All laptops are at least somewhat secure, but there are definitely some that offer a greater degree of security than others. If you want a laptop that will keep your information private and protect you from hackers and viruses, then you want to ensure that you choose a laptop that is designed for security. That is why browsing the most secure laptops before you buy is vitally important.
There are physical characteristics that you can look for in a secure laptop, like fingerprint access and a camera that can be closed or covered. Fingerprint access keeps unwanted people out of your laptop, and the closable camera ensures that you can’t be spied on as easily through this device.
You also want to make certain that the laptop has software security, and will work for you to keep out unwanted intrusions, spyware, and other security threats. So, a truly secure laptop will have physical and software security for your protection.
We have examined the laptop market to bring the most secure laptops to you in one list. If you’re not sure which laptops offer the best security, then we have you covered.
Top 3 Picks
Here is a quick list of our top choices for secure laptops-
- HP Elite Dragonfly
- Lenovo Flex 5
- Apple MacBook Air Laptop
What Is a “Secure” Laptop?
Laptop users may define a secure laptop in different ways. How they define it may depend on how it’s used. For example, people who use their laptop for work may want a greater level of security than someone who uses it for entertainment and diversion. Laptops used for business purposes will need to be secure from cyber threats that could steal information that is valuable to the business. Laptops used for entertainment purposes might not need to be as secure.
Remember that there are two different aspects of laptop security to consider – the physical security and the software security, or virtual security. For a laptop to really be secure, its software needs to be up to date and powerful enough to stop a large variety of virtual threats.
Is Buying a Secure Laptop Worth It?
You may be wondering if the cost of a secure laptop is really worth the benefits that it provides. If you’ve ever had a laptop compromised by a virus, then you understand how serious the problem is. You could lose all the data on your laptop or sensitive information like banking details could be sent to a third party, and used to rob you of your hard-earned money.
Different kinds of people will care more about the security of the laptop and the level of security offered. Students might not be too concerned about a high level of security in their laptop, as any information stored on it probably isn’t that important to them. People who use the laptop for their own business, or for their employer’s business would be much more concerned about laptop security, as will people who use their laptop for asset trading and other financial services.
While every laptop offers at least some level of security, it wouldn’t be right to call every laptop really and truly secure.
Now let’s look at some of the most secure laptops for 2022.
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HP Elite Dragonfly – Best Overall
| Pros | Cons |
| Includes touchscreen | Costly |
| Lots of great security features | |
| Plenty of storage space | |
| Conveniently small size |
The biggest problem with the HP Elite Dragonfly is that it’s not terribly affordable, but it does have some of the best security features available. This is the reason for it being ranked so high on our list.
You get HP Sure Start technology with this laptop, which will run a check on the BIOS code during startup to check for security threats (more details). Then, it automatically fixes those for you.
The included vPro Intel processor also boosts security, and on top of that, the Dragonfly has a fingerprint scanner as well for secure sign in.
It includes plenty of memory, with 256 gigabytes SSD memory and 8 gigabytes of RAM.
The screen is touch enabled and is 13.3 inches wide.
What Makes the HP Elite Dragonfly an Excellent Secure Laptop in 2022?
This laptop gets our nod for security because of the HP Secure Start, the vPro processor, and the fingerprint scanner.
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Lenovo Flex 5 – Runner Up
| Pros | Cons |
| Touchscreen functionality | Mid-range processor |
| Closable camera | |
| Decent storage and RAM | |
| Fingerprint scanner |
This laptop offers great physical security features, like a webcam that comes with a shutter and then a fingerprint scanner for secure access. These prevent people from getting into your Lenovo 5 laptop and then spying on you through the camera as well. Instead of entering a pin number to access the computer that someone could see you input, you can gain entry using a fingerprint scan. It’s much more secure.
This laptop includes 256 gigabyte SSD storage, 16 gigabytes of RAM, and compatibility for Windows 11 home, which is already installed. It also has a powerful AMD Ryzen 5500U mobile processor.
The touchscreen and included stylus allow you to use it like a tablet as well.
What we really like about this laptop is how affordable it is, with all the features we just talked about included for around $600. That’s a good price for everything you’re getting.
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Apple MacBook Air 2020 – Premium Pick
| Pros | Cons |
| Touch ID access | Very expensive |
| 13-inch screen | |
| Lots of great security functions | |
| Offers superb storage and RAM |
If you want the most secure laptop for 2022, the Apple MacBook Air is one of the best ones you can get. It probably has the best security out of any of the laptops on this list, but we have to rank it so low because of how expensive it is.
