Based on my previously discussed criteria, here are some candidates I’m considering. It’s deja vu all over again, as I did this back in 2016 before buying the non-touch bar version of the 13″ MacBook Pro (which I’m now replacing because I just plain don’t like the keyboard and also I’m kind of afraid of getting stuck keys now that it’s past warranty).
Unless otherwise noted, these laptops all come with the following:
- touchscreen
- quad core Core i5 CPU (8th generation)
- 256 GB SSD
- IPS FHD display running at least 1920 x 1080
Microsoft Surface Laptop
Pros:
- lightweight at 2.76 pounds
- among the best Windows laptop trackpads
- solid keyboard
- long battery life
- slightly better than HD resolution at 2256 x 1504 and large 13.5″ display
- 3:2 display ratio means less vertical scrolling
- Windows Hello support
- Alcantara fabric on keyboard (possibly also a Con)
- four colors!
Cons:
- few ports. Really only one USB 3 and mini-DisplayPort
- no USB-C ports
- screen wobbles a bit when using touchscreen
- uses 7th generation CPU
- doesn’t include a pen
The main selling point of the Surface Laptop is it does everything decently. You might find laptops that offer better individual features but none that offer all of them at the same consistent level as the Surface. Still, the design has always struck me as being very conservative. When you look at it closely it appears to be a Surface Pro with a permanent keyboard attached, down to the same deficiencies that the Pro has, with few ports, no USB-C and so on.
That said, because it gets all the basics right, it’s a strong contender.
Dell XPS 13
Pros:
- even lighter with the 2018 redesign at 2.70 pounds
- sexy slim bezels
- excellent if slightly glossy display
- excellent keyboard
- good touchpad
- good battery life
- USB-C ports
- Windows 10 Pro is an option
- optional fingerprint reader
- Windows Hello support
Cons:
- still has that nosecam, just moved to the bottom center now
- FHD (1920 x 1080) models do not include touchscreen
- no legacy USB 3 ports
- battery life not as good as previous Core 8th gen model
The Dell XPS 13 is often cited as the best Windows laptop (The Wirecutter calls it the best Windows Ultrabook) but the current version ditches all legacy ports, meaning you’re probably going to need dongles. It’s also a poor choice for those who need a webcam, though that’s a non-issue for me. Nearly everything about it is appealing or at least livable, but for some reason Dell is not offering the HD model in a touchscreen variant. This gives me serious pause, as I’ve come to really like touchscreens on Windows laptops.
HP Spectre x360
Pros:
- light at 2.75 pounds
- fairly compact design
- includes both USB-C and USB 3 ports
- 2-in-1 design, so screen can be folded around to use for drawing, watching video, etc.
- Windows Hello support
- includes pen
- good keyboard
- good display
- great value for what it includes
Cons:
- some persistent complaints in reviews about coil whine give pause
- wobbly touchscreen
- battery life is only average (but still good)
- screen brightness is only average
The Spectre x360 comes close to hitting all the marks, with battery life, brightness and a wobbly touchscreen primarily holding it back. Plus the snazzy dark ash silver color is hard to find without ordering direct from HP (I prefer darker-colored keyboards to others, especially silver, which is the other color option here).
Lenovo Yoga 920
Pros:
- Very good battery life
- 2-in-1 design
- capacious 13.9″ display
- sexy slim bezels
- Windows Hello support
- fingerprint reader
- includes pen (when buying from MS)
- Windows 10 Pro is an option
- 3 colors!
Cons:
- a bit heavy at 3.1 pounds
- not as compact as other ultrabooks
- shallow keys “similar to a MacBook Pro keyboard” (The Verge review) – yikes!
- screen brightness is only average
The main reasons to get the Yoga 920 are its large screen and battery life. Unfortunately the keyboard appears to be reminiscent of the 2016 MacBook Pro–and the MBP’s keyboard is the primary reason I’m looking for a replacement, which may prove to be the 920’s fatal flaw (I’d probably need to test it in person to make a final determination).
Microsoft Surface Book 2
Pros:
- detachable screen doubles as a tablet and can be reversed to offer drawing/tent modes
- among the best Windows laptop trackpads
- solid keyboard
- outstanding battery life
- better than HD resolution at 3000 x 2000
- Windows Hello support
- comes with Windows 10 Pro
- USB-C port
Cons:
- USB-C port is limited by not including Thunderbolt 3
- Core i5 version uses 7th gen CPU and is more expensive than comparable ultrabooks
- Core i7 version is $600 (!) more (you also get an integrated Nvidia GTX 1050 at that price)
- on the heavy side at 3.38 pounds
- that weird fulcrum hinge with the big dust-collecting gap
- pen is now a separate purchase
The Surface Book 2 is big, expensive and on the heavy side. On the plus side, it’s powerful, has a large, excellent display, and a very nice keyboard. It’s tempting but…expensive.
Beyond these laptops are plenty of others that get most but not all things right, sometimes by design (to keep price down, for example) and sometimes for no apparent reason.
If Apple revealed a MacBook Pro with a completely redesigned keyboard this year I’d probably consider sticking with it, but that seems very unlikely. They’ll just continue to tweak their existing butterfly design (which some people admittedly love) to make it more reliable, without fundamentally changing the feel of the typing experience.
The XPS 13’s baffling lack of a touchscreen in its FHD model almost puts it out of contention, but I’m keeping it in mind for now. My current ranking would probably look like this:
- Surface Laptop – best all-around mix of features
- HP Spectre x360 – same as above, but dimmer display, less battery life–but 2-in-1 versatility
- Lenovo Yoga 920 – keyboard might be an issue, heavier, bulkier
- Dell XPS 13 – no touchscreen option but solid otherwise (webcam is a non-factor for me)
- Surface Book 2 – powerful and strong in most respects, but big, heavy and expensive
And now I ponder and, where possible, try some hands-on demos. Most of these are available to look at locally (heck, the Microsoft Store carries most of them), though the newer Yoga 920 appears to be not unlike hen’s teeth in the Lower Mainland currently.
