Best Laptop of 2014
Discover the best laptops to buy in 2013 and read our in-depth laptop
reviews, as rated by our team of expert reviewers. Not sure if a laptop
is right for you? We've got something for everyone here, from 11in
budget bargains to the latest flagship models and laptop-tablet hybrids
from all the major brands. Our always up-to-date list will help you make
the right choice.
Expert Opinion This 13in Ultrabook has it all. Inside its tiny chassis is a beautiful Full HD touchscreen display, dedicated graphics and a fantastic battery life. A worthy rival to the Macbook Air, the Series 7 Ultra is one of the best value Ultrabooks we've ever seen.
SPECS
CPU 1.8GHz Intel Core i5-3337U
RAM 6GB
STORAGE 128GB SSD
GRAPHICS 1GB AMD Radeon HD 8570M
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 13.3in, 1,920x1,080 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 19x324x224mm, 1.7kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 15W idle, 48W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE 740U3E-S02UK
BUY IT FROM £898 from Amazon
SPECS
CPU 1.3GHz Intel Core i5-4250U
RAM 4GB
STORAGE 128GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 5000
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 13.3in, 1,440x900 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM OS X 10.8
DIMENSIONS 17x325x227mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 8W idle, 23W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE 13-inch Macbook Air
BUY IT FROM £949 directly from Apple
Expert Opinion The Samsung Series 7 Chronos gets everything right. It has a powerful quad-core Core i7 processor, a great dedicated graphics chip, a Full HD ten-point touchscreen and a superb nine and a half hour battery life. It's expensive, but the Chronos is in a class of its own.
SPECS
CPU 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-3635QM
RAM 8GB
STORAGE 1TB hard disk
GRAPHICS 2GB AMD Radeon HD 8870M
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 15.6in, 1,920x1,080 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 23x376x250mm, 2.5kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 17W idle, 74W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE NP780Z5E-S01UK
BUY IT FROM £1,300 from PC World
SPECS
CPU 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-3630QM
RAM 8GB
STORAGE 1TB hard disk
GRAPHICS 2GB Nvidia GeForce GT 645M
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 15.6in, 1,366x768 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 37x383x250mm, 2.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 18W idle, 75W active
WARRANTY one year collect and return
PART CODE CX61 0NF-638UK
BUY IT FROM £599 from Dell
Read our full Acer C7 Chromebook review
SPECS
CPU 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847
RAM 2GB
STORAGE 320GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 2000
DISPLAY 11.6in, 1,366x768 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Chrome OS
DIMENSIONS 27x285x202mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1.7W standby, 15W idle, 23W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE C710-B8472G32iii
BUY IT FROM £199 from Amazon
SPECS
CPU 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U
RAM 8GB
STORAGE 128GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 13.3in, 1,600x900 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 17x333x224mm, 1.5kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 28W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE 20175
BUY IT FROM £1045 from Portagadgets
Expert Opinion At £450, the Asus VivoBook S200 is an absolute bargain. We were a little disappointed with its dim screen, but its responsive touchscreen was hugely impressive and Windows 8 has never felt so smooth. Its small size means it’s also perfect for slipping into your bag while you’re on the move, and a Core i3 processor gives it enough performance power to make it fantastic value for money.
SPECS
CPU 1.8GHz Intel Core i3-3217U
RAM 4GB
STORAGE 500GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 11.6in, 1,366x768 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 22x303x200mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 20W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE X202E-CT009H
BUY IT FROM £450 from Currys
Expert Opinion The Dell XPS 12 is one of the best laptop-tablet hybrids we’ve ever seen. Push the screen from behind and its 12.5in display spins round to form a tablet that looks absolutely stunning thanks to its Full HD 1080p resolution. It’s also got the storage and performance power to match its outstanding design, with a Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. You won’t find a more beautifully crafted hybrid anywhere else.
SPECS
CPU 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U
RAM 8GB
INTERNAL STORAGE 256GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 12.5in, 1,920x1,080 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 20x317x214mm, 1.5kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 12W idle, 34W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE XPS 12
BUY IT FROM £1300 directly from Dell
Expert Opinion It may not be part of Intel's Ultrabook brand, but this desktop replacement is a serious contender to the Asus VivoBook S400. With a Core i5 processor and a bright, responsive touchscreen, the P845t-101 offers a slightly cheaper solution to the £70 more expensive S400. It picks up fingerprints like no tomorrow, but it's one of the best touchscreen laptops around.
SPECS
CPU 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U
RAM 6GB
INTERNAL STORAGE 640GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 14in, 1,366x768 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 24x349x234mm, 2kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 12W idle, 34W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE PSPJ5E-00C00JEN
BUY IT FROM £630 from Currys
Our Expert Opinion Ultrabooks are thin, light, powerful and long lasting, but none can compete with the Asus Zenbook Prime thanks to its sublime Full HD 1080p display. It's the highest resolution screen we've seen on a 13in laptop and its IPS panel creates near-perfect viewing angles and superb colour reproduction. A Core i7 processor and 256GB SSD provide ample performance and storage, lasting all day on its seven-hour battery.
