The best notebook of 2018

Oh, how the tides have turned.

In the last 10 years, I've always recommended Apple MacBooks to anyone who asked me what laptop to buy. Aside from operating system preferences, Apple's MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, despite their high cost, still offer a better experience.

Laptops have been built to last, usually have a much longer battery life (especially Air) and make you a trendy hipster of coffee.

The latest Apple MacBook Pro are still good, but they are considerably flawed. Notably, flat keyboards (even with their more "silent" third-generation "butterfly-switched" keys) and the touch bar remain the biggest problems.

Groping with his Apple MacBook is however an opportunity for Windows manufacturers to step up their efforts. But it's not your usual Dell, HP, or Asus that makes the best laptops that combine design, performance, and usability. Instead, my two favorite laptops of the year come from newcomers.

Dollar for dollar, the Huawei MateBook X Pro remains one of my favorite laptops of the year and one of the best features of a clamshell computer if you can spend $ 1,500 for the SSD version of 512 Go and discrete NVIDIA graphics.

But if that exceeds your budget a bit, Microsoft's Surface Laptop 2, which starts at $ 999, is my choice for the best laptop computer of the year.

From the hardware point of view, it is the same excellent laptop (ports and all, for better or for worse) than the original Laptop Surface. The biggest upgrade is internal: building on the 8th generation Intel Core processors translates to up to 85% faster performance, according to Microsoft.

If you want a $ 999 MacBook, the only option today is the MacBook Air. You can to get by on the air, but its specifications are so outdated that I can not in good faith recommend anyone to buy it. Especially not when we say that Apple could announce a new 13-inch MacBook with updated processors and a sharper Retina display.

Do a quick search online and you can find laptops for the same price, but their specifications are rather stinky compared to the Surface Laptop 2.

Looking at the entire package, the laptop 2 comes with an Intel Core 8 i-gen Core 8 processor, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Other $ 999 notebooks typically have slower processors, less RAM, or less storage – all will feel inadequate in advance.

I've looked at a $ 1,299 model with 256GB of SSD storage and a matte black finish. Doubling the internal memory costs $ 200 more, but it's worth it because you will not be able to add it later. This is also the least expensive way to get the matte black version.

Microsoft sells other configurations with a faster Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD for $ 1,599; a Core i7 chip, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD for $ 2,199; and a Core i7 SSD, 16GB of RAM, 1TB for $ 2,699 (oddly enough, this high-end model is not available in matte black).

The sweet spot is the model that I have tested and the one that has the best value for money.

Performance for the future

Image: RAYMOND WONG / MASHABLE

In addition to being a fantastic value, the most important change in Laptop 2 is the performance. Microsoft claims that the 2 laptop is "up to 85% faster" than the old Surface laptop. And their claims verify.

To test the power of Laptop 2, I used Geekbench 4 to evaluate the performance of the processor and graphics processor.

For the processor test, the 2 laptop got 3,872 points on the single core processor and 13,120 on the multicore processor. In comparison, last year's laptop with the previous generation Core i5 model and an 8GB RAM configuration accounted for 3,615 on a single core and 7,492 on a multicore. This allows the notebook to increase by 7.11% on mono-core operations and by 75.12% on multi-core operations.

No wonder the 2 laptop is faster since its processor has four cores compared to the two cores of the laptop. Applications with multiple cores, such as Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro CC, will get the most out of the extra processing power.

Image: RAYMOND WONG / MASHABLE

The graphics performance of the 2 laptop are also significantly faster than those of the laptop. Despite the Intel UHD 620 integrated graphics processor, identical to the Intel HD 620 processor from the laptop (Intel has just modified the graphics), my Geekbench 4 GPU test revealed that my laptop 2 was 63.3% faster under OpenCL (used for tasks like image processing) compared to the laptop.

The faster graphics processor is excellent, but do not expect to play at the laptop 2. It is not equipped for such intensive graphics tasks. Even on lower graphical settings, Fortnite is unplayable. Get yourself a Razer blade or an Acer predator with a more powerful discrete GPU for that.

Most people replace their laptops every 4-5 years. I am confident that the 2 laptop will hold at least until the third or fourth year before starting to choke as Windows 10 is updated and your computing needs become more demanding.

Speaking of Windows 10, the laptop 2 (thankfully) does not come with Windows 10 S mode as the original laptop. Right out of the box, you get Windows 10 Home and not the 10S Locked S Mode, which only allows you to install applications from the Windows Store.

S mode is useful if you are a parent and you want more control over the apps your kids use on their computer, but not useful if you need to use apps like Chrome or the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite. As clean and fast as the Microsoft Edge browser is, as a professional, I need Chrome to do my job. So it's nice to see S mode put in the trash for Windows 10 Home.

Same good design, but still no USB-C

Value and performance are really the only two things you need to know about the Laptop 2. Everything else is the same.

The design of the laptop 2 is identical to that of its predecessor. The wedge-shaped aluminum construction is sturdy and does not sag. If you went to a Microsoft store and saw the original laptop, you'll know exactly what you're getting.

