Best Laptop For Watching Movies - Upgrades And Options

Whether you enjoy streaming your favorite shows, binge-watching movies, or immersing yourself in cinematic experiences, having the right laptop can enhance your viewing pleasure.

In this article, we’ll explore key features and considerations to help you choose a laptop that delivers exceptional audiovisual quality, immersive displays, and a seamless movie-watching experience.

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Essential Features of a Movie-Watching Laptop

Screen size and resolution: Importance of HD, FHD, or 4K displays
Sound quality: Role of built-in speakers and sound systems
Battery life: The need for long-lasting power for uninterrupted viewing
Performance: Processor speed, RAM, and storage for smooth streaming

Top Laptops for Watching Movies

Based on the search results from various sources, here are some of the best laptops for watching movies as of 2023:

Asus ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED:

Known for its high-quality display and excellent performance.

The Asus ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED is a high-performance laptop designed for creators and professionals who require powerful hardware and top-notch display quality. It is powered by an AMD Ryzen™ 9 5900HX processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, enabling effortless multitasking.

The laptop’s standout feature is its 16” 2560×1600 resolution OLED display, which delivers exceptional color accuracy and contrast, making it ideal for video editing, graphic design, and watching movies.

In terms of graphics, the ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED comes with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, making it capable of handling demanding applications and games. There are also options for Intel Core i7 processors.

The device offers ample storage, with options for up to 2 TB. Furthermore, it features a unique three-button touchpad designed specifically for 3D designers, providing intuitive control over application functions such as pan, rotate, or orbit.

Based on various sources, here are the pros and cons of the Asus ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED:

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Pros:

Exceptional Display: The 16-inch 4K OLED display offers high color gamut coverage, delivering vibrant and lifelike visuals.
Powerful Performance: Equipped with AMD Ryzen 9 or Intel 11th Gen CPUs and NVIDIA GPUs, it’s capable of handling heavy workloads smoothly.
Unique Features: The Asus Dial provides contextual input for Adobe Creative Suite apps, enhancing workflow and productivity.
Design and Build Quality: It boasts a durable and rigid construction with a metal lid and chassis, ensuring longevity.
Full-Size Keyboard: The laptop features a full-size keyboard with the Asus Dial placed just below it, providing a comfortable typing experience.

Cons:

Price: The high-end specifications make it quite expensive, which may not be affordable for everyone.
Battery Life: With its powerful components and large, high-resolution display, the battery life may not be as long-lasting as other laptops.
Portability: Given its size and weight, it’s not the most portable option, which could be a consideration for those frequently on the go.
Fan Noise: Under heavy loads, the cooling fans can become quite loud, which might be distracting in quiet environments.
Limited Upgrade Options: Although it comes with impressive specs, there are limited options for hardware upgrades in the future.

MacBook Pro 16:

Apple’s larger laptop model offers a brilliant display and sound quality.

The MacBook Pro 16 is a high-performance laptop from Apple, known for its large and vibrant display, powerful processing capabilities, and sleek design.

As of the latest model in 2023, the MacBook Pro 16 comes equipped with Apple’s M2 Max chip, providing significant improvements in processing power and graphics performance.

The laptop features a 16-inch Retina display, which offers a high level of detail and color accuracy, making it ideal not only for watching movies and videos but also for graphic design and video editing tasks.

One of the standout features of the MacBook Pro 16 is its sound system. It features a six-speaker setup that provides an immersive audio experience, further enhancing its appeal for media consumption.

In terms of connectivity, the MacBook Pro 16 comes with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, allowing for high-speed data transfer and the ability to connect multiple peripherals or external displays.

Pros:

Outstanding Display: The MacBook Pro 16-inch offers a Retina Display with True Tone technology that delivers vibrant colors and high-resolution visuals.
Incredible Performance: Powered by Apple’s M2 Pro or M2 Max chips, it offers top-tier performance for professional-grade tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, and more.
Superb Sound Quality: The six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers provides studio-quality sound.
Long Battery Life: It offers long battery life, making it ideal for users who are frequently on the go or away from power outlets.
Build Quality and Design: The build quality is excellent with an aluminum body, providing a sleek and durable design.

