[colored_box color=”blue”]BEST HIGH-END LAPTOPS[/colored_box]
If you’re willing to spend a little bit more money, if you want something thin and light, yet powerful, there is definitely something for you. Considering that you have the appropriate budget, you can always choose one of the many high-end laptops available on the market. You might want to purchase it for yourself, or for a dear person, in which case you should consult this gift guide, but one thing remains the same: ultrabooks are fully equipped for all types of tasks. Although we have presented some pretty amazing ultrabooks in the business and multimedia sections, this doesn’t mean that the high-end laptops presented below are not suitable for multimedia also. The idea with high-end laptops is that they are fully specced. In other words, they are perfect for almost anything (especially business, 3D modeling, traveling etc). Obviously, each high-end laptop has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Let’s take a look at them.
Table of Contents:
- Top 10 Best Gaming Laptops
- Top 10 Best Budget Laptops
- Top 10 Best Business Laptops
- Top 10 Best High-End Laptops
- Top 10 Best Multimedia Laptops
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1. Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Retina Display)
Overview
If performance, appearance, and screen quality are your primary concerns, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch Retina display laptop is the ideal choice. Many consider it a next-generation MacBook because it is so thin and powerful, and its battery lasts incredibly long. It is actually considered the high-end ultrabook for business professionals, enthusiasts and Mac fans alike. It has an aluminium unibody chassis, glass and black plastic keyboard, and although it feels like its predecessors, it is noticeably lighter. The Retina display itself is glorious. The resolution is 2,880 by 1,800, which sounds like a lot, but text is scaled so it doesn’t look too small.
The only drawback to it is the fact that not all Mac applications are yet updated for it. Either way it is one of the best business laptops on the market, with incredible performance and elegant design. Perfect for traveling and working in a coffee shop or at the office.
The Good: incredible retina display, thin profile, discrete graphics,
The Bad: Ethernet requires adapter, not all works are functioning
Processor Name: Intel Core i7-3615QM
Processor Speed: 2.3 GHz
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.7
RAM: 8 GB
Weight: 4.46 lb
Screen Size: 15.4 inches
Screen Type: Widescreen
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GT 650M
Graphics Memory: 1024
Storage Capacity (as Tested): 256 GB
Rotation Speed: SSD
Networking Options: 802.11n
2. HP Envy 14 Spectre
Overview
Aluminum? Been there. Carbon fiber? Seen that. Plastic? But glass? That’s a first I guess. HP Envy is the glossiest, most glamorous ultrabook on the market right now, and it certainly has the wow factor, that every CEO wants. As if that weren’t enough, the laptop also has a sexy backlit keyboard with a sensor that dims the keys as you depart. Granted, it is not the cheapest device right now, but hey, the design is irresistible.
It is also not lacking in the performance department: the Intel core i5-2467M processor and 4GB of RAM give it the oomph needed to compete with the big boys in the industry. It is faster than the Folio 13, louder than its 17 Envy counterpart, and gorgeous to look at. A definite must have for trendy business people.
The Good: beautiful casing, comfortable palm rest, sunny screen and backlit keyboard. Powerful battery and seamless audio experience.
The Bad: heavy and expensive
Type: General Purpose, Business, Small Business, Ultrabook
Processor Name: Intel Core i5-2467M
Processor Speed: 1.6 GHz
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
RAM: 4 GB
Weight: 3.95 lb
Screen Size: 14 inches
Screen Type: Widescreen
Native Resolution: 1600 x 900
Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Storage Capacity (as Tested): 128 GB
Rotation Speed: SSD
Networking Options: 802.11n
Wireless Display Capability (WiDi): Yes
WWAN (Mobile Broadband): None
Battery Type: 58 Whr (Watt hours)
Tech Support: 1 year.
