HP is positioning the Specter 13 as the world's thinnest laptop

Of course, there is no point in comparing portable devices with gaming machines with a bunch of discrete graphics cards. No, that's not what ultrabooks are made for. In our review we will talk about convenient and fairly powerful computers in a thin case that you can take with you anytime, anywhere.

Portability is associated not only with ease, but also with the ability to work for a long time on a single battery charge. Unfortunately, not all cheap ultrabooks have high battery life. Don't forget about this if you are choosing a workhorse that you plan to use constantly on the road.

At the beginning of the review, we will talk about the most convenient and advanced solutions that are available on the market at the beginning of 2021. We will tell you about one of the pioneers in the series of laptops with ARM processors, namely the Macbook Air (2020) on M1. Let's remember its predecessor from 2021.

Next, you will find many portable laptops powered by Intel and AMD, which today can be found on Yandex Market. Perhaps among them there is a suitable model just for you.

However, if you don’t need a new laptop here and now, you can wait and see how the situation with the ARM architecture will be in the future. After all, it is difficult to judge the success of the entire industry as a whole, considering only a few of its representatives.

In any case, this selection on SetPhone.ru will be updated, so stay with us so as not to miss anything important.

MacBook Air M1 (2020)

• Dimensions: 304.1 × 212.4 × 16.1 mm
• Weight: 1.29 kg
• Processor: Apple M1 8-core 2.99 GHz
• Memory (RAM/user): 8 GB/256 GB; 8 GB/512 GB; 8 GB/1 TB; 8 GB/2 TB; 16 GB/256 GB; 16 GB/1 TB; 16 GB/2 TB
• Display: 13.3 inches, 2560×1600;
• Battery: 49.9 Wh; 16-18 hours of work

Price: from 85,000 rub.

The best thin and light laptop of all that are presented in our review. MacBook Air M1 weighs just 1.29 kg and is easy to take with you wherever you go. There are no laptops on the market today that provide almost a day of continuous battery life. In this regard, the MacBook Air M1 is still one of a kind.

With a price of only 100 thousand rubles, this device demonstrates very high performance indicators. It solves most tasks even faster than a MacBook Pro on Intel i9, and all thanks to the new ARM architecture - the fresh M1 chip.

Despite the fact that the MacBook Air M1 does not yet support discrete graphics cards due to its new architecture, the integrated graphics are at least 2 or 3 times more powerful than the latest integrated solutions from Intel and AMD. All other ultrabooks from our review simply pale in comparison to the MacBook Air M1 (2020).

But it was not without its drawbacks. MacBooks with an ARM processor still cannot install the Windows operating system. However, this issue may soon be resolved once proper permissions are provided from Microsoft.

Advantages:

• More than 16-20 hours of active use on battery power.
• Ability to install applications from iPhone and iPad.
• Working with regular x86 programs through the Rozetta 2 emulator.
• The computer's performance is sufficient for processing photos and videos.
• A very quiet laptop because it does not have an active cooling system.

Flaws:

• It is not possible to install the Windows operating system.
• You cannot connect discrete video cards.
• There are only two USB Type-C ports on the case for charging and connecting peripherals.

Best lightweight 13.3-inch laptops

If the weight of a laptop is critical, then there is practically no alternative to laptops with such a screen diagonal. Only such models can be a good laptop with light weight and powerful hardware. Therefore, if you plan to travel a lot and take a mobile computer with you on the road, then it is recommended to opt for an ultrabook with a diagonal of 13.3 inches. Among their advantages are not only small dimensions and weight, but also significantly greater autonomy. This is ensured by a capacious battery and saving its charge by using a smaller screen, which consumes a significant part of the energy.

ASUS VivoBook S13 S330

Stylish, inexpensive laptop weighing only 1.2 kg. For convenient transportation of the device, a branded envelope case is included in the kit. The power supply from the VivoBook S13 is also very compact. But you don’t have to carry it with you all the time, because the device can work for about 13 hours when editing text and 8 hours when watching videos. With the standard usage model, one charge lasts the laptop for a day and a half.

The specified autonomy is achievable with a set brightness of 100 cd/m2, when the maximum value for the reviewed model reaches 270 nits.

VivoBook S13 is a laptop with a backlit keyboard. Moreover, both the keys themselves and the distance between their centers have been increased, which has a positive effect on the accuracy and speed of touch typing. The audio subsystem of the S13, as well as the color reproduction of the screen, are quite good. In the basic configuration, the device received 4 GB of RAM. But you should choose an 8 GB model or upgrade. M.2 storage, capacity from 128 to 512 GB.

Advantages:

• frameless display;
• good keyboard;
• matte finish;
• excellent assembly;
• small dimensions;
• reasoned price.

Flaws:

• no front camera;
• built-in graphics.

Apple MacBook Air 13 Late 2020

Apple has quite smoothly switched to its own processor architecture. Even the design of the new MacBook Air 13, equipped with the M1 chip, is no different from the previous generation. But the 13.3-inch QHD display has become a little better, and now it supports the expanded DCI-P3 color space out of the box. In fact, thanks to its very high-quality screen, the laptop is often chosen by professionals working with photography.

As for the 8-core Apple M1 processor, it is truly a revolution. The new MacBook Air 13 is faster than the current MacBook Pro with Core i9-9980HK. At the same time, the laptop under review is light and thin, and its cooling system is silent, because it does not contain fans. And here there is simply fantastic autonomy, and with a mixed load, one charge lasts the Apple Ultrabook for about 15-16 hours.

