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In terms of sock-it-to-my-eyeballs innovation, few core technologies can match the history and consistency of new screen tech to wow us. From CRT to LCD, from VGA resolution to 4K (and soon enough on to 8K), a procession of steadily more stunning TV and computer screens has marched through our homes over the years. This brings us to one of the most recent advances: OLED.OLED screen technology has been the latest big feature in modern television sets, presenting stunning colors, deep blacks, and amazing overall picture quality. It’s also shown up on late-model high-profile smartphones from Apple and Samsung. So, very big screens and very small screens have seen the advance of OLED, but the ones in the middle, in laptops and on desktops? Not so much…until now.The technology is finally hitting laptop displays in a modest stream, and 2021 was the year that OLED finally gained laptop momentum, based on some OLED-panel manufacturing trends. The considerations are a bit different on the laptop side, however. While you want TVs to look as good as possible for movies and broadcast programming, the usage case varies from that of a computer. PCs are designed not just for content consumption but for content creation, and laptops have to worry about the pesky necessity that is battery life.All of these change the ways screen technology needs to work with the product, which leads us to the question: Should you buy an OLED laptop? Let’s dig in. We’ll start with a breakout of our favorite lab-tested OLED laptops of 2024, followed by a guide to understanding OLED and how to buy the right machine for you.
Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Dell XPS 15 (9530) (2023)
Best All-Around OLED Laptop
Bottom Line:
Fully focused on new silicon, the latest Dell XPS 15 laptop adds long battery life to leading performance accessed by a gorgeous OLED touch screen, retaining its best-in-class status.
PROS
Faster performance than ever
GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs
Brilliant OLED touch screen
Premium build quality
Long battery life
CONS
Limited graphics performance ceiling
Still has 720p webcam
USB-C ports only (adapter included)
SPECS
Name
Value
Laptop Class
Desktop Replacement
Processor
Intel Core i7-13700H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
15.6 inches
Native Display Resolution
3456 by 2160
Touch Screen
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
8 GB
Wireless Networking
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.71 by 13.6 by 9.1 inches
Weight
4.2 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
14:03
Learn More
Dell XPS 15 (9530) (2023) Review
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406)
Best Budget OLED Laptop
Bottom Line:
The latest in Asus’ overflowing Zenbook 14 OLED family skimps a bit on the screen resolution but delivers impressive power, battery life, and convenience for $850.
PROS
Peppy performance
High value
Long battery life
Lots of ports for its size
CONS
Just a 1200p display
No WWAN option or SD card slot
Face login only—no fingerprint reader
SPECS
Name
Value
Laptop Class
Ultraportable
Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS
Processor Speed
3.3 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
1920 by 1200
Touch Screen
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
AMD Radeon 780M Graphics
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.59 by 12.3 by 8.7 inches
Weight
2.82 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
19:56
Learn More
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406) Review
Dell XPS 16 (9640)
Best OLED Laptop for Creators
Bottom Line:
A slick new look and cutting-edge components make Dell’s XPS 16 a dream for Windows-bound creative pros and power users—as long as they have the cash for its premium features and build quality.
PROS
Sleek, slim aesthetic and inputs
Brilliant 4K OLED touch screen
High performance from Intel Core Ultra 7 and GeForce RTX 4070
Impressive battery life
CONS
Expensive
Not all design changes are improvements
USB-C ports only (though USB-A and HDMI adapter provided)
SPECS
Name
Value
Laptop Class
Desktop Replacement
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
16.3 inches
Native Display Resolution
3840 by 2400
Touch Screen
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
90 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
8 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.74 by 14.1 by 9.4 inches
Weight
4.7 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
18:40
Learn More
Dell XPS 16 (9640) Review
Asus Zenbook 14X OLED (Q420)
Best OLED Ultraportable
Bottom Line:
The Asus Zenbook 14X OLED Q420 model is more of a general productivity ultraportable than a creator machine, but its sharp build, quick CPU, and brilliant OLED display are the best deal for $1,000.
PROS
Snappy 13th Gen Core i7 CPU
Attractive price
Super-slim, premium design
Vibrant 120Hz OLED touch screen
Long battery life
Decent port selection for its size
CONS
Lacks discrete GPU found in alternative 14X model
Only a 512GB SSD
SPECS
Name
Value
Laptop Class
Ultraportable
Processor
Intel Core i7-13700H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
Screen Size
14.5 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1800
Touch Screen
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Iris Xe
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.67 by 12.7 by 8.9 inches
Weight
3.44 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
11:45
Learn More
Asus Zenbook 14X OLED (Q420) Review
HP Spectre x360 14 (2024)
Best OLED Convertible
Bottom Line:
The latest iteration of HP’s 14-inch, OLED-screened Spectre x360 holds onto its reign as a top-tier laptop/tablet hybrid, especially for frequent video callers.
