The Best Notebook 2017: Our pick of the 15 best notebooks you can buy this year
If you want to find out what is the best laptop by the end of 2017, you’re right. We have tested hundreds of the latest notebook computer, including all the best model, from the most popular and trusted brands, so you can make sure you get the best laptop computer for your price is reasonable.
So whether you’re after a thin and light laptop to throw in a bag every day, a desktop replacement to stay at home, a gaming laptop to have fun with in the evenings, a 2-in-1 laptop that doubles as a touchscreen tablet or a cheapo Chromebook – we’ve got lots of recommendations for you!
Rest assured, while there are 15 laptops in this list, the order they’re placed in doesn’t particularly matter. We’ve included something for everyone, starting with the Dell XPS 13 which we think is the out-and-out best laptop in the world right now. And underneath that you’ll find a whole range of our top recommendations – so whether the one you like the look of is at number 1 or number 15 – rest assured every laptop in this list is worth buying and gets a solid recommendation from us.
What’s more, our funky price comparison tools will show you where you can buy each one for the absolute cheapest price, so you won’t have to trawl through the web comparing prices. If you want to see a more comprehensive list of prices and retailers, simply click the ‘view all prices’ link on each widget!
The best notebooks of 2017:
1. Dell XPS 13 (2017)
For almost everyone this is the best laptop money can buy in 2017
CPU: Intel Core i3 – i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – Iris Plus Graphics 640 | RAM: 4GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSD
Slim, light, powerful and majestic, Dell’s 2017 flagship XPS 13 is the best laptop in the world at the time of this writing. Although it’s bound to get even better some time into 2018, when the company plans on introducing this Alpine White model, our latest reviewed iteration of the Dell XPS 13 is just as laudable. Whether for its powerful Intel Kaby Lake processors ranging from i3 to i7 or for its nigh-bezel-less ‘Infinity Edge’ display, which shoves a 13.3-inch screen into an 11-inch frame, the Dell XPS 13 makes a significant splash on the competition. Not only that, but the port selection is equally on point. Compared to Apple’s exclusive USB-C approach, Dell’s flagship notebook impresses with – in addition to USB-C – USB 3.0 along with the elusive SD card slot. Bearing in mind those facets alone, it’s no wonder the Dell XPS 13 is the most popular WIndows laptop in the world. Yet it gets even better. You also get the choice of a super high-res or multi-touch screen as well as a breadth of options for storage and memory. Or you can save on cash and opt for more conservative specs.
2. Asus Zenbook UX310UA
A brilliant all-rounder laptop that punches above its weight
CPU: Intel Core i3 – i5 | Graphics: Intel HGraphics 620 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch up to QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 256GB SSD
Behold the Asus ZenBook UX310UA, a laptop that sidesteps the lofty price of the Dell XPS 13 without compromising on performance. It doesn’t quite look or feel as nice as the Dell above, and the Asus a32-f80 laptop battery life isn’t as good, but you can still expect an all-aluminum frame and fantastic performance from a 7th-generation Kaby Lake processor – whether that’s of the i3 or i5 variety is entirely up to you. Additionally, you can choose between a full HD, 1080p display or a brilliant 3,200 x 1,800-pixel, QHD+ screen with 30% more pixels compared with Apple’s 13-inch Retina screens. No matter what model you go for, the Asus ZenBook UX310UA is one of the best laptops you can buy.
3. Lenovo Yoga Book
A wonderfully versatile and cheap 2-in-1 laptop
CPU: Intel Atom x5-Z8550 | Graphics: Intel Atom | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 10.1-inch full HD IPS touchscreen | Storage: 64GB SSD, up to 128GB microSD
If you’re after a cheap laptop that offers something a bit special, look no further than the Lenovo Yoga Book 2017. As with all Yoga devices, the screen folds flat so you can use it either as a tablet or a laptop. To add more versatility, Lenovo has now added the option to buy it with either Windows 10 or Android 6.0 onboard – which one you choose will depend how you’re more likely to use the device. The screen on this thing defies the cheap asking price and the keyboard and capacitive touch-keyboard are both fantastic too. This is a great option if you want something cheap for basic computing tasks, for creating art using the built-in Wacom digitizer or a train device for watching movies. But for more heavy lifting you’d be better off choosing one of the options above as the Intel Atom CPU in this thing is great at saving power and making the battery last for ages but not so good at super speedy processing.
4. Apple Macbook Pro with Touch Bar
The best Macbook Pro ever, now with Touch Bar
CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 – 650 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, (2,560 x 1,600) IPS | Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe 3.0 SSD
If you’re after the latest and greatest laptop from Apple, welcome to the 13-inch Macbook Pro with Touch Bar. It’s the best laptop Apple has ever made, building new features into the classic design. Of course, the headline feature is the Touch Bar – it’s a thin OLED display at the top of the keyboard which can be used for any number of things, whether that be auto-suggesting words as you type or offering Touch ID so you can log in with just your fingerprint. If you’re a massive fan of the Macbook Pro 2017, you’ll be happy with this model but there are some serious reasons why you should consider one of the Windows alternatives. For a start, this laptop is very expensive for what is is, especially considering the better value alternatives. On top of this, it’s not as powerful, the screen is lower-res versus the competition and isn’t touchscreen friendly, plus the battery is a bit disappointing, too. So, if you’re open to switching to a PC, definitely consider the XPS 13 as a more modern, cheaper alternative. But if you’re a steadfast Apple die hard, this is definitely the best laptop for you.
