In today's market, any laptop that's thin, light, and powerful enough can be considered an ultrabook—except for gaming laptops. The term "ultrabook" originated from Intel's marketing efforts to describe premium, high-end laptops, but it now includes devices powered by other processors as well. At its core, an ultrabook should provide exceptional productivity performance while being slim, lightweight, and highly portable. It's designed to be a reliable companion that doesn't burden you with weight or constant charging needs.
TL;DR – These Are the Best Ultrabooks:
Our Top Pick### Asus Zenbook S 16
0See it at Best BuySee it at Asus
### Razer Blade 14
0See it at Razer
### Microsoft Surface Laptop 11
0See it at Amazon
### Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)
0See it at AmazonThe best ultrabooks available today are surprisingly capable given their compact size and weight. Our top pick, the Asus Zenbook S 16, rivals high-end desktops with minimal power consumption and exceptional quietness. From budget-friendly options to powerful machines capable of editing 4K video and beyond, these are the best ultrabooks you can buy right now.
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
0The Asus Zenbook S 16 stands out as a stellar Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro. It's incredibly easy to carry and a pleasure to use.See it at Best BuySee it at AsusProduct SpecificationsDisplay16" (2880 x 1800)CPUAMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370GPUAMD Radeon 890MRAM32GB LPDDR5XStorage1TB PCIe SSDWeight3.31 poundsSize13.92" x 9.57" x 0.47" - 0.51"Battery lifeAround 15 hoursPROSDual OLED screensExceptionally thin and lightOutstanding performance with all-day battery lifeBeautiful 3K OLED touchscreenImpressive gaming performanceCONSSome keyboard flexThe Asus Zenbook S 16 is the best overall ultrabook available today. With a thickness of just 13mm at its thickest point and a lightweight design at only 3.31lbs, it's incredibly portable. It boasts fantastic battery life, a stunning OLED display, and the best gaming performance from any integrated GPU, surpassing portable gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally X and Ayaneo Kun. It truly embodies the essence of an ultrabook—light enough to carry effortlessly and thin enough to fit into any bag. Its performance is top-notch, thanks to the cutting-edge AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, and it offers superior connectivity with two USB Type-C ports, a full-size USB Type-A, an SD card reader, and an HDMI-out port for use with a great portable monitor.
The display is exceptional, with a crisp 2880x1880 resolution and vibrant colors. As an OLED screen, it delivers rich, deep blacks, and its 500-nit brightness ensures visibility in any environment. With up to 15 hours of battery life, the Asus Zenbook S 16 sets the standard for what an ultrabook should be.
HP Pavilion Aero 13
Best Budget Ultrabook
### HP Pavilion Aero 13
0At under $800, this laptop offers incredible value. See it at HPProduct SpecificationsDisplay13.3” 2K (1,920 x 1,200) IPS CPUAMD Ryzen 5 8840URAM16GB DDR5 6,400MHzStorage512MB NVMe SSDWeight2.2 poundsSize 11.7" x 8.31" x 0.69"Battery lifeAround 12 hoursPROSGreat balance of price and performanceFast processor and ample memoryUltraportable designAll-day battery lifeCONSLimited storageFor those seeking an affordable ultrabook, the HP Pavilion Aero 13 is an excellent choice. Priced at less than $800, it features a fast Ryzen 5 processor and 16GB of DDR5 memory, ensuring smooth performance for productivity tasks, even when multitasking. Its slim and lightweight design makes it easy to carry throughout the day.
The price-to-performance ratio is impressive, making it a surprising value. While it's not ideal for gaming, its integrated graphics can handle lighter gaming if you adjust settings. The main limitation is its 512GB storage, which may require an external hard drive for additional space. However, given its compact size and portability, this shouldn't be a deal-breaker.
Razer Blade 14 (2024) – Photos
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3. Razer Blade 14
Best Ultrabook for Gaming
### Razer Blade 14
0With a stunning and fast QHD+ display and powerful internals in a sleek chassis, this 14-inch luxury laptop is perfect for gaming on the go.See it at RazerProduct SpecificationsDisplay14” QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) IPS 240HzCPUAMD Ryzen 9 8945HSGPUNvidia RTX 4070RAM16GB DDR5 5,700MHzStorage1TB NVMe SSDWeight4.05 poundsSize 12.73" x 8.97" x 0.70"Battery lifeAround 9-10 hoursPROSExcellent gaming performance240Hz displayCONSShallow keyboardPC gaming and portability often require compromises, but the Razer Blade 14 minimizes them. It packs powerful hardware into a laptop weighing just over 4lbs and less than an inch thick. The 14-inch 240Hz QHD+ display with a 16:10 aspect ratio offers a unique viewing experience. However, it's the internals that truly impress.
Powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, this machine can handle any game and excel at video editing. It also supports overclocking. With 16GB DDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD storage, it ensures smooth performance, and Wi-Fi 7 support provides fast connectivity. You can use it as a portable gaming station or connect it to a gaming monitor via its full-size HDMI port.
Our 2024 review praised the Razer Blade 14 for its fast GPU and luxurious build quality, though it's undeniably expensive.
See more of the best gaming laptops to buy right now.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 11
Best for Students
### Microsoft Surface Laptop 11
0This colorful laptop features a Snapdragon processor, ample memory and storage, and impressive battery life.See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsDisplay13.8" (2304 x 1536)CPUSnapdragon X Plus to Snapdragon X EliteGPUQualcomm AdrenoRAM16GB - 32GB LPDDR5XStorage256GB - 1TB PCIe SSDWeight2.96 poundsSize11.85" x 8.67" x 0.69"Battery lifeUp to 20 hoursPROSGreat performanceFun color optionsLong battery lifeCONSSome apps aren't compatibleIf you need a reliable laptop for school that won't weigh you down, the latest Surface Laptop and Surface Pro 2-in-1 are ideal. Equipped with powerful Snapdragon Plus and Snapdragon Elite processors, they offer ample memory and storage, and battery life that can last multiple workdays. For this list, we recommend the Surface Laptop, but the Surface Pro is also excellent for those who prefer a convertible design (and don't mind purchasing a keyboard case).
