(Image credit: Future/Rosa Evenden)

If you write for a living, your laptop matters more than people think. It doesn't need to be the fastest computer on the market, nor does it need a discrete GPU for gaming or intensive 3D work. But what it does need is a keyboard you actually want to spend hours with, a screen that renders text crisply and won't tire out your eyes, and battery life that outlasts a full working day without you spending the afternoon hunting for a socket.

I've focused my guide on three laptops that all hit those marks: a MacBook , a Windows/Linux laptop and a Chromebook. So whether you're writing novels, scripts, essays or advertising copy, one of these laptops will suit you.…