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PCMag Middle East Computers & Electronics Laptops

The Best 2-in-1 Laptops for

2022 in the UAE
Can't decide between a laptop and a tablet? Get
both with a 2-in-1. Our shopping advice and product
recommendations will help you find the convertible
or detachable that is right for you. (We've tested
loads of them.)

by Brian Westover, Tom Brant

Nov 30, 2022

RELATED: The Best Battery Life Laptops for 2023

Buying Guide: The Best 2-

in-1 Laptops for 2022 in
the UAE

For years, when you needed a real portable

computer, the only way to get it was to turn to a

laptop. Then, as mobile processors became more

powerful and operating systems more flexible,

you had a choice: You could either stay with the

traditional clamshell design or go with a tablet,

which offered you less functionality and power
but greater convenience by subtracting the

keyboard from the equation altogether. So it was

just a matter of time until enterprising

manufacturers realized that adding or removing

the keyboard was all that was needed to turn one

into another. Now, the resulting product, a 2-in-1,

isn't just its own product category—it's one of the

most popular in the PC industry.

Simply put, a 2-in-1 is a touch-optimized

convertible laptop or detachable tablet with a

both a touch screen and a physical keyboard of

some type. When you need full-stroke keys and a

touchpad, you can use the 2-in-1 just the way you

would a regular laptop. But if you need or want

full access to just the screen for an extended

period of time, that's an option as well. And you

can flip back and forth between the modes

whenever you wish, usually expending just a

second's effort.

That said, you're still buying a PC with a full

operating system, whether that's Chrome OS or

Windows. In the future, macOS could be a player,

but thus far Apple has pointed folks who need a

touch screen and tablet/laptop convertibility

toward its iOS-equipped iPad and iPad Pro lines,

paired with an optional keyboard.

We've outlined below our top picks among the 2-

in-1 laptops that we've tested. Read on for our

labs-tested favorites, followed by the basics you

should know when buying 2-in-1 laptop. Also note:

At the very end of this article is a detailed spec

breakout of our top models.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 Gen 7

(2022)

Pros Cons

- Integrated graphics
+ Superb, sturdy design
limit gaming and media
with elegant features
creation potential

- Active pen is
+ Bright, colorful 2.2K
supported but not
touch screen
included

+ Comfortable keyboard

and touchpad

+ Robust port selection

+ Solid performance

and battery life

Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 Gen 7 (2022)

Lenovo's 14-inch Yoga 7i Gen 7 is the most
polished in a long line of successful 2-in-1 laptops,
with a stellar design and superb battery life.

5,886.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

When it comes to iconic notebook designs, the

name Lenovo may come up often, but it's usually

for the company's corporate ThinkPads. But in

the world of 2-in-1 convertible laptops, Lenovo's

Yoga consumer line has been setting the agenda

for a decade. The upscale Yoga 9i Gen 7 currently

holds our Editors' Choice award among premium

convertibles, and the 14-inch Yoga 7i Gen 7 (starts

at $879.99; $949.99 as tested) matches that

machine's excellence at a more affordable price.

The 14-inch size is possibly perfect for a system

that's usable in laptop mode but small enough to

tote around as a tablet, and the latest Yoga 7i 14 is

a beautifully crafted 3.2-pound portable that

earns an Editors' Choice nod of its own. It may be

the best Yoga yet.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i

14

Pros Cons

+ Practical, sturdy - Relatively heavy for a

design 14" ultraportable

+ Comfortable keyboard - Dim 250-nit display

+ Generous memory

and storage amounts

+ Two USB Type-A and

HDMI ports

+ Webcam privacy

shutter and fingerprint

reader

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i 14

As capable as it is affordable, the Lenovo IdeaPad
Flex 5i 14 is a midsized convertible that gets the
basics right.

1,332.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

As capable as it is affordable, the Lenovo IdeaPad

Flex 5i 14 (starts at $559.99; $735 as tested) sets

the standard for 2-in-1 convertible laptops. It's

got the basics covered: a 14-inch screen, your

choice of Intel or AMD processors, and a well-

crafted 360-degree hinge that lets you prop it on

a desk like a tent or an easel or flip it into tablet

mode. Add reassuring build quality and a low

price, and you get an Editors' Choice award

winner for best midrange convertible laptop.

Microsoft Surface Pro 8

Pros Cons

+ Modern design with

thin bezels and larger - Higher starting price

display

- Accessories and
+ Superior 1080p
configuration upgrades
webcam
are pricey

+ Two USB-C ports with - Keyboard base still

Thunderbolt 4 support sold separately

+ Well-implemented
- USB-C ports only
kickstand

+ Usser-accessible SSD

+ Perky performance in

tested Core i7

configuration

Microsoft Surface Pro 8

Microsoft's Surface Pro 8 doesn't revolutionize
the iconic 2-in-1, but it delivers the most
noteworthy update in years, with a larger display,
an attractive chassis redesign, and improved
performance.

5,078.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

It's been a few years since Microsoft launched an

all-out new entry in its Surface Pro line, and even

longer since there's been a noticeable redesign.

