Yearender 2023: The laptops that impressed us this year

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Dell XPS 17

The Dell XPS 17 impresses with its powerful configuration, featuring a 13th Gen Intel Core i9 processor, 32GB RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. The 17-inch UHD+ 4K touch-enabled display delivers vibrant colors, and the laptop's performance remains robust even under demanding tasks. Designed for creators and professionals dealing with heavy files, it boasts an array of I/O ports, including four Thunderbolt ports and a full-size SD card reader. The premium experience is marred slightly by the battery life, lasting over six hours, and the laptop's weight.

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The HP Pavilion x360 14 offers reliable performance without extravagant features. Sporting a 14-inch display with Intel 13th Gen i5, 16GB RAM, and 1TB storage, it's a standard setup for 2023. The Full HD IPS multi-touch screen, though slightly dim outdoors, impresses with a 360-degree hinge for versatile use. The laptop boasts a 5MP webcam with a privacy shutter and Bang & Olufsen dual speakers. The keyboard is above average, marred by silver keys' visibility. Performance excels for daily tasks, aided by numerous ports, but the claimed nine-hour battery life falls short at around five hours.

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The ASUS ExpertBook B5 Flip, a 14-inch laptop, impresses with its magnesium-aluminium alloy body, weighing a mere 1.38 kg. Boasting a sleek Star Black design, it avoids fingerprints. The 360-degree hinge facilitates versatile usage, complemented by a stylus for note-taking. The FHD IPS display, anti-glare, and 360-degree orientations enhance work focus. The keyboard, though comfortable, may challenge those with larger hands. Performance features a 12th gen Intel i7 processor, 8GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB storage, delivering smooth multitasking. Ample I/O ports, including Thunderbolt 4, cater to various connectivity needs. The battery life falls short but compensates with a fast charger. Security features include a fingerprint sensor and a physical webcam switch.

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The HP Chromebook 15.6 impresses with its performance despite modest specifications. Powered by an Intel Celeron N4500 Processor, 4GB RAM, and 128GB eMMC storage, it runs on the efficient Chrome OS. Ideal for students, the laptop seamlessly integrates with Android phones and facilitates basic tasks on Google apps. The device's sturdy build, comfortable keyboard, and decent 720p webcam make it a compelling choice, though the five-hour battery life stands as its primary drawback.

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ASUS ROG Flow X13 is a powerful, compact gaming laptop with a stunning display, great performance, and impressive battery life. When paired with the XG Mobile external dGPU unit, it becomes a gaming powerhouse. Boasting 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of SSD storage, but most importantly, an AMD Ryzen 9 series processor with integrated graphics and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card with 8 GB of dedicated video RAM, by all metrics, the Flow x13 is a powerhouse with impressive battery life.

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The Alienware M16 stands out with Nvidia's RTX 40-Series graphics and a choice between Intel and AMD processors. Despite its premium price, the M16 maintains a favourable price-to-performance ratio in the current gaming laptop market. The design remains consistent with Dell's classic aesthetic, featuring a chunkier build that may not be the most portable at 3.25 kg. The laptop retains familiar elements like a centred keyboard, '16' embossing, and hexagonal grills, and its build quality is solid with an aluminium body. The keyboard is comfortable and responsive, but the trackpad is small and awkwardly positioned. Connectivity is robust, with various ports, and the cooling system includes four fans and a vapour chamber. The 16-inch QHD+ IPS display impresses with a 165Hz refresh rate, though brightness is a minor drawback. In terms of performance, the M16, equipped with an RTX 4080 GPU, excels in high frame rates across resolutions and settings, proving to be a powerful gaming machine capable of handling modern titles with ease.

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The HP Omen 16 is a powerful gaming laptop with a sleek design, featuring a 16-inch Full HD display with a 165Hz refresh rate, AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics. While it excels in gaming performance, its battery life is limited, making it more suitable for home use. The HP Omen 16 is relatively sleek — not as portable as some other laptops — but light and slim in its own right. It measures just over a foot in width, 26 cm in length and is about 2.4 cm thick. The entire package weighs 2.32 kilograms. That's a lot of horsepower in such a compact package.

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HP's Dragonfly G4 laptop is a high-end, compact, and powerful machine with excellent hardware, including a 13th-gen Intel i7, 32 GB RAM, and 1 TB storage. It's pricy, but justifies the cost with features like a SIM tray for on-the-go data, impressive ports, a vibrant 13.5-inch touch display, and good battery life. It runs on Windows 11, which can be a drawback due to frequent updates. Overall, it's a compelling and powerful option for work.

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