9 Top Picks
4 Reviewers
30 Hours of Research
15 Options Considered
Looking for the best laptop for watching movies can get so challenging. There are so many options to choose from. However, I have reviewed more than 500 laptops from different brands, including ASUS, HP, Acer, Dell, Apple, and more, to establish the best one to watch movies. In this review, I have the nine laptops I consider ideal for watching movies. The good thing is that they fall under all budget categories, so you don't need to worry about affordability.
3 Top Laptops for Watching Movies
1. [Best Overall]
4.9/5
The laptop is ideal for watching movies as it integrates the recommended watch features. It is thin laptop, which makes it easy and convenient to carry around, thus, I can watch my favorite movies from anywhere. It also has an extensive screen with ample space that's just for watching movies.
2. [Best For The Money] Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K Slim Laptop
4.8/5
This laptop is great for streaming movies. The laptop supports WiFi 6, which lets me surf the internet to stream high-definition videos. It also features the Amazon Alexa mode, allowing me to use voice commands to control the laptop.
3. [Best Storage Capacity] Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop
4.7/5
This laptop integrates features engineered toward movies, making my experience with movies much better. It has high memory and storage capacities, letting me run and store movies efficiently.
The first spec to consider is the laptop's screen. A laptop with an extended display of at least 13 inches and high pixel density is great for watching high-quality content.
Another crucial factor is the sound system. Watching movies involves more than just looking, therefore, a powerful speaker with studio-quality sound is ideal for enhancing my experience. In addition, I wanted a laptop with accurate colors to produce a sharp and vivid display. Read through to know what laptops are best for watching movies in this comprehensive buying guide.
Best Laptop for Watching Movies - Minimum System Requirements
The minimum system requirements for laptops for watching movies are as follows.
- Processor - 10th Gen Intel Core i3
- Memory - 8GB
- Storage - 256GB SSD
- Screen size - 13.3 inches
- Screen resolution - Full HD (1920 x 1080)
- Panel type - IPS display
- GPU - Integrated Intel UHD 615
- Battery - Up to 5 hours of battery life
Best Laptop for Watching Movies - Recommended System Requirements
The recommended system requirements for laptops for watching movies are as follows:
- Processor - 10th Gen Intel Core i5
- Memory - 12GB
- Storage - 512GB SSD
- Screen size - 15.6 inches
- Screen resolution - Full HD (1920 x 1080)
- Panel type - IPS display
- GPU - 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX250
- Battery - Up to 8 hours of battery life
What Are the Best Laptop for Watching Movies
The best laptops for watching movies are as follows:
- Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop
- Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K Slim Laptop
- Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop
- HP Chromebook 14 Laptop
- HP 14 Laptop
- SAMSUNG Galaxy Book Pro 15.6" Laptop
- Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6 Creator Laptop
- ASUS Zenbook 14 Laptop
2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop
Best Laptop for Watching Movies Reviews
[Best Overall]
1. HP 14 Laptop
4.9/5
The HP 14 Laptop is a Windows 10 laptop with a Full HD resolution. The laptop is ideal for watching movies as it integrates the recommended watch features. It is thin laptop, which makes it easy and convenient to carry around, thus, I can watch my favorite movies from anywhere. This laptop by HP also has an extensive screen with ample space that's just for watching movies. In addition, it has a high memory capacity that ensures a smooth video playback, enhancing my watching experience.
HP 14 Laptop Features
HP 14 Laptop features are listed below.
The 14 inches screen has ample space, letting me watch high-resolution movies efficiently.
The powerful AMD Ryzen 5 5500U has high processing speed, allowing me to watch my movies and run other programs smoothly without lag.
An 8GB RAM lets you watch movies smoothly and run other programs without lags.
The 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage lets me save and access my movies and other media files more efficiently.
An IPS display with accurate color reproduction produces sharp and accurate images. It also has wide viewing angles to enhance my watching experience.
The laptop is thin and has a portable design that lets me carry it more easily.
The anti-glare screen limits eye strain to protect my eyes.
The AMD Radeon Graphics has enough power to render and run movies and other programs smoothly.
