At Product Test, these Ultrabooks are top-notch performances.
Consumer Reports Showcases Top 13 Ultrabooks Currently Available
The label "Ultrabook" was initially coined by Intel for devices meeting specific criteria, but now it's commonly known as a powerful, premium, and compact laptop usually running Windows instead of Apple's MacBooks due to the absence of a touchscreen. Consumer Reports (equivalent to Stiftung Warentest) recently tested a batch of new Ultrabooks and publicly ranked the 13 best ones in their latest magazine issue.
Apple Maintains Dominance
The Apple MacBook Pro, boasting a 14-inch display and M3 chip, continues to lead with an impressive score of 1.5 and an average price of 1960 euros on the web. Testers praised the screen, battery, and overall performance in this MacBook, with exceptional marks in categories like computing functions, graphics performance, camera, sound, photo/video editing, email, and web surfing.
Placing second with a rating of 1.6 is the Apple MacBook Pro equipped with a 13-inch display and costing only 1330 euros. It received the same acclaim as the first place, except for its screen, which testers rated good instead of excellent.
Third Place Goes to Eco-Friendly Devices
Four different Ultrabooks scored a collective 1.8, with the Framework Laptop 13 - Performance (around 1750 euros) stealing the environmental award since it is a modifiable Ultrabook; users can replace most components on their own once they become obsolete, including ports. The excellent battery life and strong performance in all other categories contributed to the ultimate praise from the testers.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 is also featured in the top three, but it costs significantly less with an average online price of around 1290 euros. The device scored highly for its display, battery, and overall performance.
The Huawei MateBook 14 (1400 euros) performed just as well, with a slightly better display but less versatility.
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro with a 14-inch screen retails for around 1615 euros and impressed testers with its outstanding battery life and excellent display. Like other top competitors, the testers found the graphics performance acceptable with only moderate praise.
Affordable Ultrabooks for Less than 1000 euros
The Acer Swift 3 Go 14 is the most affordable Ultrabook in stiftung Warentest's current rankings, priced around 975 euros with an overall score of 2.2. The device's weak webcam precluded it from receiving an even higher rating.
Targeting a slightly higher price range, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 is a bargain, priced around 1000 euros, and has an overall score of 2.0. Its battery life is impressive, and while its webcam is passable, its computing processes, display, and versatility shined. The handling of the device was average due to only moderately capable processing.
In the context of Consumer Reports' ranking of Ultrabooks, it's worth noting that while Apple's MacBook Pro models dominated the top spots, there's also interest in operating systems outside of Windows. For instance, some users prefer the user-friendly interface of Mac OS X, such as in the MacBook Air M2 (approximately 1249 euros), which despite its entry-level pricing, received commendable marks for its battery life, display, and overall performance.
After reviewing a variety of Ultrabooks, we can see that the MacBook Air M2, running on Mac OS X, is a solid choice for users looking for an affordable option within the Ultrabook category.