The best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy in 2022

Relevant: The best laptops you can buy

Buying the best 2-in-1 laptop

2-in-1 laptops are a bit tricky to shop, especially compared to your run-of-the-mill laptops. You need to ensure that the tablet/laptop hybrid you’re getting can function well as both a tablet and a laptop. Adding to that is the wide variety of models available in the market, which makes it tricky to pick the best one for you.

If you want the best 2-in-1 laptop, start by narrowing down your budget. 2-in-1s are available at a wide range of price points, although they may cost a bit more than a similarly-specced laptop, primarily due to the addition of a touchscreen. If you’re on a tight budget and need a hybrid system for basic home, office, or educational use, you might want to consider a 2-in-1 Chromebook. For higher budgets and more intense workloads, 2-in-1 laptops with Windows are the way to go.

When buying a 2-in-1 laptop, an important factor is the screen size, aspect ratio, and resolution. With 2-in-1 laptops, the display is the most important part of the experience. You get the standard laptop screen sizes and aspect ratios, so pick according to your portability requirements. As far as resolution goes, Full HD is great for smaller tablet/laptop hybrids between 10 to 13-inches in display size. For bigger screens, you might want to consider QHD or 4K, depending upon your requirements.

See also: Display specs and terms explained — Resolution, contrast, color gamut, and more

Lastly is the build quality and sturdiness. Of course, build quality is rarely a concern with most major manufacturers. However, for 2-in-1 laptops, sturdiness is an important aspect. Since these systems have a flip-back mechanism, screen flex, and general usability with regards to the tablet mode, this is something you should look out for. The picks in our best 2-in-1 laptops list have been made considering this factor.

Last of all is the overall specifications. Convertible laptops are available in a wide range of price segments and specifications. So just like traditional laptops, you can pick the hardware according to your needs and budget.

The best cheap 2-in-1 laptops to buy

Editor’s note: We will continue to update this list of the best 2-in-1 laptops as more are released.

HP makes some great laptops, and its x360 range of computers is one of the pioneers in the 2-in-1 space. The company has perfected the 2-in-1, and the HP Spectre x360 14 is the best overall. It offers great specifications, packaged in a premium design and a sturdy build.

You get a 3:2 display, with choices that include two Full HD ones, one with HP’s privacy screen technology and 1,000 nits of brightness, and a 3,000 x 2,000 OLED screen. You also get an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU, up to 2TB of SSD storage. It weighs in at 3.06lb, making it a solid tablet/laptop device on the go. The keyboard isn’t detachable but folds back in the classic x360 fashion.

Microsoft has done rather well with its Surface lineup of devices. The Surface Pro has always been a great 2-in-1 laptop, and with this latest iteration, that’s all the more true. The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is the best 3:2 convertible laptop you can buy, offering a solid set of specifications and a solid software experience in both modes.

You get a 13-inch 3:2 PixelSense Flow display, running at 2880 x 1920 pixels resolution, and up to 120Hz refresh rate. You can choose between 11th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7. Storage ranges from 128GB to 1TB SSD, and RAM goes from 8GB to 32GB. It ships as a tablet with a kickstand, and you can buy a keyboard and touchscreen stylus separately. It weighs 1.96 lb (891g) without the keyboard and pen.

If the premium look, feel, and performance are a priority for you, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 makes a proposition like no other 2-in-1 on this list. It’s got a solid build, a great display with minimal bezels, and some of the best design choices you can find in not only convertible devices but laptops in general.

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 also offers 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs, with i3, i5, and i7 chips available. You get a 13.4-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, with options between Full HD Plus or UHD Plus. You get quite a few storage/RAM configurations. However, these are not user upgradeable, so make sure you pick the correct SKU for you.

Lenovo also has a fair amount of experience in making 2-in-1 laptops. The Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch) is our pick from the Lenovo stable. This is another 14-inch option on this list, and it also comes with a classy design and a sturdy build fit for a convertible laptop.

