Table of Contents
In this article, we’re discussing fanless laptops and silent Windows ultrabooks and Chromebooks, or in other words, laptops with passive cooling solutions, without a fan that spins and makes noise.
You’ll find quite a few different laptops without a fan available in stores, and we’ll list them all based on screen size, weight, the hardware inside, and their pricing. We’ll also cover what we consider to be the best fanless designs available at the time of this update, and explain why we made those choices based on our reviews and experience.
Now, there’s one obvious reason why you’ll want a fanless laptop: it’s going to be noiseless and completely silent, especially as the passively cooled hardware is also paired with quiet SSD storage in most units. Older fanless machines, especially among the more affordable options, used to come with spinning HDDs, but even those could be upgraded in order to deliver what the fanless consumers desire: a quiet laptop experience, similar to what you’re getting with tablets or phones.
But there are a few other reasons, such as the fact that fanless designs are normally thin and lightweight as well, thus excellent for traveling and lugging around every day to work or school, plus the fact that without any moving parts inside, you won’t have to concern yourselves with vibrations or anything that can negatively impact your daily-use experience with the device.
At the same time, it’s important to understand that the majority of fanless laptops available these days are built on lower-power hardware platforms compared to the actively-cooled designs. So while the modern options can handle everyday tasks just fine, these fanless computers are not meant for serious multitasking or the more demanding chores you might want to perform on a modern laptop (editing videos and photos, gaming, running programming software, etc.). But there are some exceptions to the rule, with the newer hardware platforms, as you’ll see in a bit.
On top of that, you’ll also have to be aware of the two major classes of fanless laptops available in stores: premium designs, such as MacBook Airs or the Surface Pro X or the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, and affordable options available in various sizes, from mini-laptops such as the Asus L210 up to 15 and 17-inch all-around models from Dell or HP. We’ll discuss them all further down.
We’ll also talk a bit more about the fanless hardware platforms available at this very moment, towards the end of the post, so you’ll understand exactly what to expect from each of them. In a few words though, if you’re reading this article in 2023 or later, Intel Celeron/Pentium specs are the ones to get if you’re shopping on a budget, with some premium fanless Intel Core models and especially a handful of newer ARM-based implementations in the higher-tier products, either Chromebooks or fully fledged laptops running macOS or Windows.
Fanless laptop designs: No fans + No spinning HDD = no noise
For now, these are the available fanless laptops and ultra-portables. Click the links on each product’s name for more details and reviews, as well as the links in the Price column for the latest offers and discounts on the ones that you’re interested in.
Going with a fanless laptop normally translates into a compromise in performance and/or thermals. These options here are, however, pretty much the best money can get you in a fanless and completely silent product.
They’re very different between the various models, and I’d suggest further research to understand which is the right choice for you. You’ll find a couple of older Core devices running either Windows or ChromeOS, a couple of premium ARM-based devices running the ARM-version of Windows and compatible apps, you’ll find the excellent MacBook Air M1 and M2 running MacOS, as well as a few Windows laptops built on powerful Intel Core U hardware, such as the Huawei Matebook X and the ThinkPad X1 Fold.
If you’re willing to spend around 1000 USD/EUR or your local equivalent on this sort of premium fanless laptop, the excellently balanced and long-lasting Apple MacBook Air M1 built on Apple silicon is the go-to option in this segment, as significantly more affordable than the newer Air M2, and more powerful than the few available Windows options with similar capabilities, such as the portable Huawei MateBook X (reviewed here).
Other options to consider in the Windows space are the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the Microsoft Surface Pro 7/7+. These Surface tablets are fanless in their Core i3/i5 configurations. Those are older generations Intel platforms, but should still do fine for everyday use and daily multitasking. The newer Surface models are no longer fanless in any configurations.
This aside, on the more budget-friendly side, Chuwi makes a few interesting laptops without fans, built on low-power platforms and with small batteries, but otherwise with beautiful screens and premium designs. They’re worth a look, just make sure you buy them from stores with good warranty services and return policies. Update: Make sure to double check this, as some of the more recent Chuwi updates are no longer fanless, while previous generations were. See the comments section for details.
Furthermore, the Microsoft Surface Pro X and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13s are interesting options as well, as ARM-based Windows devices, just make sure you’re OK with the strong points and the quirks associated with the still finicky ARM-Windows duo.
| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Price |
| Acer Swift 7 | Windows, clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD touch | Amber Lake Core Y, 32 Wh | .9 kg / 2 lbs | $1599 |
| Apple MacBook Air M1 | MacOS, clamshell | 13.3″ IPS retina glossy | Apple M1, 49.9 Wh | 1.29 kg / 2.7 lbs | $899 |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M2 | MacOS, clamshell | 13.6″ IPS retina wide-gamut | Apple M2, 52.6 Wh | 1.24 kg / 2.7 lbs | $1099 |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 M2 | MacOS, clamshell | 15.3″ IPS retina wide-gamut | Apple M2, 66.5 Wh | 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs | $1299 |
| Asus Chromebook Flip C434 | Chromebook, convertible | 14″ IPS FHD touch | Amber Lake Core Y, 48 Wh | 1.45 kg / 3.2 lbs | $479 |
| Asus NovaGo | Windows on ARM, clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Qualcomm 845, 52 Wh | 1.4 kg / 3.1 lbs | $999 |
| Chuwi MiniBook X | Windows, convertible | 10.6″ IPS FHD+ touch | Alder Lake Pentium, 29 Wh | .92 kg / 2 lbs | $399 |
| Chuwi CoreBook X | Windows, clamshell | 14.0″ IPS 3:2 2K | Alder Lake Core i5 U, 46Wh | 1.36 kg / 3 lbs | $599 |
| Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 | Windows, tablet + folio | 13″ 3.2K IPS touch | Alder Lake Core U, 49.5 Wh | .76 kg / 1.6 lbs, plus keyboard |
$999 |
| Google Pixelbook | Chromebook, convertible | 12.3″ IPS 3:2 3K touch | Amber Lake Core Y, 48 Wh | 1.13 kg / 2.5 lbs | $799 |
| Google Pixelbook Go | Chromebook, clamshell | 13.3″ IPS 16:10 FHD touch | Amber Lake Core Y, 48 Wh | 1.1 kg / 2.4 lbs | $649 |
| HP Spectre Folio | Windows, tablet w/ folio | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Amber Lake Core Y, 55 Wh | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg | $1199 |
| Huawei MateBook X | Windows, clamshell | 13″ IPS 3:2 3K touch | Comet Lake Core U, 42 Wh | 2.2 lbs / 1 kg | $999 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X13s Snapdragon | Windows on ARM, clamshell | 13.3″ 16:10 IPS matte | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, 49 Wh | 1.06 kg / 2.35 lbs | $1099 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold | foldable laptop | 16″ OLD 2K+ touch | Intel Core U, 48+16 Wh | 3.8 lbs / 1.8 kg | $2499 |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 7 , 7+ | tablet + folio | 12.3″ IPS 2.7K touch | Intel Core i3 or i5 – 11th gen, 47.4 Wh | 0.77 kg / 1.7 lbs (without keyboard) |
$799 |
| Microsoft Surface Pro X | Windows on ARM, tablet | 13″ IPS 3:2 3K touch | Qualcomm Snapdragon SQ1 or SQ2, 34 Wh | .78 lbs / 1.7 kg | $899 |
| Porsche Design Ultra One | Windows, clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD touch | Amber Lake Core Y, 45 Wh | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg | $1399 |
| Samsung Galaxy Chromebook | Chromebook, convertible | 13.3″ OLED 4K touch | Core U, 49 Wh | 1 kg / 2.2 lbs | $799 |
| Samsung Galaxy Pro S | Windows, clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Lakefield Core, 42 Wh | .95 lbs / 2.1 kg | $999 |
| Samsung Galaxy Pro S ARM | Windows on ARM, clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Qualcomm 8cx, 42 Wh | .95 lbs / 2.1 kg | $999 |
| Venom BlackBook Zero 14 | clamshell, clamshell | 14″ IPS FHD matte | Amber Lake Core Y, 36 Wh | 3.3 lbs / 1.45 kg | $999 |
Full-size fanless laptops
This section is reserved for full-size everyday machines with 14+ inch screens. Most of these are Chromebooks, and I’ve only listed the most interesting picks here, as we do cover Chromebooks in general in a separate detailed article.
There aren’t many full-size fanless Windows laptop options, though, simply because you’d normally expect more competent hardware in a larger laptop, the kind that requires a fan. The ThinkPad X1 Fold stands out as the exception, though, as a fanless multi-purpose computer with a foldable OLED display (too bad this was never actually available to buy).
There are however some inexpensive models from Asus, Dell or HP to consider, with screens going from 14 to 17 inches in size. The Asus VivoBook Go Flip (14-inch, convertible) and Vivobook Go L510 (15-inch, clamshell), and the HP Laptop 17 (17-inch, clamshell), are the most interesting Windows options in this niche, just don’t expect much in terms of power from them. On the Chromebook Side, the popular HP ChromeBook 14 in this latest fanless variants is the go-to recommendation in this size class.
| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Price |
| Acer Chromebook 15 | Chromebook, clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD | Apollo Lake Celeron/Pentium | 3.95 lbs / 1.8 kg | $299 |
| Acer Swift 1 | Windows, clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD | Apollo/Gemini Lake Pentium | 1.4 kg / 3.1 lbs | $349 |
| Asus Chromebook C425 | Chromebook, clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD | Amber Lake Core Y, 56 Wh | 1.3 kg / 2.8 lbs | $349 |
| Asus VivoBook Go Flip 14 | Windows, convertible | 14″ IPS FHD touch | Jasper Lake Celeron, 39 Wh | 1.45 kg / 3.2 lbs | $349 |
| Asus VivoBook Go 14 L410 | Windows, clamshell | 14″ LED FHD | Gemini Lake Celeron, 42 Wh | 1.3 kg / 2.9 lbs | $279 |
| Asus VivoBook Go 15 L510 | Windows, clamshell | 15.6″ LED FHD | Gemini Lake Celeron, 42 Wh | 1.63 kg / 3.6 lbs | $299 |
| Asus VivoBook Flip 14 | Windows, convertible | 14″ TN HD or IPS FHD touch | Apollo Lake Celeron/Pentium | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg | $399 |
| Chuwi GemiBook X Pro | Windows, clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD | Alder Lake Pentium, 38Wh | 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs | $249 |
| HP Chromebook 14 | Chromebook, clamshell | 14″ TN HD or IPS FHD | Gemini Lake Pentium, 47 Wh | 1.45 kg / 3.4 lbs | $399 |
| HP Chromebook 15 | Chromebook, clamshell | 15.6″ IPS FHD | Gemini Lake Pentium, 60 Wh | 1.85 kg / 4 lbs | $499 |
| HP Laptop 14 | Windows on ARM, clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD matte | Snapdragon 7c or Intel Jasper Lake, 32 Wh |
1.25 kg / 2.8 lbs | $249 |
| HP ProBook Fortis 14 | Windows, clamshell | 14.0″ IPS FHD matte | Intel 12th-gen Core U, 42 Wh | 1.7 kg / 3.75 lbs | $849 |
| HP Laptop 17 | Windows, clamshell | 17.3″ TN HD+ | Gemini Lake Pentium, 41 Wh | 2.4 kg / 5.3 lbs | $399 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold | foldable laptop | 16″ OLD 2K+ touch | Intel Core U, 48+16 Wh | 3.8 lbs / 1.8 kg | $2499 |
| Samsung Chromebook 4+ | Chromebook, clamshell | 15.6″ TN FHD | Gemini Lake Pentium, 39 Wh | 1.8 kg / 3.8 lbs | $399 |
I’d also recommend checking out our detailed guide on the best 14 and 15-inch portable laptops you can find right now, as a follow-up in your quest for this sort of full-size multipurpose laptop.
