The best 2-in-1 laptops provide an excellent experience both as a laptop and a tablet, giving you the flexibility to switch between tasks with a hybrid model.
2-in-1 laptops can be super efficient, smooth, lightweight and reliable, and their flexibility makes them an ideal choice whatever you may need it for - students, business owners, families and those who are out and about daily.
Most laptops come with a stylus, so you can switch to tablet mode for easy access when you're on the go, and are just as powerful as standard laptops, despite not always having all of the same features.
Some of these 2-in-1 laptops also feature over on our best student laptop guide, but there are also other alternatives available.
In our round-up, we've selected the best of the best, reviewing in detail all of the specs so you can make an informed decision on which one is right for you.
The best 2-in-1 laptops available to buy today
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For most people, the Asus ZenBook Flip 13 is the best 2-in-1 laptop to choose
"The Asus ZenBook Flip S has a lot going for it, namely its 4K OLED touchscreen display, its much-touted ‘Tiger Lake’ processor and an eye-catching build that doubles down on thinness and sleek angles." – T3's Asus ZenBook Flip S review
With its full 360-degree ErgoLift hinge and minimal-bezel design, the Zenbook Flip 13 is one of the best laptops Asus has ever released. Befitting its namesake, the Flip 13 can be flipped between laptop, movie and tablet mode almost effortlessly, rated for at least 20,000 cycles. It feels solid and sturdy too, with a spun-metal finish available in three different colors. Our review model came in the Royal Blue variant, which looks fantastic with its rose-gold trim.
Tooled up with an 8th-gen Intel Core processor, this is average for a laptop, but powerful for a tablet. The tablet mode feels great to use, too, thanks to a responsive touchscreen and military-grade tested durable design. The only missing feature is a smart stylus, which would make using the tablet mode for artistic endeavors a bit easier, but there’s always the potential to buy a third-party pen.
We haven’t even delved into the brilliant audio quality courtesy of sound masters Harman Kardon, nor the well-designed keyboard that feels sturdy and comfortable to use. By far the coolest feature, however, is the integrated numpad. Hold down an invisible button on the corner of the trackpad, and concealed LED backlighting illuminates, transforming the trackpad into a full numpad, ready to tackle any and all calculations.
All of this, partnered with a really competitive mid-tier price point, makes the Asus ZenBook Flip 13 our top recommendation for the best 2-in-1 laptop. Compare our top two choices in Asus ZenBook Flip 13 vs Microsoft Surface Book 3: which laptop is right for you?
Very appealing looks, superb specs... what's not to like about the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1? The standard XPS 13 is a fine laptop in its own right, but this 2-in-1 version folds right over as well – perhaps most useful in tent mode, when you want to prop it up to enjoy some video streaming content in the evening. You get a device that's sleek, light, and capable of managing everything you need it to do.
As usual with Dell devices, a variety of configurations are available for your Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 – it depends how much money you've got to spend and what you need your laptop to do as to which one is going to be the best one for your particular needs. What's true about all of them, however, is that they're all very capable, very versatile, and very well-designed.
This is very much an option to consider if you're more interested in the laptop rather than the tablet aspect of the 2-in-1 experience – the XPS 13 is absolutely one of the best laptops on the market at the moment, and the fact that you can fold it right over and use it as a tablet just adds to the appeal.
For affordable and portable performance, the Microsoft Go 2 has it all.
"If you want a tablet you can turn into a real-life laptop, The Surface Go is the best in class." – T3's Microsoft Surface Go 2 review
This is a very Surface-heavy list and for good reason: Microsoft's forays into the 2-in-1 market have been a huge success, revitalizing the company's image as a serious hardware maker right when it needed it. For people who want to get in on this without paying handsomely, Microsoft has you covered with the second Surface Go.
It builds on what made the original Surface Go so good, adding a more premium-feeling design and a small specs bump to make sure you can get through all of the computing tasks that you need to get through. It also squeezes in a bigger-sized screen into a form factor the same size as the original Surface Go, but cutting down on the bezels.
You can eke out around five hours of use between charges with the Surface Go, and given its size and power, it's perfect for everyday on-the-go computing. In your calculations about whether or not to buy this, make sure that you factor in the extra cost of the Type Cover keyboard as well, which you're going to need to make full use of this as a laptop as well as a tablet.
Get even more information and buying advice in T3's dedicated should I buy the Microsoft Surface Go 2 feature.
A small, convenient laptop for working here, there and everywhere.
