Buyer’s guide

Build the best PC for your budget

Build the best PC for your budget

It’s getting hot in here… the closer you get to the magic £1000 mark, the more you start to see low-compromise – or indeed no-compromise – PCs

It’s all about the money, money, money. And the performance, of course

Once upon a time (a few years ago), £800 used to be a sweet spot for the laptop buyer. Nowadays, only a few slinky heroes squeeze under the line…

Slim and light laptops look nicer, feel better and tend to last longer between charges than the rest. And no, you don’t actually need workstation-grade power just to record those music tracks you like to fuss over at the weekends. Here, then, are 2025’s top truly portable laptop contenders, ranging from under £500 to well over two grand…