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The Best Large-Screen Laptops We’ve Tested for 2025
So, you’re a big-picture person? You need a laptop to match. A model with a 16-inch, 17-inch, or 18-inch screen could be just your size. Lucky for you, here at PCMag, we’ve been testing and benchmarking big laptops (along with small, medium, and tiny ones) for more than 40 years, making us a trusted authority in notebook reviews. We assess performance, battery life, screen quality, keyboard comfort, connectivity, and portability to select the best laptops for various tasks. Our current pick for the best large-screen laptop for most users is LG’s Gram 17 (2025), for its surprisingly light weight, gorgeous 16:10 display, and Copilot+ AI features. However, we test more than 100 laptops a year, so naturally, we have more vetted 16-to-18-inch laptop choices to recommend. After reading our concise summaries for every product, check out our detailed buying guide and helpful spec comparison.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
November 26, 2025: With this update, we repositioned this roundup to include 16-inch laptops, due to the waning popularity of 17-inch models, and changed in all-new laptop recommendations. We’ve vetted all picks for currency and availability. We are currently testing more than a dozen new laptops, including models from Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, for possible inclusion in this and our other laptop roundups.
- Unbeatably lightweight, surprisingly durable
- Large, high-quality display
- Comfortable keyboard
- Copilot+ PC with additional AI from LG
- Peak performance limited by lightweight design
- Pricey
The LG Gram 17 (2025) is something of a feat, providing a desktop replacement-sized 17-inch display in a featherweight chassis that’s nearly light enough to qualify as an ultraportable laptop despite its massive size. The highlight of the laptop is the magnesium alloy chassis, but don’t ignore the vibrant 17-inch IPS screen with QHD+ (2,560-by-1,600-pixel) resolution, ultra-slim bezels, and an anti-glare touch panel.
Oh, and it’s not just another Windows 11 machine; it’s also a fantastic Copilot+ PC, with extra AI features from LG, putting it toward the top of the class for big-screen mobile AI devices. Add some potent performance, long battery life, and a comfortable keyboard with a number pad, and this big-screen portable becomes an easy pick as the best 17-inch option around.
Mainstream shoppers who just want a big screen: This laptop is a fine fit for people willing to accept a slight squeeze on CPU speed in exchange for an unbeatably lightweight 17-inch device. The LG Gram’s massive display is a match for anyone who wants a spacious viewing area for productivity or media consumption, while also prioritizing an easy-to-carry weight.
Spreadsheet slingers and number crunchers: This laptop works particularly well for people who frequently work with spreadsheets or other large datasets. LG’s comfortable, full-size keyboard featuring a dedicated number pad makes the Gram perfect for heavy data entry and financial work. Its battery will also keep up with your longest data-entry sessions.
AI early adopters: This is a top large-screen laptop option for shoppers interested in exploring AI computing right now. The integration of Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC features via Windows 11, along with additional LG AI capabilities, makes it attractive to people who want to leverage the latest AI-enhanced tools on a large display.
Class
Ultraportable, Desktop Replacement
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
17 inches
Native Display Resolution
2560 by 1600
Panel Technology
IPS
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Arc Graphics 140V
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.74 by 14.9 by 10.2 inches
Weight
3.1 pounds
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
19:01
Learn More
LG Gram 17 (2025) Review
- Dominant content creation performance
- More than 24 hours of battery life
- Game-changing nano-texture display option
- Thunderbolt 5 support
- Helpful Center Stage webcam upgrade
- Only a minor performance boost over M3 MacBooks
- Strangely priced configuration
- Nano-texture display is an optional extra
For the biggest and best of Apple’s MacBook line, the MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2024, M4 Pro) is the undeniable choice for content creation and video editing, with a 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display and the brawny M4 Pro chip, making it competitive with top-tier laptops from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia. In addition to stellar performance, it serves up more than 24 hours of battery life, optional nano-textured glass on the display for an enhanced viewing experience, and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, supporting a whole office’s worth of gear. It’s pricey, but this is legitimately the biggest and most powerful MacBook Apple makes.
