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MagyarThe Best Stylus Convertibles
Convertibles are very versatile devices and can be used as traditional notebooks with all the advantages like a conventional keyboard, and also as tablets thanks to the integrated touchscreen. All these device also support active input pens for graphics designers and artists. The following ranking lists all modern convertible PCs, which can be used with active input pens.
Note: We did not use the (subjective) quality of the stylus or the input pen, respectively, for the following ranking, but only criteria we can judge objectively by our authors and measurements. These are the following: Performance headroom for applications, display quality, and sound. The information about the input pens can also be found in each individual review.
Please feel free to comment below if you have made experiences with the listed devices and especially the input pens to give additional help for other users.
Additional interesting top lists:
The Best Stylus Convertibles
Pos. | Display Leistung Lautstärke (avg) | Datum | Bild | Modell | Gewicht | Größe | Auflösung | Bew. | Leistung | Display | Lautstärke | Preis ab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 89 % | 12/2020 neu! |  | HP Spectre x360 14t-ea000 Intel Core i7-1165G7 Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs 16 GB Memory, 512 GB NVMe | 1.3 kg | 13.50" | 1920x1280 | 89 % | 91 % | 85 % | 93 % | |
| 2 | 88 % | 08/2020 |  | Dell Latitude 14 9410 2-in-1 P110G Intel Core i7-10610U Intel UHD Graphics 620 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 1.5 kg | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | 89 % | 86 % | 85 % | 89 % | |
| 3 | 88 % | 09/2020 |  | Acer Spin 5 SP513-54N-79EY Intel Core i7-1065G7 Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU) 16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 1.2 kg | 13.50" | 2256x1504 | 88 % | 85 % | 90 % | 96 % | |
| 4 | 87 % | 12/2020 neu! |  | Lenovo Yoga 9i 14ITL5 Intel Core i5-1135G7 Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs 8 GB Memory, 256 GB NVMe | 1.4 kg | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | 87 % | 91 % | 83 % | 92 % | |
| 5 | 87 % | 11/2020 neu! |  | HP EliteBook x360 1030 G7 Intel Core i7-10810U Intel UHD Graphics 620 16 GB Memory, 512 GB NVMe | 1.2 kg | 13.30" | 1920x1080 | 90 % | 89 % | 84 % | 90 % | |
| 6 | 87 % | 11/2020 neu! |  | Lenovo Yoga 7 14ITL5 Intel Core i5-1135G7 Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs 12 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 1.5 kg | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | 85 % | 89 % | 83 % | 85 % | |
| 7 | 87 % | 10/2019 |  | Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7 Intel Core i7-1065G7 Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU) 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 1.3 kg | 13.40" | 1920x1200 | 86 % | 89 % | 86 % | 94 % | |
| 8 | 86 % | 03/2020 |  | Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T Intel Core i7-10510U NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q 16 GB Memory, 1024 GB NVMe | 1.9 kg | 15.60" | 3840x2160 | 87 % | 85 % | 87 % | 95 % | |
| 9 | 86 % | 11/2019 |  | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4 Intel Core i5-1035G4 Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU) 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 1.1 kg | 12.30" | 2736x1824 | 88 % | 86 % | 84 % | 100 % | |
| 10 | 86 % | 04/2020 |  | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 20SA000GUS Intel Core i7-10510U Intel UHD Graphics 620 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 1.3 kg | 14.00" | 2560x1440 | 90 % | 87 % | 83 % | 97 % |
The table above contains an overview over the best convertibles with stylus input reviewed by Notebookcheck over the course of the past 12 months as well as still relevant and available older products. In cases of identical score the more recent device is listed first. All prices in above table and price comparisons are updated daily and can thus differ.
Editors' Comments
Our ranking includes laptop convertibles as well as notebooks with 360-degree hinges and Windows tablets with additional keyboard docks. It is your choice which device you prefer. We notice that some convertibles still uses Intel's Kaby Lake dual-core processors. Devices with the latest quad-core Kaby Lake Refresh chips (KBL-R) often suffer from a performance drop under sustained workloads or the performance is worse than expected even in short peak load scenarios. This should be taken into account, especially if you plan to perform more complex tasks like video editing. Most of the following device are pleasantly quiet. Please refer to the original reviews if the battery runtime is important for you.
