If you are looking for a laptop for web browsing, watching YouTube or Netflix, enjoying your favourite streamers on Twitch, or performing some light video editing, you won’t require much power.
We will go through the essential requirements to take into account for your ideal Netflix experience and everyday computing tasks. I recommend spending a little bit more to get better speakers, a faster processor, a decent screen, etc.
You might regret it if you decide to buy a less costly laptop to save a few hundred dollars. Imagine being unable to see anything while viewing your favourite Netflix show on a cheap laptop.
To create a list of the best laptops for frequent use and convenience, we spent hours reviewing the best laptops for you.
Review of the Best Laptops for Media Consumption
Here are the top options to look for:
1. Apple MacBook Pro – Overall Best Pick
The 13-inch MacBook Pro’s 2022 upgrade adds a significant silicon deal for power users to the reliable MacBook.
It is the first product featuring Apple’s new M2 processor to hit the market. It’s a sleek and functional laptop that can compete with the finest in the ultraportable market, in traditional Apple style.
However, other than the updated chip, the design might be viewed as safe and conservative. Although the new CPU may provide improved performance, the remainder of the MacBook Pro is essentially unchanged.
The exterior of Apple’s MacBook is very recognizable; as was already reported, it largely resembles the model the company unveiled in 2016.
The aluminium chassis has a gorgeous design and is available in either Space Gray or a brilliant silver finish.
Yet the overall package measures an amazing 0.61 by 12 by 8.4 inches (HWD) and weighs under 3 pounds. The MacBook Pro will probably turn out to be the best initial implementation of the M2 processor.
The MacBook Pro employs fans to keep things cool, which allows it to retain better peak performance while under load.
It also receives a bigger battery, which according to Apple will give it two more hours of life. There isn’t much to discuss regarding the 13-inch MacBook Pro’s connectors.
The laptop contains two oval Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C connectors for data connectivity. One of those connectors also serves as the laptop’s charging port. On the left edge, both are.
On the other edge, there is only one other wired connector, a 3.5mm headphone port. The 13-inch MacBook Pro will only support one external display, which must have a resolution of up to 6K like the Apple Pro Display XDR monitor.
If you wish to run two or three external screens at any resolution, you must upgrade to a 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro.
The Magic Keyboard has a comfortable, sturdy typing sensation thanks to the scissor-switch mechanical stabilizers that are located beneath each key.
It combines the slimness of a membrane dome switch with this. Even though the Force Touch trackpad’s enormous size is no longer exceptional, it is still roomy.
The display and audio features on the MacBook Pro 13 are identical to those on earlier models, as is the rest of the design.
That’s fantastic because it means that text will be clear and videos will be clear because the Retina display offers accurate colour reproduction and high brightness.
It also boasts Apple’s True Tone colour improvement, which uses sophisticated brightness and colour adjustments to make the display look its best in a variety of challenging lighting conditions.
Furthermore, the audio quality is extremely impressive, with dual speakers offering excellent dynamic range.
Additionally, the system supports Dolby Atmos and other spatial audio formats if you would rather listen through headphones.
However, the webcam keeps its 720p resolution from older Mac laptops. It’s a real disappointment to see the MacBook Pro sticking with a decidedly non-Pro camera, especially at a time when webcams are being used more frequently.
The replacement of the original Apple Silicon M1 microprocessor with the new M2 processor represents the major modification to the MacBook Pro 13.
On paper, that seems like a gain because the M2 version has more transistors, is supported by greater memory bandwidth, and supports more RAM and higher GPU capabilities than the original M1.
Apple now provides a variety of configurations for the new 13-inch MacBook Pro. Our review device has 8 GB of RAM and a storage space of 256GB SSD.
The MacBook Pro’s battery life was an amazing 21 hours and 55 minutes.
However, the MacBook Pro 13-inch is a fantastic option if you want a device that you can use all day without needing to plug it in.
2. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 – Best Value Laptop for Watching Media
The IdeaPad Flex 5’s design isn’t particularly striking or original, but it’s certainly not awful. It has a fashionable appearance thanks to the inlaid Lenovo logo in the top-right corner and the charcoal grey metal front finish.
When you first open the laptop, a 14-inch display with respectably small bezels welcomes you.
