One of the fastest growing segments of the PC market is the 2-in-1, machines that can morph from one form factor to another, make use of touchscreen displays and, sometimes, active pens as well. Microsoft kicked off the modern Windows 2-in-1 market with the original Surface in 2012, and since then Microsoft, its OEM partners, and even Chromebook makers have continued to grow the segment with increasingly high-quality options.
Like all PCs, 2-in-1s vary in their configurations, performance, and battery life. They also span a range of price points, from the low-end to the stratospheric. The 2-in-1 has become so popular that there seem to be as many different models produced as traditional notebooks. And that makes some sense, because the best 2-in-1s really can become your primary machine.
Our pick
HP Spectre x360 13
Why should you buy this: It’s fast, has great battery life, offers a lovely display, and swivels around into multiple modes.
The best
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
The HP Spectre x360 13 is a no-compromise notebook that can also serve as a useful tablet PC.
$1,099.99 from Best Buy
Who’s it for: Anyone with around $1,000 to spend
How much will it cost: $1,090 – $1,960
Why we picked the HP Spectre x360 13:
The competition among 13-inch 360-degree convertibles is fierce, with many excellent options fighting for the top spot. It’s also an important segment, given that it’s right in the sweet spot of performance and mobility — given the trend of reducing chassis size via smaller display bezels, the 13-inch 2-in-1 is just right to bring the benefits of both traditional clamshell notebooks and tablet form factors.
We picked the newly refreshed HP Spectre x360 13 because it offers the best combination of performance, battery life, display quality, and price, among a very loaded field. We had already rated the Spectre x360 13 as one of the best machines around at the end of 2016, and the early 2017 refresh added in the only things we found missing from the machine.
Namely, HP added a 4K UHD display option that many potential buyers were demanding. Also added is an active pen, for drawing and handwriting on the screen.
The best thing about today’s 360-degree convertible 2-in-1s is that they work extremely well as traditional notebooks, and the Spectre x360 13 epitomizes the segment. It offers seventh-generation Core i7 processors, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of fast SSD storage, meaning that it can be configured as well as any competing notebook. And its battery will easily last a full workday.
Our full review
The best budget 2-in-1
Samsung Chromebook Pro
Why should you buy this: It’s a solid performer that makes good use of Chrome OS, and it also incorporates all the technology needed to fully support Android apps.
The best budget 2-in-1
Samsung Chromebook Pro
The Samsung Chromebook Pro is arguably the best Chromebook around, and is a great platform for Android apps, too.
$449.00 from Best Buy
$449.00 from Amazon
Who’s it for: Anyone wants the flexibility of the 2-in-1 form factor but doesn’t care for Windows 10 – or needs to save some cash
How much will it cost: $550
Why we picked the Samsung Chromebook Pro:
The Windows 10 ecosystem doesn’t have a monopoly on the 2-in-1 form factor. If you haven’t bought into Windows 10 or you just don’t have the cash for some of these Windows 10 machines, then you’ll likely be looking for a different option.
That’s where the Samsung Chromebook Pro comes in. Samsung’s machine comes in two flavors, the Pro with an Intel Core M processor, and the Plus with an ARM CPU. The difference in price is only $100, meaning that you’re getting significantly more performance by going with the higher-level machine.
Of course, the Chromebook Pro runs Google’s Chrome OS platform, which is incredibly lightweight compared to Windows 10. But you can also download Android apps, which are fully compatible. That helps fill some gaps in services not supported by Chrome OS.
Samsung also includes its S Pen for some nifty drawing and handwriting capabilities. Samsung has also included all the technology needed — like an accelerometer — to ensure that Android apps work properly.
The Chromebook Pro punches above its weight class in hardware, too. It sports a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution display, offers multiple Thunderbolt 3 ports, and is equipped with 4GB of RAM and a 32GB SSD. The memory and storage configurations might seem on the small side but they’re actually more than sufficient to comfortably run the lightweight Chrome OS, with its emphasis on cloud storage.
By choosing the Chromebook Pro, you’re getting a solid 2-in-1 compared to the Windows 10 machines you’ll find at the same price point. You’re limited in what applications you can run, but the arrival of Android app support will change that to a degree. If you’re good with Google’s Chrome OS platform, then the Samsung Chromebook Pro is a great lower-cost 2-in-1 option.
Our full review
The best for tablet use
Surface Pro 4
Why should you buy this: It’s a great tablet PC because of its thin and light form factor, but it offers a solid physical keyboard for real productivity.
The best for tablet use
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
The Surface Pro 4 truly is the tablet that can replace your notebook.