Cons:

Price: The MacBook Pro 16 is quite expensive, especially when considering higher-end configurations or upgrades.
Lack of Port Variety: While it does feature Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, an HDMI port, and an SDXC card slot, it lacks USB-A ports, which could be inconvenient for some users.
Weight: At around 4.7 pounds, it’s heavier than many other laptops in its class, which could affect portability.
Limited Customizability and Upgradability: As with most Apple products, there’s limited ability to customize or upgrade the hardware after purchase.
Compatibility Issues: Some software may not be optimized for the M2 chips, which could cause compatibility issues.

Lenovo Legion 5:

Praised for its good display and overall performance.

The Lenovo Legion 5 is a great laptop for watching movies for several reasons:

Display: The Legion 5 features a 16-inch display with QHD+ resolution, providing crisp and vibrant visuals. The 16:10 aspect ratio gives you more vertical screen real estate, making it ideal for watching movies¹.
Sound Quality: According to a review, the Legion 5 offers decent sound quality for movie streaming or watching YouTube².
Performance: Equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 dedicated GPU, the Legion 5 can handle high-resolution video playback smoothly³.
Design: The modest design of the Legion 5 makes it easy to use in different environments – be it your living room or bedroom¹.
Connectivity: It includes an HDMI 2.1 port, which allows you to connect the laptop to a larger display for a more immersive viewing experience⁴.
Battery Life: While specific battery life isn’t mentioned in the context, gaming laptops like the Legion 5 generally have robust batteries to support their high-performance hardware.

However, it’s worth noting that while the Legion 5 has many features that make it good for watching movies, it’s primarily designed as a gaming laptop¹ ⁵. This means it also has features like a high refresh rate and advanced cooling systems, which may not be as crucial for movie-watching but contribute to the laptop’s overall performance.

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Footnotes

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/lenovo-legion-5-pro-review
Source: https://www.ultrabookreview.com/47519-lenovo-legion-5-pro-review/
Source: https://www.rtings.com/laptop/reviews/lenovo/legion-5-gen-6-15-2021
Source: Q&A Context
Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/1919038/lenovo-legion-5-pro-review.html

ASUS ROG Strix Scar:

A gaming laptop that also provides a great movie-watching experience.

The ASUS ROG Strix Scar is a powerful laptop that offers a great movie-watching experience. Its high-quality display, immersive audio, and powerful performance make it an excellent choice for movie enthusiasts.

The ASUS ROG Strix Scar is a gaming laptop that offers impressive specifications for high-end performance. Here are some of the key specs:

Processor: Depending on the model, the ROG Strix Scar comes with either an Intel Core i7 or i9 processor or an AMD Ryzen 7 or 9.
Graphics Card: It’s equipped with a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 or 3080 GPU, offering top-tier graphics performance for the most demanding games.
Display: The laptop features a 15.6-inch or 17.3-inch display with Full HD resolution and a refresh rate of up to 300Hz, providing smooth visuals and fast response times.
RAM: It comes with up to 32GB DDR4 RAM, allowing for smooth multitasking and quick loading times.
Storage: The ROG Strix Scar offers ample storage with up to 2TB SSD, ensuring quick boot times and fast data retrieval.
Battery: The laptop is powered by a 90Wh battery. However, like most gaming laptops, battery life will depend on how resource-intensive your activities are.
Connectivity: It comes with a range of ports including USB Type-A, USB Type-C, HDMI, Ethernet, SD card reader, and an audio jack.
Keyboard: It features a per-key RGB backlit keyboard with a dedicated volume dial for easy adjustments while gaming.
Cooling: The laptop uses ASUS’s ROG Intelligent Cooling system with a liquid metal thermal compound on the CPU for improved heat dissipation.

