Best computers

Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display

September 14th, 2012 - It's not cheap, and it'll take some time for the software world to catch up, but great battery life, good sound, impeccable build and a screen that'll blow you away means that the MacBook Pro with Retina Display has set a new standard for the rest to follow. 10

Asus ZenBook Prime UX31A

June 25th, 2012 - The ZenBook Prime UX31A is everything the ZenBook UX31E should have been, and more. We have no hesitation in recommending this laptop if you truly want no-compromise performance in an ultrabook. 18

• Where to buy? $1499 to $1999 at 2 stores

Asus G75VW

June 13th, 2012 - The G75VW is a very fine piece of engineering, something that any power user would be proud to wield. 2

• Where to buy? $2203 to $2374 at 2 stores

Scorptec Mantis (Intel)

July 17th, 2012 - Given the beautiful build quality, reams of storage and excellent performance, the Scorptec Mantis Intel is our recommended HTPC for those who demand the very best. 1

Western Digital Red Drive

October 12th, 2012 - If you need to stack your NAS, the Red drive makes a good choice — good speeds, quiet operation and some intelligent technology make it the go-to drive. 2

Patriot Supersonic Magnum (64GB)

October 11th, 2012 - All flash drives are not created equal, something proven by the Magnum. If you want capacity and performance in a USB stick, this one's a very good choice indeed.

Sony Reader (PRS-T2)

October 10th, 2012 - Although only a few changes have been made from the PRS-T1, those changes are significant and make the PRS-T2 worth looking at as an upgrade. 8

Cooler Master Cosmos II

August 13th, 2012 - The Cosmos II is big and beautiful. You'll need to put aside AU$369 and a lot of floor space — but, if you can afford both, you'll never regret it.

Apple MacBook Air 11 (mid-2012)

October 5th, 2012 - The MacBook Air 11 continues to be a wonderfully portable laptop, suiting travel or those who are constantly on the move. While an IPS screen would be nice and the default storage sizes need to be raised, this is a lovely piece of engineering that has well and truly carved its niche.

Samsung Series 8 SyncMaster S27A850T

May 31st, 2012 - Samsung's SyncMaster S27A850T is an incredibly pretty, thin monitor, which proves that PLS is a viable IPS alternative. We did find some banding in gradients, and the HDMI movie performance isn't great, but for beautiful sharp imagery and high-level computer use, it's incredibly appealing. 4