Best Apple Digital Note-Takers Laptops · Page 3

What a Digital Note Taker laptop means: a laptop or 2-in-1 built around handwritten notes,touch screen, stylus support, OneNote / Notability / GoodNotes friendly, lay-flat or tablet mode. Typical use: handwritten lecture notes, marking up PDFs, sketching diagrams in seminars, reading textbooks like real paper, occasional drawing. Fits medical and law students, students in math-heavy majors where formulas don't type cleanly, illustrated-notes enthusiasts, and professors who annotate slides live.

Also relevant for: note-taking laptops · OneNote machines · stylus laptops · 2-in-1s

Updated: July 2026
Products evaluated: 2281
How we work: Editorial principles →

Showing: Apple or Framework or Microsoft

Showing 21–30 of 48 Digital Note-Takers laptops
  1. #21
    Objective profile
    Apple MacBook Air 13-inch
    (i5-8210Y, 8GB, 128GB)     Renewed
    Apple · 13.3" · 2018
    $284 – $314
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    67 / 100
    Weight1.25 kg
    Battery10.0 hr
    Display13.3" 2560x1600
    RAM8 GB
    Storage128 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 5
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 67
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 79
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 63
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 34
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 73
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 80
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 28
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  2. #22
    Objective profile
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13.5-inch
    (i5-1035G7, 16GB, 256GB)     Renewed
    Microsoft · 13.5" · 2020
    $284 – $314
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    67 / 100
    Weight1.89 kg
    Battery9.0 hr
    Display13.5" 2496x1664
    RAM16 GB
    Storage256 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 32
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 61
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 51
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 61
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 34
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 72
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 27
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 28
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  3. #23
    Objective profile
    Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
    (M5) (M5, 16GB, 512GB)
    Apple · 15.3" · 2025
    $1,044 – $1,154
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    66 / 100
    Weight1.51 kg
    Battery15.0 hr
    Display15.3" 2880x1864
    RAM16 GB
    Storage512 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 17
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 81
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 67
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 70
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 44
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 72
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 86
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 72
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  4. #24
    Objective profile
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13.5
    (i7-1185G7, 32GB, 1TB)
    Microsoft · 13.5" · 2021
    $1,092 – $1,207
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    66 / 100
    Weight1.31 kg
    Battery9.0 hr
    Display13.5" 2256x1504
    RAM32 GB
    Storage1 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 32
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 61
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 76
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 63
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 53
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 70
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 54
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 50
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  5. #25
    Objective profile
    Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
    (M2, 8GB, 256GB)     Renewed
    Apple · 15" · 2022
    $664 – $734
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    65 / 100
    Weight1.50 kg
    Battery18.0 hr
    Display15.0" 2560x1600
    RAM8 GB
    Storage256 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 17
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 86
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 67
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 70
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 78
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 71
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 61
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 50
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  6. #26
    Objective profile
    Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
    (M4, 24GB, 512GB)
    2 configs
    Apple · 15.3" · 2025
    $1,234 – $1,364
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    65 / 100
    Weight1.51 kg
    Battery18.0 hr
    Display15.3" 2880x1864
    RAM24 GB
    Storage512 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 17
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 86
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 67
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 70
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 78
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 72
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 61
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 50
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  7. #27
    Objective profile
    Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
    (M5, 16GB, 1TB)
    Apple · 15.3" · 2025
    $1,377 – $1,521
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    65 / 100
    Weight1.51 kg
    Battery15.0 hr
    Display15.3"
    RAM16 GB
    Storage1 TB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 17
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 81
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 67
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 70
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 39
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 61
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 86
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 72
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  8. #28
    Objective profile
    Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
    (M4, 2025) (M4, 16GB, 256GB)
    Apple · 15.3" · 2025
    $976 – $1,079
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    65 / 100
    Weight1.51 kg
    Battery15.0 hr
    Display15.3" 2880x1864
    RAM16 GB
    Storage256 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 17
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 81
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 67
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 70
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 39
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 72
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 86
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 50
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  9. #29
    Objective profile
    Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
    (M5, 2026) (M5, 16GB, 512GB)
    Apple · 15.3" · 2025
    $1,045 – $1,155
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    65 / 100
    Weight1.51 kg
    Battery15.0 hr
    Display15.3"
    RAM16 GB
    Storage512 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 17
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 81
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 67
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 70
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 39
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 61
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 86
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 72
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →
  10. #30
    Objective profile
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
    (i7-1255U, 8GB, 512GB)
    Microsoft · 15" · 2022
    $921 – $1,018
    Digital Note Taker SelvaScore
    65 / 100
    Weight1.38 kg
    Battery12.0 hr
    Display15.0" 2496x1664
    RAM8 GB
    Storage512 GB
    SelvaScore breakdown
    • 32
      Pen & Touch Input Tactile Actuation
    • 74
      Battery Life Autonomous Runtime
    • 72
      Weight Gravitational Load
    • 63
      Display Brightness Photometric Luminance
    • 53
      Anti-Glare Glare Attenuation
    • 70
      Display Sharpness Pixel Density
    • 44
      Trackpad Quality Pointing Device Fidelity
    • 50
      Wi-Fi Quality Wireless Spectral Efficiency
    View on Amazon
    View full review →

Quick Comparison

#LaptopScorePrice WeightBatteryDisplayRAMStorage
21 Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (i5-8210Y, 8GB, 128GB) 67 $284 – $314 1.25 kg 10.0 hr 13.3" 2560x1600 8 GB 128 GB
22 Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13.5-inch (i5-1035G7, 16GB, 256GB) 67 $284 – $314 1.89 kg 9.0 hr 13.5" 2496x1664 16 GB 256 GB
23 Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5) (M5, 16GB, 512GB) 66 $1,044 – $1,154 1.51 kg 15.0 hr 15.3" 2880x1864 16 GB 512 GB
24 Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13.5 (i7-1185G7, 32GB, 1TB) 66 $1,092 – $1,207 1.31 kg 9.0 hr 13.5" 2256x1504 32 GB 1 TB
25 Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M2, 8GB, 256GB) 65 $664 – $734 1.50 kg 18.0 hr 15.0" 2560x1600 8 GB 256 GB
26 Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4, 24GB, 512GB) 65 $1,234 – $1,364 1.51 kg 18.0 hr 15.3" 2880x1864 24 GB 512 GB
27 Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 16GB, 1TB) 65 $1,377 – $1,521 1.51 kg 15.0 hr 15.3" 16 GB 1 TB
28 Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4, 2025) (M4, 16GB, 256GB) 65 $976 – $1,079 1.51 kg 15.0 hr 15.3" 2880x1864 16 GB 256 GB
29 Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5, 2026) (M5, 16GB, 512GB) 65 $1,045 – $1,155 1.51 kg 15.0 hr 15.3" 16 GB 512 GB
30 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (i7-1255U, 8GB, 512GB) 65 $921 – $1,018 1.38 kg 12.0 hr 15.0" 2496x1664 8 GB 512 GB

How we ranked these

SelvaScore is independent. Rankings reflect our editorial judgment, not vendor relationships. No laptop manufacturer pays for placement, and affiliate revenue from retailers does not affect which laptop wins this list.

Every laptop here has been evaluated through the same lens for this use case. The same machines are evaluated differently for other use cases. What works for one use case doesn't always work for another.

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