SPECS
CPU 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U
RAM 4GB
STORAGE 256GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD 4000
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 13.3in widescreen IPS (1,920x1,080)
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 325x223x18mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 14W idle, 37W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE UX31A
BUY IT FROM £1447 from Save On Laptops
Expert Opinion Lenovo's second business Ultrabook is an absolute sensation, combining performance, good looks, portability and battery life into one seriously desirable package.
As well as looking serious, it's designed for serious work, with one of the best keyboards we've ever used on a laptop. Its powerful Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM will make short work of most programs, and its 1,600x900 resolution is also a step up from the norm. It's certainly expensive, but a great buy if you're a business traveller.
SPECS
CPU 1.8GHz Intel Core i5-3427U
RAM 8.00GB
STORAGE 256GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD 4000
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 14in widescreen LCD (1,600x900)
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 331x226x19mm, 1.3kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 43W active
WARRANTY three years RTB
PART CODE X1CARBONBEST
BUY IT FROM £1370 from Lenovo
Our Expert Opinion The AMD Trinity-powered Envy 6 Sleekbook is a great gaming laptop if you're on a budget, providing smooth frame rates in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Street Fighter X Tekken at high detail levels.
It may struggle with more heavy-duty tasks like photo and video editing, but its near nine hour battery life makes it perfect for taking on the go.
SPECS
CPU 2.1GHz AMD A6-4455M
RAM 6GB
STORAGE 500GB hard disk
GRAPHICS AMD Radeon HD 7500G
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 15.6in widescreen LCD (1,366x768)
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 19x373x252mm, 2.1kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 31W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE Envy 6 1006sa
BUY IT FROM £400 from the Currys
Samsung Series 7 Ultra 740U3E
Puts the 'Ultra' in Ultrabook
Expert Opinion This 13in Ultrabook has it all. Inside its tiny chassis is a beautiful Full HD touchscreen display, dedicated graphics and a fantastic battery life. A worthy rival to the Macbook Air, the Series 7 Ultra is one of the best value Ultrabooks we've ever seen.
SPECS
CPU 1.8GHz Intel Core i5-3337U
RAM 6GB
STORAGE 128GB SSD
GRAPHICS 1GB AMD Radeon HD 8570M
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 13.3in, 1,920x1,080 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 19x324x224mm, 1.7kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 15W idle, 48W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE 740U3E-S02UK
BUY IT FROM £898 from Amazon
Apple 13-inch Macbook Air
Apple's super thin laptop just got even better
Expert Opinion The Macbook Air has always been one of
the slimmest and lightest laptops around, but this year's model now has
an even lower price and 18 and a half hours of battery life. It may not
be quite as powerful as previous models, but its display looks
absolutely stunning and its responsive keyboard and touchpad make it a
joy to use.
CPU 1.3GHz Intel Core i5-4250U
RAM 4GB
STORAGE 128GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 5000
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 13.3in, 1,440x900 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM OS X 10.8
DIMENSIONS 17x325x227mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 8W idle, 23W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE 13-inch Macbook Air
BUY IT FROM £949 directly from Apple
Samsung Series 7 Chronos
A super powerful laptop with near-desktop performance
Expert Opinion The Samsung Series 7 Chronos gets everything right. It has a powerful quad-core Core i7 processor, a great dedicated graphics chip, a Full HD ten-point touchscreen and a superb nine and a half hour battery life. It's expensive, but the Chronos is in a class of its own.
SPECS
CPU 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-3635QM
RAM 8GB
STORAGE 1TB hard disk
GRAPHICS 2GB AMD Radeon HD 8870M
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 15.6in, 1,920x1,080 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 23x376x250mm, 2.5kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 17W idle, 74W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE NP780Z5E-S01UK
BUY IT FROM £1,300 from PC World
MSI CX61
An excellent gaming laptop for under £600
Expert Opinion Gaming laptops with this kind of
specification are usually significantly more expensive, so it’s great to
see one for under £600. Its quad-core 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-3630QM
processor offers near-desktop level performance and its 2GB Nvidia
GeForce GT 645M graphics chipset gives a competent gaming experience as
well.
SPECS
CPU 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-3630QM
RAM 8GB
STORAGE 1TB hard disk
GRAPHICS 2GB Nvidia GeForce GT 645M
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 15.6in, 1,366x768 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 37x383x250mm, 2.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 18W idle, 75W active
WARRANTY one year collect and return
PART CODE CX61 0NF-638UK
BUY IT FROM £599 from Dell
Acer C7 Chromebook
The cheapest and best value laptop
Expert Opinion Chrome OS is nowhere near as versatile
as Windows 8, but you can't really argue with the C7 Chromebook when
it's less than £200. The C7 also goes one better than most other
Chromebooks, as it's got a 320GB hard disk instead of a 16GB SSD, which
gives you much more room to store your media collection. It's battery
life isn't so great, but if you're on a limited budget then the C7
should be at the top of your list.
