LAPTOPS
- TIPS & TRICKS
- Get comfortable with that glorious trackpad ASAP. Visit ‘System Settings’, navigate to ‘Trackpad’ in the sidebar, and find the ‘More Gestures’ tab. Adjust as needed.
- Keep that battery chugging along for longer. Open ‘System Settings’ and head to ‘Battery’ before locating the little ‘i’ next to ‘Battery Health’. Flick on ‘Optimized Battery Charging’ to keep your baby alive a few years longer.
MacBook Pro 14in (M5)
from R37 000 | amazon.co.za
This is the biggest and baddest (in a cool way) MacBook on the shelves at the minute. It’s easy to see why, with the M5 chip and 32GB RAM under the hood. It’ll keep cool, calm, and collected whether it’s choking down 100 Chrome tabs or running intensive editing apps. Apple’s left the 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display the same, down to the 3,024 x 1,964-pixel resolution. We’d have loved an upgrade, but it seems the Fruit Company is saving those for the M6 generation. Still, you won’t find better than this M5-toting MacBook.
Stuff says ★★★★★
This is Apple’s most powerful MacBook yet, blazing fast with a familiar 14in display.
NOW ADD THIS
Belkin 4-Port GaN Charger 108W
This brick lets you charge your Mac laptop through its 96W USB-C output… and juice up three other devices at the same time.
R1 700 | takealot.com
Apple MacBook Air 13in (M5)
from R26 500 | istore.co.za
Perhaps someone more technically qualified could feel the difference between Apple’s M4 and M5 processors, but all the average consumer will notice is the Air’s slender frame, Liquid Retina display, and 18-hour battery life. That’s a good thing if you’re the type to whip out your computer at the local Starbucks. Apple will try its hardest to convince you the M5 is a necessary purchase but without any serious application in mind, this’ll do just fine.
Stuff says ★★★★★
A worthy upgrade if you’re still stuck on M1.
Asus ROG Strix G16 G615LW (2025)
from R60 000 | wootware.co.za
Asus’ new ROG Strix G16 may have strayed from the right side of the R50k price point, but the company has made the trek worth it. The company hopes the inclusion of a top-shelf Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and hardy Nvidia GeForce Series 5000 graphics card will be enough to entice customers, mostly gamers, to the good life. Failing that, it still has the gorgeous 16in 2.5K display to fall back on.
Stuff says ★★★★★
Snappy innards and a sub-R100k price point make this an easy choice for the overpaid gamer.
MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Ukiyo-e Edition
★★★★★ from R37 000 | evetech.co.za
How many can call their laptop a work of art? MSI’s gone and built the prettiest laptop, by some margin. Those innards aren’t shabby, either.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (GU606AX)
★★★★★ from R87 000 | evetech.co.za
A deceptively stealthy powerhouse with exceptional performance, Asus provides desktop power, minus bulk.
Asus ProArt P16 (H7606)
★★★★★ R75 000 | incredible.co.za
The new ProArt’s gorgeous OLED display and performant chips make this a creative powerhouse.
Asus Zenbook A14
★★★★★ from R35 000 | evetech.co.za
You really can’t go wrong with a Snapdragon-toting, decent battery life-having Zenbook.
MSI Raider 18 HX AI (A2XW)
★★★★★ from R94 000 | evetech.co.za
If gaming on the go is a must, MSI’s Raider can lend a hand with an Intel Core Ultra 9 and enough RAM to survive the shortage.
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2025)
★★★★★★ R100 000 | za.store.asus.com
At this price, you’d expect hefty performance, and Asus obliges.
MacBook Neo
★★★★★ R14 000 | istore.co.za
Don’t worry, Apple hasn’t phoned it in. The Neo is every bit the budget MacBook you need.