Desktop computers have become very common equipment in our daily lives and there is no wonder laptops can also be utilized for consuming content.
While tablets and phones are preferable for watching movies but when it comes to Laptops you get much better visuals and large screens.
Additionally, you don’t have to spend any extra money you can work on it and can also use laptops for watching movies, just like tablets you are able to carry them around you while traveling.
As Laptops are not the only tool just to save a few files you can do a lot more than this, from designing to editing, and all you need suitable features to choose from.
Laptops also run all levels of visual quality from HD to FHD and even higher, in this detailed guide we are going to discuss the best laptop for watching movies.
let’s get into the details, also do not forget to read the detailed guide on how to choose a laptop below.
System requirement for watching Movies
In this section, I am going to cover the quick system requirements for watching movies.
Minimum requirement
- Processor: 10th gen intel i3 or Ryzen 3
- Ram: 8GB DDR4
- Graphics card: Intel UHD or AMD Radeon.
- Storage capacity: 256GB NVMe SSD.
- Display size: 14″ to 15″ with FHD resolution.
- Battery life: 5 Hours or above.
Recommended requirement
- Processor: Intel i5 or Ryzen 5
- Ram: 8GB DDR4 with upgradable slot up to 16GB.
- Graphics card: Nvidia 2GB graphics card or higher.
- Storage capacity: 500GB NVMe SSD.
- Display size: 14″ to 15″ with FHD resolution.
- Battery life: 7 Hours or above.
Also Read: Best laptop for gaming and streaming
Best Laptop for watching movies in 2023
1. Asus Zenbook pro duo 15
Key features
- CPU 10th gen intel i7 10870H, 8 cores.
- GPU Nvidia RTX 3070, 8GB.
- Ram 16GB DDR4 is upgradeable up to 32GB.
- Storage capacity 1TB SSD.
- Display size 15.6″ OLED 4k UHD resolution.
- Excellent color accuracy.
- Dual screen.
Cons
- Average ports.
- Pricey.
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This Asus Zenbook pro laptop is meant for professional who works in the creative field yet you can utilize it for watching movies and live to stream.
Besides its strong component, the unique part about this machine is you get a dual screen yea I know the secondary screen is smaller and it is not going to serve but it’s a nice feature to have for editing work.
Now, this is the most expensive laptop for streaming movies yet a top-rated device at the price point.
The primary screen features with OLED 4k UHD screen deliver outstanding eye-catching visuals and the color accuracy is too good thanks to the 100% DCI-P3 color gamut.
This 15.6″ screen has an ultra-fast response rate even better than some of the gaming laptops and built-in technology helps to keep your eyes comfortable by reducing harmful light distractions.
Additionally, it also has a bright screen that you can adjust as per conditions it’s also usable outdoors.
Apart from the high-quality screen you also get a power-packed processor, Under this Asus uses 10th gen intel i7 10870H with 8 cores and a 16 MB cache keeping the performance at a high level.
This octa-core processor delivers a maximum frequency of up to 5.0Ghz which is excellent for someone who wants to live stream sporting events and watch movies on Netflix.
The laptop included the latest Nvidia RTX 3070, an 8GB graphics card, and this GPU capable of running some of the latest games, even though the main aim of this machine is to give you comfortable working on designing and other productive work.
Still, Nvidia RTX 3070 makes your gameplay smooth on the most demanding games, however, the screen refresh rate is not for high-end gaming but decent enough to enjoy games.
It is integrated with 16 GB DDR4 ram great for a heavy level of multi-tasking you can run multiple tabs while enjoying movies, and you can also upgrade the memory up to 32 GB.
If you are someone who likes to store movies and watch them later this laptop won’t lag behind in terms of storage space as you get a massive 1 TB NVMe SSD which is more than enough to save all your data.
On the connectivity front, there are decent options though not the most impressive, the good thing is USB type C supports thunderbolt 3, and there is USB type A and HDMI 2.1 support.
The design of the laptop is very attractive looks absolutely stunning, and the build quality is sturdy we have not found any flex on the top lid or on the keyboard.
