Best Ultrabooks: 15 of the best

This year's laptops are set to be all about one word: Ultrabooks.

The term Ultrabook is actually pure marketing, dreamt up by Intel for a new generation of portable PCs featuring its technology.

Like Centrino but unlike Viiv, it's starting to stick as a catch-all term for thin and light laptops, or ultraportables as they're sometimes classified.

The best way to think of an Ultrabook is a MacBook Air that isn't made by Apple, a netbook that isn't underpowered or a laptop that's been on a crash diet. Ultrabooks all feature a Core i3, i5 or i7 processor, plus fast SSD storage and USB 3.0 connectivity.

According to Intel, Ultrabooks also have "ultra-capabilities" - security features, battery power, instant-on and quick standby. They'll provide a lightweight alternative to tablet devices for people who just can't work without a full QWERTY keyboard.

Intel has announced a massive $300m (£185m) fund to help develop Ultrabook hardware and software, and it's confident that Ultrabooks will make up 40% of the market by 2012.

The first models are shipping with current generation Sandy Bridge Core processors, which will be replaced this year by a new generation of Ivy Bridge chips.

Intel set an initial price target of $999/£999 for Ultrabooks, though many have been more expensive - expect serious in-roads on the cheaper £600-£800 market this year.

But what's the best Ultrabook to buy? Check out the best Ultrabooks we've reviewed, as well as some we got hands on with at CES 2012.

1. LG Z330 and Z430 Super Ultrabooks

Rather than a tapered design, the chassis on the 13.3-inch LG Z330 Super Ultrabook is 14.7mm thick from front to back. It runs Windows 7 (for now) and has a bigger brother, the LG Z430, which comes with a 14-inch display. Why is it 'Super'? Because LG says so.

Read our Hands on: LG Z330 and Z430 Super Ultrabook review

2. Asus Zenbook UX31

Asus has done a terrific job with the Zenbook's design - even if you have to acknowledge that the designer took more than a sneaky glance at Apple's ultraportable first.The 13-inch Zenbook is fantastic to look at. When closed, the wedge-shaped laptop measures 17mm at its thickest point and a mere 3mm at its thinnest.The same design thinking even stretches to the Intel Core and Windows 7 stickers. We wonder who it was that proposed they were silver and black - Intel? Asus? - but whoever did has made a difference.

Read our Asus Zenbook UX31 review

3. Samsung Series 5 Ultra

Packing an Intel Core i5 processor, the Samsung Series 5 Ultra is small but perfectly formed. Available in 14-inch or 13-inch models, the 13 incher is 17.6mm at its fattest point, narrowing to 14mm.
It comes with a 128GB/256GB SSD or a 500GB hard drive and incorporates an LED SuperBright screen. The only worry? Battery life is pegged at around 6.5 hours, which is about 2 hours too short in our book.
Not to be confused with the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook. Which is definitely not an Ultrabook.

Read our Hands on: Samsung Series 5 Ultra review

4. Samsung Series 9

While the original Series 9 was one of the world's thinnest laptops, the new Samsung Series 9 Ultrabook is even thinner.

The design team has shaved off another 4mm, giving this 13-inch (1600 x 1200) laptop a waistline of only 12.9mm. Inside, a 1.7GHz Core i7 chip does all the hard work, ably assisted by up to 8GB of memory and SSD storage.

Read our Hands on: Samsung 9 Series review

5. HP Folio 13

As the moniker suggests, the HP Folio 13 is yet another 13-inch Ultrabook. It's not much of a looker and, at 18mm around the middle, it's not the slimmest Ultrabook at CES.

But HP is claiming a 9-hour battery life for the Folio 13, which will be ideal for regular mobile workers who value staying power over pretty design.

Read our Hands on: HP Folio 13 review

6. Lenovo IdeaPad U300S

Lenovo hasn't obsessed over aesthetics, and this laptop is no Apple MacBook Air clone. It seems chunky next to the wafer-thin Asus Zenbook, which features a wedge-shaped design that tapers off to a thin, blade-like point.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U300S retains its 16mm thickness across the chassis, giving it the impression of being squat. The body is aluminium, and weighs 1.4kg, the same as the Acer Aspire S3, but much heavier than the Toshiba Portege Z830 and the Toshiba Satellite Z830-10U. If you're looking for an ultrabook that will turn heads, you will most likely look elsewhere, but can the Lenovo IdeaPad U300S impress with power?

Read our Lenovo IdeaPad U300S review

7. HP Envy 14 Spectre

The HP Envy 14 Spectre is a little bigger than your average Ultrabook and a little fatter because of it. Intel specifies a sub- 18mm chassis for 13-inch models, but 14-inchers like this can bulk up to 21mm.

With a Core i5 (or i7) processor and 128GB HDD inside, HP claims a 9 hour battery life for the Spectre. And... that's really the only appeal.

Read our: Hands on: HP Envy 14 Spectre review

8. Dell XPS 13

The Dell XPS 13 might be a little late to the Ultrabook party, but it's one of the prettiest portables we've seen.

Amazingly, Dell will squeeze an Intel Core i5 or i7 inside the trim chassis, along with 4GB of memory and a 128/256GB SSD. How thin is it? 6mm at its slimmest point.

