Top 10 Best Travel Laptops of 2020

Jacob Cass
JUST Creative
Published in
17 min readJan 20, 2020

When you’re on the go, lugging around a large, bulky laptop can just make any day turn into a bad day quickly. Thankfully, there are options out there if you are in the market for a good laptop to travel with, it is very easy to find a perfect choice,

Because we hate carrying around a heavy laptop just like you, we built our list of the Best Travel Laptops in 2020 to help you find a great laptop.

These are the best travel laptops for designers, photographers, writers, gaming, video editing, photo editing and just about any digital nomad!

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Before we get started, how exactly do you choose a travel laptop? Let’s start there

How to Choose The Best Travel Laptop

When you start shopping, there are so many factors to think about that the process can easily get confusing. This can make it difficult for you to choose the best laptop to take with you when you travel.

To us, these are a few of the important factors you should consider before buying a travel laptop:

Portability

What makes a travel laptop such an enticing option for some is the size and weight of the laptop that they are buying. The lighter the laptop, the less weight it can add to your bag. However, a small laptop may mean less space that it takes up, it may also have fewer capabilities.

Battery Life

No matter the laptop, battery life is important. While many laptops will only have two or three hours of battery life, some will last all day. The length of battery life that works for you will depend on how much you travel and how you use your laptop.

Storage Space

When it comes to storage space, travel laptops are pretty basic and will have a limited amount of storage space available. This means that they are generally unable to have large programs on them or store a lot of photos or large video files.

Price

As with many purchases that you make, the most important thing to consider is usually the price. Having a budget before you start shopping will help you narrow down the different laptops that you have to choose from. While many travel laptops are well over $1,000, you can easily find a great laptop for half that amount.

The Best Travel Laptops of 2020 for Designers, Photographers & More!

The Best Travel Laptops of 2020 Compared

Best Overall

LG gram Thin and Light Laptop - 17"  (2560 x 1600) IPS Display, Intel 8th Gen Core i7, 16GB RAM,...

Best Budget Friendly

Samsung Chromebook 3, 11.6", 4GB RAM, 16GB eMMC, Chromebook (XE500C13)

Lightest in Weight

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – 13.5" Touch-Screen – Intel Core i5 - 8GB Memory - 128GB Solid State...

Thinnest in Size

Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition Thin & Light Laptop, 13.9in 3K Touch, 8th Gen i7-8550U, 16...

Best Battery Life

Acer Chromebook 14, Aluminum, 14-inch Full HD, Intel Celeron N3160, 4GB LPDDR3, 32GB, Chrome,...
New Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Space Gray

LG gram Thin and Light Laptop — 17" (2560 x 1600) IPS Display, Intel 8th Gen Core i7, 16GB RAM,…

Samsung Chromebook 3, 11.6", 4GB RAM, 16GB eMMC, Chromebook (XE500C13)

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3–13.5" Touch-Screen — Intel Core i5–8GB Memory — 128GB Solid State…

Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition Thin & Light Laptop, 13.9in 3K Touch, 8th Gen i7–8550U, 16…

Acer Chromebook 14, Aluminum, 14-inch Full HD, Intel Celeron N3160, 4GB LPDDR3, 32GB, Chrome,…

New Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage) — Space Gray

-

-

175 Reviews

2,386 Reviews

285 Reviews

87 Reviews

1,750 Reviews

716 Reviews

CPU

8th-generation Intel Core i7 Processor (i7–8565u)

Intel Celeron Processor N3060

10th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7

8th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7

Intel Celeron N3160 Quad-Core Processor

8th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7

Graphics

Intel UHD Graphics 620

Intel HD Graphics 400

Intel Iris Plus Graphics

Intel UHD Graphics

Intel HD Graphics

Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645–655

RAM

16GB

4GB

8GB — 16GB

8GB — 16GB

4GB

8GB — 16GB

Size

15 x 10.5 x 0.7 in

11.37 x 8.04 x 0.7 inches

30.8 x 22.3 x 1.45 cm (12.10 x 8.80 x 0.57 in)

30.2 x 19.9 x 1.16 cm (11.9 x 7.8 x 0.46 in)

13.43 x 9.31 x 0.67 in)

30.41 x 21.24 x 1.49 cm (11.97 x 8.36 x 0.59 in)

Weight

2.95 lbs

2.54 lbs

Up to 1.27 kg (2.79 lbs)

Starting at 1.23 kg (2.7 lbs)

3.42 lbs

1.37 kg (3.02 lbs)

Price

$1,714.99

$175.00

Price not available

Price not available

$287.88

$1,399.00

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Best Overall

LG gram Thin and Light Laptop - 17"  (2560 x 1600) IPS Display, Intel 8th Gen Core i7, 16GB RAM,...