The situation is tricky when it comes to the scope of delivery in terms of the pen. You should definitely ask the manufacturer whether it is included or not if there are any doubts. Then there is the issue with the features of the pen; some of the manufacturers could not answer our question about the support of "pen-tilt", for example. The same applies for the support of third-party pens.
1st - HP Spectre x360 14
Technically speaking the HP Spectre x360 14 is nothing but a slightly bigger HP Spectre x360 13. It is a 13.5-inch tablet with optional OLED or very bright IPS touchscreen display. It comes with an HP Tilt Pen MPP 2.0 by default.
A great keyboard, a well-made case, long battery life, decent connectivity including Thunderbolt 4, plenty of performance, and a large clickpad render the HP Spectre x360 14 one of the best currently available convertibles.
In return, HP removed the WWAN option. The device is quite expensive and not particulaly well upgradable. Nevertheless, it offers a lot for its money.
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HP MPP 2.0 Tilt Pen
This new version of HP’s tilt pen supports Microsoft’s Pen Protocol 2.0 for improved response times and smoother workflows. Its price was raised slightly to $80 at the time of writing. According to HP, it weighs 10 g. It is charged via USB-C and features two buttons that can be individually assigned via software.
Pricecompare
2nd – Dell Latitude 14 9410 2-in-1
The Dell Latitude 14 9410 2-in-1 is successor to the Latitude 7400 2-in-1. Both convertibles are fairly similar, especially in regard to case. The new device continues its predecessor’s design language with its great build quality and its very long battery life.
However, the display could have been brighter, and a dedicated GPU option is not available. The stylus pen is sold separately. All things considered Dell’s convertible is worth a closer look despite the fact that the predecessor is still available at a lower price and the differences between the two are rather minor.
Dell Premium Active Pen
The Dell Premium Active Pen has a magnetic side that attaches to compatible convertibles. It connects via Bluetooth 4.2 and supports various protocols, such as MPP 1.51 (Microsoft Pen Protocol), Wacom AES 1.0, and even the latest Wacom AES 2.0 technology. Thanks to Windows Ink Workspace you can configure its three buttons to your liking. It offers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and a sampling rate of 240 Hz. According to Dell, the battery is supposed to last for up to 12 months and it is even replaceable. As are of course the tips.
Pricecompare
3rd – Acer Spin 5 SP513
Acer’s convertible with stylus support managed to score first place on our list. While the previous generation suffered from various weaknesses (some of which might have qualified as nit-picking) Acer went back to the drawing board over and over again and continued to improve its 13-inch Acer Spin 5 continuously, for example by equipping it with a great display.
Its lightweight aluminum case is well built and offers two Thunderbolt 3 ports as well as a decent keyboard. The convertible is fairly powerful yet quiet and cool at the same time. Granted, it does thermal throttle under full load and its microSD card reader is pretty slow but overall the Acer Spin 5 is a great convertible with stylus support.
Acer Active Stylus
The Acer Active Stylus is charged and stored inside the Acer Spin 5 itself. IT supports Wacom AES 1.0 with 4,096 different levels of pressure. According to acer 15 seconds of charging should last for 90 minutes of active use. The pen is slim and includes two buttons.
Pricecompare
4th - Lenovo Yoga 9i
Lenovo may have updated its Yoga-series naming scheme but at the end of the day, the Lenovo Yoga 9i is nothing but an improved and updated Yoga C940. We would have wished for improved input devices and a brighter display but are very impressed by its performance improvements, particularly when taking its small footprint and low weight into consideration.
It supports modern Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, offers decent battery life, acceptable sound performance, and is practically silent under low and medium load.
The Lenovo Yoga 9i comes with a stylus pen that can be stored inside its case.
Lenovo Yoga Active Pen
Lenovo does not really provide us with a lot of information about the included Lenovo Yoga Active Pen. Unlike on Yoga C940 it is not an Active Pen 2 but a much thinner stylus specifically made for this device, and much more reminiscent of the ThinkPad X1 Yoga's included stylus.
We were not particularly fond of its grip and handling given that it is very thin. Lenovo does not specify the number of levels of sensitivity or its battery life. The stylus is charged by inserting it into the case.