Fanless ultrabooks and ultra-portables
This section is reserved for the portables ultrabooks and thin-and-light laptops with screen sizes between 12 and sub-14-inches.
That includes the popular 12 and 13.3-inch categories, where you’ll mostly find the best-balanced mix of ergonomics and build quality, with a comfortable keyboard, a fair selection of ports, capable hardware and a fair-sized battery.
Here’s where you’ll also find most of the premium fanless offers already mentioned earlier in the article, such as the Apple MacBook Air M1 and M2 or the Huawei MateBook X, or the Microsoft Surface Pro X, but also some excellent mid-sized ChromeBooks, such as the Google Pixelbook Go or the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 13.
| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Start Price |
| Acer Swift 1 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD | Apollo/Gemini Lake Pentium | 1.3 kg / 2.9 lbs | $349 |
| Acer Switch 7 Black Edition | detachable | 13.5″ IPS touch | Kaby Lake-R Core U | 1.13 kg / 2.5 lbs | $1699 |
| Acer Aspire Switch 12S | detachable | 12.5″ IPS touch FHD | Skylake Core M | 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs (w/ dock) | $1199 |
| Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 | detachable | 12.5″ IPS touch | Skylake Core U | 1.3 kg / 2.85 lbs (w/ folio) | $599 |
| Acer Chromebook R13 | Convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD | Mediatek | 1.5 kg / 3.3 lbs | $329 |
| Apple MacBook 12 | MacOS, clamshell | 12.0″ IPS retina | Skylake Core M | 0.90 kg / 2.0 lbs | $1199 |
| Apple MacBook Air | MacOS, clamshell | 13.3″ IPS retina glossy | Apple M1, 49.9 Wh | 1.3 kg / 2.8 lbs | $899 |
| Asus Chromebook Flip | Convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD | Kaby Lake Core Y | 1.2 kg / 2.65 lbs | $399 |
| Asus ExpertBook B3 |
Windows, tablet w/ folio | 10.5″ IPS touch | Snapdragon 7cx, 38 Wh | – | – |
| Asus VivoBook 13 Slate OLED |
Windows, tablet w/ folio | 10.5″ OLED touch | Jasper Lake Pentium, 50 Wh | 1.1 kg / 2.4 lbs (w/ folio) | $499 |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360CA | convertible | 13.3″ IPS touch FHD and QHD+ | Skylake Core Y | 1.3 kg / 2.86 lbs | $699 |
| Dell Latitude 12 7000 Rugged Extreme | Windows, tablet w/ folio | 12″ IPS touch FHD | Alder Lake Core U, 35.6 Wh | 1.26 kg / 2.8 lbs (w/ dock) | $1999 |
| Dell Latitude 13 7370 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD | SkyLake Core Y | 1.25 kg / 2.75 lbs (w/ dock) | – |
| Dell XPS 12 9250 | detachable | 12.5″ IPS touch FHD or UHD | Skylake Core Y | 1.27 kg / 2.8 lbs (w/ dock) | $999 |
| Dell XPS 13 9365 | convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD/QHD+ touch | up to Amber Lake Core Y | 1.24 kg / 2.7 lbs | $999 |
| Dell XPS 13 9315 2-in-1 | Windows, tablet + folio | 13.3″ IPS FHD/QHD+ touch | Alder Lake Core U, 49.5 Wh | 1.3 kg / 2.85 lbs (w/ keyboard) | $999 |
| Eve V | tablet | 12.3″ IPS 2k | Kaby Lake Core Y | 1.33 kg / 3 lbs (w/ keyboard) | $799 |
| Lenovo Chromebook x360 12 | Chromebook, convertible | 12″ IPS HD+ touch | Gemini Lake Celeron, 40 Wh | 1.35 kg / 3 lbs | $399 |
| HP Elite Folio | Windows on Arm, tablet w/ folio | 13.5″ IPS FHD touch | Snapdragon 8cx, 46 Wh | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg | $1499 |
| HP Spectre Folio | Windows, tablet w/ folio | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Amber Lake Core Y, 55 Wh | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg | $1199 |
| Google Pixelbook Go | Chromebook, clamshell | 13.3″ IPS 16:10 FHD touch | Amber Lake Core Y, 48 Wh | 1.1 kg / 2.4 lbs | $649 |
| Huawei MateBook X | Windows on ARM, clamshell | 13″ IPS 3:2 3K touch | Comet Lake Core U, 42 Wh | 2.2 lbs / 1 kg | $999 |
| Lenovo Chromebook Flex 13 | Chromebook, convertible | 13.3″ IPS FHD touch | Intel Core U, 51 Wh | 1.35 kg / 3 lbs | $349 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet | tablet | 12.0″ IPS touch | Kaby Lake Core Y | 0.77 kg / 1.7 lbs | $949 |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Pro | tablet | 12.5″ OLED 2K touch | Snapdragon 8c | 1.25 kg / 2.6 lbs | $599 |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 5G | tablet + folio | 13″ IPS 3K touch | Qualcomm Snapdragon, 46.5 Wh | 0.88 kg / 1.95 lbs (without keyboard) |
