Best Gaming Laptops

What Features to Compare

Performance

The first thing to take into account is the performance of the gaming laptop you're going to buy since it determines how long your laptop will remain good enough for modern games. There are several important issues that impact the performance and the CPU is certainly the most important one. The CPU, or central processing unit, is the brain of any computer and there are 2 major manufacturers: Intel and AMD. Intel is considered to be more performing than AMD and that's why most gaming laptops are equipped with one of the most up-to-date Intel CPUs - quad-core Core i5 or Core i7 models with the frequency of 2.4 GHz and more. Another crucial piece of hardware is the GPU or graphics processing unit which transforms a 2-digit code into a realistic image you see on the screen. There are 2 types of GPUs: integrated (they are built into CPUs) and discrete (the independent one which you can easily replace). Of course, most conventional laptops have just an integrated GPU but if your aim is playing video games - you must get a laptop with a discrete GPU. There are 2 main manufacturers of GPUs - NVIDIA and ATI (which is associated with AMD). NVIDIA graphics cards are usually considered to be better for laptops and that's why all of the devices we've picked in this review boast NVIDIA GPUs.

There's another important feature that impacts an overall performance of the laptop - RAM or random-access memory. It's responsible for short-term information retention and if you have a rather small RAM, your laptop won't be able to run all the games smoothly enough. RAM types are different - there are DDR, DDR2, DDR3 and even DDR4, but the newer one you get, the higher frequencies it will be able to support and the faster the data traffic will be. You need to choose a gaming laptop with at least 8 GB of RAM, though the more the better and the best laptops for games have as many as 16 GB.

Finally, check the capacity of the storage device and the technology used in it. For example, most simple laptops have hard disk drives (HDDs) which are quite affordable and have a huge capacity but they are relatively slow and somewhat outdated after solid-state drives (SSDs) have been invented. Of course, SSDs are much faster but more expensive than HDDs. That's why most gaming laptops have an SSD and an HDD. SSDs are used as system drives (Windows is installed on them), while all of your files are stored on HDDs.

Image Quality

Once you've decided on the previously mentioned features, consider the next one - the display, because the game is displayed on it. Therefore, you need to have a high-quality screen in order to enjoy the gaming experience. Game graphics have made a breathtaking progress within the last decade, so playing video games isn't only about killing some monsters, but also about admiring the graphics. So, begin with the screen size - most gaming laptops have a usual diagonal of 15.6 inches but if you want to feel as comfortable as possible while playing games - choose a larger screen (17.3 inches, for example).

Also, consider the resolution the screen provides. You can customize the settings before starting playing a video game and it's an advantage if your laptop supports one of the highest resolutions available. Most gaming laptops allow you to choose the resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (it's called Full HD). However, the best laptops for games can support a higher resolution.

In the end, check what technology is used in a display. All modern laptops have flat LED screens, but they are based on totally different technologies. The cheapest displays are based on the TN technology which has fairly poor viewing angles but boasts the excellent response time (1-5 ms), but gaming laptops belong to the upper class of computers and usually have displays based on the IPS technology which provides much more vivid colors and better viewing angles, but they're a bit slower - 5-8 ms. In general, the minimal response time of the screen for a gaming laptop has to be 10 ms.

Finally, you can't imagine a cutting-edge device without a touchscreen and most gaming laptops have it. It helps us a lot to use Windows, browse the websites, but it isn't a must-have feature for games.

Battery and Sound

The next step to make is to consider the battery. Any laptop is purchased for the sake of autonomous work without a necessity of plugging it into an outlet. And so the battery is important and you need to choose a laptop that provides a good battery life. Keep in mind that gaming laptops are very powerful and it means they consume a lot of energy, so no laptop for games is strong enough to ensure 10 hours of autonomous work. And yet, choose the one that provides no less than 5 hours of battery life - otherwise, you will need to have a power cord around.

Games aren't only about image and display, but also about sound, particularly if you like playing online. Present-day games allow you to even speak with other gamers and that's why the sound matters. And if a conventional laptop has just 2 simple speakers, gaming laptops are usually more 'charged' in terms of sound and boast high-end speakers and even a subwoofer. Surely, you can use the headset while playing video games.

Ergonomics and Design

At last, we've come to the last criteria to take into account - design and ergonomics. First of all, you need to choose the laptop by its appearance and material it's made from. Most laptops are made from plastic but the top-rated models have a metal casing (usually aluminum) which is better in terms of durability and cooling (keep in mind that a laptop has to have an efficient cooling system). The best and most expensive laptops for games boast a cutting-edge carbon casing which makes them really lightweight. However, if you choose a plastic model - it's good enough since fewer fingerprints and scratches are left on plastic.

And, of course, you need to check the keyboard - a crucial feature for any experienced gamer. A keyboard has to be convenient and that's why a lot of attention is paid to a keyboard layout by manufacturers. Although, only you can decide if a keyboard is comfortable. In the end, check the backlighting of the keyboard - most gamers like playing in the evening and at night, so a backlighting is important. The highest-level gaming laptops allow you to even change the color of backlighting.