PROS
Gorgeous OLED touch screen
Impressive productivity performance
Lengthy battery life
Elegant design
World-class webcam
CONS
Expensive when fully loaded
No SD/microSD card slot or cellular internet
No HDMI port (two USB-C docks included)
No internal pen storage
SPECS
Name
Value
Laptop Class
Convertible 2-in-1, Ultraportable
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
2 TB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1800
Touch Screen
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
Dynamic
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Arc Graphics
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.67 by 12.4 by 8.7 inches
Weight
3.19 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
18:03
Learn More
HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) Review
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)
Best OLED Gaming Laptop
Bottom Line:
Well-built, satisfying to use, and a high-power performer on the back of AMD’s latest Ryzen 9 processor and an Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, the redesigned Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is our favorite super-portable gaming laptop.
PROS
Elegant, compact redesign with metal chassis
Powerful all-around performance and gaming speed
Brilliant 1800p 120Hz OLED panel with G-Sync support
Wide selection of ports
Long battery life
SPECS
Name
Value
Laptop Class
Gaming
Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
2,880 by 1,800
Touch Screen
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
G-Sync
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
8 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.64 by 12.2 by 8.7 inches
Weight
3.3 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
11:52
Learn More
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) Review
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Best OLED Laptop for Traveling Professionals
Bottom Line:
You’ll still find no finer business ultraportable than Lenovo’s 12th-generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon, but the latest model suffers from terminal sticker shock for simply decent performance.
PROS
Elegant and light design
Fabulous keyboard
Sharp, vivid OLED screen
USB-A, HDMI, and USB-C ports
CONS
Sky-high price
Decent but not class-leading performance and battery life
No SD or microSD card slot
SPECS
Name
Value
Laptop Class
Business, Ultraportable
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1800
Touch Screen
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
Manual
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Arc Graphics
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.59 by 12.3 by 8.5 inches
Weight
2.47 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
13:51
Learn More
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 Review
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook
Best OLED Chromebook
Bottom Line:
Cool with Chrome OS in tablet form? A 13.3-inch OLED touch screen makes Lenovo’s second, bigger version of its Chromebook Duet a surprisingly nice 2-in-1 detachable for the money.
PROS
Superb OLED display in an under-$500 detachable
High-quality front and rear cameras
Comes with keyboard cover and kickstand
CONS
Ho-hum compute performance
No audio jack, or 4G or 5G LTE option
Stylus supported, but costs extra
SPECS
Name
Value
Laptop Class
Chromebook, Detachable 2-in-1
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
8 GB
Boot Drive Type
eMMC Flash Memory
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
128 GB
Screen Size
13.3 inches
Native Display Resolution
1920 by 1080
Touch Screen
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno GPU
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.28 by 12 by 7.4 inches
Weight
2.24 lbs
Operating System
Chrome OS
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
21:10
Learn More
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook Review
Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8406)
Best OLED Laptop With Twin Screens
Bottom Line:
If you don’t mind a tablet-style detachable keyboard, Asus’ Zenbook Duo (UX8406) is a sensational and surprisingly affordable mix of laptop convenience and desktop dual-monitor productivity.
PROS
Twin OLED touch screens for versatile productivity
Well-priced for what it brings
HDMI, USB-A, and USB-C ports
Keyboard and pen included
CONS
Runs warm
Detachable keyboard can be awkward if used on your lap
Lackluster audio
SPECS
Name
Value
Laptop Class
Desktop Replacement
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Processor Speed
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
1920 by 1200
Touch Screen
Panel Technology
OLED dual screen
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
Intel Arc Graphics
Graphics Memory
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.78 by 12.3 by 8.6 inches
Weight
3.64 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
14:32
Learn More
Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8406) Review
Buying Guide: The Best OLED Laptops for 2024
You might be asking: What is an OLED display, anyway?To answer that, we’ll start by getting into the details of OLED screens, and what advantages they are meant to bring. For starters, the acronym OLED stands for “organic light-emitting diode”; more on that in a moment. The short explanation is that OLED technology is similar to traditional LED technology—the same concept of light-emitting diodes—but rather than produce light using only semiconductors, organic molecules (putting the “O” in OLED) are used. The result is brighter screens with more vibrant colors, hence the appeal of using it on TVs and computers. OLEDs also tend to use less power, all else being equal.
