Thin laptops tend to have shallow key travel, so if you need a laptop to do a lot of typing then, again, read our reviews as they're the only way (short of hunting down the machine in a shop) to find out whether a keyboard is a joy or a pain to use.
Many ultrabooks use low-power processors which are better for battery life, but may not have much power for running Windows apps. Our benchmarks sort the speed demons from the sluggards.
The best laptops of 2016: Warranty and other considerations
We recommend all the laptops here: there isn't a duff one among them. However, we urge you again to read through the full review before spending your hard-earned cash. None of them are perfect and what will suit your needs might not simply be the device ranked at number one.
Battery life and warranty are two things which vary between laptops. The latter may well differ depending on where you buy the laptop from, too. John Lewis, for example, tends to offer longer warranty than rivals.
After-sales service is something you should consider, not only laptops but pretty much everything you buy. Check whether the company has a UK-based support line, and forums (including our own) are an ideal place to get an idea of whether a manufacturer is generally good or bad at carrying out work under warranty.
You might not even have to deal with the manufacturer directly if you have a fault in the first six months as it's the retailer's responsibility to deal with issues. This is when it pays to have purchased from Amazon, John Lewis and others which will often replace or refund without quibble.
After al that, it's also worth considering whether a laptop is what you really want. You can get some great bargains on desktop PCs these days, and if you don't want a large tower system taking up space there are plenty of all-in-one PCs to choose between. These integrate the computer behind the monitor, so they're much neater. Also, some tablets offer similar functionality to basic laptops. See our piece about choosing between laptop vs iPad, for instance.
Read on for our pick of the UK's best laptops and links to our best laptop reviews. If you're looking for more laptop buying advice head here.
The Dell XPS 13 9343 stands as a shining beacon of hope in the world of Windows laptops, a compact laptop that outdoes the obvious competition in some key respects like screen quality and near-borderless display. Here is a 13.3-inch laptop that takes up little more space than an 11.6-inch model. Poor thermal management needs to be improved, while a non-touchscreen version could answer other outstanding issues.
The Lenovo Yoga 11 710 is a great little device for those who travel a lot or who have no need for a big laptop. This is one of the best alternatives to the 12-inch MacBook, a truly tiddly machine that offers better value than Apple, not to mention a touchscreen and an ultra-flexible hinge. It's not powerful, but that's not the point. The trackpad, like several of Lenovo¡¯s recent models, is not perfect. But given the great value on offer here it¡¯s worth persevering with.
The Asus ZenBook UX305CA is a sensible, perhaps predictable upgrade to the UX305 we looked at last year. It has newer CPU, and a much higher-resolution screen. However, it remains a seriously portable, expensive-feeling laptop that really isn¡¯t that expensive. That you can get this grade of machine for £600 (at the time of writing) shows that while Apple¡¯s pricing has improved, companies like Asus still have the edge. A big, sharp, shiny edge. The Core M CPU limits the crowd of people this laptop will suit perfectly. But that it still feels fast for everyday tasks and the fact it will last all day with that kind of use makes it ideal for those who find themselves hopping between meetings or cafes as part of their daily grind. If you¡¯re looking for something to use mostly at home, you might want look for something with a little more power and a screen with slightly higher contrast, though.
It¡¯s a business laptop, there¡¯s no escaping that. But our time with the Dell Latitude 13 7370 was great - it¡¯s probably the most accessible business laptop out there, with a form factor that everyone can get along with. If you are a small business owner and you need a laptop to hook up to a monitor in your home office but also take on a business trip and not need a plug all day, then this is one of the computers you should be considering. You might not even need or want another laptop for personal use either, which goes a long way to justifying the high price.
Chromebooks are inexpensive laptops with a difference: they run Google's Chrome OS instead of Windows. Here we review and rate the best Chromebooks you can buy in the UK in 2016. Visit Chrome Advisor for more about Chrome OS and Chromebooks.
Some of the models we recommend below are not new. However, we have kept them in the list because they are still available to buy at reduced prices, sometimes refurbished.
What is a Chromebook?
A Chromebook is a laptop that runs Google¡¯s Chrome operating system (ChromeOS). It offers pretty much the same experience as using the popular Chrome web browser, which you might well already use on a Windows PC or laptop, but with a few extra features added to the mix.
An internet connection is central to how a Chromebook functions. Nearly all its apps and services are online and don¡¯t run locally. There are a few exceptions to this, with Google¡¯s own Document and Spreadsheet apps capable of working offline and then seamlessly syncing any work you¡¯ve done to the cloud once you¡¯re back on Wi-Fi.
This simplicity allows Chromebooks to use less powerful hardware than many Windows laptops, without it affecting the overall performance. You won¡¯t find capacious hard drives, high-end processors or large 15.6in screens on Chromebooks. Instead, Google offers 100GB of online storage with every machine, mobile processors are the order of the day (negating the need for noisy fans), and the usual screen size is around the 11.6in. One of the most notable benefits of such modest accoutrements is that prices for Chromebooks tend to be below £300, with many selling for nearer £200.
There are many similarities across the available models, with a generally standard keyboard layout and screen resolution, and fast bootup times, but those with specific needs should still be able find a machine to suit them.
Best Chromebooks: what you can get
Compared to a couple of years ago, there¡¯s a much wider choice in 2016. The range of screen sizes spans 10-14in and not only are there certain models with touchscreens, but some have hinges that allow the screen to fold right back flat against the underside so you can use it like a tablet.
There¡¯s also a rugged option now: Dell¡¯s Chromebook 11 is designed for use in schools, but that doesn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t also be great for home use, especially if you¡¯re buying one for the kids to share.
Another recent development is the Chromebook-on-a-stick. Asus¡¯ Chromebit, for example, take the crucial hardware, shrinks it down to dongle size and lets you turn any HDMI-equipped display or even TV into a Chromebook ¨C you just need to provide a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to control it.
For most people who just want a laptop-style computer for browsing the internet, creating documents and spreadsheets, streaming videos or giving to the kids as an inexpensive, virus-free homework device, an inexpensive Chromebook is an excellent choice.
There are, of course, still very good reasons to buy a Windows machine - they offer a far bigger choice of software they can run and don¡¯t rely so heavily on the internet, for starters - but Windows laptops at the low end of the market, especially in the price range that Chromebooks occupy, tend to be underpowered or cumbersome. (See: Best budget laptops)
Really, though, Chromebooks are intended as a second device: you¡¯ll still have a laptop or PC in the house, but the Chromebook is a portable, lightweight alternative which is great for web browsing and email. You might think you¡¯d prefer a tablet for these and other tasks, but ChromeOS means you¡¯re getting a very compatible web browser, so you shouldn¡¯t hit the kinds of limitations that you often find with an iPad or Android tablet and have to resort to using a Windows laptop. Generally, that doesn¡¯t happen with a Chromebook.
Should I buy a Chromebook?
We¡¯re not saying that Chromebooks are a perfect solution, as there are still limitations you need to consider. The most significant is that, unlike Windows machines, Chromebooks can¡¯t run most of the software you might be used to. So, no Photoshop, no iTunes (and therefore no iPhone compatibility) and next to no gaming.
Full versions of Microsoft Office are also missing, although you can use the web-based suite with reduced functionality. Google¡¯s own Docs suite is also a very good alternative if you don¡¯t need Office¡¯s advanced features, while its online collaboration is better than Microsoft¡¯s offering.