There are so many of them, how do you choose the best 13-inch laptops?
Seriously, this is the most competitive and popular laptop size. There are so many, at so many prices – and quality. Where do you start?
Well, years of writing about laptops and following the market daily, we made the ultimate list – yes yes, nothing less 😉 – of the best 13-inch laptops on the market.
So don’t get overwhelmed, just follow our list and you’ll get the very best for you needs!
Navigation
There are so many 13-inch notebooks that I’ve separated this article into 3 sections.
Click to jump directly to the section:
(or continue reading to understand they’ll give you in terms of design & performance)
Our Top 3
#1 – Dell XPS 13 |
#2 – Asus Q304UA |
#3 – Lenovo Yoga 900 |
 |
 |
 |
Best Mid-Range 13-inch |
Best Budget 13-inch |
Best High-End 13-inch |
| 13.3″ QHD | 13.3″ HD | 13.3″ QHD |
| Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM | Intel i5 with 6 GB of RAM | Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM |
| 256 GB SSD | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) | 256 GB SSD |
| Expect 10 hours | Up to 10 hours | Up to 9 hours |
| Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review |
What to expect from the Best 13-inch laptops?
I’m going to be pretty straightforward on that question: you can expect anything from the best 13-inch notebooks.
Being such a popular laptop size, you’ll find literally everything in here. From low-cost Chromebooks to high-end laptops.
Display
The standard screen size is 13.3 inches. 90%+ of them will have that kind of screen. For some reason, some laptop manufacturer will have one slightly bigger or smaller, but it’s an exception.
Most 13-inch laptops will be equipped with an HD or QHD screen, although you’ll find some low-cost ones that still have a non-HD screen. But don’t buy one that’s not HD. Even budget laptops nowadays will have at least an HD screen. (The exception is when you go with an ultra-low-cost notebook like the ones under 200 or under $300)
As with most laptop lines, very few of them will be equipped with a dedicated graphic card. So mostly forget about running demanding games or any heavy 3D applications. If that’s what you need, look in the premium 13-inch, there are a few that are able to render 3D efficiently.
Notebook Size & Weight
This is one of the reasons why this laptop size is so popular. At 13-inch, the manufacturers can make a thin & portable laptop and still give you enough screen space so that your software doesn’t feel cramped when you use them.
The same thing goes with the weight. You’ll usually get a laptop under 3 pounds, which is incredibly portable.
Performance
Here again, you’ll find everything from low-cost processor with little RAM to high-performance laptops that’ll run any program.
If you’re not sure which one you need, here are a few guidelines:
- Go with a notebook equipped with an i3 processor and minimum 4 GB of RAM if all you do is surfing the web and watching movies.
- A laptop configured with an i5 processor and 8 GB RAM is the standard nowadays. It’ll fit most people’s needs.
- Go with an i7 processor if you need a lot of power. Graphic designers and engineers will want to consider that processor.
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Best 13-inch laptops
Top 5 Best Mid-Range 13-inch laptops
The 13-inch mid-range laptops is an incredibly competitive niche. Here you’ll find a thin & light notebook at an affordable price.
Most of them come with the same specs: an Intel i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, a 256 GB SSD drive and an integrated graphic card. This is more than enough for most people – thus, why the manufacturers put it by default.
They either come with an HD or QHD display and often both are offered. Also, if you need more power, you’ll usually also find a version with an i7 processor.
