Whether you’re fielding emails while WFH, binge-watching the latest streaming phenomenon in bed or catching up with friends and family on Zoom, a laptop has many uses and, for most, has become an absolute necessity.
So when one breaks or starts slowing down, it is only natural to be filled with a sense of panic. Famously expensive, buying a new laptop can ignite feelings of dread and take up way too much of your time as you hunt around for the best deal.
Then there’s the allure of newer and updated models that will send any technophile twitching for an upgrade. New laptops are unveiled every other day (or so it seems), which makes finding the right devices to match your needs (whilst also sifting through the fake promises of never-ending battery life or lightning-speed movements) a challenge.
We’ve simplified the process by suggesting what you should be looking out for based on your need:
- If you mainly watch television or videos on your laptop then you’ll want to prioritise pixel quality for a true-to-life picture. Look out for laptops which offer 4K and sharp resolution (Full HD or 1080p).
- If you’re a gamer then the GPU (graphics processing unit), will be the most important aspect to focus on. Make sure you get a laptop which explicitly states its a gaming one as that will have a better GPU integrated than a normal laptop. Also look for screen size of between 15 to 17 inches.
- If you use your laptop predominately to work from home then you’ll want something with a long battery life, ideally nine hours or more, and something with a speedy response time (5ms).
- If your laptop is for the whole family or to be shared with others then you’ll want to think about how much storage the laptop offers. We’d recommend looking for laptops with storage between 512GB to 1TB and RAM of at least 8GB. Also consider durability if it will be used by small children or clumsy big kids.
- If you love being creative on your laptop then you might want to think about an Apple product as its software is easy to use, has great graphics and newer models offer 4K video editing.
- If your laptop is travelling around as much as you then look for a smaller screen and make sure it is as lightweight as possible. You may want to aim for a 12.5 to 14 inch screen and anything under 2kg for its overall weight.
So, whether you’re in the market for a new laptop because your old one crashes every other time you try to open a document or you want to upgrade to a newer model with better features, we’ve found the best deals out there with up to 50 per cent off.
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Apple
The iconic MacBook Air and Pro are some of the best, but also priciest, laptops out there. The laptops come with plenty of storage space for those looking to use their device for work or leisure and range from 256 GB to 1TB. There are also different screen sizes and colours available.
Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2023) 15-inch with 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 256GB - Midnight
Was: £1,399
Buy now £1199.00, Very
HP
HP is a brand that offers it all. From gaming laptops to budget options, the brand has a product to suit everyone. We particularly like the new laptops which fold back on themselves so they double up as a tablet. Many of the HP laptops, including the cheaper versions, are touchscreen enabled and have decent sound quality. If you opt for a pricier model you can expect 4K and a sleeker design, ideal for travelling with.
HP ProBook 635 Aero Ryzen 5 8GB 256GB SSD 13.3 Inch Windows 10 Pro Laptop
Was: £824.97
Buy now £419.97, Laptops Direct
Razer
Known as the brand for gaming laptops, Razers don’t come cheap but they are well worth the money. With strong in-built graphic processors, very high refresh rates and high resolution these laptops won’t let you down and nor will our monthly deals on them.
Razer Blade 15 Base Model - 15.6 Inch Gaming Laptop with 165 Hz QHD Display
Was: £1,874.99
Buy now £1590.00, Amazon
Microsoft
A strong rival to Apple, Microsoft has had great success with its surface laptops that are lightweight, easy to use and built to optimise Windows.
The touchscreen feature on these laptops works pretty well while the keyboard is sleek and easy to type on, perfect for those WFH days. The GO laptop is designed for travellers, while the latest Surface Pro8 doubles up as a tablet.
LG
These sturdy laptops have long been a household name and for good reason. With a very good battery life (up to 19 hours), a big screen and plenty of storage, you’ll no longer be hunched over a mini laptop zooming into documents. They may not be the most stylish of laptops but they are sturdy and generally quite lightweight, great for if you’re on the move a lot.
LG gram SuperSlim 15Z90RT-K.AA77A1 15.6” Laptop
Was: £1,499
Buy now £1299.00, Currys
Lenovo
This month’s Lenovo deals are predominately from its budget-friendly range, which makes these devices great as a first laptop for children and teenagers or a good option if you’re a casual laptops user. The Lenovo chromebook range is also excellent value for money, is easily portable and features enough space for those accessing the internet and creating basic documents. We think these are an ideal buy for students.
Acer, Samsung and more
