The best 2-in-1 laptops for creatives
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1. Best: Surface Laptop Studio 2
2. Budget: Chromebook Spin 714
3. Premium: Zenbook Duo OLED
4. Most power: E16 Flip Evo
5. Compact: Dell XPS 13 9315
6. Screen: HP Spectre x360
7. Portability: Surface Pro 9
Also tested
FAQs
How to choose
How we test
The best 2-in-1 laptops provide the best of both worlds. To work in tablet mode, either detach or rotate the screen to the laptop's back. Then return it to laptop mode when you prefer to use a physical keyboard. This makes 2-in-1s a great choice for digital creatives who usually use multiple devices.
When curating our list of the best 2-in-1 laptops, we've draws on personal experience reviewing both laptops and tablets. We've taken into account each device's suitability for creative work, as well as its specs and performance, the effectiveness of its transition mechanism, the quality of the display and, of course, its value for money.
As you'd expect, you'll also find a few of these machines in our roundup of the best laptops for drawing. However, if you don't want this kind of hybrid functionality, and are just happy with a traditional laptop, check out our guide to the best laptops for graphic design.
Quick list
1. Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
The Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a premium look, a gorgeous screen, a sleek finish and feel, and the way it converts from a laptop to a tablet and back again is one of the smoothest and most flexible we've experienced.
Read more below
2. Acer Chromebook Spin 714
If you're a creative on a strict budget but still want to enjoy the flexibility of a 2-in-1, Chromebooks can now deliver everything you need for artworking, photo-editing and more. The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 offers the perfect balance of performance and value.
Read more below
3. ASUS Zenbook Duo OLED
It's a 2-in-1 like no other. The ASUS Zenbook Duo OLED brings two full-size OLED touchscreens to the game, with a detachable keyboard and a wild variety of usage modes. For those looking for cutting-edge innovation and top useability, look no further.
Read more below
The best 2-in-1 laptops for creatives
The best 2-in-1 laptop overall
01. Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
The best 2-in-1 laptop for most people
CPU: 13th Gen Intel Core H | Graphics: Intel Iris Xe / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 and RTX 200 Ada laptop GPU | RAM: 16GB - 64GB | Screen: PixelSense Flow 14.4in 2400 x 1600 120Hz touch display | Storage: 512GB – 1TB SSD
Stunning display
Strong performance
Beautiful design
Battery life lacking
The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is simply the best laptop Microsoft has made. It has a premium look, a gorgeous screen and the kind of sleek finish and feel that even Mac devotees might be impressed by.
The way it converts from a laptop to a tablet and back again is one of the smoothest and most flexible we've experienced. The screen doesn't fold back on itself as many do but instead slips forward over the keyboard. This gives you an additional position – easel mode, with the screen at a nice angle for watching films or working on digital art.
The 14.4-inch screen's 3:2 ratio is noticeably taller than the usual widescreen format, allowing extra vertical space that can improve productively whether you're drawing, editing photos or even just writing and reading documents. And with a refresh rate of 120Hz, it could even serve as a reasonable gaming laptop.
And there's plenty of power, too, takes to the latest 13th Gen CPUs from Intel and a choice of Intel Xe graphics or an Nvidia RTX 4060 and RTX 2000 Ada professional GPUs – though it does mean the build is a little bulky, and our reviewer found the battery life isn't great in practice.
Best 2-in-1 on a budget
02. Acer Chromebook Spin 714
Best budget 2-in-1
CPU: 12th-Gen Intel Core i5-1235U | Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics eligible | RAM: 8/16GB | Screen: 14-inch 16:10 WUXGA 1920 x 1200p IPS touch display | Storage: 256/512GB SSD
Powerful for a Chromebook
Excellent FHD touchscreen
Well designed
Can't run all creative software on ChromeOS
Chromebooks are serious propositions for creatives on a budget now, and the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 offers premium features in a well-priced 2-in-1 package. The display is fantastic, so you'll enjoy watching and working on it in equal measure, and it sports Acer's by-now well-known sturdy build quality.
You can get the Intel Core i5-powered model for around $700 at the time of writing, which for what you get is a deal indeed. The touchscreen is spacious and responds well to pen input, which makes it a good proposition for artists and graphic designers who prefer to work directly on the screen.
Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 714 review for more details.
The best premium 2-in-1 laptop
02. ASUS Zenbook Duo OLED
The best 2-in-1 with premium features
CPU: 14th-gen Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | Graphics: Intel Arc Graphics | RAM: 32GB | Screen: 2x 14in 2880x1800 120Hz OLED | Storage: 2TB SSD
Futuristic form factor
Powerful
Fun to use
Expensive
Two screens can drain battery
This one's a bit different to all the other 2-in-1s on this list. The ASUS Zenbook Duo doesn't have a screen you can flip or turn into tablet mode. Instead, it has two full-size 14-inch screens which you can lay out in just about any way you can imagine, with a magnetically attached keyboard that can either lay over one screen or sit separate from the screens with its wireless connection.
