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Best laptops to buy in 2013

Discover the best laptops to buy in 2013 and read our in-depth laptop reviews, as rated by our team of expert reviewers. Not sure if a laptop is right for you? We've got something for everyone here, from 11in budget bargains to the latest flagship models and laptop-tablet hybrids from all the major brands. Our always up-to-date list will help you make the right choice.

Expert Reviews Best Buy

Dell Inspiron 15


A budget laptop with plenty of power
Dell Inspiron 15
Our Expert Opinion Dell's latest Inspiron 15 is an extremely powerful and well equipped laptop for £400. While it’s not particularly svelte, it's much faster than many other laptops at this price, thanks to an Intel Ivy Bridge Core i5-3337U processor and 6GB of RAM.

We also like how the inside and outside of the chassis are decorated with a scaled pattern of textured black triangles. The result feels durable, is resistant to smears and fingerprints, and it looks great.

Read our full Dell Inspiron 15 review

SPECS
CPU 1.8GHz Intel Core i5-3337U
RAM 6GB
STORAGE 750GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 15.4in, 1,366x768 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 26x375x261mm, 2.3kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 9W idle, 28W active
WARRANTY one year onsite
PART CODE N0035122

BUY IT FROM £399 from Dell

Expert Reviews Best Buy

MSI CX61


An excellent gaming laptop for under £600
MSI CX61
Our Expert Opinion Gaming laptops with this kind of specification are usually significantly more expensive, so it’s great to see one for under £600. Its quad-core 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-3630QM processor offers near-desktop level performance and its 2GB Nvidia GeForce GT 645M graphics chipset gives a competent gaming experience as well.

Read our full Dell Inspiron 15 review

SPECS
CPU 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-3630QM
RAM 8GB
STORAGE 1TB hard disk
GRAPHICS 2GB Nvidia GeForce GT 645M
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 15.6in, 1,366x768 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 37x383x250mm, 2.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 18W idle, 75W active
WARRANTY one year collect and return
PART CODE CX61 0NF-638UK

BUY IT FROM £599 from Dell

Expert Reviews Best Buy

Asus VivoBook S400


The utlimate budget Ultrabook
Asus VivoBook S400
Our Expert Opinion We loved the VivoBook when it first came out as the S200 below, but now it's gone full-sized into one of the best value Ultrabooks we've ever seen. It gives you a Core i7 processor and responsive touchscreen for just £700, proving that you don't have to break the bank to get the best performance power.

Its screen is a little on the dull side, but the Asus VivoBook S400 is beautifully designed and redefines what you should expect from an Ultrabook.

Read our full Asus VivoBook S400 review

SPECS
CPU 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-3517U
RAM 4GB
STORAGE 500GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
OPTICAL DRIVE none
DISPLAY 14in, 1,366x768 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 21x340x240mm, 1.8kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 11W idle, 32W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE S400CA-CA040H

BUY IT FROM £700 from Currys

Expert Reviews Budget Buy

Acer C7 Chromebook


The cheapest and best value laptop
Acer C7 Chromebook
Our Expert Opinion Chrome OS is nowhere near as versatile as Windows 8, but you can't really argue with the C7 Chromebook when it's less than £200. The C7 also goes one better than most other Chromebooks, as it's got a 320GB hard disk instead of a 16GB SSD, which gives you much more room to store your media collection. It's battery life isn't so great, but if you're on a limited budget then the C7 should be at the top of your list.

Read our full Acer C7 Chromebook review

SPECS
CPU 1.1GHz Intel Celeron 847
RAM 2GB
STORAGE 320GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 2000
DISPLAY 11.6in, 1,366x768 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Chrome OS
DIMENSIONS 27x285x202mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1.7W standby, 15W idle, 23W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE C710-B8472G32iii

BUY IT FROM £199 from Amazon

Expert Reviews four stars

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13


The most flexible Ultrabook
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13
Our Expert Opinion The Yoga 13 is one of our favourite Ultrabook convertibles. Its hook is simple - just fold the screen all the way back and, hey presto, you've got a tablet. Having the keyboard underneath your fingers will take a little getting used to, but its Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM make it pretty speedy. It's also got an impressive battery life of over 7 and a half hours, putting it head and shoulders above the rest of the competition.

Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 review

SPECS
CPU 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U
RAM 8GB
STORAGE 128GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 13.3in, 1,600x900 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 17x333x224mm, 1.5kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 28W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE 20175

BUY IT FROM £1045 from Portagadgets

Expert Reviews Budget Buy

Asus VivoBook S200


A great-value touchscreen laptop
Asus VivoBook S200
Our Expert Opinion At £450, the Asus VivoBook S200 is an absolute bargain. We were a little disappointed with its dim screen, but its responsive touchscreen was hugely impressive and Windows 8 has never felt so smooth. Its small size means it’s also perfect for slipping into your bag while you’re on the move, and a Core i3 processor gives it enough performance power to make it fantastic value for money.

