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 2022 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 Windows options such as the portable Huawei MateBook X (reviewed here).
Furthermore, the Microsoft Surface Pro X and the ThinkPad X13s are interesting options as well, as ARM-based Windows devices, with the strong points and the quirks associated with this still finicky AMR-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 M2 | MacOS, clamshell | 13.6″ IPS retina wide-gamut | Apple M2, 52.6 Wh | 1.24 kg / 2.7 lbs | $1199 |
| 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 |
| 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 | $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 5G | tablet + folio | 13″ IPS 3K touch | Qualcomm Snapdragon SQ, 46.5 Wh | 0.88 kg / 1.95 lbs (without keyboard) |
$999 |
| Microsoft Surface Pro X | Windows on ARM, tablet | 13″ IPS 3:2 3K touch | Qualcomm Snapdragon SQ, 34 Wh | .78 lbs / 1.7 kg | $1499 |
| 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 ful-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.
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 |
| 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 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 | Windows, tablet w/ folio | 12.5″ IPS touch FHD or UHD | Kaby Lake Core Y | 1.66 kg / 3.7 lbs (w/ dock) | $1199 |
| 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 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 | Amber Lake Pentium Gold | 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.
Amphin
November 26, 2018 at 12:16 am
Hello,
Thanks for this liste.
But I search only fanless laptop.
How can i know if ultrabooks are fanless, in this list :"Fanless Ultrabooks and ultra-portables"
Thanks, very good job :-)
Warrick
November 12, 2019 at 9:12 pm
passive 14" laptop, i5-8200Y, with linux
https://www.tuxedocomputers.com/en/Linux-Hardware/Linux-Notebooks/10-14-inch/TUXEDO-InfinityBook-14-v2-passive-/-fanless.tuxedo
Editta
December 20, 2019 at 7:30 pm
Asus E406 series also don't have a fan, they are fanless 14 inch machines as far as I know. There are two types, equiped with N5000 quad core or N4000 dual core processors, both consumes about 6W.
Among HP laptops there are many fanless machines, for example on the support forum I was conformed, that model "HP Pavilion x360 14-dh0001nc " has no fan:
https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/HP-Pavilion-x360-14-dh0001nc-does-have-a-fan-or-passive/m-p/7141823#M516988
models "HP 240 G7" and "HP-15dw0001nh" also contains no fan, according to this support forum message (however I can't confirm this personally, as I am not an owner any of these machines, because finally I bought an Acer Swift 1):
https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/I-would-like-to-know-models-HP-240-G7-and-HP-15dw0001nh-do/m-p/7257743#M533624
Fredrik
January 10, 2020 at 11:27 pm
Two models missing on the list, The previously mentioned 14-inch Tuxedo InfinityBook 14 V2 and the 15.6-inch Porsche Design Ultra One.
I'm seriously considering one if these two, since they fulfill all my three criteria(backlit keyboard, Fanless/SSD and dedicated keyboard keys for Home/End/Ins/Del/PgUp/PgDn), although neither one is perfect. The Tuxedo comes in a barebone chassis which makes it rather heavy and big(and not that good looking) for a 14-inch, 1.5kg compared to 1kg for the slimmest prettiest luxury models on the market, but it's up to 24h battery life and Linux are big a plus.
The Porsche's 1.5kg is "heavy" compared to the lightest 15.6-inch models on the market(but at the same time light) like Swift 5, and the price is ridicoulus, but it does tick all the criteria, and i like that the power port is on the backside. One of two problems is that the one review of the Ultra One mentioned noise from the SSD? Have emailed Porsche about this, if that has been fixed(because i assume it must have been something wrong with the test model), the only remaining "problem" is that it isn't availabe with Scandinavian keyboard. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS something. ='(
It's becoming ridicoulus, why can't just all manufacturers start releasing at least one passively cooled low TDP model of everything they release, i would have had dozens and dozens of backlit silent slimline 15.6-inch luxury models to chose from.
I haven't been able to buy a new laptop since 2014 and my 14-inch Slatebook 14, because of them not understanding that silence is comfort. Have they never been in a Rolls Royce? Idiots.
Andrei Girbea
January 11, 2020 at 11:24 am
Thanks, I've updated the post. From where I'm standing, the niche is probably too small for OEMs to consider it. A premium Core Y based product will cost as much as a Core U or even Core H, but perform poorer and even throttle in demanding loads.
However, OEMs should make sure to create proper fan profiles that would keep the fans quiet with daily use on Core U laptops, and only spin them when needed. I think this happens more and more with premium options these days.
Fredrik
January 28, 2020 at 5:56 pm
The laptop market is shrinking every year from what i've read, so they are doing something wrong, and not offering more luxurious fanless models is in my view one of the biggest.
And no, i will not buy something with a fan and a fan profile, i want a closed chassi that doesn't let in dust, and that never makes any noise regardless of load. A five year old Celeron/Atom is fine enough for my home use, as long as it is combined with at least 8GB of memory, a back-lit keyboard and six dedicated keys for Home/End/Ins/Del/PgUp/PgDn. A modern 5W TDP processor from 2019/2020 is in no way unresonable.
