Although gaming laptops used to be considered huge bricks that could never touch the power of the desktop, today's story is very different. Modern gaming laptops can often implement frames near desktops, while also being relatively stylish and easy to use as general productivity machines. Connect them to a full-size monitor or TV and it's easy to forget that you're running a gaming rig that can easily fit your backpack.
One of the biggest advantages of a laptop is flexibility. You don't have to worry about bulky settings or tethering them to one position. Plus, with display capabilities with high refresh rates, powerful GPUs and cutting-edge processors, these machines have the ability to handle AAA titles, esports and even VR games. Many laptops are now equipped with RGB lighting keyboards, advanced cooling systems and next-generation SSD storage to suit your gaming needs. We've tested many of the latest gaming laptops to see what's worth your money.
What to look for in a gaming laptop
price
Your laptop purchase journey starts and ends with the amount you are willing to spend. It's no surprise there. Good news: There are many options for every budget gamer. In particular, we've seen some great entry-level PC gaming options like $1,000, like Dell's G15 lineup. Cheap gaming laptops in this price range will certainly be more vulnerable than the more expensive models, and they may beat RAM, storage, and overall power. However, most cheap laptops should be able to handle most video games running at 1080p at 60 frames per second, which is the minimum you want from any system.
Things get interesting when you start looking at the best gaming laptops in mid-range space, at a price of $1,000 and above. That's when you'll start finding PCs like the Asus Zephyrus Rog G14, one of our favorite gaming laptops. Generally, you can expect better build quality than budget gaming laptops (metal box!), improved graphics power, and plenty of RAM and storage space to handle the most demanding games. These are the consoles we recommend for most people because they will keep you playing and working for years, and then you need to worry about upgrading.
If you're willing to spend about $1,800 or more, you can consider more premium options like Razer's Blade, which is comparable to some of the best gaming PCs. Expect impeccable polish cases, the fastest hardware on the market and ridiculously thin design. The sky is the limit here: Alienware's Uber Uber Customizable 51M is a huge beast with a price of up to $4,700. Few people need a high-end machine, but if you are a gamer with extra cash burning, it may be worth exploring these more expensive systems.
CPU and GPU
The answer to this question was once relatively simple: just use the NVIDIA GPU to get the Intel chip. But over the past few years, AMD has enhanced the game with Ryzen notebook processors that are better suited to juggling multiple tasks at once (such as flowing to Twitch when Fortnite explodes fools). Intel responded with impressive 12th and 13th generation chips, but it's great to have a nice AMD Ryzen alternative, especially since they're generally cheaper than comparable Intel models.
However, AMD is still catching up with the video card. Its Radeon RX 6000m GPU has been a great performer on notebooks like Asus's Rog Strix G15, but it lags behind Nvidia in terms of new features like Ray Tracing. (We're still waiting to test AMD's latest Radeon Mobile GPU.) At the very least, the Radeon-powered laptop is close to the average gaming performance of the NVIDIA RTX 4070 GPU.
If you want to buy for a future, or you just want to see how ray tracing can make your game look better, it might be better to use an NVIDIA graphics card. They are in more systems and it is obvious that they have better optimized ray tracing technology. The NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX GPU also uses the company's DLSS technology, which uses AI to increase gaming to higher resolutions. That will make you look like Destiny 2 4K with faster frame rates. It will be useful if you try to take advantage of a high refresh rate monitor.
Today, you'll still find a lot of laptops, NVIDIA's older RTX 30 Series GPUs, which still give you huge performance. However, for security reasons, it may be worth choosing the newer RTX 40 series systems, as they support newer DLSS 3 technology and offer a large number of performance upgrades. (We're still waiting to see the laptop arrive with NVIDIA's newer 50 Series GPUs.) The entry-level RTX 4050 is a reliable start, but if you're aiming to maximize frame rates on faster screens, we recommend using a 4060 or 4070. Both the RTX 4080 and the RTX 4090 are very powerful, but usually make the system too expensive for most users.
It is worth noting that NVIDIA's mobile graphics card cannot be directly compared to its more powerful desktop hardware. PC manufacturers can also adjust the voltage to make gaming performance better in thinner situations. Basically, these laptops may not be desktop replacements – don't be surprised if the laptops you're seeing perform very differently, even if they all come with the same GPU.
Screen and refresh rate
Screen size is a great place to evaluate gaming laptops. Typically, a 15-inch laptop will be the best balance of immersion and portability, while the larger 17-inch model is even heavier, but will naturally give you more screen real estate. There are some 13-inch gaming laptops, like the Razer Blade Stealth, but paradoxically, you usually end up paying for these laptops than the slightly larger 15-inch option. We also see a lot of 14-inch options, such as the Zephyrus G14 and the Blade 14, which are usually more powerful than 13-inch laptops while still relatively portable.
