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Whether it’s for work or for play, laptops have come a very long way in cementing themselves as a mainstay for getting by in our day-to-day.
From ultrabooks to 2-in-1s, gaming laptops to business notebooks, there’s so many different flavours of portable computer available on the market today that it can be a bit overwhelming, but never fear because we’re here to help!
With our extensive array of deep reviews, benchmarking and testing, we’ve searched far and wide for the best laptops available in Singapore to suit all budgets – Apple MacBooks, Dell XPS, and Microsoft Surface products have all been compared and the winners are below.
The best laptops of 2019:
1. Dell XPS 13
New and improved for 2019
CPU: 8th generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – 4k (3840 x 2160) | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Centered webcam
Battery life better than ever
Beautiful optional 4K display
2019 update isn’t huge
Expensive
For those looking for all the grace and elegance of the MacBook but would prefer everything that the PC world has to offer, the Dell XPS 13 is the one to watch. The 2019 Dell XPS 13 hasn’t improved too much over last year’s already-great model, but there’s some more juice in the battery and the camera has finally been put where it belongs – above the screen! The Dell XPS 13 rocks an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and a bezel-less ‘Infinity Edge’ display, this Dell XPS 13 continues to be the most popular Windows laptop in the world. What’s more, there’s a wide range of customisation options, so you can really make the Dell XPS 13 the best laptop for your needs.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
Image Credit: HP
Image Credit: HP
Image Credit: HP
2. HP Spectre x360 (2019)
The best 2-in-1 gets better
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch full HD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) touchscreen | Storage: 256GB – 2TB PCIe SSD
Very well built
Powerful and thin
Expensive
While HP’s Spectre lineup of ultrabooks and 2-in-1s have always offered incredibly stylish designs and sleek aesthetics, the 2019 model somehow manages to bump this up another notch. This is one of the most beautiful laptops on the market right now, with its gem cut design and sleek profile. Couple that with the powerful Intel Whiskey Lake processors and long battery life, and you get one of the best laptops on the market right now. Its ability to flip into a Windows tablet is just icing on the cake.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 (2019)
Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar 13-inch 2018 is the best Mac laptop of 2019 (Image credit: Apple)
Image credit: Apple
Image credit: Apple
Image credit: Apple
3. Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
The best MacBook Pro ever, improved for 2019
CPU: Intel Core i7 – i9 | Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 555X – Radeon Pro Vega 20, Intel UHD Graphics 630 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.4-inch, (2,880 x 1,800) IPS | Storage: 256GB – 4TB SSD
The best MacBook Pro ever
Super fast performance
Expensive
Not a huge generational leap
By fitting some of the most powerful components in the world (including 6- and 8-core Intel processors) into the iconic slimline MacBook body, Apple has created a formidable professional laptop that earns its place on our best laptops list. Of course, being a MacBook Pro, while it’s powerful and beautifully designed, it’s also incredibly expensive – especially if you start customising its components. But, if you have the budget, this is an amazing device that can serve as an essential productivity tool. However, there’s no denying that this is a pricey machine, so you may want to consider one of the Windows alternatives. If you’re open to switching to a PC, definitely consider the XPS 13 or the excellent MateBook X Pro. But, if you’re a steadfast Apple diehard, this is definitely the best laptop for you.
Read the full review: Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
4. Asus ZenBook Flip S UX370
An absolutely incredible 2-in-1 laptop
CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch full HD touchscreen | Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
Super thin and light
Powerful core components
Not the cheapest convertible
Fingerprint magnet
The latest refresh of the ZenBook Flip S gives Asus a seriously powerful competitor in the 2-in-1 sphere. The Flip S UX370 has a new Kaby Lake R 8th-generation processor powering the device, plenty of RAM and a super-fast PCIe SSD in certain models. Its 2-in-1 design means you can use it as both a laptop and a tablet, and while it’s not as affordable as some machines on this list, if you have the budget you’ll be really happy with this fantastic device.
Read the full review: Asus ZenBook Flip S UX370
5. Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar 13-inch 2018
The best MacBook Pro ever, improved for 2018
CPU: Quad-core Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, (2,560 x 1,600) IPS | Storage: 128GB – 2TB PCIe 3.0 SSD
The best MacBook Pro ever
Super fast performance
Expensive
Not a huge generational leap
If you’re after the latest and greatest laptop from Apple, we suggest you look into the 2018 model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. While Microsoft had the performance edge over last year’s MacBook Pro, with the Surface Book 2, Apple has come out swinging with some seriously beefed up specs for the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2018, and even more so if you go for the larger 15-inch model. The headline Touch Bar – a thin OLED display at the top of the keyboard which can be used for any number of things, whether that be auto-suggesting words as you type or offering Touch ID so you can log in with just your fingerprint – is again included. It’s certainly retained Apple’s sense of style, but it comes at a cost. If you’re open to switching to a PC you should consider the XPS 13, but, if you’re a steadfast Apple diehard, this is definitely the best laptop for you!
Read the full review: Apple Macbook with Touch Bar 13-inch (2018)
6. MSI GS65 Stealth
The best gaming laptop of 2019
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM, Max-Q) | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, wide-view 144Hz panel | Storage: 512GB M.2 SSD
Beautiful, subtle design
Excellent performance
Underside gets very hot
The new MSI GS65 Stealth has knocked our previous choice of the best gaming laptop, Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501, off this list, thanks to its excellent array of cutting edge components, which includes an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8750H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU. It’s also more reasonably priced than the Zephyrus GX501, and its subtle design means that it can double as a work or study laptop without raising any eyebrows. If you’re looking for a more affordable gaming laptop, however, check out the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming below.
Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 shows Microsoft can produce one of the best laptops in the world (Image credit: Microsoft)
Image credit: Microsoft
Image credit: Microsoft
Image credit: Microsoft
Image credit: Microsoft
7. Microsoft Surface Laptop 2
A brilliant sequel from Microsoft
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.5-inch PixelSense (2,256 x 1,504) | Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB SSD
Competitive power level
Lovely new black color scheme
No Thunderbolt 3 option
Too few ports for its size
Microsoft’s second attempt at a pure laptop device is an absolute winner in our view, and while it doesn’t represent a huge overhaul of the original Surface Laptop, it offers improvements in all the areas we were hoping for, including updated hardware that brings serious performance benefits. This is a laptop that finally delivers on what Microsoft set out to do with the original: a pure, powerful Windows 10 laptop experience. If you’re not sold on the 2-in-1 nature of the Surface Book 2 (which is also on this best laptops list), but love Microsoft’s premium build quality and design, then the Surface Laptop 2 is the laptop for you. A very worth addition to this list.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Laptop 2
8. Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
Luxury meets power
CPU: Intel Core i5-i7 | Graphics: Radeon RX Vega M GL Graphics with 4GB HMB2 Graphics Memory | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
Impressive power
Ultra-thin design
Kind of expensive
Last year’s Dell XPS 15 was already one of the best laptops you could buy, but now that Dell has taken the beautiful redesign of the Dell XPS 13 and applied it here – while also making it a convertible. Well, it’s amazing. Not only do you get one of the most aesthetically pleasing 15-inch laptops on the market, but it also packs one of those new Intel Kaby Lake G-series CPUs featuring ‘discrete-class’ Radeon graphics. This means that this laptop packs serious power – even if it can get a little loud.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
9. Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
The most powerful 2-in-1 laptop in the world
CPU: Intel Core i5-7300U – Intel Core i7-8650U 1.9GHz | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620; Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (2GB GDDR5 VRAM) | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 3,000 x 2,000 (267 ppi) PixelSense display, 3:2 aspect ratio | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Very good battery life
Powerful
Pricey
No Surface Pen included
With the Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch), Microsoft has crafted one of the most powerful 2-in-1 laptops in the world. The Surface Book 2 has some powerful enough components to handle most day-to-day tasks, and even some light gaming and video editing if you go for a model with a dedicated graphics card. Brilliant build quality and excellent battery life makes this a wonderful device for using as either a laptop, or as a powerful Windows 10 tablet. It also comes in a 15-inch version, which is more powerful and with a larger screen. If you’re after a more affordable 2-in-1 device, then the Acer Switch 3, below, is well worth checking out.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
The Acer Swift 3 is a great affordable Ultrabook (Image credit: Acer)
Image credit: Acer
Image credit: Acer
Image credit: Acer
Image credit: Acer
10. Acer Swift 3
A budget Ultrabook that performs better than it looks
CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i3 – i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 | RAM: 4GB – 8GB DDR4 | Screen: 14-inch full HD (1920 x 1080) ComfyView IPS | Storage: 128GB – 256GB SSD
Powerful for the price
Stellar battery life
Boring looks
Down-firing speakers
While you may have been convinced that ‘budget Ultrabook’ was an oxymoron up until this point, the Acer has turned this common misconception on its head with the Swift 3. That’s because the company has taken the all-aluminium chassis of the Acer Swift 7 and stuffed some more affordable components inside for everyone to enjoy. It doesn’t run macOS, but the Acer Swift 3 does put the age-old MacBook Air to shame in about every other regard, including the nigh-unbeatable price tag. Of course, in the process of demolishing the competition, Acer did have to cut a few corners in order to keep the price so impressively low. So although you can’t expect much in the way of an Ultra HD display or quality onboard sound, the performance benchmarks alone give even the Surface Laptop a run for its money.
Read the full review: Acer Swift 3
Which type of laptop is best for you?
General laptops: This broader category is dedicated to devices that focus more on practicality than style, portability or power. That’s not to say they can’t be fast, but you’ll typically find a non-Ultrabook clamshell laptop with an HD screen and spinning drive-based storage for less than $1,000.
Ultrabooks: Where you’ll find thin-and-light notebooks sporting SSD storage and display resolutions that exceed 1080p. Paired with powerful, albeit mobile-centric components and especially long battery life, the best Ultrabooks will cost a pretty penny – closer to $1,000 to $3,000.
2-in-1 laptops: Where notebooks that double as tablets are located. Outfitted with both detachable and 360-degree rotating hinges, these hybrids are the most versatile way to experience Windows 10 (or Chrome OS) on a touchscreen.
Chromebooks: Where you’ll find the best Chromebooks running Chrome OS. These do much of what Windows and macOS can in the browser, focused on cloud storage over local, while recently getting Android app support for touchscreen models. They generally cost less than $500.
Gaming laptops: Need a laptop to play games (almost) just like a shiny desktop PC can? Then you’ll want one of the best gaming laptops. These machines generally cost more than $1,000 and can quickly get into the $4 – 5,000 range for the beastlier models.