Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
A new year is upon us, kicked off by another CES, which means only one thing: a fresh batch of laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s from the world's biggest technology vendors.
A lot of products were unveiled at CES, and it can be difficult to know which ones IT managers should be looking at as a replacement for existing work systems.
So V3 has put together a top 10 of what we think will be the best laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s in the year ahead.
10. Acer Chromebook 15
Samsung has exited the Chromebook market, and it's Acer's time to shine. So the firm used CES 2015 to announce the world's first 15in Chromebook.
The Acer Chromebook 15 features a 15.6in 1366x768 display - it will also be available with a 1080p HD screen - and is powered by Intel's new 5th-generation Broadwell processor.
This, according to Acer, will equip the Chromebook 15 with the same all-day battery life found on the Chromebook 13, despite the larger display.
The Chromebook 15 also boasts 2GB or 4GB of RAM, and a 16GB or 32GB solid-state drive. There's also 802.11ac wireless, USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.0, and an HDMI output.
There's no word on UK availability yet, but the Chromebook 15 is tipped to retail for around £200.
Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
9. Toshiba Encore 2 Write
Many technology firms have yet to take advantage of Windows 8.1's design or notation appeal, despite its obvious touch focus, and have failed to equip tablets or laptops with styluses.
Aware of a gap in the market, Toshiba unveiled the Encore 2 Write at CES 2015. Available in 8in or 10.1in options, the Encore 2 Write features an advanced stylus with Wacom TruFeel tech, partnered with a wealth of Toshiba apps to help you take notes, annotate photos or simply make doodles.
Toshiba has also loaded the device with some pretty impressive internal specifications, including an Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a projected battery life of up to 11 hours.
The specs and the advanced Wacom stylus make the Encore 2 Write one of the most enticing slates to arrive this year.
Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
8. Lenovo Yoga 3
Lenovo refreshed its 360-degree hinge laptop range with the Yoga 3 at CES 2015, revealing new 11in and 14in models which it claims to be thinner and lighter than previous iterations.
Lenovo has been innovating in the tablet and PC space since Microsoft released the touch-focused Windows 8, creating a diverse range of hybrid 'Yoga' devices. So we welcome the updated models with open arms.
The 14in Lenovo Yoga 3 features a similar chassis size as seen on previous 13in Yoga devices, but with a 14in display.
Weighing 1.6kg, the larger model is powered by Intel's upcoming 5th-generation Core processor, based on the Broadwell architecture, for more power in a smaller frame and better battery life.
Considering the huge performance claims made about the latest Broadwell chips, and our previous positive experience using Core M devices, we have high hopes for the new Yogas come their release later this year, especially since analysts like Gartner and IDC report Lenovo as the bestselling laptop vendor of 2014.
Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
7. Acer Nitro V 17 with RealSense
The Nitro V 17 from Acer offers a cutting-edge RealSense 3D camera system from Intel which sets it up potentially to offer an augmented reality interface and UI.
Acer claims that the camera can understand and respond to natural movement in three dimensions, allowing the use of games, web pages and apps without having to touch the keyboard or mouse.
It works by combining a conventional camera, an infrared camera and an infrared laser projector to register depth by detecting infrared light that has bounced back from objects in front of it.
This "creates a touch-free interface that responds to hand and head motions as well as facial expressions", according to Acer.
The Acer V 17 Nitro has a 17.3in full HD display and is powered by a 4th-generation Intel Core i7-4710HQ quad-core processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M graphics.
It comes with up to 4GB DDR5 VRAM for full-tilt performance and smooth game play, and up to 16GB of memory.
The device will available worldwide from January in several configurations.
Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
6. Asus Transformer Book Chi
Asus threw down the gauntlet at CES 2015, aiming at Apple's Macbook Air, Microsoft's Surface 3 and other ultraportable laptops with the Transformer Book Chi, a family of 7.3mm tablets with keyboard docks.
Said by Asus to be the world's slimmest detachable laptop range, the firm has managed to stuff the svelte devices with 4G of RAM, 128GB of solid state storage and an Intel Core M processor.
The T300 model features a 12.5in 2560x1440 high-resolution IPS display. The T100 and T90 boast similar specifications, but have smaller screens at 10.1in and 8.9in respectively.
The Core M chipset with a fanless design helps with the Chi's thinness. The Chi measures a slender 14mm even with the keyboard dock attached, which Asus pointed out is slimmer that the Macbook Air.
On the software side, the Chi runs Microsoft's Windows 8.1 rather than the versions of Android found in other members of the Transformer family.