(Credit: Molly Flores)
If you’re interested, here’s a slightly more technical explanation. The various kinds of LCD screens—the kinds you’ve gotten used to in most laptops and TVs over the past decade—whether, TFT, VA, or other technologies, all share a similar base concept. They use a white LED backlight source that pushes light through filters. That light is gated at the pixel level by liquid crystals in various states and orientations, which blocks or tints the light to generate pixels of the desired color. In simple terms, OLED screens use a different display paradigm: an organic compound that is self-emissive in terms of light, allowing each pixel in the panel to produce its light when current is applied.That’s the main difference from LCD screens, and what enables them to produce extra-brilliant colors and deep blacks. Notably, OLEDs offer “truer” blacks than other mainstream screen technologies can when showing a dark or black image. When an LCD panel displays black, light is still pushed behind the pixels in play, but they are shuttered to present to your eyes as dark space. In OLED screens, the individual pixels on the portions of the screen showing black truly display nothing, so you see no light leakage from the back to dilute the darkness. This, in turn, provides better contrast and deeper blacks than simply filtering out an ever-present LED backlight. All of this also allows a panel to be more efficient, and thus thinner. That doesn’t come into play with laptops as dramatically as with OLED TVs; many OLED TVs are nearly razor-thin.Should You Buy an OLED Laptop?Of course, this beauty comes at a price. OLED laptop configurations are generally more expensive than traditional display options, often included in the pricier variants of a laptop family. This is no longer exclusively the case, however, having changed since the first wave of laptop OLED panels (which were all manufactured by Samsung and mostly only 4K-resolution screens).Today, you’ll find plenty of lower-end configurations and even some budget or entry-level models (like the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406)) with OLED screens. It still holds that 4K native resolution and cutting-edge screen technology like OLED represents the most premium version of any given machine. Still, many of our picks these days have lower resolutions than 4K.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
If you’re interested in an OLED display but unsure whether you can justify it, you could base your decision on the simple fact that they’re incredible to look at, for the reasons described above. OLED is not strictly necessary, but then, neither is 4K resolution, and many tech features start as luxuries before becoming standard. If you’re buying a new panel nowadays, adopting a technology that is only poised to become more popular is a solid decision, and most OLED panels we’ve seen look superb. If you want to buy a screen just because it makes watching videos, playing games, and even staring at your desktop look amazing, we can’t argue with that. But whether or not the added cost is worth it is up to you and your budget.Specific types of users should consider some more granular pros and cons. Gamers will enjoy eye-popping visuals, and the fantasy and sci-fi settings of many titles are ideal for both deep blacks and vibrant colors. However, only the highest-end laptop component hardware is equipped to power games in 4K at 60 frames per second, so most gamers will have to dial down the resolution to 1440p or 1080p. That’s not the end of the world, since you can still view other content in 4K, but you are paying extra for 4K resolution to get OLED because the two are intertwined in many laptops so far. Not playing at your laptop’s native resolution may feel like a waste to some, but as it stands, that could be a cost of attaining an OLED panel.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
There’s also the issue of the refresh rate. An increasing share of modern gaming laptops come equipped with 120Hz, 144Hz, and even up to 300Hz displays to show more frames per second in competitive games. The first wave of 4K OLED panels was locked at 60Hz, but a bunch of higher-refresh options released since. Going higher in the future will only cost more money, but professionals who can benefit from a higher refresh rate (or want this feature for other uses, like gaming) should look into some 4K 120Hz options. Some gaming machines now have an appealing combination of a high refresh rate, OLED technology, and sub-4K resolutions.If you are gaming, a 60Hz refresh rate is a fine fit for AAA titles where appearance is more important than frames, but many gamers play both big-budget blockbusters and the hottest battle royale or MOBA. It’s another tradeoff you’ll have to make for picture quality, as good as it is, though even many budget laptops today come with a higher-than-60Hz refresh rate.
