Move over Canva, there's a new free design tool in town
Custom graphic design platform Sticker Mule has unveiled Studio, a free design tool that aims to take on the mighty Canva.Â
The company will be hoping the tool, specifically built for organizations with limited design resources, can become one of the best photo editors for creating professional-style graphics without the skill barrier or the associated costs.Â
Studio is the latest in Sticker Mule’s small suite of free online design tools for SMEs and startups, which also includes a background remover and image upscaler.
“Our goal is to give everyone the opportunity to design great print and digital products quickly and easily…Studio helps anyone craft beautiful designs in minutes,†said Anthony Constantino, Sticker Mule CEO.
 Canva killer? Â
In recent years, use of simple design tools has soared, as businesses look to visually engage customers and clients, and enhance their branding without the need for professional-level software like Adobe Photoshop.Â
Currently leading the pack is Canva, whose growing popularity recently led to the launch of the company’s first global ad campaign after nearly ten years in the business.
Employing a library of pre-built elements and templates, and a basic drag-and-drop system, the tool has proved popular with businesses, entrepreneurs, and SMEs.
Studio by Sticker Mule works on a similar basis. Developed over two years, the browser-based platform is packed with over 1000 customizable templates, letting users design their own logos, business cards, stickers, T-shirts, packaging, event invitations, and social media assets. Everything on the page - from images to elements, colors to text - can be switched out in a few clicks.
For those more comfortable with freestyling, there’s also the ability to create designs from scratch. Finished designs can then be exported as a PNG, JPG, PDF, or SVG and used across all content marketing channels.
As a free service, users won’t have to order their designs through Sticker Mule, although that remains an option for anyone looking for physical assets.Â
Constantino, who co-founded the company in 2010, assured users that more upgrades are on the way.
“We are currently developing additional features to make Studio the Internet’s favorite design tool. Next up is the ability to share designs,†he said.
Citrix strikes back at Windows 365 with new desktop-as-a-service options
Citrix has updated its desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) offering, which deliversvirtualized apps and desktops from the cloud to users' devices.
The refreshed solution, Citrix DaaS, is now available in hybrid cloud and hyperscaler-specific deployment options.
The news comes after Citrix competitor Microsoft recently expanded its own virtualization service with new features for hybrid working. The tech giant announced a series of updates for Windows 365 earlier this month, which enable users to switch between their local and cloud-based Windows 11 desktops with ease.
Citrix DaaS update
Citrix says the updated solution, formerly known as Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops Service, provides remote access to apps and data for employees.
The Florida-based tech firm says the solution allows customers to store their information on a secure cloud server and to implement a zero-trust security approach to device protection, covering managed and employee-owned devices.
In addition, Citrix says the solution can help organizations scale the number of desktops they offer up or down to cater to demand from different employee types and to meet varying work needs. This includes full-time employees, contingent and seasonal workers, temporary labor, freelancers, and designers and partners.
Citrix DaaS is available in two flavors: Hybrid DaaS and DaaS for Hyperscalers.
“Businesses want a modern and secure desktop, application, and data delivery strategy that reflects the reality of how users work and can keep up with the rapid change of business applications and devices, without amplifying the management and security burden that already weighs heavily on IT shoulders,” said Mark Bowker, Senior Analyst at the Enterprise Strategy Group.
“DaaS possesses the unique combination of attributes that appeals to businesses across industries: improved time to value, cost reduction, and enhanced security.”
The market for hybrid working solutions may continue to be a fertile one. As the pandemic recedes, only around 34% of "knowledge workers" (those who predominantly work on a computer) have made a full return to the office according to a recent survey by Slack.
In addition, the DaaS market is currently going from strength to strength; Gartner expects spending on DaaS to grow 26.6% in 2022.
The best laptops of 2022 in Singapore: our picks of the top laptops on sale now
Whether it's for work or for play, laptops have come a very long way in cementing themselves as a mainstay for getting by in our day-to-day.
From ultrabooks to 2-in-1s, gaming laptops to business notebooks, there's so many different flavours of portable computer available on the market today that it can be a bit overwhelming, but never fear because we're here to help!
