TOP PICK 
BLW's Score
93
92
90
87
86
MSRP
$909.00
$939.00
$940.00
$1,299.00
$499.99
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-8550U 1.8 GHz
Intel Core i7-7200U 2.5GHz
Intel Core i7-7500U 2.7GHz
Intel Core i7-7500U 2.7GHz
Intel Core i5-8250U (up to 3.4 GHz)
RAM
16GB DDR3L
8GB DDR3L
8GB DDR4
12GB DDR4
8GB DDR3L
Hard Disk
512GB SSD
128GB SSD
256GB SSD
256GB SSD
256GB SSD
Display
13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
13.3” FHD (1920 x 1080)
13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
13.3" FHD+ (1920x1080)
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Intel HD Graphics 620
Intel HD Graphics 620
OS
Windows 10
Windows 10
Windows 10
Windows 10
Windows 10
Weight
2.87 pounds
3.7 pounds
4.9 pounds
3.64 pounds
2.6 pounds
TOP PICK
Model
BLW's Score
93
MSRP
$909.00
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-8550U 1.8 GHz
RAM
16GB DDR3L
Hard Disk
512GB SSD
Display
13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 620
OS
Windows 10
Weight
2.87 pounds
Model
BLW's Score
92
MSRP
$939.00
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-7200U 2.5GHz
RAM
8GB DDR3L
Hard Disk
128GB SSD
Display
13.3” FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 620
OS
Windows 10
Weight
3.7 pounds
Model
BLW's Score
90
MSRP
$940.00
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-7500U 2.7GHz
RAM
8GB DDR4
Hard Disk
256GB SSD
Display
13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 620
OS
Windows 10
Weight
4.9 pounds
Model
BLW's Score
87
MSRP
$1,299.00
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-7500U 2.7GHz
RAM
12GB DDR4
Hard Disk
256GB SSD
Display
13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics 620
OS
Windows 10
Weight
3.64 pounds
Model
BLW's Score
86
MSRP
$499.99
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i5-8250U (up to 3.4 GHz)
RAM
8GB DDR3L
Hard Disk
256GB SSD
Display
13.3" FHD+ (1920x1080)
Graphics
Intel HD Graphics 620
OS
Windows 10
Weight
2.6 pounds
Note: Our comparison table only shows our top 5 picks. You can find the other recommendations within this article.
If you're in the market for a brand new 13-inch notebook or ultrabook then this list of top 10 best 13 inch laptops will be helpful for you. The display screen size of the laptop is one of the most important factors determining our purchase criteria.
The laptop screen size depends to a large extent on personal preference of the user as well as his purpose of use. Among the list of available screen sizes, 13 inch can surely be considered to be the optimum laptop size.
Neither too big nor too tiny, the best 13-inch laptops sidestep the squint inducing terror and flimsiness of smaller sized notebooks which surely win full marks in portability sphere but are a pain to work with.
On What To Pay Attention When Buying 13 Inches Laptop?
Customers for sure are going to get spoilt for choice with various big names of IT field entering the 13 inch laptop market segment. From Windows to MacBook, the choice is limitless.
And just when you thought things can’t go any better, some 13 inch laptops come with convertible mode. Thus apart from the traditional laptop use, they can also suffice as tablet, tent and table top options.
Today we have assembled a list of best 13 inch laptop available for grab in the marketplace. In most cases such laptops come with i5 or i7 Intel Core Processors, Minimum 8GB RAM and SSD memory in occasional instances.
Latest innovation in the technical sphere have also added extra credits in the form of IPS screen supporting wide angle display so that you can have a nice time watching movies with a big group of friends. In many cases the laptop screens come with built in anti-glare technology so that prolonged use does not cause any harmful impact on your retina.
Read Related Article: 5 Best 14 inch Laptop – Complete Guide and Reviews 2020
Modern day keyboards of these 13 inch models are usually backlit to assist in typing even in low light surroundings. Optical touchpad fosters one tap login using Windows Hello in the system. These beauties also earn full marks in the looks department with barely there bezels which give the screen a floating illusion.
All of the best 13-inch laptops don’t necessarily burn a big hole in our pocket. That’s the irony of latest innovation. It is packing state-of-art discoveries in an ultra slim chassis without crossing the affordability parameter much.
