The 7 Best Ultrabooks of 2021

Best Overall: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

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Lenovo’s well-established line of ThinkPads are known for being among the best business laptops around, but the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is simply a top-of-the-line modern ultrabook by any standard. The 8th-generation model can be equipped with up to an Intel Core i7-10610U processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB solid state drive (SSD). That’s more than enough oomph for just about any professional tasks, and you can stay busy all day long with up to a listed 19.5-hour battery life on a 1080p Full HD display. You can also opt for 4K resolution on the 14-inch screen for extra clarity at the expense of faster battery drain.

Visually, the matte-black X1 Carbon might not look too flashy, but it’s expertly engineered to survive being dragged around to even the most extreme work conditions. Though it weighs a feathery 2.4 pounds, the carbon-fiber-reinforced frame has been tested to hold up against 12 military-grade durability standards, so it won’t have a problem with everyday bumps, drops, and spills. It also features the comfortable and responsive backlit keyboard that ThinkPad users have come to love, complete with the iconic red TrackPoint navigation “nub” right in the middle.

Best 2-in-1: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 Laptop

4.6

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The XPS 13 was already a leading contender among Dell laptops and ultraportables in general, but as a 2-in-1 laptop-tablet, it reaches new dimensions of versatility. Dell clearly put a lot of care into the sleek-yet-functional convertible design, which revolves around a sturdy 360-degree hinge. When flipped to touchscreen tablet mode, its sub-3-pound weight and 13.4-inch screen make it very practical to use. It’s easy to hold in your hands, while offering plenty of room to work on its 1920x1200-pixel display (a tad more height than the standard 1080p).

A downside to the compact size (razor-thin at 0.6 inches) is that there’s no room for full USB-A ports. The keyboard is also relatively shallow, but should prove comfortable enough for typical users’ typing sessions.

The latest iteration of the XPS 13 2-in-1 sees minor but impactful improvements, particularly an IR camera for facial recognition. It also keeps up on the performance side by way of the newest and fastest Intel Core processors, including 11th-generation chips on the 2020 machines. Coupled with Intel’s advanced integrated Iris Xe graphics, the XPS 13 2-in-1 becomes a multi-purpose powerhouse that lets you switch seamlessly from a productive day at your desk to lounging on the couch for some streaming TV or gaming.

Best Design: Razer Book 13

4.9

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If you’re looking for a stylish and competent laptop that’s both portable and surprisingly powerful, the Razer Book 13 is a compelling option. It features a machined aluminum chassis, and what’s inside that shiny silver exterior is just as spectacular.

 The Book 13 has an RGB backlit keyboard that is wonderful to type on, and which is backed up by an expansive touchpad and responsive touchscreen. That touchscreen is also a gorgeous interface for creative work and media consumption, with 4k resolution and a high degree of color accuracy. This is all powered by 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an 11th generation Intel processor, making this ultra-portable laptop capable of some lightweight gaming.

 The Razer Book 13 is a device that proves that you don’t have to choose between style and substance.

Best Display: HP Spectre x360 15

4.6

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Can a slim, portable ultrabook still be big, bold, and beautiful? The eye-catching Spectre x360 15 2-in-1 from HP certainly makes a case. It manages to fit in a touchscreen with an expansive 15.6-inch diagonal, with the option for 4K resolution and AMOLED technology that come together for unparalleled contrast, color, and crispness. The size makes it slightly unwieldy to use as a tablet, but the flexibility is still convenient to have. The bright, vivid display also takes a toll on battery life—you can make it through most of the day, but you’ll want to keep a power source close by.

As you can imagine, the Spectre x360 15’s exceptional display is perfect for working with photos, videos, or any kind of media, and it packs the hardware to support it. Decked out with up to a six-core Intel Core i7 10750H processor, discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage, you have content creation performance that can rival much larger machines. Plus, if you’re working with or particular about audio, four strong, custom-tuned Bang & Olufsen speakers pump out better sound quality than you can expect from most other laptops.

Best Splurge: Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

4.1

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Microsoft has built up its Surface line of touchscreen laptops with a strong, diverse stable of options, and the Surface Laptop 3 is its latest representative of the traditional clamshell format. It’s a slick 13.5-inch ultrabook (with a 15-inch version also available) that simply makes blending performance and portability look easy. Its quad-core 10th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor are about the fastest you can get while maintaining essentially all-day battery life. The 13.5-inch model only includes integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics, though, so you’ll want a configuration with a dedicated graphics card if you’re planning on more heavy-duty gaming or video editing.

 The quality design of the Surface Laptop 3 is easily visible from its minimalist aluminum exterior (available in several color options), but it applies to practical matters, too. The keys are a joy to type on, the touchpad is large and responsive, and Alcantara fabric is now optional for the deck around the keyboard. Our tester also appreciated the decent 720p webcam, unlike other ultrabooks where this tends to be a neglected feature. The Surface Laptop 3 does make concessions with its port selection, but at least it now has a USB-C input, plus a Surface Connect port for extra connectivity via Microsoft’s Surface Dock.

Best for Battery Life: Asus ExpertBook B9450FA 14" Laptop

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Asus bills the ExpertBook B9450 as the world’s lightest 14-inch business laptop, and its 2.2-pound starting weight is certainly impressive. But what makes it stand out even more among other ultraportables is its battery life—depending on your settings, it can last a whopping 24 hours before needing a charge. There’s currently no other laptop that can match that. That means you can take the ExpertBook B9450 around all day without fear of losing power, and if you bring along a spare portable battery charger, you’ll definitely be set. Plus, with military-grade durability certification, you don’t have to worry about drops, spills, or extreme temperatures, either.

Of course, all this portability wouldn’t mean much if it couldn’t handle the tasks you want it to take on. Fortunately, that’s no concern for its Intel Core i7-10510U chip, 16GB RAM, and up to a massive 2TB of SSD hard drive space. Asus has even thrown in a few other unique modern touches. The screen’s hinge lifts the keyboard up to a more natural typing angle, which also improves airflow for the cooling vents. And laptops this size can’t usually fit a dedicated number pad, but on the ExpertBook B9450, you can switch on an LED number pad right on the touchpad. Finally, a small light bar in the front shines blue when the built-in Alexa voice assistant is activated.