Travel laptops are a must these days where connectivity is of utmost importance.
Smartphones are powerful but the ease of using a large screen display and a full-sized keyboard isn’t something that can be replaced.
Travel laptops are a must these days where connectivity is of utmost importance.
Smartphones are powerful but the ease of using a large screen display and a full-sized keyboard isn’t something that can be replaced.
Unlike in the past, there are a lot more lightweight laptops available in the market with the uncompromised performance starting from the very budget to expensive price segments.
In this curated list of the best travel laptops in India, we bring you the thirteen best laptops that we think are the best in the business right now.
Without any further ado, let’s get started!
Best Travel Laptops in India
1. Apple MacBook Air M1 | Overall Best Pick |
2. Acer Swift 5 | Runner-up Pick |
3. Dell Inspiron 7400 | Best Laptop for Professionals |
4. HP Pavilion Aero | Thin and Lightweight Laptop |
5. LG Gram 14 | Best Travel Laptop |
6. Asus ZenBook 14 | Value for Money Laptop |
7. HP Pavilion 14 | Best Productivity Laptop |
8. Acer Aspire 5 | All-round Performer |
9. HP 14s | Best Student Laptop |
10. Nokia PureBook S14 | Durable and Reliable Laptop |
11. MSI Modern 14 | Best Budget Laptop |
12. Realme Book | Feature-rich Laptop |
13. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i | Honourable Mention |
Note: The price shown are the once when we reviewed the products. However, as the promotional offers changes on the given E-commerce sites, the price may vary. Bettershark is supported by it’s readers and when you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
1. Apple MacBook Air M1
Overall Best Pick
- Premium build quality
- Exceptional battery life
- Powerful Apple M1 chip
Pros
Guaranteed software updates
Vivid Quad HD display
Magic backlit keyboard
Cons
Expensive
Apple finally rolled out its much-awaited MacBook devices with their brand new M1 chip with significantly better performance and impressive gains in terms of battery life.
Being a premium brand with years of experience, Apple has perfected this product both in terms of performance as well as build quality.
Design and Build Quality
The Apple MacBook Air M1 chassis is constructed from a single piece of machined aluminium alloy. Not only does this make the laptop look and feel premium, but also adds to the sturdiness and durability.
The lid of this laptop features a neat and clean premium matte finish that feels sleek and the adorning logo of apple in the centre gives it an assuring premium look.
Weight distribution done on this machine is remarkable. You can lift the lid with one hand and the open-close process is silent too.
Weighing just 1.29Kg, this 13-inch form factor laptop is very much portable and can be carried inside bags and backpacks without any issues regarding the size or the weight.
The renowned touch ID feature works like a charm and helps to protect the data and files inside securely.
On an interesting note, this all-new Macbook Air from Apple doesn’t feature an exhaust fan inside. This cuts out the running noise completely and somehow remains moderately cool even with intense usage.
Connectivity Features:
The Apple MacBook Air M1 features the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3 ports
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
Processor and Performance
The Apple MacBook Air 2020 is powered by an M1 chip octa-core processor. The onboard 8GB RAM handles multitasking like a champ without breaking a sweat.
The 512GB SSD inside for storage further boosts the system performance. This laptop boots up in less than 10 seconds and app loading time is considerably lesser.
The MacBook Air features an integrated octa-core GPU and speaking for its performance it managed to handle high-end games like Call of Duty and Fortnite easily playable at 60fps.
Even with productivity tasks such as video editing, the M1 chip powered Macbook Air beats its competition to the dust.
Display
The Apple MacBook Air M1 features a 13.3-inch Quad HD LED-backlit IPS display with a native resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.
Since this is a small size display, the higher resolution helps it to be sharp and clean with visuals as well as texts.
With the peak brightness level of 400 nits, you can see visuals clearly while using this panel indoors as well as outdoors.
The colour reproduction is top-notch and thanks to the true tone technology, the visuals look more realistic. Graphic designers and content creators who have a penchant for perfection will find this display very much at home.
This panel has no colour shifting while viewed from odd angles, thanks to the IPS technology.
Miscellaneous
The Apple MacBook Air M1 comes pre-installed with the Mac OS Big Sur. macOS is very much optimized for this hardware and performs miles better than Windows or say Linux for that matter.
The backlit magic keyboard on this laptop offers one of the best typing experiences you could ever find on a compact notebook.
The large-sized trackpad supports multi-finger gestures and registers even the light taps and swipes without any problems.
This machine comes with loud and clear front-firing speakers with decent indoor sound output and a surprising amount of bass.
Apple provides a 720p webcam for video calls and the quality is good compared to other Windows laptops.
Battery Life
Apple laptops are known for their stellar battery life when compared with their Windows OS based laptop counterparts.
Powered by a 49.9Wh lithium battery, the Macbook Air can get you around 15 hours of on-screen time which is quite impressive, to be honest.
The bundled 30W Type-C charger will help you juice up this battery within 2 hours.
Verdict
If you are a content creator or even a casual user who wants a powerful lightweight laptop for their work and everyday usage, the Apple Macbook Air M1 without a doubt is one of the best out there.
Specifications
Operating System | Mac OS Big Sur |
RAM | 8 GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.29Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Apple M1 chip |
GPU | N/A |
Battery Life | Up to 10 Hours |
Display | 13.3-inch QHD IPS LED-backlit Display |
2. Acer Swift 5
Runner-up Pick
- Robust metal build
- Powerful 11th gen Intel i7 processor
- Impressive battery life
Pros
Stereo speakers
Thunderbolt 4 support
Fingerprint scanner
Cons
No ethernet port
The Acer Swift and Aspire series laptops in the Indian market compete with the Asus Vivobook and Lenovo Ideapad mid-range series.
The Acer Swift 5 is equipped with the latest eleventh generation Intel processor retails in the Indian market for Rs.97,999.
Design and Build Quality
To ensure durability and to impart the laptop a premium in-hand feel, it is made from magnesium-aluminium metal alloy.
On the top cover, the matte finish texture with the adorning logo of Acer gives a premium feel to it.
Weighing at 1.05Kg, this lightweight notebook is easy to carry in handbags and backpacks without adding too much load to your travel bag.
The Acer Swift 5 is a thin and lightweight notebook that is portable and versatile enough to let you work from anywhere in the world.
The high-quality hinge provides a smooth lid opening operation and the mechanism eliminates the lid wobbliness under the ceiling fan.
And since it’s the ergo lift hinge, it provides better typing posture and also gives room for better air circulation.
Connectivity Features:
The Acer Swift 5 comes features the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB 3.2 ports
- 1 x Type-C/Thunderbolt 4 port
- 1 x HDMI port
- 1 x 3.5mm combo audio jack
The type-C port has thunderbolt support which delivers blazing-fast transfer speed up to 40Gbps.
Processor and Performance
The Acer Swift 5 is powered by the latest eleventh generation Intel Core i7 quad-core processor with a turbo-boost frequency of up to 4.7GHz.
