being a PC Insider member, we were able to get a net benefit of $506, making the PC Insiders subscription well worth the money. But this analysis is based on the old/existing PC Insiders program.

If our grocery shopping style stays the same as the previous year, with the new PC Insiders program starting Oct 8, 2020, our PC Optimum earn rate will drop by 50%. This means that we’d earn about $160 PC Optimum points, save $146 in PC Express pickup fees, or a net benefit of $187 . 

Assuming our grocery shopping style stays the same as the previous year. It is still worthwhile for us to continue being a PC Insider member.

With all that said, if you and your family frequently purchase PC products and utilize PC Express, then the new PC Insiders program is totally worth it. You’d only need to purchase $23 per week on PC products. For the average Canadian family, this shouldn’t be difficult to do. 

Want to join PC Insiders? Please use my referral code BL1611 to get 25,000 PC Optimum Points for free (an equivalent of $25) when you sign up for an annual subscription.

I hope you have found this PC Insiders review helpful in determining whether to become a member or not. Are you a PC Insider? What is your PC Insider experience? 

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43 thoughts on “PC Insiders Review – Is it worth it? Updated 2022”

Can you check the code that you shared? When I entered the code that you have provided I got “Something isn’t right. This promo code doesn’t exist or has already expired.” error.

That is the correct referral code… Hmmm, it’s possible that they stopped the referral program.

Apparently the PC Insiders program was discontinued. They continue posting offers in the app, but those are just for existing members. So now the rest of us can only “look through the window”. Once the door was closed, it’s only for those who were already registered ☹️. Bummer!

Ah, that’s a bummer.

Its a nitmare. I signed up at 0458 on dec 20. I canceled at 0505 when i realized it was only for president choice items. since then i have been on the phone all day for 3 days. they have redirected me to various people and forwarded to specialist but they never did call. It also screwed up my points so instead of accumulating points. I ended up losing 30, 000 points from my first order.

i dont buy president choice, nor travel or do online shop. I like to search around for deals and gather meals and snack ideas.

so i was forced to pay 124 for a service i dont want.

Oh I’m very sorry to hear about the poor experience you’re having. Hopefully they can sort it out for you.

Thanks so much for the detailed review! And the update – I wasn’t aware of the changes actually and when I looked into all the details about a year ago I was debating signing up or not, decided it wasn’t right for me cuz there was no pickup locations nearby and I’m a single without a vehicle so only Shoppers is close, and the suburb city I’m in only has No Frills but not close to me. But I got down a rabbit hole today when I went to check my PC offers for this week and saw the ad in the ap for the subscription as well as their PC money card – I succumbed to their click-bait to check it out which got me on a Google search to do some further research before reading too much further – and came across this article! So I thank you! it’s totally informative and I appreciate the update too with such an in-depth description of the changes and how they may possible affect the consumer and who most benefits from their subscription. Though…. I’m still undecided – what I’m really looking at now, is my local No Frills has express pick up with online ordering now so that might be totally worth it to get a friend to drive me to just pick up groceries quickly rather than have to arrange a ride or tag-a-long on someone else’s shopping trip just to get my own groceries – but on their time schedule. So we’ll see. I have to do some points adding cuz unfortunately NO Frills doesn’t do base pts like Shoppers. ‍♀️

Btw – the symbol at the end of my comment was SUPPOSED to be the shrugging girl emoji but apparently it didn’t recognize that lol

Hi Chantal,

I’m glad you found this review useful. For us we have found the PC Insiders program worth it as I written in the article. Ultimately you need to decide yourself. The PC Express pickup is a game changer and makes grocery shopping much easier. 🙂

I became a member mostly for PC express pickup with “priority timeslots” These timeslots do not exist. Very disappointed.

Hmm weird, I wonder if that’s a store specific issue?

Great analysis. Thank you for doing all the homework and sharing it, as well as for the promo/refereral code. Not sure how often I’d get the organic stuff since I get local farm box subscriptions and only shop at supermarkets to supplement in between deliveries and the greens during the winter months. However, just on the free PC Express pick-up is worthwhile for me in terms of the time savings, in the line-ups and in-store! Thanks again!

You’re welcome.

With the new benefits, if you purchase PC products reguarly and use PC Express pick-up, it’s worthwhile to become a PC Insider.

Before signing up double check that your local stores do the express pick up. Our local Loblaws does but neither of our two closest No Frills stores do. So we can drive 5 mins each way to No Frills and do our own shopping or or drive 25 mins each way to the nearest NF that does express to do pick up. They don’t do PC delivery in our area either which is supposed to be another benefit.

A very good point. The Superstore near our place didn’t have PC Pickup until about 2.5 years ago. Certainly wouldn’t want to drive 25 minutes each way to the nearest place that does express to pick up. That’d defeat the purpose of online order & pickup.

Thank you for the analysis. I just checked out what this travel credit is. If I have to book an annual hotel flight 1000 dollar package, it’s not worth it but just found out you could just book a cheap hotel in Quebec City or Toronto for a night or car rental for a day. Even during this covid time, if you are someone who rent a car or who does weekend getaway, it could be a great deal.

Thank you so much for this detailed review Bob! I have been a PC Insiders member since the start in Dec 2018. My total earnings on points and waived pick up fees is $1328.00 ! I always raked in the points just from my babys and toddlers formula and diapers. I am super disappointed in the change it is pitiful compared to what I used to earn. I will still continue with the program just for the PC Express waived pick up fees as you mentioned it saves so much time as well as more safe during the current pandemic. Other than that there isnt too much value to the program anymore. I find Shoppers Drug Mart to have alot more value and bonus point incentives so that’s good. Thanks again for detailing everything out as I had to google as I wasnt aware of the change and was curious why my points weren’t accumulating anymore. Your article laid it all out – thank you!

Wow that’s great earning in terms of points! It’s too bad that they dropped points from baby formula and diapers but looks like if you get the PC brand, you’d still get points. PC Express is definitely a life saver for a busy family.

Thank-you for your analysis. I did the same for myself and have just cancelled my membership (effective Feb ’21) They say my membership discounts will exist until then but I gather at the, in my opinion, reduced version. I also was ticked with losing the $99 credit for PCtravel this covid year. I have had excellent results with PCTravel, and they will price match so despite seeing a higher price they will match (same flight/hotel/date etc). They have lost me as a loyal PCInsider…..I prefer to shop in the store, I bought PCOrganics and occasionally Joe Fresh so the new formula is not aimed at me nor is it aimed at those with babies.

I have my choice of stores; nearby NoFrills, Loblaws, Freshco and Foodland as well as cool ethnic groceries. For the last couple of years I have rarely shopped anywhere but the Loblaws banner stores due to the points on PCInsiders but no more. Weston blew it! I even was on the PC Insider panel to answer questions about the new program and I guess I was in the minority or they just ignored the data.

My biggest disappointment is the fact that not all stores are created equally. We signed up for the program to take advantage of the free PC Express service at our store. We used the service religiously for about 3 months (we have very young kids, shopping can be hard). Our order was almost never correct. Missing items all the time, get other people’s orders, every week was something new. Even going to our pick up time at the right time, having to wait 20 minutes with no other cars waiting is ridiculous. The frustration has mounted to the point that we have spoken to managers in multiple occasions and now it’s just easier to shop in store, despite the benefit of free grocery pick up. Rural communities definitely do no have the luxury of good PC Express service.

Hmm interesting, we’ve had pretty good experience with PC Express pickup from the Superstore near us. That’s really disappointing to get other people’s orders or having missing items. Did you check off substitution?

They have gone and changed the program entirely now so for many of us who signed up this year based on the old program the new “benefits” seem more like a bait and switch. For instance we have a Loblaws, shoppers Drugmart and a City market in walking distance and when we renewed our annual subscription valid through April 2021 we had an 18 month old and a baby in the way. The 20% back for diapers and formula made them less expensive Walmart and Amazon (despite both delivering right to my door). It was why we joined the program. 20% for organic made baby food a little less but we are ok with just regular produce. Now neither benefit (diapers or formula) is part of the program changes set to start in a month. Never got to use my travel credit due to Covid. Would be nice if they honoured they’re member benefits through to the end of the subscription period for existing members. While I feel I’ve fallen for a bait and switch I feel better knowing that they won’t be getting the $1000/year I spend in store on diapers alone, that business will be going to Amazon and Walmart now.

Hi Kathryn,

Thanks for pointing this out. I did see that email a few days ago and I was not happy at all about the changes. I’ve been working on updating this post to reflect the changes.

