• The list in brief ↴
1. Best overall
2. Best battery life
3. Best for graphic design
4. Best for travel
5. Best with NVIDIA
6. Best with pen
• How to choose
If you're looking for something more versatile than a standard computer, a convertible 2-in-1 laptop offers extra flexibility by doubling up as a supercharged Windows tablet, or the other way around.
Either way, most support accessories, some included and others optional, that transform an everyday laptop into a desk-ready productivity machine or a presentation powerhouse.
We've got you covered with our roundup of the best 2-in-1 laptop PCs on the market, updated anytime a new review qualifies it to earn a spot on this prestigious list.
Check the quick list for a no-nonsense summary of our favorites, and follow the respective selections to a full breakdown with pros and cons below.
Recent updates
April 3, 2024: ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) was added as the most versatile 2-in-1 laptop, following a review. Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio was also replaced by its upgraded counterpart, Laptop Studio 2. — Ben Wilson
The quick list
Best overall
The Surface Pro 9 is the result of a decade's worth of product refinement. With each aspectl perfected, includingsmall aesthetic choices that define its iconic design, there's no match.
Best battery life
A genuinely all-day battery life supports traditional portable use, and using an ASUS stylus opens up clever opportunities with flexible screen modes for quick presentations at work.
Best for graphic design
A 16-inch laptop with a 3K OLED display and an dedicated GPU that lets you do everything from gaming to productivity tasks with a gorgeous touchscreen.
Best for travel
Super thin and light with excellent build quality and a premium 3K AMOLED display, weighing only 2.42 lbs and proving more powerful than expected. Plus, Samsung offers generous trade-in deals.
Best with NVIDIA graphics
A performance upgrade from its predecessor, slightly heavier and thicker, but addtional raw power makes it a great option for engineers, creators, and even gamers.
Best with a pen
Standing out with an innovative speaker hinge, elegant design, and included pen and sleeve, it's been one of our favorite 2-in-1 laptops since 2022.
The best 2-in-1 laptops in 2024
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Below, you'll find complete breakdowns of why these choices have made our list of the best 2-in-1 laptops.
The best overall 2-in-1 laptop
Microsoft's Surface Pro 9 is still the best 2-in-1 you can buy right now. Featuring Intel 12th-Gen and Microsoft SQ3 processors, a gorgeous 13-inch touch display with a high-resolution of 2880 x 1920, and that classic built-in kickstand. The Surface Pro 9 also supports the best-in-class peripherals, including Microsoft's Surface Slim Pen 2 with support for haptics, and the Surface Type Cover with built-in charging cradle for said pen!
So, what was new with the Surface Pro 9? Microsoft refined its design over the Surface Pro 8 in small but important ways. The volume and power buttons have moved to the top edge when in landscape mode, and the Thunderbolt 4 enabled USB-C ports have moved over to the left side.
Additionally, the SSD door on the non-5G model is tool-less, meaning you can access the SSD area without needing a SIM tool to open it first. Microsoft also says it redesigned the inside entirely to make it more repairable, with even more replaceable components right down to the heatsink.
Lastly, Microsoft also merged the Surface Pro X with the Surface Pro 9, meaning it's available in both Intel and ARM flavors. On the Intel side, we get 12th-Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 U-series chips, which offered huge performance gains over 11th-Gen Intel found in the Surface Pro 8.
On the ARM side, we have the Microsoft SQ3, based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen3. This chip offers great performance while remaining energy efficient, and is the only way you can get 5G on a Surface Pro 9 as the modem is built-in to the system-on-a-chip.
The best 2-in-1 laptop for battery life
ASUS weren't the first to convince me of a 2-in-1 laptop's usefulness, but it was the first to prove it goes further than a simple touchscreen addition. The Zenbook Duo has a detachable keyboard and touchpad combo built into a plate of sorts with a soft underside that protects the bottom OLED display, and it works separate from the laptop if you need it to.
The desktop mode is similar to using a traditional laptops with a kickstand elevating the display to a height that matches eye level. With the the bottom screen, I regularly store apps that I want to reach out and interact with a quick touch. Hitting a shortcut button on F7 Immediately swapping the contents of screens 1 and 2, too.
The hinge holds strong and prevents much shaking, unless you're riding on a particularly rough train or flight, but you can the whole device against a solid wall. Still, setting it up on a desk means it's perfect.
The best 2-in-1 laptop for graphic design
Featuring an incredible 16-inch "3K" display in the excellent 16:10 aspect ratio, 13th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, up to 16GB RAM, and up to a 2TB SSD, you can't go wrong with the HP Spectre x360 16 for all your mobile computing needs. It's also a great 2-in-1 for web browsing, light video editing, and productivity work thanks to its 360-degree hinge.
