For those who need portability and mobility over big screens.
Having a good laptop is a basic necessity for any individual in 2019. But the only reason for anyone to buy a 13-inch laptop would be its ideal size. While 12-inch is still a size that leaves you squinting, a 15-inch laptop is just too big. 13-inch laptops fall in a sweet spot, where they are decent for consuming content and fit most backpacks as well.
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 the best 13-inch laptops all excel in different ways.
CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 8250U (quad-core, 6MB Cache, up to 3.40GHz with Turbo Boost)| Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (2GB DDR5 RAM), Intel UHD Graphics 620| RAM: 8GB LPDDR3| Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) wide view touch display| Storage: 256GB SSD (SATA3)| Ports: 1 x microSD card reader, 1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack, 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A, 1 x full-sized HDMI, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C| Connectivity: 802.11a/c Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2| Camera: VGA webcam| Weight: 2.5 pounds (1.12 kg)| Size: 12.2 x 8.5 x 0.5-inches (310 x 216 x 13.9 mm; W x D x H)
The Asus ZenBook 13 is both lightweight and pretty powerful- always a good combination, especially when ‘affordable’ fits in somewhere. With Intel’s latest Core i5 processor and an Nvidia GPU, the ZenBook 13 sits pretty near the top of the pile when it comes to the best 13-inch laptops. Heck, it might even be the best, since the hardware is a touch better than even the well-beloved Dell XPS 13.
Of course, there’s bound to be a few catches- the touchpad works almost too well, and you can’t lay the screen flat if you want to use a stylus- but it’s still a great option, especially considering the price point and the features. Oh, and the display is something special, too.
Read our full Asus ZenBook 13 review
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
Its changes are subtle, and yet the Dell XPS 13 is still one of the best 13-inch laptops 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
CPU: 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4GHz with Turbo Boost)| Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620| RAM: 8GB LPDDR3-2133 SDRAM| Screen: 13.