The ideal gaming laptops balance performance and portability in an attractive package. For example, the Asus Zephyrus G14 features stunning HDR graphics on an OLED screen and Nvidia G-Sync to eliminate screen tearing.
Intel’s Meteor Lake P-Cores and AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors offer reliable options to meet gaming demands.
Acer Nitro V 15
The Acer Nitro V 15 was designed with PC gamers in mind. Featuring its signature Black exterior and roomy chassis that provides ample room for high-performance hardware and a Full HD 144Hz display for silky visuals. Internally, this laptop contains 13th Gen Intel Core i5-13420H processors designed specifically for gaming as well as an Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU that supports Deep Learning Super Scalar Signal Processing 3 (DLSS 3), Ray Tracing, and Deep Learning Subspace Synthesis (RLSS).
The Nitro V 15 is an attractive budget option for PC gaming enthusiasts looking to enter the genre without exceeding budget. Yet, it still has enough power for professional use thanks to its RTX 4050 graphics, which can edit video and render 3D models effectively. Unfortunately, however, its fingerprint reader or facial recognition camera won’t meet the standard of most other gaming laptops and will require additional payments in most cases.
Acer Nitro V 15 excelled at performance, earning high scores in Handbrake even though its Core i5-13420H chip and 8GB of RAM were somewhat underwhelming. Our Shadow of Tomb Raider test showed it delivers solid 1080p frames per second at the highest detail settings with 1080p display resolution- an excellent result for an inexpensive gaming laptop and an improvement over older Nvidia 3050-series GPUs.
As is common with gaming laptops, the Nitro V 15 features numerous ports to facilitate peripherals and external displays. On its left flank lies Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI port and two USB-A ports, while its right side houses one USB-C port – however, an audio jack would have been appreciated for connecting headphones such as gaming headsets.
Acer’s Nitro V 15 boasts plenty of storage as an affordable gaming laptop. Equipped with both an SSD for smooth game performance and 1TB HDD backup storage – plus an extra NVMe slot in case you ever decide to expand further – as well as being equipped with comfortable keyboard keys, responsive RGB mousepad, and generous trackpad that supports multi-touch gestures, the Nitro V 15 provides ample options when it comes to storage solutions.
MSI Katana 15
The Katana 15 has long been one of our go-to gaming laptops, providing style and performance at a reasonable price. Available with various configuration options to meet individual needs, its performance in our most recent benchmark tests was phenomenal, reaching an amazing 73 frames per second during Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p resolution! Furthermore, its superior graphics performance put other contenders like Acer Nitro 5 and Dell G15 to shame!
At just under $1,000, this cyberpunk-inspired laptop offers exceptional gaming performance with its 13th generation Intel Core CPU and Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, capable of running most modern titles at low settings on low battery power settings – although battery life could be better. Furthermore, its almost nonexistent preinstalled software makes a refreshing change from other budget and gaming laptops. You gain access to MSI Center – a useful app for managing performance profiles on a computer – and Nahimic audio management software that improves sound from built-in speakers for enhanced audio output on other budget and gaming laptops.
For those looking for the latest PC gaming tech without incurring the extra costs associated with an RTX 2060 GPU, HP’s Omen Transcend 14 could be your perfect gaming laptop solution. Though not the fastest or cheapest on this list, its slim and light design provides excellent day-to-day performance – its 0.7″ thick profile is amongst the thinnest on our list, while its 13″ screen offers enough brightness to meet any daytime task or play session.
Its sole drawback is poor colour quality; its display covers only 64% of sRGB and Adobe RGB colour spaces, making it more suitable for productivity than creative work. Although its battery life isn’t terrible either, two hours and 39 minutes was all it lasted in our battery benchmark tests (web browsing with brightness set to 150nits), which falls far short of the category average of five hours and 33 minutes.
Gigabyte Aorus 17X
If you want a laptop with top-of-the-line gaming performance and a large display, the Gigabyte Aorus 17X may be just what you’re searching for. Not only is its impressive display impressive, but connectivity options are abundant at an accessible price tag.
The Aorus 17X laptop is an incredibly capable gaming laptop that supports most modern titles. Equipped with a fast processor, an excellent GPU and HDR support for its display screen. Furthermore, it has impressive battery life – 11 hours on one charge! – ensures it will provide lasting gaming sessions.
It features a 144Hz panel that displays games in full HD while supporting Nvidia G-Sync to reduce tearing and motion blur. In addition to being an excellent gaming laptop, this laptop also excels at video and photo editing thanks to its high-quality ergonomic keyboard and trackpad, which provide long-term use without fatigue. Plus, there is ample storage space.
Gigabyte’s Aorus line of gaming PCs is known to be bulky gaming behemoths with impressive frame rates – unsuitable for quick Stardew Valley sessions!
These laptops don’t offer great portability or battery life, with bulky designs that tend to produce hot air from their vents and excessive weight. The Aorus 17X, however, stands out with its refined build quality compared to older models; although still bulky and heavy, it doesn’t feel off-putting when placed in your bag like its predecessors.
The Aorus 17X AZF scored excellently on Intel’s CB15 loop test, and its RAM performance was also amazing. Equipped with six Meteor Lake P-Cores and eight E-Cores for peak clock speeds of 5.1GHz. Unfortunately, however, not many USB Type-C ports are included, which may be frustrating for some people.
If you prefer something smaller but with the same RTX 4090 GPU, look at the Razer Blade 16. It is slightly cheaper than the Aorus 17X, and its design also gives it an outstanding look.
Razer Blade 16
Are you an avid gamer who needs the latest tech in a portable package? The Razer Blade 16 is the best laptop for PC gamers. This affordable yet feature-packed notebook conceals an abundance of gaming goodies within its unassuming chassis, such as its powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and advanced dual mode mini LED display supporting either 4K at 120Hz or 1080p at 240Hz for ultra-smooth gameplay.
Although the Blade 16 boasts some significant upgrades over last year’s model, its price point has also increased considerably. Its most costly configuration costs more than $3,600; therefore, it may be out of reach for most gamers, but enthusiasts with deep pockets may find value in it.
This laptop boasts an elegant all-aluminium design, distinguishing it from the blocky Blade 15. While it looks amazing, its weight puts it behind other machines such as HP’s Omen Transcend 14 or Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra.
The Blade 16’s bulk doesn’t impede performance; it easily handles any modern game on high settings, though Cyberpunk 2077 might put up resistance at native resolution and maximum setting. Still, the device managed 73 FPS of Assassin’s Creed Mirage performance and can easily handle fast-paced shooters.
This configuration features an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, 32GB of RAM and 2TB SSD storage space. To save $200, choose an alternative silver “Mercury” colourway featuring an LCD panel and 1TB storage.
Another key upgrade over last year’s Blade 16 is THX Spatial Audio support, offering an improved audio experience. The quad-speaker system is loud enough to drown out fan noise, with detail and clarity that is outstanding for a laptop.
Noteworthy about the Blade 16 is its incredible user-upgradability. Featuring two fully accessible M.2 slots for additional storage space and two SODIMM DDR5-5,600MHz slots that can support memory expansion up to 96GB each – making this 16-inch laptop one of the most customizable and repairable on the market today.