Best 4K Laptop in 2020 | TechNewsToday

The best 4K laptop of 2020 is not just about vibrant displays. Along with top-notch graphics, one also wants fast performance, long battery life, and an efficient cooling system in 4K laptops.

Unfortunately, most 4K displays drain the battery in the blink of an eye because more pixels often mean more nits and more power. Also, the workflow can suffer if your laptop’s refresh rate is low. And let’s not get started about how expensive 4K laptops can get.

So whether you’re a businessman/businesswoman, gamer, video editor, or just a student with a tight budget, you can find the best 4K laptop for your needs in the list below.

Best 4K Laptop – At a Glance

Best 4K Laptop(Overall) – Dell XPS 15 (7590)

Knowing that the XPS 15 comes with a vibrant 4K OLED screen, Core i9 CPU, and Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU, it is hard not to acknowledge this beautiful beast as the best 4K laptop (overall). The display is vivid, with 517-nit peak brightness that will leave you starstruck. Moreover, the Corning Gorilla Glass 4 also makes it a durable touchscreen.

The power button also works as a fingerprint reader. The aluminum and carbon fiber body is lightweight and makes the device look stylish while keeping it sturdy. The thin bezels add on to the fabulous design, and this time, the webcam is at the right place!

Other than the webcam placement, Dell has fixed WiFi, power sleep issues, and made this machine 25% faster than its predecessor. Another impressive feature is the availability of sufficient ports and an SD card reader. Lastly, it offers a comfortable keyboard along with backlight, so you don’t have to strain your eyes while typing in the dark.

The overall features of this one make it the best 4K laptop (overall), and also especially for students.

Amazon Rating: 4.5/5

Pros:

• Crisp and sharp display
• Powerful performance
• Perfectly placed webcam
• Dynamic and durable design
• Slim and lightweight
• SD card reader
• Best keyboard and touchpad
• Upgradable RAM and SSD
• Windows Hello and fingerprint sensor

Cons:

• Average battery life
• Expensive
• Heats up while doing CPU intensive jobs

Best 4k Gaming Laptop- Razer Blade 15

Passionate gamers are going to love this beast!

With a powerful 80-watt hour battery, stunning 4K OLED display, 530-nit peak brightness, and customizable RGB lighting — the Razor Blade 15 is the best 4k gaming laptop.

The speakers on each side of the keyboard deliver crisp audio quality that will steer you away from using headphones while gaming. One might take some time to get used to the Razor Blade 15’s keyboard because of an untraditional key placement. However, the individually lit keys can be customized, and what’s cooler than that? That’s this gaming laptop’s thermal system!

Even with powerful features, the battery life is not sacrificed. With a single charge, you can enjoy a whopping 5 hours of non-stop gaming.

Amazon Rating: 4/5

Pros:

• Vibrant 4K OLED display will make your gaming experience INSANE!
• Crisp audio quality
• No thermal throttling
• Massive trackpad
• A large variety of GPU/CPU options
• Replaceable SSD and WiFi card
• Super rigid build

Cons:

• Not the usual keyboard
• No SD card slot, no Ethernet
• Expensive

Best Convertible 4k Laptop- HP Spectre x360 15t

Most laptops manufacturers continued depriving us of our beloved features in a bid to make laptops thinner and lighter. But HP brought the best of both worlds in this tiny yet powerful convertible 4K device.

The HP Spectre x360 15t has a 360-degree hinge that allows viewing in laptop mode, stand mode, tent mode, and tablet mode.

This convertible 4K laptop comes with an IPS AMOLED display, Bang & Olufsen speakers, a good variety of ports, and more. Sounds too good to be true? Then you should check out its drop-dead gorgeous gold chamfered edges.

