Category: Technology

Thirteen inches, it’s possibly the perfect size for a laptop screen. Not too big nor too small, the best 13-inch laptop will sidestep the flimsiness and squint-inducing terror of a smaller netbook, and without the gargantuan form factor of bigger offerings.

They’re not all Windows laptops either; Apple fans need not fear,  the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air continue to stun in 13-inch flavours. 

Whatever the case, you’ll almost definitely find a notebook that – at the very least – incites your interest. Whether it’s a 2-in-1 or a traditional laptop that you’re after, we’ve encapsulated a diverse collection in our list of the very best 13-inch laptops.

For a broader view, take a gander at the best laptops in the available overall, and if it’s thin and light you’re after, you can also find the best 2-in-1 laptops from TechRadar. But, whatever you do, be sure to read on to find our favourite 13-inch picks of the past few months in no particular order.

Best 13 inch laptop

Dell XPS 13

Dell XPS 13

If it ain’t broke, make it handsome

CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i3 – Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 | RAM: 4GB – 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 128GB – 256GB SSD

Faster than ever
Same long-lasting battery
Still poor webcam position
No Windows Hello

With 7th-generation Intel Core processors, Dell has struck (rose) gold with the XPS 13. The lush design, lengthy battery life and even the SD card slot are still intact, but now it’s souped up with improved internal specs and sleeker appearances reminiscent of the MacBook and HP Spectre lineups. 

What’s more, the full-sized processor and 13.3-inch display are crammed into an 11-inch frame made possible by Dell’s own nearly bezel-less InfinityEdge display technology. 

Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 

HP Spectre x360

HP Spectre x360

HP’s flagship 2-in-1 goes ultra-thin with style

CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i3 – Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – Nvidia GeForce 940MX 2GB | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) IPS UWVA LED-backlit multi-touch display | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD

Ultra-thin and light styling
Long-lasting and quick-charging battery
Lacks SD card reader
Especially thick bottom bezel

The HP Spectre x360 is the one you introduce to your parents. It’s strikingly well-crafted, boasting a silvery design that makes it every bit as cutting-edge on the outside as it is within. Given the choice between a 7th-generation i5 or i7 Ultrabook-class processor and a 1080p or 4K screen, HP has given plenty of room for customisation. 

It’s not under powered, nor does its battery life suffer from overcompensation. In fact, in our own video loop test, the HP Spectre x360 lasted a whole 8 hours and 45 minutes. The only real catch is that like a lot of its competitors, the Spectre x360 lacks an SD card slot, opting instead for a pair of USB Type-C ports.

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360

Asus ZenBook Flip UX360 CA

Asus ZenBook Flip UX360 CA

A budget-friendly, thin-and-light powerhouse

CPU: Intel Core M6Y30 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515 | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 13.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) | Storage: 128GB – 512GB SSD

Good performance
Reasonable price
Lacks backlit keyboard
Only 4GB RAM

Asus extended its ZenBook lineup in September 2016 with its very own UX360 CA. Though it carries similar features as its predecessors, its 2-in-1 flexibility is what makes it stand out. 

The laptop is powered by a sixth-generation Intel Core M6Y30 processor and 4GB RAM. It’s also available with 8GB RAM in the international market, but Indian customers will have to satisfy themselves with a 4GB variant.

The laptop’s capabilities of bending backwards that allows users to experience both laptop and tablet form is an added edge.

Lenovo Yoga 910

Lenovo Yoga 910

Versatile with a generous helping of elegance

CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.9-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) IPS multi-touch | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD

Substantially larger screen
Rocking speakers
Heats up (and gets loud) fast
Disappointing battery life

The Lenovo Yoga 910 is all about second chances. The company reimagined the design with this one, opting in favour of a more pristine outward appearance and a heavy duty Intel Core i7 processor, as well as a 4K display. 

Lenovo also managed to squeeze in a larger, nearly 14-inch screen into the 13-inch chassis of the Yoga 900. 

Even with the implementation of USB-C ports, the Lenovo Yoga 910 doesn’t completely neglect USB Type-A, dragging the precious connection standard of the past along with it.

Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga 910

Best 13 inch laptop

13-inch MacBook Air

13-inch MacBook Air

The best battery life in a 13-inch laptop

CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i5 – Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 6000 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, LED HD (1,440 x 900) | Storage: 128GB – 512GB SSD

Fantastic battery life
802.11ac Wi-Fi
No Retina screen
Not easily upgradeable

In a market densely populated with slim laptops, Apple’s MacBook Air fights on admirably – although it started showing its age on the outside a long time ago. It has Intel’s fifth-generation Core-series processors rather than the newest Skylake variants, but it’s still a capable machine; even more so since Apple made 8GB of RAM standard across the line. 

