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The Lightest Laptops We’ve Tested for 2025
Almost every laptop claims to be thin, but few are among the true lightweight elite. “Light” has come a long way: At PCMag, we’ve been reviewing PCs since 1982, when “portable” meant suitcase-size. Here, we’ve gathered the best light laptops from dozens of contenders across all categories: business, gaming, 2-in-1 convertible, and more. Our collective decades of expertise help us evaluate laptops based on raw performance, build quality, screen fidelity, connectivity, and value. Our current favorite for most people is the high-value Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch, an excellent 2.8-pound ultraportable with a brilliant touch screen and a powerful AMD processor. It’s a well-priced laptop—one of the best overall, period, not merely for its weight. Read up on the rest of our top picks in super-light laptops for other budgets and usage cases, plus check out our detailed buying guide and a spec breakout of all recommended models.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
November 24, 2025: With this update, we added the Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 10 Aura Edition as the Best Light Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop, replacing the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 (2024). Our remaining picks have been vetted for currency and availability. Since our last update, we have tested and evaluated 11 new laptops for inclusion in this roundup and other laptop roundups. We are currently testing more than a dozen laptops in PC Labs, including models from Asus, Dell, and HP.
- Peppy performance
- High value
- Long battery life
- Lots of ports for its size
- Just a 1200p display
- No WWAN option or SD card slot
- Face login only—no fingerprint reader
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406) is the best lightweight laptop we’ve reviewed for most folks, taking on the like-priced competition with a powerful AMD Ryzen 8000-series processor. The peppy performance is matched by long battery life and a scintillating OLED touch screen with better-than-1080p resolution. The slim 2.82-pound design is super-easy to carry, and the variety of ports is anything but lightweight. Available for as little as $850 through select retailers, this Zenbook is a compelling value.
Value-focused everyday shoppers: This is the best lightweight laptop to buy for most people. The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406) is ideal for people seeking an affordable light laptop, thanks to its sub-$1,000 price, yet it strikes an effective balance of power and longevity away from the charger.
Frequent fliers: This laptop is an excellent fit for people who travel often, whether for work or leisure. People who need exceptional endurance will enjoy this Zenbook 14 model, as its long battery life and thin-and-light design are significant advantages, earning it our Editors’ Choice award for mainstream ultraportable laptops.
Class
Ultraportable
Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
1920 by 1200
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
AMD Radeon 780M Graphics
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.59 by 12.3 by 8.7 inches
Weight
2.82 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
19:56
Learn More
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406) Review
- A nearly perfect portable PC
- Remarkably light
- Gorgeous 2.8K OLED display
- Fine keyboard
- Generous array of ports for its size and profile
- No SD or microSD card slot
- WWAN option not available yet
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition stands at the top of the podium with a well-earned 5-star review and Editors’ Choice award, but that’s not why we’re recommending it here. Yes, the newest X1 Carbon wowed us with its performance, design, and build quality—but Lenovo also trimmed the famed featherweight from last year’s 2.42 pounds to an airy 2.17 pounds. Plus, it’s passed MIL-STD 810H ruggedness-standards tests, so it should survive wherever your next business trip takes you. Lenovo tops it off with a gorgeous 1800p OLED display, a fantastic keyboard, and a superb 19 hours of battery life—all reflected in its perfect score.
Executives and well-funded IT departments: This is the leading lightweight laptop for business leadership and particularly fortunate organizations. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition is for high-level staff or professionals whose work requires the absolute best in design, portability, and build quality, and for whom cost is not the primary constraint.
Nomadic contractors and entrepreneurs: This laptop is the cream of the crop for freelancers and small-business owners. If carrying your machine is a key consideration, this ThinkPad’s extremely light weight addresses that and then some with the industry’s best keyboard, a generous array of ports, long battery life, and a ruggedized frame.
Class
Business, Ultraportable
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1800
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
Manual
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Arc Graphics 140V
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.56 by 12.3 by 8.5 inches
Weight
2.17 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
19:49
Learn More
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition Review
- Unparalleled build quality at its size
- Powerful enough for modern 60fps-plus gaming
- Sharp 120Hz 3K OLED screen
- Long battery life
- User-upgradable SSD
- High cost of entry
- Larger laptops at this price offer superior GPUs
For full-size gaming power in a nearly ultraportable form factor, we love the Razer Blade 14 (2025). With a high-end AMD Ryzen AI 9 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series graphics, it’s powerful enough for modern games at high frame rates, all in a compact 14-inch build that weighs just 3.6 pounds. That portability takes full advantage of its battery, which lasts more than 10 hours on a single charge. When it’s time to game, the laptop’s speedy 120Hz OLED display can keep up with the GPU in colorful fashion. All of this power comes at a cost, though: The Razer Blade 14 (2025) is one of the most expensive laptops on this list. However, for ultimate portability with premium gaming capabilities, you can’t beat this supreme gaming laptop.
