The Best Multimedia Notebooks

Alongside the 13.3-inch convertible ProArt PX13, the Asus ProArt P16 is a well-equipped notebook and ideally suited for content creators. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with its 12 native computing units offers plenty of computing power for all conceivable scenarios. In addition, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 laptop is installed, which also has no major problems with modern games. Asus packs everything together in a very high-quality aluminum housing. The true-color 4K OLED display underpins the professional use for which the device is designed. In addition to the great input devices, the Asus ProArt P16 also has 64 GB RAM and is also equipped with the latest Wi-Fi standard (Wi-Fi 7). A disadvantage is the soldered RAM, which unfortunately cannot be upgraded. Asus also charges a huge premium for the model with 64 GB RAM.

Asus has presented the Zenbook S16 with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 as a light and thin multimedia notebook. Based on the new SoC, there are not only more native computer cores, but also a slightly more powerful iGPU with the AMD Radeon 890M. Asus also installs 32 GB LPDDR5x RAM, which also means that this cannot be expanded. The 16-inch display offers rich colors, which is not surprising given the OLED technology. The Asus Zenbook S16 didn't make any significant mistakes in the test, which earned the notebook a good place in our top 10 list. The advantages include excellent system performance, a good range of connections, a comfortable keyboard and long battery life. The disadvantages are the RAM, which cannot be expanded. The actually great display is also not convincing in terms of PWM.

The new Zenbook S16 is a great all-round notebook. Based on the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, the notebook is one of the fastest devices in its class.

The MacBook Pro 14 2023 is customizable on Apple's website. Alternatively, users can order a base model via Amazon, which costs around US$ 2,950.

With the XMG Evo 15, Schenker has a solid and powerful multimedia notebook in its portfolio. The device is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, which gets a significantly more powerful iGPU with the revised Intel Arc 8-Core. The device itself has a very high-quality finish and also relies on a lightweight yet very stable material thanks to aluminum. The great IPS panel with 240 Hz & without PWM, which is also installed in 16:10 format, deserves a positive mention. Overall, the Schenker XMG Evo 15 delivers outstanding system performance and is future-proof thanks to its modern interfaces.

The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is the direct successor to the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7630 and is now based on the latest Meteor Lake processors from Intel. In our test, we took a closer look at the device with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. For 3D applications, the notebook has a dedicated graphics card with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 laptop, which can also handle some games. The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 impressed us with its well-calibrated 120 Hz display and good connectivity, including Thunderbolt 4. However, the 2024 model loses the direct comparison with the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7630. The CPU performance and GPU performance are slightly worse. 

The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 can make up for some of its predecessor's disadvantages. In terms of single-thread CPU performance and gaming performance, however, it takes a small step backwards.

Our review configuration of Core Ultra 7 155H, RTX 4060 and 1,600p is currently available directly from Dell for $1,500.

The LG Gram Pro 16 is equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and thus offers a good basis for mastering everyday life. Due to the extremely compact design, the SoC cannot deliver optimum performance. However, the LG Gram Pro 16 can even be operated silently if desired, as the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H delivers high performance despite its low TDP. The main advantage of the LG Gram is its low weight of just over 1.2 kg, even though the device has a 16-inch display.

With the Galaxy Book4 Edge 16, Samsung is expanding its portfolio in terms of multimedia notebooks. It uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100, a brand new SoC with 12 native computing cores. The extremely flat metal casing has a high-quality finish and offers good stability. However, there are virtually no upgrade options, as the RAM and mass storage are permanently installed. However, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16 impresses with its high-quality display, which not only delivers outstanding picture quality, but also enables a smooth display at 120 Hz.

With the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 16, the manufacturer offers a great multimedia notebook for many different purposes. The Intel Core 7 150U offers 10 cores and 12 threads, resulting in good multi-thread performance. As the Intel Core 7 150U is only a new edition of the Raptor Lake series, the Intel Iris Xe is only an outdated iGPU, which is clearly inferior to the newer Intel Arc 8 in terms of performance. The strengths of the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5 include the long battery life and the attractive price-performance ratio.