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Best laptops for work and play (July 2016 edition)

A selection of powerful laptops to boost your productivity. Here are laptops and 2-in-1 systems from Microsoft, Dell, Lenovo, Huawei, Apple, Asus, and HP to suit most budgets.
By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer
Asus ZenBook UX305CA
1 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Asus ZenBook UX305CA

Yes, it's another thin and light laptop, but this one is packed with handy features such as a touchscreen display, a fanless design, and SuperSpeed USB 3.0 with USB Charger+.

Tech specs:

  • 13.3-inch IPS QHD+ 1920x1080 touchscreen display Glossy
  • Aluminum unibody half inch thin and just over 2.5lbs
  • Intel Core M processor with integrated Intel HD Graphics 515
  • Windows 10
  • Up to 10 hours battery life

Price: $699.99 | More information

Microsoft Surface Book
2 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Microsoft Surface Book

Microsoft keeps hitting it out of the ballpark with the Surface lineup, and the flagship Surface Book is no exception. Yes, it's expensive, but you get a seriously good laptop.

Tech specs:

  • 6th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU
  • 13.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen display
  • 8GB RAM
  • 128GB SSD
  • Surface Pen included
  • Battery good for up to 12 hours of video playback
  • Windows 10 Pro

Price: $1,499.99 | More information

Dell XPS 13 Touch
3 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Dell XPS 13 Touch

A high-spec, high-performance 13.3-inch laptop that comes complete with a touchscreen display. The Dell XPS 13 Touch oozes quality, from the high-end hardware to the precision-machined aluminum and carbon fiber used in the construction.

Tech specs:

  • 6th Generation Intel Core i5-6200U CPU
  • Intel HD Graphics 520 GPU
  • 13.3-inch QHD+ (3200 x 1800) InfinityEdge touch display
  • 8GB RAM
  • 256GB SSD
  • Windows 10 Home
  • Up to 18 hours of battery life

Price: $1,499.99 | More information

Huawei MateBook
4 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Huawei MateBook

The Huawei MateBook represents a lot of firsts for the Chinese hardware manufacturer. Not only is it the company's first Windows 10 powered notebook, but also its first 2-in-1.

Tech specs:

  • 12-inch 2160 x 1440 IPS TFT LCD
  • 6th Gen Intel Core m processor, dual core up to 3.1GHz
  • 4/8GB of RAM
  • Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB SSD
  • Front camera: 5 MP, fixed focus
  • Battery: 33.7Wh (4430mAh@7.6V)

Price: From $699 | More information

Apple MacBook Pro
5 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Apple MacBook Pro

The best-of-the-best that Apple has to offer when it comes to laptops. Featuring high-performance hardware, glossy Retina display, a Force Touch trackpad, and a full compliment of USB and Thunderbolt ports.

Tech specs:

  • 15.4-inch 2880 x 1800 LED-backlit display with IPS technology
  • 2.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
  • 16GB RAM
  • 256GB PCI-e SSD
  • 9-hour battery life

Price: $1,999.00 | More information

HP Spectre x360
6 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

HP Spectre x360

A laptop that flips into a tablet - that's the trick that the HP Spectre x360 has up its sleeve. It means that you can have the convenience of a tablet without having to leave your keyboard behind at home of the office.

Tech specs:

  • 13.3-inch 1920 x 1080 diagonal Full HD WLED-backlit IPS touchscreen display
  • 6th Gen Intel Core i5-6200U
  • Intel HD Graphics 520
  • 8GB RAM
  • 128GB storage
  • Windows 10 Home

Price: $749.00 | More information

Dell Latitude 13 7000
7 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Dell Latitude 13 7000

A 13-inch 2-in-1 that balances the power, performance, security, and price demanded by business users.

Tech specs:

  • 1.2GHz Intel Core M-5Y71
  • 4GB RAM
  • 128GB SSD
  • Up to 10.5 hours of battery life
  • Windows 8.1 Pro (upgradable to Windows 10)

Price: $749.00 | More information

Lenovo Yoga 900
8 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Lenovo Yoga 900

Powerful hardware and a big battery make this a great choice for those who want a laptop and yet have the flexibility offered by a tablet.

Tech specs:

  • 2.2GHz 6th Generation Intel Core i7-6560U CPU
  • Intel Iris Graphics 540
  • 13.3-inch 3200 x 1800 QHD+ LED IPS glossy multi-touch display
  • 8GB RAM
  • 256GB PCI-e SSD

Price: $1,199.99 | More information

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