Acer Swift 5 has soldered 16GB of DDR4 RAM onboard which aids in smooth performance during multitasking.
The start of the show along with the processor is the all-new Intel integrated Xe graphics system.
Both the processor and the integrated graphics solution runs very well in dealing with everyday tasks as well as with intense multitasking sessions.
You will not find any lags or stutters in your daily usage no matter what.
The 1TB NVMe SSD inside elevates the performance of this laptop to a whole new level. The laptop boots up in mere seconds the app loading times are significantly faster when compared with laptops with HDD inside.
Display
The Acer Swift 5 features a 14-inch full HD LED-backlit IPS touch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
The display panel of the Acer Swift 5 has excellent colour reproduction and the peak brightness level of 340 nits is adequate for indoor usage.
The visuals look clear and colour correct even when viewed from an angle up to 178-degrees, thanks to the IPS technology.
Miscellaneous
The Acer Swift 5 comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Home OS.
The backlit keyboard has a standard key travel distance that helps in fast typing.
Backlit functionality makes sure you won’t have any trouble working in dimly lit environments.
For added safety, the biometric fingerprint sensor on the keyboard deck protects your important data and files. The sensor unlocks the laptop quickly.
Battery Life
The 4-cell battery inside lasts up to 8 hours of battery life on a single charge with moderate use.
The bundled charger 65W AC charging adapter juices up the battery within two hours from zero to a hundred per cent.
Verdict
The Acer Swift 5 is a thin and lightweight laptop that delivers excellent everyday performance.
The robust build quality and the powerful processor makes this device a worthy choice for travellers and casual users alike.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.05Kg |
SSD | 1TB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Intel i7 11th generation – 1165G7 |
GPU | Intel integrated Iris Xe |
Display | 14-inch Full HD LED-backlit IPS touch Display |
Battery Life | Up to 8 Hours |
3. Dell Inspiron 7400
Best Laptop for Professionals
- Powerful Intel i5 11th Gen processor
- Durable and lightweight chassis
- Gorgeous QHD+ colourful display
Pros
Responsive fingerprint scanner
Good battery life
Backlit keyboard
Cons
Expensive
Dell Inspiron series laptop includes some of the finest notebook and ultrabook laptops that are easy to travel with and offer reliable performance.
The Dell Inspiron 7400 is a great piece of work in which you will get an ergonomic design and accelerated performance.
Design and Build Quality
This machine from Dell sports a unibody aluminium chassis that feels durable and flex is significantly low.
This 14-inch machine easily fits inside a regular backpack and weighing at just 1.35Kg, you can travel with it anywhere in the world.
The aesthetics of this machine are premium – it has a plain finishing and there’s a Dell logo in the center.
You will also get to see an ergo lift hinge mechanism – when you open the lid more than 90° the deck will uplift to a certain height which results in a comfortable typing posture.
Not only that, but the cooling performance will also enhance because the air intake vents are at the bottom so lifting the deck creates more room for natural air to travel in.
The heat from the system dissipates through the rear side vents.
Connectivity Features:
The Dell Inspiron 7400 features the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB 3.2 ports
- 1 x USB-C port/Thunderbolt 4
- 1 x HDMI port
- MicroSD card slot
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
Processor and Performance
The Dell Inspiron 7400 is powered by the Intel i5 11th generation quad-core processor with a turbo clock frequency of 4.2GHz.
This capable processor when paired with the ultra-fast 8GB RAM clocked at 4267MHz provides excellent performance on multitasking. There will be no lag or hiccups in your everyday use, that’s for sure.
The 2GB DDR5 Nvidia GeForce MX350 handles graphics-related tasks. This is an entry-level GPU from Nvidia so don’t expect any miraculous graphic performance.
You can run photo and video editing software without any problem and you can easily edit short videos.
The blazing-fast 512GB NVMe SSD inside this laptop swiftly boots up the system and provides quick app opening.
Display
The Dell Inspiron 7400 features a 14.5-inch Quad HD+ IPS anti-glare display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.
The display is bright enough for indoor use as it has a peak brightness of 300 nits.
The anti-glare coating on top of the display will block the light reflection and cut out the stress happening to your eyes.
This is a colour accurate display with 100% sRGB so you can do professional-level photo and video editing.
The bezels on the sides are thin and not to mention, this panel is pixel-rich and colourful so the experience on multimedia consumption will be truly amazing.
Miscellaneous
The laptop comes pre-installed with the Windows 10 Home OS.
The tenkeyless backlit keyboard has well laid out keys with a good amount of key travel. You will get clicky feedback on keypress.
On each side of the keyboard, there are front-firing speakers which are loud but lack a bit of bass; otherwise, the vocal sounds crisp and clear.
The box-shaped trackpad located in the center is easily accessible and it registers the input gestures without fail.
The fingerprint sensor is embedded in the power button for easy and secure one-touch login to the system.
Battery Life
The Dell Inspiron 7400 is powered by a 4-cell 52Wh lithium battery that will provide up to 6-7 hours of battery life on routine use with a full charge.
The 65W bundled charger juice ups the battery life from 0 – 100% in 2:30 hours.
Verdict
The Dell Inspiron 7400 is a mid-range premium laptop priced at Rs.84,140.
This machine offers almost everything a constant travel needs. You will get a robust lightweight chassis, nice keyboard, good battery life and terrific performance.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.35Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Intel i5 11th generation – 1135G7 |
GPU | Intel integrated Iris Xe |
Display | 14.5-inch QHD+ IPS anti-glare display |
Battery Life | Up to 7 Hours |
4. HP Pavilion Aero
Thin and Lightweight Laptop
- Bright and colourful display
- Power-efficient AMD Ryzen 5 hexa-core CPU
- Robust build quality
Pros
Up to 6 hours of battery life
Fingerprint scanner
Excellent weight distribution
Cons
Average speakers
HP is the first brand name to hit any Indian consumer’s mind when it comes to buying a laptop for the first time.
The HP Pavilion Aero is a new portable ultrabook laptop that’s available for purchase in the Indian market with a price tag of Rs.76,990.
Design and Build Quality
The HP Pavilion Aero has a unibody aluminium chassis that makes this laptop durable and with the fine surface treatment, it looks aesthetically pleasing as well.
This laptop weighs just 0.97Kg and if you travel with the laptop every day there is no better option than this one.
The weight distribution is excellent and you will be able to lift the lid with a single hand.
This machine is perfect for office goers and students – it can be used in silent environments without disturbing anyone in your surroundings as the fan inside does not make noise while pushing the heat outside.
The shining exterior of this laptop with a minimalist design gives this laptop a professional look.
Connectivity Features:
The HP Pavilion Aero features the following I/O ports:
- 1 x USB-C port
- 2 x USB 3.1 ports
- 1 x HDMI port
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
Processor and Performance
The processor inside this laptop is the AMD Ryzen 5 – 5600U. It’s an hexa-core CPU with a base clock speed of 2.3GHz and its turbo boost frequency of 4.2GHz.