1 – Dell XPS 13 – 13″ QHD
“Best Mid-Range 13-inch”
In the ultra-competitive 13-inch mid-range niche, the Dell XPS stands out. While it has the qualities of the competition – great solid design, vivid screen, good audio system – it has such a small form-factor that you’d think it’s a 12-inch notebook. It has a great screen – with virtually no bezel – and a long battery life. Performance is speedy and equal to the competition thanks to its i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD. It’s not the only great 13-inch in that segment, but it definitely one of the best. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ QHD touchscreen (3200 x 1800) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Expect 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.59″ / 2.9 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i7 + 8 GB RAM, 
Hybrid version
2 – Asus Zenbook UX330UA – 13″ QHD
“Affordable ultra-thin 13-inch”
This is not only one of my favorite 13-inch, but one of my favorite laptop period. The UX330UA has all the characteristics of the Zenbook series: it’s sturdy and will definitely turn heads while remaining classy. At 2.6 pounds, it’s definitely ultra-portable and it’s one of the thinnest notebooks you can get. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ QHD screen (3200 x 1800) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.53″ / 2.65 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Newest version with GPU: Asus Zenbook UX331UN
3 – HP Envy 13 1KT05UA – 13″ HD
“Definitely a top contender in mid-range 13-inch”
HP built a competitive 13-inch notebook here with the Envy 13. First of all, they’ve created a very good-looking, solid design. It’s also lightweight at less than 3 pounds so you can carry it around easily. Add to that a vivid screen & good speaker and you’ve got a great value 13-inch notebook! It also comes in many configurations if you prefer a more powerful CPU or a 4k display. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 7.5 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.51″ / 2.8 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i7 + 8 GB RAM4 – Lenovo Ideapad 710S – 13″ HD
“Powerful & light”
Another tough contender in the ultra-thin segment. Not only this version is powerful, but it’s also as light and good-looking as the other best mid-range 13-inch laptops. A solid design, nice screen at a reasonable price… It should definitely be on your list. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.55″ / 2.6 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i5 + 8 GB RAM5 – Acer Aspire S13 – 13″ HD
“Great Value & Long-Lasting Battery”
Acer is known for its great value laptops and the Aspire S13 is a good example. It doesn’t have the best screen nor the best speakers, but for a powerful 13-inch at a great price, you should definitely consider it. Everything is pretty good here and Acer compromised just enough everywhere so that you don’t really notice it and get a lot for your money. And it has one of the longest battery life you can find.
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 13 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.57″ / 3 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i5 + 8 GB RAM, 
Intel i5 + 8 GB RAM
Recommended for you:
Top 5 Best Budget 13-inch laptops
With the best budget 13-inch laptops, you’ll get a product of surprisingly good quality with an HD screen and enough performance to get through daily work and to watch movies. Manufacturers really stepped up in that segment in the past years.
But the drawback is, there are not that many choices. While you’ll find plenty of low-cost laptops of other sizes, the budget 13-inch segment is quite limited. You do have a few good choices, but not that many.
1 – Asus Q304UA – 13″ HD Convertible
“Best Budget 13-inch”
Again, Asus managed to create a 13-inch notebook with great value with the Q304UA. This low-cost hybrid is one of the most powerful budget laptops you can get and will run Windows smoothly, even when heavily multitasking. At that price you don’t get an SSD drive, but you get a huge 1 TB hard drive. The display is pretty good for the price and is of course HD, and the hybrid format is useful when watching movies. Definity a top choice for a low-cost 13-inch. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 6 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.78″ / 3.31 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
2 – Acer Swift 1 – 13″ HD
“Solid at Ultra-Low Price”
If you’re looking for a good ultra low-cost 13-inch, this might be your best choice. You don’t get the most storage nor a powerful CPU – but enough for web browsing & watching movies – but you do get a good HD screen and a solid laptop. Add to that a lightweight, durable chassis and you’ll hardly find better at that price!
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Pentium N4200 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.59″ / 2.87 lbs |
| Price Range | $ |
3 – Acer Aspire S13 – 13″ HD
“Good-Looking & Solid”
The Acer Aspire S13 comes in many variants and this one with its i3 processor is definitively worth its price. You get a solid, good-looking chassis with enough power to perform daily tasks. It doesn’t have the biggest hard drive, but since it’s an SSD it’s way faster than most budget 13-inch.
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 13 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.57″ / 3 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
4 – Dell Inspiron i5378 – 13″ HD Convertible
“One of the best 13-inch 2-in-1”
I really like what Dell did with the Inspiron i5378. It has a well-made hybrid design with a pretty good display. All that, at a budget price. This one comes with an i3 processor, which is enough power for web surfing, movie watching and pretty much any office work. If you want more performance, there’s a version that comes with a more powerful processor, but it does increase the price quite significantly.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Expect 6 to 7 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.77″ / 3.56 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
the more powerful Intel i5 + 8 GB RAM
5 – Asus Chromebook C300SA – 13″
“Best 13-inch Chromebook”
If you’re looking for a low-cost notebook, this might be your best choice. This colorful Chromebook has enough power for you to comfortably surf the web and watch movies and is light enough that you can carry it around anywhere. At that ultra-low-price, you’ll hardly find better. Of course, don’t expect a lot of storage space and the best screen, but as a second computer for the living room or as a laptop for school, it’s great. And the battery will last you all day when you’re on the go!
