12 best ultrabooks

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

The Ultrabook is a thin and light laptop that delivers high performance and attractive design. In devices of this class, special components are installed that reduce the weight, but at the same time maintain the speed of operation and extend the battery life.

Ultrabooks are designed for businessmen, office professionals, students, and other people who need a 'nimble' but autonomous device. We have compiled a list of 12 best models that will make a great purchase.

Rating of the best ultrabooks

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best ultrabooks up to 12.5 inches	1	Dell Latitude E7270	RUB 78,490
	2	Apple MacBook Early 2016	RUB 89,990
	3	HP EliteBook Folio G1	RUB 71,500
	4	Lenovo ThinkPad X250 Ultrabook	RUB 60,868
The best ultrabooks up to 13.3 inches	1	Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook	78 130 RUB
	2	HP Specter 13 Ultrabook	RUB 81,200
	3	Lenovo ThinkPad 13 Ultrabook	RUB 40 709
	4	Asus ZenBook UX303UB	RUB 56,520
The best ultrabooks with a large screen	1	Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook (5th Gen)	RUB 89,990
	2	Dell Latitude 7490	RUB 66,990
	3	HP EliteBook 1040 G3	RUB 79 689
	4	Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX3490UA	RUB 87,890

The best ultrabooks up to 12.5 inches

Dell Latitude E7270

Rating: 4.9

Why # 1: Magnesium alloy business ultrabook with 6th generation processor.

Description: Ultrabook Dell Latitude E7270 is aimed at corporate users and businessmen. In a device weighing a little over a kilogram, the manufacturing company packed the sixth generation Core i5 / i7 processors Intel, from 8 GB of RAM and an SSD drive with a capacity of up to 512 GB. Also, the ultrabook is made in a high-strength magnesium alloy case.

The ultrabook is equipped with a 12.5-inch touch screen. The matrix is ​​made using TF technology and, depending on the version and generation, has a resolution up to Full HD + 1920 × 1200 pixels. The screen cover is matte, so it does not glare or fade even in direct sunlight.

The Ultrabook is equipped with a 3-cell built-in battery that provides up to 7 hours of battery life. You can use the fingerprint reader to log into the operating system Windows. Ultrabook keyboard – backlit (in some configurations).

Advantages

• Durable magnesium alloy body – pleasant to the touch, lightweight, cooling hands;

• Touch screen Full HD +;

• High performance: Core i5 / i7, SSD m.2;

disadvantages

• Short key travel;

• TF matrix with lower brightness and color rendering than IPS;

• Soft-touch coating scratches and collects fingerprints;

Apple MacBook Early 2016

Rating: 4.9

Why second place: High-performance ultrabook, but more expensive than the leader of the rating and with expensive accessories.

Description: Apple MacBook (Early 2016) is an almost exemplary ultrabook. Compact and lightweight – weighing only 920 grams – it offers great performance with a 6th Gen Intel Core m3 / m5 / m7 processor, 8GB of RAM and up to 521GB on an m.2 SSD. The laptop is made in a lightweight aluminum case.

The ultrabook is equipped with a 12-inch IPS Retina-like screen with a resolution of 2304 × 1440 pixels. The display is not touch-sensitive and has a glossy glass coating, but it remains readable in direct sunlight thanks to the matrix LED backlight.

The main advantage of the ultrabook is its high battery life of 11 hours. It also features a proprietary backlit butterfly keyboard with optimal travel depth. The buttons are wide enough so your fingers don't get tired when typing large texts or writing programs.

Advantages

• Retina-like high-definition IPS-matrix;

• Comfortable backlit keyboard with butterfly mechanism;

• 11 hours of battery life;

disadvantages

• The butterfly mechanism becomes clogged with dust and sticks;

• Average performance due to Core M series processor;

• Just one USB port, and that's Type-C;

HP EliteBook Folio G1

Rating: 4.8

Why third place: Corporate level of protection, but expensive.

Description: HP EliteBook Folio G1 was designed as an ultrabook for corporate users. Therefore, it uses proprietary information and operating system security technologies, including dynamic locking, Trust Platform Module and B IOS, which cannot be edited.

