Let me start by saying that if you’re looking for the best 15-inch laptops by yourself, you might get overwhelmed by the number of products offered!
There are so many out there, from ultra-low cost to high-end 15-inch notebooks. You’ll literally find everything, at every price (and every quality…).
This guide will simplify your life. Here I reviewed the top 15+ best 15-inch laptops on the market, whatever what your budget is!
Our Top 3
#1 – Asus Vivobook F510UA |
#2 – Asus Vivobook X510UQ |
#3 – Dell XPS 15 |
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Budget 15-inch: Ultra-Light with Vivid HD Display |
Best Mid-Range: Powerful & Ultra-light |
Best 15-inch on the market |
| 15.6″ HD | 15.6″ HD | 15.6″ QHD |
| Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM | Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM | Intel i7 with 16 GB of RAM |
| 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) | 256 GB SSD |
| Up to 5 hours | Expect 5 to 6 hours | Up to 11 hours |
| Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review | Jump to our Review |
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There are so many 15-inch laptops on the market, I’ve separated them into 3 categories:
- Best Budget 15-inch (around $500 and less)
- Best Mid-Range 15-inch ($1000 and less)
- Best High-End 15-inch ($1000+)
What to expect from the Best 15-inch Laptops
Of course, the price you pay will dictate the performance and quality of your 15-inch laptop.
But with the number of products available on the market nowadays, rest assured that you can find a quality product, whatever the price you pay.
Laptop Quality & Weight
For a good 15-inch laptop, you can expect a good quality casing that will protect the components for a few years. There are quite a few products on the market that have low-quality casing, but I completely avoided laptops that bend & crack. They are just not worth your money.
A budget 15-inch will have a (solid) plastic casing while high-end laptops will have a frame made of aluminium, magnesium or another kind of alloy. That will make the more expensive products more resistant, better looking and – usually – lighter.
Talking about weight, expect your laptop to be between 4 and 5.5 pounds. 4 pounds and less is very light for a 15-inch, while anything over 5 pounds starts to be a little heavy to carry around frequently.
Performance
Each and every laptop on this page has enough power to easily execute basic tasks like web-surfing, office work and for watching movies. The more expensive ones will have much more power and give enough performance to efficiently run heavy 3D applications.
Performance Guide
If you’re not sure which kind of processor you need, here’s a quick guide:
- Get a laptop with an i3 processor and a minimum of 4 GB of RAM if you need basic performance: web-surfing, movies, Word, Excel, etc. You’ll have plenty of power for those and you’ll save money.
- The standard nowadays is an i5 processor with 8 GB of RAM. With that, there’s very little chance you’ll lack power in the coming years.
- If you’re more into heavy applications, an i7 processor is what you need. It’s much more powerful than the two others.
Display
For the display, you’ll get an HD screen (or better). Some low-cost laptops still have non-HD displays, but avoid those.
Nowadays you can find a good HD screen on any 15-inch laptops, even the budget ones. Of course, mid-range and high-end 15-inch will have a screen of much better quality, with better color reproduction and vividness.
But overall, you can expect at least a decent quality screen on any laptop on this page.
Recommended for you:
Best 15-inch Laptops
Top 5 Best Budget 15-inch Laptop
In the 15-inch budget category, you’ll find pretty much everything… From bad quality laptops with weak frame & low-res display, to great value and quite powerful laptops. Of course… we went with the latter.
Seriously, be careful when buying a low-cost 15-inch. Some of them a really quite bad. But the ones we show here are really awesome, high-value laptops. Something you wonder how the laptops manufacturers are able to build good laptops for such a low-price. Well… we’ll not complain about it and simply choose the one that fits the best your needs and you’ll have a great laptop.
1 – Asus Vivobook F510UA – 15″ HD
“Budget 15-inch: Ultra-Light with Vivid HD Display”
You really do get a lot with the Asus Vivobook F510UA. Let’s start by saying that you’ll have to compromise on the battery life and on the keyboard that is a bit shallow, but otherwise you really get a great budget laptop. First, it’s one of the lightest 15-inch you can find: at 3.7 pounds, you’ll hardly find lighter, even with more expensive products. And then, you get a vivid HD screen and loud speakers that makes it a perfect laptop to watch movies on the go. And you have the same performance you’d get with a more expensive 15-inch. So, while it’s not the cheapest of the budget laptops, it’s a great product by Asus. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
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| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Up to 5 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 3.7 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
2 – Acer Aspire R15 – 15″ HD Convertible
“Great Display & Loud Audio”
The Acer Aspire R15 is a budget 15-inch that has very little to envy to more expensive laptops. Sure, it’s not the lightest and doesn’t have an SSD drive, but otherwise you get a lot for your money. With a good-looking quality design, a gorgeous HD display and solid audio performance, it makes for a great multimedia laptop. The Acer R15 should definitely be on your list of the best budget 15-inch laptops.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.79″ / 5.29 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
3 – Acer Aspire 5 – 15″ HD
“Solid Budget 15-inch”
If you need a low-cost, no-frills 15-inch for basics tasks like web-surfing and office work, the Acer Aspire 5 is definitely a great option. This variant comes with more than enough power for those tasks, has a quality design and an attractive look. It’s everything you desire from a budget laptop, including a pretty decent display and audio for the price. You’ll hardly find a laptop with better value in this price range. If you want more power, go for the i5 version with a dedicated graphic card: it’s a bit more expensive, but still delivers a lot of value.
