Do you need a lightweight laptop? Look at the top 10 best mini laptops for 2018 reviewed here – we promise you will not be disappointed. Not only are these portable laptops thin, top performers but also hold a single battery charge all day.
Over the years, the design of laptops has changed radically from the bulky laptop to the mini one. Users need a lighter, thinner, and power-efficient design to fit in with their work travels. Do you do many works travel then the ultraportable laptop may be what you need?
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These handy devices weigh less than three pounds and have a 14-inch screen and the processors powerful. You get more battery life that is fantastic for traveling and staying in touch with your work. The mini systems have become faster, and you get loads of features with incredible display resolutions to fit your needs.
Maybe you have heard of the Ultrabooks or Stream books, but how do you select one fit for your working requirements? Let us help you to find one made for your needs right here.
Best Mini Laptops for 2018 You Need to Get One Soon!
9. Acer Swift 1 Mini Laptop
The Acers Swift 1 has the same look as the Dell XPS 13, but is a fraction of the price and has status-symbol features. The 13.3-inch IPS (In-plane Switching) display offers you a full High Definition resolution and worth a look. The budget ultraportable has a Pentium N4200 processor, may not be as superior as the Intel Core i3, and only has a 4GB memory with 64GB of flash storage.
For the student, the Acer Swift 1 is ideal to use and great to toss in your bag for traveling. The primary concern with the mini laptop is that you cannot tackle demanding games or workstation apps at this price point. You can purchase the model with a 13.3- and the 14-inch screen has a rounded wedge of silver, and looks very businesslike. The Swift 1 measures 0.6 inches high, has a width of 12.6-inches with a thickness of 8.9-inches and weighs 2.87 pounds.
There is medium thick bezel found around the matte screen with black keys in the silver keyboard. There is a large touchpad and has the Window Hello fingerprint reader place on the palm rest. Once switched on the screen pops with color on the 1080p display. For the bargain price and fantastic design, you get a great battery life with USB-C port and a full-sized HDMI port with SD card slot.
The downside is it only offers you 64GB of storage and has a cramped cursor control and the keyboards not backlit. The laptop may be short on storage space but has a slim build that is portable enough to take anywhere.
Features:
- Battery Rundown: 12-hours
- Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 505
- Platform: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Pentium N4200
- Processor Speed: 1.1 GHz
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: Flash
- Storage Capacity: 64GB
- Screen Type: 13.3-inch Widescreen
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Touch Screen: No
- Type: Ultraportable
- Weight: 2.87 lb
8. Acer Chromebook Spin 11
Do you have little kids at home? You do, how many times you have had to stop them from trying to pick up your laptop – many times. The Acer Chromebook Spin 11 has a kid-friendly design and a convertible tablet with a keyboard. The mini laptop according to Acer can hold a weight off 132 pounds when standing on the lid. The device has a water spill protection, and it can withstand a 48-inch fall off the desk.
For students, the Spin 11 is perfect to use and made of polycarbonate plastic with an underside-rubberized bumper. The screen has a glossy texture around it and the keys black. A touch panel covers the display with Gorilla Glass. The Chromebook measures 0.82-inches by 11.7-inches by 8.1-inches and weigh 3.09 pounds. The flip and fold design allow you to use it in laptop mode, stand mode with the keyboard facing down, or to use the screen tilted back.
Furthermore, you can use it in tent mode that it looks like an A-frame to use the touchscreen. You receive a Wacom stylus for sketching on the screen when used in tablet mode. The main problem we found is that there is no place to store the pen in the Chromebook. The system has an 11.6-inch IPS touchscreen and a 1,366 x 768 resolution and tilts to 360-degrees.
There is a webcam present with a 2nd camera placed in the middle above the keyboard. At the bottom, there are speakers with a decent sound. The ultraportable laptop has a USB 3.0 port with a USB-C port. You get an audio jack with a microSD card slot. Using the keyboards responsive and has shallow travel yet firm and is easy to use.
