10 Brand Name Hybrid Notebooks Worth Checking Out

Hardware makers are trying to take advantage of one of the few bright spots in the slumping PC market: two-in-one hybrids. eWEEK picks out 10 of the most desirable hybrids.

The HP Pavilion x360 Convertible Laptop is one of the more recognizable devices in this roundup. Like all the others, the device can be used in tablet and notebook modes. The Pavilion x360 comes in the customer’s choice of screen size, runs on Windows 10 Home and offers the Intel Core i3 in its 15.6-inch model. HP tries to differentiate the device by delivering top-notch sound, thanks to its HP Audio Boost and custom-tuned speakers, courtesy of “experts” at B&O Play. Pricing on the x360 starts at $430, depending on the version customers buy.

The Lenovo Yoga 900S isn’t the most popular hybrid in this roundup, but it’s a nice option for many consumers. The device runs on the Intel Core M processor and offers Windows 10 Home out of the box. Customers will also find up to 8GB of memory, and the device can support up to a 256GB solid-state drive. The 900S has a 12-inch, quad-HD screen and, in addition to touch inputs, also works with a stylus. One other tidbit: It lasts 10.5 hours on a single charge. Pricing starts at $1,099.

HP is one of the more prolific hybrid-makers. In addition to the Pavilion x360, the company also sells the Spectre x360. That hybrid, which starts at $900, comes in the customer’s choice of a 13.3- or 15.6-inch screen size. Customers will also find a “geared hinge” that allows for free movement from a notebook to a tablet, and like the Lenovo Yoga 900S, the device supports a stylus. Best of all, it offers up to 12.5 hours on a single battery charge and doesn’t slouch on power. It can be configured with 16GB of RAM.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga is designed with corporate customers in mind. The 14-inch screen tops out at a 2K resolution and weighs just 2.8 pounds for enhanced portability. Customers can also configure the computer with an Intel Core i7 vPro processor, and Windows 10 Pro comes built-in. The ThinkPad X1 can hold its charge for 11 hours, and customers can get up to 16GB of onboard memory. The ThinkPad X1 Yoga starts at the rather odd price of exactly $1,394.10.

Competing devices might be running on Microsoft’s operating system, but that hasn’t stopped the company from building its own hybrid. Known as the Surface Book, the Microsoft device weighs as little as 3.3 pounds, depending on its configuration, and can run up to an Intel Core i7 processor. The Surface Book offers 12 hours of battery life and support for a stylus, and, of course, runs Windows 10. The Surface Book is designed for both consumers and enterprise customers, which is likely why there is such a wide price variation: The computer starts at $1,500, and the highest-end version goes for $3,199.

Dell has gotten into the mix with its XPS 12 two-in-one hybrid. Unlike some of the other options in this roundup, the XPS 12 doesn’t come with a hinge for free-moving transitions from notebook to tablet modes. Instead, it has a detachable 12-inch, 4K screen. So, users can decide to either attach the screen to the keyboard or remove the display and use it as a tablet. Regardless, customers will find Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro, sixth-generation Intel Core M processors, up to 256GB of solid-state memory and more. Prices start at $1,000.

The Asus Transformer Book Chi is yet another hybrid that supports both touch and stylus input. The device is exceedingly thin at just 0.3 inches and weighs only 2.4 pounds if customers choose the T100 model (the T300 weighs 3.2 pounds). The Chi offers up to 10 hours of battery life and, like the Dell XPS 12, has a detachable keyboard. It should be noted that the Chi ships with Windows 8.1 out of the box, though it can be upgraded to Windows 10 once it’s home. With a starting price of $259, the Chi is ideal for those who want an ultrathin, lightweight hybrid.

As its name might suggest, the Dell Inspiron 17 7000 comes with a big, 17-inch screen. In addition, customers will find an option for a discrete graphics chip, up to 1TB of storage, the sixth-generation Intel Core i7 processor and much more. The Inspiron 17 7000, in other words, is one of the most powerful hybrids in this roundup and, unlike many of the others, is designed for resource-heavy tasks instead of portability. One might be surprised, though, that pricing starts at $899.

Even Google’s Chrome OS has benefited from hybrid popularity. Acer, for instance, sells the Chromebook R 11. The computer, which costs just $280, won’t be a powerful option for customers, running on Intel’s Celeron processor. However, with built-in virus protection, a lightweight design at under 3 pounds and Chrome OS out of the box, it’s a standout in a market dominated by Microsoft and Windows.

Sony has pitched the Vaio Z Flip as the stylish option customers would want in a hybrid. In fact, the device has been manufactured with a combination of aluminum and carbon to create one of the sleekest designs in this roundup. Customers will also find support for a stylus, Windows 10 Home, an Intel Iris Graphics chip and a 13.3-inch quad-HD display in the base model. The highest-end version runs on Windows 10 Pro and has an Intel Core i7, among other improvements. Regardless of the option customers choose, they’ll be dishing out some serious cash. The base model starts at $1,800.