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If you’re looking for a balance between capability and bulkiness, a 13-inch laptop is an ideal option. That said, not all 13-inch laptops are created equal. In our opinion, the Dell XPS 13 is the best 13-inch laptop available today, but there are plenty of other options depending on the features you want and the price you’re willing to pay.
Most of the top 13-inch laptops are focused on balancing power and portability, but you can find everything from budget notebooks to high-end gaming rigs with a 13-inch display. Here are the laptops you should be looking at.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Dell XPS 13
The best 13-inch laptop, period
Pros
- Streamlined design
- Tiny bezels all around
- 16:10 display adds to productivity
- Keyboard and touchpad are larger and excellent
- Solid productivity performance
Cons
- Connectivity is limited
- Battery life has been downgraded
Why you should buy this: It’s the best 13-inch laptop you can buy, and one of the best laptops period.
Who’s it for: Anyone in the market for a 13-inch laptop.
Why we chose the Dell XPS 13:
It’s hard not to sound like complete sycophants when talking about how much we love the XPS 13. It’s been our favorite laptop for the past five years, and the latest version is better than ever. Dell had already accomplished what we’ve been begging it to do for years and moved the webcam back up to the top of the screen where it belongs, and there’s so little else to complain about that it’s hard not to gush. The recent addition of a 3.5K OLED display option also spiced things up.
As with the XPS 13s that came before, this version is lightweight (under 3 pounds), portable, and exceedingly attractive. Base specs start with an 11th-generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of PCIe NVMe solid-state drive storage. Ports include two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C (including DisplayPort and power delivery compatibility), and the laptop comes with a USB-C to USB-A adapter to help manage some of your older accessories. More expensive options have a touchscreen and improve the processor, but otherwise, specs stay relatively the same.
Don’t expect to play the latest and greatest games at high frame rates — that’s not really what this laptop is for. No laptop is perfect, but the Dell XPS 13 is as close as we’ve seen yet, suitable for a wide variety of tasks, and highly capable of handling them all. Note that there’s a new version of the XPS 13 on the way that will offer a refresh of the design and an upgrade to Intel 12th-gen CPUs.
Dell XPS 13
The best 13-inch laptop, period
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Apple MacBook Air M1
It’s a portable powerhouse
Pros
- Apple’s M1 blows Intel away
- Phenomenal battery life
- Excellent keyboard and touchpad
- Rock-solid build quality
- Simple good looks
Cons
- Supports only one external display
Why you should buy this: It’s the best laptop for students.
Who’s it for: Any student who wants a laptop that’s fast and long-lasting while being exceedingly easy to carry around.
Why we chose the Apple MacBook Air M1:
The MacBook Air M1 is the perfect laptop for students. It’s lightweight, super powerful, and stacked with the quality-of-life features that Macs are known for. From exceptional battery life to a large touchpad and one of the best laptop keyboards, the MacBook Air comes with everything students need to succeed. It’s cheap, too, at least by Apple standards. It’s also completely silent.
The latest MacBook Air features Apple’s M1 chip that brings together CPU and GPU cores with system RAM. Over the Intel processors that proceeded it, M1 is built on a more power-efficient architecture. It’s so power-efficient, in fact, that the MacBook Air doesn’t even need a fan. It stays cool simply by passing heat through the aluminum body, so you can keep working without distracting anyone.
For portability, the MacBook Air M1 is 0.63 inches thick at its thickest point, and it only weighs 2.8 pounds. The port selection isn’t great with just two Thunderbolt ports, but you can easily expand the selection with a Thunderbolt 3 dock.
The MacBook Air M1 is a seriously impressive laptop, not just for students, but for anyone looking for a highly portable, very powerful machine. In some ways, it’s even better than the MacBook Pro. There’s a significant upgrade on the way, with the MacBook Air M2 using Apple’s latest CPU and sporting a newly designed chassis and display.
Apple MacBook Air M1
It’s a portable powerhouse
Asus ROG Flow X13
Incredibly portable gaming performance
Pros
- Amazing portability
- Good performance for its size
- Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
- XG Mobile is a good option
- 120Hz refresh rate
Cons
- Mediocre battery life
- Screen could be brighter
- Expensive for performance
Why you should buy this: It’s the best 13-inch gaming laptop.
Who’s it for: Gamers who want to play modern titles but want to play them on a smaller, lighter laptop.
Why we chose the Asus ROG Flow X13:
The Asus ROG Flow X13 took over our top spot as the best 13-inch gaming laptop thanks to a combination of modern components and innovative design. It’s not only a gaming laptop but it’s also a 360-degree convertible 2-in-1 with a taller 16:10 aspect ratio display, making it function for more than just gaming. Looking at it, you’ll see the resemblance to the rest of the Asus ROG line, with a simple all-black exterior and diagonal lines on the lid and palm rest that add some flair.
