Best Lightweight Laptops of 2025
- +
- -
Some laptops are designed to stay at home and function like desktop computers that you can move from room to room.
اضافة اعلان
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (2.96 pounds) is the best lightweight Copilot Plus PC. (Matt Elliott/CNET/TNS)
On the other hand, the design of other laptops prioritizes portability, making them light enough to fit into your bag for daily commutes and frequent travel, allowing you to return home at the end of the day without shoulder pain.
The options you see here fall into this latter category, but these are not just the smallest laptops we've reviewed.
These are the lightweight laptops that CNET editors have tested over the past year. Many new models were recently announced at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, based on next-gen laptop chips from Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA. However, there is a slight delay — from two weeks to several months — between the unveiling of a laptop and its availability for purchase.
The three lightweight laptops featured here were all released last year but remain current with modern components. While we will offer additional recommendations when reviewing new laptops for 2025, this is the ideal time to find a lightweight laptop from 2024, as many of them are available at good discounts.
1. M3 MacBook Air (2.7 lbs / 1.224 kg) - Best Lightweight Laptop
For the latest MacBook Air from Apple, not much has changed from the previous version, except for the transition from M2 chips to M3 chips. The performance differences between the two devices are modest, but graphics performance has received a notable boost.
The biggest features include support for Wi-Fi 6E, faster connectivity, and the ability to run dual external displays, albeit at the cost of closing the MacBook Air's lid.
The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is gorgeous, and the build quality of the MacBook Air is slim yet sturdy. Not only is the M3 Air one of our favorite lightweight laptops, but it’s also the best overall laptop. Thanks to its blend of portability, build quality, performance, and battery life, it’s considered the best laptop for most people.
M3 MacBook Air (2.7 pounds) is the best lightweight laptop. (Josh Goldman/CNET/TNS)
2. Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (2.96 lbs / 1.342 kg) - Best Lightweight Laptop with "Copilot Plus" Feature
The Surface Laptop 7 reflects previous ARM-on-Windows efforts, which struggled with performance and limited compatibility, as many x86 apps couldn’t run on an ARM-based system. This time, both performance and compatibility have improved. Additionally, its battery life is remarkable.
The Surface Laptop 7 is the longest-lasting 13- or 14-inch laptop. Its luxurious runtime, combined with a weight under 3 pounds, makes the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 an ideal travel companion.
We wish there were an OLED screen option, and you will need to do a compatibility check for your important applications before adopting an ARM-based Surface Laptop 7, but if you can get past those hurdles, you’ll get a lightweight, long-lasting Windows laptop.
3. Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 (2.9 lbs / 1.315 kg) - Best Lightweight 2-in-1 Laptop
The premium Lenovo Yoga 9i convertible laptop is ultra-slim, lightweight, and compact. It doesn’t differ much from the Lenovo Yoga 7 mid-range convertible, but it’s noticeably lighter at under 3 pounds. The reduced weight is a clear advantage in easing the burden when traveling with the device, but it also makes the 2-in-1 more manageable in tablet mode.
The Lenovo Yoga 9i also upgrades to a high-resolution OLED display, and the amazing sound you get from its unique rotating soundbar hinge is exceptional. Its audio/video outputs are outstanding, giving this versatile device a strong boost as an entertainment machine.
CNET Magazine, Tribune Media Services.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (2.96 pounds) is the best lightweight Copilot Plus PC. (Matt Elliott/CNET/TNS)
On the other hand, the design of other laptops prioritizes portability, making them light enough to fit into your bag for daily commutes and frequent travel, allowing you to return home at the end of the day without shoulder pain.
The options you see here fall into this latter category, but these are not just the smallest laptops we've reviewed.
These are the lightweight laptops that CNET editors have tested over the past year. Many new models were recently announced at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, based on next-gen laptop chips from Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA. However, there is a slight delay — from two weeks to several months — between the unveiling of a laptop and its availability for purchase.
The three lightweight laptops featured here were all released last year but remain current with modern components. While we will offer additional recommendations when reviewing new laptops for 2025, this is the ideal time to find a lightweight laptop from 2024, as many of them are available at good discounts.
1. M3 MacBook Air (2.7 lbs / 1.224 kg) - Best Lightweight Laptop
For the latest MacBook Air from Apple, not much has changed from the previous version, except for the transition from M2 chips to M3 chips. The performance differences between the two devices are modest, but graphics performance has received a notable boost.
The biggest features include support for Wi-Fi 6E, faster connectivity, and the ability to run dual external displays, albeit at the cost of closing the MacBook Air's lid.
The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is gorgeous, and the build quality of the MacBook Air is slim yet sturdy. Not only is the M3 Air one of our favorite lightweight laptops, but it’s also the best overall laptop. Thanks to its blend of portability, build quality, performance, and battery life, it’s considered the best laptop for most people.
M3 MacBook Air (2.7 pounds) is the best lightweight laptop. (Josh Goldman/CNET/TNS)
2. Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (2.96 lbs / 1.342 kg) - Best Lightweight Laptop with "Copilot Plus" Feature
The Surface Laptop 7 reflects previous ARM-on-Windows efforts, which struggled with performance and limited compatibility, as many x86 apps couldn’t run on an ARM-based system. This time, both performance and compatibility have improved. Additionally, its battery life is remarkable.
The Surface Laptop 7 is the longest-lasting 13- or 14-inch laptop. Its luxurious runtime, combined with a weight under 3 pounds, makes the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 an ideal travel companion.
We wish there were an OLED screen option, and you will need to do a compatibility check for your important applications before adopting an ARM-based Surface Laptop 7, but if you can get past those hurdles, you’ll get a lightweight, long-lasting Windows laptop.
3. Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 (2.9 lbs / 1.315 kg) - Best Lightweight 2-in-1 Laptop
The premium Lenovo Yoga 9i convertible laptop is ultra-slim, lightweight, and compact. It doesn’t differ much from the Lenovo Yoga 7 mid-range convertible, but it’s noticeably lighter at under 3 pounds. The reduced weight is a clear advantage in easing the burden when traveling with the device, but it also makes the 2-in-1 more manageable in tablet mode.
The Lenovo Yoga 9i also upgrades to a high-resolution OLED display, and the amazing sound you get from its unique rotating soundbar hinge is exceptional. Its audio/video outputs are outstanding, giving this versatile device a strong boost as an entertainment machine.
CNET Magazine, Tribune Media Services.
NEWS RELATED TO