Asus has also equipped the Chi with 4G LTE support to escape the dependence on Wi-Fi to get online while on the move.
Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
5. HP ZBook 14 G2 Mobile Workstation
HP's ZBook 14 is claimed to be the world's only workstation ultrabook, and was originally launched in 2013.
Time for a refresh, then, and the second-generation G2 model was announced this month with Intel's new 5th-generation Core i5 and Core i7 processors.
The ZBook 14 packs a punch for its 1.62kg weight and 33.9x23.7x2.1cm size, with up to 16GB of DDR3 memory and storage options including up to a 1TB Sata hard drive or 180GB solid state drive, which can be complemented with a 256GB HP Z Turbo Drive SSD on the PCI Express bus.
It is intended as a workstation, so the ZBook features AMD FirePro M4100 graphics and a choice of 14in displays offering resolutions up to 1920x1080 pixels.
The ZBook has a sleek and stylish design, and is available with options including an ultra-slim docking station.
HP also announced the HP ZBook 15u G2 Mobile Workstation, an additional model with a 15.6in display and comparable specifications.
Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
4.The Surface Pro 4
Microsoft may not have set the world on fire with the first Surface Pro in 2012, and many felt that the tablet-laptop hybrid was overpriced and too boxy.
But two years on, Microsoft released the Surface Pro 3 showing that its Pro line of tablets have a lot to offer. The Surface Pro 3 was created using customer feedback and is one of the highest-specced tablets out there.
Key selling points include a redesigned digital stylus, a larger 12in, 3:2 aspect ratio 2160x1440 ClearType display, and Intel Haswell chip options.
As we noted in our review, the Surface Pro 3 has the potential to be the first tablet capable of replacing a dedicated laptop.
With this in mind we can't help wondering what tricks Microsoft has up its sleeve for its 2015 entry into the Surface Pro series, although it will be pretty impressive if the Surface Pro 3 is anything to go by.
Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
3. Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon 3rd-gen
Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon has been one of the most popular business ultrabooks since it launched three years ago, and the latest iteration, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, is expected to be just as much of a hit.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon looks all but identical to its 2014 predecessor, with the same black finish and red detailing, but it's equipped with Intel's 5th-generation Core processor.
Also officially launched at CES this year, the chip means that the 1.31kg system will offer a claimed battery life of up to 10.9 hours despite its thinner and lighter design, weighing just under 1.3kg and measuring 17.7mm thick.
The carbon fibre construction, from which the model gets its name, makes it more durable, and the 2015 ThinkPad X1 Carbon benefits from support for optional PCI Express solid state drives, in a similar vein to the MacBook Air, for better performance.
Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
2. 12in Macbook Air and iPad Pro
Those in the market for a new Macbook might want to hold off for now, as speculation has it that Apple is preparing to launch a "radically redesigned" 12in Macbook Air later this year.
According to reports, Apple's 12in Macbook will be smaller than its current 11in offering and will be the first laptop in the Air line-up with a Retina display.
Changes won't just be made in the screen department, as reports claim that the next-gen Macbook Air will debut a redesigned keyboard and trackpad offering.
Apple has squeezed the keys closer in order for the computer to be as narrow as possible, according to rumours.
Other mooted specifications include a USB Type-C port (Apple is reportedly planning to ditch the current USB and SD card ports) and a new grey colour option, bringing the laptop in line with the firm's iPhone line-up.
News of a 12in Macbook Air comes amid speculation that the firm is also gearing up to launch the so-called iPad Pro, a 12in tablet that looks to go head to head with the Microsoft Surface Pro 3.
Top 10 laptops, convertibles and 2-in-1s for 2015: Dell, Apple, Lenovo, HP and Acer
V3 looks ahead to see the devices worth getting excited about this year
1. Dell XPS 13
Dell unveiled a brand new model in its XPS laptop line-up at CES, the XPS 13, which we think is especially unique because it crams a 13.3in screen into an 11in-sized chassis.
Showing off the laptop for the first time at a low-key press briefing at CES, Dell claimed that the XPS 13 is the "smallest 13in notebook in the world" and compared it with the size of a 13in Macbook Air, holding it up side-by-side to show just how much smaller it is.
There's no question that the Dell XPS 13's design and high-quality aluminium finish juxtaposed against a matt charcoal casing ensures that it looks the part and reflects its premium £1,099 price tag. It's also lightweight for its power at just 1.18kg.
But the thing we like best is its super-thin bezel, which left us screaming: "Why on earth didn't they do this before?!"
We think consumers and business users alike will think the same, no doubt leading to success for the device in the year ahead.