This laptop comes with the 16GB DDR4 RAM clocked at 3200MHz that easily handles multitasking.
On the storage front, there is a 512GB SSD which speeds up the process of system boot up and application loading.
Since the machine is more focused on offering a productive performance the omission of a dedicated GPU does not feel like a deal-breaker.
Display
The HP Pavilion Aero sports a 13.3-inch WUXGA(widescreen ultra extended graphics array) anti-glare IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels.
This panel has a tall aspect ratio of 16:10 which is excellent for work and binge-watching.
The display has minimal bezels on all four sides which results in an immersive wide viewing experience.
With the 100% sRGB colour gamut the visuals on this panel have more true to life colours which makes this display viable for productivity purposes such as photo and video editing.
This display has a peak brightness of 400 nits so you can use the display indoors comfortably and while the outdoor visibility is not that bad.
The anti-glare coating also plays a major role whenever you work in a room that has highly artificial lighting, it minimizes the light reflection so you can have a clear view of the display all the time.
Miscellaneous
The HP Pavilion Aero comes pre-installed with the Windows 10 Home OS
The backlit keyboard on the deck offers a nice tactile response but sometimes keys require a hard press and since it has a low form factor you might end up mistyping for the first few days.
The trackpad is of premium quality and it reads the multi-finger gestures flawlessly.
There is a fingerprint scanner located right below the arrow keys. It works with Windows Hello and offers a quick login into the system.
The webcam is not that bad – while sitting in a bright room you can get a decent video quality on video calls.
Battery Life
The HP Pavilion Aero is powered by the 3-cell 43Wh lithium battery that will provide up to 6 hours of battery life on a full charge.
The 65W adapter will recharge the battery from zero to a hundred in less than 2:15 hours.
Verdict
If you are a working professional who needs a laptop to get your work done quickly then make an action and buy HP Pavilion Aero without having a second thought.
At the price of Rs.80,000, this 13-inch machine offers the best portable work experience.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 0.97Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 – 5600U |
GPU | AMD Radeon |
Display | 13.3-inch QHD anti-glare IPS display |
Battery Life | Up to 6 Hours |
5. LG Gram 14
Pros
Windows Hello login support
Good video quality from webcam
Extremely lightweight
Cons
Noticeable body flex
Back in the day, LG was only known for making TVs and refrigerators. These days the brand is also manufacturing some awesome laptops that are productivity-centric and offer good specifications for the asking price.
The 2021 iteration of LG Gram 14 packs new hardware and few improvements compared to its predecessor so let’s see what this laptop has to offer for the price of Rs.74,999.
Design and Build Quality
The ultra-lightweight chassis of this laptop is forged from magnesium alloy and you will be surprised to know that this 14-inch machine weighs just 999 grams.
Thanks to this lightweight form factor, it is easy to carry this around but the issue is that the body has noticeable flex on the lid and the keyboard deck. This happens because of the thin chassis material, however, it is durable but avoid putting weight on the laptop or applying force by hand.
Speaking of its design, this laptop looks way more premium than any other Windows laptop. It has a smooth finish on the lid and there is the Gram branding at the center of the lid.
The chassis has an air intake grille at the bottom and the hot air escapes the chassis through the exhausts in the rear.
Connectivity Features:
The LG Gram 14 features the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB-C ports/Thunderbolt 4
- 2 x USB 3.2 ports
- 1 x HDMI port
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
- MicroSD card reader
Processor and Performance
The LG Gram 14 is powered by the Intel i5 11th generation quad-core processor with a turbo clock speed of 4.2GHz.
This chipset is capable of delivering a breakneck performance but what’s more exciting is the Intel Evo certification. This badge is given to the laptop only that meets certain requirements of the Intel Evo program which includes intense multitasking and battery life tests.
That being said, you don’t have to worry about lag or stutter – you can open 40 tabs on Chrome and still won’t encounter any hiccups.
To run your programs blazingly fast there is the 8GB DDR4 RAM rated at 4266MHz.
As mentioned earlier, this is a productivity laptop so don’t expect exceptional performance in terms of gaming because it comes with the Intel integrated Iris Xe GPU.
Regarding the storage facility, you will get a 512GB SSD that is significantly faster compared to a conventional HDD. The advantage of having an SSD is that it will load the operating system in mere 15 seconds or less and also load your programs faster.
Display
The LG Gram 14 features a 14-inch WUXGA IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels.
This thin bezel panel comes with an aspect ratio of 16:10 meaning you will have a great multimedia experience.
Furthermore, the panel has 99% of DCI-P3 so the colour of visuals will be more natural and punchy.
You can do professional photo and video editing on this panel without worrying about the colour accuracy of the visuals.
This is an IPS panel so viewing angles are good up to 178-degree. Talking about its usability, the display is bright enough for most lighting environments.
Miscellaneous
The LG Gram 14 comes pre-installed with the Windows 10 Home OS.
The keycaps of the tenkeyless keyboard are slightly larger than its predecessor and key travel is also increased from 1.5 to 1.65mm.
This is a backlit-enabled keyboard so you can work at night effectively.
The power key of this laptop doubles up as a fingerprint scanner and it works with the Windows Hello login.
The webcam of this laptop is surprisingly providing good video quality when you sit in a bright room.
The trackpad is of standard size and quality – it supports multi-finger gestures like a champ.
Battery Life
One of the key selling points of this laptop is its battery life. The LG Gram 14 is powered by a 4-cell 72Wh lithium battery that will provide up to 9 hours of battery life on normal to intense use.
The bundled 65W charger from LG takes almost 3 hours to juice up the battery levels from zero to full.
Verdict
The LG Gram 14 is for constant travellers and intense multitaskers who need to do more work without finding power outlets everywhere.
Under the price of Rs.80,000, the LG Gram 14 is an excellent value for money laptop.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 0.99Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Intel i5 11th generation – 1135G7 |
GPU | Intel integrated Iris Xe |
Display | 14-inch WUXGA IPS display |
Battery Life | Up to 8 Hours |
6. Asus ZenBook 14
Value for Money Laptop
- Powerful eleventh generation Intel processor
- Up to 21 hours of rated battery life
- Gorgeous FHD display
Pros
Durable all-metal chassis
IR HD webcam with Windows Hello feature
Lightweight and portable form factor
Cons
No hardware upgradability
pAsus is a Taiwanese brand which is quite popular for its laptops and smartphones all over the world.
The Zenbook series from Asus is a premium laptop lineup from the company aimed at frequent travellers who want to get their work done on the fly.
Design and Build Quality
The Zenbook 14 travel notebook from Asus features an all-metal chassis with an interesting spun-metal finish on top.
The fit and finish of this premium laptop match the likes of Dell XPS and Apple Macbooks, to be honest.
Weighing at just 1.17Kg, this laptop is a delight to carry around in bags and backpacks.
Even with a slim profile of 13.9mm, Asus has managed to incorporate most of the necessary I/O ports on this machine without fail.