Read our full Acer C7 Chromebook review
SPECS
CPU 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847
RAM 2GB
STORAGE 320GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 2000
DISPLAY 11.6in, 1,366x768 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Chrome OS
DIMENSIONS 27x285x202mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1.7W standby, 15W idle, 23W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE C710-B8472G32iii
BUY IT FROM £199 from Amazon
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13
The most flexible Ultrabook
Expert Opinion The Yoga 13 is one of our favourite
Ultrabook convertibles. Its hook is simple - just fold the screen all
the way back and, hey presto, you've got a tablet. Having the keyboard
underneath your fingers will take a little getting used to, but its Core
i5 processor and 8GB of RAM make it pretty speedy. It's also got an
impressive battery life of over 7 and a half hours, putting it head and
shoulders above the rest of the competition.
SPECS
CPU 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U
RAM 8GB
STORAGE 128GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 13.3in, 1,600x900 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 17x333x224mm, 1.5kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 28W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE 20175
BUY IT FROM £1045 from Portagadgets
Asus VivoBook S200
A great-value touchscreen laptop
Expert Opinion At £450, the Asus VivoBook S200 is an absolute bargain. We were a little disappointed with its dim screen, but its responsive touchscreen was hugely impressive and Windows 8 has never felt so smooth. Its small size means it’s also perfect for slipping into your bag while you’re on the move, and a Core i3 processor gives it enough performance power to make it fantastic value for money.
SPECS
CPU 1.8GHz Intel Core i3-3217U
RAM 4GB
STORAGE 500GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 11.6in, 1,366x768 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 22x303x200mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 20W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE X202E-CT009H
BUY IT FROM £450 from Currys
Dell XPS 12
The ultimate laptop-tablet hybrid
Expert Opinion The Dell XPS 12 is one of the best laptop-tablet hybrids we’ve ever seen. Push the screen from behind and its 12.5in display spins round to form a tablet that looks absolutely stunning thanks to its Full HD 1080p resolution. It’s also got the storage and performance power to match its outstanding design, with a Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. You won’t find a more beautifully crafted hybrid anywhere else.
SPECS
CPU 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U
RAM 8GB
INTERNAL STORAGE 256GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 12.5in, 1,920x1,080 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 20x317x214mm, 1.5kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 12W idle, 34W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE XPS 12
BUY IT FROM £1300 directly from Dell
Toshiba Satellite P845t-101
A powerful touchscreen desktop replacement
Expert Opinion It may not be part of Intel's Ultrabook brand, but this desktop replacement is a serious contender to the Asus VivoBook S400. With a Core i5 processor and a bright, responsive touchscreen, the P845t-101 offers a slightly cheaper solution to the £70 more expensive S400. It picks up fingerprints like no tomorrow, but it's one of the best touchscreen laptops around.
SPECS
CPU 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U
RAM 6GB
INTERNAL STORAGE 640GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 14in, 1,366x768 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 24x349x234mm, 2kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 12W idle, 34W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE PSPJ5E-00C00JEN
BUY IT FROM £630 from Currys
Asus ZenBook Prime
The ultimate Ultrabook
Our Expert Opinion Ultrabooks are thin, light, powerful and long lasting, but none can compete with the Asus Zenbook Prime thanks to its sublime Full HD 1080p display. It's the highest resolution screen we've seen on a 13in laptop and its IPS panel creates near-perfect viewing angles and superb colour reproduction. A Core i7 processor and 256GB SSD provide ample performance and storage, lasting all day on its seven-hour battery.
SPECS
CPU 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U
RAM 4GB
STORAGE 256GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD 4000
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 13.3in widescreen IPS (1,920x1,080)
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 325x223x18mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 14W idle, 37W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE UX31A
BUY IT FROM £1447 from Save On Laptops
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
The best laptop for business professionals
Expert Opinion Lenovo's second business Ultrabook is an absolute sensation, combining performance, good looks, portability and battery life into one seriously desirable package.
As well as looking serious, it's designed for serious work, with one of the best keyboards we've ever used on a laptop. Its powerful Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM will make short work of most programs, and its 1,600x900 resolution is also a step up from the norm. It's certainly expensive, but a great buy if you're a business traveller.
SPECS
CPU 1.8GHz Intel Core i5-3427U
RAM 8.00GB
STORAGE 256GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD 4000
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 14in widescreen LCD (1,600x900)
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 331x226x19mm, 1.3kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 43W active
WARRANTY three years RTB
PART CODE X1CARBONBEST
BUY IT FROM £1370 from Lenovo
HP Envy 6 Sleekbook
An excellent laptop for gamers on a budget
Our Expert Opinion The AMD Trinity-powered Envy 6 Sleekbook is a great gaming laptop if you're on a budget, providing smooth frame rates in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Street Fighter X Tekken at high detail levels.
It may struggle with more heavy-duty tasks like photo and video editing, but its near nine hour battery life makes it perfect for taking on the go.
SPECS
CPU 2.1GHz AMD A6-4455M
RAM 6GB
STORAGE 500GB hard disk
GRAPHICS AMD Radeon HD 7500G
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 15.6in widescreen LCD (1,366x768)
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 19x373x252mm, 2.1kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 31W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE Envy 6 1006sa
BUY IT FROM £400 from the Currys
