Sony Vaio F Series (January 2012)
If the size is right for you, the Vaio F Series is a well-made high-end laptop, and is a good reminder that Sony is one of the few brands that comes close to Apple on design and polish.
HP Envy 15 (winter 2012)
HP's Envy line has always been a reliable high-end PC laptop line, and this new redesign adds some useful features, such as a volume wheel, while keeping the upscale look and feel.
HP Folio 13
When it comes to Windows ultrabooks, the HP Folio 13 is the best of the bunch in terms of performance, price, and ergonomics, provided you can live with a less-than-razor-thin design. This laptop is targeted at small businesses but it's really for anyone who wants a reliable ultrabook that isn't a MacBook Air.
Lenovo IdeaPad V470
While you could credit the Lenovo IdeaPad V470 with being a soundly built 14-inch laptop at a reasonable price, it's not inexpensive enough or well-featured enough to avoid feeling anonymous in a laptop buyer's market.
Asus G74SX-A2 - Core i7-2630QM 2GHz - 17.3-inch TFT
Asus has built a very nice sideline over the years with its gaming laptops, including the G74SX, which is a strong, if expensive, quad-core rig that works fine, but looks like it should cost less.
Sony Vaio VPC-YB35KX/B
The more affordable and better-performing Sony Vaio YB35KX/B is a modest improvement on the last YB model we reviewed, adding up to a full-featured but cramped 11-inch laptop that'll cost a lot less than an ultrabook.
Samsung Series 7 (15-inch)
Samsung's Series 7 Chronos 700Z5A-S03 is the closest Windows equivalent to a MacBook Pro in terms of specs, power, and design and even nearly matches on battery life, but it's $500 less expensive than an entry-level Apple 15-incher.
Toshiba Portege Z835-P330
Another entry in the MacBook Air clone wars, the Toshiba Portege Z835 offers great bang for the buck in some areas, but also looks and feels a bit cheap.
HP Pavilion dv7-6B55DX
If you're looking for a lot of screen real estate and enough power for work and play, the HP Pavilion dv7-6b55dx is a good place to start.
Samsung QX411-W01UB
For a full set of features in a Core i5 laptop in the $600 range, it's extremely hard to beat the Samsung QX411-W01UB, which stands out for its great keyboard and impressive extras.
Toshiba Satellite P775-S7320
As long as your performance needs don't go far beyond basic productivity tasks, the Toshiba Satellite P775-S7320 is a decent big-screen laptop.
Asus U46E-BAL6
A strong design, tons of features, and plenty of performance make the Asus U46E-BAL6 one of the best 14-inch laptops we've seen all year.
Apple MacBook Pro Fall 2011 (2.4GHz Core i7, 15-inch)
A MacBook Pro is a significant investment, especially when adding in optional upgrades. Cost aside, there's not a better choice (there are, however, some close ties) for an all-around powerhouse that will work in the home, the office, and in between.
Apple MacBook Pro Fall 2011 (2.2GHz Core i7, 15-inch)
A MacBook Pro is a significant investment, especially when adding in optional upgrades. Cost aside, there's not a better choice (there are, however, some close ties) for an all-around powerhouse that will work in the home, the office, and in between.
Asus Zenbook UX31E-DH53
The Asus Zenbook UX31E is an excellent-looking Windows Ultrabook laptop that matches the MacBook Air step for step with an even better price. Fans of great audio, high-resolution screens and lots of ports will be happy; keyboard/touch pad aficionados will be disappointed.
Asus Zenbook UX31E-DH52
The Asus Zenbook UX31E is an excellent-looking Windows Ultrabook laptop that matches the MacBook Air step for step with an even better price. Fans of great audio, high-resolution screens and lots of ports will be happy; keyboard/touch pad aficionados will be disappointed.
Dell XPS 14z
The Dell XPS 14z is a nicely designed, well-built 14-inch laptop, but the XPS "z" design works better on the 15-inch version, leaving this model feeling chunky.
Lenovo IdeaPad U300s
Lenovo's stylish U300s Ultrabook is one of the best-looking Windows laptops we've seen and matches Apple's MacBook Air nearly spec for spec. The entry-level version is $100 less than Apple's, but that discount vanishes on the higher-end model.
Shop
now
