10 Best 13-inch MacBook Laptops
We've compiled a list of the top 13-inch laptops for you.
11 Best 13-inch MacBook Laptops
A 13-inch laptop is the best choice if you want to strike a balance between capacity and size. Nevertheless, not every 13-inch laptop is created equal. The Dell XPS 13 is currently the best 13-inch laptop on the market, in our opinion, but there are a ton of other choices as well, depending on the features you need and the price you're prepared to pay.
The majority of the best 13-inch laptops are concerned with striking a balance between mobility and power, but you can get everything from low-cost notebooks to top-of-the-line gaming rigs with a 13-inch screen. These are the computers that you need to look at.
These top 13-inch laptops have taken over the market from 15-inch laptops, which formerly dominated. They aren't too enormous that you feel like you're carrying a heavy backpack of bricks, but they aren't too little that you have trouble seeing what's on the screen. They have more than enough power to handle your multitasking needs, including demanding jobs like video editing. In spite of the fierce competition, you'll find a few of these smaller-sized laptops on our list of the best laptops.
Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2023)
New price, new look
The strikingly thin MacBook Air is more portable than ever and weighs just 2.7 pounds. It’s an incredibly capable laptop that lets you work, play, or create just about anything — anywhere.
Get more done faster with a next-generation 8-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU and up to 24GB of unified memory.
UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Go all day and into the night, thanks to the power-efficient performance of the Apple M2 chip.
The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display features over 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color, and support for 1 billion colors for vibrant images and incredible detail.
ADVANCED CAMERA AND AUDIO: Look sharp and sound great with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, a three-mic array, and a four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio.
VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY: The MacBook Air features a MagSafe charging port, two Thunderbolt ports, and a headphone jack.
EASY TO USE—Your Mac feels familiar from the moment you turn it on and works seamlessly with all your Apple devices.
Built to last, the all-aluminum unibody enclosure is exceptionally durable. And free software updates keep things running smoothly and securely for years to come.
All your go-to apps run lightning-fast — including Microsoft 365, Zoom, and many of your favorite iPhone and iPad apps.
Every Mac comes with a one-year limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary technical support. Get AppleCare+ to extend your coverage.
Apple's successor to the best laptop company has ever produced is the MacBook Air (M2, 2022), and while it comes close, it falls short of the prior generation. It has an excellent design, a larger screen, and an extraordinarily extended battery life, but it also costs much more money. It begins to make a lot more sense if you see it more as a 13-inch MacBook Pro replacement.
$1,099
at Amazon
$1,149
at Amazon
$1,199
at Amazon
CPU: Apple M2 chip with 8-core CPU
Graphics: Integrated 9-core – 10-core GPU
RAM: 8GB – 24GB unified memory
Screen: 13.6-inch (diagonal) 2560-by-1664 LED-backlit display with IPS technology
Storage: up to 2TB
One may argue that the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) is for the rest of us who want a MacBook but lack the funds to purchase a 14-inch or 16-inch Pro.
That is not to argue, however, that the most recent Air is not potent in and of itself. On the contrary, it is more powerful than ever, even matching the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022) in single-core performance during our benchmark tests.
It costs a little more than its predecessor, which is disheartening to Apple lovers on a tight budget, but once you see what you receive, you might be glad you paid the extra money. During testing, we discovered its performance to be superb, addressing 4K video editing and music production operations quickly and quietly (thanks to its fanless design).
While its screen is bigger and its design is better, its battery life increased by 5 hours, giving it 16 hours of use on a single charge.
Even while we didn't obtain the same full colour range as the iMac 24-inch, this look is much more contemporary. With a larger screen size, it is even smaller and thinner.
Dell XPS 13
The greatest 13-inch laptop, bar none
When gushing about how much we adore the XPS 13, it's challenging to avoid coming out as full sycophants. For the past five years, it has been our go-to laptop, and the most recent model is even better.
There isn't much else to complain about, and Dell has already done what we've been pleading with it to do for years by relocating the webcam to the top of the screen, where it belongs. Things became more interesting recently with the addition of a 3.5K OLED display option.
Like previous XPS 13 models, this one is extremely beautiful, lightweight (under 3 pounds), and portable. The 11th-generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of PCIe NVMe solid-state drive storage are the minimum requirements.
The laptop has two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports that support DisplayPort and power delivery, and it also includes a USB-C to USB-A adaptor to make it easier to use some of your older devices.
The specs are largely the same, but more expensive options add a touchscreen and boost the processor.
