The best 2-in-1 laptop in 2024: convertible laptops for all budgets

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REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
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A Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8, the best 2-in-1 laptop, against a techradar background
(Image credit: Future / Lenovo)

The best 2-in-1 laptop can be a real game changer when it comes to productivity. These hybrid devices often feature a 360-degree hinge or a detachable keyboard that allows them to be used in laptop or tablet modes, making them highly versatile for work or play. This is why your search for the best laptop should include 2-in-1 options.

If you’re in the market for a great 2-in-1 laptop and want to cut straight to the chase, the Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 is our top pick. It boasts a stunning OLED display, a 360-degree rotating soundbar, and fast and reliable performance. Plus, its impressive battery life means you’ll get plenty of mileage from a full charge.

Elsewhere, you’ll find some fantastic budget options if you’re a cost-conscious buyer, like the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5, an affordable 2-in-1 Chromebook that really impressed us. A great choice for productivity on the go, with plenty of power to handle your Google Chrome workload.        

As well as some of the best Chromebooks offering 2-in-1 models, some of the best Ultrabooks are 2-in-1 laptops and are well worth investigating also. With so many choices on offer, it can be dizzying to go about finding the right one for you.

At TechRader, we’ve had the privilege of testing out tons of great 2-in-1 laptops and can offer you our expert advice to help you figure out which one is the best for your specific needs. So read on to get the full lowdown on the best 2-in-1 laptop options in 2024.  

The best 2-in-1 laptop in 2024

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Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 on a coffee table

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

The best 2-in-1 laptop overall

The best 2-in-1 laptop overall

Specifications

CPU: 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1360P
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
Screen: Up to 14-inch 3840 x 2400 400-nit OLED touchscreen with 100% DCI-P3, VESA Certified DisplayHDR True Black 500, Dolby Vision
Storage: Up to 1TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Absolutely stunning design
+
Gorgeous display
+
Great battery life and performance

Reasons to avoid

-
Too expensive for most people
-
Display averages at 350 nits

The Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 (2023) is a testament to Lenovo’s brilliance, offering speedy performance and great features in an elevated design and for less than the price of its more popular rivals. This is an absolute stunner, with an OLED display with amazing picture quality, and a 360-degree-rotating soundbar for a more immersive streaming experience.

Performance-wise, it crushed other touchscreen laptops such as a similarly-specced and similarly-priced Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 in our benchmarks. And surprisingly, it holds its own when tackling creative workloads, taking less time than we expected to process and export 50 high-res 7952 x 4472 images from RAW to JPEG in Lightroom. It delivers on battery life as well, giving us a little over 10 hours on a full charge in our web surfing battery test.

The OLED display is not as bright as we'd hoped, averaging around 350 nits in our readings. But it’s vibrant nonetheless, not to mention responsive and intuitive to your touch commands. 

Read our full Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 review

best touchscreen laptop Lenovo ThinkPad Duet 5 Chromebook

(Image credit: Future)

The best budget 2-in-1 laptop

The best budget 2-in-1 laptop

Specifications

CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen2
Graphics: Qualcomm Adreno Graphics
RAM: 8GB LPDDR4
Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) multitouch OLED, 400 nits
Storage: 128GB eMMC

Reasons to buy

+
Bright and vibrant display
+
Truly exceptional battery life
+
Decent performance for the price

Reasons to avoid

-
Keyboard could be more robust
-
No included stylus
-
Works better as a laptop

It’s actually astounding how something like the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook can exist in this market, being as cheap yet as impressive as it is. It delivers plenty of power to those who rely heavily on Google Chrome workloads and use it for the more casual workloads.

Our time with this incredibly portable Chromebook was spent sending emails, writing our articles, and naturally, streaming our favorite shows. While all that doesn’t sound taxing to the system at all, having 20 or more browsers open actually is, especially if some are streaming content. And, this Chromebook breezed through that without a sweat while lasting about 16 hours and 20 minutes during testing.

We also appreciate that it’s incredibly portable, making it easier to take with us if we want to squeeze in a little bit of work whilst traveling. This being a 2-in-1, there’s also the touch display aspect, which got upgraded to an OLED one. Its touch capability has always been nice and responsive, but now you've also got the vivid colors that only an OLED panel can offer.

Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook review

HP Elite Dragonfly G2

(Image credit: Future)

Still the best premium 2-in-1 laptop

Still the best premium 2-in-1 laptop

Specifications

CPU: 11th-generation Intel Core i3 – i7
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: 8GB - 32GB
Screen: 13.3-inch diagonal BrightView LED FHD, 400 nits – 13.3-inch diagonal BrightView LED 4K UHD HDR-400 550 nits
Storage: up to 2TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Great design
+
Comfortable keyboard
+
Excellent screen

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive
-
USB-C ports on only one side

HP might have stumbled with the overpriced, underperforming HP Elite Dragonfly G3, but fortunately its predecessor hasn't gone anywhere. It's still amazing: an impressive business laptop with a smart design, great battery life, and 2-in-1 capabilities.

