So, you are looking for a laptop. You don’t want just any laptop, though; you want something thin and portable that still packs a punch. A tablet is thin and portable, but it doesn’t “feel” like a computer, nor does it have the processing power. An ultra-portable, lightweight laptop bridges the gap between chunky, powerful laptop and thin, light tablet.
A lightweight laptop should first and foremost, be light in weight. To be considered “lightweight” a computer should weigh around 1kg. To achieve such low weight, these machines are usually made from aluminum, carbon fiber and other high-tech materials.
Just because your computer is light, doesn’t mean it needs to be light on features or performance. The best lightweight laptops are powerful machines, made even more incredible by the fact they are ultra-portable. There are many lightweight laptops on the market for you to choose from, and some deserve your attention more than others.
Dell XPS 13 inch
Considered by many to be the penultimate student laptop, the 13 inch Dell XPS certainly ticks all the right boxes. Weighing in a smidge over 1.2kg and housed in an attractive (if not slightly utilitarian) body, the XPS certainly is a lightweight laptop.
Packed with Intel’s 6th generation I series processors and fast SSD storage, the Dell XPS will handle everyday tasks with ease and even some simple photo and video editing. The 4k screen is dazzling and makes watching videos a real treat.
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch
The Apple MacBook Air 13 inch is quite simply the best lightweight Apple laptop you can buy. The MacBook Air was wildly popular on its release, and the original Apple MacBook air 13 inch 2017 model is still available to buy new today, a testament to its enduring design.
Apple’s refresh of the Air brings the latest intel CPUs and a host of other performance upgrades. The biggest upgrade, however, Is the bold new 4k display and Apple’s amazing fingerprint reader. Slim, safe, and powerful, truly one of the best ultraportable laptops available.
Acer Swift 7 13.3 inch
The Acer Swift 7 must be one of the thinnest laptops on the market, at just under 10cm thick it is unbelievably thin. The minimal body seems to vanish into thin air as you turn the device around in your hands. The Acer Swift 7 is so wispy it doesn’t even need a fan!
With such portability comes a price, namely a hefty price tag. Acer has managed to squeeze some respectable processing power into a small frame, but it will struggle to keep up with its slightly portlier rivals. If you are looking for a wafer-thin laptop for everyday tasks and travel, it’s hard to go past this marvel.
HP Spectre 13 inch
The HP Spectre showed us what an ultra-thin, portable laptop could do. Without compromising on speed and features, the original Spectre delivered power and flexibility in a svelte and classy package.
Happily, the newest Spectre carries on that tradition, delivering an impossibly thin computer filled with the latest intel CPU’s coupled with fast and efficient GPU’s from Nvidia, giving you the ability to edit video and even play modern games.
Ultra-portable laptops have made great strides in the last two years. If you wanted a slim, lightweight computer to travel, you only had one decent option, the Apple MacBook Air 13 inch. If you were a windows fanboy, you were out of luck.
Oh, how the times have changed. Now the market is brimming with portable, powerful computers from multiple manufacturers. No longer do you have to compromise between power and portability, welcome my friends, to the age of the ultra-portable laptop.
To read more on topics like this, check out the technology category.
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