8 best ultrabooks

Ultrabook - a compact and lightweight computer, in terms of its functionality is not inferior to the usual "full-sized" PC. Its mission is to accompany its owner everywhere, and be at hand at the right moment. But people who are far from the computer world sometimes find it hard to choose an ultrabook that can cope with its range of tasks. It is for them that we prepared the current ranking of the best ultra-thin computers, based on expert opinion and user feedback. Both new products and models that have already declared themselves for business, entertainment, gaming and work with graphics have got into our TOP.

Ultrabook which company to choose

The first potential ultra-thin notebooks, made out to Apple. They also belong to the honor of releasing a new ultra-thin computer, which surpassed standard laptops in its functionality. It turned out to be easy, convenient and at the same time capable of working for long hours without recharging — well, an ideal machine for a modern person.

For 8 years, the American MacBook has evolved markedly, and one of them even got on our list of the best of the best. True, the price for them is still "bites", so he did not get the first place.

But other manufacturers managed to create at least good ultrabooks - at an adequate cost.

Companies managed to get as close as possible to the ideal:

1. Lenovo

2. Asus

3. Toshiba

Even more affordable, but not bad in the work of the model we found in the rulers:

4. HP

5. Dell

6. Acer

Best Ultrabooks for Business

This category includes expensive, so-called status machines that meet the basic requirements for computers for business. They are powerful, functional, with excellent graphics and able to work all day without recharging. And most importantly - they are compact and easy to carry.

Lenovo Thinkpad T460s

The ideal ultrabook for business with a 14 ″ screen in the basic configuration comes with a resolution of Full-HD (1920x1080). Weight 1345 g, but the thickness - on the verge of "permitted" (19 mm). The manufacturer managed to achieve weight reduction due to the use of a light and durable magnesium alloy in the body, as well as the reinforcement of plastic elements with carbon fiber.

Pros:

• Two batteries;
• Dock interface with a large number of ports - only USB Type-C is missing;
• High performance and record speed with wireless networks;
• Accuracy and fast clickpad response, the ability to customize gesture recognition up to 4 touches;
• Convenient and accurate trackpoint to control the cursor while typing;
• LED-backlit keyboard;
• Autonomous work 6-6.5 hours, with minimal loads - up to 14.

Minuses:

• Most of the ports are inconveniently located - on the right side;
• Not enough bright lights to work on the street during the day;
• Both batteries are non-removable, because of this, alternating charging is not possible.

In the reviews, the low graphics performance of the T460s was also noted - it was clearly not designed for "heavy" games and 3D modeling.

Apple MacBook Pro 13 Late

Expensive and status model of 2016. With a diagonal of 13.3 ″ and a thickness of 17 mm, it weighs only 1370 g. The screen resolution of 2560x1600 px also makes you happy.

Other advantages:

• The ideal display - bright backlight without flicker, gorgeous view at an angle without twisting colors;
• Silent operation;
• Balanced sound stereo speakers;
• Wireless communication literally flies;
• Minor heat - heat is quickly and evenly distributed throughout the body (maximum temperature with a severe load +40 ° C);
• Long autonomous work - the manufacturer declared 10 hours, in fact 11. Charging can take up to 42 hours without a load.

Minuses:

• Only 2 USB Type-C ports, the need to connect adapters or a docking station;
• Low maintainability, as well as the inability to drastically improve the "iron" - a thin body is packed to capacity;
• The built-in webcam is rather weak and does not provide the necessary contrast and sharpness;
• Noisy and uncomfortable keyboard.

This premium ultrabook is unrealistically expensive, although it is disappointing in terms of equipment. But otherwise, it is almost perfect.

Best Hybrid Ultrabooks

Ultrabook and 2-in-1 tablet is a logical conclusion to which manufacturers had to come, taking into account the features of modern operating systems that are convenient for touch control, as well as user requirements for the minimum weight and thickness of laptops.

