The Best 2-in-1 Laptops for 2022

For years, when you needed a real portable computer, the only way to get it was to turn to a laptop. Then, as mobile processors became more powerful and operating systems more flexible, you had a choice: You could either stay with the traditional clamshell design or go with a tablet, which offered you less functionality and power but greater convenience by subtracting the keyboard from the equation altogether. So it was just a matter of time until enterprising manufacturers realized that adding or removing the keyboard was all that was needed to turn one into another. Now, the resulting product, a 2-in-1, isn’t just its own product category—it’s one of the most popular in the PC industry.

Simply put, a 2-in-1 is a touch-optimized convertible laptop or detachable tablet with a both a touch screen and a physical keyboard of some type. When you need full-stroke keys and a touchpad, you can use the 2-in-1 just the way you would a regular laptop. But if you need or want full access to just the screen for an extended period of time, that’s an option as well. And you can flip back and forth between the modes whenever you wish, usually expending just a second’s effort.

That said, you’re still buying a PC with a full operating system, whether that’s Chrome OS or Windows. In the future, macOS could be a player, but thus far Apple has pointed folks who need a touch screen and tablet/laptop convertibility toward its iOS-equipped iPad and iPad Pro lines, paired with an optional keyboard.

We’ve outlined below our top picks among the 2-in-1 laptops that we’ve tested. Read on for our labs-tested favorites, followed by the basics you should know when buying 2-in-1 laptop. Also note: At the very end of this article is a detailed spec breakout of our top models.

More About Our Picks

Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 Gen 7 (2022)

Best Overall Convertible Laptop

Bottom Line:

Lenovo’s 14-inch Yoga 7i Gen 7 is the most polished in a long line of successful 2-in-1 laptops, with a stellar design and superb battery life.

Pros

• Superb, sturdy design with elegant features
• Bright, colorful 2.2K touch screen
• Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
• Robust port selection
• Solid performance and battery life

Cons

• Integrated graphics limit gaming and media creation potential
• Active pen is supported but not included

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i 14

Best Budget Convertible Laptop

Bottom Line:

As capable as it is affordable, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i 14 is a midsized convertible that gets the basics right.

Pros

• Practical, sturdy design
• Comfortable keyboard
• Generous memory and storage amounts
• Two USB Type-A and HDMI ports
• Webcam privacy shutter and fingerprint reader

Cons

• Relatively heavy for a 14-inch ultraportable
• Dim 250-nit display

Best Detachable Windows Tablet

Bottom Line:

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 8 doesn’t revolutionize the iconic 2-in-1, but it delivers the most noteworthy update in years, with a larger display, an attractive chassis redesign, and improved performance.

Pros

• Modern design with thin bezels and larger (13-inch) display
• Superior 1080p webcam
• Two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support
• Well-implemented kickstand
• User-accessible SSD
• Perky performance in tested Core i7 configuration

Cons

• Higher starting price diminishes entry-level appeal
• Accessories and configuration upgrades are pricey
• Keyboard base still sold separately
• USB-C ports only

HP Spectre x360 13.5 (2022)

Best OLED Convertible Laptop

Bottom Line:

The Spectre x360, now in a slightly tweaked screen size, isn’t cheap, but HP’s flagship convertible laptop is a brilliantly engineered, light, long-lived showpiece.

Pros

• Gorgeous 3:2 aspect ratio OLED touch screen
• Elegantly sleek, sturdy design
• Great performance and battery life

Cons

• No HDMI port (but mini dock included)
• No internal pen storage or LTE mobile broadband
• Keyboard layout a little disappointing

Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1

Best Convertible Laptop for Enterprise Fleet Deployments

Bottom Line:

The Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1 is uncomfortably pricey, but this 13.3-inch convertible remains an appealing choice for both corporate travelers and the IT departments who serve them.

Pros

• Sturdy, attractive chassis
• Comfortable keyboard
• Improved proximity sensor
• Optional full HD camera
• Optional LTE, and eSIM capable

Cons

• High list price
• Confusing configuration options
• No 4K screen option
• Dim display

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 (2021)

Best Business Convertible Laptop With Stylus

Bottom Line:

The ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6’s spacious 16:10 screen, predictably solid inputs, and all-around excellence make it our top premium business convertible.

