Google is preparing to give Googlebook its full launch, having first been announced during The Android Show in May 2026. Prior to launch, comprehensive specifications have leaked for the Lenovo Googlebook 15.

The Googlebook promise is that the best of Chrome and Android will come together in the operating system, while various manufacturers will be making the new models.

From the leak (via MacObserver), we can see that Lenovo will be offering a Googlebook with a 15-inch touchscreen OLED display, Intel Core Ultra 5 power, up to 32GB RAM and 512GB storage and a huge swathe of connections. It appears there will also be a matching mouse.

This outlines that Googlebook isn't a budget replacement for Chromebook, instead offering premium features: the display, especially, is something that's associated with premium models, as is the haptic trackpad and fingerprint sensor.

We also see that "Google facial authentication" is listed, suggesting that it will offer face unlocking and authentication for payments. That makes sense: with the industry encouraging people move to passkeys and biometrics, this makes sense.

Exactly how the facial authentication works is something we don't yet know, but it seems that Googlebook is going to introduce it. It will probably be similar to the seamless experience currently offered on Pixel phones.

The other detail is that the design looks a lot like existing Lenovo laptops, but with the coloured "Pixel Glow" detail on the lid. This, like the HiLight feature on the Pixel 11 Pro, is designed to provide a little more interactivity, perhaps to show when you're talking to Gemini - and something we've seen in previous leaks, as is the dedicated "G" Google key.

Google has previously said that its aim is to bring together Chrome OS and Android elements, specifically calling out the integration of AI in the Android stack - so Gemini will be front and centre in the Googlebook offering.

The launch of Googlebook isn't the end of Chromebook, with Google committed to ongoing support for its existing laptops, while some will have the option to move over to the Googlebook platform.

It does, however, mark the beginning of a new Google platform for laptops and tablets. The focus is likely to be on productivity, with heavily integrated Google services and AI at its core.

That's going to see some unique features, like the Magic Pointer that can instantly tell you what you're pointing at, the ability to quickly create the widgets you want, and seamless connectivity across your laptop and your Android devices.

It's confirmed that Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo will provide the first Googlebooks, with a date of Autumn 2026, suggesting it's going to happen imminently.

What we still don't know, however, is the price.

Building a compact laptop in 2026 is a complicated thing. Spikes in component prices have turned overall pricing into a nightmarish gauntlet. Consumers are now more demanding than ever in an age of AI agents that hoover up computing capacity and browsers that chew up RAM like there's no tomorrow.

I've tested a few of the best laptops this year that already feel as though a last-minute price hike killed off their potential, but I think Asus has just about avoided that fate with this Snapdragon-powered Zenbook 14. This is a great laptop that I think stands pretty proud in its entry-level specification, with a design that makes it super easy to cart about too.

Price and Availability

The Zenbook 14 comes in quite a few flavours, which is no surprise based on previous models, but I've had the Qualcomm Snapdragon X version, which is available to order now, with shipping generally estimated for late September 2026.

That version starts nice and competitively at £799 here in the UK and $799 in the US, although it's worth knowing this comes with 8GB of RAM; to up that to 16GB you have to jump to £/$1,199.99, which is quite sizeable. I'll expand more on the specs below.

Design and Specs

The Zenbook 14 is a familiar machine in most main ways – Asus hasn't ripped up the design principles it's been working from for the last few years. In fact, it shouldn't shock anyone to learn that the Zenbook 14 is exactly like a smaller version of the Zenbook A16 that I tested earlier this year.

This means that Ceraluminum takes centre stage again – Asus' in-house branding for ceramic aluminium, the main material on the outside of the laptop's casing. It's a really interesting material that has grown on me over time, and in a weird way I like it better on this smaller laptop than I did on the larger one.

It's miles lighter than most metal finishes, but with a matte, almost dusty finish that I think looks really attractive in the blue colour of the model that I've been testing. It also doesn't attract fingerprints too badly, unlike most other laptops on the market. This also keeps the laptop super light at just 1.15kg by my scale.

In terms of design, once you open up the laptop, you'll be greeted by a 14-inch OLED display running a 1080p resolution – which is a panel type that I'm really pleased to see at this starting price.

It also has a generously proportioned keyboard with decent spacing between the keys, and a big trackpad to go with it.

The left edge of the laptop houses a few ports – an HDMI, two USB-C with power delivery, and a 3.5mm jack for audio. The right edge, meanwhile, has a single USB-A port. I'd have loved to see an SD card slot here, too, but I'm sure there are a whole heap of people who don't mind that omission, either.

The laptop runs on a Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) 8-core chipset, which is far from the newest of Qualcomm's chips, but remains a reliable performer. At this price, I think it's a fair choice from Asus.

To go with that, you'll start with 8GB of RAM, as mentioned, and that's a little stingy, for all that RAM is a particularly sticky subject right now where pricing is concerned. The starting spec also has a 256GB SSD, and upgrading to 16GB of RAM does at least bump this to 512GB, too.

I tested that beefier, specced-up version, so I can't speak directly to the performance of the 8GB variant, but we realistically know that 8GB is starting to feel like a stretch for the AI age on Windows.

Regardless, the Zenbook 14 comes with just about the precise specs that I'd expect at this point in 2026, and a design that I think succeeds in some ways that other more heavyweight rivals don't quite match.

Performance and Display

How does that Snapdragon chipset actually fare when in use, then? Well, with a 16GB configuration, I've found the Zenbook 14 a super zippy performer that's happily coped with everything I've thrown its way as part of my working day.

That's included plenty of image editing, juggling multiple browsers with a dozen or so tabs, streaming video and letting all of these run in the background the whole time. That's a pretty good indication of the multi-tasking potential that this machine harbours.

I've also been impressed by its cooling, which really hasn't been too loud and hasn't stopped the laptop from getting burning hot like some others I've used in the last couple of years.

Perhaps the laptop's biggest strength, especially in that entry-price configuration, is the OLED display. It's a real looker, elevating this laptop nicely into a more premium-feeling bracket. The bezels are impressively slim on the right and left, too.

One slight downside is that it's only a 60Hz panel, but that's not much of a gripe for regular productivity use, even if it's still worth knowing about before you take the plunge on buying.

Battery life is really solid here, too – Asus says it can stretch to 30+ hours, and while I haven't eked out quite that much from it, it's consistently gone through a workday happily enough, which is the most important threshold.

Sound is also impressively solid – the stereo speaker system won't have you writing home, but it's better than it could have been, and ensures you won't be wincing while watching videos, either.

Verdict

It's hard to poke many holes in the Zenbook 14, which does exactly what it says on the tin – and makes a lot of sense as a result.

It's a great little laptop for those who need something to power their productivity and work, with a lightweight design that's a little unlike the majority of alternatives (in a good way).

It's a shame that upping the ante from 8GB base to 16GB RAM requires such a steep jump in price, because that configuration is the more attractive for future-proofing against further Windows performance issues.

Still, the entry asking price of the 8GB variant means that Asus is neither embarrassing any of the competition nor itself – it's basically exactly the price you'd expect to pay right now. Which marks this out as a very viable option for your shopping list.

Also consider

If you want a Windows laptop that's light and sleek, and you have similar money to spend on it, you'd probably better check out the Dell XPS 13 that launched recently. Its starting price has already dipped lower thanks to an early sale, which makes this design marvel even more tempting.

Of course, to spend a little less and jump into the Apple ecosystem, you could also turn to the MacBook Neo, which promised to tear up the market before getting a price hike of its own. Even with that, it's still a very solid buy for a MacBook that should be good for quite some time, at a price that doesn't cause too much stress.

While attending the IFA technology show in Berlin, Germany, I visited Lenovo at a behind-closed-doors event to see what the tech brand has got cooking.

Amid the myriad laptop reveals from the company, however, it was one of the prototype concepts that really caught my eye – but rather for what you can't see.

The Lenovo AeroBlade Concept laptop showcases a fanless design. It also showcases a world-first design: debuting Lenovo's Active Flow solid-state cooling, no fans required.

So just what is this new system and how does it work? Using technology from Frore Systems, based out of California, this prototype laptop makes use of the brand's AirJet technology – which was first revealed last year.

The AeroBlade Concept, however, makes it a reality, positioning an AirJet module – which measures just 2.65mm thin – over the processor within the device.

This module has ultrasonic membranes that vibrate – and to such a frequency that it's beyond human hearing – to pull air through it, channelling the heat away from the processor and onto a copper base.

The result is warm air, which is ejected from the laptop, but which doesn't require any large vents as part of the design. All of which makes for a neat and tidy design.

The system functions in both passive and active modes, as and when it's required, and in the AeroBlade Concept can sustain 20W+ workloads. It's quiet, too, with a 31dBa maximum output equating to a library environment.

As the module is so thin, the AeroBlade Concept benefits from a trim design and weight as a result – at just 10mm thick and weighing around 830g in this 14-inch format.

So what does this all mean? I think we're potentially looking at the future of portable computing here. A fanless design that can cater for powerful workloads in ultra-portable designs is a dream.

And in Lenovo's product it's a dream that looks ever so close to reality. It's a fully functional working product, after all. And one that I wouldn't be surprised if we see in a shelf-ready updated form in 2027 or the year after.

Lenovo is a dab hand at creating concept prototypes – which is exactly what the PC-maker was showcasing at its Innovation World event, set in tandem with the IFA technology show in Berlin.

Having already seen the future of laptops in its fanless solid-state cooling concept, the AeroBlade, the brand's other laptop concept was a familiar idea – but impressive nonetheless.

Under the Project Swan Concept moniker, this latest laptop prototype is able to transform from a 14-inch 4:3 aspect ratio into a 17-inch 16:9 panel at the press of a button. Quite literally.

That's down to Lenovo's ongoing work with rollable display types, which use the benefit of OLED's flexible potential to its fullest extent.

Here, the laptop is a little thicker than normal, but even so that expansive screen scale made my 13-inch MacBook Air's1 16:10 aspect screen just seem inferior.

A simple press of the Insert key along the device's F-keys row activates the display's expansion, no other prompting required. It forms the new widescreen format in mere moments (complete, for this demo, with an animated swan ).

I can see why this is still a concept, however, as close-up you can see the flex in the rollable display. And there's always the risk of dust and grime causing damage across the rollers and the display itself.

It's not the first time that Lenovo has shown off expanding displays, of course, with the CES show in Las Vegas earlier this year showcasing the brand's Legion Pro concept – which expands into 16-inch gaming laptop.

Project Swan, however, just seems more feasible. It's better balanced than the Legion Pro concept was, for starters, and while the thickness is more than your average to cater for that roll-back display, it's still portable overall – at 17.9mm total.

With each new step in its rollable concepts, Lenovo is clearly working towards a conclusive, shelf-worthy product that you can actually buy. This one isn't that, but it shows yet more progress towards that goal.

So, who knows, maybe come 2028 we'll be living in a world where you needn't pick the 13-inch or 16-inch model – you might be able to buy a single device that caters for both. And all at the touch of a button.

This year, perhaps more than prior, we've seen the trendy-yet-affordable laptops market really pick up. Apple's MacBook Neo was a major catalyst in that movement, but now there are other viable Windows alternatives incoming.

Case in point: Lenovo's just-revealed IdeaPad Vibe line, which comes in seven largely vibrant colours, each with an affordable $699 starting price attached for the Windows 11 powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon option.

While there's no broader pricing options for the UK and Europe at this time – which you can expect will be higher than the US equivalent – that goes head to head against Apple's proposition, giving Lenovo a viable Windows option for a broad market.

Lenovo isn't pitching the IdeaPad Vibe as a 'just for students' kind of option, though, stating this new release "wasn’t created for one type of user". The base Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors will be joined by step-up AMD Ryzen 400 and, at a later date, Intel chip options.

Choice is a clear factor in the IdeaPad Vibe. With 14- and 15-inch sizes available, you can spec up to 24GB of memory, while an OLED display (with optional touch control for the 15-inch) is available for the 'Lowkey Grey' and 'Moody Blue' colourways.

Style is a major component of this line-up, though, as those Pantone-marketed colours tell you. Joining the above pair is 'Dreamy Violet', 'Spicy Gold', Zen Green', 'Chill Blue', and Radiant Coral – providing an eye-catching something for everyone.

Lenovo and its Motorola mobile division have been working with Pantone for years to deliver defined and different colour options to your norm. Beyond just the chassis colour, the option to purchase customisable keycaps can further hyper-colourise and customise your purchase.

Such configurability could, of course, see the IdeaPad Vibe's entry price swell. But as a starting point there's clear appeal in what Lenovo is delivering here. Especially during a time where supply and demand for memory is at an all-time high, which has created pricing complexity in the market.

Samsung has a new answer to Apple's MacBook Neo, and it's aimed at Windows users who don't fancy making the switch to macOS.

The new 14-inch Galaxy Book6 is the latest addition to Samsung's laptop range, but unlike the more premium models, this one is designed to be more accessible. It starts at £799 in the UK, with 8GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage.

It's also pretty portable, weighing 1.35kg and measuring 15.7mm thick. That makes it a potentially useful option for anyone who wants a laptop for work, study or travel without carrying around something bulky.

The Galaxy Book6 uses an Intel Core 5 processor and has a 14-inch 1920 x 1200 LCD display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. There's also an anti-reflective finish to help reduce glare, which should make it more comfortable to use in brighter surroundings.

Samsung claims up to 25 hours of video playback from a single charge, although as ever, real-world battery life will depend heavily on what you're doing with it.

There's plenty of connectivity, too, including two USB-C ports, USB-A, HDMI 1.4 and a headphone jack. Ideal if you regularly plug in accessories or an external display, and it means you shouldn't need a collection of dongles just to connect your existing kit.

The Galaxy Book6 also gets Samsung's Galaxy AI features, including AI Select, AI Cut Out and Note Assist.

AI Select lets you select things on screen to get information about them, while AI Cut Out can remove backgrounds from images. Note Assist can summarise notes and pull out key information.

If you're already using Galaxy phones or tablets, the laptop has some extra tricks. Quick Share makes it easier to move files between devices, while Multi Control lets you use one keyboard and mouse across compatible Galaxy products.

Samsung is pitching the Galaxy Book6 as an everyday laptop rather than a premium powerhouse.

At £799, it's positioned below many high-end Windows laptops while offering the portability, battery life and connected features you'd expect from a modern machine. And, importantly, you get to keep Windows.

With more conscious purchasing now front of mind, and Europe's Right to Repair act changing how tech companies think about designing and manufacturing their products, Acer is leading the way in repairable laptops.

At the company's global conference, which took place at the IFA show in Berlin, Germany, it unveiled its latest Vero 16 laptop – showcasing a new degree of user-replaceable features.

Key to those is a replaceable battery, SSD slots and I/O port covers, permitting users to switch out an aged battery, a broken USB port, or expand storage (perhaps when the current RAMageddon demand levels out and costs settle somewhat).

To assist with making that easy, the Vero 16 even features a visual guide that's physically engraved onto the laptop's chassis – so you can't lose that manual!

The 2027 Vero 16 will be the fourth generation in the product line, offering a variety of improvements over the previous models. Looking to more sustainable practises, that means using more mindful materials.

The palm rest is "comprised of 50% post-industrial recycled aluminium and 50% low-carbon aluminium", while the bottom cover uses "60% post-consumer recycled plastic, and the display bezels use 30% PCR plastic". All steps towards a circular production line.

As a premium product, the Vero 16 is kitted out with top-tier hardware. There's up to an Intel Core Ultra X9 processor 388H paired with up to 32GB RAM, powering the 16-inch 3K resolution OLED display.

If conscious purchasing is a key issue for your next Windows laptop, then Acer has advanced what's possible with the latest Vero 16. It will be coming to the UK market, too, priced from £1,599 (with other regional pricing to be confirmed).

Portability is a big deal in the world of laptops. It took an age for a sub-1kg product to hit the market, after all.

But now Acer has blown that sort of figure out of the water with its newest laptop, the Swift Blade 14.

This 14-inch laptop somehow beats the 800g marker on the scales, meaning it's less than two tins of Heinz soup.

Most laptops are 50% heavier or more, but this Acer addition to its lineup has a "how's that even possible?" upsell in its favour.

It might be light in weight, but it's not light in specification, with lots of customisation options available to get this Swift Blade to your liking.

Chose up to an Intel Core 7 processor 350, pair that with up to 12GB RAM, and even 1TB storage. But then you can expect the asking price to be somewhat heftier than this laptop's flagship low weight!

The 14-inch panel can be specced out as an OLED with a 3K resolution, too, further adding to the premium credentials. It has just 4.3mm bezels around the screen's 16:9 aspect ratio, too.

Inside, the Swift Blade 14 has a 50Wh battery, which is half of the 99.9Wh maximum that's permitted in laptop products. But that's in keeping with the size and weigh profile of this laptop.

So how did Acer do it? Well, the Swift Blade 14's chassis is "a combination of magnesium-aluminium alloy and carbon fibre," ensuring it cuts the mass associated with heavier metals.

The Swift Blade 14 will go on sale at the end of this year, with pricing yet to be confirmed. A larger 16-inch model, the Swift Blade 16, will follow in the first quarter of 2027.

As you'll know if you read my recent review of the beautiful XPS 13 launched this summer, depending on where you live in the world, it's either a direct competitor to the MacBook Neo or miles more expensive than Apple's entry-level computer.

That gap in affordability clearly hasn't come as a major surprise to Dell, though, since it's just used IFA to announce an even more affordable laptop coming soon – the Dell 14S.

As the name suggests, this is a 14-inch laptop that focuses on being lightweight, but it'll still have an aluminium body to ensure it feels moderately premium. The build quality and design of the XPS 13 are both class-leading, and while the 14S looks slightly more generic, it'll hopefully live up to those standards.

Perhaps the clearest hint that this is aimed at the Neo is the fact that it's launching in four colours – silver, pink, blue and green. They all look pretty handsome, frankly, but give you the option of a choice that suits your style.

By default, the Dell 14S will come with a 14-inch FHD display that caps out at 60Hz, but upgrades will let you raise that ceiling if desired. It'll also be powered by Intel Core Series 3 processors, which should mean that it's fairly capable but nothing that will light the world on fire in performance terms.

It'll also start with just 8GB of RAM, something that's increasingly raising red flags in the world of Windows laptops, so it'll be really interesting to see how it feels to use when we eventually get our hands on one. It'll also only have 256GB of SSD storage at the cheapest level.

Thankfully for students and professionals everywhere, though, it will have an HDMI port to go with its two USB-C ones – and a 3.5mm jack, too. At just 1.15kg in its lightest configuration, it should also be super portable for its size.

A launch date isn't yet set beyond vaguely later this year, and nor is pricing, which will be a huge variable. The XPS 13 saw a massive gulf between the US (where it's affordable) and the UK (where it's much less so), so I'm hoping that situation doesn't crop up again this time.

