Six of the best ultrabook convertibles

By Peter Jenkinson

There is a new breed of computers on the block.

The PC makers are combining their laptop-building skills with touchscreen knowhow, and the result is: Ultrabook convertibles.

These devices are able to transform into a laptop when you need a hard keyboard as well as a tablet when you're on the move.

Check out these six hybrids that fall into this new category of multitasking geniuses.

Twist and shout - Lenovo ThinkPad Twist - £886.15 from www.dabs.com Designed to appeal to the business boffins, this convertible device is svelte with a screen that can rotate 180 degrees. With 4GB of RAM and an Intel Core i5 processor, you'll be up and running in moments - it's a decent all-rounder.

Sleek and smart - Dell XPS 12 - £979 from www.dell.co.uk With the latest Windows 8 operating system, you can combine the power of a PC with the functionality of a tablet to run your apps and spreadsheets with ease. The slick flip-and-fold action of the screen takes it from a laptop to a tablet in one fluid motion. Your friends and colleagues are sure to be asking, "Where did you get that from?"

Powerhouse - Asus UX32A-R3021H Ultrabook - £792 from www.pixmania.com This smart-looking computing system, with a 13.3in screen, boasts an impressive seven hours of battery life, which alone makes it worth every penny. The start-up time is admirable too. From power request to fully operational, it takes mere seconds. And that's what we want - no more waiting.

All-in-one PC - Toshiba Satellite Ultrabook 12.5in - £967.19 from http://uk.insight.com This is a perfect performer in the transformation stakes, moving from tablet to laptop in a rather swish sliding movement, but this hybrid's performance in the computing stakes shouldn't be forgotten too. It comes with pre-loaded software and packs a lot of storage to give you that PC experience while on the go.

Stare-worthy hybrid - Sony Vaio Duo 11 - £849 from www.sony.co.uk It's hard to put into words how gobsmacked we were with this beauty from Sony. It seems the firm has upped its game in the gadget arena of late. It's a quick starter with a speedy Intel Core i7 processor and Windows 8, and it boasts a decent battery and full-on HD touchscreen, which is extremely responsive for all your games, apps and photo and video needs.

Hard to beat - Asus Taichi - £999.99 from www.expansys.com Lightweight, sleek and chic-looking, this device is one of the best for speed, form and overall functionality. It's Windows 8 ready and thanks to Asus Simple Show, you're able to show off your photos, presentations and the like on the external screen while simultaneously controlling them on the internal display.

App of the week: BT SmartTalk - Free on iOS and Google Play This new app from BT should make its punters' smartphone calls cheaper. SmartTalk allows BT customers to save money by linking their smartphone calls to their home calling plan, so when you're away from home - either in the UK or abroad - your calling minutes can be billed to your landline.