LG gram Thin and Light Laptop — 17" (2560 x 1600) IPS Display, Intel 8th Gen Core i7, 16GB RAM,…

175 Reviews

CPU

8th-generation Intel Core i7 Processor (i7–8565u)

Graphics

Intel UHD Graphics 620

RAM

16GB

Size

15 x 10.5 x 0.7 in

Weight

2.95 lbs

Price

$1,714.99

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Best Budget Friendly

Samsung Chromebook 3, 11.6", 4GB RAM, 16GB eMMC, Chromebook (XE500C13)

Samsung Chromebook 3, 11.6", 4GB RAM, 16GB eMMC, Chromebook (XE500C13)

2,386 Reviews

CPU

Intel Celeron Processor N3060

Graphics

Intel HD Graphics 400

RAM

4GB

Size

11.37 x 8.04 x 0.7 inches

Weight

2.54 lbs

Price

$175.00

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Lightest in Weight

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – 13.5" Touch-Screen – Intel Core i5 - 8GB Memory - 128GB Solid State...

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3–13.5" Touch-Screen — Intel Core i5–8GB Memory — 128GB Solid State…

-

285 Reviews

CPU

10th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7

Graphics

Intel Iris Plus Graphics

RAM

8GB — 16GB

Size

30.8 x 22.3 x 1.45 cm (12.10 x 8.80 x 0.57 in)

Weight

Up to 1.27 kg (2.79 lbs)

Price

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Thinnest in Size

Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition Thin & Light Laptop, 13.9in 3K Touch, 8th Gen i7-8550U, 16...

Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition Thin & Light Laptop, 13.9in 3K Touch, 8th Gen i7–8550U, 16…

-

87 Reviews

CPU

8th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7

Graphics

Intel UHD Graphics

RAM

8GB — 16GB

Size

30.2 x 19.9 x 1.16 cm (11.9 x 7.8 x 0.46 in)

Weight

Starting at 1.23 kg (2.7 lbs)

Price

Price not available

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

Best Battery Life

Acer Chromebook 14, Aluminum, 14-inch Full HD, Intel Celeron N3160, 4GB LPDDR3, 32GB, Chrome,...

Acer Chromebook 14, Aluminum, 14-inch Full HD, Intel Celeron N3160, 4GB LPDDR3, 32GB, Chrome,…

1,750 Reviews

CPU

Intel Celeron N3160 Quad-Core Processor

Graphics

Intel HD Graphics

RAM

4GB

Size

13.43 x 9.31 x 0.67 in)

Weight

3.42 lbs

Price

$287.88

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

New Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Space Gray

New Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage) — Space Gray

716 Reviews

CPU

8th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7

Graphics

Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645–655

RAM

8GB — 16GB

Size

30.41 x 21.24 x 1.49 cm (11.97 x 8.36 x 0.59 in)

Weight

1.37 kg (3.02 lbs)

Price

$1,399.00

Buy Now

Buy on Amazon

MacBook Pro 13-inch

MacBook Pro 13-inch

The best travel laptop for Apple fans

CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645–655 | RAM: 8GB — 16GB | Size: 30.41 x 21.24 x 1.49 cm (11.97 x 8.36 x 0.59 in) | Weight: 1.37 kg (3.02 lbs)

Touting brand new specs, the MacBook Pro 13-inch laptop features Apple’s Retina display and Touch ID. Fans of the TouchBar will be disappointed as it is no longer part of the MacBook Pro. Its smaller size means that it won’t be able to handle tasks like video editing and only comes with Thunderbolt ports. If you’re a big fan of Apple products and are looking for a travel laptop for writing your next article, this is a great laptop for you.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

Sale

New Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Space Gray

716 Reviews

New Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage) — Space Gray

  • Quad-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i5 Processor
  • Brilliant Retina Display with True Tone technology
  • Touch Bar and Touch ID
  • Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
  • Ultrafast SSD

$1,399.00

Buy on Amazon

HP Spectre x360 13T

HP Spectre x360 13T

The best hybrid travel laptop

CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 8GB — 16GB | Size: 30.89 x 21.79 x 1.45 cm (12.16 x 8.58 x 0.57 in) | Weight: From 1.32 kg (2.92 lbs)

With its gorgeous design, the Spectre x360 13T from HP isn’t just great looking light and portable laptop, it also packs a lot of power. Designed to take on the MacBook Pro, the Spectre features a wider variety of ports that you can connect to and also has premium speakers from Bang & Olufsen for all of your favorite music and videos. The most impressive part is the hybrid design that gives you many different options to get work done.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

HP Spectre x360, 2019 Gemcut 15t Touch 4K UHD,i7-8750H, Hexacore,NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti (4 GB),HP...

