Xiaomi teases a new Mi Watch Color smartwatch for 2020

The year 2020 is now upon us, and the gadgets are coming: specifically, a new Mi Watch Color smartwatch device from Xiaomi, which the Chinese tech giant has teased in a short new promo video.

While the video is hardly spilling over with details and specs, it does give us a few ideas about what to expect. For a start, the watch has a circular casing, unlike the squared design of the Mi Watch that debuted a couple of months ago.

We've got two buttons on the right of the dial and what seem to be replaceable straps as well. According to Gadgets360, the color options are going to be black, gold and silver, with a variety of strap choices.

• Check out our PC games of the year
• CES 2020 is coming this month
• Apple could ditch the iPhone notch

What we don't get from this promo is any idea what software the watch is running – though considering the Mi Watch had Wear OS on board, it would be a surprise if this Color variant didn't.

From the rather vivid 36-second clip that Xiaomi has posted, it looks as though the usual feature set of activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, app notifications and sleep tracking will all be present and correct.

As yet, we don't have any word on pricing – or any news on availability outside of China – but with an on-sale date pegged for January 3, we've only got a couple of days to wait to hear more from Xiaomi.

In the meantime, leaked shots of the retail box posted to social media and spotted by GSMArena show the wearable has a 1.39-inch, 454 x 454 pixel AMOLED display, with a 420mAh battery that Xiaomi is promising can last for an impressive 14 days.

In addition there's water resistance to 50 meters, and NFC and GPS on board. It may well be one of the wearables to watch in 2020, if it comes to your region.

• These are the best smartwatches that caught our eye in 2019

Via 9to5Google

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This incredible Garmin Forerunner 645 deal is somehow still going

It might have first gone live on Boxing Day, but this deal in the January sales is still one of the best we've seen over the festive period - a Garmin Forerunner 645 with Music for far less than at other sites.

Why? Well, the first clue is in the name: the 'with music' element means you've got offline Spotify on your wrist, so you don't need your phone when exercising - but more importantly, it's just £199 at Argos - and it's still going days after we spotted it, so we're thinking it's not a mistake.

This price drop is so good that we had to check ourselves a couple of time that it was legitimate - however, it's the same as we saw on Black Friday. This is a mid-range watch from Garmin, but started well north of £400 just a year and three quarters ago.

For that price, we've had to check it's not a mistake - this is the same watch that's over £400 on Amazon, and around £350 at Wiggle (a retailer known for great prices on sporting equipment).

So for Argos to have it this cheap is perplexing - but we're not complaining. The main issue we had with the Garmin Forerunner 645 was the battery life, as it's surprisingly short for a watch from this brand.

But when running it holds up just fine - it's in the day-to-day use that it's a little shorter, and you're still getting sleep, stress, heart-rate and other monitoring on the wrist, and it's pretty fully-featured when running too.

So if you've got a loved-one after a new watch, steer them this way - it's an even better deal than on the base-level Garmin Forerunner 245, which is surprising.

Not in the UK? These are the best prices for the Forerunner 645 Music in your region:

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In 2020, we'll learn how many streaming services is too many

2019 was a sample of what's to come in the streaming wars. Big US exclusivity deals were announced for popular old shows, like Seinfeld (Netflix), Friends (HBO Max) and The Office (Peacock), demonstrating that a solid back catalogue is as important to a streaming service's success as its original programming. Apple TV Plus and Disney Plus launched, giving consumers yet more options to choose from. And multiple new streaming services unveiled release dates, pricing and their own exclusive content. 

Streaming TV used to be a lot simpler. While choice is usually good for consumers, here it remains to be seen if that's genuinely the case, even if it results in more great content than we can possibly watch. The domination of giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu put your favorite shows and movies in a finite number of possible places. In 2020, if you want to watch everything in the US, it's simply going to cost you more money. 

Still, the new streaming services have plenty to get excited about in terms of exclusive content, and not all of them will necessarily require a subscription fee. 

Here's what to expect from the streaming wars in 2020. 

HBO Max and Peacock will enter the fray

The first big new streaming service to drop in 2020 will be Peacock, which arrives from NBC Universal in April. More details will be revealed during an investor meeting on January 16, but this new streaming service will feature paid subscription and ad-supported options. A CNBC report from November suggests everyone will be able to get the core offering for free, which would be a smart move, given how many services require a subscription fee every month.

