OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology is a recent advance that has revolutionized portable computing—at first sight. OLED screens flaunt stunningly vivid colors, unbeatably deep blacks, and outstanding overall picture quality. In 2021, OLED tech arrived in laptops, mostly high-end ultraportables and gaming rigs, and now has spread to almost all categories and price ranges. PCMag has more than 40 years in the computer-review game, and our expert analysts apply collective decades of experience to testing these new laptops on every metric, including brightness, color depth, and battery life. Our authority in the field equips us to judge the best OLED laptops and publish verdicts you can trust. The Acer Swift 16 AI is our current choice as the best OLED laptop for most people, but read on for additional tested, vetted OLED-laptop picks across more specific use cases, plus general OLED-screen shopping advice and a handy spec comparison.
Overview
-
Jump To Details
![Acer Swift 16 AI]()
Best OLED Laptop for Most PeopleAcer Swift 16 AI
-
Jump To Details
![HP OmniBook 5 14]()
Best Budget OLED LaptopHP OmniBook 5 14
-
Jump To Details
![LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 16 (2025)]()
Best High-End OLED LaptopLG Gram Pro 2-in-1 16 (2025)
-
Jump To Details
![Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition]()
Best OLED Laptop for Business UsersLenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition
-
Jump To Details
![Asus ProArt PX13]()
Best OLED ConvertibleAsus ProArt PX13
-
Jump To Details
![Razer Blade 16 (2025)]()
Best OLED Gaming LaptopRazer Blade 16 (2025)
-
Jump To Details
![Dell 16 Premium (DA16250)]()
Best OLED Laptop for Content CreatorsDell 16 Premium (DA16250)
-
Jump To Details
![Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 8]()
Best OLED Mobile WorkstationLenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 8
-
Jump To Details
![MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+]()
Best OLED Laptop with Long Battery LifeMSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
-
![Acer Swift 16 AI]()
Best OLED Laptop for Most PeopleAcer Swift 16 AI
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Acer Swift 16 AI presents the best mix of price, design, and performance for the average shopper looking for an OLED screen. The 16-inch display is plenty roomy, and the 2,880-by-1,800-pixel 120Hz OLED panel looks sharp and speedy. Considering the quality of the screen, along with the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor, 16GB of memory, and 1TB of storage, our review model is reasonably priced. The super-long battery life is another plus. You'll notice a few misses, like the keyboard layout and speakers, but it's an easy and affordable mainstream laptop to recommend.
Who It's For
Mainstream shoppers: The average user seeking a high-quality display in a thin design will be delighted with this Acer model. Anyone taking it on the road frequently will appreciate the battery (more than 20 hours in our rundown test) and relatively light weight (3.37 pounds) for a 16-inch laptop.
Buyers replacing a desktop: If you're ditching a stationary family PC or deciding between a laptop and a desktop for your only computer, this can do the job of either. The 1800p screen is big enough to enjoy a monitor-like experience, it's fast enough for everyday needs, and it has 1TB of storage for all your files and photos.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Class Desktop Replacement Dimensions (HWD) 0.63 by 14.0 by 9.8 inches Graphics Processor Intel Arc Graphics 140V Native Display Resolution 2880 by 1800 Operating System Windows 11 Home Panel Technology OLED Processor Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Processor Speed 2.2 RAM (as Tested) 16 Screen Refresh Rate 120 Screen Size 16 Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) 20:12 Touch Screen Variable Refresh Support None Weight 3.37 Wireless Networking Bluetooth 5.4 Wireless Networking Wi-Fi 7 Learn More Acer Swift 16 AI Review -
-
![HP OmniBook 5 14]()
Best Budget OLED LaptopHP OmniBook 5 14
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The HP OmniBook 5 14 is our entry-level OLED pick because it's fast and light, and it costs less than $1,000. Weighing less than three pounds and lasting for a whopping 34 hours and 48 minutes on our video-playback battery rundown test, this is our new go-to travel companion. Since it's a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus machine, you should check whether your favorite PC apps are compatible before buying. But it's a sweet budget-friendly pick, regardless.
Who It's For
Frequent travelers: This laptop is both super-portable and long-lasting, ideal for those who often use their system outside the home. The OmniBook 5 is a chart-topper for battery life, and it's thin and light for top-notch portability.