12 Reviews

HP Spectre x360, 2019 Gemcut 15t Touch 4K UHD,i7–8750H, Hexacore,NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti (4 GB),HP…

$1,699.99

Buy on Amazon

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

One of the lightest travel laptops available

CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8GB — 16GB | Size: 30.8 x 22.3 x 1.45 cm (12.10 x 8.80 x 0.57 in) | Weight: Up to 1.27 kg (2.79 lbs)

While Microsoft is well-known as a software company, with portable devices like the Surface Laptop 3. There might be a point in their future where they are known for the quality of their products. Available in 13-inch and 15-inch models, the 15-inch is packed with the latest AMD processor. But if you’re looking for a great ultrabook for traveling, you may want to stick with the 13-inch option. Both come packed with 10th-generation Intel Core processors, a good amount of memory to handle most computing needs and storage. What makes these laptops stand out is the weight. At 2.79 lbs, the 13-inch model is lighter than many of its competition. With all of these combined, Microsoft has created an ultrabook that stands apart from the competition.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – 13.5' Touch-Screen – Intel Core i5 - 8GB Memory - 128GB Solid State...

285 Reviews

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3–13.5" Touch-Screen — Intel Core i5–8GB Memory — 128GB Solid State…

  • Clean, elegant design — Thin and light, starting at just 2.79 pounds, Surface Laptop 3 is easy to carry
  • Choose from rich tone-on-tone color combinations: New Sandstone, plus Matte Black, Cobalt Blue, and Platinum
  • Improved speed and performance to do what you want, with the latest processors — Surface Laptop 3 is upto two times faster than surface Laptop 2
  • More ways to connect, with USB-C and USB-A ports for connecting to displays, docking stations and more, as well as accessory charging
  • All-day power on the go, with upto 11.5 hours of battery life, plus standby time when you’re away. Go from empty to a full battery with fast charging- upto 80% in about 1 hour

Buy on Amazon

Dell XPS 13

Dell XPS 13

The top travel laptop with the best upgrades

CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i3 — i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 8GB — 16GB | Size: 30.2 x 19.9 x 1.16 cm (11.9 x 7.8 x 0.46 in) | Weight: Starting at 1.23 kg (2.7 lbs)

Packed with a 10th-generation Intel Core processor, the XPS 13 from Dell also contains a battery upgrade from their last model, making the computer more powerful than ever before. With the InfinityEdge display being updated with thinner bezels, it looks better than ever. Even size shouldn’t be a concern as the XPS 13 is one of the smallest laptops out there making it a great travel companion.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

Dell XPS 13 9380 13.3' Notebook - 1920 X 1080 - Core I5-8265U - 8GB RAM - 256GB SSD - Platinum...

Dell XPS 13 9380 13.3" Notebook — 1920 X 1080 — Core I5–8265U — 8GB RAM — 256GB SSD — Platinum…

  • Faster performance empowering people to focus, create, and connect like never before
  • Raising the bar on connectivity
  • Video editing just under a minute
  • Saving Our seas: recognized as a CEC 2018 best of innovation awards honoree, our black Packaging trays are a step beyond recycled. 25% of the material consists of ocean plastics collected from coastal…
  • Energy efficient: XPS 13 is energy Star certified.

$1,099.00

Buy on Amazon

Acer Chromebook 14

Acer Chromebook 14

The laptop with the best battery life

CPU: Intel Celeron N3160 Quad-Core Processor | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics | RAM: 4GB | Size: 13.43 x 9.31 x 0.67 in) | Weight: 3.42 lbs

One of the best laptops for traveling, the Chromebook 14 from Acer comes with a beautiful 14-inch screen and a powerful Celeron processor. With its relatively low weight, it is a perfect laptop to put into your carry-on luggage for a long flight. You won’t have to worry about your battery during your flight as Chromebook 14 has an 11-hour battery life. While others may have a similar battery life, none of them have it at such an affordable price.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

Acer Chromebook 14, Aluminum, 14-inch Full HD, Intel Celeron N3160, 4GB LPDDR3, 32GB, Chrome,...