The keyboard has backlit support, whereas separate Numpad you get on a touch screen with a digital numeric system.
Moreover, a laptop takes up little space which is due to the extra screen, cooling technology is good it maintains the thermal during long hours of use.
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Also Read: Best laptop for taking notes
2. Lenovo Legion Pro Gaming Laptop
Key features
- CPU AMD Ryzen 5800H, 8 cores.
- GPU Nvidia RTX 3060, 6 GB.
- Ram 32GB DDR4.
- Storage 1TB NVMe SSD.
- Display 16″ FHD resolution.
- Excellent screen brightness up to 500 nits.
- Good color accuracy.
- Refresh rate 165hz.
Cons
- Heavyweight.
- Average battery life.
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If you are willing to spend on a high-quality laptop for watching movies, then this Lenovo legion pro gaming machine is a strong contender, in fact, it costs you less than the Asus laptop that we have discussed above.
Now this machine does not have a dual screen which is pretty much fine instead, it offers you similar features to the Asus device.
In fact, this Lenovo legion is designed with an excellent screen size that has all the latest technologies used and the screen panel also comes with awesome brightness of up to 500nits.
The Lenovo legion comes with a 16″ screen which adds a lot of value to watching a movie on a slightly bigger display, however, it also makes it a little heavier up to 5.4 lbs yet acceptable if you want a laptop for watching videos exclusively.
This laptop does not compromise on its performance as well, it is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5800H processor, this CPU handles all the heavy tasks easily and it has a better benchmark score when compare to intel i7 10870H.
Nevertheless, this laptop runs on Nvidia RTX 3060, a 6 GB GPU that has a maximum TGPU of up to 130 watts.
At normal frequency, GPU generates 1425MHz and at peak, this RTX 3060 reaches up to 1702Mhz, this RTX 3060 is a strong GPU due to its super powerful TGP.
Now RTX 3070 definitely has more power but by no means this GPU is weak, in fact, RTX 3060 has the capacity to deliver super FPS on most demanding games, and it’s more than enough for streaming movies.
It is also integrated with 32 GB DDR4 ram and 1 TB PCIe SSD which is excellent for heavy levels of multi-tasking you can run any application on this device smoothly.
Coming back to its amazing screen, the Lenovo legion model is known for its top-quality display, you get G sync and Free sync technology that does not allow any blur during fast-paced action sequences.
Whereas Dolby vision support also keeps you comfortable while watching movies, additionally HDR400 system also plays an essential role in avoiding stress to your eyes.
The 165hz refresh rate and 3ms response times ensure excellent gaming sessions, and the screen monitor delivers TRUE colors as it is designed with a 100% Srgb color gamut.
On the connectivity front device is integrated with HDMI 2.1, a USB type C that also supports DisplayPort 1.4 and there is also USB 3.2 gen 1 connectivity, for the internet you get a wireless port with RJ45 LAN for wired connection.
It is built in with dual speakers delivers decent sound, and the keyboard is designed nicely and comes with 4-zone RGB backlit keys.
The build quality is pretty sturdy there is not any wobbling issue, the design is simple and the Legion logo looks good.
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Also Read: Best Gaming laptop with DisplayPort
3. Acer Aspire Vero laptop
Key features
- CPU 11th gen intel i7 1195G7, 4 cores.
- Ram 16GB DDR4.
- Storage capacity 512GB NVMe SSD.
- Display 15.6″ with FHD resolution.
- Good color accuracy.
- Good screen brightness.
- Budget-friendly.
Cons
- No dedicated Graphics card.
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If are not inclined to expend on a high-end laptop then don’t worry we cover the best budget laptop for watching movies like this Acer aspire.
Under a very competitive budget, this Acer aspires laptop offers you a good CPU, plenty of storage space, and most importantly colorful display.
It is featured with 11th gen intel i7 1195G7 processor having 4 cores and 8 threads which is enough for daily tasks, the 12 MB intel cache keeps the machine fast and runs applications smoothly.