$1,233.49 from Amazon
$1,299.99 from Microsoft
Who’s it for: Anyone who just can’t decide between a tablet and a traditional notebook
How much will it cost: $699 – $1,799, $60 for Surface Pen, $130 for Type Cover
Why we picked the Surface Pro 4:
Note: The newest Surface Pro has been announced, and is available for pre-order. It’s not a major overhaul, so most of what we’ve said here applies to the new model. Waiting for the new version is a good idea if you’re not in a hurry to buy.
Like the Surface Book, the Surface Pro 4 uses sixth-generation Intel Core processors, but it has gone through its own growing pains as well, and is now a stable and reliable machine for most people. It also offers solid configurations at reasonable price points, and so you can even save a little money by picking one up.
In terms of design, the Surface Pro 4 is a tablet first. It’s thin, light, and features a solid pane of Gorilla Glass 3 that covers the entire face of the machine. It features a detachable keyboard called the Type Cover that attaches magnetically to the bottom and performs without the lag associated with many Bluetooth keyboards. The Type Cover can be connected via a second magnet that props it up at a more comfortable angle.
Though small, the Surface Pro 4 doesn’t sacrifice much performance. If you pick an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, then you won’t notice much performance difference compared to other similarly equipped machines. You can configure the Surface Pro 4 with a full 16GB of RAM and 1TB of PCIe SSD storage, making it a solid productivity option. As with all Surface machines, Windows Hello support is via infrared camera and facial recognition.
With the kickstand that can rotate out to 150 degrees and support for the Surface Pen, the Surface Pro 4 can also work as a kind of highly mobile electronic drawing easel for artistic types.
Our full review
The best large 2-in-1
Surface Book
Why should you buy this: It’s a great solid performer for just about any productivity task, but converts to a tablet for on-the-go use.
The best large 2-in-1
Microsoft Surface Book with Performance Base
The Surface Book has a luscious display, serious power, and market-leading battery life.
$1,499.00 from Amazon.com
Who’s it for: Business and creative professionals with money to spend on the best
How much will it cost: $2,399 – $3,299
Why we picked the Surface Book:
If money is no object, then Microsoft’s Surface Book with Performance Base remains the best overall 2-in-1 choice among large devices. The original model was introduced in October 2015, which was eons in computer time, but the design was so forward-looking that it still seems futuristic even today.
The Surface Book’s claim is its detachable keyboard. The 13.5-inch display contains the main processing components, and can be popped off the base to become a surprisingly thin, light, and powerful tablet. The keyboard base is more of a dock, one that contains discrete graphics on some models, and that carries most of the combination’s battery capacity.
It also supports the Surface Pen, which is a great choice for creative types. And of course, the Surface Book supports Windows 10’s Hello password-less authentication via an infrared camera and facial recognition.
Yes, the Surface Book hasn’t yet been upgraded to Intel’s seventh-generation Intel Core processors, but it’s been tweaked and updated so much since its introduction that it’s now a rock-solid performer. The Performance Base update was launched in October 2016, and it added a faster Nvidia GeForce 960M discrete GPU, and a serious bump in battery capacity. RAM can be configured to a solid 16GB, and up to 1TB of fast PCIe SSD storage can be selected.
Add in one of the best displays available in a notebook, a solid keyboard, and a very good touchpad. and you have an excellent machine for anyone who needs to get some real work done. And it offers some of the best battery life we’ve seen, at least as long as you’re using it as a notebook – the keyboard base contains an additional battery.
Our full review
Should you buy now or wait?
There’s never been a better time to buy a Windows 10 2-in-1. The market is full of great options, and we’re convinced that the machines we’ve listed here will serve you well for years to come. Performance, battery life, displays, and connectivity are all top-notch, and will handle everything you need them to do now and well into the future.
And there’s not much coming soon to give you pause. Intel has just released it’s seventh-generation Core processors, and there’s no reason to believe that the next generation will make Windows 10 2-in-1s any better at their primary productivity purposes.
How We Test
We spend a tremendous amount of time reviewing notebooks of all shapes and sizes — and that’s saying something today, when notebooks come in so many shapes, sizes, and configurations. To make sure our recommendations provide real value to our readers, we live with the machines for a time and use them in writing our reviews — to make sure we can assess how they’ll work for real users.
But we do have a method to our madness in conducting these reviews, and you can look behind the scenes here. Hopefully it will be obvious that our reviews are real labors of love — or hate, depending on the notebook – and therefore you can at least recognize that we don’t arrive at our conclusions without some serious consideration.