Best laptops for 2025: Refurbished and ready

Here's a list of the best laptops for 2025 that are fully refurbished, so you can get your ideal machine without having to shell out too much pretty green. We have some great news for you on this. At Back Market, we're running a special promotion offering refurbished laptop deals in July 2025. From 4 July to 17 July, you can get incentive codes and discounts in every laptop category. Scroll down for more information.

What refurbished means at Back Market 

Refurbished laptops are having a fashion moment — creators love them, environmentalists swear by them, and your wallet will thank you too. At Back Market we’re committed to creating a more sustainable future using a circular economy model. We refurbish devices that people no longer need, restoring them to their original specifications so that they can be re-used. This helps to counter the modern ethos of disposable electronics. Every year we prevent thousands of electronic devices from ending up on waste heaps. The best part? We offer them at up to 50% less than the new selling price.  

It's probably not quite fair on other brands that Apple has already blown away the rest of the market with its 2025 flagship (so far). The MacBook Air (13-inch), released on 21 March 2025, is simply the best overall laptop you can get for your money at the time of writing. The M4 chip chomps up everyday tasks and asks for more. Geekbench testing revealed a score of 48,515 for its 8-core GPU. 

And it shines when it comes to demanding tasks like music recording or video editing. It has few, if any, rivals that bring the same mix of design, build quality and blistering performance. It also comes with built-in AI tools.  

“The MacBook Air M4 is a flagship laptop with almost no weaknesses.” 

MacBook Air M4 (13-inch) pros and cons 

Best budget laptop: Acer Aspire 3

The Acer Aspire 3 ticks all the boxes for budget laptops in 2025, with refurbished models starting at around £530. It's a simple machine, but don't let that fool you. It performs everyday computing tasks smoothly and effectively, thanks to a pretty powerful AMD Ryzen chip. This puts it in the mid-range of performance, with PCWorld giving it 4,284 out of a possible 6,000. 

Its battery life is even better than some more expensive laptops, giving up to 17 hours of use. Combined with an attractive design, this is the little engine that can. Don't think twice about getting one if you only need a laptop for basic tasks like web browsing and light office work. This one boxes well above its weight. 

“Few budget laptops can match the Acer Aspire 3 for all-round functionality.” 

Acer Aspire 3 pros and cons 

Best Windows laptop: Microsoft Surface 3 (13-inch) 

This is the most upgraded version of the Microsoft Surface line. It even rivals the MacBook Air in certain areas – surprisingly, its build quality and design give it the kind of premium appearance that previously was Apple's sole domain. It's also less expensive than the previous model, being slightly smaller. It has a less powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core chip, which is also a step down. But these are minor quibbles. In fact, PCMag’s overall productivity and performance tests it scored 4,985 out of 6,000. The truth is that this is probably the best Windows 11 laptop out there at the moment. It does everything that most people need without breaking a sweat. 

“This is a Windows laptop that can compete with Apple for design and build quality.” 

Microsoft Surface 3 (13-inch) pros and cons 

Best for gaming: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

What makes the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 so appealing is its combination of lightness, power conservation and vibrant screen resolution. Its AMD Ryzen processor works with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics card to give you an amazing gaming experience. Sure, you can save up for a more expensive one by avoiding student club nights and missing out on Reading Festival or Glasto, but Time Spy tests by PCMag show that you don’t need to do this to enjoy a superior gaming experience. It scored 11,675 out of 16,000 – with only the pricier Razer Blade 14 and the Alienware M16 beating it. But those are high-end dedicated gaming laptops, whereas you’ll want a gaming machine that you can also use for all kind of other student tasks. The screen refreshes super-quickly, so you'll never have to worry about lagging or that hated rubber-banding effect. Although the battery is smaller, it lasts longer than many larger gaming stations because the laptop uses so little power to operate optimally. This is laptop proves that you don’t need a brick-sized laptop for big-time gaming. 

“For serious gamers who don’t want to spend top dollar, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 hits the sweet spot.” 

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 pros and cons 

Best for students: MacBook Air M3 (13-inch) 

Besides watching videos to avoid studying, the MacBook Air M3 (13-inch) provides everything students need in an affordable laptop. And just because it's affordable doesn't mean it isn't potent. Its price dropped when Apple released the new M4 chip, so this is a near-cutting-edge laptop that offers accessible, premium computing to students. In CNet’s Geekbench testing it outscored all other MacBook Air models with a 12,063 rating. They're being snapped up as people realise how much machine they're getting for the price. Luckily, you can pick up a refurbished one without hassle. It's light and thin, and the M3 chip has more power than you're ever likely to need. Its daylong battery life and portability make it a pleasure when moving between lectures. Sure, you could always the Air with an M4 chip, but this M3 is more than you’ll need. Rather save your money for textbooks, and enjoy everything else student social life offers. 

“Thin, lightweight and powerful, the MacBook Air M3 is the ideal student companion.” 

