The best 2-in-1 laptops in 2022

Although the health crisis is far from over, it’s time to return to the office, at least in a hybrid form. Result: many nomadic workers will again have to juggle between the office, their home and meetings outside. What to continue to stimulate the laptop market, which has experienced strong growth in recent years, the analyst firm Gartner reports a global expenditure of 787.4 billion dollars in 2021 (i.e. a growth of 13% compared to 2020).

This growth is expected to continue in 2022, albeit at a slower pace ($813.7 billion, 3.3%). Especially since many users are still looking for the best laptop or desktop computer to take advantage of the security and usability features built into Windows 11, which is widely available on new PCs and qualifying Windows 10 systems. Among the devices most in demand by professionals are 2-in-1 devices, which can function as laptops or tablets.

These devices come in several form factors. “Laptop-first” 2-in-1s look like regular laptops, with “real” keyboards, but they can either detach the screen portion to function as an independent (“detachable”) tablet, or rotate the screen. 360 degree screen to lay it flat, back to back, against the keyboard part and operate in tablet (“convertible”) mode.

A new convertible variant slides the screen forward to lay it flat on the keyboard. The “Tablet first” 2-in-1s are, as their name suggests, essentially tablets, but can also work in laptop mode thanks to an additional keyboard, which is often not very solid, the tablet being supported by a kickstand.

To allow readers interested in buying one of these devices to find their way around, the ZDNet editorial staff delivers its selection of the best 2-in-1 laptops below in order to allow as many people as possible to adapt as well as possible to the era of hybrid work that is looming before us! Here are ZDNet’s current picks for a variety of form factors, operating systems, and use cases.

Dell XPS 13

Dell XPS 13 9310 (2021) – Best prices:

Dell’s XPS 13 is our current top pick among mainstream laptops for knowledge workers. Its convertible variant also tops ZDNet’s selection of the best 2-in-1 devices. Like its counterpart, the XPS 13 2-in-1 offers an excellent combination of build quality, features and performance, with the added benefit of form factor flexibility thanks to its 360-degree rotating screen.

If you choose the entry-level configuration, you will have an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor with integrated Iris Xe graphics, 8 GB of RAM, a 256 GB SSD and a 16:10 13.4 touch screen inches with FHD+ definition (1920 x 1200). The higher model allows you to acquire a Core i7-1165G7, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of SSD storage and an FHD + screen. If you want a UHD+ (3840 x 2400) display, you currently have to settle for the $1,669.99 Core i7 configuration, with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.

The addition of 11 Intel processors^and generation and Thunderbolt 4 brings the XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 up to date. However, battery life suffers if you opt for a Core i7 processor and the 4K+ screen is power hungry.

Microsoft Surface Pro 8

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 – Best prices:

The Surface Pro is a tablet with a detachable keyboard that turns it into a kind of laptop. This isn’t a laptop you can use comfortably – or at all – on your lap, despite the kickstand that keeps the screen portion upright, but it’s light and flexible and a great choice if you do a lot of touchscreen and pen work as well as more traditional work. Note that, as with the keyboard, the stylus must be purchased in parallel.

There are two variants of the 13-inch Surface Pro 8, both of which run on Core 11 processors.^and generation: the mainstream Surface Pro 8 and the enterprise-oriented Surface Pro 8 for Business, which offers mobile broadband via 4G support. Besides their 13-inch screen, the improvements over the 12.3-inch Surface Pro 7/7+ are better battery life (up to 16 hours on Wi-Fi, 14 hours on LTE), the Signature keyboard with a slot for the Slim Pen 2, and two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports. The Surface Pro 8’s SSD is removable, allowing you to upgrade from a 128 or 256 GB model by installing a PCIe M. 2 2230 larger.

The Surface Pro 8 has a Wi-Fi-only version that comes with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. The computer can also be purchased in a Core i7 configuration with 16GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD or via a high-end Core i7 configuration with 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD. The Surface Pro 8 for business offers a Wi-Fi only version with a Core i3 processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. The Core i5 version will set you back another hundred bucks, while the addition of LTE connectivity pushes the price up even further.

The original purpose of the Surface brand was for Microsoft to introduce new form factors and technologies that manufacturers could draw inspiration from for their designs. A winning bet with the Surface Pro type 2-in-1 “tablet”. You will indeed find many variations on this theme from Lenovo, HP, Dell and others.

Microsoft Surface Go 3

Microsoft Surface Go 3 – Best prices:

The 10.5-inch Surface Go 3 is a tablet-like device, with keyboard covers and a stylus available as options. It’s an attractive and highly portable (if you buy the Type Cover) 2-in-1 that works well for common productivity tasks like web browsing, email, and video calling.

The Surface Go 3 comes in two versions: the standard version runs Windows 11 Home in locked S mode, while the slightly more expensive Business model comes with Windows 11 Pro, or 10 Pro. It features a 10.5-inch FHD+ (220ppi) touchscreen and comes with 4 or 8GB of RAM and 64 or 128GB of storage in the standard model, while the business model adds an option of 256 Go. You’ll have to pay $100 more than the Wi-Fi-only model if you want 4G LTE mobile broadband.

Although the entry-level prices of the Surface Go 3 are attractive, the options can be more expensive: a “business” system fully equipped with a Core i3 processor, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage, 4G LTE, a high-end Type Cover and a Surface Pen stylus cost more than 1,000 euros. The Surface Go 3 has a decent camera (5MP front, 8MP rear) and audio subsystems, making it a good tool for video calls on the go. However, connections are limited to a USB-C port, Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect and Type Cover ports, a MicroSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Performance from the Core i3 processor in ZDNet’s review unit was acceptable for an affordable 2-in-1, but battery life – advertised as up to 11 hours – was slightly disappointing: although we were able to watch videos for the full 11 hours, working with productivity apps brought the battery life down to 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Microsoft Surface Book 3

Microsoft’s 2015 13.5-inch Surface Book was the first detachable laptop. At first glance, it looked like a regular laptop, but the screen could detach and function independently like a tablet, or be flipped and reattached, offering the “tent” and “presentation” modes characteristic of 360-rotation convertibles. degrees. In 2017, the Surface Book 2 got a 15-inch version, a layout that persists with the Surface Book 3 launched in May 2020.

As with other Surface models, the Surface Book 3 is available in standard and business versions, the latter running Windows 10 Pro and offering more GPU options. The Surface Book 3 includes batteries in both its “parts” (tablet and keyboard), but Microsoft only quotes battery life in laptop mode: 15.5 hours of “typical device usage” for the Model 13 .5 inches and 17.5 hours for the 15-inch model.

In the last Surface lineup refresh, in September 2021, Microsoft moved away from the detachable laptop form factor with the introduction of the 14.4-inch Surface Laptop Studio, whose sliding-forward screen supports laptop, “stage” and “studio” (tablet) modes. If working in tablet mode is important to your workflow, note that the Surface Book 3 weighs 719g without the keyboard, while the 15-inch model weighs 817g. The non-detachable 14.4-inch Surface Laptop Studio model, on the other hand, weighs from 1.74 kg (Core i5) to 1.82 kg (Core i7).

Source: ZDNet.com