How to ship a laptop

[Kaikou]

I need to ship a laptop across the continental USA to a relative. What's the best way to do this?

Normal size laptop 15 inches, worth $300 approx.

UPS? Fedex?

Packaging?

Base off of online rate generator it is looking like $20 - $25.

I never shipped anything before so I'm clueless to best practices.

[GizmoTX]

You want at least 1" layer of foam all around the laptop to make a snug fit inside a strong corrugated box. Ship it UPS with insurance. FedX is good but usually more expensive. Air is gentler than ground but you'll have to compare the costs. Avoid USPS -- it's rougher & the tracking isn't as good.