Demanding power users and content creators: This is a textbook-perfect large-screen laptop for content creators, media editors, and other power users with demanding workloads. The Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2024, M4 Pro) is a powerful, creative-focused workstation, well-suited for individuals primarily working in video editing (such as DaVinci Resolve) and image editing (like Adobe Photoshop). It’s also the ultimate home office MacBook short of shifting to a stationary Mac Studio.
Sideline computer gamers: This is the big-screen MacBook to buy for at-home or professional Mac users who enjoy dabbling in computer gaming. While not as specialized as Windows gaming rigs, the M4 Pro chip is capable of delivering a competent and smooth mainstream gaming experience, while Apple continues to bring increasingly current PC games to macOS.
Class
Workstation, Desktop Replacement
Processor
Apple M4 Pro (14-core)
RAM (as Tested)
48 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
2 TB
Screen Size
16.2 inches
Native Display Resolution
3456 by 2234
Panel Technology
Mini LED
Variable Refresh Support
ProMotion
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Apple M4 Pro (20-core)
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.66 by 14 by 9.8 inches
Weight
4.7 lbs
Operating System
Apple macOS Sequoia
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
25:52
Learn More
Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2024, M4 Pro) Review
- Blazing performance and gameplay
- Sharp, fast Mini LED 240Hz display
- Longer battery life than expected
- Effective cooling
- Tool-free RAM, SSD upgrades
- Competitively priced, but still expensive
- Loud fans when cooling
- Number pad overlay on the touchpad can be triggered by accident
You’ll find several gaming machines on this list, but the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (G635LW) squeezes a surprising amount of power into its 16-inch frame. With a monster Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 graphics chip, you’re guaranteed top-tier gaming performance. It also features a 16-inch mini LED 240Hz display, providing a fast refresh rate and high picture quality for immersive gameplay.
Inside, you’ll find a robust cooling system that ensures consistent performance during intense gaming sessions, an impressively long-lasting battery, and tool-free access to the RAM and SSDs, making simple component upgrades easy for the user.
Deep-pocketed enthusiast gamers: This is the best large-screen laptop for well-to-do PC gamers who want a mobile solution to keep playing away from the desk. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (G635LW) is excellent for gamers who prioritize pure graphics power and blazing frame rates, while also enjoying a top-end display, which justifies the premium price for an elite gaming experience.
Upgrade-happy laptop gamers: This is a very good big-screen laptop for people who enjoy the option to upgrade core components over time. The Strix Scar’s easy, tool-free access for RAM and SSD upgrades makes it an excellent choice for people who want the option to manually adjust or expand their laptop’s memory and storage capacities over time.
Class
Gaming
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
2 TB
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
2560 by 1600
Panel Technology
Mini LED
Variable Refresh Support
G-Sync
Screen Refresh Rate
240 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
16 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions (HWD)
1.21 by 13.9 by 10.6 inches
Weight
6.28 pounds
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
8:23
Learn More
Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (G635LW) Review
- Dominant gaming performance, pairing AMD “Fire Range” X3D CPU with GeForce RTX 5090
- Fiercely fast for non-gaming content-creation tasks
- Impressive play-focused keyboard
- Bright, colorful mini LED display
- Very expensive
- Display’s limitation to 120Hz could be a mismatch with the RTX 5090 GPU
- Too-small touchpad
For the biggest (and arguably best) gaming experience, nothing can touch the MSI Raider 18 HX AI. Driven by a tip-top Intel Core Ultra 9 HX CPU and a fierce Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU, it rivals gaming desktops for pure power and blazed past all rivals in processor benchmarks. Its 18-inch 4K mini-LED screen is breathtaking, its sound quality is surprisingly excellent, and the machine includes the most power-packed, current components such as Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, and PCI Express 5.0 storage. It also features a robust cooling system to support the high-end components, ensuring stability under heavy load. We called the Raider “the nuclear option for laptop gamers,” and you can see why.