Budget buyers seeking a colorful screen: OLED panels are often found in expensive laptops, but entry-level shoppers can get the screen tech with the OmniBook 5 14. The display also delivers high dynamic range (HDR) support for better color and deeper contrast in videos.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Class Ultraportable Dimensions (HWD) 0.6 by 12.3 by 8.6 inches Graphics Processor Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 Native Display Resolution 1920 by 1200 Operating System Windows 11 Panel Technology OLED Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) RAM (as Tested) 32 Screen Refresh Rate 60 Screen Size 14 Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) 34:48 Variable Refresh Support None Weight 2.98 Wireless Networking Bluetooth 5.3 Wireless Networking Wi-Fi 6E Learn More HP OmniBook 5 14 Review -
-
Credit: Joseph Maldonado
![LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 16 (2025)]()
Best High-End OLED LaptopLG Gram Pro 2-in-1 16 (2025)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
This gorgeous 2-in-1 is too pricey to be our best all-around OLED laptop, but it's a tempting upgrade for buyers with bigger budgets. Its starting price is already premium-tier, and our test model's high-end features push the figure even higher. The laptop comes in a slick and thin magnesium chassis, offers a vivid, 120Hz 1800p OLED touch screen, and includes a stylus. Its Intel Lunar Lake H-class processor is quick for all workloads short of professional content creation and heavier data tasks, helped along by 32GB of memory. The 16-inch screen is ideal for productivity, and even though it's a bit larger than many convertibles, the slim design makes it work.
Who It's For
Premium buyers: The average user doesn't need a fancy physical build, convertibility, or even a high-resolution screen, but this one is for high-end shoppers. If you have the cash, you can enjoy its speed, luxe design, and 120Hz 1800p OLED touch screen.
Hybrid users: While we chose the LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 16 for this spot due to its overall premium design and features, it also suits those specifically seeking a convertible laptop. Not many full-size laptops are also excellent tablets, but with this screen and an included stylus, it's a real treat to use in both modes.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Class Convertible 2-in-1 Dimensions (HWD) 0.5 by 14.1 by 9.9 inches Graphics Processor Intel Arc 140T Native Display Resolution 2880 by 1800 Operating System Windows 11 Home Panel Technology OLED Processor Intel Core Ultra 7 255H RAM (as Tested) 32 Screen Refresh Rate 120 Screen Size 16 Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Secondary Drive Type SSD Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) 17:56 Touch Screen Variable Refresh Support None Weight 3.08 Wireless Networking Bluetooth 5.4 Wireless Networking Wi-Fi 7 Learn More LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 16 (2025) Review -
-
![Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition]()
Best OLED Laptop for Business UsersLenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Business laptops are not the most common category for OLED screens, but you'll find a growing number of options. Our all-time favorite business portable is one of these, presenting an OLED display configuration that shines alongside the rest of its world-class build. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition has all the trimmings of a top-end enterprise laptop (with a price to match), but the OLED panel elevates it even further and makes even routine productivity apps look sensational.
Who It's For
Execs and big-budget shoppers: This laptop is more for the executive class than IT managers choosing an average fleet machine. We've called it the world's best laptop, so you know it doesn't come cheap; it's overly expensive for most as a daily driver, but you're one lucky business ace if you can snag one.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 512 Boot Drive Type SSD Class Business Class Ultraportable Dimensions (HWD) 0.56 by 12.3 by 8.5 inches Graphics Processor Intel Arc Graphics 140V Native Display Resolution 2880 by 1800 Operating System Windows 11 Pro Panel Technology OLED Processor Intel Core Ultra 7 258V RAM (as Tested) 32 Screen Refresh Rate 120 Screen Size 14 Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) 19:49 Variable Refresh Support Manual Weight 2.17 Wireless Networking Bluetooth Wireless Networking Wi-Fi 7 -
-
![Asus ProArt PX13]()
Best OLED ConvertibleAsus ProArt PX13
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Laptops that can flip and fold between laptop and tablet modes are helpful for presentations and an excellent fit for airline tray tables, even if you don't do a lot of tablet-style sketching and scribbling. Convertibles that can do all of the above with a gorgeous OLED display are even better, and the ProArt X13 tops that with legitimate power. Its 1800p OLED panel is a treat for the eyes, with an AI-ready AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU backing it up. This is a creator-friendly little powerhouse that can do it all, and it's not too steeply priced, either.
