The best lightweight laptops in 2021 that you'll find in T3's guide aim to offer the perfect balance of power, performance and portability in Ultrabook form. Here in T3's guide to the best lightweight laptops, you'll find a list of must-see portable machines with reviews on the very best ultraportable laptops available today.
Considering every scenario we can, we've looked at the best (and cheapest) lightweight laptops for students as well as the best cheap lightweight laptops for families and work. We've included Windows and Mac laptops, hybrid laptops and Ultrabooks (there's even a Chromebook, although if that's your preference, it's worth checking out our best Chromebooks guide, too).
Our guide is here to save you time, money, and to help you decide which is the best lightweight laptop to buy. We've collated the best lightweight laptop deals here, too: we've scoured the web to find the very best prices and included links to them in our buying guide to help you get the best possible deal on the best possible laptop. That should save you a substantial amount of cash.
From the polished Dell XPS 13 to the seriously professional HP Elite Dragonfly and Apple's marvelous MacBook Air (M1, 2020), the sheer choice of models among the best lightweight laptops in the UK market is really impressive right now, and if you do your homework and shop smart then you can bag a bargain.
Remember, though, that if you are just looking for a good all-round laptop, or something more specialist, then one of T3's other laptop guides could be better suited to your needs. For example, our best laptops guide is filled with the crème de la crème of portable systems, while our best 2-in-1 laptops guide has machines that can act as both a laptop and a tablet.
Those at school or university will be best served with our best student laptops roundup, while gamers will love the pixel-pushing powerhouses on offer in our best gaming laptops guide.
Right here, though, we rank the best lightweight laptops out there.
Looking for the best deals on lightweight laptops? Check out our best laptop deals guide for the best deals on laptops this month.
1. Dell XPS 13
The best lightweight laptop for most people
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-1185G7
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
RAM: Up to 16GB
Screen: 13.4-inch Full HD+ LCD (1920 x 1200)
Storage: 512GB
OS: Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Dimensions: 198.70 x 295.70 x 14.80 mm
Weight: 1.2 kg
Reasons to buy
+Fantastic looks+Powerhouse performance+Will last way beyond university
Reasons to avoid
-Higher specs raise price
The Dell XPS 13 series has consistently wowed us here at T3, and the latest version of the laptop continues that trend – it's powerful, supremely well built, and compact, so just about everything you could possibly want in your search for the best lightweight laptop. This will in no way weigh you down.
With the latest 11th-gen Intel processors installed and up to 16GB of RAM installed, this is a portable computer that's going to be able to handle everything that you want to throw at it. From late-night Netflix to early-morning report writing, you'll find the Dell XPS 13 a capable and competent laptop.
It's that 13.4-inch display with the super-thin bezels that really makes the XPS 13 stand out though: if you want to, you can go all the way up to a 4K resolution, but the 1,920 x 1,080 resolution models still look fantastic (4K doesn't make a huge amount of difference on a laptop display this size).
The battery life is a very respectable 10 hours as well, meaning that you can legitimately use it all day for study as well, even if there isn't a power socket nearby.
2. Acer Swift 7
The best lightweight laptop for most people
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-7Y75
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 615
RAM: 8GB
Screen: 14-inch Full HD
Storage: 256GB SSD
Weight: 2.6 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Innovative security features+Breathtakingly compact design+Runs silently
Reasons to avoid
-Webcam below screen-Limited ports
There’s a certain magic about this laptop. Weighing just 1.2kg thanks to its fanless design and ultrathin battery, the Swift 7 feels nothing short of futuristic. The 14-inch touch display covered by Corning Gorilla Glass provides great color density, with a bezel that is almost non-existent. In fact, when the screen is showing off its excellent true blacks, it’s difficult to tell where the display ends and the bezel begins. The Swift 7 only comes in black, too; Henry Ford would be proud.
Inside, there's an 8th-gen i7 processor with integrated graphics and 8GB of RAM, optimized to produce minimum heat so the passive cooling system never gets overwhelmed. It’s a relatively modest laptop performance-wise, not best suited for demanding tasks such as video editing, but for on-the-go office work, there’s scarcely anything better. Folded down, it’s just nine millimeters thick.