Peacock's programming will includes classic sitcoms like Parks and Recreation and The Office (coming in 2021), with the latter remaining one of the most popular series on Netflix years after it ended its original run. Some of Peacock's original shows sound pretty great, too: a new version of Battlestar Galactica from Mr Robot creator Sam Esmail, for example, and a new sitcom called Rutherford Falls from The Good Place creator Mike Schur. The service is hoping to create a new version of The Office, too, which would no doubt be a success. 

Ultimately, if it's not locked behind a paywall and it's available on a wide variety of devices, it's not hard to see people downloading Peacock to watch classic episodes of sitcoms they already like. It will also feature movies from Universal's catalogue and content from Lionsgate. 

HBO Max, meanwhile, launches at $14.99 per month in May. The simple way to pitch this one is that it's HBO, plus Warner Bros (and a bunch of other content). HBO still makes the best TV around, with Watchmen and Chernobyl demonstrating that in 2019, so that alone is a big sell. And when you consider that HBO Max will also feature every Batman movie ever made, or every episode of Friends and The Big Bang Theory, you start to see how wide its appeal could be.

Its originals sound promising, too, with the most exciting being Tokyo Vice, a series based on the book Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan by Jake Adelstein. The pilot is directed by Michael Mann (Heat), and it starts Ansel Elgort of Baby Driver fame. That's just scratching the surface, though: check out our HBO Max explainer for more on what's in the works. 

That subscription fee is on the high side compared to its competitors, but the back catalogue of shows and movies here is extremely strong. As well as the content mentioned above, HBO Max will be the new streaming home of Studio Ghibli's animated movies, South Park and Rick and Morty. 

And then there's Quibi

Quibi is another service launching in 2020 (April 6), specializing in short-form video of ten-minute episodes or less, for $4.99 per month with ads, and $7.99 without them. Quibi is short for 'quick bites', and its initial programming line-up features a lot of big names. The service is targeting an audience of 25-30 year-olds. 

Shows include a Steven Spielberg series that can only be watched at night, a Chrissy Teigen-hosted Judge Judy-style reality series and a remake of The Fugitive that features Kiefer Sutherland. It's likely that most of Hollywood is not viewing this as competition to more typical streaming services, since it's received investment from the likes of Disney and Warner Bros. 

Where that slots into the landscape of other streamers is unclear, but the format automatically differentiates it from competitors. Hey, if you're sick of hour-long Netflix shows, maybe 10-minute episodes sound like a relief. 

Will people stay subscribed to existing services? 

Picard is one of the biggest shows on CBS All Access to date. 

Hanging on to subscribers will be the main challenge for existing services, as the competition intensifies. 

Disney Plus, which launched with The Mandalorian as well as the impact of a near-complete Disney content archive, has to wait until Fall 2020 for both season 2 of the live-action Star Wars TV show and its first Marvel series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. 

While it has original programming to come throughout the year, like a new season of animated show The Clone Wars, maintaining momentum is going to be tough. Still, there's no doubt it'll be a big deal when newer Disney movies like the live-action Aladdin and The Lion King are ready to stream in the coming months. 

Apple TV Plus, which didn't blow us away at launch, has a lot of programming to come in 2020 and beyond, like videogame sitcom Mythic Quest from the creators of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. That arrives in February. Most of its originals, too, like The Morning Show and See, are returning for second seasons. 

While older services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video now have their own extensive back catalogues of original content, it's unclear what the effects of older shows switching to newer streamers will be. According to a Nielsen report, The Office and Friends were Netflix's number one and two shows respectively in 2018. They're both monster hits that have been off the air for years, and to some extent, they're impossible to replicate: they were successful shows when there was simply less to watch than there is now. 

You might just have to be flexible if you're conscious of overspending on streaming services in 2020. 

Star Trek: Picard is one of the bigger originals coming in 2020, arriving in January on CBS All Access. That service already has eight million subscribers, and it's growing a whole platform of Trek shows, with a third season of Discovery to come, as well as two new Trek spin-offs, Lower Decks and Section 31. 

The key question: will anyone have time to watch every good show in 2020? Price is one thing, but these services are also competing for your finite amount of spare time as well as your money. 

Each major streaming service seems to have a strategy of combining expensive originals with back catalogue content. The former might get you to subscribe, while the other provides hours upon hours of comfort viewing that are meant to keep you watching. It'll be interesting to see how much of a motivating factor it is for Friends to switch to HBO Max, for example, or how important getting the rights to Seinfeld will be for Netflix US, and whether that makes up for losing The Office. 

