Yahoo News 10 best high-end laptops
Buying a pricier laptop gets you a lot of bang for your buck these days. You can expect something that's lightweight, powerful and catwalk-thin. It should be made of premium materials (not the dirt-grey plastic that typifies low-end machines) and it should have a high-resolution display - look for Full HD where HD stands for high-definition and therefore matches the pixel count of many full-size TVs.
You'll also find that the traditional hard drive is, at this end of the market, replaced by SSD (Solid State Drive), which is slimmer, lighter and faster than most regular hard drives. Only the entry-level Alienware here has a hard drive.
It's worth figuring out as much as possible what you want the computer for. If it's really just web surfing, emails and watching a streamed movie, you can either save money or get something super-light and thin.
But if you're a keen gamer or have plans to edit video or run advanced power-hungry programs, you'll need a faster processor, extra RAM and perhaps a separate graphics card.
Many of the laptops here have touchscreens but, please note, Apple does not put touchscreens on any of its Macs, emphasizing the importance of keyboard and trackpad for interacting with the MacBook range. The other laptops either have, or can be configured to have, touchscreens.
Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar: from $2,399, Apple
You can buy much cheaper laptops than this, but the MacBook Pro range is powerful, beautiful and a real joy to use, especially for pro users. This model has the Touch Bar, where the top row of function keys is replaced with a touchscreen. This has lots of functions and quickly becomes something you won't want to manage without. The power button also has a fingerprint sensor built in for quick, secure unlocking and online payment authentication. The latest model has a new version of the keyboard which is quieter than before and very comfortable even for extended use. There's also a trackpad which is bigger than most laptops. Apple's modus operandi, since day one, has been geared to intuitive use and the MacBook Pro is amazingly simple. Because it's a Pro, it's powerful and fast, with good battery life. The latest Mac notebooks, this included, use USB-C sockets, which may mean you'll need a bunch of adaptors at hand to use it properly. Still, this at least has four USB-C connectors, meaning you can connect the mains charger to any of them, which is convenient. It comes in two sizes, 13in and 15in, and you can opt for a more-affordable 13in model if you choose, for a conventional top row of keys instead of the Touch Bar and no Touch ID power button. It is made of aluminum and comes in two colors: Silver or a fetching darker shade called Space Gray.
Microsoft Surface Laptop: From $799, Microsoft
Microsoft is a software company but it makes a few own-brand tablets and laptops under the Surface label. This is a slick, capable machine with 13.5in touch-sensitive display. It has a soft-touch fabric-covered palm rest and area around the keyboard (it's Alcantara and it takes a bit of getting used to but is quite lush and should help protect against spills). It comes in four fashion-forward colors: Burgundy, Platinum, Cobalt Blue and Graphite Gold. They're all actually made of aluminum, not platinum or anything, obviously. Battery life is extremely good and Windows details such as facial recognition sign-in are useful. This is the classiest laptop from Microsoft and among the most attractive from any company.
HP Spectre 13t Ceramic white: From $1,059.99, HP
If you're after a laptop that's superbly thin and light, look no further. The design is tremendous, from the gently off-white satin-finish top to the backlit keys. The Bang & Olufsen speakers at the top of the keys are attractive and work well. The display resolution is not as good as some rivals here and it's definitely worth paying the extra $150 for the higher-resolution display. Because it's so thin, the only ports are svelte ones, too: three USB-C ports and the headphone jack. That's all, so you may need adaptors to attach your current accessories. It's fast and powerful, with more recent processor than many, and the battery life, though not exceptional, is decent enough. And the looks will turn heads.
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Alienware 17: From $1,559.99, Dell
Alienware was the cool, funky gaming computer brand. It's now owned by Dell but still has its trademark skull icon. They're designed for gamers, offering fast processors to help you avoid getting fried in an online shoot-out. Of course, they do everything else a powerful PC can do, but are aimed mostly at gamers' needs, with extremely fast chips, memory and storage available. Capabilities include compatibility with Oculus and HTC Vive virtual reality headsets. The display resolution is low on this machine, matching that of the MacBook Air below, but you can configure a higher-res screen for an extra $250.
