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2-in-1 Laptops

The best 2-in-1 laptops for enjoying the best of both worlds

Why buy two devices when you can get the features of both in one?
By Simone Scully  on 
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Our Top 9 Picks

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 (opens in a new tab)

Best Keyboard

If you’re looking for a powerful yet sleek 2-in-1 laptop, then look no further than the Lenovo Flex 5 with its 14-inch touchscreen.

The Good

  • Powerful six-core CPU
  • Under $1000
  • Polished design
  • Comes with a Lenovo Digital Pen
  • Full backlit keyboard

The Bad

  • No SD or Thunderbolt port

The Bottom Line

A powerful 2-in-1 laptop with a mid-range price tag.
Pros & Cons

ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 (opens in a new tab)

Best Chromebook

A useful, powerful, and adaptable Chromebook.

The Good

  • Includes a fingerprint reader
  • Thin design with large HD touch screen
  • Comes with a free one-year, 100GB Google One account

The Bad

  • No HDMI port

The Bottom Line

This Chromebook doesn’t sacrifice high quality specs or performance.
Pros & Cons

Microsoft Surface Go 3 (opens in a new tab)

Best For Travel

This well-priced 2-in-1 laptop is great for entertainment and work while you’re traveling.

The Good

  • Comes with a Surface Pen
  • Super portable
  • New camera app for scanning documents and white boards
  • Cool protective accessories
  • Easy-to-use Windows Hello security

The Bad

  • Screen brightness leaves much to be desired
  • Not powerful enough to be full laptop replacement

The Bottom Line

Ready for work and play while traveling, this versatile laptop is lightweight and perfectly portable.
Pros & Cons

Dell XPS 13 (opens in a new tab)

Best Battery Life

The Dell XPS 13 is one of the few hybrids that can deliver high-working performance as well as gaming chops in a trusty 2-in-1.

The Good

  • Really good build
  • Amazing and high quality display good enough for gaming
  • Long battery life
  • Free Windows 11 upgrade

The Bad

  • Pricey for the specs

The Bottom Line

The Dell XPS 13 has the power of a gaming laptop, but in a compact and thin presentation.
Pros & Cons

HP Spectre x360 (opens in a new tab)

Best For Drawing And Sketching

It’s not cheap, but with a gorgeous design and a bonus stylus, this computer is perfect for those who’ll use it most for drawing and sketching.

The Good

  • Comes with stylus
  • Incredible screen and 4k display
  • Unique "gem-cut" design
  • Easy fingerprint sign in

The Bad

  • Trackpad could be bigger
  • Webcam isn't great
  • Runs a little hot

The Bottom Line

Great design, excellent hardware, and an included pen make it perfect for artists and designers.
Pros & Cons

HP Envy x360 (opens in a new tab)

Best Display For The Money

A beautiful display plus a slew of other nice quality-of-life features in a sleek, well-designed machine.

The Good

  • Beautiful display
  • Powerful processor
  • Impressive color and clarity
  • Great range of specs
  • Excellent battery life

The Bad

  • Might still need a dongle or two

The Bottom Line

Great display, excellent battery life, and a beautiful design—and plenty of ways to configure it.
Pros & Cons

Lenovo Yoga 9i (opens in a new tab)

Best 360-degree Hinge

It ticks all the boxes you’d want in a 2-in-1, and at three pounds, it’s ultra-portable for your commute, too.

The Good

  • 360-degree hinge
  • Stunning audio
  • Great storage
  • Amazing battery life
  • Comes with stylus and holder

The Bad

  • Limited ports
  • Screen is really glossy, which is bad for glare
  • Doesn’t support Windows Hello

The Bottom Line

A world-class hinge allows this device to flex at a full 360-degrees.
Pros & Cons

Dell Inspiron 11 3195 2-in-1 (opens in a new tab)

Best Compact Laptop

This hybrid laptop might not be the most powerful machine, but for doing work during a commute or in small spaces, it’s a great pick at a very reasonable price point.

