Best Ultrabooks: Thin and Powerful Laptops for Every Purpose

Today, the term "ultrabook" is used rather loosely, encompassing any thin, light, and reasonably powerful laptop (excluding dedicated gaming machines). While initially a marketing term from Intel for high-end laptops, the definition has broadened. At its core, an ultrabook prioritizes excellent productivity in a slim, lightweight, and highly portable package. It's a reliable workhorse that won't weigh you down or demand constant charging.

TL;DR – Top Ultrabooks:

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Our Top Pick: Asus Zenbook S 16
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Razer Blade 14
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Microsoft Surface Laptop 11
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Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)
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Today's best ultrabooks offer surprising capabilities for their size and weight. Our top choice, the Asus Zenbook S 16, rivals high-end desktops while remaining remarkably power-efficient and quiet. From budget-friendly options to powerful machines capable of 4K video editing, this list covers the best ultrabooks available.

Asus Zenbook S 16 – Photos

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1. Asus Zenbook S 16

Best Ultrabook in 2025

Our Top Pick: Asus Zenbook S 16
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The Asus Zenbook S 16 is a compelling Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro—easily portable and a pleasure to use.

Pros: Dual OLED screens, exceptionally thin and light, outstanding performance with all-day battery, beautiful 3K OLED touchscreen, impressive gaming performance.

Cons: Some keyboard flex.

My review of the Asus Zenbook S 16 highlights its exceptional thinness (13mm at its thickest), lightweight design (3.31lbs), fantastic battery life, gorgeous OLED display, and best-in-class integrated GPU performance, surpassing portable gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally X and Ayaneo Kun. It's a truly complete package.

The Zenbook S 16 embodies the ultrabook ideal: light enough to be almost unnoticeable, thin enough for any bag. It delivers top-tier performance while remaining power-efficient and quiet, thanks to its cutting-edge AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU. Connectivity is also excellent, featuring two USB Type-C ports, a full-size USB Type-A, an SD card reader, and an HDMI-out port.

The display is exceptional, boasting a crisp 2880x1880 resolution and stunning colors. The OLED technology ensures rich blacks, and its 500-nit brightness makes it suitable for any environment. Finally, the 15-hour battery life cements its position as a cutting-edge ultrabook.

2. HP Pavilion Aero 13

Best Budget Ultrabook

HP Pavilion Aero 13
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At under $800, the HP Pavilion Aero 13 offers incredible value.

Pros: Great price-to-performance ratio, fast processor and ample memory, ultra-portable design, all-day battery life.

Cons: Limited storage.

For a budget-friendly ultrabook, the HP Pavilion Aero 13 shines. Its sub-$800 price point belies its fast Ryzen 7 processor and 16GB of DDR5 memory, ensuring smooth multitasking. Its incredibly thin and light design makes it ideal for all-day carry.

Considering its features, the price is remarkably reasonable. While not a gaming powerhouse, its integrated graphics are sufficient for casual gaming. Its main drawback is the limited 512GB storage; an external hard drive is recommended. However, its small size and light weight compensate for this.

3. Razer Blade 14 (2024)

Best Ultrabook for Gaming

Razer Blade 14
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With a stunning QHD+ display and powerful internals in a sleek chassis, this 14-inch luxury laptop conquers any game.

Pros: Excellent gaming performance, 240Hz display.

Cons: Shallow keyboard.

The Razer Blade 14 masterfully blends PC gaming and portability. It packs impressive hardware into a sub-4lb, under 1-inch thick chassis. The 14-inch 240Hz QHD+ display (16:10 aspect ratio) is complemented by an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card. This machine handles demanding games and video editing with ease, even allowing for overclocking. 16GB DDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD storage ensure speed, and Wi-Fi 7 provides fast connectivity.

Our 2024 review praised its exceptionally fast GPU. While expensive, its luxurious build and performance are undeniable. See more of the best gaming laptops.

4. Microsoft Surface Laptop 11

Best for Students

Microsoft Surface Laptop 11
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A colorful laptop with Snapdragon processors, ample memory and storage, and robust battery life.

