Is 11-inch good for a laptop?

If you haven’t been living in a cave for the past decade, you’d know how the use of personal computers has evolved over the years. With giant PCs [which took up more than half of your desk space] almost turning obsolete, the tech market is flooding with range of powerful and best 11 inch laptops which might be just the kind of machines this generation needs.

Now that I have acknowledged the significance of portable computers, I might just add that the evolution of laptops is continuously pushing towards more sleek, slim and power-efficient designs. At some point you might have felt the need to have a feather light, compact laptop that you could carry around without having to worry about the ‘extra baggage’. The one which doesn’t urge you to stay confined in a single place just because traveling or moving around with a bulky laptop is too much work.

Advertisement

If you are even slightly convinced with the idea that I am trying to put forward, then here is the full fledged laptop buying guide to buy the best 11 inch laptops which will surely help you to buy the best ultraportable laptop for yourself.

Before we proceed with the list of best ultraportable 11 inch laptops, here’s an overview of the hardware specifications and performance that you can expect from the ultraportable 11-inch laptops. Please go through it otherwise you might end up buying the wrong laptop for yourself!

 [vc_message color=”info” message_box_style=”standard” style=”rounded” message_box_color=”info” icon_type=”fontawesome” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-info-circle” icon_openiconic=”vc-oi vc-oi-dial” icon_typicons=”typcn typcn-adjust-brightness” icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-note” icon_linecons=”vc_li vc_li-heart” icon_pixelicons=”vc_pixel_icon vc_pixel_icon-alert”]

The 11 inch laptops are undoubtedly the best ultraportable laptops for web surfing, editing documents, watching movies and for everything in between but they aren’t made for power users. You cannot play games or do photo editing or video editing work on these laptops because most of the 11 inch laptops are powered by Intel Celeron or Intel Pentium processors. These are very low powered processors from Intel which are specifically designed for Netbooks and Chromebooks categories of laptops. Hence, the laptops with 11 inch display may not be capable enough to handle the most intense and demanding tasks, but they are best in terms of portability and versatility with reliable performance and battery backup.

Recommended For Gamers: Best Budget Gaming Laptops Under $500

Apart from low powered CPU, the 11 inch laptops also lacks behind in offering sufficient amount of storage for most user’s requirements. Most 11 inch display laptops offers 16, 32 or 64GB of eMMC storage which is very low but there’s always an option to store files on cloud or expanding the memory via an SD card slot. Well there are some 11 inch laptop models with 128GB SSD but they are very rare.

So, if you’re looking for a laptop for basic computing tasks which is easy to carry around and work on the go then yes, 11 inch laptops are best for you and you can start reading the list of our top recommended best 11 inch laptops below.

Well, if you’re looking for a performance based lightweight computer, then I would recommend you to check out our guide on the 13 inch laptops where you’ll find all the best high performance compact 13-inch machines. Also, have a look at our guides on the laptops powered by Intel i3 processor and laptops powered by Intel i5 processor, you’ll find many high performance ultraportable laptops there as well.

Best 11 Inch Laptops – Top Picks

1. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 11.6″ 2-in-1 Laptop

When it comes to resilient convertibles, Lenovo is the only empowering name that emerges from the horde of PC manufacturers, mainly due to the ingenuity and efficiency that they are known to bring to the table.

For this particularly affordable model, the pros are definitely the lightweight classy chassis and beautiful display. To add more points to its overall performance, it is powered with the latest generation Intel Pentium N5030 processor that operates at a speed of 3.1GHz. Considering the price, it is not a bad deal to go with as the quad-core processor can take up friendly tasks quite efficiently and a little bit of advance processing as well. Moreover, its 128GB SSD adds up to its robustness and makes it fly through standard stuff like video streaming, light media editing, illustrating, so on and so forth. Its 11 inch display with full HD resolution, is not something that you often see in small netbooks and chromebooks. It is impeccable for media consumption and work and it also allows seamless touch-sensitive navigation between laptop and tablet-mode.

The cons? Non-upgradable RAM. So you’d have to do with a single 4GB module of DDR4 RAM that it comes with, operating at 2400MHz.

