If you’re in the market for a lightweight laptop, you’ll find that there are several options available. Some are much lighter than others. These lighter options are a great choice for those who want to use their computer for light applications, but may not want to carry a larger notebook around. You’ll also find that some of these lighter alternatives are available with Intel vPro technology, which offers a powerful boost to your computer’s productivity.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is a lightweight, yet powerful business laptop that delivers outstanding performance and productivity. This latest version of the popular ultrabook features the latest Intel processors, a top-tier keyboard, a 16:10 display, and Intel Iris Xe graphics.
A solidly built chassis made from magnesium and carbon fiber keeps the X1 Carbon stable while traveling. Its black-on-black design and soft-touch texture give it a sleek appearance that isn’t overly flashy.
Despite its small size, the X1 Carbon still boasts a full-size HDMI port, two USB Type-A ports, and one USB Type-C port. Additionally, its quad speakers offer a nice audio experience.
While this device is designed for business professionals on the go, it’s also an appealing option for consumers. You can configure your X1 Carbon with Windows 11 or Windows 10 pro. Also included is a trial version of Microsoft Office Suite.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is available in Australia, UK, and US. In the US, you can find it for $1,426. However, there is a more expensive model with a 4K touchscreen.
Compared to its predecessor, the Gen 9 model sports a taller display, a more powerful battery, and a more secure Kensington lock. Its 16:10 display is especially helpful for watching videos or working on long documents.
Asus ZenBook 13
The ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED is a premium-class laptop that promises to offer unprecedented performance. It features a 13.3-inch 16:10 OLED 2.8K display, a 1.1kg magnesium-aluminum body, and a powerful Intel Core i7 CPU. Asus also gives users a wide range of options for customization, including the option to upgrade to an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor.
Compared to its predecessors, the new ZenBook S 13 is a cleaner design and implements higher power specs. However, it still lacks some key features. For instance, the screen doesn’t support touch input. And it doesn’t have an audio jack.
The keyboard has a 3-degree tilt, making it comfortable to use. It has a tactile bump and 1.4 millimeters of travel. It also has a touch-sensitive number pad.
The Asus ZenBook S isn’t the fastest ultraportable, but it does have a very impressive thermal module design. That means it can run at lower temperatures than other laptops.
Asus also uses a metal chassis with a sleek, brushed metal finish. The lid has an off-center Asus logo. There are two Thunderbolt ports, which allow fast transfer speeds. But these are not a big deal.
Another important feature is Asus’s Ergolift hinge. When the lid is opened, the keyboard raises to a more ergonomic angle. This helps improve airflow into the fans and prevents hot air from blowing into the screen.
LG Gram 17
The LG Gram 17 is a light and mobile workstation. It features a large display and is surprisingly thin. This 17-inch laptop offers decent sound, good battery life, and a wide array of ports for a mobile device.
With a 2.8-GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, the Gram is a capable ultrabook. It can handle most tasks with ease.
However, it’s not the most powerful or feature-packed 17-inch laptop on the market. There are several other models to choose from, including the Honor MagicBook 16 and the Huawei MateBook D 16. These devices are heavier, aimed more at desktop replacement buyers.
For a little more money, you can get a higher-end model with an i7+RTX 2050 chip and 90Wh battery. The LG Gram Pro is also more feature-rich.
The Gram’s fingerprint reader is a handy and convenient feature. Logging into accounts and other web-based systems is made simpler and faster by this feature. You can use this to unlock your system when you’re away from your desk, too.
The Gram has a full-size keyboard and a palm rest, which is a nice touch. However, you’ll need to disable the Secure Mode if you plan on using your camera.
Dell XPS 13
Dell XPS 13 is a lightweight laptop that is ideal for digital nomads. It is also a good choice for business tasks. This laptop is available in several color options.
