The Best Laptops kenya

The Best Laptops kenya

Dell released a new version of our Ultrabook pick, the XPS 13 (9300). We’ll be taking a closer look at it soon, but so far we like its taller screen and improved fingerprint reader over the XPS 13 (7390).

Smartphones and tablets may have taken over much of people’s screen time, but there’s still a need for a “real” computer sometimes—and for most people, that means a laptop.

For school and office work and things like spreadsheets and video editing, there’s no good substitute for a decent keyboard and a big screen.

But which laptop you should get depends on how often you’ll use it, what you’ll use it for, and (of course) how much money you can afford to spend on it.

We’ve tested all of the most promising laptops over the past few years, from sleek ultra-books to cheap Chromebooks to massive gaming laptops and beyond.

Here are the best models you can buy in every category, along with advice on how to choose which type of laptop is right for you.

Mac or Windows (or something else)?

Many people already know whether they want a MacBook or a Windows laptop: If you’re already familiar with macOS or Windows, the easiest choice is to buy a computer that runs that operating system.

That said, macOS and Windows have never been more similar, and most popular apps work just as well on either platform (or at least have alternatives that work similarly). If you’re interested in switching, it isn’t as big a deal as it used to be.

If you’re not tied to a platform, the biggest factor is how easy it is to get support. Do most of your family and friends use Macs? Do you have an Apple Store nearby? Do your most tech-savvy friends use Windows?

If you’re a student, does your school have a help desk? Will your company’s IT department provide support for your home computer?

If you’re not a self-sufficient techie and want the best service for your computer, buy a Mac, because you can take it to any Apple Store to get it fixed.

No other computer maker provides that level of support. (If you are self-sufficient, go with what you like.)

Alternatively, as more tasks can be accomplished in a browser, without downloading and installing apps, you might not even need a traditional operating system—a Chromebook may be all you need.

Dell XPS 13 (7390)

Our favorite Windows ultrabook

The Dell XPS 13 has a thin, light chassis plus impressively long battery life, alongside a great keyboard, trackpad, and screen.

Who these are for: Ultra-books are the best laptops for most people, including college students, writers, office workers, and commuters.

They have great keyboards, screens, battery life, and enough power to do everything most people need a computer for, and they’re thin, light, and portable.

You should expect to pay between KSH 90,000 and KSH130,000 for a great Windows ultrabook that will last you three to four years.

Where they fall short: Great ultra-books cost more than most people want to spend on a laptop, even if they provide a better experience and last longer than cheaper alternatives.

They also lack the processing power to play high-end games or do demanding tasks like professional video editing or 3D modeling.

If you need a cheaper laptop or a more powerful one, check out our other picks below.

Why we like this one: The Dell XPS 13 (7390) is the best Windows ultra-book for most people because it offers the best balance of what makes an ultra-book great: It’s compact, its battery life is the longest we’ve seen, and it has a good keyboard and trackpad.

The model we recommend 10th-generation Intel Core i5-10210U processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB solid-state drive.

Its keyboard and touchpad are both responsive and comfortable, and it has a brilliant 1080p non-touchscreen display.

Connections include two Thunderbolt 3 ports that you can use to transfer data, connect an external display, or charge the laptop—we wish the XPS 13 had a USB-A port too, but that problem is easy enough to resolve with a USB-C hub or dock.

The laptop weighs just 2.7 pounds and measures 11.9 by 7.8 by 0.5 inches. Its design was amazing in 2015 and remains impressive today—it’s about a half-inch more compact than other laptops we tested—but it’s no longer the outlier it once was.

You can read more about the Dell XPS 13 and our other recommendations from dayari technologies guide to Windows ultrabooks.

The best Mac laptop

Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, two Thunderbolt 3 ports)

Our recommended Mac laptop

You get good-enough performance and a full workday of battery life in a thin, light laptop with a fantastic display and two Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Who these are for: If you prefer macOS or need great tech support, Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro offers the best combination of size, weight, and speed.

It’s great for the same people a Windows ultra-book is good for, including writers, office workers, commuters, and college students. Expect to pay from KSH130 000 for one with good enough specs and storage to last you three to four years.

Where they fall short: Mac-Books are even more expensive than Windows ultra-books the 13-inch Pro usually costs a bit more for similar specs. Apple’s default 128 GB of storage is on the small side and the company overcharges for storage upgrades.