It supports WiFi 6 (2x2), letting me connect to the internet to stream my favorite movies.
Bluetooth 5.0 lets me share my files with other devices more efficiently.
The dual custom-tuned speaker ensures high-quality audio sounds that provide a real-life experience to enhance my movie-watching experience.
Pros
Cons
[Best For The Money]
4.8/5
The Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K Slim Laptop is great for streaming movies. The laptop supports WiFi 6, which lets me surf the internet to stream high-definition videos. It also features the Amazon Alexa mode, allowing me to use voice commands to control this 4K laptop. Besides, the high screen resolution and large display enhance my watching experience.
Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K Slim Laptop Features
Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K Slim Laptop features are listed below.
A 15.6 inches display is all I need for watching my movies, and the ample space lets me watch high-resolution movies efficiently.
A Full HD resolution with a maximum screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 produces high-resolution videos, enhancing my experience.
An IPS display with accurate color reproduction, producing sharp and accurate images. It also has wide viewing angles to enhance my watching experience.
The powerful AMD Ryzen 3 3350U Quad-Core Mobile Processor has high processing power, letting me watch my movies and run other programs smoothly without slowing down.
A 4GB DDR4 lets you watch movies smoothly and run other programs without lags.
The 128GB NVMe SSD storage lets me save and retrieve my movies and other media files more efficiently.
It supports WiFi 6, which lets me connect to the internet to stream my favorite movies.
The Acer's Purified. Voice technology eliminates background noise to let me focus on the movie sound, enhancing my experience.
It supports one USB 2.0, one USB 3.2 Type-C, two USB 3.2 Gen 1, and one HDMI 2.0 with HDCP support port connectivity that lets me connect my PC to an external display.
Pros
Cons
[Best Storage Capacity]
4.7/5
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop is a top laptop as far as movie watching is concerned. It integrates features engineered toward movies, making my experience with movies much better. It has high memory and storage capacities, letting me run and store movies efficiently. It also has a high resolution and extensive display to enhance my watching experience.
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop Features
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop features are listed below.
A 15.6 inches display provides enough space, letting me watch my movies efficiently.
The powerful AMD Ryzen 5000 H-Series mobile processor has a high processing speed that allows me to watch my movies and run other programs smoothly without slowdowns.
A Full HD resolution with a maximum screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 produces high-resolution videos, enhancing my experience.
The dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ensures I play my movies smoothly.
A high 8GB 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM lets me watch my favorite movies smoothly.
The 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD storage lets me save and access my movies and other media files more efficiently.
An IPS display with accurate color reproduction produces sharp and accurate images. It also has wide viewing angles to enhance my watching experience.
It supports a 2x2 WiFi 802.11 ax that lets me connect to the internet to stream my favorite movies and videos.
It supports HDMI and USB-C port connectivity, allowing me to connect my laptop to an external display.
It has 2 x 2W speakers that produce studio-quality sounds to enhance my experience.
Pros
Cons
4.6/5
The HP Chromebook 14 Laptop is an affordable laptop with features tailored specifically for movie-watching. It has an Intel Celeron N4000 Processor that has sufficient processing power, letting me watch smooth movie playback. It also has 4 GB RAM and 32 GB storage to store my movies. This is my ideal laptop if I want a budget laptop for watching movies.
HP Chromebook 14 Laptop Features
HP Chromebook 14 Laptop features are listed below.
A 14 inches display provides enough space, allowing me to watch my movies efficiently.
An HD display with a maximum screen resolution of 1366 x 768 enhances my watching experience.
The anti-glare technology reduces eye strain to protect my eyes.
The Intel Celeron N4000 processor ensures I have fast media playback to enhance my experience.
The Intel UHD Graphics 600 ensures I can play my movies smoothly.
The 32 GB eMMC storage allows me to save and access my movies.
A 4GB RAM lets me watch my favorite movies smoothly.
A powerful battery with an extended life of up to 13.5 hours lets me watch long movies without power interruptions.
The laptop features a lightweight design with an average weight of 3.24 lbs, allowing me to carry it from one point to another more easily.
