An ultrabook is understood as a kind of laptop, which is characterized by a long battery life, a capacious battery and low weight. For the first time, the concept of a similar device was presented at one of Apple's presentations back in 2008, when company owner Steve Jobs offered the public one of the thinnest laptops in the world at that time Apple MacBook Air. Since that time, the mass and thickness of the product have become one of the most basic indicators when choosing similar gadgets.
From year to year, products are becoming increasingly smaller, their weight is reduced, and so on. All this can be achieved to a large extent thanks to the latest processors that do not require the use of an active cooling system, as a result, they do not consume very much energy. There is no need to install coolers, radiators, tubes of the cooling system, which can significantly save space inside the product.
The choice of ultrabooks on the shelves of computer and household appliances today is quite large. An inexperienced person who has never dealt with such equipment before can easily get confused. Therefore, we decided to bring to your attention an overview of the best ultrabooks of this year. Before proceeding to the analysis of the main operational characteristics of such devices, let's first look at a number of factors that you need to pay attention to when choosing such devices. Perhaps this is where we will begin.
Summary of the rating:
What do you consider when buying an ultrabook?
First of all, experienced computer scientists say that you should not use an ultrabook as the main working tool. Such machines are perfect for travel, business trips, as well as for presentations. Ultrabook can easily fit in an ordinary handbag. However, it should be borne in mind that their performance, despite the rather high price, does not always correspond to ordinary laptops or personal computers.
The reason here is that to save internal space, a discrete graphics card is installed here, and the directly integrated video adapter is designed to work with processor resources. Despite the fact that in most modern games it will be very problematic to play on such a device, they can be used to work with resource-demanding programs that are designed to process photos or videos. Ultrabook is a special individual device for comfortable work.
According to buyers, the ultrabook should be small and light. By some tacit agreement, the weight of this gadget should not exceed 2 kg and a thickness of 2 cm. Quite a lot depends on the diagonal of the display. In most cases, it is 13.3 inches, but you can also find models of other sizes - you should choose based on your own preferences. Another important factor is the resolution of the display. The HD format is the most common today and, moreover, is beginning to gradually become obsolete, so it is better to buy a model with a resolution of 4K.
Be sure to look at the cover of the display, especially if you intend to work with it outdoors, for example, in a park.To prevent any kind of glare when exposed to direct sunlight, it should have a matte screen with a separately applied anti-glare coating.
On the amount of RAM, too much attention should not be paid. The main thing here is to remember a couple of points: there must be at least 4 GB of RAM with the possibility of expanding this parameter. If such a function is not provided, then it is better to take a device with 8 GB of RAM. Otherwise, there is a possibility that all of it will be used by the browser, and it will not be enough for other applications. It is best to purchase an ultrabook equipped with built-in memory of about 1 TB.
When choosing models that eventually entered our rating of the best ultrabooks of the year, we took into account not only all the above points. First of all, we relied on positive user reviews and searched for products that were optimal in terms of price and quality. It is worth noting immediately that the ultrabook is a rather expensive device, so you will not be able to find cheap designs here. Well, now let's look at the most popular devices.
Display diagonal 12.5 inches
3. HP EliteBook Folio G1
It has a typical appearance for products of this kind. The case is made of high-quality silver-plated aluminum, it looks quite interesting and even noble. Along the edge is a polished edge, the loops are glossy, which looks very impressive. Separately, it should be said about the hinges: they protrude slightly behind the back of the device. The keyboard contrasts with the body - it is made in black, as is the edging of the screen. On the sides it is quite thin. Build quality is very high - only the central part of the keyboard will bend somewhat under strong pressure. All other elements are rigid - they do not bend or twist. The ultrabook cover is also durable, you can press hard on it, but this will not cause squeaks or image distortion. The lid opens easily and can be displayed at an angle of up to 180 degrees.
The design provides for four speakers at once - two on each side, they are closed by stylish decorative grilles located at the bottom. If the device will stand on a soft surface, the sound is muffled a little, although the speakers are quite loud - they produce a maximum of up to 83 dB. You can connect to the Internet via Ethernet using a special conductor, but the developers decided that the user will most often access the network via Wi-Fi. In addition to it, there are a number of modern protocols Wireless Display, Bluetooth 4.2. Above the display is a standard webcam, the quality of which is quite enough for Skype calls, but it will not work for photos. As a security system, an infrared camera for face recognition is installed, which will work perfectly even in complete darkness. It uses a Core M processor with passive cooling technology. Its resource will be quite enough to work with most standard applications - text and table editors, presentations, and so on. 8 GB LDDR3-1866 RAM, there is an SSD-drive, the volume of which depends on the configuration and ranges from 128 to 512 GB.