And like Windows ultra-books, our recommended configuration for most people lacks the processing power to play demanding games or do professional 3D modeling.

Why we like this one: The 13-inch MacBook Pro (2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) has some shortcomings, but they’re almost all shared by other modern Apple laptops: the low-travel keyboard, a small number of homogenous ports (in this case, two Thunderbolt 3 ports) that may require the use of USB-C hubs or new cables, and a high price relative to Windows laptops with similar performance and features (especially if you need more storage).

But the Pro’s light weight, solid construction, and industry-leading support make it a good laptop, especially if you also own an iPhone or other Apple devices.

If you need a less expensive Mac or a more powerful one with a larger screen, contact dayari technologies kenya.

The best cheap ultrabook

Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA

Excellent laptop for the price

The ZenBook 13 UX333FA has more than enough battery life for a full day of classes, and it’s thin and light, making it an excellent value.

Who these are for: Most inexpensive Windows computers, especially those less than KSH 50,000, are large and heavy and have poor battery life—among other flaws—but for a bit more money you can get an ultra-book that is almost as good as a thousand-dollar one.

Budget ultra-books are ideal for students in particular, and for anyone who can spend from KSH 80,000 on a laptop.

Where they fall short: Budget ultra-books tend to have bigger, creakier bodies and worse build quality than our top picks, and they can also have less responsive keyboards and trackpads, dimmer and less accurate screens, or fewer ports.

But if you can find one that makes as few of these compromises as possible, you may be able to save a few hundred dollars.

Why we like this one: The Asus Zen-Book 13 UX333FA is a fantastic value. It costs a few hundred dollars less than our top ultra-book pick and has nearly identical specs.

It’s even a little lighter than the Dell XPS 13, despite being slightly bigger too. Battery life lasted more than 10 hours in our tests, plenty to get you through a full workday.

This Zen-Book’s trackpad is accurate and responsive, but its backlit keyboard is a bit less enjoyable to type on than those of our other picks.

It also lacks Thunderbolt 3 ports. But if you need a thin, light laptop for less than 100,000, you should definitely get the Zen-Book UX333FA.

You can read more about the Zen-Book UX333FA and how it compares to our other picks in our full guide at dayari technologies.

HP Chromebook x360 14

The best chrome-book

With solid performance, great battery life, and a 14-inch screen, the x360 14 is one of the best chrome-books around

Who these are for: Chromebooks are ideal for students and kids, but you should also consider one if you spend most of your computer time in a Web browser, if you’re on a tight budget, or if you already have a decent desktop PC.

A good Chromebook can do almost anything a regular laptop can do—as long as it’s possible in a Web browser or via Android apps.

And they’re cheap: A 40,000 Chromebook is faster, lighter, and sleeker than a KSH 50,000 Windows laptop and blessed with better battery life. Plus, Chromebooks are secure and easy to maintain.

Where they fall short: Chromebooks can’t run iTunes, Photoshop, demanding games, or many of the programs you might be used to on your Mac or Windows computer.

They don’t have much local storage, and they work best with a full-time Internet connection. But if you use Web-based email, if you can get by with Office 365, Google’s office Web apps, and Android app alternatives, and if you stream your music and movies over the Internet, a Chromebook should do just about everything you need it to.

Why we like this one: The HP Chromebook x360 14 has solid performance, a great keyboard and trackpad, all-day battery life, and both USB-C and USB-A ports to connect new and older peripherals.

The x360 has a 360-degree hinge and a responsive 14-inch, 1920×1080 IPS touchscreen, though the machine is too heavy to use comfortably in tablet mode.

It’s expensive for a Chromebook, but it’s worth the money if you plan to use your Chromebook a lot. Our recommended configuration has an Intel Core i3-8130U processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage.

You can read our full guide to Chromebooks here.

The best budget Windows laptop

Asus Vivo-Book Flip 14 TP412FA-OS31T

Cheaper, but slower

Sleek for a cheap Windows laptop, the Vivo-Book Flip 14 has a vibrant screen and a comfortable backlit keyboard. But it chugs if you try to multitask, and its trackpad is slippery.

Who these are for: If you need a Windows laptop for home, work, or school—and you can’t afford to spend a lot—you can find a good one for KSH 45,000 to KSH 60,000.

They’re ideal for K–12 students, people on a strict budget, and people who use their computers mostly at home in the evenings for schoolwork, Web browsing, managing a budget, or watching Netflix.

