Dell 15 (Core 3 100U, 16 GB, 512 GB)

Why it's our Starter pick

• 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD and a 15.6-inch Full HD 120 Hz anti-glare screen, with Windows 11 and Office Home & Student 2024 included.
• Dell's listing gives 1 year of onsite hardware service, so an engineer comes to you instead of you carrying it to a centre.
• Laptop Media calls the Dell 15 a practical budget office laptop for browsing, video calls and everyday work, but warns that ports and webcam change with the configuration.

Watch out: The Core 3 100U is a basic chip that slows down with video editing or games, and on this black plastic version the USB-C port carries data only.