In addition to the stylish design, this laptop comes packing some nifty security features. The power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner for secure booting and webcam hacks are a thing of the past thanks to a spring mechanism that conceals the camera within the body of the laptop when not in use. Overall, it's not cheap, but there are few ultralight laptops as elegant as this.
The Acer Swift 7 is the best lightweight laptop in the world.
3. MacBook Air M1
Mac fans should look no further than the M1 Apple MacBook Air for an ultraportable laptop in 2021.
The best premium lightweight laptop
Specifications
CPU: Apple M1
Graphics: Apple M1
RAM: 8GB unified memory
Screen: 13.3-inch 2,560 x 1,600 pixel-resolution Retina display
Storage: 256GB SSD
Connectivity: 2 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C
Camera: 720p FaceTime camera
Weight: 2.8 pounds
Dimensions: 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.63 inches (W x D x H)
Reasons to buy
+Very fast+Superb keyboard+Impressive storage+Premium design
Reasons to avoid
-More ports would be nice-Webcam still not great
The only reason the new M1 MacBook Air isn’t topping our chart is that it’s a little more expensive than the Windows equivalents. That said, Apple's new M1 processor makes it exceptional value for money and an even better buy than the Intel-powered MacBook Air it replaces. If you can afford it, you won’t be disappointed.
The new MacBook Air may look identical to the previous model, but there's a revolution going on inside. Apple has moved to its own processors, and they combine system and graphics memory together: in other laptops the system memory and graphics memory are separate. That delivers very significant speed increases, and it means that the MacBook Air doesn't require you to compromise between portability and power. It delivers both.
The speed of the new M1-powered Macs is truly extraordinary, and in benchmark tests, we’ve seen the new MacBook Air absolutely destroy laptops that cost many times more. That addresses the only major issue we’ve had with the MacBook Air in the past: the Intel-powered ones weren't always brilliant performers, but this Apple-powered one really is. In fact, it’s the number one choice in our best laptops guide.
There is still one little problem, mind you, and that’s the webcam. When you consider the camera technology that Apple puts in every iPhone, the inclusion of a mere 720p FaceTime camera seems like an odd corner to cut. The camera is improved over the previous version – it has better dynamic range, noise reduction and face detection thanks to a new image processor – but it’s still an annoying flaw in what’s otherwise a near-perfect lightweight laptop package.
That's a minor quibble, though. The MacBook Air (M1, 2020) is a game-changer and an absolutely superb lightweight laptop. To learn even more about this fantastic lightweight laptop check out T3's full MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review.
4. LG Gram 17
The LG Gram 17 weighs in at a feather-light 1.35kg (2.98lbs).
The best premium Windows 10 lightweight laptop
Specifications
Model: 17z90p
Dimensions: H x W x D = 26.01 x 38.02 x 1.78 cm (14.97 x 10.24 x 0.7 inches)
CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7 (2.8 GHz, Turbo up to 4.7 GHz, L3 Cache 12MB, 28W)
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: 16GB LPDDR4X 4266MHz
Screen: 17 inch IPS WQXGA 2560 X 1600
Storage: 256GB SSD
Weight: 2.98 lbs. (1.35kg)
Reasons to buy
+Fantastic 17-inch screen+Lightweight, stylish design+Plenty of battery life
Reasons to avoid
-Not a touchscreen
As you can see from our LG Gram 17 review (2021), this is a laptop that does lightweight properly – despite it having a larger-than-average 17-inch screen, the portable computer is the exact opposite of bulky and unwieldy.
In fact the LG Gram 17 tips the scales at a mere 3 pounds and this, along with its lithe dimensions (26.01 x 38.02 x 1.78 cm), make it an ultraportable in every sense of the word.
Definitely worth a place in our list of the best lightweight laptops of 2021 then, and it would earn a high ranking in a list of the most stylish-looking laptops of 2021 as well. LG has done a really nice job here, putting together a laptop that looks great from any angle without being flashy or overstated.
You can get this laptop kitted out with some seriously internal specs as well, further adding to its appeal, though the integrated graphics mean you shouldn't attempt any serious gaming on this machine. For taking a large screen around with you everywhere though, it's perfect.