Amazon Rating: 3/5

Pros:

• Gorgeous design
• Thin and lightweight
• Windows Hello and fingerprint sensor
• Pen included for inking
• 4K AMOLED touch display
• Comfortable key travel, mechanical ‘‘clickiness.’’
• Customizable battery usage
• Customizable fan settings
• Good variety of ports
• Mechanical switch for the webcam
• Micro SD card slot

Cons:

• All USB-C ports are on the same side, and closely placed
• Speakers on the bottom
• Some features may not be useful in the long run (subjective)

Best Design- Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (7390)

This little powerhouse, with its infinity edge speakers, won all the brownie points for the best design in 4K laptops. The Dell XPS 13 is thin, lightweight, stylish, and delivers fast performance with impressive battery life.

The smooth touch display comes with a 16:10 aspect ratio, slim bezels, IPS display that emits 517-nit brightness, and of course — 4K quality. Port selection may be limited, but it is not much to be bothered about.

The keyboard is reliable, comfortable, and has a tactile feel to it. The touchpad is buttery smooth, accurate, and responsive. Moreover, the carbon fiber palm rest looks classy but attracts fingerprints and greasy smudges.

Amazon Rating: 4/5

Pros:

• 4K UHD InfinityEdge Touch supports Dolby Vision HDR
• Anti-reflective screen— great for working outdoors
• Slim yet sturdy
• Fingerprint reader
• One of the best touch screens
• Comfortable, tactile keyboard
• Responsive touchpad
• Thin aluminum chassis
• Battery level indicator
• Good cooling system

Cons:

• Narrow selection of ports
• Cannot be upgraded post-purchase
• Dell’s active pen not included
• No Windows Hello
• Loud fan

Best Alienware 4K Laptop – Alienware M15 OLED

Alienware is the pioneer of gaming laptops, and yes, we made a separate category for this brand because why not? The alien head logo itself has become a staple of A1 gaming experience in PCs and laptops.

Being the slimmer version of Alienware’s Area-51m, the M15 OLED weighs around 5-6 pounds. It is the first thin and light gaming device by Alienware. The graphics are handled by NVIDIA® GeForce, while the captivating OLED screen peaks at 543-nit brightness. Plus, the anti-glare screen ensures vibrant images even while you’re working outdoors.

With a strong chassis, solid metal bottom, and well-built hinge, durability is never a question with the best Alienware 4K laptop. The spacious tactile keyboard and precision trackpad help ace through games (if your skills are up to the mark!). Moreover, the speakers and webcam are excellent so that you can stay connected with your gaming buddies.

Amazon Rating: 3.5/5

Pros:

• Lightweight yet sturdy
• Comfortable keyboard and trackpad
• Abandons the typical gaming laptop’s aesthetic for a soft and sleek look
• Good speakers
• Excellent webcam
• Wide variety of ports
• Good thermals— no throttling, no loud fans

Cons:

• Visually may not appeal to those who love the iconic Alienware looks
• Short battery life
• Relatively short key travel

Best for Office work – Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme, Gen 2

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme, Gen 2 is the perfect collaboration between high productivity and compactness. Its desktop replacement-level performance allows multitasking on the go, making it the best product for office work.

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme lives up to its name when it comes to durability. It can endure multiple drops, extreme temperatures and weather conditions, etc. However, it manages to be lighter than the XPS 15 (4.2 pounds) and the ZenBook Pro 15 (4.2 pounds).

With one of the fastest hard drives (1TB PCIe-NVME OPAL2.0 M.2 SSD), doing office work is blazing fast in this gadget.

Amazon Rating: 5/5

Pros:

• Thin, portable and rugged
• Comfortable keyboard, good travel
• Smooth touchscreen
• Responsive TrackPoint
• Availability of a wide variety of ports
• SD card reader
• Network extension port for Ethernet
• Optional Smart Card reader
• Fingerprint reader
• Privacy shutter for webcam
• Windows Hello

Cons:

• Battery life is considerably shorter on UHD models as compared Full HD
• Average sound quality
• Keyboard is a fingerprint magnet
• Heating issues

Cheapest 4K Laptop – Dell Inspiron-15 7000

Since 4K technology has not become mainstream yet, it is a lot more expensive than other variants in the market. However, for those who want to test the waters, the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is a great deal. Thus, it is our choice for the cheapest 4k laptop.

With bumped up graphics, 4K UHD touch screen, fingerprint reader built into the power button, and improved touchpad — this device is worth every penny.