With our extensive array of deep reviews, benchmarking and testing, we've searched far and wide for the best laptops available in Singapore to suit all budgets – Apple MacBooks, Dell XPS, Microsoft Surface, and plenty more have all been compared and the winners are below.
Best laptops in Singapore 2022 at a glance
Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021)
Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020)
Razer Blade 14
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
LG Gram 17 (2021)
Asus ZenBook 13 (2021)
Acer Swift 3
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook
Asus VivoBook S15
The best laptops of 2022:
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(Image credit: Apple)
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(Image credit: Apple)
1. Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
The best laptop of 2021
CPU: Apple M1 | Graphics: Integrated 7-core /8-core GPU | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch (diagonal) 2,560 x 1,600 LED-backlit display with IPS technology | Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD | Dimensions: 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.63 inches (30.41 x 21.24 x 1.61cm; W x D x H)
Silent to use
Amazing battery life
No new design
Fanless design could impact performance
The new Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) isn't just the best laptop Apple has ever made, it's also the best value laptop money can buy right now. This is definitely the highest placement an Apple laptop has ever found itself in one of our lists, but the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is worthy of this spot. Thanks to the revolutionary ARM-based Apple M1 chip that powers the new MacBook Air (Apple has ditched Intel for these new laptops), this is a stunning achievement: a thin and light laptop that offers great performance, even with 4K video editing, while also offering incredible battery life. Easily managing over 11 hours on a single charge, this is a laptop you can easily carry around with you at work or school, and its price is decently competitive compared to Windows 10 rivals (for once). Running both new and old Mac apps, the new MacBook Air can now also run iOS apps for iPhone and iPads, giving it access to hundreds of brilliant mobile applications and games as well.
Even if you've only ever used Windows laptops before, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is well worth getting and making the jump to macOS. Yes, it really is that good.
While Apple blew us away with the new MacBook Air (above), arch rival Microsoft has also impressed us with its new Surface Laptop 4, landing straight in at number 2 of our best laptops 2021 list. As with previous Surface devices, build quality and design is absolutely top-notch here, and its gorgeous PixelSense touchscreen really sets it apart from the competition (a touchscreen is something we've yet to see on an Apple laptop, as Microsoft likes to remind us).
It also comes with a brilliant keyboard that's a joy to type on, and some pretty great specs as well, which ensures that Windows 10, and all your favourite apps, run extremely well. Battery life is also very impressive – lasting over 13 hours in our tests – and the price is impressively competitive as well. If you're looking for the best laptop of 2021 that runs Windows 10, this is it.
CPU: Apple M1 Pro 8-core – M1 Max 10-core | Graphics: Integrated 14-core – 32-core GPU | RAM: Up to 64GB | Screen: 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display | Storage: Up to 8TB
Brilliant performance
Best screen on a laptop
14-inch screen may be a bit small
The brand-new MacBook Pro 14-inch is easily the best productivity laptop you can buy in 2021. For creative professionals such as photographers, video editors and music producers, the MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) is a dream to use, thanks to a choice between powerful new M1 Pro or M1 Max chips that can handle even the most intensive workloads with ease.
Not only that, but its Liquid Retina XDR display with mini-LED technology is absolutely stunning, and the best screen you can get on a laptop right now. Add in a 1080p webcam and boosted port selection, and you have a brilliant business and productivity laptop. It won't be for everyone – the price and power will be too much for most people's needs – but if you want a killer laptop to do creative work on, this is the laptop to get. For everyone else, check out the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) at the top of our list.
We know this isn't the latest of Dell's popular XPS 13 range to be released, but in Singapore, it's the one that still offers the best value overall, especially considering the price it can be found at since more recent laptops have landed. It's the second XPS 13 that Dell released in 2020 (also known as the 9310, being more recent than the 9300 launched earlier in the year). It packs in the 11th-gen Intel Core processors as well as as the superbly impressive Iris Xe integrated GPU – an upgrade that almost doubles its graphical prowess. This means that, not only is the XPS 13 9310 a great option for business and everyday use with its gorgeous, sleek design and powerful innards, but it's now viable for casual gamers. It's also sporting the upgraded 'Infinity Edge' display which dramatically reduces bezels and the overall size of the unit.