High-end mobile gamers: This is the best lightweight gaming laptop we’ve tested this year. For gamers willing to pay a premium, the Razer Blade 14 (2025) is the ultimate combination of frame-pushing power and portability in a 14-inch form factor. Plus, with DLSS 4 image optimization and frame generation, the Blade can keep up with the most cutting-edge games for longer.
Content creators moonlighting as PC gamers: This laptop works particularly well for independent content creators who also love PC gaming. The Blade 14 serves those who need a machine capable of handling moderate media editing and excellent general productivity, in addition to gaming, with its RTX 50-series graphics and AMD AI processing behind a dazzling OLED screen.
Class
Gaming, Ultraportable
Processor
AMD Ryzen AI 9 365
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1800
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
G-Sync
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
8 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions (HWD)
0.64 by 12.2 by 8.8 inches
Weight
3.6 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
11:37
Learn More
Razer Blade 14 (2025) Review
- Impressive CPU performance
- Pleasant keyboard and touchpad
- Lots of connectivity
- Attractive, friendly design
- A bit of flex to the chassis
- Basic 1080p display easily outclassed for not much more
- Enough battery for a workday—no more
The 2025 Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 delivers incredible value in a feathery, 3.17-pound package, making it suitable for on-the-go use. Despite its size, the laptop houses an upgraded Intel Core i5 processor with competitive performance. The result is about as high-quality as a basic Chromebook can get, with plenty of ports, sturdy construction, and all the AI tools that come with Chromebook Plus models. The keyboard and touchpad are enjoyable to use; the 10-plus hours of battery life are helpful; and the budget-grade price makes it all more accessible.
Budget-restricted shoppers: This Chromebook is the top lightweight laptop option for people on a strict budget. For people looking to spend as little as possible on a well-made device, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 (2025) presents the best value in a light laptop we’ve seen this year. It brings effective performance and a meticulous design to a highly approachable price bracket.
Google Chrome and Android fans: This is the ultimate lightweight laptop for fans of Google’s apps and services. The CX34 is an excellent machine for anyone specifically seeking laptops that meet Google’s “Plus” standards for quicker, more capable performance compared with basic Chromebooks. It’s a potent performer with access to the latest Gemini AI features for fans to keep on trend.
Class
Chromebook
Processor
Intel Core i5-1335U
RAM (as Tested)
8 GB
Boot Drive Type
UFS (Universal Flash Storage)
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
128 GB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
1920 by 1080
Panel Technology
IPS
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Wireless Networking
Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6E
Dimensions (HWD)
0.74 by 12.9 by 8.4 inches
Weight
3.17 lbs
Operating System
Chrome OS
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
10:51
Learn More
Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 (2025) Review
- Lower starting price than the previous-generation 13-inch Air
- Faster M4 processing
- RAM gets a boost, even in the base model
- Improved Center Stage camera
- Quiet, fanless design
- Some ultraportable Windows laptops outpace it
- Battery life falls off a little versus 2024 model
- Display tech remains solid, but is starting to appear dated alongside OLED
The latest Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4) is an instant favorite, elevating the performance of Apple’s slimmest and lightest Mac, while also dropping the price. It has the same slimmed-down chassis as the previous model, but beefs up the insides in all the ways that matter, with an M4 processor and more memory, even in the least expensive configurations. That more-capable silicon delivers better performance in creative tasks and productivity benchmarks, all while staying silent with the Air’s fanless design. Throw in an improved Center Stage camera for video calls and a battery that lasts nearly 20 hours, and the 13-inch MacBook Air stays high on the list of the lightest laptops.
Mainstream ultraportable shoppers: This MacBook is the Apple laptop of choice for the average Mac fan or Mac-curious shopper. For mainstream Apple fans seeking the best overall value and experience in a Mac laptop, the Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4) is one of the best buys among mainstream ultraportables, now with more starting memory at a lower price.
