RISE OF THE MACHINES

From alien-inspired laptops to shape-shifting ultrabooks, Steve Dinneen tests ten of the best new portable computers

Steve Dinneen road tests the latest laptop computers

With all the talk of the tablet revolution, you could be forgiven for thinking laptops were yesterday’s news; the embarrassing uncle of the tech world – everyone’s got one but they’re nothing to brag about.

Yet laptop aficionados know this isn’t the case. The fact is, laptops and tablets are evolving hand in hand, becoming faster, lighter and thinner together.

Rather than supersede the laptop, tablets are performing different functions. They are for lounging on the sofa, lying in bed or sitting on a plane. Laptops are for serious web browsing, work and for those times when you need your hardware to kick like a mule.

The holy grail is to create a device that can do both. Laptop-tablet hybrids have tended to be poorly conceived devices that try to be all things to all men and end up doing nothing particularly well, but now there is a new crop of machines that work both as distinct tablets and full-keyboard laptops. Intel has pinned its colours to this mast, with executive vice-president Tom Kilroy recently saying he believes the two-in-one will eventually usurp the stand-alone tablet.

He has a vested interest: Apple’s iPads – the most successful tablet – use ARM chips, whereas almost all two-in-ones use Intel. Intel has, though, shown why it is still the world’s biggest chipmaker. Its new range of fourth-generation Core processors have enabled manufacturers to improve battery life drastically without adding weight or size.

Laptops have also begun to borrow the concept of “touch” from their flatscreen cousins. Microsoft’s latest version of Windows (which, admittedly, hasn’t met with the warmest of receptions) has touch at its heart, and a host of new laptops are making interesting use of the technology.

The other big movement in laptops is pixels. Triggered by the incredible retina display in Apple’s Pro range, the big manufacturers are competing to pack the highest resolution, which is great news for movie fans.

So what should you consider before splashing out? First, think about what you’re going to use it for. Spending US$300 on an extra 4GB of RAM might seem like a great idea but not if you only use your laptop for responding to emails.

Where are you going to use it? If it is your main household machine, you might want to spend a bit extra on a 17inch screen – alternatively, go for one that can mirror its display on your TV.

If you’re as likely to use your computer on an airline tray table as in the living room, think seriously about an ultrabook. You will sacrifice that nice big screen and a bit of power but you’ll save yourself getting backache lugging a gigantic box around with you.

LENOVO IDEAPAD YOGA 13

US$1,549 www.lenovo.com The 13-inch IdeaPad is one of the best machines bridging the gap between tablet and laptop. It is one of the larger devices in the segment and takes full advantage of the Windows 8 touchscreen interface. When in its default position, it is a sleek ultrabook with a full, comfortable keyboard. But flip the display 180 degrees and you have a touch-only interface controlled by the distinctive boxes that make up Microsoft’s new operating system. It is solidly built and the hinge that transforms it never feels under any real strain. It is also powerful, with an Intel Core i7 chip and features an ample amount of memory with 8GB of RAM. PROS Flexible, light and quick CONS Battery life is average

APPLE MACBOOKCBOOK AIR 13 INCH

US$1,099 http://store.apple.com Apple’s jaw-droppingly attractive ultra-portable device has changed the way people think about laptops. It isn’t just an item to order your shopping on – it’s a thing of beauty. The new version’s biggest selling point is that it now has what Apple calls “all-day battery life”, meaning you can watch, browse and play for a full 12 hours before it needs recharging. It maintains the same solid aluminium build as the previous generation, with a thickness of just 1.7cm. If you hang on a little longer, you will also be able to get it with Apple’s new Maverick operating system, which includes the ability to wirelessly beam your desktop to an HD TV, plus improvements to the document filing system, full-screen mode and speed. Sleek, powerful and thin Not easy to customise

APPLE MACBOOK PRO 15-INCH WITH RETINA DISPLAY

US$2,799 www.store.apple.com This is the creative industry’s machine of choice with all the good looks of the Mac range and top-of-the-range specs to boot. The retina display crams in a staggering five million pixels. It is surprisingly thin – especially when you consider the 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor and space for up to 16GB of RAM (8GB default). This is for people who are planning on running hardcore video-editing software or playing a lot of 3D games; most users could happily change down to the MacBook Air and never notice a difference in speed. But if you want to own one of the sexiest laptops on the market, this is for you. PROS Fast, good screen, great operating system CONS Most users don’t need all that power

ACER AASASPIRE R7

US$999 www.acer.com The Aspire is a convertible folding screen laptop, which enables you to lift the display upwards from the keyboard and angle it so you can take full advantage of the touchscreen, a bit like an easel. It can fold into a rudimentary – if unwieldy – tablet and you can turn the screen back on itself to show someone sitting opposite what you’re working on. The 1,080-pixel resolution, 15.6-inch monitor is good for watching movies. It feels solidly built but the trade-off is it’s heavy (2.4kg) for something that is designed to perform as a tablet and, consequently, isn’t ideal for carrying around. The Aspire R7 also switches the location of the touchpad (what you control the mouse with) and the keyboard, which takes a bit of getting used to, and isn’t a great idea. PROS Innovative design CONS Heavy and takes a while to get accustomed to

