Latest Trending Laptops 2019
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST LAPTOP FOR YOU
With a little preparation and forethought done in advance, you're ready to check out our list of the best laptops on the market.
* Best ultraportable laptops
* Best laptops under £500
* Best graphics cards
THE BEST LAPTOPS YOU CAN BUY TODAY
1. DELL XPS 13 (2019)
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4.0GHz)
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
RAM: 16GB DDR3 (2,133MHz)
Screen: 13.3-inch, Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) UltraSharp InfinityEdge touch display
Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+It's beautiful+It's really quick+It's got a 4K screen
The mighty Dell XPS 13 is a frequent member of our best laptop buying guides and here, in 2019, it's business as usual. The most recent model moves the webcam back to a more sensible spot above the screen.
The machine is thinner and more powerful than ever before, and – screen aficionados rejoice – comes rocking a luxe 4K screen too. The almost bezel-less new design is also absolutely lovely, which squeezes a 13.3-inch screen into an 11-inch frame, and the wide selection of ports is right on the money too.
It's expensive, and the stunning Alpine White model is even more so, but it is simply one of the best laptops in the world and an easy recommend for the vast majority of users.
2. MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-8650U (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4.2GHz with Turbo Boost)
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620; Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5 VRAM)
RAM: 16GB LPDDR3 (1866Mhz)
Screen: 15-inch, 3,240 x 2,160 (260 ppi) PixelSense display (3:2 aspect ratio; 1600:1 contrast ratio)
Storage: 512 GB PCIe 3.0 SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+Massively powerful for a 2-in-1+Battery life is excellent+Screen is superb
Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is a 2-in-1 laptop, with a screen that can be detached and used as a tablet, but don't let that fool you – this is a beast of a laptop full stop and a worthy top entry in our best laptop buying guide.
Not only is its power unmatched in the 2-in-1 sector, but with a powerful Intel Core i7-8650U processor, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, and stunning 15-inch 3,240 x 2,160 pixel display, it is more than a match for any laptop in this buying guide.
It's expensive though – very expensive – and you can get a similar spec for less elsewhere if you sacrifice the ability to detach the screen. However, if you have the budget then this laptop delivers a fantastically powerful and versatile computing experience.
3. HUAWEI MATEBOOK X PRO
The best Windows 10 laptop with MacBook styling
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 8th generation Intel Core i7 8565U
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX250 2GB GDDR5
RAM: 8GB – 16GB
Screen: 13.9-inch 3K (3,000 x 2,080)
Storage: 1TB SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+Fantastic screen+Luxe design+Good battery life
The 2019 Huawei MateBook X Pro marries form and function with effortless style, delivering an incredibly capable internal hardware suite in a form factor that also matches Apple's MacBook range in terms of dynamite looks and feel.
Its sleek design houses a 13.9-inch 3K display, 8th-generation Intel Core CPU, and Nvidia GeForce MX250 2GB GDDR5 GPU, as well as delivering rock solid battery life, too.
Build quality is also top draw and the system retains the luxe quality that helped its predecessor take the ultraportable laptop market by storm, while the new addition of Huawei Share OneHop makes transferring files between the system and a compatible Huawei phone a breeze.
It's expensive, sure, and many users may prefer the lower price of last year's model, however if you want a better than Apple MacBook experience but with some modest gaming chops and the Windows 10 OS then this is one of the best laptops on the market.
4. ALIENWARE AREA-51M
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Intel Core i7-9700 – i9-9900K
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 – 2080
RAM: 16GB – 64GB
Screen: 17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080) 60Hz Anti-Glare IPS – 144Hz IPS NVIDIA G-SYNC
Storage: 1TB SSHD – 2TB RAID0 SSDs + 1TB SSHD
REASONS TO BUY
+Packed with power+Modern styling+Latest Intel processors
There's so much to like about the latest Alienware Area-51m: this is a gaming laptop that's absolutely packed with power, from the 9th-generation Intel Core i7 processors, to the newest Nvidia laptop GPUs. It's fair to say you're going to have to stump up a substantial amount of cash for this laptop, but the performance you get back is worth it.
What also makes this one of the best gaming laptops of 2019 is the design. The laptop is sleek and understated, but still comes with some really nice touches of style, including discreet colour accents and the slim bezels around the display, which is more than 17 inches in size.
