If you need a new laptop but you aren’t up-to-date with the newest models available, don’t panic. Although we might be inching closer to the summer, there is still plenty of time to bag a spring bargain when it comes to laptops. Whether it’s for low-level surfing or school studying, work meetings at home or on the go, or high-demand gaming, this article highlights a host of new laptop models that can provide the functionality you need.
For those who haven’t needed to buy a brand-new model for some time, the laptop market has changed considerably in recent years. Most new models are now built with no internal DVD drives, helping to remove the bulk of a laptop’s weight. Let’s take a look at some of spring 2020’s most interesting laptops on the market today.
Budget options for home or study use
If you want a great-value laptop that’s suitable for all the family, look no further than the Asus Vivobook 15. This will have more than enough hardware under the bonnet to power basic home computing tasks. The Intel Core i3-8145U dual-core processor can give you up to 3.9GHz of processing speed and it also boasts an impressive 8GB of RAM too – something many tech experts believe should now be the bare minimum for the latest laptops in 2020.
If you plan to use your laptop to watch and stream entertainment on-demand, the Asus Vivobook offers an excellent visual experience, with a stunning 15.6” screen and a 1920×1080 IPS display. Despite all of this, it weighs in at just 1.7kg, which should make it semi-portable in a school rucksack if necessary.
An intriguing alternative would be the Lenovo Flex 2-in-1, with its 14” screen capable of flipping and turning into a tablet as well as a laptop. It also has a 256GB solid-state drive which is twice as large as the Asus Vivobook 15.
Ultra-mobile laptops for home and travel
For users seeking the most lightweight laptop models to take to and from work, we’ve got one option at each end of the budget spectrum for you. Firstly, the budget-friendly Asus ZenBook UX331. Weighing in at a featherlight 1.13kg, this is an absolute dream to carry around in your hand or on your back. It’s only half-an-inch thick too, making it super portable in even the most packed rucksack. A hefty 512GB solid-state drive gives you plenty of storage, while 8GB of DDR3 memory should also power you all the way.
If money is less of an object, the only choice for ultra-light laptops is LG’s latest Gram range. The LG Gram 14 gives you an ample 14” touchscreen, powered by an Intel Core i5-8265U quad-core processor, giving you turbo power up to 3.9GHz. A ground-breaking 72Wh battery also gives you over 20 hours of active battery life. Weighing in at 0.95kg, it’s the clear choice for portability.
The most productive model for full-time remote workers
If you work from home full-time – perhaps for yourself as a self-employed professional – you will want an ultimate one-size-fits-all laptop. One that is as powerful as it is stylish. Fortunately, MSI appears to have designed its latest Prestige model with you firmly in mind.
The MSI Prestige A10SC-030UK should be a priority for you. Arriving 100% pre-loaded with Windows 10 Home Plus, this Intel Core i7-10510u six-core processor powers your work up to 4.7GHz, while a whopping 16GB of RAM should be more than enough for even the busiest multi-tasking small business owner – four times the amount that most entry-level laptops provide.
It also comes with two Thunderbolt 3 ports, WiFi 6, and an impressive GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card. Buying a model like the MSI Prestige for your business use at home is by no means an insignificant investment. Failing to insure an expensive laptop model such as the MSI Prestige is a false economy. You can get laptop insurance that’s fully insured against damage and theft if needed, with insurance terms to suit your needs too.
Latest releases for PC gamers
Image: Piqsels
Of course, we couldn’t put this article together without acknowledging the gaming community either. Let’s start by recommending the HP Omen 17, which features an Intel Core i7-9750H six-core processor – a 10% power upgrade on the previous generation. Under the bonnet, there is also the top-spec Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 8GB video card, as well as 16GB of standard memory and a spacious 512GB solid-state drive. As if that wasn’t enough, your games are displayed on an immersive 17” 1080p screen too.
The ultimate laptop for hardcore gamers would be the Gigabyte AORUS 17. It breaks new ground in terms of hardware capabilities in such a portable model. An eight-core Intel i9-9980HK processor can generate turbo power up to 5GHz. Combine that an unprecedented 32GB of RAM, a 1TB solid-state drive, and an 8GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card, and you are set for literally any game on the go.
Hopefully this gives you a taster of what’s out there at present, but be sure to keep your eyes peeled to our latest news for more dedicated hardware reviews.