In 2019, you need one the best laptops – you can’t avoid it. However, you only have one reason to go with the best 13-inch laptops – they’re the ideal size. 15-inch laptops are just too big, and anything less than 12-inches will leave you squinting. The top 13-inch laptops, then, are right in the sweet spot – they’re great for watching online videos and getting your work done.
We still love the Dell XPS 13, but it’s not the only ‘right’ choice. We’d get it if you wanted the new MacBook Air, or even the HP Spectre x360. Yeah, the XPS 13 is beautiful, but you don’t have to worry about awkward camera placement on those other laptops. The best 13-inch laptops all excel in different ways.
At the end of the day, the best 13-inch laptop ultimately boils down to what you want to do. Do you want a traditional laptop, without any unnecessary gimmicks? Or, would you rather have one of the best 2-in-1 laptops that can transform into one of the best Windows tablets? What about one of the best Macs, running macOS Mojave instead of Windows 10? So many laptops, so little time.
1. Dell XPS 13
Best-in-class like you’ve never seen it before
CPU: Quad-core Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – 4K (3,840 x 2,160) | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Gorgeous new design
Impressive performance
White option is pricier
Still gotta’ move that webcam
Its changes are subtle, and yet the Dell XPS 13 is still the best 13-inch laptop you can buy. On the high end, it now offers a 4K display, for a sharper picture across the board. But even if you can’t afford higher tier configurations, the beautiful design, lengthy battery life and even the SD card slot are still there – plus you’ve got a quad-core processor no matter what poison you pick. Better yet, the 13.3-inch display of the XPS 13 has been squeezed into a smaller frame, which explains Dell’s marketing line: ‘the world’s smallest 13-inch laptop.’ Now stew on that, as you admire the Dell XPS 13’s gorgeous, albeit more expensive, Alpine White finish.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
2. Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
Bigger isn’t always better: a memoir
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD 620 – Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.5-inch, 3,000 x 2,000 PixelSense display | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Very good battery life
Powerful
Very expensive
Not as powerful as 15-inch model
It’s not as powerful as its 15-inch counterpart, but everything else about the 13.5-inch version of the Surface Book 2 makes for one of the best 13-inch laptops for anyone looking for a mobile workhorse. No matter if you’re a professional or creative, the Microsoft Surface Book 2, with its more compact form factor, rocks an aesthetic that’s just as gorgeous as its predecessor. What’s more, the dynamic fulcrum hinge is even stronger now, which only complements its robust, quad-core processor.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2
3. Razer Blade Stealth
Fancy an Ultrabook for more than just gamers
CPU: Dual-core – quad-core Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) LED-backlit IGZO touchscreen | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Larger, brighter display
Subtler aesthetics on gunmetal version
Shorter and shorter battery life
No 4K display option in sight
You wouldn’t expect a Razer laptop to be prettier, thinner and lighter than a MacBook Pro, but this is the world we live in. The Razer Blade Stealth – in its all new gunmetal finish – rocks not only a gorgeous and practical aesthetic with its 400-nit display brightness and full-size USB 3.0 ports, but it also has a few tricks up its sleeve to make it a performance beast. The 8th-generation Kaby Lake R U-series processor makes the Razer Blade Stealth a force to be reckoned with. It doesn’t have the best battery life in the business, but it’s worth the 16 minutes of battery life to have one of the best 13-inch laptops.
Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth
4. HP Spectre x360
Proving the pen is mightier than the sword
CPU: Quad-core Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – 4K (3,840 x 2,160) | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Stylus included
Stunning features
Weak hinges
Annoying keyboard layout
For anyone who prefers premium build quality over everything, the HP Spectre x360 contains everything you could ever ask for in a 2-in-1 without compromise. Weighing in at just 2.78 pounds and measuring just over half an inch thick, it’s as thin as it is light. Plus, with up to a 4K display and 8th-generation Intel processors, it’s one of the best ways to experience high-quality video streaming as well as 720p gaming on a hybrid. We didn’t even mention the plentitude of ports. You’ll get two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports on top of a USB 3.1 Type-A – so you shouldn’t need a ton of adapters.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x360
5. Samsung Notebook 9
Great performance on the cheap
CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED anti-reflective display | Storage: 256GB SSD
Thin, smart styling
Competitively priced
Micro-sized video ports
Short battery life
While Samsung may not be well known for its laptops – beyond its Tab Pro S convertible, at least – Samsung’s follow-up to the 2012 Series 9 Notebook has impressive performance at a competitive price. Marketed as an Ultrabook, it’s certainly disheartening to know it can only last 5 hours in between charges, but given its beautiful design, it almost doesn’t matter. As a bonus, with the Samsung Notebook 9, you won’t have to deal with the bloatware that makes many other Windows laptop the target of derision on tech forums.