Moreover, the aluminum body and rigid hinge give it a premium finish, so you don’t have to worry about your purchase looking cheap!

Amazon Rating: 4/5

Pros:

• Crisp color quality, 4K screen
• Stylish and slim
• Affordable
• SD card reader
• Great port selection
• Decent thermals
• Sturdy hinge
• Responsive touchscreen

Cons:

• 4K version has a short battery life
• Small keyboard as compared to the device’s size
• Short key travel
• Below-average battery life
• Screen wobble

Best Laptop for 4k Video Editing – CUK MSI GT76 Titan DT Extreme Gamer Notebook

The CUK MSI GT76 Titan DT Extreme Gamer Notebook is equivalent to the renowned Alienware Area-51m when it comes to performance. It has the best screen display, making it the best laptop for 4K Video Editing.

Key Features

This performance beast is bigger and more expensive than regular laptops, but its mind-blowing features make up for it. The Steel Series keypad has a consistent tactile feel and attractive RGB lighting. This laptop for 4K editing has the best speakers which deliver crisp and loud sound quality.
Moreover, the GT76 Titan DT Extreme can render the heaviest of files without thermal throttling as it has four fans and 11 heat pipes.
Amazon Rating:  5/5

Pros:

• 17.3” screen for a top-notch video editing
• Eye-catching and sturdy design
• Availability of multiple ports
• A1 cooling system
• SD card reader
• Impressive sound quality
• Adjustable RGB lighting
• Satisfactory battery life

Cons:

• No G-Sync
• Heavy and bulky
• Expensive
• Battery drains faster than most laptops
• Requires 2 power adaptors
• Loud fans

Best 14-inch 4K Laptop – Lenovo Yoga C940

Eye-catching design, vivid 4K display, and powerful battery— the 14” Lenovo Yoga C940 is the best 14-inch 4K laptop in the market. Since its a refreshed version of last year’s Yoga C930, it comes with 10th Gen Intel Core “Ice Lake” CPU options. Even the soundbar hinge was improved, and a dedicated pen slot has been added.

This 14” convertible with thin bezels look premium and robust. The active pen silo is included with the package. What makes it even better is the pen garage that charges it whenever the pen is inside. So forgetting to charge your active pen is a non-existent problem. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about losing your pen because it is safely tucked inside!

The Lenovo Yoga C940 boasts of great battery life and 394-nit peak brightness, which makes it an excellent choice for traveling.

Amazon Rating: 4.5/5

Pros:

• Gorgeous resolution, vibrant colors, excellent contrast
• Thin bezels
• Lightweight, premium visuals
• Replaceable SSD
• Fans are not too loud
• Included pen for Windows Ink
• Improved soundbar hinge
• Excellent audio
• Fingerprint scanner
• Satisfactory battery life
• Webcam shutter switch

Cons:

• Shallow key travel
• Battery too small
• No SD card reader or HDMI port
• No IR camera
• Ram is not upgradable

Best 4K Laptop 17-inch – HP Envy 17

With a splendid 4K display, this one is the best 17” laptop out there. It is the only desktop replacement of the HP Envy line. Its aluminum chassis gives it a minimal aesthetic. Moreover, the stylish speaker grilled on top of the keyboard adds on to the premium look.

The drop-hinge design allows the back end of HP Envy 17 to rise when the display is open, which ensures better cooling. But this addition also makes it uncomfortable to work on the go. However, with a 17.3” display, it is obvious that the device was made for desk work only.

Surprisingly, the audio quality and battery life are pretty good for a 17” body.

