Best Non Touch Screen Laptops 2017
The 10 Best Multimedia Laptops for Late 2017
Creativity, unhindered. Holiday season is finally upon us, and thus begins one of the most lucrative periods for anyone mulling to purchase a new notebook excelling both in content creation and consumption. The choices can be daunting, but leave it to us to help you decide on the best multimedia notebook to perfectly complement your needs.
Since this is that time of the year where great bargains are aplenty (especially on computers), we thought it would be a good time to revisit our extensive database of notebooks and separate the wheat from the chaff to give our readers a comprehensive list of the best multimedia notebooks to have launched this year.
All the laptops featured below stand out in unique ways, have the performance to boot, and can cater to different price points quite effectively. There are myriad options available and this article aims to be a purchase guide based on commonly factored-in purchase decisions. Since we've set a stringent overall performance criteria, some notebooks might not have made it into this list, but they are still worthy of your consideration — especially if a good deal is running.Do remember that pricing, availability, and SKUs can vary by region and you might end up with slightly different hardware configurations than what's listed here.
The selection criteria for this list has been kept simple: notebooks that offer the best combination of portability, performance, and display quality were selected and related to our overall review score for that model. One size doesn't always fit all, hence, we've also indicated what could be the second best option in each category. Many of these notebooks come with fairly capable GPU options that while being able to power GPU-intensive programs, can also play modern games at low to medium settings with acceptable frame rates. The choices were not constrained by price or regional availability. Noteworthy additions such as a good keyboard and choice of ports were also given due consideration.
Top 10 Multimedia Notebooks: Holiday 2017
| Pos. | Rating | Date | Image | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Screen | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 88.7 % | 03/2017 |  | Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) Intel Core i7-7700HQ NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 2.1 kg | 17 mm | 15.60" | 3840x2160 | glossy | |
| 2 | 88.7 % | 04/2017 |  | Razer Blade (2017) Intel Core i7-7700HQ NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile 15.9 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 1.8 kg | 18 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
| 3 | 87.5 % | 11/2017 |  | HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 Intel Core i7-8550U NVIDIA GeForce MX150 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 2 kg | 17.8 mm | 15.60" | 3840x2160 | glossy | |
| 4 | 88 % | 07/2017 |  | Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555) Intel Core i7-7700HQ AMD Radeon Pro 555 16 GB Memory, SSD | 1.8 kg | 16 mm | 15.40" | 2880x1800 | glossy | |
| 5 | 86.6 % | 05/2017 |  | Gigabyte Aero 15 Intel Core i7-7700HQ NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 2.1 kg | 19 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
| 6 | 87.1 % | 08/2017 |  | Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD Intel Core i7-7700HQ NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 1.9 kg | 18.9 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
| 7 | 85.8 % | 11/2017 |  | Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 Intel Core i5-8250U NVIDIA GeForce MX150 16 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 2 kg | 15 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | glossy | |
| 8 | 84.7 % | 11/2017 |  | Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L Intel Core i7-8550U NVIDIA GeForce MX150 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 2.9 kg | 28.25 mm | 17.30" | 1920x1080 | matte | |
| 9 | 83.5 % | 11/2017 |  | Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 Intel Core i7-8550U NVIDIA GeForce MX150 16 GB Memory, 128 GB SSD | 2.9 kg | 22.6 mm | 17.30" | 1920x1080 | glossy | |
| 10 | 84 % | 11/2017 |  | Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL Intel Core i7-8550U NVIDIA GeForce MX150 8 GB Memory, 512 GB NVMe | 1.6 kg | 17.95 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | glossy |
While the list above is not exhaustive, it will enable you to start narrowing down choices based on various parameters. The needs are as varied as the choices available — graphics artists and video editors would prefer notebooks with high resolution and large screen estate while those looking primarily for multimedia consumption would make do with a FHD display to eke out more battery life. So, without further ado let us look at how the notebooks do in their categories.
Most Portable
Ensuring portability without compromising on power and efficiency is indeed a complicated task. This year, we have seen OEMs lay a lot of emphasis on portability by devising clever means of heat dissipation to minimize throttling. Ideally, a portable notebook will weigh around the 2-kilogram mark and would at least ensure that interactive areas such as the keyboard and trackpad would be within tolerable temperatures under load.