Asus Transformer 3 Pro T303UA

One of the most successful solutions was the Asus Transformer 3 line, which was recently supplemented with a Pro-model with a diagonal of 12.6 ″ and a thickness of only 14 mm, taking into account the keyboard.

Pros:

• Durable metal case, there is even an adjustable stand for the tablet, which is rare;
• Traditional Asus high build quality;
• Convenient docking keyboard with backlight and large buttons;
• High resolution of the screen 2880x1920 px, brightness and color reproduction are comfortable in any lighting;
• The sensor is responsive, "understanding" - you will not have mistakes with a random tap;
• Very powerful and productive processor Core i7-6500U, supplemented by 16 GB of RAM;
• Three built-in cameras - 12 and 2 megapixels, plus an infrared authenticator.

Disadvantages:

• Minimum set for wireless communication;
• The battery lasts not long enough - on average 4 hours, maximum 6.5.

Business-oriented, hybrid has a really status look. It is productive, powerful, with ideal for multimedia graphics, but it’s impossible to spend a whole working day without charging.

Toshiba Portege Z20t-C-11G

The best in terms of equipment ultrabook "2-in-1" has a 12.5-inch Full-HD display, as well as a docking keyboard with an insane number of different ports and slots. Included are two stylus, one of which is conveniently hidden in a slim case. The total weight of the hybrid is 1.51 kg (of which 730 g falls on the tablet), 21 and 8.8 mm thick, respectively.

Pros:

• Very long battery life thanks to the additional battery built into the dock-keyboard - almost 19 hours;
• Anti-glare screen;
• High-speed SSD works without jerks and braking;
• Simultaneous charging of both batteries;
• Core M processor does not need active cooling;
• Two ways to connect the keyboard to the tablet, it goes with the backlight, good moisture protection and responsive trackpoint.

Minuses:

• The average screen performance and unevenly distributed brightness;
• Flexing display;
• Not the highest quality of pictures from 2 and 5 megapixel cameras.

Despite some shortcomings, Toshiba Portege is one of the few ultrabooks where the glare problem on the screen is really solved.

Asus Zenbook Flip UX360

This ultrabook-transformer can be bought at a more reasonable price. The display of 13.3 inches has a resolution of 1920x1080 px, in the CA modification there is a QHD (3200x1800 px). Weight 1.27 kg, thickness 14 mm.

Pros:

• High performance;
• 360 ° rotation of the display, the lid is easily opened with one hand;
• Slim and tough aluminum body, stylish design;
• A large and responsive touchpad, plus a multi-touch screen for 10 touches;
• Automatic locking / unlocking of the keyboard, which is very important for the transformer;
• Stunning brightness and contrast of the image;
• Holds a charge of 9-10 hours in normal operation and 4 at maximum load.

Minuses:

• The swivel joint is clearly flawed, due to which the screen is not reliably fixed at large angles;
• The loud sound of the fan in Turbo-Boost mode, however, it starts only at peak loads and very briefly;
• When overheating, the processor slows down;
• There is no keyboard backlight.

Zenbook is great not only for office tasks, but also for gaming. On sale you can find a modification with a more powerful Core i7 6500U, if the basic Core i5-6200U seems weak.

Best cheap ultrabooks

Of course, to attribute these cars to the economy class language does not turn. But compared to the models considered, they are twice cheaper, and their characteristics are slightly inferior to ultrabooks of the premium segment.

HP Pavilion 14-al104ur

For its price range, this is one of the best cars with a 14-inch screen. Of course, it does not reach the “classic” ultrabook, because it has a weight of 1.58 kg, but the extra 80 g should not be taken too critically. The price reduction is due to the installation of HDD instead of a more advanced SSD, but inexperienced users are quite happy with its performance.

Pros:

• Worthy build quality;
• Silent operation of the cooling system;
• Excellent Full-HD screen based on IPS matrix - with bright colors and large viewing angles without distorting the picture;
• High sound quality;
• Comfortable and quiet keyboard;
• It is possible to independently install the SSD without loss of warranty from the manufacturer.