The 20% back on diapers and formula has been a great deals for parents. Many people will decide to cancel their membership because of the removal of the benefits for sure.

We typically only buy PC Organic products so reducing from 20% to 10% is a bit reduction in earning power. We’ll have to recalculate and see if it makes sense to continue with PC Insiders.

I reserved and completed a flight through the PC Travel website, but PC Insider refused to honour their deal as booking with them is not enough. After bouncing telephone calls from PC Travel to PC Insider (which are different siloed corporations). They admitted that I made a mistake by not calling the correct division within the company. The manager that called me back allowed to allow me to reserve a future flight during COVID-19. Meaning PC Insider management refused to honour their $99 benefit.

Sorry to hear about your experience. My experience with PC Insiders and PC Travel has been quite good.

You can save more money by price matching and getting points, this can save you more money just use your phone to look up prices or flyer.

I think something has changed recently. In our family we have two separate accounts. My wife only has a PC Express account. I also have a PC Insiders account. Since about one month my wife still gets email offers like e.g.: “Shop groceries with PC Express online grocery pickup and get $10 OFF your order of $100 or more.” I, as a PC Insiders member don’t receive these emails anymore. If my suspicion is true and this practice of Lowblaws continues it is a significant loss of discount. I wonder what would happen if I use her discount codes at checkout. Have not tried that yet.

Hmm interesting, we haven’t experienced that yet. Wonder if it’s an error on PC Express/PC Insiders part.

Hi, I just wanted to clarify that in the in the fine print it says that points earned through the PC insiders program “may not be combined with any in-store, online or personalized bonus points offers on the same purchase” rather “you would receive either your PC Insiders points OR the in-store, online or personalized bonus points offer, whichever is the greater number of points, but not both”.

Hi Heather,

Hmm that’s not what we have experience so far. We’ve been getting in-store, online, or personalized weekly offers and the additional points from PC Insiders program (i.e. buying PC Organic products).

For example, this week we have personal offer for bananas where we’d get 200 points ofr $1 spend. I went to Superstore and purchased $7 worth of organic banana. When I checked on the app I got: 1,400 PC Optimum points – 200 points for every $1 spent on banana 1,400 PC Optimum points – 200 points for every $1 spent on PC Insiders PC Organics

Been working with Superstore for almost a decade so I obviously know about PC Insiders. But to be honest, I was also very hesitant to subscribe as I didn’t want to pay extra to get more points, especially that I also have membership with Costco. I feel like I’m spending so much on memberships and the like. So even if I have 2 little ones and I’m always being told I’d get savings on baby stuff with PC Insiders, I didn’t want to consider. Not until today when I get an offer of one month free subscription. But before I went online and enroll, I check out for some reviews and came across your blog. All pros (and cons) are explained well so instead of taking advantage pf the free one month subscription, I went straight to annual. I used your referral code! I thank you so much for that. $24 of savings is absolutely a big thing. Can’t wait to earn points on my diaper purchases. Wink wink.

Thank you, glad my review has helped you on deciding. 🙂

I’m still holding out on a free offer, it irritates me that they only provide the offer to some and not others for the free annual membership lol. I haven’t ever purchased any black label stuff, but I do buy PC Organics toddler snacks etc. often. Smart that they are doing a referral program now, Loblaw’s is getting pretty good with their marketing.

I guess we got lucky. Seems that if you have one of the PC credit cards, you are more likely to get offers. We’ve gotten like 30,000 points just for having the PC credit cards. Can’t complain. 🙂

Good Article. We don’t have a Superstore anywhere near us so I’m stuck with Airmiles. I like how you have optimized the points program using the credit card, and taking advantage of the promos. I’m impressed with the PC Express pickup, I didn’t even know that was a thing! Considering how much time I’ve spent standing in line, that’s a huge time value savings. Our points game is to get more points than the dollar total we spend. I don’t advocate for spending just to get points, but I’m all about stocking up on a staple item if there’s a great points offer.

We were lucky that a Superstore is nearby us. I don’t think it’s worth it to shop at Shoppers as things are more expensive there. The PC Optimum points do add up quickly if you optimize the program with credit card, weekly promos, personal promos, and PC Insiders. The PC Express pickup has been a great experience so far.

Excellent article, as always! Thank you for your opinion! I’m a PC Insiders member since december and I think it’s entirely worth it for the time I save not doing the grocery… 😉

Thank you! The time saving with PC Express has been totally awesome!

You have a code, clearly a biased review. We’ve seen no increase in points and buying organic and black label products are more money, of course you earned $55 but it’s prob what you ended up paying indifference. And did you really need anything black label It’s all overpriced. Travel voucher is a great incentive but no thanks. Are reward box was rather disappointing. They sent us cake and cookie mixes that required us to purchase more items to make.

First of all, I can careless whether you sign up with my referral code or not. I put the code in there to save readers 25% when they sign up. Yes, I get 10,000 referral points but if I didn’t get any referral points, I’d still provide the code so readers can save money when they sign up.

And no, this is NOT a biased review in any way. I provided an honest review on how I feel about the PC Insiders program. If by providing a code in the review makes it biased, that’s your opinion. I’m sure majority of the readers do not share the same belief as you.

Second, as stated in the review, we have been buying PC Organic products already, so signing up PC Insiders means we’d earn additional points (we have only purchased Black label and Joe Fresh products occasionally). If you aren’t buying these products that offer 200 points per every $1 spend, then there’s really no point for you to sign up for the PC Insider program.

Chris Wentworth, I fully agree with Bob. If you regularly read the blog you will found out that he is has a good point. Not that kind of person who will try to take advantage for a couple of miserable dollars. He would rather help you.

Excellent article, Bob! As usual. I like the PC points and their organic products.

Thank you. PC points are great and the PC organic products are great too.

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• Electronics

The Best All-in-One Computer

By Dave Gershgorn

Dave Gershgorn is a writer covering monitors, laptops, and tablets. He is a certified display calibrator through the Imaging Science Foundation.

An all-in-one computer can be a great family PC or a centerpiece for a home office because the all-encompassing design helps you avoid a mess of display, power, and peripheral wires. However, all-in-ones typically cost more than a laptop or a mini PC plus a monitor, so keep in mind that you’re paying more for that streamlined design.

Although the Apple 24-inch iMac is expensive, it offers the best combination of display quality, performance, and design for the price. For a less expensive alternative with a touchscreen, we also recommend the HP Envy Move . And if you’re looking for a large, 32-inch 4K screen, our upgrade pick is the Lenovo Yoga All-In-One 9i .

Everything we recommend

Apple 24-inch iMac

The best all-in-one desktop computer.

Apple’s 24-inch iMac is fast and silent, and it looks great on a desk.

Buying Options

Upgrade pick.

Lenovo Yoga All-in-One 9i (32")

A larger 4k screen.

The Yoga 9i All-in-One is built around a 32-inch, 4K display that’s great for office tasks and watching media.

Budget pick

HP Envy Move

A portable windows option.

This touchscreen desktop is great for families or kids.

The Apple 24-inch iMac is a streamlined all-in-one computer with a sleek, fanless design that doesn’t sacrifice processing power. Its M3 processor is powerful enough for any general task, including writing documents, surfing the web, streaming media, and even doing some light coding or video editing. It also has a gorgeous, 4.5K-resolution display that’s bright enough for use in any room, even sunny rooms where other screens might seem dark. The iMac comes with the highest-quality mouse and keyboard of any all-in-one we’ve tested by far, and there are seven color options, so you can match your computer to your aesthetic. All of this quality comes at a price, though: The iMac costs hundreds of dollars more than Windows all-in-one options—but you do get what you pay for.

The Lenovo Yoga All-in-One 9i is built around a large, 32-inch 4K display, which offers plenty of space for browser windows and work applications. It’s also good for watching TV shows or movies due to its slim bezels and thin stand, which make it a little less like a monitor and a little more like a TV. The PC’s base also has wireless charging for your phone or accessories that support it, which is a useful feature.

The HP Envy Move is a unique all-in-one that has a handle and built-in battery that lasts for about four hours, so you can easily move it around and set it up in different places in your home. Even if you don’t use it to switch locations, it’s a quick, solid-performing computer that’s great for families or working from home. The Envy Move has a 1440p touchscreen, which is a higher resolution than that of many competitors. And touch capability makes it easier to use around the house for watching videos or swiping through websites. It has USB-A, USB-C, and power ports, as well as an HDMI port for using it as a display for another computer or game console.

