7 Best i7 Laptops in 2022 — Business, Gaming, and Budget (16Gb RAM)

With so many Core i7 laptops on the market, the choice is tricky. Our experts picked the 7 best models for business and games money can buy in 2021.

Table of Contents

When buying a laptop, the hardest part is figuring out which processor is the best for your needs. The Intel Core i7 processor is what you need if you’re looking for a powerful laptop but you are not ready to invest in the newest (Core i9) = most expensive machines. And we completely agree with you, since Core i7 are monsters capable of handling most performance demanding programs. It is still one of the best solutions for professional and gaming purposes. 

Looking ahead, I’ll say that our top pick is Dell XPS 15 9500 (look for a detailed review) but it can’t be one winner, as Core i7 laptops have wide capabilities that suit different tasks and budgets.

👆 Note: not all Core i7 guarantee high performance!

Some Core i7 laptops may be less powerful than Core i5 laptops. For example, the i5 H-series is more productive than the i7 U-series. It is just because U-series processors are energy-saving and it is wrong to compare them with high-performance H-series processors. So, if you’re looking for a powerful Core i7, go for H- and K-series, which are real killers.

💡 Tip: you can determine the required type of processor at a glance — the hint is in the name (read further in the article). 

There are too many Core i7 processor modifications, each offering different benefits, so be sure to prioritize. It is important to take into account such characteristics as a number of cores, a number of hyper threads, clock frequency, turbo acceleration, cache, TDP (Thermal Design Power) — but this information can be difficult to find and analyze. For example, if you choose an energy-efficient modification, you are sacrificing performance. A high-performance series increases the load on the battery. But is it so important and how strong are the ‘’victims’’? Be clear about your tasks to avoid compromises and look at our top list of Core i7 Laptops to find your best one.

Our Picks — 7 Best Laptops to reach Core i7 full potential

We’ve picked the 7 best Core i7 laptops for different requirements and modes of operation. Doubtlessly, having only a Core i7 Processor does not make a laptop super productive. The bottleneck could be RAM, storage, and many other specs. Our list is compiled with the features and price range under consideration. We are sure that you find your perfect laptop on the list.

Best Overall Laptop with Core i7: Dell XPS 15 9500 

Dell XPS 15 9500
Source: dell.com

Specifications

CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H (12MB Cache, up to 5.0 GHz, 6 cores)
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB GDDR6
RAM: 16GB DDR4-2933MHz, 2x8G (upgradable) 
Screen: 15-inch, Touch 16:10 UHD+ (3840×2400)
Storage: 1TB SSD
Weight: 4.0 pounds (1.8 kg)

Expert’s brief

The 2020 Dell XPS 15 is our top pick among premium Intel Core i7 laptops. This fast-performance laptop can easily replace a desktop as it is equipped with the most powerful Core i7 processor on our list. Its display is incredible: the highest resolution minimal-bezel 4K UHD+ with the most realistic color reproduction. The touchpad is the largest among Windows laptops (it’ll be hard to return to regular size). Dell XPS 15 has one of the longest battery life yet the slimmest case and lightweight. And of course, its eye-catching design is extraordinarily good.

Winner features:

  • Top performance CPU in our list — Core i7-10750H
  • The highest resolution touch display UHD+ (3840×2400 pixels)
  • The slimmest form factor 0.59 inch (15mm)
  • Large touchpad (the biggest one on Windows laptops)
  • Studio quality speakers (most laptops doesn’t sound good)
  • Elegant, eye-catching design
  • Windows hello facial recognition
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • 13 hours battery life (one of the best results among such powerful laptops)

New Dell XPS 15 has the most powerful processor on our list, dedicated ultra-fast graphics from Nvidia GeForce GTX, and an amazing display. That makes this laptop perfect for everyone: designing, video editing, and even gaming. The killer feature is its stunning minimal-bezel UHD+ touch display — a godsend for photo editing. It has the most realistic, lifelike, and accurate color reproduction without distortion, over 16 million colors that are 40 times brighter than before. So the display is even better than in the MacBook Pro 16-inch.

