Our continually updated list of all the best laptops available today.
Now that Windows 8 has arrived, Ultrabooks are taking off in popularity and laptop-tablet hybrids are beginning to be released more and more, choosing the right laptop for you can be even more confusing than ever.
Cheap laptops are more powerful and capable than before, while high-end devices are often perfectly good replacements for your desktop computer, able to cope with more intensive programs.
Those after a fast boot up time and a lightweight machine to carry might drool over an Ultrabook.
Serious gamers will want a machine tailored to their graphical and processing needs, while those after flexibility might fancy a convertible laptop-tablet hybrid.
As well as reading through this feature, you can also check out our video buying guide below:
Here we look at some of the best laptops that really excelled in our extensive testing processes this year. We've arranged them into categories to help you find the one best suited your needs.
All of the machines listed here are laptops. Although we have listed the convertible laptop-tablets that fall more on the side of laptop than tablet, we haven't listed those that are more tablet-like. You can find those in our tablet reviews page and buying guides. Similarly, all-in-one touchscreen computers and other desktop PCs are in our PC and Mac desktop reviews page.
PRICING NOTE: The prices listed here are for guidance only and aren't guarantees of availability at a certain price, and the hardware you order on your laptop will always determing the bottom line cost.
When considering what to buy, think about your needs and your most important factor, be it laptop battery life or screen size. The most important part is to be honest about what you need, and you could save a fortune on getting the best laptop for you.
Best laptop-tablet hybrids
Since this article seeks to round up the best laptops available, we are only listing those we have fully tested and reviewed in real life situations. More laptop-tablet hybrids will be reviewed as soon as we get them in for testing, so we expect to add more impressive convertible tablets to this list later.
For now, here are the great machines we have tested and loved so far:
1. Sony Vaio Duo 11 - $1,500
A full Intel Core processor powers the sliding tablet-laptop design of the 11.6-inch Sony Vaio Duo 11, enabling it to run Windows programs as well as Windows Store apps. Its design is a welcome change from the many docking 'transformer' style hybrid devices such as the Samsung Ativ Smart PC and Asus Vivo Tab.
While it's not a perfect laptop-tablet hybrid, and certainly won't have mass appeal, Sony has furthered the Windows 8 cause with an exceptionally powerful device that challenges the perceptions of what tablets can achieve.
Read our Sony Vaio Duo 11 review
2. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga - $1,000
As far as Windows 8 devices go, the attractive, snappy, versatile, and surprisingly affordable 13-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga is a true flagship device.
Its flexibility is a huge draw, and of the four positions you can set the Yoga up in, we used three of them all the time. As much as possible, it takes complete advantage of the Windows 8 system in its tablet-like interface, enabling you to delve deeper by simply pulling out the keyboard and using it more like a traditional laptop.
Read our Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga review
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