Best USB4 laptops in 2023 - thptvinhthang.edu.vn

Looking for a new laptop that supports the new USB4 standard? We’ve rounded up the best USB4 laptops you can buy right now.

Universal Serial Bus (USB) has long been the standard we rely on for all kinds of connectivity with our laptops and even phones. However, despite the “universal” branding, USB became a bit segmented over time, with laptops relying on USB Type-A, while peripherals like printers had USB Type-B, and phones relied mostly on micro-USB (also Type-B). Thankfully, things have been becoming more standardized again with the introduction of USB Type-C, which is on all the best laptops, most phones, and many peripherals. And with USB4, it’s now more powerful than ever.

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Like Thunderbolt, USB4 is only available with USB Type-C ports, but unlike Thunderbolt, it’s not exclusive to Intel models. Unfortunately, AMD laptops that embrace USB4 support still aren’t as common as we’d like, but there are some good options out there already, so this list has a mix of AMD and Intel laptops (plus some Apple Silicon Macs). Let’s get right into it.

Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023) Best overall $1400 at Lenovo
MacBook Air (M2) Best clamshell laptop $1099 at Amazon (13 inches)
HP Dragonfly Pro Best AMD clamshell $1399 at HP
Apple MacBook Pro (2023) Best laptop for creators $1999 at Amazon (14 inches)
HP Elitebook 845 G10 Best business laptop $1600 at Newegg
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Razer Blade 14 (2023) Best gaming laptop $2400 at Amazon
Dell XPS 17 (2023) Best 17-inch laptop $2049 at Dell
Acer Aspire 5 (2023, Intel) Best budget laptop $550 at Newegg

The top laptops with USB4 ports in 2023

Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023) Best overall

A fantastic laptop for just about anyone

The Lenovo Yoga 9i is pretty much the best laptop on the market today, and it comes complete with Thunderbolt 4, which is the best form USB4 can take. It has a stunning display and powerful performance, plus a beautiful design, making it the best choice for just about anyone.

Pros

13th-generation Intel processors deliver strong performance
Stunning OLED display in two configurations
Two Thunderbolt 4 ports

Cons

Battery life could be a bit better
It’s a convertible without pen storage

$1400 at Lenovo $1400 at Best Buy

If you’ve read our review of the 2023 Lenovo Yoga 9i, it should come as no surprise that it makes it to the top of this list. This is an absolutely phenomenal laptop in almost every way.

For starters, it comes packing a 13th-generation Intel Core i7-1360P processor with 12 cores and 16 threads, a mild but welcome upgrade from the 12th-generation model in its predecessor. That’s backed up by 16GB of RAM and up to a 1TB SSD, so you have everything you need for a great experience overall.

The display is fantastic, too. The 14-inch panel comes in a 16:10 aspect ratio, and it uses OLED technology, delivering true blacks and vivid colors you can’t get on a typical IPS panel. The base model comes in a 2.8K resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate, or you can opt for a 4K panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. Of course, touch and pen input are supported, since this is a convertible. Above the display is a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello support.

Design is another aspect that makes this a special laptop, as the smooth surfaces and shiny polished edges make for a stunning design in both of the available colorways. The laptop is also relatively light considering the all-aluminum design, starting at 3.09 pounds. It also fits two Thunderbolt 4 ports, which is essentially the best form USB4 can take. These ports have 40Gbps of bandwidth, and they’ll support USB4 peripherals as well as Thunderbolt 4 peripherals, including external GPUs. Plus, you also get a standard USB Type-A port and a headphone jack to round things out.

We’d like to have an AMD laptop at the top of this list, but there’s no laptop that deserves this spot more. The Lenovo Yoga 9i is a fantastic choice for anyone.

MacBook Air (M2) Best clamshell laptop

A lightweight laptop with a very efficient processor

The latest MacBook Air is a fast and lightweight laptop with powerful processors that are also very efficient, resulting in great battery life. Even though it uses Apple Silicon, it supports USB4, so most of your accessories will work with it.