Read our Hands on: Dell XPS 13 review

9. Asus Zenbook UX21

The Asus Zenbook UX21 is the first 11-inch ultrabook to hit the shelves. Of course, comparisons will be immediately drawn with the Apple MacBook Air, which is one of the best ultra-portable laptops money can buy, and these two 11-inch portables are very closely matched. The Asus Zenbook UX21 matches the Apple MacBook Air in every respect. It's just as well-built, made out of a single piece of aluminium, just as light and oozes the same head-turning style and class that makes people cast admiring glances while you work in public. It also has the same Intel Core i5 low voltage 1.6GHz processor, and a 128GB solid state hard drive, which keeps the system really responsive and fast.

Hands on Asus Zenbook UX21 review

10. Lenovo IdeaPad U310 and U410

The Lenovo IdeaPad U310 has a distinctly MacBook Pro vibe to it but these Ultrabooks are expected to be at the cheaper end of the scale, around £600 or so. Packing a 13-inch display, the U310 tips the scales at 1.7kg and is squeezed into an aluminium chassis that's 18mm thick.

A Core i5 chip is expected to provide the processing grunt, with the choice of a 64GB SSD or 500GB hard disk for storage. There's also a U410, boasting a 14-inch display.

Read our Hands on: Lenovo IdeaPad U310 and IdeaPad U410 review

11. Toshiba Satellite Z830

The Toshiba Satellite Z830-10U, priced at £999 in the UK (the US price isn't yet available).

At its thickest point, the Satellite Z830-10U measures only 16mm across, but Toshiba has still packed in Sandy Bridge power and given us one of the best trackpads we've yet seen on an ultrabook. It's not without niggles, however, and we found parts of the chassis to be inferior to stronger machines such as the Asus Zenbook.

It's the lightest Ultrabook chassis we've yet seen, but also an excellent battery life, this could be the answer for frequent travellers who need a long-lasting machine full of performance for under £1,000.

Read our Toshiba Satellite Z830-10U review

12. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga

We're loving the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga. This flexible, foldable Ultrabook also converts into a 16.9mm thick tablet with a 13.1-inch (1600x900 pixel) touchscreen.

Running Windows 8 you get the best of all worlds - a QWERTY keyboard for heavy duty working and a tablet experience for after hours net sessions on the sofa. The downside? It probably won't be cheap.

Read our Hands on: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga review

13 Acer Aspire S3

The 13.3-inch Acer Aspire S3-951 is an appealing prospect for regular travellers. The Intel Core i7 2637M version we tested is priced at £900 in the UK and costs $1300 in the US (where it has the more specific name of Acer Aspire S3-951-6432), which is enticing, considering the impressive specs list.

A less powerful Core i5 model can be bought for £700 in the UK, while in the US there are three cheaper Core i5 machines, two of which cost $900, while one retails at $1199.

Read our Acer Aspire S3 review

14. The Intel Nikiski concept

While not technically an Ultrabook, Intel tells us that a Ultrabook version of the oddball Nikiski is on the cards for later this year.

What makes it stand out is the glass touch pad that turns into a touchscreen layer to enable you to browse a slimline view of key information such as new emails.

15. Acer Aspire S5

Thin (15mm) and light (1.35kg), the new Acer Aspire S5 isn't much of a design departure from the older Acer Aspire S3.

But it takes advantage of its Ultrabook DNA with a 13.3-inch display, Thunderbolt technology, SSD storage and a fast (but as yet unspecified) Intel CPU. Are we excited? Meh.

Read our Hands on: Acer Aspire S5 review

The tins of Roses, pots of brandy sauce and packets anti-stress pills are starting to stack up in your local shop.

Yes, Christmas is fast approaching. And with less than 100 shopping days until Jesus' 2011th birthday, the tech market is swinging into action.

If you thought Christmas was a big thing in your life, it's even more important to manufacturers and retailers who're once again relying on the season of joy to significantly boost their bottom lines.

So what tasty treats have we been playing with this week?

Olympus PEN Lite E-PL3 review

The new PEN E-PL3 slots into the middle of the new Olympus PEN range, a halfway house between its older brother, the E-P3, and its smaller sibling, the E-PM1 (PEN mini). The E-PL3 uses the same 12-million pixel sensor and 35-point autofocus system as the other models in the new line-up, so the main differences come in the way of shape and a few minor tweaks in the operation and menu of the camera.

It's beautifully engineered, stylish and puts in a blisteringly quick performance, and as such we'd happily recommend it to a budding enthusiast in search of lightweight alternative to an entry-level DSLR.

BlackBerry Torch 9860 review

It's no secret that RIM is struggling to compete in today's ultra-competitive smartphone market. So does the launch of its first full-capacitive-touchscreen smartphone, the BlackBerry Torch 9860, herald a change in fortunes for the Canadian company?

It certainly doesn't have the premium feel of the iPhone 4 or even the touch-and-type BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900. The chassis is pure plastic, with the glossy black finish proving to be the forensic examiner's dream, what with its ability to cling on to fingerprints and smudges. It's hard to see who the BlackBerry Torch 9810 is going to appeal to. Younger users are likelier to flock towards the colourful Curve handsets, and serious users to the Bold 9900.

Samsung UE40D5520 review

With its crystal finish, slender lines, distinctive colouring and attention-grabbing price, the 40-inch Samsung UE40D5520 simply oozes shelf appeal. But, happily, its appeal doesn't grind to a halt once you get the TV set home.