This intel i7 CPU delivers a maximum clock speed of up to 5.0 GHz.
It is integrated with 16GB DDR4 with 3200mhz speed, which is quite impressive in low-range devices and 512 GB NVMe SSD is a good storage space you can store multiple downloaded movies so you can watch them later.
Acer aspire comes with a large 15.6″ full HD resolution screen, this display has 300 nits brightness.
The screen delivers bright visuals while traveling outdoors, additionally, a 100% Srgb color gamut assures exact colorful visuals on this screen monitor.
This Acer device uses integrated intel Iris xe Graphics card gives a good viewing experience, moreover, since it has an i-GPU you can play low-level games on it.
The battery life is good you get up to 5 hours of battery backup during normal usage and the backlit keyboard is usable while working in dark areas.
The speaker’s sounds are decent not that loud yet acceptable and AI noise technology removes the maximum unwanted sound while using it.
For Connectivity device is equipped with HDMI 2.0, USB type C, USB type A, and USB 2.0 ports, overall it’s pretty much ok on a budget.
The Wi-Fi6 and RJ45 LAN let you connect to the internet quickly, and BlueTooth 5.0 is also the latest option which is good.
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Also Read: Gaming laptop with good battery life
4. Samsung Galaxy Book2 pro laptop
Key features
- Latest CPU 12th gen intel i7.
- Intel Evo processor.
- Ram 16GB DDR4.
- Storage capacity 512GB SSD.
- Screen size 15.6″ AMOLED
- Lightweight.
- Good speaker sound.
- High-quality webcam.
Cons
- Pricey.
- No dedicated GPU.
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Samsung also has laptop lineups and this is specially designed for users who want to use it for productivity work as well.
It is designed with the latest 12th gen processor you can utilize it for work and stream movies, overall it’s the latest and most productive CPU.
This is a nongaming laptop so it’s lightweight but the only drawback is it is a little pricy, in such a range gaming laptops are better yet if portability matters to you then you can definitely check out its features.
The 12th gen intel i7 processor has Evo certification which means you get top-notch performance and the longest battery life, it’s a great replacement for Apple MacBook.
As it has the capacity to deliver above 12 hours of battery on normal usage which is amazing for travelers and the battery charges up to 40% within 30 minutes.
This laptop runs on 16GB DDR4 ram which keeps your workload smooth without any lag and 512GB SSD is a good amount of space to save your all working data, the SSD also loads the machine quickly,
The Samsung galaxy pro comes with a 15.6″ AMOLED screen and delivers astonishing visuals on screen, however, the device has an integrated graphics card that performs decently.
Yet a budget brand could have added at least a 2 GB Graphics card still due to the strong processor you can do casual gaming on it but don’t expect to get high FPS.
The laptop is very adaptable and quite sturdy, weight of the laptop is only 2.45 lbs making it a lightweight laptop for streaming Netflix and watching videos.
The screen brightness is also bright and the speaker’s sound is loud and clear with little bass that allows you to enjoy listening to music, as it has the support of Dolby Atmos technology.
The biggest advantage of the Samsung variant you get a high-quality webcam that has 1080p resolution you can utilize it for attending online meetings as the camera delivers clarity while using it.
The overall laptop looks simple and professional, side bezels are thin giving attractive looks, and ensuring a good wide viewing experience.
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5. HP 14 Laptop
Key features
- CPU AMD Ryzen 5500U, 6 cores.
- Ram 8GB DDR4
- Storage up to 256GB NVMe SSD.
- Integrated graphics card.
- Display 14″ with FHD resolution.
- Good battery life.
Cons
- No ram upgradability details.
- Average ports.
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HP is one of the best brands when it comes to computers, this is the next device for users who are looking for the cheapest laptop for watching movies.
This HP laptop runs on an AMD Ryzen 5500U processor with 6 cores and 12 threads, this CPU clocks up to 4.0GHz.
The Hexa core support makes it a strong contender for your productive work, you can also do basic video editing for youtube, and also be usable for playing games like Roblox and Minecraft.
