Group test: what's the best laptop for under £1,000?

The top 5 laptops for under a grand

By | PC Advisor |

PC Advisor reviews the top 5 laptops you can buy in the UK right now, for between £501 and £1,000.

5. Asus UX21E Zenbook

Asus UX21E Zenbook
  • Reviewed on: 23 January 12
  • RRP: £850 inc VAT
  • Rating: Rated 8 out of 10

We’re inclined to affirm that we do believe in love at first sight. But since that initial look was of the laptop that launched this copy, our heart does stay with the MacBook Air. Make no mistake though, the Asus UX21E Zenbook is the best copy of any Apple portable we’ve seen to date, with fantastic all-metal build and signs of the kind of attention to detail that’s rarely seen outside the Mac maker’s design labs. 

4. Asus U46SV-WX044X

Asus U46SV-WX044X
  • Reviewed on: 4 November 11
  • RRP: £699 inc. VAT
  • Rating: Rated 8 out of 10

The 2.3GHz Intel Core i5-2410M dual-core processor and 4GB of RAM provide the grunt while a 500GB hard disk handles storage.

3. Dell XPS 14z

Dell XPS 14z
  • Reviewed on: 16 March 12
  • RRP: £949 inc VAT
  • Rating: Rated 9 out of 10

Dell's XPS 14z could be accused of looking rather like a MacBook Pro. If this was a deliberate ploy, it’s also a risky one, as few laptops can stand comparison with the MacBook Pro's design, build and feature set and still walk away with their reputations intact. Fortunately, the Dell XPS 14z is one that almost can. In all, there's a lot of laptop on offer here for under £1000, despite our mixed feelings about the display. A fine looking, sturdy and fast laptop with an attractive price tag, we've no hesitation in recommending it.

2. Apple MacBook Air 11in (Mid-2011)

Apple MacBook Air 11in (Mid-2011)
  • Reviewed on: 10 August 11
  • RRP: £999 inc VAT
  • Rating: Rated 9 out of 10

Since the company has discontinued its popular white MacBook, the Apple MacBook Air 11in (Mid-2011) now stands alone as the most affordable Mac portable. At £849, you get 2GB memory and 64GB of solid-state drive; another £150 doubles both those specs to a decent 4GB and 128GB storage. Whether you’re a student or business professional, it’s a great carry-anywhere laptop with more power than we’d imagine was possible at this size, yet still providing decent battery life.

1. Toshiba Satellite P750-137

Toshiba Satellite P750-137
  • Reviewed on: 7 November 11
  • RRP: £999 inc. VAT
  • Rating: Rated 9 out of 10

The Toshiba Satellite P750-137 is a good all-rounder, handling all types of multimedia content well, though it might not have the kind of performance that dedicated gamers are looking for.

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Comments

Matt Egan said: An excellent point Steve. Some kind of gremlin in our system there. No sorted.

Matt Egan - Editor said: Hi Kevin Allen - prices do change on a daily basis and, you're right, it is getting harder to find. It's currently on sale for £860 inc VAT from a retailer I found via Google Product Search.

Kevin Allen said: Where exactly did you find this for £830 including VAT?

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