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, how we picked and tested, our pick: apple 24-inch imac, upgrade pick: lenovo yoga all-in-one 9i, budget pick: hp envy move, how to buy a cheaper all-in-one pc, what to look forward to, the competition.

Dave Gershgorn has reviewed and covered technology since 2015 at publications such as Popular Science, Quartz, Medium, and now Wirecutter. As a senior staff writer, he covers PCs, Macs, and all computer displays for Wirecutter; he is also a certified display calibrator through the Imaging Science Foundation. He has built, repaired, and largely avoided frying his own computers since 2006.

An all-in-one computer combines a PC, monitor, speakers, and webcam into one streamlined device that has fewer cords and is typically a bit more aesthetically pleasing than a traditional desktop. As a result, an all-in-one often works well as a family computer in a kitchen or other shared space, an office computer at reception desks or service desks, or in areas that have limited outlets.

All-in-ones are also the simplest computers available. If you don’t want to make a bunch of purchasing decisions on your computer, monitor, webcam, and peripherals, our top pick is a great computer that includes all of those components.

But if you don’t mind making those purchases separately, it’s more cost-effective to buy a mini PC and a monitor instead of an all-in-one. For instance, Apple’s M2 Mac mini and our top-pick 27-inch monitor would together cost about $900 before tax, and they would provide far better performance than a budget all-in-one . You could even upgrade to a 4K monitor and still spend a few hundred dollars less in total than you would on the Apple iMac. Separate components are also easier to upgrade in the future, because the display or webcam isn’t physically attached to a mini PC as in an all-in-one—though combining separate components involves more unruly wires and requires more power outlets.

Most all-in-ones aren’t repairable, if that’s important to you. Since the computer’s components are packed tightly into the display, these machines are typically held together with glue and other bits of manufacturing trickery that make them difficult to open, clean, and fix.

A good all-in-one PC should have a nice-looking screen that’s colorful and reasonably sharp, and it should be fast enough to handle web browsing, work and school assignments, and some light gaming in a pinch. We use the following criteria while sifting through the dozens of all-in-ones available from Acer, Apple, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and other PC makers:

• Size: When researching all-in-ones, we stick to the same screen sizes that we recommend in most of our monitor guides: 24 and 27 inches, with some exceptions for larger displays.
• Resolution: A 24-inch all-in-one screen should have 1080p resolution (1920×1080 pixels), and a 27-inch display should have 1440p resolution (2560×1440 pixels, sometimes called QHD or 2K).
• Contrast ratio: The difference between the brightest white and the darkest black that a screen can display is especially noticeable when you’re watching movies or playing games with lots of dark scenes. A ratio of 1000:1 is typical of IPS displays, and the higher that first number is, the better.
• Processor: A six-core (or higher) processor from Intel or AMD should be enough to keep your computer feeling fast for years to come. Look for 12th- or 13th-generation Intel Core processors or AMD Ryzen 5000–series or 7000–series processors. As for Apple processors, the M3 processor is great for most people.
• Memory: We recommend at least 8 GB of memory, which is enough for browsing the web, editing documents, chatting in apps such as Slack or Microsoft Teams, and playing light games. If you edit photos or videos or regularly open dozens of browser tabs at a time, consider upgrading to 16 GB (or buying extra memory later and installing it yourself, when possible).
• Storage: A 256 GB solid-state drive (SSD) is the bare minimum you should look for in an all-in-one. A smaller drive leaves you with very little room for apps, games, photos, and videos, and using a standard hard drive instead of an SSD would make your computer feel frustratingly slow. Many all-in-ones pair an SSD with a larger hard drive, relying on the former for speed and the latter for large-file storage.
• Graphics: Many all-in-ones use the processor to handle video output as well, rather than the high-end dedicated GPUs included in typical desktops or gaming laptops. All-in-one models with Intel’s Iris Xe graphics or AMD’s Radeon graphics can’t play hyper-realistic 3D games with all the settings turned up, but they’re fine for playing less-demanding online multiplayer titles and last-generation PC games at 720p or 1080p at low or medium settings. Apple’s processors have similar built-in graphics, though fewer games are supported on macOS.
• Webcam: A basic webcam has become a must-have accessory as many people continue to work or attend school from home. An all-in-one computer should have a built-in camera and microphone that are good enough for basic video chatting.
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: One advantage of an all-in-one is that you can plunk it down anywhere and plug it in without worrying about lots of cables. To that end, an all-in-one should include Wi-Fi 6 support so that it can always reach the internet, as well as Bluetooth for you to pair the computer with wireless keyboards, mice, game controllers, and other accessories.
• Price: Some all-in-ones cost a bit more than you would pay for a separate desktop PC and monitor. But we try to find models that provide better value than buying a basic desktop PC ($400 or $500) plus one of our monitor picks (another $200 or $300). You can expect to pay somewhere between $800 and $1,000 for a decent 24-inch all-in-one and $1,200 and up for a higher-end version.
• Ports: An all-in-one should include at least two USB ports, as well as an HDMI or DisplayPort connection or USB-C/Thunderbolt port for connecting external monitors.
• Keyboard and mouse (or trackpad): The keyboards and mice that accompany most all-in-ones are rarely great, but they should be functional and designed to match the look of the PC.
• Warranty: A one-year warranty is typical for most computers, though extra coverage is usually available if you’re willing to pay more. When possible, buy extended warranty coverage directly from the computer’s manufacturer, not from a third party.
• Extra features: Some all-in-ones still include DVD burners, and others have features such as HDMI inputs (so that you can use the all-in-one’s screen and speakers for another computer or a game console) or face-scanning IR cameras (for faster logins).

To test each computer, we use each one for a couple of days of work. This process includes browsing the web and communicating through email, Slack, and Discord, video-chatting over Zoom and Google Meet, and editing documents and other files. We run performance benchmarks and encode some video files to see how each computer would fare on heavier work, and we play a handful of older or less-demanding games (such as Fortnite , Bioshock Infinite , and Valorant ) to get a sense of how each one would handle the sort of casual gaming that a family PC might be called upon to do.

The Apple 24-inch iMac is a fast, well-designed computer that comes in a bunch of great color options. It runs on a new M3 processor, part of the same line of chips that Apple has put in MacBooks, Mac minis, and iPads for the past three years, so it operates silently without a fan and retains great processor performance. It also has a gorgeous high-resolution display, so text is crisp and clear while you’re working, and it’s great for watching movies or TV shows. And it comes in seven colors: blue, green, pink, silver, yellow, orange, and purple.

The iMac is more expensive than other all-in-ones, but it offers an outsized value.  Many competitors try to build their all-in-ones to compete against budget monitors and budget PCs, which give you low-resolution displays and underpowered processors. Apple’s version of an all-in-one is more expensive, but its combination of a high-resolution display, a quiet processor, and modern design makes it far more pleasurable to use.

The iMac’s screen is incredibly sharp. The iMac’s 24-inch display has a 4.5K resolution, which makes applications, icons, text, images, and video look crisp and clear. The display also gets bright enough for use in sunny rooms or around bright lights, since the screen can emit up to 500 nits of brightness. We’ve typically found Apple displays to be of very high quality, and the iMac’s display is no exception. It’s high-resolution and bright, and it has great contrast. However, with a maximum refresh rate of 60 Hz, this all-in-one computer isn’t meant for serious gaming.

It runs on Apple’s new M3 processor. The iMac is now powered by Apple’s M3 chip, which is powerful enough to handle basic computing tasks such as web browsing, streaming, and light video editing, and it doesn’t generate a lot of heat. As a result, the iMac doesn’t need cooling fans, so it operates silently. If you regularly edit media or compile code, you might be better served by a Mac mini , which offers far more power but lacks a built-in display. For most people, though, the iMac and its M3 processor will get the job done.

You can add more RAM and storage, but the basic package is likely enough. The iMac configuration we recommend includes 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB solid-state drive for storing files. We find that Apple’s M-series chips use RAM efficiently, and 8 GB is enough for most people. However, if your current computer is using more than 150 GB to 200 GB of storage, upgrading to a 512 GB drive or investing in an external hard drive for extra storage would be worthwhile.

The iMac’s built-in webcam is pretty good. It has a 1080p resolution, which is a bit low compared with the higher-quality, 5-megapixel cameras of many competitors. (For reference, a 1080p camera has a resolution of just under 2 megapixels.)