There is a convenient slider close to the webcam, which is located in the middle of the top bezel that opens the actual webcam cover.
The deck features a pleasant soft-touch plastic texture that makes typing on it a pleasure. Between two speakers that are put in front is where the keyboard is located.
This Lenovo laptop now has an improved configuration. It was designed with a PCIe drive to store the files and features, and it is a portable laptop.
It allows you to successfully connect to wireless peripherals. Thanks to the visuals and AMD processor, you may play the online game without any lag.
It contains 16GB of DDR4 memory, a 256GB SSD, and AMD Ryzen processors. Windows 64-bit is already installed.
The Lenovo laptop’s 14-inch display has a 1920 x 1080 resolution. It has AMD Radeon Graphics built-in.
Also, it has a backlit keyboard, Bluetooth, SD card reader, fingerprint reader, Olufsen & Bang Audio for listening to music, and strong Wi-Fi.
It also has an optical drive. Along with HDMI, a microphone/headphone combo, and a card reader, it has different USB ports kinds.
The weight of this Lenovo laptop is 3.63 kg. Because of its portability, users may easily utilize this laptop anywhere.
The mousepad on this laptop is not very good, despite the lengthy battery life. The performance is effective and efficient when compared to other laptops used for watching movies and other media.
Due to its unique features and efficient functioning, this laptop is well known.
This Lenovo laptop is a fantastic choice for novices. The most enticing and lovely part of this laptop is its exterior.
The digital pen is another special function that it offers that other laptops do not.
3. Dell Inspiron 15 – Great Laptop for Watching Movies and YouTube
The ideal computer for busy professionals and everyday use is the Dell Inspiron 15 3450. It is light enough to carry wherever you go, powerful enough to do all of your duties with ease, and portable.
This laptop comes equipped with a Radeon Vega 8 graphics card, 1TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM to help you remain on top of your work. Additionally, the English keyboard and white hue give it a polished, businesslike appearance.
Dell uses a thin, matte-black chassis with plastic parts that have been roughened.
Regarding the construction quality, there are no flaws. There is, nevertheless, an opportunity for improvement in terms of rigidity and robustness.
The chassis gives way when put under strain, and both the base unit and the lid are excessively vulnerable to corner twisting. The battery is now fixed. After removing the bottom plate, the components are accessible.
The Dell device lacks a USB type-C port while having three USB-A ports—two USB 3.2 gen 1 and one USB 2.0 in total. To connect an external display, utilize HDMI.
The non-backlit chiclet keyboard’s flat, roughened keys have a shallow travel distance and a clear actuation point.
Overall, the feedback is good; however, it could have been a little bit sharper. While typing, the keyboard gently sags; this effect is more noticeable in the middle than at the bottom.
Despite having other impressive hardware features, the performance of its graphics card is far from satisfactory.
Yes, you won’t run into any issues if you simply use it for note-taking, surfing, document, and photo editing, and playing media.
There won’t be any issues with the Radeon Vega Mobile doing those jobs. But you shouldn’t ask too much of it. Overall, Dell produced a keyboard that is appropriate for daily usage.
The mouse is replaced by a multitouch ClickPad (10.5 x 8 cm / 4.13 x 3.15 in) with a smooth surface and good gliding qualities.
Inputs are processed to the corners. The pad has a clear activation point and shallow travel.
On its 15.6′′ FHD anti-glare display, the Dell provides sharp visuals and excellent battery life. A full charge can last for roughly 7 hours of light to moderate use. It is entirely up to you and your needs whether you find it acceptable.
Be aware that the average battery life for laptops in this price range is 6 to 8 hours viewing angles.
Working on this laptop in direct sunlight is not advised. Additionally, highly illuminated areas will make it difficult for you to concentrate on your work.
4. Lenovo Yoga 730 – Large Screen and Sleek Design
The Lenovo Yoga 730 offers a decent balance of cost, performance, portability, and durability. Here is a reliable, portable tool that makes it easy for you to carry out your regular tasks.
It is still a fantastic price even though the battery life and acoustics could be better. There are two sizes available for the Lenovo Yoga 730: 15.6 inches and 13 inches.
Both sizes of this laptop are made with the power user in mind and have discrete graphics, pen input, and generally high-level specs, including, of course, the Yoga range’s iconic 360-degree rotating screen.
