The 12 Best Lightweight Laptops

If you run a busy lifestyle, you need a versatile laptop that can keep up. In terms of versatility, few laptops do it better than the Lenovo Yoga 720, a lightweight 2-in-1 laptop that you can use in four different modes: laptop, tablet, tent, and stand. It weighs 2.87 lb and measures 0.6 inches thick. But don’t let the thin frame fool you – this laptop is packed with formidable hardware.

It runs on a 7th generation Intel Core i5-7200U clocked at 2.5 GHz, with the option to boost all the way up to 3.1 GHz. It has an 8GB DDR4 memory and a 256GB SSD for storage. Boasting a 13.3-inch Full HD screen that displays stunning visuals, this 2-in-1 laptop comes with a fingerprint reader and multiple connectivity options – but no optical drive.

• CPU : 7th Gen Intel Core i5 @ 2.5-3.1 GHz
• RAM : 8GB
• HD : 256GB
• Weight : 2.87 lb
• Height : 0.6 in

Purchase

Released in May 2017, the Samsung Chromebook Pro is one of the best and most lightweight Chromebooks that you can get without breaking the bank. It weighs 2.38 lb and measures 0.51 inches thick. It’s armed with the Intel Core m3-6Y30, allowing you to perform tasks like video editing and word processing without running into performance problems.

Being a Chromebook, the Samsung Chromebook Pro isn’t really loaded with storage space (Chromebooks use the cloud as primary storage). It has a 32GB hard drive and comes with a 4GB memory. Featuring a 12.3-inch display with a 2400 x 1600 resolution, this Chromebook includes a built-in pen and has a 360-degree hinge that allows you to turn it into a tablet for e-book reading and playing games.

• CPU : Intel Core m3-6Y30 @ 0.9 GHz
• RAM : 4GB
• HD : 32GB
• Weight : 2.38 lb
• Height : 0.51 in

Purchase

In terms of display, no other laptop on the market comes close to the Dell XPS 13. It has a 13.3-inch Full HD screen with an extremely thin bezel on three sides, giving it a virtually borderless profile. This means you can enjoy movies and TV shows in their full glory, most especially those loaded with CGI and breathtaking action sequences.Available in different configurations, the Dell XPS 13 weighs just 2.6 lb and measures 0.6 inches thick, though the exact numbers may vary depending on the actual configuration. Housed in a machined aluminum chassis, this portable laptop is durable and comes with a scratch-resistant screen. If you love watching movies while traveling, pick up this lightweight laptop and take your on-the-go entertainment to a whole new level.

• CPU : 6th Gen Intel Core i5 @ 2.3-2.8 GHz / 6th Gen Intel Core i7 @ 2.5-3.1 GHz
• RAM : 4GB / 8GB / 16GB
• HD : 128GB / 256GB / 512GB
• Weight : 2.6 lb
• Height : 0.6 in

Purchase

Packing a powerful hardware inside an ultra-thin laptop is an incredibly difficult job. But don’t tell that to Asus, one of the best in the business at producing ultra-portable laptops armed with nothing but the latest hardware inside. And the Asus ZenBook 3 is an example of that.

Featuring a full-sized keyboard, the Asus ZenBook 3 comes with a 7th generation Intel Core i5-7200U that can run up to 3.1 GHz with the turbo boost, an 8GB memory, and a 256GB SSD hard drive. It has a 12.5-inch IPS display with a 178-degree viewing angle, includes four Harman Kardon speakers, and runs on a 9-hour battery that charges to 60 percent in less than an hour. All of that hardware packed in a body that weighs 2 lb and measures around 0.46 inches thick.

• CPU : 7th Gen Intel Core i5 @ 2.5-3.1 GHz
• RAM : 8GB
• HD : 256GB
• Weight : ~2 lb
• Height : ~0.46 in

Purchase

Next time someone claims laptops can never run on more powerful batteries because of limited space, point them in the direction of the LG gram 13Z970. It’s designed to run for up to 17.5 hours, totally embarrassing laptops that barely hit 10 hours of runtime on a single charge. In fact, draining all the battery in a single day can be challenging – which is really saying something.

But the long-lasting battery isn’t the only good thing about the LG gram 13Z970. It comes with powerful hardware, too. It runs on a 7th generation Intel Core i5-7200U that can be clocked up to 3.1 GHz and rolls with an 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD hard drive. It has a gorgeous 13.3-inch Full HD screen, a backlit keyboard, and multiple connectivity options.