$999 |
| Microsoft Surface Pro X | tablet + folio | 13″ IPS FHD+ touch | Qualcomm Snapdragon | 0.77 kg / 1.7 lbs (without keyboard) |
$999 |
| Samsung Chromebook 2 13 | clamshell | 13.3″ IPS FHD | Samsung Exynos 5 Octa | 1.38 kg / 3.06 lbs | $399 |
| Samsung Galaxy Go 5G | clamshell | 14″ LED FHD | Qualcomm Snapdragon, 42 Wh | 1.4 kg / 3.1 lbs | $799 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro S | tablet | 12.1″ IPS FHD+ | Skylake Core Y | 0.69 kg / 1.53 lbs | $999 |
| Thomson NEO Z3 | Windows on ARM, clamshell | 13″ IPS FHD | Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 | 1.1 kg / 2.4 lbs (w/ dock) | – |
| Toshiba Chromebook 13 CB35 | clamshell | 13.3″ TN HD | Celeron BayTrail | 1.33 kg / 2.95 lbs | $249 |
| Toshiba Portégé Z20t | convertible | 12.5″ IPS touch FHD | Broadwell Core M | 1.59 kg / 3.5 lbs (w/ dock) | $1299 |
| Xiaomi Book S 12.4 | tablet | 12.4″ IPS touch | Snapdragon 8cx, 38 Wh | 1.05 kg / 2.3 lbs | ~650 EUR |
| Xiaomi Mi Notebook 12 | clamshell | 12.5″ IPS FHD | Skylake Core U | 1.1 kg / 2.4 lbs | $899 |
Fanless Mini laptops
Finally, we list here the smallest options, usually built on low-power hardware and primarily meant for basic daily tasks. Most of them are designed with either budget or long battery life in mind (and many check both these boxes).
The Microsoft Surface Go (Windows tablet) and the Lenovo Chromebook Duet (ChromeBook) are my primary recommendations in this class. The Duet sells for $300 and less and is excellent for casual use, while the Go is more expensive, but offers the full Windows experience in a tiny package. The Asus Laptop L210 is also an option to consider if you’re after a clamshell laptop format for under $250.
You’ll also find a wider selection of 10 and 11-inch mini-laptops and tablets in this separate dedicated article.
| Model | Type | Screen | Hardware | Weight | Start Price |
| Acer Aspire R 11 | convertible | 11.6″ TN touch HD | Celeron / Pentium Braswell | 1.58 kg / 3.50 lbs | $249 |
| Acer Chromebook Spin 311 | Chromebook, convertible | 11.6″ IPS HD | Mediatek, 40 Wh | 1.50 kg / 3.31 lbs | $199 |
| Asus VivoBook Go L210 | clamshell | 11.6″ TN HD | Gemini Lake Celeron, 38 Wh | 0.95 kg / 2.10 lbs | $209 |
| Asus EeeBook X205 | clamshell | 11.6″ TN HD | Atom BayTrail, 38 Wh | 0.95 kg / 2.10 lbs (w/ dock) | $199 |
| Asus Transformer Book T102HA | detachable | 10.1″ IPS HD | Atom CherryTrail | 0.79 kg / 1.74 lbs (w/ dock) | $349 |
| Dell Latitude 3120 Education | clamshell | 11.6″ TN HD matte | Jasper Lake Pentium, 40Wh | 1.4 kg / 3.1 lbs | $299 |
| HP Pavilion x360 11 | convertible | 11.6″ IPS HD touch | Gemini Lake Pentium, 37 Wh | 1.38 kg / 3.06 lbs | $299 |
| HP Stream 11 Pro | clamshell | 11.6″ TN HD | Gemini Lake Celeron, 38Wh | 1.05 kg / 2.3 lbs | $249 |
| Lenovo Chromebook Duet | Chromebook, tablet | 10″ IPS touch 16:10 | Mediatek, 27 Wh | 0.52 kg / 1.15 lbs (without keyboard) | $299 |
| Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 | Chromebook, tablet | 10.9″ IPS touch 16:10 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c, 29Wh | 0.52 kg / 1.15 lbs (without keyboard) | $499 |
| Lenovo 10w | tablet | 10.1″ IPS touch FHD | Snapdragon 7c | 1.1 kg / 2.4lbs (with keyboard) | $399 |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 11 Chromebook | Chromebook, clamshell | 11″ TN HD matte | Gemini Lake Celeron, 42 Wh | 1.1 kg / 2.4 lbs | $199 |
| Lenovo Tab P11 | tablet | 11″ IPS 2K touch | Snapdragon 8c | 1 kg / 2 lbs (with keyboard) | $299 |
| Microsoft Surface Go | tablet | 10″ IPS touch 3:2 | Pentium Gold, several variants | 0.52 kg / 1.15 lbs (without keyboard) | $399 |
| Panasonic Let’s Note RZ4 | convertible | 10.1″ IPS touch FHD | Skylake Core Y | 1.83 kg / 4.05 lbs (w/ dock) | $1499 |
| Panasonic Let’s Note Z6 | clamshell | 10.1″ IPS FHD | Kaby Lake Core Y | 0.72 kg / 1.6 lbs (w/ dock) | $1199 |
There are a couple of other small-factor fanless tablets and mini-laptops out there, but it would be a huge chore to include them all in here. I do talk about them in my list of 10.1 inch hybrids, this selection of 11.6 inch Mini-laptops or ultrabooks, as well as this list of all the best Chromebooks available these days.
