It may be true that 17-inch laptops were previously used only by gamers and video editors – they were simply too bulky for everyone else. But things are changing now.
Laptops have been a popular replacement for desktop PCs due to their portability. In fact, most companies are now making their laptops consistently smaller and smaller. While 15-inch laptops used to be the norm, it is no surprise that 11-inch or 13-inch devices are quickly overtaking the spot of top sellers.
Regardless of the fact that the industry is constantly going smaller, not every user is ready to trade the big screen benefit for portability. There are clear advantages to a larger laptop.
People everywhere are realizing that these computers have faster processors, better screen resolution, and better graphics as compared to other available laptops. Not only do the 17-inch laptops capably replace a desktop PC but they also provide an easy-on-the-eyes, panoramic view of the workspace or playing field.
For these reasons alone, the 17-inch laptops are getting more attention from anyone who needs portable power and performance.
However, it’s also equally true that a 17-inch laptop will not serve everyone’s needs. The user still needs to analyze the memory, the CPU, and the graphics processing power they need before buying a laptop. To help you out, we have compiled a list of six best 17-inch laptops that are currently available.
Before we dive into that list, let’s first find out whether a 17-inch laptop is a right fit for your requirements or not. Let’s begin then.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Large Screen Laptop
We all know that laptops are primarily preferred for their portability, and that’s why we need to think carefully about how big we want our new laptop to be.
The size of laptops ranges from 11-inch ultra-thin notebooks all the way up to 17-inch screen size. So you must be wondering why one puts their money on the large screen. What is the right kind of usage for a 17-inch laptop?
First off, 17-inch laptops are aimed precisely at the gaming crowd. Not every gamer is ready to compromise on the display size so that they get the freedom to play anywhere. And it would be really difficult to achieve a smooth gaming experience on a small display.
Moreover, it isn’t just gamers who opt for 17-inch laptops. If your work requires you to edit and produce quality images or videos regularly, you can benefit a lot from a large screen. For starters, with a large-sized machine, you won’t have to squint while creating your masterpieces like you’d have to with a smaller screen.
Such kind of users will give more importance to performance rather than just the design and sleekness of the laptop.
Furthermore, a 17-inch laptop is a great choice if you don’t want to lose the desktop feel. Even after the invention of miniature devices such as tablets, notebooks, etc., it is still hard enough to find the machine with the same capabilities as a PC that has a screen under 15 inches. And even if they do exist, buying them would burn a hole in your wallet.
In short, the best 17-inch laptops will essentially function as desktop replacements, minus the large room take-up. Now that you know the perks of having a large screen laptop, ask yourself – should you really go for something this large?
Downsides of Having a 17-Inch Laptop
On the negative side, the 17-inch screen size dictates a bulky machine, which means you will have to give up some of the portability. It can be a real inconvenience if you have to carry your laptop outside with you often.
Due to its size, you will also require a special laptop bag, roller bag, or backpack. A 17-inch laptop is often too big for a briefcase.
Furthermore, the extra two inches added to the screen skyrocket the weight of your laptop to more than 6 pounds. The lightest 17-inch laptops weigh in at just under seven pounds, and it can go up the scale, to 10 pounds.
In addition, you should not expect long battery life from a plus-size laptop. They run on electricity most of the time as their processors need great power. There are hardly any 17-inch laptops that can run for more than four hours without being plugged in. However, there are new models available now with extended battery life, but they come at a hefty price.
Now that you know both the advantages and disadvantages of using a 17-inch laptop, you should know if it is the right fit for you.
And if you are convinced, let’s look at the list of six best 17-inch laptops with their pros and cons. Shall we begin?
Top 6 Best 17-Inch Laptops For Work or Play
1 – HP Envy 17T Touch – Latest Internet Security & Powerful Performance
The first one on our list of best 17-inch laptops is HP Envy 17T. Powerful yet affordable is what perfectly describes the HP Envy 17T Touch laptop. This model would keep you from missing your desktop PC in most ways.
Main Features
The HP Envy 17T Touch laptop is a configurable higher-end big-screen model. It features a large 17.3-inch display with sharp full HD screen resolution, with added edge-to-edge glass touchscreen. Furthermore, the IPS wide viewing angles enhance the image quality.
