Home > 2-in-1 Laptops > Best Detachable Laptops
If you want a device you can hold in your hands to watch a movie or read the news, but still want a normal laptop to work with, the best detachable laptops are great!
With detachable 2-in-1 laptops, you get the flexible experience of a tablet and get to do more serious & heavier tasks in laptop mode when you connect the keyboard.
Not surprisingly, they come at different price ranges and the quality can differ quite a lot depending on the notebook brand, which makes it difficult to choose the best 2-in-1 detachable laptops. Luckily for you, I’ve been reviewing these devices for a few years and that’s why today I’m going to list out the 12 best detachable laptops you can get your hands on.
Our Top 3
#1 – Microsoft Surface Book |
#2 – Asus Transformer Mini T103HA |
#3 – Microsoft Surface Pro |
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The Ultimate Detachable Powerhouse |
Cheap & Portable with Good Display & Audio |
Light, Powerful & Good Value for Money |
| 13.5″ QHD | 10.1″ HD | 12″ QHD |
| Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM | Intel Cherry Trail with 4 GB of RAM | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| 256 GB SSD | 128 GB eMMC | 128 GB SSD |
| Up to 12 hours | Up to 11 hours | Up to 9 hours |
| Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review |
What to expect from the Best Detachable Laptops
After reviewing the top detachable laptops, I can say that there are no ideal specs. It really depends on what you are looking for (portability, performance, low price, etc.). However, there are some specific areas where they ‘should’ excel at, and that’s in design and screen quality.
For the design, a lightweight notebook is preferable since it makes it easier to hold as a tablet. It should also be able to handle normal laptop usage easily.
Don’t expect most of them to play games since detachable laptops are usually not built as a gaming laptop (but there are exceptions). Other factors like performance & screen size will depend on what you want to do with your laptop.
Design & Quality
As mentioned, the best detachable laptops should be fairly lightweight since you’re going to hold it in your hands half the time. Look for a minimalist, solid, sleek & lightweight design.
As for the design quality, they should have a good keyboard-to-screen connection. You don’t want to fight with your detachable notebook to unplug the keyboard. And, you want it to last for long.
Performance
Enough processing power to get regular office and school stuff done is sufficient. An i5 notebook – or even an i3 – is more than enough for most people.
Display & Graphics
The display quality is important and, even with the budget models, can expect a decent HD screen that is very responsive. Of course, the more expensive ones will get you a higher contrast & color accuracy, and also better viewing angles & resolution.
Also, graphics performance is not a factor unless you are a creative designer. Apart from the designers and video editors, very few people need a powerful graphics card, but still, some of the high-end models do come with a dedicated GPU. They are mostly made for graphic or video editing, but they will still play some 3D games.
Audio
To be honest, some tablets & detachable laptops don’t that good of a sound system because of the position of the speakers. So, unless you spend a good amount of your hard earned cash on a more expensive notebook, you can’t be assured of a good audio system. It’s still good enough to enjoy movies & videos, but not as good as some other laptops.
Other aspects
The best 2-in-1 laptops with detachable keyboard will come with a stylus. It’s very useful for designers and artists. Also, look at battery life. It’s annoying to leave with a small laptop for the day and having to carry the power plug.
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Specs for the Top 12 Best Detachable Laptops
Graphics 10, 12, 13-inch Processor Intel Atom, Intel Pentium, Intel i5, Intel i7 or similar RAM 4 to 16 GB Storage 64 to 512 GB Battery life 6 to 12 hours OS Windows 10 Thickness / Weight 0.32 to 0.9″ / 1.73 to 3.53 lbs Price Range $, $$, $$$, $$$$$
Top 12 Best Detachable Laptops
1 – Microsoft Surface Book – 13″ QHD Detachable
“The Ultimate Detachable Powerhouse”
When it comes to the best detachable laptops, the Microsoft Surface notebooks are the reference. Literally, all the detachable laptops are compared to them. They are that good!
As for this Surface Book, not only it is a strong performer, it also has a premium look. And it has a solid built thanks to its magnesium body. The strong & ingenious hinge and the magnetic charging cable are two examples of why the Surface Book is a high-end laptop.
As for performance, it runs most of your regular day-to-day software smoothly, without any lag. That includes any engineering software as it was build as CAD laptop. However, if you are a hardcore gamer, you might find that demanding games won’t run that smoothly at high-resolution. But overall, it is the ultimate powerhouse for users who want desktop-like experience on the go.
Add that to probably the best responsive stylus on the market and a gorgeous, ultra-HD 13.5″ display and you’ve got one of the best detachable laptops on the market! Read our full review.