Pricecompare
5th - HP EliteBook x360 1030 G7
The HP EliteBook x360n 1030 G7 is very expensive, but with its thin bezels, its great audio quality, an optionally available very bright display, and a very good keyboard also of very high overall quality. Despite its convertible nature it is relatively lightweight and slim.
On the downside are its warranty that is limited to just 12 months, its lack of card reader, and the lack of 4K and/or OLED display options that we came to expect in this price range.
Nevertheless, if you can afford it and are looking for a premium tablet you cannot really go wrong with this one.
HP Rechargable Active Pen
The HP Rechargeable Active Pen is not included and will set you back another $80. At just 15 g it is fairly light and supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity as well as tilt detection. It is charged via USB-C, comes with a total of 3 buttons, and can even be used as remote for presentations. On some devices it can be attached to the case magnetically.
Pricecompare
6th - Lenovo Yoga 7i 14
The Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 is the successor to Lenovo’s Yoga C740 following Lenovo’s new naming scheme. It is slightly faster and supports modern Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. However, if you do not need either of these you can save quite a lot of money by going for the significantly cheaper predecessor instead.
We liked the convertible’s good upgradability, its well-calibrated display, its high-quality case, its good performance, and its long battery life.
A stylus is not included by default and has to be purchased separately.
Lenovo Active Pen 2 (copy 1)
This convertible does not come with a stylus by default. Instead, you need to purchase the Lenovo Active Pen 2 separately for around $80. It weighs 20 g, has a circumference of 0.95 cm (0.37 inches) and a length of 15.3 cm (6 inches). It is powered by a single replaceable AAAA battery and connects via Bluetooth.
Similar to Microsoft’s Surface Pen it supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity as well as tilt detection, palm detection, and a total of 3 buttons, two on the side close to your thumb and one at the top. The stylus can be stored inside the convertible and is charged while inserted.
Pricecompare
7th – Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1
For the XPS 13 convertible Dell took a deep sip from the cup of innovation and offers a MagLev keyboard, vapor-chamber cooling, and GORE isolation for the first time. In addition, the 16:10 display offers a rather uncommon display ratio. Speaking of which, the display is Dell’s masterpiece. It is very well calibrated and can get so bright that the XPS 13 is even usable for professional use outdoors.
The good-looking case is fairly light, offers two Thunderbolt 3 ports with Power Delivery, and a long battery life. We liked both keyboard and speakers, and the microSD card slot turned out to be fairly fast to boot. A downside for some might be the non-upgradeable RAM as well as the lack of features such as an LTE option or NFC.
All things considered the Dell XPS 7390 2-in-1 remains a very interesting and attractive device if you happen to be looking for a powerful computer in a small case and don’t mind sacrificing a few features along the way. Its excellent display makes this a perfect device for professional photo editing on the go.
Dell Premium Active Pen
The Dell Premium Active Pen has a magnetic side that attaches to compatible convertibles. It connects via Bluetooth 4.2 and supports various protocols, such as MPP 1.51 (Microsoft Pen Protocol), Wacom AES 1.0, and even the latest Wacom AES 2.0 technology. Thanks to Windows Ink Workspace you can configure its three buttons to your liking. It offers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and a sampling rate of 240 Hz. According to Dell, the battery is supposed to last for up to 12 months and it is even replaceable. As are of course the tips.
Pricecompare
Lenovo Active Pen 2
Alternatively, you can also purchase the Active Pen for around $60 at the time of writing (MSRP: $80). It weighs around 20 g, is 0.95 cm thick, and 15.3 cm long. Energy is supplied via a replaceable AAAA battery, and it communicates via Bluetooth.
Like the surface pen it can detect up to 4,096 levels of pressure and supports tilt, palm detection, and a total of three buttons; two on the side near your thumb and one at the top. It comes with three replacement tips and a clip that can be inserted into a standard USB-A port for transport and storage.
8th – Asus ZenBook Flip 15
Depending on configuration the i5 SKU of the Asus ZenBook Flip 15 can already be had for significantly under $1,000.
For that you get a Pantone-certified high-quality convertible in a robust metal case with good performance, very long battery life, low emissions, a backlit keyboard, and support for stylus input. All this sounds like a device that should cost much more than $1,000. The higher-tier SKUs are even capable of gaming, to a certain degree.