2020 will be a game-changing year

Splashy launches are one thing, but for a lot of us, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have been in our lives for years. By the end of 2020, we'll begin to figure out what our optimal selection of streaming services will look like. Some consumers will pay for all of them, but many will just want a couple. This is why each streaming service needs an identity: people are likely to start subscribing by area of interest, especially when the selling point of the content is so clear with a service like Disney Plus, or CBS All Access doubling down on Star Trek.    

The competition is a good thing in terms of original programming - every year, TV shows seem to get better and better. But paying more than $50 per month to see every big new series isn't ideal for most people, especially when streaming services were meant to offer a solution to a hefty cable bill. 

It's possible not every service will survive the streaming wars. But maybe that won't be a bad thing for TV viewers. There has to be a reason for each streaming service to exist that isn't just about a big studio hawking its own archive content, with the hope you'll drop a few bucks a month on a subscription.  

• The best TV streaming services

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These Dyson V8 and V7 deals are still going strong in the January Sales

Well, we're into the January sales, and many people will likely be thinking about ways to make their house that little bit more dust-free - and these Dyson deals are just what you're looking for. 

(Not in the UK? Scroll down for the best Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner prices in your region.)

The first is £75 off this Dyson V8 Animal Extra Cordless Vacuum Cleaner at John Lewis, taking it down to just under £300 for this wireless sucker.

If you want to spend a little bit less, then you could consider the Dyson V7 Motorhead Plus over at AO.com, which is a shade under £200 right now as the January sales are abound.

The V8 Animal isn't as powerful as the Dyson V11 Absolute, which we consider to be our best vacuum cleaner, but with the saving becomes a much more palatable buy.

The V7 Motorhead is a little powerhouse of a cleaner - not top of the range from Dyson, and was launched nearly three years ago. However, it does still suck up dirt on the whole and this is a top price drop.

Looking for Dyson's other offerings? Check out the cheapest Dyson sales, offers and deals for vacuum cleaners for December 2019.

• Shop more January sales from John Lewis

Not in the UK? Here are the best prices for the Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner in your region:

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Best laptop 2020: our pick of the 15 best laptops you can buy this year

Welcome to our pick of the best laptops of 2020. If you're looking for some of the best laptops money can buy right now, then let us help, as in this guide we list the finest laptops, Ultrabooks and Chromebooks on sale today.

No matter what kind of device you're after, from budget laptops that offer excellent value for money, but without sacrificing too much when it comes to power, to impressive gaming laptops that can handle the latest games with ease (and everything in between), we have a best laptop suggestion for you.

At the moment, our pick for the best laptop in the world is the Dell XPS 13. The Dell XPS 13 has been at the top (or very close) of our best laptops list for years now, with each new model improving on the last. 

This year’s version is no different, bringing improvements to the design and performance to the 13-inch Ultrabook.

But if the Dell XPS 13 isn't right for you, read on for more brilliant selections. Every device in our best laptops list has been extensively tested by us, while our price comparison tool will make sure you get the best deals for the best laptops.

Best laptops 2020 at a glance:

1. Best laptop overall: Dell XPS 13 (2019)
2. Best laptop for pure value: Huawei MateBook 13
3. Best 2-in-1 laptop: HP Spectre x360 (2019)
4. Best Apple laptop: MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
5. Best gaming laptop: Alienware Area-51m
6. Best Chromebook: Google Pixelbook Go
7. Best laptop by Microsoft: Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
8. Best laptop for productivity: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
9. Best budget gaming laptop: Dell G5 15 5590
10. Best affordable Chromebook: Asus Chromebook Flip
11. Best mid-range laptop: Asus VivoBook S15
12. Best affordable laptop: Acer Switch 3
13. Best cheap MacBook: Apple MacBook 12-inch (2017)
14. Best looking laptop: HP Spectre Folio
15. Best premium 2-in-1 laptop: Lenovo Yoga C930

The best laptops 2020:

The Dell XPS 13 has been a regular of our best laptops list for years, and the 2019 model is no exception. It retains everything we've come to love from Dell's flagship 13-incher, from the gorgeous and light design, to the powerful modern components that power it. The Dell XPS 13 rocks an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and a bezel-less ‘Infinity Edge’ display, this Dell XPS 13 continues to be the most popular Windows laptop in the world. 

