1. Dell XPS 13
- TOUCHSCREEN Dell XPS 13 9360 - Silver
- 13.3? QHD+ (3200 x 1800) InfinityEdge touch display, Silver [QHDT]
- 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7560U Processor (4M Cache, up to 3.8 GHz)
- 16GB LPDDR3 1866MHz
- 512GB PCIe Solid State Drive
Packing a high-resolution screen and serious processing power, there's more to the Dell XPS 13 than its status as a tightly kept Ultrabook. Now featuring new processors and better integrated graphics, clearly there’s an advantage to the Dell XPS 13 besides the fact that it comes in Rose Gold. The 13-inch display, crammed into an 11-inch body, a worthy rival to a certain other aluminum laptop line. What’s more, the Dell XPS 13’s utility is extensive, spanning everything from writing to video editing to everything in between.
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2. Samsung Notebook 9 Pro
- Windows 10Built for Windows InkAMD Radeon 540 2GB dedicated graphics; Intel Core i7-7500U CPU; 15" display; 16GB memory; 256GB SSD; Bluetooth; touch screen; backlit keyboard; HDMI output; DVD/CD drive not included
The dawn of a new era for 2-in-1 laptops
The Samsung Notebook 9 is what other 2-in-1 laptops have aspired to be since their conception. It hones in on the S-Pen, Samsung’s own proprietary stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity (the same as Microsoft’s new Surface Pen), a nifty little accessory that conveniently doesn’t require charging. Although the touchscreen display is only 1080p, at between 350 and 450 nits of brightness, you won’t be paying any mind to the pixels, or lack thereof. Plus, the lengthy battery life more than makes up for this hybrids few setbacks.
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3. Asus Chromebook Flip
- The flexible 360 degree hinge and 12.5” Full-HD touchscreen lets you use the C302 in tablet or laptop mode.
- Extremely lightweight at 2.65 pounds with the protection of a sleek aluminum metal body.
- Starts up in seconds and lasts all day, thanks to a long battery life rated up to 10 hours*.
- Intel Core Processor with 64GB storage and 4GB RAM for fast and efficient performance.
- Work anywhere online or offline regardless of your internet connection. Enjoy your favorite games, entertainment, and keep up with work, wherever you go.
The Asus Chromebook Flip C302 could be seen as an apology for Google’s own missteps with the Chromebook Pixel that preceded it. Rather than costing over a grand for unnecessarily high performance that would put a lot of Windows notebooks to shame, Asus has cut the price in half while adding a 360-degree hinge that effectively makes it a 2-in-1 laptop, but with Android apps from the Google Play Store that only sweeten the deal.Now you can experience a Chromebook whose style rivals that of the MacBook Pro without spending even remotely what you would on one of Apple’s machines.
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4. Microsoft Surface Pro
- Surface Pro 4 powers through everything you need to do, while being lighter than ever before
- The 12.3 PixelSense screen has extremely high contrast and low glare so you can work through the day without straining your eyes
- keyboard is not included and needed to be purchased separately
- Features an Intel Core i5 6th Gen (Skylake) Core
- Ships in Consumer packaging.
The tablet that can replace your laptop
The 2017 Surface Pro is – in every way, shape and form – the
Surface Pro 5 we’ve been waiting for. From its rounded edges to its refined selection of accessories, there’s no denying it’s a true
Surface Pro 4 successor. There’s also the fact that the Surface Pro draws inspiration from the Surface Studio insofar as it bends back 165 degrees. The only real downside then (besides having to buy the Surface Pen separately this time) is that only the i7 version of the Surface Pro can compete with even the most affordable
iPad Pro.
Surface Pro 5 we’ve been waiting for. From its rounded edges to its refined selection of accessories, there’s no denying it’s a true
Surface Pro 4 successor. There’s also the fact that the Surface Pro draws inspiration from the Surface Studio insofar as it bends back 165 degrees. The only real downside then (besides having to buy the Surface Pen separately this time) is that only the i7 version of the Surface Pro can compete with even the most affordable
iPad Pro.
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5. Samsung Notebook 7 Spin
CPU: 6th generation Intel Core i7
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 940MX (2GB DDR3L); Intel HD Graphics 520
RAM: 12GB – 16GB
Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) LED with touch panel
Storage: 1 TB HDD – 1TB HDD; 128GB SSD
For less than a grand, you could get a MacBook Air, complete with a sub-1080p screen and a Broadwell processor ... or you could buy a Samsung Notebook 7 Spin. A 2-in-1 laptop with an HDR, full HD touchscreen, the Spin is home to both a discrete Nvidia graphics chip and a 6th-generation Intel Core “i” CPU. Though the spinning hard drive and 480p webcam aren’t ideal, they keep the price of the Samsung Notebook 7 Spin modest and its reputation positive.
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6. Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming
- Powerful 7th-generation Intel Quad-Core i5-7300HQ 2.50 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 3.50 GHz
- 16GB DDR4 2400MHz Memory, 128GB Solid State Drive M.2 + 1TB 5400 rpm Hard Drive with 8GB Cache
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 4GB GDDR5, Optical Drive Not included, Backlit Keyboard
- 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) Anti-Glare LED-Backlit Display with IPS technology, HDMI
- Windows 10 Home (64-bit), 2-in1 Media Card Reader and USB 3.0, 802.11ac Wireless LAN + Bluetooth 4.2, Dual Band 2.4&5 GHz
Work hard, play hard, this laptop does it all
Ditching the Alienware moniker for once, the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming doesn’t cost all that much considering its rather lofty specs. Even if it can’t max out every game you throw at it, the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming is both cheaper than a MacBook Air and way more capable. And, if you were worried about the battery life, the Inspiron 15 Gaming lasted a whole 5 hours and 51 minutes in our tests, longer than some Ultrabooks priced significantly higher. Whether for coursework or leisure, this laptop can do it all.