The Envy 17T can rightfully be called the best i7 processor laptop. It packs a high-end quad-core 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U processor that will deliver more power than most people can make use of. It is among the fastest laptop CPUs, and it comes in handy for more intensive uses such as gaming and creating graphics-related content.
And to top it all off, it features Nvidia GeForce MX150 2GB dedicated video card. We would say it’s a big step up from Intel’s UHD 620 integrated graphics – it means better graphics power than the usual. And HP has also built the extra ventilation into the hinge area to keep the MX150 cool.
What’s more, the laptop comes with two RAM slots with 8GB each. But what’s noteworthy is its 512GB SSD, which is beneficial for gaming. It will considerably reduce the loading and installation time.
As for connectivity, HP Envy 17T stuffs its left edge with two USB-A, Ethernet, HDMI, USB-C, SD card reader, and an audio jack. On the right side, you will find an optical drive and another USB-A port. In addition, the laptop has a built-in DVD drive and a 52.5 WHr battery which can provide a battery life of up to 9 hours.
Other Specifications
HP Envy 17T is classified as one of the best 17-inch laptops because, among other things, HP has really done a great job with its design. This silver-colored laptop is a perfect example of a minimalistic yet beautiful design. The aluminum chassis gives a premium touch to the laptop’s unibody. It even features a full-size keyboard with a separate numeric keypad.
Furthermore, this 17-inch notebook weighs 3.6 pounds, which is too light for its size, and it comes with Windows 10 installed by default.
In a nutshell, HP Envy 17T is a great choice for those who care about style as well as power. It could be someone’s work-from-home PC with a few compromises, and they could even carry it outside without much difficulty.
PROS:
Powerful yet affordable
Lightweight for its size
High-speed performance
CONS:
It doesn’t have an IR camera, only a fingerprint reader
2 – Alienware 17 R5 – Pricey, but Gives Serious Gamers an Edge
Alienware series of laptops from Dell is globally recognized as the best gaming laptop series. The new Alienware 17 R5 is no exception. It is built with premium materials and equipped with all the latest hardware.
Main Features
The high-end Alienware 17 R5 packs Core i9-8950HK with six cores and twelve threads. The processor used is the same as the 8th Gen Core i7 chips, but at higher clocks, ranging from 2.8GHz all the way up to 5GHz.
Furthermore, the top-notch Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics overclocked GPU embedded in the device will take your gaming experience to the next level. In fact, you can also tweak the tuning of CPU and GPU using the Alienware Command Center app. It allows you to adjust performance settings based on desired thermal parameters.
Another impressive feature is its 32GB of RAM, 1TB HDD, and 128GB SSD which can be upgraded up to 512GB. That’s one of the reasons why this laptop made it to our list of the best 17-inch laptops.
You also get Tobii eye-tracker, which lets you sign into Windows 10 via face recognition. You can also control the cursor just by using your eyes in a limited selection of games. But the disadvantage is that this feature only adds up to the cost without bringing much functionality.
Other Specifications
When it comes to its design, Alienware 17 R5 largely mirrors the design of last year’s Alienware 17. The laptop is completely built using magnesium and copper alloy. The outer chassis of the laptop provides better grip and is extremely durable.
Moreover, customizable lighting only adds to the sharpness of its design. Slim RGB LED strips highlight both side edges, touchpad, and the lid – which we personally found fascinating. It is really useful when using the laptop at night.
But that’s not all. Its backlit keyboard is equally impressive. And to much delight, touchpads are backlit too. However, the keyboard is not per-key backlit as much as it is zone-lit, and this may be a slight disappointment for some. But overall, the keyboard feels great with plenty of space and responsiveness, and the touchpad is just as good.
On the visual front, the 2560×1440 screen pumps out brilliant imagery with generous viewing angles. However, it starts to darken once you cross the extreme slants. But the screen can deliver up to 390 nits of brightness, which is really notable considering what other laptops from the similar price range offer.
The screen on the device displays on 120Hz which is G-synced to deliver a rich gaming experience. The minimal response time is 4ms, so playing games on Alienware 17 R5 feels as glorious as you would expect. No wonder it made it to the list of our six best 17-inch laptops.