Please note that the exact specifications may vary depending on the specific configuration and model of the ROG Strix Scar you choose.

Here are the pros and cons of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar for watching movies:

Pros:

Stunning display: The laptop features a high-resolution and vibrant display with excellent color accuracy, making movies come to life.
Immersive audio: The built-in speakers deliver rich and immersive sound, enhancing the movie-watching experience without the need for external speakers.
Powerful performance: With its powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, the laptop can handle demanding movie playback without any lag or stutter.
Ample storage: The laptop offers ample storage space to store your movie collection, ensuring you have all your favorite films at your fingertips.
Solid build quality: The ASUS ROG Strix Scar is well-built and durable, ensuring it can withstand regular use and provide long-lasting performance.

Cons:

Price: The laptop falls into the higher price range, making it less affordable for budget-conscious users.
Portability: Due to its powerful hardware and larger form factor, the laptop is relatively bulky and less portable compared to ultraportable options.
Battery life: The powerful components consume more power, resulting in shorter battery life when watching movies on the go. It may require frequent charging or access to a power source.

LG Gram Thin and Light Laptop:

Offers a large screen in a lightweight design.

The LG Gram Thin and Light Laptop is known for its ultra-lightweight design and long-lasting battery life, making it a great choice for those who prioritize portability and need a device that can keep up with a full day’s work.

One of the unique features of this laptop is its weight. Despite its large 17-inch display, the LG Gram weighs just under 3 pounds, thanks to its durable magnesium alloy construction. This makes it one of the lightest laptops in its class, which is particularly impressive given its large screen size.

Speaking of the display, the LG Gram offers a WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS display that delivers clear, sharp images. It’s great for productivity tasks, watching videos, and even some light photo editing.

Under the hood, the LG Gram is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, combined with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. This configuration ensures smooth performance for everyday tasks and even some more demanding applications.

One of the most significant selling points of the LG Gram is its battery life. It’s equipped with a high-capacity 80Wh battery that can last up to 19.5 hours on a single charge, according to LG. This makes it perfect for those long work or travel days when you don’t have easy access to a power outlet.

The LG Gram also comes with a variety of ports for connectivity, including two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, three USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a microSD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It also supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.

In terms of design, the LG Gram boasts a sleek, minimalist aesthetic with a silver finish. The keyboard is backlit and includes a number pad, which is a nice addition for those who frequently work with numbers.

Overall, the LG Gram Thin and Light Laptop is an excellent option for anyone seeking a lightweight, powerful laptop with outstanding battery life.

Dell Inspiron 15 7000:

Known for its solid performance and good display.

The Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is an excellent laptop for movie enthusiasts, and here’s why:

High-Resolution Display: The laptop comes with a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution display, ensuring you get crisp and clear visuals when watching movies. The bigger screen size of 15.6 inches offers a more immersive viewing experience.

Impressive Audio: Dell has equipped the Inspiron 15 7000 with Waves MaxxAudio Pro, which enhances the audio output, providing a better sound experience that is crucial while watching movies.

Powerful Performance: With its Intel Core i7 processor and up to 16GB RAM, the laptop can smoothly stream movies without any lag. It ensures that your movie-watching experience is uninterrupted.

Plenty of Storage: The laptop comes with ample storage space (up to 1TB), allowing you to download and store your favorite movies for offline viewing.

Long Battery Life: One of the key features of the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is its long battery life. This means you can watch several movies on a single charge, making it ideal for long flights or road trips.

Comfortable Viewing: The laptop has a backlit keyboard, which makes it easy to control your movie playback in dim lighting. Plus, the anti-glare screen coating allows for comfortable viewing even in brightly lit environments.

HP Pavilion x360 2-in-1:

An affordable option with a versatile 2-in-1 design.