No-compromise PC gamers: This large-screen gaming laptop is for gamers seeking the absolute pinnacle of performance regardless of price. These shoppers are willing to throw compromise out the window, paying any premium and accepting a heavy chassis for top-tier components. The Raider delivers an unmatched PC gaming experience from a laptop in exchange.
Top-tier desktop replacement shoppers: This is one of the most potent big-screen desktop replacement laptops available at retail, gaming or otherwise. The Raider is ideal for people who require desktop-level processing power for content creation and other demanding tasks, thanks to the Core Ultra 9 HX CPU’s impressive performance and the top-end RTX 5080 GPU.
Cutting-edge early adopters: This large-screen laptop is excellent for shoppers who want the absolute latest components and connectivity standards available. The Raider is a fine fit for users who want cutting-edge features, such as Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, and the rare PCIe 5.0 storage. MSI tops it all off with a stunning 4K mini-LED screen to ace that hyper-luxury feel.
Class
Gaming
Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
RAM (as Tested)
64 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
2 TB
Secondary Drive Type
SSD
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
2 TB
Screen Size
18 inches
Native Display Resolution
3840 by 2400
Panel Technology
Mini LED
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
24 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions (HWD)
0.94 by 15.9 by 12.1 inches
Weight
7.9 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
1:55
Learn More
MSI Raider A18 HX Review
- GeForce RTX 5090 delivers speedy frame rates
- 240Hz QHD+ OLED display
- Long battery life
- Svelte, premium metal build
- Best-in-class touchpad
- Super expensive
- Highly reflective panel
Bigger screens are ideal for gaming, but not everybody wants a hefty PC gaming rig. Enter the Razer Blade 16 (2025), which delivers powerhouse performance and blistering frame rates in a high-end metal chassis with a thin profile.
It’s all about gaming prowess and portability, featuring an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, along with a superb 240Hz QHD+ OLED display. A best-in-class touchpad complements the Razer’s premium feel. It’s great for both gaming and productivity, with enough battery life to support both.
High-end mobile PC gamers: This large-screen laptop is best for shoppers who want an attractive device with potent gaming power and the latest hardware. It’s an excellent choice for users who demand an elite gaming experience, including fast frame rates and a high-resolution, fast-refreshing screen, while requiring a relatively portable machine.
Power users and content creators: This is an excellent big-screen laptop for content creators and other power users. While designed for gaming, the Blade’s fast processing performance is more than enough for high-intensity productivity tasks and content creation workloads. You can get as much benefit out of this laptop while editing video, for instance, as you can while gaming.
Class
Gaming
Processor
AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
2 TB
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
2560 by 1600
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
240 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
24 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.87 by 13.98 by 9.61 inches
Weight
5.4 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
10:12
Learn More
Razer Blade 16 (2025) Review
- Formidable power for high-demand apps
- World-class keyboard
- Speedy 165Hz display
- Up to 192GB of RAM
- As bulky and heavy as its asking price
- Storage ceiling is 8TB to HP Fury’s 16GB
- Wi-Fi 6E, not 7
Our top choice for a large-screen workstation laptop is the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2. Built as a sumo-weight workstation, it provides the raw muscle necessary to crunch through the most extensive datasets and handle the most demanding professional programs, such as CAD, CGI rendering, engineering, and scientific applications. And the features are just as impressive as the power, with support for up to 192GB of RAM, an included 165Hz 16-inch display, Lenovo’s superior and highly regarded ThinkPad keyboard, and the impeccable build quality we expect from the ThinkPad line.
Scientists, data processors, and software engineers: This large-screen laptop is the ultimate mobile workstation for computationally demanding professions. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 works best for professionals in CAD, CGI rendering, engineering, and scientific fields that require maximum processing power and memory capacity to handle complex simulations and massive datasets.
