Top Ultrabooks: Slim, Powerful Laptops for All Needs

In today's tech landscape, the term "ultrabook" has evolved beyond its origins as an Intel marketing label to encompass a broader category of laptops. Originally intended to denote high-end, premium laptops, ultrabooks now include any thin, light, and reasonably powerful laptop, excluding gaming-specific models. At their core, ultrabooks are designed to offer exceptional productivity performance while maintaining a slim profile, lightweight construction, and high portability. These devices are perfect for users who need a reliable laptop that won't burden them with weight or the constant need for charging.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Ultrabooks:

Our Top Pick### Asus Zenbook S 16

0See it at Best BuySee it at Asus### Razer Blade 14

0See it at Razer### Microsoft Surface Laptop 11

0See it at Amazon### Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)

0See it at AmazonThe best ultrabooks today are remarkably capable, balancing high performance with a compact form factor. Our top pick, the Asus Zenbook S 16, rivals high-end desktops in performance while consuming minimal power and operating quietly. Whether you're looking for budget-friendly options or powerful machines capable of 4K video editing, these are the best ultrabooks you can buy right now.

Asus Zenbook S 16 – Photos

19 Images1. Asus Zenbook S 16

Best Ultrabook in 2025

Our Top Pick### Asus Zenbook S 16

0The Asus Zenbook S 16 stands out as a compelling alternative to the MacBook Pro, offering an excellent blend of portability and performance. Its lightweight design and all-day battery life make it a joy to use and carry around.
See it at Best BuySee it at Asus
Product Specifications
Display: 16" (2880 x 1800)
CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
GPU: AMD Radeon 890M
RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X
Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
Weight: 3.31 pounds
Size: 13.92" x 9.57" x 0.47" - 0.51"
Battery life: Around 15 hours
PROS
- Dual OLED screens
- Exceptionally thin and light
- Outstanding performance with all-day battery life
- Beautiful 3K OLED touchscreen
- Impressive gaming performance
CONS
- Some keyboard flex

After testing and reviewing the Asus Zenbook S 16, I can confidently say it's the best overall ultrabook available today. Its slim profile, at just 13mm thick, and lightweight design at 3.31lbs, make it easy to carry. With fantastic battery life, a stunning OLED display, and the best gaming performance from an integrated GPU, it outperforms portable gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally X and Ayaneo Kun. The Zenbook S 16 exemplifies what an ultrabook should be, offering top-tier performance with minimal power usage and noise, thanks to its cutting-edge AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU. It also provides excellent connectivity options, including two USB Type-C ports, a full-size USB Type-A, an SD card reader, and an HDMI-out port, making it ideal for use with a great portable monitor.

The display is exceptional, boasting a crisp 2880x1880 resolution and vivid colors. As an OLED panel, it delivers deep blacks and a bright 500-nit screen, perfect for any environment. With up to 15 hours of battery life, the Asus Zenbook S 16 redefines the ultrabook category, setting a new standard for performance and portability.

2. HP Pavilion Aero 13

Best Budget Ultrabook

### HP Pavilion Aero 13

0Priced under $800, the HP Pavilion Aero 13 offers incredible value for money.
See it at HP
Product Specifications
Display: 13.3” 2K (1,920 x 1,200) IPS
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 8840U
RAM: 16GB DDR5 6,400MHz
Storage: 512MB NVMe SSD
Weight: 2.2 pounds
Size: 11.7" x 8.31" x 0.69"
Battery life: Around 12 hours
PROS
- Great balance of price and performance
- Fast processor and ample memory
- Ultraportable design
- All-day battery life
CONS
- Limited storage

For those seeking an affordable ultrabook, the HP Pavilion Aero 13 is an excellent choice. With a fast AMD Ryzen 7 processor and 16GB of DDR5 memory, it ensures smooth performance across productivity applications, even during multitasking. Its thin and light design allows for effortless portability throughout the day.

The price is remarkably reasonable, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers. While its integrated graphics may not suit hardcore gaming, they're sufficient for lighter gaming with adjusted settings. The main drawback is the 512GB storage, which may require an external hard drive for additional space. However, given its compact size and lightweight build, this should not deter potential buyers.

Razer Blade 14 (2024) – Photos

8 Images3. Razer Blade 14

Best Ultrabook for Gaming

### Razer Blade 14

0The Razer Blade 14 combines a stunning QHD+ display with powerful internals in a sleek, portable design, making it ideal for gaming on the go.
See it at Razer
Product Specifications
Display: 14” QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) IPS 240Hz
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS
GPU: Nvidia RTX 4070
RAM: 16GB DDR5 5,700MHz
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
Weight: 4.05 pounds
Size: 12.73" x 8.97" x 0.70"
Battery life: Around 9-10 hours
PROS
- Excellent gaming performance
- 240Hz display
CONS
- Shallow keyboard

Balancing gaming performance with portability can be challenging, but the Razer Blade 14 manages this feat impressively. Weighing just over 4lbs and under an inch thick, it houses powerful components like the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card. The 14-inch 240Hz QHD+ display, with its 16:10 aspect ratio, offers an immersive gaming experience.

In our 2024 review, we praised the Razer Blade 14 for its exceptional performance and luxurious build quality. While it's on the pricier side, it's a worthwhile investment for those seeking a high-performance gaming ultrabook.

See more of the best gaming laptops to buy right now.