On the contrary, it starts to look like even better value when you actually start using it. Despite costing under £600, it combines a lovely design with a long feature count – including a terrific Smart TV system – and startlingly good picture quality that's better than that of many more expensive TVs we've seen. Provided you give the Samsung UE40D5520 a few minutes of your time when you first unbox it, your efforts will be rewarded more than handsomely.

Sony KDL-40NX723 review

The KDL-40NX723 isn't the most advanced TV Sony has to offer (the KDL-40HX723 offers MotionFlow 400) but there's a definite premium vibe about the 40-inch connected TV in everything from its super-slim Monolithic design to its extensive feature list.

Nikon Coolpix S9100 review

Priced at around £220, the Nikon Coolpix S9100 is a camera that offers good image quality and a flexible zoom range in a compact body at a very reasonable price. The ease of use will suit point-and-shoot photographers incredibly well, as will the compact dimensions. Having an 18x zoom lens included will add to the flexibility on offer, too.

Compact cameras

Samsung ST95 review

Lomography La Sardina review

Sony NEX-C3 review

Desktop PCs

PC Specialist Vortex M59 OC review

Laptops

Alienware M18X review

Alienware M14X review

Acer Aspire 5742Z review

Lenovo IdeaPad S205 review

Lenovo G770 review

Media streaming devices

Teufel MediaStation 6 review

Mice

SteelSeries World of Warcraft MMO Gaming Mouse: Legendary Edition review

Mobile phones

Orange Monte Carlo review

Samsung Galaxy Fit review

Monitors

LG D2342P Cinema 3D Monitor review

Dell U2412M review

Radio tuners

Q2 Internet Radio review

RAM

Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 8GB DDR3 review

Routers

Edimax BR-6428nS review

Storage

OCZ RevoDrive 3 X2 480GB review

Tablets

Storage Options Scroll 7-inch Tablet review

Tablets accessories

iLuv iCK826 review

TVs

LG 42LV450U review

Panasonic TX-L42E3B review

LG 42LV450U review

Hands ons:

Cameras

Hands on: Canon PowerShot S100 review

Operating systems

Hands on: Windows 8 review

Tablets

Hands on: Fusion Garage Grid 10 review

Hands on: Windows 8 tablet review review

Top 10 best gadgets at IFA 2011

It's been a great year for gadgets at this year's Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) in Berlin with all kinds of surprises - from internet-connected TVs to super-sized smartphones - in the exhibition halls. Here are just 10 of the best in show...

1. Sony Android tablets

Sony's long-rumoured rivals to the Apple iPad 2 finally made their debut at IFA 2011 - and they confounded as much as they surprised. The Sony Tablet P (£499) and Tablet S (£399), both include Nvidia Tegra 2 mobile processors running Android Honeycomb OS, front- and rear-facing cameras, a USB 2.0 port and an SD card slot.

Just like the iPad 2, both tablets are available in Wi-Fi only and 3G models, but it's the clamshell Tablet P that really piques our interest. For the Sony Tablet P sports not one, but two 13.9cm (5.5-inch) touchscreens - one in the base and one in the lid.

This certainly makes it easier to stick in your pocket than most tablets and it obviously has advantages with certain applications - e.g. using the virtual keyboard or playing games where the Tablet P apes the split-screen controls of the Nintendo 3DS to a certain extent.

What's harder to get around is whether Sony will have any success persuading developers to create applications that take advantage of the split-screen. And, of course, for movie viewing it's rubbish.

2. Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone

Apple's iPhone 5 maybe imminent, but it's going to face some stiff competition from Samsung's latest smartphone, the Galaxy Note.

Sporting a massive 13.5cm (5.3-inch) display - the biggest of any smartphone so far - with a WXGA resolution of 1,200 x 800 pixels. Other crowd-pleasing goodies include a 1.5GHz dual-core processor running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, front- and rear-facing cameras, the second of which has a resolution of 8MP and can be used to record 1080p high definition video. Wow.

Weirdly, it seems that styli (styluses?) are back in vogue, with the Samsung Galaxy Note sporting an S Pen, which is ideal for accurate, pressure sensitive handwritten notes and sketches. What's wrong with the good old finger, eh?

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 tablet

Sharing the Top 10 gadget honours with the Galaxy Note is Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 7.7 tablet, complete with a 19.6cm (7.7-inch) 1,280 x 800 WXGA resolution AMOLED display, a dual-core 1.4GHz processor and a choice of 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB of storage.

Throw in a microSD card slot and you'll be able to increase that to a phenomenal 96GB, which is probably just as well as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 offers 1080p high definition movie playback too. The Tab 7.7 also features the Android 3.2 OS with Samsung's TouchWiz user interface laid over the top.

4. HTC Titan smartphone

Continuing the trend for super-sized smartphones at IFA 2011 is the HTC Titan, a showcase for the latest version of Windows Phone 7 'Mango'.

The HTC Titan comes with an 11.4cm (4.5-inch) display. Its wide, but slim form factor enables it to sit comfortably in your hand, although it may not slip as easily into your shirt pocket. Sadly, the Titan's display resolution doesn't quite match up to its big screen billing offering just 800 x 480 pixels of resolution, although it's bright with impressive colours and good black levels.

Windows Phone 7 Mango also runs smoothly on the HTC Titan's 1.5GHz single-core processor. The best thing about the Titan is what HTC has managed to with it - adding dedicated applications and an improved camera, which enables you to shoot panoramas and includes a handy burst mode.