Pros

Apple M2 processor delivers fantastic performance and battery life
Sharp display available in every configuration
1080p webcam with advanced ISP

Cons

Only one display output is officially supported
No external GPU support
The screen has a notch

$1099 at Amazon (13 inches) $1249 at Amazon (15 inches) $1099 at Best Buy (13 inches) $1299 at Best Buy (15 inches)

The MacBook Air is one of the most popular laptops in the world and for good reason. The latest model earned a lot of praise in our review, and it earns a spot on this list, too.

First off, the 2022 MacBook Air comes packing an upgraded Apple M2 chipset, which includes an 8-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU. These deliver great performance for a laptop of this size, on top of being very efficient, which means battery life is well ahead of anything in the Windows space. You can also configure this laptop with up to 24GB of unified memory (which is faster than traditional RAM) and a 2TB SSD, so you’re all set for a great experience.

The display has also been upgraded from previous models, being a 13.6-inch panel that comes in 2560×1664 resolution, and most recently, there’s a brand-new 15.3-inch model, which comes in at 2880×1864 resolution. Both panels are as sharp as ever, but they’re now brighter, too, hitting up to 500 nits. The only downside is there’s now a notch at the top of the screen, but that notch houses a 1080p webcam which, paired with the advanced image signal processor in the Apple M2, delivers great video quality.

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Despite using a custom processor, the MacBook Air still supports USB4, and it has two of these ports for your docking stations and other accessories. Officially, the MacBook Air only supports one external display, however, which makes these ports a bit less useful. There’s also no external GPU support, another notable limitation. The only other ports are a headphone jack and a MagSafe charging connector. This all comes in a design that’s super thin and weighs a mere 2.7 pounds (3.3 pounds for the 15-inch version), making this one of the lightest aluminum laptops on the market. It comes in four colors to choose from, too.

While the USB4 ports have some limitations on the MacBook Air, this is still one of the best laptops on the market, and it still earns a recommendation.

HP Dragonfly Pro Best AMD clamshell

Fast AMD Ryzen processors and a sleek design

The HP Dragonfly Pro is a sleek and capable laptop with a customized AMD Ryzen processor that leverages USB4 for most of its connectivity options. It has a solid display and one of the best webcams on the market, too.

Pros

Customized AMD Ryzen processors deliver solid performance
5MP webcam is one of the best on the market
Two fully-featured USB4 40Gbps ports

Cons

Not the lightest laptop for this size
Some configuration options could be more impressive
No USB Type-A or HDMI ports

$1400 at Best Buy $1399 at HP

There still aren’t a ton of AMD-powered laptops that can stand on their own, but the HP Dragonfly Pro is a great example of one, and it makes full use of USB4, too.

Powering the HP Dragonfly Pro is a slightly customized AMD Ryzen processor, the Ryzen 7 7736U, which has 8 cores and 16 threads. With specific optimizations done by HP, this processor delivers strong performance and battery life, which is a great starting point. You also get 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, so while it’s not the most premium experience, it’s still great for most people.

For the display, the HP Dragonfly Pro offers a 14-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and it comes in Full HD+ resolution. It won’t blow your mind, but again, this is a great screen for most people, and it covers 100% of sRGB for solid color reproduction. More impressive is the 5MP webcam above that display, a staple in HP laptops. It delivers great video quality for calls and meetings, and it also supports Windows Hello.

The HP Dragonfly Pro also looks sleek and clean in both white and black colorways, but it’s not exactly light. At 3.42 pounds, it’s a little heavy for a 14-inch laptop, though it should still be decently portable. At least that chassis first three USB Type-C ports, two of which support USB4, so you can use docking stations, monitors, and other accessories that leverage this interface. Aside from a headphone jack, there are no extra ports here, so having USB4 support is certainly welcome to expand your connectivity options.

It’s not a perfect laptop, but the HP Dragonfly Pro delivers one of the best experiences you can get with an AMD Ryzen processor, especially if you want USB4 support.

Apple MacBook Pro (2023) Best laptop for creators

Powerful performance and great battery life

The 2023 MacBook Pro comes with upgraded processors that deliver stunning performance and unrivaled battery life in the creator laptop market. Plus, the laptop includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports so you can connect high-speed peripherals.