Extreme multitaskers and heavy typists: This is an excellent large-screen laptop for individuals whose work requires running multiple demanding apps simultaneously. The machine’s support for up to 192GB of RAM matches well with power users who routinely work with large amounts of data or run memory-intensive virtual environments. Plus, the ThinkPad’s class-leading keyboard is a dream for heavy typing.
Class
Workstation, Business
Processor
Intel Core i7-14700HX
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
2560 by 1600
Panel Technology
IPS
Variable Refresh Support
Manual
Screen Refresh Rate
165 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia RTX 4000 Ada
Graphics Memory
12 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
1.19 by 14.3 by 10.5 inches
Weight
6.5 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
9:50
Learn More
Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 Review
- Lightweight, durable chassis
- Speedy CPU and GPU
- Beautiful OLED display
- Useful AI-assisted features
- High-end audio quality
- Runs hot with big workloads
- Fans get loud under load
- Basic refresh rate
Content creators prize large screens, and with good reason—more screen space lets you see more of the picture, or use editing tools without sacrificing command of the visuals. The Asus ProArt P16 (H7606) is perfect for this, pairing a beautiful 16-inch 4K OLED display with a speedy AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor and a hearty Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics chip. This machine is designed for media work and features media-friendly elements, including the virtual Asus DialPad, powerful speakers for high-end audio, and a lightweight yet durable design.
High-end creative pros: This is the large-screen laptop to beat for creative professionals. The Asus ProArt P16 (H7606) is peak laptop design for people who require a capable, high-power Windows laptop to handle all types of demanding content creation, including photo or video editing and graphic design. Its durable, lightweight chassis and a large, high-quality display make it perfect for professionals who need to easily transport their workstation for tasks like impromptu photoshoots or recording sessions.
Efficiency-focused editors: This big-screen laptop is handy for media editors who enjoy using custom controls to speed up workflows. The virtual Asus DialPad is highly beneficial for users who rely on quick shortcuts and precise controls for finer edits within creative applications like Photoshop and DaVinci Resolve.
Class
Workstation
Processor
AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
2 TB
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
3840 by 2400
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
8 GB
Wireless Networking
802.11be, Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions (HWD)
0.68 by 13.9 by 9.7 inches
Weight
4.08 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
12:59
Learn More
Asus ProArt P16 (H7606) Review
- Reasonable price for the component mix
- Stunning OLED touch screen
- Lightweight for a 16-inch laptop
- Excellent battery life
- Carrying sleeve included
- Compromised keyboard layout
- Poor sound quality
- Marginal AI features
We have one word for why we love the Acer Swift 16 AI: OLED. It features a handsome 16-inch OLED touch screen, providing excellent visual quality for entertainment and creative tasks. It also features a powerful component mix and premium features, including all-day battery life, a lightweight design, and an included carrying sleeve. Seems there’s even more to love than the gorgeous OLED screen.
Budget-strapped big-screen laptop shoppers: This is an excellent large-screen laptop for people with limited cash to spend on their next PC. The Acer Swift 16 AI fits tighter budgets, but still provides a large display and premium features, namely OLED touch-screen technology and a carrying case in the box.
Amateur and hobbyist content creators: This big-screen laptop is a smart choice for hobbyist content creators, such as amateur photographers or videographers. The Swift’s colorful, bright screen and capable CPU (Intel Core Ultra 2 V-class) are good matches for lighter content creation tasks in a long-lasting, desktop-replacement device.