Who It's For
Hybrid users: If you like a convertible design and use your device in tablet mode often, you will be hard-pressed to find a better OLED laptop. This is a premium-built, powerful, and versatile system you can easily take on the road.
Creatives: This is the ideal OLED laptop for creators. The option for tablet mode, a brilliant screen, and powerful components make this a top pick for creative professionals. Particularly, a discrete GPU is rare in this tier, and a massive boon to media workloads.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Class Convertible 2-in-1 Class Ultraportable Dimensions (HWD) 0.7 by 11.7 by 8.3 inches Graphics Memory 6 Graphics Processor Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU Native Display Resolution 2880 by 1800 Operating System Windows 11 Home Panel Technology OLED Processor AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 RAM (as Tested) 32 Screen Refresh Rate 60 Screen Size 13.3 Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) 14:30 Touch Screen Variable Refresh Support None Weight 3.04 Wireless Networking Bluetooth Wireless Networking Wi-Fi 7 Learn More Asus ProArt PX13 Review -
-
![Razer Blade 16 (2025)]()
Best OLED Gaming LaptopRazer Blade 16 (2025)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
OLED screens are far from a given on high-end gaming laptops, but the most premium models deliver the goods. The exorbitant Blade 16 is undoubtedly aimed at enthusiasts only, but it's a stellar package if it's within your budget. The 1600p 240Hz OLED panel looks gorgeous (albeit reflective), and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU in our test model blew away our benchmarks. This laptop is a rare combination of style and substance, so long as you can afford it.
Who It's For
Hard-core gamers with deep pockets: This laptop works best for gamers willing to spend a ton for their luxe OLED laptop. The cost goes not only into high-end performance, but premium materials and design—so you'll get long battery life, a 240Hz refresh rate, and an RTX 5090 GPU for a truly well-rounded experience.
Creatives and power users: The Blade is also well-suited for creatives and professionals with high demands. You'll find plenty of overlap between creators and gamers today. This laptop has as much muscle for crunching through media editing and data as it does for handling the latest games.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 2 Boot Drive Type SSD Class Gaming Dimensions (HWD) 0.87 by 13.98 by 9.61 inches Graphics Memory 24 Graphics Processor Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU Native Display Resolution 2560 by 1600 Operating System Windows 11 Home Panel Technology OLED Processor AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 RAM (as Tested) 32 Screen Refresh Rate 240 Screen Size 16 Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) 10:12 Variable Refresh Support None Weight 5.4 Wireless Networking Bluetooth Wireless Networking Wi-Fi 7 Learn More Razer Blade 16 (2025) Review -
-
Credit: Joseph Maldonado
![Dell 16 Premium (DA16250)]()
Best OLED Laptop for Content CreatorsDell 16 Premium (DA16250)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
A beautiful display is a given on this list, but this machine marries its 4K OLED panel with powerful parts fit for creative professionals. Inside our unit, you'll find an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor, 32GB of memory, a 1TB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, which together can power almost any creation or editing workflow. It's not perfect (with some downsides to its feature set), but few laptops combine such advanced displays with slick portable builds and potent silicon combos.
Who It's For
Content creators and editors: Media professionals are one of the primary targets for a system like this. The 4K OLED screen is excellent for working with media in close detail, and the CPU and GPU are ready to crunch through these workloads.
Mac fans who need Windows: Like our best high-end laptop pick, those who prefer a MacBook Pro but need to work within Windows should consider the Dell 16 Premium. This one has an even better GPU to power through visual and graphics tasks—crucial considerations for the types of users a MacBook Pro usually attracts.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Class Desktop Replacement Dimensions (HWD) 0.75 by 14.10 by 9.40 inches Graphics Memory 8 Graphics Processor Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU Native Display Resolution 3840 x 2400 Operating System Windows 11 Home Panel Technology OLED Processor Intel Core Ultra 7 255H RAM (as Tested) 32 Screen Refresh Rate 120 Screen Size 16.3 Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) 13:31 Touch Screen Variable Refresh Support G-Sync Weight 4.65 Wireless Networking Bluetooth 5.4 Wireless Networking Wi-Fi 7 Learn More Dell 16 Premium (DA16250) Review -
-
Credit: Joseph Maldonado
![Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 8]()
Best OLED Mobile WorkstationLenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 8
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
OLED displays aren't too common in the workstation space, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 8 demonstrates the idea done right. It features a gorgeous 3,200-by-2,000-pixel touch screen, top-notch build quality, long battery life, and speedy performance. Sure, you'll find more powerful workstations out there—but anyone seeking an OLED screen will likely care more about the Lenovo's fairly portable build and solid feature set than purely potent performance. And the Lenovo is no slouch in the power department either, with its Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor and Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 GPU.
