Best laptops and tablets to take back to school

Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro is going to be a go-to for many, especially university students. The range starts at AU$1,899, though you'll have to drop extra ducats to get the luxury of the Touch Bar (AU$2,699).

Razer's latest Blade laptop gives enough graphical power to play new games, but remains thin and light. Ideal for students who are gamers on the side. 

Dell's XPS is about as good as Windows laptops get. Plus, the 15-inch model comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card, which will help with video editing, and will allow for light gaming. 

If you're specifically after a laptop that doubles as a tablet, the two-in-one version of the XPS 13 is one to look at. 

Starting at AU$1,499, the MacBook Air, one of the most beloved laptops of all time, is still a reasonable option thanks to its portability. 

Starting at AU$1,999, the Surface Book is Microsoft's red-hot go at laptop hardware, and what a go it is. Definitely a strong MacBook alternative, if you're not into the MacOS thing. 

Apple's iPads are as good as ever. The Pro may primarily be a tablet, but it's built with productivity in mind, and becomes a nifty laptop when slotted into a keyboard. The 10.5-inch model starts at AU$979, with the Smart Keyboard costing an additional AU$235.

Razer isn't just about gaming: Its 13-inch Blade Stealth laptop gives you a touchscreen and an i7 processor in a slick design, starting from AU$2,200.

HP's Spectre x360 is one of the most beautiful two-in-one laptops ever -- but do yourself a favour and get the version with a full-HD display, it boasts better battery life than the 4K variant.

Thin and light isn't for everyone. If you're after more of a bruiser, one that'll let you play new games, HP's Omen range is a good start. You can get one from AU$1,798 at JB Hi-Fi, but if you've got the cash, you can shell out AU$2,599 for one equipped with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card.

Microsoft's enduring Surface Pro laptop/tablet hybrid is as viable as ever. It starts at AU$1,199, but it's worth spending extra, like, say, AU$1,499, to get one powered by a Core i5 processor rather than the Core m3 chip in the base model.

Tablets aren't just for Apple fans. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S3 is an elegant tablet that comes with a stylus -- which is nice, since many competitors require you to fork out extra for that. It starts at AU$949. 

Apple's MacBook stands somewhere between the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, and is as thin and light as premium laptops get. You'll pay for that, though: The range starts at AU$1,899.

Lenovo's Miix 510 has put a target on the Microsoft's Surface Book. It's a great machine, and it's a touch cheaper too: the Core i7 processor model sells for AU$1,399.

This is for the artists among us. The Wacom MobileStudio Pro isn't cheap, starting at AU$3,199, but if you're studying something in an arts field, its 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and Pro Pen 2 are very useful.

Apple and Windows aren't the only ones offering good tablets. Samsung's 10.6-inch Galaxy Book is a tablet that works great as a laptop. It starts at  AU$1,099, and AU$1,299 for a cellular version.

Dell's Inspiron 15 7000 series is an economic way to game. You can get a machine powered by an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti from AU$1,499.

Dell's Inspiron two-in-one is one of the best midrange laptops out there. It starts at AU$1,798, for which you'll get a new, eighth-gen Intel i5 CPU. 

Need a laptop that can last all day? Lenovo's excellent Thinkpad X1 is a productivity laptop that lasts and lasts and lasts.