Sure, you can get all that hardware power in other lightweight laptops on the market. But we can guarantee you that you won’t be able to find many other models capable of easily soaring past 10 hours of runtime without even breaking a sweat. For a long-lasting laptop, look no further than the LG gram 13Z970.

• CPU : 7th Gen Intel Core i5 @ 2.5-3.1 GHz
• RAM : 8GB
• HD : 256GB
• Weight : 2.07 lb
• Height : 0.6 in

Purchase

Not all good things come in large packages. Take the HP EliteBook Folio G1, for example. It’s one of the thinnest and lightest business-class notebooks in the world. It weighs just 2.14 lb and measures 0.47 inches thick. But, quite comically, it comes with outstanding durability and toughness, capable of surviving accidental nose-dives from your work table.

Inside, the HP EliteBook Folio G1 is equipped with the Intel Core m5-6Y54, clocked at 1.1 GHz out of the box but can go up to 2.7 GHz. It has an 8GB memory and a 256GB hard drive. It has a 12.5-inch Full HD display with anti-glare and boasts a backlit keyboard that feels great to type on, perfect for those who feel more comfortable working in total darkness, for whatever reason.

Note that the product listed here on our list of the best lightweight laptops is the non-touch version. For a versatile touchscreen laptop, we recommend looking into other options, starting with the Lenovo Yoga 720.

• CPU : Intel Core m5-6Y54 @ 1.1-2.7 GHz
• RAM : 8GB
• HD : 256GB
• Weight : 2.14 lb
• Height : 0.47 in

Purchase

Laptops are notoriously known for having sub-par speakers. But not the MateBook X from Huawei. Housed in a lightweight chassis that weighs 2.31 lb and measures 0.49 inches thick, the MateBook X includes a Dolby Atmos Sound System. Couple that with the nearly borderless 13-inch screen with a 2160 x 1440 resolution and you get a portable entertainment machine capable of producing eye-candy visuals and immersive sounds.

Designed to keep overheating at bay, the MateBook X has a water-resistant keyboard and boasts a power button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner. With the latter, you can boot up the laptop and go through the fingerprint authentication process in just one press. In a fast-paced world where every minute counts, that one-touch access can be a game-changer.

Under the hood, the MateBook X is available in two configurations: an Intel Core i5 setup and an Intel Core i7 setup. Both the memory and storage are available in different configurations as well. In regard to outside appearance, Huawei offers three color options: space gray, prestige gold, and rose gold.

• CPU : 7th Gen Intel Core i5 @ 2.5 GHz / 7th Gen Intel Core i7 @ 2.7 GHz
• RAM : 4GB / 8GB
• HD : 256GB / 512GB
• Weight : 2.31 lb
• Height : 0.49 in

Purchase

Back in the day, laptops have nothing on desktop computers – the latter absolutely crushing the former in terms of power and performance. Now, choosing a laptop no longer means running with a significantly inferior computer. Laptops can now dance with desktop computers (not including the high-end setups that cost over $2000). And you only need to look at the Microsoft Surface Laptop as proof.

Engineered to have the perfect balance between performance and portability, the Microsoft Surface Laptop is a high-end laptop that comes in different configurations, including an Intel Core i7 setup with a 16GB RAM and a 1TB hard drive. It weighs 2.76 lb and measures 0.57 inches thick, allowing for easy packing for field work (actual measurements may vary depending on configurations).

Featuring a luxurious Alcantara fabric-covered keyboard, the Microsoft Surface Laptop includes a 13.5-inch touchscreen display that delivers crystal clear images. And the battery life is impressive as well, offering up to 14.5 hours of video playback, which places it nearly on par with the LG gram 13Z970. All in all, the Microsoft Surface Laptop successfully blends outstanding portability with uncompromising performance.

• CPU : 7th Gen Intel Core i5 @ 3.1 GHz / 7th Gen Intel Core i7 @ 4.0 GHz
• RAM : 4GB / 8GB / 16GB
• HD : 128GB / 256GB / 512 GB / 1TB
• Weight : 2.76 lb
• Height : 0.57 in

Purchase

Say what you want about Apple. But when it comes to the best lightweight laptops in the world, the Apple MacBook Air should always be in the conversation. Released in June 2017, the current version of the ultra-thin laptop comes with a 5th generation Intel Core i5-5350U, clocked at 1.8 GHz. But you can opt for a 5th generation Intel Core i7-5650U, clocked at 2.2 GHz.