The Zenbook 14 features the popular ergo lift hinge mechanism where the keyboard raises a little while opening up the lid to provide a comfortable typing posture.
Not only that, ergo lift helps the air intake at the bottom of the laptop to suck in more fresh air to keep the internals cool.
The Asus Zenbook 14 features an HD IR camera upfront with support for Windows Hello login. The camera in itself is of very good quality and delivers quality visuals while video calling.
Connectivity Features
The Asus Zenbook 14 features the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB Type-C ports (Thunderbolt 4)
- 1 x USB 3.2 port
- 1 x HDMI port
- MicroSD card reader
Processor and Performance
What powers this magnificent laptop inside is the latest eleventh generation Intel Core i5 1135G7 quad-core processor with a maximum turbo boost frequency of 4.2GHz.
Intel claims that this processor is around 30% faster and power-efficient than the last iteration of tenth generation CPUs.
The Zenbook 14 comes with 8GB of LPDDR4X super speed RAM module inside which delivers ultra-smooth everyday computing experience.
There will be no lags or stutters during app opening or multitasking, thanks to this high-performance modern RAM module.
Speaking of storage, the Zenbook 14 comes with a 512GB SSD onboard, which is quite enough for most purposes in this cloud-centric era where almost everything is stored and shared online.
Last but not the least, Intel has updated their integrated graphics this time and the newer Iris Max Xe graphics which assists the processor in graphics-heavy tasks, perform much better than ever.
Display
Asus Zenbook 14 features one of the best displays in the sub. Rs.80,000 price category period.
As the name suggests, the Zenbook 14 comes with a 14-inch Full HD panel and has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
This is an anti-glare IPS display with excellent viewing angles and minimal light reflectivity. Apart from that, the minimal bezels on the side mean almost 90% of screen to body ratio, providing an immersive visual experience with no compromise.
This particular display panel covers 100% of sRGB colour gamut, meaning excellent colour reproduction. The dynamic range is equally good resulting in vivid and life-like visuals throughout.
With a peak brightness level of 300nits, this panel looks legible even when used under brightly lit interiors.
Miscellaneous
The keyboard as expected is backlit and has a decent 1.4mm key travel distance for a comfortable typing experience.
The curved keys prevent mistyping and guide the fingers through the keys accurately.
To negate the lack of a dedicated number pad, the touchpad has the provision to display the number pad digitally as a capacitive keyboard.
The quality of touchpad is very good and the gestures work flawlessly as intended.
Apart from the genuine Windows 10 OS, Asus has also bundled a copy of MS Office 2019 Home/Student with this laptop.
Battery Life
The Zenbook 14 from Asus is powered by a 4-cell 67Whr battery that the company claims will last up to a whopping 21 hours on a single charge.
However, take this number with a pinch of salt and expect anywhere from 10-15 hours on real-life usage.
The bundled 65W adapter supports fast charging and juices up the battery from 0-60% in just under 50 minutes.
Verdict
If you’re a frequent traveller who would like to work on the fly, the Asus Zenbook 14 is the best travel laptop for a budget under Rs.80,000.
The impressive battery life and the powerful performance makes this laptop a champion in its segment without any doubt.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.17Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Intel i5 11th generation – 1135G7 |
GPU | Intel integrated Iris Xe |
Display | 14-inch Full HD anti-glare IPS Display |
Battery Life | Up to 8 Hours |
7. HP Pavilion 14
Best Productivity Laptop
- Powerful Intel tiger lake processor
- 16GB of onboard RAM
- Vivid FHD display
Pros
Up to 5 hours of battery life
1-year manufacturing warranty
HP true vision HD webcam
Cons
No dedicated GPU
HP is a tough contender for brands such as Lenovo, Acer, Asus and MSI. With decades of experience in the Indian market, HP is currently one of the strong contenders here in this part of the world.
The Pavilion 14 is a thin and lightweight 14-inch laptop priced under Rs.70,000 ideal for use with travellers and students alike.
Design and Build Quality
The new HP Pavilion 14 is built from hard plastic materials with decent quality. The silver-grey finish of the display lid might be mistaken for an aluminium build but it’s plastic in reality.
The metallic silver paint job all across the chassis with the chrome HP logo in the center gives this laptop a premium feel.
The full-size hinge mechanism lifts the display lid smoothly and holds it tight to prevent wobbling while working under fans.
Weighing at just 1.41Kg, not only is this 14-inch laptop thin and lightweight but also compact enough to fit comfortably inside most regular sized bags.
The button firing dual speakers onboard this laptop offers decent sound quality, but the loudness is not the best per se.
Connectivity Features:
The HP Pavilion 14 sports the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB 3.1 ports
- 1 x USB-C port (Power Delivery, Display port, Charging)
- 1 x HDMI port
- Multi-format SD card reader
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
Processor and Performance
What runs the show on HP Pavilion 14 is the latest tiger lake Intel i5 11th generation quad-core processor with a turbo clock speed of 4.2GHz.
This laptop has 16GB DDR4 RAM clocked at 3200MHz which is more than sufficient to run multiple applications at once without any lags or stutters.
The Intel integrated Iris Xe graphics assists the CPU to deal with graphics-intensive tasks and it does a good job at that, much better than its predecessor UHD counterparts.
Storage-wise, the HP Pavilion 14 comes loaded with a 512GB SSD characterized by excellent read/write speeds.
Display
The HP Pavilion 14 features a 14-inch Full HD anti-glare IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
This relatively smaller display with the FHD resolution delivers crisp and clean visuals as well as text without any pixelations whatsoever.
The narrow bezels around the display help it to achieve an impressive screen to body ratio, resulting in an immersive media consumption experience.
This display has a peak brightness of 250 nits, adequate to be visible indoors, even under brightly lit environments, quite effortlessly.
Miscellaneous
The HP Pavilion 14 comes pre-installed with the Windows 10 Home OS. The laptop also comes pre-loaded with the MS Office Home and student 2019 which you can use for a lifetime.
The tenkeyless natural silver backlit enabled keyboard provides good typing feedback and you can work under dim lit conditions tirelessly as it has LED backlighting.
The trackpad is of high quality and it supports multi-finger gestures, thanks to the Microsoft precision driver support.
The Pavilion 14 from HP features a fingerprint reader on board which works in conjunction with the Windows Hello feature for secure and seamless one-touch login.
Battery Life
The HP Pavilion 14 is powered by the 3-cell 43Wh lithium-ion battery that is rated to last up to 5 hours on a full charge.
The bundled power adapter takes almost 2:15 hours to juice up the battery levels from 0 – 100%.
Verdict
If you are looking for a high-performance laptop for work, then picking HP Pavilion 14 is a no brainer.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 11 |
RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.41Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 – 5500U |
GPU | AMD Radeon |
Display | 14-inch FHD IPS anti-glare display |
Battery Life | Up to 6 Hours |
8. Acer Aspire 5
All-round Performer
- Intel 11th Gen processor
- Upgradable hardware
- Good quality FHD display
Pros
Tactile backlit keyboard
Premium look
Decent battery life
Cons
No biometric fingerprint sensor
Acer is a tough competitor in the laptop industry and their Aspire series laptops are known for its performance and affordability.