The Good

  • Compact and portable
  • Affordable
  • Touchscreen

The Bad

  • Less-than-awesome display
  • Won’t be great with intense apps or programs

The Bottom Line

No frills, but it’s a great laptop at a budget price.
Pros & Cons

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (opens in a new tab)

Best For Galaxy Users

Best for those who need a ton of storage, this 15.6-inch model comes with a 1TB solid-state drive — and is lightweight and elegant, too.

The Good

  • Super lightweight
  • Ties into Galaxy ecosystem
  • Pretty inside and out
  • Comes with pen

The Bad

  • Some people don’t like 16:9 aspect radios

The Bottom Line

Sleek and lightweight, this is a great pick for Galaxy users wanting an Apple-like ecosystem.
Pros & Cons

While laptops and tablets are great on their own, sometimes you just need both — at once — without the hassle of having to carry around two devices all day.

Enter the hybrid laptop (or just "2-in-1 laptop"). It's a device that you can convert from tablet to laptop and back again with ease. They can flip and bend into alternate states, like portrait mode for drawing. Many also have touchscreen capabilities like tablets. You don't have to sacrifice quality with these laptops.

Why would I want a 2-in-1 laptop?

Simply put, a 2-in-1 laptop allows you to have the best of both devices at your fingertips. You can use the tablet to draw and take hand-written notes with a stylus, or you can use its touch-screen and gesture features for your day-to-day activities. But when you need more control or need to type something up, you can switch into laptop and keyboard mode. Best of all, these machines feature the computing power to run full-sized applications like Adobe Photoshop and more.

What size laptop should you get?

This really comes down to two things: Personal preference and lifestyle. If you're traveling often and usually have your computer on your back, you're going to want to go with something more light and compact (thin, 11-inch models will most likely be the best). But, if you're a huge movie buff who doesn't normally take their tech on the road with them, spring for a 15-inch screen with a bulky construction so you can have better Netflix and chill sessions.

Are cheap laptops worth it?

You know the old saying: You get what you pay for. But thanks to the technology boom of the last few decades, a cheap laptop can actually take you pretty far and won't break down immediately. It's all about knowing which one to select. Depending on what you use your laptop for the most, staying stingy might be your best option. (You can also check out our roundups for the cheap laptops that we think are actually worth it — here are our favorite laptops under $500, and the best laptops under $300.)

What should you look for in a 2-in-1 laptop?

Regardless of what you intend to use your hybrid machine for, a good one should strike a great balance between portability and usability. In other words, you’ll want something that can do what you need it to without being too bulky, difficult to convert, or heavy.

There are a lot of really good 2-in-1 laptops out there, but some of them have vastly different capabilities for different kinds of people. If you’re an artist or a designer, you’ll likely want a 2-in-1 laptop with a large screen for drawing or media viewing. If you’re on the go a lot, or if you’re a student, you might want something a little smaller that can easily fit in your backpack. If you’re a big writer or use your device for work, you’ll likely want something that feels more like a laptop. But if you’re going to use the tablet more than a keyboard, maybe a tablet with a detachable keyboard is a better option for you.

To help narrow down your search, we gathered up the very best 2-in-1 devices that can suit a variety of needs. Read on to check out our top picks, from budget models to high-powered machines.

What brand is best for 2-in-1 laptops?

Now that you have a better idea of what to look for in a 2-in-1 laptop, you can start narrowing down your potential options. We’ve made the process even easier by putting together this definitive guide to the best on the market.

We’ve compared all the top brands that you probably already have in mind like Microsoft, Dell, and Samsung, as well as other players you may not have thought of, like ASUS, Lenovo, and HP. 

We recommend carefully considering all these 2-in-1 laptops, and weighing each option up against your priorities and lifestyle.

Best Keyboard
Credit: lenovo
Specs
  • Storage: 256GB
  • Memory: 16GB
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
  • GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics

If you’re in the market for a powerful yet sleek hybrid laptop, then look no further than the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5(opens in a new tab) with its 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 touchscreen. The tech giant didn’t cut any corners to get this machine under $1,000, but you’d be surprised what’s underneath the hood that makes it a powerful and graceful hybrid. 

