The alternatives: 3 more mid-range laptops

This lightweight trio have the knives out for every Microsoft Go model

Google Pixelbook Go from £629 / store.google.com What’s the story?

Google’s own Go is an ode to minimalism and the best attempt yet at convincing Chrome OS doubters. The inherently limited operating system and lack of professional multimedia software mean it won’t be suitable for everyone, but the spec options are plentiful, including one with a 4K display and 16GB for £1329… if you’re some kind of maniac.

Is it any good?

The Pixelbook Go gets a lot right: great design, a long-lasting battery and plenty of portability. Chrome OS across the range means functionality doesn’t really alter, so how you spec it up is all down to how luxurious you want to go with the hardware. For anyone who travels a lot (fat chance), Google’s apps are always at hand, and there’s a decent webcam.

KEY SPECS

Screen 13.3in 1920x1080/3840x2160 touchscreen LCD

Processor 8th-gen Intel m3/i5/i7 Battery life Up to 12hrs Dimensions 311x206x13.4mm, 1.06kg (Full HD) or 1.09kg (4K)

Acer Swift 5 (2020) £900 / acer.com What’s the story?

Ever owned a 1.3kg laptop and thought, “I love this thing but wish it were 30% lighter”? Us neither, but the Swift 5 solves that precise problem for the weak-shouldered and perennially encumbered. It’s a 14in laptop that weighs under 1kg and sits in one of our favourite Windows categories: laptops that are a bit like Macbooks but cheaper.

Is it any good?

Focusing too much on one thing can be a bad idea. As an ultra-ultra-light laptop, the Swift 5 seems like the perfect victim for this sort of narrow focus… but in reality, very little is sacrificed for its 990g weight. The screen is great, the keyboard is fine, connectivity is versatile and raw performance is strong. So where’s the catch? Well, the magnesium-rich casing feels closer to plastic than aluminium. Can you shrug that off for £900?

KEY SPECS

Screen 14in 1920x1080 LCD touchscreen Processor 10th-gen Intel i5

Battery life Up to 11hrs

Dimensions 319x211x14.9mm, 0.99kg

Apple Macbook Air (M1) from £999 / apple.com What’s the story?

It’s a whole hundred quid more than the top-spec Surface Laptop Go, but a Macbook Air with Apple silicon promises a monumental difference in performance. Yes, there’s a distinct lack of external evolution from the last model, but consider this a ‘work it harder, make it better’ laptop with an immense amount of hard graft going on under the hood.

Is it any good?

It’s comfortably the best Macbook Air we’ve ever used. The M1 chip brings a significant performance boost, allowing you to dip into both video editing and graphics-heavy gaming without breaking a sweat, while the battery makes a day’s work entirely achievable. The only bugbear is the mystifyingly rubbish webcam, which in the age of essential video calling is an annoyance we’re finding hard to shake off.

KEY SPECS

Screen 13.3in 2560x1600 Retina Processor Apple M1

Battery life Up to 18hrs Dimensions 304x212x16.1mm, 1.29kg