There aren’t a ton of ports, but you likely won’t need them. The base-level iMac offers two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, which you can use to attach peripherals or a second monitor, as well as a headphone jack. You could also plug an inexpensive USB-C hub into one of the ports. For $200 more, you can add two more USB-C ports and an Ethernet port. But if you’re going to use so many wires, we recommend getting a mini PC , such as a Mac mini, instead, because it would be cheaper and more powerful. The 24-inch iMac also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

It ships with premium accessories. The iMac comes with Apple’s Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard, which are by far the best accessories shipped with any all-in-one we’ve tested. Most all-in-one manufacturers bundle in comparatively cheap and dinky peripherals, which we recommend replacing immediately. By contrast, the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard are high-quality, feel great to use, and will last for years. These accessories certainly factor into the iMac’s high cost, but Apple’s decision to include about $180 worth of peripherals goes a long way toward ensuring that your experience with the computer is great from the first time you boot it up.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s expensive. Buying a mini PC and a nice monitor would be cheaper. But if you specifically want a high-quality computer with the aesthetics and simple design of an all-in-one, you don’t have many other great options. Competing all-in-ones generally have far worse screens, processors that require loud fans, and junky peripherals.

The Lenovo Yoga All-in-One 9i is a great all-in-one for a home office or for multiple people to use in a shared living space. It’s built around a 32-inch, 4K display, which gives a ton of space on screen to spread your tabs. And Intel’s Core Ultra i5 processor makes it feel fast and responsive, even while multitasking (for instance, playing a windowed puzzle game on Steam and watching YouTube). It has a very simple physical design, and its ports are tough to access, so it’s best for those who want an easy setup and are willing to get a good wireless keyboard and mouse. (It comes with peripherals included, but they are not great.)

Its best feature is its 32-inch 4K screen. The Yoga AIO 9i is defined by its 32-inch, 4K display. Its size means that it dominates most desks, so you’ll need an area about 30 inches wide to accommodate it. But that means it’s also just big enough to use as a screen to watch TV, movies, or videos from across a small room. Text-heavy applications like Microsoft Word and videos both look sharp. And the display is bright enough to use in a room that gets a lot of sunlight, but if the screen is directly in the light, it will get a bit washed out.

Its speakers sound full, but there’s room to improve. The Yoga AIO 9i has two 2W tweeter speakers and two 5W woofers, which do a good job of sounding detailed and full for speakers built into a display. But we typically recommend upgrading to one of our computer speaker picks , especially if you’re going to be watching TV or movies.

It can keep up with home and basic office tasks. The 9i always felt responsive when we were using it in our testing, even with a bunch of windows and tabs open. Productivity software like Word and Excel open and operate quickly, and you can have eight to 10 lightweight applications open without any slowdown. The display’s 60 Hz refresh rate isn’t ideal for fast-paced gaming. But when we tested some light turn-based and puzzle games on Steam, like Slay the Spire and Monster Train , the games ran great, with processing power to spare for Spotify, a crop of browser tabs, and intermittently streaming YouTube.

It has built-in wireless charging for a compatible phone or accessories. A small wireless charging logo marks where you can place a compatible device for up to 15W of power. It’s a nice little way to charge your phone or wireless earbuds while you’re working, though you do have to be a bit precise in your placement.

Its slim design comes at the expense of accessible ports. All of the Yoga AIO 9i’s ports are on the back of its base. That means they are low-profile and out of the way but also very inconvenient for frequent access. If you have a wireless keyboard and mouse, and you don’t often plug in USB drives or peripherals, then it won’t really be an issue. But if you do need to access your ports on a regular basis, we recommend a small USB hub to fix the problem.

There are a few other design issues. The computer’s power adapter is right next to the HDMI and USB ports, and it’s not incredibly secure. So it could be accidentally tugged out if you’re not mindful when using close-by ports, or if you’re moving it to face a couch to watch TV. We moved it around our desk a lot, and the cord never fell out. But it felt a little precarious for the power to be so close to ports of a device without a battery—especially since you can’t see those ports when you need to use them because they’re behind the computer. Finally, the all-in-one’s stand tilts up and down only, and its height cannot be adjusted.

The HP Envy Move puts a fresh spin on the traditional all-in-one computer, with a handle and battery so you can unplug it from the wall, safely pick it up, and use it in a different room for a few hours. Though it sounds a little gimmicky at first, we found that this really did make the computer more flexible and useful. Even if you don’t move it, we think the Envy Move is a solid budget option due to its display, speakers, and webcam.

It has a sharp and responsive touchscreen display. The Envy Move has a 24-inch 1440p display, while most competitors only offer a 1080p display for a similar price. It can reach 300 nits of brightness, which is bright enough for home use but won’t look very bright in full, direct sunlight. It’s also a 10-point touchscreen, which we found was responsive and worked well. However, the display has a glossy finish, so you’ll want to keep a microfiber cloth in the computer’s back pocket to wipe it down.

It’s the rare desktop PC that has a battery, which is useful. The built-in battery allows you to unplug the computer from the wall and take it with you into another room for about four hours. We found that the portability was actually pretty helpful in certain situations, like setting it on the coffee table and doing a video call with friends from the couch.

It has a back pocket to hold the included keyboard. The keyboard that comes with the Envy Move has a trackpad built in, and we were comfortable using it at a desk or on the couch. The computer has a large back pocket to hold the keyboard when it’s not in use, and you could also stuff a cable or dongle in there, too.

The unique design features automatically extending feet. When you pick up the Envy Move, its two feet rotate under the computer to stow themselves. When the feet are stowed, two small pins extend from the bottom of the computer; they get pushed back in by the weight of the computer when you place it down, deploying the feet. The mechanism works really well on hard surfaces, but it doesn’t work on carpet, since it’s too soft to fully press the pins and deploy the legs. The whole computer tilts backward a few degrees, but not forward or not far enough that we found it comfortable to use while sitting in front of it on the floor.

It’s powerful enough to get work done. The setup we recommend has an Intel Core i5-1335U processor and 16 GB of RAM, which is more than enough for surfing the web and working on documents, even while taking video calls. It’s also capable of some casual photo and video editing. A 256 GB hard drive will be enough for documents, pictures, and some home video, but you’ll want to back anything important up in the cloud or on a portable SSD .

The webcam, microphone, and speakers are all great. HP has upgraded the webcam on nearly all of its computers to 5-megapixel resolution, which looks great in most lighting situations. The webcam also has a physical privacy shutter. And we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Envy Move’s speakers, which are better than most on all-in-ones or monitors. The sound has really nice clarity, as well as discernible bass, mids, and treble; that might not sound impressive, but most monitors we test don’t meet that low threshold.

It’s got a few basic ports. The Envy Move has one USB-C and one USB-A, located on the left side of the computer. They’re a bit cramped in the bottom corner, and bulky accessories might not fit in the space between the port and your desk. But since the keyboard and touchpad are wireless, and what most people will be using most of the time, we don’t think it’s a dealbreaker. There’s an HDMI input and power jack on the right side, along with a button to switch between the internal computer and that HDMI.

Here’s what to look for if you’re shopping for a budget all-in-one.

First, make every effort to see the computer in person. Stores such as Best Buy, Costco, and Walmart have display setups of their computers, so you can see firsthand whether you like the PC. You likely won’t be able to test how fast the PC is or how well games run on it, but you can check other important factors. Look at the screen and determine whether it seems sharp enough for you to read small text. Check if the audio is playing, or if you can play a YouTube video to check the sound: Is it tinny, or does music sound natural to you? See if you can use the computer’s webcam to confirm that it’s sharp enough for you to make a video call; typically you can check the camera by opening the Start menu on Windows and finding the Camera application.

When it comes to specifications, we recommend a midrange 13th- or 14th-generation Intel processor. You can identify a processor by its model number, which should start with i5 or i7; the next number immediately following that should be 13 or 14, which denotes the 13th or 14th generation. Don’t buy anything with a model number like i5-11500 (an older processor), i5-10500 (an even older processor), or i3-13100 (a recent processor, but in a lower range).

The computer should also have at least 8 GB of RAM and at least 256 GB of storage, and the screen resolution should be at least 1080p. The webcam’s resolution should also be 1080p at a minimum.

HP has the HP 27-inch All-In-One and HP 24-inch All-In-One with the new Intel Core Ultra chips, which are available now, and we’re planning to test in coming months. Dell has also released a new Inspiron 24 all-in-one that we’re also planning to test.

Generally we didn’t consider all-in-ones with older, 11th-generation Intel processors or models with AMD Ryzen 3000–series laptop processors. We skipped any all-in-ones that lacked SSDs and a handful that omitted webcams. And we decided not to test models with 27-inch 1080p screens because that resolution looks too large and visibly pixelated at that screen size.

