8 Best Mini Laptops of 2020

Tech Writer

4 years ago

When looking out a best mini laptop, one must always keep track of not only the features they come ready with however their compatibility as well. With a mini laptop, you’ll most in reality now not get the same operating standards as a state of the art gaming laptop, however then again, that’s no longer what best mini laptops are designed to do.

In fact, you’ll discover that the best lightweight laptop out there is more suitable for office applications than anything else, due to the fact this is precisely its intended purpose. With this in mind, let us point out that maximum of those laptops, despite their relatively small size, still pack quite a punch in the specs department.

Keyboard Ergonomics

Given the small size of best mini laptops, typing on such a small keyboard might need a few being used to, however you will eventually get accustomed so long as the keyboard is best enough. That said, you really shouldn’t be content with anything much less than the absolute best in terms of mini laptop keyboards. We say this because when dealing with compact laptops, the keyboard is commonly the primary to malfunction. Regardless of how careful you can be, this type of small keyboard is bound to develop certain issues after being used continually over long periods of time.

Battery Life

While most high-quit laptops suffer from short battery life, with a best mini laptop you get the understanding that its battery won’t suddenly die on you whilst you least expect it. This is because small laptops use a good deal fewer resources overall, which longer battery life than their bigger counterparts. Sure, this power-saving characteristic comes at the rate of lower specs, but you don’t really invest in such a small laptop to play the modern day video games in the first place. In this regard, you could expect the battery of a mini laptop to remaining between 5 to 10 hours.

Operating System & Applications

With such a small laptop, you are definitely going to be confronted by a wide array of problems related to software compatibility. This is due to the fact the functions of some applications don’t really translate properly on mini laptops, that’s why you want to invest in a laptop that already has a fair share of pre-installed applications or at the least one this is guaranteed to run maximum software without any real problems to speak of. At the same time, a some of these best mini laptops are equipped with particularly designed software aimed at office workers or students, that is bound to come handy in on hand if you’re in either category.

Budget

You will find that the best budget laptop isn’t necessarily the only with the worst specs because technology is constantly moving forward. For this reason, you shouldn’t really pay more than a couple hundred bucks for a decent mini laptop, at the least now not in this economy. Ideally, you never need to spend more than a few hundred dollars on a best mini laptop, now not even on a top-shelf machine which you know for a fact that it has the best configuration possible. We say this because of the nature of such devices and how quickly even the nice ones become obsolete. Still, to offer you a better idea of what to look for, we put together a list of the ten best mini laptops money can buy.

Best Mini Laptops – Reviews

1. ASUS C100PA-DB02 10.1 inch Touch Chromebook Flip

The C100PA-DB02 from ASUS is seen as perhaps the best mini laptop money can buy nowadays and for good reasons. It is equipped with a Rockchip 3288-C Quad-Core 1.8 GHz processor, 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, a 10.1-inch WXGA LED-lit Screen IPS panel with Multi-Touch support, a Chrome OS, and an overall design that makes it stand out as both slim and lightweight. Although it only comes with 16 GB eMMC storage, it should prove more than enough given how fast the device runs most applications. Although it may be a bit more expensive than some of the best mini laptops we talked about so far, it is definitely one that’s worth the price tag.

Pros:

– Big memory
– Responsive touchscreen
– Sturdy design

Cons:

– Touchpad may stop responding at times
– Keyboard feels crowded
– Operating system takes some getting used to

2. Samsung Series 3 Chromebook 11.6 Inch

Samsung’s Series 3 Chromebook is seen as perhaps the best mini laptop money can buy nowadays and for good reasons. It is equipped with a Samsung Exynos 5 Dual Processor, 2 GB of DDR3L RAM, a crystal-clear 11.6-inch Display, a Chrome OS, and an overall design that makes it stand out as both slim and lightweight.

Although it only comes with 16 GB eMMC storage, it should prove more than enough given how fast the device runs most applications. Although it may be a bit more expensive than some of the best mini laptops we talked about so far, it is definitely one that’s worth the price tag given its dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, its built-in webcam, and the 100 GB of free Google Drive storage it benefits from.

Pros:

– Long battery life
– Impressive library of add-on applications
– Good build quality

Cons:

– Operating system takes some getting used to
– Doesn’t support certain popular apps
– Doesn’t run Mac, iOS, Windows, or Android applications

3. Acer Aspire Switch 10 SW5-015-198P 10.1 Inch

What makes this best mini laptop stand out is its impressive 64 GB internal storage, which is almost twice as big as most laptops this size. As you may have already guessed, this is the type of laptop that can also be used as a tablet if needed, which is why it comes with a few interesting mobile apps. Powered by an Intel Atom Z3735 Processor operating at a 1.33 GHz frequency, this mini laptop can be expected to perform at the highest possible standards for a laptop this small. At the same time, it comes with a Windows 10 OS and up to 8 hours of guaranteed battery life.