Benefits:
- High-quality assembly;
- Does not heat up during operation;
- Infrared face scanner;
- Keyboard with LED backlight;
- It functions almost silently.
Disadvantages:
- High price.
2. Lenovo ThinkPad X280
The weight of the model is only 1.35 kg with overall dimensions of 30x21x1.7 cm. The battery is built-in, thanks to which it was possible to make the gadget more compact. Ultrabook is available in a classic black color, no additional accents are provided here. On sale you can find two modifications of the device - with a touch and a regular screen. The first cover is additionally reinforced with fiberglass, which gives the design even greater strength. If the screen is ordinary, then the cover is made of carbon fibers.The coating is hard, matte - fingerprints, various kinds of pollution will not be visible on it. There are a lot of ports for such a small device - two USB 3.0 connectors, a Kensington lock slot, a smart card reader, HDMI output and a speaker or headphone jack.
The screen size is 12.5 inches with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels. This allows you to get a clear and vivid picture in which all the colors will look as realistic as possible. The ultrabook has a Core i7-8550U processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB NVMe-PCIe drive acts as a hard disk. Together, this allows you to get a high-performance device. In addition, the ultrabook has an integrated Intel UHD 620 video card, the working resource of which will be quite enough for working with text editors or for adjusting photos, but it will not work for games at all. In addition, it will not allow working with 3D animations or video editors. The battery is able to work offline for 8 hours, if you sit on the Internet all this time, it will hold a charge longer when using, for example, text editors, as well as other not too demanding programs.
Benefits:
- Lightweight housing, significantly reducing the weight of the product;
- The display supports a huge number of colors;
- Very comfortable keyboard;
- Stylish appearance.
Disadvantages:
- It will not work with demanding applications.
1. DELL LATITUDE 7275
By and large, this device is not quite an ultrabook, but a multifunctional transformer, from which, if necessary, you can disconnect the keyboard, thereby turning it into an original tablet of a sufficiently large size. The appearance of the gadgets produced by this company is always on top, especially when it comes to expensive devices that belong to the premium class. The display panel has a glossy coating that will become dirty quite quickly - you will have to wipe it from fingerprints and dust with an enviable consistency. The screen frames are very thin, which creates a real presence effect. The mass of the product is only 730 grams with overall dimensions of 291x193x8.1 mm. The design is equipped with a stylus that can be stored in a special slot located on the side of the keyboard module. All chassis connecting the monitor and keyboard are made of high quality magnesium alloy and meet all modern international standards.
The device comes with a preinstalled operating system Microsoft Windows 10 Pro. The processor is an energy-efficient Intel Core m5-6Y57 chip. The processor frequency is from 1.1 to 2.8 GHz. The cooling system here is passive. The integrated graphics card is Intel HD Graphics 515. Almost no modern game on such resources just starts. The standard memory is DDR3-1600 MHz, its volume is 8 GB. The device has a solid-state drive, whose capacity is 256 GB. There are not too many slots here - two slots for USB 3.0, a slot for audio output, a slot for connecting an SD memory card, and also adjusting the volume level.
Benefits:
- Excellent screen resolution
- Decent battery life;
- Minimum weight;
- Insignificant thickness.
Disadvantages:
- High price.
Ultrabooks with a 13.3-inch display
3. HP Specter 13-14100 x360
It has an all-metal body made of high quality aluminum alloy. The rear end is a pair of pointed elements, although most models of this brand have them rounded off. It is produced in three color options - golden, ash gray and silver. Each of them looks very stylish. The hinges that combine the display and keyboard unit are installed fairly rigid and tight, the cover can easily be fixed in the required position. The mass of the product is 1.36 kg with overall dimensions of 306x208x13.6 mm. On the left side of the case you can find the slot for a microSD memory card.There is also a combined headset jack with headphones and a microphone, one USB 3.1 Type-A slot, as well as a power button. On the right side you can see the access control system, which is a fingerprint scanner, volume control and two more USB Type-C connectors that support Thunderbolt 3. The fingerprint scanner has excellent performance, you can unlock the ultrabook in a couple of seconds.
The display itself has rather average characteristics, but this does not in the least prevent the picture from being bright and saturated. These parameters are quite enough for comfortable work, regardless of the brightness of the surrounding lighting. The central element of the device is the eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8550U processor with 16 GB of RAM, the built-in hard drive is 512 GB. Such characteristics can provide a fairly high level of performance. On such an ultrabook, you can play modern games, but on fairly modest settings. Even with a large load of RAM and the processor, the product does not start to slow down, much less freeze.
Benefits:
- Attractive appearance;
- High performance;
- The presence of a fingerprint scanner;
- A large number of necessary connectors.