Pros

• Strong aluminum chassis
• Top-notch input devices
• Bright 16:10 screen
• Pen comes standard, and slots into chassis
• Impressive audio output

Cons

• Battery life isn’t class-leading
• Not available in classic ThinkPad black
• No SmartCard reader

Panasonic Toughbook 33 (2021)

Best Ruggedized Convertible Laptop

Bottom Line:

In or out of its keyboard dock, Panasonic’s 2021 refresh of its Toughbook 33 tablet is built to take all the hardships a first responder or field worker can dish out.

Pros

• Shrugs off abuse that would shatter ordinary 2-in-1s
• Plenty of ports
• Super-bright touch screen for outdoor visibility
• First-class webcam

Cons

• Expensive and heavy
• Lackluster battery life with standard cells in test unit
• Optional long-life cells add bulk
• Tiny touchpad, designed for gloved use, can balk at bare fingers

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio

Best Convertible Laptop for Creative Pros

Bottom Line:

Packed with innovative features, Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Studio presages a new breed of laptop for creative pros who are pen-input devotees. One big quibble: Performance isn’t nearly class-leading.

Pros

• Unique pull-forward touch screen
• Excellent keyboard
• Groundbreaking haptic touchpad
• Robust digital stylus support, including magnetic holder
• 120Hz screen refresh rate
• Long battery life

Cons

• Disappointing performance, even with upgraded Core i7 and RTX 3050 Ti
• Only two USB ports
• Pricey

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (15-Inch)

Best Convertible Laptop for Galaxy Phone Users

Bottom Line:

With a Super AMOLED touch screen, a 360-degree hinge, an 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, and unique software features, the Galaxy Book Pro 360 is the sleekest 15-inch 2-in-1 convertible notebook out there.

Pros

• Remarkably thin and light
• Vivid Super AMOLED screen
• Dedicated number pad
• Distinctive Mystic Navy color option
• Unique software privacy and security features

Cons

• No 4K screen option
• Uncomfortable keyboard

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook

Best Chromebook Detachable

Bottom Line:

Cool with Chrome OS in tablet form? A 13.3-inch OLED touch screen makes Lenovo’s second, bigger version of its Chromebook Duet a surprisingly nice 2-in-1 detachable for the money.

Pros

• Superb OLED display in an under-$500 detachable
• High-quality front and rear cameras
• Comes with keyboard cover and kickstand

Cons

• Ho-hum compute performance
• No audio jack, or 4G or 5G LTE option
• Stylus supported, but costs extra

Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook

Best Convertible Chromebook for Enterprises

Bottom Line:

It’s priced above consumer Chromebooks, but the Lenovo C13 Yoga is every inch a ThinkPad and a terrific 2-in-1 for businesses choosing Google Workspace.

Pros

• Attractive, solid design
• Perky AMD Ryzen 5 processor paired with ample RAM and storage
• Four USB ports, an HDMI port, and a microSD card slot
• Above-average screen and keyboard
• Onboard stylus

Cons

• Somewhat expensive
• Subpar sound
• Pen lags behind rapid movements
• Poorly equipped base model

How to Buy a Convertible Laptop

For our purposes, we break down 2-in-1 devices into two kinds: the convertible laptop (a one-piece machine) and the detachable tablet (which splits in two).

The convertible laptop can transform from laptop to tablet and back again, with most systems featuring a hinge design that allows for rotating the keyboard portion through 360 degrees, out of the way back behind the screen. This type of 2-in-1 is the best choice if you’re planning on using the keyboard a lot, as you’re guaranteed to always have it with you. (Typing the Great American Novel or even an ordinary business report on the hard, flat surface of a virtual onscreen keyboard is an experience you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.)