The HP Elite Dragonfly was among the best HP laptops, and the second-generation model followed in its footsteps. Of course, being a follow-up, it’s more powerful than its predecessor. Day-to-day tasks were handled very well during testing, and the 256GB SSD in our model was fast and speedy. It might not be 12th-gen Intel, but that's actually a good thing here; the G-series 11th-gen chip inside provides great stability and performance – and not too shabby a battery life.

It might just be as close to being the perfect business laptop as any manufacturer can get, but it’s also stylish enough to appeal to more casual users. That is, if they can afford it – as this laptop is as expensive as it’s always been. However, as it is meant for professionals, it’s definitely worth the investment. Plus, that 2-in-1 form factor, touchscreen functionality and included stylus makes it a better value than its rivals.

Read our full HP Elite Dragonfly G2 review

best touchscreen laptop Acer Chromebook Spin 514 (2022) on a kitchen counter

(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

The best 2-in-1 Chromebook for work and fun

The best 2-in-1 Chromebook for work and fun

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5625C
Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics
RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X
Screen: 14-inch 1920 x 1080 Acer CineCrystal LED-backlit IPS touchscreen
Storage: 128GB Flash Memory

Reasons to buy

+
Great performance
+
All-day battery life
+
Fantastic screen

Reasons to avoid

-
No stylus included
-
High mid-range price

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is a fantastic touchscreen laptop to immerse yourself in. Though you’ll still need to do most of your work on the Chrome browser, you are getting an even more powerful device here without paying a premium. 

Keeping up with much pricier Chromebooks during testing, it breezes through mostly browser-based workloads without a hitch, handling about 20 tabs of websites of varying graphical and processing demands while keeping things relatively cool and quiet. Sure, the battery isn’t as long as many budget Chromebooks, giving us eight hours and 20 minutes run in our battery test, but that’s still a full workday if you think about it.

The 14-inch 1080p Corning Gorilla Glass display is a stunner as well, ideal if you want to just use it for streaming Netflix all day and even play a mobile game. It also supports the USI Stylus, despite not having it included in the box. But you don’t need to buy one as the touch capability here is incredibly intuitive.

Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 514 (2022) review 

A Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

The best midrange 2-in-1 laptop

The best mid-range 2-in-1 laptop

Specifications

CPU: Up to Intel Core i7-1255U
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: Up to 16GB DDR4
Screen: 14-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) Touch, 60Hz
Storage: Up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Great price
+
Performs well in most areas
+
Good battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Little on the heavy side
-
Tablet pen not included

Despite not being Dell’s flagship laptop, the Inspiron line deserves its day in the sun for its combination of quality, performance, and affordability. Though it isn’t quite as premium as the (older) XPS design, the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 (2022) still slays, especially for an all-rounder with a more affordable price point. 

In our benchmark tests, its results were comparable to other 2-in-1 laptops that are much more expensive. It even handled games such as Sid Meyer’s Civilization VI at a stable frame rate of at least 30 fps whether on high settings, which is even more impressive considering its size. 

The lack of an included stylus is a real shame, since it could've added a lot to the package, and it isn’t as lightweight as pricier options on the list. But if this isn’t the best 2-in-1 for regular users and students who need something more robust than a budget laptop, we don’t know what is.

Read the full Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 review 

Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1

(Image credit: Future)

The best 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop

The best 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop

Specifications

CPU : 12th Generation Intel Core i5 – i7
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: Up to 16 GB DDR4
Screen: 16", FHD+ (1920x1200), 60Hz, 300 nits
Storage: Up to 1 TB PCIe SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Great all-round performance
+
Excellent battery life
+
Good webcam

Reasons to avoid

-
A bit heavy
-
No included pen

Most 2-in-1 laptops opt for a small form factor – typically with a 13-inch or 14-inch display – in order to better align themselves with their tablet brethren. Not so the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1, which rocks a big, bright 16-inch screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio that allows you to fit more on your screen when scrolling through web pages or documents.

Performance-wise, it balances streaming, multiple documents, video/voice calls, and more all without slowdown. We found that it’s also capable of running low and mid-range games like Sid Meyer’s Civilization VI on the higher settings, achieving at least 50fps, so we definitely recommend this for work and play.