1,750 Reviews

Acer Chromebook 14, Aluminum, 14-inch Full HD, Intel Celeron N3160, 4GB LPDDR3, 32GB, Chrome,…

  • Chromebook runs on Chrome OS — an operating system by Google that is built for the way we live today. It comes with built-in virus protection, updates automatically*, boots up in seconds and continues…
  • All the Google apps you know and love come standard on every Chromebook, which means you can edit, download, and convert Microsoft Office files in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides
  • With the Google Play Store, you can access a rich library of apps, games, music, movies, TV, books, magazines, and more, all from your Chromebook
  • Chromebooks come with built-in storage for offline access to your most important files and an additional 100GB of Google Drive space to ensure that all of your files are backed up automatically
  • 100% Aluminum Chassis, Intel Celeron N3160, 14” Full HD, 4GB Memory, 32GB eMMC, Up to 12-hours Battery Life

$287.88

Buy on Amazon

Razer Blade Stealth 13

Razer Blade Stealth 13

The best ultra-thin laptop for productivity

CPU: 10th-generation Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus — Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q | RAM: 16GB | Size: 30.46 x 21.0 x 1.53 cm (11.99 x 8.27 x 0.60 in) | Weight: Up to 1.48 kg (3.26 lbs)

While Razer is known for making great gaming laptops with amazing power inside, the Blade Stealth 13 is one of the best laptops available. While gaming laptops are typically big and bulky, the Stealth packs a ton of power into an Ultrabook laptop. While the 1080p screen and the 10th-generation Intel Core processor can make games look and run amazing, it can also handle tasks like video and photo editing just as easily. While it’s not the most affordable laptop, the performance that it offers in such a thin and light package.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

Sale

Razer Blade Stealth 13 Ultrabook Laptop: Intel Core i7-8565U 4-Core, NVIDIA GeForce MX150, 13.3' FHD...

259 Reviews

Razer Blade Stealth 13 Ultrabook Laptop: Intel Core i7–8565U 4-Core, NVIDIA GeForce MX150, 13.3" FHD…

  • PERFORMANCE FOR WORK AND GAMING: NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (25W) 4GB VRAM graphics, Quad core 8th Gen Intel Core i7 8565U processor, and 16GB dual channel memory
  • DESIGNED FOR MOBILITY:Up to 13 hours long battery life Ultra thin, light and incredibly durable with a CNC unibody aluminum frame
  • THIN BEZEL FULL HD DISPLAY: Visually stunning matte Full HD screen with 100 percent sRGB color saturation for work and entertainment
  • POWER BY RAZER CHROMA: Keyboard featuring single zone RGB lighting with 16.8 million color options, and a precision glass touchpad
  • COMPLETE CONNECTIVITY: Includes Thunderbolt 3, USB C, USB A, Wireless AC, Windows Hello infrared camera, and dual array mics

$1,099.99

Buy on Amazon

ASUS Transformer

ASUS Transformer

The best mid-range travel laptop

CPU: Intel Core M Processor | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics | RAM: 4GB | Size: 12.05 x 7.05 x 0.5 in | Weight: Starting at 3.2 lbs

The Transformer laptop from Asus provides creatives with a great combination of a laptop and tablet at an affordable price. Loaded with an Intel Core M processor and Intel HD Graphics card, it is a great choice to take with you on any kind of travel. With the versatility it offers, you can watch your favorite movie one moment and finish your latest article next.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

ASUS Transformer Book Chi 12.5-Inch T300CHI-F1-DB Slim All-Aluminum 2 in 1 Detachable Touchscreen...

171 Reviews

ASUS Transformer Book Chi 12.5-Inch T300CHI-F1-DB Slim All-Aluminum 2 in 1 Detachable Touchscreen…

  • 12.5" ASUS TruVivid Display with IPS technology, 1920-by-1080 resolution. Corning Concore Glass.
  • Support for ASUS Active Stylus Pen (256 pressure levels).
  • Intel Core M Processor with 4M shared L3 cache, Turbo Boost up to 2.00 GHz. 4GB RAM.
  • 128GB iSSD. Unlimited ASUS WebStorage (1 year free)
  • Dual-band 802.11N Wifi for fast web browsing. Support for Miracast. Bluetooth 4.0.

