Intel's top-tier CPUs come from the Core i9 and, more recently, Core Ultra 9 brands. They're capable of powering through heavy workloads or driving top-notch gaming experiences, and the best Windows laptops featuring the chips are generally among the best on the market.
Whether you're a gamer or a professional, you can count on this hardware to deliver the horsepower you need, especially when paired with a capable GPU.
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.
April 3, 2025: My top picks haven't changed, but I've added some honorable mentions I recommend checking out if you're in search of a powerful laptop. — Cale Hunt
The quick list
Best overall
With up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, UHD+ OLED display, and unique, futuristic design, the XPS 16 (9640) is our top pick when it comes to laptops with Intel's most powerful chips.
Runner-up
Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Ultra is a thinner and lighter alternative to the XPS 16. It has a more traditional design, but it boasts a gorgeous AMOLED display, Core Ultra 9 185H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, and a better selection of ports.
Best gaming
The Legion Pro 7i (Gen 9) is the right choice for most gamers thanks to super performance from a Core i9-14900HX CPU and up to an NVIDIA RTX 4090 Laptop GPU. The QHD+ display has a 240Hz refresh rate with Dolby Vision and G-Sync, the keyboard is great, and there's RGB lighting everywhere.
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Most power
Alienware's m18 R2 is a big gaming laptop that stands out for its aggressive design and monster power. Get it with a Core i9-14900HX CPU and up to an NVIDIA RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, and enjoy the QHD+ display with 165Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-Sync.
Premium gaming
For those with deep pockets, there is always the Razer Blade 18. It's much sleeker than the Alienware option, yet it boasts up to Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU with up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 Laptop GPU. The display comes in mini-LED with a 300Hz refresh rate or 4K at 200Hz.
Our favorite Core i9 and Core Ultra 9 laptops in 2025
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Best overall Core Ultra 9 laptop
Dell's XPS 16 (9640) is one of our favorite AI laptops 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."
Dell announced a massive rebrand of its laptops at CES 2025, and the XPS 16 appears to be one of the last models to come out of the legendary lineup. Although Dell's renamed laptops are launching in the near future, the XPS 16 remains a top option with tons of power and a gorgeous display.
👀 Read our full Dell XPS 16 (9640) review
Runner-up Core Ultra 9 laptop
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
Best Core i9 gaming laptop
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.
Lenovo has now launched the Gen 10 Legion Pro 7i first announced at CES 2025, but I'm waiting until we test it out at Windows Central before adding it to the list. Lenovo went with some major changes for this generation, mostly to house the new RTX 5000 Laptop GPUs.
How well the changes pan out remains to be seen.
👀 Read our full Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen 9) review
Most powerful Core i9 gaming laptop
Alienware's m18 R2 is one of our favorite gaming laptops in 2025, 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
Best premium Core Ultra 9 gaming laptop
Razer's Blade 18 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 just launched a refreshed Blade 18 model for 2025, adding an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 Laptop GPU to the configuration options. The 2024 models are still available if you'd rather skip the Core Ultra's AI advancements.
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
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.
Honorable mentions and recent reviews
Intel isn't the only CPU maker that produces high-performance chips. These AMD laptops we recently reviewed are all about power.
I've also include a dual-screen laptop; it might not have a large target audience, but it's too good not to mention.
- HP EliteBook X 14 (G1a): This business laptop comes with up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 CPU with 12 cores and a clock speed up to 5.1GHz. 👉 Read the full HP EliteBook X 14 (G1a) review]
- ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2025): This 2-in-1 laptop is essentially a Surface Pro with its performance turned way up. It has up to an AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 CPU with impressive AI capabilities and a clock speed up to 5.1GHz. 👉 Read the full ASUS ROG Flow Z13 review
- ASUS Zenbook Duo (2025): This dual-screen laptop boasts up to dual 14-inch OLED touch displays, each with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2.8K resolution. It's available with Intel's Core Ultra 9 285H. 👉 Read the full ASUS Zenbook Duo (2025) review
How we test laptops at Windows Central
We test a lot of laptops at Windows Central, and each one undergoes a similar process to ensure that you're getting an accurate idea of its pros, cons, and how it compares to other laptops we've tested.
Because we essentially adopt a laptop for testing during the review period, we quickly become aware of how well it works from a practical level.
We test everything from hinges and ports to speakers and webcams, and we type thousands of words on the keyboard to check its comfort and ease of use. The same goes for the touchpad.
A colorimeter is used to measure the display's brightness and its ability to reproduce color across popular gamuts like sRGB, AdobeRGB, and DCI-P3.
Performance hardware is measured with a bevy of synthetic benchmarking software, including PCMark, 3DMark, Cinebench, CrossMark, CrystalDiskMark, Geekbench, and more.
We use some benchmarking tools to test battery life, but we also check Windows battery reports for averages between charges. Together with real-world usage on a daily basis, we can get an accurate idea of a laptop's efficiency.
👉 How we test and review laptops at Windows Central
Choosing the best Core i9 or Core Ultra 9 laptop in 2025
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.
And for gamers, I 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 remains the premium gaming laptop to beat.
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.
Intel has since released a second generation of its Core Ultra mobile chips. In September 2024 the company revealed Core Ultra Series 2 "Lunar Lake" CPUs with seriously improved integrated graphics and a more powerful NPU with Copilot+ capabilities. The Core Ultra 9 288V, for example, has an NPU with 48 TOPS.
Following this announcement, Intel unveiled more new Core Ultra Series 2 CPUs at CES 2025, including the Core Ultra 9 285H and the Core Ultra 9 285HX. These come from the "Arrow Lake" lineup with less of an emphasis on NPU performance. Here's a brief look at how all these chips compare.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX | Intel Core Ultra 9 285H | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | Intel Core i9-14900HX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cores (P / E / LPE) | 8 / 16 (24) | 6 / 8 / 2 (16) | 6 / 8 / 2 (16) | 8 / 16 (24) |
Threads | 24 | 16 | 22 | 32 |
Turbo freq. | 5.5GHz | 5.4GHz | 5.1GHz | 5.8GHz |
Base TDP | 55W | 45W | 45W | 55W |
NPU | 13 TOPS | 13 TOPS | 11 TOPS | N/A |
GPU | Intel Graphics (2GHz) | Intel Arc 140T (2.35GHz) | Intel Arc (2.35GHz) | Intel UHD (1.65GHz) |
Bottom line? Core Ultra 9 carries on the legacy of the Core i9, and you should expect the same high level of performance from the rebranded chips.