The 15-inch Lenovo Yoga 730 is a well-built piece of equipment with a sturdy aluminium frame.
It sports an Intel Core i5-8250U display size of 15.6-inch with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 touch screen and graphics Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050.
It is also equipped with 8GB of RAM and a storage space of 256GB SSD. However, it is a substantial and heavy system. The chassis needed to support the 15.6-inch screen is 360 mm by 249 mm by 17.15 mm and weighs 1.98 kg.
You will need a sizable bag or backpack to carry around that much stuff daily.
The Yoga 730 was created with flexibility in mind, and as the name implies, the hinge rotates a complete 360 degrees, enabling the laptop, tent presentation, and tablet modes that are so commonplace today.
There isn’t a key lockout mechanism like the one in Lenovo’s expensive ThinkPad X1 Yoga. Since the lockdown technique protects keys when a laptop is utilized as a tablet, it is a smart idea.
This is less crucial with a big, heavy machine like this than it is with a smaller one because few people will want to hold a nearly 2-kg laptop in their hands for a long time, and it’s more likely that people will use a 15-inch Yoga 730 tablet on a desk to work.
However, the keys are visible when using a tablet in tablet mode and putting the keyboard on your knees.
Both of the variants’ touchscreens are touch-responsive, and both come with a Lenovo Active Pen 2.
The pen can withstand 4,096 different pressures. Lenovo has previously failed to figure out how to connect a stylus to its computers; as a result, it offers a plastic dongle that uses a USB 3.0 connector.
In addition to making the USB port useless, this also blocks other ports.
There are two USB 3.0 ports one on each side and when the pen is connected to one of them, all other ports on that edge become inaccessible.
The keyboard isn’t quite as enjoyable to use as the top-tier ThinkPad X1s.
When typing, very little sound is produced, and the keys feel much less responsive and pressed further.
All of this is unproblematic, though, and I was able to touch-type swiftly.
As there is no TrackPoint in this scenario, there are no hardware buttons above the trackpad. The two-level backlight can be adjusted.
A fingerprint reader is located on the wrist rest, and there are plenty of ports around the left and right corners.
On the left edge are the rectangular charging connector, USB 3.0 port, and 3.5mm headset jack.
And on the right edge, there is a full-size HDMI port, a second USB 3.0 port, and a USB-C connector with Thunderbolt.
Lenovo estimates that the battery life of the Yoga 730 will be up to 11 hours with an FHD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) display.
The Lenovo Yoga 730 is a good laptop. With discrete graphics, a touch-screen, a high-definition display, the integrated Active Pen 2, and a 360-degree hinge, it tempts artists.
5. Asus Vivobook – Best Budget Laptop for Media
It could be challenging to find a great laptop on a limited budget that does not feel like a bad compromise, though.
The new Asus Vivobook Flip makes selecting a budget laptop a little easier. The Vivobook Flip is one of Asus’ affordable Vivobooks, and it has plenty to offer everyone.
It is a lightweight, 2-in-1 convertible with a dependable Ryzen CPU and a touchscreen display that supports a stylus.
The Vivobook Flip appears to provide greater value than industry heavyweights like the Lenovo Yoga 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop due to its ultrabook-grade specifications.
This year’s Vivobook Flip is available with both AMD and Intel CPUs, however, only the AMD versions are included below.
Although this model has the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, there is also a Ryzen 7 5700U model available. Both have soldered-to-the-board, non-upgradable 8GB RAM and integrated Radeon graphics with 512GB VRAM.
The device comes with a single storage slot, a 512GB M.2 SSD that can be upgraded for a larger capacity, an integrated webcam, a backlit keyboard, and a stylus that is already included.
Additionally, it works with Windows 11. The 2-in-1 form factor makes this even more appealing.
The screen can pivot 360 degrees on the hinges on either side, converting the device into a tablet that is ideal for drawing and taking handwritten notes.
To be honest, not everyone needs a laptop with the most attractive display. This is fine if you are intending to use it largely for Microsoft Office or online browsing.
At this low price point, the included touchscreen and stylus give significantly more value to the laptop than HDR certification or good colour accuracy.
The touch accuracy is very good. However, it would have been lovely if it had been a little brighter.
In comparison to many laptops that have subpar 2W speakers, the Vivobook Flip 14’s speakers are rather powerful and fill the room with great sounds.