It's only a matter of days since I tested the beautiful XPS 13, a machine with possibly the best design of any Windows laptop I've tested in recent years, let down by one fatal flaw – its fairly outrageous UK price.

Now, reacting to what it probably already knew (that its UK pricing made no sense compared to the US), Dell has set live a really quite tasty deal on the laptop, which marks one of the quicker discounts you'll ever see on new computing hardware.

You can currently grab the XPS 13 for a very precise £769.02, down £130 from its normal starting price of £899, which marks a pretty sizeable reduction and brings the laptop down closer to a price that makes sense based on its specs.

This is classic Dell, in some ways – it's a big enough corporation that this sort of promotional offer sometimes does come along just after a device has launched, as baffling as that may seem. Crucially, in a world where almost every device seems to get a price hike soon after launch as memory prices keep climbing, it's not impossible that this deal will be the cheapest the laptop ever gets here in the UK.

The XPS 13 was one of the most confounding devices to review that I've ever encountered, thanks to that launch price. That obviously means, though, that there were a whole heap of positives to offset the cost, including a gorgeous metal build, and almost unbelievable portability.

It also has a frankly brilliant little display, and while the lack of ports could be an issue for some professionals, it's hard to imagine a better Windows machine for studying at whatever level you might like.

So, if you were on the fence about the XPS 13 because of its pricing (and who could blame you), think long and hard about whether this is going to be the best moment to pick one up. It might just be!

Sometimes even the best tech launch has a sting in the tail. When I saw the new XPS 13 unveiled at Computex in Taiwan this year, I couldn't quite believe my eyes or my hands. This gorgeous little compact laptop was being positioned directly against the MacBook Neo, and had every shot at outstripping it, from what I saw and was told.

Now, a couple of months later, the first version of the XPS 13 is available, and I've tested it over the last week to see if it can match that incredible early impression. While I'm still in love with its design, the harsh reality of the pricing crisis we're all enduring in computing has made the XPS 13 far more complicated to assess than I was hoping it might be. Here's why:

Price and Availability

Dell's new XPS 13 was unveiled earlier this summer, and it's now available to order in most places, with a caveat. Right now, every version of the laptop on offer comes with a Series 3 Intel Core 5-320 processor – which is not a Panther Lake chip; a version is coming down the line with Intel's newer chip, but it's not here yet.

Anyway, here in the UK the XPS 13 starts at £899, a massive chunk more than the $699 being asked in the US (that's about £515 by conversion, just to add to the sting). In the EU, the laptop starts at €1,049, while in Australia it's $1,399.

In the UK, students can get it for £699, while in the US they'll qualify for a $599 price. That ought to quickly mark it out as one of the best laptops for students from the off.

Those spell out some pretty big regional pricing differences, to be honest, and only the US sees a price that comes close to being in the region of what I was hoping for – and, indeed, in a MacBook Neo ballpark. That said, given Dell's proclivity for discounts, it wouldn't surprise me if we see this price come down in sales relatively quickly.

Design and Features

The good stuff is pretty front-loaded in the new XPS 13, in my view, because the moment you unbox it and get your hands on it, I think you're likely to fall in love with its design.

This 13-inch laptop is smaller than the majority of the competition in the same size bracket – it's incredibly compact and skinny, with no major ornamentation or flourishes to catch the eye. It's built entirely out of metal, for a really premium hand-feel.

On the back of the laptop's display, there's an XPS logo, which is nice and subtle, while the bottom of the laptop has a Dell logo, some vents for airflow and some rubberised treads for stability. Opening it up, you'll find a tenkeyless keyboard that runs almost the whole width of the machine, above a nice and wide touchpad.

Above it, there's a 13.4-inch display with impressively tiny bezels. It features a really eye-catching anti-reflective coating that does wonders for the laptop in bright conditions – and is one of the more pronounced versions I can remember seeing in recent years. Above that, there's the webcam setup.

It bears repeating that the new XPS 13 is a seriously gorgeous little laptop – I've found its size almost hard to remind myself of at times when it's been in a backpack or drawer. There have been thinner machines, but I love the decision to avoid a wedge or taper in the design, and it's built really solidly, too.

This quality does mean that it weighs in at almost exactly 1kg, where we all know that more plastic could bring the weight down further, but I still find it to be hugely portable. In fact, I can't think of many recent laptops that would fit better into a flexible working pattern.

Back to the specs side of things, though. That display is a full multi-touch one, so you can swipe and tap if you like, and it comes with a 2560 x 1600 resolution, so it's extremely sharp given the size of the display. It can pull a refresh rate from 30Hz to 120Hz, so smoothness isn't an issue either.

The system is powered by a Series 3 Intel Core 5 Processor 320, as mentioned before, and this is paired with 8GB of RAM – which many people would agree is a slightly eyebrow-raising spec in 2026 on Windows. In the UK, upgrading that spec to 16GB costs a whopping £200 at the point of purchase, too.

You get a 512GB SSD for your file storage, meanwhile, and there's not even an upgrade path to make this 1TB, for instance, which underlines just how mad the pricing situation is becoming in computing.

Performance and Display

To keep going with the positives, I'm really impressed by the display that Dell has squeezed into such a tiny laptop. It's extremely crisp, and the lack of bezels on the left, right, and bottom really does make it feel expansive for the size of the laptop you're actually using.

Brands sometimes talk about "fitting a 13-inch screen into a 12-inch laptop" in a way that can feel slightly disingenuous, but if Dell used that sort of language for the XPS 13 I'd have no issue. The screen-to-body ratio is so impressive here that it really just underlines how impressively light and small the whole XPS 13 feels overall.

I also like the keyboard Dell chose, which is different from the one in the XPS 14 that I raved about earlier this year. Rather than all the keys being right up against each other, this time they're more spaced out and are basically more traditional rather than being chiclet style. I don't really mind either style, but I certainly have no complaints about the typing feel on the XPS 13.

The trackpad, similarly, didn't give me anything to specifically write home about, but in a good way – it's unremarkable but perfectly effective.

Where things do get a little more iffy, though, is when we turn to the XPS 13's actual power. We knew from the start that there would be non-Panther Lake versions of the laptop before the beefed-up versions arrive, but I didn't anticipate the compromises that have been made to get this XPS 13 version out the door.

There's no two ways around it – the Series 3 Intel Core 5 Processor 320 and 8GB of RAM just don't make for as snappy-feeling a Windows experience as I'd expect. And it's certainly a combination that feels like it should be on a cheaper machine. The market for components is absolutely brutal right now, so this might be another example of it claiming a victim.

It's not that you'll feel the pain while web browsing or word processing, necessarily, which does mean that for the majority of simple tasks the XPS 13 will be more than enough for you. It's more of an issue when you start to multitask with more complex workflows.

So, if you're editing image files and connecting external storage, while also leaving Chrome open with a host of tabs, expect some of the multitasking to occasionally feel sluggish, and for the laptop to be fairly maxed out much of the time.

We know that versions using the Panther Lake Core Ultra 7 355 are on the way, and they should be transformative, given the huge uplift in power that chip brings (although it won't have the game-changing graphics of the most powerful Panther Lake chips). Still, I hesitate to wonder what sort of price they'll bring – it can't possibly be a sensible one.

When Dell first showed me the XPS 13, it openly compared it to the MacBook Neo, and at the time it probably had good reason. Even after the Neo's £100/$100 price hike, though, the XPS 13 still comes in looking pretty suspect when it comes to price, and that makes it an awkward laptop to recommend from a specs perspective.

Verdict

I can't remember rooting for a laptop like I was for the XPS 13 before testing it – the hands-on time I had in Taipei at Computex impressed me so significantly that I thought we could have a true all-time great on our hands. In a world where memory prices weren't spiking because of AI, that might have been the case, too.

The XPS 13 is, undoubtedly, the most attractive compact Windows laptop on the market right now from a design standpoint. It's built sturdily and is incredibly sleek and well considered, with every aspect of the laptop feeling premium and careful.

Simultaneously, though, it's overpriced and underpowered. That's close to kryptonite for a laptop of this sort, and I'm sure Dell still has daydreams about being able to launch it with a genuinely competitive price against the MacBook Neo (which also, awkwardly, had to up its price after just 3 months on the shelf).

That context all comes together to make the XPS 13 difficult to judge, not least because its best version isn't here yet. When the Intel Panther Lake-toting product arrives, I suspect it'll be the best premium compact Windows laptop going – but at what price? Until then, the XPS 13 is a harder sell, but still one that's recommendable and might find a cult fanbase purely on its design merits.

Also consider

If you've even half-read this review, you'll be able to guess the first point of comparison for you to consider – the MacBook Neo. Those who don't need a Windows experience will find it cheaper than the XPS 13, and probably a little better-performing. That said, it's heavier and feels less premium, so it's not a straightforward situation.

For those who need the Windows life but are realising that their budget is perhaps bigger than the XPS 13 warrants, there's an easy alternative in Dell's current lineup. The 2026 version of the XPS 14 is a stunner, and has none of the compromises of its smaller sibling – although that price remains stonking.

The latest MacBook Pro models have taken performance to a new level with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. These workhorse machines are designed for creative professionals that need super fast processing for audio, video or AI tasks.

Available in both 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, they feature Liquid Retina XDR displays with 1600 nits peak HDr brightness and MproMotion technology for adaptive refresh rates of up to 120Hz.

Machines are configurable with upto 48GB of memory and up to 8TB of storage, depending on the model and have a battery that can provide up to 24 hours of video streaming.

While these machines attract a premium price for these features, New York based B&H Photo Video Audio have some big discounts to make that the latest MacBook Pro models even more appealing.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro has up to $400, while the 16-inch model has up to $650 off. That means you can pick up the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Pro) for $2899, and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 M5 Pro for $3099.

• See the full range of MacBook Pro models on sale at B&H here.

We're in a fundamentally pretty rancid era for computer tech. Everything seems to be getting more expensive by the day. But if you haven't yet been priced out then there's some real interesting stuff going on. Case in point: the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11, which still represents a great deal too.

Yes, this is a series some of you may know already. But the latest Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X is among the first laptops that we've tried with a Snapdragon X2 Elite processor. This is what's going to have to do battle with not just Intel's new Series 3 generation, but the Nvidia Spark tech that could potentially rewrite the thin-and-light laptop rulebook.

Price & Availability

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 was announced at the CES show in early 2026 as part of the first wave of Snapdragon X2 laptops.

It starts at £1050 / $1099 / AU$2449 retail price (you’ll typically pay a bit less online) with the lower-end Snapdragon X2 Plus, or is £1199 / $1649 / AU$2799 for the Elite CPU family we have.

Our specific review model has 32GB RAM, though, which pushes the price up a bit more. Max out all options in Lenovo’s configurator, including a 2TB SSD, and you can get the “RRP” price up again. But at least it's configurable to your needs and budget!

Design

For years, Lenovo has nailed both the looks and practicality of the Lenovo Yoga Slim family. But the one part we always have to mention is the way this isn't quite as "yoga" a laptop as you may assume.

It's not a hybrid. It doesn't even have a touchscreen – although you can spec it up with one. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 is a pure ultraportable laptop, with no funny stuff involved, bar a near-but-not-quite 180-degree hinge.

Lenovo has made some perhaps slightly contentious moves to get the weight down to a trim 1.17kg, though. While the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 has a lovely all-metal outer casing, the screen has a plastic top layer. It's a dead giveaway when reflections distort a bit, as they do here.

This also means we lose the desirable pure flat screen finish you typically get in a glass screen PC. A biggie? That's up to you to decide.

Display

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 has a 14-inch 120Hz OLED screen, one whose 3K resolution looks sharp and clean at this size. Colour depth is fantastic too. And, as usual, OLED gets you those inky and deep blacks that make movie borders disappear completely in a dark room.

This generation gets a big brightness upgrade, although you won't see it in all conditions. In a normal room the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 will reach around 500 nits brightness with normal content.

Feed it some high dynamic range (HDR) video, though, and the ceiling rises to an impressive 1000 nits. This is far brighter than what we saw in previous generation OLED laptops. It's not going to change your life, though, as there's no obvious way to enable that searing brightness when you're web browsing. It's likely to avoid excessive battery use, and should also help avoid OLED burn-in, too.

Make sure you check before buying, though, as Lenovo sells this PC with at least three different screen types. In the cheapest spec you get a 1200p OLED, which wouldn’t look as sharp. And the mid-tier one has a glass touchscreen, but not the brightness of this review model.

Would we be tempted to upgrade to the top-tier display with glass panel but all the goodies of our review one? Absolutely. But you don’t get these options with any retailer, most likely just Lenovo direct.

Keyboard & Touchpad

New tech and trad vibes combine in the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11. And that continues in the keyboard and touchpad.

This laptop has a more chunky and substantial-feeling keyboard than most of its contemporaries. It’s one of my favourites in this class, and is ideal for long stretches of typing, and for all-day working that doesn’t just involve meetings with middle managers.

You can feel some of the Lenovo ThinkPad heritage here, even if these keys aren’t really as deep as those enthusiast-favourite designs.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 also has a decent white LED key backlight. It’s a standard one-zone affair with two intensity levels and an Auto setting.

This laptop’s touchpad is very familiar too. It’s not a haptic pad, just a classic mechanical one. And that means it does have a slim dead zone at the top, an area that does not click.

It’s old-school, but is still a great pad. It has a quality click response, and a super-smooth textured glass surface. There’s been no scripting to save a gramme/quid or two with a plastic pad.

Performance

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 will be many folks’ first exposure to Qualcomm’s true second-generation Snapdragon laptop processors.

The chip-maker's first generation made a splash in 2024, for their unusual architecture, long battery life and fab CPU performance. This generation’s aim is to take things even further while addressing the biggest issues with the first, compatibility with some traditional x86 apps.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11’s raw performance is terrific, particularly considering how portable this PC is. Its CPU power beats the rival 3rd Gen Intel Ultra Series according to benchmarks, and represents an up to 30% increase in power. That’s not bad across one generational leap.

GPU performance get a huge upgrade too, with a roughly up to 70% boost over the last generation. This is a healthy generational bump, way more than what we typically see.

It means you can run Cyberpunk 2077 at 60fps with a bit of settings massaging, rather than 30fps, and plenty more besides. Gaming power is roughly equivalent to a low-tier gaming laptop, which isn’t bad going given it’s at most a secondary job for the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11.

The one caveat is there’s a version of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11’s processor that has masses more graphics power, the X2 Elite Extreme. But it’s not seen in all that many models as, presumably, it costs a packet. Check out Asus’ impressive Zenbook A16 to see that one in action.

What this PC and that one don’t have, though, is access to the best of the tech that can turbo-charge real-world frame rates. There’s no bespoke frame generation or upscaling tech here, as seen in entry-level gaming laptops with Nvidia GPUs.

Lenovo also claims this processor offers up to 80 TOPS of AI power, matching the figures for the recently-announced Nvidia Spark. The real-world benefits of this are a little less clear than the base CPU and GPU power, though, unless you’re a power user already running AI models locally off your PC(s).

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 also does have a full-on fan-based cooling system, despite having one of these new super-efficient processors. You should be glad about that, though, as it will mean this laptop can operate at, or close to, its max exertion level for longer without major throttling.

As an ultraportable cooling system, the fan tone is relatively low on decibels and higher on the frequency range. But it’s mostly inoffensive.

We’ve also noticed a significant improvement to app compatibility – some apps that flat-out don’t work with Snapdragon X1 laptops run just fine here. However, there appears to be some support issues with the DirectX 12 graphics framework, which has been an issue in getting some games to run, including Resident Evil 5 and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Compared with the class of 2024, though? A major compatibility glow up.

Battery Life & Features

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 has a fairly ordinary 70Wh capacity battery but you can stretch this out to a very long runtime if you don’t push the laptop too hard.

When playing video, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 will last around 15-and-a-half hours. That’s towards the higher end of what we’ve seen from the latest generation of portability-first laptops, despite some of them claiming stamina upwards of 30 hours.

Or, at the other end of the spectrum, expect around 92 minutes when maxed out playing games. These processors may be dead efficient, but there’s no getting around that rendering gaming visuals needs power – and a good amount of it.

The speakers are the one area of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 that isn’t particularly remarkable. While these are decent-sounding, their bass depth is not close to that of Apple MacBook Air or Pro.

Extra attention has been given to the webcam, though. I has a 9MP sensor, typically enough for 4K stills or video. By default it takes 2560 x 1440 stills and video, but you can bump up the photo resolution to a native 3840 x 2400 pixels if you like.

While this isn’t a clever camera that uses high resolution to offer two fields of view – a normal one and a super-wide view – it is a good league above the laptop webcam norm. And there’s a physical privacy switch on the side for the security aware. You can use it for face recognition logins too.

Unlike a bunch of other Lenovo slim-and-light-laptops, this one absolutely does not bridge the generation gap on connectivity. You get three USB-C ports and that’s it. These are all high-bandwidth USB4.0 ports, though, each offering 40Gbps.

Should you buy the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11?

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X Gen 11 is among the best laptops in its class if you’re happy to prioritise practicality and the fundamentals over flashy stuff and extra features.

Highlights include an excellent keyboard, a bright OLED screen (in the top spec), very long battery life, and world-trotting portability.

Our review spec doesn’t have a desirable end-to-end glass screen, nor a touchscreen, but you can spec that. Lenovo offers options in its configurator, leaving the speakers as the only grating issue.

Also Consider

The laptop class of the Snapdragon X2 processor is mostly out there already, and there are some impressive candidates.

If you have more cash to spend, take a look at the Asus Zenbook A16. It costs a chunk more but has an even more powerful processor, a larger screen and yet is basically no heavier at 1.2kg. Its Ceralunium finish doesn’t have the obviously metallic feel of aluminium, though.

For a real hybrid, there’s the latest Microsoft Surface Pro, quietly updated with Snapdragon X2 tech. Its pricing is less aggressive than Lenovo’s, though. You need to spend a few hundred more to match it on specs.

Or there’s Microsoft’s laptop version, the Surface Laptop, which is more a direct rival for the Yoga. A lovely-looking thing that will feel fantastic too, but it “only” has an LCD screen, not an OLED, and again costs hundreds more versus the Lenovo.

There are no two ways around it – the best gaming laptops are super expensive. If you want the sort of performance that can shine on an external monitor at high resolutions, it can be hard to avoid looking at machines that cost thousands (regardless of your currency).

As millions of students around the world head to university or school, whether for the first time or going back after a summer break, though, we know there's a big audience out there who want to save their cash and make astute purchases. So, if you're on the lookout for a cheap (or at least cheaper) gaming laptop for your dorm room, student house or lecture theatre, check out these three options that I think merit a proper look.

T3's Top 3

Best for performance?

