Note: All the links in this page are affiliate links.
I’m frequently asked to recommend a specific tech item that I trust and feel comfortable recommending to others.
Since I receive so many of these requests I thought it might be a good idea to create a page featuring the products I recommend most often.
Note: If you click on a product link and find that the item is sold out, please let me know so I can update it. Thanks a bunch!
Windows laptops
Budget Windows laptop – Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15IAU7 15.6″ Laptop
This laptop is very affordable, yet well suited for typical home/Internet use.
It comes with Windows 11 Home instead of Windows 11 in S mode (that’s a huge plus). It also comes with a 15.6″ screen, which is larger than the screens you’ll find on most budget laptops.
Midrange Windows laptop – Dell Inspiron 3530 15’6″ Laptop
This nice Dell is for those who need a little more horsepower than you typically find in a budget laptop, but in a machine that won’t break the bank.
It has a great combination of RAM and fast SSD storage to go along with its very capable Intel i5 CPU. I believe it’s a really good deal for the money.
High-End Windows laptop – ASUS Vivobook 16 Laptop
If you’re looking for a machine with speed and power to spare, this could well be the best value you’ll find in its price range.
Its ultrafast AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 Processor, 16GB DDR5 RAM and spacious 1TB SSD and other advanced features make this a fantastic choice for a less-than $1,000 laptop.
Gaming laptop – ASUS ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop
This quickly became my favorite gaming laptop after it was introduced – and it still is.
ASUS ROG machines are quite popular with gamers thanks to their reputation for high quality and power at a very reasonable price. This particular model is fantastic.
Windows desktop PCs
Budget Windows desktop – GMKtec Mini PC Intel N150
If you’re looking for a good, but really inexpensive desktop PC that’s capable of most any typical home computing task, this is it.
This little gem is about the size of a brick, but it has about as much processing power, RAM and SSD storage capacity as some mid-range laptops.
Mid/High range Windows desktop – Geekom A8 Max AI Mini PC
This tiny PC is roughly the same size as the brick-sized GMKtec machine above, but it’s packed with tons of computing power.
If you want a desktop PC that doesn’t take up a lot of desk space but is absolutely packed with computing power, storage and general awesomeness, this is the one.
MacBooks
Budget MacBook – Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M4 chip
This laptop is perfect for students or most anyone else who wants to move into the Apple world without spending a ton of cash.
It comes with all the usual advantages found in Apple products and it’s quite fast when performing most every tasks.
Midrange MacBook – Apple 2025 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M4 chip
This machine fits into what I consider to be sweet spot when it comes to Apple MacBook laptops, providing a great balance between price and performance.
High-End MacBook – Apple 2024 MacBook Pro Laptop with M4 Pro chip
High performance rules the day with this high-end MacBook Pro. This is a top-seller for Apple, for good reason.
Mac Desktop Computers
Budget Mac desktop – Apple 2024 24-inch iMac All-in-One Desktop Computer with M4 chip / 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU
Like it’s MacBook Air cousin, this popular iMac is an excellent machine for anyone wanting to move to the Mac world.
It’s compact all-in-one design is a real space saver, and it packs plenty of punch for the price.
High-End Mac desktop – Apple 2024 24-inch iMac All-in-One Desktop Computer with M4 chip / 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU
If you’re looking for top performance in a desktop Mac, you can’t go wrong with this gem.
Chromebooks
ASUS 15.6″ Chromebook CX15 Laptop
I believe this is the best Chromebook deal going at the moment and it’s the only one I’m currently recommending.
Computer monitors
Budget monitor – Philips 22 inch Class Thin Full HD (1920 x 1080) Monitor
One of my most frequent recommendation requests is for a really cheap monitor that’s still dependable and gets the job done. This is it.
Large screen monitor – ViewSonic VA3209M 32 Inch IPS Full HD 1080p Monitor
This is my primary work monitor. I love it!
Gaming monitor – ASUS TUF 32″ 1440P HDR Curved Gaming Monitor
This is one of the best-selling gaming monitors on Amazon. Try it for 15 minutes and you’ll find out why.
Battery Backup / UPS
APC BE600M1 600VA/330 Watts UPS/Battery Backup and Surge Protector
I have had three of the units protecting my work computers and TV for quite some time. They work flawlessly.