The Dell Inspiron 24 All-in-One was previously a budget pick in this guide. We think the HP Envy Move, our new budget pick, is a better, more feature-packed computer, and it’s cheaper than the Dell.

This article was edited by Arthur Gies and Caitlin McGarry.

Meet your guide

Dave Gershgorn

Dave Gershgorn is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He’s been covering consumer and enterprise technology since 2015, and he just can’t stop buying computers. If this weren’t his job, it would likely be a problem.

Further reading

How to Shop for a Desktop Computer, From Cheap Towers to Gaming PCs

by Kimber Streams and Dave Gershgorn

Shopping for an already-built PC, whether for office use or gaming, can be confusing. We’re here to help you figure out the specs to watch for and how much to spend.

The Best Laptops

From budget-friendly options to thin-and-light ultrabooks to powerful gaming laptops, we’ve spent hundreds of hours finding the best laptops for most people.

Which Computer Should You Buy for Your Kid?

by Kimber Streams

We have a range of computer buying advice for parents facing a variety of schooling and budget situations, from used to new, and from laptop to desktop.

How to Shop for a Used Laptop or Desktop PC

by Kimber Streams and Andrew Cunningham

Major stores and manufacturers sell refurbished, refreshed, and used laptops and desktops that sometimes perform as well as new ones, but for much lower prices.

Best computers in 2024: our top picks

These are the best computers we recommend most often, based on my team's hands-on testing

• Best overall
• Best gaming PC
• Best mini PC
• Best Mac for power
• Best starter gaming PC
• How to choose
• How we test

Desktop PCs come in all shapes and sizes, but the best computers for most folks are the ones that are capable, easy to use and look good on a desk.

I know because my team and I regularly review PCs from the top vendors, and while I generally recommend you get a boutique PC builder (or trusted friend) to build you a PC that's perfect for your unique needs, there are some off-the-shelf models we often recommend.

For most folks, the Apple iMac M3 offers the killer value of being a capable all-in-one PC built into a lovely 4.5K display, so it's great as a family PC or something to give to an older relative. If you're on a budget, the Mac mini is nearly as good and far smaller, though you do have to provide your own display with this pint-sized PC.

Of course if you want a high-performance machine for serious gaming, I recommend the Alienware Aurora R16 because it looks and performs great and is highly customizable. But if you want something cheaper and simpler to get started gaming at 1080p, the Acer Predator Orion 3000 is an affordable gaming PC that runs the best PC games at good to great framerates.

Scroll down our full list below for more recommendations, fuller explanations and links out to full reviews replete with results from our performance testing lab.

The quick list

In a hurry? Here's a brief overview of the computers on this list, along with quick links that let you jump down the page directly to a review of whichever PC catches your eye.

The best computer for most people

Apple's 24-inch iMac is our top recommendation for a basic PC because the Apple M3 chip inside gives it plenty of power for work and play, while the 24-inch Retina display looks great in a family room or office. Plus, the webcam is great and the speakers sound good.

Read more below

The best gaming PC

Alienware's Aurora R16 gaming desktop is our top gaming PC recommendation because it looks great, runs quiet(ish) and is configurable with the most powerful gaming hardware you can afford. It's also a great PC for playing VR games.

The best mini PC

If you need a computer and space is a concern, the mini PC we recommend most often is Apple's Mac mini M2. The M2 chip gives it plenty of power for most tasks, and this pint-sized metal box runs whisper-quiet and fits into most desk setups.

The best Mac for power users

If you want a Mac that can do more than the rest on this list, invest in the latest Mac Studio gets pricey, but few desktop Macs get more powerful than these pint-sized beasts. Sure, the M2 is older than the M3 powering the iMac, but these two machines are still neck-and-neck in terms of power.

The best starter gaming PC

Looking to get you or someone you love a first gaming PC? We recommend the Acer Predator Orion 3000 because it's affordable, quiet, easy to set up, and great for gaming at 1080p. 

Alex Wawro is a lifelong journalist who's spent over a decade covering tech, games and entertainment. He oversees the computing department at Tom's Guide, which includes managing laptop coverage and reviewing many himself every year.

The best computers you can buy right now

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

The best overall

1. Apple iMac M3

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The Apple iMac M3 looks an awful lot like its 2021 predecessor, but under the hood this all-in-one is powered by the all-new Apple M3 chip that helps propel it to our top spot on this list.

That cutting-edge slice of Apple silicon gives the 24-inch iMac a much-needed shot in the arm, since the previous model was powered by 2020's Apple M1 chip . That model's still fine for basic work, but the M3 upgrade gives the 2023 iMac more power and more features than before, including upgraded wireless connectivity, better image processing and support for modern graphics tech like hardware-accelerated ray tracing. 

Factor in the iMac's great speakers and beautiful 4.5K display and you start to see why it's so easy to recommend to families, students and teachers.

Read our full Apple iMac 24-inch review .

2. Alienware Aurora R16

The Alienware Aurora R16 is an excellent gaming PC that, if you can afford it, can be kitted out with top-tier gaming PC components. Whatever you put inside, its whisper-quiet performance make it one of our top recommendations for folks looking for a great gaming PC.

If you can afford it, Alienware will fill the Aurora R16 with top-of-the-line components that make it a top-tier gaming PC. While the review unit we reviewed was actually fairly affordable at $1,899 as reviewed, you can easily spend over $3,000 on one of these rigs if you want all the best gear. And while it's a more boxy-looking Aurora than we're used to seeing, the squat rectangle wouldn't look out of place in a dorm room or office suite.

If you're interested in buying one, make sure you first check our Dell coupons page to find the latest discounts!

Read our full Alienware Aurora R16 review .

3. Apple Mac mini with M2

 Apple outdid itself with the Mac mini M2 ($599), a pint-sized powerhouse that’s cheaper and faster than its predecessor thanks to the speedy M2 chip. The option to upgrade it with an M2 Pro ($1,299) sweetens the deal, turning this into a decent Mac for gaming or light photo/video editing.

Of course, you get more than just speed when you pay for Pro: the entry-level Mac mini with M2 Pro is not only more powerful, it also has more memory and storage than the entry-level Mac mini, as well as more ports. It’s a great mini PC for Mac fans, one that delivers nearly as much power as the Mac Studio M2 in an even smaller chassis.

Read our full Mac mini M2 review .

4. Apple Mac Studio M2

Apple's Mac Studio M2 looks identical to the original Mac Studio 2022, but if you peek under the hood you'll find an all-new set of  Apple M2 chips  that deliver more power than ever in the same squat silver chassis.

Configurable with up to 192GB of RAM, up to 8TB of storage and a top-tier M2 Ultra chip ((20-core CPU, 64-core GPU), the Mac Studio M2 sets a new high-water mark for power in Mac desktops. It has more than enough ports for most creative pros, but beware: If you want the power of M2 Ultra (which starts at $3,999) this pint-sized Mac gets pricey fast.

Read our full Mac Studio M2 review .

5. Acer Predator Orion 3000

The Acer Predator Orion 3000 ($829 to start, $1,949 as reviewed) is a mid-sized gaming PC that's attractive, (relatively) affordable, and great for playing games at 1080p to 1440p.

It's not a great choice if you're looking to play games at 4K , however (for that, go for something like the Aurora R15) and its packed-in keyboard and mouse leave much to be desired. The Orion 3000 also fared slightly worse in our suite of performance tests than some similarly-priced gaming PCs, perhaps because our review unit arrived with just 16GB of RAM.

The case is well-organized and easy to open though, so it should be pretty easy to upgrade this machine with more RAM when you need it. With its sub-$2,000 price, beefy components, and stylish, accessible case, Acer's Predator Orion 3000 is a great first gaming PC for someone looking to get into the hobby.

Read our full Acer Predator Orion 3000 review .

How to choose the best computer for you

Finding the right computer is mostly about form and function: What do you want it to look like, and what do you want it to do? In our roundup of the best desktop computers, we look at a free different styles of computer, each offering unique designs and tailored to specific use cases.

Standard PC towers are often the most affordable desktop option, as well as the most basic. With simple designs and plenty of configuration options, a basic desktop tower is still the best option for cost-effective computing power. And thanks to the flexibility of the design you can outfit these standard computers for everything from basic web browsing and media streaming to incredibly demanding uses such as gaming and animation.

