The Best 2 In 1 Laptops Of 2023 Top Hybrid Notebooks

Also: The best tablets (aren’t all iPads) ‘Tablet first’ 2-in-1s are, as the name suggests, primarily tablets but can work in laptop mode via an add-on – often somewhat flimsy – keyboard, with the tablet propped up by a kickstand. CES 2023 saw several laptop form factor innovations, including Lenovo’s Yoga Book 9i with dual 360-degree-hinged OLED screens, a kickstand and a separate Bluetooth keyboard.   Windows dominates the PC operating system market thanks to its long-time availability on a wide range of OEM (and more recently, Microsoft) hardware, which has resulted in a huge variety of software written for the platform. Convertible Windows devices have been around for a long time – ZDNET reviewed the HP Compaq tc4400 running Windows XP Professional Tablet PC Edition back in March 2007, for example. However, it’s fair to say that the modern 2-in-1 era began with Microsoft’s Surface Pro in 2013, which launched with Windows 8 Pro. The Surface range, initially envisaged as a showcase for new tablet/laptop technologies and form factors to encourage Microsoft’s OEM partners, has since grown into a successful business for the company. 
Convertible devices are also available as Chrome OS-based Chromebooks, which offer an affordable and increasingly popular platform for web-based productivity apps and virtual desktops. You might want to use Linux for its free, open-source and increasingly usable nature or because it’s less of a target for cybercriminals than Windows (although you may need to tweak your chosen distro to work well with a touch screen). There is no MacOS 2-in-1 yet, and opinions differ on the desirability of a touch-screen MacBook, but the M2 iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard is the closest you’ll get to a hybrid tablet/laptop in today’s Apple ecosystem.
So, given that you’re in the market for a 2-in-1 device, which one should you buy? As ever, that depends on what you want to do with it and how much budget is at your disposal.
Here are ZDNET’s current picks for a variety of form factors, operating systems, and use cases.

Convertible 2-in-1 devices that can be used in conventional laptop mode or as a tablet, and can orient the 360-degree-hinged screen at points in between, can satisfy a variety of use cases depending on the specification. Leading the field, in our opinion, is Lenovo’s 14-inch Yoga 9i, a premium 2-in-1 that currently starts at $1,320. The entry-level model has an FHD+ (16:10) IPS touch screen, but the Yoga 9i’s true glory is its vibrant OLED screen, which is available in 2.8K or 4K resolution. This is housed in a rounded and solidly built Comfort Edge chassis weighing 3.26lbs. Inside, you’ll find 12th-generation P-series Intel Core processors, 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage, which deliver good performance for a wide variety of apps, although the integrated Iris Xe Graphics rule out more demanding graphics apps and games.  The edge-to-edge keyboard is quiet, although somewhat ‘mushy’ of feel, and the touchpad huge. You get a 1080p IR-equipped webcam, a fingerprint reader and a decent set of connections including two Thunderbolt 4 ports. You also get a stylus pen with the Yoga 9i, but there’s no on-device housing for it. Another highlight of the Yoga 9i is its speaker system, which comprises a pair of tweeters in a ‘rotating soundbar hinge’ and a pair of subwoofers on the underside of the chassis. Read more: Lenovo Yoga 9i 7th Gen review: The best 2-in-1 laptop, if you can buy it Perhaps the only disappointment with the Yoga 9i Gen 7 is its battery life. In ZDNET’s test, the 75Wh battery averaged eight hours under an everyday mix of workloads – that’s good, but not class-leading. Samsung’s 15.6-inch Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 is a thin and light 360-degree convertible 2-in-1 that currently starts at $950 for a configuration with a 12th-generation Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. Step up to 16GB and 1TB and you’ll pay $1,150. That’s good value for a solid-performing laptop, especially the 16GB/1TB model, although there’s no discrete GPU option to bring high-end games and other graphically demanding apps into play. It’s fine for most mainstream workloads, though, and the 15.6-inch FHD (16:9) AMOLED display shows off all content to great effect, with brightness going up to 500 nits if required. Usefully, you get an S Pen stylus in the box. Samsung claims up to 21 hours of life from the 68Wh battery, but in practice you can expect around 12 hours of video streaming and around 8 hours of wireless web use. If you need a decent-sized screen and 2-in-1 flexibility, this is an excellent all-rounder, which will deliver even more value if you are already invested in Samsung’s Galaxy ecosystem. Read