Laptops looked under threat from tablets not too long ago, but their position now looks as strong as ever. The convenience of a large display and full-size physical keyboard that you can take anywhere with you can’t be underestimated, particularly in the era of hybrid working.
But choosing which laptop to actually buy is more difficult than ever. Even once you’ve decided on a screen size or brand, there are loads of different options to choose from.
This article aims to simplify your decision. We test and review loads of laptops each year, and here are our 15 favourites. They are ranked, but the options towards the top of the list might not be right for your specific needs.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Price
Sometimes the best does come at a steep price, but equally you can get a lot of laptop for under £500 or even £300 – provided you need only complete basic tasks such as web browsing, writing emails and creating the odd document.
Around £500 or above can get you a solid laptop, but it’s likely to have an entry-level set of specs. We’re talking a relatively basic processor, minimal SSD storage and a relatively low-quality screen. It might also be on the heavy side.
Pay £700 or more and you should get a blazing fast processor, plenty of RAM, loads of storage and a gorgeous display. You should also expect excellent build quality and premium materials. Many laptops these days are above £1,000, which is when you start getting the likes of 4K touchscreens and ultra-premium builds.
Display size
Laptop screens range from around 11- to 17-inch. A smaller screen might be harder to work on and offer fewer ports, but it will be more portable.
A 17-inch laptop, on the other hand, is a desktop replacement laptop and not designed to be moved around often.
Generally, 13- or 14-inch is the sweet spot for portability and usability.
While some cheap laptops have a
