Best 15 inch Laptop UK

When you’re looking for a new laptop, you’ll want to decide on the right size before anything else. There are lots of options if you’re looking for a 13 inch laptop, and fewer options at both 14 inches and 17 inches as well.

But finding a 15 inch laptop is relatively easy as it is one of the most popular sizes of laptop. It needs to be large enough to be useful to long hours of work, but still small enough to fit into a backpack easily.

With an abundance of different laptops to choose from, it can be pretty difficult to make a decision on which one to purchase. Hopefully I can make that a little easier for you, as I run through what I think are the best 15 inch laptops you can buy right now.

Product	Screen Size	Specs	Get More Info
HP Spectre x360	15.6 inch	16GB/512GB	Check Price at Amazon
Macbook Pro	16 inch	16GB/512GB	Check Price at Amazon
Huawei Matebook D	15.6 inch	8GB/256GB	Check Price at Amazon
Lenovo IdeaPad S540	15.6 inch	8GB/256GB	Check Price at Amazon
HP Pavilion 15	15.6 inch	8GB/256GB	Check Price at Amazon
Dell XPS 15	15.6 inch	8GB/256GB	Check Price at Amazon
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3	15 inch	8GB/128GB	Check Price at Amazon
Razer Blade 15	15.6 inch	16GB/256GB	Check Price at Amazon

HP Spectre x360

The HP Spectre x360 is one of the best 15 inch laptops currently available, and I’m going to explain to you why. It is quite a heavy laptop, but this is basically because it has a good build quality. It’s made to last, so you won’t need to worry about any issues with it in the near future.

The Spectre has pretty much everything you’d need from a normal laptop. With 16GB of RAM, it’s going to have more than enough power to run multiple programs at the same time.

This is matched by an Intel i7 processor, 512GB of storage and an Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics unit. One of the most impressive things about this laptop is the HD 4K screen, which is near borderless and anti reflective.

Finally, it isn’t often that you find a 15.6 inch laptop that can also be used as a tablet – many convertible laptops are limited to 12 or 13 inches. However, you can easily do this by putting it into tent mode, which will enable you to watch Netflix and other streaming services.

Or, if you’re someone who plans to spend a lot of time drawing on your laptop, then a larger screen is going to prove beneficial. It comes with a stylus pen for people who are interested in using the touchscreen aspect of the laptop.

So overall, these are just a few reasons why I’d look at picking up the Spectre x360. If you’re in the market for a great 2-in-1 laptop with a large screen that’s perfect for videos, sketching and a ton of other stuff too, then it’s a strong choice.

Pros

The 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1070H has 6 cores and 12 threads, making it fast.

The touchscreen is one of the most responsive around.

Awesome sound quality.

Cons

Going to be too expensive for many folks.

Not small and fairly heavy too.

Overall Verdict: With a good battery life for a touch screen laptop, it’s hard to beat the x360 in terms of the price to performance. It’s the perfect laptop if you want something that can double up as a tablet.

Macbook Pro

You should never trust any list of great laptops if it doesn’t include at least one Apple product. And whilst they aren’t for everyone, there’s no denying that Macbooks are clear of bloat and easy to use for pretty much anyone.

If you’re looking for the best 15 inch laptop, then you might want to check out this Macbook Pro. Well, actually the 15 inch Macbook Pro was discontinued in 2020, with Apple instead choosing to stick with their popular 16 inch model instead.

Like most Macbooks, the standard base model comes with 256GB of storage space and 8GB of RAM. This should be sufficient for the average person.

At the moment, this model of Macbook Pro comes with an i7 processor. You have the option to upgrade to the Intel Core i9 processor, which is probably overkill for most. It also comes a Radeon Pro 555x GPU for creating fast images. Though the 13 inch Macbook has been released with Apple’s M1 chip, we’re still waiting on the 16 inch version to be released.

Macbooks use true tone technology, which means that the display adjusts itself based on your surroundings. So if you’re working in a dark room, then screen will get slightly darker. And if you’re working in the sunlight, it will adjust itself to make it easier for you to view. With the retina display, this will give you some really bright and vibrant colours.