more: Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360: A slim and capable OLED 2-in-1, but screen resolution disappoints Samsung unveiled its third generation of Galaxy Book laptops at its Unpacked event on 1 February 2023. The new Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 has a 16-inch Dynamic OLED 2x screen, runs on 13th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, and starts at $1,449. Read more: Samsung’s Galaxy Book 3 series includes a new flagship Ultra laptop HP’s Spectre x360 is a premium 2-in-1 convertible that comes in 14-inch and 16-inch form factors. We’re highlighting the former, which actually has a 13.5-inch 3:2 touch screen, available as IPS with 1920 x 1280 resolution, or 3K2K (3000 x 2000) OLED. Pricing currently starts at $1,000 with Windows 11 Home, an IPS screen, a 12th-generation Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The premium element is evident in the higher-spec models: you’ll pay $1,630 for Windows 11 Pro, an OLED screen, a Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. RAM goes up to 32GB, unless you specify the OLED screen, in which case the limit is 16GB. The Spectre x360’s design and build quality also shouts ‘premium’, with the solid chassis featuring distinctive angular edges and cutaway corners, one of which houses one of the laptop’s two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The inclusion of HP’s Tilt Pen stylus is welcome, but you’ll need to be careful not to mislay it as there’s no on-chassis housing. Good security features (IR webcam, fingerprint reader, privacy screen option) and all-day battery life add to the appeal of this classy convertible. Read more: HP Spectre x360 14 review: A compact 2-in-1 with a superb 3:2 OLED screen The Surface Pro is a tablet with an attachable keyboard (not included in the base price) that transforms it into a laptop of sorts. It’s not a laptop you can use comfortably – or at all – on your lap, thanks to the kickstand that keeps the screen section upright, but it’s light and flexible and an excellent choice if you do a lot of touchscreen and stylus-driven tasks – sketching, handwritten note-taking and annotation, for example – as well as mainstream knowledge work. Note that, as with the keyboard, the stylus is another extra-cost option.  There are two variants of the 13-inch Surface Pro 8, both of which run on 11th-generation Core CPUs: the consumer-focused Surface Pro 8, and the business-oriented Surface Pro 8 for Business, which offers LTE mobile broadband. As well as the 13-inch display, upgrades over the 12.3-inch Surface Pro 7/7+ include improved battery life (up to 16h on Wi-Fi, 14h on LTE), a Signature Keyboard with housing for the Slim Pen 2 stylus, and two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports. The SSD drive on the Surface Pro 8 is removable, so you can upgrade a 128GB or 256GB model by fitting a more capacious M.2 2230 PCIe drive. The Surface Pro 8 starts at $900 for a Wi-Fi-only version with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. A Core i7 configuration with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD will cost you $1,200, while the top-end Core i7 model with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD costs $2,600. The Surface Pro 8 for Business starts at $1,100 for a Wi-Fi-only version with a Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. A Core i5 version of this spec currently costs $1,020 ($180 off), while adding LTE connectivity brings the price up to $1,350. Core i7 models start at $1,700 (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD), rising to a hefty $2,700 with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. To get the full 2-in-1 experience with all of these models, you’ll need to add a Surface Pro Signature Keyboard ($180), and probably a Slim Pen 2 ($93) as well. Read more: Microsoft Surface Pro 8 for Business review: Still in love In October 2022 Microsoft released the Surface Pro 9, which comes in Intel-based (12th-generation Core) and Arm-based (Microsoft SQ3) versions (standard and for Business), with the SQ3 model offering 5G connectivity. As a result, you can now find good deals on the Surface Pro 8. Read more: Microsoft Surface Pro 9 review: Impressive but is it worth the price of an M2 MacBook Air? The original raison d’etre of the Surface brand was for Microsoft to showcase new form factors and technologies that its OEM partners could use as inspiration for their designs. That has certainly worked with the Surface Pro-style ’tablet-first’ 2-in-1, and you’ll find plenty of variations on the theme from the likes of Lenovo, HP, Dell and others. Microsoft’s 10.5-inch Surface Go 3 is a tablet-first device, with keyboard covers and a stylus available as optional extras. It’s an attractive and highly portable 2-in-1 (if you buy the $130 Surface Go Type Cover keyboard) that’s well suited for mainstream productivity tasks like web browsing, email and video calls. The entry-level price for the tablet is currently $350.  