3 PERFECT LAPTOPS FOR SMES
APPLE IPAD PRO 10.5 (from €749)
This is easily the best laptop-replacement device you can get on the market. Not only is it the fastest machine in its category but it’s the best-suited to casual work use and leisure. In 10.5-inch or 13-inch versions, the iPad Pro has Apple’s A10 chip which, for speed, beats about three-quarters of the laptops out there. Multitasking between programs and apps is also much better with iOS’s split-screen functionality. The newer 10.5-inch model has a significantly bigger screen than a traditional 9.7-inch iPad but is only marginally larger in size. This is because the ‘bezels’ (the non-screen bits at the side) have been narrowed to give more space over to the display. There’s also way more power, more storage and new technology in the screen via a 120Hz refresh-rate, meaning smoother scrolling and content motion. The Smart Keyboard (sold separately — other keyboards also work fine) doubles as a cover and makes typing speedy. The screen quality is close to the best on the market while it has four speakers and Apple’s TouchID fingerprint recognition system. Once you use one of these devices regularly, it’s hard to go back to a laptop.
MICROSOFT SURFACE LAPTOP (€1,169)
Microsoft has been putting it up to rivals such as HP, Dell and Lenovo with its own new computers. Its latest model is the ‘Surface Laptop’, a thin, light, powerful laptop that focuses as much on aesthetic appeal as on the engine under the hood. As a result, it has a fairly pleasing ‘Alcantara’ materialcovered keyboard. Although it’s a touchscreen laptop, it’s not designed to fold right over like some competitor devices. But it comes with a lot of oomph, with Intel i5 or i7 processors and between 128GB and 512GB of storage. Battery life is as good as almost anything else and you’ll find that you will reliably get over eight hours of use.
HP ELITEBOOK X360 (€2,100)
If you want a high-end work laptop that you can also live with around the clock, this may fit the bill. Designed for workaholics, it features a wraparound 13-inch screen that makes it double as a large tablet or a multimedia display. It comes with a battery-powered stylus pen, often a pricey extra purchase with touchscreen devices. Although most probably still don’t use styluses with laptops, it’s considered to be a growing niche. Because this doubles as a large tablet, it means you can use it effectively to sign PDFs that come your way. For such a powerful machine, it’s quite light at 1.3kg. The backlit keyboard is nicely ergonomic, with large keys spaced out. For the user, there’s a satisfying muted click to each key. The HD screen quality is excellent: a 4K option is also available.