13-inch laptops have boomed in popularity over the past few years, and for good reason. These devices offer the best balance between portability and productivity. Students can effortlessly carry 13-inch laptops around campus, and business professionals can slip these machines into briefcases when traveling. Additionally, their compact size makes them some of the best 2-in-1 laptops for customers who want tablet functionality.
We've compiled the best 13-inch laptops, however, if you're not sold on this screen size, check out our best overall laptops page or the best 15-inch laptops and best 17-inch laptops pages. If you're a student going off to college, then a 13-inch laptop is probably your best option. For more specific recommendations, see our best college laptops page, where you'll find the best notebook for your major. And if these laptops are too pricey, we've got you covered there too with our best laptops under $500 page.
However, there’s only one real reason to go for one of the best 13-inch laptops: they’re the ideal size. 15-inch laptops are too large, while anything less than 12-inches will leave you squinting. The Dell XPS 13 is the best 13-inch laptop money can buy right now, especially after its 2019 refresh. Since last year’s model it features an improved Whiskey Lake processor and has moved the.
After reviewing the best laptops on the market, the 13-inch Spectre x360 impressed us with its striking design, very long battery life and super comfortable keyboard. Another 2-in-1 worth putting on your radar is the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro. These are some great options, but you might want to wait for some of the laptops we saw at Computex 2019. Our favorites among the upcoming notebooks include the new XPS 13 2-in-1, the mid-range Inspiron 13 5000, and the bold Wood Series HP Envy 13.
Here are the best 13-inch laptops for every budget.
Best Overall: Dell XPS 13 (2019)
The Dell XPS 13 (starting at $899) isn't just the best 13-inch laptop; it's our favorite overall laptop (and has been for multiple years running). The 2019 refresh of Dell's ultimate Ultrabook keeps all the style, speed and portability of the previous edition and eliminates its only serious problem. That's right, the dreaded 'nosecam' — a webcam that sat in the bottom left corner of the display bezel, pointing right up your schnozz — is gone. Instead, Dell's found a way to set the webcam in the still-thin top bezel, a minor engineering miracle. Just make sure you get the model that's right for you: the 4K version we tested offers less than 8 hours of battery life, and the 1080p version should offer far more. At 2.69 pounds and 0.6 inches thick, the XPS 13 is a great choice for students or frequent travelers.
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i3/Core i5/ Core i7 | GPU: Intel UHD 620 | RAM: 4GB/8GB/16GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB | Display: 13.3-inch, 1080p or 4K | Size: 11.9 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches | Weight: 2.7 pounds
Best Apple Laptop: MacBook Air (2018)
The long-awaited (and much needed) update to the popular MacBook Air has arrived. The new model features a colorful 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600 Retina display with bezels that are 50 percent thinner this year. Touch ID also makes an introduction to the new Butterfly keyboard. The Y-series CPU in the MacBook Air didn't blow us away in our testing, but its 9+ hours of battery life made up for it. Also, the newly designed chassis is 0.6 inches thick and weighs 2.75 pounds, making the new Air slightly smaller and lighter than the previous model.
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i5-8210Y | GPU: Intel UHD 617 | RAM: 8GB/16GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB | Display: 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel | Size: 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches | Weight: 2.8 pounds
Best under $1,000: Asus ZenBook UX333FA
The Asus ZenBook UX333FA ticks all the right boxes. The laptop has an attractive aluminum design, fast performance thanks to its Core i5 CPU, and a clever touchpad with a built-in numpad. You get all of those perks for just $850, making the ZenBook UX333FA an excellent value when compared to other premium devices. If those reasons aren't enough, then the ZenBook's more than 11 hours of battery life should win you over.
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i5 | GPU: Intel UHD 620/Nvidia GeForce MX150 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB SSD | Display: 13.3-inch, 1080p | Size: 11.9 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches | Weight: 2.7 pounds
Best Ultrabook: Microsoft Surface Laptop 2
The sophomore release of Microsoft's traditional clamshell laptop is a hit. The $999 Surface Laptop 2 has a lot going for it, including a gorgeous 13.5-inch display, a slim and sexy design, and 9 hours of battery life. The machine also comes armed with the latest 8th Gen Intel Core CPUs, which provide a significant performance improvement when compared to last year's model. The comfortable soft-touch Alcantara deck returns this year, except now there is a swanky matte black color scheme to choose from, along with the Burgundy, Cobalt Blue and Platinum.