Amazon Rating: 3.5/5

Pros:

• Attractive design
• Thin and light for a 17” device
• USB 3.0 port
• Bang & Olufsen audio
• Large touchpad
• Lots of ports and a tray-loading DVD optical drive
• Windows Hello
• No major heating problems
• Powerful overall performance

Cons:

• Touch option absent in 4K resolution
• Not suitable for hardcore gamers
• Only one GPU option
• Awkward drop hinge design
• Too much light leak in keyboard makes lettering hard to read in dim environments

Brief Guide to 4K Laptops— Things to look out for when buying 4K Laptops

Knowing about the best 4K laptop in the market may entice you into getting your hands on one. But one must always think practically before making the big splurge on these products. Other than choosing a 4K device according to your needs, given below are some points you should keep in mind before buying them:

Size

Practically speaking, a laptop’s screen, smaller than 17” will not give you the “immersive” feel that you might expect from a 4K display. So unless you are a professional video editor, graphic designer, or competitive gamer,  4K laptops with smaller screen dimension might turn into a bad decision.

Battery

If you are the type of person who just cannot sacrifice battery life, 4K laptops may not be for you. More pixels mean more power, so a 4K display will eat up your device’s battery before you even know it.

Refresh Rate

Hardcore gamers know the pain when the game flow is not smooth. 4K laptops will definitely ensure outstanding graphics, but unless your machine has a high refresh rate, gaming can get a bit frustrating. However, if you aim for laptops that boast of a 144 Hz refresh rate, you might end up with a rather huge hole in your bank account.

4K (Ultra HD) vs 1080p (Full HD)

If you’re willing to jump onto the 4K bandwagon, you must know some pros and cons which come with the fancy term. The technical differences between 4K (3840 x 2160) and 1080p (1920 x 1080) laptops are obvious, but other factors like battery life, price, etc. also play a pivotal role in making the device worth it!

4K vs 1080p — Which one’s the best for you?

4K (Ultra HD):

• Great color gamut, saturation, and contrast. It has four times the pixels as Full HD displays for a reason!
• 8 million pixels on the screen can drain out the battery life quite a lot.
• Very expensive, but the productivity of the device makes it worth it.
• Out of the world gaming experience, but the screen must have a higher refresh rate, FPS, and even a powerful graphics card.
• Perfect for video editors, graphic designers, and ‘Netflix and chill-ers’! Working on Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere becomes a breeze.
• More pixels = more money!

1080p (Full HD):

• Not bad, but as compared to 4K, it definitely loses on this aspect.
• Much better battery life. Think long hours of gaming, streaming, work, etc.
• Pretty cheap, considering the fact that most 1080p laptops and 4K laptops have the same specs.
• 1080p laptops have a relatively higher refresh rate up to 240hz or 144hz.
• Not the best choice for content creators, especially if you lean towards 4K video/photo editing.
• Relatively affordable

FAQs

What is UHD?

UHD stands for Ultra HD. Although the terms — 4K and UHD are used interchangeably today, both have different technical meanings. While 4K is a professional production and cinema standard, UHD is a consumer display and broadcast standard.

What is key travel?

Key travel is the total distance from the key at rest to full depression until it hits bottom. When laptops have a short key travel, one may not know when he/ she has pressed a key by mistake.

Should I buy a 4K laptop?

4K laptops provide a brilliant and immersive viewing experience. However, the cost that it comes for is not affordable for many. Thus, 4K laptops are most suitable for content creators and competitive gamers. Your requirement of a 4K device should depend on your lifestyle, profession, and budget.

Is my laptop 4K?

Check out your laptop’s display settings. If the resolution reads 3840 x 2160, it is 4k.

Can a 1080p laptop output 4K?

It depends on the laptop’s specs. If the HDMI is limited to 1080p, your lappy cannot output 4K. However, most laptops nowadays come with HDMI 1.4 or HDMI 2.0, which can output 4K at 30 Hz and 60 Hz, respectively. Moreover, whether your machine can output 4K or not also depends on the video port.

What are nits of brightness?

A nit is a unit of measurement for the amount of brightness the screen emits. One nit is equal to one candela per square meter (cd/m2).

Conclusion

In the end, which 4K laptops are best for you depends on your lifestyle and interests. Before making the big leap, ask yourself if you really need it. Most of the time, they are most suitable for professional content creators and gamers, so make your choice wisely!

COMMENT: Which one of the top 10 4K laptops of 2020 caught your eye? Let us know in the comment section below and stay tuned for further updates.