In the fierce and ever-constant war between microprocessors, Intel and AMD have always traded blows with each new generation. Intel is always a reliable option for work especially if you have the budget for it as it tends to be more expensive. Likewise, Intel laptops are also more expensive compared to their AMD counterparts.
They’re still the most reliable choice for both gaming and work, though they are power hungry and hot.
If, however, you prefer to stick to Intel, then picking the best Intel laptops that represent Intel’s capabilities is a must if you’re in the market for a new computer. Just note that most of these are gaming laptops since they’re the ones equipped with the high-end Intel CPUs.
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Gigabyte AORUS 17 Gaming Notebook
PROS
- 17-inch screen
- 13th-gen i7 is great for both gaming and work
- QHD display
- 240 Hz refresh rate (viable for e-sports)
- Reasonably-priced
- Stylish touchpad
- Minimalist chassis
- 1080p webcam
CONS
- RTX 4070 is not much faster than an RTX 3070 Ti
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-13700H
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
- RAM / Memory: 16 GB 4800 MHz DDR5
- Storage: 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe
- Display: 17.3″ 2560 x 1440 at 240 Hz
For a good balance of specs, price, and power, you can’t go wrong with Gigabyte’s flagship option, the AORUS 17. This 17-inch contender has a rather stylish chassis and comes equipped with a 13th-gen i7 processor from Intel.
It’s not the best since there’s an i9, but if you’re not going to be using it for some heavy digital work where time is money, you don’t really need to go higher. Otherwise, you might need something more expensive like some of the following models below.
Gigabyte AORUS 17 Gaming Notebook
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 (16IRX8H)
PROS
- Top-of-the-line laptop specs
- 16-inch screen
- 5600 MHz RAM
- QHD display
- 240 Hz refresh rate
- Competitively-priced
- 1080p webcam
- Pretty bottom RGB lighting
- Generous RAM
CONS
- 16:10 aspect ratio
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i9-13900HX
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
- RAM / Memory: 32 GB 5600 MHz DDR5
- Storage: 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe
- Display: 16″ 2560 x 1600 at 240 Hz
Leave it to Lenovo to create some powerful laptop configurations at a reasonable price point. Here’s one of the most accessible and rational laptops equipped with a 13th-gen i9 and an RTX 4090. Both combinations will usually set you back $4,000 to $5,000 for any other brand.
So consider this one a steal at the sub-$3,200 price point at the time of writing. In any case, you get the best of the best; the Intel i9-13900HX is a beast for any task you set it against, even the most demanding work applications. It’s simply the best mainline laptop CPU right now.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 (16IRX8H)
Gigabyte AERO 16 OLED
PROS
- Comes with an i9
- Generous RAM
- Gorgeous OLED screen
- 16-inch display
- 4K resolution
- Minimalist and clean chassis
- Thin bezels
CONS
- Only 60Hz, not ideal for e-sports or multiplayer gaming
- OLED has burn-in issues
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i9-13900H
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
- RAM / Memory: 32 GB 4800 MHz DDR5
- Storage: 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe
- Display: 16″ 3840 x 2400 OLED Panel 60 Hz
You’re already rocking high-end specs, so you might as well crave for the best visuals a monitor can give you. For that matter, an OLED screen is the best choice. The Gigabyte AERO 16 OLED is quite hard to beat in terms of color accuracy and image quality. It’s also in 4K.
As such, this laptop is great for digital professionals, especially since it’s also equipped with an i9. For gaming, you might want to look someplace else, because despite the RTX 4070, the screen’s refresh rate is only 60Hz; right now, there are already 4K screens running at 120Hz in the market.
Gigabyte AERO 16 OLED
MSI Summit E16 Flip Evo Multi-Touch 2-in-1 Laptop
PROS
- Touchscreen
- QHD resolution
- 16-inch screen with 165 Hz refresh rate
- Generous RAM
- Generous storage
- 1080p webcam
CONS
- Expensive
- CPU could be a more robust model
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-1360P
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
- RAM / Memory: 32GB LPDDR5 4800 MHz
- Storage: 2 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe
- Display: 16″ 2560 x 1600 165 Hz Touchscreen
We’ve been throwing the words “digital professional” a lot, but none of the previous laptops cater to such careers as much as this MSI Summit E16 Flip Evo. The name’s surely a mouthful, but the specs are enough to impress most digital artists and media creators.
You can always opt to flip it upright on your desk so you can draw on it using a digital stylus. The QHD touchscreen display with a high refresh rate ought to make work flow smoothly. Be warned though, the CPU isn’t a heavy-duty gaming processor.
MSI Summit E16 Flip Evo Multi-Touch 2-in-1 Laptop
MSI Stealth 15 Laptop
PROS
- 5200 MHz RAM speed
- Comes with an i7
- Cheaper option with an i5
- Compact form factor
CONS
- 720p webcam
- i7 variant is a bit pricey
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-13620H
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
- RAM / Memory: 16GB DDR5 5200 MHz
- Storage: 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe
- Display: 15.6″ FHD 1920 x 1080 144 Hz IPS Display
From MSI again, here’s a good budget contender for those looking for laptops with the best Intel processors. It only comes with an RTX 4060, but it still has an i7 that’s perfectly capable of handling both heavy digital work and contemporary gaming.
The RAM is even stacked with a good speed, something you usually don’t see in mid-range or budget considerations. There’s also an option to go for an i5 if all you’ll be doing is gaming, no need to pressure yourself for the i7’s higher price.