The storage security is great for the MacBook Air, as all storage has been encrypted with hardware keys. In the event that your device falls and is damaged and can’t be accessed anymore, your data won’t be recoverable. If you store anything on this computer, you may want to back it up on a physical drive.
This laptop includes Startup Security Utility (info here) and Secure Boot to check for security issues at key times. It also checks for the authenticity of the OS during startup. That makes it hard for viruses and hackers to infiltrate your system and change the way it operates. The official Apple website lists even more security features for this device.
The performance specs for this device are 8GB of RAM and 256/512GB SSD storage.
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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
| Pros | Cons |
| Good storage space and RAM | Quite expensive |
| Rapid Charge feature | |
| Aesthetically pleasing design | |
| Includes Windows 10 Pro |
There are several different versions of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon out there, but we’re highlighting the Generation 8 version for this list. This laptop offers a few different security features that can be really helpful, like the included ThinkShield technology. This is powerful security that safeguards your computer from a variety of security hazards. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is an excellent business laptop because of how secure it is and its very professional design.
It also includes a closeable webcam with a shutter that keeps you safe from people who may want to spy on you through the camera. The fingerprint reader included in the X1 Carbon makes it easy to set security measures for your laptop and to keep people from getting access to it without your permission. You don’t have to worry about people logging in without you being present.
It offers some great performance specs as well, with a terabyte of SSD storage, a Core i7 processor that’s 10th generation, and then 16GB of RAM.
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Dell XPS 13
| Pros | Cons |
| Superb security functionality | Only includes a Core i5 processor |
| Powerful hardware specs | Costs around $1,000 |
| Sleek aluminum components | |
| Compact and very portable |
A compact, easily portable laptop might be a good idea if you’re trying to find the most secure laptop that you can keep with you at all times. That’s an excellent way to keep it secure and make sure no one is accessing your laptop without your permission and knowledge.
The Dell XPS 13 is a very compact laptop that still puts out a great performance. You’ll find that a lot of smaller laptops cannot handle serious processing requirements, but the XPS 13 definitely can. There are no concessions made for performance just because of its small size.
We want to tell you about some of the security features this laptop offers, and there are two that really stand out about it. The first one is the fingerprint scanner that is situated on the power button. That means that the laptop can only be turned on using your fingerprint, if you set it up for fingerprint access only.
The other security feature we want to point out is a Security Suite Enterprise. This is a collection of software that protects you against a large variety of virtual threats, such as malware, viruses, and hackers. This is a really expensive security suite, and it comes with tons of great features that would safeguard you from so many different things you might not even realize are trying to negatively affect your computer.
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HP Spectre X360 15T
| Pros | Cons |
| Plenty of great security features | Very pricey |
| Sleek design | |
| Touchscreen capabilities | |
| Lots of RAM and storage space | |
| 4K screen |
One of the most secure laptops we’ve come across is the HP Spectre X360 15T. This powerful laptop offers a backlit keyboard, an impressive 4K display, and a touch screen. It’s not just a computer powerhouse, but the Spectre is also a very secure laptop. It has a fingerprint reader built in next to the track pad. If you want to enable biometric access to log into the computer, you can do that for stricter security measures.
This laptop also has McAfee antivirus software already installed on it. You get the pro version rather than a trial version. That gives you a lot of added security and more peace of mind.
While there are several different versions of this Spectre X360 15T available, we are providing a quick review and specs for the 10th Generation i7 version. That’s our top choice among the different versions when it comes to the most secure laptop. This version also comes with a terabyte of SSD storage and 16GB of RAM.
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2021 Apple MacBook Pro
| Pros | Cons |
| Impressive Liquid Retina screen | Can be quite expensive |
| Superb storage capabilities | |
| Includes M1 Max or M1 Pro chip | |
| Lots of great security options | |
| Comes in two different colors |
What makes this one of the best and most secure laptops is that the Apple MacBook Pro is packed to the brim with great security features. These include a powerful M1 Max chip or an M1 Pro chip. It also comes with drive encryption to keep your data safely stored on the device and Secure Startup to check for problems every time you turn it on. Another security feature is the Touch ID function, which helps provide a level of physical security for the device.
You get some great performance specs as well with the MacBook Pro, including a whole terabyte of SSD storage and 16GB of RAM.
How to Choose the Best Secure Laptop in 2022?
We’ve shared with you a list of some of the top laptops available right now, if you are looking for a good balance of security, overall quality, and performance. It’s wise to do some looking around yourself, though, and compare your options.
It isn’t always easy sorting through the different laptops available to find one that offers decent security. You have to consider a number of different factors and avoid making common mistakes.
We have made a list of the most important features to look for if you are trying to get the most secure laptop.
