Best Core i9 laptops 2024

Looking for a laptop that's capable of powering through heavy workloads or driving a top-notch gaming experience? Some of the best options on the market are systems equipped with one of Intel's Core i9 or Core Ultra 9 processors. These beastly mobile chips are among the most performant CPUs that have ever been put into laptops and truly shine when paired with high-end discrete laptop GPUs. Whether you're a gamer or a professional, you can count on this hardware to deliver the horsepower you need.

Although Dell's XPS 16 and Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Ultra are a couple of favorites that the Windows Central team has tested and reviewed, there are some amazing alternatives available for gamers and professionals.

The quick list

Our favorite Core i9 and Core Ultra 9 laptops in 2024

Best overall

Dell's XPS 16 (9640) is one of our favorite AI PCs if you're looking for a lot of power in a slim and modern design. The lattice-free keyboard, touch function buttons, and seamless glass haptic touchpad might take some getting used to, but the features come together to create a beautiful laptop.

There are a number of configurations available at a cheaper price, but I'm focusing here on the Core Ultra 9 185H CPU available with either an NVIDIA RTX 4060 or RTX 4070 Laptop graphics card (GPU). These models have up to 64GB of LPDDR5x-6400MHz RAM (soldered), as well as up to 4TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid-state drive (SSD) storage.

Two 16.3-inch displays are available no matter the config. The entry option has a 1920x1200 (FHD+) resolution, anti-glare finish, 500 nits brightness, and 120Hz variable refresh rate (VRR) to be easier on the eyes. For about $300 more, an OLED display with 3840x2400 (UHD+) resolution, anti-reflective finish, and 120Hz VRR is available.

Windows Central's Rebecca Spear reviewed the XPS 16 (9640) with OLED display, in which she noted that it "makes for a beautiful viewing experience when playing games, watching shows, or working in creative software."

👀 Read our full Dell XPS 16 (9640) review

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Runner-up

I recommend to those who aren't interested in Dell's overhauled XPS design the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra. It's a relatively thin and sleek 16-inch clamshell notebook that can deliver performance nearly on par with a gaming laptop, and it's a great fit with other Galaxy products thanks to the bevy of Samsung software on board.

We consider the Galaxy Book4 Ultra the best laptop with a number pad, and its massive touchpad makes for easy pointing. It offers a good selection of ports (including dual Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, microSD card reader, and more), it has four speakers with Dolby Atmos for excellent sound, and there's a fingerprint reader for Windows Hello.

Performance is superb thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU paired with an NVIDIA RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, up to 32GB of LPDDR5x-7467MHz RAM (soldered), and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. Battery life could be better, and those who want the longest runtimes should stick with the XPS 16. Still, we saw between five and six hours of real-world life in testing with a Core Ultra 7 model.

Windows Central' Zachary Boddy reviewed the Galaxy Book4 Ultra, remarking about the 16-inch AMOLED display:

"Solid color accuracy and a very consistent white balance are great for content creation, vibrant colors and perfect contrast are great for media consumption, and a high refresh rate and fast response time are great for gaming."

👀 Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra review

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Best gaming

Lenovo didn't make too many changes to its Gen 9 Legion Pro 7i, but that's because the Gen 8 model was so close to perfection. The latest flagship gaming laptop received a performance hardware bump, a new display option, an extra USB-C port and better build quality, and some new config options.

Lenovo goes all-out right from the start, with a 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4080 or RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, up to 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM (upgradeable), and up to dual 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs. 

Battery life is understandably abbreviated, but as Zachary Boddy says in their Legion Pro 7i (Gen 9) review:

"The latest [model] has more than enough firepower to play all the latest and greatest PC games for years to come, and you'll never have to worry too much about your settings to get a stable framerate."

In terms of the display, you're looking at a 16-inch IPS non-touch panel with a 2560x1600 (QHD+) resolution, about 500 nits brightness, a 240Hz refresh rate, DisplayHDR 400 with Dolby Vision, and NVIDIA G-Sync with Advanced Optimus.

👀 Read our full Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen 9) review

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Most power

Alienware's m18 R2 is one of our favorite gaming laptops in 2024, and it's the right choice for PC gamers who want the most power possible in a (relatively) portable PC. Dell delivers an Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU with your choice of an NVIDIA RTX 4060, RTX 4070, RTX 4080, or RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, as well as up to 64GB of DDR5-5200MHz RAM (upgradeable) and up to dual 4TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs in a RAID0 setup. 

In her Alienware m18 R2 review, Editor Rebecca Spear said, "I've seen some amazing gaming laptops in my time here at Windows Central, but the Alienware m18 R2 is by far the most impressive to date." It will easily handle any games you throw its way, and the 18-inch displays can easily keep up. 

The cheaper screen has a 2560x1600 (QHD+) resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, NVIDIA G-Sync, and 100% DCI-P3 color. For about $50 more, an FHD+ option with a 480Hz refresh rate and otherwise similar specs might make more sense for competitive gaming.

Other standout features include a CherryMX mechanical keyboard with per-key RGB lighting, loud speakers, lots of ports, Wi-Fi 7 support, and RGB lighting on the chassis.

👀 Read our full Alienware m18 R2 review

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Premium gaming

Razer's Blade 18 for 2024 might be one of the most expensive gaming laptops on the market today, but it remains the right choice for PC gamers and creators who want desktop performance in a device that measures just 0.86 inches (21.9mm) thin. 