What’s more, there’s a wide range of customization options, so you can really make the Dell XPS 13 the best laptop for your needs. The 2019 model doesn't bring a huge amount of improvements, but then not that much about the Dell XPS 13 needs improving. Its webcam has been placed at the top center of the screen, rather than at the bottom, which a lot of customers have been asking for. You also get a longer battery life in this year's model.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 13

Huawei has done it again, and its latest laptop is one of our picks for the best laptop of 2019. As with last year's Huawei MateBook X Pro, the MateBook 13 comes with some of the latest components, including a discrete Nvidia MX150 graphics card, and a gorgeous lightweight design, that you'd expect to find on a much more expensive laptop. 

The fact that the MateBook 13 offer so much, yet comes with an impressively low price – compared to its Ultrabook competitors, makes it our choice for the best value laptop. Sure, you may be missing a few minor niceties here and there to achieve such a competitive price, but on the whole, this is the most value-packed flagship laptop that we’ve ever tested.

If you're after a few more bells and whistles, like super-fast Thunderbolt 3 ports and a 4K display, then the Dell XPS 13 or MacBook Pro (also on this list of best laptops) may be better choices. Recently, the US government blacklisted Huawei, which many feared would have implications on whether the Chinese company's laptops would still get support from the like of Microsoft and Intel. 

The good news is that both Microsoft and Intel have confirmed that they will continue to support Huawei laptops, which means the MateBook 13 and other models will still get important Windows 10 updates.

Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13

The HP Spectre line of Ultrabooks and 2-in-1 laptops has always consisted of extraordinarily attractive devices. So, when we say that the 2019 Spectre x360 takes things to another level, that should mean something. 

This is one of the most beautiful laptops on the market right now, with its gem-cut design and sleek profile. Couple that with the powerful Intel Whiskey Lake processors and long battery life, and you get one of the best laptops on the market right now. Its ability to flip into a Windows tablet is just icing on the cake. 

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 (2019)

While we are sad that the 15-inch MacBook Pro is no more, we’ve welcomed the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) with open arms. As thin, light and sleek as ever, you wouldn’t think this was a 16-inch behemoth. Yet, you’re getting that extra real estate on that stunning display, as well as the latest and greatest components behind it. This is, without a doubt, the best MacBook for content creators, designers and other creative professionals. With amazing (and loud) speakers and a much, much better keyboard to boot.

Read the full review: MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

The Alienware Area-51m is our pick for the best gaming laptop of 2019, so naturally, it also deserves a place in our list of the best laptops money can buy. With an eye catching design and brilliant build quality, which we've come to expect from Dell's Alienware brand, this is an incredible performer, offering a choice of some of the very best gaming components on the market right now, including a choice of 9th generation Intel Core processors, and Nvidia's latest RTX range of GPUs. 

Sure, it's pretty expensive, but if you're serious about getting the best gaming laptop money can buy in 2019, then you'll need to expect to splash out a little bit, and the Alienware Area-51m really is worth every penny. However, if this is out of your budget, check out the much more affordable Dell G5 15 5590 later on in this list.

Read the full review: Alienware Area-51m

Google's new Pixelbook Go is the best Chromebook money can buy right now, with the company showing everyone else how it's done. Its previous Chromebook, the Pixelbook, was a brilliant Chromebook in its own way, but it cost a small fortune. 

The Pixelbook Go, on the other hand, is a more affordable Chromebook that retains a lot of its predecessor's premium features, while bringing some brilliant upgrades as well, including an astounding battery life and fantastic keyboard. 

It features some impressive specs for a Chromebook, which ensures that Chrome OS positively flies on this device, and puts its performance on par with many of the more expensive Windows laptops and MacBooks that grace the rest of this best laptops list. If you're looking for the ultimate Chromebook, or just one of the best laptops released in 2019, then the Pixelbook Go is the one to get.

Read the full review: Google Pixelbook Go

With the third version of the Surface Laptop 3, Microsoft has made its best laptop yet. While it's not a huge leap over its predecessor, the Surface Laptop 3 does improve on almost every aspect. 

Best of all, with the 15-inch version you now get a choice of either Intel or AMD hardware. Previously, only Intel tech was included. Elsewhere, the Surface Laptop 3 continues the Surface Laptop's reputation for being a stunningly designed laptop. 

These are some of the most desirable laptops in the world that don't have a logo of an apple on them, with a new aluminum body that gives it a premium feel, while protecting it from knocks and drops. There are still a few niggles, like the continued lack of ports, but in general this is one of the best laptops in the world right now.

Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

Last year’s Dell XPS 15 was already one of the best laptops you could buy, but now  Dell has taken the beautiful redesign of the Dell XPS 13 and applied it here – while also making it a convertible. 