The Acer Aspire 5 is a thin and lightweight laptop that offers great performance for the asking price of Rs.63,990.
Design and Build Quality
The Acer Aspire 5 is a premium-looking laptop that has a fine silver finish on the chassis.
Acer hasn’t compromised in the build quality, the top lid is made from aluminium whereas the keyboard deck is made out of plastic.
This lightweight machine feels delightful to travel with and it fits easily inside a regular-sized backpack so you don’t have to worry about its portability.
The hinge mechanism provides sufficient friction to move the lid and also hold it steadily to prevent wobbliness.
The air inlet vents are at the bottom and the heat dissipates through the rear side vent.
Connectivity Features:
The Acer Aspire 5 features the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB 3.2 ports
- 1 x USB 2.0 port
- 1 x USB-C port
- 1 x HDMI port
- RJ-45 LAN port
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
Processor and Performance
The one that powers this laptop is the latest Intel i5 11th generation quad-core processor with a turbo clock speed of 4.2GHz.
It comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM onboard. Everyday tasks will run smoothly and multitasking can be also done without any lags or stutters.
If you feel the need for more RAM, Acer has provided the provision to expand the RAM up to 24GB.
The 512GB SSD provides ample space to store files offline and it’s not limited to that only, it also significantly improves the performance with its excellent read and write speed.
The entry-level dedicated 2GB DDR5 Nvidia GeForce MX350 graphics provide good graphic performance. That doesn’t mean you can play AAA titles at full throttle but you can play some light games and run editing software.
Display
The Acer Aspire 5 sports a 14-inch Full HD IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
The display has thin bezels on the sides which provides an immersive wide viewing experience on content consumption.
While using the laptop indoors, you will be able to see visuals of the panel crystal clear. However, outdoor legibility is not that good.
The colour reproduction is better than the TN panel and thankfully, there’s no noticeable negative effect in visuals as well when viewing from an angle, thanks to the IPS technology.
Miscellaneous
The Acer Aspire 5 comes pre-installed with the Windows 10 Home OS.
The tenkeyless backlit keyboard has well-spaced keys that provide good feedback on typing.
The center-positioned trackpad supports multi-finger gestures. The webcam at the top chin of the display provides okay quality in bright environments.
This machine lacks a biometric facility, knowing the competition we think there should be at least a fingerprint scanner.
Battery Life
The 3-cell lithium battery inside this laptop provides a battery life of up to 5 hours on a full charge with normal to intense use.
The 65W bundled power adapter will juice up the laptop battery for under 2:15 hours.
Verdict
The Aspire 5 is a good laptop for students and office goers. This machine has a premium look, it provides speedy performance and decent battery life.
If you travel occasionally then this laptop will be a perfect fit or even if you are looking for a laptop under the price of Rs.65,000 then go for this.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.45Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Intel i5 11th generation – 1135G7 |
GPU | 2GB DDR5 Nvidia GeForce MX350 |
Display | 14-inch FHD IPS display |
Battery Life | Up to 5 Hours |
9. HP 14s
Best Student Laptop
- 5th Gen AMD Ryzen CPU
- Gorgeous FHD IPS panel
- Built-in Alexa integration
Pros
Decent battery life
Robust build quality
Tenkeyless backlit keyboard
Cons
Speakers are not loud enough
HP 14s series is available in different price segments with different configurations and picking the best one can be tricky for first-time buyers.
The HP 14s FQ1030AU is an AMD-powered laptop that has built-in Alexa support available for purchase in India for just Rs.53,290.
Design and Build Quality
The HP 14s is built using the durable hard plastic material which is sturdy and can last for long if you use the laptop with extra care.
The natural silver paint job applied to the top cover, keyboard deck, and bottom looks quite decent for the price. The bezels are in black colour which does not look absurd at all the silver and the black colour combination give this laptop an enchanting look.
Carrying this laptop will be a piece of cake as it weighs only 1.46Kg and you can easily take this machine to college or the office in a regular backpack.
The robust hinge mechanism provides a smooth opening and closing motion to the lid and it prevents the lid from wobbling too much while using the laptop under a ceiling fan.
HP has provided air inlets and exhaust vents all over the laptop chassis to ensure that the internal temperature remains under check all the time.
Connectivity Features:
The HP 14s FQ1030AU features the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB 3.2 ports
- 1 x USB-C port
- 1 x HDMI port
- Multi-format SD card reader
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
Processor and Performance
The HP 14s is powered by the latest fifth-generation AMD Ryzen 5 – 5500U six-core processor with a base clock speed of 2.1GHz and a turbo boost up to 4GHz.
AMD has shown significant improvement in terms of processor design and performance off late and having this power-efficient processor offers better performance and battery life.
The 8GB DDR4 RAM onboard can handle everyday tasks with ease and thanks to this multi-core CPU, you can do multitasking without facing any lag or stutter.
Besides CPU, there is an integrated AMD GPU that helps the CPU handle graphics-related tasks.
As for the storage, this laptop features a 512GB SSD that boots up the system instantaneously and apps load much faster than a conventional HDD.
Display
The HP 14s sports a 14-inch Full HD IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
Thanks to the smaller size and the FHD resolution, the pixel density count is on the higher side resulting in sharp, clear visuals and text without any noticeable pixelation.
The colours on this panel look vivid and punchy. Being an IPS panel there is no colour shifting when viewed from the sides as well.
This display is bright enough to be comfortable for use indoors, even under brightly lit environments.
Miscellaneous
The HP 14s comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Home operating system.
The tenkeyless backlit keyboard offers good typing feedback and enabling the LED-backlit will let you effortlessly do your work in poor lighting conditions.
The trackpad can read multi-finger input and it responds quickly on input, thanks to the Microsoft precision driver support.
As we already mentioned above, the HP 14s comes with the Amazon Alexa integration that can respond to your voice commands. You can control the settings or ask questions to the laptop to get the results without typing it out.
Battery Life
The HP 14s is powered by a 3-cell 41Wh lithium battery that is rated to last up to 5 hours on a single full charge.
The bundled 65W AC adapter charges the battery from zero to a hundred within 2 – 2:30 hours.
Verdict
The HP 14s is one of the best thin and lightweight laptops under Rs.60,000 ideal for frequent travellers and casual users who want a powerful portable machine with excellent performance and decent battery life.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.47Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 – 5500U |
GPU | AMD Radeon |
Display | 14-inch FHD IPS display |
Battery Life | Up to 5 Hours |
10. Nokia PureBook S14
Durable and Reliable Laptop
- Intel i5 11th Gen processor
- Robust build quality
- Thin and lightweight
Pros
Backlit keyboard
Dolby Atmos speaker
Good battery life
Cons
No fingerprint scanner
Nokia gained a positive response from consumers on their first notebook laptop, the Nokia PureBook X14 and after a break, they came back with the upgrade.