Cheaper, lighter laptops tend to be too slow to recommend, while faster, sleeker ones usually cost too much.

Where they fall short: To get a laptop that doesn’t feel slow for a decent price, you’ll have to make a lot of compromises.

Most budget laptops with decent specs have 15-inch screens, weigh 5 or 6 pounds, and have much shorter battery life compared with ultra-books.

And because some budget laptops use a traditional hard drive instead of a solid-state drive, they feel slower than an ultra-book with the same processor and memory.

Why we like this one: The Asus Vivo-Book Flip 14 TP412FA-OS31T has 128 GB of solid-state storage, an Intel Core i3-8145U processor, 4 GB of RAM, and a bright, 14-inch screen with a 1920×1080 resolution.

Its keyboard is comfortable and responsive, and the Vivo-Book Flip is sturdier and more compact than other laptops in this price range.

But the Vivo-Book Flip’s 4 GB of memory is a bit limiting, its trackpad is slippery and unreliable, and its battery won’t last a full day like the Chromebook’s.

It also comes with some bloatware, and it has Windows 10 in S mode—a version of Windows 10 that allows apps only from the Microsoft Store and limits you to Microsoft Edge for Web browsing—but you can switch it to Windows 10 Home for free.

Choosing a budget laptop is tricky, because you’ll find dozens—even hundreds—of configurations at a given time.

Their prices fluctuate constantly, too, and companies release and discontinue models with no warning.

If our pick isn’t available, you should look for the following specs in an all-purpose budget laptop: seventh- or eighth-generation Intel Core i5 processor (they’ll have model names that start with i5 and end with 7xxx or 8xxx), 8 GB of RAM, a solid-state drive, and a 1366×768 or better screen resolution.

You can read our full guide to budget laptops here.

Microsoft Surface Book 2 (15-inch)

The best laptop for creative professionals

The Surface Book 2 has powerful specs and the best battery life and most accurate screen of any Windows laptop we tested.

It’s reliable enough for most creative tasks, but not quite accurate enough for video color grading and print production.

Who these are for: If you’re a creative professional and want a Windows laptop that’s more powerful than an ultra-book, with a larger, higher-resolution screen and a faster graphics processor, you should get what we call a power notebook.

These are ideal if you’re an audio, video, or photo editor, or if you do a lot of 3D modeling, but you still want something fairly light and portable.2 they’re pricey, though, so expect to pay upwards of KSH250, 000.

Where they fall short: Laptops with color-accurate screens and enough power for creative professionals are expensive.

Power notebooks also tend to have shorter battery life than ultra-books, because of their larger, higher-resolution screens and power-hungrier processors.

And because they’re thin and light enough to be reasonably portable, these laptops are often not as easy to upgrade as chunkier business or gaming laptops.

The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is the best Windows laptop for professional creative tasks like photo and video editing, thanks to a vibrant 4K screen, quad-core processor, dedicated graphics, high-capacity SSD, and plenty of RAM.

Why we like this one: The Surface Book 2 configuration we recommend costs around $2,900 (we know!). Keep reading: It has a 4K display, an eighth-generation 1.9 GHz Intel Core i7-8650U processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB solid-state drive.

It also comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 with 6 GB VRAM, a powerful graphics processor that can handle demanding tasks—like quickly exporting 4K footage in Adobe Premiere Pro—much faster than the GPU in the MacBook Pro (it’s also good for gaming).

The Surface Book 2 model’s keyboard is clicky and comfortable to use for long periods of time, and its trackpad is even better: It tracks smoothly and accurately, and it executes gestures and other Windows-related tasks with ease.

It also has all of the necessary ports and connections: two USB 3.0 ports, a USB-C port (though not Thunderbolt 3), as well as a full-size SD card reader, and a proprietary Surface Connect port. It also had the longest battery life of any laptop we tested this year by about 20 minutes, and you can even detach its screen and use it as a tablet if you want..

The best budget gaming laptop

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-78VL

The best cheap gaming laptop

The Predator Helios 300 offers excellent performance for a low price, and it’s the only laptop with our recommended specs that keeps cool enough. Plus, it has more memory and a high-refresh-rate screen.

Who these are for: Budget gaming laptops typically cost between KSH 80,000 and KSH 130,000 and are ideal for playing older games on high settings, or new games on at least medium settings.