Mobile professionals and content creators: This is the best MacBook option for mainstream professionals and content creators. The MacBook Air is as suitable for everyday tasks as it is for high-performance image and video editing, all in a surprisingly capable and lightweight package.
High school and college students: This MacBook is the ideal model for high school and college students in computationally basic fields of study. For long sessions on campus or at home that require extreme longevity, this MacBook delivers nearly 20 hours of battery life, while also not compromising on performance, as MacBooks typically maintain much of their processing power even when off the cord.
Class
Ultraportable
Processor
Apple M4
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
Screen Size
13.3 inches
Native Display Resolution
2560 by 1664
Panel Technology
LED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Apple M4 (10-core)
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.44 by 12.0 by 8.5 inches
Weight
2.7 pounds
Operating System
Apple macOS Sequoia
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
19:56
Learn More
Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025, M4) Review
- On-point productivity performance
- Gorgeous, sturdy 2-in-1 build
- Spectacular OLED display
- Excellent battery life
- Click-button touchpad
- A little expensive for the component mix
The Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 10 Aura Edition stands out as one of the best-designed 360-degree convertible laptops available, showcasing a design that’s both elegant and sturdy. The OLED touch display is fantastic, with either 1800p or 2400p resolution, which delivers dynamic colors, inky blacks, impressive HDR support, and a 120Hz refresh rate. Displays don’t get much better than this, which is good news on a laptop that doubles as a tablet. But that’s not all we love about it; from its long battery life to the AI-ready Intel “Lunar Lake” processor and included stylus, we found much more to admire about this 2-in-1, which is why we gave it an Editors’ Choice award.
Deep-pocketed fans of 2-in-1s: This laptop is the ideal 2-in-1 for well-to-do fans of hybrid computing. The Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 10 Aura Edition is a flagship model that presents the absolute best in design, audio, and battery life in a convertible form factor. It’s a luxuriously designed laptop intended to make a fashion statement at coffee shops and on park benches.
Media consumers and creators: Shoppers who will fully utilize the spectacular OLED display and the unique 360-degree hinge-mounted soundbar for an optimal viewing and listening experience in any mode will draw the most benefit out of this Yoga. The included stylus will be a boon to digital drafters and designers—and note-takers, too.
Class
Convertible 2-in-1
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1800
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Arc Graphics 140V
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions (HWD)
0.63 by 12.4 by 8.7 inches
Weight
2.91 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
21:56
Learn More
Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 10 Aura Edition Review
- Gorgeous OLED touch screen
- Kickstand cover and above-average keyboard included
- Dual high-quality cameras
- SD card slot
- Affordable price
- Pen not included
- Scanty port selection and no headphone jack
- Arm software compatibility concerns
- No WWAN option
The Asus ProArt PZ13 is our favorite light detachable Windows tablet, thanks to its beautiful OLED display, two included accessories (a kickstand cover and a detachable keyboard), and rugged design that protects against dust, drips, and drops. The touch screen provides rich color and clarity (and stylus support), and the laptop’s nearly 18 hours of battery life will let you work all day and play into the night. The PZ13 is a winning spin on the detachable 2-in-1 formula, providing access to the latest Copilot+ PC features for less than the equivalent Microsoft Surface model.
Value-first Surface fans: This Windows tablet is the best Microsoft Surface Pro alternative we’ve tested in some time. The Asus ProArt PZ13 is ideal for shoppers seeking the best performance-to-price ratio in a Windows detachable, as it is priced hundreds of dollars less than its Microsoft Surface Pro competition while including essential accessories like the keyboard cover.
Content consumers and creators: This is the top Windows tablet for both content creators and consumers. Just like our 2-in-1 convertible pick, the ProArt PZ13 deploys its gorgeous OLED touch screen to great effect, enabling high-quality movie watching and color-sensitive creative work, especially digital drafting.