It has an 8GB memory and is available in three hard drive options: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. It weighs 2.96 lb, making it the “heaviest” laptop on this list so far, and measures 0.11 to 0.68 inches thick. Ideal for multimedia-related tasks such as video editing and sound mixing, the Apple MacBook Air includes the Intel HD Graphics 6000 with up to 1.5GB of video memory.

• CPU : 5th Gen Intel Core i5 @ 1.8-2.9 GHz / 5th Gen Intel Core i7 @ 2.2-3.2 GHz
• RAM : 8GB
• HD : 128 GB / 256GB / 512GB
• Weight : 2.96 lb
• Height : 0.11-0.68 in

Purchase

Still not impressed by all the ultra-thin laptops above? Say hello to the Acer Swift 7, a 0.39-inch thick laptop. It’s the thinnest laptop ever. It’s so thin and lightweight that it doesn’t even feel like you’re carrying a laptop in your bag. And can you believe Acer still managed to pack it with formidable specs?

It runs on a 7th generation Intel Core i5-7Y54, clocked at 1.2 GHz with the option to boost all the way up to 3.2 GHz.  It’s also available in an Intel Core i7 setup that runs on a 7th generation Intel Core i7-7Y75, clocked at 1.3 GHz with a boost option up to 3.6 GHz. The black-and-gold product listed here includes an 8GB memory and a 256GB hard drive. Protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass, this 13.3-inch ultra-thin laptop is damage-resistant and comes with an excellent trackpad.

• CPU : 7th Gen Intel Core i5 @ 1.2-3.2 GHz / 7th Gen Intel Core i7 @ 1.3-3.6 GHz
• RAM : 8GB
• HD : 256GB / 512GB
• Weight : 2.48 lb
• Height : 0.39 in

Purchase

Need a powerful, lightweight 2-in-1 laptop for both work and gaming? Check out the HP Spectre x360, a high-end 2-in-1 laptop that comes loaded with juicy specs. It’s armed with an 8th generation Intel Core i7-8550U, clocked at 1.8 GHz with the option to boost up to 4 GHz. It’s available in multiple memory and storage configurations, with the maximum being 16GB and 1TB, respectively.

In terms of graphics, this laptop comes with the Nvidia GeForce MX150 with 2GB of video memory. But you do have the option to get a unit that’s equipped with the Intel UHD Graphics 620. Boasting a 15.6-inch IPS display with a 3840 x 2160 (4K) resolution, the HP Spectre x360 offers multiple connectivity options, including a Thunderbolt connection and a USB 3.1 Type-C connection.

At 4.42 lb, the listed product here is certainly the heaviest laptop on this list. But the actual weight depends on the configuration you roll with – some setups weigh less than 3 lb. So if you want maximum portability, you might want to tone down on the specs a bit.

• CPU : 8th Gen Intel Core i7 @ 1.8-4.0 GHz
• RAM : 8GB / 12GB /16GB
• HD : 256GB / 360GB / 512GB / 1TB
• Weight : 4.42 lb
• Height : 0.7 in

Purchase

Known for producing over-the-top products, Razer is probably not the brand you expected to appear on this list. But here we are. Available in a black or gunmetal finish, the Razer Blade Stealth is a 13.3-inch ultrabook with a Quad HD (3200 x 1800) touchscreen display. It has a very stylish look that’s in line with how Razer rolls, featuring an anti-ghosting backlit keyboard with 16.8 million color options.

It has a 16GB memory and can be configured for up 1TB of storage. It comes with the Intel HD Graphics 620, which means that it isn’t a pure gaming laptop. But you can still run a few modern games at low settings on it. It runs on an Intel Core i7, with the clock rate depending on which version you pick up – the Intel Core i7-7500U or the Intel Core i7-8550U.

• CPU : 7th Gen Intel Core i7 @ 2.7-3.5 GHz / 8th Gen Intel Core i7 @ 1.8-4.0 GHz
• RAM : 16GB
• HD : 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
• Weight : 2.98 lb
• Height : 0.54 in

Purchase