Lenovo Legion 5 (Gen 10)

Lenovo's superb laptop isn't exactly cheap – but it's just about as affordable as you can get if you want an Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series card. This one packs the 5060, the standard card in the lineup, but that crucially means you still get access to newer features like frame-generation and more.

These are total game-changers for laptop gaming, unlocking big boosts to performance with little to no visual cost. That makes this a brilliant option in terms of future-proofing, despite a very fair price, and you can also make a build with lower specs to bring the price down.

That said, the state of the market right now means this still isn't the cheapest option – I'm prioritising quality over sheer pricing.

Best cheap laptop

HP Omen 16 Slim

HP's Omen 16 has been a brilliant budget buy for a good few years now, but this "Slim" version is a much newer idea. It's actually barely slimmer than the standard version, but is the default budget option in the lineup now. The starting point is an RTX 5050 (which isn't much of a step down at all, in truth), and that ensures you'll get some great value for around the £1,000 or $1,000 mark.

This will still play games on great settings, especially if you're not connecting to an external monitor, and while it's hardly the most portable laptop on the market, it's very well-made and durable. That said, don't expect to get much battery life from it – that's simply not its priority.

Best left-field option

Legion Go S SteamOS

Okay, it's not a gaming laptop – but if you want bang for your buck and need to keep the bulkiness to a minimum, I really think most students or canny buyers would do well to look at an affordable portable. The Legion Go S (SteamOS) is my favourite, and its price has held steady, so you're still looking at a brilliant deal compared to most laptops.

The only real limitation it has is that it runs on SteamOS, which uses Linux as its base – that means there will be some non-Steam games that can't run on the machine. Still, the vast majority of PC gaming now does funnel through Steam, giving you a huge amount to explore, and you can even dock it to use it as a genuine mini PC. This is what I'd buy if I was going back to school, frankly.

Verdict

Overall, all three of the options we've laid out make sense depending on your exact budget, and all of them are far more affordable than the machines on our list of the best gaming laptops overall. That said, I do think that the best choice for most people will be a Legion Go S, even with its relatively old central hardware.

The display is great, but really, it's the flexibility that makes it sing. Sure, it won't work great as a productivity machine to study on in the library – but if you're looking for something to game on, it's a special bit of kit that has aged beautifully.

That said, if you do need your choice to be a laptop, with keyboard, trackpad and all, then either the Legion 5 or the Omen 16 Slim should stand you in good stead and enable high-quality gaming sessions between classes.

As we enjoy the summertime, there's that niggling background thought of University or college also looming. "Which MacBook should I buy?" says that voice in your head.

Well, ponder no longer. If you're considering buying a new Apple laptop for your studies, then we're here to help you select the perfect MacBook – specifically for your course.

There are more MacBook options now than in preceding years, but that makes each option a better fit for certain workloads, as we'll get to below. And don't forget: Apple also offers a (typical) 10% discount for students.

So whether you need a lightweight Mac for word processing, or a larger option with extra power for computer modelling, here are the 3 best MacBook options available now:

T3's Top 3

Apple MacBook: Pricing and Discounts

Apple has a dedicated Education Store, where you will find all the Apple products eligible for student discount. Any current or newly accepted higher education students can get these savings, as well as parents buying for higher education students, and teachers and staff working in education.

You will need to verify your eligibility during checkout on the Education Store website, which you do through UNIDAYS in the UK. After that, you'll be able to buy Apple products, including MacBooks and iPads, at a discounted rate.

In terms of pricing, the MacBook Air 13-inch model with the M5 processor starts at £1,199 for students. That's why you might want to seek out an M4 version, which was priced at £999 at launch – and can be had for even less. The MacBook Neo is less again, at £599 for students. But the MacBook Pro is more than both those combined – from £1,899 at its lowest student price.

Apple M4 vs M5 Processors: What's Different?

The M5 is the latest generation of Apple silicon. It's more powerful in terms of compute (CPU), graphics (GPU) and AI (NPU) than the M4 before it – but perhaps by not such a huge amount that you need to buy the latest. Both are 3nm process chips, so are architecturally similar.

Where the bigger shifts come into play are within the variants of chips in the family. The M5 Pro and M5 Max, for example, step things up a margin – just as the M4 equivalents do – with far more graphical nous to make light of specific tasks.

Paying the extra for these step-up chips will mean greater memory, for lighter work in process intensive tasks. You'll have quicker renders, more fluid visuals for 3D models. But you'll also have a lighter bank balance and have to suffer more fan noise – as that extra power needs extra cooling. It's overkill for most basic courses, in short.

Verdict: Which Apple MacBook wins?

Let's try and keep this as simple as possible: for most students, the MacBook Neo is going to be plenty enough – and the savings hugely appreciated to spend on other much-needed materials and life.

That said, if you're studying for an arts or animation or music production or computer modelling course then you might find you need a lot more power. A MacBook Pro will handle demands considerably better – saving you time, which is valuable – despite costing far more. The Pro and Max grade chips reach high professional standards.

In between those two is the sweet spot for many, though, with the MacBook Air a great do-it-all machine. It's got ample power to deal with photo/video editing tasks, for example, surpassing the Neo in this regard – without making as much noise or being as costly as the MacBook Pro.

What about Windows?

This list is for the best student MacBooks, noting, of course, that these run on Apple's MacOS software – not Windows.

It's worth checking whether your course would instead recommend a Windows machine for specific executable files required for certain programmes.

The Windows landscape is complex at present, as there are a multitude of processor options, which present opportunity but, at times, disadvantage with compatibility.

Read our Laptop confusion 101: Should I buy Intel, AMD, Snapdragon or what? feature to help with that conundrum in the Windows space.

Of the current options, however, the HP OmniBook 5 is a great option, per our Cheap Back-To-School Laptops feature.

If you're looking for a new laptop, there's not only a huge amount of choice out there, but there are several things you should consider before you make your decision too. You'll first want to decide what operating system will work best for you. If you have Apple devices – like an iPhone or an iPad – consider choosing an option from our Best MacBook guide for a seamless experience across your devices.

If you're after a clutter-free and cheaper laptop, then selecting one of the best Chromebooks will serve you well and is an ideal pick for students. If Windows is more your vibe, however, then now is a great time to buy one of the best laptops from our curated list – and with various manufacturers offering different options, such as on-device AI and better battery life thanks to a Snapdragon X chipset, there's more choice than ever before.

It isn't just the platform – Apple silicon in MacBooks; Qualcomm, Intel, AMD options for Windows – that you'll want to think about when you invest in a new laptop, though. There are many things that can make a big difference in use. To help, we've picked our top five essential features and upgrades to consider before you press that 'buy' button, with best-matched picks for those considerations.

An AI future

Current-gen Windows laptops pretty much all now come with Microsoft's AI tool, called Co-Pilot+, baked in. On devices like the Asus Zenbook A16 (2026), which runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite chipset, there is a Co-Pilot button built into the keyboard, offering quick and easy access to the AI tool and its capabilities.

These AI features include things like turning a sketch into an image, drafting a proposal from meeting notes and live translations, thus making everyday tasks quicker and easier. You can also pay extra for Co-Pilot+ Pro, which will integrate fully into the Office apps, but even opting for a Windows PC with the standard Co-Pilot is worth considering.

Right now the AI feature set of these laptops is at the beginning of its life, meaning it should progress and improve with more features in the future. Snapdragon Elite does bring better battery life, and its emulation software also means it's fully compatible with Windows apps.

Battery life

Battery life is arguably the most important feature to consider before buying a laptop. You could have the most powerful laptop out there – but if you're always looking for a charger, that's simply going to annoy you and prevent you from getting work done.

The latest Windows AI PCs – as they are typically being referred to – certainly up the battery life compared to older Windows PCs, but MacBooks have been offering great battery life for years now, too. The MacBook Air, in particular, delivers great battery life, with well over a standard working day of use.

But if you're not into Apple's operating system, then there are plenty of choices to consider: we've reviewed the Dell XPS 14, for example, which netted an epic 5-star score for delivering well across the board – but being particularly brilliant when it comes to longevity per charge.

Display quality

There's yet another reason to want the Surface Pro 11th Edition too: its display! If you want a laptop that will not only be lovely to work on, but one that's great for watching content on too, an OLED display really helps deliver the goods.

Some laptops come with an OLED screen by default – like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x – whereas others, like the Dell XPS 14 (2026), feature an OLED screen as an option. The panel type, which stands for 'organic light-emitting diode', means that each pixel emits its own light source, for perfect backlighting and high-contrast visuals with inky blacks and punchy whites.

You of course pay extra cash for an OLED panel on the XPS 14, but the vibrant and punchy colours, coupled with truly black blacks and white whites, make for a great viewing experience. It's worth the extra cash, and it'll last you for years to come too.

Mobile connectivity

Not all laptops have the option of connectivity beyond Wi-Fi, but if you think that having a connection when you're on the move might be helpful, you could consider a tablet over a laptop.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 – what we would call a 2-in-1 – has the option of 5G connectivity, as do the Apple iPad Air and Apple iPad Pro. You'll need to buy a SIM with a relevant data plan, of course, but if you're not desk-bound all the time, then it's worth its weight in gold.

Opting to upgrade to a device with 5G connectivity means you won't be reliant on Wi-Fi, allowing you to work on trains and in cafes and restaurants, or wherever else you fancy that has mobile signal. Some workplaces also restrict untrusted Wi-Fi networks, with dedicated mobile data connectivity a valuable workaround – especially if your college, university or work has such a restriction.

Lightweight picks

Not all laptops are created equal. Some are much slimmer and lighter than others, while others prioritise fans and cooling elements to offer increased endurance for things like gaming.

If you're planning on carrying a laptop around with you in a backpack or bag, it's worth considering weight and picking one of the best lightweight laptops – one that's not too heavy, whilst still offering good performance. For a 13-inch laptop, anything around 1kg (2.2lbs) is considered very lightweight.

The MacBook Air is nice and light (1.25kgs/2.7lbs), as is the Galaxy Book 4 Edge (1.16kg/2.5lbs), and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (1.28kgs/2.8lbs). Any of these choices will do your back a favour, that's for sure, especially if you've got a long walk to work or college.

Just prior to its annual developer conference in May, Google effectively announced the death of the Chromebook and gave us a glimpse of what's to take its place.

Googlebook is coming with an all-new operating system and deep Gemini integration, and we'll see models from many of the manufacturers that have partnered with the tech giant in the past. Google even teased a first-party device.

However, now we have an even better idea of what the average Googlebook could look like – and it's not a million miles away from its predecessors.

Both Android Headlines and Digital Citizen claim to have got their hands on marketing images of a Lenovo Googlebook. The former includes a 2-in-1 tablet, too, alongside a dedicated mouse.

The Googlebook looks similar to former Lenovo Chromebook models, although there's one specific addition that draws our attention.

On the keyboard, between the function and alt keys is a "G" key in Google's font. This, it is said, is a Gemini key to bring up the AI assistant at a single tap.

The other interesting element can be found on the lid, with what looks to be a light bar. This is much like the LED "glow light" seen on the teaser version shared in May.

The images posted by Android Headlines also show a tablet 2-in-1 with a similar "glow light" next to the camera lens on the rear. It seemingly comes with a stylus and keyboard case.

The new "AI mouse" will reportedly also include a "glow light" strip and a dedicated AI button to bring up the assistant. It will be 59g, says Android Headlines.

According to Digital Citizen, the Lenovo Googlebook will support several connections and ports, including a couple of USB-C inputs/outputs and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There also seems to be a card slot and a full fat USB.

The timing of this leak suggests we'll see the launch of several Googlebook models soon, which will run on Google's new, currently unnamed OS. We expect to hear more during the 12 August Made by Google launch event.

Laptop makers know it's the 'Back to School' season, which is why you'll find various options available in the sales.

Problem is: there are a whole lot of laptops to pick from, right? So what should you opt to buy? Panic not, though, as our experts are here to help.

First up: Windows or Apple? This might be a choice based on how used to one operating system you are over the other, or it might be based on specific app access – which you should check with your school, college or university course.

If Windows is your requirement, then which processor is going to do the job? We've written a piece about Qualcomm V Intel V AMD and the virtues of each – so whether you need on-the-go longevity or outright processing power, that'll help you decide.

Most institutions now suggest that a Chromebook is not the best match for studies (despite earlier school years utilising such budget kit) and the same is typical of using an tablet. Nonetheless, having ditched a laptop for an iPad, some may find it the ideal match.

All said, here are the best 3 laptops for students this Back to School season. We've aimed for the more affordable end of the market, with one a little pricier if pure power is your must-have requirement for more demanding project tasks.

Top 3

Pricing

Technically, the MacBook Neo is the most budget laptop of this trio. But it's the HP's discount price that manages to under cut it at the time of writing – giving a great head-to-head asking price in the £549-599 region.

The MacBook Air is more than double that for its latest M5 processor version. But you don't have to buy the 2026 model, as the M4-toting 2025 version, if available for less, is a very good alternative – that you should be able to get for £999 or under.

What's Unique?

HP OmniBook 5

While 'being a Windows laptop' isn't a unique feature by any means, in this trio of selections it's that operating system that does set it apart from Apple's MacOS.

That'll be a benefit if you're looking to run EXE file types, with some specialist software lacking on Mac (which uses DMG/APP) – especially for some educational, design and programming software.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite X processor isn't to be sniffed at, either, delivering plenty of power – but great efficiency. So if you're going to be on-the-go and unplugged then the epic battery life here is a winner.

MacBook Neo

Apple's budget MacBook is like nothing else in the range – and not just because it's got lots of colourful finishes to pick from.

The Neo skips the typical M-series silicon for the Apple A18 Pro, just as you'll find in an iPhone 16 Pro handset. But this isn't just an iPhone on a bigger scale, it's capable of running full MacOS and associated apps.

The real winner for the Neo, of course, is the trim asking price. This is several hundred cheaper than anything else in Apple's laptop roster, yet the compromise isn't to excess. For many students it'll be ideal and, like its Windows competitor, the battery life is great too.

MacBook Air

If you need a good bit more power, without tickling the 'multiple thousands' box when it comes to price (that's the reserve of the MacBook Pro), then the MacBook Air is a savvy pick.

Its iconic design is seen everywhere for a reason. It's well built, long-lasting, M-series silicon is very powerful, yet the battery life remains massive per charge (thanks to optimisations that Apple gains from controlling all its hardware and software).

You might find connectivity a drawback – USB-C Thunderbolt ports are all that's offered – as you'll need an adapter to plug in an HDMI or larger USB-A peripheral, which is more typical of Windows laptops.

Conclusion

When all's said and done, however, price is a major factor in buying a shiny new Back to School laptop. And it's here that the MacBook Neo is just undeniable.

If Windows is a must then, by all means, look to HP's great-priced option. And if more power is the demand then the step-up MacBook is ideal – even if the price doubles.

All three are great picks, but for the best all-rounder it's the Neo that takes the student crown. A+

Honorable mentions

There are many, many alternative options that could be included here, such as those in our best laptops under £500 guide.

The Acer Aspire 3 is a great laptop at the even more affordable end of the spectrum. Alternatively, the Dell Inspiron 15 sits in the same sort of space.

If you can spend a little more, then the Asus Zenbook A14 offers a slim and light build, an OLED screen, and powerful Snapdragon X1 hardware.

Rank up again and the Dell XPS 14 (2026) is the ultimate purchase, but the price is significant – likely too much for students.

If you're in the market for a powerful 16-inch laptop, however, then Samsung's Galaxy Book 6 Pro is like the Windows alternative to a MacBook Pro – and while it's fairly pricey, it's undoubtedly performant.

Apple is planning to refresh all of the Mac models that it offers, with an onslaught of updates planned for the latter half of 2026 and into 2027. That's going to include new M6 chips in some models, as well as the introduction of an OLED model that supports touch.

We've previously reported on Apple's plans for a high-end MacBook Pro model that could adopt the name MacBook Ultra. This is said to come in 14- and 16-inch sizes, with the internal names K114 and K116.

The launch window isn't exactly known as yet, but it's said it will be between the end of 2026 and early 2027. It's also thought to be powered by the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

The details come from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, who details that the first models to launch will be the refreshed version of the current MacBook Pro. That will see the debut of the Apple M6 chip, but the design will, in the short term, remain the same.

However, there's a replacement for the base MacBook Pro in the works too, with plans to launch this in 2027.

The staggered launch of what appears to be the same product line might be confusing, but it seems that Apple's focus is on getting the M6 into the hands of consumers, before updating the design to match the new MacBook Ultra. That might cause some who are planning an update to wait to see the new design before committing to a purchase.

Apple will also release a redesigned MacBook Air, it's claimed, which is slated for an early 2027 release.

Both 13- and 15-inch models are expected and it's said that the design "will closely resemble the current version" which some might be disappointed with. That's considering the dramatic design that the MacBook Air has offered in the past and the current likeness to the MacBook Pro.

An OLED MacBook Air is reportedly in the works, but this isn't expected until 2028.

Finally, the MacBook Neo will also be updated to keep it fresh, although plans are less certain. It's said that a model with the A19 Pro chip (which powers the iPhone 17 Pro) is in testing, but given the recent launch of the Neo, it's unlikely to appear soon. Apple will likely change the colour to retain its appeal.

Apple's desktop models are also getting updated

It's not just MacBook models that are in the frame for updates, Apple's desktop computers are also in the works. Gurman says that's going to start with refreshed iMac models, launched alongside the updated base MacBook Pro. It will likely benefit from the M6, but there's no mention of a redesign.

In the future, there are plans for an iMac with OLED display.

The Mac mini and Mac Studio are also in line for a refresh, with the M5 Pro and M6 in testing for the mini, while the Studio is testing the M5 Max and M5 Ultra. However, it's said that the supply situation makes the timeline for these updates less certain. The Mac Studio has been popular with those running AI applications, so demand is high.

That's a huge run of updated models planned by Apple, so to clarify, here's a timeline of what to expect when based on the information we have so far:

• 2026: MacBook Pro M6
• 2026: iMac M6
• 2026/2027: MacBook OLED M5 Pro, M5 Max
• 2026/2027 (?): Mac mini M5 Pro, M6
• 2026/2027 (?): Mac Studio M5 Max, M5 Ultra
• 2027: MacBook Air M6
• 2027: New MacBook Pro M7
• 2027/2028: MacBook OLED M7 Pro, M7 Max
• 2028: New MacBook Air OLED
• TBC: MacBook Neo A19 Pro

When MSI gave me a glimpse of its upcoming laptop slate late last year, my eye was caught in particular by the new Stealth 16 AI+, which redesigned the MSI laptop that I would most want for myself. The new version was sleeker and slimmer, but it took months to get to the market (like so many recent laptop launches).

Now I've had the chance to use the 2026 champion for a couple of weeks, though, and to finally put the Stealth 16 AI+ through its paces. The slimline gaming laptops market is only getting more competitive, so how does this compete with the Razer Blade 16 and Asus ROG Zephyrus? Read on to find out.

