Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

The X1 Carbon is the flagship: a full 14-inch screen in a carbon fibre chassis that weighs around a kilo. Lighter than most 13-inch laptops and stiffer all the same - which is exactly why that material was chosen.

How it differs

Compared with the T Series you give up nothing on the keyboard or the build quality, but you do give up expandability: the memory is soldered to the motherboard. So choose the amount you will still want in four years' time when you buy.

Who it is for

For people who travel a lot and for whom the laptop is part of the impression they make - management, law, consultancy. Even as a refurbished machine this one still looks the part after four years, precisely because of that material.