The HP Pavilion x360 2-in-1 is a versatile laptop that is well-suited for watching movies. Its flexible design, vibrant display, and decent audio capabilities make it a compelling choice for multimedia enthusiasts. Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons of the HP Pavilion x360 2-in-1 for movie watching:

Pros:

Flexible design: The 2-in-1 design allows the laptop to be used in various modes, including tent, stand, tablet, and traditional laptop mode, providing flexibility for different movie-watching preferences.
Vibrant display: The HP Pavilion x360 features a vibrant and responsive touchscreen display, typically with a high-definition resolution, ensuring sharp visuals and vivid colors for an immersive movie-viewing experience.
Decent audio quality: The laptop’s built-in speakers deliver clear and reasonably loud audio, enabling you to enjoy movies without the need for external speakers or headphones.
Portable and lightweight: The HP Pavilion x360 is designed to be portable and lightweight, making it easy to carry around and enjoy movies on the go.
Touchscreen functionality: The touchscreen display allows for intuitive navigation, making it convenient to control movie playback, adjust volume, and interact with media applications.

Cons:

Limited storage capacity: Some configurations of the HP Pavilion x360 may come with limited storage capacity, which may require additional external storage for a larger movie collection.
Average battery life: The battery life of the HP Pavilion x360 may vary depending on usage, but it typically offers average battery performance. Extended movie-watching sessions may require access to a power source.
Moderate performance: While the HP Pavilion x360 can handle standard movie playback smoothly, it may struggle with demanding video formats or intensive multimedia editing tasks.

Acer Aspire 5 Slim:

A budget-friendly option with a decent display for movie-watching.

The Acer Aspire 5 Slim is a laptop that offers great features for watching movies. With its slim design, sharp display, and immersive audio, it provides an enjoyable movie-watching experience. Let’s explore the pros and cons of the Acer Aspire 5 Slim for movie enthusiasts:

Pros:

Slim and lightweight design: The Acer Aspire 5 Slim is designed to be slim and portable, making it easy to carry around and enjoy movies on the go.
Crisp display: The laptop typically features a sharp and vibrant display with a full HD resolution, providing clear visuals and enhanced color accuracy for an immersive movie-viewing experience.
Powerful performance: Equipped with a capable processor and ample RAM, the Acer Aspire 5 Slim offers smooth playback of movies and multimedia content without lag or stuttering.
Excellent audio quality: The laptop’s speakers deliver rich and immersive sound, enhancing the overall movie-watching experience without the need for external speakers or headphones.
Long battery life: The Acer Aspire 5 Slim is known for its impressive battery life, allowing you to enjoy several hours of movie playback on a single charge.

Cons:

Limited storage capacity: Some configurations of the Acer Aspire 5 Slim may come with limited storage, which may require additional external storage for a larger movie library.
Average graphics performance: While the laptop can handle standard movie playback smoothly, it may not be ideal for intensive gaming or demanding video editing tasks that require high-end graphics capabilities.
Limited viewing angles: The display’s viewing angles on the Acer Aspire 5 Slim may be limited, which could affect the viewing experience if multiple people are watching movies together.

Apple MacBook Air M1:

Renowned for its exceptional display clarity and performance.

The Apple MacBook Air M1 is a highly recommended laptop for watching movies. With its powerful M1 chip, stunning Retina display, and impressive battery life, it offers an exceptional movie-watching experience. Let’s explore the features, pros, and cons of the Apple MacBook Air M1 for movie enthusiasts:

Features:

M1 chip: The MacBook Air M1 is powered by Apple’s M1 chip, which delivers impressive performance, enhanced graphics, and efficient power management, resulting in smooth movie playback.
Retina display: The laptop features a brilliant Retina display with high resolution and accurate color reproduction, providing vibrant and detailed visuals for an immersive movie-viewing experience.
Long battery life: The M1 chip’s efficiency allows the MacBook Air to offer exceptional battery life, providing hours of uninterrupted movie watching on a single charge.
Thin and lightweight design: The MacBook Air M1 is slim, lightweight, and highly portable, making it convenient to carry and enjoy movies on the go.
Advanced audio technology: The laptop is equipped with stereo speakers that deliver clear and immersive sound, enhancing the audio experience while watching movies.