Class
Desktop Replacement
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
Processor Speed
2.2 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 x 1800
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Arc Graphics 140V
Wireless Networking
802.11be, Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions (HWD)
0.63 by 14.02 by 9.82 inches
Weight
3.37 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
20:12
Learn More
Acer Swift 16 AI Review
- Super-slim magnesium chassis
- Vivid OLED screen
- Lengthy battery life
- Decent port selection
- Stylus included
- Pricey
- No dedicated GPU available
The Gram Pro 2-in-1 16 (2025) raises the bar for LG’s featherweight laptop line by introducing both a convertible 2-in-1 design and an impressive OLED display, all within an ultraportable, super-slim magnesium chassis. It’s truly impressive how the lightweight design enables this 16-inch convertible to function as a tablet, whereas most big-screen competitors feel bulky and unwieldy.
The laptop includes an Intel Core H-class processor, a decent selection of ports, and even a handy stylus, making it perfect for note-taking and drawing right out of the box. Oh, and the near-18-hour battery life isn’t bad, either, ensuring genuine all-day mobility.
Multi-device power users: This is the large-screen laptop of choice for buyers who want a big screen and a powerful CPU, but also a high-end tablet device. The Gram Pro 2-in-1 will please shoppers who refuse to carry a heavy machine but still want a large display, thanks to its ultraportable magnesium chassis. It’s among the most powerful 2-in-1 laptops we’ve tested.
Creative or note-taking pros or students: This is a suitable big-screen laptop for copious digital note-takers, or creators who often work with a stylus, whether in school or out in the field. The Gram’s 2-in-1 convertible design, combined with its gorgeous OLED touch screen and included stylus, matches up well with digital drawing, detailed markup, and other artistic creations.
Class
Convertible 2-in-1
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 255H
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Secondary Drive Type
SSD
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1800
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Arc 140T
Wireless Networking
Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7
Dimensions (HWD)
0.5 by 14.1 by 9.9 inches
Weight
3.08 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
17:56
Learn More
LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 16 (2025) Review
- Boosted productivity and gaming performance
- High-res IPS screen with 120Hz refresh rate
- Four-zone RGB keyboard with anti-ghosting
- Wi-Fi 6E and Ethernet
- Below-average battery life
- Non-touch display limits Android app use
The only Chromebook on our list, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2025), presents not only a bigger, faster-refreshing screen (120Hz), but it’s also one of the few Chromebooks made for gaming. With a beefier CPU, speedy Wi-Fi 6E and Ethernet, and a customized four-zone RGB keyboard with anti-ghosting capabilities, this is a Chromebook Plus optimized for online gaming via cloud services like Nvidia GeForce Now. That’s tempting enough as a budget-friendly alternative to a more expensive Windows gaming laptop, but it’s also a productivity machine with Google’s AI-enhanced Chromebook Plus branding and Gemini AI features.
Extremely budget-limited gamers: This large-screen Chromebook is best for people who want to get into PC gaming but are significantly limited in budget. The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2025) is built for online streaming services like GeForce Now, with hardware specifically tailored for cloud gaming, avoiding the steep costs of dedicated Windows rigs.
Value-focused students: This is a fine big-screen laptop choice for students who want maximum savings but still an effective device. This is an exceptional Chromebook choice for budget-conscious shoppers seeking a powerful, large-screen device with high-quality features for email and social media, watching videos, playing games, and completing basic schoolwork.
Class
Chromebook, Gaming
Processor
Intel Core i5-120U
RAM (as Tested)
8 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
256 GB
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
2560 by 1600
Panel Technology
IPS
Variable Refresh Support
Yes
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Graphics
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Dimensions (HWD)
0.84 by 14.0 by 9.8 inches
Weight
3.75 lbs
Operating System
Chrome OS
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
9:16
Learn More
Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2025) Review
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The Best Large-Screen Laptops for 2025
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Buying Guide: The Best Large-Screen Laptops for 2025
If you’re a multi-window multitasker or your eyesight isn’t what it used to be, a larger laptop screen can be a godsend. But you might be asking: What counts as a “big-screen” laptop, anyway?
