When it comes to video streaming or watching movies, a tablet is always the most viable choice due to the lightweight and portability, but why we need to find the best laptops for streaming movies in 2023?
If you’re in a hurry, check out our top choice LG Gram View at Amazon.
First of all, laptops offer a bigger screen which is a very crucial requirement for a real movie experience.
Usually, laptops are more powerful than tablets, I believe buying a laptop just for movies streaming doesn’t make much sense. Probably, you’re also going to use your laptop for more than just streaming videos.
However, if you want some best features like high-quality display or longer battery life then you may need to slide your budget needle a bit further.
In this post, I have gathered some most popular laptops of 2023 which are just perfect for video streaming, doesn’t matter how much deeper pocket you have, you’ll definitely find a perfect entertainment buddy as per your need.
Before I’ll show you my recommendations, it would be best to take a look at the most important features which will help us to take a perfect decision while going to purchase the best laptop for video streaming in 2023.
Best Laptops for Videos Streaming in 2023 – Buyer’s Guide
Which display is the best for video streaming?
As we are talking about laptops, there are mainly three types of display can be seen nowadays – TN, IPS, and OLED.
The TN panel is the most common display technology which can be seen in many laptops, especially in the gaming machines. Actually, TN panel offering higher refresh rate and lower response time, that’s why gamers love it, but it lacks color accuracy and view angles. Obviously, for a video streaming, we need a good color quality for movie watching and TN panel isn’t qualified for it. I don’t recommend a TN panel for a movie streaming laptop until you’re not on a very strict budget.
On the Other hand, the IPS (In-Plane Switching) is well-known for delivering the highest color accuracy along with the widest view angles, therefore, it would be the perfect choice for us. However, it’s a bit expensive type of display but it worth it. The IPS panel is also very popular and can be seen on many laptops.
The OLED display (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) is totally different types of technology, which doesn’t use any backlit behind the panel. Therefore, it is highly energy efficient, and thinner than others. Moreover, the OLED display offers the highest contrast ratio and great brightness level. It means, along with the accurate color quality and a huge difference between the black and white pixels (contrast ratio), the image looks even more real. This display type also could be a perfect choice for a movie-streaming laptop, but it is quite expensive and only available in a few expensive laptops.
So, overall the IPS panel is the most suitable type of display for us, however, I’ll also include some laptop with an OLED panel in this post.
How much resolution is sufficient for a movie streaming laptop?
Usually for a 13 to 15-inch laptop full HD resolution is pretty nice, it can deliver an amazing accuracy. However, if you’re choosing a bigger laptop then you can go with 2K or higher resolution as well, but in most cases, if you’re only going to use it for movies watching then a full HD resolution is also good for a bigger screen. Practically, your eyes won’t able to see the difference between two 15-inch displays with full HD and 2K resolution. Therefore, it doesn’t make any sense for investing in a higher resolution for just movie watching. However, 2K or 4K displays could be beneficial for 3D modeling or designing while working with micro details.
Somewhere in your mind, if you’re planning to buy a smaller laptop than 13-inch then I would like to stop it. Choosing a tiny laptop won’t give you any much advantage of a real laptop or movies watching, the display will be tiny as well, so there isn’t any valid reason to opt one. Rather than you’ll be better off with a tablet, which would be more portable.
I have written dedicated posts on the tablet for video streaming and offline movies watching, you can check them out.
An Ideal Processor
However, for streaming movies or video we really don’t need the highest clock speed or lots of cores, but we can’t underestimate the importance of a processor.
If you’re going to use your laptop only for movies streaming, even an Intel Core i3 processor would be sufficient for you. But I advise you to get an Intel Core i5 processor, it will give you a more flexible user experience with totally lag-free performance.
While the Intel Core i7 might be overqualified for this job, but if you’re into gaming then it won’t be a big deal to go with a Core i7 processor.
Also, I want you to select the U product line Intel processors, for instances – i3-8130U and i5-7200U. Basically, the U series Intel processors are specially designed for low-power consumption, therefore your laptop’s battery will love it.
Memory and Storage
Usually, for video streaming 4GB memory would be nice, but if you want to do some other task as well then you can go with even 8GB memory. Nowadays, computer memory isn’t too expensive anymore, and 8GB memory is becoming a norm in the laptops.