Class
Detachable 2-in-1
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100)
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
13.3 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1800
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno GPU
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions (HWD)
0.35 by 11.7 by 8 inches
Weight
1.87 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
17:47
Learn More
Asus ProArt PZ13 Review
- Among the least expensive convertible laptops on the market
- Sharp touch screen
- Tablet portion has a high-quality build for its price
- Headphone jack is back
- Test model includes stylus pen
- All models include bundled keyboard
- Middling performance and battery life
- Keyboard has squishy keys, is designed for smaller hands
For one of the lightest, most convenient, and least expensive 2-in-1 laptops you can buy, check out the Lenovo Chromebook Duet Gen 9. This Chromebook tablet weighs barely more than a pound (that is, the tablet by itself), or a smidge over 2 pounds with the keyboard cover and separate stand attached. You’ll love how easy it is to carry, as well as how seamlessly you can switch between typing on the keys and tapping or handwriting on-screen with the included stylus. The tablet is excellent for ChromeOS and Android apps; its sturdy metal chassis is stylish enough for adults but sized well for kids, and it’s easily the most affordable option on this list.
Shoppers on a tight tablet budget: This 2-in-1 Chromebook is ideal for cash-strapped families shopping for one or more tablets for the house. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet Gen 9 serves as a reliable low-cost computing device for basic tasks such as light web browsing, paying bills, and communicating via email and social media. Plus, the keyboard and stylus are included—a truly complete package.
Kids’ first tablet: This is an excellent Chromebook device to purchase for a young student or as a more affordable alternative to an iPad for a child to use at home. The Chromebook Duet works well for educational use and younger users who primarily need access to simple apps and functions, such as online homework and video apps, and everything you need comes in the box.
Class
Chromebook, Detachable 2-in-1
Processor
MediaTek Kompanio 838
RAM (as Tested)
8 GB
Boot Drive Type
eMMC Flash Memory
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
128 GB
Screen Size
10.95 inches
Native Display Resolution
1920 by 1200
Panel Technology
IPS
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
ARM Mali-G57 MC3
Wireless Networking
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.30 by 10.1 by 6.6 inches
Weight
1.12 lbs
Operating System
Chrome OS
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
6:01
Learn More
Lenovo Chromebook Duet Gen 9 Review
- Lower starting price and cheaper configurations than M3 version
- 16GB is now the baseline memory capacity
- Improved Center Stage camera
- Quiet, fanless design
- M4 processor, while faster than M3, loses ground to some PC chips
- Battery life tops M3 model’s, but trails rival Windows ultraportables
- Display is due for an upgrade
- Too few ports for its size
Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air is the 13-incher’s big brother, so it should come as no surprise that the same design in a larger size is our top 15-inch lightweight laptop. The 3.3-pound chassis is slim, sturdy, and highly portable—and it’s all powered by an all-day battery.
With this generation, more memory comes standard, and the base model is cheaper than ever, making it one of the most affordable Macs you can buy. But the real star is the M4 chip, which aces everyday computing, creative work, and even AI-related workloads.
Mainstream buyers seeking a big-screen Mac: This is the lightweight MacBook to buy if the 13.3-inch model isn’t big enough for you. For buyers seeking the largest screen size, the Apple MacBook Air 15-Inch (2025, M4) brings a large screen to the lightweight-laptop category, while benefiting from reduced pricing and those juiced-up base specs. It’s a thoroughly high-value big-screen MacBook.
Content creators and mainstream professionals: This MacBook is a fine fit for content creators or even general professionals in Mac-loyal offices who want a bigger screen. Content creators will benefit most from this MacBook’s competitive creative-application benchmark scores and its excellent graphics rendering capabilities via M4 silicon; meanwhile, the average employee will appreciate the spacious, visually pleasing screen and extended battery life.
Class
Desktop Replacement
Processor
Apple M4
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
256 GB
Screen Size
15.3 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1864
Panel Technology
LED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Apple M4 (10-core)
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.45 by 13.4 by 9.4 inches
Weight
3.3 lbs
Operating System
Apple macOS Sequoia
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
18:31
Learn More
Apple MacBook Air 15-Inch (2025, M4) Review
- Unbeatably lightweight, surprisingly durable
- Large, high-quality display
- Comfortable keyboard
- Copilot+ PC with additional AI from LG
- Peak performance limited by lightweight design
- Pricey
The lightest laptops are often the most compact, so the LG Gram 17 stands out with a giant screen that defies expectations. Nearly as light as many much-smaller ultraportables, the Gram 17 is easy to carry, despite its 17-inch QHD+ IPS display.
Plus, it’s an excellent laptop in its own right, from its magnesium-alloy construction to its comfortable keyboard and rich port selection. Other standout features include Copilot AI capabilities and an impressive 19-hour battery life. Just know, the price isn’t all that light: The LG Gram 17 is on the costly side, starting at a steep $1,600.
