Best laptops

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

Sony Vaio E Series (SVE14A15FGB)

August 23rd, 2012 - Sony's managed to produce a laptop under AU$1000 that not only doesn't sacrifice on quality, but manages to trickle down some premium features, like a backlit keyboard. Within its means, this is one of the best budget laptops you can get. 3

Apple MacBook Air 13 (mid-2012)

September 26th, 2012 - The new 13-inch MacBook Air might not be the huge revision we were hoping for, but it's still an excellent laptop, borne out of years of refinement. 2

Samsung Series 9 (13-inch, 2012)

October 2nd, 2012 - There are some small concerns, but the new Samsung Series 9 is an absolute pleasure to use. 7

Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display (2012, 13.3-inch)

December 5th, 2012 - There's absolutely no doubt that the MacBook Pro Retina 13 has a beautiful display. Some will be phased by the weight and go for the MacBook Air, others will deem it to be worth it. We just wish it came with discrete graphics.

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.

Toshiba Qosmio X870

July 9th, 2012 - The Qosmio is a fine gaming laptop. Choosing between this and Asus' G75VW is going to come down to personal preference and your wallet. 2

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

October 8th, 2012 - Lenovo's succeeded in delivering a sexy ultrabook that still retains the traditional ThinkPad design cues. The battery life isn't as good as it could be though, and the SSD upgrade prices are simply ludicrous. 1

• Where to buy? $1798 to $3049 at 4 stores