Microsoft has significantly upgraded these devices from the previous generation, offering more memory and storage options. Even the base model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage provides solid performance. The Snapdragon processors are highly power-efficient, with Microsoft claiming up to 20 hours of battery life for video playback and up to 13 hours for web browsing and productivity. Fast charging can power the laptop from zero to 80% in one hour.
The downside is that not all apps are compatible with Snapdragon processors. However, built-in emulation helps, and the list of compatible apps is growing. Check the list of compatible apps to ensure the ones you need for school are supported.
Asus Zenbook S 14
Best for Business
### Asus Zenbook S 14
0This ultra-portable laptop offers incredible battery life, snappy performance, and a stunning OLED touchscreen display.See it at AsusSee it at Best BuyProduct SpecificationsDisplay14" (2880 x 1800)CPUIntel Core Ultra 7 258VGPUIntel ArcRAM32GB LPDDR5XStorage1TB PCIe SSDWeight2.65 poundsSize12.22" x 8.45" x 0.51"Battery life15+ hoursPROSThinner, lighter, and more powerfulGreat battery lifeImproved gaming performanceGorgeous OLED touchscreenCONSNo microSD card readerThe Asus Zenbook S 14, the smaller sibling to our top pick, offers an excellent balance of processing power and battery life. In testing with Procyon's battery test, it ran for over 16 hours, ensuring you can work for two or more days without recharging. It performs smoothly, even with creative apps like Adobe Photoshop, and feels like a much more expensive laptop when using Microsoft Office or Google Drive applications.
Its ultra-portability, with a thickness of less than half an inch and a weight of just over 2.5lbs, makes it easy to carry throughout the day. It's also suitable for light gaming between meetings, thanks to the latest Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics. While it won't match dedicated gaming laptops, it can run games like Cyberpunk 2077 at 1200p with 30-60fps, offering a visual treat on its OLED screen.
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)
Best Ultrabook for Creatives
### Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)
0The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Max chip is the most powerful Mac ever created.See it at AmazonProduct SpecificationsDisplay16.2" (3456 x 2234)CPUM3 MaxGPUIntegrated (40-core)RAM48GB - 128GBStorage1TB - 8TB SSDWeight4.8 poundsSize14.01" x 9.77" x 0.66"Battery lifeUp to 22 hoursPROSIncredibly powerful for a laptopHighly configurableExcellent battery lifeThin and relatively lightCONSCan easily become very expensiveFor creative professionals, the Apple MacBook Pro remains the top choice. Our review of the M2 Pro model confirmed its prowess, and the M3 Max version offers unparalleled performance for video editing, rendering art assets, and other demanding tasks. It's the go-to choice for many professional creators.
The MacBook Pro 16 is highly configurable, available with 16-core or 18-core M3 Max processors, up to 128GB of memory, and up to 8TB of storage. The standard M3 Pro version is $1,500 cheaper and sufficient for most creators, though it comes with a 512GB SSD instead of a full terabyte. Every version features the same stunning liquid retina display, widely regarded as one of the best on any laptop.
Beyond power, the MacBook Pro excels with its extensive ecosystem of creative apps. You can add licenses for Logic and Final Cut Pro at checkout. While Windows machines are also suitable for creative work and offer more flexibility with peripherals, many professionals find the MacBook Pro's powerful tools worth the investment despite its ecosystem limitations.
How We Chose the Best Ultrabooks
To identify the best ultrabooks, we first defined the essential qualities: thinness, lightness, extended battery life, and high-performance productivity. Gaming capability is a bonus. We evaluated ultrabooks we've reviewed, consulted expert sources, and considered major offerings from reputable brands. We also analyzed user reviews, Reddit recommendations, and real-world experiences to ensure our recommendations enhance daily life for users.
We categorized our top picks to help you find the best ultrabook for your needs, whether you're a professional, student, or gamer.
Things to Consider When Shopping for an Ultrabook
Purchasing an ultrabook is a significant investment, so take your time. Set a budget to ensure you can afford the right configuration. If budget is a concern, consider sacrificing some specs, like opting for 8GB of DDR5 or DDR4 RAM instead of 16GB.
If gaming isn't a priority, integrated graphics like Intel Iris XE or Intel Arc are sufficient, allowing you to allocate funds elsewhere. For those with a larger budget, choose futureproof hardware like 14th Gen Intel i5 or i7 CPUs, AMD Ryzen 7000 or 9000 series processors, and RTX 4000-series or AMD Radeon 7000-series GPUs.
FAQs
What is an ultrabook laptop?
Intel introduced the term "ultrabook" in 2011 to describe laptops that are exceptionally thin, light, and powerful. Today, the term is used more broadly to include laptops that are highly portable and capable of handling daily productivity tasks with ease. Most ultrabooks also offer extended battery life to last through a full workday.
Is a MacBook considered an ultrabook?
While a MacBook isn't technically an ultrabook due to its Apple origin, it embodies the ultrabook concept with its powerful, lightweight design and macOS operating system.
Are ultrabooks good for gaming?
Ultrabooks are not designed as gaming laptops, but newer models can handle gaming at lower settings or resolutions thanks to advancements in Intel and AMD processors. Cloud gaming is also a viable option on ultrabooks, requiring a subscription to services like Xbox Game Pass or Nvidia GeForce Now.