Shoppers seeking a roomy screen: This is the ultimate lightweight laptop for people who simply must have the biggest screen possible. The Gram 17 will please anyone who prioritizes a gigantic, vibrant screen. A display this large significantly enhances multitasking and movie viewing, while the laptop’s featherweight 3.1-pound design maintains the extreme portability you’re looking for.
Database and spreadsheet professionals: This laptop is a fantastic choice for those who spend a lot of time working with spreadsheets or other data sets. Excel wizards will benefit from the Gram’s full-size keyboard, complete with a number pad, for efficient data manipulation and number crunching. Plus, the huge panel expands your visible sprawl of data, and the lightweight design makes the laptop an easy traveler.
Class
Ultraportable, Desktop Replacement
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
17 inches
Native Display Resolution
2560 by 1600
Panel Technology
IPS
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Arc Graphics 140V
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.74 by 14.9 by 10.2 inches
Weight
3.1 pounds
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
19:01
Learn More
LG Gram 17 (2025) Review
- Light, compact build
- Customizable before and after ordering
- Repairable, upgradable, sustainable design
- Aggressively priced DIY Edition
- Support for AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors
- 14-hour battery life
- Price premium for prebuilt Windows system
- Some fine print for setup and compatibility
- Display is workable, but not a standout for the price
When looking at the lightest laptops, the last thing you might expect is upgradability. Framework’s 2025 Laptop 13 is a rare ultraportable that weighs less than three pounds but features easily swappable components. You can access and change out everything from the memory and storage to the motherboard and display panel for upgrades and repairs, letting you customize it before or after ordering.
You can buy this laptop prebuilt, but the aggressively priced, build-it-yourself DIY Edition is surprisingly cost-effective for a laptop featuring a powerful AMD Ryzen AI 300 processor and 14-hour battery life.
DIY enthusiasts: This is the ultimate lightweight laptop for people who love building their own PCs and tinkering with their computing hardware. The Framework Laptop 13 is excellent for people who want the aggressively priced DIY Edition and enjoy assembling their own machine, facilitated by a design (and helpful digital guides) that makes the process a breeze.
Sustainability advocates: This laptop is a big-time e-waste preventer, making it today’s top-tier device for the environmentally conscious. People who prioritize sustainability and a longer product lifespan should start their shopping journey with a device explicitly designed for repairability and future upgrades.
Shoppers looking to save long-term: Framework’s design allows you to swap out nearly every part of the system for replacements or upgrades, rather than replacing the entire laptop, potentially saving you thousands as new mobile component generations and computing standards emerge in the years to come.
Class
Ultraportable
Processor
AMD Ryzen AI 7 350
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
13.5 inches
Native Display Resolution
2,880 by 1,920
Panel Technology
IPS
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
AMD Radeon 860M Graphics
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.62 by 11.7 by 9 inches
Weight
2.86 lbs
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
14:02
Learn More
Framework Laptop 13 (2025) Review
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Tested: The Lightest Laptops for 2025
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Buying Guide: Tested: The Lightest Laptops for 2025
What defines a lightweight laptop? Most would agree that the upper limit is three pounds, possibly stretching to four for a system with a big 15.6-inch screen. Neither of those figures counts the computer’s AC adapter, an often-overlooked bit of baggage that can be anything from a compact shirt-pocket gadget to an ungainly brick.
For manufacturers, crafting an ultralight laptop is all about compromise. A smaller battery pack will save weight, but it won’t last as long—a risky move in a market in which many buyers expect to get through an entire workday, plus a Netflix movie in the evening, on a charge. Exotic chassis materials, like carbon fiber and magnesium alloys, weigh less than ordinary notebooks’ plastic and aluminum but also increase cost. A touch screen is convenient, but its glass overlay adds a few grams.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
For you, shopping for a svelte laptop is all about choices. Some aren’t particularly obvious, such as a system’s expandability—the lightest machines may have their memory, for instance, mounted directly on the motherboard rather than in the upgradable SO-DIMM sockets of bulkier models. Similarly, all new models now use solid-state drives (SSDs) rather than cheaper but heavier hard drives for storage. However, the upgradability of these drives in the lightest laptops will vary from no-can-do (the storage is soldered down) to potentially upgradable (on a PCI Express M.2 SSD module, if you can crack the case to access it).
Other choices will be in your face, starting with the obvious one: the display panel.
