The best ultrabooks are sophisticated, slim and light, but there’s more to them than just being a status symbol. Within those slim chassis reside some surprising power, making them unusual but welcome workhorses for productive and creative endeavors.
Not even considering all that power, the race to be thinnest among the best ultrabooks means that they’re perfect for those constantly on the go. They won’t hurt your back as you cart them around and can easily fit into a messenger bag or backpack.
Because they come packed with the best processors and SSDs, you can expect to throw a hefty workload at them and still get results. And while they’re not ideal for heavy gaming or video editing, their performance will still impress you. The best ultrabooks often couple that performance with excellent battery life, meaning you can wait until you’re done gallivanting around town to recharge.
Whether it’s from the usual suspects like Dell and HP, or newer contenders like Razer and Huawei, we have quite a selection of the best ultrabooks for you to dig into, all of which have been tested and reviewed.
Once you’re done with this list, you’ll know which is the best ultrabook for you.
What you need to know about Black Friday 2019
Discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are always excellent times of year to pick up a new Ultrabook. Usually the most common stores will have lots of Ultrabook sales, but they’ll generally be smaller in discounts than, say, mid-range laptops. It’s no less common for the top-end products to receive discounts, just not as large as other product categories. So, there’s no certainty that holding off until Black Friday will get you a better discount than right now (our proprietary price-finding tool digs up all the latest deals). Regardless, check out our Black Friday laptop deals page, where we’ll be covering Ultrabook deals as well from now through November.
Best Ultrabooks 2019 at a glance:
- Huawei Matebook 13
- Dell XPS 13
- Huawei MateBook X Pro (2018)
- HP Spectre x360
- Surface Laptop 2
- Lenovo Yoga C930
- Razer Blade Stealth
- Lenovo Yoga 730
- HP Envy x360 13 (2019)
- Asus ZenBook UX310
(Image credit: Huawei)
1. Huawei Matebook 13
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620; Nvidia GeForce MX150 (optional) | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch 2K (2,560 x 1,440; touch) | Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD
Excellent value
Discrete Nvidia graphics
Limited RAM
For some years now, Huawei has been sitting in the shadows, biding its time to take on the best Ultrabooks. But now, their time in the limelight is here. Like the Huawei MateBook X Pro before it, the Huawei Matebook 13 packs a ton of powerful hardware into a gorgeous shell, all while offering it at a price that’s more than reasonable. Those discrete graphics are also worth a mention – the Huawei Matebook 13 may be one of the tiniest laptops out there to come with an MX150 GPU. It’s not hard to see why the Huawei Matebook 13 is the best Ultrabook right now.
Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13
(Image credit: Dell)
2. Dell XPS 13
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i3 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 4GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080; non-touch) – 4K (3,840 x 2,160; touchscreen) | Storage: 128GB – 2TB SSD
The webcam is in the right spot
Entry level is back
Otherwise small upgrade
The Dell XPS 13 has been king of the Ultrabooks for years, and while it’s been unseated by the Huawei MateBook 13, it remains one of the Ultrabooks to beat in 2019. This time around, Dell has moved the webcam from the bottom of the display back to the top, fixing one of the biggest flaws that held back the XPS 13 for years. Add the updated internal components to the mix, and the Dell XPS 13 still makes the best Ultrabooks list – even in the face of tough competition.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
(Image credit: Huawei)
3. Huawei MateBook X Pro (2018)
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX150 (2GB), Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch 3K (3,000 x 2,000; touch) | Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD
Gorgeous design
Fantastic performance
Weird webcam placement
Sometimes an Ultrabook arrives that totally changes everything. When the 2018 model of the Huawei MateBook X Pro hit the scene, it did just that. This beautiful Ultrabook brings high-end components into an elegantly designed package that puts even the MacBook Pro to shame. It really is one of the best Ultrabooks on the market, despite its 2019 successor’s attempts to best it with an Intel Whiskey Lake processor. It’s still the 2018 model that’s captured our computing cores.