If you don’t like the look of its lowly 1,440 x 900 pixel-resolution display, there’s always the 12-inch MacBook.

Read the full review: 13-inch MacBook Air

Best 13 inch laptop

13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display

13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display

The smallest MacBook Pro is a force of nature

CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i5 – Core i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 – 650 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch IPS, 2,560 x 1,600 pixels | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD

Faster processor
Superb battery life
Force Touch underdeveloped
Unchanged design

Though it may not have the 12-inch MacBook’s sleek design, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina can do a lot. It features Apple’s Force Touch track pad that uses different levels of sensitivity instead of mechanical buttons. 

Even without the fancy Touch Bar, the MacBook Pro exceeds expectations with two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, quieter fans, louder speakers and exceeding 7 hours of battery life in our anecdotal testing. 

Despite a controversial keyboard mechanism, the MacBook Pro is thinner, lighter and ready to travel.

Read the full review: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2016)

Samsung Notebook 9

Samsung Notebook 9

CPU: Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel Integrated | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) | Storage: 256GB SSD

Thin and light
Competitively priced
Short battery life

The Samsung Notebook 9 retains the power of it’s Pro counterpart, just without the ability to transform into a tablet. Equipped with a sixth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM and an internal storage of 256GB, it’s somehow still more expensive than the professional version.

Weighing 839g, it is one of the lightest notebooks in its category. Its 180 degree reclining screen allows users to share their work easily with others. 

Launched in January 2016, the Samsung Notebook 9 has been revamped from time to time. Recently, the company launched a new variant with an eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor, which can also be found on Amazon.

Read the full review: Samsung Notebook 9 

http://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-13-inch-laptops-in-india

The third highest selling Chinese smartphone maker in India, Oppo, will be bringing the Oppo F7 with a cricket-oriented twist to it on May 14 via Flipkart. The Oppo F7 is Oppo’s latest ‘selfie centric’ device that usually comes in Solar Red or Moonlight Silver.  

Oppo F7 color variants

Oppo F7 color variants

The Diamond Black version of the phone is a limited edition device that was launched earlier this year, which has now been re-branded to the Oppo F7 Diamond Black Cricket Limited Edition.

It’s not just about how the phone will look. The more exciting feature is that the smartphone will come with signatures of Oppo’s brand ambassadors, namely, Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin and Rohit Sharma. 

The phone costs Rs 21,990 and the Cricket Limited Edition variants of the Oppo F7 will have a glass body design along with cricket case covers, unlike the usual transparent cover that comes with the conventional Oppo F7. 

Oppo F7

To buy, or not to buy? That is the question.

The Oppo F7 is a decent smartphone in its own right but, it only has value for selfie centric users. Because Oppo does what’s its supposed to do, make users look beautiful in every image, from any angle. 

The phone performs well, just not spectacularly enough to justify the Rs 21,990 price tag. Nonetheless, the Cricket Limited Edition can be a enticing offering for cricket fans considering that the only major issue with the Oppo F7 is that its battery life falls a little short of 24 hours. 

http://www.techradar.com/news/oppo-f7s-new-limited-edition-cricket-variant-will-available-starting-may-14

The latest development about the OnePlus 6 comes from Amitabh Bachchan and his twitter account where he posted a few photos of him and OnePlus’ CEO, Pete Lau. 

The more intriguing feature is that the black and white variants of the phones are clearly visible in the images, as well as Bachchan’s and Lau’s complimentary fashion choices. 

Unfortunately, the tweet was deleted shortly after it went live but BGR caught the exchange via screenshots.

 Source: BGR

 Source: BGR

Most of the design features of the phone are already out in the open, but the photos serve as confirmation nonetheless. The vertical dual camera setup can be seen as well as the phone’s fingerprint sensor with the company logo below. 

What do we know so far?

OnePlus’ new flagship smartphone will be exclusively available on Amazon India after its launch on May 17. There are even going to be pop up events featuring the OnePlus 6 across eight cities on May 21 and 22. 

Sure, the new smartphone might be more expensive than its predecessor, but taking the news, rumours and teasers into consideration, the specifications are going to be better as well, enabling features like Super Slo-Mo video recording.

Not to mention that the phone is going have an Avengers themed variant.

http://www.techradar.com/news/amitabh-bachchan-shows-off-black-white-variants-of-one-plus-6