And if you are worried about battery life then these powerhouses have got you covered so that you can make the most out of everything and never fail to capture the events which matter. Refer to our article for a birds eye view of the best 13-inch laptop category contenders and be rest assured to select the numero uno banking on our expert advice.
Our Top Picks for Best 13 Inch Laptops
1. HP Spectre x360
Specs:
The newest flagship notebook from the house of Hewlett-Packard has undergone significant refinement in the form of enhanced display color depth, trim in width size and premium chassis built with machined aluminum.
Under the hood it features 8GB RAM and Core i7-8550U Kaby Lake CPU thus delighting its users with efficient multitasking.
Although it doesn’t meet the mark in graphics test, its 1920x1080 resolution in the 13.3 inch IPS touchscreen makes up for all the shortcomings.
HP goes a step ahead this time with zero backlight bleed, maximum screen brightness and excellent viewing angles. Its tactile backlit keyboard having plenty of properly placed extras and enormous trackpad promises comfortable typing and easy navigation.
With 1.25mm of travel time, the keystrokes might be shallow but given the thin frame of the Spectre x360 it definitely is complete value for money. At 1.3 kg, the Spectre x360 making it to our list of best 13-inch laptops can be carried around easily and runs for a whopping 15 hours.
Its overall matte finish with the HP logo embedded on the lid blends in nicely with the posh look. The 360 degree hinge can surely be termed as the USP of this beauty paving the way to its usage in tablet, tent and display modes.
Positioned at its top centre is a full HD webcam which also doubles up as a Windows Hello camera for one step login. This means when you are unlocking your PC the in-built infrared sensors are scanning your facial features in the background.
See Also: 5 Best Laptops For Hackers And Hacking
2. Dell XPS9360
Specs:
The ultraportable Dell XPS 13 with infinite touch display beats it competitors in best 13-inch laptop category with the deadly combo of comfort, battery life, design and performance.
Constructed with superbly machined aluminium, the latest XPS 13’s top lid is clad in silver whereas the palm rest is made up of carbon fibre. The virtually borderless display accentuates the screen space and delights its users with UltraSharp QHD+ 3200x1800 resolution.
You can very well expect minute onscreen detailing with its eye-popping 5.7 million pixels. The Dell XPS can be used with much ease in outdoor conditions thanks to its 400 nit brightness which is considerably greater than its contemporaries.
Contrast ratio of 1000:1 and colour gamut of 72% helps in ushering colour accuracy and differentiation. The touch friendly screen lets its users pinch, tap and sweep their way around.
The backlit keyboard provides typing assistance in dim-lit rooms and the precision touchpad with Accidental Activation Prevention prevents floating cursors and unintentional clicks. The Energy Start certified XPS 13 is highly power efficient and is made up of cadmium and mercury free materials.
Exceptionally strong Wi-Fi connectivity gets established through its Killer 1535 Wireless-AC adapter which auto detects and prioritizes network traffic so that your urgent applications receive first priority.
See Also: 5 Best Laptops For PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds)
3. Lenovo Yoga 910
Specs:
The classy looking Lenovo Yoga having shiny polished metal sides and brushed metal top and bottom panel is surely one of the most sophisticated looking option of the best 13-inch laptop category.
The almost bezel less design of the Lenovo Yoga creates an illusion of the screen floating in mid-air thus enhancing the movie viewing experience. Weighing 3.09 pounds, this ultraportable laptop having a thickness of 0.6” can be carried around in a hassle free manner.
Although its backlit keyboard has shallow travel time of 1.3mm, it gets neutralized by a comparatively stiff actuation weight of 65 grams required for depressing the keys and ensuring a snappy typing experience.
The one-piece touchpad with dimensions of 4.7x2.3 inch responds quickly to multitouch gestures without hesitation. Equipped with 256GB PCIe solid-state drive, 8GB of RAM and 2.7-GHz Intel Core i7 7500U CPU, users can open multiple tabs yet run demanding programs without any hint of lag.
In the connectivity frontier, the Yoga 910 pumps in two USB 3.0 Type-C ports and one USB Type-A port. The dual bottom mounted JBL speakers offers pretty decent sound which is enough to fill in a mid-sized room. Its 720p webcam can be grainy at times but snaps up decent pictures overall.
The improved battery life of 10.5 hours comes as breather to the ones always on the move.