For school goers, the Spin 11 is ideal, runs on Chrome OS and Android apps, and protected against shock and water.
Features:
- Additional Storage: MicroSD
- Battery Rundown: 12-hours
- Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 500
- Networking Options: 802.11ac
- Platform: Google Chrome OS
- Processor: Intel Celeron N3350
- Processor Speed: 1.1 GHz
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: Flash
- Storage Capacity: 32 GB
- Screen Type: 11.6-inches Widescreen
- Screen Resolution: 1386 x 788
- Touch Screen: Yes
- Type: Convertible and Ultraportable
- Weight: 3.09 lb
7. Dell XPS 13
The Dell XPS 13 has a 7th-Gen Core i7 processor with only 8GB of RAM with a 256GB PCle solid-state drive. The mini laptop might have a lower 1.8GHz speed but has a fantastic 4GHz rate compared to previous models. For working, the XPS 13 is perfect but not suitable for demanding game is playing. You can buy the Ultrabook with or without a touchscreen.
The touchscreen model has a resolution of 3,200 x 1,800 with 16GB memory and is a bit more expensive than the basic model. The screen size is 13.3-inches and measures 0.6-inches by 12-inches by 7.9-inches. The webcams placed at the bottom of the display and the system weighs 2.7-pounds. For traveling, this is superb as it is lightweight to take anywhere.
The constructions aluminum and has a soft-touch carbon fiber keyboard deck with a palm rest. You have two USB 3.0 ports to charge your handheld devices. There is an SD card slot with a Noble lock slot. There is also a Thunderbolt 3 port comprising a USB-C port, audio jack, a row of LEDs, battery-gauge button, and AC adapter connector.
The speakers found behind small grilles on the side of the unit. The palm rest offers you a comfortable placing and has a shallow keyboard. The keyboards backlit, and the cursor arrow keys are in the right place. The full HD display is sharp and has a matte finish to from different angles.
The Dell 9360 will offer you a stunning performance with excellent battery life and has a sleek, compact design. The screen is bezel-free, and it has the latest quad-core CPU with outstanding speeds.
Features:
- Battery Rundown: 15-hours
- Battery Type: 60 Watts Hour
- Graphics Card: AMD Mobility Radeon 5850
- Platform: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8550U
- Processor Speed: 1.8 GHz
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: SSD
- Storage Capacity: 256 GB
- Screen Type: 13.3-inches Widescreen
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Basic Model and 3,200 x 1,800 Touchscreen
- Touch Screen: No and Yes Depending On The Model
- Type: Great for General Purpose Use
- Weight: 2.7 lb
6. Microsoft Surface Laptop
For a general use notebook, the Microsoft Surface Laptop has everything you need in an ultraportable to carry with you. The aluminum structures durable and have an Alcantara covering with a palm rest. The downside is the material gets dirty fast. To give it even a nice touch you can pick your favorite color Cobalt Blue, Platinum, Burgundy, and Graphite Gold.
The mini laptop measures 0.57-inches by 12.1-inches by 8.8-inches and weighs 2.75-pounds. The display is touchable and offers you a 13.5-inch screen with full-HD resolution that has an aspect ratio of 3:2. You can display different documents on your screen at the same time and covered with Gorilla Glass 3. The laptop works with the Surface Dial pen when using Bluetooth enabled devices, but is optional to buy and not included with the purchase.
When not using the stylus the one-piece touchpad has multitouch gestures or apply the screen with your fingertips. The Chiclet keyboard is backlit and comfortable to use, and the speakers give you an impressive sound. For connecting different devices, you have the headset jack, a USB port, mini Display port, a single surface connect jack, and USB port for charging phones.
The laptop has Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi onboard. The Microsoft Surface Laptop has a light and thin body and the keypads comfortable to use. The battery life’s exceptional but it does have limited ports selections without the future USB-C port. Do you need a sleek and portable mini laptop instead of an Apple MacBook Air the Microsoft’s worth considering?
