The little laptop that can is a near-perfect mix of functionality, portability and physical beauty, like Tom Cruise with a longer fuse. Everything about it feels next-level, from the backlit keyboard, which is incredibly smooth to use for its size, to the use of a solid state drive rather than a hard disk, to the way it tapers from very thin to barely there, yet feels as rigid as a Dalek. Function and form; style and substance; the MacBook Air is the laptop you lust for. Because it’s worth it.

Price: £867 | Apple

Showcasing Mac OSX on a fantastic LED backlit screen, the Air's brushed aluminium shell is a mere 1.7cm deep at its thickest point. Yet it has a dualcore processor and decent enough graphics chip plus a gorgeous keyboard and trackpad.

There's also solid state storage, cutting precious millimetres from the unit’s body and seconds from its waking and app-loading times. The battery lasts for five hours.

The 11-inch Air rivals the iPad for portability and position of desire in the Apple arsenal. When it comes to design, praise doesn't get much higher than that.

Apple MacBook Air video