But as of late 2020, there has never been a better time to buy a budget gaming laptop—we recommend our current pick for anyone who plays PC games on the go.

For the first time, gaming laptops from KSH 100,000 can play most new games on high settings or better at 1920×1080 resolution at or above 60 fps—you don’t need to spend KSH200,000 on a more powerful gaming laptop to get great performance.

Where they fall short: Every affordable gaming laptop we’ve tested has had at least one serious flaw. Some get way too hot, others have poor build quality, and some have dim screens with poor viewing angles.

And compared to more portable options like ultra-books, all gaming laptops are large, heavy, and saddled with short battery life.

Why we like this one: The Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-78VL keeps its components, and the surfaces you touch most often, cool enough during games so it won’t overheat or burn your fingers.

Its keyboard and trackpad are responsive and comfortable, and the laptop is easy to upgrade if you want more storage in the future.

But its fans issue an annoying whine during gaming, its battery lasted less than 5 hours in our test, and it comes with a ton of bloatware.

We recommend the model with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti graphics processor with 6 GB of dedicated memory, an Intel Core i7-9750H processor, 16 GB of RAM, a 256 GB solid-state drive, and a 15-inch 1920×1080 144 Hz display. No other laptop we’ve tested provides as much gaming performance for the price.

Read more about our budget gaming laptop pick in our full guide.

The best gaming laptop

Acer Predator Triton 500 PT515-51-75BH

Our favorite gaming laptop

The Triton 500 has a less garish design than most gaming laptops, plus longer battery life and a lighter weight. Its RTX 2060 GPU performs similarly to those in cheaper laptops, but it’s easier to tote around.

Who these are for: Most people shouldn’t buy a high-end gaming laptop right now. Laptops with RTX 2070 or 2080 graphics cards cost more than KSH 200,000 and don’t provide a worthwhile upgrade from a KSH 120,000 laptop with a 1660 Ti, which is what most people should get.

While we wait for prices on those more powerful models to drop, we have a pick that’s thinner and lighter than our budget pick, fits comfortably into a laptop bag, and can play games at similar frame rates as our favorite cheap gaming laptop.

Where they fall short: Gaming laptops are typically huge and heavy to make room for powerful components and proper cooling, and they also have abysmal battery life.

And they’re expensive: A KSH 150,000 desktop computer is much more powerful and upgradable than a KSH 300,000 gaming laptop; meanwhile, a KSH 100,000 ultra-book is much smaller and lighter, handles nongaming tasks just as well as a gaming laptop, and has twice the battery life and much better build quality.

Why we like this one: Our favorite gaming laptop is the Acer Predator Triton 500 PT515-51-75BH.

It has powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 graphics that can most modern games on ultra-settings and can easily hit 60 frames per second (fps) in the majority of titles, an Intel Core i7-9750H processor, and 16 GB of DDR4 2666 MHz memory in dual-channel mode (which improves performance in some games compared with single-channel).

In our tests, it handled both internal and external temperatures the best of all the thin and light models.

The Triton 500 weighs 4.6 pounds and offers nearly five hours of battery life in non-gaming tasks.

It has a vibrant 144 Hz 15.6-inch display and a comfortable keyboard, but it’s tricky to upgrade and comes loaded with too much bloatware.

Read our full guide to gaming laptops here. If you want a gaming laptop but don’t have a couple grand to spend, see the next category.

The best business laptop Lenovo ThinkPad T490 For the corporate world

The T490 has the best combination of performance, size, weight, upgradability, and price among business laptops, which tend to be more durable and serviceable than other laptops.

Who these are for: Most people don’t need a business laptop, and those who do will probably get one issued from their IT department.

But there are a few great reasons to get a business laptop, even if you’re paying for it yourself, including better long-term durability, easier serviceability and upgrades, more RAM and storage, and more plentiful and varied ports than you get with an ultra-book.

Our main picks typically cost between KSH 120,000 and KSH 120,000, but we also have a great budget pick for around KSH 100,000.

Where they fall short: Ultra-books are a better option than business laptops for most people because they’re thinner, lighter, and offer similar performance for less money.

The majority of people don’t need to upgrade or repair their own laptops, and if you really need business-centric features like smart card support and vPro, it’s likely that the place where you work has already provided you a laptop that supports them.

