Thin and light laptops have become the daily drivers for most people. The ability to carry your laptop with you and get productive from just about anywhere is something that cannot be understated.
This guide will help you find the lightest laptop for your needs, whether it's a gaming laptop, productivity powerhouse, or a cheaper laptop for college or multimedia.
Here are the lightest laptops in 2021.
The LG Gram 17 strikes the perfect balance of portability and productivity. The laptop comes with a large, 17-inch display, an extensive battery for up to 19.5 hours of use, and even weighs under three pounds. As a result, it is lighter than some 13-inch ultrabooks. The LG Gram 17 is also the most lightweight laptop with a Num Pad.
While we're so used to 17-inch laptops weighing over four pounds, the Gram 17 is light enough for you to carry it around one-handed. It also comes with a tough and solid build quality, meeting the MIL-STD 810G standard.
Not only do you get a larger 17-inch screen, but also a taller 16:10 aspect ratio, which offers extra vertical screen space for working with documents and browsing. Performance is excellent. You can open multiple programs and tabs without a noticeable dip in performance.
- Intel Evo Platform
- 16:10 aspect ratio screen
- Passed MIL-STD-810G military standards for durability
- Backlit keyboard
- Brand: LG
- Storage: 1TB
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Memory: 16GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 19.5 hours
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB 3.2, HDMI, Headphone Out, Micro-SD
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 17-inch, 2560x1600
- Weight: 2.98Ibs
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Bigger and taller screen
- Incredibly light for a 17-inch laptop
- Great battery life and perfomance
- USB-C charging
- No dedicated graphics
The LG Gram lineup has been a stalwart of lightweight laptops since the company first introduced the range. At 2.2lbs, the LG Gram 14 is lighter than the 13-inch Dell XPS and MacBook Pro. It is also the lightest laptop with long battery life, lasting up to 25.5 hours on a single charge.
LG managed to cram so much power in a small, compact chassis. The newly refreshed 2021 model comes with the latest Intel processors. It's based on the Intel Evo platform, so you get excellent performance, longer battery life, vibrant display, and near-instant responsiveness.
The LG Gram 14 makes a resounding case for productivity with the taller 16:10 screen. As a result, you'll see more lines and text at the bottom when browsing or working with documents. There are also USB Type-A ports, an HDMI port, and microSD slots in addition to Thunderbolt 4, something you don't get very often in a thin and light laptop.
- Intel Evo Platform
- 16:10 aspect ratio screen
- Backlit keyboard with fingerprint scanner
- Alexa built-in
- Brand: LG
- Storage: 512GB
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Memory: 16GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 25.5 hours
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB 3.2, HDMI, Headphone Out, Micro-SD
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 14-inch, 1920x1200
- Weight: 2.2lbs
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Incredibly light
- Excellent battery life
- Decent performance
- Great screen
- Some bloatware
If you're looking for a budget thin and light laptop, the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED might be the perfect option for you. This laptop is not only light at 2.45lbs, but it's the only laptop with an OLED screen in this price range.
The ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED combines an OLED panel with 400 nits of brightness and 100% DCI-P3 coverage to deliver vibrant colors, inky blacks, and excellent contrast. Watching or creating content on this display is an exceptional experience.
The performance is great, too. You're getting an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, which is powerful enough for daily use and productivity. You can edit photos and videos using the integrated graphics or connect an external GPU if you need more juice for graphically intensive tasks. The integrated Num Pad and ergonomic keyboard are welcome additions for typists and students.
- OLED display with 400 nits brightness
- Integrated Num Pad on the touchpad
- ErgoLift hinge for typing comfort
- AI-based noise cancellation
- Brand: ASUS
- Storage: 256GB
- CPU: Intel Core i5-1135G7
- Memory: 8GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 13 hours
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2, HDMI, Micro SD
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 13.3-inch, 1920x1080
- Weight: 2.45lbs
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Sharp, colorful display
- Excellent contrast
- Great performance to price ratio
- USB-C charging
- No headphone jack
The Apple MacBook Air M1 is the best light Apple laptop you can buy. It features the new Apple M1 chip, making it powerful than ever. The MacBook Air can now handle demanding tasks, such as 4K video editing, while providing excellent battery life. Apple claims it can last up to 18 hours on a single charge.
Another great feature is that the M1 MacBook Air comes without a fan, making it the ideal light laptop for those on the go. It runs silently, and you can easily carry it around with you. The keyboard is backlit for use in low-light conditions, but what's better is that it can automatically adjust the brightness depending on the surroundings.
The screen has an unusual 2560x1600 resolution, making it sharper than 13-inch laptops with a standard Full HD resolution. In addition, it has a 16:10 aspect ratio that lets you see more content without much scrolling. Overall, the M1 MacBook Air is the best MacBook for most people. It's affordable, lightweight, and now packs excellent performance.
