CES 2026 Ultraportable Windows Laptops: Making the MacBook Air Look 'Chonky'

The 2.7-pound Apple MacBook Air is starting to feel a bit heavy. At CES 2026, the PC industry has collectively decided that 2.2 pounds is the new limit for premium mobility, leaving Apple's ultraportable in the dust.

CES 2026 Ultraportable Windows Laptops: The New Hardware Standard

While 2025 was defined by ultra-thin phones, 2026 is officially the year of the ultra-ultraportable laptop. Almost every major manufacturer arrived at CES with a model hovering around 2.18 pounds. These machines aren't just light; they're packed with high-end magnesium alloy chassis and OLED displays.

Under the hood, Intel's new Ultra Core Series 3 chips (previously 'Panther Lake') are powering this revolution, offering up to 27 hours of battery life. Not to be outdone, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 is pushing those limits even further, with the Asus Zenbook A14 promising a staggering 35 hours of stamina.

The Featherweight Contenders of CES 2026

• The lightest of the bunch at just 2.15 pounds. It features a flexible 2.8K POLED display and starts at $1,649.
• Measuring only 7.4mm at its thinnest point, it's perhaps the thinnest laptop ever shown at CES.
• A business powerhouse that weighs 2.18 pounds and is wrapped in a scratch-resistant "Nano Ceramic" coating.

While prices are mostly unannounced, the ongoing RAM shortage is expected to drive costs higher for these ultra-svelte machines. Dell also teased a forthcoming XPS 13 prototype that will come in under 13 millimeters, signaling that the race to the bottom (in terms of size) isn't over yet.