This guide explores the best ultrabooks available in 2025, catering to diverse needs and budgets. The term "ultrabook," initially an Intel marketing term for high-end laptops, now encompasses thin, light, and powerful laptops across various manufacturers. The core criteria remain: exceptional productivity, slim profile, lightweight design, and high portability.

TL;DR – Top Ultrabook Picks:

Our Top Pick: Asus Zenbook S 16

See it at Best Buy See it at Asus Razer Blade 14

See it at Razer Microsoft Surface Laptop 11

See it at Amazon Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max)

See it at Amazon

Today's top ultrabooks offer surprising capabilities for their size. Our top pick, the Asus Zenbook S 16, rivals high-end desktops in performance while maintaining exceptional power efficiency and quiet operation. This guide covers options ranging from budget-friendly choices to powerful machines for 4K video editing and beyond.

1. Asus Zenbook S 16 – Best Overall Ultrabook in 2025

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Specifications: 16" (2880 x 1800) Display, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, AMD Radeon 890M GPU, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, 3.31 lbs, ~15-hour battery life.

Pros: Dual OLED screens, exceptionally thin and light, outstanding performance, all-day battery, beautiful 3K OLED touchscreen, impressive gaming performance. Cons: Some keyboard flex.

The Zenbook S 16 exemplifies the ultrabook ideal: incredibly thin and light, boasting fantastic battery life, a stunning OLED display, and superior integrated GPU performance. It offers excellent connectivity with multiple USB ports, an SD card reader, and HDMI output.

2. HP Pavilion Aero 13 – Best Budget Ultrabook

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Specifications: 13.3” 2K Display, AMD Ryzen 5 8840U CPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, 2.2 lbs, ~12-hour battery life.

Pros: Excellent price-to-performance ratio, fast processor, ample memory, ultraportable design, all-day battery life. Cons: Limited storage.

The HP Pavilion Aero 13 delivers impressive performance at an affordable price. Its fast processor and ample memory ensure smooth multitasking, while its lightweight design promotes portability. Limited storage is its primary drawback.

3. Razer Blade 14 (2024) – Best Ultrabook for Gaming

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Specifications: 14” QHD+ (2560 x 1600) 240Hz Display, AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU, Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, 4.05 lbs, ~9-10 hour battery life.

Pros: Excellent gaming performance, 240Hz display. Cons: Shallow keyboard.

The Razer Blade 14 successfully combines powerful gaming hardware with portability. Its high-refresh-rate display and robust internal components make it a top choice for gamers on the go.

4. Microsoft Surface Laptop 11 – Best for Students

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Specifications: 13.8" (2304 x 1536) Display, Snapdragon X Plus/Elite CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, 16GB-32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 256GB-1TB PCIe SSD, 2.96 lbs, Up to 20-hour battery life.

Pros: Great performance, various color options, long battery life. Cons: App compatibility limitations.

The Surface Laptop 11 offers excellent performance, a long battery life, and a range of colors, making it ideal for students. Note that app compatibility might be limited due to the Snapdragon processor.

5. Asus Zenbook S 14 – Best for Business

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Specifications: 14" (2880 x 1800) Display, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, Intel Arc GPU, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, 2.65 lbs, 15+ hour battery life.

Pros: Thin, light, powerful, great battery life, improved gaming performance, gorgeous OLED touchscreen. Cons: No microSD card reader.

The Asus Zenbook S 14 balances processing power and battery life, making it a strong contender for business professionals. Its ultra-portability and long battery life are key advantages.

6. Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max) – Best Ultrabook for Creatives

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Specifications: 16.2" (3456 x 2234) Display, M3 Max CPU, Integrated (40-core) GPU, 48GB-128GB RAM, 1TB-8TB SSD, 4.8 lbs, Up to 22-hour battery life.

Pros: Incredibly powerful, highly configurable, very good battery life, thin and comparatively light. Cons: Can be very expensive.

The MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max) remains a top choice for creative professionals due to its immense power and extensive configurability. Its powerful processor and expansive RAM options make it suitable for demanding creative tasks. However, it comes with a high price tag.

(Note: All "See it at..." links are placeholders and should be replaced with actual retailer links.) The remaining sections of the original article (How We Chose, Things to Consider, FAQs) have been omitted for brevity but can be easily reconstructed based on the original text.