Pros
|
Cons
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| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | AMD Ryzen 3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB HDD ( rpm) |
| Battery life | Expect 7 to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.71″ / 3.97 lbs |
| Price Range | $ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
more powerful with Intel i5 + 8 GB RAM
4 – Dell Inspiron i5568 – 15″ HD Convertible
“Good Budget 2-in-1”
This is a classic Dell Inspiron. Good quality and good value with the classic Inspiron look. But this one different is a bit different since Dell made a slightly lighter version than the old ones, something we appreciate since the Inspiron line used to be quite bulky… And it’s even more important here since it’s a budget 2-in-1, so if you intend to use it in tablet mode, it’s really not the best if it’s too heavy… Overall it’s a pretty good low-cost product by Dell, but don’t expect too much performance with the i3 processor and 4 GB of RAM. It’s just enough to comfortably browse the web and do office work.
Pros
| Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 500 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Expect 6 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 4.58 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
more powerful: Intel i5 + 8 GB RAM
5 – Acer Aspire E5-575-33BM – 15″ HD
“Ultra-Low-Cost 15-inch”
The Acer Aspire E5-575-33BM is built on the same platform as many of its sibling and that one of the reasons Acer could keep its price low. It’s a solid, well-built laptop that is very popular. You get a solid frame, enough power for normal usage, a good HD screen and everything you need in a budget 15-inch. And it’s one of the 15-inch laptops with the longest battery life. A very fair offer by Acer.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) |
| Performance | Intel i3 with 4 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 1.2″ / 5.27 lbs |
| Price Range | $$ |
Recommended for you:
Top 5 Best Mid-Range 15-inch Laptop
Whatever what your needs are, you’ll find what you need in the mid-range 15-inch market. You really have everything here. From lightweight laptops to powerful gaming stations and great hybrids for watching movies.
This category has so many good choices – and also a few bad ones… – that it’s sometimes difficult to choose. No more with this list 😉
1 – Asus Vivobook X510UQ – 15″ HD
“Best Mid-Range: Powerful & Ultra-light”
The Asus Vivobook X510UQ is at this position because Acer managed to create an ultra-light and powerful 15-inch, at a mid-range price. That’s impressive! You still get a very good quality and solid notebook and more power than you probably need with the i7 processor and the dedicated graphic card. Add to that a vivid HD screen & crisp audio and you’ve got a great product!
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) with NVIDIA GT 940MX |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) |
| Battery life | Expect 5 to 6 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.76″ / 3.7 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
2 – Acer Aspire E5-576G-5762 – 15″ HD
“Low-Cost Gaming 15-inch”
With the Acer Aspire E5-576G-5762, Acer continues on a platform they’ve been using for a while, one they’ve been very successful with! That means you get a proven design at a low-price. Equipped with an i7 processor and 8 GB of RAM, you get more than enough power for heavy applications and it entry-level dedicated graphic card allows you to play games and to run graphic software smoothly. Really a laptop I strongly recommend.
Pros
|
Cons
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| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) with NVIDIA MX150 |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 15 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 1.19″ / 5.27 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
3 – Acer Aspire 7 – 15″ HD
“Powerful with Great Value”
The Acer Aspire 7 is really an incredibly powerful laptop, sold at a mid-range price. Good job Acer! You get an i7 processor and a top-of-the-line graphic card to play the latest games or to run CAD software without a glitch. The design is good & solid and, at a little over 5 pounds, it’s not the lightest but it’s still very acceptable. For that low-price, you have to sacrifice – a little – on the screen vividness and on the battery life, but it’s a small price to pay for the value you get. Read our full review.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) with NVIDIA GTX 1050 |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 or 1000 GB SSD or HDD |
| Battery life | Up to 7 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.94″ / 5.18 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
4 – Asus VivoBook Pro M580VD – 15″ HD
“Great for Graphic Designers”
This is another powerful yet affordable mid-range 15-inch. It’s a great choice for graphic designers that want to keep their budget low. The screen is quite bright & vivid and with its graphic card, you’ll be able to go through any 3D software or games without a problem. It’s not the lightest at 5.1 pounds, but it has a solid build. Also, the speakers are fairly loud, so it’s great for listening to music while working!