Advantages:

• appearance and materials;
• powerful M1 chip;
• passive cooling;
• almost does not heat up;
• excellent autonomy;
• keyboard comfort;
• quality of screen and speakers.

Flaws:

• very modest set of ports.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3″ 2019

Xiaomi offers the Mi Notebook Air model with Core i5 and Core i7 processors. On the Russian market, the difference in cost between them is minimal, so you can take the older modification. The only problem is that the cooling system here is not ideal, so you can only take advantage of the full performance of the older chip if you use additional cooling (a good laptop stand).

The video subsystem in all modifications is hybrid. It includes Intel UHD 620 graphics and a GeForce MX250 card. The latter even allows you to play, but only simple and old projects, not at the highest settings.

One of the lightest and most compact laptops in the rating received a minimum sufficient amount of interfaces: combined audio, full HDMI, a pair of USB-A, as well as a USB-C port, through which charging is also connected. Only 8 GB of memory can be installed in a Xiaomi ultrabook, and even an upgrade is not provided. As for storage, it is available in 256 or 512 GB, but the M.2 drive can be easily replaced.

Advantages:

• stylish appearance;
• Core i7 performance;
• convenient typing;
• price-quality ratio;
• excellent ergonomics.

Flaws:

• cooling system noise;
• Chinese plug at the power supply.

HP PAVILION 13-an1

Next up is a popular laptop model for work and study. With a price of 50 thousand rubles for the basic version, Pavilion 13-an1 is an ideal choice for budget-conscious buyers. The device is based on Ice Lake processors in a mobile version. For comfortable work, even a simple Core i3-1005G1 is enough.

The laptop can have 4 or 8 GB of RAM. But today the minimum volume is not enough even for comfortable Internet surfing.

The laptop is equipped with a high-quality IPS screen. Depending on the modification, its resolution can be 1366×768 pixels and FHD. For less load on the hardware and longer battery life, the first option is preferable. By the way, according to the manufacturer, the battery can operate the device for up to 10 hours.

Advantages:

• attractive price;
• holds a charge for a long time;
• low weight and thickness;
• appearance and build quality;
• very comfortable keyboard;
• good screen color rendition.

Flaws:

• not the most convenient touchpad;
• mediocre camera.

Lenovo IdeaPad S540-13

Today there is a large selection of interesting compact models on the market. Therefore, users often ask the question: which company is better to buy a 13-inch laptop? And it’s difficult to answer unequivocally, because each person’s tasks are different. But Lenovo brand products have always been in great demand among customers. And using the example of the S540 from the IdeaPad line, the reason for such popularity is perfectly clear.

Firstly, the device is perfectly assembled. The laptop body is elegant, but at the same time strict. Secondly, the device has a screen with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels, making it excellent for working with photos. Buyers can choose from the latest Ryzen, Core i5 and Core i7 processors in mobile versions. They are quite productive, but at the same time economical (about 12 hours on a single charge).

Advantages:

• current processor lines;
• good battery life;
• color rendering and resolution;
• decent performance;
• fast M.2 format drive;
• high quality aluminum body.

Flaws:

• few ports;
• no anti-reflective coating.

MacBook Air (2019)

• Dimensions: 304.1 × 212.4 × 15.6 mm
• Weight: 1.25 kg
• Processor: 2-core Intel Core i5 8210Y 1.6 GHz
• Memory (RAM/user): 8 GB/128 GB; 8 GB/256 GB; 16 GB/128 GB; 16 GB/256 GB; 16 GB/512 GB; 16 GB/1 TB
• Display: 13.3 inches, 2560x1600
• Battery: 49.9 Wh

Price: from 76,300 rub.

Still the same light and even thinner Macbook Air 2019. The computer is powered by a dual-core Intel Core i5 chip, which, although it cannot compete with the ARM M1, is still capable of providing an average level of performance, which should be more than enough for most everyday tasks. Of course, you can process video on it, but it takes a lot of time. That's not what the computer was made for.

Why then buy last year's Macbook Air if a new model with a more advanced chipset is already available on the market? It's all about its price, which is about a quarter lower for the basic modification. In addition, if you are used to working with Windows, you can install it on this computer. So if you don't need the best hardware and don't mind saving money, go for the Macbook Air (2019).

Advantages:

• Thin, lightweight aluminum body (the body is even thinner than the Macbook Air 2020).
• A wide selection of modifications to suit any budget.
• For opponents of MacOS, there is an option to install Windows.

Flaws:

• The need to purchase an adapter to connect peripherals.
• Performance is much lower than the Macbook Air M1.
• The keyboard has butterfly keys that are very difficult to clean.

Huawei MateBook X Pro 2021

• Dimensions: 217 × 304 × 14.6 mm
• Weight: 1.33 kg
• Processor: 4-core Core i5 10210U 1.6 GHz; Quad-core Core i7 10510U 1.8 GHz
• Memory (RAM/user): 8 GB/512 GB; 16 GB/512 GB; 16 GB/1 TB
• Display: 13.9 inches, 3000×2000
• Battery: 56 Wh; up to 8 hours of Internet surfing

Price: from 108,000 rub.

The display here is of very high quality, which is very rare in laptops. In addition, it is touch-sensitive (10 simultaneous presses); Gestures like on smartphones are also supported, for example, taking a screenshot with three fingers. Typically, laptops in this class have a 13.3-inch display, but here a matrix with a diagonal of 13.9 is used. The aspect ratio is convenient for those who work with code, as well as for surfing the Internet.