Under the machine HP added onboard 8GB DDR4 ram that has a frequency of up to 3200mhz, it’s decent enough to watch movies and run other applications at the same time.
The 256GB NVMe SSD storage space is acceptable for the lower-range machine, however, the ram is onboard and does not have upgradability which is a drawback of this HP laptop.
Yet if you are going to use it only to watch movies and for working on basic files 8GB ram is more than capable, and Ryzen 5000 series CPU performs better than intel quad-core CPU at the same price.
It is equipped with a 14″ full HD anti-glare screen that delivers a 45% NTSC color gamut which is pretty much fine and 250 nits brightness allows you to work indoors easily.
The HP laptop has an integrated AMD Radeon graphics card gives a good visual experience and the thin side bezels look attractive.
On the battery front, it can last up to 5-6 hours easily, the overall laptop looks professional you can carry it out for meetings as it’s lightweight and easily fits into a backpack.
It has built-in average port options such as USB type A, a USB type C, HDMI 1.4b, and most importantly you get an sd card reader so you can transfer data quickly.
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Also Read: Best laptop for web development
6. Lenovo IdeaPad gaming 3
Key Features
- CPU AMD Ryzen 5600H, 6 cores.
- GPU Nvidia RTX 3050ti, 4GB.
- Ram 8GB DDR4 with upgradable slot up to 16GB.
- Storage 512GB NVMe SSD.
- Refresh rate 120hz.
- Screen size 15.6″ with FHD resolution.
Cons
- Moderate battery life.
- The speakers are decent.
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The Lenovo Ideapad 3 functions on Ryzen 5 CPU, this is a budget gaming processor that works perfectly fine on daily tasks, and RTX 30 series GPU makes it one of the best gaming laptops for watching movies.
It has a 15.6” Full HD panel, this screen comes with IPS technology ensures good color reproduction, and the thinnest side bezels give good viewing angles, screen brightness is 250nits decent enough in the budget.
The Nvidia RTX 3050ti, 4GB graphics card ensures a good gaming experience on the latest games as well, and there is 8GB DDR4 ram that clocks up to 3200Mhz frequency you can also upgrade it up to 16GB.
Under the system laptop offers an AMD Ryzen 5600H processor with 6 cores and 12 threads you can expect to do Full HD video editing and also suitable for editing photos, additionally, the 512GB NVMe SSD is excellent for storing all your data, and applications.
This Lenovo laptop has a 120hz refresh rate added advantage for someone who wants to enjoy gaming on a laptop in their free time.
It is having a decent battery life of up to 3 hours, considering the gaming machine it’s a good battery backup.
The laptop keyboard comes with good spacing you get used to it pretty quickly and the design of the laptop is simple and does not look like a gaming device.
The cooling system under the laptop is good and does not overheat during long hours of usage.
Instead of having sleek bezels, Lenovo added a 720p webcam usable for online meetings and classes.
The ports you get are 2 USB 3.0, USB type C, HDMI 2.0, and an ethernet port for wired internet connection.
Also wireless port is available, and overall build quality is good and made with high-quality plastic yet there is little flex at the top lid, and the keyboard but at an acceptable range.
The sound of the speakers is decent not that loud so you have to manage with external speakers while watching movies on this laptop, overall you can listen to voice if there is no background sound but in noisy areas, you should connect the speaker.
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How to choose a laptop for watching movies
If you are looking laptop for streaming Netflix and movies then you need to also understand the specifications and features of computing systems.
Besides watching movies you also going to do regular work on it so you must have proper configurations to run your daily tasks.
Now selecting hardware also relies on what kind of work you are doing like editing, coding, and development require good backing from computer hardware whereas gaming is also quite demanding.
Let’s discuss all the possibilities if you are not sure about what is the laptop requirement for watching movies, the below in-depth guide will help you.
Display size and quality
Now before heading towards essential hardware, it’s essential to cover screen size and quality, overall full HD is something you must have in the screen panel unless you want to enjoy 4k videos.