Since this laptop isn't actually designed for playing the newest games at high frame rates, don't expect to do so. The Dell XPS 13 is as near to a perfect laptop as we've seen so far, and it's more than capable of tackling a wide range of jobs. Be aware that a new iteration of the XPS 13 is forthcoming, offering a redesign and an update to Intel 12th-gen CPUs.
Apple MacBook Air M2
It's a lightweight powerhouse.
The MacBook Air M2, which has undergone a significant redesign to more closely resemble the conventional MacBook design, is the ideal laptop for students. It has all the quality-of-life features that Macs are renowned for while being very thin, light, and powerful.
The MacBook Air M2 has all the features students want for success, including long battery life, a sizable trackpad, and one of the best laptop keyboards. Additionally, it is reasonably priced, at least by Apple standards. Furthermore, it is totally silent.
The most recent MacBook Air is equipped with Apple's M2 processor, which combines system RAM with CPU and GPU cores. The M2 Intel processor has a more power-efficient architecture than the Intel processors that came before it.
In fact, the MacBook Air uses so little power that it doesn't even require a fan.
You may continue working without disturbing anyone because it maintains its coolness by merely conducting heat via its aluminum body.
The MacBook Air M2 is thin (0.44 inches) and light (2.7 pounds) for portability. With only two Thunderbolt ports, the port choices aren't tremendous, but a Thunderbolt 3 dock makes it simple to increase the number of connections. The detachable MagSafe 3 power connection has been reinstated in the new design.
Not just for students, but for anyone looking for a highly portable, very powerful machine, the MacBook Air M2 is a genuinely outstanding laptop.
It exceeds the capabilities of the MacBook Pro in certain areas. One warning, though: the MacBook Air M2's entry-level 256GB version has a slower SSD than the 512GB version, so if performance is a priority, you should upgrade to the higher model.
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
amazing portability of gaming performance
$1,449 AMAZON
$1,275 BEST BUY
$1,460 NEWEGG
Thanks to a blend of cutting-edge hardware and creative design, the Asus ROG Flow X13 has supplanted the competition as the greatest 13-inch gaming laptop. This laptop may be used for more than just gaming because it is a 360-degree convertible 2-in-1 with a taller 16:10 aspect ratio display.
When you look at it, you'll see how similar it is to the rest of the Asus ROG series, with a straightforward all-black appearance and stylish diagonal lines on the lid and palm rest.
With our test setup of an AMD Ryzen 9 5000HS CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, it delivers some serious power. That's quick enough for 1080p graphics settings and contemporary games.
Additionally, Asus integrated a proprietary PCIe connector that enables GPU extension for the laptop via an additional expansion box that can handle up to the RTX 3080 and is included with various configurations.
The 13.4-inch display on the ROG Flow X13 has a 1920 x 1200 resolution that is suitable for gamers, supports touch, and refreshes at a rate of 120 Hz. The number of ports is quite limited, but that is to be anticipated on a gaming laptop of this size.
HP Elite Dragonfly G2
The top laptop we've ever tested
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i3 – i7
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: 8GB-32GB
Screen: 13.3-inch diagonal BrightView LED FHD, 400 nits – 13.3-inch diagonal BrightView LED 4K UHD HDR-400 550 nits
Storage: up to 2TB SSD
TODAY'S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
+
Great design+
Comfortable keyboard+
Excellent screen
REASONS TO AVOID
-
Expensive-
USB-C ports on only one side
The HP Elite Dragonfly, now in its second edition, raises the bar for the greatest 13-inch laptops. The amazing business laptop from HP is returning with a new 2-in-1 capability, a clever design, and a long battery life. With 11th-generation Intel Core processors, Intel Iris Xe graphics, and a new 4K display, which is an improvement over its previous Full HD models, it is, of course, more powerful than it has ever been.
There is a lot to enjoy about this laptop, and it may be the closest any manufacturer will ever come to creating the ideal business laptop. if you're able to afford it. But because it's designed for pros, the expense is unquestionably justified.
Surface Laptop 4
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 11th generation Intel Core i5–i7/AMD Ryzen 5–7 Graphics: Intel Iris Xe/AMD RadeonRAM: 8GB – 32GBScreen: 13.5-inch PixelSense (2,256 x 1,504) touchStorage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Today's Best Deals
View at Microsoft US
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View at Adorama WW
Reasons to buy
comfortable keyboard
+Beautiful screen
Reasons to avoid
-Not enough ports
-Alcantara fabric might get gross over time.
While Apple's new MacBook Air (above) really blew us away, Microsoft's Surface Laptop 4 also made an impression on us. The build quality and design are absolutely top-notch, much as with prior Surface products, and its magnificent PixelSense touchscreen really sets it apart from the competition (a touchscreen is something Microsoft loves to point out that has yet to appear on an Apple laptop).
