If you have ever been to a laptop market, you might have had a hard time picking between a 15.6” laptop and a 17.3” laptop. Though the difference might seem to be just 2”, it can make a massive difference in the experience it can offer. Generally, 17.3” laptops are preferred by gamers as they are bigger and equipped with better configuration as compared to the 15.6” laptops. On the other hand, smaller 15.6 laptops are preferred for simple tasks like office work, web surfing, etc.
In that case, it becomes extremely difficult to consider one for your purpose, as both of them have advantages as well as disadvantages. So if you are wondering which could be the right pick, you have come to the right spot. In this post, I have written a detailed comparison between the 15.6” laptops and the 17.3” laptops.
15.6” Laptops vs 17.3” Laptops: Which Is better?
It’s clearly hard to say which one is better — 15.6” or 17.3”? Instead, it depends on every person’s preference and the type of work he/she is buying a laptop for. For instance, if you are a gamer who is looking for a laptop solely for playing AAA titles, a 17.3” laptop will be much preferable as it is equipped with a dedicated graphics card, high-end processor, 144Hz refresh rate display, and so on.
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But if you are an office employee or a student who needs a laptop to carry out basic tasks, a 15.6” laptop will do a better job. But again, you might ask, why not pick the 17.3” inch laptop as it can do both heavy as well as basic tasks. Your point is correct, but bigger laptops also come with a few issues which some people don’t like.
First, 17.3” laptops along with big screens also weigh more than a standard laptop. Such laptops usually weigh around 2.5 kg to 3 kg on average. Though some manufacturers have recently launched gaming laptops with less than 2.5 kg, the average weight still lies around 2.5-3 kg. For some people, this can be a matter of concern as no one likes to carry heavy laptops.
Second, laptops with bigger screens can have a hard time trying to find a perfect bag that can keep them safe. That’s one of the reasons some people don’t prefer buying a 17.3” laptop.
In the case of 15.6” laptops, they are pretty convenient to carry around and weigh just 1.3 to 1.5 kg. That’s why office people prefer such laptops, so they don’t have to carry the burden of a heavy laptop. But the problem with such laptops is that they are not suitable for gaming or any heavy task as they don’t have the required power.
So you can see that depending on every person’s requirements, opinions can vary. No one can conclude by saying that a 15.6” or a 17.3” laptop is the best one.
Areas to Consider
Let’s discuss it more briefly where I will consider the major three aspects of having a laptop — Office Work, Programming, and Gaming. Based on these aspects, you can easily decide which one to pick — 15.6” or 17.3”?
Office Work
First, we will be talking about the more general use of a laptop and that is for office purposes. With lots of people undergoing work from home, their dependence on laptops has increased a lot. Hence, a standard 15.6” laptop will work fine for them. As the work doesn’t require to involve something heavy, there’s no need to invest in a bigger 17.3” inch laptop.
And even if you plan to work some days out of your home, like in a cafe or a library, you can easily carry it around without breaking a sweat. While working with your coworkers, you don’t have to worry about bringing everyone’s attention to your bigger 17” laptop, which you thought would look cool on you.
But again, if you are the type of person who prefers working alone at your home, even a 17.3” inch laptop can be fine for you. Such laptops are best suited in their permanent desk rather than moving to and fro. In that way, you can do your work as well as play games.
That said, while a 15.6” laptop is the most preferable option for office work, a 17.3” laptop can also do the job if you also like playing games in your free time.
Programming
Choosing a laptop for programming can depend on several factors, as both of them have their own pros and cons. Since programming is a kind of job that requires smooth functioning and a powerful system to function, a bigger 17.3” laptop might be the perfect one. They have powerful configurations, and larger displays, and can easily handle heavy software or simulators that require graphics power.
But if your work involves a lot of traveling, such laptops can cause an inconvenience. You won’t be able to easily carry out your work while switching places. In that case, your best bet would be a 15.6” laptop. They are smaller in size and weigh less than gaming laptops. You can easily carry it with you in your backpack and work anywhere you like.
However, it also has its disadvantage. Smaller screens can cause difficulty scrolling through the screen. As these laptops are not much powerful, you can’t run heavy software or compilers to carry out your job smoothly.
Hence, it ultimately weighs down to your working style and preference. If you work only from your home, a 17.3” laptop could be fine. Otherwise, a 15.6” laptop is an alternative option. Needless to say, both of them perform well and serve their purpose well.
Gaming
One of the reasons why gamers prefer a bigger screen to play games is not just because of better configuration and power, but also its immersive experience. Even a full HD 17.3” laptop will give you a whole new experience as compared to a 15.6” laptop. Another reason is that bigger screens offer more visibility and greater focus.
If you are playing the latest AAA titles, a 17.3” laptop can do the best job, especially when it comes to cooling. Smaller laptops being compact in size don’t have a lot of space for air cooling hence they can heat up pretty quickly. On the other hand, bigger laptops are equipped with modern air coolers that let the cool air flow through your laptop easily and let out the hot air.
But all of the above factors don’t conclude that smaller laptops are not meant for gaming. They might not be suitable for gaming, but they can also offer a pleasant gaming experience.
Summing up, while the bigger 17.3” inch laptops are mostly preferred for gaming, you can also consider smaller laptops if you don’t wanna go big.
The Takeaway
Picking a 15.6” laptop or a 17.3” laptop is your personal choice. There’s no concrete line that states that smaller laptops are only meant for programming or office work, and bigger laptops are only meant for gaming. It depends on your personal preference for what you want to pick.
Hence, rather than only focusing on the screen size, you should also consider looking into other important aspects like the processor, graphics card, memory, and battery backup.
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