Best Windows 8 Laptops

SONY VAIO

From the first minute you see this machine it’s on a mission to impress you. It’s light, well-built and looks amazing. Of course, it’s not free of problems. But honestly, most of these won’t bother us day to day. It has a loud fan, which you’ll notice in high-performance mode, and there’s some rubbish software forced on you from the factory, like McAfee. But when it comes to doing what laptops do, the Vaio Pro does everything beautifully.

And we have no idea how they made it that light; it must involve magic or something.

QUICK VERDICT: This is it, this is the laptop you should spend your money on. Windows 8 looks great and works brilliantly, the machine is powerful and light, while still looking amazing. If you don’t fall in love with it from the minute you  first hold it, then you’re dead inside.

DELL XPS 12

The Dell XPS 12 might not be the lightest tablet you can buy, but it’s certainly nice to have the option to simply flip the screen around and choose how you want to use it. The only real problems are the high price and the fact that it’s really too heavy to use as a “proper” tablet.

Dell has announced an update which will use the new Intel processor to massively increase the battery life of this laptop, so it’s well worth considering, but hold off until the new model becomes available.

QUICK VERDICT: The 1080p screen makes this the ideal multimedia laptop. There’s more than enough power and the screen resolution and quality is honestly staggering. This is a fantastic laptop that will suit those who want to use that screen in all manner of positions, and those who want to use it as a straight laptop.

MICROSOFT SURFACE PRO

The Surface Pro is a leader in the Windows 8 tablet stakes. It’s powerful enough for most use, while retaining the portability that most Windows 8 laptops don’t really have.

The optional, but essential, keyboard covers are too expensive though, and its odd that you don’t get one included. With one attached though, the device is protected in your bag, and better still you have a really credible typing surface on which to work. The screen is good, with a 1080p resolution, which makes it a great media playback device, as well as being handy for general commuter work.

QUICK VERDICT: Surface Pro is all about its build quality and quality 1080p screen. Otherwise there are lots of qualms that amount to a less impressive hybrid product overall, but one with stacks of potential. Iron out the price point and it’s a winner despite the shortcomings.

LENOVO DEAPAD YOGA 13

The Yoga is a cunning machine, with a screen that’s designed to bend into a shape that’s useful for you. It’s got the usual Lenovo plus points too, including solid design and a pleasant keyboard.

It’s arguably a little bit expensive, but no more so than most Ultrabooks we see. The 1600x900 display is sub-Full HD, but that’s not really a problem as it is easily high enough for most uses.

QUICK VERDICT: The Yoga 13 is as much a visual treat as it is an excellently designed laptop. The screen can be positioned through 360 degrees, but the overall expense and exposed keyboard in the tablet-like position are two standout issues. Still, if you’re after a Windows 8 laptop-meets-tablet then we think this design solution is up there with the best.

APPLE MACBOOK PRO

The Apple Macbook Pro is nothing short of amazing, and anyone who has used Windows on Apple hardware will no doubt agree. The problems are simple too, the MacBook Pro is still fiendishly expensive, but is far higher spec than most Ultrabooks. This means you get a solid machine that’s got desktop performance - with a proper graphics card which you won’t see in most Ultrabooks. And, of course, when you don’t want to use Windows for a bit, you’ve got the option of OS X waiting.

QUICK VERDICT: If you absolutely can’t wait to buy a laptop then the mid-2012 MacBook Pro will do you proud, otherwise we’d suggest waiting for a 2013 design refresh. Despite its power, great OS and speedy connectivity, it’s hard for the mid-2012 model not to be overshadowed by the Retina display version.

HP ENVY X2

The HP reduces its asking price by offering an Atom processor, which also uses much less power than most Intel Core processors. The fact that this tiny tablet can be detached, and used as a tablet puts it over many of the other “convertible” laptops in the portability stakes.

It has a 720p screen, but it’s responsive and on a machine this size, higher resolutions would make the touchscreen a pain to use. It’s a product worth considering if you need maximum battery life in a tiny package.

Quick verdict: It is the price which rules out this Windows 8 laptop-meets-tablet hybrid. It’s well built, includes future-thinking tech like NFC, has a long-lasting battery life but the limited performance from the Atom processor and price point are drawbacks.