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Because of the motion that a convertible laptop’s hinge enables, you are often able to use these systems in a variety of modes. If you want to be able to share the display with everyone in a meeting, you can place the keyboard portion face down on the desk (called “stand” or “display” mode) and have the screen showing up front, kiosk-style. Or, you can prop it up on its leading edges (in so-called “tent” or “A-frame” mode), which takes up less space than the other modes. For flexibility, it’s difficult to beat this kind of 2-in-1.

In a convertible machine, the battery and motherboard are usually located in the base (as in a traditional laptop), so it’s balanced for use on a lap or a tabletop. The stable bottom lid of the clamshell is also a better typing platform than the sometimes-flimsy panel of a detachable keyboard case. There’s also more room for batteries in a laptop form factor (the bottom half never goes away), which results in improved battery life.

How to Buy a 2-in-1 Laptop

Downsides to this style of machine include a little extra weight from those batteries, as well as some extra thickness, as the hinge mechanisms are a little more complex than a laptop’s. Also, because the lower half is permanently attached, a convertible means that you’re always carrying the extra weight and bulk of the keyboard wherever you go.

Picking the Best Detachable Laptop: Two Devices in One

A detachable-tablet 2-in-1 is essentially a slate with a keyboard case or a keyboard dock. The dock option is a bit more stable than the keyboard case, but the general idea is the same: You can remove the keyboard portion of the tablet and leave it behind when you desire maximum portability. Microsoft’s various Surface detachables (the Surface Book, Pro, and Go families) are the vanguard models of this kind.

Windows 10- and 11-based slate tablets (and their detachable counterparts) tend to weigh less than 2 pounds on their own, and adding the keyboard case or dock can double the system’s total weight. A tablet with a well-designed keyboard dock attached is functionally indistinguishable from a clamshell laptop, and some detachable docks contain extra battery cells that can greatly extend the amount of time you’re able to work off-plug. Simpler keyboard cases usually lack niceties such as extra battery cells or USB ports, and most will be noticeably physically flexible. But if a keyboard is just an occasional need for you, chances are you won’t mind that much.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

The benefit of the keyboard case is that it is thinner and lighter overall than the usual lower half of a laptop or convertible. Detachable-hybrid tablets, however, tend to be top-heavy, because all of the system’s components and batteries, and hence their weight, are necessarily localized in the screen. You’ll want to examine your usage patterns to determine whether holding the PC in your hands and interacting with the touch screen is really right for you.

Detaching the tablet and leaving the heft of the keyboard behind is optimal when, say, you’re actively presenting a slideshow on a big screen and using the tablet to draw notes on the slides in real time. Reattaching the keyboard takes mere seconds, so you will be able to easily (and comfortably) change the slideshow’s content during your lunch hour if you need to change your talk’s focus for your afternoon session.

Tech Specs: What to Look for in a 2-in-1 Laptop

The rest of the specs (screen size, storage space, the processor used, and so on) for convertibles and detachable hybrids generally follow the same lines as more standard laptops and Windows 10 tablets, which means you’ll have to pay more if you want additional speed, fancier features, or a thinner, flashier design.

For example, a system with a fanless Intel Core i3 or Core i5 processor is likely to have excellent battery life and a very thin body. These chips are generally what you will find in detachables. That said, you should expect that these systems will be somewhat less powerful than comparably sized laptops or convertible 2-in-1s, as these low-power mobile processors are designed for cool, quiet operation (which you’ll want for a system you’re using on your lap or holding in your hand) more so than for blazing speed.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

In contrast, a non-detachable 2-in-1 system is more likely to use a more powerful Intel Core i5 or Core i7 with a cooling fan and perhaps even a discrete graphics processor. It will likely be a thicker device, but you’ll have more power to do more-demanding media-creation work or heavy multitasking in the field. As with anything else when computer shopping, it’s all a game of trade-offs and compromises, and we’re here to help you decide which one is for you.

So, Which 2-in-1 Laptop Should I Buy?

Below are the top convertibles and detachable hybrids we’ve tested in recent months. We refresh the list often to include the newest products, so check back frequently. Don’t need the unique transformational capabilities you get from a 2-in-1? Check out our reviews of the best overall laptops, the top business notebooks, and our favorite ultraportables.