5. Apple MacBook 12-inch (2016)
The coolest ever Macbook is super slim
The Macbook Air is dead, but it’s only the beginning for the new Apple MacBook. Not only is it the slimmest, sleekest and best-looking Macbook Apple has ever built, it’s one of the most popular and best-selling laptops on the planet. It will not serve as a main productivity machine – it’s a lot less powerful than the Macbook Pro and has only one IO port in the form of USB Type-C. But, in terms of being a super slim and light Macbook that you can take anywhere without even noticing the weight, and giving you the same slick OS X performance, the Macbook is a beautiful machine.
6. Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501
The best gaming laptop out there right now
CPU: Intel Core i7-7700HQ (quad c.8GHz) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 + Intel HD Graphics 630 | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Screen: 15.6-inch, Full HD (120Hz with Nvidia G-Sync) | Storage: 512GB SSD
Part of a new generation of Max-Q gaming laptops in 2017, the Asus ROG Zephyrus is both ridiculously powerful and astonishingly thin and light. Make no mistake, this thing is large compared to a Macbook Pro or Dell XPS 13, but compared to gaming laptops of the past this effort from Asus is something of a holy grail achievement. Your expectations of a 15-inch gaming laptop will never be the same after seeing the Zephyrus in action. It’s expensive of course, but with powerful Core i7 CPU and GTX 1080 graphics it’ll be easily powerful enough to play the best games for many years to come on the built-in 1080p screen. It’s an ideal top-end desktop replacement that is, possibly for the first time ever, also extremely portable.
7. Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming
The best gaming laptop for those on a budget
CPU: Intel Core i5-7300HQ (quad core 3.5GHz) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti + Intel HD Graphics 630 | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Screen: 15.6-inch, Full HD | Storage: 256GB SSD
If you’re after a new gaming laptop and you don’t have the kind of money that you need for the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 above, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming laptop is your best option. It comes in at well under half the price and offers absolutely fantastic value for money. The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics chip is easily powerful enough to lubricate the best games on the built-in 1080p display while general performance in Windows is super slick thanks to the Core i5 CPU. If you’re going to be moving around a bit, you’ll be pleased to know that the Dell inspiron 1525 notebook battery life on this laptop is also superb – we got nearly 8 hours out of it while watching HD video. A gaming session with Tom Clancy’s The Division on medium settings for two hours only dropped the battery to 66%. This is far better than similarly priced rivals. So in the reasonably-priced category, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is definitely the best laptop around at the moment.
8. Asus Chromebook Flip
A premium but affordable Chromebook
CPU: Intel Pentium 4405Y – Intel Core m3-6Y30 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 12.5-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED backlit anti-glare | Storage: 32GB – 64GB eMMC
A Chromebook doesn’t run Windows, Android or Apple’s Mac OS. Instead it’s powered by Google’s Chrome OS – a super lightweight operating system based on the Chrome web browser. It’s a great way to save money on a laptop (no Windows license to pay for and no need for top-end Intel chips etc) while still retaining all of the productivity options you’d get on a full-blown windows or Mac OS laptop. The Chromebook Flip is the best Chromebook out there at the moment, offering truly premium build quality, a fabulous touchscreen and keyboard and excellent performance. All while offering great value for money too. For students and teachers it’s a brilliant option, and it could also be for you if you’re a bit of a technophobe who just wants a simple laptop to browse the web, watch videos and write emails on.
9. Microsoft Surface Pro 4
Microsoft’s Windows tablet is a brilliant 2-in-1 option
CPU: Intel Core m3 – i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 615 – Iris Plus Graphics 640 | RAM: 4GB – 16GB | Screen: 12.3-inch, 2,736 x 1,824 PixelSense display | Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSD | Connectivity: 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.1 | Camera: 8MP rear-facing, 5MP front-facing
The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is 2017’s best laptop for you if you’re looking for the perfect cross between a nimble Windows tablet and a fully functional laptop. The base version of the Surface Pro 4 is just a tablet – you get the main unit itself with kickstand but if you want the Surface Pen or the fantastic Type Cover keyboard you’ll need to pay extra for a bundle or buy it separately. Often the best value option is a bundle but even the tablet on its own represents pretty good value. The Surface Pro, alongside the also-excellent Surface Book laptop, is to Windows what the Pixel is to Google’s Android. It’s the benchmark Windows device, with software and hardware working together in perfect harmony. So if you need a new laptop and a tablet, the Surface Pro is the best does-it-all 2-in-1 option. If you want this but need something a little cheaper, check out the Acer Switch 3 below!
10. Acer Switch 3
A great Surface Pro competitor at half the price
CPU: 1.10GHz Intel Pentium Quad Core N4200 – Intel Core i3 7100U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 505 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 12.2-inch, 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD touchscreen | Storage: 64GB – 128GB eMMC
If you want the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 but you want to spend a lot less, the Acer Switch 3 2017 is definitely the your best option. It’s designed around essentially the same concept as the Surface Pro and it’s a less capable thanks to slightly lower power innards, but for most tasks it’s a brilliant little machine. What’s more, to add further value this 2-in-1 laptop/tablet comes with the keyboard upgrade which means no little extras to pay for. As usual it comes in several different versions, with USB Type-C, 8GB RAM, an IPS display and Intel Core i3 7100U CPU coming with the more expensive option.