Pros: Great performance, fun color options, long battery life.

Cons: Some app incompatibility.

The Surface Laptop 11 (and the Surface Pro 2-in-1) is ideal for students, boasting powerful Snapdragon Plus and Elite processors, ample memory and storage, and multi-day battery life. The Surface Laptop is recommended here, but the Surface Pro is a great convertible option (requiring a keyboard case).

Upgrades from the previous generation include increased memory and storage options. Even the base model (16GB RAM, 256GB storage) offers solid performance. The Snapdragon processors are highly power-efficient, offering up to 20 hours of video playback and 13 hours of web browsing/productivity. Fast charging is also supported (0-80% in one hour).

The main downside is app compatibility; however, built-in emulation helps, and the list of compatible apps is constantly growing.

5. Asus Zenbook S 14

Best for Business

Asus Zenbook S 14
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This ultra-portable laptop boasts incredible battery life, snappy performance, and a beautiful OLED touchscreen.

Pros: Thinner, lighter, and more powerful than its predecessor, great battery life, improved gaming performance, gorgeous OLED touchscreen.

Cons: No microSD card reader.

The Asus Zenbook S 14, the smaller sibling of our top pick, excels with its balance of processing power and battery life. My tests showed over 16 hours of battery life (Procyon's mixed productivity test), easily lasting two workdays. Performance is smooth, even with demanding creative apps like Adobe Photoshop. The ultra-portability makes it ideal for all-day carry; it's incredibly thin and weighs just over 2.5lbs.

It's also suitable for light gaming. The Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics deliver surprising capabilities. While not a gaming laptop, it can handle games like Cyberpunk 2077 at lower resolutions (1200p) at 30-60fps.

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

Best Ultrabook for Creatives

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)
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The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Max chip is Apple's most powerful Mac yet.

Pros: Incredibly powerful, highly configurable, very good battery life, thin and comparatively light.

Cons: Can be very expensive.

For creative professionals, the M3 Max MacBook Pro 16-inch remains a top choice. Its power surpasses most laptops, making it a favorite among creators. Its high configurability (various M3 Max options, up to 128GB RAM, and 8TB storage) caters to diverse needs. Even the base M3 Pro version offers excellent performance at a lower price point. The stunning Liquid Retina display is a key asset. The extensive Apple ecosystem of creative apps is another major advantage.

While Windows alternatives offer flexibility, the MacBook Pro’s power and software ecosystem make it attractive for many professionals. However, the closed ecosystem limits peripheral choices.

How We Chose the Best Ultrabooks

Our selection process involved defining essential ultrabook qualities: thinness, lightness, extended battery life, high-performance productivity, and optional gaming capabilities. We evaluated reviewed ultrabooks, consulted expert sources, examined major brand offerings, and considered benchmark scores and real-world impressions. User reviews, Reddit discussions, and community feedback helped identify ultrabooks enhancing daily user experiences. Finally, we categorized the best choices to suit various user types.

Things to Consider When Shopping for an Ultrabook

Set a budget before shopping to avoid overspending. Consider your needs: Lower budgets might necessitate compromises on RAM (e.g., 8GB DDR5 or DDR4) and integrated graphics (Intel Iris XE or Intel Arc). Higher budgets allow for more future-proof components like 14th Gen i5/i7 CPUs, AMD Ryzen 7000/9000 series processors, RTX 4000-series or AMD Radeon 7000-series GPUs.

FAQs

What is an ultrabook laptop?

Originally coined by Intel, "ultrabook" described exceptionally thin, light, and powerful laptops. Now, it encompasses portable laptops with sufficient power for everyday productivity tasks and extended battery life.

Is a MacBook considered an ultrabook?

While not technically an ultrabook (due to its Apple branding), a MacBook fits the ultrabook description, being a powerful yet lightweight laptop.

Are ultrabooks good for gaming?

Ultrabooks aren't gaming laptops. However, with lower graphics settings or resolutions, many newer ultrabooks can handle games. Intel and AMD's integrated graphics have improved significantly. Cloud gaming is another viable option.