It packs in some serious power, with our review configuration of an AMD Ryzen 9 5000HS CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti. That’s fast enough for modern titles at 1080p and decent graphical settings. And Asus built in a proprietary PCIe connection that allows you to expand the laptop’s GPU via an external expansion box, bundled with some configurations, that supports up to the RTX 3080.
The ROG Flow X13’s 13.4-inch display runs at a 1920 x 1200 resolution, which is fine for gamers, and it supports touch and a 120Hz refresh rate. Ports are a bit limited, but that’s to be expected on such a small gaming laptop.
Asus ROG Flow X13
Incredibly portable gaming performance
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
A lot of computer for less than $500
Pros
- Responsive keyboard
- Impressive performance
- Great value
- Under three pounds
Cons
- Bad touchpad
- Mediocre display
Why you should buy this: It’s the best 13-inch laptop under $500.
Who’s it for: Anyone who wants a fast and flexible 13-inch laptop but has a limited budget.
Why we chose the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5:
If you want as much as you can get for $500, we suggest the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5. It’s a flexible 2-in-1 that still has enough performance for your everyday tasks. This can be particularly hard to find in this price range, where the combination of lower specs and older parts can mean power or speed issues for the unwary. But Lenovo has managed to build the Chromebook Flex 5 for performance, and the snappy Chrome OS loading helps make sure there are no annoying wait times as you work.
For this model, you get a 10th-gen Intel Core i3-10110U dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of SSD storage. While that storage may seem like it’s a little low, Chromebooks tend to operate with a focus on cloud storage and running apps from the cloud to reduce the storage needed on your own laptop — and you can always purchase an external storage drive.
Battery life is almost good enough for a full day’s work, and connections include USB-A and USB-C ports plus a microSD card reader. If affordability is your primary goal, the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 is a pretty great package for the price.
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
A lot of computer for less than $500
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Nano
So much power, so little weight
Pros
- Solid productivity performance
- Extremely light
- Good keyboard and touchpad
- Excellent battery life
- Very nice 16:10 display
Why you should buy this: It’s the best lightweight 13-inch laptop.
Who’s it for: Users who want a 13-inch laptop that won’t weigh them down.
Why we chose the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano:
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano is a super-light laptop that still packs a ton of power. The non-touch model weighs only 1.99 pounds, and the touch model is only slightly heavier at 2.14 pounds. That’s even lighter than the most recent LG Gram, which has long claimed the ultra-portable throne with its 2.2-pound weight. The ThinkPad X1 Nano is built like other ThinkPads, too, sporting a carbon-fiber hybrid material that’s as sturdy as laptops that weigh twice as much.
The high-end configuration comes with an Intel Core i7-1180G7, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. If portability is more important than power, you can also configure the ThinkPad X1 Nano with an i5-1130G7, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. Regardless of the configuration, the machines come with a 16:10 2K display (2160 x 1350) with a peak brightness of 450 nits and support for Dolby Vision HDR.
The non-traditional resolution leads to better battery life overall, beating 4K displays like the one in the Spectre x360. Despite stiff competition from Dell, HP, and LG, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano is a showstopper. It maintains the ThinkPad flair Lenovo is known for while cutting the weight significantly, all without sacrificing performance or battery life.
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Nano
So much power, so little weight
Riley Young / Digital Trends
Google Pixelbook Go
Still the best Chromebook you can buy
Pros
- Portable design
- Bright, colorful display
- Speakers are impressive
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Chunky bezels
- No fingerprint scanner
Why you should buy this: It’s the best 13-inch Chromebook.
Who’s it for: Chromebook lovers who have decided on a 13-inch size for portability.
Why we chose the Google Pixelbook Go:
Although there are a ton of Chromebooks on the market, there’s really only one option for the best performance, build quality, and design. The Google Pixelbook Go comes straight from the source, and it’s built from the ground up to let the Chrome OS platform shine. You can pick up an inexpensive configuration with an Intel Core m3 processor and 8GB of RAM, but Google also offers a configuration with a 4K display, a Core i7, and 16GB of RAM.
Outside of raw power, the Pixelbook Go has a few design elements that help it stand out in the crowded Chromebook market. The bottom, for example, is textured so it doesn’t slide away when sitting on your lap, and the stereo speakers are near the key bed, offering clear audio across movies, games, and music. It’s highly portable, too, measuring just 0.5 inches thick and weighing 2.3 pounds.
