Best Intel Core i7 Processor Laptops – 2021

TOP PICK
Asus ROG Strix SCAR II Gaming Laptop, 15.6” 144Hz IPS Type Full HD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe Nvme SSD, RGB KB, Windows 10, GL504GW-DS74
Apple MacBook Pro (15-Inch, Latest Model, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Space Gray
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC-066 15.6" Gaming Laptop, Thin Bezel, Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650, 16GB, 512GB NVMe SSD
Alienware AW17R3-4175SLV 17.3-Inch FHD Laptop (6th Generation Intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD + 256 GB SATA SSD,NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, Windows 10 Home), Silver)
ASUS ROG GL752VW-DH74 17-Inch Gaming Laptop, Discrete GPU GeForce GTX 960M 4 GB VRAM, 16GB DDR4, 1 TB, 128 GB SSD (ROG Metallic)
BLW's Score
90
88
87
86
84
MSRP
$2,899.99
Price not available
$1,096.00
$1,499.81
$1,499.77
Processor
Intel Core i7-8750H (6 core)
Intel Core i7 (6 core)
Intel Core i7-9750H (6 cores)
Intel Core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz
Intel Core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz
RAM
16GB DDR4
16GB LPDDR3
16GB DDR4
16GB DDR4
16GB DDR4
Hard Disk
512GB SSD
256GB SSD
512GB SSD
256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
128GB SSD + 1TB HDD
Display
15.6" FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
15" Retina (2880 x 1800)
15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080)
17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070
Radeon Pro 555X
NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce 970M GTX
NVIDIA GeForce 960M GTX
OS
Windows 10
MacOS
Windows 10
Windows 10
Windows 10
Weight
5.3 pounds
4 pounds
4.1 pounds
4.6 pounds
6.6 pounds
Battery Life
3.5 hours
10 hours
5 hours
7 hours
5 hours
TOP PICK
Asus ROG Strix SCAR II Gaming Laptop, 15.6” 144Hz IPS Type Full HD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe Nvme SSD, RGB KB, Windows 10, GL504GW-DS74
BLW's Score
90
MSRP
$2,899.99
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-8750H (6 core)
RAM
16GB DDR4
Hard Disk
512GB SSD
Display
15.6" FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070
OS
Windows 10
Weight
5.3 pounds
Battery Life
3.5 hours
Apple MacBook Pro (15-Inch, Latest Model, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Space Gray
BLW's Score
88
MSRP
Price not available
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7 (6 core)
RAM
16GB LPDDR3
Hard Disk
256GB SSD
Display
15" Retina (2880 x 1800)
Graphics
Radeon Pro 555X
OS
MacOS
Weight
4 pounds
Battery Life
10 hours
MSI GF63 Thin 9SC-066 15.6" Gaming Laptop, Thin Bezel, Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650, 16GB, 512GB NVMe SSD
Model
BLW's Score
87
MSRP
$1,096.00
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H (6 cores)
RAM
16GB DDR4
Hard Disk
512GB SSD
Display
15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1650
OS
Windows 10
Weight
4.1 pounds
Battery Life
5 hours
Alienware AW17R3-4175SLV 17.3-Inch FHD Laptop (6th Generation Intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD + 256 GB SATA SSD,NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, Windows 10 Home), Silver)
BLW's Score
86
MSRP
$1,499.81
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz
RAM
16GB DDR4
Hard Disk
256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
Display
17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce 970M GTX
OS
Windows 10
Weight
4.6 pounds
Battery Life
7 hours
ASUS ROG GL752VW-DH74 17-Inch Gaming Laptop, Discrete GPU GeForce GTX 960M 4 GB VRAM, 16GB DDR4, 1 TB, 128 GB SSD (ROG Metallic)
BLW's Score
84
MSRP
$1,499.77
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz
RAM
16GB DDR4
Hard Disk
128GB SSD + 1TB HDD
Display
17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce 960M GTX
OS
Windows 10
Weight
6.6 pounds
Battery Life
5 hours

Note: Our comparison table only shows our top 5 picks. You can find the other recommendations within this article.

If you’re in need for a fastest and high-end laptop, then you certainly are looking for a laptop with an i7 processor. The Intel Core i7 is the most powerful processor at this time and beats every other processor on the market.

The i7 laptops are highly recommended for gamers, video editors, animators and game developers. I understand that Intel Core i5 laptops are affordable and reliable, but they surely can’t deliver the performance as i7 laptops.

