Nikon 1 J2, Asus VivoBook S200, Samsung Chromebook Series 3 - reviews roundup

Posted on 30 Nov 2012 at 14:44, by

Nikon 1 J2, Asus VivoBook S200, Samsung Chromebook Series 3 - reviews roundup - plus read our verdicts on: Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, Corsair Neutron 240GB and Acronis True Image 2013. Our weekly review roundup this week contains the most exciting new kit you can now actually buy, fully-tested in our lab.

We were concerned that Windows 8 could be hampered by the price of touchscreen laptops. Thankfully, our fears have already been dismissed, see our Asus VivoBook S200 review, by this £400 laptop. As well as having a touchscreen, it's almost as slim as an Ultrabook and has an Intel Core processor. Things are looking rosy for Windows 8.

Nikon's second-generation compact system cameras are here, and here's our Nikon 1 J2 review. It's a good all-rounder with an impressive continuous mode, great quality video and stills and a far more competitive price than its predecessor.

Windows 8 has created all kinds of interesting new hybrid accounts, but check out our Sony Vaio Tap 20 review for one of the oddest. Sony has blended an all-in-one PC with a tablet, to create a portable touchscreen PC for use all over the house. It even has a built-in battery so you can use it away from the mains, or move it without shutting down first.

We discovered this week that the Chromebook has come of age, read our Samsung Chromebook Series 3 review. Improvements to Chrome OS, some excellent hardware from Samsung and a low price all make it a genuine alternative to Windows-based devices.

At the other end of the scale we look at the latest Macbook Pro in our Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display review. This adds the fantastic high-resolution display seen on the larger Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display to a 13in laptop. It's breath-takingly expensive, but also rather brilliant.

Finally, we have our new favourite SSD, see our Corsair Neutron 240GB review, with blistering speed and a reasonable price. Plus there's the yearly update of our favourite backup software in our Acronis True Image 2013 review.

Seth Barton

Online Editor, Expert Reviews