The best 15-inch laptops are among the most commonly seen laptops, and could be considered "Goldilocks" laptops - not too big, not too small, but just the right size. In other words, when it comes to all the best laptops, 15-inch laptops are among the largest 17-inch (or even larger) form factors and the compact 11-13-inch models.
These 15-inch laptops are very portable, they can be very thin and light, while retaining enough space to house more powerful components, and also benefit from a screen large enough to prevent you from squinting to see the finer details.
For gamers, these types of machines also offer enough screen to allow them to adequately enjoy polished images at higher settings (and may contain a good discrete GPU, to boot).
We don't just consider players here. In this list, we have selected 10 of the best 15-inch laptops in different categories, from hybrid machines to professional machines, on all platforms including Windows 10, Mac OS, Chromebooks, and even Linux. Here's something for everyone looking for a medium-sized book.
Best 15-inch laptops 2019 at a glance:
The best 15-inch laptops of 2019
(Image credit: future)
1. Microsoft Surface Book 2 (15 inch)
Best 15-inch laptop
CPU: Intel Core i5 - i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 (i5) - Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (i7) | RAM: 16GB | Display: 3240-inch 2160 x 15 PixelSense touchscreen | Storage: 256 GB - 1 TB SSD
Top-notch performance
Great versatility
Super battery life
Estimated even at the entry level
Surface Book 2 has allowed Microsoft to produce something very special. It's a truly versatile machine, a 2-in-1 machine and a ton of power in a relatively slim convertible chassis. With a discreet GTX 1060 graphics card, the Core i7 version of the Surface Book 2 can even take on new games with Full HD resolution and the right details when you want to relax.
This Microsoft machine also manages to offer incredible autonomy, as we discovered during our tests, and its screen is beautiful. And this display is incredibly light when taken apart to serve as a tablet. There's a lot to love here, except one thing: this price.
Yes, it's an expensive 15-inch laptop, although we've seen decent downscaling steadily growing in recent times, and Microsoft has made a considerably cheaper Core i5 version as well (albeit without a discrete GPU). As of this writing, this document is available in the United States for two-thirds of the total recommended price of the Core i7 model (with 256GB memory). But yes; It is always expensive.
As usual, if you want the best, pay for it, but check out our next post for a great alternative that won't hurt your wallet right now.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (15-inch)
(Image credit: Acer)
2.Acer Swift 3
The best all-round 15-inch laptop.
CPU: Intel Core i3 - i7 8th Generation | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 - Nvidia GeForce MX150 (2 GB) | RAM: 8 GB | Screen: 15,6 inches, 1920x1080 | Storage: 256GB / 1TB SSD + 256GB SSD or Intel Optane 16GB SSD
Great value for the price
Awesome mighty
Beautiful keyboard and trackpad
Soft appearance
If you don't want to spend a lot of money to protect the high-end beast that is our first choice, and this is a comment that many will not want, consider this alternative as the best all-round option. Which is much more affordable. It is not a hybrid, but it is very well developed and can give almost everything afterwards.
It should be noted that many models of the Acer Swift 3 are for sale, some 14 inches and others 15 inches (we have reviewed and liked the previous 7th generation model). Intel CPU 14-inch version here, for example).
What we highlight in this article are the 15,6-inch variants that are powered by 8th Gen Intel processors and offer impressive components, due to their price tags (including models with both hard drives and SSDs, giving you more space and speed. Optane Intel Options).
These machines will adapt perfectly to all daily computing tasks and light play. You also benefit from an impressive selection of ports, as well as excellent input devices (including a large touchpad and backlit keyboard), a scanner, and an easy-to-use keyboard. fingerprints and exceptional battery life.
The Acer Acer Swift 3 may look like a budget laptop, but do yourself a favor and don't judge a laptop on its cover. It is a great way to do business online.
(Image credit: future)
3. HP Specter x360 15T (2019)
Best 2-inch 1-in-15 laptop
CPU: Intel Core i7 de 6 núcleos | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8 GB - 16 GB | Screen: 15,6 inch touch screen 3160 x 2140 | Storage: 256 GB - 2 TB SSD
Swivel design
Powerful levels of performance
Beautiful 4K display
Some weird design decisions
Onlookers looking for a versatile 15-inch convertible should have the HP Specter x360 at the top of their wish list. It's an attention-grabbing laptop with a sleek design (albeit a few quirks, including a misplaced trackpad), but it's not a shallow laptop - it packs those pretty looks with enough power to get all your computer tasks done. It is of course helpful that the latest version of this hybrid has upgraded its hexa-core processor to the 7th Gen Intel Core i9750-XNUMXH.