Pros
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Cons
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| Graphics | 13.5″ QHD touchscreen (3000 x 2000) with NVIDIA GTX 965M |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.9″ / 3.34 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i5 + 8 GB RAM, 
15-inch QHD + NVIDIA GTX 1060
2 – Asus Transformer Mini T103HA – 10″ HD Detachable
“Cheap & Portable with Good Display & Audio”
The Microsoft Surface Book is genuinely a good purchase for the money, but the Asus Transformer Mini T103HA beats it an important aspect: affordability. It’s really a cheap detachable laptop.
While some of the best 2-in-1 detachable laptops are really powerful, the Transformer Mini T103HA is more of a casual laptop to browse the web and watch movies. Forget about high-demanding software or any gaming. But the lack of high-end performance also ensures you get a low price.
So, despite being at the low-end of the market, it’s a good 10-inch notebook that has excellent speakers, a good display and surprising long battery life. So, for the money you are paying, you are getting very good value. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
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| Graphics | 10.1″ HD touchscreen (1280 x 800) |
| Performance | Intel Cherry Trail with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 11 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.32″ / 1.74 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
White & Orange3 – Microsoft Surface Pro – 12″ QHD Detachable
“Light, Powerful & Good Value for Money”
If you’re looking a powerful, high-quality 12-inch laptop, be prepared to get blown away with the Surface Pro. For quite a while now, it has been the reference in detachable notebooks, and for good reasons.
It’s a solid, powerful, efficient and lightweight detachable that fits perfectly in your handbag. When you consider the size & the weight, it is almost shocking how good the built quality is. And, with the improved Surface pen, artists & designers have more freedom and flexibility with their work, unlike anything before.
The only small drawback would be the keyboard. First, it’s not included with the tablet so you have to buy it separately. Second, it’s not as solid as a ‘real’ laptop keyboard due to the fact that it’s also a soft cover. While it’s more a feature than a flaw, if you’re a writer that spends its days typing, you might want to consider a more classic keyboard. Aside from that, there is nothing much to complain about this unit.
So basically, it is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops with detachable screen. Talking about the display, it is as crisp & sharp as a high-end TV screen. It’s really a great product! Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
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| Graphics | 12″ QHD touchscreen (2736 x 1824) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.33″ / 1.73 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
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4 – Acer Switch 5 – 12″ QHD Detachable
“Cheaper Alternative to the Surface Pro”
Yes, I warned you that Surface notebooks are benchmarks for detachable laptops. So, to keep the trend, if you are looking for best tablet laptops for students and for a cheaper alternative to the Surface Pro, the Acer Switch 5 is the one you should go with.
The Switch 5 also comes with a sharp 12″ QHD display that – although I’d have preferred more brightness – is very good for a mid-range notebook. With the auto retracting U-frame kickstand, adjusting the angle and keeping the laptop steady is easier than ever and frankly, it’s one the best-balanced kickstand I’ve seen on a detachable notebook.
Also, they added nice features like the fingerprint sensor that is integrated into the power button. And, unlike other detachable laptops on the market, this one doesn’t have any fan. Instead, it is equipped with liquid-loop CPU cooling system that keeps it cool all the time. A nice addition that just adds to the value of this good Windows detachable laptop.
Pros
|
Cons
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| Graphics | 12″ QHD touchscreen (2160 x 1440) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.63″ / 2.8 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
Intel i7 + 8 GB RAM5 – HP Spectre X2 – 12″ HD Detachable
“Quality at a Low-Cost”
The build quality, aesthetics and performance of a laptop is often compromised to keep the price to a minimum. However, this is not the case for HP Spectre X2.
Along with its premium design, responsive detachable keyboard and precise touchpad, this unit has unexpected performance for a device in this price range.
The audio system is also loud and for the price, it’s definitely good. Coupled with a vivid display, this laptop is definitely one of the best 2-in-1 laptops with detachable keyboard.
That’s why it is one of the best tablet laptops for students. It can be used as a light entertainment machine and as a travel companion. However, the fans make a bit annoying noise when under load, but even it’s not a deal breaker, but I’d have enjoyed it more if I didn’t hear the absurd noise in the background.
Pros
|
Cons
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| Graphics | 12″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel m3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.52″ / 2.68 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
6 – Acer Switch 7 – 13″ Detachable
“Performance Beast”
Ok, I talked about a few cheap detachable laptops for light usage. Now it’s time to talk about a heavy machine that puts other laptops to shame with its incredibly amazing specs. Meet the Acer Switch 7.