These kinds of powerful notebooks can totally replace your home desktop, and you can also use them even while traveling. There are also numbers of variants and generations when it comes to i7 processor and if you need the most powerful processor then you should go with the Quad-Core Intel i7 processor.

Why choose Intel Core i7 Laptop?

If you need a lot of power, then nothing can beat an Intel Core i7 processor. On top of that, you can choose an SSD as your device’s storage, and that’s it. You will never be out of power, and your PC will perform like a beast.

Intel Processors Logo

The processor is the first thing that you should know before buying your new laptop. Also, understand that not every Intel Core i7 processor is same and they are pretty much different from one another.

Some of them are made to perform, and some can increase your battery life insanely. In this article, we will be listing all kinds of i7 laptops, and you should understand the processors before you choose one.

Important Factors of Intel i7 Processor

First of all, you will have to decide if you need a dual-core or quad-core. We always recommend the quad-core one to gamers and dual-core to businessmen.

Next factor you should consider is CPU cache, many people fail to understand it and only ignore it, but it’s vital to have more cache as it will make your PC faster while multitasking and when working in business applications like MS Office.

The CPU cache allows your computer to access recently-used data much faster than from RAM or a storage drive. 8.0 MB of cache is better than 6.0 MB or 4.0 MB since the processor can store more data for fast access.

You probably have seen that many processors include a “Turbo Boost” feature. It’s exactly as its name suggests and will boost your processor while playing games or performing heavier tasks.

Of course, that consumes more battery juice if you are unplugged, so that’s why a laptop will run at a slower clock speed when you aren’t doing intense processing. It provides you with great performance while not sacrificing battery life.

Intel also integrates their graphics within their processor, and the best one you could get is Intel Iris Pro 580 graphics. That’s an overview of the benefits and features of i7 laptops. Let’s move on to our picks.

Our Top Picks for Best i7 Laptops

1. ASUS ROG STrix SCAR II

Asus Strix Scar II

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-8750H Processor (6 core)
  • 512GB SSD
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

If we talk about best i7 laptops, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar II is an ideal choice. The bright and sharp 15.6-inch display makes it among the best gaming laptops, and it weighs a very reasonable 5.3 lbs.

It can play most of the latest games on high settings and is way better than its competitors. It’s powered by 8th gen Intel Core i7-8750H with DDR4 16 GB of RAM.

It’s also equipped with GeForce RTX 2070 GPU chipset with 8 GB of video RAM which makes playing games a breeze. Its gorgeous display can make its battery life little less, but gamers tend to care more about performance than battery life.

It’s designed pretty nicely and doesn’t have rounded edges like regular ASUS laptops. Its performance has no competition, and it packs the latest version of the i7 processor. Overall, this PC from ASUS ROG series is a rare laptop and packs incredibly powerful hardware for an average price.

3. MSI GF63 Thin

MSI GP73 Leopard

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-9750H Processor
  • 512GB SSD
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

The MSI GF63 Leopard is a 15.6-inch gaming laptop that packs a powerful Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GTX 1650 GPU. The six core processor is able to deliver the necessary performance whether you are gaming or using the laptop for other applications like video editing or engineering applications.

The power of this laptop is the combination of generous RAM, CPU, GPU and storage drive. The Intel Core i7 processor allows the best frame rates for just about any game, and one can play the best gaming titles on it with higher graphical settings.

We feel it’s one of the best looking laptops on the market and it delivers solid performance as and decent battery life (for a gaming laptop) at up to 5 hours. It’s less than 1 inch thin and weighs only 4 pounds. Overall, this is one of the best i7 laptop for gamers and it will be able to run anything you throw at it.

3. Alienware AW17R3-4175SLV

Alienware AW17R3-1675SLV

Specs:

  • Intel Quad Core i7-6700HQ Processor
  • 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

Powered by the 6th generation Core i7 processor by Intel, the Alienware AW17R3-4175SLV is best looking laptop for such price. It’s a great example of the perfect gaming laptop, and Alienware is the brand that started this trend.

Other than i7 processor, it offers high-end configuration such as 16 GB of Memory, 256 GB SSD plus 1 TB HDD and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M GPU. It comes with a typical Alienware design and offers up to 7 hours of battery life.

The only issue users faced about this notebook was of its Windows 8 update, but now it’s available directly on Windows 10, and there’s no need for any updates. It also boasts 4.1 Bluetooth technology and fast Wi-Fi hardware to ensure the fastest connection possible.

