Another plus is that bigger laptops tend to come with bigger specs. When you’re not trying to minimize your laptop’s size and weight, you can pack in beefier hardware, including everything from faster processors to more powerful graphics to more spacious hard drives. That makes these larger machines great for gaming and graphic design. But even with their extra hardware and screen real estate, the options on this list manage to stay compact and portable enough to take on the go. We’ve researched and tested the best 17-inch and larger laptops for anyone looking for both size and power while not being tied down to a desktop. The XPS 17’s backlit keyboard feels satisfying and comfortable enough for a full workday, and the trackpad is huge and responsive. There’s no number pad, but speakers on either side of the keyboard that pump out impressively strong sound from two 1.5-watt tweeters and two 2.5-watt woofers. The slim profile leaves enough room for four USB-C ports and an SD card slot on the sides, but no HDMI, Ethernet, or full-size USB-A ports like there are on other larger laptops. Conveniently, Dell includes an adapter for those inputs. You can spec out the XPS 17 with up to an Intel Core i9-10885H processor, 64GB of RAM, and a 2TB Solid State Drive. This means smooth sailing with just about anything you throw at it, including multimedia and graphics work. It’s not designed to be a true gaming laptop, but the XPS 17 can still hit solid framerates with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q. If you’re fine with its premium price tag, you get a real powerhouse, inside and out. Size: 0.77 x 14.74 x 9.76 inches | Screen resolution: 3840x2400 | Processor: Intel Core i9-10885H | RAM: 64GB | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q | Storage: 2TB SSD The Aero 17 excels when it’s put to work, too, drawing smooth multimedia performance from its 10th-generation Intel Core i9 chip and a Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q graphics card. It’s perfect for creative professionals but gets the job done for most gamers as well. On the practical side, it’s hard to enjoy high-resolution content out in the world if you keep running out of juice, but unlike other 4K laptops, the Aero 17’s battery manages almost seven hours of 4K video. There are also a wide array of ports to connect all sorts of inputs and accessories. As an aesthetic touch, RGB backlighting on the keyboard lets you map out custom colors and effects to individual keys, helpful for highlighting your most-used keys or just as some bonus eye candy. Size: 15.6x10.6x0.84 inches | Screen resolution: 3840x2160 | Processor: Intel Core i9 10th generation | RAM: 16GB | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q | Storage: 512GB SSD Narrow bezels around its beautiful 2560x1600-pixel display give it the footprint of a 15-inch laptop, and its 2.98-pound weight puts it in a class usually reserved for 13- or 14-inch ultraportables. When you add in its lengthy battery life listed at 17 hours, the LG Gram 17 makes it uniquely easy to carry around a sharp and vivid display for watching movies and staying productive. At the same time, it’s thick enough to leave room for a full selection of inputs, including a USB-C port, three USB-A ports, an HDMI output, and a microSD card slot. The LG Gram 17 does leave off a discrete graphics card to help keep the machine light and somewhat less equipped for gaming and heavy graphics work. In terms of productivity performance, though, you’re not likely to be slowed at all by the 1.3GHz 10th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, and generous 1TB of storage in the 2020 model. This version also updates the LG Gram 17’s design with an improved touchpad and a backlit keyboard adjusted to be more comfortable to type on. Size: 15x10.3x0.7 inches | Screen resolution: 2560 x 1600 | Processor: Intel Core i7-1065G7 | RAM: 16GB | GPU: None | Storage: 1TB SSD Design-wise, the HP Envy 17t a bit heavier than a MacBook at 6.75 pounds. It’s housed in a sleek aluminum and magnesium chassis and has a beautiful, backlit keyboard and a large touchpad. Perhaps most gush-worthy is its 1080p display, which looks spectacular under edge-to-edge glass. It gets plenty bright, but our testing found it loses brightness and contrast quickly when viewed at an angle. HP has also partnered with Bang & Olufsen for better-than-average bass-boosting built-in speakers. Where many 17-inch laptops put the speakers on the bottom, these are up front. While they sound a bit tinny, our reviewer said audiophiles who know their way around EQ settings can potentially squeeze more performance out of them. Size: 15.71 x 10.2 x 0.76 inches | Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080 | Processor: Intel Core i7-720QM | RAM: 16GB | GPU: None | Storage: 1TB SSD The 5.7-pound weight of the HP is fairly standard for the 17-inch price point, but it measures less than an inch in overall thickness. The addition of a lone USB 3.1 port adds support for high-speed, third-party data devices, including ultrafast data transfer speeds. An HDMI port also adds connectivity options to a larger display or monitor. Size: 15.71 x 10.2 x 0.76 inches | Screen resolution: 1600 x 900 | Processor: Intel Core i5-7200U | RAM: 8GB | GPU: None | Storage: 1TB HDD One of the best features of the 7000 is how customizable it is. The latest model can be equipped with an 11th-generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor and 16GB RAM, providing a snappy balance of performance and battery life. You can also opt for a dedicated graphics card to allow for respectable gaming performance, or trim back some features if you want a productivity machine but don’t want to spend a lot. Size: 10.49 x 14.95 x 0.76 inches | Screen resolution: 2560 x 1600 | Processor: Intel Core i7-1165G7 | RAM: 16GB | GPU: Nvidia GeForce MX350 | Storage: 512GB SSD
Processor
If you need a PC that can handle heavy-duty work, pay close attention to its processor, or CPU. The battle between the manufacturers AMD and Intel gets fiercer every day, but AMD’s CPUs tend to be a bit cheaper. If money is no obstacle, look at the number of cores it has. More cores equal a faster and more efficient processor and the high-end options out there pack up to eight cores.
Display
On a 17-inch laptop or bigger, displays can be truly dazzling, with wide-viewing angles and brilliant backlit colors. Depending on your preference, there are touch and non-touch options. Resolution can vary, with the most impressive screens measuring around 1920x1080 pixels.
About Our Trusted Experts
Anton Galang is a Lifewire writer and reviewer who began working in tech journalism with PC Magazine in 2007. He has covered laptops of all sizes and shapes, along with countless other types of consumer electronics. Jonno Hill has a background in design and video production, but his love of tech dates back to middle school when he built his first computer. He has tested a wide array of laptops, desktops, tablets, and other products for Lifewire.