Pros

Apple M2 Pro and M2 Max are super fast and efficient
Fantastic mini-LED display with up to 1600 nits of brightness
Three Thunderbolt 4 ports

Cons

Display has a notch
No external GPU support

$1999 at Amazon (14 inches) $2499 at Amazon (16 inches) $1999 at Best Buy (14 inches) $2499 at Best Buy (16 inches)

Apple’s MacBooks have always been popular among creative professionals, but the latest iteration of the MacBook Pro is arguably the best one yet.

First off, the MacBook Pro (2023) is powered by very fast Apple Silicon processors, the M2 Pro and M2 Max, which have up to a 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU. These models deliver up to four times the performance of the M1 Pro and Max while being even more efficient. This balance of power and efficiency can’t be found anywhere else. You also get up to 96GB of unified memory and a massive 8TB SSD, so you’re not missing out on anything performance-wise.

Whether you choose the 14-inch or 16-inch model, you’re getting a mini-LED display with hundreds of dimming zones, delivering vibrant colors and true blacks, but also reaching up to 1600 nits of peak brightness. They’re very sharp displays, too, with 3024×1964 resolution for the 14-inch model and 3456×2244 for the 16-inch version. The notch at the top may be a bit unsightly, but it houses a 1080p webcam with quality enhanced by the ISP in the Apple M2 Pro and Max chipsets.

Design-wise, the MacBook Pro is just a clamshell laptop, coming in either Silver or Space Grey. The 14-inch model starts at 3.6 pounds of weight, while the larger model starts at 4.7 pounds. Given the performance on offer, this heavier weight makes sense. For ports, we’re looking at three Thunderbolt 4 ports. No external GPUs are supported and the M2 Pro processor only supports two external displays, but other high-speed peripherals will work just fine. Plus, there’s also HDMI, a headphone jack, an SD card reader, and MagSafe 3 for charging.

If you need performance for all your creative workloads and you need it wherever you go, you won’t find a better laptop than the MacBook Pro.

HP Elitebook 845 G10 Best business laptop

AMD Ryzen 7000 in a sleek classic design

The HP EliteBook 845 G10 is a premium business laptop with a classic silver look, including a wide selection of ports that includes USB4 support and much more. It also comes with AMD Ryzen 7040 series processors and other top-tier specs.

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Pros

AMD Zen 4-based Ryzen processors deliver strong performance
5MP webcam with optional IR
Plenty of ports and connectivity options

Cons

Safe design may be a bit too boring for some
Pricy

$2007 at HP $1600 at Newegg $1660 at B&H

HP is one of the top makers of business laptops (and all laptops, to be fair), and the latest iteration of the EliteBook 845 is arguably the best you can buy right now if you want USB4 support without going with Intel.

Indeed, powering the HP EliteBook 845 G10 is are AMD Ryzen 7040 series processors, based on the Zen 4 architecture, up to a Ryzen 7 7840U or Ryzen 7 7840U Pro. The HS-series processor can give you more performance, but most of the models use U-series models and that’s because the performance is still great and you’ll get much better battery life. Either way, you’re getting up to 8 cores and 16 threads, so performance is great. You also get up to 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for storage.

As many business laptops tend to do, the EliteBook 845 G10 gives you a few options for the display, starting with a basic 14-inch Full HD+ panel, which can be upgraded with optional features like a brighter 400-nit panel, touch support, or a privacy screen. If you want a higher resolution, there’s also a Quad HD+ panel that’s even brighter, at 500 nits. You also get a 5MP webcam with Windows Hello facial recognition by default, though you can remove it if you don’t want it.

The HP EliteBook 845 G10 plays it safe when it comes to the design, sticking with a plain silver look that may be a bit uninspired, but it does look great in just about any scenario. It’s decently light, coming in at 3.06 pounds, though the 19.3mm thickness isn’t too impressive. It does include great connectivity, though, including two USB-C ports with USB4 support, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack, plus optional support for either 4G LTE or 5G, allowing you to stay connected wherever you go.

While it’s not a mind-blowing machine, the HP EliteBook 845 G10 is a fantastic laptop, and an easy recommendation for any business user. We’ve reviewed the last-gen 16-inch model, which should give you an idea of what to expect.

