The Best Laptops For Gaming
Gaming doesn't have to be confined to one spot with a big tower desktop PC. With a good gaming laptop, we can enjoy our favorite pastime anywhere we'd like. It makes travel so much more enjoyable. Plus, these powerful computers also make great work laptops. Because they have so much RAM alongside powerful CPUs, gaming laptops often handle work applications with ease. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty, so read on to learn why these are the best of the best.
What to Look For
As gaming enthusiasts, we take our recommendations seriously. To bring you the finest gaming laptops on the market, we looked at the following aspects: What are the specs of the graphics card, CPU, and RAM? What is the form factor (size, weight, comfort, etc.)? And what budget is it best for? For example, casual gamers might prefer the HP 15 laptop for running 2D games and streaming simple games. This laptop is much more affordable but can still provide plenty of fun gaming. For the top specs in computing power, the Razer Blade 14 wins hands down. Its RTX 3080 graphics card and Ryzen 9 CPU are the current powerhouses of the gaming laptop world. Read on to learn more about these amazing laptops and find the right one for you.
ASUS TUF Gaming F15 Gaming Laptop
Tougher than tough
Gaming on the go doesn’t have to break the bank. ASUS’s TUF gaming laptops offer plenty of power, portability, and durability at a highly attractive price. The onboard graphics card, a GTX 1650, handles most games expertly. While it might not reach the same performance as the latest-and-greatest RTX cards, it still allows for a vast library of modern games.
Pros:
- ASUS made it easy to upgrade this laptop, as you can quickly pop off the bottom to install new RAM or SSDs with ease.
- At 144Hz, the monitor helps in-game motion look extra smooth. The high refresh rate means more images can be shown within a second, effectively leading to less blurry visuals.
Cons:
- This laptop might not run certain future games on higher settings, so you may have to tweak the graphics settings to get the best performance.
HP 15 Laptop HD LED Display
The indie lover's dream
For light games, this is one of the top budget gaming laptops. It might not run many graphically intensive games, but it’s perfect for emulation and 2D games. It also runs game streaming services perfectly, so we get access to a wide variety of modern games that run smoothly. With a beautiful display, smooth touch panel, and lightning-fast programs, the HP 15 also makes for a great work laptop.
Pros:
- The battery life is significantly better than most gaming laptops.
- 16GB of RAM means we can run multiple programs at once without slowdown. More RAM-intensive tasks, such as editing large Excel spreadsheets, are handled better with more RAM as well.
Cons:
- This can’t run 3D games as well, but it isn’t meant for AAA gaming but rather for more casual gamers.
Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop with RTX 3050ti
Take it to the next level
The new RTX series graphics cards from GeForce are the latest standard in the PC gaming world. Now we can have one in a super-powered laptop that remains within a medium-tier budget. With the mighty RTX 305ti on this computer, we’re all set for high-quality gaming. Its CPU is no slouch either at a blazing fast 4.6 gigahertz. Want to use it for music production, programming, or creative software such as Adobe programs? This laptop handles these tasks swimmingly.
Pros:
- The graphics card supports upscaling games with DLSS. It can also use the ray-tracing effect in games, making lighting more realistic.
- The included 16GB of RAM is more than enough for most games.
Cons:
- The battery life for AAA games can plummet. However, this is common for gaming laptops.
MSI GF65 Gaming Laptop with RTX 3060
Max out those settings
Performance on laptops has reached lofty new heights. The latest GF65 blows us away with its super-cooled RTX 3060 card and Ryzen 9 CPU. Its fans may be a bit louder than its competitors, but that’s because they push out more airflow. When games start to strain the system, the fans ramp up to keep everything running smoothly. Overall, this is a great rig for gaming enthusiasts that want to enjoy modern games’ beautiful graphics.
Pros:
- Software is included for overclocking and controlling the fan speed to our liking (as always, be cautious and certain of what you’re doing when attempting to overclock).
- Everything was highly customizable and intuitive to use out of the box, from start-up to downloading and playing our favorite games.
- It handles music programs like Ableton really well.
Cons:
- The fans are a bit loud, as is typical with RTX gaming laptops.
Razer Blade 14 Gaming Laptop
Ultimate power
Without a doubt, the RTX 3080 is the top dog of gaming laptop graphics cards. With this and a Ryzen 9 5900HX, the Razer Blade 14 stands out among one of the most powerful laptops on the market. Playing games at ultra settings has never been so smooth on a laptop, thanks to these beefy specs. And with a 2K screen, this laptop is pretty much the gold standard for premium laptop gaming.
Pros:
- This is a “future-proof” gaming rig that will likely be able to play the latest AAA games for years.
- This laptop works well for rendering programs or machine-learning algorithms.
Cons:
- It is a bit on the heavy side with such beefy components.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do gaming laptops have such poor battery life?
As graphic cards get smaller and more powerful, they also take up more power. Battery technology has progressed, but the increase in power usage has overcome the limitations of the form factor. A battery large enough to power top-tier games at maximum settings would be so bulky that it makes the laptop too cumbersome, or it would be prohibitively expensive and potentially dangerous.
How can I take care of my gaming laptop?
We recommend keeping it free of dust by using compressed air and a microfiber cloth. Keeping laptops on a hard surface can also prolong their life because they stay cooler. If the fans can’t properly exhaust hot air, the computer will start to overheat, and components can get damaged.
About the Author
Why Trust Us
With the constantly shifting landscape in the world of technology, GameRevolution seeks to provide gamers and tech-enthusiasts with the information they need to select the right products for their needs. Since 1996, our experts have used their knowledge on all the latest gadgets – everything from headphones to standing desks – to help millions of people navigate specs and answer common questions.