Whatever processor you purchase the device with, Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7, the device will work equally well. The video card here is discrete, but not very powerful. The manufacturer installed a fairly fast SSD from Samsung (512 GB or 1 TB depending on the version) with read/write speeds of up to 3 Gbit/s. Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 are supported. But they saved on RAM. Despite the fact that there is plenty of it here (8 GB or 16 GB), this is already a bit outdated LPDDR3.

Advantages:

• The fingerprint scanner is built into the power key.
• High-quality 13.9-inch display with full sRGB coverage.

Flaws:

• The conference camera is of very poor quality.

Rating of the thinnest laptops

Acer SWIFT 7

Rating: 4.9

Want to get yourself a cute laptop that is thin and light? In this case, you should be interested in the Acer SWIFT 7, which opens our rating. At the time of release, it was definitely the thinnest laptop in the world. Its thickness was only 8.98 mm. At one time, even some tablet computers were significantly thicker! As for the weight, it is 1.13 kg. Not bad for a device with a 13.3-inch display, a full QWERTY keyboard and a very capacious lithium-polymer battery.

The screen of this laptop has a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. Not a very high parameter. But it is ideal for watching some YouTube videos or movies. Also, the lack of a 4K display here has a positive effect on performance. Even a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor operating at a clock frequency of 1.2 GHz is quite enough to ensure that all applications open as quickly as possible, and their interface does not slow down at all. The SSD drive also contributes to this speed of operation - it contains the files of the operating system and all programs. The volume of the solid-state drive is 256 GB. It's not much, but it's enough to get the job done. There is no point in downloading games here.

As you might guess, such a thin laptop could not have a discrete graphics card at its disposal. Instead, an Intel HD Graphics 615 graphics chip is used, which occupies part of the chipset area. It is impossible to do video editing and solve other such complex tasks on such a laptop. But the interface of Windows 10 and various programs is drawn without any problems.

The laptop includes 8 GB of RAM. The laptop also has a wireless module that understands the Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard. It is thanks to this that you don’t have to store movies and other media data in the built-in storage device. It is recommended to keep them on an external hard drive connected to the router - with support for the above-mentioned standard, you will definitely not experience problems playing them. You can also connect an external HDD to the laptop itself using a USB 3.1 connector and an appropriate adapter.

Some people are used to displaying images from a laptop to a TV or monitor. Acer SWIFT 7 also allows you to do this, but under certain conditions. There is simply no HDMI connector here! Instead, it is proposed to use USB Type-C - as you know, in modern laptops it is used to display images in high resolution. Connecting headphones is much simpler here - a traditional 3.5 mm combo jack is used for this. By the way, the device also supports a Bluetooth headset - the “blue tooth” works without any complaints.

Such a small laptop could not have a huge battery at its disposal. Here its capacity is 2770 mAh. However, even such a battery lasts for 7-9 hours of battery life. The controls here are a keyboard and a very convenient touchpad. Unfortunately, the screen lacks a touch pad. But it is made using IPS technology, which indicates maximum viewing angles.

It remains to add that this laptop has several additional “goodies”. Unfortunately, the buyer will not receive GPS, but at least some protection of personal data will be provided by a fingerprint scanner. There is also a slot for a SIM card, thanks to which access to the global web is provided even outdoors.

Advantages

• Very good sound;
• Minimum thickness;
• The screen has maximum viewing angles;
• There is support for LTE and Wi-Fi 802.11ac;
• There is an SSD drive with a decent capacity;
• Long battery life;
• Unlocking available by scanning a fingerprint;
• Light weight.

Flaws

• Very high cost;
• Uses a modest processor;
• No discrete graphics card.

HUAWEI MateBook D 14″

• Dimensions: 322 × 214.8 × 15.8 mm
• Weight: 1.38 kg
• Processor: 4-core Core i5 10210U 1.6 GHz; 4-core Core i5 8250U 1.6 GHz; 4-core Core i7 10510U 1.8 GHz; 4-core Ryzen 5 2500U 2 GHz; Quad-core Ryzen 7 3700U 2.3 GHz
• Memory (RAM/user): 8 GB/256 GB; 8 GB/512 GB; 16 GB/256 GB; 16 GB/512 GB
• Display: 14 inches, 1920×1080
• Battery: 56 Wh (7565 mAh); 2-4 hours of work

Price: from 40,000 rub.

This good, inexpensive 14-inch laptop from Huawei is well suited for office tasks. The computer is quite light and portable. The body is made entirely of aluminum, and the main color (space gray) looks very impressive. Keyboard with a membrane mechanism - the key travel is very soft. The touchpad is larger than standard values, it is quite wide and pleasant to the touch. Special attention should be paid to Touch ID, which has been integrated into the power button and is fully compatible with Windows Hello.

There is no point in buying this ultrabook for games, since most of them run only at minimum or average specifications. But no one expects more from devices of this class.

The laptop's built-in camera is quite mediocre (1 MP), which seems very strange, especially in the era of Zoom and video conferencing. Moreover, it is located in a strange place, to say the least, and is integrated into one of the keyboard buttons. Because of this arrangement, the camera will shoot you from bottom to top, and it looks quite strange. Of course, this problem is easily solved by purchasing an external device that can be connected to one of the Type-C ports.