Its black finish offers an understated look, with per-key RGB lighting for the keyboard, top-firing speakers, Wi-Fi 7 support, and plenty of ports (including 2.5GbE LAN, HDMI 2.1, SD card reader, and Thunderbolt 5).

There are a couple of displays available for the Blade 18, both with Calman color verification. In our testing, the mini-LED option with a 2560x1600 (QHD+) resolution, 300Hz refresh rate, and 3ms response time hit 100% sRGB and DCI-P3 color, topping out at about 507 nits brightness. The other option is the "world's first 18-inch 4K 200Hz display" according to Razer, which should be paired with only the most powerful hardware.

Razer delivers a 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4070, RTX 4080, or RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, with up to 64GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM and dual 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs. The system gets loud and battery life isn't great, but the power is there for those who need it.

In Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson's Razer Blade 18 (2024) review, he noted that the laptop "triumphs in GPU-centric benchmarks, and testing with 3D Mark's Time Spy shows both models at the absolute top spot in our database."

👀 Read our full Razer Blade 18 (2024) review

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Cale Hunt

I've been testing and reviewing laptops at Windows Central since 2016, giving me plenty of experience with PCs of all performance levels. Pulling from our team's long list of reviews, I've put together the best Core i9/Core Ultra 9 laptops in 2024.

Choosing the best Core i9 or Core Ultra 9 laptop in 2024

My favorite Windows laptop with a Core Ultra 9 CPU is Dell's XPS 16 (9640). It was good enough to receive a Windows Central Best Award, and it should be the laptop that most people check out first. It offers a ton of power, a stellar 3.2K OLED display, quality speakers, and a sleek design. You're looking at spending about $3,050 for the Core Ultra 9 model.

If you aren't interested in the lattice-free keyboard, seamless glass touchpad, and touch function buttons, I recommend having a look at Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Ultra. It also received a Windows Central Best Award thanks to its slim and light clamshell design, outstanding AMOLED display, and strong performance. The Core Ultra 9 model with NVIDIA RTX 4070 Laptop GPU costs about $3,000 at Samsung, but it's discounted by $500 at the time of writing.

And for gamers, we have three reviewed recommendations. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen 9) will likely suit most people, while the Alienware m18 R2 is better for those who want the most power possible. If you have deep pockets, the Blade 18 for 2024 remains the premium gaming laptop to beat.

Should I wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday to buy a new laptop?

I've been covering Black Friday and Cyber Monday since 2016, and with previous years in mind, I can confidently recommend you wait until you find a great deal on the laptop you want. That's not nearly as difficult this year as in years past, as most major retailers have already kicked off their Black Friday sales in the weeks leading up to the main event. You might even be able to find price protection in place, saving you money even if prices drop further.

My top pick for a Core i9/Ultra 9 laptop is currently the Dell XPS 16 (9640), and at the time of writing it's discounted by up to $600 at Dell. There's a model at Best Buy discounted by $700, but it has the Core Ultra 7 instead. That might nevertheless be a good enough deal to sway you to the lesser CPU. These advance deals are not insignificant, but prices could drop further. Dell's Black Friday sales are always impressive, and you might find a better time-limited deal at the end of November.

My runner-up pick, Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Ultra, is currently riding a $500 discount at Best Buy and at Samsung's official site. That brings the total down to $2,500 for a model with RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, Core Ultra 9 CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. However, the price has dropped as low as $2,350 this year, so I'd hold out to see if a better price emerges on Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend.

Lenovo is another laptop maker that hosts a massive sale for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and it's generally the best place to shop for something like the Legion Pro 7i (Gen 9). At the time of writing, you can save up to 22% off of Core i9-14900HX models. That's not an insignificant discount, but I've spotted time-limited deals in the past that were much better. I'd hold out on buying for a bigger discount.

Alienware's m18 R2, at the time of writing, is up to $700 off at Dell, and that's with an RTX 4090 Laptop GPU. I wouldn't be upset about saving that much right now, but you might be able to find a better time-limited deal on Black Friday weekend. Best Buy is another top place to shop for this laptop, and at the time of writing, there's a Core Ultra 9/RTX 4070 model on sale for $2,100.

Finally, Razer's Blade 18 (2024) is a prime target for Black Friday/Cyber Monday savings. In years past, I've seen some of the biggest discounts ever on Razer laptops, and I don't expect that to change this year. This is definitely one I suggest waiting out, as the current best deal I can find is just $300 off at Best Buy.

What's the difference between Core i9 and Core Ultra 9?

Intel's "Meteor Lake" Core Ultra mobile CPUs for 2024 shook up the company's branding, and you now have the Core Ultra 9 option alongside the more traditional Core i9 chips. One major difference between these chips is the Ultra's Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that helps classify it as an AI PC. 

The Intel AI Boost NPU in the Core Ultra 9 185H hits around 10 TOPS of power for local AI acceleration, helping with things like Windows Studio Effects. Intel's next-gen "Lunar Lake" mobile chips are expected to bump the NPU to 45 TOPS, which makes the cut for Copilot+ features. Intel's Core i9-14900HX chip lacks an NPU, instead focusing on pure performance for gaming and heavier workloads.

Here's a closer look at how the chips compare.

You can see how the Core Ultra 9 runs at a lower base TDP, helping improve battery life. It also has a more powerful integrated graphics chip, which really only makes sense for laptops that lack a discrete GPU.

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