It's a bit more expensive than many 2-in-1 laptops with comparable specs, but this is still a dependable workhorse for everyday tasks. It's a little on the heavy side, but that's down to it having an exceptionally sturdy chassis and a robust touchscreen. A wide range of models are available, including one with a dedicated Nvidia MX550 GPU, in case you'd like to do a little creative work, or gaming.

Read our full Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2022) review

best touchscreen laptop HP Envy 13 x360 (2022) sitting on wooden desk

(Image credit: Future)

The best 2-in-1 laptop with an OLED display

Affordable 2-in-1 laptop with an OLED display

Specifications

CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i5 - i7
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: Up to 16GB
Screen: 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 400-nit multitouch-enabled IPS
Storage: Up to 1TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Great battery life
+
All-around solid performance
+
Extremely portable

Reasons to avoid

-
Wonky touchpad
-
No HDMI port

If what you need is a lightweight, compact productivity powerhouse, the HP Envy 13 x360 might be the best option for you. Packing all-day battery life and a gorgeous OLED display, the Envy 13 x360 is a bit more affordable than HP's more premium Spectre x360 laptops but is still a great choice of 2-in-1 device - especially for buyers on a budget.

The everyday work performance on offer here is excellent, often keeping pace with larger or more expensive 2-in-1 laptops. When we reviewed it, we were comfortably able to manage everything from large spreadsheets and video calls to numerous browser tabs playing simultaneous media. With just over nine hours of battery life (for standard productivity workloads) in our tests, it offers good longevity too.

While it's cheaper than its HP Spectre siblings, this isn't quite a super-budget buy - with a 12th-gen Intel CPU and a bright and colorful OLED screen like that, it was never going to be cheap - but it's very competitively priced nonetheless. Finally, it brings a comfortable keyboard and a good selection of physical ports to the table. There's not much this laptop won't be able to handle.

Read our full HP Envy 13 x360 (2022) review

Acer Chromebook Spin 714 on a desk

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The best premium 2-in-1 Chromebook

The best premium 2-in-1 Chromebook

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i5-1335U
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics eligible
RAM: 8GB
Screen: 14" 16:10 WUXGA 1920 x 1200p IPS touch display
Storage: 256 GB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Speedy performance for day-to-day productivity
+
Good looking and feeling touchscreen
+
Sturdy hinge
+
Strong battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Speakers are quiet with hollow-sounding audio
-
Limited availability
-
Keyboard feels a little stiff

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) might come with a slightly higher price tag than most Chromebooks, but that's because it packs a little extra punch. And when it comes to work, having a bit more power is often a welcome advantage.

During our tests, this Chromebook's 13th-Gen Intel Core i5 and 8GB of RAM effortlessly handled running 20 Chrome tabs, including three streaming ones, without a hitch. This added power not only supports the 1920 x 1200p touch display but also enhances the quality of the 1440p webcam, providing stunning clarity.

While the speakers could be improved for richer sound, and the keyboard could offer a more pleasant typing experience, the Chromebook excels in battery life, lasting a commendable 12 hours during our benchmark tests. Its solid hinge ensures stability, making it versatile in various modes, whether in tent or display mode.

In summary, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) justifies its higher price point. It offers a premium look, feel, and performance that sets it apart from many of its alternatives.

Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) review

An HP Spectre x360 2022 on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

The best 2-in-1 laptop for travel

The best 2-in-1 Windows laptop for travel

Specifications

CPU: Up to 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1250U
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR4x
Screen: 13" 3:2 3K (2880x1920) Touch 500-Nit Display
Storage: 1 TB, M.2, PCIe NVMe, SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Stunning 3K display
+
1080p webcam plus a rear camera
+
Incredibly portable and ideal for travel
+
New detachable form not for everyone

Reasons to avoid

-
A premium purchase
-
Only two USB-C ports

If you’re upgrading from your old XPS 2-in-1, you might be disappointed to learn that your beloved laptop has been replaced by a tablet with a detachable folio that houses its keyboard and trackpad. We’re not impressed by this shift from one of the best laptop designs ever to this detachable form factor that’s not exactly the most convenient to use or the most versatile.

Still, this shift in form factor has resulted in one of the lightest and most compact laptops ever. The new Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2022) lends itself well to commute and travel, being considerably lighter, thinner, and more compact than its predecessor. In fact, we took it with us to Greece, and we’ve never felt so good about traveling with a laptop, especially since it’s no slouch in performance. It even managed to see through our light photo editing needs. It also helped a lot that its 2880 x 1920 touch display is fantastic and its webcam boasts a nice 1080p resolution for our team meetings.

It’s a little disappointing that it isn’t any cheaper than its predecessor, considering it swapped out a premium chassis for a keyboard folio and a tablet. Also, you’re only getting two ports. But if you want the best 2-in-1 laptop to travel with, look no further.

