Best 4K Laptop in 2025

When buying a new laptop, most people tend to focus on performance specs—RAM, storage, SSD, speed, maybe even size. But one thing that often gets overlooked is the display. While performance is obviously important, your overall laptop experience is deeply influenced by how everything looks on screen. A great display can transform your daily workflow, entertainment, and even reduce eye strain, something you might not realize you needed until you actually have it. In this 4K laptop buying guide, we’ve rounded up the top options that deliver both performance and incredible display quality, so you can see everything in its best light.

How to Check if You Need a 4K Laptop

Before you dive into the laptop choices you have for a 4K resolution laptop, let’s first look into if you really need a 4k laptop or not. Consider this checklist to help you decide better:

• Purpose of Use

What exactly do you actually use your laptop for? If you're editing videos, working with high-res images, or doing any graphic design, a 4K display could really give you the extra detail and sharpness you need. It just makes things look way more polished.

• Think About Entertainment

If you’re into watching 4K content or gaming, the difference a 4K screen makes is huge. Everything looks so much more vibrant, and it just feels more immersive, like you're right in the action.

• Check the Screen Size

If you're opting for a smaller screen, like 13” or under, the difference between 1080p and 4K might not be as obvious. The pixels are already pretty packed, so you might not see that big of an upgrade.

• Weigh Battery Life vs. Resolution

Just a heads up: 4K screens can drain your battery faster. If you're all about battery life and need it to last through a full day of work, you might need to consider if that extra resolution is worth the trade-off.

• Know Your Budget

4K laptops tend to cost more. Before you jump in, think about whether the higher resolution is something you really need. If you’re mostly using your laptop for basic tasks, maybe it’s not worth spending the extra cash.

• Do Your Homework

Don't just go by specs alone—take a look at reviews, compare different models, and if you can, see the laptop in person. Trust me, seeing that 4K display up close will give you a better idea if it's worth it.

The Best 4K Laptops of 2025

  1. Apple MacBook Pro (M4 Pro/Max, 2025)

The Apple MacBook Pro is packed with power, especially with its new M4 chips that take performance to the next level. The display is a major highlight, with the 16-inch model featuring a stunning Liquid Retina XDR screen. It’s incredibly bright, offering up to 1600 nits of peak brightness, which makes it perfect for editing photos or videos in detail.

The colors are vibrant, and the sharpness is top-notch, ideal for anyone working with high-resolution content. Whether you’re creating or just watching 4K movies, the display on the MacBook Pro is a game-changer. It’s one of the best you’ll find on any laptop.

  2. Asus Zenbook S 16 (2025)

The Asus Zenbook S 16 (2025) is a sleek and premium laptop that offers a brilliant 16-inch 4K OLED display, making it ideal for those who need exceptional screen clarity and vibrant colors. Whether you're a content creator or someone who enjoys high-quality entertainment, this laptop delivers crisp and sharp visuals.

It’s lightweight and compact, making it easy to carry around without compromising on performance. The Zenbook S 16 also boasts solid battery life, so you can enjoy all those stunning visuals without worrying about constantly recharging. The powerful internals ensure it can handle demanding tasks with ease, and the build quality is top-notch, offering a refined feel.

  3. HP ZBook Fury G1i (2025)

The HP ZBook Fury G1i (2025) is another premium laptop designed for professionals who require high performance and reliability. It features a 16-inch 4K display that offers impressive color accuracy and sharpness, making it perfect for photo and video editing or 3D rendering. The display quality is exceptional, providing a near-perfect viewing experience.

In terms of performance, it’s equipped with powerful Intel processors and a dedicated GPU, making it ideal for demanding tasks. The laptop is on the heavier side, but it makes up for that with superior build quality and the versatility to handle almost any work scenario. Its battery life is decent but may not be as long-lasting due to the power-hungry components.

  4. Lenovo ThinkBook 14+ (2025)

The Lenovo ThinkBook 14+ (2025) offers flawlessness between the balance of performance and portability. It comes with a 14-inch display that can go up to 4K resolution, providing a sharp and detailed screen for all your work and entertainment needs. The display offers rich colors and good brightness, though not as vibrant as some of the other laptops on this list.

The ThinkBook 14+ is designed for business professionals, with a slim and lightweight design that’s easy to carry around. Its performance is solid for everyday tasks and multitasking, and it has a good selection of ports for productivity. Battery life is quite respectable, allowing you to get through most of the day without charging.

  5. Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (2025)

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (2025) is all about premium design and portability, coupled with a 13.5-inch 4K PixelSense display that brings stunning clarity to everything from everyday tasks to media consumption. The display is one of the standout features, offering excellent color accuracy and sharpness for its size. The Surface Laptop 7 is thin, lightweight, and easy to carry, making it ideal for students or professionals who are constantly on the go.

Its performance is solid, with decent processing power for most tasks, but it may struggle with more demanding workloads like video editing or gaming. Battery life is impressive for its size, making it a reliable option for those who need a laptop that can last throughout the day.

How to Get 4K on Your Laptop

If your laptop screen doesn’t look as sharp as you’d expect, chances are it's not fully using 4K resolution—even if you have a laptop with 4k display. Here’s how to check if your laptop supports 4K and what to do to enable it.

1. Check Your Laptop's Display Resolution

First, we’ll check if your laptop supports a 4K display and whether your resolution is set to 4K. Keep in mind that in the display settings, you won’t see “4K” explicitly – instead, you’ll see “3840 x 2160,” which is equivalent to a 4K resolution.

For Windows users:

Step 1: Right-click on your desktop and select “Display settings” from the context menu.

Step 2: Scroll down to the “Display Resolution” field. Click the drop-down menu and look for “3840 x 2160”. If your laptop supports 4K, this option will be available.