Read our full Asus VivoBook S200 review

SPECS
CPU 1.8GHz Intel Core i3-3217U
RAM 4GB
STORAGE 500GB hard disk
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 11.6in, 1,366x768 LCD touchscreen
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 22x303x200mm, 1.4kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 0W standby, 12W idle, 20W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE X202E-CT009H

BUY IT FROM £450 from Currys

Expert Reviews five stars

Dell XPS 12


The ultimate laptop-tablet hybrid
Dell XPS 12
Our Expert Opinion The Dell XPS 12 is one of the best laptop-tablet hybrids we’ve ever seen. Push the screen from behind and its 12.5in display spins round to form a tablet that looks absolutely stunning thanks to its Full HD 1080p resolution. It’s also got the storage and performance power to match its outstanding design, with a Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. You won’t find a more beautifully crafted hybrid anywhere else.

Read our full Dell XPS 12 review

SPECS
CPU 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-3517U
RAM 8GB
INTERNAL STORAGE 256GB SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000
DISPLAY 12.5in, 1,920x1,080 LCD
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8 64-bit
DIMENSIONS 20x317x214mm, 1.5kg
POWER CONSUMPTION 1W standby, 12W idle, 34W active
WARRANTY one year RTB
PART CODE XPS 12

BUY IT FROM £1300 directly from Dell

Over the page - more great laptops


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User comments

Best Laptop? Clevo/Sager

Why do none of these include clevo/sager laptops? In my opinion none of these aside for perhaps the Alienware 18x that is normally on the other sites that rate the gaming laptops, ever post the Clevo/Sager laptops (Sager is built on Clevo Laptops as are many ALienware laptops and others that are high end much more powerful machines. I owned to Sager for 5 years, the first to offer the 8800m gtxm and the only reason Im not using it now was dies due to damage of my own fault which I am having fixed. But I need a laptop right away for work and I want a 120hz screen, for many reasons. But as I was saying, places like sagernatebooks and especially xoticpc.com (that has the best customer service around) sell these clevo/sager notebooks and they have the best parts, service, customization, answer questions quickly and above all last longer without problems than any other laptops I’ve seen or used. They also have lower end laptops, using i5 instead of i7 chips starting under 1k. or you can go high end like the newest np9370 which starts with a 120hz scrooen in full widescreen hd, 680m gtx, or up gradable HDD, like up to 4 HDDs like a msata intel 525 180gb (or better this is just what I decided on based on my budget, up to 32gb ram ( if you go widows pro or ultimate, home only supports 16gb which is more than enough), bluray drive if you want it or use it as an extra HDD or SSD, etc etc etc. I cant list everything here and the the great and inexpensive warranties they offer and overclocking, color calibration, great skins, other parts like upgraded CPUs, etc. If your looking for a great laptop check out xoticpc.com and got to laptops and click clevo/sager and I suggest looking at the the last two rows at the bottom of the page, one even uses desktop parts. It all depends on if you need a lot of battery power, want more power like cpu and gpu power, etc. but I looked at many “Top 2013 laptops, including gaming laptops but none mention Sager, but many mention Alienmare which I find odd cause the same company that builds the base models for Alienware (clevo) also does that for Sager in my opinion they are better, offer more options and are cheaper my often thousands for the same parts. So check out sager bore making a decision and please look at xoticpc.com as they have price matching and offer great customer service including a lifetime labor warranty, I also purchase the 3 year parts warranty since it gives one piece of mind but never had to use it with my old laptop, LCD protection also available, great skins, etc. And great discounts especially if you may cash (check, money order, bank transfer), also often free upgrades and even sager offers discounts that they include. It depends on what your looking for but I think these sites should include sages and xoticpc.com because they truly are the best unless your looking for something other than raw computing power and speed. I am an end-user, not here for marketing, I just want to share my knowledge and experience. I owned one Sager bought from XoticPC.com, love it and still will be using it or giving it to my fiance when its fixed from the water damage on the keyboard, and cant wait for the new one. I think everyone should know about these, Ive owned a Apple, Dell and a few others but nothing compares. These are the specs on my next one and I will be adding another SSD and more memory myself:
