12 best ultrabooks

Ultrabooks are compact laptops with high autonomy and low weight. The concept of such devices was formed back in 2008, when Steve Jobs presented a thin Apple MacBook Air laptop. Since then, thickness and weight have become key indicators in the production of laptops.

Every year, ultrabooks are getting smaller, thinner and lighter. First of all, due to the appearance of processors that do not need active cooling and consume little energy. The absence of coolers, radiators and cooling tubes saves space inside the machine in favor of the battery and components.

Ultrabooks should not be used as the main "work" computer. They are well suited for travel, presentations and travel. These laptops fit easily in a handbag. However, their performance, even considering their high price, does not always correspond to cumbersome counterparts. The reason is simple: a discrete video card is extremely rarely installed in an ultrabook, and the integrated video adapter uses CPU resources to operate.

But although it is problematic on an ultrabook to play modern games, such machines are often well suited to run video-demanding photo-processing programs. Ultrabook should not be considered solely as a set of functional elements inside a compact case. This is an individual device for comfortable work. Therefore, the presence of the backlight keys, fingerprint sensor and touch screen - important characteristics in choosing a laptop.

In our ranking, we have collected, in our opinion, the best ultrabooks. We arranged the models based on their functionality, dimensions and capabilities. So that you have the opportunity to make a choice based on key indicators for you.

The best ultrabooks with a screen of 12.5 inches

Ultrabooks with a screen of 12.5 inches are the best devices for working on the Internet. Due to the small display, their dimensions correspond to the size of the average book. And low weight allows you to fit even inside the handbag. At first glance, this is just a tablet with a keyboard. But under the modest packaging, often hides an impressive potential. We selected the most functional and productive models that will be useful both for work and for rest.

3 HP EliteBook Folio G1

Laptops of EliteBook series are premium class cars. These are compact devices that have not only the latest technical equipment, but also an attractive appearance. Model Folio G1 - perfectly proves this thesis. We have at the same time both the lightest participant in the rating category, and a device using the newest processors of the Core M family.

Qualitative features:

• Ultrabook is built on the chip Core M5 / 7. The clock frequency is 1200 MHz, but it can accelerate to 3 GHz. The processor is built on the latest 14nm process technology (previously, processors were manufactured in accordance with the 28nm process technology). The central processor consumes little power, does not heat up, and provides high autonomy;
• LED keys
• SSD format hard drive
• The thinnest 12-inch laptop. Ultrabook thickness 12 mm
• The lightest ultrabook. Weight 1 kg

2 Lenovo ThinkPad X280

The company "Lenovo" has created a whole line of ultrabooks that are lightweight, small thickness (17.8 mm) and powerful stuffing. The ThinkPad X280 boasts 8GB of RAM, an Intel Core i5 processor and a 256GB SSD. The manufacturer assures that this hard-working "beast" works up to 16 hours offline. Users in the reviews indicate 8 hours of work without recharging with Wi-Fi enabled, a browser, 70% of the screen brightness and running office programs.

The main disadvantages are a non-monolithic case, which feels like a budget one, and a screen with an insufficient level of brightness for this price category (Full HD resolution). But the model weighs only 1.13 kg. Optionally, you can purchase a model with a touch multi-touch display. There is a Kensington lock slot and a fingerprint scanner to restrict third-party access to information stored on the device.

1 DELL LATITUDE 7275

Ultrabook with tablet PC mode. The model works on Windows 10 or Windows 8 PRO. The processor varies depending on the modification: there may be a Core M3 – M7. RAM is in the range of 4-8GB. The screen resolution shocks: at 12.5 inches, the manufacturer placed 4K. There is a version with the usual Full HD. SSD with a volume from 128 to 512 GB is used as a hard disk. An unpleasant feature of the model is the short battery life (due to the touch screen, which “eats” cherished charge percentages with great appetite). Metal body. Everything in the collection weighs 1.4 kg, the thickness of the gadget is 17.1 mm.

Another disadvantage of the model is the cost. The model is perfect for a variety of tasks due to the “two in one” system, but it cannot completely replace the laptop and tablet because of some nuances of Windows operation when switching from one mode to another. However, the corporation regularly releases updates and fixes lags.