Apple MacBook: From $1,299, Apple
Apple's smallest laptop is a great balance of power and portability. It has the same striking looks as the MacBook Pro but is much cheaper. The processing power means it's easily fast enough for most people. The 12in high-resolution display helps make the MacBook compact and lightweight - it's only just over half an inch deep at its thickest point. In part, Apple keeps the thickness down with a trackpad which doesn't move, it just subtly vibrates (called haptic feedback) and does it so convincingly you'll think it's actually moving. The Mac operating system is extremely easy to use and includes free software such as Pages, Numbers, GarageBand and Keynote which are word processing, spreadsheet, music creation and presentation programs respectively. You can choose from four shades of aluminum case: Silver, Space Gray, Gold and Rose Gold.
Dell XPS 13 9360: From $799.99, Dell
Dell is famous for wide customization of its machines, so you can choose exactly the power, speed and the price you want to play. The screen here is not especially high-resolution, though you can opt for a better one, but it is what Dell calls an InfinityEdge display, meaning that the bezel round the edge is very thin and which means it's a smaller footprint than most 13in laptops. This also means the webcam sits just south of the display rather than on top. The entry-level model doesn't have a touchscreen but you can upgrade to a touch-sensitive model. The keys are well-spaced, comfortable and backlit. It comes in silver and rose gold color finishes. Dell boasts that this model has exceptional battery life and even if you don't hit the promised 22 hours of continual use (and if you did, you'd probably be quite tired) it will see you through a full day with ease.
Microsoft Surface Book 2: from $1,199, Microsoft
Like the Surface laptop above, this is a powerful and effective notebook. Additionally, you can fold the keyboard behind for watching video or fold it flat to sketch on the touchscreen with your finger or the optional Surface Pen stylus ($99.99). You can also detach the display so you're holding a lightweight tablet, though you get better performance when the two halves are connected. The magnesium casing is durable, light and attractive and it has a clever hinge that holds the screen just where you want it. This is a real performer that's fast and capable in even the entry-level configuration, though you can increase RAM, storage, processing power and even screen size if you prefer. It has a full range of connections including USB and USB-C and is ergonomically very good - it was the Windows machine we were at ease with the fastest.
Asus ZenBook Flip UX461UN: $1,299, Asus
Like the Dell above, this laptop has a narrow bezel round the 14in display - so it fits into a chassis that would normally have a 13.3in screen. The graphics card here is more advanced than you might expect, making this a good gaming notebook, though the screen resolution is decent rather than exceptional. The stiff hinge lets you place the Flip in different positions including folding back on itself into a slightly fat tablet configuration. There are slimmer laptops but this one means there's room for plenty of connectors on the side. It comes with an Asus own-brand stylus so you can draw on the screen, though this isn't quite as precise as some others.
Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition: $1,199.99, Amazon
This is another laptop with a tiny frame round the screen - it looks very impressive and matches the aluminum unibody design that is certainly luxuriant. Despite being slim and compact it has excellent power capabilities and includes a fingerprint sensor on the power button. Because the screen is so pervasive, there's no room for a camera in the laptop lid. Instead, it pops up at the touch of button from the keyboard. This is handy, though it can mean your hands can appear in the shot as you type. On the plus side, there are no security worries as one press puts the camera out of sight and means it can't erroneously video you. The Huawei has strong battery life and very good performance levels - all for a relatively keen price.
Apple MacBook Air: From $999, Apple
When Steve Jobs was Apple CEO, he drew gasps when he revealed the first MacBook Air, pulling it out of an envelope it was so thin. Since then, other companies have gone for Apple's thin-and-light approach. Meanwhile, Apple has consistently cut the price of the Air so it's now the cheapest MacBook. The only real downside is the screen which is lower-resolution than others at this price. But it's still a smart performer with everything going for it and even has conventional USB connectors and a SD photographic memory card.
Verdict: Best high-end laptops
Apple's operating system, deluxe build quality and elegant looks put the MacBook Pro out in front, but it really isn't cheap. The Dell XPS 13 and Huawei Matebook X Pro are significantly less expensive and have really strong performance capabilities. Though if it's the handsome Apple look, a super-light chassis and a lower price that appeal, and you don't need the power of the Pro, the MacBook Air remains a highly popular choice, and for good reason.
