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BEST ULTRAPORTABLE
DELL XPS 13 (7390)
$1,764 (AS TESTED) EDITORS’ CHOICE Llllh
Now packing Intel’s latest 10th Generation “Comet Lake” processor, the Dell XPS 13 is one of
the most powerful and best designed ultraportable laptops on the market. Everything about
this machine, from its exterior styling to its crisp 4K display, is so good that Dell decided to
essentially leave it untouched from its previous incarnation. We especially like the choice of
three color schemes and the tiny webcam back in the right place, perched unobtrusively in
the razor-thin border above the display.2
BEST DESKTOP REPLACEMENT
APPLE MACBOOK PRO 16-INCH
$3,899 (AS TESTED) EDITORS’ CHOICE Llllm
With the option for an Intel Core i9 processor (which we saw in our test unit), the sleek 15-
inch MacBook Pro is now one of the most powerful desktop-replacement laptops you can
buy, making it an excellent choice for well-heeled, on-the-go creative pros. The beautiful,
super-high-res panel now supports automatic color-temperature adjustment. New options
for cavernous SSD capacities will please buyers who need to render and edit big media files
on the go.3
BEST BUDGET LAPTOP
ASUS CHROMEBOOK C523
$379.99 (AS TESTED) EDITORS’ CHOICE Llllm
The budget-laptop category includes plenty of cheap Windows machines, but a Chromebook
won out for best value this year. For a low price, the C523 delivers a sleek, partially metal
design; a large 1080p panel (it’s a 15.6-incher, unusual among the Chromebook set); and a
comfortable keyboard and touchpad. It’s not perfect, but it’s hard to argue with the cost
and feature set.17 8
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