This luxurious thin and light gaming laptop from Razer just oozes class, and is an ideal laptop for people who want a gaming device they can take around with them. It's solidly built, so you won't worry about it getting damaged during your travels, and it's one of the nicest looking modern gaming laptops we've seen.
It's not all about looks, however, as the Razer Blade 14 comes with cutting edge components as well, including the awesome AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor and up to an RTX 3080 graphics card. This means you'll be able to play any AAA game you want in all its glory. It's by far the best gaming laptop you can buy in in 2021, but it does cost a lot of money.
The Asus Zephyrus G14 is an absolute beast of a laptop. (Image credit: Asus)
6. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
The ultimate blend of work and play
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS – 9 4900HS | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 | RAM: Up to 32GB | Screen: 14-inch Non-glare Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS-level panel, 120Hz – 14-inch Non-glare WQHD (2560 x 1440) IPS-level panel, 60Hz | Storage: 512GB / 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0
Best battery life in a gaming laptop
Excellent performance
Thin and light
No webcam
Fans can get loud
We know, this is technically a gaming laptop, but for those that want to balance work and play, there's little else out there that's better value than the Zephyrus G14 right now. It's worth noting that it's missing a webcam and a Thunderbolt 3 port, so if that's a concern this isn't for you, but its solid battery life, compact form, and powerful specs do a fine job at balancing everything that you'll need from a laptop. This is an absolute beast for performance, with its AMD Ryzen 4000 processors and Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card, best-in-class battery life that will last you all day long, a fast display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a lightweight, ultrathin design. The best part is that you’re getting all that without burning a hole in your pocket. Don’t get us wrong; it isn’t cheap. However, for a laptop this impressive, we’re surprised Asus isn’t asking for more.
The new LG Gram 17 once again features an incredibly light design, and comes with some of the best mobile tech in the world.
That includes Intel's new 11th generation processors and Iris Xe graphics as well as two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, and coupled with up to 16GB of RAM and speedy SSDs, means this is a laptop that is brilliant for day-to-day tasks. Battery life is also phenomenal, easily lasting around 12 hours on a single charge.
It's a great choice for carrying around for school and work, then. However, it is expensive, and the design is a little plain.
The long battery life and stunner of a screen are back, though so too is its steep price tag. It’s worth it though if you want the power and portability of Ultrabooks yet also need a bigger screen.
The Asus ZenBook 13 is a brilliant laptop, and the 2021 model comes with some of the best mobile tech you'll find in a modern notebook. So, it packs a choice of an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor, or Intel 11th gen CPU. It also has an absolutely stunning 13.3-inch OLED screen and one of the best battery lives around.
There's also up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage, which makes this a brilliant laptop for working on.
It's also supremely thin and light, as well as stylishly designed, which makes it a joy to carry around and use. It's also pretty respectably priced compared to competitors like the Dell XPS 13. The only downsides are that there's no headphone jack – which is a bit of a shame, but likely a result of its ultra-thin design, and during our time testing the Asus ZenBook 13, we found that the integrated AMD Ryzen graphics weren't quite as good as Intel's offering. Despite that, this is still a brilliant ultra-thin laptop that's well worth considering.
CPU: up to Intel Core i7-8565U | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX150, Intel HD Graphics 620 or AMD Radeon Vega 8 | RAM: 4GB – 8GB | Screen: 14-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) ComfyView IPS – 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) | Storage: 128GB – 1 TB HDD, 16 GB Intel Optane Memory
Superb keyboard and trackpad
Excellent performance
Very reasonably priced
Looks a little plain
Beyond the Acer Swift 3's modest exterior, you'll find an excellent laptop that boasts plenty of power for work and study. The Swift 3 (not to be confused with the Switch 3 another laptop from Acer) is an inexpensive laptop; however, that plain chassis is all-aluminum and packed with beefy components.
In terms of performance, it gets surprisingly close to the far more expensive Microsoft Surface Laptop. Its display is a little lower-res, but the two are otherwise strikingly similar - other than the price.
