Watching movies on our laptops is more popular than ever before. Instead of venturing out to the cinema, we can watch our favourite film or Netflix series in the comfort of our own homes. With that said, we need a laptop that lets us enjoy our favourite show. Some laptops are better than others for streaming movies, and this article contains our best laptops for streaming movies. Without further ado, let’s get started!
Best Laptops for Watching and Streaming Movies
1. APPLE MACBOOK AIR
The MacBook Air has a Retina (2560 x 1600) display, which has excellent color vibrancy and accuracy. So if you want a laptop with the best display for watching movies, this laptop would be our choice.
Impressively, this high-quality display comes on a laptop that weighs less than 3lb and is only 0.5” thick. But don’t worry; the laptop still has an exceptional build quality.
The 8th Gen i5 dual-core processor, 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD gives a good performance, although you may require more storage. If so, you can invest in an external storage item. The lack of a graphics card will be important for serious gamers. But again, you can use the two Thunderbolt 3 ports to connect an external GPU for higher power.
To sum up, the Retina display makes this one of the best laptops for watching movies. If you value superior color accuracy and vibrancy, this is a worthwhile choice. The mid-range performance allows the laptop to run around 9-10 hours on battery power, which is slightly above average. The only disappointment is the lack of Type A ports, but you can always use a dongle if this is important to you.
2. HUAWEI MATEBOOK D
The Huawei MateBook D is Huawei’s version of the Macbook. It is one of the best laptops for watching movies and listening to music. The NVIDIA MX150 graphics card allows users to play basic games. Click here for our recommended Roblox laptops.
The laptop has 8th Generation Intel i7 quad-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256 GB SSD plus 1 TB HDD, which is enough storage if you want to save movies and shows to your laptop.
Although not as light as the Macbook Air, this laptop only weights 4lb and is under 0.5” thick. This design makes the laptop easy to carry around or balance on your lap in bed. You’ll get 8-9 hours of battery life from normal usage, meaning you’ll be able to watch at least two movies on full-charge.
The Matebook D has two USB 3.1 and a USB 2.0 port. Unfortunately, the laptop doesn’t have a thunderbolt 3 port or a backlit keyboard, so avoid this laptop if you need both of those.
To conclude, the Huawei MateBook D is a great all-rounder that provides value when you take into account the weight, battery, and impressive display. If you want a windows laptop or the Macbook is out of reach, the Matebook is a worthwhile choice.
3. ACER ASPIRE E15
The Acer Aspire E15 is a budget laptop for watching movies. In fact, you can use this laptop for a whole host of everyday tasks, like streaming Netflix and surfing the web.
Although the performance isn’t the best for heavy requirements, there aren’t many affordable laptops that have 8th Gen Intel i3 processor, 6GB RAM, and 1TB HDD. These stats are more than enough for everyday use and for watching films. The impressive storage is also enough to store a decent amount of media storage.
You also get a 15.6 full HD (1920 x 1080) display which is impressive, but colour accuracy and reproduction aren’t the best. Sound quality is average. Overall, display isn’t as good as the Macbook Air, but it is above average for a laptop in this price bracket.
You get two USB 2.0 port, two USB 3.0 ports, and one USB 3.1 port. Unlike other laptops in this review, you get a DVD drive, which makes this one of the best laptops for watching DVDs. The battery will survive for 8-9 hours from regular usage.
To sum up, the Acer Aspire E15 great has a range of features and build quality that isn’t found on other laptops in this price bracket. It is one of the best laptops for watching films, especially if you’re on a strict budget.
4. HP SPECTRE X360
With an innovative design, the HP Spectre x360 is our best convertible laptop for watching movies. This is mainly due to the laptops impressive 4K (3840 x 2160) display with superb color vibrancy. The addition of Bang & Olufsen speakers also means the sound quality is on par with the impressive display.
Unlike other laptops made from plastic, the Spectre X360 has an aluminium build and aesthetic appeal. With that said, the main feature of this laptop is undoubtedly the 360-degree hinge that allows you to transform the laptop into a tablet. You can also position the laptop in an inverted V position. This 360-degree screen hinge makes this the best 2-in-1 laptop for watching movies.
The laptop has an 8th Gen Intel i7 quad-core, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and NVIDIA MX150 graphics card. All of this comes together to create more than enough power for everyday use. The laptop has USB Type-C port, Thunderbolt 3 port, USB 3.1 port, audio jack port, microSD port, and switch to control the webcam on and off.
To sum up, this is an innovative laptop that that can be used in a number of different ways. The biggest benefit is that the laptop can be folded into a flat shape, which is ideal for watching films whilst lying down. The versatile laptop is powerful enough for excellent productivity while also being great for entertainment, which makes it ideal for those at university or college.
5. ACER CHROMEBOOK 14
If you would prefer to own a Chromebook, then is would be our best chromebook for watching movies. In fact, this is a popular and lightweight laptop for streaming on-the-go. Most notable is the 14” full HD (1920 x 1080) anti-glare IPS display. The IPS display allows for an improved visual from all angles, which is great for when you’re watching movies or surfing the web with friends. With that said, brightness could be better.
The Acer Chromebook 14 is built with an aluminium casing that creates a sturdy and long-lasting Chromebook. It weighs just 3.5lb and measures just over 0.5” thick. Impressively, this Chromebook can run for 12 hours on a full-charge. However, you’re more likely to get 9-10 hours of battery life when the Chromebook is put under hard work.
The Chromebook has an Intel Celeron N3160 quad-core processor, which can handle most daily tasks and movie streaming. The 2MB cache is great for speeding up tasks and giving your processor a break.
To conclude, this is a basic device for watching movies and carrying out daily tasks. It has an impressive IPS full HD display and long battery life. The only issue is the lack of Type-C port and the processor that won’t handle complicated tasks.
Conclusion
With so many laptops on the market today, it can be hard to know which one to pick. You will need to think about the processing power you require, whether you need a lightweight laptop for portability, and your own personal budget.
Each of the five laptops in this review has been chosen because they are among the best for their specific purpose. For example, the Acer Aspire E15 is the best budget laptop for streaming movies, whereas the MacBook Air has the best display.