4. Venom Blackbook 17
Overview
Why not include it in the best gaming laptops category? Simple, it is the perfect example of what happens when OEM designs are used properly. Not only is it one of the most powerful gaming rigs, but it is also beautiful, and it can be used for a wide range of activities. Venom is an australian owned brand that has entered the performance laptop market with the BackBook lineup. Granted, they may not be the cheapest on the market, but considering their specs and power, the price is well worth it. This particular model is equipped with an i7-3630QM Intel Core CPU, 4GB Nvidia GTX 680M GPU, 16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM and 240 GB Intel 520 SSD + 1TB 54000 rpm RAM. Its immaculate screen provides with 1920×1080 pixel resolution images.
Truth be told, there are many gaming rings with great specs, but not many that encapsulate the best of the best, especially one that is based on an OEM chassis. It boasts excellent audio and video quality, incredible power, everything in a neat little device that is easy to carry around, even if it’ approximately 3kg heavy.
Venom has taken a solid base design and built upon it carefully, choosing the right mix of components to deliver a fantastic laptop for gaming or other heavy lifting tasks. (Source: PCAuthority)
The Good: outstanding graphics, performance, comfortable keyboard, excellent audio and video quality
The Bad: a bit bulky, as expected of an OEM laptop
Purchase Link: here
Processor: Intel Core Core i7-3630QM
RAM installed size: 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3
Hard Drive: 256GB SSD • 1TB 5400rpm HDD
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Display Type: 17in 1920 x 1080 LCD
Additional Features: LAN, VGA, HDMI, headphone and microphone, 2xUSB 2.0, 2xUSB 3.0, card reader, stereo speakers, SRS Premium Sound HD,
Communication: Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235, 2 x 2 802.11b/g/n (up to 300Mbps), Widi Support Bluetooth V4.0, dual band 802.11n
Graphics Processor: 4GB Nvidia GTX 680M
Optical Drive: DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
5. ASUS VivoBook S400CA-DH51T
Overview
Personally, I’ve had a lot of experience with Asus mother-boards, and video-cards, and I was impressed with the high-performance, and durability that came at a pretty decent price. The first impression that this ultrabook will give you is how incredibly thin, yet sturdy and lightweight it is. If you open the lid you will discover a beautiful 1366×768 resolution Display, and the keyboard/touchpad combination. You may not be accustomed with the Windows 8 experience, but trust me when I say that it works perfectly for touchscreen ultra convertibles and hybrid tablets. All in all, the viewing angles and colors of the screen are crisp and clear, and the touchscreen responds very well to swipes and touch.
The ASUS VivoBook S400 is one of the finest laptops that I’ve ever handled, and it also comes at an excellent price. The battery can last for 4-5 hours, depending on usage, and even if it doesn’t last very long, the chargers is very compact and easy to carry around. All in all, I was very pleased with the performance. The only problem you might encounter is the initial connection to Wi-Fi internet, but it can easily be fixed by contacting ASUS support.
The Good: great experience provided by the touchscreen and Windows 8 setup, fun, sturdy, high performance device
The Bad: possible Wi-Fi problems, not the best battery life
Purchase Link: click here
THE SPECS
Operating System: Windows 8 Home Premium (64-bit)
Display: 14.1″ HD (1366*768) Display
Processor: 3rd Gen Intel® Core i5-3317U (1.7GHz) processor
Graphics: Intel GMA HD
Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth: BT 4.0
LAN: 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet Controller
Memory: 4GB DDR3 1333 MHz SDRAM
Storage: 500GB HDD + 24GB SSD
Speakers: Built-in Stereo speakers with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower®
Card Reader: 3 in 1 card reader (SD, MMC & MS)
Input/ Output: 1 x Combo Mic-in & Headphone-out, 1 x VGA port, 1 x RJ-45 LAN, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x HDMI port
Battery: 3-cell
Dimensions: 13.3″ x 9.4″ x 0.8″~0.9 (W x D x H)
Weight: 3.9 (with 3-cell battery)
Color: Grey Aluminum
Price: 629.00$
5. ASUS Zenbook Prime UX32VD-DV71
Overview
If your looking for a device to match the Apple MacBook Air, the Zenbook Prime is the best choice. Although it is similar to its predecessors, this version of the Zenbook adds a couple extra features to the mix: a brilliant 1080 HD screen, and what seems to be the thinnest and lightest power system on the ultrabook market at the moment.