Read the full review: Samsung Notebook 9
- This product is only available in the US at the time of writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Dell XPS 13
6. Asus ZenBook 13
CPU: Intel Core i5-8250U | Graphics: Intel UHD 620; Nvidia GeForce MX150 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) wide view touch display | Storage: 128GB – 512GB SSD
Long battery life
Improved fingerprint reader
No USB-C
If you’re looking for a thin, svelte and fast 13-inch laptop to haul around with you, and you don’t mind giving up some premium features, you’ll fall in love with the Asus ZenBook 13. Coming in at just half an inch thick and weighing just 2.5 pounds, this is the perfect laptop to carry when traveling. And, don’t think you have to give up on power with all this portability, either. The Asus ZenBook 13 features quad-core Intel processors, 8GB of RAM and a fast SSD. The only thing you’re missing here is USB-C, and while it’s a nice feature to have, it’s easy to look past in a laptop this stylish.
Read the full review: Asus Zenbook 13
7. Samsung Notebook 7 Spin
Different, but not forgotten
CPU: Quad-core Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED with touch panel | Storage: 256GB SSD
Excellent keyboard
Long battery life
Fuzzy 480p webcam
Stylus not included
No one likes change, we get it. Still, the 15.6-inch frame of the Samsung Notebook 7 Spin we once knew will soon be erased from our memories forever, but the new 13.3-inch model doesn’t seem like an awful upgrade. It’s bounced two generations into the future in terms of processing power, and even though there are no discrete graphics – we’re happy to see a keyboard that can compete with some of the heavy hitters. It’s not going to blow your mind, yet as far as hybrid notebooks go, this one ain’t too shabby (plus it’s cheaper than a weaker MacBook Pro).
Read the full review: Samsung Notebook 7 Spin
- This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the HP Spectre x360
8. Surface Laptop 2
Faster. Better. Stronger.
CPU: 8th generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.5-inch, 2,256 x 1,504 PixelSense display | Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSD
Improved power
New black color scheme
Still no Thunderbolt 3
The original Surface Laptop was already one of the best 13-inch laptops – it had a gorgeous screen, competent internals and fantastic build quality. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that its sequel, the Surface Laptop 2 takes everything the original did and does it better. You’re not going to find any radical changes here, but the speedy 8th-generation processors, 8GB of RAM at the base level and, most importantly, the removal of Windows 10 S, all add up to make one of the best laptops out there. Especially if you’re a student.
Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2
9. Lenovo Yoga 920
Versatile with a generous helping of elegance
CPU: Quad-core Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.9-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Lovely design
Thin
Lacks graphical power
Keyboard still annoys in tablet form
As time goes on, 2-in-1 laptops are becoming more popular, and their manufacturers are improving them at a rapid pace. This is especially true for Lenovo – it’s been creating drop-dead beautiful convertibles for years, much like the Lenovo Yoga 920. This 13-inch laptop brings Thunderbolt 3 to the table, an improved webcam – and most importantly – an 8th-generation Intel Kaby Lake Refresh processor with every configuration. The fans get loud, but the Lenovo Yoga 920 is certainly among the best 13-inch laptops on the market.
Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga 920
10. MacBook Pro (13-inch; mid-2018)
Powerful. Elegant. Expensive
CPU: Quad-core Intel Core i5 – Core i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 Retina display | Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
Powerful
Gorgeous design
Expensive
The MacBook Pro 2018 feels like the final form of Apple’s pro series laptop since its 2016 redesign. It keeps the thin and light design, but brings a wealth of improvements, both to the hardware within and, more importantly, Apple has vastly improved the Butterfly keyboard – making it quieter and more reliable. So, you no longer have to worry about it breaking cause a piece of dust appeared under the spacebar. So, if you need an ultra-portable workhorse running macOS Mojave and you can justify the cost, the 2018 MacBook Pro won’t let you down. Keep in mind, though, the model without the Touch Bar is still running last year’s hardware.
Read the full review: MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid-2018)
Bill Thomas, Joe Osborne and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article
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