Well, it’s amazing. Not only do you get one of the most aesthetically pleasing 15-inch laptops on the market, but it also packs one of those new Intel Kaby Lake G-series CPUs featuring ‘discrete-class’ Radeon graphics. This means that this laptop packs serious power – even if it can get a little loud.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 

While the Alienware Area-51m (featured earlier in this best laptops list) is the best gaming laptop for people with a lot of money to spare, if you're on a tighter budget, then the Dell G5 15 5590 gaming laptop is a fantastic choice. 

Dell’s 15-inch G5 doesn't have the highest specs, but it will see you through 1080p gaming and last you up to 10 hours of battery life as well – which is pretty remarkable for a gaming laptop. 

It also features a stylish design and great build quality, and Dell also allows you to configure the Dell G5 15 5590 to better suit your budget and needs.

Read the full review: Dell 5 15 5590

When it comes to the best Chromebook laptop, you have a choice between two stark alternatives. There's the more expensive Chromebook Pixel Go (featured earlier in this list), and then there's the excellent Asus Chromebook Flip C302, which combines premium features in a much more affordable package. 

For many people, Chromebooks are affordable laptops that are perfect for students, and the Asus Chromebook Flip C302 is easily one of the best Chromebooks, and one of the best laptops, money can buy. 

It comes with an Intel Core processor, full 1080p display, touchscreen, backlit keyboard and USB-C port.

Read the full review: Asus Chromebook Flip

The new Asus VivoBook S15 hasn't been out for long, and it's made its way straight into our best laptops list. This is because it combines a thin and light design with great performance and an excellent price. 

If you're looking for a mid-range laptop that doesn't cost too much, but still performs brilliantly, then this is the best laptop for you. 

Thanks to its powerful Intel processor, 8GB of RAM and fast SSD storage, this is a laptop that can handle almost any task with ease – though gaming is out of the question. Its 15.6-inch screen is bright and vibrant, and it has loads of ports that makes it easy to hook up your favorite peripherals. 

However, it doesn't have the longest battery life for a laptop, and the ScreenPad, which replaces the traditional touchpad below the keyboard with a touchscreen, takes a bit of getting used to.

Read the full review: Asus VivoBook S15

If you want the Microsoft Surface Book 2 but you want to spend a lot less, the Acer Switch 3 2017 is definitely the your best option. 

If you're looking for one of the best Acer laptops, this one's designed around essentially the same concept as the Surface Book 2 and it's a less capable thanks to slightly lower power innards, but for most tasks it's a brilliant little machine. 

What's more, to add further value this 2-in-1 laptop/tablet comes with the keyboard upgrade which means no little extras to pay for. As usual it comes in several different versions, with USB Type-C, 8GB RAM, an IPS display and Intel Core i3 7100U CPU coming with the more expensive option.

Read the full review: Acer Switch 3 

The MacBook is another win for Apple, and it's once again won us over with a gorgeous design, excellent performance and best-in-class battery life. 

Apple has updated the processors with Intel's 7th-generation Kaby Lake range, which means you get improved performance and longer battery life without sacrificing the thin and light design that the MacBook is famous for. 

While the MacBook 2017 is not designed as a pure productivity machine, like the more powerful and versatile MacBook Pro above, or as a gaming machine, it's still one of the best laptops in the world right now thanks to being a super slim and light MacBook that you can take anywhere without even noticing the weight.

Read the full review: Apple MacBook

When HP unveiled the HP Spectre Folio, it made some big claims about how the 2-in-1 laptop would reinvent the PC. While it doesn't quite match the hype, what we do have is one of the most beautifully-designed laptops we've ever tried. 

Billed as "modern vintage meets technology", the HP Spectre Folio is built directly into a piece of genuine leather. That's not a fancy cover, it's a part of the laptop. It's not just looks that has put it on this list of the best laptops of 2019, the HP Spectre Folio is also a brilliant performer as well, with modern components powering the device.

It is very expensive, though, so if you're on a budget, check out the more affordable 2-in-1 Acer Switch 3. But, if you want the best laptop for making a statement as soon as you pull it out of the bag, then the HP Spectre Folio is the one to get.

Read the full review:  HP Spectre Folio 

The Lenovo Yoga C930 has quite a few of the makings of the best 2-in-1 laptop in the world – from an absurd 14.5 hours of battery life and dual Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C ports to internal components that will easily handle those daily productivity tasks. 

That’s without even considering it’s a 2-in-1 that offers form versatility so you can squeeze in some light gaming and movie-watching once you’re done working. It has a few cherries on top as well, specifically the integrated self-charging stylus and the fab speaker system.