Price and Availability

The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ is available now, having launched earlier this summer, and if you were wondering whether it's the machine to buck the trend of ever more expensive laptops, look elsewhere. As the "Stealth" label suggests, this is a high-end option for those who want a sleeker build, and it's priced accordingly.

The Stealth 16 AI+ starts from $2,099 in the US, but in the UK right now, the cheapest version in stock (as linked by MSI's own site) is at Overclockers for a whopping £2,599.99. That's a serious chunk of change, and confirms that the rebrand has made this a really high-end bit of gaming kit.

Design and Spec

Really, the biggest news about the Stealth 16 AI+ in its 2026 guise is its all-new design, and given it had been a few months since the last time I saw it in person, I wondered if it would live up to my memory of its quality. Well, no worries there – this is a really gorgeous gaming laptop, make no mistake.

MSI has taken things right back to the drawing board, so there's very little common ground shared with last year's Stealth 18 HX AI, for instance. Rather than that older, blockier and more sharp-edged design, this new version is way more rounded in the corners, and has far less ornamentation.

It's black all over, in the mould established by Razer's Blade lineup – that being a T3 Awards 2026 winner, by the way – with just some very subtle linework on the back of the display to make it stand out a little when the light hits it right.

Underneath MSI's laptop there's a whole heap of ventilation in the form of bored-out holes, and there's no thermal shelf (AKA rear-end) behind the display, so it's nice and compact for a 16-inch laptop.

That said, there's no point pretending that this is the thinnest laptop on the market, even in the gaming world. It's 16.65mm at its thinnest point, which is still hugely impressive but not the smallest out there, and 1.99kg – so it's not like you'll forget about it in a backpack.

The design is rounded out by plenty of IO action. On the right edge of the laptop, you'll find an Ethernet port, an HDMI port, a USB-A port and a 3.5mm audio jack. The other side houses two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports, another USB-A port, the main power delivery port, and a slot for a Kensington lock.

Opening the laptop up, you get a tenkeyless keyboard with quite widely-spaced keys, complete with colour-shifting backlighting that you can control. The trackpad, meanwhile, is huge (and mechanical) – not that you'll use it for gaming unless you're crazy. Usefully, the power key in that keyboard doubles as a fingerprint scanner.

The keyboard is flanked by stereo speakers under grilles, and above that is the display – and while I'll get to how it performs in a bit, the specs tell a lot of the story.

It's a 16-inch OLED panel, at 2500x1600 resolution with a refresh rate of 240Hz, and has a glossy finish. It actually underlines how nice and compact the design of the laptop is overall, since it looks massive in the frame that it's set into. Above the display is a 1080p (at 30fps) webcam with a mechanical privacy shutter.

What you get under the hood in that relatively slim body is superb, though. The version I tested packed in an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, with 32GB of RAM to keep things snappy. 1TB of SSD space is no longer the insurance it used to be, but it's still enough for plenty of games.

Those specs are a mixture of largely top-end options, though, and you can start out with 16GB of RAM and a standard 5070 to keep your costs lower (if you can find the configuration in stock, that is).

That mixture of what's inside the 2026 Stealth 16 AI+ and its all-new looks on the outside is really potent. While I can't quite say it reaches the level of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 from a design standpoint, it's really close, and that makes it MSI's best-looking gaming laptop ever.

Performance

As always with a gaming laptop, a nice design gets you pretty far, but if it meant terrible thermals and throttled performance, it would be no good to anyone. MSI has clearly taken care to avoid that with the Stealth 16's newest version, and I've been hugely enjoying the raw performance it offers up in this top-end configuration.

Benchmarks aren't always the be-all-and-end-all, but it's never a bad thing to compare performance in the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, and the Stealth 16 AI+ (2026) treats one of the most graphically-intensive games ever made like a chew toy.

No matter what configuration you go for, you'll be able to find a super smooth and playable framerate in Cyberpunk. I started by checking out the default configuration, on the "Ray-tracing Low" preset at native resolution (2560x1600), and clocked a lovely 94.89fps average with no frame generation.

Swapping over to the Ultra preset with no ray-tracing, I got 87.43fps on average (also at native resolution), but frame generation unlocks wild potential if you're happy to use it. This is the main advantage of Nvidia's newest generation of cards, after all, and with just the lowest 2X setting, I was able to play the game on its maxed-out "Ray-tracing Overdrive" preset with an average of 77.78fps.

That's frankly remarkable in any portable machine, and underlines just how high the performance ceiling is becoming on laptops now – and I'm a huge fan of how open to tinkering this all leaves you for gaming. It also means that other modern releases will be no problem at all, and it's important to stress that dropping down to a still-nice-and-sharp 1080p will free up way more headroom for you again – that native resolution is arguably sharper than you need.

I say "arguably" because the OLED display here is so lovely that you might just want to max out your settings at all times to make the most of it. OLED is always great in my experience, but this one does stand out as one of the best laptop screens I've ever seen. It's expansive, has real depth of colour and blacks, and that glossy screen coating makes it just look beautiful (albeit while restricting its usefulness in brighter lighting).

It should come as no surprise that when gaming with power connected, on that discrete Nvidia GPU, the fan noise is pretty massive, though. This is something that few gaming laptops can eliminate, and it does mean that you'll want one of the best gaming headsets to go with it for better immersion.

If you opt for some mobile gaming without that power supply plugged in, you'll step down enormously in performance. Since it has that GPU for plugged-in play, MSI hasn't included an Intel chip with the all-important B390 GPU, so the nonetheless excellent Core Ultra 9 386H is way more mediocre when using its built-in Intel Graphics.

Away from gaming, though, I found performance to be really admirable. Light work tasks were no problem at all, and battery life when not gaming wasn't too unreasonable. Of course, it's important to underline that for those who haven't already used one of the best gaming laptops out there, they're really not aimed at unplugged play sessions.

Verdict

I had a feeling that MSI had done sterling work on the Stealth 16 AI+'s 2026 revision, but getting my hands on it has confirmed that in all the most important ways.

This is a superb gaming laptop – one that packs in some brilliant power, but also has a design that's mature and delightfully simple.

It's got a price tag that can't exactly be ignored, of course, and you'll struggle to find the more affordable variants in stock right now, such is the demand.

So if you want a great-looking gaming machine with a stunning display that doesn't have to jump through too many hoops to stay cool, MSI's 2026 is a masterful option.

Also Consider

Razer's Blade 16 is the obvious competition here, and I've mentioned it a few times in this review as a result. Razer's still ahead in terms of design, thanks to the incredible slimness of the Blade, but there's an advantage to be had from MSI – it's more affordable for the same spec, which is a huge deal.

That said, if you want a smaller and even stealthier laptop, I remain in love with the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, although I haven't yet tested a newer version than the 2025 model. It's a beautiful little laptop that runs games flawlessly, but it's got an older processor and a smaller display.

Chrome users in the UK just got a Gemini upgrade for the desktop app – following an earlier rollout in the USA.

The addition of Gemini to the browser brings artificial intelligence (AI) benefits to the user experience and interaction with the browser.

The update will also roll out to Apple's iOS Chrome app some time in August, so iPhone users will also gain benefit.

But what exactly does this Chrome update actually bring? Here's a breakdown of the 5 key benefits:

One Tab  

You can continue to use Chrome as usual, with as many tabs as you wish, but Google's "zero-tab workspace" approach means you can summon Gemini via the icon to the upper right of the browser, even ask it to peek into other tabs to bring contextualised answers – without the need to leave your current tab.

The "side panel" to the right side of the page will pop up, negating the need to toggle between tabs, which is where you can interact with Gemini directly – and see your recent query history, as relevant.

Voice Control

Google Gemini is able to operate with text prompts, but a key part of use is with voice. Now that Gemini "lives" in Chrome – via that top-right browser icon, opening the side panel once clicked – you can also summon the AI agent by voice.

Whether you want to summarise an article, compare data points from multiple tabs, query a YouTube video's content without watching, all of this is possible – again, without leaving your current tab.

Connected Apps

As Chrome is part of the suite of Google apps, the addition of Gemini can be given permissions for cross-app context, too. Whether you're using Google's Maps, Calendar or Gmail, your AI assistant can natively look into those apps for contextual answers, when prompted.

This could mean you compose an email by voice, review it and send it to the relevant party without even opening the separate Gmail tab. Or using Maps to add a location to a Calendar meeting by merely asking Gemini directly.

Imaging

Gemini also integrates its Nano Banana 2 model – used for image creation and manipulation – meaning you can request visual results directly within your current tab. Simply text prompt or use your voice for image-based results.

Personal Protections

Now that Gemini can automate a variety of tasks for you – whether sending that email, posting to social media, or even purchasing products – it's also added personal protections in a "pause and prompt" way, always asking for additional verification before finishing a task.

Apple could launch a new entry-level MacBook Pro with a redesign that's related to the rumoured MacBook Pro Ultra. This would likely usher in a new era of design for the MacBook Pro family.

There seems to be a lot happening in the world of MacBook at the moment. Not only have we seen the cheapest member of the family in the MacBook Neo (albeit getting a price bump thanks to component shortages), but we're also looking at a new high-end MacBook Pro, called the MacBook Ultra.

The MacBook Ultra, thought to be launching in Q3 2026, could usher in an OLED display, touchscreen support, a new design, as well as dropping the notch for a Dynamic Island type tool instead.

A report from the often-reliable Mark Gurman at Bloomberg points to an updated MacBook Pro (codenamed K104) that offers a new design "in line with what Apple is preparing for high-end MacBooks with touch screens".

That suggests that the new entry-level MacBook Pro won't just soldier on with the current design, but will be closer related to the MacBook Ultra. That would see the Ultra launching in late 2026 and the refreshed cheaper models adopting a similar design in early 2027.

What this entry-level, possibly 14-inch MacBook Pro is unlikely to get is touch support, and with OLED being a new addition for Ultra, it's unlikely to get that either.

Instead, it seems that Apple will go all-out on the MacBook Ultra in 2026, loading it with new features through that display and showing off a fancy new design that's slimmer and more compact.

Then it looks like it will follow up some six months later with an updated MacBook Pro, with a slimmer design of its own to keep customers happy. Whether there will be models between the two isn't clear, but it's likely that we'll end up with the MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, new MacBook Pro in 2027 and MacBook Ultra in 2026.

It's thought that the MacBook Ultra will run on M5 Pro and M6 Max chips and it's also been suggested that an updated MacBook Pro would appear with M6 in 2026. With the suggestion now that a refreshed MacBook Pro will be launched in 2027 with M7, there's the potential that it's going to get confusing.

This might just mean that there's too much congestion around the MacBook line-up, with disparate chips, so there's every chance that these details may not all be correct.

Gaming laptop deals are a funny thing. It's easy to get carried away when you browse the Amazon Prime Day sale, and to think that every saving you see is an automatic buy – especially if the laptop in question has an Nvidia GeForce RTX card inside it, for instance.

That said, though, the reality is that a fair number of the laptop deals you'll see in the results of a search on Amazon right now aren't that brilliant – with older components or obvious weak spots. If I were going to actually buy one, though, I think MSI would take the crown.

It has a £500 discount on one of its best laptops, and unlike some of the others in this sale, it's a quite recent launch – the 2026 version of the Raider 16 HX.

Going under the hood, it's obviously important to review the components that make this laptop tick, since they're where most of the value is evidenced, and first up is the machine's processor, a high-end Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX. That's nice and powerful, and it's paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti laptop GPU for oodles of gaming oomph, too.

That QHD+ 240Hz OLED display is 16 inches in size, and looks absolutely gorgeous in person, ideal for ensuring that your gaming sessions are as immersive as possible while using the Raider 16 HX.

This all adds up to one heck of a gaming machine, and while I can't pretend that it's an impulse buy, given that it's still over £1800, the scale of this discount means that anyone who's been considering a gaming laptop purchase for a while should be interested.

When I reviewed the Geekom X16 Pro in May I didn't hesitate in giving it the full five stars. The first Windows laptop from a brand best know for its quality mini PCs has an enormous 16-inch IPS display and more than decent processing oomph, yet comes in a chassis that weighs about the same as a 13-inch MacBook Neo.

I also thought it was great value at the time, with the higher-end Intel Core Ultra 9-185H model costing far less than equivalently spec'ed rivals. And that was without its current Prime Day price drop.

You can also order the same model from Geekom itself and get an even bigger bargain. It's available for $1,119 when bought directly from the manufacturer's US website. You just need to enter the unique T3 code at checkout: T3GKX6D.

The Amazon deal is available until the end of Prime Day on Friday 26 June, while the direct Geekom deal will continue until 2 July 2026 – so you have a bit more time if you miss out.

Naturally, if you order from Amazon the X16 Pro can be delivered the next day. There are benefits to both, therefore, which is why I include them.

As I originally wrote in my review, the X16 Pro is a "confident, powerful PC". It comes with 17-hour battery life and weighs just 2.8lb (1.27kg). That's even with its huge 16-inch display.

It is superthin too, at just under 7mm at its thinnest point, and only 11mm at its thickest. While the display is excellent, with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution.

There are a stack of connectivity options, including USB 4.0 and HDMI 2.0, and there's Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4 on board.

It's currently only available in the US, but I'm seriously hoping it comes to the UK and Europe as well at some point in the future.

Buying a gaming laptop can be one of the most intimidating purchases you could hope to make. They're really expensive, whatever part of the market you're shopping in, and just like any other laptop, they're in danger of being replaced by newer, better-value versions at any moment.

That's one of a few good reasons why it's always worth waiting for big sales events to buy one, as the discounts tend to be really deep – and with Amazon Prime Day now in full swing, a window has opened up. If you're in the market for a new gaming machine and you want to make some impressive savings, there are oceans of deals to check out.

To help you narrow things down, I've picked out four top deals that I think you'll want to know about, all of which offer impressively low prices for well-specced machines. They also each make the Steam Machine's recently announced pricing look pretty suspect, so check them out below.

When Logitech told me it was making a folding mouse, I immediately needed to know what on earth that meant, and it didn't take much time reading the Mobi Fold's press release to know I also needed to test it out for myself.

After all, when you see a mouse that folds like a little wallet or a flip phone, you immediately wonder what it's like to use, and whether it can possibly be comfortable enough to actually feel worthwhile. Well, after getting my sample midweek, I've spent 24 hours working with it, and it's confirmed my suspicions in more than one way.

The Mobi Fold is a fascinating bit of design. When you unbox it, you'll find it already unfolded, looking much like a mouse but with much of its bulk missing. It sits on your desk like a little hill, and only when you lift it out can you see how easy it is to snap it shut.

Doing so powers it down, so flipping it shut is basically the power switch. You can pair it with Logitech's included dongle for the best connection, but it also has Bluetooth and can swap between three devices with a button press near its sensor.

Actually getting into some regular use with the Mobi Fold, though, its design immediately raises some obstacles. My daily work mouse is the Logitech MX Master 4, so I'm used to good ergonomics, and the Mobi Fold has basically none to offer. It's flat and narrow, and my two outer fingers end up dangling over it onto the desk as I use it.

Because of the open space beneath it when it's unfolded, I also end up clawing around it a little, and that just isn't too comfortable. The main mouse buttons are very solid, thankfully, with good clickiness and travel, but the scroll wheel between them is far from ideal.

To keep that surface flat, it's a touch-sensitive system, and I found it a little stilted and not too fluid. It's miles worse than a mechanical wheel, and because of the mouse's design, there are also no extra buttons to speak of (like a forward or back toggle, for instance).

Using the mouse all day, I've been struck by its limitations pretty constantly, but Logitech obviously intends it for quite a niche audience. After all, at £70 it's far from a really affordable option, and a top-end MX Master 4 is only £40 right now on Amazon – step down to the older but still phenomenal Master 3S, and you might end up paying similar money.

With that comparison in mind, the sole advantage the Mobi Fold offers is its portability, which is extremely impressive. Is it so much better than one of Logitech's already small, much cheaper devices, like the Pebble Mouse 2 M350s, which is literally £15 direct from Logitech right now? No – in fact, it's worse. Yes, it's smaller in your bag and can be pocketed more easily, but in every other way, I'd rather have the cheaper mouse (having used it a decent amount, too).

This means the Mobi Fold ends up being a classic case for that famous Jurassic Park quote: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." Logitech made a folding mouse, and from a technical standpoint, that's hugely impressive, sturdy and solid as it feels in the hand.

Separately, though, Logitech was already making the best productivity mouse in the world, and that obvious comparison means the Mobi Fold looks more like an experiment than it does a device I'd ever recommend to anyone.

There are rumours that Apple could be planning to announce a MacBook Ultra, a premium tier device that sits above the MacBook Pro and offers something we've not seen in Apple's laptops before – a touchscreen OLED display.

With WWDC 2026 came the announcement of Apple's next macOS software, called Golden Gate. That new software has been released in beta and it contains an interesting new function – full touch support for a Mac via Sidecar.

Previously, with macOS 26, you could only control your Mac on iPad using a mouse or trackpad – ie., it behaved in the same way as it did on your actual Mac. That's now different in macOS 27, pointing to Apple implementing full touch support across macOS.

This was discovered by @BLCNYY on X, who shared a video of the touch support in action after accessing the macOS 27 beta (via Notebookcheck).

As with rumours about Apple's iPhone Ultra, this isn't an absolute confirmation of Apple launching a touchscreen MacBook – it's more the case of showcasing software support for something we expect to happen. It might simply be that Apple decided to add touch controls via Sidecar.

But, that doesn't account for other pointers we have towards a new touchscreen MacBook. We've previously reported that Samsung Display is expected to ship OLED screens to Apple for the new MacBook in July, in 14.3- and 16.3-inch sizes.

That's on top of previous confirmation that Apple is creating an Ultra tier of devices, as well as other Apple plans from Mark Gurman, one of the most reliable leakers of Apple's future products.

The idea of a touchscreen MacBook was shot down in 2010, with Steve Jobs saying during the launch of Mac OS X Lion that it wasn't a good experience: "We've done tons of user testing on this and it turns out it doesn't work. Touch surfaces don't want to be vertical… it's ergonomically terrible".

But the assumption that Jobs had made was that you're using touch a lot of the time. I have a Windows laptop that supports touch and I don't use it often, but I can't imagine it not being there.

I use it for ad hoc interactions, for casual things. It's not a replacement for the keyboard or trackpad, but sometimes, I just want to tap – especially when I'm showing someone else something on the screen.

The introduction of touch to the Mac would open up a whole new world of opportunities for users and for some, that might be the incentive to move to the MacBook Ultra.

Just make sure that if it does happen, you have your Apple Polishing Cloth to hand.