Minuses:

• The service of HP models in our country leaves much to be desired;
• No keyboard backlight;
• Function keys F in the usual mode work only when you hold Fn;
• The battery does not hold the promised 9 hours, maximum - 3.5.

For its price, Pavilion is recognized by users as ideal (they are ready to put up with drawbacks). Special delight is caused by the image quality and noiselessness of the ultrabook.

Dell xps 13

The 13.3 ″ laptop weighs 1360 g, although it is slightly outside the size of the frame (up to 21 mm). Its main advantages are an aluminum case with an additional layer of hydrocarbon fiber and the ability to choose a complete set with a QHD touchscreen display.

There are other advantages:

• Silent operation, comfortable backlit keyboard and large touchpad;
• Uniform heat dissipation throughout the hull;
• Very high download speeds;
• Good image quality at any viewing angle with accurate color reproduction and brightness distributed across the screen;
• Excellent autonomy - with an intense load, the battery will last for 5-6 hours, when working in lighter applications, it will last from 8 to 16 hours.

Minuses:

• The webcam is at the bottom of the monitor, which makes the face appear full during the video chat;
• 128GB small SSD;
• Glossy display and ineffective anti-reflective coating;
• There is no possibility of connecting an external monitor (TV) and creating a local network.

In general, it is a smart and powerful technique for work, quietly enduring nomadic life.

Acer Swift 5 SF514-51-59AV

The weight of this ultrabook is 1353 g, thickness is 14.6 mm. The screen diagonal for Swift is 14 ″, but in size it looks more like a trinashka, since the manufacturer supplied the Full-HD display with very narrow frames.

Pros:

• No throttling - the processor does not skip cycles and does not slow down when overheated;
• Effective and almost silent cooling;
• Good response and quiet operation of the keys, the keyboard backlight;
• Supports gestures and multitouch;
• Long battery life - with low loads, Acer Swift can last up to 13 hours on a full battery charge.

Minuses:

• There is no possibility of expanding the RAM;
• Glossy finish plus average display brightness - guaranteed glare when working outdoors;
• Not too well-balanced audio sound system, and the speakers are rather weak;
• Excessively flexible body - “plays” when pressed;
• On a good webcam manufacturer clearly saved.

In general, it is an inexpensive and productive working machine, not too adapted for entertainment. But easy, trouble-free and able to last all day offline.

Which ultrabook to buy

1. To solve any business problems, Lenovo Thinkpad T460s Ultrabook is perfect. It has the highest performance and speed, unlimited opportunities for connecting peripherals, and two batteries last for the whole day.

2. For those who are always forced to carry their “work” with them and quickly get involved in the process, the compact Dell XPS 13 will do.It is powerful, it starts at lightning speed, holds a charge for a long time and is able to work stably with a large number of open applications.

3. If you need a tablet and a powerful ultrabook in one case, you should take a closer look at the Asus Transformer 3 Pro. But keep in mind: taking it all day, you have to take the charger with you.

4. Connoisseurs of business classics and fashion gadgets will love the Toshiba Portege Z20t hybrid. Especially well, he will show himself when working in conditions of excessive light, because it really does not give glare on the screen.

5. Those who prefer to work on Mac OS and are willing to lay out a tidy sum for a high-quality ultrabook can be advised to use a MacBook Pro 13 Late of 2016 sample. And if you want more performance, you should choose an analogue with Touch Bar. Alas, neither one nor the other is suitable for people working with texts - because of their uncomfortable keyboard, their hands quickly get tired.

6. If MacBook is not affordable, and you do not plan to drive the car to the limit of the processor, the Asus ZenBook Flip UX360 will be a worthy replacement. In addition, this model-transformer, which can be used as a very large and functional tablet.

7. Looking for an affordable and high-quality ultrabook for working with multimedia? Choose a reliable HP Pavilion 14.

8. Your reliable “workhorse” for the coming years at an affordable price will be the Acer Swift 5 Ultrabook - fast, productive and stuffed with the most relevant “hardware”.