Who It's For
Demanding professionals: This is the leading OLED laptop for pros who need substantial workstation power. While most people don't need this much muscle, media editors, software engineers, and professionals working with large data sets will love the potency, portability, and overall feature set available in this system.
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Class Workstation Dimensions (HWD) 0.62 by 14 by 9.5 inches Graphics Memory 8 Graphics Processor Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 Native Display Resolution 3200 by 2000 Operating System Windows 11 Pro Panel Technology OLED Processor Intel Core Ultra 7 255H RAM (as Tested) 32 Screen Refresh Rate 120 Screen Size 16 Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) 16:01 Touch Screen Variable Refresh Support Yes Weight 4.06 Wireless Networking Bluetooth 5.4 Wireless Networking Wi-Fi 7 Learn More Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 8 Review -
-
![MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+]()
Best OLED Laptop with Long Battery LifeMSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
To cut to the chase, the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ achieved a record-setting battery life in our rundown test. Its 42-hour uptime topped the charts against all laptops we've ever tested, not just OLED systems. If you're set on an OLED screen, but want the longest-lasting laptop you can find, this is an easy choice.
It helps that it's also an excellent 2-in-1 system, with its OLED touch screen joined by a rotating-hinge convertible design, an included stylus (with a storage niche, to boot), fast processing, and generous connectivity.
Who It's For
Mobile professionals: Working pros who often need a quick, versatile laptop on a train, a plane, or in a café will love the Prestige 14 Flip AI+. The record-setting battery life means you won't always be eyeing the nearest outlet, and it has the feature set needed for real productivity. Among OLED systems, this hits the sweet spot of stamina, performance, and mobility better than any.
Pen-compute enthusiasts: Take notes in meetings all day, or in lecture halls? This unit will outlast the longest class or the most excruciating conference. (No doodling with the pen in sight of your boss or professor, please.)
Specs & Configurations
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) 1 Boot Drive Type SSD Class Convertible 2-in-1 Dimensions (HWD) 0.55 by 12.4 by 8.7 inches Graphics Processor Intel Arc B390 Native Display Resolution 1920 by 1200 Operating System Windows 11 Panel Technology OLED Processor Intel Core Ultra X7 358H RAM (as Tested) 32 Screen Refresh Rate 60 Screen Size 14 Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) 42:06 Touch Screen Variable Refresh Support None Weight 3.02 Wireless Networking Bluetooth 6 Wireless Networking Wi-Fi 7 Learn More MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review -
Compare Specs
![Razer Blade 16 (2025) [Review]](https://sm.pcmag.com/t/pcmag_uk/review/r/razer-blad/razer-blade-16-2025_za9d.640.jpg)
Our Pick | ||||||||||||
Rating |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
5.0 Exemplary |
4.5 Outstanding |
4.0 Excellent |
3.5 Good |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
Best For | Best OLED Laptop for Most People | Best Budget OLED Laptop | Best High-End OLED Laptop | Best OLED Laptop for Business Users | Best OLED Convertible | Best OLED Gaming Laptop | Best OLED Laptop for Content Creators | Best OLED Mobile Workstation | Best OLED Laptop with Long Battery Life | Best OLED Laptop for Most People | Best Budget OLED Laptop | Best High-End OLED Laptop |
Class | Desktop Replacement | Ultraportable | Convertible 2-in-1 | Business, Ultraportable | Convertible 2-in-1, Ultraportable | Gaming | Desktop Replacement | Workstation | Convertible 2-in-1 | Desktop Replacement | Ultraportable | Convertible 2-in-1 |
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 256V | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) | Intel Core Ultra 7 255H | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Intel Core Ultra 7 255H | Intel Core Ultra 7 255H | Intel Core Ultra X7 358H | Intel Core Ultra 7 256V | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) | Intel Core Ultra 7 255H |
Processor Speed | 2.2 | 2.2 | ||||||||||
RAM (as Tested) | 16 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 16 | 32 | 32 |
Boot Drive Type | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD |
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 512 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Secondary Drive Type | SSD | SSD | ||||||||||
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
Optical Drive | ||||||||||||
