What actually matters
- 1RAM and storage matter more than the badge. 8GB is the floor in 2026; 16GB is the comfortable sweet spot and worth the upgrade. Get at least a 256GB — ideally 512GB — SSD; small drives fill up fast.
- 2Match the chip to the work. For browsing, office and streaming almost any modern chip is plenty. For editing, code or gaming you want a faster processor and, for games, a dedicated graphics card.
- 3Battery and weight decide how much you'll use it. If it travels, look for a sub-1.6kg machine with a real-world 10+ hour battery. Apple's M-chip MacBooks and ARM Windows laptops lead here.
- 4Screen quality is the daily-use upgrade people forget. A bright, full-HD-or-better IPS or OLED panel makes everything nicer. Avoid dim, low-resolution screens even on cheap machines.
Typical UK price bands (2026)
| Budget | What you get |
|---|---|
| £250–£450 | Everyday Windows laptops for browsing, office and streaming. Fine if you keep tabs modest and don't game. |
| £600–£1,000 | The sweet spot: 16GB RAM, fast SSD, strong battery — MacBook Air class and good Windows ultrabooks. |
| £1,200+ | Creator and gaming machines with powerful chips and dedicated graphics. Only worth it if you actually edit or game. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- ✕Buying 8GB RAM to save £50 then regretting it within a year.
- ✕Paying for a dedicated GPU you'll never use — it costs battery and money.
- ✕Assuming the shelf price is best — laptops swing widely across Currys, Argos, John Lewis, AO and Amazon.
See today's top laptops — with live UK prices
Savvey Search reads the latest expert reviews and shows current, in-stock picks for your budget and needs, each with a live verified UK price. Reviewer round-ups in 2026 are led by machines like the MacBook Air (M-series), Dell XPS and Lenovo IdeaPad/Yoga — but models move fast, so check what's current and what it costs right now.
Get my laptop picks →Is it actually a good price?
The same model can swing a lot between UK retailers, and “sale” prices are often just the normal price with an inflated RRP beside it. Savvey checks 40+ UK retailers and shows the lowest verified price with the market average alongside, so you can see at a glance whether the price in front of you is a genuine deal or just the going rate.
FAQ
Windows or Mac?
Mac if you want the best battery, build and resale and don't need niche Windows software; Windows for gaming, more choice and lower entry prices.
Is 8GB RAM enough?
For light use today, just. But 16GB is the upgrade most people feel — worth it if the budget stretches.
Do I need a dedicated graphics card?
Only for gaming or serious video/3D work. For everything else, integrated graphics are fine and save battery.