I'm not going to sit here and pretend that Logitech's new mouse is the smallest I've ever seen, or the most portable – but it is undeniably a first in one big, obvious way: it folds. That's a feature that makes almost no sense when just written down, but if you check out the header image at the top of this piece, and the product image a little further down, it might start to clarify for you.

The Logitech Mobi Fold is basically an ultra-portable, slimline mouse that has a big folding hinge in the middle of it. When you're not using it, it can fold up clamshell-style, like a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, and with pretty similar dimensions, to be honest.

The mouse comes with one of Logitech's Bolt USB receivers to let you connect it to just about any device (including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and more). It also has Bluetooth, though, like almost any Logitech mouse, as an easy backup alternative.

Also consistent with other Logitech devices is outstanding battery life – rated at up to 30 days on a charge with normal use, and with 22 hours of use coming from just a single minute of charging. That last stat is fairly remarkable, obviously.

Of course, as those who moved early on folding phones can attest to, hinges are a failure point, so Logitech's keen to point out that this one should last for up to 15 years, and has been drop-tested and is dust-resistant. That's reassuring, albeit I haven't had my hands on one to test quite yet.

The part I'm probably most curious about is the scroll wheel, which is a touch area rather than a mechanical system, to keep the mouse super compact. We'll see how that works, although Apple's Magic Mouse has long proved that it can be satisfying when properly engineered.

The Mobi Fold should come out later this month, and is priced at $79.99/€79.99/£69.99. That's far from the bargain basement, of course, and suggests that Logitech thinks plenty of people will value its portability highly enough to make it worth spending a decent chunk on it. We'll see what I make of that very soon.

Plans for the next-gen MacBook Ultra have been revealed, detailing that it could use a hybrid OLED display, with the release expected in Q3 2026, likely October.

Rumours about MacBook Ultra have been floating around for some time. After a flurry of releases that gave us updated MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines – and introduced the MacBook Neo – Apple could have something even bigger in store.

The details come from analyst firm Omdia, talking about the rise in OLED display shipments for laptop use. In the report, it says that Samsung Display will provide the panels from July, lining up a launch later in the year.

Apple hasn't used OLED for its laptops so far, instead opting for Mini-LED. The report says that Apple will use "oxide TFT and RGB tandem OLED technology", which sounds like it will be similar to the display in the iPad Pro.

The aim will be to provide power efficiency, without losing the high brightness that Mini-LED offers. While OLED's self-emissive properties mean greater light control and the elimination of blooming, maintaining high brightness will be the challenge here.

But the MacBook Ultra might offer more: it could debut touchscreen onto the MacBook line for the first time, about a decade after the rest of the market. Apple has long maintained that touch doesn't fit on a laptop (despite the ill-fated Touch Bar), but rumours point to a significant shift in policy.

It's hard not to point out the irony in calling it the MacBook Ultra, if it's then the only model that supports touch, a feature the company has avoided for so long. It's expected that this model will sit above current M5 Pro and M5 Max model, and might also see the debut of the new M6 chip.

The Ultra name is expected to be introduced across Apple products, with the iPhone Ultra the anticipated name for the folding phone. We could also see an iPad Ultra and AirPods Ultra in the future to create a new super class of Apple devices.

According to 9to5Mac, the new MacBook Ultra could come in 14.3 and 16.3-inch sizes, while the new panel might allow for slimmer packaging than the Mini-LED panels in the current Pro models.

By the end of 2026, Apple could have effectively topped and tailed its MacBook line, with the Neo at the bottom and Ultra at the top, providing a wider choice of models and price points than ever before.

Last week Ferrari made its biggest announcement in years: its first electric car is the Ferrari Luce EV. But the general public reaction might be best summed up in a single word: yikes.

If people weren’t complaining about the very concept of an electric Ferrari, they were aghast at the design. And to be fair, the Luce EV wasn’t designed by Ferrari’s usual team – but one headed up by former head guff huffer at Apple, Jony Ive.

Given that the Luce EV costs £450,000 / $640,000, it’s fair to say it relies on that classic Ferrari desirability. It may not have enough of it though.

Weirder still, I actually think this just-announced HP laptop may have more of that special tangy Ferrari sauce than the auto-maker's new electric car.

And that’s not actually as mad as it sounds, as this PC was made in collaboration with Ferrari Design Studio, not the chap that gave us the cute and colourful iMac from the late ’90s – much as we bloody love those things.

This is the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC, a laptop that has been in the works for around two years. The aim was to combine all of HP’s practical know-how and as much Ferrari flavour and design sensibility as possible to make one of the most desirable ultraportable laptops of all time.

HP and the Ferrari Design Studio have gone all-out with this one, and I'm not even talking about the specs here. There’s an excessive attention to detail that frankly goes far beyond what separates a bad laptop from a good one.

But then you need to get excessive when you’re talking about the rarefied air of an almost $6,000 laptop (that's circa £4,500 by conversion) where part of the appeal is it’s only made in a run of 4999 – mirroring Ferrari's cars.

So, have the teams pulled it off? I went to see this fancy new HP x Ferrari laptop collab – which, by the way, is called the 'HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC' – to find out.

Haptic touchpad: Ferrari style

The centrepiece of external design from the user’s view is the expanse below the keyboard. It’s a blank and at the same time completely eye-catching piece of textured glass with a sub-surface foil finish layer that shimmers as it catches the light. The idea is that it evokes the finish of one of Ferrari’s shinier cars, like the Scuderia.

You’ll notice there is no outline of a touchpad here, but there is one here nevertheless. It’s because the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC has a haptic pad, which uses a motor to emulate the feel of a mechanical clicker. But there’s no need for any actual motion.

These kind of invisible pads have proved pretty controversial in the past, notably in laptops like the Dell XPS 13. Here, though, HP uses a light bar in the Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC that subtly shows you where the lateral borders of the pad are. Neat, right?

However, the really eye-catching stuff is found on the underside of the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC. That’s right, the bit you never really look at.

Functional minimalism meets pure excess

There’s a lot going on down here. We have a great mass of carbon fibre composite below an oversize viewing window that lets you see a bunch of the internal components, including the fan system and cooling pipes. It’s all based on the exposed engine bay design of Ferrari performance cars.

And from a laptop-reviewer’s perspective, the really unusual part is what this is made of, and how HP hasn’t jammed all sorts of plastic or composite seams and bars between these panels. That viewing window? It’s a single piece of Corning Gorilla Glass in which 2000 holes – not all of the same size, by the way – are drilled in order to allow for air intake.

In the everyday world of laptop design, you tend to use more forgiving, or at least cheaper, materials for these more intricate parts. But the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC isn’t about that life.

Just check out some of the other charming but ultimately unnecessary-from-a-practical-perspective bits down here. There’s the unique number out of 4999 of your laptop stamped on the cooling pipe, which is of course also Ferrari red.

A mini-map of Ferrari’s private Fiorano test track is printed on a heat shield, alongside the coordinates for the Ferrari workshop. The HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC is packed with evidence of both quiet and loud excess.

There’s more of this around the back too, where the heat outlet is a single piece of machined aluminium inspired by the Ferrari F76 “virtual” hypercar.

The funny part is it’s more real than the actual car, which was a purely digital 2025 project made in service to an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) – and as such has long since been consigned to the dustbin zone of Ferrari history in our minds.

Ferrari laptop: Specs and substance

One of the parts that may surprise when you take a closer look at this laptop is how “quiet” the Ferrari branding really is here. There’s the classic Cavallino Rampante ('little prancing horse', as it translates) logo on the bottom, and another small one that half blends into the corner of the rest below the keyboard.

The lid? You’ll only find HP up there. The HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC is a strangely humble show-off.

But let’s get to some more of the substance, not only because I've actually had a try of this exclusive laptop, but because some of the best stuff is here too.

First up, the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC has a great keyboard, with more key travel than an Apple MacBook. It even uses Ferrari’s own font on those keycaps.

Taking a pinch (and thankfully only a pinch) of inspiration from gaming laptops, the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC also has per-key lighting. You guessed it, they are red by default, but you can pick any colour combo you like, including some of those more obnoxious LED animations you’ll recognise if you’ve ever owned a high-end gaming notebook.

The screen is a 3K resolution, 14-inch OLED touch display, with a tandem panel design that lets it reach peaks of 700 nits.

There are no spec options to choose from here. Each HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC has 64GB RAM and a 1TB SSD, while the processor is an Intel X7 Ultra Series 3 chipset. It’s no new-fangled Nvidia Spark or Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite – both fresh off the start line – but is another area where the HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC is more classic in its bones, for all its other flashy parts.

The weight is telling too. At 1.382kg, HP and the Ferrari Design Studio have clearly not obsessively spent months shaving off every possible gramme. It’s light enough for ultraportable use, easily. But the focus seems to be on looking and feeling the best, not to lower weight for a more impressive-looking spec list – and that’s no bad thing.

The HP Limited Edition Scuderia Ferrari PC is available from June 12, priced at $5599 in the USA. It'll also be available in the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland. But only 4999 will ever been made – so it might be a trick to obtain one!

When I tested the new XPS 14 earlier this year, I thought I was on relatively safe ground calling it the Windows laptop of the year. Little did I know that Dell would one-up itself this quickly. The XPS 13, launched in front of my eyes at Computex 2026 in Taipei, has skyrocketed up as my most anticipated laptop launch of the year.

The MacBook Neo might be a sea-change for Apple, but having handled and used both, I'd rather have the XPS 13, and that's quite a statement to make while Apple's little fanless wonder impresses testers left, right and centre.

Dell teased the XPS 13 back at CES, with a prototype unit that it wasn't letting people really get hands-on with. Now, though, the laptop's here and ready – it should launch in its default configuration later this month, with more customisable options to follow.

Even without those upgraded SKUs, though, the base-level XPS 13 might just be the best-value Windows laptop I've seen in ages. That's not just because of its specs, which are extremely solid, but because of the superb design work that's evident in its every curve.

Apple was rightly lauded for sticking with an all-metal design for the Neo, and the XPS 13 matches it on that front. It's made from CNC-machined aluminium and looks simply gorgeous, plus it's hugely compact and slim. It weighs just 1kg, and honestly felt like less than that in the hand, and at just 12.7mm thick it's going to be one of the sleekest laptops you could hope to pack into a backpack or carry-on.

Dell's demo units behind closed doors at Computex were locked to a presentation mode, so I couldn't do even the remotest bit of performance testing, but they should come in very solidly. The default version will pack an Intel Core Series 3 to start, with upgrades to Core Ultra versions in the pipeline.

What I did get to do was a whole bunch of tapping and test-typing on the keyboard, which is an interesting one. Dell has moved back to a chiclet keyboard, different from the tighter and bigger-keyed XPS 14 and 16. I don't have strong thoughts on this change – I found the 14's keyboard really solid, and the 13's is clearly also great, just with a slightly different approach.

Key travel felt clicky and deep enough to be satisfying, and the trackpad similarly looks like a good one from my early impression. It's not a haptic one, unsurprisingly, and is a lot smaller than the equivalent on the XPS 14, but I'd be surprised if that caused much angst in everyday use.

If you want an OLED, you'll also have to make the big upgrade to the XPS 14, because the new XPS 13 has an LCD, no matter what, with no upgrade option. It does come with a touchscreen as default, though, which is nice, and it has a really good anti-reflective coating that was tested in harsh lighting and impressed me. With a variable refresh rate that can go between 30Hz and 120Hz, and a native resolution of 2.5K, it looked vibrant and impressive, but with limited on-screen action that'll need more testing.

Dell isn't being shy this summer – its blog post announcing the XPS 13 repeatedly calls out the MacBook Neo's specs and dimensions, to push the narrative that its laptop is a better buy. Crucially, we know only US pricing right now, but at $699 ($599 for students), it's going to end up as a close-run thing.

For $100 more, whether you're a student or more, you'll get a more powerful laptop that's smaller and sleeker, and you'll have the Windows ecosystem if it's your preference (not always a given). I think the Neo is a paradigm shift for Apple, but that doesn't mean it would be my default recommendation for everyone, and those looking for a mid-range, incredibly portable laptop should surely perk their ears up at the XPS 13.

That June launch estimate for the US means that we'll likely get UK pricing confirmed imminently, which will tell us more about the regional comparisons to the Neo, but I'd almost like to get out of that mode regardless. For Mac buyers, the Neo is a huge deal – I'd say that for Windows customers, the XPS 13 could be similarly game-changing.

For loads of people, that Intel Core Series 3 chip will be more than enough power to get them through light workloads and study, and the design notes of the XPS 13 make it irresistible. I can't wait to get my hands on it in a more in-depth test when it's closer to launch – the way it grabbed my attention on a busy showfloor in Taipei really shouldn't be undervalued.

If it can stick the landing, then the XPS 13 and XPS 14 will give Dell perhaps its most compelling XPS slate ever, which is a remarkable reversal from the brand being killed off just 18 months ago. Picking which one's the laptop of the year might be the hardest part.

Microsoft has announced its most powerful Surface Laptop ever – the Surface Laptop Ultra. This isn't just a powerful laptop, it's Microsoft's debut for Nvidia's new SoC – the RTX Spark – that's going to usher in a new era of notebooks.

There's a seismic shift happening in PCs that started with Qualcomm's drive to make Windows on ARM work and provide an alternative to the Intel hardware that's dominated Windows PCs for the last decade.

The Surface Laptop Ultra becomes the new hero device for Windows on ARM, while giving Nvidia exactly the partner it needs to really put some impetus into this side of the market. It also increases the competition with Apple's MacBook range.

New RTX Spark devices aren't going to be available until the "fall", which explains why Microsoft's announcement reads more like a love song to the new hardware, pitched as a laptop "for world makers".

My first thought was that it was designed for the political classes, but the emphasis here is on creators. Microsoft says it's "made for the kind of work that does not fit in a standard laptop".

While there's no end to the broad horizons hyperbole, the point Microsoft is making is that this is new, powerful and deliberately optimised – mechanically, electrically, thermally, acoustically – so that power isn't compromised.

It will come in two colours, Platinum and Nightfall, with a 15-inch PixelSense Ultra touchscreen sporting a 3:2 aspect and boasting 2000 nits peak brightness (comfortably brighter than the MacBook Pro). It'll also feature a pixel density of 262ppi.

We're told that it's less than 18mm thick and weighs under 2kg, again, MacBook Pro territory, while it also features a 30% larger trackpad than previous Surface laptops.

Finally, it's well equipped with connections, including USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, SD card and a 3.5mm headphone socket.

But the star of the show – and the bit that's also an unknown right now – is the Nvidia RTX Spark that sits at its core. This is a new super SoC that's designed to handle local AI, integrating a powerful GPU, while offering up to 128GB unified memory.

Effectively, it's pitched for the evolution of Windows computing that supports much greater AI workflows on the device without offloading compute into the cloud, while also offering the sort of power that will probably draw gaming to Windows on ARM too.

Perhaps the icing on the cake, is that a footnote on the Surface Laptop Ultra page outlines that the SSD will be user replaceable too.

Early benchmarks suggest that the Nvidia RTX Spark offers 54% more power than the Apple M5, but is bettered by the M5 Pro. This is just the start of the RTX Spark journey, though, so I'm sure we'll hear a lot more about the performance in coming months.

While it might well be ruffling feathers at the more long-established likes of Intel and AMD, Nvidia’s announcement that it’s bringing its first SoC, the RTX Spark, to the market in the coming weeks and months seems not to have caused too much stress at Qualcomm.

The San Diego giant has been making strides of its own in the PC world for the last couple of years, building up its Snapdragon X line to become a player in the high-end laptop market. Now, it’s launching the Snapdragon C to also take a tilt at the low-end segment, and that means that it’s basically further along than Nvidia, but still very much a direct competitor.

When asked about Nvidia at a media Q&A in Taipei, where it announced Snapdragon C at Computex, Qualcomm’s Kedar Kondap, SVP and general manager of compute and gaming, had a concise and bullish response to Nvidia’s arrival in the market: “Welcome to the family”.

Expanding on that a little, he said that Qualcomm is “excited” about the new competition and sees Nvidia’s arrival as a useful bellwether for the industry more widely. There’s clearly some institutional ego, though – as evidenced by vocal reminders that Qualcomm was in the sector first.

Kondap underlined that Qualcomm “invested early on” in breaking into the PC market as Nvidia now hopes to, and claimed that this added experience has seen it “driving the entire ecosystem” of its chips into relevance. That perhaps tilts a little bit more of his company’s hand – competition is generally good for the consumer, but it’s surely not the best news for a giant player in the sector like this.

Kondap went on to say that the RTX Spark represents evidence of “positive tailwinds for the entire ecosystem” of the PC market, though, and that’s probably a little easier to accept at face value. When the most valuable company in the world thinks there’s more money to be made in the laptop market, that suggests it’s in a solid place.

Of course, given price spikes, memory shortages and stock issues, that might not feel all that accurate from a customer’s point of view, but we’re getting used to shareholders and regular folks having slightly different reads on the tech industry, at this point.

Nvidia’s Jensen Huang does love a long keynote speech, and like any other head honcho in tech, he also loves to keep the tidbits that might actually matter to normal customers until the very last minute.

That’s what happened during Nvidia’s presentation at this year’s Computex here in Taipei – after pretty much 90 minutes of detailed waffle about data centres (sorry, AI factories) and big-stack server racks, Huang got to the extremely heavily-leaked important bit. Nvidia’s getting into the Windows PC business in a new, and very important way.

Huang got to do what Intel and AMD have been doing for years – hold up a tiny system on a chip onstage and greet it as the dawn of a new computing age.

That’s almost certainly hyperbole, but it’s nonetheless a really big business move for Nvidia, which has spent a couple of decades being heavily associated with graphics cards specifically.

The RTX Spark, its first SoC, means that for the first time, we’ll be able to pick up and test Windows laptops and desktops later this year that run entirely on Nvidia architecture. It’s built into a combined chip called the Arm-based RTX Spark, and basically pairs the N1X CPU (the all-new bit) with a Blackwell GPU, with 128GB of unified memory on board.

That’s quite a powerful pairing of hardware, and from Nvidia’s point of view, the motivation seems to be in removing potential bottlenecks where users’ CPUs are concerned. Of course, raising its market value by another few billion might be a side objective.

Crucially, as underlined by Huang having a chip to hold in his hand onstage, the RTX Spark and N1X are going to be in actual laptops this year. Huang had prototypes from the likes of Dell, Asus, MSI and a bunch more, so this shouldn’t be pie-in-the-sky stuff.

While we don’t really have full or detailed specs around power to refer to right now, the performance that Nvidia’s estimating on the graphical side looks remarkable. It says that the RTX Spark is roughly equivalent to a 5070 laptop GPU, which means you’ll get very solid performance from it in recent releases, and it confirms that in a few years, I’d expect almost any laptop to have gaming chops we’d have dreamed about years ago.

