The best gaming laptop means not having to compromise on portability and performance. the best gaming laptops and we’re only simply getting started. AMD has blessed us with Ryzen 6000-series mobile processors, and Intel has is pushing returned with 12th Gen Alder Lake mobile chips. New mobile GPUs from each AMD and Nvidia have arrived too, which include a new king of mobile gaming: the RTX 3080 Ti. All this makes for some effective and even smooth gaming laptops today.
The latest portable powerhouses are getting extra portable, and but nonetheless, sport all the fancy features that high-end gaming PCs(opens in new tab) do. We’re speaking multicore CPUs, high-end GPUs, and rapid NVMe SSDs. You can even discover heaps of RAM and super-high refresh screens beneath the hood. Gaming laptops with mechanical keyboards even exist, like the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15(opens in new tab).
While bagging a new graphics card for your computer rig has been a pain currently (though the disaster can also be eased (opens in new tab)), gaming laptops mainly sidestepped chip shortage. This does suggest producers have become their focal point towards high-end offerings, however, that means midrange and price range configs are a little greater rare.
Of the hundreds of gaming laptops we’re examined over the years, right here are those that provide the best balance of performance, portability, and price. Whatever you are in the market for, there must be a laptop computer this is proper for you here, and we are going to proceed to update this information with the latest models as they’re pushed out.
Best gaming laptops
1. Razer Blade 15
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i7 and Core i9GPU: Up to Nvidia RTX 3080 TiRAM: Up to 32GB DDR5Screen: 1080p @ 360Hz, 1440p @ 240Hz, or 4K @ 144HzStorage: Up to 1TB SSDBattery: 80WhDimensions: 9.25 x 13.98 x 0.78 inches weight: 4.63lbsTODAY’S BEST DEALS
Razer Blade 15 | Intel Core i7 12800H | Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti
You can, of course, go for the big boi the RTX 3080 Ti but in this slimline chassis, the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti will deliver fantastic frame rates, even at the 1440p resolution of the 240Hz screen. You also get a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD and 16GB of dual-channel DDR5 RAM at a blistering 4,800MHz.
The latest spin of the Razer Blade 15 once again improves on one of the best gaming laptops ever made. It has the same gorgeous CNC-milled aluminum chassis as its predecessor, only this time it can house one of Nvidia’s latest RTX 30-series GPUs and an Intel 12th Gen Core i9 CPU.
We’ve played with the Razer Blade 15 Advanced with a 10th Gen Intel chip and RTX 3080 (95W) GPU inside it. And we fell in love all over again, and we’re looking forward to getting the Intel Alder Lake versions with the RTX 3080 Ti humming away inside, too.
These latest models, you see, have upped the graphics processing even further than the previous setups, with support for up to the 16GB RTX 3080 Ti, which is incredible in this small chassis. You will get some throttling because of that slimline design, but you’re still getting outstanding performance from this beautiful machine.
One of the best things about the Blade 15 is the number of configurations Razer offers. From the RTX 3060 Base Edition to the RTX 3080 Ti Advanced with a 144Hz 4K panel, there’s something for almost everyone. It’s one of the most beautiful gaming laptops around and still one of the most powerful.
Whatever config you pick, we think the Razer Blade 15 is the overall best gaming laptop on the market right now, though you will be paying a premium for the now-classic design.
2. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022)
The best all-round gaming laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HSGPU: Up to AMD Radeon RX 6800SRAM: Up to 32GB DDR5-4800Screen: 14-inch IPS 1600p @ 120HzStorage: 1TB SSD NVMe PCIe 4.0Battery: 76WhDimensions: 12.28 x 8.94 x 0.73 inchesWeight: 3.79lbs
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA402RJ) | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS | AMD RX 6700S
This is the less powerful version of the G14 than the one we reviewed, but it sounds a lot better off for it. The CPU remains the same powerful AMD number, but the GPU and RAM have come down to a more modest spec.
The new version of the Zephyrus G14 for 2022 impresses us once again with its well-balanced specs list and excellent gaming performance. Seriously, this thing shreds through frames up to its 120Hz refresh rate, and it’s great for much more than gaming, too.
We checked out the version with AMD’s RX 6800S under the hood, though there is an option for an RX 6700S, one can assume for a chunk less cash. Arguably, that cheaper option sounds a bit better to us, as the high-end one can get a little pricey and close in on the expensive but excellent Razer Blade 14. It’s not helped much by its 32GB of DDR5-4800 RAM in that regard, though we do love having all that speedy memory raring to go for whatever you can throw at it.
Whichever option you go for, you’ll receive an awesome IPS panel with a 3ms response time and gorgeous color. The battery life of this gaming laptop isn’t the best while gaming, but we can let that one slide since it nails just about everything else.