The Surface Go 3 is available in two versions: the standard version runs Windows 11 Home in locked-down S Mode, while the slightly more expensive for Business model comes with either Windows 11 Pro or 10 Pro. It has a 10.5-inch FHD+ touch screen (220ppi) and comes with 4GB or 8GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage in the standard model, while the business model adds a 256GB option. You’ll pay $100 extra over the Wi-Fi-only model if you want 4G LTE mobile broadband.  Read review: Microsoft Surface Go 3 Although entry-level prices for the Surface Go 3 are attractive, options can edge towards the expensive: a fully-specified ‘for Business’ system with a Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, 4G LTE, a top-end Type Cover and a Surface Pen comes in at $1,110.  The Surface Go 3 has decent camera (5MP front, 8MP rear) and audio subsystems, making it a good vehicle for on-the-go video calls. However, connections are limited to one USB-C port, Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect and Type Cover ports, a MicroSD card reader and a 3.5mm audio jack. Performance from the Core i3 processor in ZDNET’s review unit was acceptable for an affordable 2-in-1, but battery life – claimed at up to 11 hours – was slightly disappointing: although we could watch video for the full 11 hours, working with productivity apps brought battery life down to 3 hours 15 minutes. The Surface Studio is an unconventional convertible laptop, with a 14.4-inch screen that can operate in laptop mode, be pulled forward to cover the keyboard in ‘stage’ mode, or lain almost flat over the keyboard in tablet (or ‘studio’) mode. Based on 11th-generation Core i5 or i7 processors with integrated (Core i5) or discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics (Core i7), up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of removable SSD storage, this is a laptop that can be configured to handle a range of workloads, from mainstream productivity to demanding creative applications. The PixelSense screen has a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, which makes for smooth scrolling, the keyboard is a comfortable typing platform, the touchpad is a good size and its compatible with Microsoft’s Surface Slim Pen 2. Also: Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio review: A true convertible, with designer appeal If you go for the Core i7 model, you get a portable discrete-GPU laptop that handles most creator and developer tasks with ease. It’s not cheap (Core i7/dGPU models start at $1,800), but it can handle workloads from machine learning to gaming, and features one of Microsoft’s best screens, which quickly converts from studio to stage to laptop. Chromebooks came into their own during the coronavirus pandemic, their combination of simplicity, affordability and long battery life delivering exactly what was needed for students and knowledge workers forced to study and work from home. The Chromebook market has declined since the heights of 2020/21, with analyst firm IDC reporting -34.4% year-on-year growth in Q3 2022, while noting that “Chromebooks face a number of challenges in the industry, not all of which are because of limitations to the platform.” Chromebooks come in many shapes and sizes, and at many price points, but the current pick of the crop is HP’s Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, a premium 13.5-inch 2-in-1 convertible that costs from $1,099 at the time of writing, rising to over $3,000 for a fully-specified Enterprise device. Described in ZDNET’s review as “a no-compromise, Google-powered laptop that functions as well as it looks,” the Eilte Dragonfly Chromebook is “clearly not for the average consumer”. It is, however, probably the current state of the art in Chromebooks. Read more: The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook has no business being this good Lenovo’s IdeaPad Duet Chromebook is a 2-in-1 Chromebook comprising a 10.1-inch tablet, an attachable keyboard and a rear cover/kickstand, starting at around $300. Running Chrome OS and with support for Android apps, this diminutive multi-modal device offers excellent value – albeit as a companion rather than a primary device. The entry-level configuration runs Chrome OS on a MediaTek Helio P60T processor with 4GB of RAM and a 64GB eMMC SSD. The 10.1inch IPS touch screen has FHD+ resolution (1920 x 1200, 224ppi, 16:10 aspect ratio) with 400 nits brightness. There’s also a model that boosts the storage to 128GB and adds a Lenovo USI stylus. The latter looks like the preferred option. Read review: Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook Although some keys on the right side are rather