Pros:

Impressive performance: The M1 chip ensures smooth and lag-free movie playback, even for high-definition or 4K content.
Retina display with True Tone: The MacBook Air M1’s Retina display with True Tone technology adjusts the color temperature based on ambient lighting, providing a more natural and comfortable viewing experience.
Fast and responsive: The SSD storage and M1 chip combination make the MacBook Air M1 highly responsive, allowing for quick app launches and fast movie loading times.
Silent operation: The MacBook Air M1’s fanless design ensures quiet operation, creating an uninterrupted and immersive movie-watching experience.
macOS ecosystem: Being part of the Apple ecosystem, the MacBook Air M1 seamlessly integrates with other Apple devices and services, allowing for easy content sharing and synchronization.

Cons:

Limited port selection: The MacBook Air M1 offers limited ports, with only two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and a headphone jack, which may require the use of adapters or hubs for connecting additional devices.
Non-upgradeable storage: The storage capacity of the MacBook Air M1 is not upgradeable, so users need to carefully consider their storage needs when choosing the configuration.

HP Pavilion Laptop 14-dv2014TU:

One of HP’s top choices for watching movies.

The HP Pavilion Laptop 14-dv2014TU is a versatile and feature-rich laptop that offers a great movie-watching experience. Let’s explore the key features, pros, and cons of the HP Pavilion Laptop 14-dv2014TU for movie enthusiasts:

Features:

Full HD display: The laptop features a 14-inch Full HD display, delivering sharp and vibrant visuals with accurate colors, making it ideal for an immersive movie-watching experience.
Slim and portable design: The HP Pavilion Laptop 14-dv2014TU has a sleek and lightweight design, making it easy to carry and enjoy movies on the go.
Powerful processor: Equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor, the laptop ensures smooth playback of movies and allows for multitasking without any lag.
Ample storage: With a spacious storage capacity of up to 512GB SSD, the HP Pavilion Laptop provides enough space to store your favorite movies and multimedia content.
Enhanced audio: The laptop features dual speakers with HP Audio Boost technology, offering clear and immersive sound for an enhanced movie audio experience.

Pros:

High-quality display: The Full HD display of the HP Pavilion Laptop delivers crisp and detailed visuals, bringing movies to life with vibrant colors and sharpness.
Strong performance: The Intel Core i5 processor provides ample power for smooth movie playback and multitasking, ensuring a seamless movie-watching experience.
Ample storage space: The generous storage capacity allows you to store a vast collection of movies and multimedia content without worrying about running out of space.
Portable and lightweight: The slim and lightweight design of the HP Pavilion Laptop makes it convenient to carry and enjoy movies wherever you go.
Enhanced audio experience: The dual speakers and HP Audio Boost technology deliver clear and immersive sound, enhancing the overall movie audio experience.

Cons:

Average battery life: The battery life of the HP Pavilion Laptop may be average compared to some other laptops in its class, requiring occasional recharging during long movie sessions.
Limited graphics capabilities: While the laptop can handle Full HD movies with ease, it may not be suitable for demanding gaming or high-resolution video editing tasks.

Tip: Remember, the best laptop for you will depend on your specific needs and budget. Always consider factors such as display quality, sound quality, battery life, and overall performance when making your decision.

Things to Consider When Buying a Laptop for Watching Movies

When purchasing a laptop primarily for watching movies, there are several key factors you should consider to ensure the best viewing experience:

1. Display Quality:

A high-resolution screen is vital for a good movie-watching experience. Consider laptops with Full HD (1920 x 1080) or higher resolution for crisp and clear visuals. The screen size also matters; a larger screen can provide a more immersive experience.