The Nokia PureBook S14 is equipped with the latest eleventh generation processor and features the latest Windows 11 OS – so let’s find under Rs.60,000 is this laptop right for you or not.
Design and Build Quality
Unlike its predecessor, this one is not that lightweight, on the other hand, it’s not bulky as well.
It’s a 14-inch laptop that weighs 1.4Kg which is a standard weight for any notebook laptop and portability is not an issue with this one.
Nokia keeps the chassis quality of the laptop at par – it is forged from the magnesium aluminium alloy.
This sturdy and stylish-looking laptop features a robust hinge mechanism that prevents the lid wobble as well as gives enough friction to open and close it with confidence.
Connectivity Features:
The Nokia PureBook S14 features the following I/O ports;
- 1 x USB-C port
- 1 x USB 3.0 port
- 1 x HDMI port
- MicroSD card reader
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
Processor and Performance
As we said, the hardware inside this laptop is the latest. The processor is the Intel i5 11th generation quad-core processor with a turbo clock speed of 4.2GHz.
The model we have here has 8GB RAM which is sufficient for everyday use and multitasking.
In case you want to buy a 16GB RAM model, you need to pay Rs.3,000 extra because it is priced at Rs.60,990.
Coming to the storage part, Nokia has included a 512GB SSD that gives enough space to store documents offline and boost the laptop performance.
The Intel integrated Iris Xe GPU assists the CPU in graphic processing and is even better than Intel UHD still, it can not run a high-end game smoothly.
Display
The Nokia PureBook S14 sports a 14-inch Full HD IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
This small-sized display with rich pixels produces sharp and crisp quality visuals.
It’s an IPS panel so you don’t find any colour shifting in the visuals when watching the panel from an angle and the colours look good.
The bezels are fairly thin and watching media content on this panel will be an immersive experience.
Miscellaneous
Out of the box, the Nokia PureBook S14 is pre-installed with the Windows 11 OS so you will get to use a completely new interface.
Nokia has provided top firing speakers with Dolby Atmos so you will get a nice audio experience.
The tenkeyless backlit keyboard provides good typing feedback – the keycaps are large but feel a bit congested and don’t worry as you will get used to it in no time.
The trackpad supports multi-finger gestures. The only missing thing on the C-deck is a fingerprint scanner.
Battery Life
Unlike other brands, Nokia is very honest regarding its battery life. You will get around 6 hours of battery with mixed usage.
The bundled 57W charger will juice up the laptop battery in 2 to 2:30 hours.
Verdict
The Nokia PureBook S14 is a versatile laptop that is a good pick for most people except gamers.
With a price tag of Rs.60,000, Nokia has a winner in its portfolio with the PureBook S14.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 11 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.4Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Intel i5 11th generation – 1135G7 |
GPU | Intel integrated Iris Xe |
Display | 14-inch FHD IPS display |
Battery Life | Up to 6 Hours |
11. MSI Modern 14
Best Budget Laptop
- Battery life up to 6 hours
- Good multitasking performance
- Vivid Full HD display
Pros
Thin and lightweight form factor
Genuine Windows 10 Home OS
White backlit keyboard
Cons
No RJ-45 LAN port
MSI is a Taiwanese electronics company that is known for its computer hardware peripherals and gaming laptops across the globe.
The Modern 14 from MSI is an ultra-lightweight everyday laptop with excellent hardware specifications.
Design and Build Quality
The overall fit and finish of this laptop feel premium. The brushed aluminium finish on the entire laptop gives it a sheen look.
The MSI Modern 14 weighs just 1.3Kg which makes this machine super easy to carry around.
MSI has provided the ergo lift hinge which lifts the deck from the base and provides the user with a comfortable typing posture.
Speaking of hinges, you can open the lid with one hand. The lid open-close process is silent and the lid does not wobble much while sitting under a speedy ceiling fan.
Connectivity Features:
The MSI Modern 14 features the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB 3.2 ports
- 1 x USB-C port
- 1 x HDMI port
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
- SD card reader
Processor and Performance
This travel-friendly laptop from MSI is powered by an Intel i3 11th generation dual-core processor with a turbo clock frequency of up to 4.1GHz.
The integrated Intel UHD graphics assist the processor when it comes to handling graphics-heavy tasks.
This laptop is equipped with 8GB DDR4 RAM which provides amazing performance on casual tasks and even with multitasking as well.
MSI Modern 14 also comes with the provision of RAM expansion up to 32GB to enhance the multitasking performance if required.
The 512GB SSD makes this machine faster and performs a whole lot better in terms of overall performance.
Display
The MSI Modern 14 comes with a 14-inch Full HD LED-backlit IPS display with a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
It’s a 60Hz panel with good colour reproduction. This panel is ideal for both work and media consumption.
Since it is an IPS panel, the viewing angles are good and the image does not differ even while watching from the sides.
Speaking of the brightness, There’s nothing to complain about while using this laptop indoors.
Miscellaneous
The MSI Modern 14 comes pre-installed with the Windows 10 Home OS.
The white backlit keyboard on the deck has short key travel and makes the typing experience a bit sub-par when compared with other laptops in this price segment.
Since this laptop keyboard comes with LED backlighting, it is a pleasure to use it at night.
The webcam at the top of the display provides a good quality in a brightly lit environment.
Battery Life
The MSI Modern 14 laptop is powered by a 3-cell 52Wh lithium battery which surprisingly lasts for up to 6 hours on a single charge.
Well, don’t expect this number to be constant as battery life may vary depending on the screen brightness and application usage.
The bundled 65W power adapter juices up the battery from 0-100 in nearly 2 hours.
Verdict
The MSI Modern 14 is the best laptop for working professionals and others who want a powerful machine that can be taken anywhere on their trips without adding too much heft to their travel bags.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.3Kg |
SSD | 512 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Intel i3 11th generation – 1115G4 |
GPU | Inte lntegrated UHD |
Display | 14-inch FHD LED-backlit IPS display |
Battery Life | Up to 6 Hours |
12. Realme Book
Feature-rich Laptop
- High quality 2K vivid display
- Robust aluminum build quality
- Latest CPU and high-speed RAM inside
Pros
Fingerprint scanner
Backlit keyboard
Up to 6 hours of battery life
Cons
Limited I/O ports
Realme is a well-known brand in the smartphone industry and the company has recently extended its portfolio in laptops by launching its first product in the Indian market – Realme Book.
The Realme Book is being touted as a fierce rival to the Redmi Notebook series from Xiaomi. Is it a worthy opponent? Let’s find out!
Design and Build Quality
From top to bottom, the chassis of this laptop is made out of aluminium and it has a grey colour paint job finish which makes it look premium.
Realme has tried to keep the design minimalistic so that the laptop will look simple yet aesthetically pleasing.
Weighing at just 1.38Kg, it’s a pleasure to carry this device around.