As a side note, you should know that the Price column contains the starting MSRPs for each of the products above. That means that the higher configurations are going to be more expensive, but at the same time there’s a very good chance you can find pretty much all these products discounted by the time you’re reading this post. Click on the links on each price for details and up-to-date numbers.
Also, here’s a short glossary of the terms mentioned above:
- Types:
- tablet: a standard Windows running slate;
- clamshell: classic shaped computer whose screen closes on top of the keyboard and does not flip into any sort of tablet mode;
- convertible: 2-in-1 laptop whose screen rotates and converts to a tablet mode (or similar), but cannot be detached from the base;
- detachable: 2-in-1 laptop whose screen detaches from the base. These are mostly stand-alone tablets bundled with matching docking stations that most often include docking keyboards, ports, batteries, and other features;
- slider: 2-in-1 laptop whose screen slides up and down on top of the body and usually reveals a keyboard hidden underneath.
- Resolutions: HD ( 1366 x 768 px), HD+ ( 1600 x 900 px), FHD (1920 x 1080 px), WUXGA (1920 x 1200 px) retina (2304 x 1440 px), QHD (2560 x 1440 px), WQXGA (2560 x 1600 px), QHD+ (3200 x 1800 px), UHD (3840 x 2160 px) – also see this post;
- Hardware:
- Intel Atom BayTrail – 22 nm platform (Silvermont) launched in 2013. There are different lines available for tablets (BayTrail-T), laptops (BayTrail-M) and desktops (BayTrail-D);
- Intel Atom CherryTrail – 14 nm platform (Airmont) launched in 2015;
- Intel Atom Apollo/Gemini Lake – 2nd generation 14 nm platform launched in 2017.
- Intel Celeron/Pentium Haswell – 22 nm platform based on Haswell hardware;
- Intel Celeron/Pentium Haswell – 14 nm platform based on Skylake hardware. Both can be found in low-power/affordable laptops;
- Intel Celeron/Pentium Apollo/Gemini Lake – 2nd generation 14 nm platform launched in 2017. Can be found in low-power/affordable laptops and replaces the Haswell/Braswell Pentium/Celeron lines;
- Broadwell Core M – launched in 2014 as the low-power version in Intel’s Broadwell family. Offers good balance between performance and battery life, part of the more premium fanless notebooks;
- Skylake Core M – 6th gen update, low power platform launched in 2015;
- Kaby Lake Core Y – 7th gen update, low-power platform launched in 2017;
- Amber Lake Core Y – the late-2018 8th gen update of the Core Y platform, motorizes premium devices.
OK. That’s about it for this post. I do hope you find it useful and if you’re looking for an ultrabook or any other ultraportable laptop, you should also check out the other lists on the site and my reviews.
I’m constantly working at keeping these selections and lists up-to-date, but if you spot anything that should be in here and it’s not, please leave a reply and tell me about it. In fact, feel free to get in touch in the comments sections if you have anything to add, anything to ask, or need help to choose your next fanless mini-laptop, I’m around to reply and help.
Keith White
September 17, 2021 at 7:34 pm
Please add the Asus L410 and L510. The L510 has a 16 inch screen and a number pad. Both are unusually good, though middling performance.
Andrei Girbea
September 18, 2021 at 11:10 am
thanks, updated!
cornail
September 21, 2021 at 7:42 pm
Hi Andrei, thanks for the awesome list.
Please add the Dell Latitude 7370, clamshell, 13.3″ IPS FHD and QHD+, Skylake Core M, 1.25 kg / 2.75 lbs.
Thanks!
Andrei Girbea
September 21, 2021 at 7:52 pm
OK, but that's from a couple of years ago and not something most will be able to find in stores anymore
fang
December 1, 2021 at 3:15 pm
Can you add to the list if the laptop have a backlit keyboard or not? Is great to use a fanless in bed next to a sleeping partner, in the dak, but you should be able to see the keys :D And maybe seperate the lists by operation system?
Adimetrius
June 29, 2022 at 11:49 pm
So, why is HP Laptop 17 still on the list? It seems it's not fanless any more. At least that's what HP's support told me about the AMD Ahtlon Gold 3150U configuration. This is the weakest processor it gets, others are stronger and with higher TDP.
Andrei Girbea
June 30, 2022 at 8:02 am
it was fanless in a previous generation.
Micheal
July 24, 2022 at 5:26 am
HP Pavilion 15 is missing from the list. Can you add that as well?
Brolin Empey
August 12, 2022 at 11:27 pm
Hey Andrei, thank you for your effort.
I want to replace my old fanful notebook computer that has an LCD with a newer fanless notebook computer that has an OLED display but everything I have found so far that has an OLED display has a fan or some other reason for me to reject it, such as a low-cost Asus VivoBook model that runs from an SSD soldered on the motherboard, specifically eMMC, instead of from a removable and upgradable internal drive. Even the recent fanful notebook computers I found that have an OLED display are missing an integrated analog audio connector. Do you know of a list of fanless notebook computers with OLED displays? I want fanless, not fanful with a fanless profile.
