We all hope that we will look back at 2022 as the year of a new optimism. The year that many businesses bounced back from the pandemic. Business travel is gradually limping back to normal. As we make the shift from day-long virtual meetings to hybrid work models and as office gossip shifts back to the coffee machine from virtual chat windows, we’re also seeing the re-emergence of the road warriors. Those ultrabooks are back in airport lounges and board rooms as we clock up more air miles and seek out the stuff that matters to frequent travellers — a lightweight form factor and all-day battery life. These slinky notebooks are up to the task:
MacBook Air M2
Probably the best ultrabook you can buy. To put this lean machine in context, this is the biggest overhaul since Steve Jobs pulled out the first MacBook Air out of a slim office envelope back in 2008. It’s ridiculously thin — just 11.3 mm and yet delivers terrific battery life — Apple claims 18 hours; this could depend on your use case scenarios. It’s not just the new design; Apple opts for a more symmetrical design language that makes a clean break from the wedge-shaped design template that’s defined the MacBook Air almost since its launch and it comes in a cool new Midnight colour way. The new M2 chip is the star of the show, it has a big impact on everyday performance. And then there’s the 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display that peaks at 500 nits of brightness.
Price: Rs 1,19,900 onwards
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro
One of our favourite Windows ultrabooks. You might struggle to find a lighter premium laptop with a 13-inch plus screen. It’s just 11.2 mm thin, weighs 870 gm despite an all metal build that is sturdy. One of our favourite features is the vivid 13.3-inch AMOLED display (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) with a 60Hz refresh rate. The Book 2 Pro is propelled by the latest 12th Gen Intel Core processors that slay any tasks you throw at it. We also like the convenience of the in-box 65W Type-C charger that also doubles up as a charger for your smartphone or tab.
Price: Rs 1,06,990 onwards
Microsoft Surface 8 Pro
Microsoft’s Surface line has always been a happy meeting ground of portability and productivity with add-ons like an intuitive stylus thrown in. The newest Surface Pro takes it further. Microsoft claims that the 2022 Pro is twice as fast as its predecessor — the Surface Pro 7, with over 40 per cent higher sustained CPU performance and 74 per cent faster graphics. The 13-inch screen supports dynamic refresh rate (up to 120Hz) and boasts of a higher resolution (2,800 x 1,920 pixels). The 16-hour battery life sweetens the deal.
Price: Rs 104,999 onwards
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED
One of the lightest laptops we tested in 2022. ASUS has pitched the Zenbook S13 as the world’s thinnest and lightest 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED touch screen laptop. It’s under 15 mm thin and weighs just above 1 kg. It’s the first notebook in India to be powered by Ryzen 6000 series CPUs and is finished with a magnesium-aluminium alloy that plays out in two cool pastel shades. It scores on the entertainment front too thanks to its large screen with a tall 16:10 ratio dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support.
Price: Rs 99,990 onwards
Dell XPS 13 Plus
We first spotted this ultra-light notebook at CES 2022. It’s a new beginning for Dell’s popular XPS line with a futuristic design language. The design refresh includes the trackpad that is now invisible — a glass pad with haptic feedback, and a keyboard with edge-to-edge design with flush keys. This featherlight laptop weighs under 1.3 kg and also comes with a choice of a touch screen. You can also choose from a 4.4GHz 12th Generation Intel Core i5 or 4.7GHz Core i7 processor.
Price: Rs 1,59,999 onwards
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro
We first checked out this laptop at Lenovo’s big consumer unveil for 2022 in Delhi. Lenovo showed off its entire range of premium laptops for 2022, all equipped with 12th generation Intel Core processors with faster graphics and improved battery performance. It was the Slim 7i Pro that caught our attention with it’s 14-inch 2.8K QHD+ OLED display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and its premium aluminium finish that comes in two gorgeous shades of grey.
Price: Rs 101,490 onwards
Fujitsu CH series
One of the early movers in the ultra-portable laptop segment, Fujitusu’s new offering for the India market weighs under 1 kg and features an elegant design language. The CH series notebooks are geared for multitasking and powered by an Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor with 4 Cores and 8 Threads. Fujitsu claims that both the OLED and IGZO display options both deliver a battery life of above 10 hours. We also like the convenience of the dual-use HDMI input and output port.
Price: Rs 70,138 onwards
HP Pavilion Aero 13-be0205AU
Finds the match between a lightweight form factor and all the processing power you need. At its heart is the new AMC Ryzen 5 processors. It weighs under 1 kg and features an expansive display 13.3-inch IPS display with WUXGA resolution (1,920 x 1,200 pixels), micro-edge borders and a compact size. The audio set-up gets a boost with dual B&O speakers while a HP Wide Vision 720p HD webcam is all you need for those virtual meetings.
Price: Rs 71,990 onwards
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