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Dell Inspiron 15z
From £659
Dell's Inspiron series has served us well over the years, and the company has now updated its Inspiron 15z model with Windows 8 and a 720p touchscreen. It strikes a reasonable balance between affordability and performance and the option to customise your order gives you even more freedom when buying.
The price we've quoted gets you an Intel Core i3-3217U processor running at 1.8GHz and backed with a more than capable 6GB of RAM. There's also 500GB of storage space accompanied by a 32GB mSATA SSD that's responsible for booting Windows 8 as fast as possible.
The Inspiron 15z also features the DVD optical drive that's becoming something of a rarity for laptops these days. If you've still got programs and data on CDs then this will no doubt be an important choice for you.
The other reason we're recommending the Inspiron 15z as a business laptop is that the build quality is first class and very reliable. The silver aluminium chassis is understated and free from unwanted flexing or rattling. You'll also find the keyboard and trackpad are very comfortable to use for extended periods of time.
HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook
£250
At first glance, Chromebooks might not hold much appeal, as they essentially require an internet connection to work. However, many Google apps can now be configured to work offline, and if you're simply looking for a cheap way to get some emails done on the train or check the next day's presentation at home then this is an excellent way of doing so.
The HP Pavilion 14 uses a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Celeron 847 processor and comes with a 14-inch screen at the standard 1,366 x 768 resolution.
It weighs 1.8kg and, like other Chromebooks, is constructed from plastic to keep the costs down. However, the 2GB RAM and 16GB SSD are more than capable of running web-based Chrome and you're given three USB ports, 10/100Mbps Ethernet and 802.11n Wi-Fi
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For general usage, you'll get around four and a half hours from the Pavilion 14's removable battery, and HP has even seen fit to include Altec Lansing speakers for playing music. If you want a budget machine to keep up with work outside the office and can be reasonably sure of a constant internet connection then this is well worth a closer look.
MacBook Pro with Retina Display
From £1,999
If you're a creative designer or work in the graphics industry then the MacBook Pro is going to be near the top of your list for a work-based laptop; but the staggering graphical power and screen resolution is matched by the astronomical price.
The top specification arrives with a 2.7-inch quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of DDR3 RAM and 512GB of flash storage.
Graphics are supplied by an Nvidia GeForce GT650M with 1GB of dedicated video memory that backs up the Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated chip. Apple has included both Thunderbolt and DVI digital video output that lets you attach up to four extra monitors to the MacBook Pro for a complete professional setup.
Even without the extra monitors, the 2,880 x 1,800, 220ppi display on the 15.4-inch screen is breathtaking and ideal for filmmakers, game designers or anyone else who needs the best screen money can buy.
All that technology brings the MacBook Pro in at 2.02kg and 9.7-inches thick.
The price precludes this being a realistic purchase for all but the most demanding of professionals. But it undoubtedly deserves a spot in our list.
Sony Vaio Duo 11
£1,149
The only hybrid device on our list, the Sony Vaio Duo 11 is an exceptionally powerful sliding Ultrabook that doubles as a full featured Windows 8 tablet.
One of its highlights is an 11.6-inch full HD IPS touchscreen display, which also provides also the main navigation method as there's no touchpad, merely an optical nubbin stuck into the keyboard.
If you're looking for portability this is going to be of interest, although we have to point out that at 1.3kg, the Duo 11 is about the same weight as a standard laptop. However, the tapered edges and classic Vaio styling mean it's certainly a looker and won't fail to draw heads in the boardroom.
Performance and connectivity haven't been left out. At the entry level configuration at the price we've quoted above, you'll find an x86 Intel Core i5 processor with integrated graphics and 4GB of RAM.
The speed comes from the 256GB SSD storage space and Sony has fitted the Duo 11 with two USB ports (one of which is the faster 3.0 format), HDMI, VGA and Ethernet ports as well as an SD card slot.
The caveat to this machine is that battery life could be improved. Sony quotes up to six and a half hours, but in real life don't expect more than about five.
Lenovo's Ultrabook Convertible, aptly christened IdeaPad Yoga 13, has been rolled out in India recently for over Rs 1,03,775/- with all its aluminium unibody awesomeness. With Windows 8 Pro OS to spine it, the tablet-to-laptop (and vice versa) convertible boasts a full HD 13.3 inch IPS LCD capacitive display with 10-finger multi-touch technology which revolves 360 degrees that offers user a freedom to browse anything any way with just a single touch on the screen. The 360 degree Flip and Fold design lets the device shift between four modes (Notebook Mode, Stand Mode, Tent Mode and Tablet mode) while the AccuType keyboard remains static in its place.
The 1.5kg weighing device is equipped with 3rd generation 3rd generation Intel Core i7-3537U processor, which provides enough power to combine integrated touch, keyboard, and mouse for a better user experience. Intel HD Graphics 4000 has been incorporated within the system, and the battery life of Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 is of 8 hours. A 1.0M 720p HD integrated webcam suffices for video calls. It offers a memory of 8GB DDR3. For connectivity, the device offers USB 2.0 port, USB 3.0 port, USB 3.0 Super Speed (that transfers data 10x faster than its earlier versions), a combo jack, HDMI and a 2-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC). It even supports Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi.
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