The only thing missing to make this a perfect device is a Thunderbolt 3 port and a secondary slot for storage expansion. Nevertheless, the ZenBook Flip 15 turned out to be a great device.
Asus Active Stylus SA200H
At just 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity the Asus Active Stylus SA200H is not as sensitive as its competitors, which could be a major problem for professional users. It offers two buttons preconfigured to act as primary mouse button and eraser. A regular battery ensures that restoring the pen’s full functionality should the battery be drained, and dead is a matter of seconds. The pen does not support Bluetooth.
Pricecompare
9th – Microsoft Surface Pro 7
Not too many things seem to have changed. The Surface Pro 7 features the same display as the two-year old Surface Pro 5 and offers the same level of performance as the Surface Pro 6. The only real update worth mentioning are the USB-C port and the new GPU options.
Nevertheless, the Surface Pro 7 remains one of the best Windows tablets. It comes with a fast SSD, good battery life, Wi-Fi 6, and passive and thus completely silent cooling. On the flip side it lacks an LTE option, GPS, and support for Thunderbolt 3.
The Microsoft Surface Pen is included in the box.
Microsoft Surface Pen
The Surface Pen supports 4.096 levels of pressure sensitivity and communicates with its host device via Bluetooth 4.0. It features a button and an eraser as well. The pen can detect tilt and thus for example implement various levels of shading. It is available in various colors matching the main device.
At 20 g and a diameter of 97 mm it is comparable to other active stylus pens.
Pricecompare
10th – Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga
The 2020 edition of Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Yoga underwent minor only minor refinement, and the high-quality convertible remains a top device with all kinds of bells and whistles, such as optional mobile internet connectivity, Thunderbolt 3, Lenovo’s own docking technology, an infrared camera for face detection in the dark, a fingerprint reader, a manual webcam shutter, a well-calibrated display, and an included stylus pen.
High-end convertible with integrated stylus.
On the flip side we were disappointed by the somewhat small input devices resulting in issues for users with large hands. A brighter display is available at a premium. GPU performance could have also been better, especially for professional users.
The lack of Wi-Fi 6 is somewhat disturbing. Thanks to long battery life and mostly quiet operation the convertible deservers our endorsement, nevertheless.
Lenovo ThinkPad Pen Pro 2
The ThinkPad Pen is included with the X1 Yoga by default, and it can be purchased separately for around $40 as well. According to Lenovo it weighs between 5-10 g, is 6.5 mm thick, and 127 mm long. The Pen Pro does not come with a user-accessible battery but an integrated one that is charged automatically when the pen is inserted into the convertible. It is supposed to last for up to 130 minutes of continuous use on a single charge.
Lenovo claims 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity. The pen lacks tilt features but comes with two buttons on the side near where the thumb would naturally rest during use that can be used to trigger a primary or secondary mouse click.
Pricecompare
Best Convertibles with Stylus Input
Test Results
