Technologies

83% of US Adults Still Choose Laptops for Work and School Over Sleek Smartphones and Tablets, CNET Survey Finds

Most US adults want faster, longer-lasting laptops, but one generation is chasing style over specs.

Upgrading to a new laptop can feel like a never-ending rabbit hole. Even when you know what you need, choosing the best features, specs and design within your budget can be a bit overwhelming, to say the least.

Between back-to-school season and the holidays fast approaching, now’s the time to shop around for a deal on a new laptop. But what are US adults looking for when upgrading their laptops, anyway?

CNET’s new laptop survey found that nearly half of US adults are upgrading for better speed (45%) and battery life (44%). But that’s not all. One generation is looking beyond the specs and opting for sleekness and aesthetics instead — more about that below.

Here’s exactly what laptop owners are looking for, what experts think about the findings and what they recommend before you buy your next one.

Over half of US adults use laptops for creating and viewing documents

Even though smartphones and tablets are capable of letting us write essays and notes, US adults lean on smartphones for organization (66%), note-taking (48%), gaming (47%), and streaming shows and movies (44%). CNET found that laptops are used for work and educational tasks like creating and viewing documents (52%), creative work (33%), test-taking (31%) and studying (33%). Here’s a closer look.

Why not tablets instead of laptops?

David Carnoy, a CNET executive editor and tech expert, said most people have room for two primary devices, mainly a smartphone and laptop. Most don’t use a tablet for day-to-day activities or more tedious tasks.

«Tablets have been relegated to second-tier status in terms of must-have productivity tools and are viewed by a lot of folks as entertainment devices,» said Carnoy. «We’ve been waiting for tablets to become real hybrid devices that are true laptop replacements.»

One exception to a tablet functioning like a laptop is the Microsoft Surface Pro models that run Windows 11. However, Carnoy pointed out that they’re pricier — even before adding accessories to make the tablet work more like a laptop.

Performance matters more than aesthetics for most US laptop owners. Laptop owners looking to upgrade aren’t motivated to upgrade for fun features like messaging upgrades and artificial intelligence capabilities. By the numbers, only 10% of US adults get a new laptop for AI capabilities, while 12% upgrade for external device support and 7% upgrade for a new color.

Instead, nearly half of US adults are considering a new laptop for better speed (45%), while 44% want better battery life, according to the survey. Other top motivators include storage (39%) and screen quality (28%).

One exception: Gen Z favors design and sleekness

Like most US adults, Gen Z upgrades laptops for common reasons, like battery life (55%) and storage (50%). But aesthetic elements have a special appeal to this generation.

Gen Z is motivated to upgrade their laptops for sleekness and design appeal, such as screen quality (37%), design sleekness (25%), pen support (11%) and color options (10%). Experts pointed to a few reasons for Gen Z’s motivating factors.

Many of today’s laptop processors are powerful, so choosing the right processor has become less important compared to choosing a laptop with aesthetics that speak to you, said Matt Elliott, CNET senior editor and computer expert.

PC Mag’s consumer personal computer expert, Matthew Buzzi, added that Gen Z liking aesthetics more than other generations could be a broader trend on the horizon because there’s a baseline for what most laptops offer, and the aesthetic and design are what set them apart.

«Aside from enthusiasts, most shoppers don’t care about the particulars of components, and they’re all fast enough; aesthetic is part of personal identity and signals something about your lifestyle,» Buzzi said.

You may have to sacrifice a better battery for speed and performance

While 45% of US adults want to upgrade their laptop for speed improvements, 44% want better battery life. But chances are, you won’t have the best of both worlds.

Brian Westover, PC Mag’s lead personal computer analyst, said a longer battery life is the biggest advantage of a new laptop. Some systems can last 20 hours or more based on rundown tests.

Ideally, you don’t want to sacrifice your battery life for the best speed and performance. But if you have to choose, Westover recommends aiming for as much RAM as possible so you can multitask faster. Usually, you won’t be able to upgrade RAM. Westover recommends a minimum of 16GB to 32GB.

Elliott agrees that battery life and performance are often in conflict. More powerful processors deliver speedier performance, but at the expense of a shorter battery life. Efficient processors aren’t as fast but have a longer battery life. If you’re looking for an efficient processor and battery, Elliott recommends MacBooks with an M4 processor. And Windows with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series processors offers the best battery life.

HP is the most popular laptop brand

The most popular brand is HP, especially for millennials, Gen X and baby boomers. Beyond HP, Apple follows closely behind at 22%, which is a popular pick for Gen Z. US adults also own Dell (18%) and Lenovo (12%).

Elliott likes that HP is a style-conscious quality brand. However, it’s mind-blowing that more people have an HP than Lenovo because it’s the leader in overall shipments, Elliott said. Overall, HP is a solid laptop brand choice and one worth considering depending on your needs.

Read more: Best HP Laptop for 2025

If you’re looking for a high-performing HP laptop, consider one with an Intel Core Ultra 7 or 9 processor. an AMD Ryzen 9 AI 300 series chip or a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite CPU, Elliott said. You’ll also want at least 16GB of RAM and high-definition 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution for clear text and images, but HP offers higher resolutions if you want more. Other specifications vary based on your preference, including size and storage space.

