Large, bulky, grey boxes – that’s a thing of the past. Today, the user usually sits at a compact folding computer. The devices can be taken anywhere – for work, video streaming or gambling. But the price differences are enormous: there are decent devices already for 300 euros – but who wants, can also spend 3,500 euros. NewBitrix gives tips for selecting the right notebook and presents the best devices from the tests.

What The Cheapest Models Have To Offer

Notebook buyers can expect a decent device for as little as 300 euros, as the Aldi notebook shows. You have to cut back on the equipment in particular: Although the processor has four cores, the individual cores of the Pentium Silver series are not nearly as powerful as the more expensive processors, such as the Core-i models of the Kaby Lake series.

In addition, manufacturers in this price range like to save on memory: 4 gigabytes (GB) of working memory (RAM) and 64 gigabytes of storage space are common here. That’s enough for many office users. More storage space can also be connected as an external hard disk or SSD via the USB socket.

Notebooks: This Is Available For 800 Euro

More expensive notebooks up to about 800 Euros already come with considerably more equipment than their cheaper colleagues. The standard equipment usually includes 8 gigabytes of RAM and an SSD with 256 gigabytes. This is not only larger, but also significantly faster than the eMMC drives, which are installed as SSD replacements on inexpensive notebooks. It can also process a few hundred holiday pictures and videos without annoying waiting times.

The fact that manufacturers have more money available for components is also evident in the keyboard and touchpad, which are often better processed and easier to use. There is a wide selection of sizes in the 800-euro class: Manufacturers offer any size from 10 to 17 inches.

The buyer only has to do without one thing: On a game capable graphics chip, the corresponding calculations are done by the processor. This is no problem when working, but passionate gamblers prefer a more powerful model – such as a gaming notebook offered by many manufacturers.

Ultrabooks – Chic Travel Specialists

They are the grace in notebook storage: Ultrabooks are often not even as thick as fingers, simpler, sleeker and thinner than classic notebook models. A different concept makes this possible. Ultrabooks almost always do without a touch screen. This makes the lid with the screen particularly thin.

In addition, there are usually extra-efficient processors in the ultrabooks, which do not produce as much heat. As a result, cooling systems are smaller and flatter. Ultrabooks are more expensive than conventional notebooks, with some models such as the Acer Swift 5 the surcharge is still quite small.

But top devices like the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon (2018) can cost more than 2,000 Euro and then bring along ultra-sharp screens in addition to high speed. For example, the Lenovo has a WQHD display with 2560×1440 pixels.

Notebook Weight: Thinner Is Lighter

In the past it was still called a “tow top” – most modern notebooks are no longer big chunks. Slightly smaller devices with 13 and 14-inch screens nowadays weigh less than 1.5 kilograms. The larger 15-inch models rarely weigh much more than 2 kilos. Many gaming notebooks are really heavy, which require a very complex and thus weighty cooling for their particularly powerful chips (processor and graphics chip). But it’s also much easier, ultrabooks like the Asus Zenbook S, which weighs just over 1 kilo, show this.

The Best Gaming Laptops

Large Speed Differences

Most current notebooks are fast enough for typical office tasks such as writing texts or calculating in tables, but if you frequently work with several programs at the same time or want to edit complex videos, it is better to use a notebook with power.

The fastest notebooks in the test come with powerful processors with four or more processor cores, for example from the Kaby Lake Refresh or Ryzen series. In addition, there are usually extra graphics chips in here. They ensure a smooth display in complex games – notebooks with the graphics in the processor are almost always too slow here.

Notebook As Tablet: Convertibles

The special feature of a convertible? If desired, these notebooks can be used like a tablet. There are two variants: Firstly, convertibles whose screens can be rotated backwards by up to 360 degrees. On the other hand, you can remove the lower half, which includes the keyboard, if desired. We have tested notebooks in both versions. Read the guide to what to look out for when buying a convertible.

Battery Life: Pretty Enduring

Notebooks are real all-rounders, but the concentrated power gnaws at the battery. Powerful devices in particular quickly empty the power supply. If you don’t want to connect the mobile computer to the power supply all the time, you need a device with a long battery life. We have determined the 25 most durable notebooks from the tests. Here you will find notebooks that last up to 10 hours without charging, even when used intensively.