Features:
- Battery Rundown: 16-hours
- Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 620
- Platform: Windows 10 S
- Processor: Intel Core i5-7200U
- Processor Speed: 2.5 GHz
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: SSD
- Storage Capacity: 256 GB
- Screen Type: 13.5-inches Standard
- Screen Resolution: 2256 x 1504
- Touch Screen: Yes
- Type: Ultrabook
- Weight: 2.7 lb
5. Apple MacBook Pro Mini Laptop
The latest Apple MacBook Pro has a reduced price with a new 7th Gen Core i5 and i7 processor. The design looks identical to their previous versions and lacks a touch bar and USB ports. The thin structure comfortably fits into any bag, measures 0.59-inches by 11.97-inches by 8.36-inches, and weighs 3.02 pounds. You get it in a Space Gray or Silver finish, and the Apple logo does not illuminate anymore.
The lid and entire chassis made of aluminum and the bezel on the 13-inch screen and keyboards black. You notice a glass trackpad and the keyboards backlit and comprise butterfly switches. There are limited ports as it has two USB-C connectors with one audio jack and you need to buy a separate adapter or the USB hub to use all your devices.
The ultraportable laptop has a 2,560 x 1,600 Retina display with a 500-nit screen and great to use if you work with images. You have a forward-facing 720p camera and offer you 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 connection. You receive the laptop with a year warranty and 90 days technical support.
The Streambook offers you fantastic battery life and has a thin and lightweight design. You only have two connection ports and a small hard drive. The beautiful thing is if you are a MacBook shopper who needs power at an affordable price the laptops perfect.
Features:
- Battery Rundown: 16-hours
- Battery Type: 54.5 Watt Hours
- Graphics Card: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
- Platform: macOS with Apple macOS Sierra Operating System
- Processor: Intel Core i5
- Processor Speed: 2.3 GHz
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: SSD
- Storage Capacity: 128 GB
- Screen Type: 13.3-inches Widescreen
- Screen Resolution: 2560 x 1600
- Touch Screen: No
- Type: Mini Laptop with Ultraportable Design
- Weight: 3.02 lb
4. HP Spectre 13
For a head-turning mini laptop, look no further than the HP Spectre 13 model. For battery life, the systems outstanding and has a powerful Intel Core i7 processor. The exterior of the laptop has a premium finish available Dark Ash Silver and Ceramic White. Above the keyboard, you find a speaker grilled and displays the Bang & Olufsen logo. The audio sounds pleasing for a conventional laptop.
The ultraportable design offers you a measurement of 0.41-inches by 12.03-inches by 8.83-inches and weighs 2.45 pounds. On the Ceramic White edition, HP uses gold-colored hinges, and the screen has a Corning Gorilla Glass for protection. The screen size is 13.3-inches with full HD touch panel display. The screen looks excellent turned off and on and works well in fluorescent-lit rooms.
The Spectre 13 you can buy with a 4K display but be prepared that the battery life will not last that long. The downside with the protective glass is it does accumulate loads of fingerprints. The system has a touchpad, but it is so small, virtually useless, and very unresponsive when using two-finger scrolling. The keys are backlit and great for long typing sessions.
There is an HD webcam with infrared sensor present for facial recognition and has limited ports. You have three USB-C ports with a 3.5mm jack. You receive several adapters included to use with USB 3.0 devices. The Spectre 13 offers you Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity. You receive a one-year warranty with 90-day phone support as well.
Features:
- Battery Rundown: 12-hours
- Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Platform: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8550U
- Processor Speed: 1.8 GHz
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: SSD
- Storage Capacity: 256 GB
- Screen Type: 13.3-inches Widescreen
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Touch Screen: Yes
- Type: Ultraportable
- Weight: 2.45 lb
3. Lenovo Yoga 920
For a convertible hybrid laptop, the Lenovo Yoga 920 stands out for all the right reasons. The build quality is fantastic and hosts some premium features with exceptional battery life. The mini laptop is suitable for corporate road warriors and has a sporty bronze metallic finish on the chassis and lid. You can purchase the computer in Copper, Glass, and Platinum as well.