When choosing an HP laptop, Elliott recommends paying attention to the differences between its OmniBook and EliteBook models. OmniBooks are more consumer-focused, while EliteBooks are more for business needs. For a midrange HP laptop, prepare to spend at least $1,000.

Which laptop should you buy?

Choosing the right laptop for now and the foreseeable future can be tough. Beyond price and a design you’ll like, there are dozens of other specs and features to consider. Here are some buying tips from our experts.

Operating system

The operating system is usually the first decision people make when choosing a new laptop, said Elliott. It ultimately boils down to personal preference. Windows is known for business needs, while Mac’s operating system is more geared toward creativity. You’ll also want to consider software you already use, like Windows Office. Other factors to weigh include your display preference, since the look and feel between the two is different.

You can run Windows from your Mac if you like Mac’s features but prefer Windows’ operating system.

Performance

One concern is not having enough or having too much performance, Buzzi said.

«It’s fairly easy to spend too much on a system with more power than you need for basic computing tasks, though at least it will future-proof your purchase to an extent,» Buzzi said. It could be a waste of money to have a high-performing laptop but not use it to its full potential.

On the other hand, nothing would be more disappointing than firing up a brand new laptop and discovering it doesn’t have enough power for your needs, Buzzi added.

Buzzi recommends reading reviews and buying guides to learn about specifications to look for that depend on your use case. It can also help you gauge a laptop’s speed and make a more informed decision.

Size

Nearly one in four US adults upgrade their laptops for size. It can boil down to preference if you want a bigger display size, but beware of the size and weight if you’re traveling with it.

Avoid buying a laptop that’s heavier than your books to carry around campus if you’re purchasing one for school. Westover recommends one that weighs three and a half pounds or less, and usually a maximum size of 14 inches.

«For students, I would suggest a smaller and lighter laptop with long battery life. You want something that won’t feel like an anchor in your backpack or won’t need to be recharged every time you turn around,» said Elliott.

Read more: Best Lightweight Laptop for 2025

Memory and storage

Ideally, you’ll need a laptop with a lot of RAM, or memory, plus plenty of storage, said Westover. Experts recommend at least 16GB of RAM, and even more if you have the option to upgrade your memory you can.

But upgrading memory is less common than adding storage, You can expand your storage with an external hard drive. Your storage needs will depend on your tasks, but experts recommend a minimum of 256GB.

Methodology

CNET commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,601 adults, of whom 2,145 own a laptop. Fieldwork was undertaken between July 16-18, 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18 plus).

Technologies

Did You Download the White House App? Here Are Its Hidden Security Risks

Cybersecurity researchers have serious concerns about how the app was built.

The White House mobile app has been available for both Android and iOS users for over a week now, and the Trump administration is proudly touting that the app has received 2 million downloads on the White House Instagram page. However, the app’s threats to your personal data, online security and privacy concerns make it something you should think twice about downloading.

The White House announcement says the app’s goal is to deliver «unparalleled access to the Trump administration.» However, there are many security concerns, including location tracking and sketchy features. The White House has not responded to a request for comment.

The big question is, should you download it? I don’t recommend it. Here’s why.

What’s in The White House App?

When I downloaded it soon after its release, the app opened with music and a brief collage video of President Donald Trump. It has pages on affordability, including the prices of things like eggs and milk (but not gas). There’s an overtime calculator. And there are links to articles from Trump’s favored news outlets, like Fox News and Newsmax, along with White House press releases.

The app also features livestreams and videos of press briefings, links to the White House’s social feeds and photos of the president.

Why I deleted The White House app so fast

Behind all those tabs are hair-raising privacy and security issues that have the internet and experts alarmed.

One X user, @Thereallo1026, decompiled the White House app and blogged about it, reporting that the Android app tracks your location as often as every 4.5 minutes and shares a lot of other information, like your notifications and perhaps even your phone number, with a third-party server.

Another red flag is that the code for YouTube embeds comes from a personal GitHub account. Thereallo said that if that GitHub account gets compromised, it can affect every user of the White House’s app.

Another cybersecurity researcher, Atomic Computer Services, posted similar concerns about the iOS app. The researchers found that the app reported to the App Store that it did not collect location data, when in fact it included the capability to do GPS tracking. It’s unclear whether that tracking actually happens, but the code is there, Atomic Computer said.

Other concerns identified by Atomic Computer included the removal of privacy consent banners from third-party content viewed in the app and minimal security protections. «We’ve audited apps for startups with three employees that had better security than this,» Atomic Computer wrote.

Pieter Arntz, a researcher at the cybersecurity software provider Malwarebytes, said in an email to CNET that the White House app relies heavily on third-party sources for things like notifications and widgets.

«In practical terms, that means external providers can influence what data is collected and when features like location‑based messaging are enabled, because much of that logic is configured on their servers rather than baked into the app code itself,» Arntz said. «For a high‑profile government app, the more these decisions sit with outside companies, the harder it is to guarantee strict data‑minimization and full transparency to users about how their information is handled.»