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i5/ Core i7 | GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB/16GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512/1TB SSD | Display: 13.5-inch, 2256 x 1504-pixel | Size: 12.1 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches| Weight: 2.7 pounds
Best for Gaming: Razer Blade Stealth (2018)
The Razer Blade Stealth is the best laptop for gamers who want to play on the go. The Stealth has a sleek, unibody aluminum chassis that can be easily slipped into a backpack. Somehow, Razer found a way to pack a dedicated GPU into this 13-inch machine. While the optional GeForce MX150 GPU can't play the most demanding games, you shouldn't have any problems running most AAA titles on low graphics settings. Oh yeah, and this year's model has surprisingly long battery life, at more than 8 hours.
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i7-8565U | GPU: Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU/Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB/16GB | Storage: 256GB/512GB | Display: 13.3-inch 1080p or 4K | Size: 12 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches | Weight: 2.9 pounds
Best 2-in-1: HP Spectre x360 (2019)
HP's newest premium 2-in-1 is a knockout. With chamfered corners and faceted edges, the Spectre x360 looks as much like a jewel as it does a laptop. But there is a lot more to the Spectre x360 than its looks. The convertible lasts more than 12 hours on a charge and its 13.3-inch, 1080p display is extremely colorful. Furthermore, the Spectre x360's keyboard is supremely comfortable and its dual speakers output clear and loud audio.
![Inch Inch](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125581431/510642236.jpg)
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i5/Core i7 | GPU: Intel UHD 620 | RAM: 8GB/16GB | Storage: 256GB/512GB | Display: 13.3-inch, 1080p or 4K | Size: 12.2 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches| Weight: 2.8 pounds
Best Chromebook: Acer Chromebook 13
A favorite in a flood of recently released premium Chromebooks, the $799 Acer Chromebook 13 is one of the fastest laptops running Google's Chrome OS. The aluminum notebook packs up to an Intel U-series Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM. While the laptop's 13.5-inch display isn't particularly bright, it is sharp and vivid.
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i3/Core i5 | GPU: Intel UHD 620 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 32GB/64GB | Display: 13.3-inch, 2256 x 1504-pixels | Size: 12.2 x 9.7 x 0.7 inches | Weight: 3.6 pounds
Best Performance: Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2019)
If you prefer macOS to Windows 10, then there's only one 13-inch laptop you should consider: the Apple MacBook Pro (starting at $1,799). The biggest improvement to this year's model is the new keyboard, which should fix the various issues of the previous version. Other improvements include faster quad-core processors and the quickest SSD you'll find in a laptop. Of course, you still get everything that makes Apple's laptops so popular: a gorgeous unibody aluminum design, a sharp and fairly vibrant display, good speakers and solid battery life.
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i5/ Core i7 | GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655 | RAM: 8GB/16GB | Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB | Display: 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel | Size: 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches | Weight: 3 pounds
Best Business: HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3 Review
Business professionals who want a powerful 13-inch laptop should consider the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3. This sleek 2-in-1 combines a beautiful slim aluminum chassis with military strength durability. Add nearly 10 hours of battery life into the mix, and you've got yourself one heck of a travel machine.
A standout feature of the EliteBook x360 1030 G3 is the 1080p Sure View display, which reaches a remarkable 518 nits of brightness. Other things we like about the laptop include its comfortable keyboard and powerful speakers.
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i5/ Core i7 | GPU: Intel UHD 620 | RAM: 8GB/16GB | Storage: Up to 2TB | Display: 13.3-inch, 1080p or 4K | Size: 12 x 8.1 x 0.6 inches | Weight: 2.8 pounds
Best Design: Lenovo IdeaPad 730S
At 0.5 inches thick and 2.4 pounds, the extremely sleek IdeaPad 730S is one of the thinnest and lightest 13-inch laptops we've reviewed. Along with a portable chassis, it has a vivid and detailed 13.3-inch, 1080p display, and strong performance thanks to its Core i5 CPU and fast 256GB SSD. Impressive audio quality and a surprisingly capable webcam make the IdeaPad 730S a steal at less than $1,000, despite sub-par battery life.