Winner: Apple MacBook Pro 15 (2017)
Tipping the scales at just 1.8 kg, the Apple MacBook Pro 15 (2017) is one of the most portable 15-inch multimedia notebooks money can buy. The aluminum unibody chassis oozes premium quality and professional craftsmanship. Despite such a slim profile, the MacBook Pro 15 does not compromise on performance. The baseline configuration features an Intel Core i7-7700HQ 45W CPU coupled with 16 GB LPDDR3 RAM and an AMD Radeon Pro 555 GPU, which can breeze through both content creation and consumption. It can run Windows 10 without major hiccups via Bootcamp and can also game at low to medium settings. If you can excuse the price, Touch Bar, and the lack of ports, the 2017 MacBook Pro 15 offers the perfect combination of portability and performance.
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Runner-up: HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Portability does not only mean being lightweight but also how versatile the form factor is in enabling different productivity scenarios. The HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 offers premium construction at the expense of being a tad bit heavier than other 15-inch ultrabooks, but still offers overall great portability. The convertible form factor allows different modes for different types of work or media consumption. The 15.6-inch 4K screen is a visual treat, and while it might not afford much comfort during extended use as a tablet, it greatly benefits laptop use. Under maximum load, the Spectre x360 15 is fairly comfortable to use, but we've seen temperatures of the keyboard area closest to the display reaching the 50 °C mark. Powered by the Intel Core i7-8550U with 16 GB RAM alongside an MX150 GPU and featuring a Samsung PM961 SSD, the Spectre x360 affords class-leading performance in a suave design.
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Special Mention: Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G
Acer's Swift 3 series of notebooks target design-conscious buyers and the Swift 3 SF314-52G doesn't disappoint. At just 1.62 kg, the Swift 3 is one of the most portable laptops you can find. The portability, however, doesn't mean you have to skimp on the internals. You get an 8th generation Intel Core i7-8550U, 8 GB RAM, and a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce MX150 GPU. The 14-inch screen offers a FHD resolution with wide viewing angles. The notebook does not heat up much, with the temperatures around the keyboard and trackpad area hovering around a comfortable 40.2 °C and 30 °C respectively when under maximum load. If you are looking for a laptop that offers the best portability while still being a potent performer, the Acer Swift 3 should be high up on your list.
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❌
Best Display
For a multimedia notebook, display quality is everything. Whether you're an artist or content creator, having high resolution displays with good color accuracy is paramount. Displays that cover the maximum color gamut in sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces are important to reproduce the vibrancy in the picture and provide an immersive experience. Some of the notebooks also feature touch screens and pen input, which help in easy interaction and navigation.
Winner: Apple MacBook Pro 15 (2017)
The Apple MacBook Pro 15(2017) continues Apple's tradition of offering some of the best displays in the industry. The MacBook Pro 15 comes with a 2800 x 1800 resolution IPS display that has an excellent brightness of 523 nits. This makes the display look good both indoors and outdoors, even under direct sunlight. It covers almost 100% sRGB and close to 80% Adobe RGB color space making it an excellent choice for professionals. The display is also one of the most color accurate and comes factory calibrated with DeltaE (color and grayscale) values within target ranges. One slight caveat is that the display offers relatively poor response times, meaning it is still not very suited for fast-paced games. Overall, the 2017 MacBook Pro 15 does not disappoint if display quality is the main purchase criteria.
Runner-up: Dell XPS 15 9560
The Dell XPS 15 9560 has been a multimedia enthusiast's favorite, and that's not without reason. The XPS 15 comes with options of FHD and UHD Sharp IGZO panels, and while the FHD panel is good enough, it's the UHD option that stands out due to its resolution and color gamut. Display brightness is also good with a maximum of 350 nits. While the FHD display is better suited for outdoor work, the UHD option will appeal to media professionals, as it offers close to 100% Adobe RGB color space and covers more than 100% of sRGB. Response times are fair considering this is not a gaming laptop with a black-to-white response time of 23.6 ms and grey-to-grey response time of 27.2 ms. There are some issues with certain XPS 15 units, though, most prominent of them being backlight bleed, uncentered panels, and uneven brightness/color. If not for these issues, the XPS 15 could have easily usurped the MacBook Pro 15's best display crown. Still, the UHD display of the XPS 15 9560 stands out among most of the Windows laptops released in 2017.
