What is the best laptop for streaming video?

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Just about any recent laptop with an AMD CPU or Intel CPU will suffice. The integrated graphic core will be fine for you needs.

The quality of the streaming video depends on your internet speed (the faster the better so that there is no stuttering) and how well the video is encoded. If encoded poorly, the video will more or less look bad. If the encoding was done well, then the video should look good.

If you are streaming movies then don't attempt to compare the video quality of a streaming movie to a movie on a Blu-Ray disc. The streaming movie will always look worse because the movie is encoded to a relatively small file size so that it can actually be streamed in real time over the internet. A Blu-Ray movie is generally between 25GB - 50GB in size.
 

Oli999

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Don't agree with either of these answers. I bought a new low spec laptop recently and it can only just manage streaming at 240 on youtube and even then stalls sometimes as it can't keep up. My internet connection runs at 60mbit and my more powerful pc streams at 1080 hi def without any problem so it's not down to the connection. You don't need a particularly high spec laptop for streaming video but it is slightly more demanding than the above answers imply. An absolute bottom of the range laptop won't do it.
 

willard

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What was said is correct. My five year old netbook with a single core Atom processor handles Youtube just fine until you get into HD streams. I've got an 8 year old laptop that uses a POS single core celeron chip that also handles Youtube just fine. My old desktop, using one of Intel's first dual core chips, runs Youtube just fine. My wife's old computer, which had 2GB of memory and a $45 CPU from 2005 ran Youtube just fine.

Any new laptop, even if it's using the worst CPU from the current generation, is more than powerful enough.

I bought a new low spec laptop recently and it can only just manage streaming at 240 on youtube and even then stalls sometimes as it can't keep up.
I simply do not believe that a new laptop will do this. What model do you have, and where did you get it? My guess is when you say "new" you really mean used, and got something off eBay that looked like a good deal but wasn't.

You don't need a particularly high spec laptop for streaming video but it is slightly more demanding than the above answers imply.
No it isn't.

An absolute bottom of the range laptop won't do it.
If it's using a CPU made in the last two years it will.
 

assasin32

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If it is just for streaming most laptops out right now will do the trick due to hardware accleration and the fact it is not that demanding. Though you should avoid the new Samsung Chromebook as last I checked it doesn't work with netflix but Google and Netflix were working on that. And when on youtube and you open another page it will cause a slight 1sec hic up on youtube before it resumes.

So to put it short look at other specs you care about and decide from there as pretty much anything currently made will do the job right now.

Oh and my sisters Acer Aspire One purchased early last year seem to work fine streaming netflix, youtube, hulu, etc. Though haven't tried anything 720p or higher due to slow internet speed, everything below was fine from the few rare occasions I've used it.
 

willard

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Check thread dates before posting.

I'd also like to point out that the computer you're talking about is four years old and was crap when it came out. May want to re-read my posts.

Anything that was made in the last couple years and isn't total garbage would be fine.
Any new laptop, even if it's using the worst CPU from the current generation, is more than powerful enough.
I simply do not believe that a new laptop will do this.
If it's using a CPU made in the last two years it will.
Yeah, a four year old, bottom of the line netbook is a totally valid counter example to these statements. :sarcastic:
 

drea

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drea

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I have just tested best buys exchange policy to the limit...as I was searching for the smallest and cheapest laptop with a keyboard ( so no iPad) for my dad to watch HD netflix via a hdmi on is older but awesome HD TV. Chromebook worked, but lousy interface with mirroring etc...at least with our tv. Next try was the bargain acer which worked ok with non HD movies but slowed and sound goes off since when HD. It is not our wifi..which is great and I did a test comparing to my Mac air book ..to rule out wifi. So in my comparison the lowest ones DONT play well HD as in netflix. Now I am ordering an asus that has higher specs but is still not the super new fast ones because of size requirement ( and price ) or I would have just got him mac air!
also tried just apple tv which worked without any devices but clunky to navigate without a device for searching , and since he wanted a lap top anyway to check his emails ( budget of 600) this
defined my search. I personally found it confusing to make sure I was comparing like to like with processors /ram etc...if anyone could find out th emus requirement of processing speed for HD streaming would be helpful maybe....
 

Tamara_15

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You are right. A lot of things on the computer itself will determine its ability to display a stream clearly and without stutter, especially if the content is being received wirelessly. An AC class wireless adaptor card, receiving an AC class signal from an AC wireless router will do a far better job than wireless N or lower. How much video memory is available is also important, and whether the video memory source is dedicated or shared. Dedicated performs so much better for displaying HD content that is streamed (or otherwise). The availability and amount of RAM is also very important, as are the cache settings. Low end machines will rely on caching more than a machine with ample RAM. Relying on caching as a workaround to having too little RAM leads to a lot of problems where streaming is involved, the most obvious result is stutter. If you want to stream HD content and not know you are streaming (perfectly clear and fast) go for a machine with amble resources available, a fast hard drive (SSD or 7200rpm HD instead of 5400rpm). Also plenty of RAM. Even Android devices that usually require a fraction of the ram that Windows machines do, are now recommending more RAM if you want a better video streaming experience.
 

Richard_281

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Dell Inspiron 11 Intel Celeron N3060 won't cut it - chokes on 1080p via HDMI out, but plays it on the built-in 11 in. display (not what I was looking to do, obviously). Guess I'll dust off an old desktop for this.
 

Ed8r

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Tamara, all these specs still confuse me. How do I search for the lowest end computer...i.e., cheapest...that will meet these requirements?
 
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