Advantages:

• Thin 6mm bezels around the display.
• Keyboard with membrane mechanism.
• The keys have a pleasant dim backlight.
• The fingerprint scanner is integrated into the power button.

Flaws:

• Quite heavy and weighs 1.69 kg.
• The speakers are located on the bottom of the laptop.
• The quality of the webcam is mediocre.
• Cannot be opened with one hand.

HONOR MagicBook Pro

• Dimensions: 369 × 234 × 16.9 mm
• Weight: less than 1.67 kg
• Processor: 4-core Core i5 10210U 1.6 GHz; 4-core AMD Ryzen 5 3550H 2.1 GHz; 6-core Ryzen 5 4600H 3 GHz
• Memory (RAM/user): 8 GB/512 GB; 16 GB/512 GB
• Display: 16.1 inches, 1920x1080
• Battery: 56 Wh (7330 mAh)

Price: from 58,800 rub.

The largest laptop in our review. Despite the fact that HONOR MagicBook Pro is a full-size laptop with a 16.1-inch screen, it weighs less than 1.67 kg, which is even less than stated by the manufacturer, and the case thickness when closed is only 16.9 mm.

The user can choose one of two versions of this laptop: with an Intel Core i5 10210U processor or with an AMD Ryzen 5 3550H processor (both quad-core and the second option is preferable). However, the top modification already runs on the six-core AMD Ryzen 5 4600H. Depending on the version, 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM will be installed. Keep all this in mind if maximum performance is important to you.

Advantages:

• The presence of three Type-A and one Type-C ports.
• The keyboard glows dimly, which is especially noticeable at night.
• Fingerprint scanner built into the power button.
• Sufficient brightness for working on a sunny day.

Flaws:

• Low pixel density per inch (137 DPI).
• The one-handed opening test fails.
• A mediocre camera for video conferencing.

Lenovo IdeaPad S540

A high-quality, yet affordable model with many positive characteristics. Among them:

1. RAM – 8 GB.
2. SSD – from 256 GB.
3. Built-in video card – Intel.
4. Processor – i7 Intel Core (maximum configuration).
5. Autonomous operation – 8-11 hours, depending on the workload level.
6. The fingerprint scanner is located on the power button (not available in the entire line).
7. Double action fans for high-quality cooling during operation.

The stylish ultrabook weighs less than 1.5 kg, fitting perfectly into any interior.

The minimalistic frameless design makes it a modern, stylish gadget that is suitable for both a freelancer and an office worker.

The model is available in three colors: copper, blue and gray. But thanks to the aluminum body, each of the options looks expensive.

Xiaomi RedmiBook 14″

• Dimensions: 323 × 228 × 17.95 mm
• Weight: 1.5 kg
• Processor: 2-core Core i3 1115G4 3 GHz; 2-core Intel Core i3 8145U 2.1 GHz; 4-core Core i5 8265U 1.6 GHz; 4-core Core i5 10210U 1.6 GHz; 4-core Core i5 1035G1 1 GHz; 4-core Intel Core i5 1035G4 1.1 GHz; 4-core Core i7 8565U 1.8 GHz; 4-core Core i7 10510U 1.8 GHz; 4-core Core i7 1065G7 1.3 GHz; 4-core AMD Ryzen 3 4300U 2.7 GHz; 4-core AMD Ryzen 5 3500U 2.1 GHz; AMD 6-core Ryzen 5 4500U 2.3 GHz; Quad-core Ryzen 7 3700U 2.3 GHz
• Memory (RAM/user): 4 GB/256 GB; 8 GB/256 GB; 8 GB/512 GB; 8 GB/1 TB; 16 GB/512 GB; 16 GB/1 TB
• Display: 14 inches, 1920×1080
• Battery: 46 Wh

Price: from 43,900 rub.

The laptop is positioned as an affordable alternative to the Macbook Air 2021. It even looks very similar and costs much less. Of course, the weight and dimensions of the device are a little larger, but it is still a very convenient and portable laptop that you can take with you everywhere.

The case has classic USB Type-A ports. Despite the fact that this is not very modern, it is still much easier to connect some peripherals, such as a mouse or joystick, to the computer. Support for external monitors is also implemented. There is an HDMI connector for this.

The keyboard and touchpad are ordinary and unremarkable. On the topic of the camera, it’s not here at all. Apparently the developers decided that it was better not to install it at all than to use something cheap and unsightly.

If you noticed, the laptop is sold with a huge selection of processors. Of course, its performance will depend on what ends up being installed inside it. Therefore, take this fact into account if you choose one of the modifications presented on Yandex Market.

Advantages:

• At least 2 times cheaper than Macbook Air.
• Well thought out hot air exhaust system.
• Matte display that does not glare when exposed to direct sunlight.
• DDR4 standard RAM is used.

Flaws:

• The laptop cannot be opened with one hand.
• A large selection of modifications that are easy to get confused.

How to choose a lightweight laptop

The choice of a lightweight laptop depends primarily on its purpose. A businessman needs a fashionable, multifunctional laptop with a good level of data protection. For a student, compactness and the ability to buy cheaper will be more important. For professional work in heavy programs, you need the most productive model. When reviewing manufacturers' proposals, we studied the technical characteristics of lightweight laptops, user reviews, reviews and opinions of experts, and the level of purchase. When comparing models and adding them to the TOP of the best, the following criteria were taken into account:

• Performance;
• Comfortable keyboard and touchpad;
• Build quality and materials used;
• Design;
• Availability of full connectors;
• Battery life;
• Equipment;
• Availability of installed OS;
• Manufacturer's warranty;
• Value for money and functionality;
• Availability in stores.