So asking all the right questions, should you buy this 11 inch laptop? Well, if you are a power user, NO as there are plenty more rational options you can avail under $400, but if you are a sucker for compatibility and convertibility while staying under budget, this is one of the best 11 inch laptop you can get.

$429.99 | Buy at Lenovo

MORE: Top 10 Best Ultraportable Laptops for Writers with Comfortable Keyboards

2. Dell Latitude 3190 

For most students, a good laptop is all about affordability, compatibility with student-based software, portability, and performance. This is what the Dell Latitude 3190 offers. Granted it’s designed with the students in mind; we probably shouldn’t expect anything less from it.

While the IdeaPad Flex 3 provides a lot of value for the price, the Dell Latitude fits into a college student’s lifestyle like a paperback book to a well-crafted shelf. For most buyers, this 2-in-1 laptop is a testament to Dell’s superiority when creating affordable laptops meant for the student market. To think of it, only the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e Gen 6 can hold a candle to the Dell Latitude 3190 when it comes to the best 11-inch laptops for students.

Aside from the “student proof” shell casing and fantastic screen resolution, this laptop is loved for its affordability. Given it runs on Intel Celeron processor and 4GB of RAM for the basic model, it does quite well for the price. If you need a more powerful version of the same laptop, you can switch to its variant with Pentium processor and 8GB RAM without losing any other features. You wouldn’t expect anything else from a student-friendly laptop, would you?

While the Latitude 3190 appears as a traditional 11-inch laptop, it’s also offered in a 2-in-1 form. Although this implies a price increase, it also means that you get more versatility from the same notebook. It doesn’t hurt to play 1 through 5 if you can.

$379 | Buy at Dell

3. Acer Chromebook Spin 311 Convertible 11 Inch Laptop

If you’re a fan of Chrome OS and love small devices, then Acer Chromebook Spin 311, or its more conventional and more popular alternative, the Acer Chromebook 311 [Clamshell Design] should be a worthy purchase.

The general laptop feels light and handy at the same time. That’s why it’s dubbed as the “11-inch laptop for the way we live” in some adverts. It comes with a high definition touchscreen display with Gorilla Glass for added protection. Besides this, the Intel Celeron processor, 4GB RAM, and 32GB eMMC storage mean that you can perform basic operation like streaming and browsing without having to worry about performance issues. It does pose a peril of lagging if you try to run more than a few tabs. Ultimately, the best thing about this Chromebook is the ability to transform from the conventional laptop to a laptop-style tablet with a simple flick on the hinges. This allows you to use and display the laptop screen as you would do with any tablet. It’s the best of 2-in 1 functionality without losing the laptop edge.

Its miniature figure makes it extremely portable and can slip inside your backpack so slickly you won’t even feel it’s there. The device offers a comfy Chiclet-style keyboard with nice clicky keys and it also has a HD web camera which might not produce the sharpest of images but hey, for a price tag that economical, I’ll say the overall package is worth what you are paying for.

$258.00 | Buy Now From Amazon

Want to buy laptops with more storage? Checkout: Top 10 Best Laptops Under $300

4. HP ProBook X360 11 G6 EE Touchscreen 2 in 1 Laptop

A good business laptop in the 11-inch area? Shouldn’t that be an oxymoron? The two phrases shouldn’t exist in the same sentence at all! It’s not. In fact, ProBook x360 11 is as good as it can get if you are looking for a ultraportable business laptop.

It is a compact 11 inch convertible laptop, built with a sturdy hinge and has a great keyboard and large touchpad but somewhat lacks in a screen quality. Although in all its aspects, the display is still great for its target audience — the working professionals.

Despite the small size, this laptop has none of the accompanying 11-inch downsizes when it comes to performance. If anything, it has a 10th generation Intel Core i3 processor and 128GB SSD storage with 8GB RAM. Due to the amount of power it packs, the 11 inch laptop sits among a list of premium laptops with bigger screens. Unlike the bigger laptops, however, it is light, easily portable, and, more importantly, has an x360 hinge, which allows it to rotate straight through.

Specifically, the spill-resistant design takes care of the traveling business person’s concerns, who wants to work through plane turbulence [wouldn’t advise that.] To give it a more executive look, the laptop has a chalk-gray color to boot. It doesn’t appear drab in any sense. Instead, it just accentuates the flattering design with an edgier color.