11. Acer Swift 3
A budget Ultrabook that performs better than it looks
While you may have been convinced that ‘budget Ultrabook’ was an oxymoron up until this point, the Acer has turned this common misconception on its head with the Swift 3. That’s because the company has taken the all-aluminum chassis of the Acer Swift 7 and stuffed some more affordable components inside for everyone to enjoy. It doesn’t run macOS, but the Acer Swift 3 does put the age-old MacBook Air to shame in about every other regard, including the nigh-unbeatable price tag. Of course, in the process of demolishing the competition, Acer did have to cut a few corners in order to keep the price so impressively low. So although you can’t expect much in the way of an Ultra HD display or quality onboard sound, the performance benchmarks alone give even the Surface Laptop a run for its money.
12. Asus Transformer Mini T102HA
A tiny, flexible touchscreen laptop with an attractive price
CPU: Intel Atom x5-Z8350 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics – Intel HD Graphics 400 | RAM: 2GB – 4GB | Screen: 11.6-inch 1,366 x 768 HD IPS touchscreen | Storage: 32GB
If you’re after a low cost Windows laptop that you can slip into a bag and carry around all day without noticing the weight, the Asus Transformer Mini T102HA is a fantastic device. Honestly it’s not the fastest laptop in the world, so don’t expect to do any video editing. But for simple every-day tasks it’s more than adequate. What’s more, it’s similar to the other 2-in-1 laptops in this list in that it can become a tablet – you can choose whether or not to take the keyboard with you. And it comes as standard so you don’t need to pay extra for it.
13. Dell XPS 15
The best 15-inch laptop available this year
If you love the look of the XPS 13 at the top of this list but need something a little bigger with more graphics power, the Dell XPS 15 2017 could be the best laptop for you. Packing the same InfinityEdge technology, the screen extends right to the edge of the machine which means it’s as small as it’s possible to make a 15-inch laptop in 2017. It’s quite pricey though, depending on which version you get. The very top end version has a 4K colour-accurate display which makes it perfect for graphic design, and gaming performance is decent as long as you play at either a lower resolution or on medium settings.
14. Samsung Notebook 7 Spin
The best value 15-inch laptop in 2017
CPU: Intel Core i7-6500U | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 940MX (2GB DDR3L) + Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Screen: 15.6-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) LED touchscreen | Storage: 1TB HDD (SATA3); 128GB SSD (operating system; M.2)
If you’re after a workhorse 15-inch laptop that’ll give you loads of grunt for your money with top features and excellent design, the Samsung Notebook 7 Spin is the best laptop for you – despite the silly name. You won’t want to be carrying it around too often as it’s a bit heavy for that, but otherwise it’s a superb laptop. The keyboard is lovely to type on and the HD screen is HDR capable which makes it ideal for watching video and editing images. It’s a cracking alternative to the Dell XPS 15 but for a lot less money.
15. HP Spectre x360
HP’s flagship 2-in-1 laptop goes ultra-thin with style
CPU: Intel Core i7-7500U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS UWVA WLED-backlit multi-th – Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) | Storage: 512GB SSD
And finally – HP’s best 2-in-1 laptop is a really stunner. It’s super thin and light while packing in fantastic performance and a fast charging Hp pavilion dv6 battery. It’s expensive, but for the money what you’re getting is the best ultra portable laptop available in 2017. As with many laptops on the list, this laptop comes in a number of different builds – with the bottom end one starting with a full HD screen while the top end model packs in a 4K one. Whichever one you go for though, you’re getting a fabulous laptop that you’ll love carrying around with you.
Best Columbus Day Laptop Sales of 2017
Looking for Columbo day laptop trading? You’ve come to the right place. We take this holiday weekend, the best laptop transaction, separate from the dress deal.
Remember, laptop deals will drop again next month during Black Friday, but if you’re in dire need of a new laptop now — here are your best bets for saving money.
Alienware: Students, listen up. Alienware is taking $150 off its entire line of gaming laptops. The discount is already reflected in the prices, which start at $1,299.99 for the Alienware 15.
Apple/Best Buy: We haven’t forgotten about our Mac fans. Best Buy is offering two noteworthy deals. First, it’s taking up to $400 off select Mac laptops including the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook lines. The cheapest Mac in the sale is the current-gen MacBook Air for $949.99, which is $50 off. The biggest discount goes to the 2016 MacBook with Core m5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and an upgraded 512GB SSD for $1,199.99, which is $400 off. Also, if you own an older MacBook, the retailer is offering up to a $450 credit when you trade in.
Dell: Dell has a few sales going on this weekend, but the sale we’re most excited about is its XPS sale. Coupon code “SAVE10XPS” takes 10 percent off select XPS 13 and XPS 15laptops. We especially like that you can use the coupon to slash the price of the new XPS 13 with 8th-generation Intel CPU and Dell xps m1330 laptop battery. After coupon, the $1,299.99 laptop drops to $1,169.99.
HP: HP is taking up to 50 percent off select laptops including various Envy, Omen, and Pavilion machines. Prices start as low as $329 (for an AMD-based budget machine), but the star of HP’s sale is the Envy x360 15t Convertible for $729.99. The machine is $140 off and includes Intel’s new 8th-gen processor.