Throw in an impressive battery life, strong keyboard and small bezels, and you've got an ultraportable star. One of the absolute finest lightweight laptops running Windows 10 on the market today.
The Lenovo IdeaPad S130 is a great budget lightweight laptop choice.
5. Lenovo IdeaPad S130
The best budget lightweight laptop
Specifications
CPU: Intel Celeron Dual Core
RAM: 4GB
Screen: 11.6-inch, 1,366 x 768 pixels
Storage: 32GB SSD
Weight: 1.15 kg (2.54 pounds)
Reasons to buy
+Very attractive price point+All the features and ports you need+Built to go the distance
Reasons to avoid
-Not ideal for video editing or gaming
The IdeaPad S130 isn't going to win any benchmarking races and shouldn't be used for intensive tasks like video editing or gaming, but as light computing Windows laptops go, it's really hard to beat.
What really stands out here, and why the S130 ranks so high in our best lightweight laptops list, is the price: this laptop comes in cheaper than even a lot of Chromebooks. As such, if the amount you're spending is important, then it might be worth putting the IdeaPad S130 on your shortlist.
The screen isn't the biggest at just 11.6-inches (you can upgrade to the 14-inch version if that's a problem), but that does mean this is a super small and portable lightweight laptop that you can take pretty much anywhere – and it's designed to be bumped around a bit, too, with solid build quality.
The system comes installed with a copy of Windows 10 in S mode, meaning that the OS is streamlined around light and fast usage. You can obviously switch to full Windows 10 if you desire, but if you're selecting this system you are doing so because you want a machine that can quickly run basic applications and programs, such as browsing the internet, sending emails, streaming the odd bit of Netflix, and playing Candy Crush Saga, which is what Windows 10 S Mode specializes in.
One of the best premium lightweight laptops
Specifications
CPU: Up to 10th-generation Intel Core i7-1065G7
Graphics: Up to Intel Iris Plus
RAM: Up to 16GB
Screen: 13.4-inch display (up to 4K, 3,840 x 2,400 resolution)
Storage: Up to 1TB
Reasons to buy
+Powerhouse performance+Will last way beyond college
Reasons to avoid
-Average battery life-Limited number of ports
The Dell XPS 13 series has consistently wowed us here at T3, and the latest version of the laptop continues that trend – it's powerful, supremely well built, and compact, so just about everything you could possibly want in your search for the best lightweight laptop. This will in no way weigh you down.
With the latest 10th-gen Intel processors installed and up to 16GB of RAM installed, this is a portable computer that's going to be able to handle everything that you want to throw at it. From late-night Netflix to early-morning report writing, you'll find the Dell XPS 13 for 2021 a capable and competent laptop.
It's that 13.4-inch display with the super-thin bezels that really makes the XPS 13 stand out though: if you want to, you can go all the way up to a 4K resolution, but the 1,920 x 1,080 resolution models still look fantastic (4K doesn't make a huge amount of difference on a laptop display this size).
6. Samsung Galaxy Book Pro
The best 2-in-1 lightweight laptop
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: 16GB
Screen : 15.6-inch
Storage: 512GB
OS: Windows 10
Reasons to buy
+S Pen included in the box+Incredibly slim and lightweight+Works seamlessly with other Galaxy devices
Reasons to avoid
-16:9 aspect ratio won’t suit everyone-No facial recognition-Lacks a 4K option
Weighing just under 1.4kg, the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 isn’t the lightest laptop on this list. But considering its 15.6inch screen, you don’t really expect it to be. You can take it on the train, to cafes and from room to room without it being a hassle, and while still having the luxury of a big touchscreen display.
Where this 2-in-1 laptop thrives is in productivity. It happily coped with heavy workloads, and then some. Included in the box is the S pen stylus so you’ll be able to use it for all kinds of work from creative tasks to data entry. It also had a long battery life, which will please anyone who tends to work on the go a lot. If it does run out, the charger is as small as a phone charger so won’t take up loads of bag space.
Because it’s so thin, you don’t get loads of ports so you’ll have to make do with a few USB-Cs instead. That won’t be too much of a problem for most, though.
