TMCnet News
Tried and tested: Laptops: pick of the bunch: How to choose from the huge range available? Samuel Gibbs picks five of his favourites and weighs up the pros and cons Photograph by Katherine Rose(Observer (UK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Picking a new laptop is difficult. There are so many across a whole range of prices that it's difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Depending on what you want to do with a laptop, you can end up overpaying, or conversely buying something that can't do what you want. Here's our guide to five decent ones to suit all budgets and needs. Dell Chromebook 11 From pounds 180 Chromebooks are cost-effective, simple laptops for web browsing. They are essentially a computer with just a browser. If all you need is to browse the web and do some simple word processing then a Chromebook is ideal, but it will not run applications like iTunes or Word, instead relying on Microsoft Office-compatible Google Docs and other web apps. The Dell Chromebook 11 is the best Chromebook available, with a solid build quality, excellent full-size keyboard and trackpad. The 11.6in display is clear and easy to read, while its small size and 1.3kg weight makes the laptop portable and light. A webcam and microphone are mounted above the screen. Performance is snappy with instant boot-up and it can easily handle dozens of open tabs in Chrome. It has an all-day battery life, while an HDMI output means connecting the laptop to a TV is simple. An SD card reader makes viewing photos from a camera easy, while Google bundles 100GB of Google Drive storage in the cloud for two years with each Chromebook purchase to augment the 10GB internal storage space. Verdict The best laptop for simple web browsing and great value. Asus X200MA From pounds 200 Windows PCs provide more flexibility than Chromebooks because they can run standard Windows programs, including Microsoft Office. There are hundreds of PC laptops available in different sizes. At the bottom end is the Asus X200MA. It has an 11.6in screen, weighs 1.2kg and has a full size keyboard and trackpad. It runs Windows 8.1 with access to both the Windows Store and the thousands of standard Windows apps. The X200 is quite slow, but it will manage simple web browsing and office duties. The included VGA and HDMI ports make connecting it to a TV or monitor easy, while an ethernet port provides internet access where Wi-Fi isn't available. A webcam and microphone mean video chats via Skype are easy. With a 500GB hard drive and an SD card reader, viewing and storing photos is simple, while around five hours of useful battery life should see the computer through at least half a day's usage. Verdict Best low-cost computer if you simply must have Windows. Acer Aspire E1-572 From pounds 425 Small screens are great for portability, but can be cramped for getting work done. The Aspire E1-572 has a 15in screen, runs Windows 8.1 and is ideal for an all-round budget laptop. It has plenty of USB ports, both VGA and HDMI ports for hooking up to displays and TVs and has access to both the Windows Store and the thousands of standard Windows apps including iTunes and Office. What makes the E1 different from the cheaper Asus is that it packs a powerful Intel Core i5 processor that can more than handle multi-tasking. The E1 can handle a bit of light gaming too. A 500GB hard drive provides room for photos and videos; the battery lasts around six hours on a single charge. The E1 has a few downsides , including a low-resolution screen for its size, no touch screen and no CD/DVD drive, but the performance and battery life make it a great everyday laptop. Verdict Best all-round computer on a budget. Apple MacBook Air From pounds 749 Apple's MacBook Air is one of the best thin, light and powerful laptops available and a cut above most PC laptops, although it costs significantly more. Combining lightweight, premium aluminium materials and a very solid build, plus reliability, the Air is built to be portable with a full-sized backlit keyboard. It also includes a powerful processor, fast solid-state storage and unrivalled all-day battery life. It powers on instantly and handles all but the most graphically intensive tasks without issue. The 11in version is the most portable and lasts nine hours of useful work with a Thunderbolt port for connecting to a monitor, TV or for attaching other accessories like fast external hard drives. It also has two USB ports and a webcam for video chats. The 13in version adds an SD slot and extends the battery life to 12 hours of use. Apple's OS X software has plenty of apps and utilities available, including Microsoft Office, while Office-compatible apps, a movie editor and music editor come as standard out of the box. Verdict The best for portability with the power to get things done. Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display From pounds 999 The Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display is arguably the best full-sized laptop available, but costs significantly more than even the MacBook Air. It is the most powerful laptop in this group, with enough processing power to handle video editing. Gamers will have to resort to running Windows on it, however, as the selection of games for Apple's OS X is poor. But what makes the MacBook Pro special is its screen, which is at least twice the resolution of most others. Instead of making icons and text tiny, Apple uses the added pixel density to increase the sharpness of the display, making text, photos and icons appear pin-sharp, much like modern smartphones and tablets. The MacBook Pro with Retina display is available in a 13in or 15in screen size, both with two Thunderbolt ports, two USB ports and an HDMI out for connecting to a TV. The 13in has a nine-hour battery life, while the 15in lasts for eight hours. Verdict The best laptop money can buy. Captions: MACBOOK PRO This is arguably the best available - and the price reflects that. ACER ASPIRE E1 Powerful processor but a low-resolution screen. DELL CHROMEBOOK 11 Snappy performer and top value for simple browsing. ASUS X200MA Slow, but good value if you want Windows. MACBOOK AIR Lightweight, hugely reliable and very powerful. (c) 2014 Guardian Newspapers Limited. |