Laptop

Purist. In the past few years, Codemasters has developed an arcade-oriented, racing game. Now with “Dirt Rally”, they have decided to return to the old Colin McRae roots. We ran the "Early-Access" game to check its hardware requirements.

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.

Successful. The MSI GE72 is a 17.3-inch gaming notebook with great performance and a strong panel with 94% sRGB coverage. Overall, MSI offers a good package for gamers.

Heavyweight. The third part of the fantasy saga based on the sorcerer Geralt is now in front of us. The story and graphics of the game promises to eclipse the RPG competition. However, we are more interested in the game performance on notebooks. What system is needed for what settings?

The art of omission. Sometimes less is more, which is what Apple probably thought when they designed the ultramobile MacBook 12. Besides unnecessary weight, they also removed (almost) all the ports. A radical concept that won't suit everybody – and inspire some.

Power Spike. Dell offers updated components for the Alienware 13. Let us find out if the Core i7-5500U and the GeForce GTX 960M are worth the investment.

Update with a catch. Dell updated its 13.3-inch convertible with the latest technology. Besides the new Broadwell processor you still get a 360-degree hinge as well as a touchscreen. The most noticeable change, however, is the louder fan.

Chromebook rival. If users do not find the color of the Stream 13 appealing, they will at least find the inner values attractive. Its silent operation, long battery life, and low price make HP's laptop interesting. A one-year license for MS Office 365 Personal is also included.

17.3-inch all-rounder. With its Pavilion 17, HP offers a gaming suitable 17.3-inch all-rounder priced at just under 600 Euros (~$660). However, we discovered some shortcomings.

Solid gamer. The MSI GE60 is a powerful, yet affordable, gaming notebook. The laptop performs well but suffers from high noise and temperature emissions.

Gigantic with drawbacks. As expected from MSI's GT lineup, we meet uncompromising readiness to perform. The update of the GT70 is faster and in some cases even cheaper. However, the weaknesses found in the old tests, unfortunately, have not been eliminated.

Turbo SSD. Decent gaming performance is expected from a gaming laptop. Asus' GL771JW fulfills this, and the laptop even pleases/surprises with a super-fast SSD (PCI Express x4). It also features a screen that offers 90% sRGB coverage.

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.

Transformation. Compact subnotebook or fully fledged desktop replacement: The MSI GS30 wants to be both at the same time. Our review will reveal whether the GamingDock model does so successfully or whether it sits on the fence.

Size doesn't matter. It may be less than 14-inches, but the Aorus X3 Plus still performs just as well as many larger gaming models currently available. What compromises must buyers make for this 3200 x 1800 QHD+ 13.9-inch notebook with 3x RAID 0 and GTX 970M graphics?

Average. The HP 15 is a simple office laptop for home use. The laptop does not shine in any area, except the CPU, but it does offer a decent package. Sadly, the manufacturer has left a lot of room for complaint.

More power. The GeForce GTX 970M is significantly more powerful than the previously tested GE62 model (GeForce GTX 965M). Sadly, even this 4K panel does not make the cut.

As quiet as a mouse. They are rare indeed: Multimedia laptops equipped with AMD APUs and a powerful dedicated Radeon core. The overall performance is impressive - provided the price is reasonable.

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.

The Ultimate ZenBook? Sporting nearly identical specifications to the recently-reviewed G501JW, the UX501JW—with a 4K LCD display, discrete graphics, and quad-core CPU—targets an audience who may in fact be a better fit for its choices. Is this truly the ultimate ZenBook?

Needs sharpening. The 17.3-inch Razer Blade Pro has not seen a major revision since its reveal in 2011 and its age is starting to show. Is the attractive razor-thin form factor and unique Switchblade interface enough to convince the hardcore gaming crowd?

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.

"Notebook-Killer" Vol. 3 - After the Surface Pro 3 was released last autumn, Microsoft now also launches the light version called Surface 3. We already have a review unit and will publish our first results. Update 05/07/2015: Application Performance, Emissions and Rating.

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.

All-rounder. With its stylish design, Dell's 15.6-inch Inspiron 15-5548 all-rounder aims to attract the attention of potential buyers. The hardware equipment is satisfactory. However, Dell should have put more effort in terms of GPU and screen.

A new republic. The thinner ROG is certainly flashier, but cut corners are inevitable. Asus calls it the quietest ultrathin gaming notebook on the market with one of the fastest solid-state drives available. What can go wrong?

Wide-view screen. Rumors have been confirmed: MSI presents the PE70, a brand new 17-inch laptop that is not only aimed at the gaming community but also at enthusiastic multimedia fans and professional users. We were able to take a close look at the "True Color Screen" before the official launch.

Pixel junkies. What was impossible a few years back is now slowly becoming reality: gaming at resolutions far above the standard 1920x1080 pixels. We tested multiple notebook GPUs with 3 of the latest games. Are we ready for 4K?

Alien lightshow. Alienware, who are very popular among gamers, jumped on the Maxwell bandwagon and presented their first notebook with the new and extremely fast Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M. Numerous manufacturer specific special hardware and software features should fulfill all wishes of gamers. It is just too bad that precisely the core units did not work flawlessly.

Bye-bye, TN. After a long waiting time, the Clevo P771ZM Barebone is finally available with an IPS panel. Reason enough for us to take another look at the One K73-5N. Clear the ring for the Schenker XMG U705.