But nowadays, there are still many screen sizes to consider, such as refresh rate. Most monitors refresh the screen 60 times per second or 60hz vertically. Thanks to the black and white NTSC TV, this is the standard used. But over the past few years, the development of display has developed significantly. Now, the 120Hz 1080p screen is the minimum you want in any gaming laptop – and there are faster 144Hz, 240Hz or even 360Hz panels. All of this serves one thing: make everything on the monitor look as smooth as possible.
For gaming, higher refresh rates can also help eliminate screen tear and other artifacts that may hinder your Fraf Fest. For everything else, it just brings a better viewing experience. Even scrolling web pages on a 120Hz or faster monitor is very different from a 60Hz screen. Everything moves seamlessly, instead of seeing the shaking wall of text and pictures, as if you are relaxing in a smooth paper magazine. Beyond 120Hz makes the gameplay look more responsive, which is a slight advantage for some players.
Steve Dent/Engelder
Don't make things more complicated, but you should also pay attention to Nvidia's G-Sync and AMD's FreeSync. They are all adaptive synchronization technologies that match your screen refresh rate to the game's framework. This also helps reduce screen tear and makes gameplay smoother. Think of them as one of the best refresh speed gaming monitors; they are not required, but they can still offer a slight visual improvement.
One more thing: Most of these suggestions are related to LCD screens, not OLEDs. While OLED makes amazing choices for TVs, it's even more complex when it comes to gaming laptops. Although some models offer 90Hz, they are mostly limited to 60Hz. You won't see smoothness of the 120Hz or 144Hz screen, though. OLEDS is also usually in the form of 4K or 3.5K panels – you need a lot of GPU power to run your game locally at that resolution. They look incredible, have the best black levels, and are contrasting on the market, but we think most gamers will be better off using LCDs.
See:
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Best laptops for college students
Other things to remember when buying a gaming laptop:
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Get at least 16GB of RAM. If you want to prevent the system a little bit, choose 32GB of RAM (memory is much cheaper than before).
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Storage is still a huge problem. These days, I recommend you use at least a 1TB M.2 SSD, ideally a 2TB model if you can swing. (Today, 4TB SSDs can also achieve much more.) Some laptops can also accommodate space for standard SATA hard drives, which are much cheaper than the M.2 and can hold more data.
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Please try before purchasing the system. I recommend you enjoy the best gaming laptops from retailers and offer simple returns policies like Amazon or Best Buy. If you don't like it, you can ship it back at any time.
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Don't forget the accessories! For best performance, you will need a good mouse, keyboard and headphones – these are some of the best gaming accessories for gaming PCs and laptops.
How we test gaming laptops
We review gaming laptops with the same rigor as traditional notebooks. We tested the build quality by checking the box for any undesirable flexible spots and the strength of the screen rendering typing and the strength of the screen Halo infinite Meeting. We benchmark each gaming notebook using PCMARK 10, various 3DMark tests, Cinebench and Geekbench. We also use NVIDIA's FrameView application to measure Cyberpunk 2077,,,,, Halo infinite and other titles. For media creation, we use Handbrake's CPU and GPU encoding options to encode 4K movie clips to 1080p.
The monitor is tested in indoor and outdoor lighting and is tested using productivity apps, video playback and gameplay. We also tried to benchmark the full refresh rate of each gaming laptop screen by Halo infinite,,,,, Overwatch 2 and other titles. Laptop speakers judge by the way they can play music, movies, and occasional game sessions without obvious distortion.
In terms of battery life, we see how long the gaming system has been mixed with real-world productivity apps and gameplay, and we are also testing it through the PCMark 10’s “Modern Office” battery test. Additionally, we are judging the quality of the machine’s keyboard and the relative accuracy and comfort during the extended gameplay through typing tests.
The best gaming laptops of 2025
Other gaming laptops we've tested
Frame laptop 16
We are eager to test the framework laptop 16 because it promises both modular customizability and a considerable amount of gaming capabilities. But while we appreciate its repairability and upgradeability, its actual gaming performance is moderate at a high price. You can always buy it without an extra GPU, but this makes it more of a daily workhorse than a gaming system.
MSI Stealth Studio 14
More obvious, we're happy to see MSI return faster and more attractive than the previous model compared to the Stealth Studio 14.
Razors 16 and 18
We were surprised to see the real 4K/1080p native screen in the Razer Blade 16, but even for such a expensive brand, it's too expensive and impractical. Similarly, we found that the Razer Blade 18 was both oversized and overpriced.
This article originally appeared on Engadget