5. Lenovo IdeaPad U300 / U400 ultrabooks

Undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises at IFA was the arrival of the first ultrabooks - ultra-thin PC alternatives to Apple's Macbook Air that meet or exceed specs set out by Intel. Available in luxurious U300 and U400 models, Lenovo's IdeaPads are milled from a solid block of aluminium - sound familiar? - and offer a choice of 33.8cm (13.3-inch) and 35.6cm (14-inch) displays, Intel Core i7 ultra-low voltage (ULV) processors and AMD Radeon HD5470M graphics.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U300 includes 256GB of SSD storage, while the U400 offers a choice of a 256GB SSD drive or a 1TB hard disk. Battery life is pegged up to eight hours of 'productive use' and up to 30 days of standby time. The U300 and U400 are both available in a choice of Graphite Grey and eye-watering Clementine Orange colours. UK prices have yet to be confirmed.

6. Toshiba AT200 Excite tablet

If HP's recent TouchPad fire sale told us anything, it's that competing with the Apple iPad 2 isn't easy - especially when you have rivals like Samsung and Sony all trying to do the same thing.

That hasn't deterred Toshiba, which wowed IFA 2011 with its own take: the AT200 Excite - a 25.6cm (10.1-inch) tablet that also happens to be the world's thinnest, measuring just 0.3-inches (7.7mm) front to back.

Inside the Toshiba AT200 Excite, you'll find a 1.2GHz processor running Android Honeycomb, 1GB of RAM and up to 64GB of storage, which is pretty respectable.

Battery power is pegged at up to eight hours and the display has a maximum resolution of 1,200 x 800 pixels.

7. Samsung MV800 Multi-View compact camera

One of the undoubted highlights of IFA 2011 has been the launch of three new compact cameras from Samsung including the 18x superzoom WB750 and the 20MP NX200. Our pick though is the MV800 - the first compact camera to include a flip-up screen.

Flip-up screens have been a big deal on digital SLRs for a while because they're great for use in situations where a conventional viewfinder or display won't do - such as trying to get a clear view of the action which you're in the middle of a crowd, for example.

The MV800's 7.62cm (3-inch) touchscreen can be angled at up to 180-degrees to help you get the shot - the view even flips around if you turn the camera upside-down. Other goodies include a Live Panorama, which enables you to create wide-angle shots by stitching images together. Specs include a 16.1MP sensor, 5x optical zoom and a 26mm wide-angle lens. UK price? Around £249.

8. Sony SMP-N200 Network Media Player

One of the tech trends of this year's IFA 2011 has been the rise and rise of internet-connected Smart TVs, but what happens if you want to join the party and want to hang on to your existing non-Smart set?

Enter Sony's SMP-N200 Network Media Player, which enables you to do exactly that. The SMP-N200 Network Media Player includes Bravia Internet Video, which enables you to watch streaming content from BBC iPlayer, movies from Lovefilm as well as high definition and even 3D content. Naturally enough, the Network Media Player is compatible with the new Tablet P and Tablet S, erm, tablets, that Sony also launched at IFA.

9. LG PenTouch TV

As any parent will tell you, pens and TVs normally go together like small fingers and electrical sockets, so the launch of LG's PenTouch range of plasma TVs is both surprising and a little alarming.

LG's PenTouch TVs, of course, use a special light-sensitive pen that enables you to write and sketch on screen or edit and organise photos stored on your PC. But it's surely only a matter of time before Junior mistakes the 'special pen' for a ballpoint and you end up with a more permanent version of his scribbles etched onto the display.

Perhaps you can keep him or her distracted by the other things the PZ8590T can do: like enable you to watch 2D or 3D content. Or watch 2D content in 3D using a 2D to 3D conversion engine. The PenTouch TVs are available in 140cm (55-inch) and 152cm (60-inch) display sizes. There's no news yet on UK pricing.

10. Philips Cinema 21:9 TVs

These super-sized, super-expensive TVs have been a staple of IFA 2011 for a few years now but, dang it, they just keep getting better and better - which is why we have no qualms about adding them to our top 10.

Now available in Platinum and Gold versions, Philips new Cinema TVs boast an astonishingly cinema-like 21:9 aspect ratio (hence the name) 3D viewing with 2D to 3D conversion and Smart TV features that gives you access to a compelling portal of online content. Heck, you can even watch internet TV and regular TV at the same time using the split-screen viewer.

Other goodies include LED backlighting and Philips' Ambilight technology, plus a 0.5-second refresh time and a 1,200MHz refresh rate. No UK prices as yet, but we can't wait to get on our hands on them.

What are your favourite gadgets from IFA 2011? Let us know in the comments below.

The tablet-friendly Android 3.0 OS is one of the stars of CES 2011.

The Consumer Electronics Show is like a giant ice cream sundae – it's big, wildly colourful, takes some real effort to get through and is a delicious mix of different ingredients. All covered in a glitzy Las Vegas sauce.

So what's hot at this year's show?

The touchscreen has truly arrived, and you only need to take one look the success of the iPad and the army of Android tablets bursting onto the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab, to see that.

Buying the best gaming PC is an expensive pastime, but there are huge differences in the top end of the market. Many of the biggest gaming behemoths will set you back over £2,000, but it's not always necessary to spend that kind of money.

Buying the best student laptop can be a tricky purchase, because it's highly dependent on the needs of the individual. Some students will look for portability, so that they can take their laptop to the library or to lectures, and this means buying something lightweight.

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next?

