The best Ultrabooks are more than just status symbols or looking cool. While oozing sophistication and elegance in the design department, these thin and light laptops also do not compromise on sheer performance for the sake of portability and longer battery life. They boast the best processors and SSDs under their svelte hood, allowing them to handle a hefty workload.
Powerful enough to get you through the more demanding tasks like photo editing and 3D design, the best Ultrabooks are excellent for professionals and creatives who want to stay mobile or are always on the move. And, they’ve also got that battery life to last a while, so users won’t get caught out with a dying laptop and no outlet in sight.
We 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
- Huawei Matebook 13
- Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019)
- HP Spectre x360
- Surface Laptop 3
- Lenovo Yoga C930
- Razer Blade Stealth 13 (2019)
- Microsoft Surface Book 3
- HP Spectre x360 (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
2. Dell XPS 13
A small change with a big impact
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i3 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 4GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080; non-touch) – 4K (3,840 x 2,160; touchscreen) | Storage: 128GB – 2TB SSD
The webcam is in the right spot
Entry level is back
Otherwise small upgrade
The Dell XPS 13 has been king of the Ultrabooks for years, and while it’s been unseated by the Huawei MateBook 13, it remains one of the Ultrabooks to beat in 2020. This time around, Dell has moved the webcam from the bottom of the display back to the top, fixing one of the biggest flaws that held back the XPS 13 for years. Add the updated internal components to the mix, and the Dell XPS 13 still makes the best Ultrabooks list – even in the face of tough competition.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
3. Huawei Matebook 13
The Ultrabook to beat
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620; Nvidia GeForce MX150 (optional) | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch 2K (2,560 x 1,440; touch) | Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD
Excellent value
Discrete Nvidia graphics
Limited RAM
For some years now, Huawei has been sitting in the shadows, biding its time to take on the best Ultrabooks. But now, their time in the limelight is here. Like the Huawei MateBook X Pro before it, the Huawei Matebook 13 packs a ton of powerful hardware into a gorgeous shell, all while offering it at a price that’s more than reasonable. Those discrete graphics are also worth a mention – the Huawei Matebook 13 may be one of the tiniest laptops out there to come with an MX150 GPU. It’s not hard to see why the Huawei Matebook 13 is the best Ultrabook right now.
Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13
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
6. Surface Laptop 3
Longer-lasting than most
CPU: Quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8GB – 32GB | Screen: 15” 2496 x 1664 PixelSense Touch Display | Storage: 128GB – 1TB
Excellent battery life
Exciting AMD flagship debut
Far too few ports
Lacking in power
With an impressive, reasonable price tag and some of the best battery life we’ve experienced in a 15-inch laptop, the Surface Laptop 3 certainly has a lot going for it. That also includes the fact that it’s got a great look and feel, as well as a weight that surprisingly light for a product its size. Performance-wise, it certainly knocks it out of the park. While it isn’t the most powerful 15-inch laptop out there, it has Intel’s 10th-generation chips and the Iris Plus graphics. That’s more than enough to make it one of the best Ultrabooks out there for 2020.
Read the full review: Surface Laptop 3
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
8. Razer Blade Stealth 13 (2019)
Lightweight Razer style, now in white
CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics – GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 13.3″ FHD Matte w/ 4.9mm slim side bezel – 13.3″ 4K Touch w/ 4.9mm slim side bezel | Storage: 512GB SSD
Top-notch build quality
Runs quietly
Battery life is solid
Decidedly expensive
Limited storage space
Lacks a discrete GPU
The “world’s first gaming ultrabook” doesn’t just talk the talk; it also walks the walk as one of the best Ultrabooks 2020 has to offer. Razer has spruced up its Blade Stealth 13 Ultrabook with the latest internal components without affecting its super-quiet operation. Packed with a 10th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and better graphic options, 13-inch laptop delivers and much better than its predecessor. In fact, it might just be the best gaming experience we’ve ever had on integrated graphics with the Iris Plus configuration. Round that out with extremely quiet fans, low thermal power, extended battery life and that delightful Mercury White color, and we are sold.
Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth 13 (2019)
9. Microsoft Surface Book 3
An extremely premium piece of kit
CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G7 – i7-1065G7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design | RAM: 8GB – 32GB 3733Mhz LPDDR4x | Screen: 13.5-inch 3000 x 2000 (267 PPI) – 15-inch 3240 x 2160 (260 PPI) PixelSense Display | Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB PCIe SSD
Beautiful design
Comfortable keyboard
Gorgeous screen
Weak U-series processor
Tiny trackpad
Lackluster speakers
In many ways, the Surface Book 3 is an example of just how far the best laptops have come in just a few short years. It has an extremely premium piece of kit – with one of the best displays we’ve used in a laptop, a keyboard that will put the MacBook Pro’s new Magic Keyboards to shame, and a hybrid design with a removable screen. At less than an inch thick, and only 12.3 x 9.14 inches for its 13-inch model and 13.5 x 9.87 inches for its 15-inch version, this is also among the best Ultrabooks 2020 has to offer. Unfortunately, it’s held back by a weaker processor (next to its rivals), lacklust speakers and a high price tag. Still, it’s an excellent portable, if you’ve got the money for it and don’t.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 3
10. 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)
Michelle Rae Uy, Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article
Image credit: TechRadar