“The bigger is not always, the better” – Anonymous
You’re in the right place if you’re finding it difficult to buy the best 13-inch laptop in the market!
We know it could be a “hard bullet to bite” sometimes when it comes to finding the ideal 13-inch laptop available in the market, considering the tons of options available in the market.
But it doesn’t have to be that way!
You can get a super 13-inch laptop that delivers beyond par, with its great portability.
All it takes is to know what to look out for before buying and making sure the features of the laptop fit perfectly into your needs.
That’s why we have produced a comprehensive buying guide that will show you the things to consider before buying a 13-inch laptop. To save you the stress and time in finding the ideal laptop, we listed three of the best options in the market.
Contents
Quick Summary
We did an extensive check on a wide range of 13-inch laptops in the market. We aimed to find the ones that met our requirement for battery, processor, memory, and many other vital factors since they are portable. Only three were able to check all the boxes.
- The Apple MacBook Air is what you will need if you’re looking for a portable laptop that comes with a lot of power.
- If you’re a Microsoft fan that loves a sleek and robust laptop that can double as a tab, then you should consider getting the Microsoft Surface Laptop.
- You will like the Acer Chromebook R13 convertible laptop if you’re cool with the affordability and sleekness of Chromebooks.
Who Should Get This?
If you like to get a laptop with high performance and portability—especially when you travel, then you’ll love any of the three laptops listed here.
Apart from the Acer Chromebook R13, the other two laptops on this list are a bit pricey. But one thing is sure; they will deliver top-quality performance if you carry out some heavy-duty tasks because of their high graphics specifications.
If you’re a student that can’t break the bank but want a portable and affordable system with a decent performance you can go for the Acer Chromebook R13.
It’s obvious. Picking any of the laptops listed in this article won’t be wise if you’re looking for a large screen laptop.
Best 13 Inch Laptop: What to Consider Before Buying in 2022
It’s easy for many laptop manufacturers to omit a ton of features when it comes to small screen laptops. Therefore, we’ll be pointing a few things to look out for before buying a 13-inch laptop.
They are as follows:
HDMI Out
Some manufacturers intentionally omit the HDMI port from small laptops for reasons best known to them. Hence, it’s key to check if the 13-inch laptop you intend to buy has an HDMI output.
Having one HDMI port will not hurt. But, if you get a laptop with two ports, it’s even better as it will allow you to connect more than one bigger display to your laptop.
SD Card Reader
Because optical drives are gradually going extinct, it’s advisable to look for laptops that have SD card adapters.
If you’re a traveler or tourist that takes a ton of pictures with a digital camera, you’d love an SD card adapter on your laptop. With it, you can quickly transfer all your media from your camera to your laptop without any cables. You only need to remove the SD card from your camera and fix it into your laptop to see your media.
USB Ports
For a 13-inch laptop, you should aim to have at least two USB ports. If you find a laptop with four USB ports, that will be better.
With a more significant number of USB ports, you can add multiple things to your laptop like a gamepad, mouse, and other external accessories at the same time—which will make life easier for you.
Best 13-Inch Laptop in 2022: Our Picks
Here’re our top picks for the best 13-inch laptops.
1. Apple MacBook Air
There is no way you won’t like to get this 2019 laptop if you’re a fan of Apple. The laptop has an overall robust performance, which makes it a premium option for you—if you don’t mind breaking your bank.
The MacBook Air comes with a reliable battery that lasts up to 10 hours, which makes it an ultimate option if you do a lot of traveling.
If you’re looking for a laptop with a great screen display, you’ll like the crisp and bright retina display that comes with the new Apple True tone display technology. Plus, it has an excellent gold colorway that looks great.
There’s more!
The new MacBook Air is even slimmer and lighter, at 2.8lbs than the previous models—which makes it stress-free to carry around, without feeling uncomfortable.
The MacBook Air comes with the usual thunderbolt ports on both sides. The only snag is that you can’t plug the typical USB cables or disk into it.
The keyboard of the laptop gives a decent typing feel, but it can be clicky and shallow, even though its backlit feature comes up at night.
What We Like:
- Brilliant Retina Display
- Fantastic Audio and Speakers
- The decent battery life of 8 hours
- “Hey Siri” function is amazing
- Full-HD and crisp screen
What We Don’t Like:
- The keyboard is clicky and shallow
- Webcam may fail you during Skype calls
2. Microsoft Surface Laptop
When it comes to size and slimness, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 gives the MacBook Air a good run for the money, as it comes with a slimness of 0.57 inches and 2.76lbs weight. That means you can have it in your backpack and you’d forget it’s there. It’s no doubt, great news for people who travel a lot and students.
But that’s not all!
Microsoft designed it to have a sleek 13-inch display that delivers quality and crisp picture.
Plus, it comes with a swift touch response that makes it an excellent option for business professionals who do a lot of presentations.
Microsoft boasts of creating a quieter keyboard for the Surface Laptop 2. That equally means, you can type fast on the screen without making a single sound, which makes it an ideal option for students doing their project in the school library.
Surface Laptop 2 also comes with a smooth touchpad—which is soft, responsive, and spacious.
The snag here is you’re stuck with the USB 3.0 ports; it doesn’t have the allocation for Thunderbolt 3, the USB-C 3.1 or the standard USB 3.1
The performance level of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 cuts it for us, thanks to its Intel Core i5 quad-core merged with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD.
What We Like:
- Superb Keyboard
- Ultra-slim and lightweight
- Awesome black color scheme
- Performance and power is pretty high compared to previous versions
What We Don’t Like:
- Ports are few
- No option for Thunderbolt 3 ports
3. Acer Chromebook R13 convertible laptop
The Acer Chromebook R13 convertible laptop may be pricier than other Chromebooks, but it has what it takes—because it gives real value for your buck.
You’ll love this laptop if you’re on the road most times—because of its excellent battery life, as it keeps the laptop on throughout the day, with a single charge.
Here’s the big one!
The Acer Chromebook R13 comes with an IPS display touchscreen with a swift touch, which makes it user-friendly, especially if you’re using it for the first time. Plus, the touchscreen allows ten touchpoints. But, the laptop comes with a Chiclet keyboard that’s unlit—which could be stressful to use in the dark.
Surprisingly, the laptop comes with a full-HD screen with 1920X1080 pixels, which produces clear and crisp images—making your screen time enjoyable.
One snag of this device is its low hard disk space of 32GB.
What We Like:
- It has a great battery life
- Sleek design
- It can run Android Apps
- 2-in-1 convertible factor
What We Don’t Like:
- Audio is flat
- Low hard disk space of 32GB
FAQs
Can I use a 13-Inch laptop for programming?
It’s not advisable to use it. Although, a 13-inch MacBook can come in handy.
Is a 13-inch laptop suitable enough for gaming?
Yes! But it all depends on the specific game. It may be fine for some basic games, but you may experience some glitches if you’re playing a game that requires a higher resolution.
Which 13-inch laptop is best to buy?
The laptops listed in this article are great options to choose from. The most crucial thing is to know what exactly you need.
What is the model screen resolution for a 13-inch laptop?
1080p will be a great option.
Final Words
Getting a 13-inch laptop will provide enough portability for you while delivering top-quality performance, whether it’s for business or pleasure. Recognize what works for you and go for it! Thanks to the buying guide and product list in this article, your decision making has gotten easier.
Which of the 13-inch laptops on this article are you ready to buy? Are there other 13-inch laptops you think should be on this list? We want to hear from you. Send your comments and suggestions down!
