by Although tablets have now been firmly established as a mainstream tech product, laptops remain as popular as ever. With technology advancing at a faster rate than ever before, there are new models being released all the time so if you’re in the market to purchase a new laptop, you should find this list of 2014’s best models extremely helpful.
If you’re not sure what to look for in a laptop then check out this handy buyer’s guide.
1. Toshiba Qosmio X70-A
When it comes to top-of-the-range gaming laptops, few can compete with the Toshiba Qosmio X70-A. Boasting a quad-core 2.4GHz processor and 16GB of memory, it’s capable of playing even the most recent games on the highest specs. Although this model is great for gaming, it’s also an excellent all-round media device and is great for watching videos, browsing photos and all other forms of entertainment.
2. Apple MacBook Pro
No list of great laptops would be complete without a MacBook. Apple’s flagship laptop remains incredibly popular with consumers and the latest version of the MacBook Pro is as impressive as ever. With a 15 inch retina display and nVidia graphics, it’s an incredible device that will certainly not disappoint. One thing that’s worth noting however is that because of the powerful graphics card that’s used, this does result in more fan noise, especially during gameplay.
3. Asus RoG G750JZ
Although it comes at quite a steep price, the Asus RoG G750JZ offers powerful performance and rich features. Like most gaming laptops, the Asus RoG is quite bulky but once you see how it performs, you’ll understand why. Featuring a 17 inch display as well as a quad-core Haswell-gen Intel Core i7 processor and nVidia GeForce GTX 880M graphics card, this is the perfect choice if gaming is your passion.
4. Toshiba Kirabook
What makes the Toshiba Kirabook special is that it’s the first Windows-based laptop to feature a retina display to rival that of Apple’s MacBook Pro. In addition to its incredible display, the Kirabook also has 8GB of DDR3-1600 memory, an Intel HD 4000 GPU, 3x USB 3.0 ports and a media card reader. Overall it’s an excellent machine and if you can afford the hefty price tag, it’s well worth the investment.
5. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2
If you’re on a budget then the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 is an excellent choice. Although it’s considerably cheaper than the other models listed, it’s still a very good machine that has great battery life, good screen quality and a lightweight design that makes it a natural for anyone who wants a portable and affordable laptop that still performs well.
Another key feature of the Yoga 2 is its flip and fold design, which means you can effectively turn it into an 11 inch tablet if you don’t need the use of the keyboard. The only downside is that it doesn’t have a great deal of connectivity, with just two USB ports – only one of which is USB 3.0.
