Stuff - UK (2020-04)

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Acer Swift 5 (2018)

++++,£799 / stuff.tv/2018Swift5

A last hurrah for the old version of this capable

laptop. The new one’s reviewed on p74.

HOT

BUY

23

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8

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Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

from £899 / stuff.tv/SurfaceLap3

The Surface Laptop 3 seems plain

on paper: no second screen, no

graphics card, no hybrid hinge, no

fingerprint scanner. But Microsoft

has put so much attention to detail

into every part that matters, this

ends up being one of the best

Windows laptops at any price.

Apple MacBook Pro 16in

from £2399 / stuff.tv/MacBookPro16

The new 16in Pro doesn’t look

much different from its 15in

predecessor, but all doubts fade

away when you start using it. The

keyboard is better, the screen is

superb, the speakers are great,

it only rarely gets warm, and even

the battery lasts longer.

Dell XPS 13

+++++ from £1399 / stuff.tv/XPS13

Style, portability, performance... there’s nothing

else out there that’s quite so well rounded.

Huawei MateBook X Pro

+++++ £1300 / stuff.tv/MateBookXPro

Not massively better than the 2018 model, but

this is a real powerhouse of a Windows laptop.

Apple MacBook Pro (2019)

+++++ from £1299 / stuff.tv/MacBookPro13

The entry-level Pro grows up with a revamped

screen, a Touch Bar and more powerful innards.

Google Pixelbook Go

+++++ from £629 / stuff.tv/PixelbookGo

A light and stylish touchscreen laptop built for

those who like to live and work in the cloud.

Razer Blade 15 Advanced

++++,from £2279 / stuff.tv/BladeAdvanced

Razer’s Blade models are our favourite gaming

laptops, and this is a worthy flagship.

Asus ZenBook Pro 14

++++,from £1193 / stuff.tv/ZenBookPro14

A capable multimedia laptop with a clever

gimmick: a second screen instead of a trackpad.

TOP TENS LAPTOPS

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW LAPTOPS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/LAPTOPS

Apple MacBook Air

from £1099 / stuff.tv/MacBookAir13

With the ‘basic’ version of the MacBook Pro no

longer in Apple’s line-up, last summer’s update

to the Air model (including a £100 price drop)

saw it power to the top of this list. And justifiably

so, because in 2020 this is absolutely the go-to

MacBook for most people. It looks every bit

as premium as the Pro, and the fantastic screen

represents a substantial leap from the old

generation’s basic panel. That keyboard is

a treat for your fingers too.

1

O NOW ADD THIS

Satechi Type-C USB 3 Combo Hub

Two ports not enough? This hub adds

loads more and sits snugly against

the MacBook Air’s side.

£40 / amazon.co.uk

Stuff says +++++

Its stunning design, screen and features

make this the perfect MacBook

Stuff says +++++

A top upgrade that bodes well

for the next-gen MacBooks

Stuff says +++++

Forget frills and gimmicks: this

is everything a laptop should be

92

A Touch ID button

at the top right of the

keyboard saves the

agony of forgetting

your password.

Apple charges a

hefty premium for

extra storage, so

consider a cheaper

external SSD.

TIPS &

TRICKS

NEW