Best laptops

Shortlist and buying guide · the ranked board is on its way

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What to look for

For everyday use, 16 GB of memory and an SSD matter more than the processor model.

Models worth comparing

From manufacturers' specifications and published UK reviews, read on 6 October 2026. Not tested by us. In no particular order: these are not ranked, and we do not say which is best until the customer ratings are in.

Budget

Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB, 256GB)

Students and home users who want a well-made, light macOS laptop for browsing, documents and streaming without paying MacBook Air money.

Sturdy aluminium body weighing 1.23kg
Sharp 13in 2408 x 1506 display rated at 500 nits
Expert Reviews found it unusually easy to repair for a MacBook

Watch out for: Memory is fixed at 8GB, the keyboard has no backlight, and Expert Reviews measured noticeably shorter battery life than the MacBook Air.

Processor: Apple A18 Pro (6-core CPU, 5-core GPU)
Memory and storage: 8GB, 256GB SSD
Screen: 13in, 2408 x 1506
Claimed battery: Up to 16 hours video streaming
Weight: 1.23kg
Ports: 1x USB-C (USB 3), 1x USB-C (USB 2), headphone jack

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Sources: Apple UK specifications · Expert Reviews review

Mid-range

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 16GB, 512GB)

Anyone who wants a quiet, slim all-rounder with long battery life and enough power for photo editing and heavy multitasking.

M5 chip with a 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU
Base model now starts with 512GB of storage
Apple claims up to 18 hours of video streaming

Watch out for: The design is unchanged from the M4 model and the starting price has crept up.

Processor: Apple M5 (10-core CPU, 8-core GPU)
Memory and storage: 16GB, 512GB SSD
Screen: 13.6in, 2560 x 1664
Claimed battery: Up to 18 hours video streaming
Weight: 1.23kg
Ports: MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), headphone jack

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Sources: Apple UK specifications · TechRadar review

Premium

ASUS Zenbook A14 UX3407NA (Snapdragon X2 Elite, 32GB, 1TB)

Frequent travellers who want a very light Windows laptop with an OLED screen and battery life that can stretch across several working days.

Lasted nearly 30 hours in Expert Reviews' video playback test
14in OLED screen with strong colour accuracy in testing
Good port mix including two USB4, USB-A and HDMI 2.1

Watch out for: The screen is only 1920 x 1200 at 60Hz and not touch-sensitive, which feels mean at this price.

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite (18-core)
Memory and storage: 32GB, 1TB SSD
Screen: 14in OLED, 1920 x 1200, 60Hz
Battery capacity: 70Wh
Ports: 2x USB4 Type-C, 1x USB-A 10Gbps, HDMI 2.1, audio jack

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Sources: ASUS UK specifications · Expert Reviews review

Pro

Dell XPS 14 (2026, Core Ultra 7 355, 16GB, 512GB)

Professionals who want a premium-feeling Windows alternative to a MacBook, with a sharp webcam and strong speakers for calls.

Aluminium unibody with three Thunderbolt 4 ports
Expert Reviews praised its 1440p webcam and quad speakers
The Core Ultra 5 version ran for almost 19 hours in Expert Reviews' video test

Watch out for: There are no USB-A ports, and Expert Reviews felt entry configurations offer modest performance for the money.

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 355 (Series 3)
Memory and storage: 16GB LPDDR5x, 512GB SSD
Screen: 14in, 1920 x 1200, up to 120Hz
Battery capacity: 70Wh
Weight: 1.38kg (LCD model)
Ports: 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), audio jack

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Sources: Dell UK product page · Expert Reviews review

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We are gathering the customer ratings this board needs from UK shops. When they are in, the ranked list replaces this guide at the same address, scored the way every board is: star ratings weighed by how many people left them. How we score.

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