One thing that we disliked about the Alienware 17 is its rear part. It places the lid’s hinge about 1.25 inches in from the rear edge to allow it to add massive vents to help keep the colossal hardware inside cool. But it also creates a huge lip on the back, and it can really get hot during long gaming sessions.
PROS:
Sturdily built
Top-end gaming performance
A good number of storage and ports
CONS:
Gets too hot during long gaming sessions
It weighs 10 pounds
3 – Lenovo Built Business Laptop PC – Worthy Replacement for any Desktop
Lenovo Ideapad 320 is undoubtedly one of the most renowned laptops in the world, but with its upgrade to the latest Intel processor, it has reached new heights.
Main Features
Lenovo Ideapad model is one of the best 17-inch laptops, as it offers both power and value in the same package. Although the laptop comes with the powerful Intel UHD 620 graphics which will let you play some low-end games and do basic editing, it would be wrong to classify it as a gaming laptop.
However, if you are someone who spends most of their time working with PowerPoint presentations and spreadsheets, you will really appreciate what Lenovo IdeaPad 320 has to offer. The 17.3″ model features a brilliantly bright HD+ 1,600 x 900 resolution display for streaming videos or working on word documents. And the anti-glare technology used provides enough space for analyzing the details.
Under the hood, it features a 7th Generation Intel Core i5-7200U processor and 12GB DDR4 memory for multitasking and app handling. It ensures lightning-fast responsiveness and efficient performance by allowing you to multitask with ease. You can transit seamlessly between browser tabs.
As for storage, this laptop boasts a massive 1TB of HDD which is more than enough to store all your data. But that’s not all. It comes with the latest Windows 10 OS to give a productive touch to the device.
Other Specifications
Regarding its design, we would say it’s rather bland with that gray plastic chassis. Manufacturers could have certainly done it better as it looks like a budget laptop from the outside. But what caught our attention was its built-in fingerprint reader. It will serve to keep all your data protected. Furthermore, Lenovo has also included the multi-finger touchpad gestures for better user experience.
The laptop has all the essential connectivity ports and other wireless connectivity options clustered on the left side. That includes the HDMI video-out, AC power, Ethernet jacks, two Type-A USB 3.0 ports, one Type-C USB 3.0 port, a headphone/microphone combo jack, and a four-format flash-card reader. A business user will definitely appreciate it.
What’s more, Lenovo can get fully charged in just three hours. It also claims a seven-hour battery life, which is quite remarkable. Given the large screen, it is really light and easy to carry, weighing in at just 5.51 pounds.
To sum up, the Lenovo Ideapad 320 qualifies as one of the top value for money, best 17-inch laptop.
PROS:
Allows multitasking with ease
Features a bright HD+ 1,600 x 900 resolution display
CONS:
Poorly designed; not so appealing to eye
4 – Dell Inspiron 17.3″ FHD Laptop Computer – Anti-glare & Excellent Graphics With Higher Settings
The Dell Inspiron series has garnered enough appreciation for its powerful laptop models. The latest entrant – Dell Inspiron 17.3″ FHD Laptop – has made it to our list of best 17-inch laptops for its remarkable set of features along with a bright and large display.
Main Features
Dell Inspiron 17.3″ laptop sports a super wide full HD anti-glare display with mind-blowing 1920 x 1080 resolution. In addition, the powerful 4GB AMD Radeon 530 graphics offers crystal-clear details and smooth, realistic gameplay for an immersive on-screen experience.
That brilliant display is fueled by the powerful 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, which turbocharges up to 1.8 GHz. It is further paired with 32GB DDR4 of RAM. With such a configuration, you can expect a highly responsive and efficient performance whether you are streaming videos, working on CPU-intensive projects, or gaming. You will be able to multitask with ease.
Dell has done a fantastic job with the storage too. Dell Inspiron 17.3″ offers a 2TB hard drive coupled with 1TB PCIe Solid State Drive, which is undoubtedly an ample amount of storage for any user. SSD will significantly shorten the loading and installation time of your games, and you will have a smooth experience even with high-end games.
