Products at a Glance
How we picked
For this guide, we looked at several 16-inch laptops, compared them, and picked the ones we thought were the best. The laptops have been selected based on specs like CPU, GPU, display, and other important aspects. Also, we’re constantly adding new products to our guide to keep them as updated as possible – so check back here again for updates.
Product Reviews
- M2 Pro chip
- 12-core GPU
- 22-hour battery life
- Expensive
In 2023, Apple announced the Macbook Pro with M2 chips, which hit the shelves some weeks later. If you’re looking for a premium 16-inch laptop, then this one is a solid choice.
First of all, the laptop comes with an M2 Pro chip, which is quite a powerful processor for demanding tasks – so you can expect the device to handle basic processing. Plus, you get a 12-core GPU, which should make graphics-related tasks a breeze.
Another impressive feature of the laptop is the battery life, which lasts for up to 22 hours – so you don’t have to worry about running for chargers. Plus, the laptop is quite portable as it weighs 4.7 pounds, which should be easy to lug around for most users.
As far as the display is concerned, you get a 16.2-inch retina display that outputs vivid colors at 254 pixels per inch, which should deliver high picture quality. Plus, the laptop has a 1000 nits brightness, which should make it suitable for viewing in well-lit surroundings.
Connectivity should not be an issue for most people as this laptop comes with three Thunderbolt ports and an HDMI port, among others.
- 16-inch thin-bezeled display
- Aluminum chassis
- Upgradeable SSD
- No dedicated GPU
If you prefer Windows over Mac OS, then you can check out Dell Inspiron 16 5630.
The laptop sports a 16-inch display with thin bezels, which should deliver high-resolution picture quality and look good on the outside as well. Plus, the laptop is 1.82 inches thick and has an aluminum chassis, which should look quite premium.
On the inside, the laptop has the Core i7-1360P that can reach a maximum turbo speed of 5 GHz, which should be sufficient for running demanding applications. Plus, you get 16GB DDR5 RAM, which should reduce loading times and make multitasking easier. The base model comes with 512GB SSD, which should be sufficient for most users, but it can be upgraded to 4TB.
As for graphics-related tasks, the laptop comes with an Intel Iris Xe chip, which should be enough for basic graphics needs. However, this also underlines the fact that this laptop is not the best option for serious gamers.
- 16-inch QHD display
- 10-hour battery life
- Lightweight
- RAM cannot be upgraded
If you want a mid-range 16-inch laptop, then the Lenovo Ideapad 5i Pro is one of the best options out there.
First of all, this laptop runs on Intel’s Core i5-11300H processor, which is specifically made for light gaming laptops and workstations. Its four cores and eight threads should give you a smooth performance.
For graphics, the laptop features a 2GB Nvidia MX450, which should help with basic rendering and gaming. One drawback of this laptop is the soldered 8 GB of RAM coupled with no RAM slots, meaning there’s no option to upgrade the RAM. It’s a different story for the storage, which can be upgraded to a 4TB SSD.
As far as the display is concerned, the 5i Pro has a QHD resolution, which should deliver great picture quality. Plus, you get 350 nits of brightness, which is not the best, but it should be sufficient for most people.
Another perk to note here is that the laptop weighs only 4.1 pounds, which should be portable. To add to that, you get a battery life of around 10 hours, which should give you a day’s worth of use.
- 13th-generation Core i9 processor
- RTX 4090 GPU
- 240Hz refresh rate
- Mediocre battery life
If you want a high-end 16-inch gaming laptop, then you should consider getting the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16, which we think deserves to be one of the best Asus laptops.
The laptop is powered by a 13th-generation Core i9 processor capable of 5.6 GHz, which should be sufficient for demanding tasks as well as video games. Plus, the laptop has the 16GB RTX 4090 GPU, which should run through most AAA titles.
Taking advantage of the CPU’s support for the most recent RAMs, this unit is equipped with 64GB of DDR5 RAM. Storage is also upgradeable to a 4TB PCIe SSD, which should be great if you want more storage.
As far as the display is concerned, you get a 16-inch display with 2560 x 1600 resolution, so you can expect good picture quality. You also get 1,100 nits of brightness, which makes it suitable for use in well-lit conditions. And to deliver a smooth gameplay experience, the display has a 240Hz refresh rate, which should be enough for most video games.
- FHD display
- Lightweight
- 10-hour battery life
- Limited storage
If budget is a constraint, then we recommend checking out the Samsung Chromebook 4 Plus.
The Chromebook runs on Google’s native Chrome OS and is powered by the Celeron N4000, which should handle basic tasks easily.
Much like some of the best Chromebooks under $300, this one, too, has a 32GB eMMC flash storage, which should speed up booting and loading times. Further, for more storage, you can make use of the SD card slot.
As far as the display is concerned, you get a 15.6-inch display with an FHD resolution, which should deliver detailed picture quality. Plus, this model has a 720p webcam which comes in handy for video conferencing.
Another noteworthy feature here is this laptop’s portability. The laptop only weighs 3.8 pounds, which should be easy to lug around. Plus, it has a battery life of up to 10 hours, which should be sufficient for a day’s use.
Connectivity won’t be a concern as the Chromebook 4 plus has two type-C ports, which can both be used to charge the laptop’s 5070 maH battery. In addition, there’s a type-A port and microphone/headphone jack.
How to pick the best 16-inch laptop
CPU
As there are a lot of 16-inch laptops available on the market, you can get one with a processor that meets your requirements. For instance, if you want a laptop for your daily tasks, you can go for an entry-level processor like Intel Celeron N4000. For light gaming and basic editing, you can look at some of the laptops that have mid-tier CPUs.
However, if you want a powerful laptop to handle demanding tasks like editing or gaming, then we suggest getting the latest processors like the Intel 12th or 13th gen. For example, some of the best Intel 13th gen laptops also come with the latest GPUs to make demanding tasks easier.
GPU
Just like processors, you can choose a GPU that meets your requirements. If you do not plan on performing any graphically intensive tasks, then a built-in GPU should suffice. For light gaming, you can get a laptop with a mid-tier GPU, like the NVIDIA 2000 series.
However, if you want a maxed-out gaming machine, then look for laptops with NVIDIA RTX 3000 and 4000 series GPUs or their AMD equivalent. Some of the best gaming laptops come with the latest 4000 series graphics cards, which is a great investment if you’re a gamer.
Display
Ideally, you should get the highest resolution possible for your laptop, especially if you are creating content. Considering the wide variety of 16-inch laptops available, you can find resolutions like FHD, QHD, and even 4K.
Portability
If you would like to carry your laptop around, then you should consider getting a portable option. Most laptops weigh around 4 pounds, which is portable. However, you will also find Chromebooks and lightweight laptops that weigh less than that.
You should also be looking at battery life. Most laptops have a battery life of around 6 to 8 hours. However, some laptops offer more than that.
Our Verdict
If you’re looking for a powerful 16-inch laptop for productivity and content creation, then we recommend getting the new Apple MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip. Along with the chip, you also get a 12-core GPU, so you can expect the laptop to handle graphically intensive tasks as well. Plus, you get a 16.2-inch display 3456 x 2234p resolution, which should deliver stunning, detailed visuals. And if you’re planning to carry the MacBook around, you get around 22 hours of battery life, which should last for more than a day.