Lenovo: In addition to Columbus Day, Lenovo is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of its ThinkPad line. That means you can use coupon code “THINKPADSALE” to take 25 percent off its best-selling ThinkPads like the ThinkPad T470 and the 0.6-inch thin ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Although its not on sale, Lenovo is also offering a retro anniversary edition ThinkPad 25 for $1,899, which we reviewed here.
Microsoft Store: Not to be outdone, the Microsoft Store is also slashing laptop prices for the holiday weekend. A noteworthy system is the Acer Predator 15 Gaming Laptop for $1,499. Packing 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD with 1TB HDD, and GTX 1060 graphics, it undercuts Amazon’s and Newegg’s price for this machine by $230.
HP Wows with the Ceramic White Spectre 13
HP is refreshing HP Spectre 13 and HP Spectre X360, but these are not simply upgraded to Intel’s eighth generation core processor.
Instead, the Spectre clamshell is finally getting a touch screen and a new color, while the x360 is getting a privacy screen. Both will be available on October 29.
The Spectre 13, starting at $1,299.99, now comes with both FHD and 4K displays, both with touch, which the original did not have. Besides its usual dark ash silver color, it now comes in ceramic white with gold accents, which looks stunning up close.
The white is painted on top of the metal, and HP says its scratch proof. The copper hinge is now sandblasted, going for a smoother look that acquires fewer fingerprints.
Of course, it’s getting bumped up to 8th-generation, quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs, up to 1TB PCIE SSDs and up to 16GB of RAM. HP is claiming a stunning 11.5 hours of Hp elitebook 8530w laptop battery life, which we’ll put to the test in our upcoming review.
The HP Spectre x360 maintains a similar, CNC aluminum design in both silver and ash with copper accents. It’s getting a fingerprint reader on the side for access in tablet mode, and a built-in privacy screen on 1080p models that can be turned on and off with the press of a button.
The 2-in-1 is getting the same processors as the clamshell, with up to 16GB of RAM and up to a 1TB PCIe SSD. HP suggests it will offer up 16.5 hours of Hp pavilion dv6 battery life.
We’re looking forward to giving both of HP’s newest premium notebooks the once over when they show up in our lab.
Top 10 Notebook Battery Saver Software For Windows
We deal with our laptop battery problems. Do you think your laptop always runs out of batteries at critical times? Your laptop is about one year old, and the battery is hard to last 2-3 hours How can we extend the battery capacity of our laptop and make it last for how long? So, let’s fix this for you.
We have listed 10 Best Laptop Batter Saver software that can extend your battery life, save power and also optimizes your laptop for its best performance.
1. BatteryLifeExtender
If you own a Samsung laptop then BatteryLifeExtender is the best battery saver software for you. You can optimize your Hp 484170-001 laptop battery to work more efficiently and also to save money by postponing the purchase of replacement. It never lets your battery to overcharge to as to maximise its lifetime.
The software optimizes your laptop activities in many different ways. The software only allows ou to control the charge level. It runs on the background and has no impact on the laptop’s performance.
2. BatteryCare
BatteryCare is a free software to take care of your battery. It ensures that your battery does not keeps on draining unnecessarily. BatteryCare provides all accurate stats by measuring the discharge cycles instead of its stored energy. It also tells you how much time is remaining, consumption level, manufacturer, wear level, capacities etc.
Depending on the power source of your laptop BatteryCare automatically selects the power plan. The program updates itself automatically if newer version is available.
3. Battery Optimizer
Battery Optimizer is designed to give you the most battery life possible when away from the outlet. It optimizes your laptop tasks and user profiles to save power. The software can accurately tell you how much battery you can save by turning of certain hardware or software services.
Battery Optimizer tells you accuratetly about the remaining battery time, battery lift gain/loss by changing laptop settings, easy battery usage management etc.
4. Battery Doubler
Run the recalibration wizard and the software will do all the things to save your battery and extend itss life time automatically. The software has a very simple interface and you will learn how to use it in no time.
Basically, the software turns off the services that are not in use like USB ports, HDMI port etc. It also performs other things like telling the remaining time left and other routine tasks.
5. PowerPanel Personal Edition
This software is included in many CyberPower UPS products. It allows you to control and monitor the use of UPS so that it can keep your system safe along with all the peripherals, components and data. It’s main features includes runtime management, self testing, event logging and scheduled shutdowns.
6. Laptop Battery Saver 5.9
According to the developers, Laptop Battery Saver app extends your battery life 2X. It performs advanced scan on your system and thus takes care of your Hp 593554-001 battery efficiency. The app uses latest technology to throttle the CPU with more stability. It also puts your system’s screen and light on standby mode.
7. MSI Battery Calibration
MSI Battery Calibration needs you to have Windows 7 installed on your system. MSI Exclusive ECO Engine power management technology provides greater flexibility for battery.
8. Vista Battery Saver
Vista Battery Saver is a very small program that can save upto 70% of your laptop’s battery. To do so, it disables some specific Windows features. It was created to work on Windows Vista but it also works well on Windows 7. It disables the aero and sidebar whenever required to save the battery.
9. Battery Logger
The software logs your battery’s percentage. It’ll help you diagnose bad batteries or how your laptop Responds to wierd battery behaviour.
10. 100 Fold Automation Laptop Battery
The software analyses the battery discharge rate, charge rate, remaining time etc. and works accordingly. It writes info to a text file. With this app you can also compate batteries if the old batteries needs a replacement.