What does this mean for normal people? In short, the laptop market is about to get extremely competitive. Qualcomm has already injected real urgency by pushing so hard on its Snapdragon chips for laptops, but Nvidia wading in will make things even messier.

For now, the first generation or two of RTX Spark laptops is going to be premium – think laptops around £2,000 or $2,000 or more. Give it a few years, though, and you'd imagine it'll have more entry-level options to bring to the table, too.

Dell doesn't always bother to do much at Computex, but this year it's bucked that trend in a big way by debuting what might be the most consequential part of its XPS brand revival. After bringing out some frankly gorgeous 14 and 16-inch XPS laptops earlier this year, it's now showing off a more final XPS 13, which crucially comes in way more affordably.

In the US, which is the only place for which we have some confirmed pricing right now, the laptop will start at $699.99, with a student discount reportedly bringing it down to $599.99 when it launches in July, making it only a little bit pricier than the MacBook Neo. While we don't actually yet have sales figures to back things up, most analysts are confident that the Neo is a huge change for Apple, and it's clear that the rest of the industry is moving in the same direction.

While the XPS branding has been around for ages, it's been a very long time since a new XPS could be picked up this affordably, and it's very impressive to note that the laptop still looks pretty gorgeous and is the lightest XPS ever made at just 1kg. It's around 12.7mm thin, too, so also the thinnest ever.

How is Dell keeping the cost of the laptop down? By going with slightly older silicon – the Intel Series 3 Core 5 320 on the most affordable version, a chip that should still be more than enough for most light users (including the all-important student market). The laptop will come with a 512GB SSD to begin with, and either 8GB, 16GB or 32GB of RAM, depending on configuration, with a 256GB SSD version seemingly to follow.

You'll also be able to step up to Intel's Core Ultra 7 335 for a pretty significant boost in power, although the price hike isn't yet clear and could make that something to hesitate on. Regardless of internal specs, you'll get a 13.4-inch IPS touchscreen display, with a resolution of 2560x1600, and a 30-120Hz variable refresh rate.

The big downside to the laptop's otherwise very sleek design is that it cuts down on ports significantly, with a USB-C port on either edge being the sum total (not even a 3.5mm audio port, even). That's a throwback, but also familiar from the MacBook Neo, so might just be par for the course now.

I adored the XPS 14 this year when I tested it, and while there are plenty of major differences between that super-premium model and the XPS 13, I still can't wait to get hands-on with the new laptop. I might get that chance here at Computex in Taipei, but we'll certainly be raring to test it when it comes to the UK later this year, regardless.

It shouldn't come as a huge surprise to anyone that Qualcomm's big launch at Computex 2026 isn't an ultra-premium one. After a year or so of flaunting the Snapdragon X2 lineup at various trade shows, it's using this one to branch out into potentially more important territory – the lower end of the market.

Its Snapdragon C chip is now public, albeit without a huge number of detailed metrics attached when it comes to its relative potency, but I just handled one of the first laptops that'll hit the market with the chipset on board. Acer's new version of the Aspire Go 15 will have the system-on-chip and should be out in a couple of months' time, with August looking most likely.

Acer isn't quite ready to nail down that release date, though, and it's also not yet made a final price public, which leaves two fairly large question marks open over this laptop's name. Still, Qualcomm has said that the Snapdragon C is targeting the $300 price bracket, so we can make fairly obvious guesses there.

That makes the Aspire Go 15 a direct competitor to Chromebooks of years past, Googlebooks of years future, and lower-end Windows machines in their millions. From that point of view, it looks like it has decent enough options to offer.

You get a 1080p display, 512GB of SSD storage and 8GB of RAM, with that latter spec being key to keeping the laptop's price from ballooning given global inflation. It also has a full-scale keyboard along with a number pad, which might well be useful for some of the students Acer hopes will buy the machine.

I gave that keyboard a quick bit of test typing, much to the concern of Acer's local reps, and it felt solid enough. That concern was because this wasn't a finalised machine, but a supply chain prototype – with apparently non-final materials, too. The laptop is plastic, as we've come to expect from this sort of price.

That means that picking it up, opening it and closing it, and giving it a bit of a squeeze surreptitiously, the Aspire Go 15 didn't feel too great from a durability standpoint. There was flex in the chassis aplenty, and I wouldn't necessarily love to test it with a drop from a few feet onto hard flooring.

Still, the likely price really does excuse that to a huge extent, and the real test of the laptop will be something I couldn't get into in my brief session – how Snapdragon C stacks up. If it can run Windows 11 really smoothly, albeit with a power ceiling that almost certainly won't make it a true productivity powerhouse, then it could be a pretty big deal.

Google might be rebranding Chromebooks, but its new Googlebooks will still be restricted by running on a simplified web-based OS, and even with its feature bloat and annoying AI integrations, Windows 11 remains hugely adaptable and compatible. A generation of super-affordable chips that can run it well moving forward could be pretty tidy.

Apple will still be sitting pretty and smug on the £599 MacBook Neo, mind you, with a couple of extra hundreds of your local currency to account for its vastly superior build quality and design choices. I suspect Qualcomm won't mind that vibe one bit, though, if it can shift a serious number of laptops £300 and under. From this first look at the Aspire Go 15, Acer might just give it a helping hand there.

Lenovo has oodles of laptops to choose from at any one time, to the point where it's almost certainly a little overwhelming if you're hoping to pick up a new machine – where should you start? Well, probably not with the Yoga Pro 7i Gen 11 Aura Edition, not because it lacks in any areas, but rather because it's a bit of a beast.

Part-timers need not apply: this is a professional-grade laptop with components to back that claim up, and it can try its hand at all manner of jobs as a result. With a discrete GPU and a powerful Panther Lake chip from Intel, you get power to spare, in a chassis that doesn't even pretend to be particularly lightweight. For those who want a do-it-all powerhouse, keep reading to see if this one's for you...

Price and Availability

The Yoga Pro 7i Gen 11 Aura Edition 15-inch is available now directly from Lenovo, and can be configured in quite a few ways. It starts from £2,299.99 with an Intel Core Ultra 7 356H chipset, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 and no touch screen, but that's not the version I tested.

Rather, I got the higher-end model at £2,599.99, packing a Core Ultra Ultra 9 386H instead, along with an RTX 5060 and a touch version of its OLED display. Regardless of whether you get the starting version or that step-up, though, you'll probably agree that this is a seriously premium laptop that makes no pretences about being entry-level.

Design and Features

Lenovo's laptops aren't necessarily known for their slick designs, although some of them are slimmer and sexier than others. The Yoga Pro 7i isn't in that category, in my opinion, although there's still plenty to like about it.

On the positive side, it's a very professional-looking laptop that feels really well-made when you're using it. It has a metal body and frame that hardly flexes at all when it's on a surface, and a bunch of venting on the bottom, sides and back, to ensure that it gets airflow through it when it's under a heavy load. As part of that aim, it also has taller rubber feet than usual on the bottom, although this isn't really an issue comfort-wise when doing actual in-lap work.

There are some core design notes I don't adore, though, one of which is the slightly protruding area at the top of the display that houses the webcam offering. It has a practical purpose, in that it makes for a little lip you can use to easily open the laptop, but I never love how these protusions look.

Then there's the contrast between the bottom and top halves of the laptop. The lid (housing the display) is ever so slightly smaller than the main chassis of the laptop, making for a tiny shelf between the two, and they're also both finished with slightly different edges. This isn't a huge issue, but it makes for a non-unified seam between the two, where I'd prefer a more subtle joining.

The solid build quality also translates to a fairly bulky laptop. It comes in at 1.65kg to start, but that'll tot up slightly with more component upgrades, and at 34.7cm wide, it's a decent unit to put in a backpack or laptop bag.

Being professional-grade, though, the laptop excels from a connectivity point of view. On its left edge, you'll find an HDMI port, two power-enabled USB-C ports, and a full-size SD card reader. On the right, meanwhile, there are two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, the power button and a camera switch that can toggle your camera off for privacy.

Opening the laptop up, another good decision is obvious. Despite a sizeable footprint as a 15-inch model, Lenovo hasn't played around with a numpad or anything. Instead, you get a simple but spacious tenkeyless keyboard that feels great to type on, with surprisingly deep key travel and height for a laptop.

The trackpad is very solid – I used its standard version with mechanical clicking, but you can kit it out as a haptic equivalent if desired.

On either side of the keyboard are solid enough stereo speakers, although they're prone to a little distortion, as with most laptop audio.

The display comes in at 2560x1600 and 165Hz, an OLED panel with all those specs, the same whether you upgrade to the touch version or not.

Under the hood, meanwhile, you'll get a latest-gen Intel chip, and again you'll have plenty of power either way.

Finally, this unassuming-looking machine has discrete Nvidia graphics, mainly aimed at professional workflows, but that also unlocks more gaming options. You can choose between a 5050 or 5060 – the latter which I had on test.

You'll get 32GB of DDR5X RAM soldered in on all versions of the Yoga Pro 7i, and a 1TB SSD, too.

That webcam is 5MP and has IR for facial recognition, as well as dual microphones for video calling.

The whole machine only comes in this one colourway – grey.

Performance and Display

Checking out the many specs I covered in the section above, if you've pursued many laptop reviews in recent months, you'll probably be able to make a pretty solid guess at how the Yoga Pro 7i Gen 11 Aura Edition performs – extremely impressively.

With that Core Ultra 9 at its heart, I've found the laptop almost impossible to ruffle when using it for my daily workflow, albeit I don't work with video or 3D files. Using it for extensive multi-browser working, though, with image editing and a bunch of downloads and apps left open, it's not broken a sweat.

These Panther Lake chips aren't often in particularly cheap laptops right now, but I've found them extremely reliable performers, in short. Of course, the Ultra 9 chip I had in for testing also features the Intel B390 iGPU (which the step-down Ultra 7 doesn't), so the laptop's also surprisingly capable when gaming without a power supply connected.

It can get playable frame rates in Cyberpunk 2077 with some fiddling (hovering around 40fps easily without looking too shabby), and the same goes for Doom: The Dark Ages. That said, if you plug in your power adapter, the laptop will swap over to the Nvidia GPU you've chosen, and you'll get a major boost, making far smoother gameplay and higher resolutions attainable.

That duality between the GPU and CPU is what makes this laptop such a powerhouse, and a real contender against a highly-specced MacBook Pro, but I don't think people should kid themselves that it's a sensible buy if you want to game. You can get better value elsewhere if that's your main aim, that's for sure, and the best gaming laptops actually have some slicker designs to offer nowadays, too.

Still, it's an impressive set of performance options, and that's made all the more dazzling when you consider the lovely display that everything's happening on. This is a beautiful OLED panel, one that has all the depth and vividness that comes with the display tech. It's also, naturally, a 15-inch monitor, and you do feel that extra real estate compared to smaller laptops.

The extra manoeuvring space for multitasking and open windows can be gold dust when you don't have an external monitor to connect to, so don't discount the laptop based on its size alone. That said, this is one to perhaps see in person before you buy it, since it is a little larger than you might expect as a result.

Verdict

The Yoga Pro 7i Gen 11 Aura Edition (15-inch) has one of the least catchy names I've encountered in a while, even by laptop standards, but that hasn't stopped it from impressing. In terms of raw power, it offers a potent blend of CPU and GPU, in a design that you wouldn't guess has the latter inside.

However, it's far from the most elegant laptop I've encountered recently, and it has an absolutely stonking price tag attached. That means it ticks two boxes at once. Firstly, it does what it says on the tin and performs in the extreme Secondly, you should only buy it if you're certain your workflow requires a Windows laptop with this level of power and flexibility – otherwise, far more affordable options are out there waiting to be explored.

Also consider

It's impossible to ignore the shadow of Apple's silicon when talking about a laptop in this price bracket, so you might want to consider whether a slightly more affordable M5 MacBook Pro is a better choice for you, as I suspect it might be for most of us.

If you're committed to Windows, though, and want a bigger laptop with plenty of power that weighs far less than Lenovo's, then check out our review of the Asus ZenBook A16, with Qualcomm's Snapdragon chip in it. It's almost insanely light for its size, and therefore an interesting contrasting option.

Qualcomm has broken some of its own Computex news a little early this year, revealing the new Snapdragon C processor – one that takes it into new territory by explicitly targeting entry-level, more budget-friendly laptops and devices.

Unlike the Snapdragon X lineup, this chip should end up in laptops that cost far less (certainly less than £500, although we don't have pricing from any brands at the time of writing). It's a super interesting step for Qualcomm to take, but in some ways an obvious one, when even premium brands like Apple have made it clear recently that it wants to make more affordable devices.

The MacBook Neo, after all, is one of the most sensational laptop launches in ages, bringing Apple's design excellence to a far more approachable price for the first time in ages. Now, Qualcomm will hope that it can become an even more ferocious rival in silicon terms.

We know that Acer has a laptop with the Snapdragon C ready to go – the Aspire Go 15, and it's one of a few brands that Qualcomm has confirmed it's working with. That said, it's also keeping its cards close to its chest on both pricing and a release window, so we're still guesstimating on that front.

Given that Qualcomm was already in the process of building out more levels to the Snapdragon X portfolio, though, with some X2 Plus laptops coming in well under £1000 in theory, so it makes sense that Qualcomm says the chip will target "$300 and up" in pricing terms.

In a briefing call earlier this week, Qualcomm spokespeople were guarded but did confirm that the chipset could theoretically work with future Googlebooks, meaning that it could dovetail with Google's big new strategy direction in laptop, so it's really quite a big time in budget laptops.

I'll be in Taipei for Computex next week and expect to learn a lot more about Snapdragon C and its capabilities – including more technical details about its performance ceiling. We know that it has an NPU for AI work, but how powerful that ends up being is hard to gauge.

All of this is great news for you, if you're in the market for a new laptop and don't want to spend much. The lower end of the laptop world is getting far more potent and interesting, which should drive more competition and innovation to come.

We’re less than a month away from Apple’s developer conference, WWDC, where the company is expected to announce its future software releases for its iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch models and MacBooks.

Following a name change last year, the upcoming software builds are likely to be called iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, and macOS 27, and they will arrive on all the latest devices announced this year, along with those still to come. The folding iPhone Ultra, anyone?

Many older devices will also be treated to the software updates. That's usually at least those launched in the last five years, but as is typically the case, a few older devices will drop off the support list. And for Mac, we already know a couple of those models.

Which Macs won't support macOS 27?

As noted by 9to5Mac, Apple confirmed at WWDC25 that macOS 26 Tahoe would be the last software build to support Intel-powered Macs. The new macOS 27 software will therefore be the first to be exclusive to Macs powered by Apple’s silicon.

That means if you are still holding onto a Mac that doesn’t have one of Apple’s M chips under its hood, you won’t be able to download the new software when it is released.

There are currently four Macs that run macOS 26 Tahoe that are on the chopping block, based on the 9to5Mac report: MacBook Pro (16‑inch, 2019), MacBook Pro (13‑inch, 2020, four Thunderbolt 3 ports), iMac (2020), Mac Pro (2019).

All other Macs are expected to be supported by the new software, though we won’t know for sure until Apple unveils macOS 27 and the system requirements for that software at WWDC26.

There are also rumours that Apple will drop support for a few iPhone models with iOS 27. The iPhone models rumoured to lose support are the iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd generation).

However, this isn’t confirmed as yet – Apple hasn’t actually mentioned anything about older iPhones and upcoming software to date.

For Intel Macs though, it’s the end of the road when it comes to new software features. Maybe it's time to upgrade?

Google has just announced Googlebook, designed as a new category of premium laptops built on the intelligence that Gemini has brought to Android. But the company has also confirmed that support for Chromebooks remains in place.

Chromebooks have been something of a breakthrough in the affordable segment of the laptop market, great for basic computing tasks and avoiding the expense and complication of a full laptop OS.

That's made them popular with educational institutions, for example, the very same budget-limited places that might be concerned that they've invested in obsolete hardware.

There's no need to worry though: Google has come forward to confirm that ChromeOS will continue to get 10 years of automatic updates, despite the evolution of Googlebook.

For those with a large fleet of Chromebooks, these can still be managed by the Google Admin console.

Finally, Google has also confirmed that it's going to be facilitating the move over to the "new experience" that comes with Googlebook, which integrates Gemini Intelligence to make for a smarter computing experience.

So, while those with an existing Chromebook will continue to enjoy that experience, fully supported, some will move to something newer and smarter.

At the moment it's not clear which models will move to the Googlebook experience, but I don't think it would be too much of a surprise if it includes models from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, the very same brands name-dropped in the Googlebook announcement.

At the Googlebook announcement – part of The Android Show – Google showed off new powers that will come through the OS, including some really clever Gemini-powered skills.

The platform leans on Gemini Intelligence to join the dots, while working to seamlessly integrate Android, allowing instant access to your Android device.

The launch window for Googlebook is later in 2026, when those brands above are expected to release commercial devices, but there are still a few unanswered questions, like what the OS is actually called, and if Google will have its own model, something it has done in the past with Pixelbook, Chromebook Pixel and Pixel C.

What will be next? The Pixel Googlebook?

After months of speculation, Google has confirmed the phase out of Chromebooks in favour of an Android-based laptop platform.

Googlebook will replace its current portable computing solutions and uses a blend of Android, Chrome OS and Gemini to make an all-new, AI-powered MacBook Neo rival.

Unveiled during The Android Show on Tuesday, Googlebook has Gemini and agentic AI built into its heart. As with Chromebook, devices will be built by third-party manufacturers, including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo, but they will have to adhere to strict standards.

Every Googlebook, says Google, will be made using "premium craftsmanship and materials" – although they'll come in all shapes and sizes. And there will be a "unique glowbar" on the front of each, with RGB LEDs highlighting the laptop.

As well as its own software and applications, Googlebook will be able to run Android apps from the Play Store, but it's biggest USP is baked-in Gemini Intelligence.

Even the cursor will be AI-powered, becoming a new Magic Pointer. This will enable you to simply wiggle the cursor and it will turn into a Gemini tool that will understand the context of where you move to and click.

That will then give you suggestions of things you might want to do with that specific window or content. Point it at an email, for example, and you might be asked if you want to set up a meeting or action a response. Or point it at two images and it could combine them to make a single picture.

You will also be able to create your own widgets through Gemini prompts, and use agentic AI to create workflows through multiple apps in the one window.

There's a lot still to learn about Googlebook – not least its availability and pricing plans – but it certainly looks like it'll be gunning for Apple's MacBook Neo as a student's next best friend.

We could find out more during Google I/O next Tuesday, 19 May 2026.

Apple’s MacBook Neo launched back in March to rave reviews. It’s the cheapest laptop the company has ever offered, with a starting price of £599 (or £499 if you can take advantage of the education pricing), and it’s superb for the money.

Rather than running on the M-series of processors like the rest of the MacBooks launched in the last five years, the MacBook Neo is powered by leftover A18 Pro chips that previously made for the iPhone 16 Pro.