One can say it’s the most powerful laptop for almost every task including gaming and will deliver the smoothest performance.

4. ASUS ROG GL552VW-DH74

ASUS ROG GL752VW-DH74

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-6700HQ Processor
  • 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

The ASUS ROG GL552VW-DH74 is a high-end gaming laptop for people who are looking for the combination for gaming as well as studying. It’s available for under $1500 and is surely the best i7 laptop for the asking price.

It can be also used for video chatting on Skype with family, friends and its audio quality is backed by SonicMaster and AudioWizard technology. It’s powered by a great battery and it can deliver up to 3 hours of gaming pleasure.

Its external design is quite pleasant and overall its design feels premium. Its insides include DDR4 16 GB of RAM, 6th Gen Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, 1 TB of HDD plus 128 GB of SSD and 4 GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M GPU.

It’s like a dream come true to any professional gamer and packs the best possible specifications to the date. Overall, the aspect that makes it a reliable and affordable i7 laptop is its price which is way lesser than its competitors.

5. Lenovo Flex 3

Lenovo Flex 3

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-6500U Processor
  • 1TB HDD
  • 8GB DDR4 RAM

The latest Lenovo Flex 3 is a 14-inch touchscreen ultrabook which is not only powerful but also extremely flexible and portable. It comes with 1 TB of HDD making it the best laptop in terms of storage.

Speaking of hardware, it’s powered by Intel Core i7-6500U processor and 8 GB of Memory. It features 2x 3.0 USB ports and 1x 2.0 port plus a micro SD card slot for additional storage and files transferring.

Other than all the required ports, it also includes an HDMI port in case you’d like to connect it to your HDTV. It might look like a bulky notebook as its sturdy design makes it seem like that but don’t worry, it only weigh about 3 lbs.

Overall, it’s one of the lightest i7 laptops and it won’t be a problem carrying it with yourself. With 14-inch of touchscreen display, 5 hours of battery life and Intel i7 processor, it’s suitable for almost everyone and is a perfect combination of portability and performance.

We highly recommend it to most of the college students as it has an excellent battery life and weighs very less.

6. MSI GV72

MSI GV72

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-8750H Processor (6 cores)
  • 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

The MSI GV72 is a powerful, slim and light i7 gaming laptop. MSI being one of the most popular gaming laptop brands, they provide durable, sturdy and robust machines for nominal price.

It sports a 17-inch full HD non-reflective display for playing HD games, enjoying movies and also for studying.

When it comes to performance, it’s backed with a gaming hardware such as Intel i7-8750H processor, DDR4 16 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD as well as 356 GB SSD and powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU.

It’s highly known for its full color backlit keyboard and features a Killer Gaming Network E2400 technology. It’s an ergonomically designed i7 laptop that comes with an accurate touchpad and responsive keyboard.

It also boasts True Color Technology which is only available in MSI laptops for now. Other than gamers, we highly recommend it to college students, professionals, DJs and other power users.

7. Dell XPS 13 XPS9343-8182SLV

Dell XPS 13 XPS9343-8182SLV

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-5500U Processor
  • 256GB SSD
  • 8GB DDR3L RAM

Dell’s XPS series delivers the sturdy, slim and lightweight laptops that are not only stylish but also affordable ones. The Dell XPS 13 XPS9343-8182SLV is also one of the best i7 laptops and comes with a full HD 13-inch touchscreen display.

The laptop itself is full value for the money and on top of that, its sturdy and slim body is simply a bonus. It’s great option for everything from daily tasks to high-end gaming, it will never disappoint you.

In fact, it’s a dedicated Ultrabook that will run any program and game for you. It can be also used for streaming videos on YouTube and Netflix smoothly as it packs enough hardware power.

When we talk about its specifications, it’s just outstanding for such price and its overall performance makes it among the best i7 laptops. All in all, it’s a full package of latest technology, from touch display to high-end Intel’s hardware.

8. Acer Aspire 5

Acer Aspire E 15 E5-571-7776

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-8565U Processor
  • 512GB SSD
  • 12GB DDR4 RAM

The Acer Aspire 5 is the most affordable i7 laptop, and you can buy it for around $800 and sometimes you can find it for even lower prices depending on the options you select. Along with the Intel Core i7-8565U processor, it also boasts  12 GB DDR4 RAM and  512GB of fast SSD storage space.

