The best Ultrabooks ooze sophistication and elegance in the design department. But, they aren’t just about looking cool. These thin and light laptops also do not compromise on sheer performance for the sake of portability and longer battery life.
In fact, thanks to the best processors and SSDs under their svelte hood, the best Ultrabooks 2020 has to offer can handle a hefty workload. They’re powerful enough to get you through the more demanding tasks like photo editing and 3D design. And, that superb combination of portability, power and battery life is what makes them a favorite among professionals who want to stay mobile or are always on the move.
Ultrabooks were once defined as having Intel processors. But we have seen arch-rival AMD close the gap in mobile processing power while also lowering the price of thin-and-light laptops, so we dispensed with that Intel-centric view and AMD-powered laptops also appear on our list.
Here we have gathered all the best ultrabooks on the market to make your search for the ideal one easier. We’ve tested and reviewed every single one ourselves, so you know you can count on whichever one you choose.
The best ultrabooks at a glance
- HP Elite Dragonfly
- Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019)
- HP Spectre x360
- Lenovo Yoga C930
- Acer Swift 3
- Lenovo Yoga 730
- HP Spectre x360 (2020)
- HP Envy X360
- Acer Swift 7
- MacBook Air 2020
1. HP Elite Dragonfly
The best Ultrabook for the traveling professional
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3″ diagonal Full HD touch display – Full HD touch Sure View display | Storage: 256 GB SSD
Impeccable design
Excellent battery life
Pretty expensive
If you’re a traveling professional, and you’re looking for the best of the best this 2020, then you will be hard-pressed to find anything that will rival the HP Elite Dragonfly. Garnering our coveted five-star rating, this laptop tops many of our lists this year, including the best Ultrabooks list. It’s no surprise, as it delivers a deadly combination of incredible features like a sublime keyboard and amazing speakers, raw power, portability, a beautiful design and a long battery life. Admittedly, it’s pricier than many of its competition; but if you’ve got the funds, it’s worth every penny.
Read the full review: HP Elite Dragonfly
4. Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019)
Giving the 13-inch MacBook Pro a run for its money
CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i3 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD – Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 4GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.4″ FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge Non-Touch Anti-Glare – 13.4″ UHD+ (3840 x 2400) InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflecitve | Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD
Stunning, extremely portable design
Great performance
Gorgeous, responsive screen
Battery life is just ok
Only decent sound
Lid hard to open
You’ll be hard-pressed to find fault in the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019). Design-wise, not only is it incredibly compact and lightweight, but it also boasts that gorgeous responsive display, stunning woven design and delightful to use keyboard. But, it’s more than just looks. It’s pretty impressive as well when it comes to performance, thanks to its 10th-generation Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Plus graphics. If you’re looking for the best Ultrabook with more than enough power, a lot of versatility and a stunning design to boot, you’ll be crazy not to get this.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019)
5. HP Spectre x360
Thin, light and flexible
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 2020 list.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x360
7. Lenovo Yoga C930
A 2-in-1 laptop experience with little to no compromise
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
Acer Swift 3
The ultrabook for the rest of us
CPU: 9th-generation Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 14-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080; non-touch) | Storage: 512GB SSD | Weight: 1.2kg
Great value
Stylish design
Screen “only” HD
Chunky bezels
The Swift 3 perfectly fills a pretty important niche. Everybody wants their laptop to be svelte but powerful, and have great battery life, but that usually comes with a business-class price tag. But the Swift 3 is the ultrabook for the rest of us. This affordable thin-and-light holds its own, both in size and weight and also in all round performance, against models costing more than twice as much.
It’s certainly understated in appearance but its got great lines and could easily be mistaken for a Macbook Air at a glance. Standing just 1.5cm thick and weighing just over 1kg it has a generous arrangement of USB three USB ports and HDMI out. And while the screen is merely good, but not great, the keyboard and trackpad never feel cramped. Top that off with around 7 hours of battery life and its easy to see why this remains one of our favourite laptops.
Read the full review: Acer Swift 3
9. Lenovo Yoga 730
Durability meets performance
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
8. HP Spectre x360 (2020)
HP’s flagship 2-in-1 gets a 2020 refresh
CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS BrightView micro-edge WLED-backlit multitouch – 13.3″ diagonal 4K (3840 x 2160) UWVA BrightView micro-edge AMOLED multitouch | Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
Stylish and high-quality finish
Great all-around performance
Built-in security features are useful
Battery life takes a hit
Can run hot at times
HP’s beloved and highly praised 2-in-1 is back with a vengeance, this time with more powerful components like the 10th-generation Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Plus graphics. Of course, that impeccable 2-in-1 design and pristine gem-cut chassis are back, as are its security features and Bang & Olufsen speakers. That killer combination makes it, now more than ever, one of the best Ultrabooks out there. Is it a wonder that this is one of our favorite laptops of 2020? If you care about aesthetics as much as you do performance and overall quality, this is the laptop for you.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 (2020)
Acer Swift 7
Still the thinnest laptop in the world
CPU: 9th-generation Intel i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 615 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 14-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080; touch) | Storage: 512GB SSD | Weight: 0,89kg
Exceptional design
Great battery life
Poor webcam position
Mediocre graphics
For the second year in a row Acer lays claim to the thinnest laptop title. Its a remarkable feat of engineeering made possible using a dual core fanless i7 cpu (the same as for Apple’s Macbook Air) and using lighter and stronger magnesium alloy instead of the aluminium used by pretty much everyone else, which translates to a lot less flex, a common problem with super skinny laptops.
There’s just two USB-C ports, as you might expect on a laptop less than 1cm thick, and one of those is used for power. We’re impressed by the 14-inch screen, which is bigger than average for an executive class ultrabook, and only possible by eliminiating bezels on all sides. The touchscreen screen is bright, rich and responsive, as you’d expect at this price. Other big wins for the Swift 7 include near full-size keys with good tactile feedback, a decent size trackpad and around 10 hours battery.
Read the full review: Acer Swift 7
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Same classic look, but feels different
CPU: 9th-generation Intel Core i3 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plua | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (2,560 x 1,600; non-touch)) | Storage: 256GB SSD | Weight: 1.29kg
Robust build quality
Improved keyboard
More storage
Aging screen tech
Disappointing battery life
Heat build up
Updates to the most affordable Macbook have been minimal for years, and the latest update again changes little in the basic design. Most of the changes are under the hood where the base model now uses Intel’s latest, and most power efficient i3 dual core fanless CPUs. Otherwise the sleek aluminium chassis is identical to the format that more-or-less defined the ultrabook over ten years ago (when Steve Jobs slid it out of an A4 size envelope!). The 13-inch LCD screen still looks pretty good despite not being updated for years.
But while the look hasn’t changed the feel certainly has, most notably in the keyboard which replaces the former failure prone butterfly hinges with more traditional scissor type. Disappointingly it appears that heat build up is an issue, so the CPUs are throttled from performing at their peak, and even then the body gets uncomfortably hot. The battery also achieved nowhere near the claimed 11 hourts in our real-world tests. It remains a very robust build, but every Windows laptop on this list easily exceed the Air in performance and also cost less.
Read the full review: Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Michelle Rae Uy, Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article
Image credit: TechRadar
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Best ultrabooks 2020 at a glance:
- HP Elite Dragonfly
- Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019)
- HP Spectre x360
- Lenovo Yoga C930
- Acer Swift 3
- Lenovo Yoga 730
- HP Spectre x360 (2020)
- HP Envy X360
- Acer Swift 7
- MacBook Air 2020