Although they are definitely a little overpriced, you’re paying extra for a few things with Apple.

Firstly, the ease of use – Macbooks are designed specifically to be very responsive and simple for anyone to use. If you’re looking to get your first Macbook, then you will have a few weeks adjustment period from a Windows OS to Mac OS, but after that, it’s plain sailing.

And secondly, Apple’s customer service is unparalleled in the laptop and computing industry. So if you think you might need help later down the line, then it would pay to opt for an Apple laptop.

Pros

Very high quality build as always.

Easy set up and quick to use.

Good 15 inch retina display.

Cons

Another pretty expensive laptop.

Need a USB adapter for pretty much everything.

Overall Verdict: The Apple Macbook Pro is well known as one of the best 15 inch laptops out there – you can’t really go wrong with Apple.

Huawei MateBook D 15

For those looking for a most cost effective option, then I’d advise you to check out the Huawei Matebook line. This series of laptops offers some amazing value for money, and the D15 is available for a great price.

With the Matebook D15, you’re going to get all the same specifications as you would with a Thinkpad or with a Macbook Air. 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD is pretty much the starting specs for most premium laptops nowadays.

The difference? The Matebook is available at around 50% less than the equivalent Lenovo and Apple versions. So if you’re not interested in paying more for brand names, then this Huawei line will interest you.

Instead of the almost standard Intel processor, it uses an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, which is faster than its comparative Intel i5 CPU (most of the time, people compare the Intel processor to the AMD processor, as they’re the two of the most commonly sold on the market).

It comes with Windows 10 installed, and a full 1080 FHD screen. Although it’s 15.6 inches and has a large screen, it’s only 1.69cm thick, so it will easily slot into a backpack or case.

It also has seamless cross-integration with your phone, so you can instantly show anything from your phone on your laptop screen. The power button also doubled up as a fingerprint reader for extra security, too.

The Matebook D 15 offers pretty much everything that other premium laptops offer, except at a much lower price. So for those looking for a cost efficient high quality laptop, this is undoubtedly going to be a great choice.

Pros

Great value for those looking for a premium laptop without the price tag.

Ideal for those looking for a workhorse laptop to use day in day out.

Comes with a lot of storage.

Cons

No touchscreen on the UK version of this model.

Camera located underneath the keyboard – don’t ask me why, I’ve no idea.

Overall Verdict: For a fairly cheap laptop, this Matebook D 15 manages to hold its own with more high end models.

Lenovo Ideapad S540

The Lenovo Ideapad is their consumer range laptop, with the Thinkpad being designed for businessmen and workers. Whilst the Ideapad generally isn’t as powerful as a Thinkpad, it does offer great value for money and it’s still a great laptop in its own right.

For people that need something portable, then Ideapad will be perfect as it’s both lightweight (1.85kg) and very slim. Unlike some of the other Ideapad models, the S540 has been designed with price and practicality in mind. This means that it follows the same minimalistic approach as business laptops, and it’s not going to win any awards for appearance.

The only thing that the Ideapad is really lacking is the battery life. It struggles to get more than 7 hours out of a full charge, which is likely due to its design.

When we think about this in comparison to the Thinkpad where the battery can get anywhere between 13-15 hours of life, it’s particularly unimpressive. But, the majority of people use their laptops wired most of the time anyway, so it really depends on what you need from a laptop.

As with the other laptops I’ve mentioned, it comes with the standard 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM. This is the benchmark which most retailers are trying to meet now with their laptops. So for people looking for another good value laptop with a decent amount of power, then the Ideapad is worth considering.

Pros

With an Intel core i5 processor, this laptop is very fast.

Thin chassis makes it quite light and portable.

High standard HD display is solid.

Cons

The audio quality could be better.

Not the best in terms of connectivity.

Overall Verdict: If a vibrant display is important to you, then this Lenovo Ideapad might be appealing. It has a good graphics card and a nice thin bezel design.

