If you haven't spent time reading through PCMag's laptop page, you don't know what you're missing. There has been a crop of fast, fascinating, and feature-packed portable PCs in categories ranging from slim and portable ultrabooks to gaming behemoths—cool new laptops like the eight listed here by way of example.
Ultrabooks may be thin, but the category is growing wider. Better processors have made ultrabooks into viable tools for business and multimedia, and the newest material of choice—carbon fiber—is cutting weight drastically. The ultrabook surge is far from over, so keep your eyes on the category for an ever-wider selection of thin and light options.
On the other end of the size spectrum, desktop replacements and gaming laptops are offering more and more features, at a range of prices. The selection here spans several levels of affordability (from $749 to $2,599) but the number of advancements and features mean that the buyer is the winner at nearly any price. Intel's third-generation Ivy Bridge processors offer superb performance and energy efficiency across the board, while extras like 1080p HD displays and high-end designs ensure that even in the upper reaches you'll still get your money's worth.
As for forward-looking features, every laptop here has USB 3.0 for speedy external storage and docking connectivity. Most have Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) for beaming screen and sound to an HDTV set equipped with a Belkin or Netgear adapter. And speaking of displays, no discussion of cool new laptops could fail to mention Apple's Retina Display, a laptop display with a staggering 2,880-by-1,800 resolution panel. It costs a pretty penny, but it will definitely catch your eye.
As always, our How to Buy a Laptop advice applies. It's a good idea to try to check out a notebook's screen and keyboard at a retailer before you buy, particularly for ultrabooks whose slim design may mean shallower keyboard travel than you're used to. Our reviews will tell you whether a system has the ports you need and how it did on our industry-standard benchmark tests so you can make your best buying decision.
The only trouble with highlighting cool new laptops is that today's laptops are cooler than ever. Check out these samples to get started, then stay on top of the market in the pages of PCMag.