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7. Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2017)
- 2.3GHz Dual Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz) Intel 7th Gen Kaby Lake Processor
- 256GB PCIe Flash Storage
- 16GB 2133MHz memory
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports / Silver
The MacBook Pro of the future, right now
The 2017 MacBook Pro doesn’t offer much in the way of distinguishing itself from its predecessor, but it is a testament to just how much you can improve something by simply swapping up internal components and calling it a day. Because it’s finally equipped with the newest generation of Intel
Kaby Lake processors and faster-than-ever PCIe 3.0 SSD storage, the MacBook Pro comes easily recommended, undeterred by its reluctance to bring back legacy ports like HDMI and standard USB. This is, through and through, a laptop built for the future.
Kaby Lake processors and faster-than-ever PCIe 3.0 SSD storage, the MacBook Pro comes easily recommended, undeterred by its reluctance to bring back legacy ports like HDMI and standard USB. This is, through and through, a laptop built for the future.
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8. Asus ZenBook UX310UA
- Intel Core i7-6500U Dual-Core processor 3.5 GHz up to 3.9GHz; Integrated Intel HD 520 Graphics
- 8GB DDR4 SDRAM RAM. 256GB SSD
- 13.3" 1920x1080 Anti-Glare Display, HD Webcam, Multi-Format Media Card Reader
- 802.11ac Dual-Band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, 1 x USB 3.0 via USB Type-C , 1xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, 1xHDMI 1.4; ; 1/8" (3.5 mm) Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack Integrated Speaker Integrated Microphone
- Windows 10 Home; 4-Cell Lithium-Ion(48 Wh), up to 12 hours battery life. Dimension 12.7 x 0.7 x 8.8" / 322.6 x 17.8 x 223.5 mm; Weight 3.2 lb / 1.45 kg; Color: Rose Gold
Feel old yet, MacBook Air?
After the wonderfully brilliant
Asus Zenbook UX305 was discontinued, we were skeptical that Asus could follow it up with something even better. Still, the Asus ZenBook UX310UA surprises with the same all-aluminum chassis we’ve come to know and love in addition to a higher resolution screen and an impressive swath of ports, including the latest USB-C interface. The best news is that it does all of that without slipping above the price point of the current MacBook Air, making it an even better value.
Asus Zenbook UX305 was discontinued, we were skeptical that Asus could follow it up with something even better. Still, the Asus ZenBook UX310UA surprises with the same all-aluminum chassis we’ve come to know and love in addition to a higher resolution screen and an impressive swath of ports, including the latest USB-C interface. The best news is that it does all of that without slipping above the price point of the current MacBook Air, making it an even better value.
Read the full review: Asus ZenBook UX310
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9. Surface Laptop
- Microsoft Surface Laptop features up to 14.5 hours of video playback
- Backed by the best of Microsoft, including Windows and Office
- Sleek, elegant design; ultra-thin and light laptop fits easily in your bag
- Luxurious Alcantara fabric-covered keyboard
- CPU: 7th generation Intel Core i5 – i7
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – Iris Plus Graphics 640
- RAM: 4GB – 16GB
- Screen: 13.5-inch, 2,256 x 1,504 PixelSense display
- Storage: 128GB – 512GB SSD
Designed for students from the OS up
The Surface Laptop is Microsoft’s first stab at a “traditional” laptop, if you can even call it that knowing full well that its PixelSense touchscreen and Alcantara keyboard are anything but conventional. Featuring a full stack of U-series 7th generation Intel Core “i” processors, the Surface Laptop beats out Apple’s 12-inch MacBook any day of the week, and for a lower starting price at that. Despite the ports and operating system being limited, the Surface Laptop is appealing for its laudable design, beautifully vivid screen and impressive performance.
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10. Huawei MateBook X
- At just 12.5mm thick and 2.31 lbs., the Mate Book X is as thin as a magazine but with the full functionality of a PC running Windows 10 Home and up to 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor
- Features a 2K display (2160x1440) protected by Corning Gorilla Glass and a 4.4mm narrow bezel with 88% screen screen-to-body ratio, the best of any notebook
- World's first 13-inch notebook to launch Dolby Atmos Sound System providing an immersive sound experience with Dolby custom-designed and tuned speakers
- The fingerprint sensor serves as a power button, enabling users to unlock the notebook, finish identity authentication and access the Windows desktop easily and safely with a single touch
- Includes compact Mate Dock 2: USB-A port, USB-C port, HDMI port and VGA port; 1 year Office365 included
More than just a Chinese MacBook knock-off
A thin and light notebook that resembles a MacBook, in reality the Huawei MateBook X is so much more. Instead of wielding a measly Intel Core M- or Y-series processor, the Huawei MateBook X goes for gold with a full on U-series CPU of the Core i5 and i7 variety without resorting to a clunkier form factor. Other than the lukewarm battery life and a notable shortage on ports, this is an honest first attempt at crafting a premium Windows notebook with portability at the forefront.