Yes, it costs almost £/$2,000, but our reviewer was so impressed by it that we say it's definitely worth the outlay. With the latest AI-boosted 14th-gen Intel Core Ultra CPU and NPU onboard, it launches and runs creative software like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, digital artworking and content-creation software faster than before. Also, the Intel Arc Graphics card is much, much better than the previous Iris Xe Graphics, although it can't quite match NVIDIA or AMD's top cards' grunt.
See our full ASUS Zenbook Duo OLED review.
The most powerful 2-in-1 laptop
04. MSI Summit E16 Flip Evo
The most powerful 2-in-1 laptop
CPU: Up to 11th Gen. Intel® Core i7 U-Processor | Graphics: Intel Iris Xe graphics | RAM: 16GB or 32GB | Screen: 16” QHD+ 2560x1600p, 120Hz, IPS-Level | Storage: 512GB-2TB
Great battery life
Excellent performance for price
Big touchscreen
Heavy
If you're looking for the best 2-in-1 laptop for more intense creative work, you should seriously consider opting for the MSI Summit E16 Flip Evo. This sturdy laptop is a perfect option for those wanting to run more high-intensity programmes for things like 3D modelling and video editing. The 165Hz Full HD screen is great for lighter gaming, but it does lack slightly in vibrancy and brightness.
In our hands-on MSI Summit E16 review, there's one particular feature we love – and that's the fact this laptop is packed full with every port you'd ever need. This includes two Thunderbolt USB-C ports with PD charging, two USB3.2 Type-A ports, a direct HDMI port and even a Micro SD card reader, which will come in particularly handy for photographers and video creators. It's packed with power, if that's what you're looking for.
The best compact 2-in-1 laptop
04. Dell XPS 13 9315 2-in-1
The best compact 2-in-1 laptop
CPU: Intel Core i7-1250U processor | Graphics: Intel Iris Xe | RAM: up to 32GB | Screen: 13" 3:2 3K (2880x1920) | Storage: up to 1TB
Detachable screen
Excellent webcam
Lightweight
Folio is tricky to position
Flat keyboard
Stylus sold separately
The newly updated Dell XPS 13 9315 remains a 2-in-1 laptop with a great balance of performance, portability, and design. It features a sleek and stylish chassis, a powerful processor and a stunning 13-inch touchscreen display. Sitting at 11.50 inches x 7.90 inches x 0.29 inches in size, it’s ideal whether you’re working at home or on the go. In terms of performance, the XPS 13 9315 is powered by an Intel Core i7-1250U processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. This configuration is powerful enough for most creative tasks.
However, with below-average battery life, a fiddly folio design and a super flat keyboard that not everyone will get along with, it isn't the easiest machine to work with. But overall, if you’re looking for something that will let you bridge the gap between work and play and offers a stunning screen in a compact package, the Dell XPS 13 9315 is certainly one to seriously consider.
See our complete Dell XPS 13 review for the full results of our testing.
The best 2-in-1 laptop screen
06. HP Spectre x360
The best 2-in-1 laptop screen
CPU: Intel Core i7-1260P | Graphics: Intel Arc A370M | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 16-inch, 3,840 by 2,400, OLED, 400 nits | Storage: 1TB
Stellar OLED screen
Good battery life
Fantastic build
Subpar sound
Software config not the best
The HP Spectre x360 earns its place on this list on the strength of its sensational OLED screen, which is not only big for a 2-in-1, at 16 inches, but incredibly sharp and impressively bright too. The stated brightness is 400 nits, which it hits, but on an OLED display, those 400 nits feel sharper and brighter than they would on an IPS or VA panel.
It's an excellent machine for creatives too – there's enough power for some relatively power-hungry activities, such as moderate video editing. It won't manage the heaviest workflow, so if you're planning on pro-level 3D creation or heavy video editing you'll need a more powerful option. But for anything below heavy-duty rendering, this is a great choice.
The sound quality isn't great (but then again, that's true of almost every laptop) and HP is still guilty of questionable software configurations, but the good handily outweighs our few little niggles in what is a truly appealing value proposition.
Check out the HP Spectre x360 review here.
The best 2-in-1 laptop for portability
07. Microsoft Surface Pro 9 + Type Cover
The best 2-in-1 laptop for drawing
CPU: Up to 12th-gen Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics/Microsoft SQ 3 Adreno 8CX Gen 3 | RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR4x | Screen: 13-inch PixelSense Flow Display | Storage: Up to 1TB
Excellent quality build
Works with older Microsoft Surface accessories
Runs Windows 11
Small design can feel cramped
The Surface Pro 9 is sold as a tablet rather than a laptop. But it can become the latter if you buy the optional Type Cover. And it runs Windows 11, allowing you to use fully fledged desktop software. In other words, you get the possibilities of a PC, but as a very thin, light device, which we found just perfect for slipping in a bag, or simply using on the sofa and in bed.