It is very comfortable to rest your palms on as you type on its full backlit keyboard. While its display is beautiful with full HD and a sharp resolution, the laptop is also touch-based, as it transforms into a full Windows 10 tablet that supports the Lenovo Digital Pen. (One's included for free, which is really nice.)

The latest model packs a six-core AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage space, and gets you up to 11 hours of use per charge. It’s dropped a microSD slot and doesn’t have a Thunderbolt 3 port, but it does feature a single USB-C port, along with an HDMI and two USB-A ports.

Best Chromebook
Specs
  • Storage: 128GB
  • Memory: 8GB
  • CPU: Intel Core i3-10110U
  • GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics

We all know the stigma that Chromebooks are cheap, plastic laptops that only run the Google Chrome OS. Well, that might have been the case for Chromebooks of the past, but the ASUS Chromebook Flip (opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)C436(opens in a new tab) is proving they can reach deluxe territory — still without breaking the bank. 

While it might not be enough machine for everyone, this is a great 2-in-1 laptop for people who don’t need all the bells and whistles: It has 8GB of RAM, an Intel Core i3 Processor, and 128GB of storage. There’s also a 14-inch, full HD touchscreen and a backlit keyboard. 

The device is simple to use, and it’s easy to flip between laptop and tablet with minimal fuss. That said, the hinges do wobble a little if you tap the display in laptop mode.

Best For Travel
Credit: microsoft
Specs
  • Storage: 64GB eMMc
  • Memory: 4GB
  • CPU: Intel Pentium Gold
  • GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 615

In need of some personal tech that can adapt to life's unpredictabilities? Enter: the Microsoft Surface Go 3(opens in a new tab) — the smallest, lightest iteration of Microsoft's iconic 2-in-1 laptop and tablet combo. It's made for those whose office may change depending on the day, who call an airport their second home, or who just don't want to be held down by a clunky device. 

Its small size still packs a punch, though — it has a high-resolution PixelSense touchscreen display that'll show anything you do in its best light, runs the fan-favorite Windows 10 effortlessly, has two cameras, and sports an Intel Pentium Gold processor.

Best of all for those on the go, it has a built-in kickstand cover; it pairs with a stylus and type keyboard cover for optimal use.

Best Battery Life
Specs
  • Storage: 512 GB
  • Memory: 32 GB
  • CPU: 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7
  • GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics

Often, 2-in-1 hybrid touchscreen laptops have to give up power to make it easy to convert from a laptop into a tablet. However, the Dell XPS 13(opens in a new tab) is one of the few hybrids that can deliver high-working performance, as well as gaming chops in a trusty 2-in-1. 

It’s armed with an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and great Intel Iris Xe graphics for high-speed gaming for most modern titles. It’s enhanced with sharp detail on its FHD 1920 x 1200 display. 

On top of that, the machine has an amazing battery life that can provide up to (and over) a whopping 16 hours of usability. However, because of its performance and power, the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 gets warm, even if its fans are accelerating at full speed. 

It has a very sleek and sexy design, although some might feel it’s a bit ho-hum at this price point. While this hybrid delivers the best of both worlds as a traditional laptop and a powerful tablet running Windows 10 — all in a small and thin package — it doesn’t come cheap.

Best For Drawing And Sketching
Specs
  • Storage: 512 GB
  • Memory: 16GB
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-10510U
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce MX330

Armed with a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, the HP Spectre x360(opens in a new tab) is a blazing fast 2-in-1 laptop that doesn’t skimp on high-end specifications — and it's all housed inside of a sleek, ultrathin package that weighs less than three pounds. 

It’s a flagship 2-in-1 laptop from HP that’s ready to stream 4K and even do some gaming thanks to a NVIDIA GeForce MX330 gaming card, Bang & Olufsen speakers, and a crisp UHD 4K IPS touch panel display. It even comes with the HP Pen for sketching and quick note-taking.

This laptop hybrid is also one of the few on this list that features a fingerprint sensor for added security. Other than a little warmth after lots of use and a pretty average eight-hour battery life, there is nothing to complain about with this sleek machine. It really seems like HP tried to pack as many features as it could inside of this machine to justify its price point.

