Buying a thin and light laptop is no different than any other laptop, except that your priorities are likely to be different. You might want an ultraportable laptop that's light and will last a long time on batter power.  However, other people want an device that's powerful and can handle demanding applications without breaking your back when you carry it around. Both are available. Compromises are inevitable if you want a thin and light laptop, though. There's less space for a battery, so it's common to find shorter runtimes. Thin laptops also tend to have shallow key travel - look at specific reviews to see how much of an issue this is. You'll also likely miss out on ports and connectivity. These can be extremely limited, and you'll want to avoid carrying a hub or adapter with you if possible. If HDMI or USB-A is important to you, make sure the laptop you're considering has them.