$739.00 | Buy Now at HP

5. ASUS Chromebook C202XA Rugged 11 Inch Laptop

Two situations are likely to give any laptop owner a fit. The first one is handing a laptop to a small kid. There’s a very high likelihood that they will drop it once their attention gets drawn to anything else. The second one is one of those moments when you trip on a cable and watch your laptop crash down from a raised surface. However, such seizures can be avoided by purchasing a laptop with the ability to take the fall without a wince or scratch. The Asus Chromebook C202XA 11 shines bright in this area. According to Asus, this laptop can take several falls from 3.9 feet and still thrive.

Aside from being an affordable option, this is one of the best 11 inch laptop for classroom usage as well mainly due to its durability. Were it possible, it would probably live longer than the pyramids, despite it being an overreach. The military-grade casing, sunken spill-resistant keyboard certainly gives the impression that it would compete with the pyramids in any case.

With rugged laptops, most manufacturers have to trade weight for power. The Asus Chromebook is undoubtedly no different. It feels a little heavy for an 11-inch laptop. However, it packs enough power to make you forget the weight in your hands. With a 2.1 GHz MediaTek processor, 4GB memory, and 32GB eMMC storage, the chances are that you won’t get disappointed by the laptop’s performance. Although this laptop is underpowered for any heavy tasks, it performs well enough for any conventional Chrome-based tasks like typing, playing any media, and taking video calls through its 720P webcam.

If it tickles your fancy, you can get the 2-in-1 version of this rugged laptop. It’s the Asus Chromebook Flip C214. This 2-in-1 version comes with everything included in the Asus Chromebook 11 — The robust design, rubberized edges, and good performance but on a 360-degree hinge to allow conversion into a tablet when required.

Price not available | See on Amazon

6. ASUS L210MA – Premium 11 Inch Laptop

Seamless performance with the slimmest design is quite hard to come by among 11-inch laptops. In most cases, the 13-inch laptops have an advantage when it comes to getting that lean look. However, ASUS breached those boundaries with the Asus L210MA laptop.

With an Intel Celeron N4020 running at 1.10-2.80GHz, supported by 4GB of RAM, this 11 inch portable and ultra-compact laptop is one of the few Windows 10 all-purpose machines which offer a vast battery life and is robust enough to handle daily tasks like browsing, multiple tab operations and documents handling with impeccable processing capabilities, so a perfect workplace contraption.

Looks and performance aside, the price is perhaps the best thing about this laptop in general. Under any other circumstances, slim and slightly powerful laptops are often the most expensive ones in the bunch. Surprisingly, this one is priced moderately below the $200 range. For what it comes with, it offers enough value for the price.

$195.00 | Buy at Amazon

YOU MAY LIKE: Top 12 Best 10 inch Tablets with Keyboards

7. Samsung Chromebook 4

For what it takes, its quite hard to get an affordable laptop with a fantastic design and a long battery life. In some circumstances, it feels like only one or two of these things can exist together in a laptop. But that’s not always; at least not with the Samsung Chromebook 4.

It is one of the best 11-inch laptops available in the market with clean design, solid overall performance and battery life. With Intel Celeron N4000 processor, 6GB RAM and 64GB eMMC storage, it fares well compared to competition like the ASUS L210MA or the Acer Chromebook Spin. To understand its operational capabilities, it handles multi-tab web browsing without any hiccups and it can even handle cloud-based content creation with ease.

Moreover, it has a fantastic keyboard and it offers a raft of connectivity options with long battery life for life on the road.

Overall, the Samsung Chromebook 4 is not one of the A-grade performers when it comes to processing power but if you are a student looking for a Chromebook for college and you are on a limited budget, then this is the best 11 inch laptop you can get.

$212.00 | Buy at Amazon

MORE: Our Most Recommended Laptops for College Students in Every Budget

8. Apple MacBook Air 11 Inch 2015 Model Certified Refurbished

Unlike 13- and 15-inch laptop sizes, MacBooks are not common in 11-inch laptop space. Apple use to sell the MacBook Air in 11 inch size, however it was discontinued in 2016 due to lack of popularity. So, if you absolutely need your 11 inch laptop to be MacBook, then you’ll have to buy this refurbished MacBook Air 11 from 2015.