Lightweight 4.0 pounds (that is over 1 pound lighter most i7 laptops) and 13 hours of battery life (twice the average laptop battery life of 5-8 hours). Slimmest form factor 0.59 inch (15mm) that is slimmer than MacBook Pro 16, besides Dell XPS 15 is even a bit lighter. So it’s not for nothing that it’s called the MacBook Pro killer among Windows machines.

Verdict: It’s a premium top-notch powerful laptop with a beautiful design. Top performance CPU and dedicated video card will fit both business users and even gamers. Best touch display with the most realistic color reproduction and highest resolution — ideal for content creation. 13 hours battery life and the slimmest form factor — is the best result for such a powerful laptop. Dell XPS 15 is our top pick for core i7 laptops as it meets the needs of almost every user: designers, content creators, businessmen, and students. The only exception is gamers who play the most resource-demanding games, they will need more powerful video card like in our top gaming model ASUS ROG Strix.

Best deals (price for Dell XPS 15 9500):

Dell XPS 15 9500

Best Gaming Laptop with Core i7: ASUS ROG Strix G15 G512LW with 16Gb RAM 1TB SSD

ASUS ROG Strix G15 G512LW 
Source: pinterest.com

Specifications

CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H (12MB Cache, up to 5.0 GHz, 6 cores)
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (8GB GDDR6 with ROG Boost)
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Screen: 15.6-inch 240Hz 3ms FHD IPS 
Storage: 1TB SSD
Weight: 5.3 pounds (2.4 kg)

Expert’s brief

The most powerful in our list Core i7 processor and top video card GeForce RTX, the highest refresh rate screen (240hz), the largest 1TB SSD — it’s all you need for gaming. And it’s also a great tool for graphic designers and video editors whose requirements almost completely overlap with those of gamers.

Winner features:

  • GeForce RTX 2070 — the most powerful video card on our list (allows to play the newest games at highest settings)
  • 240 Hz 3ms display — the highest refresh rate in our list (allows the screen to keep up with the rapid movements in the game)
  • No-throttling ROG Intelligent Cooling system 
  • Eye-catching design with backlit of the keyboard, front line, and logo
  • The largest 1 TB SSD 

ASUS ROG Strix is our top pick for gamers. Whereas the prev model we reviewed, Dell XPS 15 comes with the GeForce GTX 1650 Ti and 60 Hz display (that could be not enough for games), the Asus ROG Strix comes with the most powerful on our list GeForce RTX 2070, and the fastest 240 Hz/3ms refresh rate IPS display

This combination will provide high FPS which gives an advantage in games: a user with a higher FPS can perform better and react faster than a user with a lower FPS. FPS is the rate at which the system (in particular the video card) renders frames, and Hz is the rate at which the display shows those frames on the screen. You’ll get smooth and realistic movements and a detailed rendering of the scene. 

Сooling is undoubtedly essential for such a powerful gaming laptop. And ASUS ROG Strix is doing great. It provides excellent performance at decent temperatures and no throttling thanks to ROG Intelligent Cooling thermal system — liquid metal for its CPU over the traditional thermal paste. 

Verdict: You’ll love its power, high refresh rate display, expandable RAM, and huge 1TB storage but fans could be loud. It is heavier and bigger than our top pick Dell XPS 15 but we sure that this is an acceptable sacrifice for increasing game power.

Consumer Reviews of ASUS ROG Strix G15:

5.0 out of 5 stars

Powerful Laptop

Bought this as gaming laptop and it is powerful. I have yet to find a game that would slow it down. With the RTX 2070 and the 240hz screen, everything looks great. From Minecraft (Beta) in RTX to Rust, everything has worked well.

It has a lot of options/settings, but out of the box it is pretty simple to use. It only had to update a few drivers after I downloaded a few games from my Steam and my Xbox Anywhere libraries.

I am planning on expanding the RAM and storage in future, since this laptop has room for another RAM module and 2 more NVMe modules as my library expands and more games take advantage of the RTX GPU.