3. Razer Blade 14
compact gaming laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HXGPU: Up to Nvidia RTX 3080 TiRAM: 16GB DDR5-4800Screen: 14-inch 1080p @ 144Hz or 1440p @ 165HzStorage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSDBattery: 61.6WhDimensions: 0.66 x 8.66 x 12.59 inchesWeight: 3.92lb
Razer Blade 14 | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Nvidia RTX 3060 | 144Hz
As far as we’re concerned, this is the ultimate configuration of the diminutive Blade 14. It’s the most affordable, but it also matches the RTX 3060 GPU with a 1080p, 144Hz screen to deliver excellent gaming performance. The brand new 8-core, 16-thread AMD CPU then gives it workstation processing power too
I am mighty tempted to push the Razer Blade 14 further up the list, simply because the 14-inch form factor has absolutely won me over. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 in the No. 2 slot reintroduced the criminally under-used laptop design, but Razer has perfected it. Feeling noticeably smaller than the 15-inch Blade and closer to the ultrabook Stealth 13, the Blade 14 mixes a matte black MacBook Pro-style with genuine PC gaming pedigree.
The Razer style is classic, and it feels great to hold, too. And with the outstanding AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX finally finding its way into a Blade notebook, you’re getting genuine processing power you can sling into a messenger bag. And soon you will be able to get your hands on the Blade 14 with the brand new Ryzen 9 6900HX chip at its heart which will actually be able to save on battery on the go by using its RDNA 2 based onboard graphics.
Add in some extra Nvidia RTX 30-series graphics power now all the way up to an RTX 3080 Ti, but wear earplugs and you’ve got a great mix of form and function that makes it the most desirable laptop I’ve maybe ever tested.
My only issue is that the RTX 3080 Ti would be too limited by the diminutive 14-inch chassis and run a little loud. So I would then recommend the lower-spec GPU options, though if you’re spending $1,800 on a notebook, that feels too high for 1080p gaming. But you’re not buying the Blade 14 specifically for outright performance and anything else; this is about having all the power you need in a form factor that works for practical mobility.
4. Dell G3 15
The best budget gaming laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7GPU: Up to Nvidia GTX 1660 TiRAM: 16GB DDR4Screen: 15.6-inch IPS 1080p @ 144HzStorage: 512GB SSDBattery: 51WhDimensions: 0.85 x 14.4 x 10 inchesWeight: 5.40lb
Dell G3 15 | Intel Core i5 | Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti
For only a little more than the cheapest $699 configuration, you can pick up the superior GTX 1650 Ti GPU. It’s not the most powerful GPU, but it’s affordable, available, and will still deliver decent 1080p frame rates for the cost. The 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM feel a little mean, but the 120Hz display is ace, and the price is great.
Let’s face it, trying to find a quality gaming laptop on a budget can be a chore. You have to make compromises in areas like performance, design, and even battery life. Thankfully, the Dell G3 15 offers decent 1080p gaming with configurations under $1,000, and the battery life is actually good.
The most significant improvement from its previous model is its slimmer, sleeker design. With thinner bezels around a 144Hz display, the sleeker design gives it a more high-end vibe. It’s a welcome toned-down look, in case you’re hoping for a gaming laptop that doesn’t shout “gamer” as soon as you pull it out of your bag. The display itself seems the only downside, not having as rich a color range as the other gaming laptops on this list.
5. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (16″ AMD)
The best QHD gaming laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800HGPU: Up to Nvidia RTX 3070RAM: Up to 32GB DDR4Screen: 16-inch 165Hz 2560 x 1600Storage: Up to 2 TB M.2 SSDBattery: 86WhDimensions: 14.01 x 10.4 x 1.1 inchesWeight: 5.4lbs
Lenovo Legion Pro 5 | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Nvidia RTX 3070
You can pick up the RTX 3060 model for less, but it’s the RTX 3070 model with a 2TB SSD that makes for a better pairing with the high-refresh QHD panel. Throw in the eight-core Ryzen 7 5800H, and you have everything you need to handle all manner of tasks and enjoy serious high-end gaming.
The Legion Pro 5 proves that AMD is absolutely a serious competitor in the gaming laptop space. Pairing the mobile Ryzen 7 5800H with the RTX 3070 results in a laptop that not only handles modern games with ease, but that can turn its hand at more serious escapades too.
The QHD 16:10 165Hz screen is a genuine highlight here and one that makes gaming and just using Windows a joy. It’s an IPS panel with a peak brightness of 500nits too, so you’re not going to be left wanting whether you’re gaming or watching movies.