It has a stereo speaker with HD sounds to enhance my experience.
It supports USB-C and USB Type-A port connectivity that lets me connect the laptop to external devices.
Pros
Cons
The Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop is a powerful Windows 11 laptop with features designed to improve my movie-watching experience. This 15.6-inch laptop features an extensive display that lets me watch my movies efficiently. It also has a large memory capacity, allowing me to play my movies smoothly. The high resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, and lower response time, all enhance my movie-watching experience.
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop Features
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop features are listed below.
I was impressed by the 15.6 inches display that gives me ample space for watching my favorite movies.
512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage lets me save and retrieve my movies and other media files more efficiently.
The Intel Core i7-11800H processor has high processing power, letting me watch my movies and run other programs smoothly without slowdowns.
The dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has high-quality graphics and image rendering to produce a quality display, enhancing my watching experience.
A Full HD display with a maximum screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 produces high-resolution videos.
An IPS display with accurate color reproduction produces sharp and accurate images. It also has wide viewing angles to enhance my watching experience.
A 16GB DDR4 RAM lets you watch movies smoothly and run other programs without lags.
Compatible with WiFi 6, which lets me connect to the internet to stream my favorite movies.
Features a dedicated 6GB GDDR6 VRAM NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card.
Features dual speakers with high-end sounds to enhance my watching experience.
It supports two USB 3.2 Gen 1, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, one USB 3.2 Gen 2, one Mini DisplayPort 1.4, and one HDMI 2.1 with HDCP support port connectivity that lets me charge and connects my laptop to a large external display to make my watching experience much better.
Pros
Cons
6. " class="" data-tcb-href="http://" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-css="tve-u-182fb0797f0">SAMSUNG Galaxy Book Pro 15.6" Laptop
4.4/5
The SAMSUNG Galaxy Book Pro 15.6" Laptop is a premium laptop for watching movies. It features an Intel Core i7 processor with enough power to run movies smoothly. In addition, it has enough memory and storage capacity, letting me store and run my movies without running out of space. It also has a powerful battery with extended life, allowing me to watch movies for long sessions without recharging.
SAMSUNG Galaxy Book Pro 15.6" Laptop Features
SAMSUNG Galaxy Book Pro 15.6" Laptop features are listed below.
A 15.6 inches display has ample space, allowing me to watch high-resolution movies efficiently.
The powerful Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor allows me to watch my movies and run other programs smoothly without lag.
A Full HD resolution with a maximum screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 produces high-resolution videos, enhancing my experience.
A 16GB LPDDR4x RAM lets you watch movies smoothly and run other programs without lags.
The 1 TB NVMe SSD storage allows me to save and access my movies and other media files more efficiently.
The dedicated 2GB GDDR6NVIDIA GeForce MX450 graphics has enough power to render and run movies smoothly.
The anti-glare screen limits eye strain to protect my eyes.
The thin and portable design lets me carry it more easily.
The AKG Stereo Speakers produce high-quality sound to enhance my watching experience.
It supports WiFi 6 (Gig+) and 802.11 ax 2x2, letting me surf the internet to stream my favorite movies.
Features one HDMI, one Thunderbolt 4, one USB-C, and one USB 3.2 port connectivity, letting me connect to external devices.
An IPS display with accurate color reproduction produces sharp and accurate images. It also has wide viewing angles to enhance my watching experience.
Pros
Cons
7. " class="tcb-revert-editable" data-tcb-href="http://" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-css="tve-u-182fb0797f0">Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6 Creator Laptop
4.3/5
The Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6 Creator Laptop is a Windows 10 laptop and is another ideal option for watching movies. The laptop has high-end features that make my watching experience even more fun. It has an extensive display offering me enough space for my movies. It also has a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 5800U processor that ensures a smooth run of movies. Besides, the WiFi 6 support ensures I stream high-resolution videos from the internet.
Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6 Creator Laptop Features
Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6 Creator Laptop features are listed below.
The 14 inches screen offers enough space, allowing me to watch high-resolution movies efficiently.
A Full HD resolution with a maximum screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 produces high-resolution videos, enhancing my experience.