If you've settled on an Advent, then you're probably wondering what the best Advent laptop is for your budget. Here we've gathered together the best Advent laptop reviews for your delectation.

But if you don't want to buy an Advent, check our 20 best laptops in the world piece. If it's a netbook you want, look at our 15 best netbooks.

1. Advent Modena

Offering good usability, a great screen and ample storage at such a low price, the Advent Modena is sure to please first time buyers looking for an affordable and portable bargain.

Read our full Advent Modena review

2. Advent Sienna 510

The Intel Core i5 processor power on offer for this price is an unbelievable bargain. Couple with great usability, this is superb for those looking for multitasking prowess on a budget.

Read our full Advent Sienna 510 review

3. Advent Sienna 700

The Advent Sienna 700 features a stunning screen married with the power of an Intel Core i7 processer – and with great usability and an incredibly affordable price to boot, this machine is hard to ignore.

Read our full Advent Sienna 700 review

Don't forget to check out our 20 best laptops in the world piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our 15 best netbooks.

And why not look at our other laptop roundups too?

The best Sony laptops

The best Acer laptops

The best HP laptops

The best Dell laptops

The best Packard Bell laptops

The best Asus laptops

The best Samsung laptops

The best MSI laptops

The best Lenovo laptops

The best Toshiba laptops

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next?

If you've settled on a Dell, then you're probably wondering what the best Dell laptop is for your budget. Here we've gathered together the best Dell laptop reviews for your delectation.

But if you don't want to buy a Dell, check our 20 best laptops in the world piece. If it's a netbook you want, look at our 15 best netbooks.

1. Dell Inspiron M101z

This little Dell does some surprising things for a machine of its type. Not only does it feature an AMD processor, but it has some very fine SRS-powered speakers. It's more powerful than you might think, so will keep you satisfied for some time.

Read our full Dell Inspiron M101z review

2. Dell Vostro 3500

Dell's replaced the staid design of previous Vostro machines with a tough and sleek consumer look, Dell has hugely invigorated the range. The addition of powerful Intel Core i3 technology and fantastic usability adds enormously to the package, making a great success for Dell.

Read our full Dell Vostro 3500 review

3. Dell Inspiron 15R

For the money, the Dell Inspiron 15R is a great machine. The power and usability makes this one of the best machines around.

Read our full Dell Inspiron 15R review

4. Dell Latitude E6410 ATG

It may be expensive, but the Latitude E6410 ATG is a hugely powerful machine that offers excellent protection for your data – if you're after a semi-rugged portable this is a great choice.

Read our full Dell Inspiron E6410 ATG review

5. Alienware M17x

Dell-owned Alienware has managed to combine awesome power with great design, along with a host of great features that'll keep you entertained for hours. It's a product that you'll enjoy owning for many years, and in our view this is the best gaming laptop you can currently buy.

Read our full Alienware M17x

Don't forget to check out our 20 best laptops in the world piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our 15 best netbooks.

And why not look at our other laptop roundups too?

The best Sony laptops

The best Acer laptops

The best HP laptops

The best Packard Bell laptops

The best Asus laptops

The best Advent laptops

The best Samsung laptops

The best MSI laptops

The best Lenovo laptops

The best Toshiba laptops

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next?

If you've settled on an Acer, then you're probably wondering what the best Acer laptop is for your budget. Here we've gathered together the top models for your delectation.

But if you don't want to buy a Lenovo laptop, check our 20 best laptops in the world piece. If it's a Lenovo netbook you want, look at our 15 best netbooks.

1. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 13"

The ThinkPad Edge 13" is a great ultraportable laptop for business users and consumers alike, thanks to its admirable build quality and sharp, colourful screen.

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 13" review

2. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge (Core i5 430M)

The ThinkPad Edge really impressed us, and the power and usability on offer make this is a great choice for both the business person and average consumer.

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad Edge review

3. Lenovo ThinkPad L412

While the ThinkPad L412 may lack the wow factor of rival corporate machines such as Sony's VAIO Z-Series, its stunning usability, ample power and commendable green credentials easily compensate.

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad L412 review

4. Lenovo ThinkPad T410s

The ThinkPad T410s is a great business laptop that strikes a winning combination of Lenovo's market-leading quality and usability with a stunning screen and ample power.

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad T410s review

5. Lenovo ThinkPad W701

This is an extreme powerhouse, with a razor-sharp screen, a Wacom tablet built into the palmrest and even a USB 3.0 port. Performance is simply blistering, so for digital creatives on the go, this laptop is the ultimate mobile workstation.

Read full review Lenovo ThinkPad W701 review

Don't forget to check out our 20 best laptops in the world piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our 15 best netbooks.

And why not look at our other laptop roundups too?

The best Sony laptops

The best Acer laptops

The best HP laptops

The best Dell laptops

The best Packard Bell laptops

The best Asus laptops

The best Advent laptops

The best Samsung laptops

The best MSI laptops

The best Toshiba laptops

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next?

If you've settled on an Packard Bell, then you're probably wondering what the best Packard Bell laptop is for your budget. Here we've gathered together the best Packard Bell reviews for your delectation.

But if you don't want to buy a Packard Bell, check our 20 best laptops in the world piece. If it's a netbook you want, look at our 15 best netbooks.

1. Packard Bell Dot U

The Packard Bell Dot U is a well-designed ultra-portable that's well suited to life on the road thanks to a slim, light chassis and decent battery life. Office performance is strong considering the size, and only by spending considerably more will you find a similarly portable machine with more power. A worthy purchase for regular commuters.