It’s a powerful machine with SSD storage and a dedicated graphics card for fast 3D processing. Perfect for a professional that needs the performance of a laptop, but the flexibility of a 13-inch 2-in-1 notebook.
And it also has a fanless cooling system that gets rid of all the noise you’d hear from other laptops. Acer made the kickstand better than most other detachable laptops.
So, in short, it is a good device with a good HD+ display, decent audio and nice design, all this on a high-performance laptop. However, all this comes at a hefty price tag…
Pros
|
Cons
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| Graphics | 13.5″ touchscreen (2256 x 1504) with NVIDIA MX150 |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 16 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.6″ / 3.53 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$$$ |
# 7 to 12 Best Detachable Laptops
7 – Asus Transformer Book T101HA – 10″ HD Detachable
“Affordable 10-Inch Detachable”
This is another cheap option for students or light users in general. Asus pretty much invented detachable laptops with the first version of this model and it continues to be very good for the price.
It does offer decent performance for basic stuff, but don’t expect it to be a performance beast. But it’s still good, at least for what you’d expect from a detachable laptop around $300.
And it does have a good display that is certainly bright enough to be used outdoors. Besides, the viewing angles are very good too. It’s also a good entertainment laptop with loud enough speakers and a long battery to comfortably enjoy a movie.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 10″ HD touchscreen (1280 x 800) |
| Performance | Intel Cherry Trail with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.72″ / 2.28 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
8 – Samsung Galaxy Book – 12″
“Nice 12-inch Detachable”
When we talk about the best 2-in-1 Detachable Laptops, Samsung is not the brands that come to our mind immediately. Mainly because the Korean laptop brand is mostly dominant in the mobile tech devices, and not in the laptop space.
However, this small notebook definitely deserves a spot on this list for many reasons. First of all, the build quality is great. I mean the moment you hold it, you know it’s a flagship-like product. If it wasn’t for the wobbly feeling, it would be perfect.
The keyboard responsiveness, good performance, the low latency of the S pen are some of the most noticeable features. So, there’s no way I wasn’t going to put in on this list. However, it comes at a higher price tag than others.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 12″ screen (2160 X 1440) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB |
| Battery life | Up to 11 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0″ / 1.66 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
10-inch HD + Integrated9 – Lenovo Miix 520 – 12″ Detachable
“Laptop for Day-To-Day Usage”
The Lenovo Miix 520 is almost identical to the previous 510 model, plus some minor changes on the casing. However, performance have greatly improved.
The touchpad is responsive and so is the keyboard. Besides, the keys have a good travel which is very satisfying, especially after punching the chicklet style keypad for years. However, the touchpad is small compared to the overall laptop size and the screen was not bright enough to be comfortably used outdoors.
| Graphics | 12.2″ touchscreen (1920 x 1200) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.6″ / 2.65 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
It’s little brother: Lenovo Miix 320
10 – Acer Aspire Switch 10 – 10″ HD Detachable
“Affordable 2-in-1 Detachable for Students”
This is definitely one of the best tablet laptops for students out there. It comes at a very attractive price, but for that, they had to cut on the performance. So if you’re looking for a cheap detachable notebook to take notes, this is a good choice. If you plan on asking a lot out of it… choose another one.
This 10-inch notebook also has a stable and balanced design like any of the best 2-in-1 detachable laptops should have. Besides, the speakers are quite powerful, which is uncommon in at that price.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 10″ HD touchscreen (1280 x 800) |
| Performance | Intel Atom Z3735F with 2 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 32 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.4″ / 2.6 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
11 – Lenovo Miix 320 – 10″ HD Detachable
“Good Value for Money”
At such low price, the Lenovo Miix 320 works surprisingly smoothly. It has a low-end CPU that will only handle basic web browsing & movie-watching, but it comes with decent stereo speakers.
Also, the keypad is responsive & robust without too much flex. Additionally, full-sized keys are nice for writers or students. Read our full review.
Pros
| Cons
|
| Graphics | 10.1″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel Atom with 2 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.68″ / 2.2 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
12 – Acer Switch 3 – 12″ HD Detachable
“Affordable 12-Inch Tablet”
The Acer switch 3 is not the best detachable notebook, but it’s a decent choice for a notebook under 500 dollars. But it does have a few flaws. The biggest one is its processing power. With the Intel Pentium N4200, the Acer Switch 3 is definitely not the fastest. However, the sound system is like the one you’d find on the best detachable laptops. Everything else is average, which is still a good deal, considering its price tag.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 12.2″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Pentium N4200 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Battery life | Expect 6 to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.64″ / 2.76 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
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.