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ screen (1366 x 768) |
| Performance | Pentium N3060 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 16 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | ChromeOS |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.86″ / 2.97 lbs |
| Price Range | $ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Blue
BlackRecommended for you:
Top 7 Best High-End 13-inch laptops
Well… this segment is a beauty. The premium 13-inch niche is where you’ll find some of the most advanced designs on the market. The manufacturers really put a lot of money in R&D here to offer ultra-thin laptops with great lightweight designs.
You also get a great vivid display, surprisingly loud speakers and of course enough performance for pretty much any task.
To get such a high-end laptop, you have to pay the price… But if you have the budget, definitely go for one of these 13-inch notebooks!
1 – Lenovo Yoga 900 – 13″ QHD Convertible
“Best High-End 13-inch”
Oh what a great 13-inch premium hybrid notebook this one is. The Yoga 900 is the premium model of Lenovo’s hybrid line. With this one you get a gorgeous screen, good speakers and a solid, proven design that will last. With its 4k screen and powerful processor, there are very few things this convertible 13-inch can’t do.
| Graphics | 13.3″ QHD touchscreen (3200 x 1800) |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.59″ / 2.8 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i7 + 8 GB RAM2 – Apple MacBook Pro 13 – 13″ HD
“One of the best in everything”
A classic 13-inch laptop. With an Apple-grade awesome display, a solid & stylish design and one of the best keyboard on the market, it’s really one of the best high-end 13-inch notebooks. Portable, slim with a great sound system, you can’t go wrong with that one, as long as you like the Apple ecosystem.
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | MacOS |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.59″ / 3 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i7 + 16 GB RAM3 – Asus Zenbook UX303UB – 13″ QHD
“Powerful Lightweight Notebook for 3D”
Whether you want to do some gaming, CAD or video editing, this is probably the best 13-inch laptop for 3D. In a slim, light and sturdy chassis, you get an incredibly powerful notebook that can take on pretty much any task. With the i7 processor & 12 GB of RAM, heavy usage won’t be a problem and the mid-range dedicated graphic card will allow running most 3D software on the market. Did I say that you also get a vivid QHD screen? Really a great product from Asus. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ QHD touchscreen (3200 x 1800) with NVIDIA GT 940M |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 12 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 7 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 3.2 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
4 – Microsoft Surface Book – 13″ QHD Detachable
“Best Detachable 13-inch”
What a great detachable 13-inch the Surface Book is! Not only it is sold at the right price, but it’s equipped with everything you’d want from a great laptop. It has a gorgeous high-definition screen, a dedicated graphic card that will easily run most 3D software and a long battery if you’re often on the road. Maybe the only flaw is that it’s a bit thicker than most due to its detachable design, but the same design also makes it very useful and solid. A great 13-inch laptop from Microsoft. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.5″ QHD touchscreen (3000 x 2000) with NVIDIA GTX 965M |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.9″ / 3.34 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i7 + 16 GB RAM5 – Acer Swift 7 – 13″ HD
“Ultra-slim 13-inch”
When I say the Acer Swift 7 is an ultra-portable 13-inch, I’m not kidding… It’s literaly the thinnest 13-inch notebook on the market. Acer managed to do it while still giving a great performance laptop with a good-looking, solid design. It’s really a premium notebook that will make heads turn. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.4″ / 2.48 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i5 + 8 GB RAM6 – Samsung Notebook 9 – 13″ HD
“Lightweigth Premium 13-inch”
Samsung is not one of the major laptop manufacturers but its Notebook Series is definitely a good one. The Samsung Notebook 9 is a quality, premium and good-looking 13-inch laptop that competes with the best on the market. And it’s definitely an ultra-portable that’s going to be a charm to carry around with its low-weight.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.53″ / 1.9 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Hybrid version7 – HP Spectre 13 – 13″ HD
“Ultra-slim Gorgeous Design”
The HP Spectre 13 is really a gorgeous, high-quality 13-inch notebook. The ultra-slim design – one of the thinnest on the market – is really impressive and lightweight. You also get a vivid display and quality speakers that make it a great multimedia laptop and you don’t have to sacrifice on performance. A great, although pricey, modern laptop from HP. Read our full review.
Pros
| Cons
|
| Graphics | 13.3″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.41″ / 2.45 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i7 + 8 GB RAM, 
Hybrid version
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Curious about the past best 13-inch laptops?
Look at the best 13-inch laptops in…
Erik is the owner and main editor of lptps.com. He has been working in computers and information technology for more than 20 years. He’s a business analyst, developer, and avid traveler.
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