narrow, the keyboard has good action, while the touchpad is also necessarily small. Lenovo claims 10 hours of battery life for the IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, and that’s pretty much in line with what emerged in ZDNet’s review. Apple’s 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros powered by the M2 system-on-chip (SoC) offer similar horsepower to a high-end laptop, and with the addition of a Magic Keyboard, the iPad becomes a device that could replace a traditional laptop as a work tool. Read more: iPad Pro (2022) review: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but… It’s an expensive almost-laptop, though: the M2 iPad Pro starts at $799 for an 11-inch model with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and Wi-Fi 6E, rising to $2,399 for a 12.9-inch model with 16GB of RAM, 2TB of storage and Wi-Fi 6 plus cellular (up to 5G) connectivity. That’s before you add in a Magic Keyboard ($299 for 11-inch, $349 for 12.9-inch) and a $129 Apple Pencil. You can buy a lot of stylus-equipped 2-in-1 actual-laptop for $2,877. Read more: Apple iPadOS 16 has arrived for your iPad, here are all the new features The latest iPad Pro hardware, which includes a mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display on the 12.9-inch model, is impressive, if expensive. However, much will depend on how the software develops, starting with iPadOS 16. Read more: M1 iPad Pro (2021) vs. M2 iPad Pro (2022): Is it worth the upgrade? Panasonic’s Toughbook G2 is a fully rugged tablet with an optional keyboard that transforms it into a 2-in-1 device. The Toughbook G2, which costs from $2,999, offers an enterprise-grade platform based on a 10th-generation Intel Core i5-10310U vPro processor with 16GB or 32GB of RAM 512GB or 1TB of MVMe SSD storage. It’s a Microsoft Secured Core PC, and there’s a variant with a quick-release SSD aimed at industry sectors with particularly data-sensitive use cases. Its rugged credentials include MIL-STD 810H testing and IP65 certification for dust and water resistance. The Toughbook G2’s 10.1-inch IPS display is ‘sunlight viewable’, with maximum brightness of 1,000 nits. It’s a 10-point capacitive multi-touchscreen that works with fingers and the optional stylus, with selectable modes for gloved hands and rainy conditions. As well as a selection of standard ports, there’s a ‘configuration port’ which can be fitted at purchase time with a serial port, a barcode reader, a USB 2.0 port, a second Ethernet port or a thermal camera. Another configurable element is the expansion bay at the back, which can take a smart card reader or an HF-RFID (NFC) reader. Read more: Toughbook G2: Panasonic’s new rugged 10.1-inch 2-in-1 Windows tablet  Optional accessories include docking units, vehicle mounts, battery packs and the stylus pen. The detachable keyboard adds two extra ports – USB-A and USB-C – while the desktop cradle supports 4K output on two external 4K displays. Battery life with the standard 50Wh battery pack is quoted at 12 hours, or 18.5 hours with the optional extended 68Wh battery. Batteries are hot-swappable, which is a key requirement for many field workers. Once you have a long list of potential candidates, your budget will likely trim it down at the top end, while your cautionary instincts should kick in at the bottom end (if something appears too good to be true, it probably is). Armed with a well-researched shortlist, you should have a good chance of ending up with a laptop that will satisfy your requirements. There are 2-in-1 devices to suit both ’tablet-first’ and ’laptop-first’ use cases, so you should be able to find one that suits your work practices. It’s also an area of form factor innovation, so keep an eye out for new developments. Windows spans the range from budget to premium, while Chrome OS is largely confined to the affordable end of the market. There are no 2-in-1 laptops from Apple (yet) – the nearest you’ll get is an iPad Pro/Magic Keyboard combo running iPadOS 16. Windows 11 is rolling out on new PCs, and has been available as a free upgrade on eligible Windows 10 systems since October 5 2021. All of the Windows devices listed here qualify for Windows 11, so if you buy one with Windows 10 installed you’ll be able to upgrade to version 11 in due course if you wish. If you don’t, note that Windows 10 support ends on October 14 2025, after which there will be no more security patches or feature updates. See: Windows 11 hands on: Microsoft’s biggest minor upgrade ever is all about new hardware So in the absence of a specialised use case or budgetary constraint, you’re usually going to be looking at the likes of Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple and Asus – which currently lead the PC market in terms of shipments – plus a handful of other well-known brands, including Microsoft.

