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Laptops are becoming lighter, thinner and faster than ever. Proof of these is the best Ultrabooks available on the market. We have evaluated more than 50 models of 8 Ultrabook brands and we show you the ones that are really worth buying.
Here are our picks for the slimmest and fastest laptops on the market.
Contents
What is an Ultrabook?
An Ultrabook is a high-end laptop with an elegant design and ultra-fast performance. Despite their light structure, they have the ability to be portable faster and more powerful than some desktop PCs.
Most of these powerful laptops have screen sizes of 13 to 15 or even 17 inches and cover wide ranges of prices. Is it time to renew that laptop junk that is very slow and hangs all the time? Then ultrabooks may be a great option for you. They are super lightweight, versatile and very powerful to do multitask work.
Laptops have evolved a lot since the first time we saw them. It seemed like a whole new world in front of the traditional desktop computers, since they could be carried and transported with ease. The best ultrabook is characterized by being the lightest computer, with a weight that does not reach one and a half kilo.
We want to help you make the choice as easy, fast and accurate as possible in this complex world that is the market for Ultrabooks.
Why Buy an Ultrabook?
Why are brands like Asus, Apple, Acer or Dell are investing so much on this slice of the market? Simple… we have been used to have access to the Internet and hundreds of other applications at any time; we cannot do without, and an ultrabook is definitely the ideal solution for those who want to be connected to the online world. Options are endless.
How to Choose the Best Ultrabook
There are several parameters to consider when you want to buy an ultrabook. Weight and size are a fundamental requirement for these computers; there are also other parameters that may be essential during the selection phase:
- The size of the display, for example, requires a compromise between practicality and weight/size of the hardware as a whole.
- The presence or not of the Touchscreen, at least for most users, can be a major advantage: the latest models of ultrabook include this feature, but there are exceptions.
- Battery life is another factor that has considerable weight. What is the use of having a device that you can take anywhere in the world if the batteries last very little?
- Storage space, RAM, processor and other technical specifications then, as for any other computer, are factors that affect the processing speed and how many files you can save on your device. Naturally, for better performance, it is necessary to face a decidedly greater outlay.
What are the Best Brands of Ultrabooks?
The most renowned companies in the design of ultrabooks are Asus, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, and HP. For some years now Microsoft has established itself in the world of ultrabook thanks to its Surface Laptop and Book 2.
Who gains from this competition, as is logical, we users: with the increase of models available on the market, you have a wider choice and prices that, in the last few years, tend to shrink.
Considerations for 2023,2024
Some considerations and general guidelines to keep in mind when looking for thin and lightweight laptops in those years:
- Processor and Performance: Look for laptops with powerful processors like Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 for smooth performance, especially if you plan to use the laptop for demanding tasks like video editing or gaming.
- RAM and Storage: Opt for at least 8GB of RAM for multitasking and consider SSD storage for faster data access speeds. Some ultrabooks offer larger RAM and storage options for more demanding workloads.
- Display: Choose a high-resolution display for crisp visuals. Many ultrabooks come with Full HD (1920×1080) or even 4K (3840×2160) screens for excellent clarity.
- Portability: Thin and lightweight design is a priority for ultrabooks. Look for laptops that are less than an inch thick and weigh around 3 pounds or less for maximum portability.
- Battery Life: Longer battery life is crucial for on-the-go use. Consider laptops with all-day battery life (8 hours or more) to avoid frequent charging.
- Build Quality: Pay attention to build materials. Premium materials like aluminum and magnesium alloy often contribute to a lighter and more durable design.
- Operating System: Decide whether you prefer Windows, macOS, or Linux, depending on your software requirements and personal preferences.
- Connectivity: Check for the availability of necessary ports such as USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and headphone jacks. Some ultrabooks sacrifice ports for thinner designs, so make sure it meets your connectivity needs.
- Keyboard and Trackpad: Comfortable typing and precise touchpad navigation are essential for productivity. Consider laptops with well-designed keyboards and trackpads.