It can run up to 9.5 hours with a full charge, so if you need a powerful budget laptop with good battery life, then this is it. Looking at its specifications, it also features a 15.6-inch non-touch display and NVIDIA GeForce MX250 graphics.

It’s one of the best laptops for writing as its keys are perfectly curved and have a very responsive keyboard. It’s powered by Windows 10.

We also recommend this notebook to people who need to use it in illuminated rooms and outdoors as it has a matte finishing. However, it has its drawbacks and overall, it’s a powerful yet budget i7 laptop for writers.

9. Dell Inspiron i7559-2512BLK

Dell Inspiron i7559-2512BLK

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-6700HQ Processor
  • 1TB HDD
  • 8GB DDR3L RAM

The Dell Inspiron i7559-2512BLK offers a powerful Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor as well as NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M GPU. It features a full HD 15-inch display which could be ideal for video editors and graphics designers.

Despite its powerful specifications and high resolution, it has received some negative reviews for its typical Inspiron design but if you need power for budget price then we can ignore the design and focus on the performance it offers.

It has 8 GB RAM and 1 TB HDD to make your multi-tasking swifter and also 8 GB of SSD. It’s available in two colors including black plus red combination and black plus grey. Both of them look awesome and it’s totally up to you which color to go with.

It’s very sleek and slim notebook by Dell and is highly recommend to graphics designers. Overall, this is a great all-rounder that boasts an Intel i7 processor and it can be used for variety of programs and games.

10. ASUS ROG ZephYRUS

Asus Strix Scar II

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-8750H Processor
  • 512GB SSD
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus is another i7 laptop for people looking for a powerful and good-looking laptop. It’s very thin (0.7″) and only weights about 5 lbs.

It’s powered by 8th generation Core i7-8750H processor, 16 GB RAM, Windows 10, 512 SSD and USB 3.0 ports. The 15.6 inch display has an impressive 144 Hz refresh rate driven by an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU.

This laptop would be great for anyone from gamers to someone wanting something a little different for everyday use. It will definitely attract some attention wherever you take it.

This particular device from ASUS is a unique and well-designed laptop. One of its drawbacks is it can run a bit hot under heavy usage, such as intense gaming. However, it does have a technology called ROG Active Aerodynamic System that increases the airflow and reduces temperatures to some extent.

11. ASUS ZenBook Pro

ASUS Zenbook Pro Screenpad

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7­-9750H Processor
  • 1TB SSD
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

The ASUS ZenBook Pro is a powerful i7 machine sporting an Intel Core i7-9750H processor and RTX 2060 GPU by NVIDIA. Even though the laptop is built for portability, it can still handle most of the latest games.

The laptop has several standout features in addition to its overall great specifications. The 15.6″ display is 4K resolution. Combined with the NVIDIA dedicated GPU it has best-in-class performance.

The laptop also includes a ScreenPad, which is a second touchscreen display that can be used as a control surface (includes a stylus). The features puts the MacBook touch bar to shame.

It has plenty of ports for connectivity, and we consider it to be one of the best i7 laptops. If you have high-end requirements, and a high-end budget, this could be the perfect laptop for you.

12. HP ENVY – 17t Touch

HP Envy 17t

Specs:

  •  Intel Core i7-8550U Processor
  • 512GB SSD
  • 16GB DDR3 RAM

Gaming laptops are invariably designed to impress everyone; in the modern computer marketplace, that means they need some of the very best components on the market, from shell to storage. MSI has, for some time, leaned into that concept, marketing a line of gaming laptops that are almost comically overpowered for even more modern titles; this model is no exception, bringing you the leading edge of several different fields in one machine.

The very least of these is storage, provided by a single 512 gigabyte solid state drive. Without a hard disk to spin around, the solid state drive is both smaller and faster than the conventional hard disk; while it usually offers more limited memory capacity, it compensates with faster boot times and quicker save and load speeds of intense games and movies.

As one might have guessed, the processor is Intel Core i7, considered one of the flagships of the gaming community at the moment, with the latest Windows 10 preinstalled and 16 gigabytes of RAM to get it ready for lengthy gaming sessions. The computer’s physical features offer an impressive array of ports, including newer USB-C options, and feature a webcam and speaker system that are both significantly larger than average for this class of laptop.

Its status as a gaming laptop has given MSI all the incentive they need to load up the specialized gaming technologies, including a keyboard and mousepad that are both carefully reinforced and protected against sticking to guarantee smooth operation at critical moments in  a match. Your processor is backed up by an NVIDIA GeForce graphics card, known far and wide as the gold standard for discrete graphics processors.