Read the full review: Huawei MateBook X Pro
(Image credit: HP )
4. HP Spectre x360
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch full HD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) touchscreen | Storage: 256GB – 2TB PCIe SSD
Excellent build quality
Powerful components
Expensive
If an arresting Ultrabook housing 2-in-1 functionality and a ton of power satisfies what you’re looking for, it’s hard to find a better laptop than the HP Spectre x360. This slim and light Ultrabook isn’t just filled with the latest Intel Whiskey Lake processors and plenty of RAM. It also might just be the most exquisite laptop you can buy today. The HP Spectre x360 won’t just get you through your workload, but will also make you smart and stylish in the process – leaving no doubt that it’s well-deserving of its lofty spot on our best Ultrabooks 2019 list.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x360
(Image credit: Microsoft)
5. Surface Laptop 2
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Screen: 13.5-inch 2,256 x 1,504 PixelSense Display | Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSD
Quad-core processing
Beautiful new color option
No Thunderbolt 3
The original Surface Laptop hit the market just about two years ago, and while it was a great Ultrabook, it was affected by relatively weak internals and Windows 10 S. Fortunately, Microsoft rolled out the Surface Laptop 2 in late 2018, offering quad-core processors and the full-fat version of Windows 10. It’s through these fundamental improvements that the Surface Laptop 2 is able to bring the purest Windows 10 experience to a laptop – not to mention, join the ranks of the best Ultrabooks available right now – at a price that won’t make you run in the opposite direction.
Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2
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(Image credit: Lenovo)
6. Lenovo Yoga C930
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: up to 16 GB DDR4 | Screen: 13.9-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) | Storage: up to 2 TB PCIe SSD
Strong build quality
Robust feature set
Excellent battery life
Weak graphics performance
Pricey upgrade options
The Lenovo Yoga C930 has quite a few of the makings of the best Ultrabook – from an absurd 14.5 hours of battery life and dual Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C ports to internal components that will easily handle those daily productivity tasks. That’s without even considering it’s a 2-in-1 that offers form versatility so you can squeeze in some light gaming and movie-watching once you’re done working. It has a few cherries on top as well, specifically the integrated self-charging stylus and the fab speaker system.
Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930
(Image credit: Razer)
7. Razer Blade Stealth
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 12.5-inch UHD (3,840 x 2,160) – 13.3-inch QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe SSD
Larger, brighter display
Subtler aesthetics on gunmetal version
Shorter and shorter battery life
No 4K display option in sight
Razer has made quite a name for itself in the gaming world. Yet, with the Razer Blade Stealth, the green-themed manufacturer wants consumers to know that they’re more than just a company “for gamers, by gamers.” This Ultrabook will absolutely change your mind with its 13.3-inch, QHD+ beauty. You can no longer choose to get a 4K screen, but the performance this Ultrabook provides is more than worth the compromise – especially given how gorgeous the chassis is.
Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth
(Image credit: Lenovo)
8. Lenovo Yoga 730
CPU: up to 8th-generation Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: up to 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) IPS Anti-Glare Multi-touch | Storage: up to 512 GB PCIe SSD
Sturdy build
Well-done trackpad
Fast charging
Weak speakers
Battery life just OK
Durability meets portability and performance in this slim laptop with a reasonable price tag. The Lenovo Yoga 730 isn’t the close-to-perfect machine many premium buyers may be in the market for, with a few less-than-favorable issues like heavier weight, average battery life and weak speakers. However, this laptop will easily take you through your weekly workload. Lenovo then rounds out that performance with a reliable keyboard and trackpad, sturdy hinges to go between tablet and laptop mode, and a display with thin bezels.
Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga 730
(Image credit: HP)
9. HP Envy x360 13 (2019)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3300U – AMD Ryzen 7 3700U | Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 6 – Radeon Vega 10 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3″ diagonal FHD IPS (1,920 x 1,080) | Storage: 256 GB – 1TB SSD
Slim and sleek for a 2-in-1
High quality chassis
Improved battery life
CPU performance merely adequate
Graphics performance disappointing
There are so many exciting reasons why the HP Envy x360 (2019) should be on our best Ultrabooks list, and its sleek, stylish design is the least of them. This 13-inch 2-in-1 has a premium build quality, touts 9 hours of video playback and a performance that will tackle most of your schoolwork and projects with ease, all without burning a hole in your pocket.
Read the full review: HP Envy x360 (2019)
(Image credit: Asus)
10. Asus ZenBook UX310
CPU: Intel Core i3 – Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 | RAM: 4GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 500GB – 1TB HDD; 500GB – 1TB SSD
Incredibly thin and light
Vibrant, glare-free screen
Weak sauce graphics
Tinny speakers
In many cases, a Windows Ultrabook can be just as able as a MacBook Air. Take the Asus ZenBook UX310UA, for example. With decent 7th-generation Intel Kaby Lake processors, an astonishing 178-degree viewing-angle QHD+ display, a USB-C port and an aluminum build, it’s still one of the best Ultrabooks on the market, even after all this time.
Read the full review: Asus ZenBook UX310
Michelle Rae Uy, Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article
Image credit: TechRadar
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