Additionally, the Google Pixelbook Go is rated for 12 hours of battery life and comes with two USB-C ports. Most Chromebooks are designed with a budget in mind. The Pixelbook Go is designed from the other direction, matching features with components to create a Chromebook that lets the lightweight operating system shine.
Google Pixelbook Go
Still the best Chromebook you can buy
MacBook Pro 13 M2
The most power you can get in a 13-inch laptop
Pros
- M1 is insanely fast
- Beautiful display, as always
- Fantastic battery life
- Speakers sound brilliant
- Top-notch keyboard and trackpad
Cons
- Only two Thunderbolt ports
- Touch Bar is still frustrating
Why you should buy this: It’s the best MacBook for Apple users.
Who’s it for: Apple users who want the best 13-inch laptop available.
Why we chose the Apple MacBook Pro 13 M2:
The latest MacBook Pro is based on Apple’s M2 chip. It’s an update to the chip inside the MacBook Air, sporting eight CPU cores and 8GB of unified memory. The M2 comes with 10 GPU cores, up from eight. The extra cores should make a significant difference in graphics performance. We haven’t yet reviewed the updated MacBook Pro 13 M2, but we linked to the M1 version review because outside of the CPU, the laptops are identical.
The MacBook Pro has active cooling, but you won’t notice it. The fan never spun up in our testing, even when running games like Fortnite. And yes, the M2 can run games like Fortnite. Despite being cool and power-efficient, the M2 chip is powerful enough for gaming and productivity. This is still a MacBook Pro, after all.
Like previous models, the M2 variation still comes with an excellent Retina display, a top-notch keyboard, and clear onboard speakers. The M2 version maintains the updates made to the M1 model, too, sporting nearly twice the battery life of the Intel models that preceded it.
The MacBook Pro M2 is a breakthrough machine for Apple, bringing price and performance more in line with the rest of the market without sacrificing all the things that make Apple laptops special.
MacBook Pro 13 M2
The most power you can get in a 13-inch laptop
Frequently Asked Questions
Does laptop screen size matter?
Yes, it definitely does. The change in size can make things like working in applications side by side much more fluid. The overall size of the laptop also makes a difference in portability. Sliding a 15-inch laptop into a backpack isn’t always possible, and neither is trying to use it in cramped locations like a small coffee shop table or on an airplane.
Perhaps more importantly, though, there are significant differences in configuration options between 13-inch and 15-inch laptops. Take the Dell XPS 13 and XPS 15, for example. The XPS 13 maxes out at a four-core processor with integrated graphics, while the XPS 15 can now include up to a 14-core processor with a discrete RTX 3050 Ti graphics card. The extra space in the chassis allows for these more powerful components, meaning they’ll provide a significant boost in performance.
What is a good screen resolution for a 13-inch laptop?
Most 13-inch laptops are offered in two resolution options: 1080p (1920 x 1080) and 4K (3840 x 2160). The 4K options are often significantly more expensive and lose a couple of hours in battery life. For most people, the 1080p configurations will be plenty sharp, especially on a screen this size. You may want to jump up to 4K, however, for the wider color gamut that often comes with it. Editing photos in 4K with better colors is ideal.
Your resolution options change for laptops with taller screens. The MacBook Pro, for example, has a sharper 13-inch screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, resulting in a 2560 x 1660 screen resolution. Meanwhile, the Surface Laptop 2 has an even sharper 3:2, 13-inch screen with a 3000 x 2000 resolution.
Which is the best laptop brand?
Choosing the best laptop brand comes down to a combination of which company designs the best products and provides the best service. Dell fits the standard for both of these, having built the best laptop you can buy right now. HP and Lenovo are close behind, offering good laptop designs and similar customer service.
On a different tier is Apple, which builds the sturdiest laptops you can buy. They also offer a high-caliber customer service experience that involves an actual brick-and-mortar store (if you have one in your area). That rating has lowered a bit with its recent keyboard kerfuffle, where reliability has become a serious issue. But even there, Apple eventually fessed up and started replacing the laptops altogether.
Is a 13-inch laptop too small for gaming?
A 13-inch laptop may not seem as visually immersive as a larger screen can, but if your GPU can support your favorite game, then a 13-inch laptop would prove to be an excellent gaming device. While your situational awareness is undoubtedly improved with bigger displays, the screen may not fully support the game. It would be best if you double-checked your larger laptop’s specs; The processor, RAM, SSD, and GPU all need to be able to support the parameters required for your game comfortably.
How do I know what size my laptop is?
To quickly measure your screen, grab your ruler, measuring tape, or other measuring tools and hold it diagonally across your screen. The measuring device should stretch from the top corner to the opposite bottom corner. Be sure not to include the borders of your screen in your measurements. If you don’t have any tool to measure the screen physically, try searching for your laptop make and model number online.
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