Hannah Hopkins 
Dec 10, 2023
Not every laptop that hit the market in 2023 was a shining beacon of technological wonder. You've heard reviewers rave about some stellar models that 2023 blessed us with, but now it's time to tear apart the less-than-stellar ones.
2023 laptop blunders
Let's dive into the grim world of tech flops and disappointing choices.
MSI Prestige 16 Studio: Promising on paper
MSI talked a big game with its Prestige 16 Studio, boasting about mini-LED and high-performance components. Turns out, all that chatter was just smoke and mirrors. The mini-LED display was a disappointment, lacking brightness and losing in comparison to Apple's tech. The laptop’s performance? Meh at best, deafening fans, and a toasty exterior. Time to tone down the hype, MSI.
LG Gram Style: Illusion of style over substance
The LG Gram Style entered with a grandeur of aesthetics, flaunting an iridescent coat and fancy LEDs that wowed the eyes. But hold on, that lightweight build? It's because of a flimsy magnesium chassis that bends like it's made of rubber. Not to mention, this sleek model boasted the pace of a sleepy turtle with its sluggish Intel Core processor. For a hefty price tag of over $2,000, it's more flash than function.
Surface Laptop Go 3: Budget disaster
Microsoft's Surface Laptop Go 3 was supposed to be the budget-friendly superstar. Guess what? It's become the "You've Gotta Be Kidding Me" disappointment. They jacked up the price to $800 and, in return, offered a display that's stuck in the early 2000s and a build quality that could use some serious gym time. Don't even get me started on the abysmal performance and battery life. This one's a downgrade, folks.
LG Gram 17 Pro: 'Pro', really?
LG attempted the “Pro” league with the Gram 17 Pro, but it fell flat on its face. Forget the powerful components; instead, you get lacklustre performance and below-average battery life. Oh, and the cherry on top? Two units with the same issues? Not cool, LG. Your Pro title needs some serious rebranding.
Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1: Budget gone bad
Hey, Dell, not all budget laptops are golden these days. For $650, the Inspiron 14 2-in-1 tempted us with a decent AMD Ryzen chip and a pretty good display size. But here’s the kicker: that display? Disastrous. Low brightness, colour issues, and a plastic build that screams "meh." Step up your game, Dell, we're not settling for subpar quality anymore.