However, the UHD resolution also costs you more money but that is what you need for running such high-resolution videos.
Be very careful if you are looking for a cheap laptop for watching movies as in the lowest range you get HD quality which is not at all suitable.
Additionally watching videos on screen can strain your eyes after a certain time which can damage your eyes, make sure your device has an anti-glare coating, and an IPS technology display would be handy.
As IPS-type screens don’t provide good color reproductions and from side angles, visuals become blurred at times, Additionally 45% NTSC is fine but if you do any color accuracy-related work you should consider 99% Srgb color standard.
Lastly screen brightness in the cheaper range you have to settle with 250 nits which are decent for indoors, but if you use the laptop on shiny areas try to choose a laptop that delivers 300 nits brightness.
Screen size is subjective and depends on users’ comfort but I would like to have a laptop that has a bigger screen anything between 14″ to 15″ is a great option as they keep a good balance between viewing and portability experience.
Connectivity and ports are essential
While looking out for a laptop for watching movies you might overlook this aspect but it’s very important to discuss, now every laptop comes with certain ports and connections.
Still, with modern laptops manufacturer compromise on ports to achieve portability and comfort, however, basic requirements are USB type A, USB type C, and HDMI ports.
The HDMI can help you to connect your laptop to an external monitor so you can enjoy movies on a large screen, make sure you get this, another latest and better option is DisplayPort but this is mostly found in gaming laptops.
Also, an internet connection like the RJ45 LAN ethernet port with WIFI-6 is a must and Bluetooth 5.0 can support you if you what to attach external speakers or headphones to enjoy your movie time.
Processor
Let’s now discuss the real considerations, CPU has a lot of tasks to do while running such heavy applications and app like Netflix, amazon prime, etc
For a very tight budget, 10th gen intel i3 or Ryzen 3 is a decent processor but these are not ideal for someone who likes to run multiple working tabs as said movie apps are heavy yes they do work fine if you have strong internet and on mobile too they run decently.
But mobiles don’t have windows and laptops do come with windows, basically, I would suggest intel i5 and Ryzen 5 processors.
Now to get this CPU you have to stretch your budget to anything between 400 to 500 dollars, and in lower pricing, Ryzen 5500U gives very value as it comes with 6 cores and 12 threads which is excellent for multitasking.
If you want to play games as well then you should go with proper gaming laptops, for casual gaming Intel i5 10300H and Ryzen 5600H is fairly good, again Ryzen 5600H CPU is a winner in a budget-friendly laptop.
Ram
Without the support of ram memory, your laptop processor won’t give you fast performance as ram has responsible to save your files and data temporarily while you are using the laptop and it transfers all the information to the CPU to deliver performance.
So higher ram means you are going to get efficient performance, overall 8GB is enough for watching and streaming movies but if you like to do live streaming 16GB is always nice.
However this should not be a big headache and you do not have to raise your budget, just buy a laptop that has upgradability features of at least up to 16 GB so you can extend it if needed.
Apart from memory size you also need to check ram technology don’t go for DDR3 as it’s outdated and slower, DDR4 technology is the latest so make sure your device comes with DDR4.
In fact, DDR5 technology is also available in the market its the latest and most efficient so if you are spending on an expensive machine DDR5 is also not out of the equation.
Storage capacity
The storage space can be tricky, especially for budget laptops as most of them are available with 256 GB SSD which is not bad either but if you use multiple streaming applications then you also need more storage.
Overall 256 GB is decent but the higher the better as you can also download multiple movies and web series at once to watch later, however, 512GB SSD is something you should target but no worries you can also manage with the extra hard drive.
There are laptops available with dual storage space you get both HDD and SSD in the same machine, you get huge space to save heavy files and SSD keeps the machine efficient you can boost the system quickly and loads the software fast.
Graphics card
The graphics card plays a vital role in delivering good visuals there are 2 types of video cards you get on a laptop one is integrated and the other is dedicated.
For watching videos integrated GPU is fine but if you have a dedicated GPU then the visuals on the screen panels are much faster and also provide better quality.
