Dynabook Tecra A40-J-101

A superb-value business laptop that’s fast, well built and easy to upgrade and repair

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PRICE Tecra A40 range starts at £699 (£839 inc VAT) from misco.co.uk

It wasn’t long ago that a business laptop costing under a grand was a lumpy object that brought gasps of dismay from anyone unfortunate enough to be saddled with it. Not so this Tecra A40. While it inevitably has shortcomings when compared to more expensive rivals such as the Surface Laptop 4, there’s only one winner when it comes to value.

The A40’s greatest strength is the quality and design of its chassis. It’s made from plastic, but this is tough ABS that exudes durability, and the Tecra has been tested to MIL STD 810-H standards. The one-year warranty could be more generous, but it’s easy enough to extend via your chosen reseller, and covers EMEA rather than just the UK.

This is an extremely portable 14in laptop. It isn’t the lightest at 1.45kg, but compact dimensions, including 18.9mm thickness, ensure it will slip easily into rucksacks and briefcases alike. Battery life is respectable, lasting for almost ten hours in a test that mimics modern office workloads and almost 14 hours in idle, dropping to eight hours when playing video. The 65W DC charger takes you from zero to 40% in half an hour, but if you’re visiting offices with USB-C monitors such as the NEC E73F (