If you don’t have any special requirement, just grab a laptop with 4GB memory, but make sure it should be upgradable for the future.
While for storage capacity, you need to analyze your requirements, if you have a large collection of documents, videos or music, then you’ll need a large HDD, you can also go with an SSD but it would be expensive. On the other hand, if you don’t have such a large capacity requirement, then I would suggest you grab a small SSD, it would be great for performance and would be cheaper as well.
If you don’t know what an SSD is? Actually, SSD is the latest data storage technology, which is based on flash memory storage rather than the magnetic field technology. It means, there will be no movable parts inside the drive, which makes it more reliable, light and energy-efficient. An ordinary SSD (Solid State Drive) can deliver around 4 times faster data read/write speed than an ordinary HDD.
Longer Battery Life
A dreadful red low battery indicator can easily ruin your climax scene. Obviously, longer battery life is very crucial for interruption-free movies streaming, therefore you have to think about the battery capacity. As compared to offline movies or video playing, laptops consume higher power while playing online media. Moreover, if you’ll use laptop’s speakers for primary audio then energy consumption could be even higher.
Good news, unlike a game-streaming or programming laptop, you don’t need a high-performance processor or dedicated graphics, therefore it won’t be too hard for finding a laptop with good battery life. There are many modern laptops (as I have included in this list), which are offering 8+ hours of battery life, it would be enough to complete two movies continuously.
Latest Connectivity Options
Watching movies while connected to charging wall or LAN cable isn’t really cool, and that’s why we are looking for a laptop for streaming movies. However, most of the modern laptops are coming with the latest connectivity, but it’s always a good idea to check all the specifications of a laptop before buying.
For video or movies streaming, the network connection should be stable as much as possible. However, there are many factors which affect the network speed, but we are talking about the laptop, therefore, we have to make sure that we are getting the latest technology.
Currently, the latest Wi-Fi standard is the 802.11ac, which is also known as AC Wi-Fi and Wireless AC. The 802.11ac is 3x faster than the previous technology (802.11n). It can go up to 162.5 MBps which can utilize your faster ISP connection.
QUICK OVERVIEW
Top Rated Laptops for Streaming Movies in 2023
| Acer Aspire E 15 |
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View at Amazon |
| Lenovo V330 |
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View at Amazon |
| Asus VivoBook |
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View at Amazon |
| Lenovo Yoga 730 |
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View at Amazon |
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Apple MacBook Air Editor’s Choice |
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View at Amazon |
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LG Gram 17 Editor’s Choice Windows |
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View at Amazon |
Best Laptops for Streaming Movies in 2023 – Reviews
1. Acer Aspire E 15 (Most Inexpensive Laptop)
5.27 lbs | i3-8130U @3.4GHz | 6 GB | 1 TB HDD | 15.6-inch | 1920 x 1080 | 13.5-hours | Windows 10 Home
As I said in the buyer’s guide, an Intel i3 processor is good enough if you’ll use your laptop only for video streaming. But as I also told you, try to find the latest gen processor for better performance.
This version of Acer Aspire E 15 is powered by the Intel Core i3-8130U processor, which can deliver a nice performance without any doubt, but if you can get the Core i5 variant it would be even better. Moreover, you’re getting 6GB of memory along with 1TB HDD, which is enough for your streaming need and mild multitasking.
Out of the box, this laptop is offering a full HD 15.6-inch IPS panel, which is really nice for watching movies, it can deliver nice image quality with wide view angles.
Despite a cheaper price, this laptop is offering longer battery life, it can last up to 13.5 hours with a single charge which is really outstanding.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to compromise with the bulky body and thick design, but if you need portability and performance on the same table, you’ll have to pay extra for it.
Overall, if you’re looking for the most affordable laptop for streaming movies, the Acer Aspire E 15 could be the best bet for you.
PROS
- Cheapest price
- Nice full HD display with IPS panel
- Acceptable performance
- Large storage capacity with 1TB HDD
- Longer battery life
- Wide connectivity options including HDMI and USB Type-C
CONS
- Bulky and thick design
2. Lenovo V330 (Another Great Choice for Budget Range)
2.65 lbs | i5-7200U @3.1Ghz | 8 GB | 256 GB SSD | 15.6-inch | 1920 x 1080 | 6-hours | Windows 10 Pro
If you’re looking for a portable laptop with something better performance without spending lots of money, the Lenovo V330 might be your entertainment buddy. This laptop is almost half in weight compare to the previous laptop and equipped with Intel Core i5 processor, which is a solid combination, it can deliver interruption-free streaming experience.