Screen Size | 16 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 13.3 | 16 | 16.3 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 16 |
Native Display Resolution | 2880 by 1800 | 1920 by 1200 | 2880 by 1800 | 2880 by 1800 | 2880 by 1800 | 2560 by 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | 3200 by 2000 | 1920 by 1200 | 2880 by 1800 | 1920 by 1200 | 2880 by 1800 |
Touch Screen | ||||||||||||
Panel Technology | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED |
Variable Refresh Support | None | None | None | Manual | None | None | G-Sync | None | None | None | None | |
Screen Refresh Rate | 120 | 60 | 120 | 120 | 60 | 240 | 120 | 120 | 60 | 120 | 60 | 120 |
Graphics Processor | Intel Arc Graphics 140V | Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 | Intel Arc 140T | Intel Arc Graphics 140V | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU | Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 | Intel Arc B390 | Intel Arc Graphics 140V | Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 | Intel Arc 140T |
Graphics Memory | 6 | 24 | 8 | 8 | ||||||||
Wireless Networking | Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 | Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7 |
Dimensions (HWD) | 0.63 by 14.0 by 9.8 inches | 0.6 by 12.3 by 8.6 inches | 0.5 by 14.1 by 9.9 inches | 0.56 by 12.3 by 8.5 inches | 0.7 by 11.7 by 8.3 inches | 0.87 by 13.98 by 9.61 inches | 0.75 by 14.10 by 9.40 inches | 0.62 by 14 by 9.5 inches | 0.55 by 12.4 by 8.7 inches | 0.63 by 14.0 by 9.8 inches | 0.6 by 12.3 by 8.6 inches | 0.5 by 14.1 by 9.9 inches |
Weight | 3.37 | 2.98 | 3.08 | 2.17 | 3.04 | 5.4 | 4.65 | 4.06 | 3.02 | 3.37 | 2.98 | 3.08 |
Operating System | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 | Windows 11 Home |
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) | 20:12 | 34:48 | 17:56 | 19:49 | 14:30 | 10:12 | 13:31 | 16:01 | 42:06 | 20:12 | 34:48 | 17:56 |
Buying Guide: The Best OLED Laptops for 2026
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 the advantages they offer. As we said, the acronym stands for "organic light-emitting diode." The short explanation is that OLED technology is similar to traditional LED technology—the same concept of light-emitting diodes—but instead of producing light using only semiconductors, these panels use organic molecules. The result is brighter screens with more vibrant colors, which is why the tech is appealing for TVs and computers. OLED displays also tend to use less power than their rivals, all else being equal.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)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—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 either block or tint it to generate pixels of the desired color. OLED screens use a different display paradigm: an organic compound that is self-emissive, allowing each pixel in the panel to produce its own light when current is applied.
That's the main difference between OLED and LCD screens, enabling the former to produce extra-brilliant colors and deeper blacks. When an LCD panel shows black, the backlight can still leak through the shutter. In OLED screens, black pixels are literally turned off, with no light leakage from behind to dilute the darkness. This provides far better contrast than filtering out an ever-present LED backlight.
This also allows for more efficient, and hence thinner, panels, although the last benefit doesn't play out as dramatically with laptops as with OLED TVs. Many of the latter are nearly razor-thin.
Should You Buy an OLED Laptop?
Of course, this beauty comes at a price. OLED configurations are generally more expensive than traditional display options, often included in the pricier variants of a laptop family. But that's not true across the board; things have changed since the first wave of laptop OLED panels hit the market (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 HP OmniBook 5 14) with OLED screens. In fact, many of our picks these days have lower resolutions than 4K. That said, you will still find 4K resolution and cutting-edge screen technologies in the most premium versions of any given laptop.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)If you're interested in an OLED display but unsure whether you can justify it, focus on one basic selling point: they're incredible to look at. An OLED will make watching videos, playing games, and even staring at your emails look amazing. Is that worth the extra money? That's up to you and your budget.
Sure, OLED is not strictly necessary, but neither is 4K resolution, and many tech features start as luxuries before becoming standards. If you're buying a new panel, it's a solid move to adopt cutting-edge technology that's becoming increasingly popular.