Government-sponsored apps to inform people are commonplace, but this one poses significant risks, experts said. A spokesperson for the Center for Democracy and Technology, which advocates for transparency and privacy in government technology, told CNET that «mobile apps can be a helpful tool for making government more accessible. But this administration has given people a lot of reasons to worry about their privacy, and this app only raises more questions about what the federal government is doing with our personal data.»

For me, this app is a hard pass. I deleted it 10 minutes after downloading it.

Technologies

Amazon Is Pulling Support for Kindles From 2012 or Earlier. What to Do Now

If there’s a book you’ve been waiting to read on your old Kindle device, make sure you download it before May 20.

That Kindle device you’ve been holding onto for 15 years now has an expiration date, as Amazon will end support for Kindle models from 2012 or earlier on May 20. An Australian Kindle user first reported the change before Amazon confirmed the news to PCMag and said it will soon email users in the US.

The books that you already downloaded on your Kindle device won’t disappear after next month, but you won’t be able to connect to the network to buy, borrow or download new ones.

If you still have a book that you want to finish reading on one of these devices, make sure that you don’t deregister the device or do a factory reset. In the email shared by an Australian user on Reddit, Amazon says if you deregister or reset the device, you won’t be able to re-register the device or use it at all afterward.

A representative for Amazon has not yet responded to a request to comment from CNET.

The company also included a promo code in the email for 20% off select new Kindle devices and an ebook credit that’s added to your account after you purchase a new device. However, there’s no word on whether this discount is limited to Australia or if a version will be offered to US users.

Switching devices

Kindle devices released in 2012 or earlier will lose the ability to download books after May 20. The devices that will be affected are:

Kindle 1st and 2nd Generation
Kindle DX and DX Graphite
Kindle Keyboard
Kindle 4
Kindle Touch
Kindle 5
Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation

The first-generation model for Kindle was released in 2007, and e-readers have improved a bit in the time since. Amazon told Engadget that fewer than 3% of its users still use these old devices.

In the email to customers, the company said users will still be able to access their Kindle library and the Kindle store using the Android, iOS or desktop app. You can still read and download books by using the Kindle app on your phone or PC.

If this service loss feels like a good time to move on from the Kindle world, there are other e-reader options. Calibre is a free, open-source ebook manager that offers a range of features, like reading and organizing ebooks from multiple sources, as well as downloading news articles and websites.

If you’re looking for a newer Kindle model or a different reading tablet, check out the CNET list for this year’s best e-readers.

Technologies

Overwatch’s Next Hero Is Sierra, but Does That Mean the Rumors Were Wrong?

The new damage hero joins the roster next week, but lore and gameplay details are still under wraps.

After adding five new heroes in February, Overwatch just gave players another look at the new hero coming in season 2 next week. While we didn’t get gameplay details, the new hero trailer revealed that hero 51 is Sierra, and season 2 will be titled Summit.

The game dropped its first look at Sierra last week, and a few details in the new artwork seemed to be in line with expectations that she’s an ally of damage hero Ashe. Ashe’s Deadlock Gang is mentioned in the new trailer, although Sierra is working with Overwatch in trying to stop them. We don’t know yet whether Sierra has ties to other Overwatch heroes and factions.

Alec Dawson, Overwatch’s associate game director, said in February that the next hero would be another damage hero with a «really satisfying skill shot,» which we maybe glimpsed in the trailer when Sierra fires some kind of homing dart onto Emre after he steals something from Watchpoint: Grand Mesa. We also see her use a fully automatic rifle as well as tether to her drone for some aerial maneuvering, which could be hints at the rest of her kit.

While I do love a good skillshot, I also feel like the game has been struggling with damage hero releases over the past year — particularly heroes who have the ability to quickly eliminate someone out of nowhere. The newest damage heroes Anran and Emre didn’t have this problem, but the previous two, Freja and Vendetta, were consistently banned after release because of their quick time to kill, combined with their ability to consistently surprise enemies. I’m hoping Sierra’s skillshot is less bursty.

Even before the art was revealed last week, fans had started to speculate that Overwatch’s season 2 hero would be Frankie, a member of Ashe’s Deadlock Gang. She appeared in the Deadlock Rebels novel by Lyndsay Ely, which follows Ashe and the hero now known as Cassidy early in their outlaw careers. In the book, Frankie makes contact with the two characters by sending them a tiny fly-like drone — perhaps a smaller version of the drone in Sierra’s character art.

Respectfully… y’all aren’t ready for this one 😮‍💨🔥
Join us Apr 8 at 9am PT for the premiere of our latest Hero Trailer as we kick off the next chapter in the Reign of Talon 💪 pic.twitter.com/1Etxn68tax

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) March 31, 2026

The trailer shows Sierra working to stop the Deadlock Gang (who are helping Emre and Freja steal weapons for Talon), but it’s unclear whether Sierra is another character entirely or whether she’s Frankie after taking a different path.

The game’s Reign of Talon season 1 is wrapping up in the next week. The current season kicked off the year-long storyline about Vendetta taking over Talon and also introduced five new heroes into the roster. Devs have promised another new hero each season during the storyline, and today’s hero trailer gives us a few more hints about Sierra.