5. HP ENVY 13
REASONS TO BUY
+Great performance for an ultra-light laptop+High-quality audio design+Camera kill switch
The HP Envy 13 contains the same 8th-gen Intel Core i7 processor seen in many other systems in this guide, but doubles down with 16GB of RAM and graphics handled by the Nvidia GeForce MX250, utilising an extra 2GB of dedicated video memory. It doesn’t lose out in the pricing stakes, either, costing only a little over a thousand pounds for excellent performance.
With some decent security features such as a fingerprint scanner and a physical webcam kill switch on the side of the machine, it’s a great laptop for general work, whether that’s spreadsheets or image manipulation. It’s also equipped with audio tech from Bang and Olufsen, along with HP’s own Audio Boost technology, meaning that the sound is as clear as a bell.
The trackpad feels a little flimsy but the backlit keyboard is solid and feels nice to use. The integrated USB Type-A ports are a bit tricky to use due to their snap-open design, but it’s a welcome sight to see regular USB compatibility on an ultralight laptop. The 1080p screen is clear and high-quality, with a little ridge at the base that pushes the lower half of the laptop up at a slight angle when opened on a flat surface, to make typing that little bit easier.
6. ASUS ZENBOOK PRO 14 (UX480)
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8565U processor (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4.6 GHz)
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q graphics (2GB RAM), Intel UHD Graphics 620
RAM: 8GB DDR4
Screen: 14-inch, FHD (1920 x 1080)
Storage: 256GB SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+High-end specs+Attractive design+Bright, vibrant touchscreen
As we note in our official Asus ZenBook Pro 14 review, this "is a laptop that scores highly in a lot of departments. It looks really nice, it has plenty of power under the hood, and the price you're going to pay represents decent value for what you get in return."
And, really, that sums it up. Well, that is apart from this system's unique feature - it's ScreenPad. The SceenPad is a large touchpad that can also operate as a second screen, with Windows extendable and certain apps like Microsoft Office and Spotify granting you extra information or controls. It feels indebted to Apple's TouchBar.
Specs-wise the Pro 14 really is a rock-solid all-rounder, coming with an 8th-gen quad-core Intel Core i7-8565U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage, as well as an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q chipset with 2GB of video RAM. In short, it is a powerful machine that will handle most computing tasks with ease.
7. APPLE MACBOOK PRO WITH TOUCH BAR (2019)
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i5 – i7
Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 – 650
RAM: 8GB - 16GB
Screen: 13.3-inch, (2,560 x 1,600) IPS
Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe 3.0 SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+Super fast+Touch Bar is genuinely useful+Incredibly desirable
Simpy put, if you're looking for the best laptop experience from Apple in 2019, then you just found it.
The Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar packs in some excellent internals, with an Intel Core i5 CPU partnered with 8GB of 2,133MHz RAM, a Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 GPU, and a 256GB SSD. You can add to that the 13.3-inch 2,560 x 1,600 resolution Retina LED IPS display, which is gorgeous as well.
The headline feature though, and one that helps this laptop stand out, is the OLED Touch Bar, which replaces the function keys on previous models to great affect.
Simply put, if you like MacBooks and aren't constrained by budget, then this is the best laptop for you.
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 3.1GHz Intel Core i7-8705G Processor (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4.1 GHz)
Graphics: Radeon RX Vega M GL graphics, Intel HD Graphics 630
RAM: 6GB DDR4 (2,400MHz)
Screen: 15.6-inch, 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) InfinityEdge anti-reflective touch display
Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+AMD Radeon RX Vega M+Luxe aluminium design+Innovative maglev keyboard
As we note in our full Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 review, "the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 is one of the most complete hybrids ever made, scoring big across the board and leaving no obvious weak point for rivals - and critics - to launch a major counter attack. A premium all-rounder 2-in-1 that should appeal to creative tech enthusiasts looking to both work and play hard."
A shoo-in on our best laptops 2019 list if ever we saw one, then, and a machine that should be at least considered by anyone who is looking for premium upgrade right now. Yes, the Surface Book 2 does have a little bit more power-wise, and obviously has the ability to eject its screen, too, but the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 is almost half the price.
