8. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11

• Reviewed on: 17 January 13
• RRP: £699.99 inc VAT
• Rating:

The nVidia Tegra processor means that the Lenovo Yoga 11 is only a modestly powered laptop, but it’s still perfectly adequate for routine tasks such as web browsing, running Microsoft Office or relaxing with some streaming video. Its super-slimline design is highly portable and comfortable to use in both laptop and tablet modes, and the Yoga’s impressive battery life ensures that it should earn its keep when you’re on the move.

7. Acer Aspire S7-391

• Reviewed on: 1 April 13
• RRP: £1250 inc. VAT
• Rating:

There's room for improvement in battery life, but the slim, light design of the S7 is hard to beat if you're looking for a really portable laptop that has enough power to handle some serious work when you're away from the mains.

6. Dell Inspiron 15R-5521

• Reviewed on: 14 February 13
• RRP: £499 inc VAT
• Rating:

Dell hardly puts a foot wrong with the Inspiron 15R, providing a well-built laptop with good performance and an attractive screen for just under £500. Battery life is a particular strength too, and ensures that the Inspiron 15R will earn its keep for both work and play.

5. Samsung Series 7 Chronos

• Reviewed on: 4 June 13
• RRP: £599.95 inc VAT
• Rating:

With the Series 7 Chronos, Samsung has turned its talents to making a commoditised version of the Apple MacBook Pro. It has much of the same technology inside, and borrows heavily in certain design cues, but using cheaper materials to allow a lower price. Where the entry-level 15in MacBook Pro costs a handsome £1549, the Samsung can be had for £900. The screen is in some ways better (unless you specifically order an anti-glare for the Mac, at an extra £120) although build quality and ease of use trail some way behind the MacBook.

4. Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon

• Reviewed on: 23 August 12
• RRP: TBC
• Rating:

Lenovo's X1 Carbon offers an understated look and exotic chassis material, but the LCD panel display quality could be better.

3. Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition

• Reviewed on: 6 May 13
• RRP: £1079 inc. VAT
• Rating:

The XPS 13 Developer Edition has competition: Lenovo's ThinkPad, Apple's MacBook Retina or Air, or Google's Chromebook Pixel. These machines aren't customized for Linux work, but they're technically superior in construction and software certification, and it's nothing for developers to strip what's there and install any operating system they want. It will be interesting, however, to revisit this device once it's fully loaded with all the developer tools Dell has planned.

2. Apple MacBook Air 13in (Mid-2013)

• Reviewed on: 25 June 13
• RRP: £949 inc VAT
• Rating:

The Apple MacBook Air (Mid-2013) really does provide all-day battery life. For that alone, it fully deserves to be top of the list for anyone looking for a workaday laptop, one that can reduce one of modern life’s stresses: that of wondering whether your computer will still be functional just when you need it. It’s just as fast as the previous model, more so actually in real-world use, and seals the deal with future-proofed faster Wi-Fi, more storage and a lower price than last year’s model. It’s an outstanding ultraportable among a mass of me-too ultrabook mediocrity.

1. Apple MacBook Pro 13in with Retina display

• Reviewed on: 7 December 12
• RRP: £1699 inc VAT
• Rating:

The essential specifications of the 13in Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display closely follow the groundbreaking original 15in version. Reduced size here necessitates integrated-only graphics, as well as a more efficient dual-core rather than quad-core processor. But this choice of components really delivers, and crucially in a state-of-the-art 13in notebook that takes the second-finest laptop display money can buy – beaten only by the 15in Retina model of the Apple MacBook Pro.