Other Specifications
Another noteworthy feature is that the laptop comes with pre-installed Windows 10 Professional operating system, which only increases the productivity of the device. Its multimedia-based features, such as audio and video experience, are solid too. There are built-in stereo speakers with MaxxAudio and Bluetooth 4.1 functionality. There is also an onboard 720p webcam, which is the standard for laptop video chatting.
Moving on, everything about this silver aluminum-clad Dell is big. It weighs in at 9.1 pounds and features a big palm resting area. The keyboard has backlit keys and a separate numeric keypad with a dedicated Page Up, Page Down, Home, and End keys separate from the cursor arrows. The touchpad glides and taps smoothly as well.
As for connectivity, Inspiron features two USB 3.1 Gen1, one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C (with power delivery and video). It also includes one HDMI, headphone/microphone jack, and RJ45. Moreover, the 3-cell 42WHr battery used is capable of running the laptop for at least 6 hours at normal use.
In a nutshell, Dell Inspiron 17.3″ laptop is an excellent choice if you are looking for one of the best 17-inch laptops with high-performance hardware and beautiful design.
PROS:
Multitask at ease
Play high-end games with crystal clear vision
Good storage
CONS:
A little heavyweight
5 – Acer Predator Helios 500 PH517-51-72NU – Backlit Keyboard Plus Enhanced Speakers
Without a doubt, every pro gamer is going to completely rejoice the Acer Predator Helios 500 model. It is packed with top-notch components for a powerful performance.
Main Features
First off, Acer Predator Helios 500 sports a sharp, true-to-life 17.3-inch full HD with 1920×1080 resolution. It has an IPS display with 144Hz refresh-rate for further image quality enhancement. The display delivers up to 300 nits of brightness, which is fine for indoor gaming. However, if you try to play a game out on a sunny day, you will be squinting.
Furthermore, Acer Predator Helios 500 features the latest 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 overclockable graphics card. All the power generated is coupled with 16GBs of DDR4 RAM, which allows playing all the latest 2019 games and performing other demanding tasks with ease. In short, thanks to the excellent cooling system, Predator prevents any throttling even during intense and prolonged gaming sessions.
As for storage, the laptop has hybrid storage which consists of 1TB HDD along with a 256GB of SSD drive. It is more than enough to store all your favorite movies, games, music, and other files. And the SSD used will significantly reduce the operating system loading time. Assuredly, Acer Helios 500 tops the list of best 17-inch laptops for any gamer.
Another noteworthy feature of the laptop is its excellent sound system. It has sound speakers inside, which come with two speaker setups. It truly delivers a lifelike audio experience while watching movies or playing games on this laptop.
Other Specifications
The Helios 500 weighs around 8.82 kg, so if you want to take the device outside almost every day, you might want to consider other gaming laptops. Its weight is justifiable as it packs some serious features, and thus needs a serious cooling system to deal with it. It’s best left on a desk, and we advise you to carry it outside only when necessary. Plus, it might not even fit into any standard-sized backpack as it’s not only large but chunky too.
But we were super impressed by the quality of its build. It features a solid plastic chassis, with no hint of worrisome flex. This laptop will easily suck up a few bumps with a smile.
Moreover, the keyboard also has a firm finish, and it’s responsive enough to use for fast-paced action titles. The Helios offers some surprisingly subtle LED lights to light up the keyboard. In fact, you can also split the board into four separate zones, each of which can be lit up by a specific color.
In addition, the touchpad is perfectly smooth and responsive. We love how Acer has included mouse buttons, which are positioned beneath the pad. However, the only thing we believe is missing is the fingerprint sensor. And it doesn’t even support Windows Hello, which means you are stuck with entering a password every time you want to unlock the laptop.
With Acer Predator Helios 500, you are looking at one of the best 17-inch laptops that is a perfect desktop replacement. You can run all the latest gaming titles and also handle high-resolution photo editing or 4K video editing with ease.
PROS:
Excellent sound system
A smooth high-end gaming experience
High-speed performance
Good storage
CONS:
No fingerprint sensor
Lack of brightness makes it hard to play outdoor on sunny days
6 – LG Gram Thin and Light – Most Affordable Best i7 Laptop
Not every 17-inch laptop has to be thick and bulky. And LG Gram 17 – a new addition to LG’s mind-bogglingly ultra-light laptop lineup – is a clear example of that. The new 17-inch Gram weighs just 2.95 pounds. It’s so incredibly light that you can easily pick it up with one hand and you don’t have to worry about breaking your wrist. This beast definitely deserves a spot on the list of six best 17-inch laptops.
