Ultrabooks: Sleek & Capable Laptops for All

The modern ultrabook: a guide to the best thin, light, and powerful laptops. While initially a marketing term from Intel for high-end laptops, "ultrabook" now encompasses a broader range of slim, lightweight, and highly portable machines prioritizing productivity. This guide highlights top ultrabooks for various needs.

TL;DR – Top Ultrabook Picks:

Our Top Pick: Asus Zenbook S 16 See it at Best Buy See it at Asus Razer Blade 14 See it at Razer Microsoft Surface Laptop 11 See it at Amazon Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max) See it at Amazon

Today's best ultrabooks offer surprising capabilities for their size and weight. Our top choice, the Asus Zenbook S 16, rivals high-end desktops in performance while maintaining exceptional quiet operation and low power consumption. This guide covers options ranging from budget-friendly models to powerful machines suitable for 4K video editing.

1. Asus Zenbook S 16 – Image Gallery

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1. Asus Zenbook S 16 – The Best Ultrabook of 2025

Our Top Pick: Asus Zenbook S 16

A compelling Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro, the Asus Zenbook S 16 is remarkably thin and light, offering exceptional performance and all-day battery life.

• Specs: 16" (2880 x 1800) Display, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, AMD Radeon 890M GPU, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, 3.31 lbs, 13.92" x 9.57" x 0.47" - 0.51"
• Pros: Dual OLED screens, exceptionally thin and light, outstanding performance, all-day battery, beautiful 3K OLED touchscreen, impressive gaming performance.
• Cons: Some keyboard flex.

2. HP Pavilion Aero 13 – Best Budget Ultrabook

HP Pavilion Aero 13

An excellent value at under $800, offering a fast processor and ample memory in an ultra-portable design.

• Specs: 13.3” 2K (1920 x 1200) IPS Display, AMD Ryzen 5 8840U CPU, 16GB DDR5 6400MHz RAM, 512MB NVMe SSD, 2.2 lbs, 11.7" x 8.31" x 0.69"
• Pros: Great price-to-performance ratio, fast processor, ample memory, ultra-portable, all-day battery life.
• Cons: Limited storage.

3. Razer Blade 14 (2024) – Image Gallery & Best Ultrabook for Gaming

8 Images

Razer Blade 14

Blending powerful gaming performance with portability, this 14-inch laptop boasts a stunning QHD+ display and high-end internals.

• Specs: 14” QHD+ (2560 x 1600) IPS 240Hz Display, AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU, Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB DDR5 5700MHz RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, 4.05 lbs, 12.73" x 8.97" x 0.70"
• Pros: Excellent gaming performance, 240Hz display.
• Cons: Shallow keyboard.

4. Microsoft Surface Laptop 11 – Best for Students

Microsoft Surface Laptop 11

A colorful and reliable laptop with a Snapdragon processor, ample memory and storage, and excellent battery life, ideal for students.

• Specs: 13.8" (2304 x 1536) Display, Snapdragon X Plus to Snapdragon X Elite CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, 16GB - 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 256GB - 1TB PCIe SSD, 2.96 lbs, 11.85" x 8.67" x 0.69"
• Pros: Great performance, fun color options, long battery life.
• Cons: App compatibility limitations.

5. Asus Zenbook S 14 – Best for Business

Asus Zenbook S 14

This ultra-portable laptop balances processing power and exceptional battery life, making it perfect for business professionals.

• Specs: 14" (2880 x 1800) Display, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, Intel Arc GPU, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, 2.65 lbs, 12.22" x 8.45" x 0.51"
• Pros: Thin, light, powerful, great battery life, improved gaming performance, gorgeous OLED touchscreen.
• Cons: No microSD card reader.

6. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max) – Best Ultrabook for Creatives

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)

The most powerful MacBook yet, ideal for creative professionals needing high performance for video editing and other demanding tasks.

• Specs: 16.2" (3456 x 2234) Display, M3 Max CPU, Integrated (40-core) GPU, 48GB - 128GB RAM, 1TB - 8TB SSD, 4.8 lbs, 14.01" x 9.77" x 0.66"
• Pros: Incredibly powerful, highly configurable, very good battery life, thin and comparatively light.
• Cons: Can be very expensive.

(The remainder of the original article detailing selection criteria and FAQs has been omitted for brevity but the core information remains.)