4. Dell Inspiron 7000
Specs:
Subtle vertical furrows running through the greyish aluminium lid plays up the rear mounted hinges and shining black Dell logo positioned in the centre of the Inspiron beauty. Its diamond cut edge sits like a cherry on top of its minimalistic yet premium look.
The island styles keys having travel time of 1.3mm don’t please much however the extraordinary backlighting makes sure you can type comfortably even in dark rooms.
With a dimension of 4.2x3.1 inch the monster touchpad snatches away much of the keyboard frontier but is sensitive enough to respond quickly to multiple finger tap and dual fingered scroll.
Multitasking becomes a cakewalk in the Dell Inspiron model having 7th Gen Intel Core i7-7500U 2.7GHz Dual-core Ultra-low-voltage processor, 256GB SSD and 12GB DDR4 memory. Its 3-cell lithium-ion battery can run for 6 hours at a stretch before running out of juice.
Two built in microphones and a 720p HD webcam can ease out Skype calls. Its 13.3 inch Full HD touchscreen having maximum resolution of 1920x1080 and Intel HD Graphics 620 promises impressive clarity and colour accuracy and is quick to touch responses which becomes exceptionally handy when the convertible is used in tent, tablet or stand modes.
5. ASUS ZenBook UX331UA
Specs:
This super slim laptop with its unmatched power and easy portability can help you conquer the whole day with much ease. Powered by a highly responsive 256GB SSD, 8GB of 1600MHz LPDDR3 memory and Intel Core i5-8250U processor, the ZenBook can manage even the most intricate tasks within a flash of a second.
Say hello to effortless login with its glass covered precision touchpad having bang on accuracy and high sensitivity. Developed in line with exclusive technology used in smartphones, the touchpad fosters easy and secure login with its state-of-art fingerprint sensor.
The Asus offering also scores the top slot in connectivity frontier with USB 3.1 Type-C port and three built-in USB 3.0 ports which promises ten times faster connection and transfer speed in comparison to its predecessors.
One USB 3.0 port comes with Charger+ for propelling 50% faster charging even when the laptop is shut down or in sleep mode. With its wide viewing anti-glare display screen of 178 degrees, the Zenbook easily earns its place in the list of best 13-inch laptops available in the market.
Whether you are working outdoors or in a brightly lit room trust this Asus player to protect your retina from the distracting glare. With the ergonomic full-sized keyboard having travel time of 1.5mm, extra wide touchpad and rubberized palm rest typing comfort reaches its brim.
The ZenBook doesn’t fail to please the audiophiles in us with its SonicMaster feature having multiple sound profiles to choose from.
6. Apple MacBook Pro 13
Specs:
Apple has never failed to attain mass appeal in spite of its offerings being a bit on the pricey side. With Intel Core i5 processor having turbo boost up to 3.6 GHz, the MacBook Pro runs well at ease with intricate software based work.
8 GB of DDR4 SDRAM helps the machine with super fast booting with zero program downtime and 256GB SSD storage helps with ample file space. Integrated graphics does not work well in sync with high end gaming but can suffice with low or medium level games.
With competitors having an edge over the MacBook Pro with 4k screen, the 13.3 inch Retina Display model with 2560x1600 pixel resolution and IPS panel coughs up 500 nits brightness paving the way for crisp, clear and bright images perfect for external use.
This model does not have any SD card slot however there is an external card reader in case you wish to transfer pictures from your camera without putting in much hard work.
Although the weight of 4.9 pounds makes it slightly bulkier in comparison to its peers the sleek aluminum body coated in pristine silver imparts a premium feel to the Apple beauty.
7. Samsung Notebook 9
Specs:
The ready-to-travel Notebook 9 from the house of Samsung is more than just another featherlight option for those constantly on the go. It is a pocket-sized powerhouse having ultra-fast Intel Core i5 processor which is bound to leave you stunned with blazing speed and tough functionality.
At 1.8 pounds the Notebook 9 sporting maximum screen size and barely there bezel can be carried around with much ease. With 180 degree reclination support, the Notebook 9 allows users to share their view with those around.
The power efficient processor aids in multitasking and the SSD makes everything from booting to running programs a cakewalk. The lighter-than-air laptop might look slender but comes with a highly powerful battery which can recharge fully within just eighty minutes.
Fast charging option takes just twenty minutes to add 2.1 hours of battery life to the machine. The USB Type-C cable can be used for charging whether you are traveling via flight or car.