"If you need a business laptop and you plan to work from different places, the HP Elite Dragonfly G2 is convenient, light and powerful. It fits a lot into a small, smart package and it can be converted into a tablet." – T3's HP Elite Dragonfly G2 review
If you need a laptop for hybrid working, you'll need it to be light and convenient to carry with you, the HP Elite Dragonfly G2 weighs less than a kilogram and is about the size of an A4 notepad. Even its charger is small, only slightly bigger than the average smartphone adaptor.
You'll have no problems fitting it into your bag, but that doesn't mean it skimps on power. This laptop has serious performance packed into it, with 16GB RAM and the newest 11th Gen Intel Core processors to choose from, it's a workhorse that won't let you down.
There were a couple of small downsides, like the fact that it would have been good to have a more sophisticated webcam considering how much people have been relying on video calls recently. The battery life isn't amazing either, it's just fine.
Despite that, this is a seriously impressive laptop - it's faster, more premium and even nicer to use than the first generation of the PC, the HP Elite Dragonfly, and that's saying something! If you're looking for a versatile, transportable laptop then look no further.
If you need a portable and versatile 2-in-1 laptop then you won't get much better than the Microsoft Surface Pro 8
"The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is a 2-in-1 laptop and tablet that works just as well in both forms." – T3's Microsoft Surface Pro 8 review
Anyone who needs versatility and portability from a 2-in-1 laptop should consider the Microsoft Surface Pro 8. If you buy the optional Surface Type Cover it works just as well as a tablet as it does a laptop.
You’ll easily be able to carry it around in your bag because it’s both slim and light. To transform it into a laptop you simply snap on the Surface Type Cover, it's much nicer to use as a tablet than devices with the 360-degree swivelling design.
Once attached, you can angle the keyboard upwards for a better typing position or lay it flat on a table. It’s worth bearing in mind that the slender design isn’t as firm as a traditional keyboard. While that won’t be a problem for most people, if you spend literally all day every day typing then it may not be right for you.
When it comes to performance, this doesn’t quite match up to some of the most powerful devices on this list but it’s really not that far off either. You’ll easily be able to get your work done on it, as well as edit photos and play some video games here and there.
The only area that the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 really falls down in is battery life. You’ll still get a good few hours of video playback from it but you will need to have the charger within reach if you take it to work with you.
To sum things up, this is the best Surface Pro device yet.
We were hugely impressed by what the Surface Book 2 had to offer, and the Surface Book 3 is an even better proposition: while the design stays mostly the same, the internals have been given a welcome boost, and at the top end of the configuration options you can get a discrete Nvidia graphics card installed.
This is both a heavy duty laptop and a heavy duty tablet rolled into one (and running the full version of Windows 10 of course) – unlike a lot of 2-in-1s, it has a proper laptop style keyboard, but also has a screen that completely detaches as well. While we've listed the specs for the 13.3-inch display above, a 15-inch model is also available if you want a larger display (just remember that the removable screen is going to be that bit bigger).
Anyone interested in the best 2-in-1 laptop at the moment has to check out the Surface Book 3 really, but it comes at a high price: this is only for those with relatively deep pockets to consider. Even at this price though, we don't think you're going to be disappointed.
To discover even more about this system check out T3's should I buy the Microsoft Surface Book 3 guide. To see how it stacks up against another premium 2-in-1 also scope out T3's Microsoft Surface Book 3 vs New Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 comparison feature.
A sophisticated laptop oozing style and boasting speed.
"Be it for business or academia, the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 is sure to help boost your productivity." – T3's Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 review
If you need a 2-in-1 laptop to stream TV shows and movies, the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 combines an ultra-high-definition display with its own rotating soundbar to produce 360-degree audio. TV shows and movies are delivered how they were meant to be seen and heard.
The laptop itself oozes class with a leather design on the outside and a glass touchpad integrated into the palm rest on the inside. You'll also find a stylus garaged into the back of the computer.
It's not just stylish though, there's plenty of substance too. This is a speedy piece of kit which is sure to cope with pretty much everything you could throw at it. The only real downside is that the battery life is average but that won't be a deal-breaker for most. All-in-all this laptop will be well suited to productivity be that in business or academia.
The Galaxy Book Pro 360 offers an incredible screen for the price
"The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 is a productivity powerhouse. It has a long-lasting battery, strong performance and the included S Pen works perfectly with its responsive touchscreen." – T3's Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 review
If you need a laptop to get you through the workday, and then to use for entertainment in the evenings, the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 will be a good choice. Not only is the screen a massive 15.6inches with a light and premium build quality, but the keyboard features a separate number pad and it comes with the S Pen included too. Perfect for getting work done, no matter what it may be.