Creative people will also appreciate the included inclined stylus, which can be used successfully thanks to the excellent 4K resolution IPS touchscreen, and this 2-in-1 also packs a discrete GTX 1650 graphics card, meaning it can even tackle video gaming. . Like we said, this 15.6-inch laptop offers great versatility, but pack your wallet because it doesn't come cheap (but at least HP's offering is more affordable than Microsoft's Surface Book 2).
Read the full review: HP Specter x360 15T (2019)
(Image credit: future)
4. Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
Best 15-inch laptop for creatives
CPU: Intel Core i7 - i9 | Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 555X - Radeon Pro Vega 20, Intel UHD Graphics 630 | RAM: 16GB - 32GB | Screen: 15.4-inch 2880 x 1800 IPS | Storage: 256 GB - 4 TB SSD
Performance faster than ever
Option for 32 GB of RAM
Useful touch bar
High price tags
If you're looking for a powerful 15-inch laptop that's great for creative use like video editing or Photoshop, it will help to go the macOS route rather than Windows, with the larger MacBook Pro. .
This year, Apple has increased the power of the 15-inch MacBook Pro with new 9th generation Intel processors, with options reaching the powerful 8-core Intel Core i2019. You certainly won't lose any performance, because our tests show that this XNUMX incarnation is a considerably more powerful MacBook than its predecessor.
This 15-inch laptop is ideal for heavy duty work with a selection of AMD Radeon Pro graphics solutions and the ability to configure the laptop with 32GB RAM. And don't forget the high-quality, enhanced Touch Bar Retina display, which can certainly be a very useful tool for creative applications.
Read the full review: Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
(Image credit: future)
5.MSI GS65 Stealth
Best 15-inch laptop for gaming
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 - Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (VRAM GDDR5X 8GB, Max-Q) | RAM: 16 GB - 32 GB | Screen: 15.6 inch panoramic screen 1920 x 1080 with a 144Hz refresh rate | Storage: SSD de 256 GB - SSD Super RAID 4 de 1 TB
Very portable
Powerful components
Beautiful 144Hz display
The built-in speakers are metal.
It's the gaming laptop that has it all in so many ways. It's extremely thin (for a gaming laptop) and very portable thanks to the Nvidia Max-Q technology implemented by the GPU. So you can take this 15-inch model anywhere, unlike some of the larger gaming machines you'll generally find. However, despite its slim chassis (and clever design), the GS65 is powerful enough.
There's a lot to like here, including a beautiful display with a 144Hz refresh rate that allows powerful components, including (up to) a GTX 1070 graphics card, to produce extremely smooth frame rates with all the latest games.
MSI's GS65 isn't cheap (it's a high-end gaming laptop though?), And there are some issues, including disappointing speakers (but you can still use headphones). It's simply a fantastic option for a powerful and powerful gaming laptop, which we've called "crowd pleasing" in our article.
Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth
(Image credit: future)
6.Dell G5 15
Best affordable 15-inch gaming laptop
CPU: up to Intel Core i7-9750H | Graphics: Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 (Max-Q) | RAM: 8GB - 16GB | Display: 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 - 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 LED anti-glare with 144Hz refresh rate | Storage: 128 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD - 1 TB SSD
Impressive levels of performance
Great balance of features.
Excellent battery life
The screen could be better
If your budget doesn't exceed that of the older MSI laptop, this more affordable Dell gaming laptop is a great option for a 15-inch model that won't put a hole in your bank balance.
During our review of the Dell G5 15 5590, we found that it could easily handle gaming in 1080p, while giving you a pretty incredible level of battery life (around 10 hours to read). a movie, which is remarkable for a gaming laptop).
Overall, it's a very balanced machine with a reasonable price tag, and the latest versions of the Dell G5 15 have been updated to include XNUMXth Gen Intel Core processors (up to six-core models).