Read our full Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 review  

How to choose the best 2-in-1 laptop for you

With so many great options available, picking out the best 2-in-1 laptop for your own personal needs can be tricky. If you're not particularly clued in on what the internal components mean, don't worry: we're here to help.

Ultimately, you need to consider exactly what you're planning on using your new 2-in-1 laptop for. If it's just going to be for simple office work (say, spreadsheets and word processing) or it's a simple entertainment laptop for a child, you don't need a top-tier processor or tonnes of RAM.

Most of these 2-in-1 laptops feature at least 8GB of RAM, which is plenty for the average user. If you're going to be performing more intensive tasks, like video editing, digital art, or running complex mathematical programs, you might want 16GB or even more than that. When it comes to confusingly-named CPUs, bigger numbers in the name generally mean a more powerful chip that will make the laptop run faster - though these will cost more.

If you want to use your laptop for maximum productivity, consider one with a 16:10 or 3:2 screen aspect ratio. This means that the screen is taller than 'widescreen' aspect ratios like 16:9, so you can fit more of a long text document on the screen without needing to scroll!

Lastly, pay close attention to the amount of storage a laptop has. If you're planning on mostly working off the cloud (like using Google Drive), you won't need as much storage. But if you want to install lots of programs to your device or store a tonne of photo or video files, you're probably going to need more than the 256GB drives found in many of the best 2-in-1 laptops.

How we test 2-in-1 laptops

Testing 2-in-1 laptops looks a lot like testing traditional clamshell laptops, only with a few extra steps. After all, we also need to test these hybrids’ 2-in-1 form factor as well as touchscreen functionalities, ensuring that everything works swimmingly and the touchscreen is as responsive as it should be.

We take a look at a 2-in-1 laptop’s design, first of all, checking to see how robust its build is, just how portable it is, how comfortable its keyboard and trackpad are to use, how good the display is, etc. We check the availability of ports and biometrics sign-in technologies. We check out the webcam, speakers, and mic as well, since video conferencing has become such an integral part of our daily lives. Naturally, because its 2-in-1 form factor is a major selling point, we inspect the hinges, the different modes, the touchscreen functionality, and the stylus, if included, to make sure that it’s delivering a seamless experience.

Of course, we test its performance as well. Since most 2-in-1 notebooks are designed for productivity, school, or everyday use, we utilize the laptop in our daily workloads as well as for entertainment and casual use. We use the most commonly used Windows 10 (or Chrome OS on Chromebooks) apps to see how fast they load and run. We perform synthetic benchmarks as well, including PCMark 10 (Home Test) and GeekBench 5 so we can get you those exact numbers to compare to its rivals.

Battery life – or rather, great battery life – is an integral part of laptops, especially premium ones. So, we also test its longevity, using it at full charge to see just how long the battery lasts when doing everyday workloads, as well as running both our looped 1080p movie test and the PC Mark 10 battery life benchmark.

Finally, we gather all that information we collected about the laptop and compare it to its price tag to gauge whether it’s a great value to consumers - or at the very least, worth the money.

For a more in-depth guide on our testing process, see how we test.

The best 2-in-1 laptop; FAQs

Why are 2-in-1 laptops great for students?

2-in-1 laptops make a great choice for students due to their versatility. Being usable in both standard laptop mode and tablet mode makes them effortlessly convenient as study aids.

They offer excellent battery life and are lightweight and portable, so transporting them from campus to your dorm is a cinch. Their relative affordability also makes them a sensible choice for cash-strapped students, and there’s plenty of power there to handle all your important assignments.  

What are the disadvantages of a 2-in-1 laptop?

Despite their many benefits, 2-in-1 laptops are not without their faults, and it’s worth knowing where they could fall short of your expectations before you hand over your money.

While a 2-in-1 laptop is likely to have more processing power than a tablet will, it’s also likely to have less power than a more traditional laptop, so you should be careful to check the specs prior to making a purchase. 

In addition, they can be a little lacking when it comes to durability, due to their lightweight and hinged designs, so a bit more care may be needed when transporting them. And lastly, the keys on a 2-in-1 tend to be smaller than on a regular laptop, which may inhibit users with larger hands.

Today's best 2-in-1 laptop deals

John Loeffler
Components Editor

John (He/Him) is the Components Editor here at TechRadar and he is also a programmer, gamer, activist, and Brooklyn College alum currently living in Brooklyn, NY. 


Named by the CTA as a CES 2020 Media Trailblazer for his science and technology reporting, John specializes in all areas of computer science, including industry news, hardware reviews, PC gaming, as well as general science writing and the social impact of the tech industry.


You can find him online on Threads @johnloeffler.


Currently playing: Baldur's Gate 3 (just like everyone else).

With contributions from