Buying a Gaming Laptop: How to Choose the Right Configuration
Gaming laptops are unique beasts, unlike regular notebooks, with solid components, colorful looks, and premium costs. Indeed, They have to be. If you want to enjoy demanding games like "The Witcher 3:" or "Grand Theft Auto V," discover virtual environments and play at high frame rates. They're also a distinctive species in terms of design, with more bold edges on the chassis and colored keyboards.
Depending on your budget, lifestyle, and gaming preferences, you may wind up paying anything between $500 to $5,000 on a machine that weighs between 4 and 20 pounds. You can find the best gaming laptop deals online following the guidelines and recommendations below.
Graphics
The GPU is the soul of any contemporary gaming laptop. It analyses the information and transmits signals to the monitor, displaying the images on the screen. Because this procedure might be demanding when playing games, you'll need a separate GPU with a dedicated memory, known as VRAM (video memory).
Despite the widespread belief that more is better for gaming PCs, a typical gamer should be fine with 4GB of VRAM. Most gaming laptops come with Nvidia GPUs; however, if you prefer AMD, you may customize your system with the help of some manufacturers.
For Beginners
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050/1050 Ti |
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Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 |
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For Average Gamers
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 |
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For Hardcore Gamers
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 | AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 |
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Because two are better than one, Nvidia's Scalable Link Interface (SLI) setup allows some laptops to have two GPUs. Up to four GPUs may work together with this technique, enhancing image quality for improved rendering at exceptionally high frame rates.
Nvidia Max-Q Design: Instead of focusing on performance, Max-Q prioritizes efficiency. The system produces less heat and uses fewer fans due to less electricity consumption. As a result, you'll get a device that's quieter and cooler than a conventional gaming laptop while being almost as powerful.
CPU and RAM
If the GPU is a gaming laptop's heart, the CPU and RAM are its brain and hippocampus. The processor on your laptop is in charge of anything that isn't related to visuals—for example, completing some calculations and controlling non-playable characters in a game. It also has an impact on the performance of your non-gaming software, such as your browser, operating system, and productivity apps. Before purchasing a new CPU or RAM, keep the following tips in mind.
Choose an Intel processor from the 9th generation or an AMD processor from the Ryzen 4000 series. The more recent CPU you select, the better. The i9-11th Gen and AMD Ryzen 9 5000 series are two recent launches.
The essential requirement is a Core i5. The Intel Core i5 is the slowest processor you should consider when purchasing a new gaming PC. Models with dual-core Core i7 processors are a modest step up.
The Quad-Core Processor Is the Best. If you're looking for a Core i7 CPU, go for a quad-core one rather than a dual-core one. By glancing at the end of a chip's model number, you can tell if it's dual-core. The prefixes HQ or HK are used on quad-core Core i7 CPUs. The HK chips are the quickest and can even be overclocked.
Clock Speed Is Important. When choosing a CPU, keep in mind that larger numbers equal quicker speeds. A Core i5 CPU running at 3.4 GHz will be considerably faster than one running at 2.6 GHz. Some of Intel's new processors can be overclocked, which means that the processor's speed can be changed using an application.
Is 8GB of RAM Enough? Don't go with anything under 8GB of RAM. It's nice to have 16GB, but it's not as crucial as having a quicker CPU or graphics processor.
Display
What's the purpose of having buttery-smooth frame rates and stunning graphics if your laptop's display is abysmal? So, below are a few recommendations to consider when choosing a display type for your new gaming laptop.
Screen Resolution
Any gaming laptop should have a minimum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Users praise the bright colors and details of QHD (2560 x 1440) or 4K (3840 x 2160) screens.
G-Sync or FreeSync Technology
Most gaming laptops include displays that feature Nvidia's G-Sync or AMD's FreeSync technology. These are meant to remove unattractive graphical tearing and blurriness on displays ranging from 1080p to 4K resolution.
Type of Screen
Touch Screens: Touch screens are now available on certain gaming laptops. It is useful if you play games like Candy Crush. On most gaming PCs, however, this functionality is unneeded.
Glossy vs. matte screen: Glossy displays are popular because of their brilliant colors, but the glossy surface is prone to glare. On the other hand, a matte panel is free of annoying reflections. But some users complain of washed-out color and detail.
OLED display: This technology enables smaller, more energy-efficient displays with stunning color and contrast.
Keyboards and Touchpads
Don't get so caught up in specs that you overlook the quality of the keyboard. You'll be bashing on those keys every time you play a game or go online, so they should be comfy and attractive.
Here are a few things to be on the lookout for:
Key Travel: Ideally, the keys should provide forceful input while being unobtrusive.
Actuation: It refers to the ideal amount of force required to depress a key, resulting in a lovely, springing bounce. Less actuation on the keyboard makes it seem mushy and slows you down.
