Whether you are a college student, an employee, or a business owner, you need a 17-inch laptop that has enough horsepower to do the job well. If you want to be prepared for the next few years, there are several brands that you can choose from. If you don’t know which one to buy, you will need to consider some important features to help you find the right machine.
Alienware x17 R2
Earlier this year, Alienware announced a major component upgrade to their flagship X17 R2 laptop. This new model features a slick chassis, improved display technology, and a powerful mobile workstation.
Among the many improvements, the X17 R2 features a powerful 12th Generation Intel Alder Lake-H CPU, a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, and a large 17-inch FHD display. This makes the Alienware x17 R2 a powerful mobile workstation ready to handle everyday productivity tasks as well as creative pursuits.
The Alienware x17 R2 is also the first laptop in the world to feature a standard-defying 480Hz panel. This screen technology improves contrast, enhances colours, and brings optimal colour profiles to gaming.
During our benchmark tests, the x17 R2 performed very well. We were impressed by its performance and software. It was capable of high-refresh rates and lower system latency, which is important for gaming.
Among the ports, the x17 R2 has a mini DisplayPort output, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 port. These are located on the rear of the notebook.
The x17 also includes an HDMI output and a headset jack. The battery isn’t particularly great, but it has average color coverage and should last for at least a few hours.
Considering its price, the x17 is certainly a top-tier gaming machine. However, it’s not travel-friendly. You’ll have to plug in the charger to use it.
Dell XPS 17
XPS 17 is the latest addition to Dell’s high-end laptop line. Its design is sleek, with narrow bezels on all sides. It’s also got a fingerprint scanner. You’ll have a choice of four Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, along with an SD card reader.
The Dell XPS 17 is designed to be a powerful work machine for creative professionals. The laptop comes with an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics chip. You can configure the machine with 64GB of memory or 16GB of RAM, depending on your needs.
The XPS 17 is built with a solid chassis and is designed for portability. It features a stable keyboard bed and a large trackpad. It also has excellent Wi-Fi and a 720p webcam. It’s also got a fingerprint sensor and Windows Hello facial recognition.
The screen on the Dell XPS 17 has a resolution of 1920 x 1200, with a max brightness of 500 nits. The screen is covered with a layer of anti-glare coating. The display supports Dolby Vision and Eyesafe technology. You can also configure it with a 4K UHD+ 3840 x 2400 display. This type of panel has a minimum of 100% AdobeRGB coverage.
The XPS 17 has an impressive battery life. It can last up to nine hours. However, it’s not as fast as the MacBook Pro with M1 Pro or Max chips.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is the first convertible laptop that has an OLED touchscreen. It is built with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 U-series processor, and features 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It also comes with a 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD, and a Bluetooth keyboard. Its screen has TUV Rheinland-certified low blue-light levels. It also has 500 nits of peak brightness. Its display is fully DCI-P3 color gamut covered. It has a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 2560 x 1920 OLED panel. It has a 0.2 ms response time.
The ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is made from metal and faux-leather. It has a proprietary hinge that allows the device to be folded in half when it is not in use. It also features two multi-functional Thunderbolt 4 ports. It has a 5 MP AI webcam, and an HD IR camera. It also has a Harman Kardon certified quad-speaker Dolby Atmos audio system. It is equipped with a built-in light sensor.
The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is equipped with Intel U-series graphics. It has 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD. It is powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1250U processor. Its screen is TUV Rheinland-certified, with a DCI-P3 colour gamut, a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and a 0.2 ms response time.
It is equipped with a battery that is capable of being charged with most USB-C chargers. It also comes with a 65W fast-charge adapter. It can be configured in several different modes, including the reader mode. It is also built with a heatpipe and a small fan to keep it cool. It has a 180-degree hinge.
Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7
Featuring a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P processor, 512GB of storage, and 16GB of RAM, Lenovo’s Yoga 9i Gen 7 is a premium 2-in-1 laptop that will appeal to users looking for a versatile, stylish and responsive computing experience. It’s available for purchase directly from Lenovo.
The Yoga 9i’s touchscreen offers a number of features, including Windows gestures and a fingerprint reader. There’s also an active pen app that allows users to customize the included pen. This 3.5-inch x 3.15-inch touchpad is 45% bigger than the Yoga 9i’s predecessor, which makes navigation much easier.
Lenovo Yoga 9i is a sleek and lightweight aluminum laptop. It has a rounded body with a stylish lid that has an embossed logo and a matte finish. Unlike the Yoga Book, the Yoga 9i’s lid doesn’t have a retractable keyboard.
There are two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports. There’s also a USB-A port, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and a privacy shutter. The screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio, which gives it a wider display footprint.
The Yoga 9i comes with a one-year warranty. There’s also an app called Vantage that provides system updates and information. The Yoga 9i also includes three months of Xbox Game Pass. The game library has titles for all ages, including the popular Xbox One title, Civilization VI. The Lenovo Yoga 9i comes with a Lenovo E-Color pen.
Acer Swift 3
Designed for the college crowd, the Acer Swift 3 is a portable computer that’s great for everyday use. Its slim profile and aluminum chassis make it easy to carry, while a great trackpad and a full set of ports help it function well.
The Swift 3 is available in three different configurations. The base model starts at $499, while the top model costs $799. The entry-level model features a Core i3 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The top model includes a Core i7-6500U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.
The Acer Swift 3 is a 14-inch laptop that has a great look and feel. It’s lightweight and portable, but the screen isn’t as deep as some competitors. It’s also wider than most other laptops in this price range.
The screen is very vivid. It’s also sRGB-compatible, which means that it covers most of the color gamut. That’s great, because not every laptop has transitioned to an aspect ratio like 16:9.
The Acer Swift 3 has a fingerprint reader, which is convenient for security. It also has a 3.5mm audio jack, a HDMI 2.1 port, and a USB Type-C port. The top model also has a card reader.
The Swift 3 comes with a one-year warranty. That’s OK at this price point, but it’s best to buy the mid-level or higher configuration.
HP Pavilion 14
Whether you’re looking for a great gaming laptop or a powerful everyday machine, HP Pavilion 14 is a solid choice. It offers an excellent display and a high-performance CPU. You can even upgrade to a solid-state drive to increase your storage capacity.
The Pavilion 14 also features a full-sized screen, which makes it perfect for watching movies or playing games. The IPS panel has a good contrast ratio and comfortable viewing angles. The sRGB color gamut covers 54% of the display’s range, though it doesn’t go as far as the LG G5 or Samsung Galaxy Note 7.
Aside from the impressive IPS panel, the Pavilion 14 packs a punch with two AMD processors. The i7-1255U and i5-7300HQ are both impressively fast. They’re capable of handling multitasking and can handle demanding software. They’re also very good at gaming, as they can be configured with a GeForce MX450 graphics card.
If you’re on a budget, the Pavilion 14 is the way to go. It’s available with a variety of AMD processors, as well as a 12th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU.
The HP Envy line has large keycaps and narrow bezels around the screen. The front panel is surrounded by a power button near the delete key and a 720p 30fps camera. It’s also got a one-click button that allows you to quickly open or close the lid.