Laptops: Compare features & prices

Side-by-side comparison

Dimensions (mm)
Dimensions are listed width x height x depth. Where a laptop is not consistently thick across the device (if it tapers towards the front edge, for example), we've taken the measurement at its thickest part

Weight (kg)
This is our measured weight of the laptop with the battery but without the power supply

Transport weight (kg)
Our measured weight of the laptop including the power supply and power cables

Recently tested
Models from our most recent test

Ultrabooks and ultraportable
The laptop's ideal use. Ultraportables and ultrabooks are slim and light with power to boot.

Cheap laptop
The laptop's ideal use. Budget laptops are cheaper with lower specifications - a good choice for novices or students on a budget.

Family laptop
The laptop's ideal use. Family laptops are all-rounders with good sized screens and specifications sufficient to handle everyday tasks.

Desktop replacement
The laptop's ideal use. Desktop replacements have bigger screens and keyboards and high specifications.

Multimedia
The laptop's ideal use. Multimedia laptops have good screens and handle graphically demanding tasks well - great for watching films. Some even have Blu-ray drives for watching in high definition.

Ram (GB)
The laptop's short term memory, where it holds all the information about the tasks it's carrying out. The more memory a laptop has, the more quickly it can handle tasks. Go for as much memory as you can afford to make sure your laptop's well set up for a few years. You can pick up reasonably priced laptops with 4GB of Ram: a decent amount for today's machines.

Type of storage
Laptop's main storage - either a spinning hard drive (Spinning HD) or a Solid State Drive (SSD)

Storage capacity (GB)
This tells you the size of the hard drive, which stores all your files such as programs, photos and videos. If you plan to store lots of big files, such as videos, opt for plenty of storage. A full length film could take up over 1GB of storage space. If this is going to be your main desktop computer, aim for a bigger hard drive - 500GB say.

Screen finish
Glossy screens typically display richer, sharper images than diffuse or matte screens. This makes them a good choice for watching video, for example. However, they are very reflective in daylight.

Powered USB
How many of the USB ports allow you to charge a device such as an MP3 player or a mobile phone even when the laptop/netbook is switched off. Most powered USB ports have an extra symbol that looks like a lightning strike to set them apart from standard USB ports. In our tests we've found that in some cases you have to go into the laptop's settings and switch on the powered USB port function.

HDMI
For connecting your device to a high definition TV or monitor

Wireless standard
This indicates the speed of wireless data transfer. 802.11n is the fastest standard. 802.11g is another common standard. All the 802.11n laptops we've tested are backwards compatible with 802.11g devices. Your wireless network will only be as fast as your wireless router though so you'll need an 802.11n router in order to achieve the faster speed from your laptop.

Bluetooth
A short range wireless connection commonly found on mobile phones. It allows you to transfer data - such as pictures taken on your phone - between devices

Convenience
Includes ease of setup, everyday use, keyboard and touchpad accuracy and comfort and use on the lap

Screen quality
Screen quality under mid-lighting conditions

Sound quality
Sound quality from built-in speakers

Portability
Comprises weight and dimensions

Versatility
Range and quality of extra features

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