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| Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555) APPA031, IPS, 15.40, 2880x1800 | Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) IGZO IPS, 15.60, 3840x2160 | Razer Blade (2017) LP140WF3-SPD1, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080 | HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 BOE06C3, IPS, 15.60, 3840x2160 | Gigabyte Aero 15 N156HCA-EA1 (CMN15D7), IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | |||||
| Display P3 Coverage | 97.95 | 89.69 | 66.58 | 65.23 | |
| sRGB Coverage | 99.93 | 99.98 | 86.92 | 92.51 | |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 85.95 | 99.96 | 63.5 | 66.54 | |
| Response Times | |||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 48 ?(23.6, 24.4) | 57.2 ?(27.2, 30) | 25.2 ?(18, 17.2) | 41.2 ?(23.2, 18) | 42.8 ?(23.6, 19.2) |
| Response Time Black / White * | 33.8 ?(19.6, 14.2) | 39.2 ?(23.6, 15.6) | 24.8 ?(13.2, 11.6) | 29.6 ?(16.4, 13.2) | 32 ?(18.8, 13.2) |
| PWM Frequency | 119000 ?(80, 210) | 961.5 | 21370 | 1000 | 26000 ?(20) |
| Screen | |||||
| Brightness middle | 545 | 370.1 | 272 | 338.7 | 320 |
| Brightness | 523 | 356 | 277 | 325 | 316 |
| Brightness Distribution | 86 | 87 | 84 | 91 | 90 |
| Black Level * | 0.44 | 0.37 | 0.26 | 0.28 | 0.36 |
| Contrast | 1239 | 1000 | 1046 | 1210 | 889 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 * | 1.6 | 5.3 | 4.59 | 4.9 | 4.62 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 max. * | 3.8 | 9.9 | 8.49 | 8.7 | 9.75 |
| Greyscale DeltaE2000 * | 1.9 | 4.6 | 4.28 | 5.5 | 6 |
| Gamma | 2.26 97% | 2.31 95% | 2.23 99% | 2.08 106% | 2.46 89% |
| CCT | 6834 95% | 6284 103% | 6848 95% | 7498 87% | 6761 96% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 88.3 | 55 | 63.5 | 60 | |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 100 | 83 | 86.92 | 92 | |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) |
* ... smaller is better
Best Performance
Most of the notebooks featured in this list feature high-performant CPUs and GPUs, therefore, you cannot really go wrong with any of the above choices. But there are certain differences when tested extensively. This is mostly due to OEM-related things such as the firmware, chassis size (that results in throttling), choice of storage subsystems etc. Whether these differences would actually matter in day-to-day usage depends on your workflow. Nevertheless, based on the CPU and GPU benchmarks, we are recommending the following notebooks as top performers in the multimedia segment.
Winner: Gigabyte Aero 15
The Gigabyte Aero 15 takes the crown as the best performer in the enthusiast multimedia category. The notebook incorporates the 45W Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU that boosts up to 3.8 GHz under load without anomaly in the Cinebench loop test. The Aero 15 scored 161 and 742 points in single-core and multi-core Cinebench R15 tests respectively. It also leads its class in PCMark 8 with scores of 5290 (Work Score) and 4248 (Home Score). GPU performance is also on par with the competition with 11173 points in 3DMark, thanks to the GTX 1060 GPU. Gaming at FHD with full AA enabled is easily possible and the GTX 1060 offers a lot of compute power for number crunching in demanding 3D programs. Other laptops featuring the GTX 1060 that aced the Aero 15 were the Acer Aspire VN7-593G and the MSI GS63VR 7RF, but they cater more towards the gaming crowd than crossing into the realm of multimedia machines. The Aero 15 also runs quieter (39 dBA) than the XPS 15 (47 dBA) despite featuring a higher-powered GPU. One of the unique points of the Aero 15 is that the display comes pre-calibrated for Pantone standards of color accurate out of the box, and indeed our unit required no calibration. When on the look out for a notebook that offers great multimedia performance and can also game comfortably at high settings, you'd be hard pressed to give the Gigabyte Aero 15 a miss.
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Runner-up: Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD
The Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD comes quite close to the Gigabyte Aero 15 in most tests. It bests the Aero 15 by a hair's breath in the Cinebench R15 single-core score (162 points) and trails closely behind it in the multi-core test (739 points). The ZenBook Pro UX550 is also right behind the Aero 15 in PCMark 8 (Work Score) with a score of 5028 points and comfortably ahead of the Dell XPS 15 9560 (4422 points) and the Apple MacBook Pro 15 (4648 points). The notebook is fitted with the Samsung PM961 SSD, ensuring that storage will not be a bottleneck for day-to-day system performance. The GPU performance is a little on the lower side in synthetic benchmarks compared to the Dell XPS 15 9560, which also features the same NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU. However, real gaming tests placed the ZenBook Pro UX550 ahead of the XPS 15 9560 (albeit only marginally). The Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD, therefore, offers great multimedia performance with decent gaming chops for the specs.