Which Apple MacBook Should You Buy? MacBook vs. Air vs. Pro
From the fairly cheap 13 inch MacBook Air and ultra light 12 inch MacBook to 13 inch and 15 inch MacBook Pro touch bars, Apple’s laptop lineup has never changed much. But as a shopper, it’s never difficult to choose which type of notebook.
That’s where we come in. We’ll help you decide which MacBook is worth your money by comparing price, features, performance, battery life and more. Here’s the pros and cons of each model.
| Most Affordable | Most Portable | Most Speed for $ | For Multitasking | For Power Users | |
 MacBook Air |
 MacBook |
 MacBook Pro 13(No Touch Bar) |
 MacBook Pro 13(Touch Bar) |
 MacBook Pro 15(Touch Bar) |
|
| Price | $999 | $1,299 | $1,299 | $1,799 | $2,399 |
| CPU | 1.8-GHz 5th gen Core i5 | 1.2-GHz 7th gen Core m3 | 2.3-GHz 7th gen Intel Core i5 | 3.1-GHz 7th gen Core i5 | 2.8-GHz 7th gen Core i7 quad-core |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB | 16GB |
| Display | 13 inches (1440 x 900) | 12 inches (2304 x 1440) | 13 inches (2560 x 1600) | 13 inches (2560 x 1600) | 15 inches (2880 x 1800) |
| Ports | 1 Thunderbolt 2, 2 USB 3.0, SD Card, headphone | 1 USB-C, headphone | 2 Thunderbolt 3 | 4 Thunderbolt 3, headphone | 4 Thunderbolt 3, headphone |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 6000 | Intel HD Graphics 515 | Intel Iris 640 | Intel Iris 650 | AMD Radeon Pro 555 |
| Storage | 128GB | 256GB | 128GB | 256GB | 256GB |
| Battery Life | 10:26 | 9:29 | 10 Hours (est) | 8:40 | 10:59 |
| Weight | 3 pounds | 2.03 pounds | 3 pounds | 3 pounds | 4 pounds |
* – Starting configurations listed.
Most Affordable, Longest-Lasting: MacBook Air ($999)
Pros: The MacBook Air is the cheapest notebook in Apple’s lineup at $999, especially now that the 11-inch $899 MacBook Air has been retired. It has something else big going for it: about 10.5 hours of Apple a1078 laptop battery life on our tests, which makes it one of longer lasting ultraportables. That kind of endurance and pricing makes the Air a good option for students. The latest version offers a slightly faster Core i5 processor.
You might also appreciate that the Air comes with full-size USB ports and an SD card slot, which makes it easy to transfer photos from your camera. Not a fan of the new flat butterfly keyboards on the latest MacBook and MacBook Pro? The Air sports a traditional keyboard with more travel, which some may find more comfortable. Check out the pros and cons of the MacBook Air for students.
Cons: The Air’s design doesn’t wow like it used to, because of the fairly thick bezel around the screen. The 13-inch screen also has a fairly low resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels, while most Windows laptops in this price range have full HD screens. And while Apple has upped the clock speed to 1.8 GHz, it’s still a 5th-generation Intel chip and not the latest 8th-gen CPU.
Most Portable: 12-inch MacBook ($1,299)
Pros: Very slim and very light, the 2-pound MacBook is the ultraportable to get if you’re constantly on the go. You’ll barely notice this notebook in your bag or backpack. We also love the sharp and colorful Retina Display, which puts the Air’s panel to shame, and you get a pretty strong 9.5 hours of battery life, which is better than many Windows ultraportables this thin.
The latest version offers a faster Kaby Lake chip, which gives this machine more pep than its predecessor, as well as a sightly improved keyboard for better typing comfort.
Cons: Having just a single USB-C port means you can’t charge the MacBook and plug in another device without using a dongle, which costs extra. Plus, the port doesn’t support Thunderbolt 3 for the fastest transfer speeds and connecting multiple 4K displays. The 480p webcam is low-res but it’s okay for video chats.
Most Speed for Your Money: MacBook Pro 13-inch ($1,299)
Pros: The 13-inch MacBook Pro crams a lot of power into a slim and light 3-pound chassis. This machine is the same weight as the MacBook Air, but you get a much faster 7th-generation Core i5 processor and the latest Intel Iris graphics.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro also offers a brigh display and powerful speakers, plus two Thunderbolt 3 ports for the fastest possible transfer speeds. While the butterfly keyboard is flat, it feels snappy when typing.
Cons: You don’t get the snazzy new Touch Bar that the pricier $1,799 MacBook Pro offers, and you’ll have to live with two fewer ThunderBolt 3 ports. Also note that you don’t get an SD card slot.
Best for Multitaskers: MacBook Pro 13-inch with Touch Bar ($1,799)
Pros: If you’re willing to spend $1,799, the Touch Bar and Touch ID button is pretty tempting when you see what they can do. The multi-touch screen above the keyboard provides all sorts of contextually relevant buttons and controls as you use various apps.
You’ll see editing buttons in the Photos app, buttons for open tabs in Safari, emoji in Messages, shortcuts in Final Cut and a lot more. Apple has opened the Touch Bar up to developers, such as Adobe for Photoshop and Microsoft Office.