$399.99

Buy on Amazon

Samsung Chromebook 3

Samsung Chromebook 3

The best budget-friendly travel laptop

CPU: Intel Celeron Processor N3060 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 400 | RAM: 4GB | Size: 11.37 x 8.04 x 0.7 inches | Weight: 2.54 lbs

Not every travel laptop needs to cost close to a thousand dollars and the Chromebook 3 from Samsung is the best travel laptop if you’re on a budget. Although the laptop doesn’t have a lot of storage space and the specs are top of the line, it is still a great choice if you’re looking for a laptop that you can use on an everyday basis for the basic needs you need to accomplish.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

Sale

Samsung Chromebook 3, 11.6', 4GB RAM, 16GB eMMC, Chromebook (XE500C13)

2,386 Reviews

Samsung Chromebook 3, 11.6", 4GB RAM, 16GB eMMC, Chromebook (XE500C13)

  • 11.6 inch ( 1366 x 768), 16:9
  • Intel Celeron Processor N3060, 1.6 GHz to 2.48 GHz
  • 4 GB Memory. Spill Resistant : Yes
  • Google Chrome system. Brightness: 220 units
  • Bluetooth 4.0

$175.00

Buy on Amazon

LG Gram

LG Gram

The best 17-inch travel laptop

CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i7 Processor (i7–8565u) | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 16GB | Size: 15 x 10.5 x 0.7 in | Weight: 2.95 lbs

Designed to be a lightweight and thin travel laptop, the LG Gram is a great laptop with a beautiful 17-inch screen, along with an 8th-generation Intel Core processor to give you enough processing power to handle many of the things you do every day. Weighing less than three pounds, you can easily carry it under your arm or toss it in your bag on your way to a coffee shop or coworking space.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

LG gram Thin and Light Laptop - 17'  (2560 x 1600) IPS Display, Intel 8th Gen Core i7, 16GB RAM,...

175 Reviews

LG gram Thin and Light Laptop — 17" (2560 x 1600) IPS Display, Intel 8th Gen Core i7, 16GB RAM,…

  • 17 Inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) resolution 16: 10 IPS display
  • Intel 8th Generation Intel Core i7 8565u Processor
  • Windows home 10
  • 72Wh Lithium battery up to 19. 5 hours Battery Life (mobile mark 2014 standard)
  • Thunderbolt 3

$1,714.99

Buy on Amazon

Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature

Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature

The thinnest travel laptop

CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 — i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 8GB — 16GB | Size: 30.2 x 19.9 x 1.16 cm (11.9 x 7.8 x 0.46 in) | Weight: Starting at 1.23 kg (2.7 lbs)

While many people may not be familiar with Huawei as a manufacturer, the MateBook X Pro Signature could easily change that. With an 8th-generation Intel Core processor along with 16 GB of RAM is packed inside one of the thinnest travel laptops available today. While the 3K monitor may not have as high a resolution as some others might, the overall package makes this one laptop to check out.

Learn More

Latest Price on Amazon:

Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition Thin & Light Laptop, 13.9in 3K Touch, 8th Gen i7-8550U, 16...

87 Reviews

Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition Thin & Light Laptop, 13.9in 3K Touch, 8th Gen i7–8550U, 16…

  • Watch your favorite shows in HD detail with the MateBook X Pro’s 3K display that features a stunning 3000 x 2000 resolution. Plus, the ultra-thin Corning Gorilla Glass touchscreen features an…
  • With a performance boost of 40 percent generation over generation, 8th Gen Intel Core processors deliver the power and responsiveness to make your productivity soar. Edit photos and videos faster than…
  • Go about your day sans charger — the MateBook X Pro delivers an impressive 15 hours per charge, helping it last through a full workday and beyond
  • The MateBook X Pro is as portable as it is professional. Its slim and light build weighs in at just 2.9 pounds, so you can throw it in your bag and go
  • Windows 10 Home delivers faster start-ups, your favorite applications, and great new ways to get stuff done across multiple devices

Buy on Amazon

Best Travel Laptops of 2020

Finding the right travel laptop can be the perfect companion on long business trips or even road trips when it comes to getting work done. We hope our list of the Best Travel Laptops of 2020 has given you a better idea of what to look for in a travel laptop so you can buy the laptop you need.

Do you have a favorite travel laptop that’s not on our list? Let us know about it in the comments below!!

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Jacob Cass
JUST Creative

Helping brands grow & get results with strategic branding & distinctive design. Founder of agency, JUSTCreative.com — Clients: Nike, Disney. TEDx speaker. Dad.