The Surface Pro 8 changes that, introducing a

sleeker chassis with a larger display than the

Surface Pro 7. It's much more attractive, thanks

to its new thin-bezel 13-inch screen, but its core

functionality is otherwise unchanged. This is still

a best-in-class detachable 2-in-1 in terms of

design, and when paired with the improved 11th

Generation Core i7 "Tiger Lake" processor in our

model (and the advantages of Windows 11), this

tablet can compete as a true laptop replacement.

Mind you, the $1,099.99 starting price is much

higher than the Surface Pro 7's $749.99, reducing

the appeal of its lower-end configurations. And

its expensive accessories jack up the price

whichever config you choose, with the keyboard

being essential if you aim to use the Pro 8 as a

laptop replacement. Despite losing its value play,

the Pro 8's boosted performance, smart

redesign, and new stylus make the Surface Pro

line an object of envy once again, and a repeat

Editors' Choice winner among Windows tablets.

HP Spectre x360 13.5

(2022)

Pros Cons

+ Gorgeous 3:2 aspect

- No HDMI port
ratio OLED touch screen

+ Elegantly sleek, sturdy - No internal pen

design storage or LTE

+ Great performance - Keyboard layout a little

and battery life disappointing

HP Spectre x360 13.5 (2022)

The Spectre x360, now in a slightly tweaked
screen size, isn't cheap, but HP's flagship
convertible laptop is a brilliantly engineered, light,
long-lived showpiece.

6,683.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

At the risk of splitting hairs, or numbers, the HP

Spectre x360 13.5 (starts at $1,149.99; $1,749.99

as tested) is not an all-new convertible laptop but

an update of the Spectre x360 14 that scored

PCMag Editors' Choice honors in January 2021. It

has the same 13.5-inch OLED touch screen with

3,000-by-2,000-pixel resolution, refreshed with

12th Generation Intel silicon. The new HP easily

earns another Editors' Choice win as a premium

2-in-1, though the contest is awfully close

between it and another high-end consumer

convertible with a dazzling OLED display, the

Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7. It comes down to whether

you prefer the Spectre's squarish 3:2 screen

aspect ratio or the Yoga's more rectangular

16:10.

Acer Chromebook Spin

714

Pros Cons

+ Roomy 14", 16:10 - Latest model drops the

display microSD card reader

+ Durable all-metal
- Still a bit heavy
chassis

+ 1080p webcam with

physical cover

+ Garaged pen included

Acer Chromebook Spin 714

With a new display and a garaged stylus, Acer's
latest Chromebook Spin remains our absolute top
Chromebook pick—despite losing the microSD
slot and still being a little hefty.

2,863.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

See It ↗

Why We Picked It

Acer’s Chromebook Spin line has been a favorite

of ours for a while now, with the past two

iterations of the Chromebook Spin 713 earning

Editors’ Choice awards. Acer has updated its 2-in-

1 Chromebook convertible with the Chromebook

Spin 714, which maintains the line’s excellence

while making a few tweaks along the way. The

biggest change is the move from a 13.5-inch, 3:2

display to a 14-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect

ratio. Acer also adds a garaged pen for use with

the touch screen, which addresses one of the few

complaints we had about the previous model.

Inside, the system gets an update to a 12th

Generation Intel Core i5 processor, while also

supplying an ample 8GB of memory and a

spacious 256GB solid-state drive. The Spin 714

completes an Acer hat trick, earning our Editors’

Choice for premium Chromebooks a third year in

a row. It’s a good deal at its $729 regular price,

and it would be an absolute steal if the $499 sale

price we've seen it for, at times, returns for Black

Friday 2022.

Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1

Pros Cons

+ Sturdy, attractive
- High list price
chassis

- Confusing
+ Comfortable keyboard
configuration options

+ Improved proximity
- No 4K screen option
sensor

+ Optional full HD
+ Dim display
camera

+ Optional LTE, eSIM

capable

Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1

The Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1 is uncomfortably
pricey, but this 13.3-inch convertible remains an
appealing choice for both corporate travelers
and the IT departments who serve them.

6,050.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

Snazzy consumer laptops like the Dell XPS 13

aren't often issued to employees at large

enterprises. This occasionally comes up as a

point of consternation when toters of bulging,

black, IT-approved ThinkPads gaze enviously at

the borderless 4K displays and svelte chassis of

laptops that managers won't let them use for

work. To appease that envy, Dell has added plenty

of innovative, user-friendly features to its latest

Latitude 7320 (starts at $1,559; $1,964 as tested).

Available as either a standard clamshell or the 2-

in-1 convertible seen here, this machine offers IT-

mandated Intel vPro manageability and

SmartCard readers, but it also has employee-

pleasing features like a sublimely comfortable

keyboard, a sturdy chassis, and a sci-fi-worthy

proximity sensor.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga

Gen 6 (2021)

Pros Cons

+ Strong aluminum - Battery life isn't class-

chassis leading

+ Top-notch input - Not available in classic

devices ThinkPad black

+ Bright 16:10 screen - No SmartCard reader

+ Pen comes standard

+ Impressive audio

output

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6

(2021)
The ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6’s spacious 16:10
screen, predictably solid inputs, and all-around
excellence make it our top premium business
convertible.

6,677.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