Step 3: To enable it, select “3840 x 2160”, then scroll to the Scale field and adjust the scaling to “200%” for optimal clarity.

For Mac users:

Step 1: Click the Apple logo, choose “About This Mac”, and then click on the Displays tab to view your display resolution.

Step 2: Under the Use as section, check the supported resolutions – select “3840 x 2160” to enable 4K on your Mac.

Note: If you don’t see a full list of resolution options, click the “Advanced” button and ensure that the “Show resolutions as list” option is enabled.

2. Verify Your Graphics Card (GPU) Compatibility

A 4K display is only useful if your graphics card (GPU) can support 4K content. On a Windows laptop, open the Device Manager, expand the Display Adapters section, and take note of which GPU your laptop uses. Once you know the GPU model, research its specifications online to check if it can handle 4K resolution.

For Mac users, go to About This Mac and find the Graphics section to see which GPU is being used. Make sure the GPU supports 4K resolution for smooth performance.

3. Test With External Monitors

If your laptop doesn't have a 4K display but you want to use 4K content, you can connect it to an external 4K monitor. To do this, ensure your laptop has an HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort connection, as these are necessary to support 4K output. Check that the port on your laptop supports 4K at 60Hz, as some older ports may only support lower resolutions. Once connected to a 4K monitor, try playing 4K content to verify that your laptop outputs it correctly.

To set this up, follow these steps:

Step 1: Plug in the monitor using an HDMI 2.0, USB-C, or DisplayPort cable to ensure a proper 4K connection.

Step 2: Open your Display Settings and select the external monitor, which should appear just above the "Multiple Displays" field.

Step 3: Set the display resolution of the external monitor to "3840 x 2160" to confirm it’s running at 4K.

4. Optimizing GPU Settings

If 4K isn’t showing up in your display settings, you can optimize your GPU settings to unlock it. This is especially useful if you're using a GeForce graphics card. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Search for and open the “NVIDIA Control Panel” from your Start menu.

Step 2: In the NVIDIA Control Panel, click on “Manage 3D Settings”. This section houses a variety of options related to your graphics performance.

Step 3: Scroll down to the “DSR - Factors” section. Open the drop-down menu and check the boxes under Legacy scaling.

Step 4: Then, return to your Display Settings to verify that "3840 x 2160" is now available as an option.

With this, your laptop is now fully set up to display and handle 4K resolution. Whether you're using the built-in screen or an external 4K monitor. From checking compatibility to optimizing GPU settings, every step ensures you get the sharpest visuals your setup can deliver.

Beyond Hardware – Enhancing Content Quality with AI

The importance of a good display cannot be highlighted enough. It’s not just crucially important for casual users, but for people who do productivity tasks, it can completely shift their experience. A high-quality screen enhances your ability to engage with content, whether you're working on detailed projects or browsing the web. For those who focus on creating or editing marketing and promotional materials, a sharp and vibrant display significantly boosts the clarity and professionalism of the final product. It allows you to spot finer details that could be overlooked on a lower-quality screen.

WPS Office is a powerful tool that ensures nothing stands in the way of your productivity. It covers all the essentials—word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations—but what really sets it apart is its advanced spell check feature. It's not just your standard tool; it goes beyond basic error detection by suggesting improvements to your sentence structure and clarity, helping your content flow more naturally. This is especially useful for things like drafting emails, writing reports, or putting together marketing materials. With WPS Office, you can be sure that your writing is clear, professional, and error-free.

• Marketing materials: It ensures your content is clear, polished, and free from errors, making it more professional and impactful.

• Emails and reports: It offers suggestions to improve your writing, making your communication more effective and easier to understand.

• Presentations: Helps refine your text, so your slides are engaging, easy to follow, and error-free.

• Error-free writing: Detects and corrects spelling, grammar, and readability issues, saving you time and reducing mistakes in any document.

I, for one, can vouch for how a good display has streamlined my workflow and made my tasks more efficient. Whether I’m editing content, working on presentations, or just browsing, the clarity and sharpness of a high-quality screen have made everything feel easier and more enjoyable. The convenience of having crisp visuals cannot be overstated, as it directly affects how productive and comfortable I feel when working.

FAQs

1. Is 4K Overkill for a Laptop?

Yes, 4K can be considered overkill for most laptops, especially those with smaller screens. While it offers sharper visuals and benefits professionals working with high-resolution content, the difference is often negligible at typical viewing distances. Additionally, 4K significantly impacts battery life, increases cost, reduces gaming performance, and may cause scaling issues. Unless you have specific needs like content creation or visual precision, a Full HD display remains the more practical and efficient choice.

2. How to Check if My Laptop Can Run 4K?

Here is a guide on how to check if your laptop can run 4K:

Step 1: Right-click on your desktop.

Step 2: Select Display settings.

Step 3: Scroll to Display resolution.

Step 4: If “3840 x 2160” is listed and selectable, your built-in display supports 4K.

Prioritize Productivity with WPS Office

While your laptop’s display isn’t the only thing that matters, it’s definitely something you shouldn’t overlook when choosing a new device. Go ahead and prioritize the specs—RAM, storage, processor speed—all of that’s important. But the display? It can completely change how your laptop feels to use, especially if you spend hours on it every day. The good news is, with so many laptops out there offering powerful performance and stunning displays, there's definitely one that fits your style and needs.

And speaking of performance, pairing your laptop with something like WPS Office can really elevate your day-to-day experience. Whether you’re writing, making presentations, or handling spreadsheets, it’s lightweight, fast, and comes packed with features—like smart spelling and grammar checks—that make working on your laptop a lot smoother.