For years, the standard size for a mainstream laptop was 15.6 inches (measured diagonally). For this guide, a large-screen laptop is anything 16 inches or larger, with many popular models now measuring 16, 17, or even 18 inches.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
This category laser-focuses on one thing: screen real estate. The appeal is a large display area that closely mimics a desktop monitor, making large-screen laptops ideal for professionals, creators, and gamers who need space to see and multitask without having to connect an external monitor. While they sacrifice some portability for size, these larger machines often feature the most powerful components and the best cooling systems available in a laptop form factor.
The Advantages of Larger Displays
Jumbo laptops aren’t for frequent fliers, but they fill a big niche. Let’s examine what they can do, as the extra size fundamentally alters how you use your machine.
Enhanced productivity: For the multi-window multitasker, the extra screen size is a significant benefit. The biggest advantage is the ability to see more information at once. Whether you’re a spreadsheet jockey who needs to view more columns, a coder who needs more lines of text, or a video editor managing a complex timeline, the extra screen space reduces scrolling and the need to constantly switch between windows. The 16:10 aspect ratio—now standard on 16-inch models—provides extra vertical space compared with the traditional 16:9, further enhancing productivity.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Immersive gaming: For gaming laptops, GPU strength is paramount. They are specifically designed to play the latest games at high speeds, with all the visual details and eye candy turned up to 11. They aim for at least 60 frames per second (or faster with high-refresh panels), ensuring that on-screen stuttering or tearing won’t factor in and that lag isn’t fatal during a frag fest. The larger display provides a highly immersive experience, pulling you into the action, while the bigger chassis ensures the thermal headroom necessary to house the powerful GPU required to achieve those frame rates.
Better media creation: Creative professionals and engineers often gravitate toward this size class. While big-screen machines can easily handle general office productivity, many can take on more demanding computing jobs as mobile workstations. These systems often carry independent software vendor (ISV) certifications to ensure compatibility and smooth operation with demanding apps like computer-aided design (CAD) and advanced 3D modeling and rendering, crunching through massive scientific or engineering datasets, or delving into video editing at high resolutions. These specialized users benefit from the space needed for tool palettes and timelines, and many of these larger panels come in 4K (UHD) or QHD (1440p/1600p) resolutions with excellent color accuracy (often featuring OLED or Mini LED technology).
Common Large-Screen Laptop Components
Because a big chassis can accommodate more robust cooling, large-screen laptops are often home to the most potent components, making them the mobile equivalents of desktop workstations and gaming rigs.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Screen Technology and Resolution
The large displays of mobile workstations and gaming laptops alike benefit from choosing the right screen type. Shopping in this category is an excellent opportunity to access manufacturers’ best panel technology:
OLED: Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens produce superb color vibrancy and infinite contrast, thanks to their ability to turn off individual pixels, resulting in truly inky blacks. That also results in the sharpest colors and contrast, as well as the widest off-center viewing angles. OLED screens are common in premium 16-inch content creation and high-end gaming laptops.
Mini LED: This premium in-plane switching (IPS) panel technology employs thousands of tiny LEDs for backlighting, creating a dense array of “dimming zones.” This technique significantly improves contrast and brightness over standard IPS without the risk of burn-in sometimes associated with OLED.
Faster refresh rates: A fast refresh rate is essential for gamers and video editors, with many large-screen gaming and content-creation laptops featuring refresh rates ranging from 120Hz to 300Hz. Quicker refresh rates allow the screen to display more frames per second (fps), resulting in much smoother, more fluid motion.
High resolution: While 1080p (FHD) is the minimum acceptable resolution, most big-screen laptops are better served by QHD (2,560-by-1,440-pixel) or sharper screens, as the larger physical screen size makes the lower pixel density of 1080p more noticeable. However, since higher resolutions, such as 4K, typically require even more powerful GPUs, top-end large-screen systems generally stick to 1440p, 1600p, and 1800p resolutions.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
One thing you’ll find less often is touch screens. Tappable, touchable displays aren’t popular among gamers and workstation users, as both groups prefer the pixel-by-pixel control of a mouse. But you will find a few touch screens on larger 2-in-1 systems.