Ergonomically designed keyboard having a glass touchpad ensures comfortable typing and can be used to work in both sundown and sunlit scenarios thanks to its efficient backlighting. Its Full-HD display makes images look more vivid and highly color accurate.
Secured login with Windows Hello protects the device from unauthorized access and lets you log in to the system with just one finger touch.
8. DELL XPS 9350
Specs:
The virtually borderless Dell XPS 9350 cleverly packs in a stunning 13 inch display within the frame of an 11 inch laptop thus earning its much deserved slot in our list of best 13-inch laptops.
The infinite display having a thin bezel of 5.2mm consisting of less than 2% of the display screen frees up much of its screen space. This ultra-thin beauty weighing 2.6 pounds can be your perfect travel companion thanks to its super portability.
UltraSharp QHD+ 3200x1800 resolution display with 276 ppi ensures ultimate viewing experience with extraordinary clarity and intricate detailing. The IGZO2 IPS panel having wide viewing angles of up to 170° assist users in viewing the screen from every possible edge.
At 400-nit the screen supports movie watching even at sunny outdoors. High contrast ratio of 1000:1 and 72% colour gamut helps in differentiating colour frames. Its touch friendly display built in line with smartphones is extremely user friendly and assists in navigating through applications with much ease.
11 hours of battery life makes sure you can use the laptop even during those painfully long flight sessions. 256GB of SSD helps the XPS9350 to boot and resume operation within seconds.
The standard backlit keyboard makes sure you don’t have to try extra hard for typing in low light rooms and the improved touchpad delivers top notch fluid planning, zooming and pinching. Its machined aluminium construction imparts to it a durable and sturdy yet neat look.
The Corning Gorilla Glass makes sure your laptop screen remains scratch resistant to cleaning, handling and wiping activities.
9. Apple MacBook Air
Specs:
In a market saturated with 13 inch offerings, the latest product from the house of Apple weighing under 3 pounds promises excellent portability on the go. With Intel’s 1.6 GHz Intel Core i5 dual core processor (up to 3.6 GHz), 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM and 128 GB SSD users can very well expect lightning fast speed and efficient multitasking.
So whether you are watching a movie in Netflix or playing a graphic intensive game, keeping ten to fifteen tabs opened in the background surely won’t cause the laptop to falter. The backlit keys of this chiclet style keyboard are excellent to work upon.
The trackpad is also highly sensitive to gestures and assists in navigating in a hassle free manner. The mammoth lithium based battery life of 12 hours running on a single charge is quite good compared to other brands.
Its 13.3 inch glossy widescreen Retina display with a 2560 x 1600 maximum resolution cooks up pretty bright and clear pictures. In the connectivity frontier the MacBook Air comes with two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports that support charging, external monitors and other external accessories. A USB adapter may be required depending on the accessory. Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi establishes super fast wireless connectivity.
10. ASUS Zenbook 13
Specs:
This ASUS offering from its Zenbook series packs in more power and faster processing in a super thin frame which radiates a premium feel from all its angles. At just 0.5 inch, this razor slim laptop is one of the thinnest entrants in our list of best 13-inch laptops. The slim-bezel display makes the laptop even more compact.
The 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U processor ropes in high quality entertainment, enhanced battery life and more power on the go. Productivity reaches its optimum as you easily toggle in between applications and run multiple background process without any sign of machine downtime.
Users can also enjoy up to three times swift Wi-Fi speed with the latest 802.11ac wireless which will assist is sharing, streaming and downloading to one’s heart’s content. The USB 3.1 Type-C port fosters quick device charging and blazing fast data transfer through a single reversible port.
The 13.3" FHD Wide View Display featuring IPS technology and wide viewing angles makes content sharing a cakewalk. The resolution is more than sufficient at 1920 x 1080.
Conclusion
With online sales of laptops increasing amongst tech enthusiasts, you can even try online portals for buying your top pick. These portals other than the obvious laptop specifications also list down the customer reviews.
With proper replacement policy and service warranty, they are surely a safe haven for your next laptop purchase. And in case if you are a bit on the orthodox side you can definitely visit the good old physical shop and inspect the 13 inch options in flesh and bone before proceeding with your purchase.
Whatever be your pick considering the latest technology drive, you surely won’t be disappointed with your newest 13 inch work buddy.