All-in-one desktops , as the name suggests, provide a combination of PC and monitor in the same device. These all-in-one designs give you a powerful desktop without the bulk of a tower or the tangle of cables that come with a separate monitor. The best all-in-one computers range from budget-friendly systems to high-powered workstations, so check out our in-depth reviews of the best all-in-one computers .

Gaming desktops , by and large, use the traditional tower design, but are outfitted with powerful components optimized for high performance gaming. These high octane systems are built to accommodate the latest discrete graphics cards, potent processors, large volume storage, and all of the cooling necessary for a high performance machine. There are several options for gaming, whether it's your choice of hardware, or the stylized design that fits your taste. check out our in-depth reviews for all of the best gaming PCs .

Mini PCs take a very different approach, leveraging the tiny components used in laptops and tablets to provide a desktop experience that fits in the palm of your hand or into a pocket. These pint-sized or smaller desktop computers can be easily stashed out of sight or incorporated into less traditional arrangements, such as into a home theater system for streaming movies. Whether it's a small box on your desk or a stick PC in your pocket, our reviews layout the features and performance of the best mini PCs .

Once you know what type of computer you want to get, it's a question of what you want to do with it. While any of the systems on the list above can be used for web browsing and basic productivity uses like typing up documents or putting together a PowerPoint presentation, different use cases have slightly different demands.

The best desktop for gaming will feature graphics cards built for gaming performance, while systems for video editing or animation may use equally powerful GPUs, but with models that focus on reliable performance and certification for different applications. A great desktop for kids will keep things fairly basic, focusing on speedy web browsing and streaming capability, with less of an emphasis on raw horsepower.

How we tested these computers

As we evaluate and review all sorts of computers, we run a series of standardized tests to measure how each machine performs, what uses it's best suited to, and what sort of capability you get for the price.

These standard tests include generalized performance benchmark tests, like Geekbench 4 and 5 (for processor performance), 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra (for graphics), and a custom file transfer test to measure hard drive performance.

Gaming-oriented benchmarks test the performance of systems using current games, measuring the frame rates each desktop will produce in games like Tomb Raider, Far Cry: New Dawn, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Middle-earth: Shadow of War. We'll also run individual game tests and the SteamVR performance test to evaluate how well-suited they are to the unique demands of virtual reality.

Most importantly, we spend a ton of time simply using each desktop computer for everyday activities. We watch movies, do work, play games, and blast music on the speakers, all to get a better sense of which ones are worth your money.

For more information, check out our  how we test page  for Tom's Guide.

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Alex Wawro is a lifelong tech and games enthusiast with more than a decade of experience covering both for outlets like Game Developer, Black Hat, and PC World magazine. A lifelong PC builder, he currently serves as a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering all things computing, from laptops and desktops to keyboards and mice. 

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Asus ROG Swift PG27QDP review: A new high for motion clarity in monitors

Expert's Rating

• A new high mark for motion clarity
• Excellent image quality
• Easy-to-use menu with many options
• Broad official Adaptive Sync support
• Stand is too large

Our Verdict

The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP sets a new high bar for motion clarity—and has great image quality, too.

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP

Well, that escalated quickly.

OLED monitors were just beginning to go mainstream in 2023 as new, more affordable panels hit retailers. But now, in mid-2024, we’re amid a full-on OLED monitor war. Multiple manufacturers have deployed multiple OLED monitors across a variety of sizes and price brackets. Even the most affordable of these have a display size of at least 27 inches, and most also have a refresh rate of at least 240Hz. Asus’ latest salvo in this fight takes motion clarity to new heights: It’s the first monitor to deliver 480Hz at 2560×1440 resolution.

Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP specs and features

The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP would seem like a typical OLED monitor if not for one fact: It has a maximum refresh rate of 480Hz, which is available at the monitor’s native resolution of 2560×1440. A few OLED monitors have arrived with a 480Hz refresh rate , but could only achieve it at a resolution of 1920×1080. The PG27AQDP is the first to achieve 480Hz at 1440p.

• Display size: 26.5-inch ultrawide 16:9 aspect ratio
• Native resolution: 2560×1440
• Panel type: QD-OLED
• Refresh rate: Up to 480Hz
• Adaptive sync: Adaptive Sync, Nvidia G-Sync, AMD FreeSync
• HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-B 3.1 Gen 1 (upstream), 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (downstream), 1x 3.5mm headphone jack
• VESA mount: 100x100mm
• Speakers: No
• Price: $999

Refresh rate aside, the PG27AQDP’s specifications are a bit basic. It has three video inputs, but lacks USB-C. The monitor also lacks built-in speakers. These issues aren’t enough to distract from the monitor’s strengths, however.

Further reading: See our roundup of the best gaming monitors to learn about competing products.

Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP design

The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP is a nice-looking monitor from most angles and holds up to close inspection. Asus provides slim bezels on all four sides of the display, with only a small chin centered in the lower bezel to provide access to the monitor’s menu controls.

Around back, Asus uses the OLED panel’s thin profile to deliver a svelte look. The rectangular enclosure which houses the mainboard and connectivity, meanwhile, is adorned with bold Asus branding and uses transparent plastics, which is a nice touch. I think it’s gaudy when compared to the latest monitors from Alienware, Samsung, and LG, but gamers looking for a monitor that screams “I’m a gaming monitor” at the top of its lungs will like it, and the design is consistent with Asus’ ROG brand.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The PG27AQDP includes RGB-LED lighting. It has a downward-firing light from the stand base, which is available on many Asus ROG monitors, as well as RGB-LED lighting built into the rear of the display panel for extra flair. The RGB-LED lights look nice, though I find the downward-firing light a bit annoying and prefer to turn it off. Your mileage may vary.

The PG27AQDP adopts Asus’ common tripod-style ergonomic stand which adjusts for height, tilt, swivel, and pivot. The stand is nearly as wide as the display panel, and much deeper than normal, so it occupies far more desk space than is necessary. Not everyone will find this a problem, but it’s annoying if you want to use your desk as something other than a perch for your monitor. Of course, the monitor does support a 100x100mm VESA mount, so an alternative monitor stand or arm is an option.

As a bonus, the PG27AQDP has a threaded mount at the top of the stand. The mount can be used to support a camera, microphone, key light, or anything else that will attach to it. It’s a handy extra for any streaming or home office setup that places a camera or microphone above the display.

Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP connectivity and menus

The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP’s video connectivity is typical for a gaming monitor. It spans two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4. That’s a total of three video inputs, which should be enough for most gamers. It allows you to connect a computer and two game consoles at once. All video inputs can achieve the monitor’s maximum refresh rate and resolution.

With that said, the PG27AQDP is conspicuously missing USB-C. Some competitor monitors now have USB-C with DisplayPort as an alternative video input and data connection. The lack of USB-C might be annoying if you wanted to dock a laptop to the monitor instead of, or in addition to, a gaming desktop.

There is some USB connectivity in the form of a single USB-B upstream input that drives two USB-A ports. That’s better than nothing, but it’s not much. On the whole, USB connectivity is not among the monitor’s strengths.

A joystick-style control, centered on the lower bezel, can be used to adjust the monitor’s on-screen menus. It is responsive and easy to use, and Asus’ menus are well-labeled. However, as with many competitors, the font size is a bit small. The monitor’s options and settings can also be accessed through DisplayWidget, a Windows application available to download from Asus’ website.

A wide range of image quality options, including color temperature and gamma adjustments, are available, and are flanked by gaming features like an on-screen crosshair and a black equalizer designed to make enemies easier to see in dark areas of a game.

Asus also adds AI-assisted features that are meant to automate functions like the Shadow Boost, the on-screen crosshair, and Sniper mode. I can see some of these features having some use; the AI Shadow Boost feature, in particular, could be handy since it will boost dark areas of the scene when required but have less impact on image quality when it’s not needed. However, I didn’t feel much benefit from these features. I think their usefulness remains to be proven.

Like many OLED monitors, the PG27AQDP provides the option to constrain the visible display space to that of a 24.5-inch monitor. That might seem odd, but competitive gamers sometimes prefer this, as it keeps the entire display space within their field of vision. Here, the 24.5-inch mode has a resolution of 2368×1332 and can achieve the maximum refresh rate of 480Hz. The monitor also supports a 4:3 mode, which might be handy for retro games that never received proper widescreen support.

The PG27AQDP does not include speakers, which is another area where the monitor is behind some competitors. For example, the LG UltraGear 32-inch has an excellent built-in sound system. But that said, many monitors don’t include speakers — and many gamers prefer to use a headset — so it’s not a major disadvantage.

