Here’s TechRadar’s definitive list of the best Ultrabooks
We can largely thank Apple and its MacBook Air for the Ultrabook trend we’re seeing. Where large, clunky laptops aren’t sleek enough, and thin, portable tablets aren’t powerful enough, the Ultrabook shines.
A unibody chassis packed with some of the best SSDs, processors and battery life available to devices this size, the Ultrabook is a thin and portable marvel that’ll let you get on with your business, browsing or buffering without the lengthy wait times.
With TechRadar’s extensive reviewing and lab testing, we’ve got a strong idea of what’s going to cut it in today’s Ultrabook landscape, and on this page we’ve ranked the best of the best so that you can find yourself a bargain on the cream of the crop.
Whether you’re chasing the well-known brands like Dell, HP, Microsoft and Lenovo, or some surprise entrants like Huawei and Razer, we’ve got you covered.
If you want to know exactly what to consider before buying an Ultrabook, check out our video below:
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7| Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX150 (2GB), Intel UHD Graphics 620| RAM: 8GB – 16GB| Screen: 13.3-inch 3K (3,000 x 2,000; touch)| Storage: 256GB – 512GB SSD
The Huawei Matebook X Pro’s November 22 arrival puts it firmly in the top place of our Australian ultrabook list. This gorgeous laptop brings high-end components into an elegantly-designed package that puts even the MacBook Pro to shame – all this on a decent battery life to boot. And, with its 3K touchscreen, the Huawei MateBook X Pro has a display that’s just as nice to look at as the chassis. It’s really the best Ultrabook you can buy today.
Read the full review: Huawei MateBook X Pro
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7| Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620| RAM: 4GB – 16GB| Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080; non-touch) – QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800; touchscreen)| Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSD
Weighing in at a measly 1.21kg and measuring just 76mm thick, the Dell XPS 13 is the epitome of an Ultrabook, and it has the reputation and power to back up the ‚Ultra‘ part too. You won’t find that it’s the most affordable Ultrabook, but it’s one of the most well-balanced option in Australia right now, with a healthy portioning of power and portability. It wields the latest 8th-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 CPUs, obviously, but it also rocks three USB Type-C ports and the option of an Alpine White finish that we’re absolutely in love with.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – i7| Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620| Screen: 13.9-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160)| Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
There aren’t many Ultrabooks as illustriously designed as the Lenovo Yoga 920: a 2-in-1 laptop that’s as dreamy to look at as it is to use. In contrast to its nearest competitors, such as Microsoft’s Surface Book 2, it doesn’t weigh nearly as heavy on the wallet either. For the modest price you pay, you’re getting a gorgeous, all-metal finish that can be flipped inside out for extended functionality. It also houses the latest 8th-generation Intel processors, just in case speed was a concern.
Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga 920
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7| Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655| RAM: 8-16GB| Screen: 13.3-inch (2,560 x 1,600)| Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
While we acknowledge that Intel’s Ultrabook specification is basically the Windows response to Apple’s MacBook Air, it wouldn’t be fair to not give Apple right of reply in this field. The latest MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is a sleek beast, offering some excellent and reliable performance with its quad-core CPU, and while you will be paying the kind of premium you’d expect from Apple, there are few Ultrabooks out there that get the balance of design and user experience quite as right as the MacBook Pro.
Read our full review: MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (13-inch, mid-2018)
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7| Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620| RAM: 8GB| Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080)| Storage: 256GB – 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD
When you lay your eyes on the HP Spectre 13 for the first time, you might be blinded by its sheer beauty. HP has taken the already-beautiful Spectre, and spruced it up with gold trim and packed it with internal specs that blow the competition out of the water. One of the first Ultrabooks packing a quad-core CPU, the 2017 Spectre 13 more than doubles the CPU performance of most of its competitors. It comes at the cost of battery life, but clocking in at just under 6 hours – the battery is still passable.
Read the full review: HP Spectre 13
CPU: Intel Core i7| Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – Intel UHD Graphics 620| RAM: 16GB| Screen: 12.5-inch UHD (3,840 x 2,160) – 13.3-inch QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800)| Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe SSD
Razer has to deal with the common misconception that it’s solely a gaming laptop and peripheral company, a reputation it subverted when it introduced the Blade Stealth back in 2016. And, if you’re unconvinced, the latest edition of the Razer Blade Stealth may change your mind by turning into a 13.3-inch, QHD+ beauty. There’s no longer the option for 4K, but the performance this Ultrabook delivers is worth the compromise.
Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7| Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620| RAM: 8GB – 16GB| Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) touch panel| Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Rarely does a company think of everything when designing a laptop, but for what it’s worth, the HP Spectre x360 comes surprisingly close. It’s a 2-in-1 convertible laptop, which by default makes it not for everyone. Still, for those right-brained users out there, it comes bundled with a Windows Ink-compatible stylus, unlike the vast majority of hybrids. That would mean very little if the HP Spectre x360 didn’t have great sound and visuals, though it evidently does.
Read the full review: HP Spectre x360
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7| Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620| RAM: 16GB| Screen: 12.5-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080)| Storage: 512GB SSD
Anyone familiar with Apple’s thinnest and lightest laptop would be wise to compare the Asus ZenBook 3 to the 12-inch MacBook. The similarities are obvious, but one look at the specs and the differences stand out too. Adorned with the choice of a U-series Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, the ZenBook 3 is awfully powerful considering it’s less than half an inch thick and weighs two pounds. The port selection is sparse, but ultimately it’s well worth the sacrifice.
Read the full review: Asus ZenBook 3
CPU: Intel Core i3 – Core i7| Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620| RAM: 4GB – 16GB| Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800)| Storage: 500GB – 1TB HDD; 500GB – 1TB SSD
It’s no secret that Apple has all but neglected the MacBook Air recently, but in some cases a Windows Ultrabook can be just as good, if not better.