The robust hinge mechanism ensures that the lid won’t wobble when you place the machine under a high-speed ceiling fan.
This machine has dual fans inside that helps to keep the internal temperature under check even under heavier loads.
Connectivity Features:
The realme Book features the following I/O ports:
- 2 x USB-C ports
- 1 x USB 3.1 port
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
Processor and Performance
The CPU inside the realme Book is the latest Intel i3 11th generation dual-core processor with a turbo clock speed of 4.1GHz.
Usually, laptops under Rs.50,000 have RAM clocked at 3200Mhz or below but this one has 8GB of DDR4 RAM clocked at 3733MHz.
The higher clock frequency of hardware allows it to process the tasks much faster and efficiently and multitasking performance will be a breeze on this one.
The 256GB SSD inside takes less power to operate and delivers better performance. It will provide near-instantaneous system boot up and programs will load at a much faster rate.
The Intel UHD graphics assist the CPU to deal with the resourceful graphical task.
Display
This is where realme book leaves its competitors far behind.
The realme Book sports a 14-inch Quad HD IPS display with a resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels.No, we are not mistaken it’s the truth that you are getting to experience a 2K display under the price of Rs.50,000.
The quality of visuals is so sharp and one more thing to add, that panel has 100% of sRGB which means the picture and text appears sharp and clean.
However, the display has a 3:2 aspect ratio so it will be taller and less wide which might not be good for media consumption but your taste might differ.
For work purposes, this is a perfect display. Thanks to the IPS technology, there is no colour shifting when you view the panel from an angle.
Miscellaneous
The realme Book comes pre-installed with the Windows 10 Home OS and the good news is that brand has already announced that in the future, this laptop will get the Windows 11 update for free.
The tenkeyless backlit keyboard has a key travel distance of 1.3mm. It provides soft and silent typing feedback so if you like noise-free typing then this keyboard is just right for you.
The LED backlighting underneath the keyboard will let you do work efficiently in low light environments.
The trackpad is positioned in the centre and it registers the multi-finger gestures precisely. The power button doubles up as a fingerprint scanner for one-touch login.
Battery Life
The realme Book is powered by a 54Wh lithium battery and it will easily provide backup for up to 6 hours on a full charge.
The bundled 65W USB-C power adapter supports fast charging technology and it juices up the battery from 0 – 50% in just 30 minutes.
Verdict
The realme Book is just a perfect compact and lightweight notebook laptop for students and working professionals.
It is completely feature-packed and for a price under Rs.45,000, you will not get any better deal than this one.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.38Kg |
SSD | 256 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Intel i3 11th generation – 1115G4 |
GPU | Inte lntegrated UHD |
Display | 14-inch QHD IPS display |
Battery Life | Up to 5 Hours |
13. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i
Pros
Fingerprint scanner
Backlit keyboard
Webcam with privacy shutter
Cons
Old integrated GPU
Lenovo manufactures laptops for all budget segments and always keeps the entry-level in the limelight to keep the attention of budget-conscious buyers.
The new model of Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3i now comes with the latest eleventh generation Intel processor and is priced at just Rs.43,990.
Design and Build Quality
The use of plastic is being continued in the budget Ideapad series and this one is no different.
But don’t worry the build quality doesn’t feel cheap though you do notice some flex on the body which is common with every plastic build laptop.
The plastic construction helps reduce overall weight and this 14-inch machine weighs just 1.41Kg.
The lid and C-deck surface have a brushed finish which gives this machine a nice look, to be honest.
The ergonomic design makes it convenient for the user to carry it, be it in your hands or a backpack.
Connectivity Features:
The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3i features the following I/O ports:
- 1 x USB 3.2 port
- 1 x USB 2.0 port
- 1 x USB-C port
- 1 x HDMI port
- MicroSD card reader
- 3.5mm combo audio jack
Processor and Performance
The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3i is powered by the Intel i3 11th generation dual-core processor with a turbo clock frequency of 4.1GHz.
The 8GB DDR4 RAM provides a buttery smooth performance on day to day usage. It is even capable of handling multitasking, not the intense one but you can easily work with 5-6 browser abs simultaneously.
If you need a bit of push in performance, then do prefer expanding the RAM up to 12GB. The only drawback is that you have to remove the existing 4GB DDR4 RAM module as the laptop has a dual-channel configuration.
Speaking about the storage module, the machine encompasses a 256GB SSD that elevates the laptop performance to a whole new level.
It boosts the OS boot-up time and reduces the application loading time significantly.
This new Intel CPU is still assisted by the Intel UHD GPU in terms of graphic processing and you can expect to play some light games.
Display
The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3i features a 14-inch Full HD anti-glare IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
The max brightness we found in this price segment is 220-250 nits but this panel has 300 nits of peak brightness which is sufficient enough for indoor use.
The visuals look clear even while sitting under direct artificial light because the panel has an anti-glare coating which blocks the light reflection and also protects your eyes from getting stressed.
The colour reproduction is okay and there is no negative effect in visual when viewing the display from an angle, thanks to the IPS technology.
This small-sized panel with rich pixels offers crisp and quality visuals.
Miscellaneous
The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3i comes pre-installed with the Windows 10 Home OS.
The C deck contains a tenkeyless backlit keyboard that has curved shaped keys and it provides a soft typing experience.
Surprisingly, this Ideapad laptop has a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button that is fast and offers secure login.
The centre-positioned trackpad is easily accessible and supports tap and multi-finger gestures precisely.
The 720p webcam has a physical shutter so while not using the webcam use the slide the shutter to the left so no one can sneak into your private life.
Battery Life
The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3i is powered by a 45Wh lithium-polymer battery that offers up to 5 hours of battery life.
The bundled 65W round tip wall mount charger juices up the battery levels from 0 – 100% in 2 to 2:15 hours.
Verdict
The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3i is a great notebook laptop for students, working professionals, and media enthusiasts.
Priced just under Rs.45,000, this Lenovo laptop is worth buying for your everyday use.
Specifications
Operating System | Windows 10 |
RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
Weight(Kg) | 1.41Kg |
SSD | 256 GB |
HDD | – |
CPU | Intel i3 11th generation – 1115G4 |
GPU | Inte lntegrated UHD |
Display | 14-inch FHD anti-glare IPS display |
Battery Life | Up to 5 Hours |
This concludes our list of the best thirteen travel laptops in the Indian market.
If you liked the list and want to read more, we have an awesome list of the best laptops on the market in every possible budget category.
If you have any suggestions or questions regarding this article, let us know in the comments section below.
Thanks for your time and have a great day!
Buying Guide for Travel Laptops
Yes, all laptops can be carried in your bags and used anywhere in the world. But are they travel friendly?
Stuffing a bulky sized laptop in the backpack, adding weight to the shoulders isn’t exactly an exercise one would love to encounter often.
If you are a frequent traveller or someone who likes to stay connected always no matter where they are, having a laptop with a lightweight and compact stature, yet powerful enough to handle all your casual as well as productivity tasks is of utmost importance.