A comprehensive sRGB color gamut coverage of up to 100% ensures deep colors to produce a quality display for my movies.
The powerful AMD Ryzen 7 5800U has high processing power, allowing me to watch my movies and run other programs smoothly without lag.
The dedicated NVIDIA RTX 3050Ti Laptop GPU has enough power to render and run movies smoothly.
A 16GB LPDDR4X memory allows me to watch movies smoothly and run other programs without lag.
The 512GB NVMe SSD storage lets me save and retrieve my movies and other media files more efficiently.
The anti-glare screen limits eye strain to protect my eyes.
The thin and portable design lets me carry it more easily.
An IPS display with accurate color reproduction produces sharp images. It also has wide viewing angles to enhance my video-watching experience.
It supports 802.11ax WiFi 6, letting me stream my favorite movies.
The Bluetooth 5.2 technology lets me share files efficiently.
The fingerprint reader lets me sign in easily using my biometrics.
Pros
Cons
8. " class="" data-tcb-href="http://" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-css="tve-u-182fb0797f0">ASUS Zenbook 14 Laptop
4.2/5
The last laptop for watching movies on my list is the ASUS Zenbook 14 Laptop. It is a high-end laptop that works well for movies, and it has an AMD Ryzen processor with high processing power, ensuring I run my movies smoothly. It also has enough display size that lets me watch my favorite movies efficiently.
ASUS Zenbook 14 Laptop Features
ASUS Zenbook 14 Laptop features are listed below.
The powerful AMD RYZEN 5 4500U provides high processing power, allowing me to watch my movies and run other programs smoothly without lag.
The 14 inches screen offers enough space, allowing me to watch high-resolution movies efficiently.
An 8GB RAM lets me watch movies smoothly and run other programs without lags.
A Full HD resolution with a maximum screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 produces high-resolution videos, enhancing my experience.
The 256GB SSD storage lets me save and access my movies more efficiently.
The dedicated NVIDIA GEFORCE MX350 graphics has enough power to render and run my movies smoothly.
The laptop features a thin, portable design that lets me carry it more efficiently, thus I can watch the movie in the house or outside.
An IPS display with accurate color reproduction produces sharp images. It also has wide viewing angles to enhance my video-watching experience.
Pros
Cons
9. " class="" data-tcb-href="http://" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" data-css="tve-u-182fb0797f0">2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop
4.1/5
The best laptop for watching movies on my list is the 2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop. It is a premium laptop with high-end features that gives me the best watching experience. It has a 13-inch display that provides ample space to watch my movies. Besides, it has a large memory that ensures the movies play smoothly. The ample storage space storage capacity was essential as I am able to store my movies and other media files adequately.
2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop Features
2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop features are listed below.
The Apple M1 Chip is powerful to enhance smooth video playback and a lag-free operation, enhancing my movie-watching experience.
I loved the extensive 13 inches display that gave me enough space to watch movies efficiently.
It features a retina display that produces sharp and clear images, ensuring I get a real-life experience when watching my favorite movies.
The high 8GB RAM lets me play my movies smoothly.
The 256GB SSD Storage has enough space that lets me store my movies and other media files.
The touch ID support lets me sign in quickly and securely and open password-protected programs.
The laptop is compatible with 802.11ax WiFi 6, letting me connect to the internet efficiently and stream high-definition videos.
The two Thunderbolt port connectivity supports DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3, and USB 3.1 Gen 2, which lets me charge, transfer data, connect to other devices and connect to an external display.
Compatible with Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology that lets me share movies and other media files with other laptops.
It features a lightweight design with an average weight of 2.8 lbs, letting me carry it around more easily.
Pros
Cons
Best Laptop for Watching Movies Buying Guide
Before buying a laptop for watching movies, it is good to consider the factors I have listed below.
Display
The laptop's display is an essential factor to consider. So, I factored in the screen size, resolution, viewing angles, and color calibration. Generally, I'll need a large display to see the contents efficiently. Ideal laptops for watching movies range from 12-inch laptops to those with a 17-inch display.