The best ultrabooks with a screen of 13.3 inches

Laptops in this category have large dimensions, compared with ultrabooks from the previous rating category. The larger size allows the manufacturer to use more powerful iron. These are not just "hiking" laptops. With such models it is convenient to work in the office, they are great for working with graphics and text, and if you connect an external display via HDMI to them, you get a full-fledged workstation in a compact package. Let's look at the best ultrabooks with a 13.3 inch display:

3 HP Specter 13-4100 x360

Transformer is a cross between a laptop and a tablet. Unfortunately, in most cases, the signature in the description for the device "laptop-transformer" means that the gadget is too expensive for a tablet, and too low-power for a laptop. HP Specter is designed to break this stereotype. This ultrabook is built on a Core i5 / 7 chip with a clock speed of 2.5 GHz. And the presence of a built-in video adapter ntel HD Graphics 520, allows you to use it even for modern games.

Ultrabook features:

• Lithium polymer battery provides up to 12.5 hours of operation;
• The thickness is only 16 mm;
• Weight only 1.45 kg;
• Metal housing;
• SSD hard drive.

2 Acer SWIFT 7

A handsome native of China under the brand "Acer", who managed to fall in love with a large audience with the help of stylish design and compact size. All this manufacturer combined with a small weight of 1130 grams and an attractive "stuffing". There is not only a 256GB solid-state SSD, an i5 processor on two cores, but also 8 GB of RAM and a battery that can withstand 9 hours of work. The screen is glossy with Full HD resolution.

Users in the reviews sing odes to the gorgeous metal body, which looks amazing, and provides solidity to the device.According to experts, this is the best option for those who need a productive laptop for working outside the home: it is light, thin and boasts long work without recharging. The model is worthy to lead our top, but it falls short of the first place in one parameter: price.

1 ASUS ZENBOOK UX303UB

The ZENBOOK series has been remembered by the consumer for its light, compact, yet productive devices. The main feature of the model UX303UB - the presence of a discrete graphics card. A separate NVIDIA GeForce 940M graphics chip allows the use of an ultrabook for both modern games and graphics processing. A discrete video card significantly speeds up computational capabilities, since Does not overload the CPU.

Ultrabook features:

• Discrete video card with 2 GB of memory;
• Availability of HDD and SSD drives;
• Productive CPU family Core i5 / 7;
• Touch screen type with multitouch technology;
• The disadvantage is a large thickness (19 mm).

Top 14.0 inch Ultrabooks

These ultrabooks can be used at home / office and on the road. The large diagonal of the display allows using such laptops both for watching movies and for working with presentations and documents. In this category, we consider the best models of modern ultrabooks with a display diagonal of 14.0 inches, from those presented in the sale.

3 Acer SWIFT 3 (SF314-52-37YG)

This is the best low-cost ultrabook with chic features for its value. The model is slightly heavier than its dear colleagues - to lead 1.8 kg for Swift 3. Inside is i3 processor, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB SSD. Widescreen display with TFT IPS matrix and resolution of 1920x1080. In reviews, the owners of the model indicate excellent contrast with a margin of brightness. The battery with four cells holds 8 hours without charging - with dignity. There is a fingerprint scanner.

The model from the box is equipped with the Linux operating system. The thickness of the device is 18 mm, the frames around the display are quite large. The metal case is not only beautiful, but also durable - nothing is pressed through, does not play or clang inside. Acer SWIFT 3 is great for business trips - relatively light and compact, reasonably productive, able to last a working day without a charger.

2 ASUS ZenBook BX410UA

A nice thin-frame ultrabook on the i-fifth processor, with 8 GB of "operatives" and a capacious battery that can withstand up to 10 hours of operation with a moderate load. The hard drive also deserves attention - the manufacturer equipped its Zenbuk with a 1000 GB hard drive and 128 GB SSD. The model comes with Windows 10 Home on board. Users in the reviews note the quality of the IPS-screen with the correct color and good margin of brightness. Conveniently located ventilation holes: under the screen with the direction of flow up, which makes it possible to put a laptop on soft surfaces without shame of conscience.