The ultrabook itself is equipped with the sixth generation Core m5 / m7 series processors Intel, 8 GB of RAM and a 128-512 GB SSD. The 12.5-inch screen, depending on the configuration, can have a resolution of 1920 × 1080 or 3840 × 2160 pixels, and be touch-sensitive or not. The matrix is ​​made using TF technology in a cheap version and TFT IPS in an expensive version, but in both it is complemented by a matte finish.

The Ultrabook is equipped with a 4-cell battery that provides up to 10 hours of battery life. It is carried out in a metal case. The keyboard in all configurations is backlit.

Advantages

• Corporate level of information and operating system protection;

• Compact and lightweight;

• Screen with a resolution of up to 4K;

disadvantages

• No USB Type-A ports;

• The coating of the metal body is easily soiled;

• In the version with a 4K screen, the battery life is reduced to 5 hours;

Lenovo ThinkPad X250 Ultrabook

Rating: 4.7

Why fourth place: Lots of ThinkPad-branded features, comfortable keyboard, but ugly design.

Description: Ultrabook Lenovo ThinkPad X350 Ultrabook may seem the ugliest in the ranking – it inherited the corporate, angular and 'square' design. But on the other hand, he received no less proprietary features: a comfortable AccuType keyboard with curved key caps, a trackpoint and touchpad buttons above the touch surface. Therefore, it is convenient to work with him even at the table, even on the plane, even on the go.

The ultrabook is equipped with a fifth-generation Core i3 / i5 / i7 processor Intel, 4-8 GB of RAM and an SSD up to 512 GB. Versions with 1 TB HDD are also available. The 12.5-inch screen is made using IPS technology and has a resolution of up to 1920 × 1080 pixels. Depending on the configuration, it can be touch sensitive or not.

In the maximum configuration, the ultrabook is equipped with a SIM card slot and an LTE module. The built-in battery lasts for 8-10 hours of operation, but an additional one is included in the kit, which extends the 'life time' up to 20 hours.

Advantages

• Comfortable backlit keyboard, touchpad and trackpoint;

• Durable carbon fiber body;

• The screen opens 180 degrees;

disadvantages

• The touchpad coating is wearing off;

• Uneven keyboard backlighting and awkward OSD;

• Maximum 8 GB of RAM;

The best ultrabooks up to 13.3 inches

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook

Rating: 4.9

Why # 1: Top rated screen, hybrid design.

Description: The XPS 13 Ultrabook is Dell's magnum opus. The manufacturer updates and improves this model every year, making it even more productive and beautiful. After 2016, for example, the Dell XPS 13 received a 'virtually bezel-less' 13.3-inch Infinity Edge display, which in combination with full glass coverage and a 1920 × 1080 pixel IPS touchscreen (however, there are 2K and 4K configurations) looks impressive.

The ultrabook is based on 7th generation Core i5 / i7 processors Intel, up to 16GB of RAM and SSDs up to 512GB. Cooling is passive, but sufficient. The built-in 6-cell battery provides up to 10 hours of battery life. The device keyboard is backlit.

The Ultrabook is made in a hybrid design, i.e. its screen can be rotated around the keyboard 360 degrees and thus turned into a tablet.

Advantages

• Screen. Good matrix, high resolution, touchscreen, almost frameless;

• Hybrid design;

• High performance thanks to the most up-to-date accessories;

disadvantages

• Inconvenient touchpad;

• The metal backing of the keyboard knocks noticeably when typing;

• Noticeable drop in autonomy on high-resolution models;

HP Specter 13 Ultrabook

Rating: 4.8

Why the second place: Corporate ultrabook-transformer with high performance, but not as attractive design as the leader of the rating.

Description: Ultrabook HP Specter 13 – the flagship model from the American company. It is equipped with the most recent components – for example, in the current revision, it received Core i5 / i7 processors Intel, up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB on an SSD m.2 drive. In addition, it is equipped with a touch-sensitive 13.3-inch TFT IPS-display with a resolution of up to 2560 × 1440 pixels.