Razer Blade 14 (2023) Best gaming laptop

Powerful, yet compact

The Razer Blade 14 (2023) is one of the most powerful 14-inch gaming laptops on the market, with high-end graphics and processors, plus a great display, wrapped in a compact and relatively light design. Of course, USB4 support is also included, along with many other ports.

Pros

Powerful AMD Ryzen processors and Nvidia graphics
Solid supply of ports including USB4
Great display for gaming and productivity

Cons

Fairly expensive
Battery life may not be amazing

$2400 at Amazon $2400 at Best Buy $2400 at B&H

As USB4 becomes more and more widespread, it’s starting to appear in all kinds of laptops, including those geared for gamers. The Razer Blade 14 is a great option in that it not only supports USB4, but it packs a lot of power into a very compact package, making it ideal for students who want to game in their free time.

Performance-wise, the Razer Blade 14 is powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS, a 35W processor with 8 cores, 16 threads, and boost speeds up to 5.2GHz, delivering strong performance for gaming and all kinds of day-to-day tasks. That’s combined with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, which can use up to a whopping 140W of power to deliver fantastic performance in all kinds of games. Of course, larger laptops can offer more performance, but this balance of power and portability is really impressive. Plus, it comes with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, both of which can be upgraded later.

Razer also improved the display for the 2023 model of the Blade 14, switching to the taller 16:10 aspect ratio that’s become increasingly popular in recent years. That makes this a better laptop for productivity, so you can snap windows side-by-side and have a better view of their content. It’s still great for gaming, though, with its sharp 2560×1600 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate, plus the 100% coverage of DCI-P3 makes for a great creator laptop, too. And you even get a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello facial recognition.

The Razer Blade 14 comes in both Black and Mercury (silver) variants, and it looks pretty sleek all things considered, seeing as it’s a pretty powerful laptop. The laptop comes in at under 18mm thick and it weighs just over four pounds, which is pretty impressive for the specs. Of course, there’s per-key RGB on the keyboard, too, for a bit of extra flair. As for ports, of course, there’s USB4 support in the two Type-C ports on the laptop, along with two USB Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1, and a headphone jack.

The 2023 Razer Blade 14 is a fantastic laptop, with the major downside being the price. But if you want a portable gaming laptop with USB4 support that you can easily take anywhere, this is the one for you.

Dell XPS 17 (2023) Best 17-inch laptop

A large screen and powerful connectivity

$2049 $2449 Save $400

The Dell XPS 17 is arguably the best 17-inch laptop on the market, featuring 13th-gen Intel processors and four Thunderbolt 4 ports for advanced connectivity options. It comes in a relatively compact design, yet it packs powerful hardware.

Pros

Four Thunderbolt 4 ports
Large 17-inch display with Ultra HD+ upgrade option
Powerful Intel processors and Nvidia GPUs

Cons

No classic ports
Current configurations are very expensive

$2049 at Dell $2800 at Best Buy $2609 at B&H

If you want a large screen to work on without sacrificing portability too much, the Dell XPS 17 is for you. This large laptop is actually compact given its display size, and it’s pretty powerful, too.

Best USB4 laptops in 2023: The bottom line

We chose the Lenovo Yoga 9i for the top of our list for a simple reason — we called it the best laptop on the market, and it’s hard to compete with that. It has great performance, a stunning display, a beautiful shiny design, and of course, it has Thunderbolt 4, which is essentially the basis for USB4, except it’s even more fully featured. It can be a bit pricy, but you’re getting a phenomenal experience here.

Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023) Best overall

A fantastic laptop for just about anyone

$1400 at Lenovo $1400 at Best Buy

If that price is a big hurdle for you, then the Acer Aspire 5 may be the alternative you’re looking for. Sure, you miss out on premium features, but this laptop still has great performance, a 16:10 display, a 1080p webcam, and Thunderbolt 4. It even includes a nice selection of classic ports, including Ethernet, all for a pretty good price.

Admittedly, the list is still heavily focused on laptops that have Thunderbolt, but the number of AMD laptops with USB4 has been increasing, and we’re seeing that reflected here. Plus, Apple has been killing it with its in-house processors, too. If you just want an AMD laptop and you don’t care about USB4, check out our list of the best AMD Ryzen laptops you can buy today.

Categories: Reviews
Source: thptvinhthang.edu.vn