- Graphics: Integrated graphics are suitable for general tasks, but if you need more graphics power for gaming or professional applications, look for laptops with dedicated GPUs.
- Price: Ultrabooks often come at a premium price due to their slim design and high-quality components. Set a budget and balance it with your desired features.
- Brand and Model: Research reputable laptop brands and specific models known for their thin and lightweight designs, such as the Dell XPS series, MacBook Air, Asus ZenBook, HP Spectre, and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
To find the thinnest laptops and ultrabooks for 2023 and 2024, I recommend visiting technology news websites, checking reviews, and monitoring product releases from major laptop manufacturers. The tech market evolves quickly, and new models are regularly introduced with advancements in design and performance.
Our Ultrabook Picks
Dell XPS 15
The Dell XPS 15 (2022) is the kind of Ultrabook that might tempt any Mac fan out there to make the switch. With up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, it can handle all of your creative and productivity workloads with ease, even if it can be a little underpowered for high-end gaming. It’s also a really aesthetically pleasing device, setting the standard of what a well-designed Windows laptop can look like with its carbon-fiber wrist rest and sturdy chassis.
- CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i3 – i7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 8GB – 32GB
- Screen: 13.3-inch diagonal BrightView LED FHD, 400 nits – 13.3-inch diagonal BrightView LED 4K UHD HDR-400 550 nits
- Storage: up to 2TB SSD
HP Spectre x360
The HP Spectre x360 has been one of our favorite laptops for years now, and the 2022 model is no different. Now coming with 12th-generation Intel Alder Lake processors, which offer a serious performance boost, and featuring better integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, the HP Spectre x360 (2022) is better than ever. We’d go so far as to say it’s the single best 2-in-1 laptop on the market right now.
- CPU: 12th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 8GB – 16GB LPDDR4X
- Screen: 13.5″ 3K2K (3000 x 2000) UWVA OLED
- Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9
- CPU : 11th gen Intel Core i5 – i7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
- RAM: 8GB – 32GB
- Screen: 14-inch, 16:10 (1920 x 1200p) – (3840 x 2400), touchscreen
- Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Asus ZenBook 13
Asus takes the Ultrabook concept to the next level with the Asus ZenBook 13. If the gorgeous OLED display doesn’t win you over with its bright and vibrant colors, then maybe the battery life will, which runs circles around most of the competition. And, it has enough power to tackle most of your computing needs, though its graphics performance leaves something to be desired, especially compared to Intel’s Iris Xe.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800U
- Graphics: AMD Radeon
- RAM: 16GB
- Screen: 13.3-inch OLED FHD (1080p), 400 nits
- Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
LG Gram 17
Laptops for work are re-joining the 17-inch fray and leading them is the much-lauded LG Gram 17, whose amazingly thin and light form factor has won awards and makes it among the best Ultrabooks on the market. It’s back and better than ever, with more powerful internals like the 11th-generation Intel chips and the Iris Xe graphics as well as two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports.
- CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR4X
- Screen: 17-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS LCD
- Storage: up to 2TB NVMe SSD
Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro
The Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro refines the original Galaxy Book Pro in just about every aspect, finally becoming a serious competitor to the MacBook Air. One of its most outstanding aspects is an amazing battery life, paired with a truly stunning AMOLED display that offers incredible vibrancy and brightness.
- CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i5 – i7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- RAM: 8GB – 16GB LPDDR5
- Screen: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) AMOLED
- Storage: 256GB – 512GB
Archived Picks from Previous Years
Dell XPS 13
- Processor: Intel Core i5 – i7
- Screen: 13.3 inches Full HD (1.920 X 1.080) InfinityEdge display.