However, it’s said the leftover processors were kept in storage after they were produced with partially defective cores, meaning they couldn’t be used in the iPhone 16 Pro that required a six-core CPU.

They were fine for the MacBook Neo though – the only issue is, there was only a finite number of them.

Why is there talk of price increases for the MacBook Neo?

Rather than letting them go to waste, it's said the spare chips were repurposed into five-core CPUs and put into the latest MacBook, but now the stock is apparently running out. And that leaves Apple with an intriguing decision.

According to 9to5Mac, analyst Tim Culpan claims Apple has revised its plans after the runaway success of the new device. It now expects to make 10 million MacBook Neos in total – double what was initially ordered.

As a result, this will require a new run of A18 Pro processors to be manufactured, which would consequently be accompanied by a bill from Apple’s chipset manufacturer TSMC.

The cost of the previous run of A18 Pro processors had already been accounted for, being as they were discarded chips left in reserve. The report goes on to say that it's therefore unclear whether the price of the MacBook Neo will increase as a result of more processors having to be manufactured – especially during the global RAM crisis.

We think it's unlikely. It could be that Apple will instead have to accept lower profit margins on the Neo going forward – to keep the buzz about its new laptop continuing apace.

Culpan suggests Apple might actually stop selling the 256GB version of the MacBook Neo though, and only sell the 512GB model in the future, which costs £100 more and offers larger profit margins.

At the moment, it isn't clear, but there have already been rumours of a second-generation MacBook Neo so it might not be a problem for too long.

When you review as many gadgets, laptops, headphones and more as I do, you start to notice a pattern when you've been testing something high-quality. Plenty of the time, even a creditable device won't leave me pining away for it once it's gone, since I have my daily drivers that tend to be the best stuff I have access to.

Sometimes, though, when I package a review unit back up to be returned to the brand, I get a pang of regret, and that's how it felt waving goodbye to the Dell XPS 14. This 2026 revision (and revival) of one of Dell's most influential product lines is a superb success in my books, and I underlined that opinion with a five-star review last week.

While it's never a great tragedy to go back to my M3 MacBook Pro, which still performs absolutely as well as I could need it to, I can't help but miss parts of the XPS 14, which stands out as probably the most desirable non-gaming laptop I've tested in the last couple of years.

Sure, something like the Asus ROG Zephyrus 14 has more chops when it comes to plugged-in gaming performance thanks to its discrete graphics card, but aside from that I think the XPS 14 is the laptop I'd most like to own if I was abandoning the life of the Apple ecosystem.

The most crucial thing is probably its refreshed design, which is simply gorgeous and full of high-quality materials. It properly rivals the MacBook Pro in most ways, with a lack of flex or give under your hands, and a really sturdy hinge that can be opened with one hand.

The fact that I tested the upgraded OLED version of its display also meant it was simply brilliant for viewing content, whether that meant streaming a show in the evening or editing some photos for another review. The warm colours and deep blacks of OLED displays are always memorable.

With a Panther Lake chip from Intel at its heart, I was also blown away by the gaming potential of the XPS 14, which can play new games capably if you tune them right (and if they're optimised right). For older titles, it's a genuine option, and I think we're only a few years away from laptops that make separate gaming GPUs look like bad value.

The reality for me is that it would take one heck of a crowbar to pry me away from Apple, since I've got an iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch and MacBook Pro. That's a quartet of devices that work together pretty dreamily in my everyday working life. Still, for those who aren't as bought in, the XPS 14 is simply gorgeous.

It isn't the cheapest option on the market if you want a new laptop, especially in the configuration I tested, but a week after boxing it back up, I'm still thinking about how well-built it is. That's a pretty high compliment, so check out my review if you want to know more about the details of its accomplishments.

Apple's MacBook Neo didn't launch long ago and already the rumour mill is churning out stories about the next generation model.

According to supplier sources, Apple is currently in talks around MacBook Neo upgrades, following its great uptake success since launch.

One upgrade that is expected is to the CPU. The current model uses the same A18 Pro chips found in iPhone 16 Pro phones. In fact, it's been suggested by suppliers that it uses the leftover chips from that original production run. So, now that Apple has seen this is a viable new product, it should get its own chips, conceivably.

As such this source is saying we could see an upgraded MacBook Neo, packing in more advanced chips.

So, while Apple managed to reuse the A18 Pro chips as an effectively free way to run the laptop, future models could see more dedicated power offerings. How that affects the price remains to be seen.

The original plan, according to the source, was to use old A19 Pro chips on the next model. But since the Neo has proved to be such a success, the company is looking at other alternatives now.

Anther consideration here is the longer term goals of Apple. The MacBook was previously reserved for high end computing needs, with powerful onboard processing. But in an age of AI and cloud based processing, that is starting to become far less in demand.

This move towards the lighter and more affordable Neo makes sense to extend accessibility, while also transitioning across to more mobile friendly solutions.

Apple looks set to pull in a lot more users to the macOS world. If it hopes to continue that draw, with the next generation of Neo, it's likely it may need to spend a bit more to upgrade components – especially in the face of rising RAM and aluminium costs.

Expect to here more on the new Neo early next year.

The HP OmniBook X Flip is a hybrid laptop aimed at the everyday buyer who wants a bit of everything without paying an absolute fortune.

It has a 360-degree hinge, includes a stylus for sketching and handwriting, has a metal casing, and includes Intel's AI-ready Core-series processors. There's a version of this laptop line with AMD chipsets, too, if you’re that way inclined (of the price is even more persuasive).

A perfect PC pick ’n’ mix? The only serious potential roadblock here is the more affordable HP OmniBook X Flip version reviewed has a fairly low colour saturation screen. While solid in other respects, it's a ways apart from the step-up OLED version of the same laptop. Consider this carefully before buying.

Price & Availability

There are two key versions of the Intel-powered HP OmniBook X Flip you’ll tend to find online.

Our base model costs £1030 (£799 at the time of writing) / $1299. And it features an Intel Ultra 5 processor, 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD and an LCD screen.

For £1249 / $1399 you get a bump up to the Ultra 7 processor, 1TB SSD and a more vibrant OLED display.

Want an even better screen? While some of this review’s observations may not apply to this model, the AMD Ryzen 7 version has a gorgeous 3K resolution OLED panel, which may be the pick of the bunch here if you want a top-tier entertainment experience.

Design

The HP OmniBook X Flip is a proper jack of all trades laptop that can fulfil a whole bunch of roles. But the first one you'll clock is that of a fine-looking portable PC.

There's a general air of classic MacBook-style minimalism here, but the distinctive keyboard gives it a thoroughly different aftertaste. Brush your fingers over the keyboard surface and it feels almost smooth, with just the tiniest gaps between the keys, and no contouring.

The entire outer shell is nicely anodised aluminium, for a feel as pleasant as the appearance. And while all that metal leads to unremarkable ultraportable weight of 1.39kg, sometimes that extra-metallic character is worth it.

This is also a style of laptop that doesn’t generally benefit from super-low weight, the hybrid. The HP OmniBook X Flip has a 360-degree hinge, for tablet or tent-style use.

The hinge is decent, although as with many hybrid laptops you may notice a bit more micro-wobble when you type away, with reflections on the glossy screen (which obviously make slight wobble far more apparent).

The relatively unadorned style of the HP OmniBook X Flip will let it slide effortlessly into roles as an exec PC, a family computer or a coffee shop-hopper. And it also has an attractive edge-to-edge glass top display layer.

Display

When you shop for a HP OmniBook X Flip screen, tech is a crucial element you need to take into account. It's available with two screen types, and there's a big gap between them.

I have the lower-end one, so we're working with a "worst-case scenario" at least. This is a 14-inch IPS LCD of 1200p resolution. Pixel density is only fair and the refresh rate is your standard 60Hz, but brightness is entirely respectable, capable of pumping out 443 nits. While not miraculously high, it’s enough for comfort in brighter spaces.

The HP OmniBook X Flip's screen issue is colour. Once you get close to filling the old sRGB standard, my eyes are going to be pretty happy. But this laptop only hits around 62% of it according to the screen tester tool I use, and this means you just don't see anything like the vibrance of today's OLED screens. These come in some pretty cheap laptops today too.

Our laptop also suffers from some noticeable backlight bleed, with greater raised blacks nearby the hinge areas.

Take the step up to the HP OmniBook X Flip with an Ultra 7 processor, rather than this Ultra 5 version, and you get a far punchier OLED screen. This is likely to impact battery life to some extent – more on that later – but is well worth considering for the screen fiends. It’s still "only" a 2K resolution one, though, while the AMD line of this family has a higher-res 3K one.

Both styles are touchscreens, though, and support stylus input. Most seem HP OmniBook X Flip laptops appear to include the stylus, ours just happened to have been left out of the box.

But you can picture the drill: it will be a great tool for a bit of digital artwork, and is an MPP2.0 standard stylus, for those who want to look a little deeper.

Keyboard & Touchpad

If low colour saturation is the first contentious point here, the keyboard style is the second.

I think it looks great, but have to admit it does take a little getting used to. For the first couple of hours of use my fingers were mis-typing way more than usual, as there's just not quite the level of key contouring that lets you bed easily into unfamiliar keyboards.

But now? I'm fine with it. I enjoy the crisp but not-too-light tactile feedback you get on the depress of each keypress. The HP OmniBook X Flip doesn't have a super deep-dish keyboard, but it's a solid one. It feels snappy and responsive, once you've adapted to its ways.

There's a pure white backlight too. It only offers two intensity levels, but you can easily alter the timeout of the light, which is handy.

The HP OmniBook X Flip's touchpad also looks the part, a close match of the aluminium surround plate. The clicker feels nice too, with a pleasant mix of dark substance and bright definition to the clicker.

But it is ultimately a budget pad because the surface is plastic rather than glass, and therefore more prone to a squeaky feel as you drag your finger across it. At this price there's always a decent risk of ending up with a plastic pad. Not the end of the world, but one to consider.

Performance

As I have the lower-end version of the HP OmniBook X Flip, here we get the Intel Core Ultra 5 226 processor with 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD. This is more than powerful enough for general productivity and family use.

It runs Windows 11 perfectly, and I think plenty of folks won't really notice the different between this and the step-up Ultra 7 256V version – a processor I've used far more often.

There are differences, though. The Ultra 7 is better for hyper-threaded multi-core applications. That's going to make a notable difference in plenty of pro-style apps like video editing suites.

This entry-level HP OmniBook X Flip has a weaker graphics chipset too. The margin is not huge, but it does make a difference when you try to play a game that really stretches the HP's integrated graphics, like Cyberpunk 2077. This PC can only just scrape by, with significantly cut-down settings and resolution.

If you want to play console games, you can do better for the money. And it’s better to think as a PC that excels jumping between situations rather than pro-grade software suites. But it’ll still comfortably out-CPU the MacBook Neo according to some of our testing.

Its runs nice 'n' quiet when you're just doing simple work too.

Battery Life & Features

The HP OmniBook X Flip does not gave the most massive battery going, at 59Wh. But its power scaling efficiency is clearly pretty great because a charge still lasts ages. With very light work you can expect it to truck on for almost 17 hours. But you can easily bring that down closer to the 8-hour mark with less careful use.

And for gaming? You’re looking at about 100 minutes with a taxing title. Typical of a slim and light laptop, it uses a USB-C charging connector to top up the battery.

There are two of these, so you're not left high and dry if you need to charge. One is a super-fast 40Gbps Thunderbolt connector, the other a slower 10Gbps one, but you can use either to charge.

Alongside this pair the HP OmniBook X Flip has two old-style USB-A connectors, a full-size HDMI 2.1 port and a headphone jack. It's a solid selection.

The HP OmniBook X Flip also has good speakers for a competitively priced PC. They have a bit of bass weight to them, and respectable enough volume too.

Its webcam is a surprise too, although largely because it's a 5MP camera rather than a bog-standard Full HD one. More pixels and more detail, but it's still a fairly standard laptop webcam – don't come expecting it to outdo a good phone selfie cam.

HP OmniBook X Flip 14 review: Verdict

The HP OmniBook X Flip family is one of the better hybrid PC ranges of the moment for those who want to spend sensible rather than silly money.

It comes with an important disclaimer, though. There's a gulf between higher and lower spec models, a shift in display tech as well as a bump in storage and power. I'd recommend plumping for the OLED money for a little extra cost.

The HP OmniBook X Flip's lower-end version looks and feels great, though, and has a decent (is slightly contentious) keyboard. You just need to make peace with the screen's limited colour punch before buying – but at current pricing, it makes a great case for itself.

You might not be familiar with the Geekom brand, especially when it comes to laptops, but it's been making significant waves in the Mini PC arena in recent times. I've even used a couple of them in projects to build my own retro games console and Steam Machine.

Now it's turning its hand to Windows 11 notebooks and the Geekom X16 Pro is as confident a debut as it gets.

Available in 14- and 16-inch sizes, it's a direct rival to the likes of the Dell XPS 14 (2026), which we raved about, and other Intel Core Ultra peers. However, like other Geekom products, it is also remarkably affordable for its specs.

So would I recommend the Geekom X16 Pro over more well-known alternatives? Well, guess you'd better read on to find out.

Price and availability

One of the caveats of the Geekom X16 Pro at present is that it's only available in the US. It could be rolled out wider and farther soon – after all, Geekom's Mini PCs are readily available in the UK too – but we don't have specific details on that right now.

There are two variants – one running on an Intel Core Ultra 5-125H CPU and with 1TB of storage, the other running the Intel Core Ultra 9-185H and with 2TB. The former will usually set you back $1,399, while the more powerful model is listed at $1,749.

However, not only are those prices currently discounted to $999 and $1,349 respectively, Geekom is giving T3 readers an extra 12% off right now. That means you can get the i9 version of the X16 Pro for just $1,187, and the i5 for just $879.

You just need to enter the code T3X16PRO at checkout whether you buy it from Amazon or Geekom itself.

Considering similarly spec'ed rivals can set you back over $2,000, that's an attractive offer.

Design

When you first unbox the Geekom X16 Pro you can't help but admire one major thing – its weight. Or lack, thereof.

The laptop is large enough to accommodate a 16:10 16-inch display with a 1080p video call camera built in, yet weighs around 1.27kg (2.8lb). That's almost the same as the 13-inch MacBook Neo, and 28g lighter than a 14-inch MacBook Pro M5.

It is also superthin, measuring just under 7mm at its thinnest point (0.27-inches) and a little over 11mm at its thickest.

The Geekom is therefore easy to chuck it in a backpack and comfortable enough to carry around all day – yet also gives you that extra screen real estate for productivity and gaming.

Of course, you don't get an aluminium casing here – it's all metal, but magnesium alloy to achieve the lighter weight. It's still extremely rugged though, and feels nice and premium in the hand.

Once open, the display is mighty. Those 16-inches are filled with a 2560 x 1600 pixel IPS screen, sporting a 120Hz refresh rate. It's bright (400 nits), crisp and a particular highlight. Its matte coating means it is relatively glare-free for outdoor use, although it's also worth noting that there are no touch capabilities.

As a MacBook Pro user normally, that doesn't bother me. And whenever I test or use a touchscreen laptop, I find myself constantly having to wipe the screen to get rid of fingerprints. That usually results in me ignoring the touch capabilities anyway.

There's a large multitouch pad anyway, plus backlit keys. If buying from outside the US right now, you should note that you'll be getting a US keyboard (and the "@" key is in a different place), but again, I'm mostly used to that.

You also get a fingerprint reader on the power button above the top right of the keyboard, to unlock Windows 11 Pro, which comes preinstalled. And audio is served from under the laptop, via a pair of 2W stereo speakers.

Specifications

Looking at the left-hand side of the Geekom X16 Pro, there are two USB-C ports – one being USB 4.0 and also able to serve as a power port (for a 65W USB-C charger). A HDMI 2.0 port is also available for video out.

On the other edge, you get two USB-A 2.0 ports for accessories, a 3.5mm headphone jack (that can also be used with a mic), and a microSD card slot for memory expansion.

The version I received for review came with an Intel Ultra 9-185H SoC, supported by Intel Arc graphics. This chipset also includes an integrated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) to make certain tasks run smoother by taking the load off the processor – such as AI-intensive functions and Photoshop rendering.

There was also 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM – gold dust in the current climate. This ensured that not day-to-day use cases were achieved fast and fluidly, AAA gaming was possible on the PC (albeit at lower resolutions and/or settings), even using the integrated Arc GPU.

Unfortunately, as some others have pointed out too, there's no possibility of increasing the RAM – it's fully soldered onto the board. But again, during the current RAM crisis, you probably won't want to anyway. And 32GB with possible speeds up to 7500MT/s, you should be fine without.

That's not the same for the M.2 2280 SSD, which can be replaced. The model I tested had 2TB of storage, but the laptop supports up to 4TB.

Also inside the case lies a 77Wh battery, which is charged using an included 65W adapter. However, as I'm based in the UK and the laptop is a US model, I had to provide my own power. Thankfully it charged and operated fine from an alternative 65W brick I have with a three-pin plug.

It's also worth noting that I found the X16 Pro would run for a full day on a single charge with usual everyday tasks, such as browsing the net, processing Photoshop images, replying to emails and writing in Word. Even using Nano Banana 2 to create a few AI pictures and light gaming seemed to be fine.

Of course, play Cyberpunk 2077 on the battery alone and you'll shorten the battery life significantly, but then I'd suggest you'd likely only ever play more intensive games when plugged in anyway. It has a maximum of 35W TDP to utilise.

The final specs to note are for wireless connectivity. You get Wi-Fi 6E on board, with Bluetooth 5.4 for good measure. There's no Ethernet port, so you'll have to add your own via an adapter or dock if you want to wire it up.

Performance

As a heavy Photoshop user and gamer, those were the tasks I set the Geekom X16 Pro primarily – and for its size and weight, I came away impressed.

Although the chipset used is a couple of generations old, it performed great with all the tasks I'd usually perform for my job. Quickly resizing and editing images were simple, while the Wi-Fi 6E modem worked well with my Nest Wifi Pro system to upload them quickly.

There were also no problems operating several windows at once, with no slow down even with Steam, the Xbox app, several Chrome browser pages, and Photoshop all running in the background. And popping them up and down again was speedy.

Gaming performance was perhaps more surprising. The X16 Pro is in no way a gaming laptop, that's just a side hustle. That's a general trait of Geekom products – its Mini PCs are more geared for desktop use when space is at a premium, yet I've managed to eke out some impressive performance from several of them.

The same is true with this laptop. I've managed to get Cyberpunk 2077 running in 1080p and with medium graphics settings (no ray tracing). That's with an average of around 30fps too without frame generation, which is very acceptable. It's up to around 50fps with frame gen on.