Specific user types should consider more granular pros and cons. Gamers will enjoy eye-popping visuals, and many titles' fantasy and sci-fi settings are ideal for deep blacks and vibrant colors. However, only the highest-end laptop components can power 4K gaming at 60 frames per second, so most gamers must 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. 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 getting an OLED panel.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)There's also the issue of the refresh rate. More and more modern gaming laptops come equipped with 144Hz, 240Hz, and even up to 300Hz displays to show more frames per second in competitive games. The first wave of 4K OLED panels was limited to 60Hz, but higher-refresh-rate options have been released since. Going higher in the future will only cost more money, but professionals who can benefit from a higher refresh rate 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.
True, 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 trade-off you'll have to make for picture quality, though even some budget laptops today come with refresh rates above 60Hz.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Also, consider some of the nuances. It takes a tip-top GPU to push frame rates above 60 frames per second (fps) at 4K and high detail settings in 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 image-quality settings, anyway. Even today's Nvidia GeForce RTX 50-series silicon is hard-pressed to achieve such a feat, unless frame-boosting technology like DLSS 4 gets involved. Given that, a "mere" 60Hz refresh rate 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 new 90Hz or 120Hz models.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Meanwhile, OLED raises different considerations for creative professionals. If your job requires careful color matching or accuracy, choose your laptop carefully. Different OLED laptop manufacturers make different claims about which color gamuts are fully covered, even though many of the laptops use the same panel. Note that Pantone validation is an option on some machines.
If you know how to tune and calibrate displays for professional work, you can adjust the OLED to achieve better results than out-of-the-box settings. Essentially, 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 the best overall laptops and our guide to the best gaming laptops.
How Does OLED Affect Laptop Battery Life?
As explained previously, when an OLED screen displays black pixels, those pixels are completely turned off. As a result, the screen should use less power when showing black-dominant images or videos with more black content. This also holds even if the scene or image is not entirely black, just dark, because the pixels still use less power.
To leverage this OLED trait, we've found that some OLED laptop makers ship their systems with Windows Dark Mode turned on, so no more juice than necessary is spent displaying your windows, folders, and the taskbar. In our reviews of the first batch 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 uses more juice to display white pixels, and even pumping up the brightness to the max in Dark mode has much less impact than it does on white screens. Using Dark mode and watching videos with many black or dark scenes could add up to hours of additional battery life.
Generally, OLEDs are power-efficient, which only adds to their potential savings. The longest-lasting laptop we've tested yet, the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+, lasted a massive 42 hours and 6 minutes in our testing, making full use of that OLED panel and earning our first PCMag Lab Award for battery life among laptops.
It may feel like overkill to monitor how much black or dark space displays on your screen at any one time, so 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?
Not every laptop line today will come with an OLED panel, but many will at least provide OLED as an upgrade option. Manufacturers most often reserve OLED panels for their top-end models, but some entry-level and midrange machines let you swap to an OLED display for an added cost. You'll find far more OLED laptops available across more laptop categories than ever. Even OLED-screened Chromebooks are now a thing.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)This technology is now expected only on higher-end, media-centric machines, many of which support 4K native resolutions. But there is a slow but sure proliferation of OLED screens to less expensive laptops, too.
Video and photo pros need advanced, color-accurate displays, thus why OLEDs are most pervasive in content-creation laptops. The next most common categories they show up in are ultraportables and convertibles, mobile laptops that really sing with a screen that has a sharp resolution, touch input, and OLED tech.
Depending on the components, these laptops can be optimal for watching 4K streaming videos, looking at photos, and maybe doing content-creation work; entry-level discrete graphics are available in some of these laptops, which ought to enable light gaming at resolutions below 4K. Over the last few years, we've seen OLED screens deployed across a broad range of form factors—after all, everything you're doing benefits from OLED, with few downsides beyond the price.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)Gaming laptops are a different story. Aside from an initial wave of OLED excitement when they first hit the market, OLED screens are more the exception than the norm in gaming-specific laptops. They may appear as add-on options, but manufacturers often opt for super-high-refresh-rate displays over OLED for gaming notebooks. Only the most premium machines may have both. If you still see the option offered on a gaming laptop you're considering, you may have to choose between OLED and high refresh. Our favorites, like the Razer Blade 16, combine all these features.
Ready to Buy the Right OLED Laptop for You?
The main, clear upside to OLED screens is how stellar they look. That alone may well be worth the money, though, as we've explained, OLED poses clear costs in dollars—and has some more abstract drawbacks, besides. 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 before OLEDs are used in a wider range of laptops and their costs come 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 in this guide and our spec breakout for the top OLED-bearing laptops that PC Labs has tested.