Also, notebook computers used to be fanless even up to the original Pentium era before they became fanful beginning with the Pentium II era. As specific examples that I still have, the IBM ThinkPad 755CX from 1994 with a Pentium at 75 MHz, 755CD from 1995 with an 80486DX/4 at 100 MHz, and 760C from 1996 with a Pentium at 120 MHz are all fanless and use the same model of CPU as a stationary computer.
Andrei Girbea
August 15, 2022 at 9:39 am
There are no Fanless OLED laptops at this point. The hardware available in most portable computers nowadays requires a fan.
ML
September 25, 2022 at 10:25 pm
there is another 15.6" laptop from DELL, called Dell Inspirion 3502 with N5030, also called Inspirion 3510 and in the service manual it states it has a HEAT SINK and NO FAN
T
May 25, 2023 at 8:17 pm
Basically every single laptop with a Celeron N3***/N4*** and Pentium Silver N5***/N6000 is fanless, even the ones with fan vents in the chassis, then have fan dummies on the inside.
Fanless Man
October 24, 2022 at 3:23 pm
Dell XPS 2-in-1 looks to be fanless, based on the manual.
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/laptops/13-2-in-1/spd/xps-13-9315-2-in-1-laptop/x29315cto20s
This is so far the only Alder Lake powered fanless device I've seen.
Andrei Girbea
October 25, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Thank you, updated!
The Surface Pro 9 5G is also Alder Lake and fanless
Fanless Man
October 25, 2022 at 10:32 pm
Pro 9 5g runs on SQ3 (Snadragon 8cx Gen 3). The Alder Lake version I believe has fans.
Mookie
June 24, 2023 at 7:45 pm
Señor Fanless: Could you let me know where you see that in the manual for the 9315 model? I actually see a lot of complaints on sites like Quora and Reddit about fan noise, so I'm confused.
Maybe there is more than one version — some older ones for sale are detachable and the newer ones just flip. Seems odd they would have the same model number, though.
Fanless Man
June 29, 2023 at 12:48 pm
Sure, the tablet with detachable keyboard is fanless, the laptop has a fan.
AlexS
December 29, 2022 at 1:28 am
Looking for 17" 16:10 OLED 700 nits or IPS 500 nits full RGB at least. Numpad.
Guess i'll have to wait.
Fanless Man
January 11, 2023 at 3:23 pm
Just got the XPS 13 2 in 1. What a beautiful device, and so performant! Genuinely a great laptop. It shows the difference between a Hardware company's attempt at a Surface Pro device and a Software company's.
The only real disadvantage compared to Microsoft's attempts is the worse pen experience. But in every other way the XPS just runs circles around Surface Pros.
robin
January 12, 2023 at 10:22 am
But lord,the price is so high.
Fanless Man
January 27, 2023 at 3:26 pm
It is cheaper than the entire Surface Pro lineup, and better in every way. Now that I've used it a bit, I'd say even the pen experience is better.
Greg Hilton
March 27, 2023 at 12:23 pm
@fanlessman – what real world battery life are you seeing in the XPS 13 2 in 1 please? I carry around a MBA and an iPad and wondering if one windows device can replace both? but fanless and equivalent battery life to the MBA/iPAd is key!
Fanless Man
March 31, 2023 at 2:05 pm
Apple battery is peerless. I don't think a anybody is going to match their custom silicon anytime soon.
With increased battery efficiency setting and battery charge limiter set to 85%, XPS gets around 5-6 hours in mixed use. Has terrible standby time – there's no way it can replace the iPad's notification services. It needs to sleep/hibernate.
Get this if you want a performant but low-battery Windows laptop with touchscreen. Intel is still a couple of generations behind Apple for silicon.
Jan Čapek
January 16, 2023 at 7:46 pm
I end up here looking for modern replacement for my good old Lenovo Yoga 710-11IKB in case it will give up someday. And found that there are too few options that on the "best lists" are even still laptops from the same era (which are not compatible by latest windows anymore)… That is certainly disappointment.
But that means, that my device should be considered to be added to the list too:
Lenovo Yoga 710-11IKB with Core i5-7Y54 (Kaby Lake) and 8GB of RAM. I have it already for more than 5 years and love it.
There are really no newer passively cooled x86 processors than Amber Lake? :-o
Andrei Girbea
January 17, 2023 at 11:22 am
None that I'm aware of, aside from the ones in the table.
However, it's worth mentioning that most modern laptops offer some sort of SIlent/Whisper profile which minimize fan noise and tend to keep the fans idle with basic use. You'll still hear them with multitasking, though, and those Silent modes have a noticeable hit on performance over the Standard/Performance profiles, but those are pretty much the current viable options in the WIndows space if you're after modern specs.
Jan Čapek
January 17, 2023 at 12:25 pm
Yep, but it is so hard to understand behaviour of low noise modes of ventilated laptops before actually using device. :) It makes good pick of new device very challenging.
It would be great if some systems have ability to limit its TDP or FAN requirement no matter performance demand – when you don't need max power. Also I assume if you limit TDP of U Core CPUs to the same level as Y runs by default, they will not be as good?
Would be interesting to see how new Core i3-N300 (Alder Lake-N) will perform.
Andrei Girbea
January 17, 2023 at 12:52 pm
that's what they do, limit TDP and fan speed. But, eventually, the fan will kick on once the system passes a certain temperature limit, and the thinner the laptop, the sooner that happens with multitasking use.
I found most of these Silent profiles to be good enough, as a noise-sensitive user myself. However, coming from a fanless laptop that's quiet all the time, you will notice even that low fan noise in silent/quiet environments.