Key Specs — CPU: Intel Core i5/Core i7 | GPU: Intel UHD 620 | RAM: 8GB/16GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB | Display Size: 13.3-inch, 1080p | Size: 12.1 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches | Weight: 2.4 pounds
Credit: Laptop Mag
13 inches is the most common size of laptop to buy, and the Dell XPS 13 is the best pick. It manages to pack tons of power and battery life into a tiny chassis that’s built well and looks great. The XPS 13 isn’t alone, though.
We’ve reviewed well over four hundred laptops in the hunt of the best, carefully benchmarking and testing all the most important aspects of each. While the Dell XPS 13 is the best, we’ve included five other options that fill out the selection for other subcategories that are worthy of your consideration.
The best 13-inch laptops at a glance:
The best 13-inch laptop: Dell XPS 13
What we thought of the Dell XPS 13:
It’s hard to not sound like complete sycophants when talking about how much we love the XPS 13. It’s been our favorite laptop for the past four years, and the 2019 version only makes it better. On top of a hardware refresh that offers some of Intel’s best mobile processors, Dell did 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. That alone makes this better than its predecessor for anyone who plans to video call or web conference regularly.
As with the XPS 13s that came before, though, this version is light, portable, and exceedingly attractive. It’s gradually moving away from the MacBook silver styling which is so common in the notebook market and has forged an identity all of its own. You’ll want to keep the white interior and “Frost” exterior clean to make sure it stays looking fresh, but we feel confident that you’ll love this laptop enough to make the effort.
The display is absolutely gorgeous no matter which resolution you opt for and internal hardware upgrades make sure that this laptop is capable of just about anything you throw at it, from everyday web browsing, to more intensive tasks like photo editing. Don’t expect to play the latest and greatest games at high framerates, but that’s not really what this laptop is for.
No laptop is perfect, but the XPS 13 is as close as we’ve seen yet.
Read our full Dell XPS 13 review
The best 13-inch laptop for students: Asus ZenBook 13 UX333
What we thought of the Asus ZenBook 13 UX333:
Always the bridesmaid and rarely the bride, the Asus ZenBook 13 UX333 is so close to being our favorite 13-inch laptop ever made. If it didn’t exist in a world with the XPS 13, it just might take the top spot. As it is, it’s relegated to a very near second place, and that’s nothing to sneeze at.
The ZenBook 13 is certainly the more affordable of the two devices. For that lower price tag you get almost as much hardware as the more expensive Dell machine. For well under $1,000 you get an Intel Core i5 CPU with four cores, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. That’s more than enough to perform any day to day task. Though the XPS 13 starts at $900, the one you’ll want (with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD) starts at $1,200.
The ZenBook has it all. Its battery life is one of the best in this form-factor stretching well past a full workday, and it’s slim and lightweight enough to be competitive with the most portable notebooks in this space. It even has a good screen and a distinctive design that helps it stand out from the crowd of silver MacBook copycats.
There’s little else you could ask for in a laptop at this price point.
Read our full Asus ZenBook 13 UX333 review
The best 13-inch gaming laptop: Razer Blade Stealth
What we thought of the Razer Blade Stealth:
Yes, yes — we know. The Razer Blade Stealth isn’t really a gaming laptop. It is, however, a gaming-branded 13-inch laptop with more graphical power than any other option on this list. With an Nvidia MX150 4GB graphics chip under the hood, paired up with a powerful Intel Core i7 CPU, it can play games like Fortnite smoothly with settings turned down a bit.
What’s most encouraging with the 2019 Razer Blade Stealth is that it betters its predecessor so well. The upgraded hardware gives it a serious leg up on the Stealth that came before and it takes the lead against many other laptops sporting the same graphics chip. While there are certainly more powerful gaming laptops out there, it’s rare to find one at 13-inches that doesn’t have a terrible screen or awful battery life.
The Razer Blade Stealth is a beautiful laptop, and it has enough grunt to play all the esports games you like at high frame rates. Larger Razer laptops do outshine its gaming ability, and other laptops on this list will stomp all over its battery life, but for a laptop that performs well in and out of games and looks good doing it, this is our favorite in the 13-inch space.
Read our full Razer Blade Stealth review
The best 13-inch laptop under $500: Acer Chromebook R13
What we thought of the Acer Chromebook R13:
Finding a decent laptop under $500 isn’t easy. Especially if you’re looking in the Windows world. When you slip under the $500 mark, you tend to run into big no-nos like outdated dual-core processors and mechanical hard drives. Those are the kind of components that make a laptop feel really slow, especially with a heavier operating system like Windows 10.