This laptop is incredible to use as well, with its roomy trackpad as well as its backlit keyboard that offers a comfortable typing experience with decent travel. If you're going to be writing a lot – whether you’re traveling or at the office, this is one of the best budget laptops 2021 has on offer.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 is the latest refresh for Lenovo's flagship 2-in-1 business laptop and the addition of Intel's 11th-gen Tiger Lake processors with Iris Xe graphics, along with Intel Evo certification, make it one of the best 2-in-1 laptops we've tested.
Add in the outstanding 16:10 touchscreen display, garaged stylus, and excellent battery life, and there's very little that we can find fault with here. It's got a great selection of ports that puts the MacBook Air to shame, but it does miss an SD card slot, which some creatives may be disappointed to learn.
But apart from that, and a bit of a straight-laced design (as a ThinkPad device, this is a laptop aimed primarily at business users), the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 is easily one of the best laptops to come out in 2021, especially if you're looking for something that can be used as both a traditional laptop and as a tablet-like device as well.
Lenovo doesn't just make some of the best laptops in the world, it also makes some of the best Chromebooks as well, and the brilliant Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook proves how good these Chrome OS-powered laptops really are. It can be used as a laptop or a tablet, and it's backed up by some very impressive specs.
Is it a Chromebook or is it a tablet? Well, luckily, you won’t have to decide with the brilliant Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook. True to its name, this Chromebook delivers two form factors in one, while utilizing the versatility of the Chrome OS and setting you back much less than many of the top Windows tablets out there.
Like all the best Chromebooks, its battery packs an incredibly long life of almost 22 hours – so you could pull an all-nighter, work through the day and mid-afternoon, and you’ll still pass out before it runs out of juice.
For this price, sacrifices have to be made, naturally – the keyboard is tiny, the trackpad isn’t as reliable, and the charger and headphones share one port. However, if budget is your top priority, those are definitely not deal-breakers.
The Asus VivoBook S15 is the best affordable laptop (Image credit: Asus)
The Asus VivoBook S15 is the best mid-range laptop
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(Image credit: Asus)
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(Image credit: Asus)
12. Asus VivoBook S15
The best budget 15-inch laptop
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Screen: 15.6-inch full HD (1920 x 1080) | Storage: 512GB SSD
Bright, colorful 15.6-inch screen
Weighs just 1.8kg
Average battery life
ScreenPad is a bit weird…
The new Asus VivoBook S15 hasn't been out for long, and it's made its way straight into our best laptops list. This is because it combines a thin and light design with great performance and an excellent price.
If you're looking for a mid-range laptop that doesn't cost too much, but still performs brilliantly, then this is the best laptop for you.
Thanks to its powerful Intel processor, 8GB of RAM and fast SSD storage, this is a laptop that can handle almost any task with ease – though gaming is out of the question. Its 15.6-inch screen is bright and vibrant, and it has loads of ports that makes it easy to hook up your favorite peripherals.
However, it doesn't have the longest battery life for a laptop, and the ScreenPad, which replaces the traditional touchpad below the keyboard with a touchscreen, takes a bit of getting used to.
General laptops: This broader category is dedicated to devices that focus more on practicality than style, portability or power. That’s not to say they can’t be fast, but you’ll typically find a non-Ultrabook clamshell laptop with an HD screen and spinning drive-based storage for less than SG$1,000.
Ultrabooks: Where you’ll find thin-and-light notebooks sporting SSD storage and display resolutions that exceed 1080p. Paired with powerful, albeit mobile-centric components and especially long battery life, the best Ultrabooks will cost a pretty penny – closer to SG$1,000 to SG$3,000.
2-in-1 laptops: Where notebooks that double as tablets are located. Outfitted with both detachable and 360-degree rotating hinges, these hybrids are the most versatile way to experience Windows 10 (or Chrome OS) on a touchscreen.
Chromebooks: Where you’ll find the best Chromebooks running Chrome OS. These do much of what Windows and macOS can in the browser, focused on cloud storage over local, while recently getting Android app support for touchscreen models. They generally cost less than SG$500.
Gaming laptops: Need a laptop to play games (almost) just like a shiny desktop PC can? Then you’ll want one of the best gaming laptops. These machines generally cost more than $1,000 and can quickly get into the SG$4 – 5,000 range for the beastlier models.