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) with NVIDIA GTX 1050 |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Expect 4 to 5 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 5.1 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
5 – Dell Inspiron i5577 – 15″ HD
“Powerful Graphic Card at Good Price”
This one is for you if you want an affordable 15-inch laptop with a very powerful graphic card. The Dell Inspiron i5577 has serious 3D power! And with its mid-range i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and ultra-fast SSD drive, it makes for a serious gaming laptop, at a great price. The screen could be brighter and it’s not light, but those are reasonable compromises to have that much graphic power without paying too much.
Pros
| Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) with NVIDIA GTX 1050 |
| Performance | Intel i5 with 8 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Expect 5 to 7 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 1″ / 5.45 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$ |
Recommended for you:
Top 5 Best High-End 15-inch Laptop
Here things are getting serious! The high-end 15-inch category has some incredible laptops.
If you have enough budget to purchase a high-end notebook, you’ll get a product that has a vibrant & colorful display, speakers loud enough to fill a room with rich & clear sound and a portable product that won’t feel like a 15-inch.
The competition is fierce in the premium 15-inch market, but not all laptop manufacturers manage to make a quality product to compete with the best. Let’s see who does it right!
1 – Dell XPS 15 – 15″ QHD
“Best 15-inch on the market”
The Dell XPS 15 is simply one of the best 15-inch laptops that money can buy. Period. You get absolutely everything you need, without compromise… but you will have to pay the price. First, the design is sleek and quite light, exactly what you want from a high-end laptop. Then, you get an incredible, bright and vivid 4k screen that competes with any other on the market. Also, you get everything else that’s needed from a comfortable keyboard to a responsive trackpad. This variant has enough power to handle anything, and I mean anything! If you don’t need as much power – few people do – go with the much cheaper i5 variant: you’ll get the same great 15-inch, at a more affordable price.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ QHD screen (3200 x 1800) with NVIDIA GTX 1050 |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 16 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 11 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.66″ / 4 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
less powerful, but cheaper: Intel i5 + 8 GB RAM
2 – Asus Zenbook Pro UX550VE – 15″ HD
“A Graphic Designer Dream”
Just look at this 15-inch laptop… It has an incredible, slim & solid design and so much power, you’ll never need more. With the Zenbook Pro UX550VE, Asus made sure they build a graphic designer dream, one that would easily compete with the Apple MacBook Pro. And it does! You get a colorful & vivid HD screen and so much power, ripping through images will be done in no time. With an i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM and an ultra-powerful graphic card, you won’t need more power, whatever what you’re doing with it.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD screen (1920 x 1080) with NVIDIA GTX 1050 |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 16 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 14 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.74″ / 4.3 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$$$ |
Other similar versions (prices may vary)
the older (and cheaper): Asus Zenbook Pro UX501VW
3 – Apple MacBook Pro 15 – 15″ QHD
“Classic Quality 15-inch”
This one needs no introduction. This is a classic 15-inch laptop that everyone has seen around. It’s not the one that delivers the most value because of its higher price, but otherwise it’s an all-around great laptop. It definitely has one of the best screens on the market, it’s powerful enough to go through any task and it has a solid, quality and classy design.
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.4″ QHD screen (2880 x 1800) |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 16 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours |
| OS | MacOS |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.61″ / 4 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$$ |
4 – HP Spectre X360 15t – 15″ QHD Convertible
“Premium Hybrid”
In the line of the rest of the Spectre line, The HP Spectre X360 15t is a high-quality 2-in-1 with a vivid and colorful QHD display. Whether you’re looking for a powerful laptop for graphic design or a great movie-watching machine, the Spectre X360 can do it all. It really has everything you’re looking for in a premium 15-inch, and more. One thing to note, if you’re a casual gamer it will also do the trick, but you might want to look for other laptops here that have a more high-end graphic card (the NVIDIA GeForce GT 940MX is good, but remains a mid-range GPU).
Pros
|
Cons
|
| Graphics | 15.6″ QHD touchscreen (3200 x 1800) with NVIDIA MX150 |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 16 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 11 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.7″ / 4.42 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$$ |
5 – Lenovo Yoga 720 – 15″ HD Convertible
“Ultra-Powerful with Well-Made Design”
The Yoga line of Lenovo is the pioneer of convertible laptop and it shows with this one. The design is classy, professional and well-built. And inside, you’ve got a beast! An i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD and a GTX 1050. You’ll run anything with that, and more! It’s a serious competitor in the high-end 15-inch niche and one you should definitely consider if you need performance.
| Graphics | 15.6″ HD touchscreen (1920 x 1080) with NVIDIA GTX 1050 |
| Performance | Intel i7 with 16 GB of RAM |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Thickness / Weight | 0.8″ / 4.4 lbs |
| Price Range | $$$$ |
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Erik is the owner and main editor of lptps.com. He has been working in computers and information technology for more than 20 years. He’s a business analyst, developer, and avid traveler.
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