9. ASUS ROG ZEPHYRUS S GX701
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-8750H (hexa-core, 9MB cache, up to 4.1GHz)
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q (8GB GDDR6 VRAM); Intel UHD Graphics 630
RAM: 24GB DDR4 (2,666MHz)
Screen: 17.3-inch, Full HD (1,920x1,080) IPS, Pantone Validated (144Hz refresh rate with Nvidia G-Sync)
Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe x4 SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+Incredible gaming power+Premium build quality+Very portable and thin design
As we noted in our Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 review, and then restated in our guide to the best gaming laptops on the market today, this gaming laptop is the absolute best laptop for playing games on the market today in 2019.
Building on last year's competition slaying GX501, the new Zephrus ensures it stays on the gaming laptop throne by dialling things up to 11. That means that the system comes rocking an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card (Ray Tracing bliss!), a juiced up Intel Core i7-8750H CPU capable of running up to 4.1GHz and a 24GB stack of DDR4 RAM.
The result of all this top-end gaming hardware is, for a portable machine, ludicrous levels of AAA gaming performance. Metro Exodus, with all graphics settings turned up to maximum, and with the gorgeous Ray Tracing lighting tech enabled, looked absolutely stunning and ran like a dream. Equally, the GX701 crushed our 3DMark benchmark tests, too.
A gorgeous and thin magnesium chassis, fantastically engineered vent cooling system, and a 17.3-inch, Full HD (1,920x1,080) IPS, Pantone Validated, 144Hz refresh rate with Nvidia G-Sync panel complete the package.
10. HUAWEI MATEBOOK 13
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: up to 4.1GHz 8th-gen Intel Core i7-8565U Intel Core m5-6Y54 (quad core)
Graphics: up to Nvidia GeForce MX150
RAM: 8GB LPDDR3
Screen: 13-inch, 2,160 x 1,440 IPS LED display
Storage: 256-512GB SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+Top-notch performance and graphics+You get a lot of laptop for your money+Looks the part as well
We've already mentioned one excellent Huawei computer in this best laptops of 2019 guide, and here's another: the Huawei MateBook 13 isn't quite as premium as the MateBook X Pro in most areas, but it offers some excellent value for money, and has performance to spare as well.
The option to add more RAM would be nice, and there's no Thunderbolt support here, but the Huawei MateBook 13 ticks just about every other box on the list – the screen is fantastic, performance is impressive, and battery life should last you a day on the go as well.
11. GOOGLE PIXELBOOK
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Intel Core i5-i7
Graphics: Intel HD graphics 615
RAM: 8GB-16GB
Screen: 12.3-inch, 2,400 x 1,600
Storage: 128GB, 256GB or 512GB SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+Lightweight and fast+Converts into a tablet... sort of
The Google Pixelbook is quite a strange beast, combining stylish looks and decent specs with a Chrome OS platform that doesn't really need them. It's also a little older than the other laptops here – if you do consider purchasing this, bear in mind that a replacement might not be far away.
If you can afford it, this is the slickest, smoothest, best-looking Chromebook on the market right now. If you do all your computing on the web, it's the best laptop around in 2019 (though perhaps not the best value).
Add in support for Android apps, and the Pixelbook Pen, and a dedicated Google Assistant button, and it really is an attractive package. Chrome OS being what it is, you don't need to worry about security software or system slowdowns, and everything is constantly backed up to the cloud.
12. RAZER BLADE 15 ADVANCED
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: up to 9th-gen Intel Core i7
Graphics: up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
RAM: 16GB
Screen: 15.6-inch FHD
Storage: 512GB SSD
REASONS TO BUY
+Oozes Razer style+Capable of running anything+Screen looks fantastic
Laptops are usually labelled as gaming laptops when they come packed with high-end components and some nice visual flair – but of course you don't have to be a gamer to appreciate those attributes in a laptop. The Razer Blade 15 Advanced is a case in point, and shows Razer is getting better and better at building laptops.
The chassis holding the 15.6-inch display is beautifully put together, the internal components are top notch, and the lighting system around the keys is really well done too. Whether you're gaming or working on some spreadsheets, the Razer Blade 15 Advanced really impresses.
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