- 16:10 aspect ratio screen
- Runs iPhone and iPad apps natively
- Automatically adjusts the keyboard backlighting depending on surroundings
- Brand: Apple
- Storage: 256GB
- CPU: Apple M1
- Memory: 8GB
- Operating System: macOS
- Battery: 18 hours
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 3, Headphone Out
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 13.3-inch, 2560x1600
- Weight: 2.8lbs
- GPU: Apple M1
- Excellent performance
- Runs silently
- Good battery life
- Comfortable keyboard
- No USB Type-A or dedicated video-out ports
The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is the lightest gaming laptop you can buy. It weighs only 3.11lbs despite having dedicated graphics. It is also one of the few gaming laptops with Thunderbolt 4 ports, which you can use for charging or connect an eGPU to accelerate the graphics performance for ultra-demanding AAA gaming.
The 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor and the dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q offer powerful 1080p gaming performance. It also comes with a 120Hz display, so everything looks sharp and smooth, ideal for highly competitive games.
The unit looks and feels premium with a compact metal chassis and minimal branding. Additionally, you can sync the keyboard's RGB backlighting with other Razer Chroma-powered peripherals for more gaming immersion. Overall, the Razer Stealth 13 is as good as it gets for a thin and light gaming laptop.
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Customizable RGB backlit keyboard
- Dedicated graphics card
- Brand: Razer
- Storage: 512GB
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Memory: 16GB
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Battery: 10 hours
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB 3.1, Headphone/Microphone Combo
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 13.3-inch, 1920x1080
- Weight: 3.11lbs
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q
- Slim unibody chassis
- Excellent gaming performance
- Sharp and responsive 120Hz screen
- Good battery life
- No dedicated video-out ports
The Acer Swift 3 is one of the most affordable light laptops you can buy, coming in at just 2.65lbs and 0.63 inches thin. You shouldn't have any problems running daily tasks, including light video editing and gaming, with the Ryzen 7 chip. The 8GB of RAM is enough for browsing, working on documents, and all-around performance.
The 1080p screen at 14 inches is excellent for both work and entertainment. The Swift 3 also features a 720p webcam, incredibly thin bezels to limit distractions, and a great battery with enough juice to get you through the day.
While some OEMs skimp on the build quality to keep the price down, the Swift 3 is excellent. It has a robust metal construction that gives it maximum strength to withstand the daily bumps and bangs. In addition, you get a backlit keyboard, fingerprint scanner, and a shiny silver finish that gives it a premium look.
- Backlit keyboard
- Alexa built-in
- Windows Hello compatible fingerprint reader
- Brand: Acer
- Storage: 512GB
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
- Memory: 8GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 11.5 hours
- Ports: 1x USB-C, 1x USB 3.2, 1x USB 2.0, HDMI, Headphone Out
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 14-inch, 1920x1080
- Weight: 2.65lbs
- GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
- Affordable
- Great performance for the money
- USB-C port with power delivery
- Display not suited for bright outdoor settings
If you're looking for a 2-in-1 laptop, the ASUS ZenBook Flip 13 OLED can be the best lightest laptop for you. For this model, ASUS updated the device with a brand new OLED screen, 11th Gen Intel chips, and Thunderbolt 4 ports, making it perfect for your on-the-go creativity needs or productivity.
The ZenBook Flip 13 can rotate 360 degrees to use it in tablet mode. It comes with a stylus pen included for taking notes, drawing, or sketching. It's very lightweight at 2.87lbs and 0.55 inches thin, so easy for you to hold and use as a tablet for long periods. The laptop also folds into a tent or stand mode, great for presentations and watching content.
Like other ZenBook laptops, you're getting a Num Pad integrated onto the touchpad and an ergonomically designed hinge that lifts the keyboard at an angle for typing comfort. The computer also includes an HD webcam with Windows Hello support, a backlit keyboard, and legacy ports, including a USB Type-A and HDMI connection.
- Intel Evo platform
- OLED touch display
- Versatile display modes: Laptop, Tablet, Tent, and Stand
- 360-degree ErgoLift hinge and NumberPad 2.0
- Brand: ASUS
- Storage: 512GB
- CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Memory: 16GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
- Battery: 14 hours
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2, HDMI
- Camera: 720p
- Display (Size, Resolution): 13.3-inch, 1920x1080
- Weight: 2.87lbs
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Versatile, flexible design
- Exceptional performance
- Vibrant display with brilliant contrast
- ASUS stylus pen included
- No headphone jack
- Glossy screen not great with reflections
FAQ
Q: What Is the Intel Evo Platform?
The Intel Evo Platform is a lineup of high-end lightweight laptops designed to deliver the best mobile experience by adapting to the needs and lifestyle of people. These laptops are tested and verified to provide exceptional performance, longer battery life with quick charge capabilities, vibrant and colorful display, and instant wake from sleep.
All Evo-certified laptops feature the latest 11th Gen Intel processors (at least Core i5), Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, and nine or more hours of battery life. So if you need to buy a new laptop and don't have time for research, look for the Intel Evo badge.
Q: What Is the Thinnest Laptop in 2021?
At 0.55 inches, the ASUS ZenBook Flip 13 OLED is the thinnest laptop you can buy in 2021. It is also very light at 2.87lbs, great for use on the go.
Q: What Is the Most Quiet Laptop?
The Apple MacBook Air with M1 Chip is the quietest laptop you can buy since it has no fan, thus no fan noise to get in the way. It's absolutely silent.