Pros:

– Long battery life
– Flexible design
– Big storage capacity

Cons:

– Some software issues to be expected
– Difficult to update
– Construction could be sturdier

4. ASUS Transformer Book 10.1 Inch T100HA-C4-GR

This 2-in-1 ultraportable notebook is perhaps the best thin & light laptop the market has to offer at this point in time. We say this because it benefits from a state of the art touchscreen, smooth multitasking capabilities thanks to no less than 4 GB of RAM, a 64 GB eMMC with pre-installed Windows 10, an Intel Quad-Core Cherry Trail x5-Z8500 1.44 GHz processor, a comfortable keyboard dock with multi-touch touchpad and USB 3.0 capabilities, and a multitude of other equally interesting features. On top of all this, the laptop only weighs 2.28 lbs, which is impressive by all standards.

Pros:

– Lightweight
– Very fast
– Good keyboard dock

Cons:

– May experience issues prompting the onscreen keyboard
– Strange portrait mode representation
– Some degree of backlight bleed

5. Nextbook Flexx 10.1 Inch Convertible Laptop

If you’re looking for a decent best mini laptop on a budget, then the Flexx10.1″ Convertible from Nextbook might just be what you need. This highly affordable laptop comes with an Intel Atom Z3735F Quad-Core processor, 2 GB of DDR3L memory, a POGO keyboard, front & back 2 MP webcams, 32 GB of onboard storage memory, a G-sensor, and a microSD slot for good measure. On top of all this, you can expect the Flexx to run well on virtually any operating system without any issues to speak of. We should also point out that it comes with a variety of useful pre-installed software and applications to choose from.

Pros:

– Very affordable
– Decent build quality
– Quite fast

Cons:

– Unreliable trackpad
– Sound output could be stronger
– WiFi only has 2.4 GHz capabilities

6. RCA Viking Pro 10.1 Inch Flagship Purple Edition

With this particular laptop, you get an Android 5.0 Lollipop OS, which is a fresh change from all the Windows-based operating systems most laptops employ. At the same time, this laptop comes with a free office Mobile app, a detachable keyboard, a responsive 10-inch touchscreen, and much more. Not only that but it also benefits from a surprisingly fast Quad-Core processor and 32 GB of onboard storage which can be expanded easily via MicroSD. Combine all of this with a Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity and you have yourself one of the most reliable laptops in this price range.

Pros:

– Detachable keyboard
– IPS display
– microSD card slot

Cons:

– Should have more RAM memory
– Possible issues with its WiFi
– Weak speakers

7. Lenovo – IdeaPad 100s 11.6 Inch Laptop

This compact laptop from Lenovo will definitely meet the requirements of anyone who doesn’t expect to run the memory-intensive software on account of its 2 GB DDR3L memory. Even so, its Z3735F CPU should prove more than enough for running most applications, while also saving an awful lot of battery life in the long run. Interestingly enough, this laptop also features a decent built-in webcam, along with every type of ports you could possibly need.

At the same time, we should point out that its 32GB eMMC flash memory runs quite fast, although some may find the capacity to be somewhat limited. Having said that, let it be said that the laptop’s 11.6-inch LED backlit screen is of the highest standard and that the laptop itself runs quite fast.

Pros:

– It boots quickly
– Decent graphics considering its size
– Fast USB ports

Cons:

– Doesn’t support too many upgrades
– Unreliable trackpad
– Audio output is limited

8. Acer One 10.1 Inch Tablet S1002-145A 2-IN-1

This lightweight tablet / laptop from Acer uses a powerful Intel Quad Core Z3735F processor designed for speed above everything else. Not only that but it also comes with 32 GB of internal storage + a microSD slot that allows you to expand its storage up to 64 GB if needed. Furthermore, this laptop comes with dual HD cameras for crystal-clear photos, an LED-backlit IPS display with integrated multi-touch screen features, a micro HDMI output with HDCP support, multiple sensors, and a lot more. Also worth mentioning is the fact that this laptop can last you up to 8 hours on a single charge, which is definitely something to look for in a laptop.

Pros:

– Quite fast
– Long battery life
– Good software compatibility

Cons:

– Possible issues finding the right drivers
– Construction could be sturdier
– Keyboard might show signs of damage after a few months

Mini Laptop Guide

The convenience of being able to type on your commute can make your job a lot easier, so a best mini laptop is an astute purchase for many people. They are often used alongside a regular laptop and can be good value when you find the right one.

Still, a cheap best mini laptop might not have all the functionality you need it to. This is why it is important to stay up to date on what the better products offer. The following guide is designed to shed some light on what a quality mini laptop should look like.

Should I Buy A Touchscreen Best Mini Laptop?

This links to whether you are better off buying for a tablet or not but if this is important to you, certain models come up with the keyboard as well as a touchscreen. This may be handy in a meeting or presentation but will inevitably increase the price.