The biggest problem with exterior and the touch screen are it is prone to fingerprints. The measurements of the Yoga 920 are 0.55-inches by 12.72-inches by 8.8-inches. The unit has a 360-degree hinge to rotate the screen and convert it to a tablet. You can use it in tent mode or make it stand using the keyboard. The laptop weighs 3.02 pounds and not heavy to carry with you to meetings or onto an airplane.
The full HD resolutions 1,920 x 1,080 and presents you with a 13.9-inch screen. You can use the keyboard or press on the screen. Alternatively, if you prefer not using your finger, you can buy the Lenovo Active Pen 2 to use on the screen. For storing the pen, you have a plastic holder that fits into the USB 3.0 port and does not attaché magnetically.
There is a full-size Shift key and the keyboards sturdy to use and has a touchpad and lags multitouch input. You get a fingerprint reader, work well, and support face-detection. The cameras located in the middle of the screen and it has two JBL speakers. For connecting external devices, you have a single USB 3.0 port and two USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 3. There is a headphone jack to use with your earphones.
The device works with Bluetooth 4.1 enabled devices and has 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity. You receive a one-year warranty included. For any executive the Lenovo Yoga 920 is perfect.
Features:
- Battery Rundown: 22-hours
- Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 620
- Networking Options: 802.11ac
- Platform: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8550U
- Processor Speed: 1.8 GHz
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: SSD
- Storage Capacity: 256 GB
- Screen Type: 13.9-inches Widescreen
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Touch Screen: Yes
- Type: Convertible and Mini Laptop Design
- Weight: 3.02 lb
2. Lenovo ThinkPad X1
For one of the Lenovo flagships, you can look at the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. The mini laptop has power under the hood and weighs less than 2.5 pounds. Whether you need to take care of spreadsheets, typing, presentations and more this computer can handle the workload. You get up to 16-hours battery use and ultra-portable to take anywhere.
The computer measures 0.6-inches by 12.7-inches by 8.5-inches and has a 14-inch screen. For connecting different devices, it has two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 built-in. Both the ports offer you a display and charging port. You can connect up to three monitors, and there is an HDMI jack with a USB 3.0 port with mini-Ethernet jack. For alternative storage, it has a microSD card slot with a SIM card slot. If you happen to use a non-standard AC adapter, the device has Anti-Fry protection to keep it protected.
The full HD resolution IPS screen has minimal bezels, and you find the webcam in its usual spot in the middle. For typing hours on end the keyboards comfortable to use and has a thick one-piece glass-surface on the touchpad. There is a fingerprint reader you can use with company security policies and Windows Hello.
On the base are the speakers offering you an impressive sound and great for web conferences. The most prominent setback with this ultraportable laptop is that you need to use a dongle with the Ethernet and has no touchscreen option.
Features:
- Battery Rundown: 16-hours
- Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 620
- Networking Options: 802.11ac
- Platform: Windows 10 Pro
- Processor: Intel Core i5-7300U
- Processor Speed: 2.6 GHz
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: SSD
- Storage Capacity: 256 GB
- Screen Type: 14-inches Widescreen
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Touch Screen: No
- Type: Business Mini Laptop
- Weight: 2.45 lb
1. Razer Blade Stealth
The Razer Blade Stealth has undergone many changes and packed with an 8th Generation quad-core Intel Processor. You get fantastic performance when handling media projects. The exterior looks exactly as the previous model with aluminum chassis and weighs 2.98 pounds. The screen is still the same at 13.3-inches and offers you a QHD+ touch display and the backlit keyboards customizable.
You get loads of connection ports with the spectacular USB-C port and Thunderbolt 3. You can use the USB-C port to connect the charger. The storage capacity of 256 GB has not changed and still available in the gunmetal and black versions. You can purchase the mini laptop in the 512 GB and 1TB storage. Furthermore, the Blade Stealth has a 16 GB of memory and features an Intel Core i7-8550U CPU processor with a 1.8GHz speed.