There is an unpleasant nuance - the power button is located next to the Del key, so the first time there is a chance instead of deleting the character to send a beech to sleep. In terms of price-quality ratio, this is an ideal option for both home gatherings and office work, as well as for business trips and traveling work.

1 Lenovo THINKPAD X1 Carbon Ultrabook (5th Gen)

This "Sincad" is an improved version of the previous generation. The changes affected not only the appearance - the laptop became more elegant and acquired a thin frame, but also the interior decoration. Now, a manufacturer from China offers Core i5 or i7 processors, from 8 to 16 GB of RAM and a smart matt (!) 14-inch display with a resolution of 2560x1440 in the older version or Full HD in the younger version. SSD with 256 ... 1024 GB is offered as a hard disk. The apogee of this model was the 57W / h battery, which hardworkingly holds up to 15.5 hours without an outlet.

THINKPAD X1 Carbon Ultrabook of the fifth generation weighs 1390 grams, and its thickness is only 16 mm.In the reviews, users assure that the device has a harmonious price-quality ratio. According to experts, this “Lenovo” is a competition for Macbook Pro and in many nuances it beats the “apple” colleague. From nice bonuses: fingerprint scanner, trackpoint (small joystick to control the cursor).

The best ultrabooks with a diagonal of 15.6 inches

Universal option for travel and work outside the home and office, and for routine affairs at home. The screen size allows you to watch movies with relative comfort, work with videos, work in a multi-window mode, play.

3 HP ZBook 15u G3 (T7W15EA)

The model that comes with the operating system Windows 7 Professional 64. The distinctive features of the model: capacious SSD on half a byte, CORE i7 processor and 16 GB "operatives". RAM can be increased up to 32 GB. Here is a nice matte screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 and a diagonal of 15.6 inches.

Pleasant dimensions: 20 mm thickness, weight 1.9 kg. Frames at the display can not boast of grace, alas. Pleasure - metal case, pointsstick (miniature joystick), fingerprint scanner. In the reviews, the owners of "Zedbukov" write about high performance, decent screen and a comfortable keyboard in combination with a pointstick. American engineers managed to shove a top-level iron into this thin ultrabook. The model is not budget, but its price justifies the quality and capabilities. The option is objectively good and suitable for resource-intensive purposes.

2 DELL XPS 15

The model with many modifications and equally beautiful dimensions (due to the thin frames of the ultrabook is comparable to 14-inch models), performance and robust metal housing. The battery holds 5-7 hours in a fairly intensive mode of operation.

The glossy screen with resolution variability from HD to 4K pleases with elegant color reproduction, contrast and brightness with a considerable margin. This ultrabook is the best compact version for photo processing. Processor: i5 or i7, RAM - from 4 to 16 GB. Hard disk capacity of 1TB, and SSD resources range from 32 to 128 GB. The weight here is decent: already 2700 grams. In the ranking of the best ultrabooks XPS 15 got thanks to a balanced filling and high-quality screen. The latter, by the way, is protected by Gorilla Glass. The model competes successfully with the Macbook PRO not only at the expense of a lower price, but also at the expense of performance and stability.

1 ASUS ZenBook Flip UX561UN

An ultrabook with a full size that can turn into a tablet PC. Here is a touch Full HD multi-touch screen that rotates 180 degrees. Inside the ultrabook everything is also beautiful: i7 processor with 4 cores, 8 GB of RAM (slot supports strips up to 16GB), 1000 GB on the hard drive and 128 GB on the SSD. The battery is powerful - 52 watts per three cells, but because of the gluttony of the touch screen, do not expect the laptop to work for days without electricity. In the “40% brightness, browsing, music, office programs, video, programming” mode, the battery lasts for 7-8 hours of operation.

The model weighs 1.9 kg. The thickness does not exceed 2 cm. In the review, users indicate the main disadvantages of the “Zenbuk”. This is a low-speed SSD (it can be replaced with a high-speed one with NVMe interface) and a plastic back cover, although all the stores in the specifications indicate that the case is metal.

Popular vote: What brand of ultrabooks is better?
We vote!

DELL

Lenovo

HP

ASUS

Acer

Other

Total votes: 126

Vote results