The best tabletsThe best cheap tabletsThe best large tabletsThe best rugged tablets The best Android tablets The best note-taking tablets The best tablet for kids The best stylus tablets 

title: “The Best 2 In 1 Laptops Of 2023 Top Hybrid Notebooks” ShowToc: true date: “2023-03-23” author: “Jonathan Brainard”

Also: The best tablets (aren’t all iPads) ‘Tablet first’ 2-in-1s are, as the name suggests, primarily tablets but can work in laptop mode via an add-on – often somewhat flimsy – keyboard, with the tablet propped up by a kickstand. CES 2023 saw several laptop form factor innovations, including Lenovo’s Yoga Book 9i with dual 360-degree-hinged OLED screens, a kickstand and a separate Bluetooth keyboard.   Windows dominates the PC operating system market thanks to its long-time availability on a wide range of OEM (and more recently, Microsoft) hardware, which has resulted in a huge variety of software written for the platform. Convertible Windows devices have been around for a long time – ZDNET reviewed the HP Compaq tc4400 running Windows XP Professional Tablet PC Edition back in March 2007, for example. However, it’s fair to say that the modern 2-in-1 era began with Microsoft’s Surface Pro in 2013, which launched with Windows 8 Pro. The Surface range, initially envisaged as a showcase for new tablet/laptop technologies and form factors to encourage Microsoft’s OEM partners, has since grown into a successful business for the company. 
Convertible devices are also available as Chrome OS-based Chromebooks, which offer an affordable and increasingly popular platform for web-based productivity apps and virtual desktops. You might want to use Linux for its free, open-source and increasingly usable nature or because it’s less of a target for cybercriminals than Windows (although you may need to tweak your chosen distro to work well with a touch screen). There is no MacOS 2-in-1 yet, and opinions differ on the desirability of a touch-screen MacBook, but the M2 iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard is the closest you’ll get to a hybrid tablet/laptop in today’s Apple ecosystem.
So, given that you’re in the market for a 2-in-1 device, which one should you buy? As ever, that depends on what you want to do with it and how much budget is at your disposal.
Here are ZDNET’s current picks for a variety of form factors, operating systems, and use cases.

Convertible 2-in-1 devices that can be used in conventional laptop mode or as a tablet, and can orient the 360-degree-hinged screen at points in between, can satisfy a variety of use cases depending on the specification. Leading the field, in our opinion, is Lenovo’s 14-inch Yoga 9i, a premium 2-in-1 that currently starts at $1,320. The entry-level model has an FHD+ (16:10) IPS touch screen, but the Yoga 9i’s true glory is its vibrant OLED screen, which is available in 2.8K or 4K resolution. This is housed in a rounded and solidly built Comfort Edge chassis weighing 3.26lbs. Inside, you’ll find 12th-generation P-series Intel Core processors, 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage, which deliver good performance for a wide variety of apps, although the integrated Iris Xe Graphics rule out more demanding graphics apps and games.  The edge-to-edge keyboard is quiet, although somewhat ‘mushy’ of feel, and the touchpad huge. You get a 1080p IR-equipped webcam, a fingerprint reader and a decent set of connections including two Thunderbolt 4 ports. You also get a stylus pen with the Yoga 9i, but there’s no on-device housing for it. Another highlight of the Yoga 9i is its speaker system, which comprises a pair of tweeters in a ‘rotating soundbar hinge’ and a pair of subwoofers on the underside of the chassis. Read more: Lenovo Yoga 9i 7th Gen review: The best 2-in-1 laptop, if you can buy it Perhaps the only disappointment with the Yoga 9i Gen 7 is its battery life. In ZDNET’s test, the 75Wh battery averaged eight hours under an everyday mix of workloads – that’s good, but not class-leading. Samsung’s 15.6-inch Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 is a thin and light 360-degree convertible 2-in-1 that currently starts at $950 for a configuration with a 12th-generation Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. Step up to 16GB and 1TB and you’ll pay $1,150. That’s good value for a solid-performing laptop, especially the 16GB/1TB model, although there’s no discrete GPU option to bring high-end games and other graphically demanding apps into play. It’s fine for most mainstream workloads, though, and the 15.6-inch FHD (16:9) AMOLED display shows off all content to great effect, with brightness going up to 500 nits if required. Usefully, you get an S Pen stylus in the box. Samsung claims up to 21 hours of life from the 68Wh battery, but in practice you can expect around 12 hours of video streaming and around 8 hours of wireless web use. If you need a decent-sized