Our pick
Dell XPS 13 (9310)
The latest XPS 13 is thin and light, and it offers long battery life, a great keyboard, a reliable trackpad, and a spacious screen.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $980.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | Intel Core i5-1135G7 | Screen: | 13.4-inch 1920×1200 non-touch |
| Memory: | 8 GB | Weight: | 2.64 pounds |
| Storage: | 256 GB SSD | Tested battery life: | 12.5 hours |
Exceptionally light and compact, even compared with other laptops in this category, the Dell XPS 13 (9310) provides long battery life and has a quality keyboard and trackpad. It also offers fast performance and a screen with a taller aspect ratio that’s ideal for web browsing and document work. The XPS 13 has only two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports to transfer data, connect an external display, or charge the laptop; we wish it had a USB-A port, as well, but it does come with a USB-C–to–A adapter, and if you need more ports you can get a USB-C hub or dock.
Also great
HP Spectre x360 13 (13t-aw200)
The HP Spectre x360 13 has a stylus and a touchscreen and can flip into tablet mode, but it’s heavier than our top pick. We haven’t tested this 11th-gen model, but we expect it to have longer battery life than its predecessor.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $900.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | Intel Core i5-1135G7 | Screen: | 13.3-inch 1920×1080 touch |
| Memory: | 8 GB | Weight: | 2.88 pounds |
| Storage: | 256 GB SSD | Tested battery life: | 12.5 hours |
We tested the Spectre x360 with a 10th-gen processor, not the 11th-gen processor we now recommend. We expect the battery life to be slightly better on the newer model.
If you want a laptop with a stylus and a 360-degree hinge that lets you flip the screen all the way around to use the system as a tablet (or in any intermediate position, such as tent mode), and you don’t mind carrying something a little heavier than our top pick, get the HP Spectre x360 13 (13t-aw200) or the model with a previous-generation processor, if the latter is on sale. The Spectre x360 is similar in size to the XPS 13, and it offers solid battery life, comparable performance, a reliable keyboard and trackpad, and a vibrant touchscreen. Plus, it has two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, one USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A port for connecting older devices, and a fingerprint reader for easy logins.
Budget pick
Lenovo Yoga 7i (14″)
The Yoga 7i is the best laptop you can get for the price. It offers performance similar to that of our top pick, but it’s larger and heavier, and it has shorter battery life.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $960.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | Intel Core i5-1135G7 | Screen: | 14-inch 1920×1080 touch |
| Memory: | 8 GB | Weight: | 3.1 pounds |
| Storage: | 256 GB SSD | Tested battery life: | 13 hours |
If you want a great ultrabook but don’t have a thousand dollars to spend, we recommend the Lenovo Yoga 7i (14″). The Yoga 7i is larger and heavier than the XPS 13, and its keyboard isn’t quite as enjoyable to type on. But it has battery life similar to that of our top pick, and it’s powerful and portable enough for a full day of work or classes. And unlike most cheap ultrabooks, the Yoga 7i is sturdy, equipped with a fingerprint reader, and bundled with a USB-C charger. Even though the Yoga 7i has a 360-degree hinge, it’s too large and heavy to use comfortably in tablet mode, so we don’t recommend it over the Spectre x360 if you want a convertible laptop.
Upgrade pick
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a bigger screen, and it offers our favorite laptop keyboard and more ports than our top pick. But it costs more than you need to pay to get something great.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | Intel Core i5-1135G7 | Screen: | 14-inch 1920×1200 non-touch |
| Memory: | 8 GB | Weight: | 2.5 pounds |
| Storage: | 256 GB SSD | Tested battery life: | 12.5 hours |
The 14-inch Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is the best laptop we’ve tested in the past few years—and it costs several hundred dollars more than most people should pay for an ultrabook. But spending more gets you a lighter laptop with a stellar keyboard, a larger screen, and a more useful array of ports than on our top pick, including two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and an HDMI port. It comes with a fingerprint reader and a handy webcam cover, too, and its battery lasts about as long as the XPS 13’s.
A few other ultrabooks we tested are also good choices, although they each suffer from at least one setback that keeps them from matching our top picks’ excellence. If our picks don’t suit your specific needs, one of these other options might.
