POWER BOOKS

Microsoft recently announced a 75 per cent year-on-year increase spent on its Windows 10 platform. It confirmed what we already know. As lockdown-induced WFH routines have altered the way we work and play, the laptop has become cool again. Whether you’re a gamer hiding under a formal jacket or an Apple fan boy seeking cutting-edge performance, we’ve got you covered

- Ashwin Rajagopalan

01 ASUS ROG ZEPHYRUS 14

ASUS’ ROG (Republic of Gamers) line has built a loyal legion of fans with smartphones and laptops that are geared for gaming.. The Zephyrus 14 is designed to be a showstopper and won’t look out of place in a futuristic board room. It’s also remarkably light (1.6kg) and slim (17.9mm) for a badass gaming laptop. The design borders on industrial chic with an edgy magnesium-aluminium alloy deck that’s forged and machined for a perfect fit. Typing on the chiclet keyboard is a joy.

We totally dig the Anime Matrix feature (available in the high-end variants), an innovative personalisation element that combines 1,215 mini LEDs across the lid.

You can customise the animation adding GIFs or text. The Zephyrus is powered by the future-proof AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS processor with up to 8 cores and 16 threads offering power packed performance; it comes with a host of storage options (up to 32GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage). A 14-inch HD display with an impressive 85 per cent screen: body ratio combines with the Dolby Atmos App making it perfect for binge watching or gaming.

02 APPLE MACBOOK PRO