17-inch laptops are a good compromise between comfort and transportability. For working, surfing and even playing, they can be very good desktop PC replacements.
17-inch laptops are more difficult to carry around than classic 15-inch (15.6-inch, to be precise) models. They are intended more for sedentary use, replacing a traditional desktop PC, while remaining more discreet and perfectly transportable. The advantage is that they have a larger screen (17.3 inches diagonal in practice, or 44 cm), which can display as many or even more pixels for better user comfort. Comfort again with a keyboard with a numeric keypad on almost all models and connectivity, too, more complete since there is more space on the sides.
More and more models no longer offer an “SSD + hard disk” couple but more than a single M.2 SSD with, from time to time, an empty 2.5-inch slot (for hard disk or classic SSD) or, better , a slot for M.2 SSD (SATA or NVMe PCIe depending on the components of the motherboard). For the memory: it’s DDR4 for almost everyone, soldered or removable, it all depends on the thickness of the case and… the sacrifices the manufacturer had to make to lower the price.
Great yes, but not necessarily expensive. There are models at all prices, from around 400 euros, with very varied characteristics – and therefore performance –. As always, everything is a matter of compromise and, above all, of use which will be more or less limited by the Intel or AMD processor present, the amount of RAM and the presence or not of a dedicated graphics card or even a gamer in the machine.
In terms of display, the 17-inch screen does not offer constant definition. The minimum is HD (1600 x 900 pixels) suitable for office automation. Full HD is, as on 15.6-inch laptops, the most present at the moment. 1440p (2560 by 1440 pixels) is barely coming and 4K, on 17-inch laptops, is reserved for high-end machines. Of course, depending on the panel technologies and the price of the machine, the refresh rate can vary between 60 and 300 Hz to the delight of gamers.