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It’s no surprise that flagship laptops can get quite expensive as you rack the specs up. But is all that splurging really worth it?
I spent a fortune on my latest laptop, and as much as it hurt my wallet, I’m really glad I did.
1You Get a Much Nicer Screen
One of the most visible upgrades you get on an expensive laptop is the screen. More often than not, most flagship or expensive laptops will come with a 2.8k or higher display with much better color accuracy than what you get with mid-tier laptops.
These screens are also brighter, support technologies like HDR and Dolby Vision, and can have a different aspect ratio, like 16:10, instead of the traditional 16:9 screens most laptops come with. The screen aspect ratio largely depends on the laptop’s form factor, though, so be wary of that.
As you’d expect, a better display makes an enormous difference on a laptop. Your games, movies, shows, and general browsing around the web or even your OS feel great. The text is sharp to read, and the content really comes to life. It’s one of the best upgrades you can make to a computer.
2Better Performance
Of course, a higher price tag on your laptop will also get you better specs resulting in performance. Additionally, since expensive laptops generally have better, higher-resolution screens, they also need the additional horsepower to make sure you’re getting the most out of your hardware.
Exactly what specs you get depends a lot on what laptop you’re buying. For example, a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 will have very different specs from a gaming laptop like the Asus Zephyrus G14, despite both being in the same form factor.
Just because you’re buying an expensive laptop doesn’t mean it’ll do everything. They often come with specs that make them good at specific functions. A $1,500 gaming laptop will have drastically different specs from a $1,500 business laptop—they’ll both perform well for what they’re intended.
3USB-C PD and Thunderbolt
Another rather popular feature of expensive laptops is the fact that they have USB-C ports capable of charging your laptop via USB-C PD (Power Delivery) and Thunderbolt 4. These ports allow you to charge your laptop over USB-C, giving you access to hundreds of third-party chargers that are a breeze to carry around while also ensuring that you don’t have to carry multiple chargers for different devices.
Thunderbolt adds to this capability by allowing you to hook up USB-C hubs and/or docks to your laptop. This means you can connect your peripherals, additional monitors, speakers, and an Ethernet connection, plus add any ports you might be missing from your laptop, all while charging your device over a single USB-C connection.
Buying USB-C docks can be a bit of a hassle, so you’ll have to do some research to find the perfect one for you. That said, once you have the right dock, sitting down and working at your desk becomes a whole new experience.
4Better Build Quality
This is a bit of a no-brainer and is true pretty much across everything you can buy—the higher the price, the better the build quality. Expensive laptops often have metal chassis that give them excellent rigidity and they feel rather premium in the hand. The hinges are also solid on most if not all devices, so you don’t have to worry about your screen hinges failing or laptop chassis flexing too much.
That’s not to say you can go around bumping your laptop into every doorframe you pass by. You’ll still have to care for it, probably more than expected. But with the proper care, the fit and finish of more expensive laptops, and consequently, the laptops last for much longer than a mid-tier or budget laptop with a plastic chassis, sub-par hinges, or any other cost-cutting measure the manufacturer might have taken.
5Quality of Life Features
Last but not least, a more expensive laptop also comes with several quality-of-life features that make life easier. Features like Windows Hello for biometric logins, better keyboards and speakers, and sometimes even touch support are often seen on expensive laptops.
Based on the laptop you’re buying, you might even get specialized hardware features like a control knob on theAsus ProArt StudioBook 16andVivobook Pro, or built-in Stream Deck controls on the Corsair Voyager a1600. There are a lot of different laptops on the market that offer specialized hardware, although for a hefty price.
You might also get a healthy mix of software tools with your new, expensive laptop. MS Office bundles are the most common, but you can also expect antivirus licenses, Adobe Creative Cloud subscriptions, or even several months of Xbox Game Pass,which is a permanent subscription for me.
Overall, an expensive laptop might seem like a stretch on your wallet, but you do get some really good hardware, display, build quality, and software for the money.You don’t have to spend a lot on a laptop that gets the job done, but expensive laptops often justify their prices.