Read our full Packard Bell Dot U review

2. Packard Bell Dot VR46

While the Valentino Rossi branding won't suit all tastes, underneath it the Dot VR46 is a great little laptop and one that's very easy to recommend. As a slim and light CULV portable, this is one of the best.

Read our full Packard Bell Dot VR46 review

3. Packard Bell EasyNote NM86

With excellent build quality and a sharp and vibrant screen, not to mention strong performance for the price, the EasyNote NM86-GN-010UK offers fantastic value for money. We wish it had more storage, but that's forgivable considering the many strengths on offer.

Read our full Packard Bell EasyNote NM86 review

4. Packard Bell EasyNote TM98

This machine is one of of the best consumer laptops currently available, providing a great mix of power, thanks to its Intel Core i3 processor, and portability.

Read our full Packard Bell EasyNote TM98 review

5. Packard Bell EasyNote TX86-JO-045UK

Packard Bell has smashed the ball clean out of the proverbial park with the EasyNote TX86, an excellent all-round machine that pulls off power and style with panache. The solid yet portable chassis is merely surface material, because the Intel Core i5 CPU and Nvidia graphics card provide the impressive engine below.

Read our full Packard Bell EasyNote TX86-JO-045UK review

Don't forget to check out our 20 best laptops in the world piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our 15 best netbooks.

And why not look at our other laptop roundups too?

The best Sony laptops

The best Acer laptops

The best HP laptops

The best Dell laptops

The best Asus laptops

The best Advent laptops

The best Samsung laptops

The best MSI laptops

The best Lenovo laptops

The best Toshiba laptops

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next?

If you've settled on an MSI, then you're probably wondering what the best MSI laptop is for your budget. Here we've gathered together the best MSI laptop reviews for your delectation.

But if you don't want to buy an MSI, check our 20 best laptops in the world piece. If it's something like an MSI Wind netbook you want, look at our 15 best netbooks.

1. MSI Wind U160

The MSI Wind U160 is a nice-looking machine (save for an abundance of stickers) and the features, usability and portability on offer thoroughly impressed us.

Read our full MSI Wind U160 review

2. MSI CR630

This is a supremely affordable machine, offering 4GB of RAM and a dual-core AMD processor coupled with excellent usability.

Read our full MSI CR630 review

3. MSI FX600

James Bond would be impressed with the gadgetry on offer here. Press one button to activate Cinema Pro mode, which makes films look better on the screen, or hit another to activate Turbo Drive, which gives you a boost in processor power.

Read our full MSI FX600 review

4. MSI GX740

The MSI GX740 is one of the best priced, best looking gaming notebooks around. There's plenty of power under the hood for the avid gamer, while the Intel Core i5 processor provides plenty of performance for your average consumer.

Read our full MSI GX740 review

5. MSI GX660R

The MSI GX660R is a great machine at a reasonable price for the power. Performance is as aggressive as we'd expect for the money, but there's also a wealth of extra features, clever design additions and impressive components that make this a very competitive laptop. Add to that the fantastic Dynaudio speaker system and you're looking at one of the best gaming systems currently around.

Read our full MSI GX660R review

Don't forget to check out our 20 best laptops in the world piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our 15 best netbooks.

And why not look at our other laptop roundups too?

The best Sony laptops

The best Acer laptops

The best HP laptops

The best Dell laptops

The best Packard Bell laptops

The best Asus laptops

The best Advent laptops

The best Samsung laptops

The best Lenovo laptops

The best Toshiba laptops

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next? If you've settled on an HP, then you're probably wondering what the best HP laptop is for your budget.

Here we've gathered together the top models for your delectation.

But if you don't want to buy an HP, check our 20 best laptops in the world piece. If it's something smaller you want, look at our 15 best netbooks.

1. HP 620

With its impressive performance, ample storage, vibrant screen and resilient design, there's a lot to like about the HP 620, though it does have limited graphics performance.

Read our full HP 620 review

2. HP Pavilion dv6-3040sa

This is a great-looking laptop with an uncommon 7200rpm hard drive. Overall performance isn't as fast as some of the other HP laptops in this list, but is still more than enough for simple home use.

Read our full HP Pavilion dv6-3040sa review

3. HP Pavilion dm4-1050ea

The HP Pavilion dm4 is very nearly a solid all-rounder, and a laptop that we'd heartily recommend. There's plenty to like, from the slim and light form to the excellent Core i5 performance.

Read our full HP Pavilion dm4-1050ea review

4. HP EliteBook 8440p

A resilient design, fantastic usability and lashings of power make this Core i7-powered 14-inch laptop ideal for corporate users and for students.

Read our full HP EliteBook 8440p review

5. HP Pavilion dv8-1250ea

If you're seeking a high-powered, big-screen media centre for enjoying games, music and HD movies with the whole family, the Pavilion dv8-1250ea has a lot to offer. The quad-core Core i7 processor and 1080p screen make this ideal for video playback, and the Nvidia graphics are capable of solid gaming performance, too.

Read our full HP Pavilion dv8-1250ea review

Don't forget to check out our 20 best laptops in the world piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our 15 best netbooks.

And why not look at our other laptop roundups too?

The best Sony laptops

The best Acer laptops

The best Dell laptops

The best Packard Bell laptops

The best Asus laptops

The best Advent laptops

The best Samsung laptops

The best MSI laptops

The best Lenovo laptops

The best Toshiba laptops

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next?
If you've settled on an Toshiba, then you're probably wondering what the best Toshiba laptop is for your budget.