(Credit: Molly Flores)
Also, consider some of the nuances of that. It takes a tip-top GPU to push frame rates of more than 60 frames per second (fps) at 4K and high detail settings with many modern AAA titles. In practical fact, if you’re playing the Cyberpunks and Battlefields of the world, and even if you have a high-end GPU, you can’t expect to hit 144fps or even 120fps at 4K and high detail settings, anyway; even the latest GeForce RTX 40 Series can be hard-pressed to achieve it. Given that, the 60Hz refresh rate of the screen won’t matter as much.The 60Hz limit is more of an issue if you’re an aficionado of older games, or of less-demanding but highly competitive esports titles (CS: GO, Valorant, Apex Legends) in which maximum frame rates are life-and-death matters. For those kinds of games, an OLED will have you leaving frames on the floor—unless you land one of the very new 90Hz models.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Meanwhile, OLED also has different considerations for creative professionals. If your job requires careful use of color matching or accuracy, choose your laptop carefully; different OLED laptop manufacturers make different claims about which color gamuts get full coverage, even with many of the laptops using the same panel. Note that Pantone validation is an aspect of some machines, notably several models from Gigabyte. If you know how to tune and calibrate displays for professional work, you can adjust the OLED to better results than out-of-the-box settings. Largely, the color coverage and accuracy are good enough for most casual and prosumer use cases.Beyond the display, for our general laptop buying advice, including what components to look for given your needs and budget, check out our roundup of best overall laptops, as well as our guide to the best gaming laptops.How Does OLED Affect Laptop Battery Life?As explained previously, when an OLED screen displays black on some or all of the screen, the pixels on those portions of the display are turned completely off. Because of that, the screen should use less power when showing black-dominant images, or videos with more black segments. This also holds even if the scene or image is not completely black, just dark because the pixels still use less power.To leverage this OLED trait, we’ve found that most OLED laptop makers are shipping their systems with Windows Dark Mode turned on, so no more juice than necessary is spent displaying your windows, folders, and taskbar. In our reviews of the first bunch of OLED laptops we received at PC Labs, we tested the impact of both OLED screens and Dark mode on battery life.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
As some of the first OLED laptop reviews we published, the Razer Blade 15 and the Dell XPS 15 (7590) contain our testing and information on this topic—but the takeaway is that Dark mode could be the chocolate to OLED’s peanut butter. Using it delivered a noticeable improvement in battery life in our tests. OLED does use up more juice displaying white pixels, and even pumping up the brightness to the max in Dark mode has much less of an impact than it does with white screens. Using Dark mode and watching videos with a lot of black or dark scenes could add up to hours of additional battery life. Generally, OLED is a power saver, and this aspect only adds to the potential savings.
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It may feel like overkill to think you have to monitor how much black or dark space is being displayed on your screen at any one time, but we wouldn’t obsess over it. Generally, with OLED, keeping dark mode on (or switching to it when you’re going to be using your system off the charger) should make a difference enough. But you may want to keep that desktop wallpaper dark, too!What Kinds of OLED Laptops Can I Buy?For now, the field of laptops with OLED screens is small versus the entirety of available laptops. The relative handful we have tested here is promising, and a little varied, but not as varied as the larger laptop market. OLED options have entered more product lines over the last couple of years or so (OLED-screened Chromebooks are now a thing too), and manufacturers most often reserve OLED panels for their top-end, premium models. Given the price of OLED, and most of the panels so far being tied to 4K native resolutions, this makes sense, but there is a slow but sure proliferation of OLED screens to less expensive laptops, too.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
This leads us to the exact types of OLED laptops we tend to see. OLED screens were initially seen mostly in high-end desktop-replacement laptops with optional OLED screens, as well as powerful gaming machines. We still see many of the former, like the Dell XPS 16 (9640), though they’re currently less common in gaming machines. Ultraportables and content creator laptops are the categories in which we see most OLED systems. These laptops may have you watching 4K streaming videos, looking at photos, and maybe doing some content-creation work, depending on the components. Entry-level discrete graphics are an option in some of these laptops, which ought to enable some light gaming at resolutions below 4K. Since that initial wave of systems, we’ve seen OLED screens deployed in a wider range of form factors, like the convertible Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8, and even dual-screen systems, like the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i and the Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8406). Everything you’re doing benefits from OLED, without many downsides other than the price.
(Credit: Molly Flores)
OLED screens in gaming-specific laptops are more the exception than the norm. They usually appear as an add-on option, but more recently manufacturers have opted for super-high-refresh displays over OLED for gaming laptops. If you do still see the option offered in a gaming laptop you’re considering, you may have to choose between OLED or high refresh, or at least limit the refresh rate ceiling to acquire an OLED screen (though only more competitive multiplayer gamers are likely to care). Our favorites like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 combine all of these features.The type of specialty laptops likely to include OLED screens are increasingly not gaming machines, but creator laptops. Aimed at creative professionals, these help users enhance their video editing, color-matching work, and the like. It’s not exactly essential for these users, but the gains are clear, and the downside of a limited refresh rate does not apply.So, What Is the Best OLED Laptop to Buy?The main, clear upside to OLED screens is how stellar they look. That alone may well be worth the money to you—though, as we’ve explained, OLED poses clear costs in dollars and more abstract ones. These panels are not for everyone, and paying well into four figures for a laptop with one is an investment.It will be a while until OLEDs make it into a wider range of laptops and the cost comes down, but for now, they’re a joy to behold and we’re glad they’re here. If your budget can swing it, check out our recommendations and spec breakout below for the top OLED-bearing laptops that PC Labs has tested.
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