While there are cheaper 2-in-1 laptops out there, if you're looking for the best premium 2-in-1 laptop in the world right now, this is it.

Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930

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What should you look for when buying a new laptop?

There are certain things you can look out for when buying a new laptop that can ensure you get the best laptop for your money.

Make sure you take a look at the specifications of a laptop before buying. This is a good way of quickly seeing how powerful a laptop is, and what it is capable of – as long as you know what you’re looking for.

First of all is the processor. This is essentially the brain of the laptop, and a laptop will usually have a processor (also known as a CPU) made by either Intel or AMD. Intel is by far the most popular CPU maker for laptops, though we’re seeing an increasing number of AMD-powered laptops as well.

As a general rule of thumb, Intel processors offer better performance, but AMD processors are better value.

To make things more simple, both Intel and AMD have numbered their processors to give you a rough idea of what sort of tasks a laptop with that processor can perform.

If you’re after a budget laptop for simple tasks like browsing the web or watching Netflix, then a laptop with an Intel Pentium, Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3, processor will do that job without making the laptop too expensive.

If you’re after something with a bit more oomph – perhaps to do more complex task like editing your home videos or playing games – then go for a laptop with an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor as a minimum.

The best laptops for media creation, and more complex tasks, come with an Intel Core i7 or Core i9 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 7 processor. Laptops with these processors in them are top-of-the-range laptops that will provide brilliant performance no matter what you want to do – but be warned that they are often found in the most expensive laptops.

Finally, keep an eye on how new the processor is. Intel handily gives its processors generations, so the higher the generation, the newer it is. The latest generation is the 10th generation, though 9th generation Intel Core processors are also pretty recent.

A newer processor performs better and is more power efficient – so battery life will last longer. They are more expensive, though.

RAM (Random Access Memory) is another important specification to look for in a laptop. You’ll want 4GB at the very least for a Windows laptop – though we’d actually recommend for many people to go for 8GB. That will ensure that the laptop runs well for years to come.

When it comes to graphics, you don’t need to worry too much, as laptop processors come with built-in (integrated) graphics. However, if you want to play PC games on your laptop, then you’ll want a gaming laptop with a discrete GPU – either from Nvidia or AMD.

Battery life considerations

Finally there’s battery life. This is likely to be one of the most important considerations you have when choosing what laptop to buy. The best laptops need to be able to let you work - and play - for hours on end without you having to scramble for a power adapter. Modern laptops are getting ever more power-efficient, which has led to longer battery lives. For a laptop to be included in our best laptops list, it needs to offer a battery life of five hours or more.

Bear in mind that the battery life that the laptop makers claim their device has could be quite different to what you actually experience. This is because many laptop makers test their batteries in very controlled environments, with the laptop used in ways that you might not necessarily use. So, while a laptop might have a claimed battery life of 10 hours, you may find that when using it for certain tasks – like streaming high definition content – your battery life could run out faster.

That’s where our in-depth reviews come in, as we run a series of tests on each laptop in this best laptops guide to see how long the battery life lasts under certain conditions. If a laptop’s battery is ridiculously short (or impressively long) we’ll tell you.

Which type of laptop is best for you?

General laptops: Where the best cheap laptops are found, devices that focus more on practicality than style, portability or power. That’s not to say they can’t be fast, but you’ll typically find a non-Ultrabook clamshell laptop with an HD screen and spinning drive-based storage for less than $600 or £400.

Ultrabooks: Where you’ll find thin-and-light notebooks sporting SSD storage and display resolutions that exceed 1080p. Paired with powerful, albeit mobile-centric components and especially long battery life, the best Ultrabooks will cost a pretty penny – $700 or £500 to $2,000 or £1,800.

2-in-1 laptops: Where notebooks that double as tablets are located. The Surface Book 2 might be a ways off, but many of the best 2-in-1 laptops are available right now. Outfitted with both detachable and 360-degree rotating hinges, these hybrids are the most versatile way to experience Windows 10 (or Chrome OS) on a touchscreen.

Chromebooks: Where you’ll find the best Chromebooks running Chrome OS. These do much of what Windows and macOS can in the browser, focused on cloud storage over local, while recently getting Android app support for touchscreen models. They generally cost less than $300 or £200 and some can even withstand a slight tussle.