Here we've gathered together the top models for your delectation.

But if you don't want to buy a Toshiba, check our 20 best laptops in the world piece. If it's a netbook you want, look at our 15 best netbooks.

1. Toshiba Satellite Pro C650-197

The Satellite Pro C650-197 is still a decent machine. Performance is assured, thanks to the Intel Core i3 processor, while the widescreen display is bright, vibrant and perfect for working – or playing – well into the night.

Read our full Toshiba Satellite Pro C650-197 review

2. Toshiba Satellite L630-13M

The Toshiba Satellite L630-13M is a great all-round machine. The solid chassis looks good and is easy to transport, while the Pentium processor offers decent performance. Plenty of features add to the overall package, with almost no flaws in evidence.

Read our full Toshiba Satellite L630-13M review

3. Toshiba Portege R600

What's not to love about this Intel Core i7-powered laptop? Thin and light, but still packing multi-core performance, 4GB of RAM and with an SSD for speed data storage, Toshiba's got a real winner here.

Read our full Toshiba Portege R600 review

4. Toshiba Satellite A660-18N

This is an ideal home entertainment laptop featuring a quad-core Core i7 processor and Nvidia graphics, with a 16-inch 1366 x 768 screen.

Read our full Toshiba Satellite A660-18N

5. Portege R600-149

A dual-core processer gives this laptop enough power for business use, but it's the super light and thing chassis that will blow you away.

Read our full Toshiba R600-149 review

Don't forget to check out our 20 best laptops in the world piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our 15 best netbooks.

And why not look at our other laptop roundups too?

The best Sony laptops

The best Acer laptops

The best HP laptops

The best Dell laptops

The best Packard Bell laptops

The best Asus laptops

The best Advent laptops

The best Samsung laptops

The best MSI laptops

The best Lenovo laptops

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next?

If you've settled on a Sony, then you're probably wondering what the best Sony laptop is for your budget. Here we've gathered together the best Sony Vaio reviews for your delectation.

But if you don't want to buy a Sony Vaio, check our 20 best laptops in the world piece.

1. Sony VAIO VPC-EB1Z0E/B

With a Blu-ray drive and 1080p Full HD screen, there's no lack of multimedia power in this great 15-inch laptop. It's not just good for play, though. The brilliant keyboard makes typing on this Sony a breeze.

Read our full Sony VAIO VPC-EB1Z0E/B review

2. Sony VAIO VPC-EC2SOE/ WI

The VPC-EC2SOE/ WI offers great everyday performance, excellent usability and a healthy features list. A more powerful graphics card would have made this an unstoppable force, but don't let that bother you unduly if you're not a gamer.

Read our full Sony VAIO VPC-EC2SOE/ WI review

3. Sony VAIO VPCF12M0E/B

Combining stunning performance, great usability and HD features, the VPCF12M0E/B is a fantastic machine at this price. Costing hundreds less than some equivalent laptops, it stands head and shoulders above the competition.

Read our full Sony VAIO VPCF12M0E/B review

4. Sony VAIO VPC-Z12V9E/X

The VPCZ12V9E/X is a winning combination of style, power and chic design quality in a stunning ultraportable package. With Intel's Core i7 technology providing the best performance we've seen to date, this is easily one of the best laptops you can currently buy if you can afford it.

Read our full Sony VAIO VPC-Z12V9E/X review

5. Sony VAIO VPCZ11Z9E/B

The slim, lightweight VPCZ11Z9E/Bpacks a Core i7 processor and 6GB of DDR3 RAM into one neat package. Its discrete graphics card means it's even suitable for gaming. While the price is high, there's no doubt that this ultraportable laptop sits comfortably among the upper echelons of the current market.

Read our full Sony VAIO VPCZ11Z9E/Breview

Don't forget to check out our 20 best laptops in the world piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our 15 best netbooks.

And why not look at our other laptop roundups too?

The best Acer laptops

The best HP laptops

The best Dell laptops

The best Packard Bell laptops

The best Asus laptops

The best Advent laptops

The best Samsung laptops

The best MSI laptops

The best Lenovo laptops

The best Toshiba laptops

Though computers continue to get more and more powerful, there's usually even more performance that can be squeezed out of them by those with the skills and determination.

Whether it's for the extra frames per second in games, shaving time off a video encode or just for the fun of it, overclocking is serious business.

However, it can be a bit daunting if you don't know where to start. That's why we've compiled our tutorials for overclocking just about everything into this one handy guide.

Best overclocking software: 15 top apps

Though the hardcore overclocker may swear to use only BIOS settings, for those just getting into it, it's easier (and safer) to use a dedicated piece of software without leaving Windows. Everyone should be able to find one that suits them with our list of 15.

Read Best overclocking software: 15 top apps

How to overclock your graphics card

It's slightly more complicated than overclocking a CPU, but there are still some juicy performance gains to be had with a bit of effort and the knowledge in our guide.

Read How to overclock your graphics card

How to overclock your AMD CPU

Though Intel currently holds the performance crown, write AMD's processors off at your peril – especially if you're interested in overclocking. AMD's Black Edition CPUs in particular offer a huge amount of performance headroom, and we'll show how to make the most of it.