Addendum: The more expensive brother of the UX550VD, the UX550VE, was just reviewed and received a similar score to the UX550VD. The VE model differs in that it features a touchscreen and GTX 1050Ti GPU.
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Special Mention: Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G
The Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G is a good performance contender that does not offer too many compromises. In fact, it has strong single-core performance in Cinebench R15 (171 points) beating even the Gigabyte Aero 15 (161 points) and the Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD (162 points). Multi-core performance is, however, not as strong (585 points). The 8th generation 15W Intel Core i7-8550U is no slouch when compared to the 45W 7th generation Intel Core-i7 7700HQ found in most laptops in this category. The results are evident in the PCMark scores wherein the Aspire 5 trails behind the Aero 15 by just 2%. The Aspire 5 comes with an M.2 SSD and a 1 TB HDD, providing a good combination of speed and storage space. The MX150 GPU is good enough for multimedia but is miles behind the GTX 1050 when it comes to gaming. Though it is significantly behind the other contenders in this list, the MX150 should enable gaming at low to medium settings at HD resolutions. The Acer Aspire 5 offers commendable performance that's just about right for basic content creation and consumption at a fair price.
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| Cinebench R11.5 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | 1.95 Points ∼100% |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 1.84 Points ∼94% |
| Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 1.78 Points ∼91% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 1.77 Points ∼91% |
| CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 8.23 Points ∼100% |
| Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 8.14 Points ∼99% |
| Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | 6.44 Points ∼78% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 5.76 Points ∼70% |
| Cinebench R15 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | 171 Points ∼100% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 162 Points ∼95% |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 161 Points ∼94% |
| Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 157 Points ∼92% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 154 Points ∼90% |
| CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 742 Points ∼100% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 739 Points ∼100% |
| Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 735 Points ∼99% |
| Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | 585 Points ∼79% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 519 Points ∼70% |
| PCMark 8 | |
| Work Score Accelerated v2 | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 5290 Points ∼100% |
| Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | 5193 Points ∼98% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 5028 (5001min - 5045max) Points ∼95% |
| Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 4422 Points ∼84% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 4217 Points ∼80% |
| Home Score Accelerated v2 | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 4248 Points ∼100% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 4207 (4206min - 4213max) Points ∼99% |
| Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | 3910 Points ∼92% |
| Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 3588 Points ∼84% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 3457 Points ∼81% |
| 3DMark 11 | |
| 1280x720 Performance GPU | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 14265 Points ∼100% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 7461 (7273min - 7576max) Points ∼52% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 4564 Points ∼32% |
| Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | 4519 Points ∼32% |
| 1280x720 Performance Combined | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 8966 Points ∼100% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 7442 (7434min - 7459max) Points ∼83% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 4184 Points ∼47% |
| Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | 4023 Points ∼45% |
| The Witcher 3 | |
| 1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing | |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 68.4 fps ∼100% |
| Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 64.9 fps ∼95% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 39.5 fps ∼58% |
| 1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 68.2 fps ∼100% |
| Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 38.2 fps ∼56% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 37 fps ∼54% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 22.8 fps ∼33% |
| 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 37.7 fps ∼100% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 20 fps ∼53% |
| Dell XPS 15 9560 (i7-7700HQ, UHD) GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 19.8 fps ∼53% |
| HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100 GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 12.8 fps ∼34% |
| For Honor | |
| 1920x1080 High Preset AA:T AF:8x | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 95.6 fps ∼100% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 50.8 fps ∼53% |
| 1920x1080 Extreme Preset AA:T AF:16x | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Lite-On CX2-8B512-Q11 | 70.1 fps ∼100% |
| Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP | 36.3 fps ∼52% |
Long Battery Life
Given the advances in CPU and GPU technology, relatively sleek notebooks have now started to offer at least 7 hours of battery life as standard in the multimedia segment, sometimes going even up till 9 or 10 hours depending on the load. Needless to say, all the notebooks featured resort to the integrated GPU for less intensive applications and will only call upon the dedicated GPU as and when needed.