The ultraportable laptop runs quietly but does not have long battery life, and you cannot charge and use the USB-C port simultaneously.
Features:
- Battery Rundown: 8-hours
- Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Networking Options: 802.11ac
- Platform: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8550U
- Processor Speed: 1.8 GHz
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: SSD
- Storage Capacity: 256 GB
- Screen Type: 13.3-inch Widescreen
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Touch Screen: Yes
- Type: General Purpose
- Weight: 2.98 lb
How to Pick a Mini Laptop
The truth is when viewing the best mini laptops reviewed here with us, they all have the same sleek design. However, there is minor dissimilarity when it comes to their features. Here are essential rudiments you can consider before purchasing one.
Budget:
When viewing a system costing $350 and one that $1,200, even with the same trade name there are considerable differences in the structure. For an entry-level system, you can pay in the proximity of $500 and less. Are you a casual user then this price range is worth buying?
However, you still need to take caution as the display resolution, processing power, and storage is lower. The laptops built with compelling media viewing, construction material, word processing, and more. Are you a student or need to perform the basics on your computer – the entry-level mini laptops perfect.
Next on the list is midrange system. The midrange Ultrabook are better but cost more and start from $500 up to $1,250. You will find the particular components once seen in your high-end laptops now placed in these units. You will get full HD or QHD resolution, metal chassis, improved battery life, touch displays, and more in this range.
Last the top of the range Ultrabooks costing you more than $1,250. These mini laptops have premium materials, high-end components with fantastic features. The systems offer you top performance with 3K-4K resolution, outstanding speed, photo editing, spacious storage and more.
Choose the right processor:
Do you need speed? You need to choose your processor carefully as a less-expensive system has an average processor. In the midrange models, you can find the Intel’s Core i5 and i7 processor. You can still come across an ultraportable model with the latest 14nm chip or a 7th Generation Core CPU. Furthermore, you can stumble on some systems boasting up to 16GB of RAM compared to only having 8GB of memory.
There is even a possibility of finding an Intel Core M line processor in the middle-of-the-pack models. These processors offer a low power without the need of having a cooling fan. These laptops run quieter and have longer battery life. For the most portable, design the Core M systems an excellent choice.
Graphics:
Another key feature is the graphics processor. The truth is that mini laptops rely on incorporated graphics. You will find Intel’s HD Graphics 620 in most ultraportable notebooks and is enough for streaming media and editing. Are you a gamer – then you need something more powerful such as a separate Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card.
Other Key Features:
Storage – this is one of the critical characteristics to look at as the majority of high-end mini laptops have 256GB of SSD storage, and the price can jump fast if you need more than 512GB or even a 1TB. In general, the 256GB is sufficient for any user that only uses the system for work. You will also see embedded Multi Media Card system in less-expensive models, and they are smaller and slower with a 32 to 64GB capacity. Some systems even have the old spinning hard drive and offer more room to keep files stored.
Pixels – you can buy the ultraportable laptop with a wide selection of display options from standard to full HD and even Ultra HD or 4K. The entry-level system has a lower-resolution typically and works great for reading and typing. The midrange system offers you full HD and provides you support for 1080p video. The Ultra HD resolutions found in high-end models.
Touchscreen – This is another feature slowly making its way into mini laptops and offers you a touch-display. Do you travel by train or bus? This feature can become helpful when in need of completing a project before getting to work.
Using a min laptop offers you endless uses with their compact design and makes it easier to take with you anywhere. We hope that the essential features here help you to pick the perfect one from our best mini laptops reviewed here.
Final Thoughts
With the best mini laptops reviewed here, there is sure to be something in there for you. The design of the systems become lighter, ultraportable, powerful, and packed with fantastic features. No matter what feature set, display, or trade name you prefer the options available offers you cheap to pricey considerations to fit in with your budget.