Read How to overclock your AMD CPU

How to overclock your Intel CPU

If you've got an an older Core 2 processor and you want some extra performance without splashing out for a new CPU, we can help – and Core i5 and i7 users will find some tips, too.

Read How to overclock your Intel CPU

How to overclock DDR3 RAM

The performance gains from overclocking your RAM aren't as dramatic as what you can get from your processor or graphics card, but that doesn't mean your memory should be ignored – "Because I can" is as good a reason as any to get tweaking.

Read How to overclock DDR3 RAM

How to overclock the GeForce GTX 470

The 480 is the big dog of Nvidia's newer cards, but the lower heat emissions of the 470 just give us more room to get overclocking.

Read How to overclock the GeForce GTX 470

How to overclock the GeForce GTX 460

It's one of the most cost-effective graphics cards available, and it's also just ripe for overclocking. We'll show you how to get even more bang for your buck.

Read How to overclock the GeForce GTX 460

How to overclock the GTS 450

Nvidia has brought us a graphics card based on its Fermi technology for under £100. Let's power it up.

Read How to overclock the GTS 450

How to overclock the Intel Core i5

The Intel Core 2 chips were great for overclocking, and somehow the latest and greatest Core i5 chips are even better. We'll show you how to get well over 1GHz of extra oomph from your CPU.

Read How to overclock the Intel Core i5

How to overclock the Intel Core i7

A different architecture from Intel's previous chips means a more complicated process, but no less room for getting some major overclocking boosts from Intel's high-end CPUs.

Read How to overclock the Intel Core i7

How to overclock your notebook

The major concern when it comes to high-end performance in laptops is overheating, but that doesn't mean overclocking is out of the question. Our guide will show you how to safely get a portable performance boost.

Read How to overclock your notebook

UPDATE: Check out our IFA 2011 page for news on this year's show.

Every September, Berlin plays host to Europe's biggest gadget show, the Internationale Funkausstellung (aka IFA).

Our colleagues over on MusicRadar publish in-depth music-making hardware and software reviews, tutorials and features powered by industry expert magazines Computer Music and Future Music.

Here are MusicRadar's top music-making tech picks this week, including reviews of the latest gear, iPad music software development news, and a helping hand for anyone who wants to get into remixing.

Reviews of the week

Beat Kangz Electronics Beat Thang Virtual

An Akai MPC-style software groovebox

Audio Damage Tattoo

Famed for their FX plug-ins, Audio Damage delivers its first instrument: an old-school drum machine

Audiofile Engineering Wave Editor

A Mac-only app that lets you edit, process and master your audio files

Intermorphic Mixtikl 2

A bewildering but superb-sounding generative music app

Plus!

Propellerhead CEO discusses iPad music software

Ernst Nathorst-Böös says that Apple's tablet is "pretty exciting"

Best music tech gear of the month: review round-up

Catch up on the DAWs, synths, FX, controllers, mics, interfaces and mixers reviewed on MusicRadar in February and March

How to make it as a remixer

Alex Blanco reveals the tricks of the trade

This has been a great CES. We've seen some fantastic products (if nothing truly, truly mindblowing) while reports of lower attendances because of the economic climate weren't reflected on the show floor. Getting around the major booths was a something of a mission; the place was absolutely packed on the first two days of the show.

Many of those in the industry that we've spoken with feel they've had an extremely successful show with one declaring that there was a buzz about this CES that he hadn't experienced for a while.

On the show floor there was a real noise about two TVs in particular – Samsung's super-cool LED 9000 series and Toshiba's forthcoming Cell TV, which has so much high technology inside it that it's difficult to believe it will actually be on sale (albeit for a whole lot of money). There's a real feeling that Samsung has really nailed it this year with its line-up and the TVs are nothing short of stunning.

Sony didn't amaze (though we do like the look of the Bravia LX900) but it's moving in the right direction – finally truly embracing non-proprietary technologies in many products (like SD, for example) and bringing out properly interesting products like the Dash internet viewer.

As we said in our piece about the movers and shakers at CES, any overriding theme has to be 3D, even if we're unsure as to how quick any take-up will be. Also buzzing around the show were a whole bunch of Linux and Android-based netbooks with non-Intel processors.

This show really proved just how many manufacturers are deadly serious about providing an alternative to the old Wintel philosophy and with manufacturers such as HP and Lenovo publicly demonstrate their support for non-Windows based netbooks.

Microsoft has been a bit of a loser at this show and the general feeling is that the Ballmer keynote was the biggest disappointment seen at CES for a long while, managing to turn the good news around Windows 7 sales into something lukewarm and fizz-free.

We're getting a bit fed up with keynotes from the likes of Microsoft and Intel that include precious little substance and instead preach Bill Gates' old "we'll have many devices and they'll all be integrated" mantra. Get over it.

Intel won't be quaking in its boots as a result of the efforts of others, but the buzz at CES hasn't been about Core i5 and i3 or Atom (though its new Atom processors are far improved). Instead, people have been talking about those producing other silicon.

Qualcomm has had a superb show with Snapdragon devices debuting all over the place, while it's not been too shabby for Nvidia either – some of the stuff that will be powered by Tegra 2 will amaze. The green team are definitely worth watching during 2010.

3D Vision is still a bit of a gimmick, but the industry seems to feel that 3D gaming will go mass-market and Nvidia's partnerships with several laptop manufacturers and more monitor manufacturers shows that companies are happy to put their weight behind the concept.

From being a gimmick this time last year, 3D is now here to stay.