Business Articles

Crackerjack. MSI's GT70 workstation managed seventh place in our workstation ranking. Now we have the successor, MSI's WT72, with a new casing, better screen and optimized performance to test. The following report shows just how well the powerhouse scores overall.

Broadwell upgrade. The EliteBook 820 G2 is a 12.5-inch business notebook. Overall, it left a good impression and does not need to hide from the competition. However, it also is not exactly affordable with a price of just under 2000 Euros (~$2253).

Indestructible. The ToughPad FZ-E1 is a member of Panasonic's first Rugged 5-inch Handhelds. The device has been developed primarily for enterprise and industrial use. In addition to its exceptional outdoor qualities and battery life, it has a really high performance.

Boldly priced. Actually, HP has almost done everything right in the refresh of its premium model and presents a throughout well-designed, very slim and swift business ultrabook with an IPS touchscreen and extensive security features. However, incomprehension evolves when comparing the price-performance ratio with the competition.

Quiet. Without making a big fuss, Asus has included a mobile 15-inch workstation in its product line. The PU551JH is already available for less than 1,000 Euros (~$1098) and might be a genuine price-cutter thanks to its matte Full HD display and Nvidia Quadro K1100M. We have tested it extensively to see if this is the case.

Let the games begin! Equipped with an Nvidia GeForce 940M, the ThinkPad T450s can cope with 3D applications and games - and that for a relatively low extra charge. Thanks to a 96 Wh battery capacity, record-breaking runtimes should be possible.

Quality has its price. HP demands almost 2,000 Euros (~$2289) for its top model of the EliteBook 850 series - in return the customer receives a brilliantly manufactured business laptop with an impressive configuration. Ultimately it is the minor weaknesses that prevent the laptop from ascending the top of its appliance class.

Modular. Fujitsu's 13.3-inch machine offers everything a modern business notebook needs. The module slot allows some customization for the user's own needs.

Even better thanks to Broadwell. The HP EliteBook Revolve 810 G3 can basically be described as a Broadwell upgrade of its predecessor. However, the processor alone suffices to improve the convertible: More power and significantly improved battery runtimes are what the device has to offer.

Disappointing display. Fujitsu's new 14-inch business Ultrabook, the LifeBook U745, left a good impression overall. However, Fujitsu has made a mistake when selecting the display.

You get what you pay for. HP demands less than 400 Euros (~$446) for the basic configuration of its ProBook 455 G2, which recommends it for entering the world of semi-professional office laptops. Unfortunately, the weak hardware slows down the user far too often.

Broadwell upgrade. Fujitsu does not hold back in its 13.3-inch LifeBook T935: A slim metal casing as well as a hinged display is configured with decent hardware, costing almost 2000 Euros (~$2244). However, the computer exhibits some weaknesses.

Limited stamina. Asus can compete with the established competitors from Lenovo, Dell, Fujitsu and HP with the 12-inch business subnotebook called BU201LA. It comes with a bright IPS display, an LTE modem and very good input devices. However, the computer's battery life is quite short.

Expensive runtime wonder. Toshiba charges a steep price of 2000 Euros (~$2138) for the top configuration of its latest business convertible – in return the user gets a business device with comprehensive features and enormous battery runtimes. Thanks to the anti-reflective touchscreen, the Portege Z20t can also be used outdoors.

Carbon-based evolution. While Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon series laptop has always been an impressive piece of hardware, some design decisions have polarized the audience. The X1 Carbon 3rd Gen answers the criticism with solutions which aim to please all parties. We explore the results in excruciating detail in our full review. Update 04/20/2015: Core i7 and PCIe-SSD in review!

Changing of the guards. Lenovo's new Thinkpad L450 now sports ULV processors instead of standard mobile CPUs. Unfortunately, the Thinkpad doesn't benefit that much from the more frugal processor-series.

First business contact. Dell wants to show us what equipment an affordable laptop for business routine needs with its Latitude 3450. The laptop lures with an IPS screen and a good battery life. However, minor shortcomings have to be accepted for a price of 915 Euros (~$981).

Success. Acer's 14-inch TravelMate P645 does not have any serious weaknesses and besets the business-leaders from Hewlett Packard and Lenovo. It clearly outruns its rivals in terms of battery life.

Little jack of all trades. The manufacturer describes its new EliteBook as a sturdy travel companion. The build and emissions impress us, but compromises have to be made in performance compared with the competition.

Yoga goes standard. Will the Yoga concept be successful in a standard 15-inch work device? Can the Yoga reflect the classic virtues and bring new flexibility in equal measure? Disappointment is not far.

Cutting the wrong corners? Compromises in the casing, screen and configuration make the ThinkPad T450 a comparatively affordable alternative to the high-end T450s model. However, the buyer should carefully consider whether the money saved really makes up for the drawbacks.