- Storage: HDD, 256 GB PCIe SSD
The best is the 9360 version, but all those in this range are excellent, albeit expensive. It weighs 1.2 kg, is 0.7 cm thick at the thinnest point, mounts the Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics card and has three Type-C USB ports. Also available in Alpine White finish, there are versions with QHD + screen or touchscreen. Storage space can reach 1TB (SSD)
Lenovo Yoga 920
- Processor: 8th generation Intel Core i5 – i7
- Screen: 13.9 inches FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160)
- Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Considered by many as the best among the hybrids, it has as its sole competitor The Microsoft Surface Book 2, but it costs much less and has a metal finish, has cutting-edge processors so it is very fast and fits the Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics card.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
- Processor: Intel Core i5 – i7
- Screen: 14 inches; WQHD (2560 x 1440) or FHD (1920 x 1080)
- Storage: SSD up to 1 TB (PCIe)
It weighs 1.13 kg but is very powerful and the battery lasts 15 hours: perfect for long work sessions. It is considered the best model for business-women and men who have to work hard on it.
HP Specter X360
- Processor: Intel Core i5 – i7
- Screen: 13.3 inches FHD (1,920 x 1,080)
- Storage: 256GB – 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD
It is very successful for its beautiful design and incredible technical specifications. The 13 series of 2017, in particular, gave us one of the first Ultrabooks with a quad-core CPU. This however greatly reduces the life of the battery, which resists for just less than 6 hours. But it is a convertible, turns into a tablet, and the sound is approved with flying colors.
Razer Blade Stealth
- Processor: Intel Core i7
- Screen: 12.5-inch UHD (3,840 x 2,160) or 13.3-inch QHD + (3,200 x 1,800)
- Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe SSD
With its graphics card: Intel HD Graphics 620 or Intel UHD Graphics 620 and a 16 GB RAM, a wide and bright screen is the ideal choice for those who want to enjoy a little ‘entertainment with video games. The previous models also had 4k resolution, but even the specifications of this are excellent. It weighs around 1.2 kg, makes a little noise when under stress and the battery lasts about 5 hours.
Asus ZenBook 3
- Processor: Intel Core i5 – i7
- Screen: 12.5 inches FHD (1,920 x 1,080) or 14 inches Full HD NanoEdgFull HD NanoEdge nVidia GeForce MX 150
- Storage: 512GB SSD
The different models can mount the Intel HD Graphics 620 or nVidia GeForce MX 150 graphics card, and has a 16 GB RAM. It is considered the direct competitor of the MacBook Air, for its very thin design. It is powerful and weighs only 9 pounds.
Asus ZenBook UX310
- Processor: Intel Core i3 – Core i7
- Screen: 13.3 inches FHD (1920 x 1080) – QHD + (3200 x 1800)
- Storage: 500GB Hard Disk – 1TB HDD; or SSD 500GB – 1TB
This is an excellent Ultrabook at lower prices, especially if you are happy with the i3 processor. The design is very thin and appealing and the screen rotates 178 degrees. It offers USB Type C ports and an aluminum body. Depending on the model the RAM goes from 4 to 16 GB and the graphics card is Intel HD Graphics 62 or NVidia GeForce GT940MX.
Microsoft Surface Laptop
- Processor: Intel Core i5 – i7
- Screen: 13.5 inches (2256 x 1504) PixelSense display
- Storage: 128GB – 512GB SSD
Not to be confused with the Surface Book, this is a laptop with a touchscreen function. It has the keyboard covered with Alcantara, something that not everyone likes, but the body is made of metal. The i7 processor option features an Intel Iris graphics card that is a great combination.
Microsoft Surface Book 2
- Processor: Intel Core i5 – i7
- Screen: 13 or 15 inches 3000 x 2000 (267 PPI)
- Storage: SDD 256 GB – 1 TB
It is the convertible that allows you to detach the screen from the keyboard and use it as a tablet. You can choose different models depending on the width of the screen (13 or 15 inches), the processor (i5 or i7), RAM (8 or 16 GB) and storage space (up to 1 TB). The prices, therefore, vary a lot but remain tendentially quite high (we are at the level of the MacBook Pro).
Compared to the previous model has added a USB-C port but not Thunderbolt. The battery, in the most quoted texts online, lasts between 8 or 9 hours when used at full capacity, and the graphics card is NVIDIA GeForce.