Anti-Ghosting: This is a valuable feature for players who need to hit many buttons at the same time to perform a powerful strike. Anti-ghosting is the ability to press multiple keys simultaneously and get recognized by the system.
Best Keyboard
Laptop manufacturers are beginning to appreciate the mechanical keyboard's noisy, clicky thrill. These keyboards are known for their wonderful springy feedback and unique clicking sound. They provide some of the greatest operations on a laptop.
Keyboard Customization
Backlighting on a decent gaming keyboard should be programmable. Aside from the installed light display, some software allows you to develop patterns and connect them to your lighting configuration and the accompanying game.
Storage
When it comes to gaming laptops, quicker is usually better, so SSDs, which enable lightning-fast file transfers, are so popular. That added speed translates to faster game loading times and fewer unpleasant pauses when your drive can't keep up with the game's asset production rate.
Unless an SSD is out of your pricing range, get a 1TB hard drive with a 7,200-rpm speed instead. Rather than choosing between the two, we suggest getting a system with both an SSD and an HDD. That way, you can store your games and essential data on the fast SSD while still having enough space for anything else.
Audio Quality
When it comes to gaming, music is equally as crucial as graphics. Yes, you most likely have a headset that you use most of the time. Sometimes you want to use the speakers available on your laptop. One of the best is the MSI-exclusive Nahimic audio software, which provides some of the greatest surround sounds for both headphones and speakers. The Dell Sound software is a good second choice, while Dolby Home Theater v4 from Lenovo is the third-best in the market.
Portability
What Kind of Portability Do You Require? There are several levels of mobility when it comes to gaming devices. The more powerful a laptop gets, the less compact it becomes.
Low portability
A system with a 17 to 18-inch display, such as the Alienware 17, might suffice if you want to keep your laptop at home and keep it on your desk or carry it between rooms. Because they have ample capacity for heat-generating and cooling components, laptops in this size range are generally the most powerful. They are, however, bulky, difficult to pack into most backpacks and consume too much power if you want to use them unplugged for long periods.
Medium Portability:
Consider a 15-inch notebook if you want to use the gaming laptop on your lap and tote it about more frequently. These devices weigh around 4.6 to 7.2 pounds and last approximately 5 hours on a single charge.
High Portability:
If you're always on the go, a 13- or 14-inch laptop like the Razer Blade is a good choice. Notebooks in this sized range often weigh less than 5 pounds and have a longer battery lifespan, averaging 7 hours. However, because 13 and 14-inch gaming laptops don't have the capacity to disperse much heat, they generally don't come with the most powerful CPU or GPU.
Budget: What You Get for Your Money
So, given your budget, how high-performance can you get? While it is true that you get what you pay for, you would be astonished at what specs you can get in the best gaming laptop under 1000 dollars only.
A 1080p monitor with good color reproduction, accuracy, and brightness may usually be found under $1,000. Your system will likely have a 1TB hard drive spinning at 5,400 rpm and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or RTX 3050 GPU. There are still a few Core i5 processors available in this price bracket. Still, quad-core Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processors with 8-16GB of RAM can be found in the majority of laptops.
You'll almost certainly receive a quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU with at least 16GB of RAM if you spend $2,000 to $3,000 for a laptop. With these specifications, you may play any game at its top settings without experiencing latency or tearing. You can have a high-resolution monitor, a bespoke paint job, and up to four SSDs in RAID configuration for this price.
Pros and Cons Of Famous Brands
Now that you have fixed your budget and have a general concept of what you're searching for, there's one last thing to consider.
Which laptop brand are you planning to purchase? We're not going to try to persuade you one way or the other. But, while you're doing your research, consider the following aspects regarding some of the most well-known firms.
Alienware | Asus |
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MSI | Razer |
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HP Omen | Acer |
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Gigabyte/Aorus | Lenovo |
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Conclusion
This year, the finest gaming laptops will shine brightly in what might be a challenging year for PC technology. Great gaming laptops will not be long behind when new Intel, AMD, and Nvidia GPUs and CPUs are released. Maybe even some that aren't too expensive. To wind up our detailed post, below is a list of concise forms of tips explained above.
For low-end games like Candy Crush, don't get a gaming laptop. An integrated graphics card can readily support these games.
Touch displays should be avoided. They are more costly and deplete the battery.
Laptops with a screen size of 17 or 18 inches are often more powerful but less portable, whereas 13-, 14-, and 15-inch screens are simpler to carry but sometimes lack higher-end components.
Make sure the keyboard is a good fit for you. Take a trip to the store and check out the keyboard before you buy it if you can.
Laptops with a low-resolution display should be avoided (less than 1920 x 1080).
Purchase solid-state storage. Invest in a solid-state drive (SSD) for speedier game installation and loading times.
Suppose you want to play virtual reality games with an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. In that case, you'll need a laptop with at least an Intel Core i7-6700HQ CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, and an HDMI 1.3 connector.