Secure Booting Options
This is a feature that protects your laptop while it is booting up, and it is a bit different from the Intel UEFI Secure Boot feature that some computers have. Attacks on your computer and your personal information stored there can happen when your computer is trying to boot up because a virus could be hidden on the laptop waiting for you to boot the system so it can attack more effectively and sneakily.
For one of the laptops we looked at, the HP Sure Start feature was included, which is exactly the kind of secure booting option we’re talking about. This safeguards your device while it is booting, during a vulnerable stage in the startup process.
If you’re trying to purchase a laptop that is secure, you want to make sure that it includes this kind of safeguard. Most Apple and Windows laptops include some type of secure booting feature.
Drive Encryption
A lot of MacBook models include some sort of drive encryption, according to MacWorld. What this does is protect the storage drive using hardware keys. That means that it’s incredibly difficult for someone to access your stored information when they’re not on your physical system.
This is a great way to protect the files and all the data on your drive, in the event that something were to happen to your device. You can also use this functionality to manually encrypt your drive and then set up password protection that helps to limit access and keep out unwanted intruders.
Your laptop should include either manual encryption or have a way for you to put manual encryption onto it.
Available Antivirus or Threat Protection Software
A lot of laptops these days come with some sort of antivirus protection. All of the Windows computers and laptops include Windows Defender, which is a decent antivirus program in itself, and you may not need to upgrade beyond that. Some laptops have McAfee Pro already installed, and McAfee antivirus is considered one of the best antivirus programs out there. The Spectre laptop that we mentioned includes that software.
Any kind of secure laptop should have some sort of antivirus program already on it. You can always add to that with more powerful software if you want, but some baseline antivirus software should definitely be a part of the package you are getting. There should be no need to pay extra money to get something like this that we believe is such a basic and fundamental part of laptop security.
Hardware Security Features
What kind of physical safety options are included on the laptop? Maybe you won’t need to use all of them, but it’s good to have some sort of physical security in place. This could include a fingerprint scanner that gives you the option to lock the laptop unless it is accessed by your own fingerprint.
There are a lot of security concerns related to webcams as well and it’s not a bad idea to search for a laptop that has a closable webcam. That way, when the webcam is closed, there’s no question whatsoever whether someone is able to spy on you through it. That closable webcam feature is a little more difficult to find than a fingerprint scanner, but it’s a handy option to have if you’re looking for the most secure laptop.
Performance Specs
Security isn’t everything when it comes to buying a quality laptop. You also want something that’s powerful enough to run the programs you need it to. Check the performance specs to make sure they’re up to the standard you require. Our minimum recommendations for performance specs are 256GB of SSD storage and 6GB of RAM.
Price
Even if money is not that much of an issue for you, you should consider the price you’re paying for the laptop. Make sure it is one that you can afford, and most secure laptops should be priced somewhere between $500 and $1000. The more you pay, the more features you should get, but that doesn’t mean you need to break the bank to get a secure laptop.
You can pay less than $500 for your laptop, but it probably won’t be very secure.
Frequently Asked Questions About Laptop Security
How Is a Laptop Characterized as “Secure”?
While the definition of secure laptop may vary from one person to another, we would consider a secure laptop to be one with security measures that are above and beyond the normal.
These security features can include both virtual (software) and hardware measures. A secure laptop can have just a few extra security measures or be packed with security functions.
What Is the Best Secure Laptop to Buy in 2023?
Our choice for the most secure laptop in 2023 would be a toss-up between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro devices. Because these are Apple laptops, they’re guaranteed to have a baseline of quality security features already installed, like Secure Startup and drive encryption. Whenever you’re getting a MacBook laptop, you know you’re getting something that’s pretty secure.
How Much Money Should I Spend on a Secure Laptop?
Secure laptops might cost you a little more than your typical laptop, but you should expect to pay somewhere between $500 and $1000, though you could go higher if you want even more features.
Final Thoughts
There may be any number of reasons why you want to have a secure laptop, including protecting your sensitive data, avoiding damage caused by cyber attacks, and just the peace of mind that comes from having decent security on your laptop.
You do want to make sure you are choosing the right laptop, though. Check the security features the laptop has and see if they are more than just basic functions you can get with any laptop. We’ve gone through what a lot of those features are in the article above, so you should have some idea of what to look for.
Keep in mind that the Apple MacBook Pro 2021 is our top choice, even though not everyone might be able to pay the retail price on that. It has some of the best security features you’ll find anywhere.
If you’re looking for something more affordable, the Lenovo Flex 5 is still a good option for a secure laptop.
The other laptops we listed here are good choices as well, offering something in between these two options, so there’s something for everyone.