The Legion Pro 5 really is a beast when it comes to gaming too, with that high-powered RTX 3070 (with a peak delivery of 140W it’s faster than some 3080s) being a great match for that vibrant screen. You’re going to be able to run the vast majority of games at the native 2560 x 1600 resolution at the max settings and not miss a beat. The fact that you can draw on DLSS and enjoy some ray tracing extras for the money all helps to make this an incredibly attractive package.
6. MSI GS66 Stealth
most stylish gaming laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Up to Core i9 12900HGPU: Up to Nvidia RTX 3080 TiRAM: Up to 32GB DDR5-4800Screen: 15.6-inch 1080p 240Hz or 300HzStorage: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSDBattery: 99.9WhDimensions: 9.76 x 14.1 x 0.77 inches weight: 4.63lbs
MSI GS66 Stealth | Intel Core i7 | Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti
this is a lot of laptops for a lot of money. It’s at least cheaper than the RTX 3080 Ti version, though. The RTX 3070 Ti is a quality gaming GPU, and that 240Hz 1440p screen will allow you to get the most out of it, too. The Max-Q 3.0 features mean this thin-and-light gaming laptop feels slick and quick with 32GB RAM and a 1TB SSD backing it all up.
The MSI GS66 is one hell of a machine: It’s sleek, slick, and powerful. But it’s not Nvidia Ampere’s power without compromise, however. MSI has had to be a little parsimonious about its power demands to pack something as performant as an RTX 3080 into an 18mm thin chassis.
The top GPU is the 95W version, which means it only just outperforms a fully unleashed RTX 3070, the sort you’ll find in the Gigabyte Aorus 15G XC. But it is still an astonishingly powerful slice of mobile graphics silicon.
It can get a little loud, but thankfully, you have the benefits of all the Nvidia Max-Q 3.0 features at your disposal. This includes Whisper Mode 2.0, which will bring gaming down to barely audible levels, for when you want to be stealthy.
The GS66 also comes with an outstanding 240Hz 1440p panel, which perfectly matches the powerful GPU when it comes to games. Sure, you’ll have to make some compromises compared to an RTX 3080 you might find in a hulking workstation, but the MSI GS66 Stealth is a genuinely slimline gaming laptop.
7. Acer Predator Helios 300
SPECIFICATIONS
Acer Predator Helios 300 | Intel Core i7 11800H | Nvidia RTX 3060
The Helios 300 makes the most sense as a focused budget gaming laptop, and this Intel 11th Gen takes on the brand nails that brief. The RTX 3060 affords plenty of gaming prowess and makes for a great pairing for the 144Hz 1080p screen. Throw in a healthy 16GB of RAM and a speedy 512GB SSD and you have a great basis for a budget gaming machine.
Acer’s Predator Helios 300 during the GTX 10-series era, and the current generation Helios still manages to punch above its weight class compared to other $1,500 laptops. It may not be the best gaming laptop, but it’s one of the best value machines around. The latest version of the Helios packs an RTX 3060 GPU and a sleeker form factor without raising the price significantly.
The new and improved Helios 300 has a 144Hz screen and smaller bezels, putting it more in line with sleek thin-and-lights than its more bulky brethren of the previous generation. The only real drawback is the diminutive SSD, although the laptop has slots for two SSDs and an HDD, which makes upgrading your storage as easy as getting a screwdriver.
8. Asus ROG Strix Scar 17
The best big-screen gaming laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Up to Intel Core i9 12900HGPU: Up to Nvidia RTX 3080 TiRAM: Up to 32GB DDR5-4800Screen: 17.3-inch 1080p @ 360Hz or 1440p @ 240HzStorage: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSDBattery: 90WhDimensions: 11.1 x 15.55 x 0.92 inchesWeight: 6.39lbs
There’s absolutely no question you can buy a much more sensible gaming laptop than this, but there is something about the excesses of the ROG Strix Scar 17 that make it incredibly appealing. It feels like everything about it has been turned up to 11, from the overclocked CPU which is as beastly as it gets to the gorgeously speedy 360Hz screen on the model we’ve tested. Asus has pushed that little bit harder than most to top our gaming laptop benchmarks.
And top the benchmarks of the best gaming laptops it does, thanks in the main to the GeForce RTX 3080 that can be found beating away at its heart. This is the 115W version of Nvidia’s top Ampere GPU, which means it’s capable of hitting the kind of figures thinner machines can only dream of. You can draw on Nvidia’s excellent DLSS, where implemented, to help hit ridiculous frame rates, too. And if that’s not enough, Asus has introduced a model with an RTX 3080 Ti in 2022.
The 17-inch chassis means the components have a bit more room to breathe compared to the competition too, and coupled with the excellent cooling system, you’re looking at a cool and quiet slice of gaming perfection. This extra space has allowed Asus to squeeze an optomechanical keyboard onto the Scar 17, which is a delight for gaming and more serious pursuits.
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