DELL XPS 13 From £1,299 dell.com

Dell’s laptops have been solid performers for years, and this latest model has added further improvements including a noticeable uptick in battery life. Up to 21 hours is possible, although if you opt for the model with a super-high resolution 4K screen, then four hours is more likely. The XPS 13 is a wellpriced Windows machine that performs strongly and has great build quality. The display has a narrow bezel, so a 13.3-inch display fits into a laptop that is more the size of an 11-inch model. Dell products are highly customisable so you can choose, for instance, between a Full HD or 4K display for viewing your images in ultra-high resolution. There are also three colours to choose from: rose gold, silver-on-black and a fetching frost-onwhite combination. Neat software extras include Dell Power Manager, which helps to control battery usage, and a program to connect the laptop to your phone. It weighs 1.23kg.