Group test: what's the best laptop?

5. Dell XPS 12 convertible Ultrabook

• Reviewed on: 2 April 13
• RRP: £1,299 inc VAT
• Rating:

The tablet mode isn’t entirely successful, but the XPS 12 will definitely earn its keep as a powerful, lightweight Ultrabook that you can use for work on the road or in the office. The tablet mode is really just a nice bonus for when you want to have a bit of fun, or let the kids loose with apps such as FreshPaint.

4. Sony Vaio T13 Touch

• Reviewed on: 2 April 13
• RRP: £739 inc VAT
• Rating:

There’s no single feature of the T Series 13 that is particularly eye-catching or innovative. However, it does provide you with an ultraportable design with good performance and battery life for well under £800, which – regardless of what you think about touch-screens on laptops – still makes it good value for money when compared to many of its ultrabook rivals.

3. IdeaPad Yoga

• Reviewed on: 20 November 12
• RRP: Up to £1,200 inc VAT
• Rating:

We've only spent a short amount of time with the IdeaPad Yoga so we'll post a full verdict along with the full review.

2. Apple MacBook Air 13in (Mid-2012)

• Reviewed on: 9 October 12
• RRP: £1249 inc VAT
• Rating:

This revised 13in MacBook Air is a little bit faster in general speed, a lot faster in graphics speed – if only catching up with 2010’s Air – but with approaching an hour of extra battery life. We also appreciate the even quieter fan. This is the original ultrabook, and with extra details and quality touches it still beats all Ultrabooks we’ve seen so far.

1. Apple MacBook Pro 13in with Retina display

• Reviewed on: 7 December 12
• RRP: £1699 inc VAT
• Rating:

The essential specifications of the 13in Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display closely follow the groundbreaking original 15in version. Reduced size here necessitates integrated-only graphics, as well as a more efficient dual-core rather than quad-core processor. But this choice of components really delivers, and crucially in a state-of-the-art 13in notebook that takes the second-finest laptop display money can buy – beaten only by the 15in Retina model of the Apple MacBook Pro.