ASUS even offers to extend the warranty 90 days for only sharing this review.

Reviewed by planefred1 in the United States

Best deals (price for ASUS ROG Strix G15):

ASUS ROG Strix G15

Best Gaming Runner-up: Acer Predator Helios 300 with i7 Processor and 16Gb RAM

Acer Predator Helios 300 Source: acer.com

Specifications

CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H (12MB Cache, up to 5.0 GHz, 6 cores)
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6 VRAM)
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Screen: 15.6-inch 144Hz 3ms Full HD IPS
Storage: 512 GB SSD
Weight: 5.3 pounds (2.3 kg)

Expert’s brief:

Simply put — you won’t find another Core i7 laptop that provides such a high-level performance in this price range (it’s 20-30% cheaper than most gaming i7 laptops). Expected cons: it is heavy and the battery life isn’t perfect, what is more than compensated by its affordable cost and great performance as per its cost

Winner features:

  • Great gaming performance
  • Speedy 144Hz display
  • Upgradability
  • Best value for the price

Acer Predator Helios 300 is our gaming runner-up laptop. It has absolutely killer specs and is one of the most complete gaming laptops at its price. You can save over $300 (compared to our best gaming ASUS ROG Strix laptop). But be ready to lose up to 20-30% of productivity in games due to video card GeForce RTX 2060 instead of 2070 in ASUS ROG Strix. It will mainly affect FPS — considering that all effects are applied and rendered in real-time. You also have a 144Hz 3ms refresh rate display that is a bit lower than in our top model but still is great, not just good, for games.

A quick look over the other specs shows that there is a highly productive Intel Core i7-10750H (same as in our top gaming ASUS ROG Strix) with 6 cores that reach 5 GHz when we need to add extra power, 16 GB RAM, and 512 GB SSD storage (upgradeable). 

Acer Predator Helios 300 curious features are Turbo button and PredatorSense Key which allow you to manually activate TurboBoost and access all the main functions: fans control, CPU overclocking, keyboard backlighting. You can control it with a mobile app, so you don’t need to pause the game to activate fans, isn’t it cool? 

Verdict: Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH315-53-72XD) is the best gaming Core i7 laptop up to $1500 unless you’re looking for something more portable and longer battery life.

Best deals (price for Acer Predator Helios 300):

Acer Predator Helios 300

Best Business Laptop with Core i7: Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
Source: apple.com

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7
Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with GDDR6 VRAM
RAM: 16GB
Screen: 16-inch Retina Display 
Storage: 512 GB SSD
Weight: 4.3 pounds (2.0 kg)

Expert’s brief

The most powerful MacBook among Core i7 laptops from Apple. 
macOS — the most reliable and user-friendly OS with the best sync between devices. Large Retina screen — ideal for business and heavy editing work. 10 hours battery life and the quickest charging (up to 75% in 1 hour and up to 100% in 1,5 hours). Finally, a good keyboard (new and improved)! 

Winner features:

  • macOS — the most reliable and user-friendly OS
  • Desktop power in a laptop’s body (the most powerful Apple laptop)
  • Excellent 16-inch display with True Tone (one of the most precise color-reflection)
  • Long 10 hours battery life, and the quickest charging 1-1,5 hour
  • New and improved keyboard
  • Excellent speakers

When we talk about the best i7 business laptops we really can’t skip the MacBook Pro 16. It is the most powerful and the largest among Core i7 MacBooks. You’ll love it as it is ideal for use as a business computer for everything from research and writing to designing and video editing. 

The main feature of any Apple laptop is macOS. It is worth noting that Windows laptops are actively developing and are a huge competitor to Apple laptops. MacBooks are no longer the lightest and thinnest, Windows offers more power for less money, even the autonomy of some Windows laptops shows better results. Today the operating system plays the main role. macOS is the simplest for users, reliable, and provides the most convenient synchronization of all devices with each other — the Apple ecosystem.

