A gaming laptop is a perfect way to enjoy playing the latest games while on the move or in a home where space is at a premium. Therefore, gaming laptops are designed to provide high-performance hardware that can run demanding games smoothly and seamlessly. In contrast, office laptops are designed for basic tasks such as word processing, email, and web browsing and typically have lower specifications. It can be intimidating to know where to look first with numerous brands and different configurations to consider.
What is a Gaming Laptop?
Gaming Laptop Specs to Consider When Buying a Gaming Laptop
#1Processor
Intel and AMD are the two options for a gaming laptop when choosing a processor. Both offer powerful processors for gaming, and your budget is usually the deciding factor between the two. The higher the number, typically, the better the processor is, as with graphics cards.
A processor is also called a CPU, and it's the brain of your computer. It deals with interpreting and executing data before displaying the results on the screen. Modern processors offer multiple cores which work like processors within processors. These cores can multitask more effectively, with each core offering a certain speed. Most CPUs have between four and eight cores. In terms of core and processing speed, aim as high as possible.
#2RAM
RAM is another flexible aspect of gaming
PCs, because it’s not as immediately vital as the graphics card.
Computer RAM works
like VRAM, but it helps the computer's CPU instead of assisting your GPU. The
more RAM you have, the more effectively your computer can retrieve temporary
information, which improves your speed and performance. When gaming, it can
mean levels load faster, and details load up in-game quickly.
#TIP: For a gaming laptop, you need 16GB of RAM. While those buying a budget gaming laptop can make do with 8GB of RAM, 16GB is required for good performance and ensuring there are no bottlenecks when loading new data.
As with regular RAM, RAM performance in a gaming laptop is not solely dependent on the quantity. Speed is also a factor with different types of RAM available. DDR5 is the latest and fastest RAM, but many systems still use DDR4. Anything lower than DDR4 is too old for gaming.
As with a
gaming PC, the most critical component of a gaming laptop is its graphics card.
While you need well-balanced hardware alongside that (as we'll see later), a
graphics card is the heart of a gaming setup and is vital in ensuring you can
play games at high resolutions and the highest detail level possible. It's
typically one of the most expensive components in a gaming laptop, so it's
worth paying for the best one you can afford.
Two companies provide
graphics cards for laptops: AMD and Nvidia. Currently, Nvidia provides the best
graphics cards, with the RTX 40-series leading the way. The highest-end
graphics card you can find for laptops is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Ti.
Gaming laptops
typically include the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070/3060 or RTX40-series graphics
card instead. If you want to play games at 4K resolutions or ultra-high detail
levels, you need an RTX 30/40-series graphics card.
AMD also offers a range of graphics cards often best suited if you're on a tighter budget. The RX 6000 series range is worth looking at and can be high-end if you wish to spend more. However, the RX 6000 series is generally best regarded for playing games at 1080p resolutions with slightly lower detail levels.
A gaming
laptop has its display built into the system, so, as with many other
components, it's not possible to upgrade later. While you can plug an external
monitor or screen into a gaming laptop, it's good to have a high-end display to
match the components you've chosen.
For a gaming
laptop, response times and refresh rates are essential. A basic display offers
a refresh rate of 60Hz, but a good gaming laptop display offers 120Hz or
higher. Combined with a low response time such as 1-3ms, the games you play run
more smoothly.
A low refresh
rate can cause issues with motion blur when playing fast-paced games, and a
high response time can cause problems when responding quickly to a game's
actions.
There's also the question of panels. Some high-end gaming laptops offer a 4K screen with a much higher resolution than a standard HD display. This resolution can increase the price by a few hundred dollars, but it means a sharper image. If your choice of gaming laptop has a high-end graphics card, you'll miss out on a great picture if the screen does not match its quality.
Which Gaming Laptop for the Money is Right for You?
Of all the lists we’ve written on
this subject, this list has the most variety and options between the best
gaming laptops on shelves right now. “Value” is in the eye of the beholder, which
is why we’ve included so many different choices for any price tier and budget.
The best gaming laptop for the
money isn’t always the one that’s easiest on your wallet – it’s the one that
gives you the features you want in one package, with no extra frills to
distract you from the best part of owning once of these machines in the first
place: gaming to your heart’s content for hours and hours on end.
#FAQ about gaming laptop
Q1: How do I make
my laptop faster for gaming?
It's possible
to optimize a laptop you already must make it work better with games. Some
options include upgrading the memory and replacing the video card. You can also
an application like CCleaner or MSI Afterburner to clear up your registry and
make your computer's components work faster.
Q2: How long does
a gaming laptop last?
If you get a gaming laptop that you can upgrade easily by adding more memory or replacing old components, it will last longer than one that's not upgradable, even if the initial specs are better. The main factors affecting longevity of a gaming laptop are the quality of the hardware and the requirements of (and compatibility with) games you want to play.
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