These 13 inch laptops take the idea of portable computing seriously. Being a step-up from the smaller 10-12 inch models, they could be the smallest size available for 'serious' productivity. Like their smaller brethren, you can often find touchscreen and convertible 13 inch laptops.
The answer to this question will probably depend on what you're going to use it for. You're not likely to find a 13 inch laptop very comfortable for spreadsheets or video editing, for example. That's not to say that you can't get some work done on one of course! Naturally, for media use and web browsing, these will work great!
What's the difference between a 14 and 13 inch laptop?
Aside from the obvious screen size difference, there are a few differences to speak of. 13 inch laptops tend to have a slightly smaller range of connections on them due to the decreased case size. Also, upgrade options are typically more limited. Though they do have some benefits also. For example, 13 inch laptops can have the same display resolution as 14 inch models resulting in higher perceived quality.
Small size, big choice
You might think that there's no real choice if you want a 13 inch laptop for productivity, but there is! You can get a smaller business, home or even gaming, laptop if you want. You'll also find most brands produce models in this popular size. Laptops in this range are mostly running Microsoft Windows, but you can also get Chromebooks under this size.
13 inch versus 12 inch laptops
Anything smaller than 13 inch tends to be below the limit of most business and gaming machines. This means that if you're looking for a compact gaming or business laptop, you'll want a 13 inch one. For home, the choice is harder as there's overlap in the capabilities between 12 and 13 inch laptops. This means that the choice will come down to what you need from it.