Verdict: If you want a business laptop with macOS look no further. MacBook Pro 16 is much better than its predecessor. Greatest performance among Apple laptops, 10 hours battery life, and slim form factor, large stunning display — there isn’t much to improve. The price is above the market but you won’t have to update it for a great couple of years, so it will actually save money. But if you wish for a bigger screen and longer battery life you’ll like our next pick (though it is a Windows machine).

Best deals (price for Apple MacBook Pro 16):

Apple MacBook Pro 16

Best Battery Life Lightweight Core i7 Laptop: LG Gram 17

LG Gram 17 (17Z90N 2020) Source: lg.com

Specifications

CPU: Intel 10th Generation i7-1065G7 CPU 
Graphics: Integrated 128MB Intel Iris Plus Graphics
RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM
Screen: 17-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS Screen
Storage: 1TB SSD (512GB option available)
Weight: 2.98 pounds (1.35 kg)

Expert’s brief

The premium ultraportable LG Gram 17 is unmatched among 17-inch laptops when it comes to its sleek and lightweight design. You’ll get a 17-inch display in a 15-inch case with a battery that beats a 13-inch laptop’s battery. This is the best large ultrabook for anyone who works on the go…. unless you’re a gamer as you won’t have dedicated graphics onboard.

Winner features:

  • Outstanding battery life up to 17 h
  • Smallest size and weight for a 17-inch laptop
  • Excellent 16:10 “2K” display
  • Good port selection
  • Improved keyboard

LG Gram 17 is incredibly light (under 3 pounds) with long battery life (up to 17 hours) despite its 17-inch display. 

How do you like that — 17 hours of battery life with a 17-inch screen? We didn’t believe it, so we tested it ourselves. The results are impressive: our video test showed 11 hours, and the light mode using (min brightness and no WLAN) test showed almost 24 hours. That’s amazing and beats even 13-14-inch competitors. 

Such a high autonomy is achieved thanks to the coordinated work of an energy-efficient processor and a capacious 72‑watt‑hour battery. Though the battery isn’t the largest, e.g. MacBook Pro 16 is equipped with a 100-watt-hour battery and shows a little lower autonomy. So the main factor is an optimal paired work of processor and battery (which the manufacturer managed to fit into such a small case!). Charging, however, is somewhat slow: it takes 2.5 – 3 hours to restore the charge from 0 to 100%.

Verdict: If a large screen in a lightweight case is all you need, get the Gram 17 — there is nothing like that. That’s for sure, we checked)

Consumer Reviews of LG Gram17:

5.0 out of 5 stars

The best computer i’ve ever had

I recently upgraded my old HP for the LG gram 17″ and it has been a God send! I needed something quick, easy to travel with, can support hours long zoom meetings with 50+ students, and long hours working on documents and presentations. Plus the camera and microphone on it are awesome. Highly recommend for anybody teaching or learning online to go with this computer!

Reviewed by Emii in the United States

Best deals (price for LG Gram17):

LG Gram17

Best Hybrid 2-in-1 i7 Laptop: Microsoft Surface Book 2 13.5″ Convertible

Microsoft Surface Book 2 13.5″
Source: microsoft.com

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-8650U (quad-core) with up to 4.20 GHz Max Turbo
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU with 2GB GDDR5 graphics memory
RAM: 8GB DDR3
Screen: 13.5-inch PixelSense Multi-Touch Display
Storage: 256 GB SSD
Weight: 3.62 pounds (1.64 kg)

Expert’s brief

The Surface Book 2 is a benchmark of design, a top premium convertible 2-in-1 laptop that turns into a tablet. Works great for designers and illustrators (easy to draw on and manipulate objects), as well as for business meetings (it will most definitely impress your partners). It’s fast, long battery, and portable. It’s even up for gaming due to its dedicated video card. Though it is pricey.

