When you’re looking for a new laptop it can be really overwhelming as there are just so many options nowadays.

A good computer salesperson will always ask you what you think your main usage of the laptop will be, and if you already know the answer to that is streaming videos then you’re already one step ahead.

This article will act as your definitive guide to purchasing the best laptop for you, with our top picks included below. 

Now a common mistake people make when they’re looking for a streaming laptop is that they overlook the importance of the processor.

You won’t need a gaming or editing level processor but depending on your choice of streaming platform or browser, your computer could struggle to handle the load of high-resolution video.  

Sites like youtube use very heavy compression so that 4K resolution videos don’t need the bandwidth or computing power that a raw 4K video would. If you use a browser like Chrome for all of your streaming then your processor won’t be the problem, it’ll be the amount of ram you have.

RAM essentially dictates how many programs you can have open and then the speed of switching between those programs. Google’s Chrome browser is actually terribly optimized for ram and can eat through a normal amount of gigs with 3 or 4 tabs open. 

The screen you get with the laptop will make a huge difference to your streaming experience. There are a few things we’re looking for here but mainly the resolution and the panel type.

The resolution dictates the definition of the image (HD, QHD, or 4K UHD), and the panel type defines the color reproduction/accuracy so for watching shows, videos, and movies the better the color reproduction the better the viewing experience.

We could also look at the aspect ratio as some laptops come in odd form factors but with most videos and shows using a 16:9 aspect ratio, we’ll set this as our standard. 

We’ve also evaluated the audio options that come with each laptop, the likelihood is you’ll be using some type of headphone/earphone to listen to your shows but if you don’t then we’ll be looking out for you. 

The last feature we’ll be looking at is the battery life and charging capabilities. The worst thing is when you’re halfway through a movie and you get that pesky ‘Low battery, please charge’ warning.

You want to make sure that the laptop can get through those rainy day binge sessions. If the battery itself can’t stand up to the test then a good charging cable will have to do.

We’ll also include a summarised buyer’s guide if you want to make sure you’re getting the best device for your streaming needs.

In a rush?

Has the new season of your favorite show just dropped on Netflix and you can’t wait to get your bing on?

No problem we’ve got our top pick for you right here and just a few reasons why we love it:

Gigabyte AERO 15 OLED 

This laptop includes all of the major features needed for a good streaming laptop and caps them out at the best possible offering.

  • Samsung OLED 4k 60Hz Screen.
  • 94Wh Battery.
  • RGB keyboard for easy typing in the dark.
  • Windows Hello fingerprint scanner.
  • 512GB SSD

Best Laptops For Streaming Videos – Reviews




1. Gigabyte AERO 15 OLED

Best Laptops For Streaming Videos Laptops Amazon‌ ‌

2. Lenovo Yoga C740-15.6″ FHD Touch

Best Laptops For Streaming Videos Laptops Amazon‌ ‌

Sale


Best Laptops For Streaming Videos Laptops
Lenovo Yoga C740-15.6″ FHD Touch – 10th gen i5-10210U – 12GB – 256GB SSD – Gray

  • Operating System: Windows 10 Home I Screen Size: 15.6 inches
  • System Memory (RAM): 12GB I Solid State Drive Capacity: 256GB
  • Processor: 1.6 gigahertz Intel 10th Generation Core i5-10210U
  • Graphics : Intel UHD Graphics 620 I Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
  • Basic software package included: 30-days trial of Microsoft Office

3. New Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip

Best Laptops For Streaming Videos Laptops Amazon‌ ‌

4. XIDU 12.5″ Tour Pro Touchscreen Laptop

Best Laptops For Streaming Videos Laptops Amazon‌ ‌


Best Laptops For Streaming Videos Laptops
XIDU 12.5″ Tour Pro Touchscreen Laptop with Backlit Keyboard | 2.5K(2560X1440) IPS | Fingerprint | Intel 3867U Processor | 8GB DDR3 128GB SSD | Win10 Home for On-The-Go (12.5 Gray SSD)

  • 💻💻Fullview Touch Display ——Feels larger than 12.5″ – thin Bezel at only 4.9mm, 85% screen-to-body ratio, 2.5K IPS (2560×1440) 10-point touchscreen, bring you different Multitasking function! With a full-size backlit keyboard, type as usual in dark.
  • 💻💻Premium & Stylish——The laptop has a slim metallic body with a 180-degree convertible hinge, only 0.6-inch thin and 2.65 pounds, making it both stylish and portable, perfect for at-home or on-the-go computing.
  • 💻💻Fast & Powerful—— Intel 8th Generation Celeron 3867U processor 8GB LPDDR3 128GB SSD storage offers you super-fast operation and a stable multitasking experience. Also, Windows 10 Home OS with no bloatware.
  • 💻💻One-Touch Power Button——Enable users to power on the notebook, finish identity authentication through Windows Hello, and access the desktop in less than 1 second.
  • 💻💻Comprehensive Connectivity—— Including USB Type-C (USB-C), USB 3.0, and a microSD card reader for hassle-free compatibility with current peripherals, displays, and projectors.

5. Acer Aspire 5 15.6″ FHD 1080P Laptop

Best Laptops For Streaming Videos Laptops Amazon‌ ‌


Best Laptops For Streaming Videos Laptops
2020 Newest Acer Aspire 5 15.6″ FHD 1080P Laptop Computer| AMD Ryzen 3 3200U up to 3.5 GHz(Beat i5-7200u)| 12GB RAM| 256GB SSD| Backlit Keyboard| WiFi| Bluetooth| HDMI| Windows 10| Laser USB Cable

  • 15.6 inches Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED backlit IPS Display; AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics
  • AMD Ryzen 3 3200U (2.60 GHz, up to 3.50 GHz with Turbo Boost, 4 MB Cache, 2 Cores ), 3-cell lithium-ion, up to 6 hours battery life mixed-use
  • RAM is upgraded to 12GB DDR4 memory for multitasking Adequate high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once
  • Hard Drive is upgraded to 256GB SSD provides massive storage space for huge files, so that you can store important digital data and work your way through it with ease. Enhance the overall performance of the laptop for business, student, daily usage
  • 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Port, 2 USB 2.0 Ports & 1 HDMI Port with HDCP support,802.11ac Wi-Fi; Backlit Keyboard; Up to 7.5 Hours Battery Life,Windows 10 in S mode. Maximum Power Supply Wattage 65 W Laser USB External Cable

Best Laptops For Streaming Videos Buyer’s Guide

We’ve mostly gone through what you need to know when looking for a streaming laptop but we’ve also added some minimum specs for you to see what you should be looking for at the very minimum. 

  • At least 1080p Screen resolution.
  • IPS or OLED Panel type.
  • 8-16GB of RAM.
  • SSD storage for quick boot ups.
  • Minimum of 7 hour battery life.
  • Bluetooth and 1/8th inch jack for audio.
  • Intel i3 or Ryzen 3 Processor. 

As long as your new laptop meets these specifications as a bare minimum then you should have a great streaming experience.

You won’t experience stuttering, buffering, waiting to open browsers/apps or the dreaded loading icon (as long as your internet can keep up).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I not stream videos on a 720p monitor? 

Of course, you can, videos can be streamed on any screen all the way down to 144p, however, most videos are a minimum of 1080p (FHD).

So streaming that content on a lesser monitor means you’re willingly leaving out certain parts of your favorite show.

Imagine a sensor bar covering the middle of your screen, this is effectively the same but that censor bar is evenly distributed across the whole video.