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Calling all gamers: Beat your competition with the best gaming laptops

The best laptops for gaming will give you the confidence to power through any game mode without giving out.

Published May 13, 2024
5 min. reading time
Image of three types of gaming laptops

Compare gaming laptops

Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 Intel (16") with RTX 4070

Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 Intel (16") with RTX 4070

Raider 18 HX A14VHG-256US 18" UHD+ Gaming Laptop

Raider 18 HX A14VHG-256US 18" UHD+ Gaming Laptop

ASUS - TUF Gaming A15 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop FHD

ASUS - TUF Gaming A15 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop FHD

Alienware x14 R2 Gaming Laptop

Alienware x14 R2 Gaming Laptop

Acer Nitro 5 AN515-45-R92M Gaming

Acer Nitro 5 AN515-45-R92M Gaming

Razer Blade 14 - QHD+ 240 Hz - GeForce RTX 4070

Razer Blade 14 - QHD+ 240 Hz - GeForce RTX 4070
Price
$1,736.99
Price
$3,399
Price
You save $15 (2.14%)
$684.99$699.99
Price
$1,899.99
Price
$875
Price
$2,699.99
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Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars at Lenovo

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars at excaliberpc

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 5 out of 5 stars at Best Buy

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars at Dell

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars at Amazon

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4 out of 5 stars at Amazon

Specifications
Screen size (in)
16
Screen size (in)
18
Screen size (in)
15.6
Screen size (in)
14
Screen size (in)
15.6
Screen size (in)
14
Processor
14th Generation Intel Core i9-14900HX Processor
Processor
Intel Core i9-14900HX 1.6 - 5.8 GHz
Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 7000 Series
Processor
13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H
Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Mobile Processor
Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS
Storage (gb)
2000
Storage (gb)
2000
Storage (gb)
512
Storage (gb)
1000
Storage (gb)
512
Storage (gb)
1000
Touchscreen?
Touchscreen?
Touchscreen?
Touchscreen?
Touchscreen?
Touchscreen?
Pros & cons
  • Widescreen display surface area

  • Supercharged airflow to support intense gaming

  • Optimizes gameplay in real-time

  • Requires learning curve to optimize settings

  • Inconsistent battery life 

Pros & cons
  • Widescreen display

  • Customizable RGB lighting

  • Ultra-responsive keyboard

  • High price point

  • Might be too heavy for some

Pros & cons
  • Simulates sunlight for realistic screen display

  • 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate included

  • AI noise-canceling technology

  • Storage size might not be ideal for heavy gaming storage

  • Not ENERGY STAR Certified

Pros & cons
  • Compatible with any standard Type-C charger

  • Blue light filtering technology

  • Thin and lightweight construction

  • Device can run hot during prolonged gaming

Pros & cons
  • Backlit keyboard

  • Ability to monitor and manage your system in real-time

  • Extensive connectivity options

  • Reports of battery issues

Pros & cons
  • Chroma RGB lighting technology for personalized keyboard lighting

  • Options to upgrade RAM and storage capacity

  • Not ENERGY STAR Certified

Every gamer would agree that a reliable laptop built to meet the specs required for heavy use is vital to their gameplay. 

Unlike other laptops, a gaming laptop often has powerful hardware and high-end graphic cards to keep up with intense use. And unlike PC gaming, a laptop allows you to play from anywhere.

If you’re tired of going through endless gaming laptop reviews to find one that suits you, look no further. From ASUS Gaming Laptop to Acer, we’ve listed our top picks from renowned laptop gaming brands to bring you the best option possible. 

Read more: Check out these selections of Nintendo Switch games

Recommended gaming laptops

Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 Intel (16") with RTX 4070
Best overall
Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 Intel (16") with RTX 4070
$1736.99 at lenovo
Raider 18 HX A14VHG-256US 18" UHD+ Gaming Laptop
Best for pro-gamers
Raider 18 HX A14VHG-256US 18" UHD+ Gaming Laptop
$3,399 at MSI
ASUS - TUF Gaming A15 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop FHD
A budget gaming laptop
ASUS - TUF Gaming A15 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop FHD
$684.99 at Best Buy
Alienware x14 R2 Gaming Laptop
Most lightweight
Alienware x14 R2 Gaming Laptop
$1899.99 at Dell

Specifications

Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 4070

Processor: 14th Generation Intel Core i9-14900HX Processor

Display: 16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), IPS, Anti-Glare, HDR 400, 100%DCI-P3, 500 nits, 240Hz, Low Blue Light

Storage: 2 TB SSD

Pros & Cons
  • Widescreen display surface area

  • Supercharged airflow to support intense gaming

  • Optimizes gameplay in real-time

  • Requires learning curve to optimize settings

  • Inconsistent battery life 

Out of all the best laptops for gaming, the Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 takes our top spot for its fast performance, reliability and powerful graphics. Delivering lifelike virtual worlds with full ray tracing, it’s perfect for playing action role-playing video games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Shadow Of The Tomb Raider.

Powered by the LA1 AI chip and the Lenovo AI Engine+, it pushes FPS to the max for smooth animations and quick reactions to help you stay ahead of the game. Plus, the AI-boosted Legion ColdFront offers peak thermal efficiency so you don’t have to worry about your laptop overheating.

When it comes to display, the screen takes up more than 93% of the display's surface area so you can fully immerse in your gameplay. The HDR and high color accuracy also allow you to see every detail of your game no matter how bright or dark your gaming environment gets.