Gaming laptops: Need a laptop to play games (almost) just like a shiny desktop PC can? Then you’ll want one of the best gaming laptops. These machines generally cost from $800 or £600 to upwards of $3,000 or £2,800 and they’ll likely be the ones to take advantage of AMD’s laptop-grade Ryzen processors first.

Laptop-tablet hybrids: Designed from the tablet-first approach to laptop-tablet hybrids, the best Windows tablets pack beyond-HD touchscreens, sometimes with kickstands in their frames or provided via keyboard covers. These generally shine with a stylus, and range from the budget to the premium price ranges.

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Best fitness tracker 2020: the top 10 activity bands on the planet

If you're after the best fitness tracker as we enter a fresh new year, then you're in luck: we've got all the best fitness wearables rounded up here, all of them able to help you get the data you need to stick to your resolutions.

Think of these options like an electronic watchdog for your health, putting a finger on your pulse, constantly measuring your vitals, checking your quality of sleep, counting your steps and (most of the time) even more. 

Some folks even call them smart bracelets, mostly because activity bands now look as good as traditional jewelry, but they're also so light you'll barely notice them on your wrist.

Before you go any further, know that we aren't evaluating all the highest-end tech wristwear in this list. For that you'll want our best smartwatch guide, which includes top-end products like the Apple Watch 5, Fossil Sport and Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. 

You also won't find the Fitbit Ionic, Fitbit Versa or Fitbit Versa Lite here either, which, despite their brand name, are all smartwatches and are priced accordingly - although they do feature on our best Fitbit guide.

Right now this guide is designed to show you the best of the best that your money will get you. We'll show you how each ranks in terms of stand-out features, specs, price, design, the quality of the software you'll be using on your phone and much more.  

• Take the plunge: our best waterproof fitness tracker guide
• Check out the best running headphones
• Specifically want to run? Try best running watches

More refined than the Fitbit Charge 2, the Charge 3 is one of the company's most accomplished devices. It has a more lightweight design than the last-gen, and it looks better on your wrist. It's our number one all-round fitness tracker since the price has dropped slightly recently, and it offers a lot of insight into your overall health.

The display is bigger and clearer than a lot of other fitness trackers on this list, but it's still a black and white screen.

There's no onboard GPS, like some other trackers on this list have, but it's waterproof and offers a full fitness suite including a heart rate tracker. You can track GPS by pairing your phone with the tracker too.

You have to spend a bit extra on this than other fitness trackers you can buy in this same list, but if you enjoy the whole Fitbit app and experience and would also like access to notifications and Fitbit's fantastic sleep tracking, you'll want to opt for this as it's one of the company's best trackers ever.

Read our Fitbit Charge 3 review

Our highest ranked Garmin product in the best fitness tracker list is also one of the most accomplished in its range of health bands.

This device isn't made for serious athletes like a variety of other products from the Garmin brand, but instead this is for those who want to be able to track the odd bit of exercise and have an attractive band to do it.

The screen is bigger on this version than other Garmin products, and it has a battery that should last you around a week depending on how much exercise you'll be doing.

There's also an innovative feature called body battery that helps you learn when exactly is the best time to exercise depending on how much energy you have. This is great for those who are just as interested in their recovery and general wellbeing as they are clocking up the miles. 

Read the full Garmin Vivosmart 4 review

Taking over from the Huawei Band 2 Pro is the Huawei Band 3 Pro. This is one of the best fitness trackers you can buy if you're on a strict budget, and it has some amazing features considering how much it costs.

The Band 3 Pro comes with GPS onboard, it has a water resistant design (which means you can take it swimming) and there's a 0.95-inch color screen to display all of your stats on your wrist.

We've found the heart rate monitor to be accurate, and while the GPS could be quicker at locking on we also found it to be precise. If you're looking for an affordable entry-level device for your first foray into the world of fitness tracking, this is a great place to start.

Read our Huawei Band 3 Pro review

This isn't the most capable fitness tracker in our best of list, but it does a lot considering its price and you'll get access to all of Fitbit's top-end services. 

The Fitbit Inspire HR unsurprisingly offers a heart rate tracker alongside a variety of other fitness tracking capabilities. 

It isn't as capable as the Fitbit Charge 3 as it lacks swim tracking or Fitbit Pay integration, but that's understandable as this is much cheaper.

It features a slimmer and more comfortable design than a lot of other trackers you can buy, so if you're after a Fitbit that won't be heavy on your wrist you may want to consider the Inspire HR as your next fitness band.

Read the full Fitbit Inspire HR review

It's not as stylish as most of the Fitbit products, but there's a reason the Garmin Vivosport appears in this list before products from the latter company. 