Main Features
LG Gram features a 17-inch IPS display with 2560×1600 resolution, which offers exceptional clarity from any angle. Being 0.71 inches thick and 14.21 inches wide, it is amazingly small. It’s safe to say that LG Gram 17 is one of the most compact 17-inch laptops of the PC World.
As for the specifications, it has an impressive specs sheet. It features the Intel Core i7-8565U processor, which can be turbocharged up to 4.6 GHz for a power pack performance.
Furthermore, the processor is paired with 16GB DDR4-2400 installed RAM along with a 512GB SATA SSD. The only disadvantage here is that it rules out the gaming enthusiasts as there is no discrete GPU installed. It comes with an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics instead so that the manufacturers didn’t have to compromise on its size and thickness.
Nonetheless, it’s an excellent option for those who want to blast through spreadsheets and essays. Although the Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics card is not entirely compatible with complex video editing, it should be able to handle simple Photoshop tasks.
Other Specifications
You can’t complain about the battery life either, as the device gives an average of up to 19.5 hours. You will have nearly a full day’s worth of power to continue working and hit your deadlines without worrying about the power running out.
It also offers the backlit chiclet keyboard, which is pleasantly comfortable to type on. The metal alloy shell is built to the MIL-STD-810 standard, which has a direct impact on the device’s durability. It can easily survive the bumps and thumps of the outdoors.
As for connectivity, LG Gram 17 offers three USB 3.0 Type-A ports, Bluetooth module, wireless network card 802.11ac Wi-Fi, micro SD memory card reader, headphone jack, and a USB Type-C connector that doubles as a charging port. The only thing missing is RJ45 jack for a network cable.
In addition, LG takes an extra step to add a few extra features such as Fingerprint ID and an HD webcam. With fingerprint recognition, you won’t have to enter a password every time you unlock the laptop. It’s definitely a time-saver!
To sum it up, LG Gram 17 – classified as one of the best 17-inch laptops – offers the full ultrabook package. It’s a huge boon for those who have to commute to work with their laptop daily.
PROS:
Full power ultrabook package
Easy to carry; lightweight
Fingerprint recognition
Highly durable
CONS:
Not compatible for high-end gaming
Conclusion
So these were our current top picks of best 17-inch laptops. But how to pick the best 17-inch laptop from the lot?
Once you know what specific size laptop you want, you can then easily drill down to the other hardware features and find your right match among the hundreds of options.
Usually, 17-inch laptops weigh more and are bulky in shape. But nowadays, you will also find thin and light options such as the LG Gram 17, if you don’t want to drag a big machine all day. Apart from the weight and size, other factors that need to be considered while buying a laptop are the graphics card and number of ports.
If you want to use the laptop specifically for gaming, don’t ever compromise on the dedicated graphics card. But for business and home usage, you can make do with integrated Intel graphics.
Also, large laptops have room for extra ports, so be sure to check what options are available in each model. Some may have the DVD-RW feature, while others may lack the HDMI port required for connecting external displays.
17-inch laptops are the Performance Leaders
There are reasons why top 17-inch laptops are dubbed the performance leaders. They can easily accommodate the most powerful graphics cards and processors, highest memory, multiple solid-state drives or hard drives for ample storage, and strongest cooling systems. In fact, they have plenty of room for all the connectivity ports. The large devices are equally spacious and the keyboards are with full keypads for numeric data entry as well.
However, it can get uncomfortable to carry these huge screen devices around. If you plan to use your laptop from your office desk or home and it is going to sit there for most of the time, then the 17-inch laptops will be a perfect fit. But if you have to travel a lot and have to work on the go, then you should first take into consideration the purpose of buying a laptop. And only if it fits the bill, go for the 17-inch laptop.
We hope this article has given you some ideas on how to choose a 17-inch laptop. We assure you that our list of best 17-inch laptops includes only the top picks available on the market.
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