Winner: Apple MacBook Pro 15 (2017)
Apple's claims of a 10-hour battery life on the latest MacBook Pro 15 are far from fiction. The MacBook Pro 15's 76 Wh battery is the longest lasting in this list. At a luminance of 150 nits, the notebook lasted close to 11 hours during our WiFi Surfing test, which is commendable. The MacBook Pro lasted for about 8:30 hours during the 1080p video loop test (150 nits, no WiFi). The MacBook Pro 15 benefits from the down-to-the-metal optimizations of macOS, which further boosts energy savings. You can, therefore, carry the MacBook Pro 15 to work knowing that you can leave the charger at home.
Runner-up: Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 is a strong contender to the Apple MacBook Pro 15 in terms of offering a long-lasting battery. Although it has a lower battery capacity at 60 Wh, the Intel Core i5-8250U that powers this laptop is a very power-efficient chip. The Mi Notebook Pro lasts a full 10 hours in our WiFi surfing test (luminance set to 150 nits) and beats the MacBook Pro 15 in the 1080p video loop test. As long as the notebook is not taxed, it should be able to last a full day without needing to charge in between.
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Best Value for Money
Getting hold of a good multimedia notebook does not always mean that you have to empty your savings account. There are notebooks that enable you to be just as productive for a lot less. Most of the notebooks featured in the list come with the ability to add on RAM and storage at a later date. Hence, it makes sense to purchase the essential configuration now and expand on it as and when needed. Some of the notebooks, like the latest MacBook Pro 15, come with soldered RAM and SSDs, forcing you to weigh your future upgrade requirements carefully before purchasing.
Winner: Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G
The Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G takes the crown as the notebook with the best value for money in the multimedia segment. The specs are decent for the price and the performance is also on par with the rest of the other notebooks especially in CPU-related tasks. The inclusion of the MX150 GPU ensures that applications that are GPU-dependent work well. The 17.3-inch FHD display also offers plenty of screen estate to multitask. To achieve a 1089-Euro price point, the notebook does cut some corners. The performance of the AC adapter is not up to the mark and, like the 15-inch Surface Book 2, actually drains the battery under full load. The WiFi performance, though good, is not the best in class. The keyboard could have also been better considering the price. All in all, the Acer Aspire 5 ticks all the right boxes for a capable multimedia notebook without breaking the bank.
Runner-up: Dell Inspiron 17 7773
The Dell Inspiron 17 7773 is a rather unconventional notebook: it is the only 17-inch convertible available and offers a great performance for the price. The Intel Core i7-8550U combined with 16 GB DDR4 RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce MX150 GPU makes for a potent combination. The storage is a mix of SSD and traditional HDD options. This being a convertible, can adapt to different productivity scenarios with ease — although it would be herculean to lug it around as a tablet. It does have its share of negatives, but given the decent specs and performance, the Dell Inspiron 17 7773 is one of our strong recommendations for a good price-to-performance mix.
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More to come in 2018
We've already started seeing a taste of what's to come in 2018. From the much awaited 8th generation 45W Intel 'Coffee Lake' hexa-core CPUs to more laptops featuring Ryzen Mobile, we will soon be spoilt for choice even more. We have just received the HP Envy x360 featuring the AMD Ryzen 5 2500U APU and the initial impressions have so for been impressive. The on-board Vega GPU should lend some good muscle to power through common multimedia tasks. We will be coming up with a full review of the Envy x360 soon, so stay tuned. The icing on the cake, however, has been the announcement of the new Intel-AMD multi-chip module, which should up the ante of enthusiast multimedia notebooks in the next year. We will also see a lot of current generation notebooks getting a spec bump or two in the run up to CES 2018 and beyond. Till then, have fun with your shiny new notebook while we continue to bring you the very best of tech news and reviews.
Happy shopping and happy holidays!
Though a cell and molecular biologist by training, I have been drawn towards computers from a very young age ever since I got my first PC in 1998. My passion for technology grew quite exponentially with the times, and it has been an incredible experience from being a much solicited source for tech advice and troubleshooting among family and friends to joining Notebookcheck in 2017 as a professional tech journalist. Now, I am a Lead Editor at Notebookcheck covering news and reviews encompassing a wide gamut of the technology landscape for Indian and global audiences. When I am not hunting for the next big story or taking complex measurements for reviews, you can find me unwinding to a nice read, listening to some soulful music, or trying out a new game.
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Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 2017-11-30 (Update: 2017-12- 1)
Best Non Touch Screen Laptops 2017
Source: https://www.notebookcheck.net/The-10-Best-Multimedia-Laptops-for-Late-2017.266622.0.html
Posted by: graysthativess.blogspot.com
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