This version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro also offers two more Thunderbolt ports than the $1,799 model, as well as a faster 3.1-GHz processor and slightly-faster Intel Iris graphics. In our testing, this version of the Pro beat all of its Windows laptop competitors on both the Geekbench 4 performance test and our file transfer test for SSDs.
Cons: This version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro is pricey, and it offers less battery life than the non-Touch Bar version, partly because it simply has a smaller Apple a1278 notebook battery. Like all the new MacBooks, this one doesn’t offer an SD card slot, and we’d like to see 512GB of storage (instead of 256GB) and more than 8GB of RAM at this price.
Best for Power Users: MacBook Pro 15-inch ($2,399)
Pros: Whether you edit gobs of RAW photos or you want to tackle 4K video editing projects with silky smooth performance, the AMD Radeon Pro 560 graphics inside the 15-inch MacBook Pro is what you need. Apple also pairs 16GB of RAM and 256GB of fast flash storage with a quad-core, 7th-generation Core i7 CPU for maximum horsepower.
The 15-inch MacBook Pro also sports the sharpest resolution you can get on a Apple laptop at 2800 x 1800 pixels, and it’s brighter and offers a wider color gamut than the previous 15-incher. Other perks include a super-large Force Touch trackpad and loud and rich stereo speakers.
Another pus is the 15-inch Pro’s Apple 15 inch macbook pro Battery life, as it lasted nearly 11 hours on our web surfing test.
Cons: Photographers might be miffed that they can’t plug in an SD card; instead, you’ll have to use a card reader and plug it into one of the four ThunderBolt 3 ports. The keyboard ran a bit warm as well after running our 15-minute video streaming test.
Also, charging $2,399 for just 256GB of storage is not cool. It’s an extra $200 for 512GB.
In defense of notebook batteries: Why they deserve some respect
The wonders of modern notebooks have risen year by year. Profile slim and display more pixel processor acceleration packs. Today, laptops are so powerful that desktops are becoming obsolete for many users.
There’s another hero in this story, though, one that whose victories go unsung. The battery. While everyone knows that battery life matters, the battery itself is often ignored in the story of the modern laptop. Gains are assumed to come from processor improvements or more efficient screens.
In fact, batteries have changed over the last half-decade, and in doing so they’ve enabled systems that are razor-thin, yet last all day, and can continue that performance for several years. Here’s the untold story of the humble battery.
Evolution, not revolution
Enthusiasts, fans and shoppers love to hear about new chips, new designs, new technology. The battery, to its misfortune, doesn’t offer that. Today’s notebooks rely on lithium-ion cells, which have been around for decades, and were first used commercially in the early 1990s.
“Batteries aren’t a device that never existed before. It’s not a transition from tapes to CDs. It’s evolutionary, not revolutionary,” said Rick Thompson, Dell’s Battery Technologist in the Office of CTO. While there’s a wide variety of research projects investigating potential battery breakthroughs, none of them are on the cusp of becoming a commercial reality. “It’s easy to say you’ve got a battery that charges in one minute, or is optimized for some other performance metric. But what’s the weight? What’s the power? What’s the cost?”
It’s that last matter, in particular, that’s made new battery technologies difficult to pursue. Laptop manufacturers endure notoriously thin profit margins, so there’s no room to experiment with drastically more expensive batteries.
But that’s not to say the technology hasn’t changed. It’s evolved rapidly, and that evolution has transformed modern laptop batteries. Dell has seen energy density improve by up to 35 percent over just the last few years. A variety of techniques are used to achieve these gains, from slight changes in battery chemistry, to a slimmer insulating layer separating the positive and negative sections of each cell. Such steps don’t make for great headlines, as a radical new innovation would, but over time they add up to real gains.
Size matters
Packaging, a decidedly un-sexy term, is another source of battery innovation. Laptops from the last decade often used a standardized cell, designed for all notebooks regardless of size.
“Five years ago, almost all our systems used cylindrical batteries,” explained Phil Jakes, Lenovo’s Director of Strategic Technology Innovation. “They were AA-like cells called 18650s.” Manufacturers didn’t request batteries to fit their laptops, but instead designed laptops to fit the batteries.
That begin to change at beginning of this decade, as the MacBook Air and Intel’s ultrabook initiative caught on. Consumers wanted thinner systems, but also expected them to last just as long – if not longer – than before. “The drive for thinner systems moved us to lithium-polymer pouch cells, which are for the most part rectangular,” Mr. Jakes said. These new cells can be more easily crammed into small spaces and spread across the width of a notebook. Even these might be soon be replaced by custom-designed batteries, a trend that’s being pushed by smartphones and cutting-edge notebooks, like Apple’s MacBook.
Oddly, this improvement in packaging actually hides gains in energy density. Dell’s Thompson explained this, saying “Once we get to an all-day run time, we just start to shrink the products. Batteries are enabling products to be 15mm thick today.” Manufacturers have the choice to cram in more battery, or reduce size – and often choose the latter.
Dell’s XPS 13 is an excellent example. The original, which debuted in 2012, was 12.4 inches wide, eight inches deep and seven-tenths of an inch thick. Today’s version is just under a foot wide, slightly shallower, and a tenth of an inch thinner. It also weighs half a pound less. Despite all that, it lasts about twice as long on a charge.
Thompson told us it could last even longer, as it’d have a massive 75 watt-hour Dell xps m1330 laptop battery(rather than the current 52 watt-hour unit) if the design was never upgraded to its current slim-bezel look. But, because the new model already lasts more than a work day, the company decided to slim it instead.