First of all, the Lenovo V330 is paired with one of the most energy efficient and great budget range Intel Core i5-7200U processor, 8GB memory and 256 GB SSD, which won’t let you face any lag during your movies streaming, but your internet flow should be good enough.
In the display department, you’re getting a full HD 15.6-inch IPS panel, the sharpness and picture quality is just great, your eyes will only see the “pixel-less” smooth images. Moreover, this laptop is very thin and light weighted as compared to my previous pick, therefore, you can conveniently use it wherever you want.
Unlike my previous laptop, the Lenovo V330 if coming with some extra features like a fingerprint reader, TPM (trusted platform module) and APS (active protection system), which will increase the security of your laptop. Even the webcam of this laptop is secured by a shutter, which restricts the camera from seeing anything without your permission.
Despite having a slim body, this machine is offering lots of connectivity options including HDMI, USB Type-C, VGA. Especially, the USB Type-C port is my favorite which provides the fastest data transfer speed.
If you can slightly increase your budget, the Lenovo V330 could be a great laptop for streaming movies in 2023 which is offering slim design, beautiful display, good battery life, fast performance, and lightweight body.
PROS
- Affordable price
- Gorgeous display quality with full HD IPS panel
- Good performance with Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB memory, and SSD storage
- Extensive connectivity options including USB Type-C
- Many security features like a fingerprint reader, privacy cam, TPM and APS
CONS
- Battery life could have been better
3. ASUS VivoBook (Amazing Choice for Mid-Range)
3.7 lbs | i5-8250U @3.4GHz | 8 GB | 128 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD | 15.6-inch | 1920 x 1080 | 4-hours | Win10
Have you heard about the Asus VivoBook series? It is one of the most popular product lineups from Asus which offers a powerful performance along with the compact and lightweight body. The Asus VivoBook could be a perfect candidate for movies streaming, it has enough features for a seamless movie watching whether we talk about the display quality, portability or performance. If you need more performance, you can also check out the Pro version of this laptop, which is also a very popular laptop nowadays.
With the Intel Core i5-8250U processor, 8GB memory, and 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD, this laptop can be used for more task rather than just movies streaming. Because this laptop has an SSD along with a bigger HDD, therefore you will lack neither storage nor speed. Moreover, with the Quad-Core processor and 8GB memory, you can do moderate multitasking.
Unfortunately, if you play some high-graphics game, then you should opt for a laptop with a dedicated GPU. I have written a dedicated post on the laptop for streaming games in 2023 if you like you can read it as well.
Aesthetically, the Asus VivoBook looks better than my previous laptops, it has a very thin and lightweight body along with nano edge display. Whether you’re in the kitchen or snuggled up in your bed, you can use this laptop everywhere without any hassle.
Like our previous laptops, this notebook is also offering the latest USB Type-C port along with HDMI, USB 2.0, headphone and SD card reader.
However, it’s also a standard size laptop with the 15.6-inch IPS screen, but due to narrow bezels there is a lot of space has been saved, resulting it has a higher screen to body ratio. Additionally, with the Asus Splendid visual optimization technology, it has different screen mode for better visual like Vivid (rich movie experience), Eye-Care (working longer), etc. The Asus Tru2Life video technology this laptop can deliver vivid and realistic images.
But I want to tell you, due to higher performance and compact body this laptop has a somewhat average battery life, however, it can easily last for a movie without the worry of charging.
If you can spend a bit more on your movies watching laptop, the Asus VivoBook could be a solid choice. This laptop is offering a decent image quality, compact body, beautiful design, USB Type-C port, great performance, large and faster storage capacity.
PROS
- Stunning IPS display with full HD resolution and Asus Tru3Life visual optimization technology
- Wonderful performance with the latest Gen Intel Core i5 processor, SSD storage and 8GB memory
- SSD + HDD combination ensures the faster speed and storage
- Extensive connectivity options including the latest USB Type-C port
- Fingerprint sensor and ergonomic keyboard
- Gorgeous design with narrow bezel, compact and lightweight body
CONS
- Average battery life
4. Lenovo Yoga 730 (Best 2-in-1 Laptop for Movies)
2.65 lbs | i5-8250U @3.4GHz | 8 GB | 256 GB SSD | 15.6-inch Touch | 1920 x 1080 | 8-hours | Win10
The 2-in-1 laptops are quite popular nowadays, especially for movies streaming they could be a perfect choice, you can use them as a giant tablet which will give you immersive viewing experience. On the other hand, if you need to do some productivity tasks you can use them as a powerful laptop.