Image: RAYMOND WONG / MASHABLE

The keyboard is the same, with chiclet style keys that allow a good race. It is certain that their typing is more comfortable than the flat keys of the new MacBooks. And there is an appropriate row of function keys above the number keys.

The precision touchpad is complementary to the keyboard. In my opinion, this is the best trackpad on any Windows laptop (and I have used far too many top quality laptops with poor quality computers) with a responsiveness comparable to that of a MacBook.

Image: RAYMOND WONG / MASHABLE

The 13.5-inch touch screen is just as beautiful as the old version. Microsoft says its contrast ratio is even better: 1,500: 1. After visiting their Surface Device labs and seeing all the machines they use to test their devices, I'll tell them why. In my eyes, the screen is really bright and very clear and I rarely had to adjust to a brightness of 100% (I left it at 75% and it was more than visible inside).

I'm not even bothered by the fact that Microsoft has kept the same ports (USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, headphone jack and Surface connector for charging and connecting to the stations), although it would have been nice to see at less a USB-C port.

The explanation of Panos Panay, Product Manager at Microsoft, about the lack of USB-C on the Notebook 2 (and Surface Pro 6) is honest and straightforward: is not ready. " And he is not wrong. Even though it's been years since USB-C has not been launched, the disadvantage is that the USB-A (it's normal full size USB port if you're not 39; are not familiar with your USB alphabet) is even more widely available. This applies to accessories and charging ports in places such as airports and trains.

Image: RAYMOND WONG / MASHABLE

That said, it is somewhat inexcusable not to include the USB-C in the laptop 2. Apple has been trapped for giving up all the ports of its MacBooks for USB- C, but this act of "courage" if you want, has greatly helped to accelerate the USB-C ubiquity. While Microsoft's Surface device revenues continue to grow (quarter-on-quarter for the first quarter of fiscal 2019, it has increased 14 percent year-over-year), it's up to the company to help accelerate the company's growth. 39, adoption of the USB-C. The sooner we cross the delicate transitional transition between USB-A and USB-C, the sooner we can live in the utopian world, where only one port will govern them. The non-use of the USB-C only delays the inevitable.

Image: RAYMOND WONG / MASHABLE

I also wish to complain about the proprietary Surface Connect port, which could have been replaced by USB-C for loading if Microsoft included it, but I understand why it is still on the laptop 2. One is magnetic and awesome just like MagSafe was. (RIP) on MacBook and if you stumble on the cable, you do not risk to drag it with you. Second, the connection port is useful if you want to dock it in a Surface docking station (sold separately). Third, the power supply comes with a USB-A port for you to charge another device, such as your phone or tablet. I guess the connection port is not so bad then.

Best notebook of the year

Image: RAYMOND WONG / MASHABLE

I've tested several laptops this year, running on the spectrum of 2-in-1, Chromebooks, MacBooks, gaming laptops, and so on. Everyone's needs will be different. That's why there is no one-size-fits-all solution. -fits-all for laptops.

But apart from laptop enthusiasts, I firmly believe that the Laptop 2 is the best laptop of the year. And by that, I mean the best laptop for the needs of most people.

The Surface Laptop 2 is beautiful and very well built, especially the matte black version. But be warned: Like any colored aluminum, the coating will flake or scratch over time and expose the silvery aluminum underneath.

There is nothing to worry about excessively (my unit already has some silver scratches), but if you plan to keep it blank, you may want to consider applying a skin for extra protection.

It has a keyboard that does not break if you get cheese dust in the keys. And of course, it's an excellent typing experience with keys that allow a good trip. The trackpad is also excellent. The touch screen is bright corner to corner. It has a USB-A port!

It has a keyboard that does not break if you have cheese dust in the keys.

Battery life is also one of the strengths of the Laptop 2. Microsoft claims up to 14.5 hours of battery life for playing local videos, as on the first laptop, but with a real charge for single use, for mixed use: have lots of Chrome tabs, stream Spotify and YouTube videos and write some documents. (like this review) in Google Docs will bring you back between 5 and 7 hours. As always, the battery life also depends on items such as adjusting the brightness of your screen, whether you're on WiFi or not, and what types of apps you're going to be ### 39; execution.

And it comes with Windows 10 Home and offers faster and smoother performance. The icing on the cake is the price. It's a better deal than Apple's $ 1,299 MacBook Pro and I love it more than the Dell XPS 13 of the same specification.

Huawei's MateBook X Pro is the only notebook that I think ticks all the boxes in a similar format, but, as I said, the best option is the $ 1,500 model.

Last year, Microsoft offered the Laptop Surface starting at $ 999 with 4GB of RAM (an option no one should even consider in 2018), but with Surface Laptop 2, it doubled the capacity, making even the basic computer a good machine if you can. get by with less storage.

It's like I was in Bizarro World that Apple no longer makes the best laptop for most people, but Microsoft does it. But, that's what happens when you focus on getting all the essential features of a laptop instead of chasing down thinness and lightness.