It combines a powerful i7 Intel Core processor with the unrivaled graphics of the Nvidia GeForce graphic cards to create the perfect business laptop. Three USB 3.0 ports occupy the left and right side panels (one on the left, two on the right), there’s a SD-based multimedia card reader, audio ports, and a full-sized HDMI port.
The Good: 1080 full HD screen, thin, light easy to travel with, many USB ports and strong multimedia performance
The Bad: not the best battery life, 30-day trial of Internet security
Processor:Type: Ultraportable, Ultrabook
Processor Name: Intel Core i7-5317UM
Processor Speed: 1.7 GHz
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
RAM: 4 GB
Weight: 3.2 lb
Screen Size: 13.3 inches
Screen Type: Widescreen
Native Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Touchscreen: No
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GT 640M LE
Graphics Memory: 1024
Storage Capacity (as Tested): 500 + 24 GB
Rotation Speed: 5400 rpm, SSD
Networking Options: 802.11n
Primary Optical Drive: External
Wireless Display Capability (WiDi): Yes
6. Acer Ferrari 1100
Overview
It may not be the latest generation MacBook air, but it is still part of the high-end ultraportable laptops category. It is compact, efficient and a bit larger than a piece of paper. Granted, it may be 4.4 pounds heavy, but it is still one of the thinnest laptops on the market at the moment. As you could expect, due to its small size it requires a small keyboard which might not be the most comfortable choice for many. Also, it’s size is a bit larger than other ultraportables, in order to accommodate all the ports and USB charges.
Nevertheless, the battery is not the most astonishing one, it lasted only 2 hours on the CNET DVD battery drain test, which is a lot less than other models at the moment.
The Good: strong Photoshop performance, agreeable design, DVD burner, plenty of ports
The Bad: mediocre multi tasking performance, weak battery and speakers
Purchase Link: here
Processor: Price $1,800
Processor 2.3GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-66
Memory 4GB of 667MHz
Hard drive 250GB at 5,400rpm
Graphics 256MB ATI Radeon X1270
Chipset AMD M690V
Operating system Windows Vista Ultimate
Dimensions (wide x deep x thick) 12×9.1×1.1 inches
Screen size (diagonal) 12.1 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter 4.4 / 5.2 pounds
Category Ultraportable, Other Features: VGA, S-Video, stereo speakers, headphone jack, line-out, microphone, 3USB 2.0, mini-FireWire, multiformat card reader, Modem Ethernet, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and bluetooth.
7. Toshiba Qosmio X75
Overview
Its name may have changed very little from the previous versions, but under the hood there are many new specs worth your attention. The Qosmio X75 has seen significant improvements, starting from the quad-core Intel i7 processor, the 16GB of RAm and the outstanding NVidia GeForce GTX 770 M graphic chip. Considering that all of these features were included in the Qosmio, the price of aprox 1700 dollars does not seem so high. In other words, the laptop is a small beast, containing all the high-end technology, but it is available for a small price. Toshiba has cloaked the Qosmio X75 in its Black Widow-style textured aluminum. The texture, which closely resembles a snake’s trianglelike scales, coats everything from the laptop’s lid to its keyboard deck.
The gorgeous Display has a 1920x1080p resolution, TruBrite LCD display, which means HD videos and games will work seamlessly. Audio provided by the four Harman Kardon speakers is clear and crisp, and the bass works perfectly in the DTS Studio Sound app.