The priority of these criteria is different for all buyers. Some people choose stylish new products on the market; for others, the durability and reliability of the laptop, confirmed by the manufacturer’s warranty, is more important.

HONOR MagicBook 15

• Dimensions: 357.8 × 229.9 × 16.9 mm
• Weight: 1.53 kg
• Processor: 4-core AMD Ryzen 5 3500U 2.1 GHz; 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 4500 U 2.3 GHz; 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 4700U 2 GHz
• Memory (RAM/user): 8 GB/256 GB; 8 GB/512 GB; 16 GB/512 GB
• Display: 15.6 inches, 1920x1080
• Battery: 56 Wh (7330 mAh); 2-6 hours of battery life depending on load

Price: from 58,800 rub.

A lightweight 15.6-inch laptop, weighing only 1,530 g. Above, we reviewed the compact 14-inch model and the larger 16.1-inch model. HONOR MagicBook 15 is an intermediate option for those who prefer classic sizes. At the same time, despite the standard diagonal, the dimensions of the laptop are even smaller. This is mainly due to the thin frames around the display.

The price of a laptop can vary greatly and depends on the modification chosen. If you need a powerful laptop that can also play games at medium settings, we advise you to pay attention to the option with an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 4700U with a base operating frequency of 2 GHz and support for the Turbo Boost function.

Advantages:

• Availability of two Type-A and one Type-C USB ports.
• Full charge from 0 to 100 in just 90 minutes.
• Possibility to choose a modification with a powerful processor.

Flaws:

• Lack of keyboard backlighting at night.
• Due to the low brightness, it is impossible to work with the laptop outdoors.

Who needs an ultrabook and for what purposes?

First of all, the best ultrabooks are about style and status. Subtlety, lightness, modern neat appearance - all this matches a successful person, businessman, diplomat. Ultraportability comes in handy when you're constantly on the move. Carrying around a thick laptop, you see, is annoying.

The world's thinnest top laptops aren't just about style. They are powerful thanks to optimized processors and high-speed solid-state drives. And because their components are energy efficient, the battery boasts long battery life. We conclude from this that an ultrabook will be very useful for a person who often works on a computer away from the power supply.

Whether you are a student, a professional, or spend your leisure time enjoying content and games, a laptop is an indispensable tool. However, our choice always leans towards compactness, mobility, beautiful design and system speed. Therefore, if you need a powerful laptop that will take up minimal space, will be pleasing to the eye and will not become dull every time you launch the browser, you definitely need an ultrabook.

Choose a specific ultrabook model based on your needs. The more complex the tasks (for example, you need a computer for highly complex work), the more powerful the device will be required. To help you make the best choice, we have compiled a ranking of the top ultrabooks with prices in 2021.

We recommend choosing the following models:

HUAWEI MateBook D 15.6″

• Dimensions: 358 × 229.9 × 16.9 mm
• Weight: 1.53 kg
• Processor: 2-core Core i5 7200U 2.5 GHz; 4-core Core i5 8250U 1.6 GHz; 4-core AMD Ryzen 5 3500U 2.1 GHz; 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 4500U 2.3 GHz; Quad-core Ryzen 7 3700U 2.3 GHz
• Memory (RAM/user): 8 GB/256 GB; 8 GB/512 GB; 8 GB/1 TB
• Display: 15.6 inches, 1920x1080
• Battery: 43.3 Wh (3800 mAh)

Price: from 52,990 rub.

Another interesting ultrabook model from Huawei, with a screen diagonal of 15.6 inches. The display on the laptop is quite bright. However, the color gamut is not very wide, and the response time, on the contrary, is quite long. This means that we have a computer that is mainly focused on watching videos and office applications. It was not configured for video games.

Compared to the Honor MagicBook 15, the low capacity of the built-in battery is immediately noticeable, which means that the Huawei Mate Book 15.6 D will work much less without a power outlet.

Advantages:

• Used Samsung SSD with high data transfer speed.
• Two USB Type-A and one Type-C ports.
• Wi-Fi speed is an order of magnitude higher than in Huawei MateBook 14.

Flaws:

• Still the same mediocre retractable camera from Huawei.

Gaming

Lenovo ThinkPad E14

pros

• Performance
• High-speed SSD
• Convenient case sizes
• Additional box with SATA cable

Minuses

• Not very high quality build

From 57,000 ₽

Gaming laptop with a powerful processor and RAM with a frequency of 2666 MHz and up to 16 GB. The 14-inch diagonal screen has a special anti-glare coating that allows you to work comfortably even in bright sunshine. You can choose from assemblies with built-in or with discrete and integrated video cards. The second option is perfect for running even quite demanding games.

ASUS ZenBook 15 UX534FTC-AA196T

pros

• Performance
• Stylish design
• Ease
• Good screen with narrow bezels

Minuses

• Marky building

From 100,000 ₽

A good laptop with a 15.6-inch screen with a resolution of 3840x2160. High-quality glossy coating will provide comfort when working even in the heat of the day. The device is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 video card with 4 GB of memory, which is enough for comfortable use of even the most modern games. The model has a reliable metal case that weighs no more than 1.65 kg.