2. Sound Quality:

Good speakers are essential for enjoying movies. Look for laptops with high-quality built-in speakers, ideally with surround sound capabilities. Some laptops also come with audio-enhancing technology like Dolby Atmos or Waves MaxxAudio.

3. Performance:

The laptop should have enough processing power and RAM to stream movies smoothly. While you don’t necessarily need a high-end processor for streaming videos, a decent one can help avoid buffering issues, especially when streaming high-resolution content.

4. Battery Life:

If you like watching movies on the go, long battery life is a must. Look for laptops that offer at least 8 hours of battery life on a single charge.

5. Storage:

If you prefer downloading movies for offline viewing, make sure the laptop has ample storage space. An SSD (Solid State Drive) is also preferable over an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) as it offers faster data access times.

6. Connectivity:

Check the laptop’s connectivity options. It should have enough ports for connecting external devices like headphones or speakers. If you plan on streaming movies, ensure the laptop supports the latest Wi-Fi standards for a stable and fast internet connection.

7. Comfort:

If you’re going to be using the laptop for extended periods, features like a backlit keyboard for use in low light and an anti-glare screen for comfortable viewing can enhance your experience.

8. Other Uses:

Consider whether you’ll be using the laptop for other purposes such as work, gaming, or general computing tasks. If so, choose a laptop that can handle these additional tasks effectively, with a suitable processor, graphics capabilities, and sufficient RAM.

Additional Accessories for an Enhanced Movie-Watching Experience

To enhance your movie-watching experience on a laptop, there are several additional accessories you can consider. These accessories can improve audio quality, provide comfortable viewing angles, and offer a larger display for a more immersive experience.

Here are some accessories to enhance your movie-watching:

External speakers or soundbars:

While most laptops come with built-in speakers, they may not deliver the best audio quality for a cinematic experience. Consider investing in external speakers or a soundbar to enhance the sound output. These accessories offer richer and more immersive audio, allowing you to enjoy the movie’s soundtrack, dialogue, and sound effects with better clarity and depth.

Laptop stands:

Watching movies on a laptop for an extended period can strain your neck and cause discomfort. Using a laptop stand can help position the screen at a more ergonomic viewing angle, reducing neck and eye strain. Look for adjustable laptop stands that allow you to find the optimal height and angle for comfortable movie-watching.

External monitors:

If you prefer a larger display for a more immersive movie-watching experience, consider connecting your laptop to an external monitor. External monitors come in various sizes and resolutions, allowing you to enjoy movies on a bigger screen with sharper visuals. Look for monitors with IPS panels for better color accuracy and wide viewing angles.

Wireless headphones or earphones:

If you want to enjoy movies without disturbing others or when you’re in a noisy environment, wireless headphones or earphones can provide a more immersive and private audio experience. Look for options with good sound quality, comfort, and long battery life for uninterrupted movie sessions.

HDMI or DisplayPort cables:

If your laptop and external display support it, using an HDMI or DisplayPort cable can provide a seamless connection between your laptop and a larger screen or TV. This allows you to enjoy movies on a bigger display with better image quality and detail.

Media streaming devices:

Consider using media streaming devices like Chromecast or Apple TV to wirelessly stream movies from your laptop to your TV. These devices allow you to cast or mirror your laptop screen onto a larger TV screen, providing a more immersive movie-watching experience.

Universal remote control:

If you connect your laptop to a TV or media streaming device, a universal remote control can simplify the movie-watching experience. With a universal remote, you can control your laptop, TV, or media streaming device from a single remote, eliminating the need to switch between multiple remotes.

J.S. is the owner, content creator, and editor at Upgrades-and-Options.com. I’ve worked in the IT and Computer Support field for over 20 years. The server hardware in my computer labs has mostly been IBM, but I’ve supported Dell, HP, and various other hardware. In addition, as part of my lab administrator responsibilities, I’ve learned, supported, and repaired/upgraded network hardware such as Cisco routers and switches. READ FULL BIO >>