Older AAA games, such as Tomb Raider, run even better – 1080p 60fps with only a few settings sacrifices. And Indie hits like Hades II and Hollow Knight: Silksong play beautifully, making much more use of that 120Hz refresh rate.

Basically, you wouldn't buy the Geekom X16 Pro to solely play games on, but it's a great bonus to find it so capable.

There's just one major caveat – fan noise. When working at its hardest, such as during my 3DMark tests (around 3,700 on Time Spy) and playing the more intensive games, the internal cooling fan was aggressively loud. The benefit is that this is a laptop that can actually stay on the lap, but it's not something you'd want to do out and about.

You'll probably want to wear headphones while gaming anyway, as the stereo speakers are fine for watching YouTube and other online content, but they're not really designed for a rounded audio experience. Sure, they support DTS:X Ultra, but the soundstage is not particularly wide – simply pleasant.

Verdict

Fan and thin speakers aside, the Geekom X16 Pro is a highly impressive all-rounder that puts some better-known, pricier rivals to shame. It is big yet light enough to be both your desktop and portable work PC, while also happy to play a game or two.

The keyboard is comfortable to use and full-sized, with a number pad included on the side, and the super-sized touchpad is responsive and precise.

I've been impressed by Geekom's latest Mini PCs recently, and it seems to have pulled a similar trick with its first laptop. The display is great, performance impressive, and you get a whole lot of tech for your buck – especially with the discounts that are currently available.

This is, for sure, an impressive debut – not least during a global RAM and storage crisis.

Let's just hope the manufacturer brings it to the UK in the near future, too.

Also consider

We recently also tested the Dell XPS 14 (2026) which is a similar Intel-powered all-rounder designed with AI functionality in mind.

While the display on that model is smaller, there is a 16-inch version you might want to consider, although it's likely you'll need to at least double your budget in comparison with the Geekom.

And, of course, you can't discount a MacBook Pro (M5). Again, the 16-inch version will set you back considerably more than the laptop tested here, but its performance is simply head and shoulders above.

It all depends on what you're looking for in a laptop and how much you have to spend.

We've long been hearing about a new, even higher-end MacBook Pro coming in the next year. And there's been talk about how it'll sport an OLED display with touchscreen functionality – a first for a MacBook. However, it now looks like it will never happen.

That's not because the next-level MacBook itself won't appear, but it is unlikely to sport the "Pro" name. Sources claim that the all-new, enhanced laptop will be the first in Apple's new Ultra range.

According to MacWorld, Apple is set to extend its Ultra branding across each of its main product lines – including MacBook, iPhone and iPad. Previous reports have also claimed that AirPods could get an Ultra model, too.

The iPhone Ultra is thought to be the final name for the iPhone Fold – Apple's first foldable phone. And although we don't yet know much about an iPad Ultra, it would make sense to keep the flagship lineup branding consistent.

But it's the MacBook Ultra that's arguably the most intriguing for now, not least because MacWorld claims it might miss its expected release window this year.

The OLED touchscreen MacBook has often been touted as a late 2026 model, with numerous industry experts suggesting so. However, MacWorld says that it's more likely to arrive in 2027 instead, largely due to the ongoing RAM crisis.

It's an issue that is affecting new products from all manufacturers, with AI centres gobbling up available RAM like Pac-Man munches on pills, and unless things change fast, we shouldn't expect many major upgrades and innovations this year.

That could well include Apple products. Indeed, it is widely understood that we should only expect the iPhone 18 Pro models to launch alongside the foldable iPhone Ultra in September. The standard iPhone 18 will be pushed back to early 2027 instead.

Still, considering just how pricey the MacBook Ultra is likely to be (even a entry-level MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip is priced at £2,200), at least we'll have extra time to save up our pennies.

Long live XPS, eh? After a slight rebranding debacle in 2025, during which Dell retired all of its laptop sub-brands, it's now seen the light and brought XPS back into the fold – and it's done it in some style. The 2026 refreshes of the XPS lineup are finally here, and I've had the XPS 14 for a couple of weeks to see how it stacks up.

Without spoiling my verdict entirely, what I've experienced has been probably the slickest Windows hardware I've got my hands on in years, and the first proper competitor to the peerless MacBook Pro in terms of a genuine day-to-day recommendation for people. Its price makes that a harder sell, to be fair, but purely in terms of the experience on offer, the XPS 14 (2026) is something special.

Price and Availability

Unveiled at the CES tech show at the turn of the year, you can now order the XPS directly from Dell, in both its 16-inch and 14-inch variants. I've tested the XPS 14, but in its most highly-specced version (featuring a Series 3 Intel Core Ultra X7 358H and a touchscreen). This version costs a whacking £2,198.99 here in the UK (or $2,309.99 in the US).

The lowest-spec version offers a Series 3 Intel Core Ultra 7 355, instead, and comes in at £1,599 or $1,699.99, which is more competitive – but remains a pretty tall order. Still, the redesign underlines that this is a premium laptop, so the proof is in the pudding, as I'll get to below.

Design and Specs

For a long time, the XPS line had stuck to a fairly tried-and-true design language that involved a wedge-like taper for its laptops, but in bringing the brand back from the dead, Dell has also given it a hardware makeover. I can't allege that it's actually copied Apple's homework, but anyone who's handled a recent MacBook will be in familiar territory.

Now, the 2026 version of the XPS 14 is flat with rounded edges, spreading its thickness evenly. It has a slight lip where the top meets the bottom, which you fairly easily grip to open the laptop, and it's 14.62mm thick throughout. That makes it really compact and packable, but it's worth pointing out that it feels super solid in your hands.

The laptop is made from CNC aluminium, and that gives it a really premium feeling that is again familiar from Apple's best work. But part of what I've really loved is how it's finished. It has a dark grey, almost blue finish that looks great in different lights, but the inside surface hosting the keyboard and trackpad is in a slightly contrasting soft finish that pairs so nicely.

Weighing in at 1.36 kg, it's not the lightest laptop in the world, but it has that premium feeling that makes it feel well worth the heft, in my view. The design isn't without some downsides, though. The chief one is that Dell is sticking to a low-on-ports vision that now feels a few years outdated.

One side of the XPS 14 houses a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB-C port, while the other side offers up two more USB-C ports – all three of those USB-C options have Thunderbolt 4, Display Port 2.1 and power delivery, so they're all really flexible. Still, for a high-end professional laptop like this, there's no substitute for the ease of an HDMI port, and plenty of people would welcome an SD card reader, too.

Still, I owned an XPS for years that had such fun design touches as a webcam on the bottom of the screen to ensure that you looked terrible on every video call, so the vast majority of design notes here are positive (including the webcam now being above the screen).

The keyboard is nice and sizeable, with big keys that take some getting used to, but which feel pretty great under your fingers. It's paired with a touchpad that you can almost lose sight of, so subtle are its edges, but it feels good in use and has solid haptic feedback.

That takes us to what's inside the laptop – and it's a bit of a specs list. The cheapest version of the XPS 14 comes with 16GB of RAM, with steps up taking this to 32GB. The cheapest build comes with a non-touch display at 2K resolution, as does the middle option, while only the tested version offers a 2.8K OLED that's touch-enabled.

The lowest-cost version also has a Series 3 Intel Core Ultra 5 325 powering it; an 8-core chip with Intel Graphics and no B390 iGPU. Either of the step-up models has the same 16-core Series 3 Intel Core Ultra X7 358H with the Arc B390 for graphical oomph.

Interestingly, all three versions come with 512GB of SSD space, which is a little cheeky in the more expensive versions' case. There are a host of rivals offering 1TB as standard for this sort of price, and Dell should really be matching that, I'd say.

Performance

I'm now quite a few laptops deep into my experience with Intel's Series 3 chips (otherwise known as Panther Lake) and I've yet to encounter a version that feels underpowered. There are quite a few variants to try, of course, but the Core Ultra Ultra X7 358H that I've been using is super-capable.

It's not quite the absolute top-end chipset, but that's a bit like criticising an Apple M3 Max for not being the M3 Ultra – if you really need that power, you can find a machine that includes it. For most people, though, the X7 358H is plenty beastly enough. It's chewed through image-editing tasks with no hitches, and my normal workload of open Chrome tabs, Slack and WhatsApp windows has it barely breaking a sweat.

This really comes into focus when you put the laptop through its gaming paces. The version I tested includes the B390 iGPU, and it performs so impressively, as I've found on other Panther Lake chips. In Doom: The Dark Ages, I've been able to get benchmark results hovering around 50fps on low settings, with some variance according to whether you target performance or quality using Intel's XeSS upscaler.

Even more impressively, I've been able to get a solid 65fps result from Cyberpunk 2077 on its low preset, which is immensely playable and far prettier than its nomenclature suggests. These are demanding games, so indie titles, older games and those with less photorealistic graphics could well be extremely fluid on this laptop, which is quite a boast.

Like some other Panther Lake machines I've used, the XPS 14 isn't afraid to spin up its fans pretty immediately when you put the chip under a little load, but they're not offensively loud, and that's a worthy price to pay for heat management and therefore performance.

Plus, the version of the laptop I tested had a gorgeous 2.8K OLED display that made actually looking at whatever I was doing a further pleasure. OLED displays are thankfully no longer the rarity they used to be among the best laptops, but they're still a real treat to use, especially when they're this sharp. It can also get up to 120Hz, which makes it extremely smooth, as a bonus.

Battery life can stretch to up to 31 hours according to Dell, although I didn't get anywhere near that number, especially if benchmarking. Still, in regular working use I was able to get through a whole day on battery power without dipping below 20%, which means that I feel confident in the XPS 14 as an all-day machine for light to moderate use.

Impressively, that webcam that I mentioned earlier is a 4K one, which is really rare in laptops that I've tested. It even has HDR (high dynamic range), and that delivers clarity in recordings and video calls that puts some others to shame. It doesn't have a privacy shutter, though, which is a surprising omission.

Verdict

The XPS is back in a big way – and after positive early impressions, it's great to confirm that this 2026 model is a major return to form, too.

The Dell XPS 14 is just about the most desirable non-gaming Windows laptop I've tested in years, and it's the first one that's had me genuinely wondering if I'd rather use it than my MacBook Pro.

It has a gorgeous design featuring a classy new chassis, superb Intel Panther Lake power at its heart, a beautiful OLED display in this premium model, and a keyboard that's pleasant to use.

All that makes it a laptop with basically no rough edges other than an undeniably steep asking price – but for those with generous workplaces or budgets of their own, this feels like a slam dunk from Dell.

Also consider

While I've mentioned the MacBook Pro a couple of times in this review, the MacBook Air remains the smart buy for most people, and given how it undercuts the XPS 14, it's a much more efficient pick if you want a capable laptop and don't mind limited ports. Of course, it means giving up on Windows, but that might be fine for you.

If you want a Windows laptop that's even lighter than the XPS 14, consider Asus' new Zenbook A14 or A16, which is incredibly thin and great to use. It's less premium in terms of build quality, and swaps Intel out for the latest wave of Qualcomm chips, but is no less capable as a work machine for that change.

MSI is keen that its non-gaming laptops be taken a little more seriously this year. And it's picked a doozy of a time to emphasise its lifestyle and professional range. After all, with memory prices remaining really high, it feels like a tough time to sell any high-end tech.

Still, the arrival of Intel's new Series 3 chips (Panther Lake continues to impress) has at least provided an interesting platform on which to base a generation of laptops, and MSI has obliged with the Prestige 14 Flip AI+.

I've been testing MSI's great little two-in-one for a couple of weeks to check out whether it's one of the year's best laptops. It doesn't come too cheap, but makes up for that with some genuinely impressive adaptability.

Price and Availability

MSI isn't the only laptop-maker that seems to be having a little trouble with just getting its machines out there globally and moving on, although the UK picture is a little easier right now. Here, you can buy the tested version of the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ for £1,449 from a few retailers right now, without any stock issues.

In the US, the machine is meant to come in at a comparable $1,699.99, but it appears hard to find, so you might have to keep your ear to the ground or set up stock alerts to actually get it in your basket.

Design and Specs

MSI is perhaps better known in the laptop world for its gaming machines, but it gave its lifestyle devices quite a revamp this year to make them significantly more mature and attractive, and that sees the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ arrive with a pretty simple but well-made design.

It's all-metal in its build, with rounded edges and quite a distinct two-part look, with the base and the lid deliberately not lining up with an invisible seam. The two are joined by a hinge that lets the screen flip all the way back around when needed, since this is a two-in-one.

On the outside of the case, there's a reflective MSI logo (that I don't really love visually – although it's not a dealbreaker at all).

Flip the laptop upside down, and you'll have to look closely to find where the included stylus hides. It has a small docking space in between the front rubber feet of the laptop, and getting it back into this slot can be a little fiddly, with misbehaving magnets making it annoying to seat back in place. That said, it's invisible when you're not using it, which is great.

On the left edge of the laptop, you'll find a full HDMI port along with two USB-C ports (including power delivery), while the right edge holds two USB-A ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. That's a typical array of connection options, although an SD card slot might have been a nice extra.

Opening up the laptop (which requires a little more force than you might expect, which is another tiny thing to improve), you're greeted by a keyboard and trackpad with some interesting details. I like how the keys are edged in a lighter grey colouring to make them pop a little, although their travel is nothing special, and the board feels merely "fine" under your fingers.

The trackpad has some new shortcut options for those who want to use them, customisable in MSI's onboard software, but again, the hardware isn't much more than decent. It's mechanical and only really clicks quite low down on the rectangle, so I found it took some getting used to compared to a MacBook Pro trackpad, for instance.

The display above all this is a 1920 x 1200 OLED panel that looks nice and sharp and, importantly, it's really vibrant. However, the fact that it only has a 60Hz refresh rate feels like a slight miss at this price. Still, it's gorgeous to look at, and I found no real issues with it for professional use.

Above it, there's a Full HD webcam with a mechanical privacy shutter, which I always like to see.

The final piece of the puzzle is the internal specs. You get 32GB of RAM here, which is very solid in the current climate, along with a 1TB SSD for storage, and the laptop is powered by a new-gen Intel Core Ultra 7 355 chip in the UK (in the US it'll be a more powerful X7 358H, but I haven't tested that version).

This isn't Intel's most powerful new chip, but it still has more than enough oomph to get through basically any productivity task without too much trouble. It also has surprising gaming chops, as I'll cover below, although it misses out on the Intel Arc B390 iGPU and instead has standard Arc graphics.

Performance

I've tested a few machines with Intel's latest Core Ultra Series 3 chips in them, but most of those have been in top-of-the-line offerings, so it's been quite fascinating to get to grips with the Core Ultra 7 355, which is a step-down but still a pretty great bit of silicon from what I've seen.

It's the centrepiece that makes the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ tick, and I've found that the laptop is more than capable enough for my professional workflow, going from a whole heap of web browsing and multi-tab work to some image processing. I don't work in video, but it seems to have enough power to be a solid editing machine, albeit not one to ruffle the top-end chips' feathers.

The Prestige 14 Flip AI+ does have a tendency to spin up its fans pretty wantonly the moment you put it under load (including even just downloading a big game through Steam, for example), which can make it a little loud, but it's nothing criminal. Plus, those downloads let me test out its gaming performance, which is super interesting.

My two benchmarking games at the moment are Doom: The Dark Ages and Cyberpunk 2077. Firing up the latest Doom, I was able to get a 30fps average in-game from the Low graphical preset without any upscaling, while turning on Intel's in-house XeSS system upped this to 45fps without any other tweaks. That was all at 1080p – so still hugely playable – with resolution drops as further options.

In Cyberpunk, things could get more choppy, but I was still able to get a result of 48fps playing at 1920x1200 on the Low preset with XeSS set to Auto. That, again, is extremely playable, and further tweaking could doubtless optimise it even further, which underlines the fact that this generation of Intel chips is quite a stunner for built-in gaming, even without the B390 iGPU that the top-end chips boast.

Would I buy this as a gaming machine? Absolutely not – but the fact that it can do this well with graphically challenging games is remarkable. This was also without any power supply, running on the battery, which is another impressive detail.

That battery is 81Wh in capacity, and I found that it could easily get through a light work day without a charge, although the above gaming testing drained it way quicker. In the right conditions, you can push past the 24-hour estimate that MSI quotes, which makes this a really great performer from an efficiency standpoint.

I'm not a power-user of touchscreens, but the included Nano Pen is a great extra to make the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ more useful in touch mode, letting you avoid finger smudges as a bonus. It works well, although I wasn't converted into a full-time two-in-one fan.

Verdict

The Prestige 14 Flip AI+ makes a pretty great case for itself as a laptop that can do it all, from touchscreen collaboration to professional workflows and light gaming. I found it extremely solid in all of those cases, although I can't quite say I fell in love with all of its hardware choices.

It's an extremely solid two-in-one with an excellent chip inside, although its current price makes it slightly hard to recommend it compared to something like the MacBook Air or, frankly, a Windows laptop hovering more around the four-figure mark. Still, this MSI is well-built and clearly would be a winner for a business user, making it feel like a really solid entry.

Also consider

If you're not wedded to the Windows ecosystem, then a MacBook Air with M5 feels like a no-brainer of an alternative, since it's cheaper and will feel just as powerful in your hands (and potentially even faster for some tasks like video). Even the older M4 MacBook Air would be a great shout.

If Windows is your thing, then my recent test of Asus' Zenbook A16 made it clear to me that the smaller Zenbook A14's newest version is almost certainly a total banger, and would be much more lightweight than MSI's laptop (though no cheaper). That said, its Snapdragon chip has a few gaming compatibility issues.

Note that none of the alternative options I've mentioned here have a touchscreen, so that's something to consider, too.

The new Razer Atlas Pro is what the company claims to be the world's thinnest glass gaming mouse mat. It's certainly the thinnest the company has ever come up with and the first I've seen at this level.

Why does this matter? To put it simply, the thinner the mouse mat, the more comfortable a position for your wrist, which should mean longer term use without worry about any discomfort.

And why glass? As you might expect, the smooth low-friction surface of glass makes for one of the most effortless to use while gaming. That should result in longer term comfort and the most accurate detection of movements for ideal gaming controls.

The Razer Atlas Pro is just 1.9mm from top to bottom – and that includes the rubber base at the bottom that stops any slide.

This is the first time a mousepad has broken the sub-2mm barrier, making it the world's thinnest, says Razer. The glass itself is just 1.1mm thick – vastly thinner than the usual 3mm glass pad.

Crucially, this glass is also 9H rated on the hardness scale. That should mean you don't need to worry about scratches or scrapes as this will be super resistant. And, to be extra safe, there's a protective coating that makes it very easy to wipe clean.

Razer Atlas Pro: pricing and release date

The Razer Atlas Pro is out now and comes in White and Black colour options. This is priced at $129.99 / £97 on Razer. At that price you'll want to be extra careful not to drop this, or start using it as a drinks coaster.