Huawei MateBook X
- Processor: Intel Core i5 – i7
- Screen: 13 inches (2160 x 1440)
- Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD
Another of the great rivals of the MacBook Pro is this model of Huawei, with an excellent design and sound system, but there are few connectivity options. The Chinese manufacturer wants to emulate the success in the mobile market (it’s the third in the world) even in that of thin and ultralight laptops (1.05 kg), and the reviews of this product are generally more than positive. A single charge can last all day if not used intensively; otherwise, the battery life will be around 6 or 7 hours.
Acer Swift 3
- Processor: Intel Core i3- i5-i7
- Screen: 14 inches Full HD
- Storage: 256GB SSD
It is the best among the mid-range ones, with prices starting from just over 750 dollars, and despite this, it has the metal body, which although not as good as that of the best Ultrabook, however, is an important feature. The weight is 1.5 kg. Among the various versions, the best is the one with i5-7200U processor, which can be changed with an i7-7500U. If instead, you have to use the computer less “intense”, then the i3 processor is fine too. The battery has an average duration of seven and a half hours. Another similar choice for those wishing to contain prices is the Acer Swift 1.
Lenovo Ideapad 710S and 720 S
- Processor: Intel Core i5 and i7
- Screen: 13.3 Full HD
- Storage: 256GB SSD
With the weight of 1.1kg and the battery that is around 8 hours, the Lenovo 710S is a good mid-range purchase. It has a metal body that looks like the most valuable model, with a large display that has given good feedback in all light conditions.
- Processor: Intel Core i5 or i7
- Screen: 14 inches Full HD
- Storage: 256GB PCIe SSD
The older brother of the 710 S is the 720 S: intuitively, the price here is higher. This laptop weighs 1.55 kg (so among the heaviest in the category) but has a battery that lasts on 8 or 9 hours and is one of the most purchased last year. Thanks to the nVidia graphics card, the video quality is really very good. For an economic choice always among Lenovo’s IdeaPad, there is the 320 S series.
HP EliteBook x360 G2
- Processor: Intel Core i5 – i7
- Screen: 13.3 inch UHD or FHD with touchscreen
- Storage: 256GB M.2 SATA SSD
From $1,100 you can buy the HP EliteBook x360, which weighs 1.29 kg and has a battery that lasts around 8 hours, making it a pretty appetizing convertible. This laptop, in fact, has hinges that allow you to completely flip the screen and flatten it against the keyboard, turning the PC into a tablet. The i5 processor version has already achieved excellent results in online tests: all this makes it another choice to be taken into consideration.
Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch
- Processor: Intel Core i5 and i7
- Screen: 13 inches IPS (2560 × 1600)
- Storage: 128 GB hard drive
MacBooks have always had the reputation of being the best handsets on the market, and confirms the fact that all other devices are still evaluated based on how they come out of the comparison with the Apple home machines. This model, in particular, has an excellent battery life (16 hours), the slim design that fascinates everyone, weighs 1.36 kg but offers only two USB C ports and has a 128 GB hard drive only (spending something extra can upgrade to a 256 GB SSD). But if you are fond of the brand, it is always a reliable choice.
Have you chosen your next ultralight computer?
Do you have a question or opinion about the best Ultrabook of 2019? Leave us your doubts or suggestions in a comment.
Be sure to also check out our tech deals section featuring best mechanical keyboard under $50, best laptop under $300 and much more.
We’ve handpicked some of the best laptops under $300. While these laptops are pretty cheap, you might consider supercharging with an SSD hard drive. The performance is night and day! Check out our selection of low priced SSD hard drive picks here: Best SSD Hard Drives under $130.
Don’t forget to also check out our Best Desktops under $300, our Best Laptops under $200, and our Best Servers for under $400.
For more help on making your choice, also check out our article on:
Tips for Buying the Best Laptop under $300 and Best Laptops Under 200 And 300 Dollars.
Originally posted 2019-06-22 22:12:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