Disadvantages:
- Not very convenient power supply;
- The brightness of the display is poor.
2. Acer SWIFT 7
This model makes an extremely favorable first impression, since it is a fairly neat device equipped with sharp edges and an all-metal case. The appearance of the sticker, which provides information on the specifications of the ultrabook, is somewhat impaired, but they can be removed if necessary. The case is connected to the display by means of hinges with an extended extension - this is one of the main distinguishing characteristics of this device. In fact, the gadget is the thinnest ultrabook in the world - in different parts of the case its thickness varies from 9 to 10 mm. It turns out that in thickness it does not exceed the most ordinary smartphone. The case during operation will not be deformed, so such a device can easily be carried with you in a backpack. The hinges are quite reliable, with their help you can bend the ultrabook to an angle of up to 180 degrees, and this happens smoothly, without any extraneous sounds or backlashes.
On the left side of the case you can see two USB Type-C ports, as well as a universal headphone jack and headset jack. On the right side there is a power button and a slot for installing a SIM card. Below you can find a button that allows you to reset the battery for emergency shutdown, and it is recessed into the case so that it can not be pressed accidentally. The resolution of the display is Full HD, although the screen is equipped with an IPS-matrix, the picture is bright and quite contrast. The pixel density is 157 dots per inch - far from gaming monitors, but it is quite suitable for work. It is worth noting that the screen is touch-sensitive, so you can refuse to use the mouse. The Swift 7 display quickly and correctly responds to all touches. It has an oleophobic coating, so fingerprints will not remain. Thanks to a powerful battery, the gadget is able to work for 12 hours offline.
Benefits:
- Reliable assembly and small overall dimensions;
- A capacious battery that provides a long battery life;
- It looks stylish and expensive;
- Ideal for work.
Disadvantages:
- Weak brightness;
- High price.
1. ASUS ZENBOOK UX303UB
The product has a thin body made of high quality aluminum. It is quite light and convenient to use, and fingerprints will not remain on it. Small plastic inserts are provided. The top cover is polished, which immediately catches the eye. The workmanship is excellent, as absolutely all users talk about, despite the fact that the case combines metal and plastic elements. The keyboard and touchpad are also quite comfortable; when typing, the buttons will not push through.The capabilities of the touchpad generally went far ahead - it supports various gestures related to scaling, moving, scrolling, and the like. For the correct recognition of such touches, the special Smart Gesture technology is responsible.
The display is made using IPS matrix technology, characterized by a fairly high resolution of 3200x1800 pixels. If necessary, you can switch it to multi-touch control - in other words, make it touch-sensitive, which allows you to use the device not only as a laptop, but also as a tablet. The surface of the screen is glossy, due to which it is possible to get rich colors that will differ in naturalness. Touch control is convenient, all gestures are recognized instantly. The design runs on a dual-core Intel Core i7-6500U processor, whose clock frequency is 2.5 GHz, if necessary, this parameter can be increased to 3.1 GHz due to the additional Turbo Boost function. RAM is provided for 12 GB, its format is DDR3L. The size of the internal hard drive is 1 TB, the discrete graphics card nVidia GeForce GT 940M is responsible for the graphics. There is a necessary set of wireless interfaces, three USB 3.0 connectors, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort ports, as well as a card reader and a headset jack.
Benefits:
- For a long time it is able to work without recharging;
- The screen conveys quite natural colors;
- Good audio system;
- Cooling is displayed correctly outside the device;
- High build quality.
Disadvantages:
- Not found.
With a diagonal of 14 inches
3. ACER SWIFT 3 (SF314-52-37YG)
It has a traditional appearance, which many users have dubbed the "office". The case has a rectangular shape, the edges are rounded, it is made of a metal alloy. On the surface of the lid there is an elongated grinding pattern, so that fingerprints or other marks will not remain. The overall dimensions of the model are 338x234x17.95 mm. The build quality of the case is very good. Largely due to the metal elements, the model looks durable and very reliable. Backlash and extraneous sounds are not provided here. However, if you carry the gadget in the folded state with one hand, the top cover may bend slightly. In the unfolded position, the situation is more interesting, since the gray color contrasts with black, which makes the product even more attractive and stylish. The hinges are of high quality, they extend the laptop to an angle of up to 180 degrees, they are quite tight, do not loosen for a long time.
A large number of various ports are provided on the side panels - there is a card reader on the right, which can be used for all available memory card formats. There is also a USB 2.0 Type A connector. On the left side there is a port for a charger, three USB outputs - one 3.1 Type C and two 3.0 Type A, there is also a headset jack. The design is equipped with an Intel Core i5-7200U processor with a clock frequency of 2.5 GHz. It also has an integrated graphics card Intel HD Graphics 620. The standard amount of RAM is 8 GB, but there are modifications where this parameter can reach 32 GB. An SSD drive with a capacity of 256 GB acts as a hard drive here.
