A hybrid laptop also referred to as a 2-in-1 laptop gives great versatility – you can use the laptop as a tablet or use it with a keyboard like the conventional laptop. When shopping for such a laptop, there are a few things you need to consider.
For one, “does the keyboard detach or the laptop bends backward?” is a question you’ll need to think about. Bend back laptops have screens that turn 360 degrees, and they work perfectly in laptop mode with better endurance. These models have a great ergonomic keyboard with more ports for connectivity. Detachable hybrids have a simple screen that pops off. This makes them better as tablets.
You also need to consider screen resolution. This will depend on how you plan to use the laptop. Cheaper hybrids to be used with light applications have a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, but if you will be using the laptop for design, get at least 1920 x 1080 pixels. Lastly, consider the screen size of the laptop.
A good hybrid should have 12 or 13 inches and less than 4 pounds in weight. If you are designing or gaming, you will need a 15 to 17-inch laptop.
1. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5
If you’re looking the balance out the price and features then there isn’t a better option than the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5. This stylish laptop packs power inside of it!
Let’s talk about the display first. You’ll be getting a 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS touchscreen. And like most other hybrid laptops, this one doesn’t have much bezel. The display performs well too as it gives out crisp and clear images.
As for the specs, the Flex 5 comes with the latest 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 Processor. It also has intel HD 620 graphics which is enough for getting most of your work done. The build quality of this laptop is great and it looks great too.
As for the RAM and storage, you’ll get a fast 8GB DDR4 memory and 128GB SSD storage. Both of these combined provide the user with a fast user experience. It also has a 360⁰ hinge that converts your laptop into a tablet. And finally, the battery life of 8 hours is quite decent too.
However, The display is a bit dim and it’s a bit heavy too. Other than that it’s one of the best laptops in 2024. And you shouldn’t have any doubt about going for it.
Pros
- The 14-inch FHD screen is touch-enabled.
- The latest 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 Processor
- A fast and upgradeable 8GB DDR4 memory.
- The 360⁰ hinge converts your laptop into a tablet.
- It has nearly zero bezels and delivers clear and crisp images.
- The build quality of this laptop is great and it looks great too
- The decent battery life of 8 hours.
Cons
- Slightly heavy.
- The display is a bit dim at 250 nits.
2. HP Envy X360 (2020)
If you’re looking for the latest option that’s even cheaper than Flex 5 then we’ve got something for you too! The HP Envy X360 is one of the best hybrid laptops sub $800. Let’s take a look as to why.
Off the bat, we’ll have to admit that the looks of the Envy X360 are very modern and stylish. It comes with a 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS display that has Touchscreen enabled. The display is also Energy-efficient, meaning it consumes less power. It also has a good battery life at 8 hours of full charge.
On to the performance section now. With the HP Envy X360, you’ll find yourself a 4th Generation Ryzen 5 4500U APU (CPU+GPU). The integrated GPU with the 4500U is enough to do most of your tasks including medium settings gaming. The processor also has 6 cores and an 8MB cache that accelerates the CPU while doing intensive tasks. It also has a base clock speed of 2.3 GHz that can be boosted up to 4GHz.
Moving on to the memory and storage section now, you’ll find yourself a 256GB PCIe SSD that has high read and write speed. It also has a fast 8GB DDR4 SDRAM. Though the amount of RAM could’ve been better, keep in mind that this is a budget laptop.
Though we like everything about this laptop, the touchpad seemed a bit less responsive. So if you’re fine with that theme there’s no other reason to not go for this budget hybrid laptop!
Pros
- It looks very modern and stylish.
- The 15.6″ Full HD IPS display has Touchscreen enabled.
- Energy-efficient display.
- Good battery life at 8 hours of full charge.
- The latest 4th Generation Ryzen 5 4500U Processor.
- The processor has 6 cores and an 8MB cache that accelerates the CPU while doing intensive tasks.
- The 256GB PCIe SSD has high read and write speed.
- A fast and upgradeable 8GB DDR4 SDRAM.
Cons
- The touchpad is a bit less responsive.
3. Microsoft Surface Pro 7
If you’re looking to slide into a bit more branded and a premium section of the Hybrid laptops then the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 would suit you best. Consisting of 3 separate specs, you can pick whatever level of performance you want from these hybrid laptops!
Surface Pro 7 has 3 modes in the form of Studio, laptop, and Tablet. Each of these modes is useful in certain scenarios if you’re a creative artist or a busy office worker. The surface pen 7 is available in platinum and matte black colors. And it features a 12.3” Touchscreen that supports pen input
In terms of the performance section, you’ll find that the surface pro 7 has 3 variations. They are the latest 10th Gen Intel Core i7, i5 or i3 version. So if you want higher performance then it’s best to go for a higher model. And in the case of graphics, you’ll find Intel Iris Plus Graphics for i7 and i5 version and Intel UHD Graphics for the i3 version.
The memory and storage were always high on these Surface pro laptops and the Surface Pro 7 is no different. You’ll find up to 1TB SSD storage and 16GB RAM with the Surface Pro 7. The battery life however is the same throughout all of the versions as you can get up to 10.5 hours on a full charge.
However, the Keyboard is still sold separately which adds up to the overall value and makes the laptop a bit costly. But with the level of premiums and performance this hybrid laptop provides, you might as well spend the extra bit. It’s worth it.
Pros
- It has 3 modes (Studio, laptop, and Tablet)
- The 12.3” Touchscreen supports pen input.
- Features 3 variations of processors. They are the latest 10th Gen Intel Core i7, i5, or i3 versions.
- Up to 1TB SSD storage
- Up to 16GB RAM.
- Up to up to 10.5 hours of battery life on a full charge.