This model continues with HP's excellent soft, rounded design that ditches the old gem-cut chassis in favor of something that's more welcoming around the edges. It's available in three colors, those being "natural silver," "nightfall black," and "nocturn blue," all of which look superb.
The only real downside about this laptop is that it's really quite large to use as a tablet, as its 16-inch display paired with a non-removable keyboard deck makes things a little unwieldy. But if you're okay with that, this is an excellent choice with the latest specs that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
The best ultralight 2-in-1 laptop for travel
The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is our pick for best ultralight 2-in-1 suits to travel, with an incredible 13-inch "3K" AMOLED display, 13th-Gen Intel Core i7 P series processors, 16GB RAM and Intel Iris Xe graphics.
This machine is a beast, with those P-series chips offering excellent performance over the Ultrabook class chips you normally find in convertibles. It has a 76Wh battery, offering up to 19 hours on a single charge. It's also available in two colorways, those being Graphite and Beige.
The Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 also supports the Samsung S-Pen, which is included with the laptop. There's AKG quad speakers built-in, Thunderbolt 4 capabilities, and that AMOLED display has amazing color contrast.
The best 2-in-1 laptop with NVIDIA graphics
We had been using the Surface Laptop Studio for quite a while and were really impressed with the significant performance improvements of its successor, the Surface Laptop Studio 2. It now comes with up to 64GB of RAM, an NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU, and Intel's 13th Gen Core i7 processor.
Although it's heavier and thicker than the previous model, it's still versatile and powerful enough, with a dedicated GPU for the needs of engineers and CAD users, artists, general content creators, and even gamers. We loved seeing the addition of a USB-A port and microSD slot, which were missing in the original, but the cost might still make it less accessible to some.
Some fantastic changes in design and improved performance results in benchmarks join the fancy new features like a 'pull-it-forward display,' but some areas still needed improvement, like its battery life. Overall, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a fantastic premium device that showcases the capabilities of Windows 11, especially for professionals like us who rely on dedicated graphics for heavier lifting in Adobe Photoshop and similar apps.
The best 2-in-1 laptop with included stylus pen
The Lenovo Yoga 9i is an excellent 2-in-1 convertible PC on the market with an included stylus. It features a beautiful, rounded design with no sharp edges, a large 14-inch 90Hz display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, the latest 12th-gen chips from Intel, and comes will a full-sized digital pen for inking in the box!
The Intel 13th-generation P-series chips found on the inside are a huge step-up in performance over last year. The display is also pretty great, with a 14-inch panel that's available in a variety of resolutions, including 2K and 4K options. Plus, you can also spec the panel with OLED, which delivers punchy colors and deep contrast. Additionally, this laptop is HDR compatible, albeit it only in a plugged-in state.
For ports, we have three USB-C ports, two on the left supporting Thunderbolt 4, and one on the right being a USB-C 3.1 port. There's also a full-size USB-A port on the left, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right. There are two colors available; "storm grey" which is your usual dark colorway, and "oatmeal," which appears like a light gold.
How to choose the best 2-in-1 laptop
Choosing the right 2-in-1 laptop for you will depend on a few needs. Will you regularly need a stylus? How often will you extend the device to its touchscreen tablet mode? Finally, how much portable use will you need? Prioritizing features, battery life, and the overall form factor will help you narrow your search down.
The Surface Pro 9 is an excellent 2-in-1 convertible PC that ticks practically all of the boxes. It features a beautiful, rounded design with no sharp edges, a large 13-inch 120Hz display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, great 12th-gen chips from Intel, and supports Microsoft's excellent Type Cover and Slim Pen 2 accessories.
Coming in second place, the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) features tremendous battery life and a fantastic feature set with flexible use modes that take advantage of its dual-screen setup. Positioning it in 'desktop mode' has a tall vertical setup that eases neck strain by keeping the top panel at eye level, and the detachable keyboard helps take advantage of extra desk space when you have it.
If you don't have as much room, perhaps during travel, the ultralight Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 features similarly gorgeous OLED screen technology but in a far more portable format at only 2.42 lbs. Plus, if you have an official Samsung retailer near you, there are plenty of lucrative trade-in deals to take advantage of.
For stylus fans, the Lenovo Yoga 9i (Gen 7) remains one of our all-time favorite laptops and comes with a free active pen. There has been a generational upgrade with the Yoga 9i (Gen 8), but this means the previous model will appear more frequently with discounts. Either would be a fantastic choice, but if you can find the Gen 7 for less money, it has our glowing recommendation.
