Small laptops

The small laptop category is one of the more diverse categories you'll find. The options here range from 10 inch to 12 inch laptops, with Chrome OS and Windows versions available. So, if you want simple compact computing or a miniature marvel, there's a model that ticks the boxes.

10" laptops are some of the smallest options around. They're very compact, and can practically fit in any bag. For tasks that don't require much screen real estate they excel. Great for quickly editing word documents on the go, or just watching a film on the train. Web browing and social media. 

A small step up from 10" devices, the 11" laptops are still perfect for travelling, with enough extra screen room to work on some larger tasks. Mainly useful for quick tasks rather than anything extremely productive. Like the 10" devices they fit in nearly any bag, and super lightweight and usually quite inexpensive. 

The final step before you get into the more mainstream 13" category - 12" small laptops are compact, lightweight and usually quite affordable. This size is enough for most people to work on the go, stream media, edit files and photos. For serious office work while on the go, we'd still recommend the 13" and up categories, but for general day to day, these will work perfectly. 

Tablets usually top out at 11 inches, which means they overlap screen size with the 11 inch laptops. But size isn't everything! Small laptop benefits include providing access to a keyboard and expanded connectivity. Also, a tablet is usually running the Android operating system. Small laptops will generally run Windows or Chrome OS, for a more familiar experience. Tablets are usually for entertainment, while a 12 inch laptop can get some work done.

Some small laptops are convertible - the function of a laptop with the convenience of a tablet. This type of laptop does have a compromise - they're often less comfortable to hold than a tablet. But this is a small price to pay for the extra performance and functionality you get. These models come in both Windows and Chrome OS versions.

There's a cut-off point when a laptop becomes a small laptop - it's usually around 13.3 inches. This is what most would consider the smallest 'traditional' laptop. Thinking of differences other than the obvious, most small laptops usually aren't upgradeable. On the flip side, most traditional laptops aren't smaller than an A4 sheet of paper! It all comes down to what you're looking to achieve.

Is a screen size of 10 inches too small? It will depend on what you're doing - it's probably too small for working on spreadsheets, but great for web browsing! This is also a question of personal taste. So, if a 10 inch laptop is too small, consider 11. Screen size also dictates what sort of features to expect - 10 and 11 inch laptops are often convertible. The usual rule of thumb might be that the smallest laptops are less for work and more for general use.

This largely depends on your specific use cases - but more often than not, yes. They're easy to transport, lightweight, and with modern computing often quite powerful. 10, 11 and 12" laptops are excellent for business on the go, media while travelling, or on site photography and videography editing. Keeping one on hand is definitely something we recommend for those that can't always work at home.