This is where things get tricky. Manufacturers love to give you a gorgeous OLED screen and then hide a last-gen chip under the hood to save a few quid. I’ve seen far too many Mid-Range Laptops that are just “shiny traps.” I’m here to tell you if that £700 machine is actually a bargain or just an overpriced Chromebook in disguise. We’re looking for proper all-rounders—kit that’ll handle 20 browser tabs and a Zoom call without sounding like a jet engine.