Intel’s Core i7 processors are extremely popular in the market as these processors offer impressive performance at a reasonable price. The laptops powered by Intel Core i7 processors pack powerful performance to complete any task you throw at them without a hitch. Whether you want to do some photo editing, video editing, 3D modelling, animation, or do anything else, the chipset can handle it all. Intel Core i7 processors power some of the best high-end laptops that come loaded with horsepower, feature premium and sleek designs, pack impressive displays, and so much more. If you want a laptop that can handle just about anything you throw at it, we have got some of the best Intel Core i7 laptops that you can buy on the market.
Things to consider when buying Intel Core i7 laptops
Chipset generation: Intel regularly improves various aspects of its chipsets, including performance, graphics, neural engine, and more. If you are in the market for an Intel Core i7 laptop, you should make sure the chipset the laptop is offering is not older than two generations. Intel has already introduced its latest 12th-generation Alder Lake processors, so you should not be eyeing laptops with chipsets older than the 10th-generation ‘Comet Lake’ offerings.
Thermal performance: If your laptop is not properly cooled, you might encounter thermal throttling when performing CPU and GPU-intensive tasks. A laptop that comes equipped with improved solutions to alleviate the thermal throttling is going to offer the best possible performance. Make sure the manufacturer has equipped the laptop with appropriate cooling solutions to tackle the thermal throttling as much as possible.
Graphics card: If you are planning to use the laptop for graphics-intensive tasks such as video editing, 3D modelling, or gaming, we recommend choosing a laptop that features a dedicated graphics card. While the latest Intel Core i7 chipset comes with powerful integrated graphics that is more than enough for most users, they cannot match the performance of a dedicated graphics card.
Display: You should also pay special attention to what kind of display you need. For example, if you are a gamer, a colour-accurate display will not be as beneficial as having a higher refresh rate display. On the other hand, if you are into photo editing, you should prefer a colour-accurate display. For multimedia consumption, an OLED display would be apt as it produces deeper blacks and higher contrast. So, consider your requirements before buying a laptop and then decide what type of display you need.
Battery life: Longer battery life will provide you with the freedom to carry your laptop anywhere you want, without worrying if you’ll run out of battery. Make sure the laptop offers a long battery backup, so you don’t always find yourself near a power outlet.
Best Intel Core i7 laptops to buy in 2022
1. Dell XPS 13 (2021)
We start our list with the Dell 13. The laptop comes equipped with an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, integrated graphics card, 16GB RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. The laptop boots Windows 10 by default and comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office Home and Student Edition 2019. The laptop packs a 13.3-inch Full-HD display with wide viewing angles.
For wired connectivity, the Dell 13 comes with two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a Type-C port. There is a microSD card reader and a headphone jack as well. The laptop also has a backlit keyboard making it easy to type at night times, and a fingerprint reader for easy authentication. The laptop is slim and robust and a good choice for any working professional.
2. LG Gram
LG Gram has a 16-inch WQXGA IPS display that covers 99 percent DCI-P3 wide colour, making it one of the most colour-accurate laptop displays on the market. The display has a 16:10 aspect ratio, giving you more screen real estate. The keyboard has extra big and flat keycaps enabling a seamless and typo-free typing experience. In addition, the laptop also has a wide touchpad, allowing for comfortable navigation. LG Gram is powered by an Intel 11th-generation Core i7 processor and comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD for faster boot times.
LG Gram comes loaded with Intel Iris Xe Graphics. LG claims up to 22 hours on a single charge under ideal conditions. While that’s not possible in the real world, you do get all-day battery life. USB Type-C power delivery can be used to juice up the battery. Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 compatibility is available on the laptop as well. There are stereo speakers with DTS:X Ultra for an immersive sound experience. The laptop boots with Windows 11 by default. This thin and lightweight laptop is a great choice for multimedia consumption, work productivity, content creation, and more.
3. ASUS ZenBook 13
The next on our list is ASUS ZenBook 13. This portable, thin, and lightweight laptop comes with an all-metal build. The Full-HD OLED display has 400 nits brightness and comes with 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage for colour accuracy. Its 4-sided NanoEdge design offers an 88 percent screen-to-body ratio. An 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor powers this laptop, assisted by Intel Iris Xe Graphics. The laptop ships with 16GB RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, pre-installed Microsoft Office Home and Student 2019, a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader for authentication, and a precision touchpad with multi-gesture support.
The portable weighs about 1.14kg and offers a battery life of up to 13 hours battery life on a single charge. ASUS ZenBook 13 boots up with Windows 10 by default and ASUS is promising a free upgrade to Windows 11 as well. Its OLED display makes it a great choice for multimedia consumption, and its compact design makes it easy to carry anywhere, making it a good choice for professionals as well. It is one of the best Intel Core i7 laptops you can buy.
4. MSI Gaming GF63 Thin
The MSI Gaming GF63 Thin Is yet another gaming machine that offers the most bang for the buck. This one is powered by the 11th gen Intel Core i7-11800H processor, which is paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU for excellent gaming performance. And its chassis measure just 21.7mm thick, and the whole laptop setup weighs around 1.8kg – making it easy to carry it anywhere. Further, it has 8G DDR4 RAM with two SO-DIMM slots that allow up to 64 GB max memory expansion if needed. It also packs 512GB NVMe PCIe Gen3 SSD storage for faster app launch times and file transfers. While you get the standard 60Hz FHD IPS-level display with this laptop, you get up to 45 percent NTSC display colour coverage for excellent visuals. As for the thermals, the laptop packs concealed asymmetrical x-vents for efficient heat dissipation, which offers 10 percent less noise and temperatures. Connectivity is handled by Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, and you get a Type-C port along with the standard set of ports for wired connectivity. The laptop has Hi-Res Audio certification and includes Nahmic 3 software to enhance the audio to offer a 3D surround audio experience. Other notable features include support for MSI Centre and MSI APP Player for an overall enhanced gaming experience.
5. Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3
The Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 is the laptop to consider if you want good 1080/60fps entry-level gaming performance. Not to mention, you’re getting a great creativity and productivity workhorse at a reasonable price point too. The laptop packs the 10th Gen Intel Core i7 at the core and a potent entry-level GPU: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (4GB GDDR6), for a powerful gaming experience. The laptop also packs the improved 5th-generation thermals with a dual fan and vent system as well as an enhanced dedicated heat sync for efficient heat dissipation. You also get a dedicated Q-Control mode, which lets you switch between Quiet mode, Balanced mode, and Performace mode to extract both battery life as well as performance when needed. The Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 sports a 15.6-inch FHD anti-glare display with a 120Hz high refresh rate for a fluid gaming experience. The laptop packs 8GB DDR4 RAM, which is further upgradable to up to 16GB if needed. You also get 512GB SSD for fast read-write performance. Lastly, the laptop also gives 8 hours of battery life on typical usage.
6. Dell 15 (2021)
Next up on our list is Dell 15. The laptop is powered by an Intel 11th-generation Core i7 processor and packs an NVIDIA GeForce MX450 dedicated graphics card to handle the graphics-intensive tasks. The Dell 15 features a 15.6-inch Full-HD display with 250 nits brightness. It also has 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. The portable also comes with a fingerprint reader for easy authentication. For wired connectivity, there are HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, and USB-A ports as well.
The laptop boots up with Windows 10 by default and comes with Microsoft Office Home & Student Edition 2021 pre-installed, an SD card reader, a headphone jack, a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader for easy unlocking experience, and more. Whether you are a student or a working professional, this laptop will serve you well for a long time.
7. Acer Nitro
The Acer Nitro is a performance powerhouse with the Intel Core i7-11800H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti at the core. It also has 16GB RAM (upgradable to 32GB) and 256GB SSD (PCIe Gen3) and 1TB HDD to help store all your favourite games without worrying about storage space. You get a 15.6-inch FHD IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 300nits brightness for excellent visuals. The laptop also packs efficient thermals with a quad exhaust port design and the Acer CoolBoost technology for efficient fan speed management to deliver just the right performance when needed. The laptop also has Wi-Fi 6 for a faster and more stable wireless connectivity experience. There are 2W dual speakers with DTS:X Ultra tuning for a 3D surround sound experience. Acer Nitro has a 4-zone RGB keyboard for a gaming look and has highlighted WASD keys for easy identification. The laptop is also relatively lightweight and measures 2.4kg. It also gives up to 8 hours of backup on a single. It also has a range of ports, including the Type-C and USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, for extended wired connectivity.
8. Acer Nitro 5 AN515–57
Moving on with our list, we have another gaming laptop from Acer, called Acer Nitro 5 AN515–57. This one comes equipped with an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 dedicated graphics card, and a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS panel with a 144Hz high refresh rate for a lag-free, smooth gaming experience. The dedicated graphics card has Ray Tracing cores, Tensor cores, and DirectX 12 Ultimate support to make sure you have an ultimate gaming experience. DTS:X Ultra takes care of the sound experience.
With dual fans and a quad exhaust design, Acer is making sure the thermals stay at optimal levels when you are gaming. The laptop boots with Windows 10 by default. Its display is surrounded by 7.02mm narrow bezels giving it an 80 percent screen-to-body ratio. The laptop also has 8GB RAM, which can be expanded to up to 32GB if required. There is also 256GB of SSD storage and 1TB of HDD storage, to make sure you do not have to worry about running out of space anytime soon.
9. Lenovo Legion 5
Lenovo Legion 5 has an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB GDDR6 dedicated graphics card. The laptop has a 15.6-inch Full-HD IPS display, 250 nits brightness, and a 120Hz refresh rate for an improved gameplay experience. Lenovo Legion AI engine auto-detects the top 15 AAA games and dynamically allocates CPU and GPU resources to offer you a 15 percent higher frame rate. There is 16GB RAM onboard, which can further be increased to up to 32GB if required, and 512GB of SSD storage. The keyboard comes with 4-zone RGB backlighting and has a 1.5mm deep key travel for a great typing experience.
Legion Coldfront 3.0 with a dual fan design and a quad-channel exhaust system with improved thermal fins takes care of the heat dissipation from important components. Nahimic Audio is offering immersive 3D audio for gamers. 30 minutes of rapid charge can fill up the battery by up to 50 percent. The laptop comes with Windows 10 and Lenovo promising an upgrade to Windows 11. Overall this is another solid gaming machine that you may want to consider.
10. MSI Katana GF76
The MSI Katana GF76 comes with an FHD display with a 144Hz high refresh rate and runs on the 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti GDDR6 4GB graphics card. The laptop is thin and features a lightweight design that makes it easy to carry it in your travel backpack. Apart from getting a standard set of ports, the laptop features the latest Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 wireless connectivity standards for faster data transfers. It runs on Windows 11 and has 16GB DDR4 RAM with 2 SO-DIMM slots that allow memory expansion up to 64GB. You also get 512GB PCIe Gen3 SSD for faster read and write speeds. The laptop’s audio is enhanced by the Nahimic 3 software that gives in-game 3D surround sound immersion. You also get MSI Center, Gaming Mode, and MSI App player that gives you a feature-rich gaming experience. If you want a laptop that is good at gaming as well as programming, graphics design, and more such creative tasks, then the MSI Katana GF76 is one of the best choices available for you in the market.