Winner features:

  • Innovative convertible design
  • Detachable base: can be used as a tablet
  • Great touch display
  • Best stylus Surface Pen (more like writing on paper than on a glass screen)
  • Facial recognition technology
  • Outstanding 13 hours battery life

The Surface Book 2 is far pricier than the competitor (HP Spectre x360), but you get 2x more battery life and a detachable tablet. Just press the button and turn it into a tablet by detaching the screen from its base. Surface Book 2 has a beautiful design and a brilliant 3:2 PixelSense display. We highly recommend using it with a Surface Pen stylus because it increases the capabilities of the Surface Book 2: you can write, draw, and edit directly on the screen. You’ll never lose the pen as it is magnetized and attaches to the screen side. Although, the pen is not included (need to buy it separately) but it’s worth it. 

Surface Book 2 is doubtlessly the best way to use Windows 10. As for battery life, you can get up to working days without charging (13 hours).

Verdict: The Surface Book 2 is the top 2-in-1 detachable pick if you can afford it.

Best deals (price for Microsoft Surface Book 2 13.5″):

Microsoft Surface Book 2 13.5″

Best under $1000 Laptop with Core i7: HP Pavilion (Quad-Core)

HP Pavilion 15-cs3019nrSource: ebay.com

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7 (quad-core, 12M Cache, up to 4.70 GHz)
Graphics: Integrated Intel Iris Graphics
RAM: 16 GB DDR4 (not upgradable)
Screen: 15-inch Full HD IPS Display
Storage: 512 GB SSD
Weight: 4.08 pounds (1.85 kg)

Expert’s brief:

HP Pavilion 15-cs3019nr is an excellent-value laptop. Its overall performance fits average user needs except for serious multi-core workloads. It is an elegant notebook that offers a premium design and great performance at a very fair price.

Winner features:

  • High-end specs (512 GB SSD, 16 GB RAM, Core i7)
  • The Latest 11th Gen Core i7 processor
  • Battery life and fast charge technology
  • Lightweight design
  • Affordable price

The HP 15-cs3019nr Pavilion has a powerful i7, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. The small bezel display, weighing just over 4 pounds, and long battery life (over 8 hours on typical use) makes this laptop the top choice under $ 1000 and will suit most users except for gamers or graphic designers (as they need a dedicated graphics card).

Verdict: HP Pavilion offers a premium design and great performance and this is the best combination for a price up to $1000.

Best deals (price for HP 15-cs3019nr Pavilion 15.6-Inch):

HP 15-cs3019nr Pavilion 15.6-Inch

How to determine what type of Intel Core i7 processor do you need

So, the hint is the name. It’s pretty easy to understand the spec if you know what each identifier is responsible for. While the first three indicate brand (Intel Core), series (iX), and generation (10th is the latest gen for now); the last identifier is a key indicator of the processor’s capabilities. For example, series U indicates a processor designed for power-efficient laptops (all capability indicators see in the table below).

Intel Processor Naming Conventions
Source: www.intel.com

Conclusions

Core i7 laptops are a great choice because their performance can satisfy almost any user. Our list contains only the best laptops for work, study, entertainment, and games. All laptops have been selected and tested by our experts and got the highest rates. You just need to choose a laptop that suits your needs and budget.

FAQ

🧐 What is the best Core i7 Laptop?

Our 3 top picks for Intel core i7 Laptops are Dell XPS 15 9500, ASUS ROG Strix G15 G512LW, and Acer Predator Helios 300. The full list is in the article.

👍 What are Core i7 processors laptops good for?

High-end gamers, designers, content creators, video editors, anyone looking for multitasking — all that users will appreciate laptops with Intel Core i7 processors due to their high-end performance.

❔ Which Intel Core i7 processor series should I choose?

U/Y-series — for long-lasting battery laptops, H-series — for games and high-performance tasks, G-series — for laptops with the integrated video card, X-series — for workstation laptops.

💻 Which i7 laptops have the best battery life?

G-series Core i7 Laptops with Integrated Graphics and Y/U-series will have the best battery life.

👀 Do Core i7 processors worth it?

We recommend Core i7 processors for users who use resource-intensive programs. For simple tasks like document editing or browsing, you can get a Core i3 or i5 laptop for less money.

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