Read the full review: Dell G5 15 5590
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7.Dell XPS 15
Best 15-inch laptop for students
CPU: Intel Core i7 - i9 1050th / 1650th generation | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 8 Ti - GTX 32 | RAM: 1920GB - 1080GB | Display: 15.6-inch 4 x 256 InfinityEdge anti-glare IPS touchscreen - 2K InfinityEdge Anti-Glare (optional) | Storage: XNUMX GB - XNUMX TB PCIe SSD
Awesome artist
Can face some games
Well portable
Not much has changed lately
The Dell XPS 15 may not have changed much in the past two years, but it is still a quality Ultrabook and a great option for students who need something to cope with the workload. it could happen to them. It is even possible to play games at 1080p resolution, although you may need to reduce details a bit depending on the exact game.
Dell is currently still selling some models of last year's XPS 15 with Intel's 15th-gen processors, along with recently updated variants of this 1650-inch laptop that comes with 32th-gen chips (and the Nvidia GTX 4 GPU). . ). You can specify these machines at a pretty heavy level, which includes 15.6GB of system RAM and a XNUMXK OLED screen with ultra-thin glasses (remember this machine powers its XNUMX-inch screen in a relatively small chassis, thus getting a big poster on the portability department).
The XPS 15 range is not particularly inexpensive, but its price is reasonable, although the new models with OLED displays are particularly expensive. Get ready for that. However, more cash-strapped students may consider using a Chromebook, like our next article.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 15
(Image credit: Acer)
8.Acer Chromebook 15
The best 15-inch Chromebook
CPU: Intel Pentium N4200 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 505 | RAM: 4GB | Display: 15,6 inches, 1920x1080 | Storage: 32GB eMMC
Excellent display
Impressive battery life
Performance is solid but not terrible.
Not a cabriolet
If you don't mind running Windows (or even MacOS), you should always consider a Chromebook, as these great machines can be very inexpensive. And this Chrome OS-based Acer effort is no exception in this regard.
Acer's Chromebook 15 features a crisp and clean 1080p touchscreen, and it's powerful enough to get your performance work done. This laptop is fanless and has a truly colossal level of battery life.
Note that the Chromebook 15 is not a convertible machine, although it does have a 180-degree hinge, which means it can be placed on a flat surface. It's a great option for those looking for a wallet-friendly 15-inch laptop that offers a comprehensive solution, especially with battery life.
Read the full review: Acer Chromebook 15
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9.Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
Best 15-inch laptop for business
CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (Max-Q) | RAM: 16 GB | Screen: HDR 4K 1920x1080 - 3840x2160 15.6 inches | Storage: 512 GB - 1 TB SSD
Fast return
Beautiful 4K HDR display
All kinds of refinements.
Very expensive
Quite heavy
The good news for 15 "laptop users is that there is an amazing machine available in the form of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme. However, the bad news is that the price to pay is as extreme as the excellent performance you will get from this one. laptop.
It is difficult to know where to begin to describe the quality of this machine. Perhaps the 15.6-inch multi-touch screen, which in the 4K HDR option is simply beautiful and boasts top-notch color accuracy? Or the fast performance of a six-core processor, GTX 1050 Ti graphics card, and high-speed NVMe SSD? Or just the little things, like the well-connected connectivity, the refined keyboard, or the possibility of upgrades with this laptop?
As we've already mentioned, the price can make you raise an odd brow or loosen your jaw, perhaps both, but some professional users probably wish they had the best professional laptop for their critical tasks. And the ThinkPad X1 Extreme definitely fills this "last" bill, not just in the 15-inch world.
Read the full review: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
(Image credit: System76)
10. System76 Serval WS
Best 15-inch Linux laptop
CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 | RAM: 8GB - 64GB | Display: 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 144Hz refresh rate | Storage: 240 GB - 2 TB SSD
Extremely powerful
Can be loaded with 64GB RAM
Choice of distributions
Pretty heavy machine
Cheap
We've covered Windows and Mac laptops as well as the Chromebook on our list, so it's worth completing it with a dedicated 15-inch Linux laptop. And our group pick is the System76 offering (which also has a 17-inch flavor).
The Serval WS duffel bags under the hood are powered by a 2060th Gen Intel six-core processor, backed by an RTX 64 graphics card. You can specify up to 2GB of system memory (though it won't cost you any surprises) and up to 144TB of storage. SSD (optional NVMe). All of this will give you the whole Linux machine capable of running heavy applications and demanding games (make the most of the laptop's XNUMXHz display for its frame rates in the latter case).
With these components, even the basic machine is not expensive, but if you want a complete Linux monster, which can be pre-installed with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS or Pop! _OS: This System76 machine is suitable for billing (large).