Benefits:
- Very user-friendly keyboard;
- High-quality screen, transmitting bright and fairly realistic colors;
- Long working time without recharging;
- High performance device.
Disadvantages:
- Even in the basic configuration, it would be possible to make more RAM available.
2. ASUS ZenBook BX410UA
This device is perfect for full work, it looks especially attractive. Almost all body elements are made of reliable aluminum coated with special protective compounds that preserve the texture of the metal and do not allow it to deteriorate over time. Largely due to this, it was possible to obtain a fairly high-quality design that will retain its attractive appearance for a long time. The surface of the lid is glossy, has circular grinding.Fingerprints on the surface will either be completely invisible or become barely visible. The light from it will be very interesting to be reflected in circular highlights. The lid is held in place by loops of rather large sizes, which will need to be opened with a certain effort. In this case, the laptop cover is able to lock in almost any position. Users note that the maximum angle may seem insufficient if you hold the device on your lap. The panel around the keyboard is metal, but metal with a matte finish is used here - palms will not slide on it, and the surface itself will become less dirty during operation.
On the right side, you can find two USB 2.0 ports, as well as a card reader designed for SD format. On the left side there is a whole set of ports - two USB 3.0, HDMI, AUX, USB Type C. There is also a socket for connecting a charger. The display is based on the IPS matrix, its diagonal is 14 inches with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels. The screen is matte, does not create glare during operation. the keyboard is plastic, it has LED backlighting, and the degree of its intensity can be adjusted. The product is equipped with an Intel Core i7-8550U processor, which, together with the integrated nVidia Ge Force MX 130 2GB GDDR5 graphics chip, provide a high response speed of the device. The model works on the basis of the Microsoft Windows 10 Home operating system, there is not too much RAM - 4 GB, but it is a new generation of DDR4. Overall dimensions are as follows: 323x223x19 mm with a mass of less than one and a half kilograms.
Benefits:
- Slim body, light weight;
- Excellent color rendition of the display;
- Compact sizes for a diagonal of the screen of 14 inches;
- No vents are provided below;
- Along with the ultrabook comes a wired mouse and case.
Disadvantages:
- Not very far the screen deviates, so if you hold it on your lap, it can be inconvenient to work.
1. Lenovo THINKPAD X1 Carbon Ultrabook (5th Gen)
The leader in the ranking of the best ultrabooks in its segment. When developing its design, the classic design of the company's products, in particular the ThinkPad line, was fully respected. The model is painted completely black, no decor elements, rounded corners and nothing like that is provided. This technique is perfect for the representative office of a large company. However, manufacturers claim that such a device will be very suitable not only for work, but also for home tasks, since performance indicators will be quite enough for a whole set of operations. This ultrabook will not pull unless today's most difficult and demanding games. Case dimensions are small - 33.6 x 21.6 cm - quite standard for a product with a 12.5-inch screen. However, here the diagonal is as much as 14 inches, the manufacturer was able to significantly tighten the display frame, thereby giving the design the most modern look. The thickness of the structure is only one and a half centimeters, in hands it is almost not felt. The external panels have a soft-touch coating that does not accumulate dust and various kinds of pollution, fingerprints do not remain on it.
The case is strong enough, does not bend, the aluminum frame is sheathed with carbon fiber. The lid is quite rigid, does not bend even under strong pressure. On the left side there are two USB Type-C ports, one USB Type A 3.0, another Thunderbolt 3, and an HDMI connector. On the right there is a combined jack for connecting headphones or a headset, there is also a ventilation grill and another USB 3.0 port. The display resolution is 1920x1080 pixels. The brightness is quite sufficient, there is a coating that protects from glare. The image quality is acceptable, all colors are realistic. In this model, a Core i5-7300U processor is installed, and the clock speed indicator is quite high - 2.6 GHz.When Turbo Boost mode is activated, this parameter rises to 3.5 GHz. The integrated graphics card, the same applies to RAM, so you can’t increase the amount of the latter. On sale there are models with 8 and 16 GB of RAM.
Benefits:
- Lightweight and compact design;
- There is a fingerprint scanner;
- Excellent value for money;
- High level of performance.
Disadvantages:
- Not found.
In conclusion, a useful video
Our review of the best ultrabooks is nearing completion. We hope that now you can figure out what this product is and why it is needed. If you still have some questions, you may well ask them in the comments. We will try to quickly respond to them and give you a comprehensive answer.
(2 ratings, average: 5,00 out of 5)
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