Excellent Surface Pen stylus support (the pen is sold separately) and the super convenient size and portability make it a good option for drawing, illustration and photo editing. Windows 11 runs smoothly, the screen has a snappy 120Hz refresh rate, and you can configure the device up to some pretty powerful specs. If you're going to be using programs that can easily get bogged down, like Lightroom for example, you'll want to go for at least 16GB RAM.
Read more in our full Surface Pro 9 review.
Also tested
Dell Inspiron 7620 2-in-1
The Dell Inspiron 7620 2-in-1 is a solidly built aluminium-shell laptop, able to withstand the sort of day-to-day battering it might receive in a student rucksack but sleek enough to look stylish in an office.
Read the full review.
Acer Chromebook Spin 514
The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 features a large 14-inch Full HD touchscreen, a deft keyboard, solid metal chassis and performance that can handle all tasks ChromeOS is capable of.
Read the full review.
FAQs
How do you use a 2-in-1 laptop?
The best 2-in-1 laptops allow you to switch between laptop and tablet modes, and pick which setup is best for the creative task at hand. Sat at a desk needing to write emails? That may be more comfortable when the 2-in-1 is in laptop mode. Watching a film, doing some digital doodling on a train journey? That might be better suited to the tablet mode, or alternatively, you could look for the best drawing tablets for animation.
How do I use a 2-in-1 laptop for drawing?
In most cases, when you want to use a stylus on the touchscreen, be it for drawing or photo editing, you're going to want to use the 2-in-1 laptop in tablet mode because when in laptop mode the screens aren't usually fixed enough and will move at least a little when you apply pressure with the styus.
That said, Microsoft's Surface Laptop Studio offers a neat middle option – easel mode – that allows you to prop the screen up fairly firmly in a vertical position over the keyboard. If you need a capable laptop for Photoshop, we have a dedicated guide for that, but many on here will be ideal too.
Are 2-in-1 laptops expensive?
2-in-1 laptops can be more expensive than traditional laptops, due to their convertible design and touchscreen capabilities. However, the price range varies between models, and there are many affordable options available.
How to choose the best 2-in-1 laptop
What type of 2-in-1 laptop is best for you? There are 2-in-1 laptops that turn from a laptop into a tablet by physically removing the keyboard. These are usually much thinner and lighter devices when used in tablet mode, but it does mean you need to store the keyboard carefully when it's not being used.
Some 2-in-1 laptops with detachable keyboards have two batteries – one behind the screen and another in the keyboard. This offers longer battery life when in laptop mode. (If battery life is a particular worry of yours, you may want to check our list of the best power banks.)
Other 2-in-1 laptops feature a hinge that can flip the keyboard 360 degrees so that it is behind the screen. As the keyboard remains attached, these 2-in-1 laptops are usually a bit thicker and heavier than models with removable keyboards. However, you don't have to worry about stashing an unused keyboard anywhere, and the hinge allows you to use the laptop in a variety of different ways. For example, you can flip the keyboard 90 degrees and use it as a stand, which makes it useful for watching media or presentations.
Many of the best 2-in-1 laptops also come with styluses that can be used with the touchscreen. This turns them into excellent digital drawing pads – again, making them ideal devices for digital creatives. (Should your desired convertible laptop not include a drawing apparatus, you can save some money by learning how to make a stylus using household items; seriously!).
How we test the best 2-in-1 laptops
Creative Bloq's team of hardware experts bring with them many years of experience using, testing and benchmarking laptops with a focus on running creative applications. All the laptops in this guide have been tested by either using creative software or benchmarked to make sure the CPU and GPU are capable of running professional creative software without problems, including popular tools you'll use such as Adobe Creative Cloud applications and more. We run different benchmark tests on each laptop depending on its intended use by its maker, but the benchmarks we've run all the laptops in this guide through include the following:
• Cinebench R23/2024 - this assesses the performance of a computer's CPU and GPU using real-world 3D rendering tasks
• Handbrake - we use this free and open-source transcoder for digital video files to render a short 4K animated film, using the same file for all our tests
• Geekbench 5/6 - this tests the CPU's processing power, both by using a single core for a single task at a time as well as all the CPU's core to see its ability to multitask
• 3DMark - this assesses a laptop's ability to run 3D graphic rendering tasks
But perhaps more importantly than benchmarking, we evaluate machines in real-world scenarios, pushing them to the limit with multiple applications running to see how they perform in project-like conditions. Power, speed, flexibility, and what a laptop looks and feels like to use are all criteria in our reviewing process. We do much more than simply unpack a test unit, run some benchmarks and then pack it up again; we have lived and worked with all of the above laptops, running them in real-life scenarios and done projects relevant to this guide, otherwise, we wouldn't recommend these models to you.