The Lenovo Yoga 730 is one of the most popular convertible laptops in 2023, which is offering the latest Intel Core i5-8250U processor, 8GB memory and 256GB PCIe SSD storage. It is also a mid-range laptop, but it can deliver way much powerful performance while considering the price. Do you know? The PCIe based SSD can provide even higher data read/write speed than the SATA SSD, it is another secret behind its great performance.
The screen quality is great itself; this laptop is equipped with a 15.6-inch full HD IPS panel which has LED backlit technology. It means, this laptop is quite thin and will consume less energy, and you’ll get the amazing image quality along with longer battery life.
From the design aspect, this laptop is just wonderful. 360-degree convertible design, narrow bezel, sleek, and compact body can attract anyone easily. Despite having a mid-range price, the Lenovo Yoga 730 looks like a premium series laptop.
In contrast to all my previous recommendation, the Lenovo Yoga is offering a Thunderbolt 3 port (USB Type-C), which is a revolutionary connectivity solution for mobile computing. With the Thunderbolt 3 port, you can connect high-definition monitors, storage devices, cameras or drones. With a single cable, this port can transfer high-speed data, high-definition video and charging your laptop simultaneously.
While considering the compact body and lightweight body, the Lenovo Yoga 730 has a brilliant battery life, it can last up to 8 hours with a single charge.
If you need a portable laptop for movies streaming, the Lenovo Yoga 730 might be a great option. Despite having a slimmer and compact design, this laptop is offering a large beautiful screen, long battery life, and powerful performance.
PROS
- Gorgeous full HD IPS display with LED-backlit technology
- Powerful performance with the latest 8th gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB memory and PCIe SSD
- The 2-in-1 design provides a more flexible user experience
- Long battery life
- Fingerprint sensor and ThunderBolt 3 port
- Exceptional design with narrow bezel, slim and compact design
CONS
- Price is slightly higher
5. Apple MacBook Air (Best Choice for Mac)
2.75 lbs | i5-8210Y @3.6GHz | UHD 617 | 8 GB | 256 GB SSD | 13.3-inch | 2560×1600 | 12 hours | Mac OS X
Actually, video streaming doesn’t require any dedicated graphics chip, an integrated graphics memory is pretty enough for that. In the Apple product lineup, the latest MacBook Air is the perfect choice for streaming videos. The latest MacBook Air is one of the most compact and powerful laptops, therefore, if you’re going to use it only for video streaming, I don’t recommend it for you.
First of all, the MacBook Air is powered by the Intel i5-8210Y processor, which belong to the ultra-low power processor category and offers brilliant performance. Moreover, with the 8GB memory and 256GB SSD storage capacity, it allows doing multitasking without any hassle.
Finally, this year the latest MacBook Air is available with the Retina display, which offers leading colors accuracy and sharpness in the industry. Due to the high-quality display, you can use this laptop for some color sensitive tasks like photo or video editing.
If you don’t use the wired or wireless headphone during video streaming, don’t worry this laptop is equipped with the stereo speakers and can deliver wider stereo sound.
As you probably know about the Mac OS, it is the highly secure OS and has less vulnerability. Additionally, you’re getting a fingerprint sensor and Apple T2 security chip, which makes this device more secure.
In most cases, the 13.3-inch screen is enough for watching movies, if you need even big then you may opt for MacBook Pro, but it is quite expensive. While Windows has lots of option to choose from, but if you’ve already used any Apple device before then it won’t easily hug-off to go with a non-Apple device.
This year Apple MacBook Air is only coming with two ThunderBolt 3 ports and a headphone jack. I know the latest ThunderBolt 3 port is quite versatile, it can be used for charging the device, connecting display and storage devices with a single cable, but there is still slightly lack of ports.
Battery life has been slightly improved than the previous version, according to the manufacturer this laptop has 12 hours of battery life.