The Good: incredible performance, reasonable price, high-end technology, impressive battery life
The Bad: useless apps taking up important storage space
Processor: Intel Core i7-4700MQ CPU, 2.40GHz, 4 cores
RAM installed size: 1 TB
Hard Drive: 240.GB SSD, 1000.GB HDD, 5400 rpm, 2 drives
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Display Type: 17.3 inches, 1920×1080 HD+ resolution, 16:9,
Additional Features: LAN, VGA, HDMI, headphone and microphone, 2xUSB 2.0, 2xUSB 3.0, card reader, stereo speakers
Communication: Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235, 2 x 2 802.11b/g/n (up to 300Mbps), Widi Support Bluetooth V4.0
Graphics Processor: Primary: Nvidia Geforce GTX 770M, Secondary: Intel HD 4600, 3GB, GDDR5
Optical Drive: DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
8. Luvaglio – Million Dollar Laptop
Overview
There have been some pretty bizarre things invented in the past few years, some of them quite outrageous we might say. The Luvaglio laptop is one of them: a luxury accessory for the rich. There is not much to say about the specs, because it can be customized according to the customer’s taste. We would like to say, however, that it is a statement of wealth, extravagant wealth in that matter, that only the richest could afford. The traditional Luvaglio laptop hasn’t changed much since it was first released, it continues to have the 17 inches LED widescreen with anti-reflective glare, 128 Gb disk space and Blu-Ray Drive. But these are not the components that make it worth a million dollars, obviously.
It is the small details: diamond that doubles as power button, encrusted gems, hand-made accessories that make it stand out. It also has an integrated cleaning device and a rare coloured diamond piece pf jewelry that doubles as power button. Diamonds which were used in different locations were given purpose. Also, the most unique thing about this laptop is that this laptop is fully hand crafted with diamond encrust which is a kind of luxury addition to the laptops’ world. While the company history of this world’s expensive laptop is quite strange.
The Good: hand-made
The Bad: It’s a million dollars for God’s sake
Purchase Link: here
9. Detamancer’s Steampunk Laptop
Overview
If you adore Victorian and steampunk fashion you will definitely love this laptop. It may look like a Victorian music box on the outside,the intricate hand-crafted wooden case is a Hewlett-Packard ZT1000 laptop that operates with Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux. But the parts are not the most important aspects to consider, we should think about the engraved brass accents, the claw feet, antiqued copper keyboard and mouse, leather wrist pads, and customized wireless nework card. As if this were not enough, in order to turn on the device you must rotate the antique clock-winding key by way of a custom-built racheting switch made from old clock parts.
The Good: sublime design
Purchase Link: here
10. Dell XPS 12
Overview
There are dozens of great tablets on the market right know, but most of them have made a compromise in one department or the other. The Lenovo Yoga has forfeited the key design, while the Asus Vivo Tab has a small display. Nevertheless, the DEL XPS 12 has made no compromise in the performance and design department. Its hardware, standard for an Ultrabook includes an Intel Core i5-3317U processor, and a SSD, but this is not the amazing thing about it. What tech enthusiasts will love is its ability to flip 180 degrees within its frame. Flip and close, and it becomes a tablet. Dell has put a stunning full 1080p and IPS display in the XPS 12, a combination that makes for a heck of a viewing experience.
The XPS 12 absolutely nails the fundamentals of display, endurance, and interface. We would be eager to recommend this device even if it were only an Ultrabook. The ability to turn it into a tablet is just a bonus. (Source: Digitaltrends)
The Good: no compromises convertible design, splendid keyboard, good battery life, compact design, beautiful 1080 HD screen resolution
The Bad: not the best touchpad, quite heavy, high price
Processor: Intel Core i5-3317U, 2.6 GHz speed, 3MB cache
RAM installed size: 4 GB, DDR3
Hard Drive: 1TB S-ATAII Hard Drive, 5400 rpm
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Display Type: 12,5 inches, 1920×1080 HD+ resolution, 16:
Additional Features: LAN, VGA, HDMI, headphone and microphone, 0xUSB 2.0, 2xUSB 3.0, card reader, stereo speakers
Communication: Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6235, 2 x 2 802.11b/g/n (up to 300Mbps), Widi Support Bluetooth V4.0
Graphics Processor: Intel HD 4000
Optical Drive: DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM, Size: 11.7×8.7×1.2 inches, 4.4 lb