HOW TO BUY YOUR PERFECT LAPTOP
STREAM LINED STYLE, GREAT PERFORMANCE AND AMAZING BATTERY LIFE CAN ALL BE YOURS– IF YOU CHOOSE WISELY
The modern thin-and-light laptop isn’t just the same design with a faster CPU: this new breed is smarter and a lot more versatile. It comes in a range of form factors, from conventional clamshell designs to 2-in-1 convertibles designed to work as well with a pen as with a keyboard. However, what they all have in common is that they offer a slimmer and more lightweight computer – without many of the compromises of the old ultraportables.
Size and design
Ultrabooks have always been a balancing act between the competing priorities of ergonomics, performance and portability. The first examples launched with 13.3in and 11.6in screens (to match Apple’s MacBook Air) with a lightweight spec to keep battery life up and chassis size down. The only problem? You got a laptop that was great for a couple of hours, but that lacked the comfort, features and stamina to work all day.
While a 13.3in screen size remains the norm with these current thinand-light models, the balancing act is getting easier. A 14in laptop now weighs under 1.5kg and can easily slip into a bag. Even some 15.6in models are creeping in at under 2kg.
When choosing, the trick is to be realistic about what you’re using the laptop for and what you need to do. If, for instance, you tend to work with apps in a full-screen view or with only one or two apps open at a time, a 13.3in laptop is perfectly fine. If you’re a power user (or have bad eyesight) then you should look for a 14in or even 15.6in model because you will get a bigger screen, less eyestrain and a more spacious keyboard – and you will feel the lack of them more than a few hundred grams of extra weight.
Processing power
Intel’s nomenclature never becomes any less confusing, and the eighth-generation line of Core mobile CPUs manages to fit in processors based both on Kaby Lake R and Coffee Lake architectures. The good news is that both are a significant upgrade on the older Kaby Lake processors. The Kaby Lake R Core i5-8250U and Core i7-8550U processors found in many of the laptops on test this month have double the cores (four) and double the threads (eight) of the old dual-core Kaby Lake CPUs, making them noticeably faster, particularly when multitasking or in heavily multithreaded applications.
The differences between the two CPUs come down to maximum frequencies and cache rather than cores and threads – in contrast to those of desktop processors – so don’t feel you have to splash out for a Core i7 if you’re not running the most demanding apps.
If you do fall into that category, then look toward slightly larger (and less lightweight) laptops featuring the Coffee Lake Core i7-8750H. This has six cores running 12 threads and is – predictably – something of a beast.
In terms of RAM, 4GB might have been alright for the old Ultrabooks, but with their faster processors and stronger graphics capabilities, their replacements need a minimum of 8GB. In fact, we’re starting to see performance pick up on machines with 16GB, although it’s not crucial outside of more data-intensive applications, such as our Ultra HD video processing tests.
Storage
Ultrabooks were quick to embrace the SSD, and you won’t find a good thin-and-light laptop running with a hard disk these days. The good news is that capacities are growing as prices
fall, with 250GB to 500GB drives everywhere you look. The vast majority are also moving to NVMe drives rather than SATA 3 SSDs, making the most of the former’s faster read/write performance and near-instant boot times.
Screen and audio
Full HD 1080p is now the standard for all mid-range and high-end laptops, so it’s no surprise that it’s the norm here as well. Some high-end models are embracing Ultra HD 3,840 x 2,160 resolutions, which does bring an extra level of clarity and definition. However, it also means extra costs and some issues with screen scaling on certain apps, plus more drain on the battery. In truth, the difference isn’t always readily apparent until you get to 15.6in or beyond. While a higher resolution is undoubtedly a
“In fact, we’re seeing thin-and-light machines break through the ten-hour barrier to deliver 12 hours, 13 hours or more”
bonus, we would still focus more on brightness, vibrant colour and – if you’re in the video, photography or design world – colour accuracy and gamut coverage.
We’re hearing some minor miracles on the audio front as well. There are limits to how warm or bassy a sound you can get from a slimline chassis, but some of these machines deliver clear and very listenable sound. We would still plug in our headphones for music, or connect to a Bluetooth speaker, but the best-sounding thin-and-light laptops are fine for streaming Netflix in a distant hotel room.
Graphics horsepower
Two years ago we would have told you that thin-and-light laptops and graphics power don’t mix. Now, with new low-power, low-heat solutions from Intel, Nvidia and AMD – including the Core/Vega hybrid chips – you can have both. You’re not going to be running VR apps at high detail settings or running Full HD games with all the options set to max, but most of these machines could handle a little light gaming. Some have enough power to match the Xbox One console with medium settings at 1080p and 30 frames per second. The fastest will even give you higher frame rates or let you take your detail settings up a notch.
Connectivity
Let’s call this section “how we learned to stop worrying and love USB-C”. With such thin and compact designs, space is at a premium around the sides of these laptops, which means some have jettisoned the likes of HDMI and old-style Type-A USB in favour of USB-C ports. While this can be annoying, it makes sense: the USB-C port is not just tiny, it’s also hugely versatile. To see why, take a look at the three port replicators and docking stations we review on p92. Just note that Thunderbolt 3 support means a speed advantage over USB-C ports that only support USB 3.1, and this translates into a better choice of video outputs.
Stamina
Amazingly, you can have all of the above in a laptop that lasts a working day. In fact, we’re seeing thin-andlight machines break through the ten-hour barrier to deliver 12 hours, 13 hours or more. One of the joys of the new thin and light is venturing out without a charger in your backpack. You don’t need to plug in – just open the screen and go.