What Screen Size Is Best in a Light Laptop?
At the risk of insulting your intelligence, the biggest factor in laptop weight is the physical size of the chassis. And for a laptop, that correlates with screen size. If you’re cool with a 13-inch or 14-inch display, you’ve got plenty of ultralights to choose from; if you want a jumbo 17-inch screen, look to LG (known better for appliances) with its LG Gram 17 weighing a feathery 3.1 pounds.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
As you’d expect, most weight-savers are smaller than that, though it’s up to you how small is too small. The most popular panel sizes for light laptops are 13.3 and 14 inches. Resolution is usually 1080p full HD (1,920 by 1,080 pixels), 1440p (2,560 by 1,440 pixels), or 4K UHD (3,840 by 2,160 pixels). Many laptops fall somewhere in between, with a better-than-FHD resolution that’s still less detailed than 4K.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
While it can be tempting to revel in the ultrafine detail of a 3K or 4K display for applications such as image editing or video streaming, don’t be ashamed if your needs (and budget) favor the everyday productivity of a 1080p panel. Besides getting a perfectly adequate screen (something that can’t be said for the older standard of 1,366 by 768 pixels), you’ll get substantially better battery life, all else being equal.
Light Laptop Trends: Slim Bezels, Squarer Screens
Excess bulk is the enemy of weight, so look for a laptop with a high screen-to-body ratio—in other words, thin rather than thick bezels surrounding the display. (Ditto for a unit without wide borders on either side of the keyboard.)
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Another detail related to screens and bezels concerns a panel aspect-ratio migration underway. A big trend recently is the move of many popular laptops (from Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others) away from the typical 16:9 screen aspect ratio to a squarer 16:10 or 3:2. This allows for more vertical viewing space for web page viewing, spreadsheet browsing, and more. It’s something to watch for, especially if you’ll use your light laptop more for productivity work than video viewing. (The 16:9 ratio is the best literal fit for the latter, but not much else.)
Light Laptops That Turn Into Tablets: Detachable 2-in-1 Laptops
What if you’d like to indulge your inner Charles Lindbergh and redesign your laptop for travel, in the same way the trans-Atlantic pioneer swapped out the Spirit of St. Louis’ seat for a wicker one to save weight? There used to be notebooks that let you replace their optical drives with empty weight-saving slices, but designs of that kind (not to mention, um, optical drives) are history.
However, you can opt for a 2-in-1 tablet-style laptop that lets you remove its keyboard cover. This gives you two choices: carry just the tablet if you’re viewing videos or jotting short notes with a stylus, or carry both parts along if you need to type something. A tablet and its thin keyboard cover or folio usually weigh less than a conventional clamshell laptop.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Of course, detachables aren’t the only 2-in-1 hybrid laptops—there are convertibles whose screens flip and fold from laptop to tablet mode, propping up for kiosk or easel-like presentation modes in between. Several of these qualify as light, though their versatile hinges add some weight compared with clamshells.
What Are the Features to Look for in a Light Laptop?
If you’re an avid PC gamer, you should know that nearly all ultralights rely on their processors’ integrated graphics instead of faster-dedicated graphics—a discrete GPU is one of the first things that gets taken off the cargo roster when designers are trying to hit a weight target. Light laptops also tend to have fewer ports and expansion options than their heavier cousins. Having just a couple of ports is common.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Shop carefully if you’re looking for, say, a full-size HDMI video output or a full-size SD card slot. Also, realize that some ports seen on larger laptops (such as an Ethernet port for wired networks) are seldom found on the lightest laptops. In ultralight laptops, video output is often relegated nowadays to DisplayPort over a physical USB-C port.
Fortunately, the days when light laptops lacked battery life are more or less over. Though a beefy battery pack is still the easiest route to extended run time, today’s lithium-polymer cells are both weight- and energy-efficient. You can cross-index this guide against our roundups of the best battery-life laptops and the best ultraportables. But rest assured that we factored battery life into our top picks here.
Ready to Buy the Right Light Laptop for You?
By now, it’s clear—you don’t have to strain your arm and shoulder to carry real productivity power. To go deeper with the models we selected, check out the detailed spec breakout included in this story of the best light laptops we’ve tested. It’s not comprehensive for every light model we’ve tested, since we review so many systems, but we refresh it frequently with the best of the best. Meanwhile, safe travels and happy landings.
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