4. Microsoft Surface Laptop 11

Best for Students

### Microsoft Surface Laptop 11

0The Microsoft Surface Laptop 11 offers vibrant colors, a Snapdragon processor, ample memory and storage, and impressive battery life, making it perfect for students.
See it at Amazon
Product Specifications
Display: 13.8" (2304 x 1536)
CPU: Snapdragon X Plus to Snapdragon X Elite
GPU: Qualcomm Adreno
RAM: 16GB - 32GB LPDDR5X
Storage: 256GB - 1TB PCIe SSD
Weight: 2.96 pounds
Size: 11.85" x 8.67" x 0.69"
Battery life: Up to 20 hours
PROS
- Great performance
- Lots of fun color options
- Long battery life
CONS
- Some apps aren't compatible

The latest generation Surface Laptop is ideal for students looking for a reliable, lightweight laptop. Powered by Snapdragon Plus and Elite processors, it offers ample memory and storage, with battery life that can last multiple work days. While we recommend the Surface Laptop, the Surface Pro 2-in-1 is also an excellent choice for those preferring a convertible design.

Compared to its predecessor, this model boasts more memory and storage options, with the base model featuring 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Snapdragon processors are power-efficient, providing up to 20 hours of video playback and 13 hours of web browsing and productivity. Fast charging capabilities ensure quick recharges.

The main drawback is the limited compatibility with some apps, though built-in emulation helps. As Qualcomm expands its processor offerings, we expect more apps to become compatible over time. For students, the necessary apps are likely already supported.

5. Asus Zenbook S 14

Best for Business

### Asus Zenbook S 14

0The Asus Zenbook S 14 offers incredible battery life, snappy performance, and a beautiful OLED touchscreen display, making it ideal for business professionals.
See it at AsusSee it at Best Buy
Product Specifications
Display: 14" (2880 x 1800)
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
GPU: Intel Arc
RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X
Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
Weight: 2.65 pounds
Size: 12.22" x 8.45" x 0.51"
Battery life: 15+ hours
PROS
- Thinner, lighter, and more powerful
- Great battery life
- Improved gaming performance
- Gorgeous OLED touchscreen
CONS
- No microSD card reader

The Asus Zenbook S 14, a smaller version of our top pick, excels in balancing processing power with battery life. In testing, it ran over 16 hours on Procyon's battery test, ensuring it can last through multiple work days. It performs smoothly in creative and productivity apps, offering exceptional value.

Its ultra-portable design, at less than a half-inch thick and weighing just over 2.5lbs, makes it easy to carry throughout the day. It's also suitable for light gaming between meetings, thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics. While not a gaming laptop, it can handle games like Cyberpunk 2077 at reduced resolutions on its stunning OLED screen.

6. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)

Best Ultrabook for Creatives

### Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)

0The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Max chip is the most powerful Mac ever, making it the top choice for creative professionals.
See it at Amazon
Product Specifications
Display: 16.2" (3456 x 2234)
CPU: M3 Max
GPU: Integrated (40-core)
RAM: 48GB - 128GB
Storage: 1TB - 8TB SSD
Weight: 4.8 pounds
Size: 14.01" x 9.77" x 0.66"
Battery life: Up to 22 hours
PROS
- Incredibly powerful for a laptop
- Highly configurable
- Very good battery life
- Thin and comparatively light
CONS
- Can easily get very expensive

For creative professionals, the Apple MacBook Pro, particularly the M3 Max version, is the best choice. It offers unparalleled performance for video editing, art rendering, and other intensive tasks. The MacBook Pro 16 is highly configurable, with options up to an 18-core M3 Max processor, 128GB of memory, and 8TB of storage.

While the standard M3 Pro version is $1,500 cheaper and sufficient for most creatives, the M3 Max version provides top-tier performance. The liquid retina display is one of the best on any laptop today. Apple's deep ecosystem of creative apps further enhances its appeal, allowing users to add licenses for Logic and Final Cut Pro during checkout.

Although Windows machines can be excellent for creative work, the MacBook Pro's ecosystem and powerful tools are often preferred by professionals, despite its more limited hardware and software choices.

How We Chose the Best Ultrabooks

To select the best ultrabooks, we first defined the essential qualities that distinguish an ultrabook from a typical lightweight laptop. An ultrabook must be thin, light, and have extended battery life, dedicated to high-performance productivity, with gaming capabilities as a bonus.

Our selection process involved evaluating ultrabooks we've reviewed and consulted other expert sources and user feedback from across the web. We considered critical impressions, benchmark scores, and real-world experiences to compile a list of top ultrabooks. We then categorized them to help users find the best ultrabook for their specific needs, whether for work, gaming, or education.

Things to Consider When Shopping for an Ultrabook

When investing in an ultrabook, it's important to set a budget and prioritize features. Lower budgets may require compromises on specs, such as opting for 8GB of DDR5 or DDR4 RAM instead of 16GB. If gaming isn't a priority, integrated graphics like Intel Iris XE or Intel Arc will suffice, allowing you to allocate funds to other components.

For those with a larger budget, choosing ultrabooks with the latest hardware ensures future-proofing. A 14th Gen i5 or i7 CPU, AMD Ryzen 7000 or 9000 series processor, and RTX 4000-series or AMD Radeon 7000-series GPU are excellent starting points.

FAQs

What is an ultrabook laptop?

The term "ultrabook" was coined by Intel in 2011 to describe laptops that are exceptionally thin, light, and equipped with powerful hardware. Today, the term encompasses laptops that are highly portable and capable of handling daily productivity tasks with ease, often featuring extended battery life.

Is a MacBook considered an ultrabook?

While a MacBook isn't officially an ultrabook due to its Apple origin, it can be considered a type of ultrabook. MacBooks are known for their powerful performance and lightweight design, running on macOS.

Are ultrabooks good for gaming?

Ultrabooks are not designed for gaming like dedicated gaming laptops. However, newer ultrabooks can handle gaming at lower settings or resolutions, thanks to advancements in Intel and AMD's integrated graphics. Cloud gaming is also a viable option for ultrabook users, requiring a subscription to services like Xbox Game Pass or Nvidia GeForce Now.