With the PG27AQDP, even small objects, like a baseball whizzing across a field, appear razor-sharp and easy to identify.

Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP SDR image quality

The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP has an LG WOLED display panel, which differs from the Samsung QD-OLED panels found in many OLED monitors. WOLED doesn’t quite defeat QD-OLED’s color performance, but it’s a contender.

The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP makes a strong showing in SDR brightness, where it achieved a maximum sustained brightness of 310 nits. That’s better than average for an OLED monitor. While most OLED monitors are more than bright enough to use in a room with light control, they can look dim if placed next to a sunlit window. The PG27AQDP isn’t immune to that, but it fairs better than most.

Asus opts for an anti-glare display coating instead of the more common glossy finish. This is a controversial choice among OLED fans, as in some lighting conditions it may cause dark areas of the screen to appear slightly brighter than on a glossy OLED panel. On the other hand, an anti-glare coat can reduce reflections and look more attractive when viewing documents or photos. Ultimately, your choice between a glossy and anti-glare will depend on your needs. I prefer the anti-glare finish.

Contrast was effectively perfect in tests. The monitor can achieve a minimum luminance of zero nits, which means dark areas of the display are perfectly black. Nearly all OLED monitors can achieve the same result, so it’s not an advantage for the PG27AQDP. Still, the monitor’s excellent contrast contributes greatly to its gorgeous SDR image quality, and it gives the monitor a huge advantage over less expensive monitors with an IPS or VA display panel.

Color gamut is another strong suit for OLED monitors. However, monitors with an LG WOLED panel, such as the PG27AQDP, tend to perform slightly worse than those with a Samsung QD-OLED panel. The PG27AQDP achieved 96 percent of DCI-P3 and 88 percent of AdobeRGB. By comparison, the Gigabyte Aorus FO27QS achieved 98 percent of DCI-P3 and 95 percent of AdobeRGB.

This is not a major concern for nearly all users, including gamers. The PG27AQDP’s color gamut is far more than enough to deliver a vibrant, saturated image that looks fantastic. However, if you’re an artist or photographer who needs to have a monitor that can display as many gradations of color as possible, the PG27AQDP is not your best choice.

The PG27AQDP solid color accuracy results are better than most WOLED monitors I have tested and closer to what QD-OLED monitors typically achieve. The default color accuracy is good enough to look realistic and should be suitable for a wide range of tasks, from gaming to photo and video editing.

The PG27AQDP’s achieved a default color temperature of 7000K, which is cooler than our preferred target of 6500K, and an on-target gamma curve of 2.2. What does this mean in reality? Well, the PG27AQDP can look a bit cooler and more sterile than we prefer to see. The difference is large enough for it to be noticeable if you know what you’re looking for, or if the monitor is compared side-by-side with another. However, the monitor provides a wide range of image quality controls, so you can adjust the monitor to look warmer if you prefer.

As mentioned, the PG27AQDP has 2560×1440 resolution which, at its size, works out to about 109 pixels per inch. That’s the typical pixel density for a 1440p display, and it looks sharp enough in most situations. OLED monitors can at times suffer degraded sharpness due to how their sub pixels are arranged, a problem I find most noticeable when reading small text. Asus tries to combat that with a “Clear Text Algorithm” which, to my eyes, is somewhat effective. Small fonts can still look a bit pixelated or aliased, but the monitor’s sharpness is enough to provide a crisp look to games and Netflix, among other entertainment.

The PG27AQDP doesn’t reach new heights in SDR image quality, but instead delivers performance that’s typical of a 27-inch OLED monitor. Fortunately, that’s a high bar, so simply meeting it results in excellent image quality. The monitor looks great in SDR.

Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP HDR image quality

The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP’s focus on motion clarity makes it easy to overlook the monitor’s HDR performance. That would be a mistake, because it performs well in HDR.

LG’s latest WOLED display panels, like the one used by the PG27AQDP, tend to outperform current Samsung QD-OLED monitors in HDR brightness. The PG27AQDP didn’t disappoint, as shown on the graph above. Although the new Asus didn’t set records, it performed well across the board, and delivered a rich, vivid experience. Scenes that call for the entire display to be brightly lit are the PG27AQDP’s only weakness: It’s better at rendering a lightning strike than a snowy mountainside. But that downside is shared with other OLED displays.

The PG27AQDP goes the extra mile with the option to unlock brightness in HDR mode. Normally, a display’s HDR mode locks user control of brightness to ensure content is displayed with the appropriate brightness. But this can be annoying on a monitor, which may display a variety of SDR and HDR content simultaneously in various windows or across various displays. The PG27AQDP’s option to adjust HDR brightness gives users more control over their experience.

Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP motion performance

There’s a lot of reasons to like the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP, but motion clarity is the reason to choose it from the buffet of excellent OLED displays now available. The PG27AQDP is the first 1440p 480Hz monitor, and it looks stunning in motion.

This is not the first 480Hz OLED monitor we’ve reviewed. Several earlier monitors, like the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP, could reach 480Hz, but only if the resolution was reduced to 1920×1080. The PG27AQDP can hit 480Hz at 256 x1440, which means it’s sharper both in motion and at rest.

The result is superb clarity. In many cases, moving scenes appear almost perfect. This is not technically correct, but the appearance of motion blur is so reduced that even small objects, like a baseball whizzing across a field, appear razor-sharp and easy to identify. I was also able to make out details while scrolling across a map in League of Legends . Every individual tick in a character’s hitpoint bar, every UI element, and every font was legible. The same is also true for some other high-refresh rate monitors, like the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP and the Alienware AW2524HF . But they only reach 1080p resolution at their maximum refresh rate, so they’re not as sharp overall.

Asus includes Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB), a feature that strobes the monitor at an extremely high frequency. Due to oddities of how human vision works, this has the effect of reducing motion blur. However, the feature is only available at a refresh rate of 120Hz or 240Hz. This is less of a problem than it might seem; most games will not run at a frame rate high enough to maximize the clarity of 480Hz (to do so requires the game to run at 480 frames per second). ELMB can come into play as an alternative for more typical refresh rates, and it does a good job minimizing motion blur.

I don’t want to mince words here. The PG27AQDP has the best motion clarity of any monitor I’ve witnessed to date. Recently, I’ve felt the need to make this declaration every few months, as new monitors continually leapfrog each other with ever-higher refresh rates. But the PG27AQDP is the new high bar that others must clear. If you’re coming from an older 60Hz monitor, well, you’ll be in for a bit of a shock. The difference is astounding.

Adaptive sync is supported, as well, for smooth frame pacing and motion in games. The PG27AQDP lists support for the Adaptive Sync, Nvidia G-Sync, and AMD FreeSync standards. In practice, support for any of these should support them all, as they are generally compatible. But it’s good to see Asus list support for all three, as it helps gamers understand that adaptive sync will work with their particular video card.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP?

The Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP is yet another great OLED monitor from Asus, which continues to bang out hits through 2024. While I’m not a fan of Asus’ design, and I’d prefer to see USB-C included, it’s difficult to argue with the PG27AQDP’s image quality. It delivers a new high bar for motion clarity alongside good HDR and SDR image quality, a long list of image quality adjustments, and several features that most competitors don’t have, like the option to adjust the monitor’s brightness in HDR.

Author: Matthew S. Smith

Matthew S. Smith is a freelance technology journalist with 15 years of experience reviewing consumer electronics. In addition to PCWorld, his work can be found on Wired, Ars Technica, Digital Trends, Reviewed, IGN, and Lifewire. Matthew also covers AI and the metaverse for IEEE Spectrum and runs Computer Gaming Yesterday, a YouTube channel devoted to PC gaming history.

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Microsoft Surface Pro 11 review: Microsoft's cool convertible has found its moment

The surface pro has long had its design and usability in shape, but now it has the internal hardware to match – the result is a fantastic ultraportable pc.

IT Pro Verdict

Superb flexible design

Incredible OLED screen

Best-in-class performance

Epic battery life

Very expensive in higher configurations

Need to budget extra for the keyboard

Microsoft has spent the last few years treading an uneasy path with the Surface Pro. On the one hand, it's pushed Qualcomm's ARM-based CPU technology as the future, focusing on its energy efficiency over raw performance. It has tried its best to ignore the compatibility issues that made the Surface Pro X and Surface Pro 9 5G a no-go for many enterprises. On the other hand, the mainstream Surface Pro line has stuck with tried and trusted Intel CPUs, even if this restricted battery life without really turbo-charging speeds. While the Surface Pro X and Surface Pro 5G were promoted as the flagship Surface Pro devices, most corporates played it safe and stuck with the less innovative Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro 9.