MacBook Air M3 (13-inch) pros and cons 

Best for business: Asus ZenBook S (13-inch)

Business can always be on the go with the Asus ZenBook S (13-inch). It's elegant and ultra-portable, while still being fully loaded to deal with any tasks you want to throw at it. In Geekbench and Cinebench tests it’s up there with the MacBook Air M4, even surpassing it on the latter with score of 1,937 vs Mac’s 1,027. The screen resolution is crisp and clear – no eye strain when burning the midnight oil. It comes with acres of storage, and its powerful Intel Core 7 processor makes light work of, well, work. This laptop is a compelling blend of performance, efficiency and almost impossible lightness for the levels of productivity it offers. 

“The ideal laptop for busy professionals and those who work on the move.” 

Asus ZenBook S (13-inch) pros and cons 

Best for a home office: Acer Aspire V5 Core i5 

Working from home and looking for an affordable yet capable laptop? Home in on the Acer Aspire V5 Core i5. Although it uses an older version of a high-end Intel processor, it still puts out impressive performance. Benchmarked against its peers, it ranked joint second at 2.39 points, only behind the top-of-the-range Sony Vaio E15 at 2.86. It feels like a solid workstation on your desk that transforms into a lightweight mobile laptop when you pick it up. Its large, good-contrast screen helps prevent eyestrain when you're working late (as anyone who works at home is all too familiar with). You can expect years of Windows operating system support and updates. 

“The Acer Aspire V5 is all you’ll need as the command centre for your home office.” 

Acer Aspire V5 Core i5 pros and cons 

Best for graphic design and creatives: MacBook Pro M4 

Designers, graphic artists, 3D modellers, music professionals, video editors – you all need as much processing power as you can get. You'll find the MacBook Pro M4 is the bee's knees. It combines superb build quality with reliability and, to quote The Stooges, raw power. It aced the benchmark tests, outperforming all but the higher-specced M4 Pro Max with its Geekbench score of 3,907. (The Pro Max scored 3,983) For such a tiny piece of silicon, the M4 chip provides almost unbelievable performance. It excels at heavy-duty tasks. What's more, you'll get over 20 hours of battery life from this behemoth. No matter how hard you push it, this laptop can deal with any kind of workload and do it on the go if you need. This is indeed a creative's dream machine. 

“A powerful laptop designed for the most demanding tasks, and graphics and video software suites.” 

MacBook Pro M4 pros and cons 

Best for portability: Dell XPS (13-inch) 

We know that constantly lugging around a heavy laptop all day isn't ideal for busy professionals. If you're constantly on the move, you'll be wanting a lightweight, extremely portable laptop that still packs enough power for you to get everything done quickly and efficiently. The Dell XPS range stands out here, especially the smaller 13-inch model. It doesn't compromise on style or performance, with a vivid InfinityEdge screen (with touch-screen capabilities) and a reliable Intel Core i7 processor. This gains it a very respectable Geekbench score of 14,635. Add a battery life of around 12 hours, and you get both power and all-day use in a lightweight package with a robust chassis. 

“A reliable laptop for everyday carry, and those who work on the move.” 

Dell XPS (13-inch) pros and cons 

Why refurb rocks 

The bottom line is that meticulously restored refurbished laptops are almost always a wiser choice than clamouring for the latest machines, which are often full of features you won't actually use, unless you have specific high-end professional requirements.    Buying refurbished means you're buying sustainable laptops. It's the most eco-friendly way to shop at the moment. Electronic waste poses a serious threat to the environment, so refurbishment and recycling is a no-brainer. Creating a circular economy prevents devices from being needlessly discarded, making it the greenest way to shop for electronics by helping to reduce CO2 emissions and reducing electronic landfills that retain waste for decades.    All our refurbished devices go through exhaustive pre-testing and physical inspections. Verified refurbishers then restore and replace any worn or damaged parts. A final battery of tests is run to ensure that the devices perform up to their original benchmarks. You can then buy these at substantial discounts – up to 50% off the new selling price. That's a sweet deal from all angles. 

Some final thoughts on the value of refurbished laptops

It's an open secret by now that older laptop models have a usable lifespan that runs well past the launch date of the latest model. Rather, create your own upgrade schedule based on your personal needs and how well your current laptop still performs. Then buy out of necessity, not aspiration. 

Don't just rush out to get the latest and greatest if your current model is still more than adequate for your needs. You simply don't need a new laptop every few years, no matter how much the manufacturers tout their latest features. This is especially true of Windows machines, as you can upgrade them with additional working memory (RAM) and add extra storage memory. Apple doesn't allow this, virtually forcing users to buy a new laptop simply to get more internal memory. 

The other smart thing about buying a refurbished laptop is that it reduces electronic waste and promotes recycling, to create a circular economy rather than a disposable one.   

How to use the promo code 

 It's really easy to claim your discount offer using the promo code LAPTOP-SUMMER to get £45 off on laptops worth over £450 until 18/07/2025. 

Please note that the voucher is non-transferable and is only valid on carts containing 1 item. The item must be eligible for the discount, and the code can't be used along with other promos, vouchers, or promotions.