Like other HP enterprise Ultrabooks, the Specter 13 comes with a host of data protection technologies, including TMP, 'stripped down' B IOS, and optional hardware encryption. In addition, it is equipped with a variety of connectors for connecting peripherals, which are now rare among computers of this class.

The built-in 3-cell battery provides up to 12.5 hours of battery life. However, on configurations with a QHD display and Intel Core i7 this number is noticeably reduced.

Advantages

• Comfortable backlit keyboard;

• Tight and quality build, hybrid construction;

• High performance;

disadvantages

• The glossy coating of the screen reflects noticeably;

• The keyboard is not protected from liquid;

• Poor sound quality;

Lenovo ThinkPad 13 Ultrabook

Rating: 4.7

Why third place: A productive ultrabook, but with downright bad configurations and no keyboard backlighting.

Description: Ultrabook Lenovo ThinkPad 13 is part of the updated series of mobile computers, so it offers the already traditional line of performance combined with a 'fresh' attractive design. Depending on the configuration, it is based on 7th generation Core i3, i5 or i7 processors Intel paired with 4-16GB of RAM and up to 512GB on an m.2 SSD.

The 13.3-inch laptop screen, depending on the configuration, can be performed using TFT TN or TFT IPS technology, be touch-sensitive or not, and also have a resolution up to Full HD – 1920 × 1080 pixels. The built-in battery lasts for 11 hours of battery life. In addition, the ultrabook is equipped with a large number of ports for connecting additional devices – for example, there are 3 USB 3.0 Type-A here.

The laptop is made in a metal or plastic case.

Advantages

• Convenient controls (AccuType keyboard, ThinkPad touchpad, trackpoint);

• Good passive cooling even in the version with Intel Core i7;

• Up to 11 hours of battery life;

disadvantages

• There are frankly bad configurations (for example, with an HD TF-screen and in a plastic case);

• Marked metal case;

• No keyboard backlight

Asus ZenBook UX303UB

Rating: 4.6

Why fourth place: Ultrabook with a discrete graphics card, but a minimum of additional features.

Description: Asus ZenBook UX303UB is the only ultrabook in the ranking that is equipped with a discrete graphics card. The graphics accelerator here is NVIDIA GeForce 940M with 2 GB of memory, so the computer can handle some simple games. Responsible for performance are the sixth-generation Core i5 / i7 processor Intel, up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of SSD storage. A version with a 1 TB hard drive is also available.

The ultrabook is equipped with a 13.3-inch TFT TN-screen with a resolution of up to 3K (3200 × 1800 pixels) and a matte anti-glare coating. Depending on the configuration, the display can be touch-sensitive or not. Also, the device has three USB 3.0 Type-A ports and one Type-C at once, however, a proprietary connector is used for charging. The built-in battery, consisting of 3 cells, lasts for 6-8 hours of autonomous work.

Advantages

• Comfortable backlit keyboard;

• Attractive polished aluminum alloy metal body;

• Fingerprint scanner built into the touchpad;

disadvantages

• Slow bundled HDD, it is better to take the version with SSD;

• A minimum of additional functions;

• Noticeable choke noise;

The best ultrabooks with a large screen

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook (5th Gen)

Rating: 4.8

Why # 1: All the benefits of the ThinkPad line, with a virtually bezel-less display and an ultra-lightweight carbon body.

Description: Opens the ranking of the flagship ultrabook line Lenovo ThinkPad – X1 Carbon Ultrabook (5th Gen). The device received 7th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors (depending on configuration), up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of m.2 SSD.

One of the most attractive features of an ultrabook is its screen. It is almost frameless here. The 14-inch TFT IPS-matrix has a resolution of up to 2560 × 1440 pixels and is covered with a matte anti-reflective layer. There is no touchscreen in any configuration.