An integrated GPU attaches to motherboards and relies on the CPU but a dedicated GPU works independently so the CPU also doesn’t get any stress and GPU works swiftly.
As I said it’s not essential if you are on a tight budget but if you are spending anything above 550 dollars getting a 2 GB graphics card laptop can add a lot of value to your setup, Additionally if you also want to run games then the suggestion is minimum 4 GB video card.
Battery life
The videos and movies can drain the battery far more quickly so suggest you try and reduce brightness and don’t use a backlit keyboard as they can also consume battery a lot.
Additionally close all unnecessary tabs, by using this trick you get a better battery backup.
If you are going with gaming laptops you have to compromise on the battery as this type of gaming notebook is equipped with powerful components and with non-gaming laptops anything up to 5 hours and above is fine for your daily needs.
Also, check battery wattage, higher watts of the battery ensures longer battery life, however, this all depends on the intensity of your work.
Budget
How much do you need to spend on the laptop for watching movies?
Well, as said earlier watching movies is not that power hungry but with the latest app installation, you should consider good features.
The Intel i5 or Ryzen 5 with 8GB DDR4 ram and 256GB SSD is fairly enough, especially for users who are willing to put their budget on a laptop for watching movies under $500, these specifications are more than capable
However for live streaming and watching 4k videos you should put more budget and anything higher than intel i5 and 8 GB would give you excellent performance.
Additionally, to enjoy 4k videos the screen resolution should be more than full HD, overall QHD resolution does a good visual experience for 4k videos.
Frequently asked questions
Which laptops are best for watching movies?
There are plenty of options in laptops for watching movies, more than specific laptops you should know the suitable configurations as more than brand value, the specifications are responsible to run applications smoothly.
Now choosing a laptop depends on your purpose as well, however, from our above list ASUS Pro duo is the best 4k laptop for watching movies, and in the cheapest range, an HP laptop with a Ryzen processor is excellent to pick for normal usage.
Moreover, if you are having a budget to spend and looking for a laptop for around 1000 to 1500 dollars then the Lenovo legion pro is the strongest laptop for live streaming as it comes with a powerful CPU and it has excellent display quality.
How much ram do I need for laptop music?
In modern laptops for listing to music, you should aim to get a laptop with 8GB DDR4 ram, this is enough but make sure to get a laptop with the latest technology up to DDR4, and for music production, you can consider 16GB for a smoother experience.
Which is the best processor for watching movies?
For watching movies you do not need a very powerful processor you can even manage with the Intel i3 which is the cheapest CPU in the market, especially in the laptop category however I suggest the Intel i5 or Ryzen 5 just for future proof and long-lasting use.
Overall 10th gen intel i5 and Rzyen 5500U in a laptop are good processing systems to enjoy movies and listing to music.
Which laptop has the best video quality?
As discussed, there are multiple laptops in the market be it online or offline, Full HD is the standard requirement not only to enjoy visual quality but also for a comfortable viewing experience, anything higher than Full HD can give you more realistic and excellent visuals on-screen panel.
However, it’s not the most recommended only if you work on any 4K footages you should consider UHD or QHD screen panel.
Are chrome books good for watching movies?
Yes, Chromebook is suitable to enjoy movies as they are lightweight and do not demand productive hardware.
As the operating system is lighter in Chromebook, however, the drawback is you need a continuous web connection, if you are not surrounded by the internet you won’t be able to work on it.
Final words
In this post I have covered some of the top 6 best laptops for watching movies, you can consider them according to your budget and working style as you are spending your money on the laptop you should get a good future-proof laptop.
Overall my suggestion is a minimum Intel i5 with 8GB DDR4 ram and SSD drive of up to 256GB storage space is decent.
Yet if you store heavy applications then a 500GB SSD can be a good option and a FULL HD screen is a must, don’t go for that HD quality they are outdated and the FHD screen keeps you comfortable while watching movies for a longer duration.
Also Read:
A gaming laptop with the best battery life
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