Sadly the number of models have gone from few to fewer. Tuxedo just removed the InfinityBook 14 V2 from their line-up, and their upcoming 14-inch "XPS killer" will drop the fanless design, so Tuxedo is now dead to me.
The Porsche Ultra One, which i was about ready to settle for with a German keyboard layout, if it would have been silent, but according to the Notebookcheck review it makes loud noises like no other SSD laptop i have evr heard of. I have mailed Porsche about it three times but they refuse to acknowledge the question, if the test model was faulty, of if all buyers are to expect a noisy SSD from FORESEE. I could have lived with the 2 year old processor and the low battery life.
I really don't want a black computer, but the Venom Blackbook 14 is the only remaining choice right now with proper back-lit manouevre keys, i can't find any current Spin or Swift or Vivobook Flip 2019/2020 models, that even seems to be fanless, little less backlit or with proper keyboards keys?
Regarding the recently mentioned suggestion about more columns, yes, i would like two more columns for back-lit keyboard and how many keys available for Home/End/Ins/Del/PgUp/PgDn, 6, which is how many there should be, or fewer, whish to me is unacceptable.
Istvan Nagy
February 1, 2020 at 8:23 pm
The HP 17" fanless laptop is no longer sold by HP, but on Amazon it is still available. The problems with it, really ugly cheap black casing, low-res LCD, low amount of memory and SSD. Those all need to be replaced. Intel claims the N5000 processor only supports 8GB, or maybe they want you to buy core i7 if you can afford more memory. Some people use the N5000 with 16GB dimm, the new 32GB dimm might also work if someone tried.
I hope HP will come out with a 17" version with the N5030 processor, but I have not seen any laptops with that CPU yet. This summer the Intel hybrid Lakefield CPU would allow more fanless designs.
jean
May 24, 2020 at 10:22 pm
Thanks for updating the list !
John Harris
January 21, 2020 at 4:58 pm
Hi Andrei, thank you for all the work, the site is consistently trustworthy. Your lists could have a column or two more perhaps. I bet there's a spreadsheet download here with everything I need and I've just not found it yet.
I'm looking for an upgrade and I know what I want, but finding the choices is tough. I currently use a Lenovo S130 because it's fanless, that's why I chose it. The N4000 processor is fine because I ditched Windows for linux. I'm starting to notice it's only 4GB though. A column with max memory would be so useful. I'd probably then sort on price and exclude less-than-N4000 performance, but finding the extra memory is the hard part.
And adding a 2TB M.2 storage made the S130 a wolf in sheep's clothes, and far better than a micro-SD card.
Andrei Girbea
January 27, 2020 at 11:54 am
I don't have a more detailed spreadsheet download, but I will consider your feedback for the next major update. thanks.
anon
March 3, 2020 at 12:58 am
Quick heads up:
The Macbook Air is not fanless. It has a Y-class Intel processor, but Apple slapped a fan on top of it so it can do sustained boost clocks. Crazy if you ask me, but there you have it.
Andrei Girbea
March 3, 2020 at 3:44 pm
Yes, sry for the error, updated.
Thomas Martin
May 18, 2020 at 9:43 pm
If you're happy with the old Intel M3 chips (as I am), the Chuwi Aerobook is a huge bargain at under $500. The only quibble I have is the glossy screen (great for night use but not in sunny rooms or outside). I have a feeling it's going to be a while before another low or moderately priced fanless clamshell PC is available.
Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of the old chips can be seen when streaming encrypted (DRM) video. It will stutter if you run something intensive at the same time (like Google Earth). But that's not such a big deal since you probably won't be doing that except during commercials.
Warrick
September 14, 2020 at 9:07 pm
Yet another fanless laptop:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Samsung-Galaxy-Book-S-Laptop-Review-Lakefield-with-initial-problems.480990.0.html
Alex
November 24, 2020 at 3:31 pm
That's an amazing list, please keep it updated. I'm writing content up to 16 hours a day on my laptop and buying a Dell Venue 11 without a fan was the best decision ever.
But it's about to die, so I will need a replacement soon and this list is just perfect!
Thanks.
leroy
November 25, 2020 at 5:47 pm
HP Spectre Folio 13 (Amber Lake Y)
Samsung Galaxy Pro S Intel (Lakefield)
Samsung Galaxy Pro S ARM (Qualcomm SnapDragon)
Asus NovaGo TP370QL (Qualcomm SnapDragon)
Andrei Girbea
November 25, 2020 at 5:51 pm
thanks, I'm working on updating this list as of right now.
Keith W
December 1, 2020 at 10:24 am
Can we remove "HP 17 laptop" or at the very least give it a more specific model. I'm guessing this is old data that's out of date.
vinnie
February 4, 2021 at 7:02 am
i have a hp 15 inch that i swear doesnt have a fan or at least not one i hear
tyrone
February 14, 2021 at 6:26 pm
Some additions:
Surface Pro 7 is fanless in the i3 and i5 models. (Ice Lake CPUs) i7 model has a fan.
Surface Go 2 is Amber Lake Y
HP Elitebook 1030G1 is Kaby Lake Y 13" clamshell
Also a slight error – original Surface Go is *not* Gemini Lake – that would be Pentium Silver, Gold is Kaby Lake.