Best Display For The Money
Specs
  • Storage: 512GB
  • Memory: 8GB
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7
  • GPU: Intel Iris X Graphics

If you enjoy looking at pretty colors and don't feel like forking over your entire life savings, the HP Envy x360(opens in a new tab) may be the best 2-in-1 laptop for you. In other words, it's got a really nice display at a fair price, which isn't always easy to find. 

Available with a 15.6-inch, multi-touch display at a 1980 x 1080 resolution, the HP Envy x360 convertible laptop is still a gem for its impressive color and clarity, rivaling other hybrids that are way above its price range. It has all the power you need thanks to its graphics and high-powered processor options.

While it weighs in on the heavier side, it’s still an excellent pick for a 2-in-1: Windows fans will be happy with the HP's operating system of choice, and fans of tech in general will be pleased with its bevy of ports (including one USB-C, two USB-As, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack).

Best 360-degree Hinge
Credit: Lenovo
Specs
  • Storage: 1TB NVMe PCle SSD
  • Memory: 16GB
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor
  • GPU: Intel Iris Xe graphics

We loved this computer’s predecessor, the C940, but the Yoga 9i(opens in a new tab) iteration is an even better take on the same concepts we loved, and it’s still built with professionals in mind. It contains a powerful Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor that can handle those of us with a lot of tabs, swaps out the previous graphics card for Intel Iris Xe, and comes standard with 16GB of RAM. 

With this 14-inch device, you’ll get something that’s slim when in tablet mode, as well as a solid workhorse when used as a traditional laptop. Thanks to the machine’s trusty 360-degree hinge, it can flex in almost any position, while still giving you the support you need, so this hybrid laptop won’t wobble when in kiosk mode like other convertibles. It also comes kitted out with 4K video, amazing speakers in a rotating soundbar, and Dolby Atmos software, so if you use it to watch movies or listen to background music while you work, you won’t be disappointed. 

We also like that at around three pounds, it’s super-easy to take with you on your commute, too. 

The downsides of this model? The super-glossy screen can be really glare-ish for outdoor work or brighter settings, and the 720HD webcam isn’t super great. There’s also a narrow range of ports, though it’s the compromise that comes with a computer three inches thick: It carries one USB-A 3.2 port, two USB-C /Thunderbolt ports, and... that’s it. 

Best Compact Laptop
Specs
  • Storage: 128GB
  • Memory: 8GB
  • CPU: AMD A9-9420e
  • GPU: Radeon R5 Graphics

The Dell Inspiron 11 3195 2-in-1(opens in a new tab) is a compact and personal 11-inch laptop that's ideal for minuscule desk space in tiny dorm rooms — or taking with you on the go for admin during your commute. Though it's small and lower-priced, it's sturdy where it needs to be and doesn't feel cheap. Admittedly, the display is too low-res at 1366 by 768 to make it super ideal for streaming, but if you’re just answering emails or drafting a paper, it should be perfectly fine.  

The AMD A9-9420e Processor with Radeon R5 graphics is great hardware for the price, and the rest of the specs will suit general everyday work well: 4GB of RAM is enough to knock out some to-dos, and 128GB of storage will be more than okay for everyday use. There’s also a microSD card slot as well as two USB 2.0 ports and a USB 3.1 port.  

A 360-degree hinge makes the laptop fully convertible, and just 2.57 pounds is a great weight for portability. 

Best For Galaxy Users
Credit: Samsung
Specs
  • Storage: 1TB
  • Memory: 16GB
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7
  • GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics

The 15.6-inch Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360(opens in a new tab) is a standout 2-in-1 laptop that will catch your eye immediately, thanks to a sleek silhouette and large display. It’s great for Android users who want an Apple-like ecosystem without switching over all their gadgets, too, since it ties in with the Galaxy line of products to give you even more versatility with your devices.  

It’s also packed with powerful-enough hardware to run photo- and video-editing programs, and it comes with a stylus and touchscreen that are precise and responsive. There’s plenty of room to save your projects without needing an SD or USB drive — this machine's packing a whole terabyte of storage. It has a Thunderbolt 4 port and two USB-C drives, as well as a microSD reader and more USB ports via a dongle that comes with the computer. 


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