The demise of the desktop computer continues apace, as manufacturers find new ways of cramming more power, connectivity, storage and speed into the traditional laptop form. Whether it's a MacBook, Windows PC or Chromebook, we've rounded up seven high-end competitors suitable for creatives who want the latest and greatest in portable computing.
7 new laptops to lust after
1. Microsoft Surface Pro 9
The Surface Pro 9 is the latest version of Microsoft’s pioneering and acclaimed tablet/laptop combo. The 2-in-1 device is not only a swift Windows 11-powered tablet, but clip in the optional Surface Pro keyboard (which doubles up as a cover) and you have a fast, compact laptop. Available with 5G, there’s also a Surface Pro Signature Keyboard that incorporates a storage and charging niche for the Slim Pen 2, with a tactile bio-based Alcantara texture.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9, from £1,040, Microsoft.com
2. LG gram Ultraslim and Style
Two new devices from LG’s ‘gram’ range of minimal laptops debuted at CES 2023. The Ultraslim is, as the name suggests, aiming for an incredibly slender profile – a shade under 11mm when closed. It also weighs less than a kilogram, but still manages to have a 15.6” OLED screen. LG is also including a new compact power adapter.
The LG gram Style, available as a 14in and 16in model, has a vivid coating that shimmers in different colours depending on the light, a touchpad that is seamlessly integrated into the chassis, OLED screens and Dolby Atmos audio.
LG gram Ultraslim and Style models, available soon, LG.com
3. ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 3D OLED
The ProArt Studiobook from ASUS combines a cutting-edge NVIDIA graphics card with hardware enhancements designed to make it a natural choice for artists and designers, particularly those working with data-heavy CAD files and 3D modelling. For a start, the large trackpad is stylus-compatible, while a special dial controller can be mapped to frequently used controls. The 16in display incorporates the company’s 3D OLED technology, which it claims will give a ‘glasses-free 3D visual experience’, with plenty of connectivity plus support for up to 64GB of ram and a 7-terabyte solid state disk.
ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 3D OLED, price tbc, ASUS.com
4. Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Twist
The search for the ultimate form factor continues with Lenovo laying down another approach to flexibility. The forthcoming ThinkBook Plus Twist adapts to a tablet format through an ingenious pivoting double-sided screen. In addition to being a conventional 13.3in OLED laptop, the Twist also has a 12in e-ink display.
Rotate between the two depending on your use, with the latter offering a low-power option for reading books and marking up documents, or just checking in on emails without opening up the whole laptop.
Lenovo, ThinkBook Plus Twist, available from June 2023, Lenovo.com
5. Apple MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max
The headline stats behind the newly launched M2 Pro and M2 Max versions of the venerable MacBook Pro are speed increases of up to six times more than that achieved with the old Intel chips, as well as a maximum battery life of 22 hours. You’re unlikely to achieve the latter if you’re making full use of the M2 Max’s 96GB of memory and driving an 8K display, but the flipside is that any computation-heavy creative task will be achieved in a fraction of the time. Pitched at animators, filmmakers, product designers and musicians, the 14in and 16in MacBooks also contain more recycled material than ever before.
14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro, from £2,149, Apple.com
6. HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook
HP’s new flagship Chromebook is the Dragonfly Pro, a high-end performer that has a couple of key selling points in addition to plenty of memory and storage. The backlit RGB keyboard is paired with a haptic trackpad, as well as the brightest touchscreen and the first 8MP camera on a Chromebook. Premium materials and quality finishes prove that these hardy, instant-on devices can make a perfect replacement for a Mac or PC for the vast majority of the time.
HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, available soon, Google.com/Chromebook
7. Dell Alienware M18
Dell’s Alienware sub-brand started life as an independent supplier of gaming-focused laptops. Under the stewardship of the massive American manufacturer, Alienware has toned its down more adolescent design elements and matured into a supplier of highly specified machines that are not only adept at handling the graphical heavy-lifting of modern gaming titles, but also work especially well for power-hungry creatives.
The M18 models include the first 16in and 18in screens in the Alienware range, with a taller 16:10 display ratio screen and the addition of Dolby Atmos sound and a hi-res webcam. As with all Alienware’s models, special attention is paid to keeping the silicon cool.
Dell Alienware M18, available soon, Dell.com
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