However, that does not have to mean all compromises, though. Even when refurbished, the MacBook Air 11 comes with the same ruthless efficiency, power, and edgy design found in current MacBook models.

Even though its Sandy Bridge Intel Core i5 processor is quite old now, but its still powerful than Celeron and Pentium processors found in most other 11 inch laptops. Moreover, it comes with speedy 128GB SSD storage and potent integrated graphics. Besides, the screen also offers better colors and viewing angles than what you would find with other laptops and its smooth glass trackpad and backlit keyboard completely gives away the fact that this is actually a more than five year old laptop! 

Although it generally feels and appears sublime, buying this laptop will be an excellent idea for someone who prefers going out of the Chromebook and Windows operating systems. The macOS works great with an extensive array of software. It also allows you to use MacBook functionalities on a budget.

$236.00 | Buy at Amazon

MORE: Our Top 10 Most Recommended Laptops Under $500

9. HP Stream 11-ak0020nr Laptop – Best 11 Inch Laptop

This is quite a basic machine, predominantly suitable for students. Why do I say so? Well, there are a couple of reasons, for instance the free Office subscription [limited time only] it comes with along with a ridiculously low price tag, worth only around $200. The SD card slot is the most notable added value as such a reasonable outlay, especially when your usage involves more than a dozen GBs. The performance magnitude is quite good as well, comparatively with other budget laptops in this range, housing a 2.6GHz dual core Intel Celeron N4000 processor.

To top it off, the standby battery time it offers and the audio mechanism it is built with, are certainly worth mentioning. Apart from its overall elegant chassis and a slim design, the laptop can be quite an eye-pleaser with the variety of colors it comes with. The only less-than-flattering design aspects are the large bezels and an old-fashioned gradient touch on its base.

To sum it up, nice speakers, highly portable, and above average performance, seems a quite reasonable array of features of this 11 inch notebook considering the price tag that it comes with.

$229.50 | Buy Now From Amazon

10. Microsoft Surface Go 2 w/ Keyboard

It takes a lot of guts to introduce a tablet within the ranks of 11-inch laptops. If we were to run this along with the strict definition of what a laptop should be, it wouldn’t cut. But we’re not tech conservatives. The Microsoft Surface Go 2 cuts if you slap a keyboard into the mix.

The Surface Go 2 is a premium looking 10.5 inch tablet with an 8th Generation Intel Core m3 processor, 8GB RAM, and 128GB SSD drive. It runs a full fledged Windows 10 operating system, so despite being a tablet it can run every Windows compatible program. Connect the Surface Go keyboard to it and you’ll have a fully functional laptop-like setup that is way more versatile than a traditional laptop. However, that comes at a cost of less ports for physical connectivity. The Surface Go 2 comes with just one USB Type-C port and an SD card reader. That’s all. So, if you generally connect a lot of peripherals to your laptop, then Surface Go 2 is a BIG NO-NO.

However, Surface Go 2 covers that up quite easily with its other notable features like its dual camera system. It features a 5MP front-facing camera and an 8MP one in the back. Its not only great to take pictures and videos, but it can easily pull off high-resolution video calls on Skype or Zoom. Plus, its screen is also better than every other laptop mentioned in this list.

So, the Microsoft Surface Go 2 is one of the best mini laptop/tablet if versatility is what you crave most. While it’s not cheap in any sense, it’s sure is a great value for what it offers. Pair it with a keyboard and Surface Pen to transform it into a powerful laptop from a hapless tablet.

Check Price on Microsoft

Getting a portable personal computer is like having a beloved consort, who is reliable, low-maintenance and always available. While staying under budget, finding a laptop of such sort can be quite a struggle in itself. In the listing mentioned above, we have gathered the best 11 inch laptops which are highly rated models from well-known manufacturers with qualities like fast processing power and compatibility all confined in a single, small frame.

I hope that the efforts that we put to create this laptop buying guide help you to buy the best 11 inch laptop for yourself.

Still can’t make up your mind? Don’t worry, if you explore our website a bit more you will certainly get a much clearer idea of where you should put your money’s worth.

Advertisement