The 6 Best Laptops With 4K Displays
This wiki has been updated 11 times since it was first published in March of 2020. A high-resolution screen makes graphics look smoother and provides power users with plenty of real estate to work with. As the current top-of-the-line standard, 4K displays are finally becoming mainstream in sizes large enough to take advantage of. These are the most affordable and best performing Ultra HD notebooks for coders, content creators, and anyone else who insists on a premium picture. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Dell XPS 17 9700
2. HP Envy 17t
3. MSI Creator
Editor's Notes
April 13, 2021:
Cramming a 4K resolution into a notebook computer comes with some caveats. Most notably, there's very little reason to go below 15 inches, and even laptops of that size won't let you take full advantage of the resolution. Furthermore, have four times the pixels means your battery life will take a hit as compared to FHD and even QHD models, and your wallet isn't safe either. For these reasons, we've stuck to recommending mostly 17-inch models.
But, resolution itself isn't everything. A notebook with a 4K display is simply more likely to offer various other premium design and technical choices. For example, everything about the Dell XPS 17 9700 is of top quality - not just the display, but also the internal storage and wide-ranging connectivity options are widely known for their consistently high performance. Even more to that point, the MSI Creator boasts an ultra-premium panel and, much like the Gigabyte AERO 17 HDR, was developed with demanding professionals in mind.
Alternatively, not everything is as expensive as those, or the top-of-the-line gaming laptop, the Razer Blade Pro. If you want a big, bright, screen with pixels too tiny for the human eye to see, but you don't want to spend an absolute fortune, the HP Envy 17t offers a good middle-of-the-road balance between price and performance.
April 02, 2020:
One of the first things that you might notice about these machines is their price tag. 4K laptops are built with gaming and professional studio tasks in mind, so the technology has to meet the very high standards required by these applications. It makes sense that if you are willing to spend money on the highest possible screen resolution, there should be no compromises on performance, and vice-versa.
Some, such as the Eluk Omen 15t or Alienware M15 would be more suited to the avid gamer, while others, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad P53 or MSI WS65, with their rugged builds and comprehensive connectivity, are more suited to work in the field or pro studios, such as video editing or graphic design.
It has been said that you will experience diminishing returns when buying a smaller 4K laptop, as the increased resolution is far less noticeable on the 13.3-inch Dell XPS 9370, for example, as compared to the 15-inch Dell XPS 15 7590. While this may be true, portability is often a big factor when choosing a laptop, so we have included both in our ranking. Either way, whether you are looking for a high-performance 4K workstation, 4K gaming laptop, or a visually-stunning machine for casual use, there should be something in this list that fits the bill.
4. Razer Blade Pro
5. Asus ROG Zephyrus M15
6. Gigabyte AERO 17 HDR
Building PCs, remodeling, and cooking since he was young, quasi-renowned trumpeter Christopher Thomas traveled the USA performing at and organizing shows from an early age. His work experiences led him to open a catering company, eventually becoming a sous chef in several fine LA restaurants. He enjoys all sorts of barely necessary gadgets, specialty computing, cutting-edge video games, and modern social policy. He has given talks on debunking pseudoscience, the Dunning-Kruger effect, culinary technique, and traveling. After two decades of product and market research, Chris has a keen sense of what people want to know and how to explain it clearly. He delights in parsing complex subjects for anyone who will listen -- because teaching is the best way to ensure that you understand things yourself.