With the Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 Intel (16") with RTX 4070, you’ll be no match for others.

Specifications

Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 4080

Processor: Intel Core i9-14900HX 1.6 - 5.8 GHz

Display: 18" UHD+(3840x2400) 120Hz Mini LED HDR 1000 100% DCI-P3

Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD

Pros & Cons
  • Widescreen display

  • Customizable RGB lighting

  • Ultra-responsive keyboard

  • High price point

  • Might be too heavy for some

This MSI Gaming Laptop is made for those who are great at their gaming crafts. Boasting a stunning 18-inch UHD+ display, you’ll get detailed images for a captivating gaming experience.

You’ll love the customizable RGB lighting that allows you to personalize your setup and create the perfect ambiance for your gaming sessions. Its ultra-responsive mechanical keyboard provides tactile feedback for precise control, while the advanced cooling system ensures optimal thermal management, keeping your system running at peak performance even when you’re multitasking. 

With lightning-fast SSD storage and ample RAM, the Raider 18 offers lightning-fast load times and smooth gameplay, giving you the competitive edge you need to dominate the battlefield.

When you’re a seasoned pro, you’ll need a laptop that keeps up with your pace and you’ll definitely find it in the Raider 18. 

A budget gaming laptop

ASUS - TUF Gaming A15 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop FHD
Photo: Best Buy

Specifications

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050

Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7000 Series

Display: 15.6" FHD 144Hz Display

Storage: 512GB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD

Pros & Cons
  • Simulates sunlight for realistic screen display

  • 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate included

  • AI noise-canceling technology

  • Storage size might not be ideal for heavy gaming storage

  • Not ENERGY STAR Certified

Getting the best gadget for your passion doesn’t always have to break the bank. With the ASUS - TUF Gaming A15 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop FHD, you can jump straight to action on the latest games.

The DLSS 3.5 and ray tracing technology bring game graphics to life by simulating sunlight and creating a realistic environment while the adaptive-sync technology synchronizes the display with the GPU’s output to reduce lag and minimize stuttering for ultra-smooth gameplay.

Plus, with three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate included, this is undoubtedly the best budget gaming laptop on our list.

Most lightweight

Specifications

Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 4060

Processor: 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H

Display: 14'' QHD+ (2560 x 1600)165Hz, 3ms, 300nitsDCIP3

Storage: 1 TB SSD

Pros & Cons
  • Compatible with any standard Type-C charger

  • Blue light filtering technology

  • Thin and lightweight construction

  • Device can run hot during prolonged gaming

Looking for good gaming laptops that aren’t as heavy to carry around? Get the Alienware x14 R2 Gaming Laptop. 

At just over four pounds, this laptop offers up to six hours of battery life on a single charge and one terabyte of storage to help you focus on setting a new high score.

Need more juice mid-game? Quickly charge your Alienware x14 R2 on a compact Gallium Nitride power adapter or if you forget your charger at home, you can re-charge with any standard Type-C charger.

You’ll even love the ComfortView Plus blue light filtering technology that protects your eyes without compromising performance or color accuracy. What’s more, the built-in support for Dolby Vision and a DCI-P3 color gamut for richer colors give you the power to see the game's color profiles the way the creators and artist intended.

Best for entry-level

Specifications

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Mobile Processor

Display: 15.6" FHD 144Hz IPS

Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD

Pros & Cons
  • Backlit keyboard

  • Ability to monitor and manage your system in real-time

  • Extensive connectivity options

  • Reports of battery issues

Just starting your gaming journey? The Acer Nitro 5 AN515-45-R92M Gaming is the perfect laptop to start with. Powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX Octa-Core Processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Graphics card, you’ll have everything you need for an interactive gaming experience.

The Acer Nitro 5 is also designed with a backlit keyboard with a dedicated NitroSense Key that allows you to monitor and control system performance in real time. Plus, the comprehensive connectivity options from Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 to HDMI ensure seamless connectivity.

For a reliable gaming companion, put your faith in the Acer Nitro 5.

Specifications

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070

Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS

Display: 14" 240Hz QHD+

Storage: 1 TB SSD

Pros & Cons
  • Chroma RGB lighting technology for personalized keyboard lighting

  • Options to upgrade RAM and storage capacity

  • Not ENERGY STAR Certified

If you’re looking for more control over your laptop specifications, you’ll want to get your hands on the Razer Blade 14. With its unparalleled level of customization, you can tailor every aspect of your gaming experience to suit your preferences. 

Thanks to the Chroma RGB lighting technology, you’ll have over 16.8 million colors and a variety of dynamic lighting effects to personalize your keyboard and ambiance.

Powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics, the laptop promises uncompromising performance and stunning visuals every time. Plus, with options to upgrade the RAM and storage capacity, you can future-proof their system and tailor it to meet your evolving needs.

Whether you're a casual gamer or a competitive enthusiast, the Razer Blade 14 offers the perfect blend of style, performance and customization options to take your gaming to the next level.

The best gaming laptops revealed

If you’re still having trouble choosing between the laptops on our list, here are our favorite two to help you make up your mind.

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Prices updated on 05/13/2024. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices mentioned above.

Afina Najib Professional Headshot
Written by
Afina Najib

A journalism graduate from Curtin University, Afina Najib specializes in writing tech, finance, automotive and wellness content. Now residing in Kuala Lumpur, Afina spends her weekends hitting the gym or watching Formula 1 races.

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