SASAMSUNGAM ATIV BOOK 8

US$1,269 www.samsung.com Finally a laptop that can challenge Apple on both looks and performance. This monstrously fast machine features a 15.6-inch, high-resolution touchscreen – taking advantage of Windows 8 – and is packed with an Intel i7 Core processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive. It comes in ash black, with an attractive brushed aluminium finish. At 2.5kg, it is also surprisingly light for a premium laptop of its size and the battery performs admirably compared with rivals in this class (it has up to 8.6 hours of battery life). If you’re comfortable with Windows, don’t want to have to learn how to use a new operating system, and require a powerful, top-class machine, this is as good as it gets. PROS Powerful, attractive, a good option for Windows users CONS Heats up a lot, even when left idle

GOOGLE E CHROMEBOOK PIXEL

US$1,229 www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices Google raised eyebrows with the release of this laptop. The Chromebook range has existed for years but has always targeted the entry-level market. This device bucked the trend spectacularly – the Pixel is a proper powerhouse of a computer that packs an Intel Core i5 processor and a stunning 12.8-inch display squeezing in 4.3 million pixels (hence the name). It is also light, at 1.5kg, and comes with 1TB worth of Google Drive storage for free. It runs Google’s Chrome operating system, which could attract users who are disillusioned with the latest version of Windows. At over US$1,000, it’s not cheap, but if you’re an Android phone user it will sync seamlessly, and the Pixel certainly has the good looks of a premium device.

PROS Great screen, runs Google’s Chrome OS CONS Expensive compared with predecessors

DELL ALIENWARE 17

US$1,499 www.dell.com Dell’s Alienware range of laptops are the crème de la crème of gaming PCs. The 17 shirks the vogue for svelte machines, with a brawny, angular design with red streaks and a glowing keyboard. It looks like it was designed by a teenage boy, but in a good way (it even has an alien’s head on the lid). It has a large 17.3-inch screen with rich colours and dark blacks, is packed with hardware, including a 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor and 8GB of RAM (upgradable to 16GB), and takes full HD and 3D gaming in its stride. The trackpad is backlit and you can programme the groups of keys to glow in different colours for those late nights playing in the dark. This latest offering from Dell is the ultimate big boy’s toy. PROS Power – it’s the best off-the-shelf gaming laptop on the market CONS It’s huge (4.6cm x 29.9cm x 41.3cm and 4.1kg)

TOSHIBA SATELLITE U920T

US$970.99 www.toshiba.com Yet another take on the laptop-that-turns-into-a-tablet genre. The Satellite’s screen slides forward and down, coming to rest over the keyboard, enabling you to prod away at those colourful Windows 8 Live Tiles. Visit Amazon or www.play.com and you will see the U920T is available at a sub-US$950 price tag (though the RRP is US$1,430); at 12.5 inches, it is also one of the most portable devices in the segment. But don’t be fooled – this is a fully fledged laptop. Still, it packs an Intel Core i3 processor, which is rather slow compared with the competition and, if you’re a heavy user of advanced software such as Photoshop or need to edit videos, you’ll start to notice the difference (a new model with an i5 processor has since been released). PROS Relatively inexpensive CONS Feels a bit cheap

SONY VAIOVVA E SERIES (SVE1713C5E)

£658 (US$1,047) www.sony.com With the E Series, Sony has brought a relatively powerful (Intel Core i5 processor), bigscreen (17.3-inch) laptop under the US$800 mark. For a mid- to low-priced machine, it is pretty quick, unless you’re hammering it with memory-intensive games. It’s a Sony, so you know the build quality is going to be solid, although with its curved edges and bulky finish, it isn’t the most attractive unit. Its high-resolution screen is decent, and is great for watching videos. It does, however, have its drawbacks: internal storage is pretty low, at 320GB, and the battery will run dry in less than three hours. This particular model is only available for UK market. Big screen, cheap Poor battery life

HPP PPAVILION 14-B178SA SLEEKBOOK

£480 (US$764) www.hp.com The portable 14-inch touchscreen “Sleekbook” packs more hardware than its unassuming casing would lead you to believe. It may only include an Intel Core i3 processor but it’s also got 8GB of RAM and an impressive 1TB hard drive. Its battery life is also substantial for a laptop in this price range, with up to eight hours of normal use. It’s never going to win in a head-to-head with a premium laptop, but if you’re looking for a portable device with the functionality of a laptop – something you can fling in your suitcase for trips abroad and not have to worry too much about – it could be for you. This model too is only available for UK market. PROS Impressive feature set for price CONS Doesn’t have a great processor