Picking one such laptop is not an easy task anymore, especially with a truckload of choices out there. In this short buying guide, we’ll cover a few important points that you should look out for while purchasing a travel laptop.
Weight
The first and foremost factor to consider when purchasing a travel laptop is its weight. A travel laptop should be lightweight and compact as possible for easy portability.
Even though plastic chassis laptops can be considered, it is better to go with metal chassis machines if possible.
Laptops and ultrabooks with aluminium alloy chassis are available these days at affordable price segments.
Metal laptops are more durable and less susceptible to damages when carried around extensively in a backpack.
Laptops weighing anywhere from 1-1.75Kg can be considered as ideal for a travel laptop.
Display
There are two factors to be considered when talking about the display of a travel laptop – display quality and display size.
Speaking of the display quality we all want the display on our laptop to look better no matter if it is a travel laptop or a gaming laptop.
But, in case of a travel laptop, not only should you look for a Full HD panel but also check its maximum brightness level.
This is because travel laptops will be often used outdoors. In this situation, the brightness level of the display will be the make or break factor.
Higher the peak brightness level, better will be the outdoor legibility.
Make sure that the display has a peak brightness level of 350nits and upwards.
Next factor to consider is if the display has an anti-glare coating or not. The anti-glare coating will reduce the light reflecting off the display and improves the overall visibility. It does save your eyes from unwanted stress as well.
Now comes the display size. Yes, you can carry around a normal laptop with a 15.6-inch display in your backpack. But this calls in for a larger form factor, which in turn increases the weight and the size footprint.
It is ideal to go for a screen size anywhere between 13.3-inch to 14.inches. The smaller display and the higher FHD resolution improves the sharpness of the visuals, thanks to the high pixels density count.
Performance
The ability to carry out the tasks thrown at it is a very important factor for all laptops, not just travel laptops.
This performance is the direct result of the processor used inside. Most of the travel laptops these days come up with energy-efficient, powerful quad-core mobile CPUs such as Intel Core i5 and AMD Ryzen series.
The most recent iteration of the Intel processors is the eleventh generation and when it comes to AMD, it is the Ryzen fourth generation.
The eleventh generation processors are not yet available on a wide scale but we expect them to hit the market soon enough.
Latest processors are more power-efficient and have 10-30% better performance than the last generation.
Do note that this doesn’t mean the tenth generation Intel and the third generation AMD processors are any bad for daily use, but if possible go for a laptop with the latest processor.
Operating System
This is a very straightforward affair. Apple laptops run MacOS and others run mostly on Windows 10 OS and some on Linux.
It’s always better to prefer the OS you are familiar with. However, if you want to make a switch, picking a laptop with a different OS is not a bad idea.
macOS is much more optimized and power-efficient than Windows 10 and delivers a buttery smooth experience. The Windows 10 isn’t that bad when it comes to performance either.
Linux laptops are by and large very few in this category but you can easily dual boot Linux on a Windows machine if that’s your choice.
Ever since the dawn of the cloud computing era, everything you need, software, services and such are available online and the laptop has just become a tool to access them, rather than running it onboard.
Keyboard and Trackpad
Primarily due to the compact form factor, all the laptops come with a tenkeyless keyboard. If you type a lot, the presence of a responsive and tactile keyboard is of utmost importance.
The compact form factor is a boon and bane for travel laptops. Since the size is small, the keys will have to be arranged closer and the key travel distance will be minimum.
However, we think most of the travel laptops have indeed very decent keyboards facilitating comfortable typing experience.
Backlit functionality is one other important factor to consider while purchasing a travel laptop.
Laptops with the backlit feature will be easier to use in dark rooms or dimly lit environments,
The trackpad of the travel laptop should be spacious and of good build quality. This is because most of the time, you may be in transit and won’t be using a separate mouse to control the cursor.
Apple laptops are known for their spacious glass trackpads with precise gesture controls. If you are purchasing a Windows-based travel laptop, make sure it comes with Microsoft precision driver support for accurate tap and multi-finger gesture actions.
Battery Life
A travel laptop should have long lasting battery life as frequent charging may not be an option during long transits.
All the Apple laptops will deliver 10+ hours of screen on time comfortably with normal usage.
With Windows laptops, you should at least eye somewhere around 7 hours for an interrupted mobile computing experience.
Fast charging is also a big plus for travel laptops. Juicing up the battery inside pretty quickly will save you a lot of time.
Price
Last but not least, the budget is a very important factor while purchasing a product.
While ultrabooks with good build quality and performance can be bought for a budget under Rs.50,000, 2-in-1 convertible laptops that can be used as both tablet and laptop can be purchased from Rs.60,000 onwards.
Apple laptops are more expensive than Windows-powered laptops, but there are machines with comparable specs and features for almost half the price.
It is always important to set a budget in mind before going for laptop research. Otherwise, it is very easy to get confused with the thousands of models out there and you may end up purchasing one that won’t suit your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.1: Which laptop is better – Windows or macOS powered ones?
Ans: Both these operating systems are fundamentally different from each other and run on different sets of hardware.
An operating system provides a graphical user interface to interact with the laptop and run a set of instructions to get the desired result. There are applications which have Windows as well as macOS compatible versions that do the same thing and return the same result.
In short, both the Windows as well as MacOS laptops provide intuitive computing experience to the user.
Q.2: Are metal laptops heavy?
Ans: Not exactly. When we hear the word metal, our brain will automatically equate it to a denser and heavier medium than plastic.
The reality is that most of the metallic laptops have a lightweight aluminium alloy frame, which is equally or sometimes less heavy than plastic frames.
Q.3: The travel laptop which I am planning to purchase doesn’t come with an RJ45 port. Will this pose any problem?
Ans: No. Wi-Fi is now almost universally available anywhere you go. To be specific, you will find Wi-Fi hotspots more than the actual physical ethernet cables.
Since travel laptops have a slim form factor, manufacturers often avoid including the bulky RJ45 LAN port and this design choice is perfectly understandable.
Even though the speeds via Wi-Fi will be a tad bit slower than a wired LAN, it is nothing as such a deal-breaker in any case.
Q.4: Do my travel laptop need to have a dedicated GPU?
Ans: It depends on what you plan to do with the laptop during your trips. If you want an entry-level laptop powerful enough for content creation tasks such as video editing, having a dedicated GPU is beneficial.
If casual browsing, document editing and media consumption are what you plan to do with the laptop, the integrated graphics solutions available with Intel and AMD processors are more than necessary.
Note that for running applications such as Adobe Photoshop, you don’t need a dedicated GPU. It will run just fine without one as well.
Q.5: I am not getting the promised battery life from my travel laptop. Is there any solution?
Ans: Never trust the numbers printed on a paper, especially regarding the battery life.
Battery life is a highly subjective matter that will vary depending on the usage, applications running, screen brightness and even the outside temperature.
If you want to improve the battery life, actions such as setting the display brightness lower, changing the power plan to balanced mode etc. will help.