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The Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED is the closest laptop we’ve reviewed to being the perfect ultrabook. It weighs just under 1kg, is only 14.9mm thick and features an OLED display despite having a reasonable price. 

The OLED screen offers dazzling contrast, and a high resolution of 2880 x 1800. This makes this Asus laptop an amazing choice for watching video. The screen is also accurate enough for content work if you want to do some casual Photoshop work. 

We were also impressed by the excellent productivity performance here, seeing an even better result than the MacBook Air M1. Newer portables powered by Apple and Intel have leapfrogged this Asus laptop in terms of CPU performance, but few have bettered its impressive battery life, which our tests show to be 13 hours.

Our only major concern with this laptop is its port offering since it lacks USB-A connections, but that’s a common theme with all of the ultrabooks laptops on this list. And while the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED may be difficult to find right now, it’s certainly worth the wait given its all-round quality. 

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Review: Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED Review

It should come as no surprise that the latest MacBook Air is the very best ultrabook that Apple has to offer. It measures in at just 11.3mm, making it the skinniest laptop on this list and ensuring it’s extremely easy to slide inside your bag. 

And with the power of the new M2 chip, our benchmark results show that it not only flaunts breakneck processing speeds, but also has enough graphics power for entry-level video editing. If high performance power is a requirement, the MacBook Air is one of the very best ultrabook options. 

Apple has also given its design a refresh, with a sleeker design than its predecessor, and the inclusion of MagSafe charging connectors so your laptop won’t go flying off your desk if someone trips on the power cable. The screen is excellent too, and while it lacks the vibrancy of an OLED panel, still boasts a high 2560 x 1664 resolution and 500-nit brightness.

The only major drawback for this laptop is its price, with a base cost of $1199/£1249. But you can of course opt for the MacBook Air M1 instead, which has most of the same features and yet is available at a more affordable price. 

Reviewer: Max Parker
Full Review: Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022) Review

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is a tiny laptop, with a screen size of just 12 inches. This arguably makes it the most portable laptop on this best ultrabook list, even if it isn’t quite the lightest or thinnest. 

But the most appealing factor of the Surface Laptop Go 2 is its price, making it the most affordable laptop on this list by a considerable margin. With a similar price to a Chromebook, this is an excellent choice for both students and those on a budget. 

Why is this laptop so cheap? Well, our benchmark results show it’s the slowest laptops on this list (but still fine enough for productivity tasks) while the low screen resolution makes it a poor choice for those who like to watch the likes of Netflix and Disney Plus on their laptop.

But considering the low price and its superb portability prowess, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is still a fantastic option for those looking for one of the best ultrabooks laptops available. 

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Review: Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 Review

A few years ago, it was near impossible to find a Chromebook that’s as skinny and lightweight as some of the very best ultrabooks, but that’s changing. The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 weighs just 1.2kg, making it one of the lightest laptops on this list. 

Such an ultra-portable design has been achieved thanks to the innovation of the Snapdragon 7c processor. Our performance benchmarks show it’s one of the weaker laptops here, yet still offers a smooth performance when carrying out simple tasks such as browsing the web and streaming video.

During testing, we were also impressed with the flexible hinge that allows you to fold the screen back so it takes the form of a makeshift tablet. We found it to be very useful to swap between the two forms, whether you need to write an essay or watch an episode of Stranger Things while tucked up in bed. 

We did admittedly find the ChromeOS software to be limited compared to Windows, especially when we wanted to download obscure software. But if you want a simple, streamlined experience, then we strongly recommend checking out the Acer Chromebook Spin 513. If you like the idea of ChromeOS, it’s also worth having a look at our Best Chromebook list.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: Acer Chromebook Spin 513 review

It may seem odd to see a gaming laptop make an appearance on a ‘best ultrabook’ list, but Asus has managed to make the ROG Flow X13 so compact that it comfortably meets the criteria, weighing just 1.3kg and measuring in at 15.8mm tall.

Our benchmark tests show that this is not the most powerful gaming laptop around, which is no surprise given its dinky dimensions and the fact it’s powered by a low-end GTX 1650 GPU.

But Asus is also giving you the option of bundling it with a ROG XG Mobile external GPU, which provides the power of an Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU when plugged in. The benchmark results improved dramatically once plugging in the eGPU, seeing a gaming performance similar to some of the very best gaming laptops that we’ve reviewed. 

Pairing this ultrabook with an eGPU is admittedly very pricey, but it’s well worth the cost for those people who fancy a laptop for both on-the-go productivity and AAA gaming. Alternatively, you could opt for the Asus ROG Flow Z13 instead, which also features support for the eGPU, but takes the form of a tablet instead for even more portability prowess.

Reviewer: Mike Jennings
Full Review: Asus ROG Flow X13 review