The modern ultrabook: a guide to the best thin, light, and powerful laptops. While initially a marketing term from Intel for high-end laptops, "ultrabook" now encompasses a broader range of slim, lightweight, and highly portable machines designed for exceptional productivity. Forget lugging around heavy chargers – these are reliable laptops built for on-the-go use.
Top Ultrabooks of 2025:
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Asus Zenbook S 16 – Best Overall Ultrabook
This Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro is incredibly portable and a pleasure to use.
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- Specs: 16" (2880 x 1800) Display, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, AMD Radeon 890M GPU, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, 3.31 lbs, 13.92" x 9.57" x 0.47" - 0.51"
- Pros: Dual OLED screens, exceptionally thin and light, outstanding performance and all-day battery, beautiful 3K OLED touchscreen, impressive gaming performance.
- Cons: Minor keyboard flex.
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HP Pavilion Aero 13 – Best Budget Ultrabook
At under $800, this laptop delivers exceptional value.
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- Specs: 13.3” 2K (1920 x 1200) IPS Display, AMD Ryzen 5 8840U CPU, 16GB DDR5 6400MHz RAM, 512MB NVMe SSD, 2.2 lbs, 11.7" x 8.31" x 0.69"
- Pros: Great price-to-performance ratio, fast processor and ample memory, ultraportable design, all-day battery life.
- Cons: Limited storage.
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Razer Blade 14 (2024) – Best Ultrabook for Gaming
Powerful internals and a stunning QHD+ display in a sleek 14-inch chassis.
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- Specs: 14” QHD+ (2560 x 1600) IPS 240Hz Display, AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU, Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB DDR5 5700MHz RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, 4.05 lbs, 12.73" x 8.97" x 0.70"
- Pros: Excellent gaming performance, 240Hz display.
- Cons: Shallow keyboard.
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Microsoft Surface Laptop 11 – Best for Students
Colorful, with a Snapdragon processor, ample memory and storage, and long battery life.
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- Specs: 13.8" (2304 x 1536) Display, Snapdragon X Plus to Snapdragon X Elite CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, 16GB - 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 256GB - 1TB PCIe SSD, 2.96 lbs, 11.85" x 8.67" x 0.69"
- Pros: Great performance, fun color options, long battery life.
- Cons: App compatibility limitations.
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Asus Zenbook S 14 – Best for Business
Incredible battery life, snappy performance, and a beautiful OLED touchscreen.
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- Specs: 14" (2880 x 1800) Display, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, Intel Arc GPU, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, 2.65 lbs, 12.22" x 8.45" x 0.51"
- Pros: Thin, light, and powerful, great battery life, improved gaming performance, gorgeous OLED touchscreen.
- Cons: No microSD card reader.
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Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max) – Best Ultrabook for Creatives
The most powerful Mac laptop available.
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- Specs: 16.2" (3456 x 2234) Display, M3 Max CPU, Integrated (40-core) GPU, 48GB - 128GB RAM, 1TB - 8TB SSD, 4.8 lbs, 14.01" x 9.77" x 0.66"
- Pros: Incredibly powerful, highly configurable, very good battery life, thin and comparatively light.
- Cons: Can be very expensive.
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This detailed review includes further specifications, pros, cons, and a buying guide to help you choose the perfect ultrabook for your needs.