DELL XPS 17 9700

pros

• Durable metal housing
• Bright screen
• Quality microphones
• Convenient touchpad

Minuses

• High price
• Uncomfortable to open
• Not very good sound

From 233,000 ₽

Gaming model with discrete NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card, supporting all modern display technologies. The device is powered by a high-performance 6- or 8-core Comet Lake processor. The initially installed 16 or 32 GB of RAM can be expanded up to 64 GB.

ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 TP412

• Dimensions: 327 × 224.75 × 17.6 mm
• Weight: 1.5 kg
• Processor: 2-core Pentium 4415U 2.3 GHz; 2-core Pentium 5405U 2.3 GHz; 2-core Core i3 7020U 2.3 GHz; 2-core Core i3 8130U 2.2 GHz; 2-core Core i3 10110U 2.1 GHz; 4-core Core i5 8250U 1.6 GHz; 4-core Core i5 8265U 1.6 GHz; 4-core Core i7 8550U 1.8 GHz; Quad-core Core i7 8565U 1.8 GHz
• Memory (RAM/user): 4 GB/128 GB; 4 GB/256 GB; 8 GB/256 GB; 8 GB/512 GB; 8 GB/1 TB; 16 GB/512 GB; 16 GB/ 1 TB
• Display: 14 inches, 1920×1080
• Battery: 42 Wh (3640 mAh)

Price: from 38,700 rub.

Quite a good convertible laptop. The keyboard rotates 360 degrees, which allows you to hide it back and use the device as a large tablet. The device has a wide selection of modifications: 4-16 GB of RAM, 128-1024 GB SSD and several different platforms, so you will have plenty to choose from.

Advantages:

• All elements of the body are tightly fitted to each other.
• Comfortable keyboard with pleasant key travel.

Flaws:

• The bottom is not made of iron, but of textured plastic.
• Low speed of the built-in card reader, limited to 28 Mbit/s.

ASUS VivoBook 15

• Dimensions: 357 × 230 × 20 mm
• Weight: 1.75 kg
• Processor: 4-core Intel Core i7-8550U processor with a frequency of 1.8 GHz (may vary depending on version)
• Memory (RAM/User): 8 GB/256 GB
• Display: 15.6 inches, 1920x1080)
• Battery: 32 Wh

Price: from 38,600 rub.

VivoBook is a series of inexpensive ASUS computers, which, unlike the ZenBook series, is aimed at those users who are not willing to overpay for a laptop. ASUS VivoBook cannot be classified as an ultrabook. At the same time, they are still quite light and thin. For example, the thickness of the ASUS VivoBook 15 when closed does not exceed 2 cm.

Whatever version of this laptop you choose, part of the RAM will be soldered on the board. However, there is also a slot for increasing the amount of RAM, which allows you to expand it if necessary.

Advantages:

• USB to Lan adapter included.
• Nvidia GeForce MX130 video card with 2 GB GDDR5 memory.

Flaws:

• The battery is not very high capacity.
• Part of the RAM is soldered on the board.

Top inexpensive light and thin laptops from Aliexpress

Thin, lightweight laptops are gaining popularity, filling the vacancy of the dying tablet category. This is not surprising, because in addition to watching videos and using a browser, Windows laptops can be used for study or work, and their light weight and thickness make them a universal device that is equally convenient to use at home and on the road. I have selected for you 6 of the most interesting and popular models, some of which I had the opportunity to test personally. Go!

6th place - CHUWI AeroBook

The laptop is interesting primarily for its size. With a screen diagonal of 13.3″, its weight is only 1.25 Kg, and the thin metal body allows it to fit in a small backpack or folder. The processor is economical and time-tested Intel Core m3-6Y30, RAM is 8 Gb, and the system storage is a 256 Gb SSD drive. The advantages don’t end there: a high-quality IPS display with a resolution of 1920x1080, a backlit keyboard and dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac are the finishing touches to a small work of art called Chuwi AeroBook. The laptop was in 6th place only because of the highest price in this selection.

find out the price in Chuwi Official Store

5th place - Jumper EZbook X4 Pro

This new product is based on a fairly powerful Intel Core i3-5005U, has 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD drive. The screen diagonal is 14″, its resolution is Full HD and, of course, a high-quality IPS matrix. Like its predecessor, the laptop is lightweight - 1.4 Kg, thickness - 14.9 mm and has backlit buttons. The body is made from aircraft-grade aluminum for durability and practicality. I will also note the presence of good sound, because the laptop has 4 built-in front-facing speakers.

find out the price in Jumper official store

4th place - Jumper EZbook X4

Yes, I gave the regular version of this laptop a higher place. Why? Everything is very simple - excellent price/performance ratio. The cost of the laptop has dropped below $300 and for this money you get a good Intel Celeron J3455, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB SSD. Not too impressive compared to previous models, but the laptop copes with the Internet, watching videos and other simple tasks perfectly. At the same time, it has a good IPS screen, a backlit keyboard and a light weight of 1.35 Kg. I reviewed this laptop a little over a year ago, although at that time there was the first version with a bad TN screen and only 4 GB of RAM, but now the laptop has been improved to IPS and added RAM. Therefore, the disadvantages voiced in the review became fewer, but the advantages remained the same. You can read the review here.