The exterior is made of aluminum. The lid features a glossy finish. There is a fingerprint reader in the power button, which is a nice feature. There is a headphone jack, microSD card slot, and USB-C ports on either side. Moreover, the touchpad is very comfortable.
The interior is also redesigned. The new keyboard is made of carbon fiber. Additionally, there is a redesigned palm rest.
The screen is a IPS panel that offers good image quality. In addition, the display offers an InfinityEdge design, which means there are no bezels. You can also use the Killer 1535 Wireless-AC card for impeccable Wi-Fi performance.
The keyboard is backlit. It has chiclet-style keys that have decent travel. However, the number keypad is missing. Another drawback is the absence of a physical shutter for the webcam.
The display is great for watching videos. The screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio and an IPS panel that produces vibrant pictures. For better contrast and brightness, you can choose the optional OLED model.
Acer Swift 3 OLED
Acer has refreshed its Swift 3 range of lightweight laptops. This new version offers an OLED display and improved connectivity. It is a strong, affordable option.
It features a 14-inch 16:10 screen. The laptop also has up to 16GB of LPDDR5 memory.
The Swift 3 OLED weighs just over 3 pounds and measures just under an inch thick. That’s thinner than some 13-inch portables. Despite that, the build quality is still solid.
There is a noticeable flex in the aluminium plate, but this is only noticeable when you press down hard. Otherwise, the Swift 3 is comfortable to use. Unlike many affordable all-metal machines, it has a good array of ports, including HDMI 2.1 and USB-C.
Battery life is not the greatest. It can reach full power in just over an hour, but it only averages six hours for movies and general work.
Acer’s Swift 3 is designed for the mass market, and that is reflected in its price. The top-tier model includes an Intel Core i7 processor and 1TB of storage. However, there are cheaper versions that pack 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
It’s a little expensive for its features, but the Swift 3 OLED delivers a very good performance for its price. We recommend it if you’re looking for a laptop that’s easy to carry, with excellent connectivity and a strong CPU.
Surface Book 3
If you’re looking for a lightweight laptop, you may want to consider the Surface Book 3. It’s a hybrid device that combines the best elements of a tablet and a laptop.
The Surface Book comes in 13.5-inch and 15-inch form factors. The touchscreen is an impressive IPS-drive panel. Although the screen hasn’t got the punchy resolution of today’s most powerful laptops, it’s a very satisfying display.
The Surface Book also has a full-size SD card slot, which is convenient for photographers and filmmakers. And it’s good at read and write speeds of 2GB/s.
The Intel Core i7-1065G7 quad-core CPU is not the fastest CPU in the world, but it’s a capable all-round performer. While it can’t match the speed of the best mobile CPUs, it’s still more than fast enough to handle your most demanding tasks.
Other things to like about the Surface Book include its signature ‘fulcrum hinge’ and its ability to support a heavy screen without tilting it. Also, it’s got a good display and a nice keyboard.
There are some drawbacks with the Surface Book though, including its weak processor. It’s also a bit overpriced and its speakers aren’t great for listening to music.
Acer Chromebook
If you’re looking for a Chromebook, there are a variety of options available, all of which are very lightweight. They use Google’s web browser and run Chrome OS. These laptops are great for basic computers, such as learning or homework. However, they aren’t ideal for working with large files or doing photo-editing.
While the most powerful models cost up to $700, cheaper Chromebooks are available in all price ranges. For the most part, these low-end models feature budget Intel Celeron processors.
The more expensive models are built with powerful quad-core Intel i3 or i5 processors. These are better for creative applications like Photoshop or video editing. You may also want to consider a model with a USB-C port for charging.
Another important consideration is memory. In most cases, RAM determines how many tabs your Chromebook can open. It’s best to select a system with at least 8GB of RAM.
Most Chromebooks have one or two USB ports for connecting add-ons. This is especially handy if you plan to add a hard drive.
Other important specifications include a touchscreen display. Chromebooks don’t offer desktop software, so you’ll need to download software from the Google Play Store.