Top 5 Budget Multimedia Laptops
This list of the Top 5 budget laptops of late 2017 is compiled of the highest-ranking multimedia laptops we have reviewed that met three main criteria: First, we chose to set the price limit to US$1,200, since this is a budget list after all. Second, the laptops had to at least utilize an Nvidia GeForce MX150 as dedicated GPU. The MX150 plays 4K movies without any problem and is no stranger to advanced video and image editing software. It will even be sufficient for some light 3D modeling. Gaming is certainly not out of the question as well, however, it will only run today's so-called "Triple-A" games at ~30 fps on medium details in 1080p. We also included models that are equipped with the more powerful GTX 1050 and 1050 Ti GPUs, but these come at a higher price. As far as performance goes, the GTX 1050 can run most games from the past two years at 30+ fps in 1080p on high settings, while the GTX 1050 Ti can even handle most games at ~30 fps on ultra details in 1080p. The last criterion is the necessity of at least a 15-inch screen. This size should be enough to comfortably watch movies and also provide enough real estate for editing software.
The following table lists the best Windows-based budget multimedia laptops that were reviewed by Notebookcheck in 2017. These are ranked by overall rating, not by performance. The table can be sorted by clicking on its headers and filtered by entering text in the field above it (e.g. "matte"). The detailed reviews can be accessed by clicking on the name of each model.
The top 5 budget multimedia laptops as of late 2017
Pos. | Date | Rating | Image | Model | Height | Weight | Size | Resolution | Screen | Best Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 05/2017 | 87.4 % | Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 Intel Core i5-7300HQ NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile 8 GB Memory, 1024 GB HDD | 27.62 mm | 3.1 kg | 17.30" | 1920x1080 | matte | ||
2 | 11/2017 | 85.8 % | Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 Intel Core i5-8250U NVIDIA GeForce MX150 16 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 15 mm | 2 kg | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | glossy | ||
3 | 11/2017 | 84.7 % | Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L Intel Core i7-8550U NVIDIA GeForce MX150 8 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | 28.25 mm | 2.9 kg | 17.30" | 1920x1080 | matte | ||
4 | 11/2017 | 83.5 % | Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 Intel Core i7-8550U NVIDIA GeForce MX150 16 GB Memory, 128 GB SSD | 22.6 mm | 2.9 kg | 17.30" | 1920x1080 | glossy | ||
5 | 04/2017 | 82.9 % | Asus FX553VD-DM249T Intel Core i7-7700HQ NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 8 GB Memory, 128 GB SSD | 31 mm | 2.4 kg | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | matte |
1. Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G
Solid multimedia features that also offer a smooth gaming experience.
This model could easily pass as a respectable budget gaming laptop due to the power provided by the GTX 1050 Ti GPU. However, Acer included only an i5-7300HQ CPU to keep the price under US$1,200. Still, this does not limit the performance of the GPU in any way, and the CPU is more than enough for multimedia tasks. Other features that bolster the credentials of the V17 Nitro BE-VN7-793G include the anti-glare 17.3-inch IPS display with great viewing angles and decent color accuracy as well as the Thunderbolt 3 port, which allows users to add blazing fast external GPUs or storage devices. Additionally, the notebook is quiet and doesn’t heat up much, even in full load. The only real problems we encountered were the mediocre battery life and the absence of maintenance flaps for an easier upgrade experience.
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2. Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Offering a decent alternative to Apple's MacBook Pro, the Xiaomi Mi Notebook i5 comes with excellent build quality, good speakers and room for more storage.
Xiaomi designed the Mi Notebook Pro series as a viable and inexpensive alternative for Apple’s Macbook Pro line. Our review proved that the case and build quality of the Mi Notebook Pro i5 do indeed leave a high-quality impression and could be appealing to the more budget-oriented fans of the Apple aesthetic. Performance-wise, the i5-8250U CPU powering the Xiaomi model is mostly on par with the i7-8550U systems on this list, and even manages to score better in the 3DMark test despite having the same MX150 GPU. The 16 GB of RAM is a pleasant surprise for this model's price point, and will prove beneficial in image and video editing programs or virtual machines. Some of the features that strengthen the value-proposition of this model include an additional M.2 bay that allows users to add a second SSD, a reliable and practical fingerprint sensor, decent battery life, and the best speakers on this list. Although the 15.6-inch IPS screen does not have the best black levels, it still offers good contrast ratio, and the color accuracy is decent as well. Some negative aspects we found were the shiny surfaces that may prove less resistant to wear and tear, the slow SD card-reader, and the M.2 slot with only 2 PCIe lanes. A word of caution: users should keep in mind that this is an import model and warranty claims or repairs could take longer than expected.