find out the price in Jumper official store

3rd place - Teclast F15

A large 15.6″ IPS screen with Full HD resolution, a modern Intel Gemini Lake N4100 processor, and an excellent 8Gb/128Gb memory make this laptop very attractive. For such a diagonal, it has a very light weight - 1.8 Kg and a thickness of only 15 mm. And the 41 Wh battery allows you to use the laptop without recharging for up to 7 hours in mixed mode (watching videos, the Internet, working with documents). Due to its large diagonal, it is more oriented towards home use, but its weight and thickness allow you to take it with you without experiencing much discomfort.

find out the price in Teclast official store

2nd place - Chuwi LapBook Pro

In my opinion, it is an ideal universal ultrabook that can be used effectively both at home and on the road. A robust magnesium alloy body, a large, high-quality 14″ IPS screen with Full HD resolution, and minimal frames (6 mm on the side, 8 mm on top) make it not only convenient, but also damn beautiful. All other components also did not disappoint: 8 Gb DDR 4 RAM, 256 Gb SSD with the possibility of replacing it with a more capacious, powerful and at the same time economical 4-core processor N4100. Like all models from the selection, the laptop has a backlit keyboard. I did a detailed review of this laptop a few days ago, you can read it here.

find out the price in Chuwi Official Store

1st place - Teclast F7 Plus

I give first place to the Teclast, because it has characteristics identical to the Chuwi Lapbook Pro, but at the same time costs a little less (the sale will last for another 2 days). Yes, in fact, these are two twin brothers, the differences are only in the details. If Chuwi decided to make the case clean, then Teckast used a luminous logo on the lid. Otherwise, they look identical in appearance: metal body, weight no more than 1.5 Kg, small thickness and frames around the screen. The processor is the same Intel Celeron Gemini Lake N4100, the laptop is equipped with 8 GB LPDDR4 RAM and a 256 GB SSD drive with Windows 10 pre-installed.

find out the price in Teclast official store

In any case, no matter what laptop you choose, I wish that it works for a long time and brings only positive emotions.

Acer Aspire 3 A315-23

• Dimensions: 250.5 × 363.4 × 19.9 mm
• Weight: 1.9 kg
• Processor: 4-core AMD Ryzen 5 3500U with a frequency of 2.1 GHz (there are other modifications)
• Memory (RAM/User): 12 GB/1 TB
• Display: 15.6 inches, 1920×1080)

Price: from 35,440 rub.

A fairly powerful laptop computer (not an ultrabook) with a standard size screen (15 inches). The modification with maximum specifications offers 12 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD, i.e., in essence, we have a fairly powerful laptop that allows us to solve most everyday tasks, and not only.

Advantages:

• Has a built-in 8-core AMD Vega 8 graphics card.

Flaws:

• Comes with FreeDOS only and no Windows.

Acer Swift 7

• Weight: 0.9 kg

Price: from 136,000 rubles

Acer Swift 7 is not the fastest laptop. It runs on a low-power 8th generation Intel Y-series processor, the main purpose of which is to reduce heat and save battery. The lightness of this device is due to the following compromises. The battery capacity is only 32 Wh. The design uses materials that prioritize lightness over strength.

On the technical side, there are not so many serious shortcomings, except that the Core i7-8500Y performs exclusively work tasks and is not designed for entertainment. Memory is available in 16/512 GB configuration. The storage device is a solid-state drive. The display has a diagonal of 14 inches, which is the optimal value for a portable machine. Weighing 0.9 kg, the thickness of the device is only 10 mm, and therefore Acer Swift 7 also falls into the category of the thinnest laptops of 2021.

LG Gram

• Weight: 1.1 kg

Price: from 148,000 rubles

Among 15-inch laptops, the Gram is a featherweight, and its 13.3-inch version is even lighter - 0.9 kg. For users who are not obsessed with the heaviness of the device, there is also a 17-inch Gram weighing 1.3 kg.

The screen quality, of course, is not what you would expect from a Dell XPS13 or MacBook, but the picture is displayed quite clearly. The battery life is pleasantly surprising: 17 hours. The model is notable for the fact that it has a large number of ports for peripherals, a fingerprint scanner, and the ability to add RAM if the base 8 GB suddenly turns out to be insufficient.

The best 13 inch models

Laptops with the price and characteristics of a flagship, while being compact in size. The most varied in filling, among such models you can find interesting new functions or engineering solutions.

ASUS ROG Flow X13 GV301QH-K6092T

In third place is a 13-inch gaming laptop from Asus. This model uses a widescreen touch screen with a diagonal of 13.4 inches and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The surface is glossy, IPS matrix type. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 video card, which has 4 GB of video memory, is responsible for high-quality graphics. High performance will be provided by an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 processor and 16 GB of RAM. A 512 GB SSD is provided for data storage. All this is used by the pre-installed Windows 10 Home system, which is able to optimally manage components while maintaining a balance of autonomy and performance.

The laptop has a metal case, its weight is 1.3 kg, dimensions are 29.9x22.2x1.6 cm. Thanks to the hinges and opening almost 360 degrees, it can work as a tablet . The cooling system is more powerful than other models, it has two fans, and the holes are optimized for a thin case and transformer functions.

Advantages:

• lightweight and compact;
• fast;
• productive;
• can be used as a tablet.

Flaws:

• does not always determine the tablet mode;
• few ports;
• few settings in BIOS.

HUAWEI MateBook X Pro 2020

Laptop with a 13.9-inch display diagonal and LTPS matrix. Supported resolution 3000x2000, touch screen, glossy finish. To work with graphics, you can use a discrete video card from NVIDIA. Powerful filling for an ultrabook: Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD. The built-in 7565 mAh battery is capable of operating the device for up to 13 hours. The pre-installed system is Windows 10 Home.