Processor and Graphics (CPU & GPU)
The most demanding tasks—such as 4K video editing, 3D rendering, or high-frame-rate gaming—require high-end silicon. Thankfully, the larger chassis sizes that come with larger screens also provide room for powerful processors and graphics cards, as well as space for airflow and cooling systems, and can handily accommodate memory and multiple solid-state drives (SSDs) for storage.
Powerful processors: With ample space to let loose, big-screen laptops generally employ potent Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen H- and HX-class processors to powerful effect. When selecting a laptop, it’s helpful to know that an “H” denotes higher wattage and performance than the “U” series chips found in slim ultraportables, and “HX” even more so, translating directly into more power for demanding applications.
Dedicated GPUs: While it is certainly possible to achieve productivity work with integrated graphics—the graphics processing hardware integrated into the CPU—the most significant performance gains for gaming laptops and mobile workstations stem from dedicated, discrete graphics processing units (GPUs), such as Nvidia’s GeForce RTX (consumer) and RTX Pro (workstation) chips or AMD’s Radeon RX. Larger chassis can handle the heat generated by these powerful GPUs, enabling 4K gaming (with help from technologies like DLSS) or rapid rendering in creative applications.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Memory and Storage
For a laptop built for demanding tasks, the minimum requirements for memory (RAM) and storage increase significantly.
RAM: While 16GB is the emerging baseline, content creation and gaming use benefit greatly from 32GB or even 64GB of RAM. Mobile workstations can go even higher, with as much as 128GB supported on some models. This amount of RAM prevents slowdowns when working with massive files, complex video projects, or numerous browser tabs.
Storage: Modern AAA games and professional media files are enormous. A 512GB solid-state drive (SSD) is a minimum requirement, but we highly recommend a 1TB or 2TB NVMe SSD to ensure you have sufficient space for your operating system, applications, and growing media library. For professional use, some workstations present capacities of up to 4TB or more. Many of these larger laptops also feature multiple internal M.2 SSD slots for easy storage expansion; however, it’s essential to verify that the M.2 SSDs are upgradable and not soldered down.
The Large-Screen Trade-Offs
A larger screen offers excellent benefits, but it introduces trade-offs in three key areas: portability, price, and power draw.
Portability and bulk: These are the most obvious drawbacks. A 17-inch or 18-inch laptop is inherently heavier and bulkier than a 14-inch model. They are generally less suitable for daily commutes or constant work on the go. Most big-screen laptops weigh 5 to 8 pounds and require a larger backpack or briefcase. (The one significant outlier, the LG Gram Pro 17, comes in at less than 3 pounds.) The heaviest, which are invariably gaming models, weigh in at a back-breaking 7 pounds or more, and in some cases, that’s not counting the hefty AC power bricks. Airline tray table? Forget it. More like checked baggage.
Increased cost: Larger, sharper, and faster screens—especially OLED and mini LED panels—are more expensive to manufacture. Combined with the high-end H-class CPUs and discrete GPUs they typically house, large-screen laptops often command a premium price tag, frequently starting well above the $1,500 mark.
Shorter battery life: The sheer number of pixels in a QHD or 4K panel requires more power to drive, and the high-performance CPUs and GPUs are also power-hungry. While battery capacity is often larger in a big chassis, the components drain it quickly. Don’t expect to game for long off the charger, and even general productivity tasks will likely limit you to 5 to 8 hours of unplugged use. Laptop makers design these devices to run on AC power most of the time.
Ready to Buy the Right Large-Screen Laptop for You?
Big-screen laptops are the ultimate choice for users who prioritize performance and screen space above all else. They are ideal for replacing a desktop PC, providing the best possible mobile workstation or immersive gaming experience.
If your work or play demands a powerful machine with top-tier components and you can accept the trade-off in portability and price, a 16-inch or larger laptop will deliver exceptional performance and display quality.
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