Best Ultraportable Laptops Review

Ultraportable laptops are for people who want a laptop that's portable without compromising on performance. They are worlds besides the now slightly dated netbook, that offers only simple performance despite being similarly bite-sized. 

Ultraportables have already been pushed thus to their limits since May 2011 when Intel launched its 'ultrabook' campaign - a different title requiring models to attain a minimum list of criteria around both specification (on the Intel processor to measuring under 21mm thick) and gratifaction (as an example, a lower than seven second start-up time). 

Something to consider - particularly with ultrabooks - is the fact that most are sealed units and you should struggle to upgrade elements like built-in batteries or Ram. Pricing is usually high - models we've got on test commonly start at about £800 however you can easily pay in excess of £1,000. The premium pricing, and incapacity to upgrade primarily models, is a lot more reason to actually get the right laptop to meet your needs. 

Take the how the latest ultraportable laptops and ultrabooks are rated through the Which? experts inside our ultraportable laptop reviews. 

What constitutes a good ultraportable laptop?

• Excellent battery There's not much part of an ultraportable with poor life of the battery. We'd expect a fantastic laptop to last no less than six hours when browsing the world wide web over a wi-fi connection, however some of the latest models state they last as much as eight or nine hours. This is something we put towards the test in your labs to get the real-life story behind the claim.
• Solid state storage Most ultrabooks have solid state drive (SSD) storage (the most typical size is 128GB), or maybe a hybrid of SSD and much more traditional disk drive storage. The latter normally takes the form of a 16GB solid state cache to enhance loading speeds, whilst the larger storage capacity you have with a normal harddrive. In this case you will not actually be in a position to save for the SSD. SSDs don't have any moving parts, so can be faster (improving boot speeds), reduce noise and warmth and improve battery, but capacity is restricted and they're more costly than standard harddrives.
• Matte screen You'll be considering a display between 13 and 14-inches on an ultraportable, but something you may need to consider if you see reflections annoying, is usually a matte screen. Our diagnostic tests have shown there is not any discernable difference in quality from your similar matte and shiny screen, making it just as a result of personal preference. 
• Light and thin design Ultrabooks must be under 21mm for the 14-inch laptop and below 18mm for the 13-inch version. However, it is possible to still find ultraportable models that will not hit these specifications that happen to be still quite simple to slip within a bag. In terms of weight, Apple's 11-inch MacBook Air is one with the lightest there are, with a shade over 1kg, but anything around 1.3kg to a single.5kg needs to be light enough to handle round during the day. 
• Premium materials Premium design helps ultraportables and ultrabooks stand out through the rest in the crowd. It's not information about looks though. Materials like magnesium, aluminium and carbon fibre besides give a quality appearance, they're tougher and lighter.

Features that you do not need

• Optical drive A feature maybe you don't need, however, if you do you're unlikely to have one it. Most ultrabooks will not have room for any CD drive due for the squeeze on space. 
• Graphics Ultraportables and ultrabooks won't ordinarily have separate graphics cards through the likes of Nvidia. Most models make use of the processors built-in graphics, as an example Intel's HD graphics family. This is not an issue as the small display isn't planning to mean you may be carrying out way too many multimedia tasks. 
• Excess ports Again, on account of size, ports on these laptops are typically minimal. You'll generally find at the very least one of other nutritional foods you need within the better models, including a HDMI output and USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt (a quick connection found mainly on Apple MacBooks) ports. Many ultrabooks do not have ethernet ports which enable it to access the web over a wi-fi connection only.