| HP Spectre x360 14t-ea000 | Dell Latitude 14 9410 2-in-1 P110G | Acer Spin 5 SP513-54N-79EY | Lenovo Yoga 9i 14ITL5 | HP EliteBook x360 1030 G7 | Lenovo Yoga 7 14ITL5 | Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7 | Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX563FD-A1027T | Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 20SA000GUS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response Times | ||||||||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 62 (32, 30) | 58.4 (26, 32.4) | 49 (22, 27) | 55.2 (26.8, 28.4) | 56.4 (26, 30.4) | 43.2 (22.4, 20.8) | 47.6 (23.2, 24.4) | 60 (29, 31) | 34.8 (16.8, 18) | 32 (16.4, 15.6) |
| Response Time Black / White * | 39.6 (21.6, 18) | 37.2 (18.4, 18.8) | 28 (16, 12) | 34.4 (18.8, 15.6) | 34.4 (16.4, 18) | 38.8 (21.6, 17.2) | 29.2 (16, 13.2) | 35 (21, 14) | 26.4 (13.2, 13.2) | 23.6 (12.8, 10.8) |
| PWM Frequency | 1667 (44) | 208 (90) | 26040 (62) | 2500 (25) | 21550 (24) | |||||
| Screen | ||||||||||
| Brightness middle | 443.5 | 293.4 | 454 | 365 | 425.4 | 292.3 | 549.8 | 351 | 480.4 | 284.6 |
| Brightness | 394 | 290 | 426 | 346 | 407 | 280 | 520 | 335 | 485 | 269 |
| Brightness Distribution | 78 | 92 | 91 | 82 | 89 | 89 | 86 | 87 | 91 | 86 |
| Black Level * | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.33 | 0.23 | 0.28 | 0.28 | 0.39 | 0.31 | 0.48 | 0.28 |
| Contrast | 2609 | 1544 | 1376 | 1587 | 1519 | 1044 | 1410 | 1132 | 1001 | 1016 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 * | 2.7 | 1.29 | 1.27 | 3.65 | 4.39 | 2.99 | 2.12 | 1.74 | 5 | 2.07 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 max. * | 4.36 | 3.61 | 2.42 | 6.69 | 6.73 | 7 | 3.66 | 2.76 | 7.72 | 3.75 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 calibrated * | 2.61 | 0.88 | 0.78 | 1.61 | 1.65 | 3.1 | 1.37 | 2.44 | 2.05 | |
| Greyscale DeltaE2000 * | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.07 | 4 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 2.22 | 5.9 | 1.7 |
| Gamma | 2.09 105% | 2.18 101% | 2.39 92% | 2.33 94% | 1.87 118% | 2.22 99% | 2.3 96% | 2.35 94% | 2.38 92% | 2.17 101% |
| CCT | 6144 106% | 6394 102% | 6530 100% | 6873 95% | 6758 96% | 6732 97% | 6884 94% | 6667 97% | 7805 83% | 6627 98% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 62.1 | 63.8 | 65 | 60.1 | 61.7 | 60 | 65.4 | 62 | 60.3 | 61.7 |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 98.5 | 99.1 | 100 | 93.9 | 96.6 | 91.8 | 99.7 | 97 | 93.2 | 95.8 |
| Noise | ||||||||||
| off / environment * | 25.8 | 26.1 | 26.9 | 26.3 | 28.1 | 27.4 | 28.1 | 30.3 | 28.4 | |
| Idle Minimum * | 25.9 | 26.1 | 26.9 | 26.3 | 28.1 | 27.4 | 28.1 | 30.3 | 28.4 | |
| Idle Average * | 25.9 | 26.1 | 26.9 | 26.3 | 28.1 | 29 | 28.1 | 30.3 | 28.4 | |
| Idle Maximum * | 25.9 | 26.1 | 27.8 | 26.3 | 28.1 | 29.1 | 28.1 | 30.3 | 29.3 | |
| Load Average * | 26.4 | 39.9 | 30.5 | 34.1 | 35.1 | 29.1 | 31.7 | 33.7 | 29.3 | |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 36.9 | 43.4 | 36.1 | 43.4 | 37.4 | |||||
| Load Maximum * | 41.5 | 44.7 | 32.4 | 43.3 | 37.6 | 46.3 | 43.4 | 38.9 | 38.2 | |
| Heat | ||||||||||
| Maximum Upper Side * | 40.4 | 48.4 | 38.7 | 43.4 | 37 | 40 | 51.4 | 42.6 | 43.6 | 42.4 |
| Maximum Bottom * | 52.8 | 55.2 | 40.2 | 49.6 | 47.2 | 44.2 | 46.4 | 41.5 | 47.8 | 49.4 |
| Idle Upper Side * | 27.2 | 25.4 | 27.8 | 26.4 | 25.8 | 30.4 | 32 | 26.4 | 32 | 23.6 |
| Idle Bottom * | 29.2 | 28.6 | 27.3 | 29.4 | 32.6 | 31.6 | 32.8 | 26.3 | 32.4 | 24 |
| Battery Runtime | ||||||||||
| Reader / Idle | 2185 | 2892 | 1301 | 2260 | 1855 | 1855 | 1169 | 1336 | 1195 | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 707 | 1141 | 645 | 591 | 617 | 605 | 537 | 566 | 597 | 553 |
| Load | 145 | 202 | 148 | 103 | 135 | 83 | 149 | 116 | 95 | |
| H.264 | 627 | 669 |
* ... smaller is better
Benchmarks
| Cinebench R11.5 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4 | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4 | |
| OpenGL 64Bit (sort by value) | |
| Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4 | |