Longevity is better than you think
Of course, excellent battery life isn’t of much use if out-of-the-box performance degrades too quickly. It’s a known fact that all lithium-ion batteries, no matter how they’re built or what they’re placed in, wear out. Fortunately, endurance has been as much a focus as energy density.
“We’re seeing a movement to a much longer calendar life expectation. Batteries are typically captured today, embedded in a system. They’re not intended to be swapped out, so we have to look at overall life,” said Dell’s Thompson. While cynics often state manufacturers are using built-in batteries as a way to encourage planned obsolesce, Dell doesn’t see it that way. The company knows rapidly degrading Dell vostro 3500 Series battery performance will make users unhappy – and less likely to buy a Dell the next time around.
Lenovo’s Phil Jakes told us his company has a similar stance, and also said battery endurance has improved significantly in recent years. Design changes made in the leap from the older, cylindrical batteries to newer, prismatic models have improved charge cycles from a maximum of around 500 to about 1,000. And a battery that’s considered worn isn’t useless – while tolerances for wear differ from one company to the next, most cells offer 60 to 70 percent of their original capacity at end-of-life.
Conclusion
There is no battery revolution on the horizon. Our lives would be changed if a new technology doubled energy density overnight, but that’s a foolish dream. Batteries are bound by physical realities encoded in the laws of the universe. Evolution has always been the battery game, and will remain so for the foreseeable future.
Still, batteries deserve credit. A thousand small steps forward doesn’t make the headlines of one giant leap, but it’s progress all the same. It’s true that processors, graphics chips, screens and hard drives consistently demand efficiency, but the dramatic increase in battery life witnessed in recent years can’t be explained by them alone. The unseen, unappreciated battery is just as important, and we couldn’t enjoy today’s ultra-slim laptops without it.
Take 10 Percent Off 8th-Gen Intel XPS Notebook
DELL is no stranger to sales, and although we have been involved in a lot of transactions about their laptop computers on many occasions, today’s sales are especially noteworthy.
In addition to discounting its XPS 13 and XPS 15 line of laptops — both of which have won our hard-to-get Editors’ Choice award — Dell is also taking 10 percent off its new XPS 13 laptopwith Intel’s 8th-generation Core processor.
We went hands-on with Dell’s revamped XPS 13 back in August and this is the first time this system is on sale. Just use coupon code “TENOFF” to drop its price from $1,299.99 to $1,169.99.
This configuration features a 13.3-inch 1080p IPS Infinity Edge LCD, 1.8GHz Core i7-8550U quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.
Although its pricier than other laptops we’ve seen with Intel’s new CPU — for instance, you can get a similarly configured Acer Swift 3 for $664 — the XPS is a special breed of laptop as it offers excellent design, performance, and above-average battery life. While we’ve yet to test the system in our labs, Dell claims it will offer a 44 percent improvement over last year’s laptop with a 7th-gen processor. They’re also claiming a 22-hour Dell xps m1530 laptop battery life.
Dell’s coupon won’t last long, so if you’re in need of a new laptop — you can’t go wrong with this sale.
Don’t Know Anything About Notebooks, Read These Tips!
There are many small form factors for equipment in today’s market. Despite this choice, laptops are still the most popular small computing device. They provide a convenient size and a convenient mixture and is usually a good deal. If you are in a new notebook computer market, follow these helpful tips.
If you want both a tablet and a laptop, think about purchasing a convertible laptop. Convertible laptops work both as a laptop and as a laptop. You just connect the keyboard when you want a laptop.
If you have your heart set on a more expensive laptop, consider a refurbished unit. Many manufacturers offer these, and they often come with a fair warranty too, protecting you in many ways. This will save you hundreds of dollars over a new laptop, while still offering you all the conveniences of the model you truly want.
Testimonials and Reviews
Look at testimonials and reviews before buying a laptop. New laptops always look shiny and sound like a deal; it is not until later that your regrets appear. This is why looking at what other owners have to say is always a great idea.
One of the first things to consider when buying a laptop is if you want a PC or an Apple product. PCs are often considered better gaming units, while Apple products are known for their photo editing abilities. Consider how you will use your laptop when making this important brand decision.
A can of compressed air can be your laptop computer’s best friend. You can prolong the life of your laptop by blowing out dust and debris from your computer’s fan and a heat sink at least once a month. Make sure that the compressed air that you purchase is static neutral.
If you are looking for what’s new and hot in laptops, consider buying a convertible laptop. These laptops can act as a tablet (like Apple’s iPad) and then snap right into a keyboard base with extended processing power to act as a fully powered laptop. These are very exciting products.
If you don’t plan on carrying your new laptop around much, consider buying a full-sized 15-inch screen. It will offer you the best viewing options, as well as be the most cost-effective you can get. They are a little heavier than their smaller counterparts, but pound for pound, worth their viewing pleasure.
You must balance the need for security with the price when determining whether or not to buy a warranty on your laptop. Warranty options vary from total protection to extremely limited protection. If you are prone to accidents, pay more for the warranty that offers more protection. If you are relatively careful with your belongings, choose a limited warranty.
Ordering Laptops Online
Make sure that when you order a laptop online that you leave instructions for the delivery driver. If you’re not going to be at home, you don’t want your laptop just sitting on your porch for anyone to come by and steal. You may also be able to tell the person shipping it to require a signature for the package.