Why we like this one: The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 has an excellent keyboard and trackpad, a decent screen, and a good mix of new and old ports that should keep you from ever needing a dongle or adapter.

And the T490 offers long enough battery life to last you through a full workday or a cross-country flight.

Our recommended configuration costs around KSH 12,000 to KSH 140,000 and includes an Intel Core i5-8265U processor, 8 GB of memory, a 256 GB PCIe SSD, a 14-inch 1080p IPS screen, and a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader.

Our pick’s specs are fast enough for everyday work, and it’s exceptionally easy to upgrade the memory or storage or to replace the battery.

Check out our full guide to business laptops to learn more.

The best 2-in-1 laptop Lenovo Yoga C930 The best 2-in-1 laptop

The Lenovo Yoga C930 is the best laptop that you can flip into tablet mode. Its battery will last all day, and it has a big, 14-inch touchscreen and included stylus, but its size and weight make it less convenient for carrying around.

You’ll encounter two main types of 2-in-1 laptops. Convertibles are just ultra-books with a 360-degree hinge that lets you fold the laptop’s screen all the way around, flat against the bottom of the keyboard, to use the entire package as a bulky tablet or in any mode in between.

Detachable, the other type, are more like tablets with a removable keyboard. They tend to be awkward in at least one of their two modes, and the operating systems they use (usually Windows, sometimes iOS, Android, or Chrome-OS) are usually good for either laptop work or tablet work, but not both.

Who these are for: Convertibles are a good choice if you want a great laptop that you’ll occasionally use as a tablet or propped up like a tent.

For example, tent mode can be convenient for navigating recipes in the kitchen or watching Netflix on an airplane.

Detachable are the more appropriate option for people who want a tablet they can sometimes use as a laptop. If you don’t need tablet features at all, we recommend sticking with one of our ultra-book picks above.

Where they fall short: Even the best 2-in-1 makes for a bulky, awkward tablet; the one we recommend is an excellent laptop first, with bonus modes for occasional needs.

And styluses for writing or drawing in tablet mode usually cost extra, on top of an already expensive laptop.

The Lenovo Yoga C930 has a 360-degree hinge that allows you to flip the screen all the way around to use as a tablet, or in any intermediate position. (Tent mode is shown here.)

Why we like this one: The Lenovo Yoga C930 is an excellent ultra-book with a 360-degree hinge and a 14-inch touchscreen with an included pen. It’s the best option if you want a laptop that also works as a tablet sometimes.

The Yoga C930 has a battery life that will last all day and a good keyboard and trackpad. But it’s about an inch larger and a half-pound heavier than the Dell XPS 13, so it’s less convenient to throw in your bag for a day of working on the go.

We recommend the model with an eighth-generation Intel Core i5-8250U or i7-8550U processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB PCIe solid-state drive. It has two Thunderbolt 3 ports and one USB 3.0 Type-A port, as well as a fingerprint reader for easy logins.

If you need a compact, light laptop above all else, we recommend getting our ultra-book pick instead.

You can read more about the Yoga C930 in our guide to Windows ultra-books.

What about detachable? Most inexpensive detachable are neither good laptops nor good tablets, as they usually don’t have great performance, keyboards, trackpads, hinges, or battery life.

High-end detachable like the Microsoft Surface Pro have fine battery life and performance but still make for bulky tablets and awkward laptops. Most people are better off with a convertible laptop like the Lenovo Yoga C930 or an iPad with a keyboard.

Footnotes

1. If you’re considering switching to Mac, but you still need to run Windows-specific software on occasion, keep in mind that you can do so on a Mac using Apple’s Boot Camp feature or virtualization software such as Parallels. Unfortunately, you have no easy way to run mac-OS software on Windows.

The Best Things to Get for Your New Laptop

From laptop bags to headphones to chargers to dongles galore, here are the essential accessories to help you use your new laptop.

Accessories for Your USB-C Laptop

We’ve tested the best cables, hubs, and dongles to help you connect your all your peripherals to your new laptop, even if it has only USB-C ports.

The Best Gaming Laptop

We tested eight gaming laptops and recommend the Acer Predator Triton 500. It’s thin and light, it fits comfortably in a laptop bag, and it can play games.

The Best Cheap Gaming Laptop

After spending more than 60 hours researching and testing nine cheap gaming laptops, we found that the Acer Predator Helios 300 is the best one.