Overall, this 2-in-1 laptop is pretty impressive, and it really looks the part. The large, vivid display won’t just be good for getting work done but when you want to relax in the evening with a Netflix show it’ll happily cater to that as well.
7. HP Elite Dragonfly
The best lightweight laptop for business users
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-8565U
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
RAM: 16GB
Screen: 13.3-inch 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels)
Storage: 512GB
Weight: 0.99 kg / 2.18 pounds
Reasons to buy
+Excellent looks+Superb screen+Long battery life
Reasons to avoid
-Average audio-Trackpad could be better
While the HP Elite Dragonfly is targeted at business users, it really is one of the best lightweight laptops around no matter who you are – it looks fantastic, it has a gorgeous screen, the battery life impresses... it's just a joy to use all around, really. Okay, it's a little on the pricey side, but we think it's worth it.
Tipping the scales at just under 2.2 pounds, the laptop is versatile too. The 13.3-inch display can fold right over, so you can use it in tent or tablet mode as well if you like, and it comes with an included stylus if you want something that's more accurate than your finger to operate the touchscreen.
A choice of configuration options are available, and you can pack the HP Elite Dragonfly with an Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 chip, as well as up to 16GB of RAM. There are multiple options when it comes to the display as well, all the way up to 4K (we've listed the top-end spec in the box above).
If you like the sound of this system you should consider it, as it is so highly rated that it has just won the Best Laptop award at the T3 Awards 2020.
-Limited connectivity-3:2 ratio screen
Which is the best lightweight laptop to buy today?
The Dell XPS 13 takes the crown in our guide, offering an almost perfect balance of power, performance options and portability for the price. Available in multiple configurations that are both affordable and properly powered, Dell's XPS line is a great starting point for anyone looking to find the best lightweight laptop.
How do I choose the best lightweight laptop?
It's easy to see the appeal of the best lightweight laptops: you don't want something that's too heavy or too big to carry around comfortably, but you also don't want to be tapping out emails and browsing the web on a tiny device. A super-thin, feather-light ultraportable is the perfect tool for the job.
The emergence of Chromebooks at the budget end of the market means that the world's best thin and ultraportable laptops are being pushed down in price, sometimes to very appealing prices – keep your eyes on the sales that are regularly appearing for the best chance of bagging a bargain. And while you're doing your shopping, bear in mind that it's not just the weight and specs of these laptops that are important – these super-portables have to look good as well, while you're doing your computing on the move.
With that in mind, all ultraportables listed here in our curated best lightweight laptop guide for 2021 deliver on the specs front and score highly in the appearance department, too. All-metal constructions, wafer-thin form factors and internals that can rapidly handle demanding tasks are the order of the day.
As you may have noticed, we're not fans of slow, poorly made technology here at T3, so you can be confident that these really are the best lightweight laptops and best compact laptops for speed, style and quality you can get in 2021.
How are lightweight laptops tested?
Testing lightweight laptops is very similar to most other forms of laptops. However, due to their slant toward portability, T3 ensures that traveling with and using a system while on the go is central to each review.
This lets us ascertain key things such as how good is a lightweight laptop's battery, how robust is its chassis and keyboard, and how easy it is to slip into a bag. These are real-world important things that no amount of whizzy specs can compensate for if lacking, as they are fundamental to the lightweight laptop experience.
Those considerations aside, T3 first evaluates lightweight laptops in terms of their overall package, design and build quality. We want to know what the system comes with out of the box, and just how ergonomically and aesthetically pleasing it is. If a system has a poor trackpad or cheap feeling chassis, we'll find out here.
Next, we consider the system in terms of specs and hardware, before proceeding to the benchmark the laptop to see what that translates as in terms of performance. We then actually use the lightweight laptop to see how that benchmark performance translates into real-world usage.
Finally, we then consider the system's operating system, software and any extra unique features, such as biometric sign-in tech, touchscreen stylus support or built-in webcams and mics. Here we want to ascertain just how easy to use the system is, as well as if anything has been cheaped out on, to save money.
The lightweight laptop is then assigned a score, with five stars the best a system can receive and one star the worst. If an ultraportable scores highly it is then considered for inclusion in T3's best lightweight laptops guide.