The laptop also needs to have at least 1080 pixels resolution. This feature ensures I get a sharp and accurate image display. The display should feature an anti-glare screen to minimize eye strain. In addition, it should have a wide viewing angle to enhance my viewing experience. That's why an IPS panel is essential for laptops for watching movies.
Color calibration is also an aspect of interest. The laptop must have an accurate color calibration to avoid eye strain during long-watching sessions.
Storage
Movies and related media files take up a lot of space. Therefore, I'll need a laptop with a large storage capacity to store these files, and a 256GB SSD is enough for such a laptop. However, I may need to upgrade to a 500GB HDD or even a laptop with a 1TB HDD if I have many movies with ample space to store them.
I recommend SSD storage over HDD because it allows me to quickly retrieve my media files whenever I need them.
Speakers
As I stated earlier, watching movies involves more than just looking at the screen. Quality sound enhances my movie-watching experience, making it more realistic and enjoyable. Therefore, the best laptop for watching movies should have powerful inbuilt speakers. Apple laptops are excellent in speaker quality, making them a preferable choice over Windows PCs.
CPU
While I don't need the most powerful CPU to watch movies, getting a good processor is still essential. A sound processor lets me have an uninterrupted performance and facilitates the smooth running of the PC. Therefore, an Intel Core I series processor should be OK for my laptop. Any Intel Core I processor, from 12th generation Intel core i3 to core i9 processor, should work just fine for movies. AMD A-series processors are also a good alternative.
RAM
When watching movies, I don't need a lot of RAM. However, I still need a large RAM capacity to watch movies and run other functions effectively without lag. An 8GB RAM should be enough for my movie-watching needs.
However, I'll need 16GB RAM if I intend to use my new laptop for the next two years.
Ports
I sometimes need to connect an external hard drive to transfer my movies and other media files when watching movies. I also need to connect the laptop to an external display to watch my favorite movies on a larger monitor. Therefore, the best laptop for watching movies should have rich port connectivity, and they must have HDMI and USB ports.
Portability
I have no environmental limits when watching my movies, and I can watch from inside the house or choose to move outside. To facilitate easy movements, the laptop needs to be portable to facilitate easy movements, so I recommend a thin and lightweight laptop for watching movies.
The best laptop for watching movies should weigh no more than 4.4 lbs. It should also feature an ultra-thin design that efficiently fits my travel bag.
Connectivity
The best laptop for watching movies should have good connectivity options, and I recommend the latest wireless AC technology for an enhanced experience. The laptop should be compatible with Bluetooth technology, letting me share files or connect to an external audio device. It should also support a wireless WiFi connection to connect to the internet, which allows me to stream HD movies.
Battery life
Many movies last between one to two hours. It is, therefore, essential to invest in a laptop with a good battery life that lets me watch movies for long sessions without recharging. It will be disappointing if the battery drains its power before my movie ends.
The ideal laptop for watching movies should have at least a six-cell battery with up to four or five hours of battery life.
GPU
I don't need the most dedicated graphics card to watch movies. However, I should have a good GPU that lets my movies have a smooth playback. Therefore, any mid-range graphics card should be good to go. I recommend an integrated AMD Radeon, such as the AMD RX 6600M, or Nvidia GeForce graphics card like the NVidia RTX 3080 for this case.
FAQs
Is 4GB Ram Enough for Watching Movies?
Yes, 4GB is enough for watching movies. Movies don't take up a lot of memory, making 4GB enough. However, I may experience some slowdowns or lags when watching my favorite movies with other background tasks left running. To ensure a smooth run of processes, I'll need a minimum of 8GB RAM.
What Is the Best Processor for Watching Videos?
The best processor for watching movies is the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor. This processor has a frequency of up to 2.1 GHz, which allows me to watch movies efficiently and ensure fast media playback. This processor also gives me great visuals when watching my movies.
What Are Some of the Specs to Look For While Buying a Laptop for Watching Movies?
The specs I should consider when buying a laptop to watch movies include:
Display - screen size, resolution, panel type, and viewing angles.
Speaker quality
Portability
RAM and Storage space
Ports and wireless connectivities
Battery life
CPU and GPU