For many laptop shoppers, portability is king, and there’s nothing more portable than a tablet. With touch screens and support for a pen or stylus, the most popular laptops today often do double duty as tablets. There are two ways to achieve this: Convertible 2-in-1 designs that rotate between notebook and slate modes with 360-degree hinges, or detachable models that let you remove the keyboard entirely to become a standalone tablet. You have a keyboard and touchpad when you need it, or can go all touch screen when that’s more convenient.
These aren’t beefed up Android tablets—you’re still buying a PC with a full operating system, whether that’s ChromeOS 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 for 2023. Read on for our lab-tested favorites, followed by the basics you should know when buying a 2-in-1 laptop. Also note: At the very end of this article is a detailed spec breakout of our top models.
The Best 2-in-1 Convertible and Hybrid Laptop Deals This Week*
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 Gen 7 (2022)
Best Overall Convertible 2-in-1 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-Inch (2022)
Best Budget Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop
Bottom Line:
The panel and battery could use some tweaks, but Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5i 14-inch is a solid-value budget convertible laptop with a nice keyboard and decent performance for the money.
PROS
- Sturdy as a tablet or laptop
- Includes both HDMI and USB-C ports
- Responsive, bright touch screen
- Decent performance for the price
CONS
- Display’s color coverage is lacking
- Battery life is shorter than average
- Active pen not included
- Proprietary power port instead of USB-C charging
Lenovo IdeaPad Windows Duet 5i
Best Detachable 2-in-1 Windows Tablet
Bottom Line:
Lenovo’s affordable IdeaPad Windows Duet 5i is a well-rounded, less costly alternative to premium 2-in-1 laptops with peppy performance and a sturdy build. It helps that the keyboard is included.
PROS
- Sturdy build and intuitive detachable design
- Keyboard included
- Sharp, bright 2.5K display
- Decent performance even with Core i3 CPU
CONS
- Just 128GB of storage
- Only two USB-C ports with no Thunderbolt
HP Spectre x360 13.5 (2022)
Best OLED Convertible 2-in-1 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
Acer Chromebook Spin 714
Best Convertible 2-in-1 Chromebook
Bottom Line:
With a new display and a garaged stylus, Acer’s latest Chromebook Spin remains our absolute top Chromebook pick—despite losing the microSD slot and still being a little hefty.
PROS
- Roomy 14-inch, 16:10 display
- Durable all-metal chassis
- 1080p webcam with physical cover
- Garaged pen included
CONS
- Latest model drops the microSD card reader
- Still a bit heavy
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook
Best Detachable 2-in-1 Chromebook
Bottom Line:
Shedding the stigma of small, cheap Chromebooks, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 is a compact 2-in-1 detachable Chromebook that offers both laptop and tablet functions, though its battery life is disappointing.
PROS
- Compact, totable design
- Keyboard cover offers good typing feel
- Handy kickstand
- Great flexibility for Chrome and Android apps
- Solid performance from Qualcomm CPU
CONS
- No headphone jack
- Pen sold separately
- Short battery life
HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook
Best Convertible 2-in-1 Chromebook for Enterprise
Bottom Line:
Its price will scare off casual consumers, but HP’s flagship Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is a brilliant argument for Chrome OS in business.
PROS
- Thin and light
- Beautiful 3:2 aspect ratio touch screen
- Snappy backlit keyboard with haptic touchpad
- Great performance, connectivity, webcam, and sound
- Fingerprint reader and magnetic pen
CONS
- High price only makes sense for business use
- Windows users will have to learn new keyboard shortcuts
Dell Latitude 9330 2-in-1
Best Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop for Enterprise Fleet Deployments
Bottom Line:
Small and light with innovative features, Dell’s Latitude 9330 2-in-1 laptop is a winning convertible laptop for remote-working enterprises.
PROS
- Light and compact
- Available 4G or 5G mobile broadband
- Smart 1080p webcam
- Touchpad with Zoom shortcuts
CONS
- No HDMI, USB-A ports, or SD card slot
- No 4K or OLED screen option
- C-suite price
HP Dragonfly Folio G3
Best Business Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop With Stylus
Bottom Line:
A plush cover and an unusual pull-forward convertible design set HP’s Dragonfly Folio G3 apart from most lightweight corporate 2-in-1s.
PROS
- Flexible pull-forward screen action
- Handsome 3:2 touch screen
- 4G or 5G broadband support
- Impressive webcam and sound
- Self-charging stylus pen
- Classy faux leather cover
CONS
- No HDMI or USB-A port or SD/microSD card slot
- Ultra-glossy reflective screen
- Quite pricey
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
Best Convertible 2-in-1 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
Panasonic Toughbook 33 (2021)
Best Ruggedized Convertible 2-in-1 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
Buying Guide: The Best 2-in-1 Laptops for 2023
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 Windows 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: Kyle Cobian)
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 wafer-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.
Hits: 0