Because this laptop is so lightweight and thin, using it as a tablet poses no problems at all. You push the screen back by 360-degrees (hence the name) and it automatically switches it into tablet mode. It doesn’t feel awkward like with so many other 2-in-1 devices and the screen is super responsive too.
Samsung Galaxy users (be that smartphone or tablet) will get the most from this laptop. It lets you seamlessly transfer files between Galaxy devices, or use your tablet as a second screen. You’ll also be able to control your smart home using SmartThings, and locate all your Galaxy tech using SmartThings Find.
HP's Spectre is in a different league to many Windows laptops.
"While expensive, the HP Spectre x360 14 2-in-1 Windows laptop's combination of gorgeous screen, lovely keyboard and fantastic audio offers very good value." – T3's HP Spectre x360 review
HP’s Spectres are very impressive hybrid laptops and the latest versions are the best yet. This year’s X360 has 11th generation Intel Core processors, and the available graphics now go up to Intel Iris Xe.
The Spectre X360 is a very good-looking laptop and it’s built to a standard you don’t often see in Windows laptops: visually its closest rival may well be Apple’s M1 MacBook Pro. It’s beautifully made with a vivid, bright screen and a great keyboard, and as ever with HP it comes with a good selection of security options to keep your data safe. Battery life is around 13 hours and there’s a good range of configurations options for processors and storage.
It can get a little bit noisy when you push it hard but that’s a minor niggle in an otherwise extremely impressive package.
Chromebooks lend themselves rather well to the 2-in-1 format: you can use them as a laptop when you need to do some serious work, but then you can also prop them up or fold them over when it's time for some sitting back and relaxing in front of Netflix instead. In either scenario, the Asus Chromebook has you covered.
Specs don't particularly matter when it comes to Chromebooks, but the Intel Core m3 processor and 4GB of RAM should handle as many browser tabs as you're able to load up. Remember that Chromebooks can also run Android apps as well now, which gives you another way of using the tablet.
We really like the design of this 2-in-1 Chromebook as well, all subtle greys and thin bezels, and it's lightweight enough to sling in a rucksack very easily. There are plenty of other models in the Asus Flip line, so be sure to check them all out in your search for the best 2-in-1 laptop around.
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How to choose the best 2-in-1 laptop for your needs
Convertibles, hybrids, 2-in-1s, call them what you like – these are essentially tablets that convert into laptops using keyboard attachments, and they occupy the middle ground between the two.
Fully-fledged laptops with detachable screens are less common, but we've included them too. You also get laptops that don't have detachable screens but which fold right over to become sort of makeshift tablets.
We're continuing to see some really decent quality hybrids hit the market, and whether you're looking for a lithe and luxurious 2-in-1 to take on the move, or are hunting down a convertible laptop to double up as a compact TV set, we've picked the best options out there. So how do you pick? It's a good idea to think about how you're going to be using your new computer, and thus how powerful it needs to be: that has a knock-on effect on price and portability. If you're going to be spending a lot of time typing, look for a 2-in-1 with a substantial keyboard attachment. If you're not, it doesn't matter so much.
Which is better: 2-in-1 or laptop?
Depending on just exactly what you plan to do with your new machine, this question can be answered either way.
2-in-1's are ultra versatile and provide the convenience of an on-the-go tablet when you need it with the power of a laptop. There are sacrifices that are usually made to achieve this though, including reducing the internal specs performance and size to accommodate the smaller, more mobile friendly size.
Laptops in general will be more powerful and are best suited if you work for long sessions at a time. They'll provide a more solid platform with increased power and capabilities, albeit without the easy on-the-go mobile use. That's not necessarily a problem, as many laptop users sit for extended periods of time during use.
If you're someone who is on the go constantly but needs a powerful machine to keep up with you, 2-in-1's will do the trick but expected to spend a bit extra to get a machine that works properly for you.
If you're not sure that a 2-in-1 is the right laptop for you, T3 also has dedicated guides to various different types of the best laptops, and one of those might better suit you.
For example, we've got a best gaming laptops guide that's written with serious gamers in mind, a best lightweight laptops guide for those who want a laptop that won't be a pain to lug around, and a guide focused on the best student laptops, too.
We've also got a dedicated best Dell laptops guide, so if you like the US maker's systems (and we really do here at T3), you'll find the best Dells right there. And for awesome remote storage and access, be sure to check out T3's best NAS drives buying guide, too.
Lastly, if you're thinking of a 2-in-1 laptop then you're likely looking for some slate functionality. As such, before you do that be sure to check out the best tablets and best Kindle ereaders, as they may serve your needs even better.
