As the old Mark Twain saying goes, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog. That rings true for 12-inch laptops. They’re some of the smallest laptops in the market and they’re small enough to be carried with two fingers while still being large enough to fit some reasonable specs.
And they’re also great for students and those on a budget. 12-inch laptops tend to be cheap in price. Some are also cheap in build quality and construction, so we’re here to point you to the general direction of 12-inch laptops that hit above their weight class.
Don’t expect much, of course. These devices are designed for the lightest workloads that need a computer. Considerations for gaming or heavier computer-related activities are off the table. With that out of the way, here are your best options for 12-inch laptops.
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Microsoft Multi-Touch Surface Laptop Go 2
PROS
- 11th-gen Intel processor
- Touchscreen display
- 1536 x 1024 resolution
- Thin and light
CONS
- A bit pricey for a 12-inch laptop
- Only 8GB of RAM
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i5-1135G7
- GPU / Graphics Card: Intel Iris Xe (Integrated)
- RAM / Memory: 8GB of LPDDR4x
- Storage: 128 GB
- Display: 12.4″ 1536 x 1024 PixelSense Touchscreen
As it stands, you’d still want a 12-inch laptop that’s capable of opening as many browser tabs as possible without crashing or lagging. So if you don’t mind spending a bit more for that compact premium-ness, then the Microsoft Multi-Touch Surface Laptop Go 2 is the way to go.
It has an 11th-Gen Intel processor, which, while outdated, is still a capable workhorse for some browsing and writing tasks. Just go easy on the Chrome tabs, this thing only has 8GB of RAM. The screen also is sharper than HD despite the 12-inch size, which helps in precision since it’s also a touchscreen.
Microsoft Multi-Touch Surface Laptop Go 2
Asus Chromebook Flip CM3
PROS
- Aluminum outer-chassis
- Touchscreen display
- Easy access to Google Play Store
- 360-degree hinge
CONS
- Small storage
- Some phones have better specs
- Odd aspect ratio (3:2)
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: MediaTek Kompanio 820 (8192)
- GPU / Graphics Card: Arm NATT MC5 GPU
- RAM / Memory: 4GB
- Storage: 64GB eMMC
- Display: 12″ Touchscreen HD NanoEdge Display
Chromebooks are also fair game here since a lot of them were made to be as compact as possible. Their specs are also less beefy compared to their Windows machine counterparts since they’re made to only run the lighter Chrome OS.
Still, that’s likely all you need if you’re a student or a writer. You can even turn this Chromebook into a tablet thanks to the 360-degree hinge. And despite the price and the budget tag, it’s chassis actually made mostly of aluminum, that’s Asus for you.
Asus Chromebook Flip CM3
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
PROS
- Touchscreen display
- 1536x1024 resolution
- 512 GB storage
- Thin and light design
CONS
- Only 4GB of RAM
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i5-1035G1
- GPU / Graphics Card: Integrated
- RAM / Memory: 4 GB
- Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
- Display: 12.4″ Touchscreen 1536×1024
The first-generation Microsoft Surface Go is still a reliable mule here. Note the use of “mule” instead of “workhorse.” That’s because this device can pack in half-a-terabyte of space, something that’s not too common with 12-inch laptops.
The price is higher, of course. The laptop opted to use an NVMe SSD instead of the smaller eMMC storage though you can bet that it’s faster in loading some applications. You’ll still want to go light on multitasking since the RAM is a measly 4GB.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
Asus Student Laptop
PROS
- Military grade build
- Splash and shock proofing
- Anti-glare screen
- Decent storage for its price
- Cheap price
CONS
- Looks bland
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Celeron N4500
- GPU / Graphics Card: Integrated
- RAM / Memory: 4 GB
- Storage: 128 GB
- Display: 12 inch IPS Anti-Glare Eye-Care HD
Asus apparently designed these devices for K-12 students, and they purposely made it “military grade” since they know how students treat stuff they didn’t work hard for. So, what does “military grade” entail here? It’s just the usual splash proofing and shock proofing that’s common in smartphones.
This way, parents can rest assured that their kids won’t break the device too easily. But for a budget option that’s made for careless hands, it actually has decent storage for a 12-inch laptop. And the IPS display with a blue light filter is quite a thoughtful touch.
Asus Student Laptop
Frequently Asked Questions
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Are 12-inch laptops good for gaming?
No. They usually come equipped with integrated Intel GPUs which are a lot worse than integrated AMD GPUs. -
How long do 12-inch laptops last?
For relevance, you can't expect much since most of their specs are already outdated the moment you buy them. How long until you need to upgrade ultimately depends on your work and comfort. As for its lifespan, expect it to go indefinitely, manufacturing defects notwithstanding.