My advice would be to get something like an AMD-based Asus ZenBook or Lenovo IdeaPad/Yoga and give it a try, see how it works for you on those Silent profiles. Or perhaps a 12th-gen Core U laptop from Dell, etc. Judging by your name, I'd reckon you're living in the EU somewhere, so you could easily just return the laptop if not suited for your needs.
T
May 25, 2023 at 8:12 pm
Tremont Jasper Lake Pentium Silver N6000 is newer than Amber Lake Core i5-8200Y and Core i7-8500Y, and more powerful as well from what i can see in benchmark comparisons, plus it makes the batteries last forever, up to 26h idle in my Swift. You can find a few interesting models available with N6000, and everything with the older Celeron N3/4*** and Silver N5*** is fanless as well, although not as fast.
My relatively slim and light(1.3kg) metal chassis keyboard backlit Acer Swift 1 SF114-34 14" with 512/2x4GB(8Gb total) has an N6000, and i find it quick enough for my silent taste. For being a budget model it feels rather exclusive with metal frame(both in- and outside) and backlit keyboard. Acer has yet to release one with 2x8GB for more pleasant 16Gb total but i hope that might come soon. From what i've read 16GB memory is maximum for the N6000.
I have also bought a now discontinued HP Laptop 14S-DQ3025 with N6000, 512/1x8GB(upgraded to 1x16Gb) and backlit keyboard, but haven't had time to test that one yet. It's not as slim/light and exclusive/metallic as the Acer, and it won't be as fast because of the single memory module(x2 is faster). Heavier 1.46kg and plastic on the outside, but the double memory size made me want to try one until something better comes along, plus silver keys on the keyboard instead of black. I will use it as my always on-laptop which i prefer not to restart more than once every six months, and i'll use the Acer for on the fly use, experimentation with more frequent restarts, and dual boot.
Jan Čapek
January 17, 2023 at 1:04 pm
Thanks your advice!
Jay Cutler
January 25, 2023 at 9:47 pm
There's a new wave of CPUs coming through, all those recently presented Intels N100, N200 and N300 (8 cores!), all with very low TDP, something like 6 or 7 W.
But they are still very new, so…
tanstaafl
January 26, 2023 at 7:09 am
Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5g is a fanless cheap Windows Arm laptop with Snapdragon processor. I have two of them.
Andrei Girbea
January 27, 2023 at 1:09 pm
added. thanks you!
Fanless Man
January 27, 2023 at 3:34 pm
I'd say after using the Intel Dell XPS 2-in-1 that the ARM experience is just not acceptable. It ultimately comes down to single core speed. A processor with top-end single core will remain performant for many more years, even if it uses more battery for multicore processing over the years.
On the other hand, while an ARM device will remain battery efficient for more years, you will relatively quickly (2 years) start to notice it chug for actual use.
This has been my experience with the HP y-series folio and the Surface Pro X, both purchased when they were released. The y series folio is simply more responsive than the SPX, even though the SPX is far newer.
Johannes
September 17, 2023 at 5:42 pm
Judging from my own experience, I can't confirm this at all.
I have a fanless Lenovo Thinkpad X13s. The 8 ARM64 Snapdragon cores are faster than the 6 Zen2 cores in my older Ryzen 4500U laptop on both single- and multicore workloads. The SQ1 processor in the Surface Pro X is the same Snapdragon design. There is no way the ARM cores could every be significantly slower than the Y-series CPUs in the HP folio series from 2018, and if it's just for the memory (DDR3 vs. DDR5).
Were you maybe using some form of x86 emulation on the Surface?
Fanless Man
September 18, 2023 at 1:07 pm
I don't know what's going on with your Ryzen processor, I've never used AMD on laptop so couldn't comment. I know that Windows laptops are crippled when off AC power.
You can view this userbenchmark comparison and see how poorly the SQ1 performs in comparison, especially considering it's a year newer. cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Microsoft-SQ1-vs-Intel-Core-i7-8500Y/m936050vsm590466
I wouldn't say the experience overall is significantly worse, but it is noticeably so, in line with the userbenchmark comparison. The issue lies in the terrible single core speed which makes the overall experience unacceptable considering the price and release date.
If you really want to see how ARM can perform, I'd suggest trying out one of the new Apple laptops. Since their release, Qualcomm has certainly gotten better – competition has worked to stir them from their slumber, similarly to how AMD kicked Intel into shape.
ramirez
January 30, 2023 at 7:06 pm
Earlier, someone mentioned the lack of OLED screens. This is unfortunately true. I have a Lenovo Ideapad 3-15 with Pentium N5000 passively cooled, together with SSD completely silent. Normal FHD screen, and I would like an OLED. Can the screens be replaced?
Kefirchik
May 17, 2023 at 3:02 am
Do you know if Acer released any upgrades to the Switch 7 Black Edition? That one seems to be from 2018 and I wonder if newer versions are available? Thanks!
Andrei Girbea
May 24, 2023 at 7:48 am
This model was discontinued
Jay Cutler
June 24, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Time to add the new MacBook Air 15 to the list.
johnny
July 13, 2023 at 11:58 am
Which of these come with at least 2.5GHz, USB 3(powered?), RJ-45?
THank you!
Cristian
July 22, 2023 at 7:16 pm
Hi, I have a Asus Zenbook Flip UX360CA that has a lose hinge. I would like to replace it with something similar: fanless (I use it placed om my stomach, in bed!), light(er?), NOT a flip, may be non touch screen, 13.5 to 14 inches, SOLID, performance/memory not important (I only scroll the web, no games). I am buying on Canadian or US market. Instead of repairing this poorly built laptop, I would rather buy new. Thank you for any advice you may give me.