On the specifications side, you can configure this tablet/laptop hybrid with up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU. You get a 16:9 display with a choice between Full HD and UHD resolution. You can go up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD. The Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch) weighs 3.02lbs (1.37kg). You also get a stylus pen in the box, so you’re covered on that front from the get-go.

Microsoft’s Surface lineup has a ton of 2-in-1 options, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is the best pick for creative professionals. It is a quirky device, but it holds up well as a premium convertible laptop. It brings a creator-focused tablet and laptop into the 2-in-1 design. As a result, you get a Surface device that is a different kind of convertible from the Surface Pro 8, offering a laptop-first experience.

You get a 14.4-inch 3:2 PixelSense Flow display with a resolution of 2,400 x 1,600 and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The CPU options are limited to 11th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7. RAM options are 16 or 32GB, and storage is removable SSD with options beginning at 256GB, going all the way up to 2TB. The Core i7 models also get the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti GPU. The weight of this 2-in-1 hovers between 3.83lb (1.74kg) to 4lb (1.82kg.)

Samsung doesn’t make as many laptop models as the big laptop manufacturers, but its limited offerings still have solid options. Our pick for the best Samsung 2-in-1 laptop is the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (15-inch). As always, Samsung has some solid display technology here, packing in a 15.6-inch Full HD AMOLED screen.

Once again, CPU options include 11th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7. You can get 8 or 16GB of RAM and 256GB to 1TB of SSD storage. Samsung promises a battery life of up to 20 hours with this model, which is impressive. You also get the Galaxy Continuity, making your life easier if you have other Samsung Galaxy devices.

Most 2-n-1 laptops on this list are running Intel CPUs, but this one is different. The HP Elite Folio is the best 2-in-1 laptop with 5G connectivity, and it runs off of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 SoC. Overall it’s a very impressive package and is the best-looking device on this list.

The HP Elite Folio comes with a 13.5-inch display using the 3:2 aspect ratio at a Full HD Plus resolution. You get 8 or 16GB of RAM, and storage options include 128, 256, and 512GB SSDs. This hybrid laptop is a bit expensive, but if Windows on ARM is fine by you, it offers a decent package overall.

Our last pick for the list is an option for those folks looking to steer away from Windows. The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is the best 2-in-1 Chromebook you can buy, and it offers some of the best you can get from Chrome OS. This 2-in-1 comes heavily recommended from us here at Android Authority.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 offers an 11th Gen Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. It’s more or less the perfect Chromebook, offering a decent amount of power while not costing too much. If you’re willing to look at Chromebooks in your search for the ideal hybrid laptop, look no further than this one.

Other frequently asked questions

Q: Are 2-in-1 laptops worth it?
A: 2-in-1 laptops are meant for folks that want a tablet and a laptop rolled into one. If you’re looking for that, 2-in-1 laptops are absolutely worth it. They don’t carry too much of a price premium over regular laptops, either.

Q: Are 2-in-1 laptops good for college?
A: 2-in-1 laptops are great for college, especially if your college work involves a lot of note-taking. You can use the tablet mode for note-taking, and for the more intense work, flip right back to the laptop mode.

Q: Does Apple make a 2-in-1 laptop?
A: Apple doesn’t offer a 2-in-1 laptop yet. However, the iPad Pro coupled with the floating Magic Keyboard comes rather close to the 2-in-1 experience if you’re willing to work with iPadOS.

Q: Can a 2-in-1 laptop be used for gaming?
A: 2-in-1 laptops focus on portability and, as such, don’t often include a powerful GPU on board. However, some models offer a dedicated GPU, which can be used for gaming but don’t expect too much gaming performance from these machines.

Q: Do 2-in-1 laptops have DVD drives?
A: DVD drives are a rather rare inclusion in laptops nowadays. As far as 2-in-1 laptops go, they’re designed to be thin and light, and as such, it’s nearly impossible to find a 2-in-1 laptop with a DVD drive.