screen and 2-in-1 flexibility, this is an excellent all-rounder, which will deliver even more value if you are already invested in Samsung’s Galaxy ecosystem. Read more: Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360: A slim and capable OLED 2-in-1, but screen resolution disappoints Samsung unveiled its third generation of Galaxy Book laptops at its Unpacked event on 1 February 2023. The new Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 has a 16-inch Dynamic OLED 2x screen, runs on 13th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, and starts at $1,449. Read more: Samsung’s Galaxy Book 3 series includes a new flagship Ultra laptop HP’s Spectre x360 is a premium 2-in-1 convertible that comes in 14-inch and 16-inch form factors. We’re highlighting the former, which actually has a 13.5-inch 3:2 touch screen, available as IPS with 1920 x 1280 resolution, or 3K2K (3000 x 2000) OLED. Pricing currently starts at $1,000 with Windows 11 Home, an IPS screen, a 12th-generation Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The premium element is evident in the higher-spec models: you’ll pay $1,630 for Windows 11 Pro, an OLED screen, a Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. RAM goes up to 32GB, unless you specify the OLED screen, in which case the limit is 16GB. The Spectre x360’s design and build quality also shouts ‘premium’, with the solid chassis featuring distinctive angular edges and cutaway corners, one of which houses one of the laptop’s two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The inclusion of HP’s Tilt Pen stylus is welcome, but you’ll need to be careful not to mislay it as there’s no on-chassis housing. Good security features (IR webcam, fingerprint reader, privacy screen option) and all-day battery life add to the appeal of this classy convertible. Read more: HP Spectre x360 14 review: A compact 2-in-1 with a superb 3:2 OLED screen The Surface Pro is a tablet with an attachable keyboard (not included in the base price) that transforms it into a laptop of sorts. It’s not a laptop you can use comfortably – or at all – on your lap, thanks to the kickstand that keeps the screen section upright, but it’s light and flexible and an excellent choice if you do a lot of touchscreen and stylus-driven tasks – sketching, handwritten note-taking and annotation, for example – as well as mainstream knowledge work. Note that, as with the keyboard, the stylus is another extra-cost option.  There are two variants of the 13-inch Surface Pro 8, both of which run on 11th-generation Core CPUs: the consumer-focused Surface Pro 8, and the business-oriented Surface Pro 8 for Business, which offers LTE mobile broadband. As well as the 13-inch display, upgrades over the 12.3-inch Surface Pro 7/7+ include improved battery life (up to 16h on Wi-Fi, 14h on LTE), a Signature Keyboard with housing for the Slim Pen 2 stylus, and two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports. The SSD drive on the Surface Pro 8 is removable, so you can upgrade a 128GB or 256GB model by fitting a more capacious M.2 2230 PCIe drive. The Surface Pro 8 starts at $900 for a Wi-Fi-only version with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. A Core i7 configuration with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD will cost you $1,200, while the top-end Core i7 model with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD costs $2,600. The Surface Pro 8 for Business starts at $1,100 for a Wi-Fi-only version with a Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. A Core i5 version of this spec currently costs $1,020 ($180 off), while adding LTE connectivity brings the price up to $1,350. Core i7 models start at $1,700 (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD), rising to a hefty $2,700 with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. To get the full 2-in-1 experience with all of these models, you’ll need to add a Surface Pro Signature Keyboard ($180), and probably a Slim Pen 2 ($93) as well. Read more: Microsoft Surface Pro 8 for Business review: Still in love In October 2022 Microsoft released the Surface Pro 9, which comes in Intel-based (12th-generation Core) and Arm-based (Microsoft SQ3) versions (standard and for Business), with the SQ3 model offering 5G connectivity. As a result, you can now find good deals on the Surface Pro 8. Read more: Microsoft Surface Pro 9 review: Impressive but is it worth the price of an M2 MacBook Air? The original raison d’etre of the Surface brand was for Microsoft to showcase new form factors and technologies that its OEM partners could use as inspiration for their designs. That has certainly worked with the Surface Pro-style ’tablet-first’ 2-in-1, and you’ll find plenty of variations on the theme from the likes of Lenovo, HP, Dell and others. Microsoft’s 10.5-inch Surface Go 3 is a tablet-first device, with keyboard covers and a stylus available as optional extras. It’s an attractive and highly portable 2-in-1 (if you buy the $130 Surface Go Type Cover keyboard) that’s well suited for mainstream productivity tasks like web browsing, email and video calls. The entry-level price for the tablet is currently $350.  