The Acer Chromebook R13 might not look like anything special on the outside, but it has all its bases covered. The second you open it up, performance will feel snappy and quick, even though it only has a slower MediaTek processor and 4GB of RAM. Google has been working to stabilize the tablet mode as well, making things like Android apps and touch functionality a bit more useful. Unlike older cheap Chromebooks, the Acer Chromebook R13
This is a laptop that no doubt has limitations — the greatest of which is Chrome OS itself. However, for those who just want to write Google Docs, listen to Spotify, and browse the web, the Acer Chromebook R13 will work well.
The best lightweight 13-inch laptop: LG Gram 13
What we thought of the LG Gram 13:
A light laptop will always come with its compromises, most notably, in structural integrity. The LG Gram 13 is no different, using a chassis built out of a bendable magnesium plastic. What it lacks in rigidity, however, it also lacks in weight. At just 2.1 pounds, it’s over a half pound lighter than the MacBook Air, which makes it one of the lightest laptops you can buy.
The LG Gram 13 also comes with updated components such as a quad-core 8th-gen Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. That’s enough to power the average workflow, including intensive multitasking and working with external monitors. The Gram laptops also have great battery life, with a large 72 watt-hour size battery, making this a fantastic option for road warriors. If you travel with your laptop a lot and the extra weight is a concern, the LG Gram 13 will might be the best 13-inch laptop for you.
The best 13-inch Chromebook: Acer Chromebook Spin 13
What we thought of the Acer Chromebook Spin 13:
13-inch Chromebooks are surprisingly hard to come by. Smaller 12-inch options like the Pixelbook or HP Chromebook x2 are some of our favorites, but there are a wealth of great 15-inch options as well. The best 13-inch Chromebook, though, is the Acer Chromebook Spin 13. It’s a 2-in-1 with a touchscreen, featuring an excellent keyboard, a sturdy aluminum chassis, and a crisp 1080p display.
Before you balk at the idea of spending over $500 on a Chromebook, don’t forget that the Acer Chromebok Spin 13 comes with a quad-core, 8th-gen Core i5 Intel processor inside. That means if you want to hook up an external display and get some serious multitasking done, this Chromebook should be able to handle your workload.
It might not be as stunning as the Pixelbook, but if you need a slightly larger laptop, the Acer Chromebook Spin 13 is your best option.
The best 13-inch 2-in-1: HP Spectre x360
What we thought of the HP Spectre x360:
The latest HP Spectre x360, released in 2019, offers some of the most capable hardware and the greatest versatility among 13-inch laptops. As a 2-in-1, it has the ability to fold up into an ultra-portable tablet for ease of use with its responsive and detailed touch screen. It’s powerful, has incredibly long battery life thanks to an innovative Intel low-power LCD display, and is impressively capable in both tablet and laptop mode. Typically, 2-in-1s are better at one than the other, but the Spectre x360 excels in both areas.
It’s our favorite convertible laptop of even the best 2-in-1s, and it easily competes with the best entries on this list. In fact, it’s neck-and-neck with the XPS 13 as the best choice among 13-inch laptops. With capable internal hardware and a stunning “gem-cut” design that doesn’t skimp on rigidity, it’s surprisingly economical too. Other 2-in-1s at this size might have the odd feature that betters it, but they’re typically a few hundred dollars more expensive, making the Spectre x360 a real value buy.
You are going to find better dedicated laptops and better dedicated tablets, but for a device that does both well, there isn’t a 13-inch 2-in-1 around that can hold a candle to the Spectre x360.
Read our full HP Spectre x360 (2019) review
Research and buying tips
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 cramped locations like a small coffee shop table or on an airplane.
![Best 13 Inch Laptop Best 13 Inch Laptop](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125581431/522839349.jpg)
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 an eight-core processor with a discrete GTX 1650 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 (1,920 x 1,080) and 4K (3,840 x 2,160). The 4K options are often significantly more expensive and lose a couple 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 2,560 x 1,660 screen resolution. Meanwhile, the Surface Laptop 2 has an even sharper 3:2, 13-inch screen with a 3,000 x 2,000 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 which provide 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, as well as 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.