Cons
- The keyboard is sold separately.
4. ASUS Chromebook Flip C436
Not looking for small-screened hybrid laptops? Stop worrying because from this point onwards you’ll find big-screened hybrid laptops. Up next we have the ASUS Chromebook Flip C436. This laptop is perfect for content creators and programmers! Let’s check out why.
Let’s talk about the body first. The Asus Flip c436 has a magnesium-alloy chassis body. The laptops weigh just 2.58 lbs making it both beautiful and durable. It has 3 modes as you can flip the touchscreen display to make a tent, stand, or tablet mode.
The performance section is packed too. It comes with the latest Intel Core i3-10110U Processor. The processor is great for multi-tasking with a 4m cache and the clock speed can be boosted up to 4.1GHz. The UI and read/write speed is fast too thanks to the 128GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD and 8GB RAM.
The display is a treat to witness. It’s a 14 inch Full HD touchscreen display. It’s also a 4-sided NanoEdge Display meaning there are minimal bezels and most of the display is the visuals. However, there are no HDMI port or LTE broadband options. Other than that it’s a perfect hybrid laptop for creative workers.
Pros
- The magnesium-alloy chassis body is both beautiful and durable.
- It has 3 modes as you can flip the touchscreen display to make a tent, stand, or tablet mode.
- It comes with the latest Intel Core i3-10110U Processor.
- With a 4m cache and boosted clock speed of 4.1GHz, this laptop will be great for multitasking.
- Ultra-fast 128GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD and 8GB RAM.
- The 14 inches Full HD touchscreen display features a 4-sided NanoEdge Display. So there are minimum bezels on your screen.
Cons
- No LTE broadband connection port.
- No HDMI port.
5. HP-Spectre x360 15 (2020)
With the HP-SPectre x360, we’ve moved on to the big leagues of hybrid laptops. The prices will go a bit up too but the performance that these hybrid laptops bring is better than most desktop computers. Let’s begin with the HP-Spectre X360 15.
The Spectre X360 comes with a powerful Intel Core i7 8565U processor. It has a 1.8 GHz base clock speed that can be boosted up to 4.6 GHz. It has 4 cores and an 8MB cache making it a perfect processor for handling intensive tasks. As for GPU, this laptop has an NVIDIA GeForce MX150. Though this is not a super-high GPU, it’s enough for day-to-day tasks.
The Spectre X360 comes with 16 GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM (Dual-channel). And as it’s a dual-channel RAM, the memory is distributed evenly and you’ll get a speed boost. It also has 512 GB Ultrafast PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD.
You’ll get a 15.6″ diagonal touchscreen display that supports 4K. Yeah, that’s right! 4K support. The display also features an anti-glare technology that protects your eyes. However, for such a high config laptop, the battery life is poor at 6 hours. Other than that bit it’s a perfect laptop. And we recommend it.
Pros
- It comes with a powerful Intel Core i7 8565U processor.
- The 4 cores and 8MB cache makes it a perfect processor for handling intensive tasks.
- 16 GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM is set in Dual channel and provides a speed boost.
- 512 GB Ultrafast PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD.
- The 15.6″ diagonal touchscreen display that supports 4K.
- The anti-glare technology that protects your eyes.
- Compact and durable design.
Cons
- The poor battery life of just 6 hours on a full charge.
6. Dell Latitude 7400
Slight warning, this final laptop is very expensive! Probably only one of the few hybrid workstation laptops in the world, the Dell Latitude 7400 provides extreme performance while still being a hybrid laptop.
Let’s get into the specs now. The Latitude 7400 features an 8th Generation i7-8665U Processor. It’s a quad-core processor that can be boosted up to 4.80 GHz. It also has an 8MB cache that makes it perfect for multi-tasking. Though it features Intel UHD graphics, it can take care of graphics-heavy tasks such as rendering with ease.
The Latitude 7400 comes with Windows 10 out of the box. It has a 1TB PCIe M.2 NVMe Class 40 SSD. And this SSD is one of the highest performing SSD on the planet. This laptop also has 16GB 2133MHz RAM making every task buttery smooth.
The display section is perhaps the least attractive here. But don’t get me wrong! It’s better than perhaps all the other laptops on this list! The latitude 7400 comes with a 14.0-inch FHD display. It supports touch and has Anti-Reflective & Anti-Smudge technology. The bezels are quite narrow too.
The battery life is the best among any laptops I’ve seen so far as you’ll get up to 26 hours and 46 minutes of battery life on a full charge! Insanity right? Though the brightness is a bit low on this laptop, I doubt if it will stop anybody from getting this insanely powerful hybrid laptop!
Pros
- The Latitude 7400 features an 8th Generation i7-8665U Processor.
- The quad-core processor can be boosted up to 4.80 GHz.
- It has an 8MB cache which makes multitasking smooth.
- Latitude 7400 comes with Windows 10 out of the box.
- It comes with 1TB PCIe M.2 NVMe Class 40 SSD. And this SSD is one of the highest performing SSD on the planet.
- The 16GB 2133MHz RAM makes every task buttery smooth.
- The 14.0-inch FHD display supports touch.
- The display has Anti-Reflective & Anti-Smudge technology.
- The bezels are quite narrow.
- A mammoth 26 hours and 46 minutes of battery life on a full charge.
Cons
- The brightness is a bit on the lower side.
Final Thoughts
There are many hybrid laptops on the market. But not all of them are good. You’ll need to choose the one based on your needs. So, If you need one for a basic day to day task then there are quite a few options for you.
But if you need a hybrid laptop for creative tasks such as editing, programming then we recommend going for the highest possible specs laptop within your budget. Thanks for reading!