The CPU is important when choosing a new laptop. The less expensive laptops have CPU’s that will struggle when working with productivity and media-intensive tasks. They are more than adequate for simple web surfing though. If you are a gamer or use large programming files, then buy a laptop with a powerful CPU.
Try out your keyboard before buying a laptop. You will be doing a lot of typing on your new computer, and if you are not comfortable using the keyboard it can cause quite a problem. Make sure it is comfortable, with keys spaced adequately and easy to use. Try a few different laptops out before making a final decision on which keyboard is best.
The hard drive is an important part of any laptop. Usually, the speed is more important than the size. Speed is measured in rpm and size is currently measured in GB. The higher the number for rpm, the faster the laptop will be. The higher the number of GB, the more files, movies, songs and programs you can store on your laptop.
To prepare your laptop for your favorite applications, create some hotkeys to make them easier to run. To make a hotkey for an application, right click on a shortcut and then select Properties. Enter a key combination into the Shortcut Key dialog and hit Enter. Use a combination that you do not commonly used in any other programs.
Regardless of how much you spend on your new laptop, there are product minimums that you should be aware of. You should get at least 2 gigabytes of RAM and a 2.3 GHz processor speed. Choose a monitor that is at least 15 inches and check your computers wireless capability.
Screen Size
Screen size is important. Smaller laptops come with smaller screens. This can cause you to squint when you are trying to surf the web or complete some work away from the office. Get the screen size that you will be most comfortable looking at often. With all the sizes available, there is no reason to strain.
The larger your hard drive space in a laptop, the higher the cost, so consider how much space you actually need as you shop. If you want to carry around many gigs of movies, music, television shows or photographs, that is the only time you’ll need a huge hard drive.
Size is one thing you should consider when you want to purchase a laptop. They come in sizes ranging from eleven inches to eighteen inches. The size is all about personal preference as some people would like a bigger screen, where others are happy with a small screen since it means the computer is smaller and lighter.
Not every buyer is looking for the same things in a laptop. Some use the DVD drive often, while others may require a large hard drive or prefer a longer Dell studio 1537 laptop battery life. Whatever your budget, a well-built laptop can last for years, just do your homework before you start shopping.
ASUS brings VivoBook S15 and Zenbook ux430 to India
In September 27th, ASUS presented two new India market notebooks at the “beyond edge” news conference in New Delhi. The VivoBook S15 and Zenbook ux430 were announced worldwide and landed in India a few months ago.
The VivoBook S15 is a 15.6-inch notebook with a slim 17.9mm profile and weight of just 1.7 kg. According to Asus the laptop offers good value and performance. It features a metallic Icicle Gold finish for a premium feel and features a NanoEdge display with a 7.8mm-slim bezel allowing the display to have an 80 percent screen-to-body ratio. The laptop will be configurable with an 8th Generation Intel Core-i7 processor with up to 16GB of DDR4 2133MHz memory and Nvidia MX150 graphics.
Asus is offering the laptop in the latest 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8550U and i5-8250U processors. It has dual storage drives, with a 1TB hard disk drive and a 128GB solid-state drive. The ports on the laptop include a USB Type-C port with USB 3.1 Gen 1 data transfer speeds, one USB 3.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports, one HDMI port, built in Bluetooth 4.2 and dual-band 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
It is said to offer about 8 hours of Asus a32-k52 battery life and a 3 times longer lifespan than standard Lithium-ion cylinder batteries thanks to the new Asus Battery Health Charging Technology. There is fast charge support as well which charges the battery to 60 percent in just 49 minutes.
Then we have the ZenBook UX430 which is touted as the thinnest ever ZenBook with discrete graphics. With a slim form factor, it weighs at just 1.25kg. You get a Full-HD 14-inch display with a 7.18mm ‘NanoEdge’ bezel similar to the VivoBook S15 providing the same 80 percent screen to body ratio. The display also offers the same 178-degree wide viewing angles with a matte non-reflective surface.
The ZenBook UX430 will be configurable with an Intel 8th Generation Core i7 processor with up to 16GB of DDR4 2133MHz RAM and up to 512GB storage. The notebook offers a 9 hour long Asus a32-f80 laptop battery life and some decent graphics performance thank to the Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU.
The VivoBook S15 will be available from 1 October starting at Rs 59,990 while the Zenbook UX430 is currently at a starting price of Rs 74,999.
BatteryInfoView: Free Utility to Display Status and Information About Laptop and Netbook Battery
All laptop and netbook users are very careful about their batteries. They are always in the Windows system tray icon using battery battery status monitoring.
But the system tray icon doesn’t show detailed information about battery status.
Today we are going to share a free utility “BatteryInfoView” for laptops and netbook computers that displays the current status and information about your Hp probook 4710s laptop battery.
The displayed battery information includes:
- Battery name
- Manufacture name
- Serial number
- Manufacture date
- Power state (charging/discharging)
- Current battery capacity
- Full charged capacity
- Voltage
- Charge/discharge rate
and more…
BatteryInfoView also provides a log window, which adds a new log line containing the battery status every 30 seconds or any other time interval that you choose.
This free utility works in all Windows versions from Windows 2000 to Windows 7.
BatteryInfoView is a portable tool so you don’t need to install it. Simply run the EXE file and it’ll show the information about battery.