The audio quality is just fantastic. Despite its low price, the Vivobook Flip 14 is not a poorly made product. In reality, it has the identical look to the Vivobook Flip 14 from the previous year.
The Vivobook logo is carved in grey on the lid of the stylish laptop, which has a black finish.
Except for a darker shade of black on the display bezels and a lemon yellow colour-blocked Enter key, the colour scheme is consistent across the body.
Its style simply sticks out among the shiny grey finishes present in the majority of laptops at this price point.
On top of the screen are an integrated webcam and a lighted keyboard with a sizable touchpad. With an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and a 256GB SSD, the Flip 14 is essentially the same notebook that it was a year ago.
The Vivobook Flip 14’s keyboard is its best feature. A colour-blocked enter key and three degrees of keyboard backlighting give it a stunning appearance. Just that any oil stains on the keys will be challenging to remove.
The keys themselves are sensitive and springy, making them ideal for typing both brief emails and lengthy essays. The trackpad is sufficient for everyday use. Its highly responsive fingerprint scanner is located in the upper right corner.
Additionally, it enables the precise motions that are essential to making Windows 10 even more enjoyable to use.
Thanks to its depressed-crater-like shape, it won’t obstruct typing. However, this too gets many stains, much like the keyboard.
Although the Vivobook Flip 14 may not have as many ports and connectors as higher-end creative laptops, Asus has kindly provided one USB 3.2 Type-C port and one Type-A port for each USB 2.0 and USB 3.2.
A microSD card reader, HDMI 1.4, and a 3.5mm audio connection are also included.
It also supports Wi-Fi 6, so if you have a router that supports it, you can take advantage of the faster speeds and lower latency.
The Vivobook Flip 14’s battery is recharged with a 65W barrel-pin charger, which also enables additional USB PD charging.
In performance mode, you can use the device for around 3.5 hours, but Whisper mode significantly increases that time to well over 5 hours.
If you remember to switch between the performance profiles depending on the task you’re going to conduct, you can easily prolong the battery life to approximately 8 hours, which is reasonable for a basic 2-in-1 laptop.
How to Pick the Best Laptop for Watching Media
The popularity of laptops has grown in both the personal and professional sectors.
Laptops provide many advantages. They are sufficiently thin and portable.
There are countless options for the wide range of requirements and use cases, and choosing the best laptop can be a difficult task.
Our laptop-buying guide will help you make an informed, intelligent purchase decision whether you need to buy one or several computers for personal or corporate use.
1. Display
The resolution and screen size plays a key role in the laptop display. The screen size options available to modern laptop buyers range from 11.6 inches to 17.3 inches.
However, a larger laptop display is not necessarily superior for a variety of reasons. The larger screen entails a heavier screen.
To work as a video editor, architect, graphic designer, or engineer, they might need a bigger screen.
2. Processor
If the laptop’s processor is stronger and faster, the user will be able to work more on it and do it efficiently and effectively. Even though the CPU is strong, that doesn’t necessarily indicate you picked the best laptop.
3. Battery’s life
If you are looking for a laptop to watch media, then you’ll have to focus on the battery life. Look for a laptop that comes with at least 5 to 7 hours of battery life.
4. Memory
Laptop consumers frequently misunderstand storage and RAM. Your laptop will run faster if you add more RAM, but doing so will cost you more money.
5. Built Quality
Some laptops may be composed completely of cheap plastic and may appear to be rather unsteady. Aluminium cases or high-quality materials are both options for luxury laptops.
6. Keypad
Although the keyboard is not a high priority, it can be a good idea to choose a laptop with a good keyboard if you want a comfortable writing experience.
7. Speaker’s quality
Speakers with amazing sound quality are very important as well, if you are after extremely high-quality audio, we advise investing in a good set of headphones.
8. Weight
Laptop transportability is also a very important factor while purchasing a laptop; you need to be sure that the laptop should be portable to take it anywhere you want.
Final Verdict
The conclusion from the discussion above is that consumers have a variety of options when choosing the finest laptop for watching media.
We have covered a wide range of laptops in this post, along with their features. Each laptop is distinct and has its features.
You can pick any laptop from the above list, we are very much sure that whatever your choice it will do a great job for you.