In facts, the Latest MacBook Air is a bit expensive but if you really need an amazing movie watching experience the latest MacBook Air is probably the best laptop for streaming movies in 2023.
If you need even bigger display you can also go for the latest Apple MacBook Pro 15, very expensive though.
PROS
- Top quality Retina display with highest color accuracy and sharpness
- Brilliant performance along with a long battery life
- Most durable and compact design with recyclable aluminum
- Stereo speakers can deliver amazing sound quality
- Higher secure computer experience with MacOS, fingerprint sensor, and Apple T2 chip
- Latest ThunderBolt 3 port for versatile connectivity
CONS
- Lacks of ports
- Slightly expensive
6. LG Gram 17 (Overall Best Choice)
2.95 lbs | i7-8565U @ 4.6GHz | HD 610 | 16 GB | 512GB SSD | 17-inch | 2560 x 1600 | 19. 5-hours | Windows 10 Home
When LG launched the first LG Gram laptop, it has changed the way of thinking of mobile computing. A few years back, no one going to believe that a 17-inch laptop can be made below 3 lbs weight, and LG has done it. Yes, you have heard the right, the latest LG Gram 17 is an extremely light laptop with enormous display and powerful hardware specification. With that out the way, it could be a solid option for streaming movies or video with tremendous portability.
The best part, the LG Gram is available in different sizes, if you think 17-inch could be a bit dominating, you can also go with 15-inch, 14-inch or 13-inch models, but remember all models have different hardware configuration, however, all models are pretty enough for video streaming.
The latest model, which I am discussing here, is coming with a 17-inch IPS display with 2560 x 1600 pixels of resolution. It means you will get a totally immersive movie watching experience with the large, bright and highly color accurate display.
If we talk about the design, which is incredibly thin and lightweight, and you can take it anywhere conveniently. Additionally, due to the higher screen to body ratio, it has narrow bezel which looks amazing and provides immersive viewing.
Despite having a compact body, you won’t face any connectivity shortage, this buddy is offering Latest ThunderBolt 3 (USB Type-C) along with 3x USB 3.1 (type A), HDMI, headphone jack, and MicroSD slot. As I also told you above, the ThunderBolt 3 Port is quite versatile ports, which supports high-definition display output, faster data transfer speed, and charging simultaneously with a single cable.
The battery life is totally unbelievable, according to the mobile mark 2014 standard this laptop has the longest 19.5 hours of battery life. Doesn’t matter where you are, you won’t need to look power outlets every time.
It’s a lightweight laptop, it doesn’t mean it has less durability. I want to tell you, this thin and stylish laptop has passed the seven industry-standard tests and proven the military-grade durability. Actually, the LG Gram is made of premium nano carbon magnesium full metal body, which ensures the tougher shell and remains remarkably lightweight.
Overall, whether it’s about the compact design, great display quality, longest battery life, powerful performance or lightweight body, the Latest LG Gram is one of the best laptops for streaming movies and music in 2023.
PROS
- Biggest 17-inch IPS display with higher 2560 x 1600 pixels of resolution ensure the immersive video streaming
- Powerful performance with the latest Intel Core i7-8565U processor, 16GB memory, 512 GB SSD
- Thinnest and lightweight design with higher durability
- Wide range of connectivity ports along with the latest ThunderBolt 3 port
- The longest battery life of 19.5 hours as per the mobile mark 2014 standard
CONS
- Expensive
Wrapping it up
If you need a laptop just for streaming movies, you don’t need to spend lots of money, you’ll be better off with the Lenovo V330. If you have a very tight budget, the Intel Core i3 variant of Acer Aspire E 15 would be just sufficient for you. But remember, I don’t recommend any Core i3 laptop until you’re not on a very strict budget.
For a mid-range category, the Asus VivoBook is the most popular and cost-effective laptop, it is offering many amazing features at an appealing price. While the Lenovo Yoga 730 would be your choice if you like the convertible laptops.
Overall the LG Gram 17 is my best choice for a video streaming laptop in 2023, this buddy won’t disappoint you in any aspect, it has everything that any movies lover will require. On the other hand, the latest MacBook Air is my best pick in the MacOS for streaming movies.
Well, these were my top recommendations for top-rated video streaming laptops of 2023, what do you think about them? Have you any questions regarding them, just let me know in the comment below, I’ll back to you soon.
Thank you very much for reading, have a great day 🙂
