7 best 2-in-1 laptops in 2024: tested and reviewed | Digital Trends (2024)

The 2-in-1 form factor has certainly come into its own over the last several years. There's really no reason to limit yourself to a clamshell, as there's a 2-in-1 that will meet the needs of all but the most demanding users in terms of sheer performance.

We've reviewed every great 2-in-1 you can buy, including Chromebooks, convertibles, and powerful 16-inch versions. The overall best 2-in-1 at the moment is the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (although that might change very soon), with its fantastic keyboard that's as easy to remove as it is to type on, a 120Hz display, and a haptic-enabled pen. It's almost as good a laptop as it is a tablet, which is what makes it the best overall 2-in-1.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

A detachable 2-in-1 that's fully functional

Why you should buy this: It's the best 2-in-1 you can buy.

Who it's for: Anyone who just can’t decide between a tablet and a traditional notebook.

Why we picked the Microsoft Surface Pro 9:

Microsoft has slowly evolved the Surface Pro line over the years with subtle, but important tweaks. The Surface Pro 9 is the latest model, and while it's far from perfect, it represents the most premium Windows 2-in-1 that currently exists.

It maintains the same iconic Surface Pro kickstand and Type Cover, and so without setting it next to its predecessor, you might not notice the differences. But like the previous Surface Pro 9, it's made of aluminum rather than magnesium, it has smaller display bezels surrounding a larger 13-inch display (up from 12.3 inches), and its edges are more rounded. It's a more elegant and modern design that we like a lot. It even comes with a 120Hz refresh rate display and the excellent Surface Slim 2 Pen.

The downside is that Microsoft has dropped the 3.5mm audio jack, a decision that will bother some. Inside, it's powered by older 12th-gen Intel CPUs, having skipped an update in 2023. However, on May 20, 2024, Microsoft announced the new Copilot+PC platform that mates Windows 11 on ARM with Qualcomm's newest Snapdragon X chipsets. Microsoft's own Surface lineup is included in the platform with a new Surface Pro (no longer with a numerical designator) that uses the Snapdragon X Plus or Snapdragon X Elite for very good performance matched with significantly better efficiency and battery life. In addition, the Surface Pro will have a new OLED display option that promises bright, dynamic, and accurate colors and inky blacks.

Needless to say, we recommend that you consider the new Surface Pro, which will ship in June, 2024. Questions remain about the performance and compatibility of Windows 11 on ARM as well as the performance of Qualcomm's chipsets. However, it's worth waiting to see, and we will update this section once we have a chance to test the new Surface Pro.

HP Spectre x360 14

An elegant and well-built convertible 2-in-1

Why you should buy this: It’s the best convertible laptop.

Who it's for: Anyone looking for a 2-in-1 that works best as a laptop.

Why we picked the HP Spectre x360 14:

The HP Spectre x360 14 marks a significant revision from the excellent Spectre x360 13.5, with a smoother chassis and a larger 2.8K OLED display. It offers a compelling combination of performance, battery life, and price, and it's reasonably comfortable to hold and use as a tablet.

The Spectre x360 14 uses Intel's 14th-generation Meteor Lake chipsets, such as the 28-watt 16-core/22-thread Core Ultra 7 155H that includes a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to speed up local AI tasks. That significantly increases performance over the previous-generation CPU while providing very good battery life. The OLED panel is excellent, with bright, dynamic, and accurate colors and inky blacks. Like all of today’s 360-degree convertible 2-in-1s, the Spectre x360 14 works well as a traditional clamshell notebook while still offering the flexibility of media, tent, and tablet modes.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 might be a better tablet replacement, but the Spectre x360 14 is excellent in every other respect.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3

A Chromebook 2-in-1 that's incredibly affordable

Why you should buy this: It's the best 2-in-1 Chromebook.

Who it's for: Anyone looking for a 2-in-1 Chromebook that's both a great tablet and a laptop.

Why we picked the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet:

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet is a Chromebook for people who like tablet designs and really like Chromebook prices but are still looking for the right 2-in-1 PC.

The slim Duet offers a 10.9-inch 2K (2000 x 1200) screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 CPU processor, and 4GB of RAM. Since it's a Chromebook, storage space really isn't a focus, but it's nice to see 64GB for those who need it for Android apps and Linux desktop software. Ports are limited to two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 connections, one of which is used to charge the tablet.

While it's nice that the keypad includes a small touchpad for those who want it, it's still a little cramped for our taste. However, we rarely see similar specs made available at such a low price (and you can always choose a different keypad if you want to). Battery life is excellent at 11.5 hours for web browsing and 16 hours for video.

If you're looking for more like this, we've also gathered a list of the best Chromebooks.

Apple iPad Pro

A pure tablet that works great as a laptop

Why you should buy this: It's the best 2-in-1 for tablet use.

Who it's for: Anyone who wants a tablet first, with laptop functionality a convenient add-on.

Why we picked the Apple iPad Pro:

Apple might not like calling the iPad Pro a "2-in-1 laptop," but that's what it is. That is, so long as you pair it with the excellent Magic Keyboard attachment.

The iPad Pro model that we reviewed use the Apple-produced ARM-based M2 processor, but it's been superseded by a new version announced on May 7, 2024, and shipping on May 15, 2024. We'll update this section when the new model has been reviewed. For now, though, suffice it to say that the new M4 chipset makes the iPad Pro even more evenly matched with modern laptops at many tasks, meaning that you're no longer giving up performance to enjoy a legitimate tablet format.