The Surface Pro 11, then, is something of a step change: a wake-up call to enterprises that Qualcomm's tech is ready for business and that it finally has Microsoft's full support. There is no Intel-powered Surface Pro 11. If you want Microsoft's latest and greatest device, then you're going to have to ditch x86 and give ARM64 a try. And this has happened at a time when Microsoft has solved most of the incompatibility issues, while Qualcomm has delivered a CPU that triumphs on performance. Most of all, the timing could not be better for a lightweight, 2-in-1 convertible with a steely focus on AI. You could even argue that Microsoft's CoPilot+ enhancements make more sense on Surface Pro than on any other device.

Microsoft Surface Pro 11: Design

There's nothing about the physical design that immediately screams revolution. The body of the tablet is near-identical to that of the Surface Pro 9, while the weight is a couple of grams heavier. Still, why fix what isn't broken? The Surface Pro 11 hits an almost perfect balance between comfortable screen size, extreme portability, and a tough, road-ready alloy and robust glass construction.

The always ingenious kickstand flips out to hold the screen up in a wide range of positions, from almost flat to nearly vertical, or you can always just use it like a tablet if you wish. It also hides a small flap that conceals the SSD compartment, allowing you to easily switch out the supplied storage for another 30mm M.2 NVMe SSD . Try doing that with your iPad Pro .

Of course, the new Surface Pro comes with some new color choices, with my test model arriving in a beautiful Sapphire blue, and a light-bronze Dune variant also available, on top of the usual Black and Platinum variants.

As with any tablet-style convertible, there's limited physical connectivity. Here you get two USB 4 Type-C ports, Microsoft's SurfaceConnect Port and that's it. This means you'll need a dock if you want a desktop setup or to connect to an external display, but that's hardly new with the Surface Pro line. And with USB 4, Bluetooth 5.4, and Wi-Fi 7 onboard, at least what connectivity you have is reasonably future-proof.

Now, it's just about possible to imagine someone buying the Surface Pro 11 without a keyboard, but let's get real. You're going to need one. It's compatible with the same Surface Pro signature keyboard as the Surface Pro 9, 8, and X, but also Microsoft's new Pro Flex keyboard (a horrifying £339). This one has a party trick, operating wirelessly from a distance as well as when physically connected through the magnetic lugs and strip. We had one with the Surface Pro 11 to test, and it's an excellent keyboard, making up for its relatively limited travel with a lovely fast and clicky feel.

Unlike most wireless keyboards for tablets, there's no need to charge it separately, either. It simply recharges while attached to the Surface Pro. And if the touchpad's on the small side, it's still very usable, even in apps that require some precision.

The keyboard also contains a hollow shape to house and charge Microsoft's Surface Pen, though we found it oddly tricky to get the flat-topped stylus out of its spot in a hurry. It's superb for notes, annotations, sketches, and doodles, and makes even more sense when using Copilot+ features like the Cocreator AI-enhanced drawing feature in the Paint app. Here you can squiggle out the basics of an illustration, and Copilot does its best to turn it into something vaguely artistic, or at least less risible, with the results growing more detailed and even photo-realistic as you push the Creativity slider to the right.

Microsoft Surface Pro 11: Display

Entry-level versions of the Surface Pro 11 feature a very good 2880 x 1920 resolution Pixel Flow IPS display with a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate. Move up to the mid-range versions, though, and you'll get what we have here: a stunning 1920p OLED display, with a one-million:1 contrast ratio and the same 120Hz dynamic refresh rate.

As usual, the combination of the high resolution and square aspect ratio makes it a great screen for getting things done, even if Windows' split-screen view gives you two side-by-side windows that are a little too thin to fit all you'd like of a document in without scaling down. But the vivid colors, high brightness levels, and HDR support make it even better for creative work, not to mention entertainment if you're traveling or away from home.

In tests, it's clear that this is the best screen Microsoft has so far put into a Surface device. It reaches brightness levels of 620.4cd/m2, has the perfect blacks and contrast we expect from OLED, and can display 99.9% of the sRGB gamut and 98.9% of DCI-P3. Color accuracy is so good with the display set to an sRGB profile that we recorded an average Delta E of just 0.78.

Audio doesn't let the sound down, either. The output from the speakers is almost supernaturally big and open given the slimness of the device. Meanwhile, put the sensitive microphones and 1440p webcam together with the new video and sound enhancements that come with Copilot+, and you have a great option for professional-looking and sounding video calls and meetings. It barely puts a foot wrong.

Microsoft Surface Pro 11: Performance

The real news with this Surface Pro, though, is performance. We've had time to test a few Qualcomm Snapdragon X laptops now, and each has impressed with its fantastic multi-core performance, which has given even Apple's M3 processors some competition. The Surface Pro 11 can't quite match the Asus Vivobook S15 on speed – we suspect due to power and thermal considerations – but it gets awfully close and sets new standards on what you can do for a tablet-style device.

The Snapdragon X1E80100/16GB configuration tested beats the Intel Core Ultra 7 based Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED on Geekbench 6 multi-core performance, with a score of 13134 to 12612, and comes close to the 13635 scored by the beefy Huawei MateBook X Pro . This also makes it significantly faster than the last-gen Intel Core i7 Surface Pro, which scored 1594 for single-core workloads and 6,090 for multi-core.

Meanwhile, its scores in the Cinebench 24 rendering benchmark – 104 for single-core and 802 for multi-core – put it roughly on a par with the HP Omnibook X , at 87 and 808, and not too far behind the Asus Zenbook S16 (112 and 877), with its new AMD Strix Point chip. There have always been performance compromises involved in using the Surface Pro rather than a conventional laptop, but they have never been as minor as they are now.

We're still evaluating AI benchmarks as new AI devices hit the market, but the Surface Pro 11's integrated NPU promised 45TOPs, making it one of the fastest around. GPUs are still more powerful in most scenarios, but these NPUs can handle local AI workloads while using much less power. Right now, most businesses won't find the AI features of Copilot+ PCs all that compelling, but more software is coming online, or incorporating GenAI features to speed-up workflows or add a little extra creativity to documents and presentations. The Surface Pro 11 will be well-equipped to support them.

What's more, the Surface Pro's battery life is better than it's ever been before. Looping video with the screen brightness set to 170cd/m2, the Surface Pro 11 kept running for 16 hours and 28 minutes before running out of puff. You'll easily have enough charge to work through the whole day, and you'll often have enough to make it through the next morning too. To put this in perspective, the old Surface Pro 9 ran dry in under nine hours.

Microsoft Surface Pro 11: Is it worth it?

The Surface Pro has always had the makings of a great business device, with all the power of a laptop, the portability of a tablet, the flexibility of a 2-in-1 convertible. What it hasn't had, though, is the internal hardware with the right mix of processing power and battery life. Now it has. The new Surface Pro is faster than many mainstream laptops, and will last significantly longer without a recharge. And while not every Windows application will run on ARM64 hardware, the list is getting shorter, and the most popular productivity and creative apps won't give you any problems. The Surface Pro 11 won't be for everyone, and it gets very expensive in its higher configurations, especially when you factor in the price of the Pro Flex keyboard. Yet it's a superb ultraportable computer, and one that feels like it's been built for what's happening in IT right now.

Microsoft Surface Pro 11 specifications

Stuart has been writing about technology for over 25 years, focusing on PC hardware, enterprise technology, education tech, cloud services and video games. Along the way he’s worked extensively with Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and Chrome OS devices, and tested everything from laptops to laser printers, graphics cards to gaming headsets.

He’s then written about all this stuff – and more – for outlets, including PC Pro, IT Pro, Expert Reviews and The Sunday Times. He’s also written and edited books on Windows, video games and Scratch programming for younger coders. When he’s not fiddling with tech or playing games, you’ll find him working in the garden, walking, reading or watching films.

You can follow Stuart on Twitter at  @SATAndrews . 

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About this game.

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

This Game may contain content not appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work: Some Nudity or Sexual Content, General Mature Content

System Requirements

• OS *: Windows 7+
• Processor: 1.2 GHz Pentium 4
• Memory: 450 MB RAM
• Graphics: 1280 x 720
• Storage: 360 MB available space
• OS: OS X 10.6
• Processor: Any 64 bit processor
• Storage: 300 MB available space
• OS: Ubuntu 12.04 or higher; SteamOS
• Graphics: OpenGL compatible card

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