The metal body can be gray or green, while maintaining a strict business style. The size of the laptop is 21.7x30.4x1.5 cm, its weight is 1.33 kg. The keyboard is full-size and backlit. There is a fingerprint scanner and a camera. The location of these elements may seem unusual: the fingerprint scanner is combined with the power button, and the camera looks at the user from the top row key.

On a note! When used with a smartphone from the same company, you can use the Huawei Share function, which will unite the devices and allow you to control the phone using the mouse and keyboard of the laptop.

Advantages:

• good screen;
• thin and light;
• productive;
• good battery;
• design.

Flaws:

• under load it heats up significantly and is noisy;
• a glossy screen reflects light and gets dirty;
• camera location.

Samsung Galaxy Book S

• Weight: 0.9 kg

Price: 72,400 rubles

Although Samsung laptops are not officially sold in our country, I don’t want to bypass the Galaxy Book S for many reasons. The ultra-light 13.3-inch laptop powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx processor is a good alternative to Chromebooks. It is designed for users who require LTE connectivity outside the office. 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is more than many options in the lightweight PC category. There are two USB-C ports for connecting peripherals, and the battery life is an incredible 25 hours.

Buy

Office productivity

Office and multimedia tasks will not be a problem for Swift 7. The laptop is equipped with an energy-efficient Intel Core i7-7Y75 processor with a base clock frequency of 1.3 GHz and a power of 4.5 W, an HD Graphics 615 graphics chip, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD drive. WLAN speakers, Bluetooth and LTE modules for wireless communication are also present.

But many connectors will have to be abandoned in favor of a flat design. There was only room for two USB 3.1 ports and a 3.5 mm audio jack. No more physical interfaces are presented. You will have to take with you numerous adapters to connect peripherals.

Asus Expertbook B9

• Weight: 0.8 kg

Price: from 99,000 rubles

Formerly known as the Asus Pro B9, this model is the lightest model in the business laptop category. It contains a 10th generation Intel Core processor, a Wi-Fi 6 module, an infrared camera for recognizing the user’s face and space for two solid-state drives (there is one out of the box; installing a second one increases the weight of the device, although not significantly).

Like any business laptop, the Expertbook B9 includes useful features that make working long hours easier. The keyboard is compact, the Numpad is present in the form of a numeric pad built into the touch area. A matte screen, battery life of up to a day and a well-thought-out cooling system are also among its advantages. The only thing that can spoil the impression for this price is the low brightness of the screen and the lack of touch control for the display.

Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe

• Weight: 1.1 kg

Price: from 67,000 rubles

One of the lightest 14-inch laptops weighs just over a kilogram. At the same time, it is equipped with an impressive set of 8th generation Core i7, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD.

Since its release, the price of the ZenBook 3 Deluxe has dropped significantly, so it can easily be considered one of the cheapest lightweight laptops. Among the shortcomings, I would like to note the small number of physical ports, but the manufacturer tried to smooth out the negative impression: a splitter is included in the kit.

Alternative: Apple MacBook 12″ 2021

If you are looking for the most mobile and lightweight laptop possible, then you can never go wrong with a model from Apple. As an alternative to the super-thin Acer, we offer a 12-inch MacBook with Intel Core M, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD drive, which can currently be purchased for 75,000 rubles.

You will find even more laptops in our always up-to-date rating.

Read other articles about laptops:

• How to choose the perfect laptop: from office to gaming
• Test and review of Gigabyte Aero 15-W8: a laptop with powerful traction

Photo: manufacturing companies, CHIP

Microsoft Surface Pro 6

• Weight: 0.7 kg

Price: from 90,000 rubles

Technically, the Surface Pro 6 is not a laptop, but a tablet. But since it is a hybrid device and can function as a laptop, we decided that it would not be superfluous on this list.

Hybrid models are not as common as classic tablets or laptops, but they are gaining popularity and will appeal to those interested in a portable and lightweight design. High productivity is not their strong point.

Weighing 700 grams (including the Type Cover keyboard, the weight increases to 1 kg), Surface Pro 6 has a 12-inch screen with a custom resolution of 2736 x 1824 pixels. Various modifications include Intel processors up to the i7 series and 16 GB of RAM. The price is reasonable for a device of this level of performance, but if you want something similarly powerful and lighter, check out another hybrid, the 0.5kg Surface Go, which also comes with a removable Type Cover.

Conclusion

We've finally come to expect that laptops can not only be portable and thin, but also powerful enough to handle complex tasks. Of course, if you have 100 thousand rubles and you are not tied to the Windows platform, the best solution would be to choose the Macbook Air M1. If Windows is a must for you, and support for external video cards is desirable, pay attention to one of the presented models on Intel i9. A laptop on such a platform is already quite suitable for running games at medium settings, and when connecting an external video card, it will also be suitable for more serious tasks.

In terms of autonomy, the best results are shown, oddly enough, by the same MacBooks, allowing you to use the device for two working days on a single battery charge. However, among Windows devices there are those that provide at least 6-8 hours of Internet browsing. These include Huawei MateBook X Pro 2021 and Honor MagicBook 15.

If we talk about cost, the most affordable will be ASUS VivoBook 15 and Acer Aspire 3 A315-23. But these are no longer ultrabooks - they are a little thicker and a little heavier.