A 17-inch laptop is too big to carry comfortably. A 15-inch laptop? The screen might be too small. But a 16-inch laptop? Well, it just might be the right size whether you’re Goldilocks or not, because it literally sits in the middle of the two. However, there’s more to 16-inch gaming laptops apart from being a good balance between medium and large.
Because once you see them in comparison to a 17-inch or 15-inch laptop, you’ll realize that they have a different screen ratio. Most of the time, 16-inch gaming laptops come with a 16:10 aspect ratio.
This makes 16-inch gaming laptops’ screens a bit more square compared to the typical 16:9 widescreens of 17 or 15-inchers. If this is not a dealbreaker for you, then you get to enjoy what this balanced computer has to offer. Besides, not all 16-inch gaming laptops have a 16:10 aspect ratio; some, like those from HP, managed just fine with widescreen.
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In any case, these laptops tend to be more unique than others since they’re often rarer compared to 15 or 17-inch gaming laptops. Moreover, they also tend to have good specifications, making them well-rounded. So if you’re in the market for 16-inch gaming laptops, these are your best options.
2021 Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
PROS
- RTX 3070 runs at max TDP
- WQXGA display
- Sleek design
- Good CPU for productivity
- Fairly light
- Reasonably-priced
CONS
- Storage could be better
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
- GPU / Graphics Card: Nvidia RTX 3070
- RAM / Memory: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: QHD/WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS 165Hz
Despite being a 2021 model, this is a good deal right here from Lenovo. It dips a bit in the high-end category, but it’s well worth it since this thing sports an RTX 3070 coupled with a QHD screen. Although, the QHD screen is unconventional since the aspect ratio is 16:10, as mentioned earlier.
Still, you’ll find this gaming laptop strong and capable on several fronts from CPU to RAM. Storage is a little small and will certainly run out faster than expected but it’s a small compromise for such a good machine.
And with Lenovo Legion, you can rest assured that they’re using the maximum TDP or wattage for the RTX 3070 mobile version, like they do with the whole lineup.
2021 Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
Acer Predator Triton 500 SE Gaming/Creator Laptop
PROS
- Top of the line laptop gaming hardware
- DDR5 RAM
- WQXGA resolution
- 240Hz refresh rate makes it good for eSports
- Metal chassis
- 32 GB of RAM
- Has cheaper versions
- Reasonably priced
- Comes with a bag and other bundles
CONS
- Still expensive without a sale
- CPU / Processor: Intel i9-12900H
- GPU / Graphics Card: Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti
- RAM / Memory: 32GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 1TB Gen
- Display: WQXGA (2560×1600) 240Hz G-SYNC
Some of you might be craving something higher-end. For a laptop, they can only go up to an RTX 3080 Ti sadly, any more powerful than that and the whole thing might fry itself during gaming.
Most laptops on this end of the spectrum usually come in 17-inch models or chassis due to their hardware and required cooling, but Acer managed the 16-inch chassis with its Predator Triton 500 SE. It’s advertised as a gaming/creator laptop for those whose main job involves multimedia.
This laptop is packed with top-of-the-line laptop hardware and you can’t really go higher. You’d expect it to cost nearly $4,000 but it’s actually in the sub $3,000 category since it’s Acer– even better, it was at sub $2,300 due to a holiday sale. So it’s pretty much a steal.
Acer Predator Triton 500 SE Gaming/Creator Laptop
Corsair Voyager a1600 Gaming Laptop
PROS
- Good QHD gaming hardware
- DDR5 RAM
- 240Hz refresh rate
- WQXGA resolution
- AMD hardware is good for battery life
- Minimalist font
- Cherry-MX switches for the keyboard
- Reasonably priced due to sale
CONS
- Early-adopter tech
- Somewhat thick
- Poor ray tracing performance
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS
- GPU / Graphics Card: AMD Radeon RX 6800M
- RAM / Memory: 16GB DDR5
- Storage: SSD
- Display: 2560×1600 240Hz
Corsair wanted a piece of the market, and this is their entry into the competition, the Corsair Voyager. It set sailed just recently in 2022, so there’s notably not much of a buzz regarding this laptop, but it seems they favor AMD hardware, which is good for conserving battery life.
Corsair is practically testing volatile waters here, so their pricing is more reasonable compared to others. They even equipped the laptop with some Cherry MX Ultra-Low profile key switches so you don’t have to worry about the keyboard’s durability; no need to use a separate keyboard.
As for the screen, it’s the same as other 16-inch laptops, sporting a WQXGA resolution, but with an eSports-worthy refresh rate. That’s not something you see every day at this price point.
Corsair Voyager a1600 Gaming Laptop
Acer Predator Triton 500 SE (RTX 3060 Edition)
PROS
- 12th Gen i7 processor despite the mid-range price
- 240Hz refresh rate
- WQXGA resolution
- DDR5 memory at this price point
- Metal chassis
CONS
- Storage could be better
- CPU / Processor: Intel i7-12700H
- GPU / Graphics Card: Nvidia RTX 3060
- RAM / Memory: 16GB DDR5
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: WQXGA 240Hz G-SYNC
Even gamers who prefer to stay in the mid-range bracket have something for them in the 16-inch category. It’s the Acer Predator Triton 500 SE again. But this one is the RTX 3060 version instead of the high-end one above.
Even so, it still sports a high-end CPU, which is a 12th Gen i7 processor; great for professionals on a budget. Most of the other specs are similar or identical, the resolution is also WQXGA and the RAM is surprisingly DDR5 as well, which is amazing for a sub-$1,400 laptop.
Overall, it’s a good deal, albeit on the more expensive spectrum of mid-range.
Acer Predator Triton 500 SE (RTX 3060 Edition)
2021 HP Victus 16.1"
PROS
- Cheap price
- Decent RAM for the price
- Budget ray tracing gaming
- Sleek HP Victus chassis
- Widescreen aspect ratio
CONS
- CPU is a little outdated
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i5-11400H
- GPU / Graphics Card: Nvidia RTX 3050
- RAM / Memory: 16GB RAM
- Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
- Display: FHD (1920 x 1080)
This is an outlier when it comes to 16-inch laptops, because despite the screen size, the aspect ratio is widescreen (16:9) instead of 16:10, at 1080p. Moreover, it’s on a huge sale right now and sits at the sub-$700 price point, what more could you ask for?
This is a budget laptop with 16GB of RAM and a dedicated (but budget) RTX graphics card. Mark our words, it’s going to go out of stock soon. The CPU is starting to go outdated, but at this price, you just can’t complain.
Try comparing it with other laptops in its price range and you’ll see just how much of a great deal this is, with some tolerable or negligible compromises.
2021 HP Victus 16.1"
Thoughts on 16:10 Aspect Ratio
A lot of you might have gotten used to widescreen and might be hesitant due to the 16:10 aspect ratio of most 16-inch laptops. However, if you didn’t have a side-by-side reference, you likely wouldn’t even notice that it’s a bit square. Besides, most video games these days have proper 16:10 support.
Some movies and videos might appear with black bars underneath them to fit the screen better, but that’s not much of an issue as long as you’re immersed in what you’re watching. Besides, due to their odd size, they typically go up on sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can a widescreen game or movie fit in a 16-inch screen?
Yes. The video player or video game itself will just adjust either with a resolution adjustment or horizontal black bars. -
Are 16-inch gaming laptops better than 15-inch?
Not necessarily. It depends on what you value more in a laptop. 15-inch laptops, for example, tend to be lighter and easier to transport.