The new iPad Pro's tandem OLED display is also sublime, stacking two OLED panels together to dramatically increase brightness. It has the same 120Hz refresh rate as before but adds OLED's super-fast response times, in addition to wider and more accurate colors and OLED's inky blacks. It goes up to 1,000 nits in standard dynamic range (SDR) content and up to 1,600 in high dynamic range (HDR), with a sharp 2752-by-2064 resolution in slightly larger 13.0-inch display. The new Apple Pencil Pro active pen makes for an excellent drawing tool, and the updated Magic Keyboard gives the tablet laptop-like functionality, including haptic touchpad support in the last versions of iPad OS.

Of course, as an iPad, it remains the best tablets go. Today, the iPad Pro is the thinnest, lightest, and purest tablet experience you can buy, thanks in large part to a massive library of apps that are optimized for tablet usage.

Microsoft Surface Go 3

A tiny Windows 11 2-in-1 that shines

Why you should buy this: It's the best small 2-in-1.

Who it's for: Anyone who wants a tablet that can plug in a keyboard in a pinch — and doesn't want to spend a ton of cash.

Why we picked the Microsoft Surface Go 3:

Affordable and slim, the Surface Go 3 gives you a classic tablet experience with Windows 11. It's also a notable upgrade to the first Surface Go, which was a very portable tablet but not that great on heavy workloads.

The newer model picks up the Surface Go 2's design and slims down the bezels while increasing the screen size to 10.5 inches. It also significantly improves performance using new processor options. Our pick uses an Intel Pentium 6500Y or Core i3 chip complemented by 8GB of RAM. The fast 128GB SSD makes it easier to handle work tasks.

The Surface Go 3 has ports for USB-C, a hidden microSD card slot to expand storage, and a headphone jack. The battery is rated for 10 hours, an improvement on the first Go's battery life, but still doesn't impress compared to other picks on our list.

Surface Laptop Studio 2

A powerful 2-in-1 with an innovative design

Why you should buy this: It’s the most powerful 2-in-1.

Who it's for: Business and creative professionals with money to spend on the best.

Why we picked the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2:

The Surface Laptop Studio is an innovative pull-forward 2-in-1 design in an all-metal chassis with powerful components inside. It's not a direct replacement for the Surface Book 3, but it's taken its place at the top of Microsoft's Surface lineup. It's recently been updated to its second generation, with even more power inside.

It features 45-watt Intel H-series Core CPUs, along with an optional Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, making it the most powerful 2-in-1 in our lineup. It can handle demanding productivity workflows while managing less demanding creative tasks as well. It can also do some gaming in a pinch.

You'll appreciate the 14.4-inch 3:2 display at a high 2,400 x 1,600 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, and the panel supports the Microsoft Surface Slim 2 Pen's haptic feedback. With up to 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a portable workstation in a 2-in-1 form factor.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8

A business-oriented 2-in-1 without compromise

Why you should buy this: It's the best 2-in-1 for business.

Who it's for: Businesspeople who need a portable 2-in-1 that your IT department will approve of.

Why we picked the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8:

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga adopts the company's iconic ThinkPad line to the convertible 2-in-1 form factor. It's a robust laptop, like all ThinkPads, but it's unique in the line in terms of its modern, yet conservative design that looks nothing like the usual black-on-black ThinkPad. And that's a good thing.

It's also a thin 2-in-1 at just 0.60 inches thick, making it comfortable in tablet mode. The included active pen attaches magnetically to the right side of the display and works well. Performance is good for productivity tasks, and battery life is exceptional.

Add in the ThinkPad security features and optional service coverage, and the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 is a 2-in-1 that businesspeople would love to own.

HP Spectre x360 16 2024

A 16-inch convertible 2-in-1 with some power inside

Why you should buy this: It's the best 2-in-1 for business.

Who it's for: Businesspeople who need a portable 2-in-1 that your IT department will approve of.

Why we picked the HP Spectre x360 16:

The 2-in-1 laptop is most often 14 inches or smaller, due mainly to its intended use in a tablet format. Larger tablets are often too cumbersome to use in hand, and need to be placed on a flat surface to be comfortably used. The Spectre x360 16 is no different, with its relatively large size that's due to a 16-inch display and heavy weight of 4.3 pounds.

However, the Spectre x360 16 offers one thing most 2-in-1s don't: a discrete GPU that speeds up gaming and creative apps. The Spectre offers just the entry-level discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, but that's enough for less-demanding 1080p gaming and for speeding up apps like Adobe Premiere Pro more than integrated graphics can.

In addition, you get a gorgeous OLED display option at a high-res 3K (2880 x 1800) resolution and running at a fast 120Hz. The keyboard and massive haptic touchpad are second to none, and it's reasonably affordable at a starting price of $1,250.

HP Spectre Foldable PC

An ultra-expensive foldable 2-in-1

Why you should buy this: It's the best 2-in-1 for business.

Who it's for: Businesspeople who need a portable 2-in-1 that your IT department will approve of.

Why we picked the HP Spectre Foldable PC:

There's a newer class of laptop that aims to go beyond the 2-in-1 to offer an additional mode. Dubbed 3-in-1s, laptops like the Spectre Foldable PC offer "desktop" mode to go with tent, media, and tablet modes.

As its name implies, the Spectre Foldable PC has a foldable display, specifically a 17.0-inch 3:4 OLED screen running at 2.5K (2560 x 1920) that folds down the middle. Place the detachable keyboard on top of the bottom fold and it's a clamshell laptop. And when unfolded the display can be used as a very large tablet or in the desktop mode mentioned above.

HP's design is impeccable, and the tablet feels naturally balanced thanks to batteries that are split into each fold. The keyboard and touchpad are excellent, and the Spectre Foldable PC offers good enough productivity performance, with surprisingly good battery life. Its only real negative is its high price of $5,000, which limits its market considerably.

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