HP Pavilion 15

HP Pavilion Gaming 15.6' Laptop PC 15-ec1001na, AMD Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM, GTX 1650, 256GB SSD, FHD, Shadow Black

It only makes sense that in a list of the best 15 inch laptops, we include a gaming laptop. Whilst typically a laptop isn’t the ideal setup for gaming, they’re becoming more and more popular in recent years. And as the performance improves, they’re only going to increase in popularity.

The slim bezel design is great, and the full HD display itself is very impressive. It’ll prove to be the perfect place to play some games, especially with the custom Bang and Olfsten sound system that’s inbuilt.

It also has an inbuilt fan system, which helps to keep the internals of the laptop cool. This can be a common problem with gaming laptops, so it’s good to know that HP have taken this into consideration with this model.

Something else that is worth mentioning is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU that this laptop uses. Using this with the high resolution display and an impressive refresh rate make it highly suitable for gaming online. So, if you’re looking or a relatively cheap 15 inch gaming laptop, then you might want to consider this HP Pavilion.

Pros

Slim bezel design and display are awesome.

Long battery life for a gaming laptop.

Dual fans ensure that this model doesn’t overheat.

Cons

Webcam and audio are both pretty bad.

Comes with a lot of software already installed.

Overall Verdict: One of the top options if gaming performance is important to you. The excellent battery life will last you a while too.

Dell XPS 15

One of my favourite releases within the last year is the Dell XPS 15. Though it’s not perfect, it’s a definite improvement on the previous release.

When using the XPS 15, you’ll immediately notice that the build quality is excellent, and its design is probably its best asset. The OLED display is one of the best on the laptop market right now, with superior image quality and impressive speakers to match.

It offers an excellent typing experience, with a carbon fibre finish. The keys have little more than a millimetre of travel, which makes it very easy to type at a fast pace. Though I would prefer a better touchpad, which can feel a little erratic at times.

Another area where I’d like to see an improvement in the XPS 15 is with its processing power. Now that Apple has released their own chip, the pressure is on brands like Dell to keep up with them.

It uses Intel Core i5 quad-core processor that this laptop comes with fails to compare to Apple’s octa-core chip, and this is the only real area where it’s a little weak. So, it may be worth upgrading to a better processor if you do decide to opt for the Dell XPS 15.

Pros

In terms of design, it’s one of the best options out there.

Can easily upgrade to a 4K OLED display.

Very slim and light.

Cons

Pretty expensive.

Graphics card could be better.

Overall Verdict: One of the top options if gaming performance is important to you. The excellent battery life will last you a while too.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

Whilst the Microsoft Surface probably wouldn’t be my first choice, this doesn’t mean to say that you should overlook it completely. It has plenty of fans, and there’s a few reasons why people like Microsoft Surface laptops.

Above all I think is the design, which is very aesthetically appealing. Its slim and barely more than a kilogram in weight, so it’s the ideal option if you’re looking for portability.

There’s a lot of battery life packed into this small design, so you don’t need to worry about constantly keeping it charged. It also has face recognition tech, which means that you can keep all of your information secure quite easily.

One area where the Surface Laptop 3 is a little bit weak is in the battery life. Many people choose to use their laptop plugged in, so this may not be much of an issue. But, this is designed to be a super portable model. So, a longer battery life would be something that some people may have wanted in this model.

As you’d expect with a Microsoft product, the parts are made to a high standard. It has a good quality of sound, and the keyboard and trackpad are pretty great too. So, don’t just browse past the Microsoft Surface without giving it a chance.

Pros

Up there with the most attractive laptops on the market.

Responsive keyboard and touchscreen too.

As lightweight as you’re going to find at 15 inches.

Cons

Pretty expensive compared to other convertible laptops.

No stylus included is another expense.

Overall Verdict: The AMD Radeon graphics card helps to make this one of the most impressive laptops visually.