Andrei Girbea
February 15, 2021 at 11:36 am
Thanks, updated. Much appreciated!
Istvan Nagy
March 24, 2021 at 1:44 pm
My research shows these now now in March 2021.
In order to be fanless, the processor has to be 6-7W TDP. Most laptops come with 15W processors that require a fan.
These CPUs meet the fanless power range requirement: core m3, core i7-****Y, Pentium Silver N6000(max 16gb) N6415(max 32gb ram) n5030(max 8gb ram), N5000 (8GB), Pentium gold 6500Y, Celeron N4500 N5100 N6211 N4020, N6210, AMD A6-9220e (max 2x8gb) 6W cpu, 3015e, AMD 3020e (ryzen 2000 apu).
Most don't support memory larger than 8GB, but for a decent laptop 16GB is needed, even 32GB, and SSD 256-1000GB.
These days a 6W processor has better performance than my old laptop's Pentium P6100, which I use for video conversion, 3D editing and so on.
I also noticed that laptops that come with 6W processors, are fitted with low-res display, small memory and very small SSD. At least here in the US. In eastern European countries they sell laptops with 6W CPU and high-res display, more RAM/SSD, they even have more laptop models. Marketing gurus decided that in the US where the living standards are higher they don't allow this package deal of low power CPU with decent laptop. Laptop configurations have long coded numbers, some are only sold in certain countries, like the lenovo 82C7008EHV or the HP 17-BY2010CA.
Another disturbing trend is (mostly here in the US), laptop makers prefer to only sell 6W CPUs in 11-13" laptops, not in normal size 15.6" or 17.3". Or they sell it with soldered RAM so upgrade is not possible.
Laptop makers are not interested or oblivious to the "fanless" feature, they keep pushing the 15W CPUs.
Last month the Intel PEntium N6415 came out, with good performance for a general laptop and 32GB RAM support. I think all those core i7's became obsolete, but the laptop makers don't think so.
Andrei Girbea
March 24, 2021 at 2:15 pm
Thank you for your feedback.
Just a heads'up, ARM seems to be the future of fanless products and I'd expect to see more of those in the near future, following in the footsteps of the M1 MacBooks. Most likely not cheap though.
Istvan Nagy
March 24, 2021 at 2:26 pm
The issue with ARM is that you cannot install your favorite video editor, EM simulator or engineering design CAD programs on it. Or any other useful programs, except mass-user-base appstore programs.
ARM might take over the macbook and the Chromebook market, not the laptop market. There will be "laptops" with ARM and arm-windows OS, but it will be like a Chromebook in usefulness and functionality. Not for professional use.
Andrei Girbea
March 24, 2021 at 2:32 pm
Yes, that's been the case so far. Might change if Microsoft further gets involved into AMR laptops (besides the Surface X) and the segment grows, potentially forcing 3rd party developers to work on ARM optimize versions of their software. Might be wishful thinking, though
Istvan Nagy
March 25, 2021 at 5:55 am
Is this fanless?
I cannot figure it out.
15.6" pentium n5030 with 16gb ram.
amazon.com/Dell-Inspiron-LED-Backlit-Display-Processor/dp/B08X21XWT4?th=1
Andrei Girbea
March 25, 2021 at 6:30 pm
not sure, but it might not be. Dell usually have the same design for different CPUs, so this might be shared with the Core i3+ models that would be fan cooled.
ribe
May 3, 2021 at 12:15 pm
Wish I got this, but it's still not available in the stores near me:
Swift 1 Laptop | SF114-34-P514 With 16GB RAM
Intel Pentium N6000
16GB LPDDR4X RAM
512GB PCle SSD
I got this one, doing great for my work as programmer.
ACER Swift 1 SF114-33-P4X9 14" N5030/8GB/256GB SSD
Tepes
May 8, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Do some of these have at least 16GO RAM, 4k, HDMI, USB3, RJ45, super AMOLED, magnesium case and a "switch-off wifi" button?
Thanx!
Heather
May 18, 2021 at 5:26 pm
Hello! I just checked out the Asus Vivobook 14 and it does have a fan
Heather
August 4, 2022 at 9:42 pm
I see that the Asus Vivobook 14 is still on this list over a year later, even though it very clearly has a fan… It's some kind of fancy quiet one, but it's still a spinning thing with blades, sooo
Andrei Girbea
August 5, 2022 at 3:39 pm
thanks. That was an older version of the VivoBook 14. I will update the article to make it clearer
Los Pebos
July 25, 2021 at 5:40 pm
Hello,
About the Panasonic RZ4 and Z6 (mini laptop section, bottom of the table), is it certain they’re fanless? I mean, as they come in many various CPU configurations, I’m wondering whether it could be only a few of them. I’m looking at a Let’s Note RZ6 and can’t find any info on that, either on the i5 or m3 based specs. Any info on that? Thanks!
Andrei Girbea
July 26, 2021 at 3:55 pm
not really, Panasonic laptops are hard to get by over here and I can't find a proper picture of the internals. maybe you can dig something out, or someone else can contribute
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
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.