The built-in 57 Wh battery lasts for 15.5 hours of battery life, including the version with a 2K display. The ultrabook is equipped with two USB 3.0 Type-A ports and is made in an ultra-lightweight yet durable carbon case. In addition, the Ultrabook retains all the features of the ThinkPad line, including a comfortable AccuType backlit keyboard, a touchpad with buttons located above the touchpad and a trackpoint.

Advantages

• Convenient keyboard, touchpad and trackpoint;

• High screen resolution and IPS-matrix;

• 15.5 hours of battery life;

disadvantages

• Noisy keyboard and touchpad buttons

• Heats up noticeably with the charger connected;

• Marked case;

Dell Latitude 7490

Rating: 4.8

Why Second Place: An enterprise-class ultrabook with lots of ports and a Kaby Lake Refresh processor, but display resolution Full HD.

Description: Dell Latitude 7490 is the only ultrabook in the rating, which is equipped with a processor Intel Kaby Lake Refresh, belonging to the eighth generation. The Core i5 or i7 chips, depending on the configuration, are complemented by 8 to 16 GB of RAM and a 256-215 GB m.2 SSD. There is a slot for connecting an additional disk.

The 14-inch IPS screen has a resolution Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels). It can be touch-sensitive or not depending on the configuration.

The Ultrabook has many enterprise-oriented features. In addition to software and hardware information security technologies such as TPM and disk encryption, it is equipped with a contact smart card reader, a fingerprint scanner, WWAN and WiGig connectors. The built-in battery lasts for 8-12 hours of battery life. Ultrabook is made in a metal matte casing.

Advantages

• High performance due to the new processor;

• Three USB 3.1 ports with PowerShare support;

• Corporate level of protection and security;

disadvantages

• Screen. Brightness 300 cd / m2, 90% coverage sRGB, resolution Full HD;

• 4G LTE configuration is unreasonably expensive;

• Rare driver updates for family operating systems Linux;

HP EliteBook 1040 G3

Rating: 4.7

Why the third place: An enterprise-class Ultrabook, which is more expensive than all other models in the ranking.

Description: HP EliteBook 1040 G3 – ultrabook, which is focused on use in the corporate segment. It features not only high performance, but also support for proprietary information protection technologies, including special encrypted storage for valuable information and dynamic locking with more settings than Windows Hello.

The ultrabook is equipped with 6th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors (depending on configuration), up to 16 GB of RAM and an m.2 SSD with a capacity of up to 512 GB. Mobile computer display – 14-inch IPS-matrix with a resolution of up to 2560 × 1440 pixels and anti-reflective matte coating. Depending on the configuration, it can be touch sensitive or not.

Ultrabook is made in a metal case. The built-in battery lasts for 9-10 hours of battery life in mixed use mode.

Advantages

• Up to 10 hours of battery life;

• IPS screen with a resolution of up to 2K;

• High performance;

disadvantages

• Inconvenient touchpad;

• Active cooling, which is noticeably noisy under load;

• Inconvenient charger with a hard cable and a proprietary connector;

Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX3490UA

Rating: 4.6

Why the fourth place: High-performance ultrabook, but with a flimsy body and relatively low battery life.

Description: Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe UX490UA is the flagship ultrabook in the company's product line Asus. In the current revision, it is equipped with eighth generation Core i5 / i7 processors Intel (Kaby Lake Refresh), 8-16 GB of RAM and an SSD m.2 drive with a capacity of 256 GB to 1 TB. The 14-inch TFT IPS screen has a resolution Full HD, matte anti-glare and non-touch.

The Ultrabook is made in a polished aluminum case, but the inner parts are plastic. The keyboard is backlit in blue, the brightness level is adjustable. Equipped with two USB 3.0 Type-C ports with Thunderbolt support, as well as a fingerprint scanner. The package includes a branded case.

The i7 configuration is equipped with an active cooling system, so it heats up to a minimum under load.

Advantages

• Matte IPS display;

• Keypad with adjustable backlight level;

• Rich bundle (case, docking station);

disadvantages

• A sharp drop in autonomy under a more or less high load – up to 3-4 hours of operation without recharging;

• Low case reliability;

• Slippery body;

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.