Razer Blade 15

Another gaming laptop that you might want to consider is this Razer Blade 15. This is a well known laptop within gaming circles, and it’s touted as the lightest laptop specifically designed for gaming.

It comes with increased RAM to cope with the added usage, as well as an i7 processor and an ample amount of storage. But what I really want to talk about with this laptop is the 144Hz display.

This refresh rate is going to be perfect for quick loading and fast gameplay, so you won’t need to worry about that at all. It also uses a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card, so you know you’re going to get the best graphics.

Whilst it doesn’t quite have a 4k resolution display, it is particularly nice in terms of looks. The laptop itself is very thin, making it practical as well as being nice to look at. It comes with 16GB of RAM, and it is very easy to upgrade this if you need to as well.

Of course, you can use this laptop for other stuff too, and you can take advantage of its power to run a whole host of programs. There kind of specs also lend themselves very well to designers, so if you need to run a ton of design programs, then a laptop like this might be a good choice.

Pros

Good NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card.

9th Gen processor is new and up to date.

Well priced for a gaming laptop.

Cons

Pretty noisy as many gaming laptops are.

Not a lot of storage for a Razer laptop.

Common Questions about 15 inch laptops

Should I get a 13 or 15 inch laptop?

If you’re struggling to decide between a 13 or a 15 inch laptop, then the main thing to consider is how often you’re going to be carrying it around with you. If you need something portable, then maybe it would be better to opt for a 13 inch laptop. However if you’re going to be using your laptop from home the majority of the time, then a larger 15 inch laptop is probably a better idea.

Can a 15 inch laptop overheat?

Like other laptops, a 15 inch laptop has the ability to overheat. However, with all the technology and cooling equipment we have available to us nowadays, it is very unlikely that a newer laptop would overheat at all. This is especially true if you’re not going to be using larger programs like games or editing software.

Will a 15.6 inch laptop fit in a 15 inch sleeve?

As you’ve probably guessed from the sizes of every laptop featured, most 15 inch laptops actually have a 15.6 inch screen size. This means that you should be able to fit a 15.6 inch laptop into a 15 inch case.

What should I think about before buying a laptop?

If you’re purchasing your first laptop or you’re just not particularly interested in laptop specs, then there are a few things I suggest you consider. Doing this can avoid you having to change laptops later down the line. You need to consider the memory (RAM), Processor, Storage space (SSD) and screen size. Do a little research on these before buying to ensure you get the right laptop for you.

Are laptops better than tablets?

This really depends on what you’re going to use them for, and much of it comes down to whether you need a keyboard or not. If you don’t need a keyboard, then you could probably make do with a keyboard. If you’re not sure, then maybe opt for a 2-in-1 laptop to get the best of both worlds.

15 inch Laptop Buying Guide

A laptop can be an important purchase, and if you buy the right one you won’t need to go shopping for a new one for the next 3 years, 5 years or in some cases, even longer than this. But what should you look for when purchasing a new laptop? Well, here are a few things to consider.

Is Mac right for me? – A Macbook is going to cost more now than most other brands out there – that’s a fact. However, if your Mac lasts you longer than an ASUS laptop, and it’s going to have a better user experience for you, is it worth the extra investment now? There’s a reason why so many people use Macbooks nowadays.

Windows – Just as I say that Macs are a great choice, they’re not for everyone. If you’ve been using a Windows laptop for a long time, then there’s nothing wrong with sticking with them. More than 70% of the computing world are still using Windows, so you’re not alone – even if it does seem like everyone has a Mac nowadays.

Graphics card – If the display of your laptop is important to you, then you’ll want to make sure that you get a laptop with a good graphics card. A decent graphics card will help to ensure that your display produces a great picture.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many different premium laptops out there that measure to 15 or so inches. Here are just a few of the best ones, but there are a few that have missed out you may want to look at too – the Surface Book 3 and the Dell Inspiron 3000 spring to mind.

As long as they have enough RAM to support your usage and enough storage, then you should be pretty much fine with any of these laptops. So, if you want the best 15 inch laptop, any in this list will suit.