Best 2-in-1 Laptops
These versatile laptops from Dell, LG, and others could make you forget all about a dedicated tablet
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Why buy two devices when one will do the job? That’s the allure of a 2-in-1 laptop, which is one part traditional notebook and one part tablet.
You can use it as a notebook one minute, wrapping up a project in Word or Excel or Photoshop, and then minutes later use it as a tablet to binge on some Netflix or Max while on the couch.
“The primary appeal of a 2-in-1 is the flexibility,” says Antonette Asedillo, who oversees computer testing for Consumer Reports. “If you don’t need the keyboard, you can tuck it away, change the configuration so it functions as a stand, or possibly detach it altogether.”
With a convertible model, the keyboard swings 360 degrees on hinges and folds flat against the back of the display, approximating the functionality of a big-screen tablet. Convertibles can also be used in so-called “tent mode,” in which you bend the keyboard back about halfway and flip the device over, making it easy to share your screen with people nearby.
Detachables have a keyboard that can be completely disconnected from the display.
“Convertibles are good for presentations, times when you need to quickly show videos and slideshows,” Asedillo says. “It gets the keyboard out of the way and holds the display upright. Detachables are good when you want to be more mobile, maybe to play a game or browse the web using just the screen.”
Either way—convertible or detachable—you have a touchscreen, which comes in handy when you want to pause a movie or scroll through social media.
Roughly one-quarter of the laptops in our ratings are 2-in-1 laptops, with the vast majority being convertibles. In fact, as of mid-2023 there are just seven detachables in our ratings, all made by Microsoft.
CR members can see a list of recommended models, organized by screen size, below. For more info on products, deals, and discounts for students, visit CR’s Back-to-School Guide.
For the past few years, the LG Gram has been one of the best laptops you can buy. The convertible version manages to pack powerful specs into a thin and light 16-inch device.
It has an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 gigabytes of memory, and 512GB of solid-state storage.
Our testers praise the portability, high-end display, and performance. The model weighs a hair over 3 pounds, delivers as much as 18 hours in battery life, and features a high-res, color-accurate display that makes a great streaming video companion.
And that’s the 2022 LG Gram. There’s a 2023 version available now, too. We hope to have test results on that one soon, but expect it to be slightly more powerful (given that it has a newer Intel processor). But if you’d rather save a few hundred dollars, going with the 2022 model isn’t a bad idea.
If lengthy battery life is at the top of your must-have list, you should seriously consider this version of the Dell Inspiron. The 16-inch convertible delivers nearly 26 hours of battery life in our web browsing test.
You’ll also find an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 gigabytes of memory, and 512GB of solid-state storage.
Our testers note, though, that the display can give a slight yellowish tint to skin tones. If you’re using this as an office productivity device, that may not matter much, but if you’re hoping to also use it as a streaming video companion, one of the other laptops on this list may be a better fit.
Samsung’s primary 2-in-1 convertible is aimed at everyday consumers. (A higher-end Pro model is also available.) The model here has an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 gigabytes of memory, and 512GB of solid-state storage.
It scores well across the board, earning top marks for metrics like performance, display quality, and portability. It’s powerful enough to make short work of demanding tasks like rendering high-res video and has a 15.6-inch OLED display that makes it ideal for streaming video. Add a battery that lasts up to 17 hours on a single charge and you’re prepared for almost any challenge.
Another option around this size is the 2023 LG Gram. We haven’t finished testing that one yet, but previous versions, including last year’s model, have performed quite well in our labs.
Lenovo was one of the first manufacturers to get behind the 2-in-1 concept with its Yoga line back in the early 2010s, and its latest IdeaPad Flex is a great convertible. The fact that it’s now priced well under $600 certainly doesn’t hurt.
This 14-inch model has an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 gigabytes of memory, and 256GB of solid-state storage. Those are somewhat modest specs, but if the most you push your PC is crunching numbers in Excel or watching a 4K Netflix stream, you’ll be more than okay.
MSI is perhaps best known for its gaming laptops and accessories, but this 14-inch convertible is an all-around performer. It has an Intel Core i7 processor, 32 gigabytes of memory, and 1 terabyte of solid-state storage.
Our testers admire the long battery life (nearly 18 hours for browsing the web) and color-accurate display. And, considering that a big part of the appeal of a convertible is being able to stream video in comfort, those are great features to have.
If you’re aiming for a slightly smaller convertible, you may want to consider this 13.3-inch ZenBook Flip. It has an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 gigabytes of memory, and 1 terabyte of solid-state storage. And as a result of its modest size, it weighs in at just 2.5 pounds.
Our testers also admire the OLED display, which harnesses the same technology used in high-end TVs. That’s not super-relevant when you’re staring at a spreadsheet or a Word document, but you will certainly appreciate the accurate colors and high contrast when streaming video.