Along with some very outstanding specs, it also has a fantastic keyboard that is a pleasure to operate on. These features guarantee that Windows 10 and all of your favorite programs function flawlessly. In our tests, the battery lasted more than 13 hours, and both the pricing and battery life are really excellent.
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
many computers for about $500
$560 LENOVO
The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 is a great option if you're looking for the most for your money at roughly $500. There are occasions when you may find it for less than $500, but the cost varies.
It is a versatile 2-in-1 with adequate performance for your daily tasks. This can be especially difficult to locate in this price bracket, where the confluence of dated components and lower specifications can cause speed or power concerns for the unwary.
However, Lenovo was able to design the Chromebook Flex 5 for performance, and the quick Chrome OS loading ensures that you won't experience any inconvenient wait times while working.
A four-core/eight-thread AMD Ryzen 3 5300 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a massive 512GB of SSD storage are included with this model. With that much power, Chrome OS can easily handle even the most taxing operations.
There are USB-A and USB-C ports as well as a microSD card reader for connections, and the battery life is virtually adequate for a full day's work. The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 is a very amazing combination if cost-effectiveness is your top priority.
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Nano
So little weight, so much power
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano is an incredibly thin and powerful notebook. The touch model is only slightly heavier at 2.14 pounds compared to the non-touch model's 1.99 pounds. That is even more lightweight than the most recent LG Gram, whose 2.2-pound weight has long held the ultra-portable kingdom.
Like other ThinkPads, the ThinkPad X1 Nano is constructed of a carbon-fiber composite material that is just as durable as laptops that weigh two times as much.
A 1TB SSD, 16GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i7-1180G7 are included in the top configuration. You may also order the ThinkPad X1 Nano with an i5-1130G7, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD if portability is more important to you than power.
A 16:10 2K display (2160 x 1350) with a peak brightness of 450 nits and support for Dolby Vision HDR is included with all models.
Overall battery life is improved by the unconventional resolution, surpassing 4K screens like the one in the Spectre x360. Despite Dell, HP, and LG posing fierce competition, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano remains a standout.
It drastically reduces weight without losing performance or battery life while yet retaining the distinctive ThinkPad style for which Lenovo is renowned.
Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
Undoubtedly, one of the most intriguing Apple laptops in recent years is the MacBook Air (M1, 2020). Its M1 chip is a true game-changer, as it runs iOS apps, M1-optimized apps, and legacy programs equally well. Additionally, outstanding are the performance and battery life.
$949.99
at Amazon
$949.99
at Amazon
$957.99
HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook
Although there are several Chromebooks available, just one really stands out for having exceptional performance, a high-quality design, and sturdy construction. The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, the most luxurious Chromebook and the one you want if you don't want any Windows or MacBook envy, is the laptop in question.
Yes, the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is designed for business users and features an Intel Core i7-1265U processor with vPro for excellent support of Chrome OS Enterprise. With up to 32GB of RAM and 512GB of PCIe SSD storage, the laptop is perfect for any high-end Chrome OS user and can handle even the most taxing tasks. excellent as well as the 13.5-inch 3:2 WXUGA+ (2,256 x 1,504) IPS display.
The existence of some cutting-edge and, in some cases, novel features, however, is the cherry on top. It's unusual for a Chromebook to support Thunderbolt 4, so that comes first. The haptic touchpad that functions just as well as the Force Touch model on the MacBook is a first, as is the support for vPro.
Last but not least, the 5MP webcam offers an improved videoconferencing experience. You must pay a price for the depth and range of capabilities, but it is worthwhile.
HP Spectre x360 (2021)
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 11th-gen Intel Core i5 – i7Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 – Iris XeRAM: 8GB – 16GBScreen: 13.3-inch diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080) OLED touch – 13.3-inch diagonal, 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) OLED touch storage: 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD – 2 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
TODAY'S BEST DEALS
Check Amazon
REASONS TO BUY
+Gorgeous design
+Excellent battery life
+Great performance for day-to-day work
REASONS TO AVOID
-Fans can get noisy
-Pricey
The newest member of the flagship product series, the HP Spectre x360 (2021), carries on the tradition of combining the latest technological advancements with elegance, luxury design, and 2-in-1 laptop functionality. This stunning Windows laptop is equipped with the new 11th-gen Intel CPU and enough battery life to last you through a full day at work.
It's a beautiful laptop with good performance, even though it does have a price to match and its 2-in-1 design might be unwieldy for people using its tablet mode. It can also get loud.
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