The Surface Go 3 is available in two versions: the standard version runs Windows 11 Home in locked-down S Mode, while the slightly more expensive for Business model comes with either Windows 11 Pro or 10 Pro. It has a 10.5-inch FHD+ touch screen (220ppi) and comes with 4GB or 8GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage in the standard model, while the business model adds a 256GB option. You’ll pay $100 extra over the Wi-Fi-only model if you want 4G LTE mobile broadband.  Read review: Microsoft Surface Go 3 Although entry-level prices for the Surface Go 3 are attractive, options can edge towards the expensive: a fully-specified ‘for Business’ system with a Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, 4G LTE, a top-end Type Cover and a Surface Pen comes in at $1,110.  The Surface Go 3 has decent camera (5MP front, 8MP rear) and audio subsystems, making it a good vehicle for on-the-go video calls. However, connections are limited to one USB-C port, Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect and Type Cover ports, a MicroSD card reader and a 3.5mm audio jack. Performance from the Core i3 processor in ZDNET’s review unit was acceptable for an affordable 2-in-1, but battery life – claimed at up to 11 hours – was slightly disappointing: although we could watch video for the full 11 hours, working with productivity apps brought battery life down to 3 hours 15 minutes. The Surface Studio is an unconventional convertible laptop, with a 14.4-inch screen that can operate in laptop mode, be pulled forward to cover the keyboard in ‘stage’ mode, or lain almost flat over the keyboard in tablet (or ‘studio’) mode. Based on 11th-generation Core i5 or i7 processors with integrated (Core i5) or discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics (Core i7), up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of removable SSD storage, this is a laptop that can be configured to handle a range of workloads, from mainstream productivity to demanding creative applications. The PixelSense screen has a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, which makes for smooth scrolling, the keyboard is a comfortable typing platform, the touchpad is a good size and its compatible with Microsoft’s Surface Slim Pen 2. Also: Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio review: A true convertible, with designer appeal If you go for the Core i7 model, you get a portable discrete-GPU laptop that handles most creator and developer tasks with ease. It’s not cheap (Core i7/dGPU models start at $1,800), but it can handle workloads from machine learning to gaming, and features one of Microsoft’s best screens, which quickly converts from studio to stage to laptop. Chromebooks came into their own during the coronavirus pandemic, their combination of simplicity, affordability and long battery life delivering exactly what was needed for students and knowledge workers forced to study and work from home. The Chromebook market has declined since the heights of 2020/21, with analyst firm IDC reporting -34.4% year-on-year growth in Q3 2022, while noting that “Chromebooks face a number of challenges in the industry, not all of which are because of limitations to the platform.” Chromebooks come in many shapes and sizes, and at many price points, but the current pick of the crop is HP’s Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, a premium 13.5-inch 2-in-1 convertible that costs from $1,099 at the time of writing, rising to over $3,000 for a fully-specified Enterprise device. Described in ZDNET’s review as “a no-compromise, Google-powered laptop that functions as well as it looks,” the Eilte Dragonfly Chromebook is “clearly not for the average consumer”. It is, however, probably the current state of the art in Chromebooks. Read more: The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook has no business being this good Lenovo’s IdeaPad Duet Chromebook is a 2-in-1 Chromebook comprising a 10.1-inch tablet, an attachable keyboard and a rear cover/kickstand, starting at around $300. Running Chrome OS and with support for Android apps, this diminutive multi-modal device offers excellent value – albeit as a companion rather than a primary device. The entry-level configuration runs Chrome OS on a MediaTek Helio P60T processor with 4GB of RAM and a 64GB eMMC SSD. The 10.1inch IPS touch screen has FHD+ resolution (1920 x 1200, 224ppi, 16:10 aspect ratio) with 400 nits brightness. There’s also a model that boosts the storage to 128GB and adds a Lenovo USI stylus. The latter looks like the preferred option. Read review: Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook Although some keys on the right side are rather narrow, the keyboard has good action, while the touchpad is also necessarily small. Lenovo claims 10 hours of battery life for the IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, and that’s pretty much in line with what emerged in ZDNet’s review. Apple’s 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros powered by the M2 system-on-chip (SoC) offer similar horsepower to a high-end laptop, and with the addition of a Magic Keyboard, the iPad becomes a device that could replace a traditional laptop as a work tool. Read more: iPad Pro (2022) review: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but… It’s an expensive almost-laptop, though: the M2 iPad Pro starts at $799 for an 11-inch model with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and Wi-Fi 6E, rising to $2,399 for a 12.9-inch model with 16GB of RAM, 2TB of storage and Wi-Fi 6 plus cellular (up to 5G) connectivity. That’s before you add in a Magic Keyboard ($299 for 11-inch, $349 for 12.9-inch) and a $129 Apple Pencil. You can buy a lot of stylus-equipped 2-in-1 actual-laptop for $2,877. Read more: Apple iPadOS 16 has arrived for your iPad, here are all the new features The latest iPad Pro hardware, which includes a mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display on the 12.9-inch model, is impressive, if expensive. However, much will depend on how the software develops, starting with iPadOS 16. Read more: M1 iPad Pro (2021) vs. M2 iPad Pro (2022): Is it worth the upgrade? Panasonic’s Toughbook G2 is a fully rugged tablet with an optional keyboard that transforms it into a 2-in-1 device. The Toughbook G2, which costs from $2,999, offers an enterprise-grade platform based on a 10th-generation Intel Core i5-10310U vPro processor with 16GB or 32GB of RAM 512GB or 1TB of MVMe SSD storage. It’s a Microsoft Secured Core PC, and there’s a variant with a quick-release SSD aimed at industry sectors with particularly data-sensitive use cases. Its rugged credentials include MIL-STD 810H testing and IP65 certification for dust and water resistance. The Toughbook G2’s 10.1-inch IPS display is ‘sunlight viewable’, with maximum brightness of 1,000 nits. It’s a 10-point capacitive multi-touchscreen that works with fingers and the optional stylus, with selectable modes for gloved hands and rainy conditions. As well as a selection of standard ports, there’s a ‘configuration port’ which can be fitted at purchase time with a serial port, a barcode reader, a USB 2.0 port, a second Ethernet port or a thermal camera. Another configurable element is the expansion bay at the back, which can take a smart card reader or an HF-RFID (NFC) reader. Read more: Toughbook G2: Panasonic’s new rugged 10.1-inch 2-in-1 Windows tablet  Optional accessories include docking units, vehicle mounts, battery packs and the stylus pen. The detachable keyboard adds two extra ports – USB-A and USB-C – while the desktop cradle supports 4K output on two external 4K displays. Battery life with the standard 50Wh battery pack is quoted at 12 hours, or 18.5 hours with the optional extended 68Wh battery. Batteries are hot-swappable, which is a key requirement for many field workers. Once you have a long list of potential candidates, your budget will likely trim it down at the top end, while your cautionary instincts should kick in at the bottom end (if something appears too good to be true, it probably is). Armed with a well-researched shortlist, you should have a good chance of ending up with a laptop that will satisfy your requirements. There are 2-in-1 devices to suit both ’tablet-first’ and ’laptop-first’ use cases, so you should be able to find one that suits your work practices. It’s also an area of form factor innovation, so keep an eye out for new developments. Windows spans the range from budget to premium, while Chrome OS is largely confined to the affordable end of the market. There are no 2-in-1 laptops from Apple (yet) – the nearest you’ll get is an iPad Pro/Magic Keyboard combo running iPadOS 16. Windows 11 is rolling out on new PCs, and has been available as a free upgrade on eligible Windows 10 systems since October 5 2021. All of the Windows devices listed here qualify for Windows 11, so if you buy one with Windows 10 installed you’ll be able to upgrade to version 11 in due course if you wish. If you don’t, note that Windows 10 support ends on October 14 2025, after which there will be no more security patches or feature updates. See: Windows 11 hands on: Microsoft’s biggest minor upgrade ever is all about new hardware So in the absence of a specialised use case or budgetary constraint, you’re usually going to be looking at the likes of Lenovo, HP, Dell, Apple and Asus – which currently lead the PC market in terms of shipments – plus a handful of other well-known brands, including Microsoft.

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