1x Sager NP9370-3D / Clevo P370EM
– Free Shipping: FREE!!! – U.S. UPS GROUND SHIPPING (Use Coupon Code “FREESHIP” in Checkout) [U.S. Lower 48 ONLY / Restrictions Apply]
– Current Promotion: SAGER Spring Sale!!! – $50 OFF When you spend $1350.00* or more per system! (*excludes non-sager parts, accessories, shipping, & taxes)
– Display: 17.3″ FHD Sager (16:9) 120Hz 3D “MatteType” 72% NTSC Color Gamut (1920×1080) (w/ 1 Pair of NVIDIA 3D Glasses) (SKU – S1R555)
– nVIDIA Wireless 3D Vision Glasses (For 3D Screens): No Spare 3D Glasses
– Dead Pixel Warranty: Standard Dead Pixel Policy
– Monitor Calibration: NO Professional Monitor Color Calibration
– Processor: Sager – 3rd Generation Intel® Ivy Bridge Core™ i7-3630QM (2.4GHz – 3.4GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache, 45W Max TDP) (SKU – S2R174)
– Thermal Compound: – IC Diamond Thermal Compound – CPU + GPU
– Graphics Video Card: nVidia GeForce GTX 680M 4,096MB PCI-Express GDDR5 DX11 [User Upgradeable] (SKU – S3R707)
– Copper Cooling Upgrade: No Copper Cooling Upgrade
– External Display Video Adapters: No Video Adapter
– External Mobile Display: No External Mobile Display
– Ram: 8GB – DDR3 1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (2 SODIMMS) (SKU – S4S423P)
– Branding: Remove All Branding
– Exterior Finish – Skins & Wraps: Standard Laptop Finish
– mSATA SSD Drive ( Slot 1 ): 180GB Intel 525 Series mSATA SSD – Preconfigured as an OS Drive ( Operating System – Drive C: )
– Primary Hard Drive: 750GB 7200RPM [Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache] – Default (SKU – S5T306)
– Second Hard Drive: None Standard
– Raid: HDD Raid Settings – OFF
– Optical Drive Bay: 6x Blu-Ray Read/8X DVDRW Super Multi Combo Drive – Special! (SKU – S7P557)
– Optical Drive Bay Hard Drive Caddy: No Extra Optical Bay Hard Drive Caddy
– External Hard Drive (Back Up): No Back Up Hard Drive
– External USB Optical Drive: NO External USB Optical Drive
– Bluetooth: Bluetooth Included *With select wireless cards only* (See “Wireless Network” Section Below)
– Wireless Network: Sager – Bigfoot Networks Killer™ Wireless-N 1103 (3×3) (SKU – S8R056)
– Wireless Network Accessories: No Network Accessory
– Memory Card Reader: Internal 9-in-1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD/Mini SD/SDHC/SDXC/MS/MS Pro/MS Duo)
– Camera: Built in 2.0 Megapixel Camera
– TV Tuner: No TV Tuner
– Sound Card: Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio – Included
– Case: Basic Black Business Case – Included
– Battery: Smart Li-ion Battery (8-Cell)
– Car Adapter: No Car Adapter
– Spare AC Adapter: No Spare AC Adapter
– Port Replicator / Dock / Adapters: No Dock/Hub/Adapter
– Fingerprint Reader: Integrated Fingerprint Reader
– Headsets: No Headset
– Keyboard (External): No External Keyboard
– Keyboard (Internal – Laptop): Standard Sager/Clevo Non Chiclet Backlit Keyboard
– Mouse Accessories: No External Mouse
– Notebook Cooler: No Notebook Cooler
– XOTIC PC Redline Boost™ Extreme Performance: No Thanks, Please do not Overclock my system (Overclocking will add 3-6 business days to build time)
– OS Redline Boost: No Operating System Redline Boost
– Operating System: ~Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit (64&32-Bit CD Included (Supports up to 16GB of RAM)) + MS Office Starter 2010
– ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE: None
– Antivirus Software: No Antivirus Essentials Software Bundle
– Back Up Software: No Back Up Software
– Microsoft Office Software: – No Microsoft OFFICE Software
– Software Bundle (Not Installed): No Software Bundle
– Warranty: Sager 3 Year Parts & LIFETIME Ltd Labor Warranty w/ Lifetime 24/7 DOMESTIC Toll Free Customer Support (SKU – S9R220)
– The XOTIC PC Difference: * 24/7 LIFETIME U.S. based telephone technical support
* Extreme QA testing by dedicated technicians
* 72 Hour stress testing and benchmarking to ensure top performance and stability
– Build Time: Standard Production Time
– Outside of U.S. Shipping Coverage: No Outside of US Shipping Coverage
– White Glove Premium Packaging: No thanks, standard double boxed packaging is okay with my order
– Xotic Gear: No Xotic PC Gear

By BestLaptops on 1 Apr 2013

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For more details about purchasing this feature and/or images for editorial usage, please contact Jasmine Samra on pictures@dennis.co.uk

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