This is cheaper than most Fitbit products and it comes with GPS built-in too. We found the Vivosport offers a solid seven days battery life from a single charge, even when using the GPS features.

Although it's waterproof, it won't track your swimming easily but the Vivosport excels for other kinds of workouts and is great for tracking your jogging and cycling. Plus we found the heart rate tracker to be accurate too.

Read our full Garmin Vivosport review

The Honor Band 5 was a serious step up from the Band 4, with improved fitness features in many areas, as well as a color touchscreen to view all your information on.

One of the most useful features is the sleep tracking, that gives you advice to maximise your sleep time, as well as simply monitoring it like many other fitness trackers do.

The Honor Band 5 is also one of the most affordable fitness trackers on the market, so if you want an exercise monitor or sleep counter that isn't also a bank-breaker, this is where to look.

Read our full Honor Band 5 review

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 is run-of-the-mill affordable fitness tracker, in that it has a slimline design, a smallish color screen with a capacitive button, and a selection of workouts to track. 

It has a few great perks for fitness buffs though, like its 20-day battery life, useful heart rate monitor and easy-to-view screen, so if you're looking for a new heart rate monitor there are far worse devices you can buy.

Read our full Xiaomi Mi Band 4 review

This may look more like a smartwatch than any of the other devices on this list, but as it runs its own software and has a very big focus on fitness we've decided to include it in our list of the best fitness trackers.

The Amazfit Bip design has been influenced by the Apple Watch (there's no denying that) and it comes packed with tons of features including GPS, an accurate heart rate tracker, multi-sport tracking, sleep tracking and VO2 Max features too.

If you're looking for a more watch-like design than everything else on this list, the Bip will be up your street. It's lightweight too and other highlights include the always-on display and strong battery life that should last around a month depending on your usage. 

Read the full Amazfit Bip review

The Garmin Vivofit 4 is one of the best fitness trackers the company has ever created, and that now means it sits in this prestigious list alongside some other fantastic tracking products.

We particularly like the super-long battery life of the Vivofit 4, which means you won't need to recharge your device for a whole year. That means you can wear it all day, then all night for sleep tracking and not have to worry about recharging it.

You'll miss out on phone notifications by buying this tracker, but you do get the benefit of an always-on color display, accurate fitness tracking features - just note these are more limited than some other trackers on this list - as well as access to an in-depth app to break down your stats on your smartphone.

Read the full Garmin Vivofit 4 review

Although it may be a few years old, the Moov Now is still one of our favorite fitness bands. It's cheap, offers everything you'll want in an everyday tracker and there's a phenomenal six month long battery life.

The Moov Now isn't just designed for step tracking though - it comes with boxing and rep-based training, as well as a swimming mode on top of run coaching and sleep monitoring features. That's a lot to get stuck in with.

You won't get GPS or some of the more complex fitness tracking features that others on this list offer, but if you're looking for a great everyday tracker that doesn't cost a lot of money the Moov Now will suit you perfectly.

Read the full Moov Now review

Best fitness tracker at a glance

1. Fitbit Charge
2. Garmin Vivosmart 4
3. Huawei Band 4 Pro
4. Fitbit Inspire HR
5. Garmin Vivosport
6. Honor Band 5
7. Xiaomi Mi Band 4
8. Amazfit Bip
9. Garmin Vivofit 4
10. Moov Now

• Looking for a more affordable fitness band? Read our guide on the best cheap fitness trackers of 2019

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The best January sales 2020: grab one of these final deals

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Save £450 on these Philips Ambilight TVs in early January sales deal

Looking for a 4K TV? The January sales have arrived early – and incredibly, some of the best TV deals are continuations of ones we saw over Black Friday and Cyber Monday back in November. 

Currys has slashed the price of these 2019 Philips Ambilight TVs, with savings of up to £450 to be had on these gorgeous displays. (Not in the UK? Scroll down for the best TV prices in your region.)

Today's best Philips Ambilight TV deals

Both sets sport 4K HDR panels, and come with three-sided Ambilight – a technology unique to Philips TVs that displays ambient colors around the television when in use, upping the atmosphere whether you're bingeing Netflix shows, gaming through the night, or just enjoying the light show.

If you've been angling after a new television, and missed out on the Black Friday sales, you could do a lot worse than these brilliant TV deals.

If you're not in the UK, or just missed the boat – unlucky reader – you can see some other TV prices from across the web below:

• The best 4K TVs of 2020

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