Oleg
November 4, 2023 at 1:47 pm
HP ProBook Fortis G10 is a 14-inch fanless clamshell Windows laptop with a Intel 12th Generation Alder Lake (2021) CPU up to Intel Core i5-1240U (2P+8E=10 cores, 1GHz base, 4.4 GHz turbo, Intel Iris Xe Graphics).
It weights 1.66 kg/3.66 lbs.
Andrei Girbea
November 6, 2023 at 6:14 pm
Hi, thanks for the comment. Do you have a clear source on this being fanless? I can't seem to find that info on HP's website.
Oleg
November 11, 2023 at 2:31 pm
Dear Andrei,
1. Absence of any vent holes including a bottom case.
2. Maintenance and Service Guide kaas.hpcloud.hp.com/pdf-public/pdf_6039173_en-US-1.pdf , Chapter 3 Illustrated parts catalog shows an exploded view without any fans, no fans in a list of parts as well as a lot of internal drawings showing no fans.
Cristian
November 7, 2023 at 3:11 am
Hi, I already bought a Venom, Blackbook Zero and it is exactly what I wanted.
Klaus
November 19, 2023 at 6:07 pm
Out of interest, has anyone seen higher-performance fanless devices?
My target is to run Second Life reasonably well; Currently I am doing this with a Core i7-7700hq with Intel HD Graphics 630 iGPU (note: HD, not the stronger UHD series), avoiding the dedicated NVidia GTX 1050 Ti due to the fan noise, restricting its use to Games in a stricter sense.
Target performance would be Iris Xe or better. An AMD processor with Radeon 680M or 780M at lowest TDP configuration would be able to run fanless, as should a Core i6-*U with Iris Xe at the higher limit of TDP configuration. Options are very limited though, and almost only 2021 models actually come fanless.
I am considering a Macbook Air M2 (16GB+1TB) as an alternative, but I don't really like Mac, and the price point for acceptable configurations is at least 1800-2000€, before even accounting for the need for Parallels and a Windows license for my use-case.
<i>Rant part, skippable.</i>
I could still kick myself for not taking the Asus CX 5400 Chromebook Demo model they had in a local Mediamarkt for 777€ (16 GB Ram, Intel Core i5 with Iris Xe 80 EUs). The only comparable hardware *at all* on the market right now are leftover Surface Pro 7 Plus pieces, and the fanless 16 GB variants cost upwards of 1300€. Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has a similar hardware platform, but clocks the iGPU at 850 MHz (Surface Pro 7 Plus: 1200 MHz, Max: 1300 MHz), which shows in graphics benchmarks.
Andrei Girbea
November 20, 2023 at 10:50 am
I'm not aware of any AMD fanless model. On Intel's side, there are a few, the Dell and Surface that you mentioned, as well as a Huawei model. But all are previous-gen platforms and low-power designs, so limit the GPU in sustained loads.
Perhaps you could find a Surface on sale or refurbished or even used? That should be your better option even at this point.
Klaus
November 20, 2023 at 2:52 pm
Tried with refurbished Surface, but the 16 GB version is hard to come by… And then it is usually quite expensive.
A General trend: Fanless Drives (including Chromrbooks) that have at least an Iris Xe Level performance are close to original price even after two years.
Mr Greg Hilton
November 20, 2023 at 3:27 pm
FWIW you can run (and I do) windows with a free version of VMware Fusion on Apple Silicon.
peter
November 20, 2023 at 11:17 am
The 2023 and up Chuwi MiniBook X, Chuwi CoreBook X, Chuwi GemiBook X Pro are not fanless anymore.
Only the new Chuwi Freebook N100 is fanless.
Andrei Girbea
November 20, 2023 at 12:18 pm
Thanks, updating
david
November 26, 2023 at 1:12 pm
Most devices on this "2023" list have been out of production for years and it's a complete waste of time for anyone coming here looking for a replacement in "2023" of a device they owned listed here years ago.
Andrei Girbea
November 26, 2023 at 2:05 pm
David, I've tried to make it clear that some of these laptops are old and might not be available, as you can tell from the hardware platforms on each option. If you have suggestions on improving the article, I'm all ears.
Klaus
November 28, 2023 at 12:18 pm
The website notebookcheck.com (German) / notebookcheck.net (English) offers a useful tool for identifying suitable devices, that have a fan but are silent.
Under "Benchmarks / Tech >> Benchmarks and Test Results" you can filter by graphics card (e.g. entering 780m) and select in "restrict benchmark list" elements associated with noise, and then sort by noise level. This results in something like this:
notebookcheck.net/Benchmarks-and-Test-Results.142793.0.html?&sort=b_loudness_loudness_load_max&search=780m+760m+680m&or=1&showBars=1&test_loudness_loudness_load_max=1&model=1&cpu_name=1&gpu_name=1&screen_size=1
Which brings up essentially only the HP EliteBook 865 G9 and G10 as performance-similar alternatives to a MacBook Air M1/M2, which costs currently EUR 1770 (EUR 999 for students) in its cheapest 780m configuration (512 GB SSD + 16 GB RAM), has rather low fan-noise levels and weight, upgradable RAM and SSD, better port selection.
Myself, I found a refurbished Surface Pro 7 Plus, since games don't play as big of a role anymore. But in the past, I would have been hard-pressed to choose between the completely fanless high performance of a MacBook Air, and an upgradable Windows alternative.