Convertible laptops grow up: from party trick to primary work machine
Convertible laptops are portable computers with a 2‑in‑1 laptop design and a 360 degree touchscreen hinge that lets one device shift between traditional clamshell, tablet, tent and stand modes without sacrificing full desktop-class operating systems, keyboards or ports. ASUS’s latest wave of convertibles, led by the ExpertBook B5 Flip G2 and the Vivobook S14 and S16 Flip, shows how this format has moved beyond novelty. Rather than chasing showy tricks, these models focus on lighter chassis, long battery life and AI-accelerated performance for real workloads. Business certifications, dual cameras, integrated pens and more durable hinges are aimed at professionals who need to move between typing reports, annotating documents by hand and running video calls on the go. In short, 360-degree flexibility is becoming a practical standard, not a gimmick for early adopters.
ExpertBook B5 Flip G2: 2.9-pound 2‑in‑1 laptop design for business work
The ExpertBook B5 Flip G2 is clearly built as a serious workhorse that happens to flip. Weighing 2.9 pounds, it uses a 14-inch 16:10 NanoEdge 360 degree touchscreen and a hinge that supports laptop, tablet, tent and display modes. Inside, it runs up to an Intel Core 7 Series 3 processor with integrated graphics, up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD storage, backed by a 63Wh battery with rapid charging for all‑day use. A built-in MPP 2.0 stylus lives in a charging garage in the chassis, and, according to Gizmochina, “a quick 15-second charge is said to deliver up to 60 minutes of stylus usage.” Dual cameras, including an FHD+IR front camera and optional 5MP world-facing unit, allow document capture or whiteboard shots when the device is folded into tablet or tent mode.
Vivobook S14 and S16 Flip: Snapdragon X processors meet 20-hour-plus battery life
While the ExpertBook B5 Flip G2 targets business users, ASUS positions the Vivobook S14 Flip and Vivobook S16 Flip as lifestyle and productivity convertibles that still deliver serious performance. Both models are 360 convertible laptops with laptop, tablet, tent and stand modes plus a 2K OLED touchscreen that supports the ASUS Pen 3.0. They run Windows 11 on Arm64 and use Snapdragon X processors with up to 45 TOPS NPU performance to handle AI-powered features such as background noise removal, live captions or on-device assistant tasks. Battery life exceeds 20 hours and they support fast charging up to 68 watts over USB-C, making them suitable for long days away from a power outlet. These Vivobook Flip systems give users tablet-like interaction when wanted, while preserving the familiarity of a traditional keyboard-driven laptop for extended writing or spreadsheet work.
Durability, security and input: convertibles aimed at professionals, not hobbyists
ASUS’s newest convertibles signal that 2‑in‑1 laptop design has shifted toward professional-grade expectations. The ExpertBook B5 Flip G2 combines its 360 degree touchscreen with MIL‑STD‑810H durability, an aluminium chassis just 14.9mm thick and a weight of about 1.34kg, so it can handle life in backpacks and meeting rooms. It adds security features often reserved for business-class machines: TPM 2.0, a NIST SP 800‑193-compliant BIOS, optional fingerprint sensor, Windows secured-core technologies and camera privacy shutters. Connectivity is equally work-ready, with dual Thunderbolt 4 USB‑C ports, HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type‑A, Wi‑Fi 7 and an audio combo jack. Stylus support across the ExpertBook and Vivobook Flip lines means users can write, sketch or annotate directly on screen instead of juggling separate tablets, while the full keyboard remains available for long-form typing.
Bridging tablet freedom and laptop performance in one device
Together, the ExpertBook B5 Flip G2 and Vivobook S14/S16 Flip show how convertible laptops are narrowing the gap between tablet freedom and laptop strength. The ExpertBook’s Intel Core 7 350 processor with 18 TOPS NPU and the Vivobooks’ Snapdragon X processors with up to 45 TOPS NPU performance add AI acceleration on top of conventional CPU and GPU resources, so users can run demanding apps, smarter video calls and on‑device assistants without offloading everything to the cloud. ASUS also matches this with long battery life, rapid charging and port selections that avoid dongle clutter. According to Engadget, the ExpertBook B5 Flip G2 “works in laptop, tablet, tent and display modes,” underscoring its role as a single do‑it‑all machine. These designs indicate that 360-degree hinges and touchscreens are becoming core tools for modern productivity rather than showroom tricks.