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3. Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G
With the i7-8550U + MX150 combo, the Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G offers good performance and battery life at an attractive price.
Acer manages to snag another spot on this list with the sizeable (yet elegant) 17-inch Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G, which incorporates the top of the line 8th generation Intel ultra-low voltage i7-8550U CPU. PCMark 8 Home has demonstrated that these eighth-generation CPUs are on par with the gen 7 i7-7700HQ in day-to-day tasks and editing software, while keeping the power consumption low and allowing for a prolonged battery life. The Nvidia MX150 GPU offers enough performance for an entry-level gaming GPU, running recent games on medium details at ~30 fps. Since the ultra-low voltage CPU and the quiet MX150 GPU do not run hot, there is no need for extra cooling systems, so the overall weight is reduced to 6.6 lbs. Another great feature is the 17.3-inch IPS display, which proved to be the brightest on this list. The SSD + HDD combo is also a plus, along with the included optical drive that is so rarely seen on budget notebooks these days. The model is not without flaws, though, as the Wi-Fi performance is underwhelming and the keyboard is not that comfortable.
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4. Dell Inspiron 17 7773
The Inspiron 17 7773 convertible is the most versatile model, with overall great build quality and the best display in terms of contrast.
The only convertible on this list, the Dell Inspiron 17 7773 is the most versatile choice. It can be used in several modes, including notebook, tablet and movie mode. The robust aluminum case has a good build quality and keeps the components quiet and cool. Apart from the i7-8550 and MX 150 combo that is excellent for all things multimedia and a bit of gaming on top, the Inspiron 17 7773 is among the only two notebooks that come with 16 GB of RAM, so it’s particularly great for creative professionals. To speed up load times and responsiveness, this convertible comes with a 128 GB M.2 SDD, but also packs a 1 TB 5400 rpm HDD for larger video files or edited images. The large 17.3-inch IPS touchscreen has the best contrast and black levels of all the tested models while the viewing angles are some of the best, as well. As negative points, we should mention that the hinges are a bit difficult to move, the keyboard offers a mediocre typing experience, the GPU may throttle under constant load, and the card reader is too slow.
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5. Asus FX553VD
Solid performance, but lacking build quality.
This model actually places second as far as performance goes, but its build-related shortcomings had an important impact on the overall rating. The i7-7700HQ CPU + GTX 1050 GPU combo is excellent for multimedia tasks, and can provide a decent gaming experience as bonus, even though the GPU is the 2 GB VRAM version. The FX553VD has surprisingly low power consumption for its components, while the compact casing and the smaller 15.5-inch add to the portability aspect. Unfortunately, Asus decided to add a TN panel instead of an IPS one, so the colors and the viewing angles are not that great. Another problem with this model is the fact that the system fan is running even when it is not under load, and this is probably related to the unfavorable temperature distribution. The build quality is on the iffy side, as previously mentioned, with a spongy lid and a keyboard that gives in under pressure.
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Measurement Results
Loudspeakers - Pink Noise (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 (11.5) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 (11.2) | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L (16.3) | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 (18.5) | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T |
Response Times | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 (20, 18) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 (22.4, 25.5) | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L (19, 22) | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 (22, 18) | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T (24, 19, plateau) | |
Response Time Black / White (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 (16, 11) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 (19.2, 14.5) | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L (17, 4) | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 (17, 11) | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T (7, 4) | |
PWM Frequency (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 (99) | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L (90) | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 (90) | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T (90) |
* ... smaller is better
Benchmarks
3DMark - 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T |
BioShock Infinite | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 | |
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 | |
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 | |
1280x720 Very Low Preset (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 |
Rise of the Tomb Raider | |
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T | |
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T | |
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x (sort by value) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T | |
1024x768 Lowest Preset (sort by value) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 | |
Acer Aspire 5 A517-51G-80L | |
Dell Inspiron 17-7773-0043 | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T |
The Witcher 3 | |
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T | |
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off) (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T | |
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing (sort by value) | |
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811 | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 | |
Asus FX553VD-DM249T |