One of the few things that might deter someone from buying this is the price; it is well over one thousand dollars per unit before any taxes and shipping, making it somewhat daunting to most customers. Its portability and battery ife are similarly lackluster, making it a poor fit for students or others who need their computers on the go.

13. MSI GL65 Leopard 10SFK-062

MSI GL65 LEOPARD 10SFK-062

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-10750H
  • 512GB NVMe SSD
  • Win 10

Here comes the only laptop from Microsoft in this list of best i7 laptops and it surely deserves to be on top of the list. However, due to its higher price and less demand we have ranked it in the 14th spot.

Looking at its specifications, it offers Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GPU, 512 GB SSD and 16 GB of RAM. I understand that two grand is a lot for spending on a laptop and not many will go with it.

However, it has its unique design and features that some people will never find in any other laptop. It’s true that no device can be compared with this one and it’s very well designed PC by Microsoft.

When it comes to the weight, it’s extremely light and has the battery life of up to 10 hours. Overall, it’s best for anyone that needs a laptop for their art, and it can be detached easily and used as a tablet.

14. HP Spectra X360

HP Spectra x360

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7-8550U Processor
  • 512GB SSD
  • 16GB DDR3 RAM

If you are in the market for a non-traditional laptop, the HP Spectra x360 is a great choice. It’s incredibly thin and the display swivels so you can use it like a tablet with a writing stylus. This can be a valuable feature for students who need to take notes without disturbing the class with typing noises.

It’s not a light as a pure tablet device at 4.6 lbs but it has some great specifications. The touch-capable 13.3″ display is driven by an Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU and has a micro-edge bezel that’s almost invisible. For durability it uses Corning Gorilla Glass that is extremely difficult to break.

This laptop doesn’t skimp on the CPU either. The 8th generation i7 quad-core processor is plenty powerful enough for any computing tasks you throw at it.

For those of you who value security, this laptop has an IR (infra-red) camera for secure logins and a fingerprint reader that can be used for safe payments.

If you are away from power for extended periods of time this laptop has you covered. The battery life is up to 16 hours. Even better, you can fully recharge it in 45 minutes. This battery life would be especially valuable for travelers or students who are away from charging outlets for long periods of time.

15. APPLE MACBOOK PRO

MacBook Pro 15

Specs:

  • Intel Core i7 Processor (6 core)
  • 256GB SSD
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM

The Apple MacBook Pro has always been the favorite laptop of most of the companies as well as professionals. It’s capable of doing almost everything that’s good for businesses and studies.

The elegant thin profile and a case machined from a solid block of aluminum is beautiful and will last much longer than the plastic cases of most laptops.

You can use almost every well-known application on it as many companies are making two versions of their programs and for both Windows and Mac OS. If you still need access to Windows, you have the option of dual booting into Windows or MacOS or using Windows virtual machines on MacOS.

The MacBook sports a 15-inch Retina display as well as Apple’s new touch bar. The display is powered by a Radeon Pro 555X graphics processor which isn’t the best GPU for gaming, but it’s perfect for handling programs like Adobe Illustrator and AutoCAD. It has 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports as well as other required slots and ports for keeping you up-to-date.

It has a 6 core i7 processor running at 2.2 GHz. That’s why it is one of the best i7 laptops, although it might be considered a little pricey for some people.

Conclusion

Well, I understand that this list of best i7 laptops looks much like best gaming laptops as we have listed most of those here but it is what it is. Gaming laptops are the most powerful ones and are usually equipped with Intel i7 processors.

If it fits within your budget, then i7 is often better than i3 or i5 laptop. However, it really depends on your specific needs. We only recommend it to users when they need power, and their program’s official requirements are at least Intel Core i5 processor and 4 GB RAM.

Otherwise, for basic tasks, you don’t have to spend so much. If you are doing primarily document editing or Internet browsing you can get a great i3 or i5 laptop for less money.

Either way,  you now have plenty of information about the best i7 laptops, and we hope our guide helped you with the final decision. Feel free to let us know if you have any doubts regarding this guide and if you’re still not sure about what to get then you can contact us through our expert advice page.

Resources

Intel

Quora

Extreme Tech

Wikipedia

About the Author Marcus

Marcus has a graduate degree in computer engineering and has many years of experience in cutting-edge technology research and development in both startups and Fortune 500 corporations. In his free time, he enjoys RTS gaming.

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