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Our picks of the best laptops for gaming, from portable powerhouses to budget builds.
Hunting for the best laptops for gaming can be a little overwhelming. PC hardware is constantly developing meaning that getting a grip on all that PC jargon can be exhausting. But we’re here to help you cut through the clutter with a list of the ten best laptops for games on the market right now.
Gaming laptops are great for when you want to play on the go, and you don’t need to break the bank to find one that suits your needs. Sure, you can go all out with a beast of a laptop with enough GPU fire-power to immerse yourself in gaming’s virtual worlds, but there are plenty of options for small-budget laptops that will still get you buttery-smooth gaming.
Whatever your budget, you’ll be able to find the best gaming laptop for you in our guide below. For other creative options see our best laptops for programming, best laptop for animation, and best laptops for Photoshop, which have all been updated for 2022.
The Nvidia 3080-series GPU together with 12th gen chips make it a powerful piece of kit if you decide to go for the most powerful config, but if you want to shave some money off the price a 3070 GPU with an Intel Core i7 is a great compromise. The Razor 15 definitely leans into the more expensive side of the laptop scale, but have a browse at the different configs in the series to get exactly what you want and save yourself some money.
While this gaming laptop won’t reach the higher-end graphical quality of other computers on this list, so you may struggle if you’re a fan of graphics intensive games, this is still a safe bet if you want portability and playability for a great price. This good all-rounder is worth a look.
This laptop’s soft membrane keys might not be for everyone, and the lack of a webcam is an ongoing annoyance with these models, but with this price point and the specs attached, these issues can be easily overlooked. The Asus TUF Dash F15 is a good laptop for gaming, particularly at this price.
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro may not the best portable laptop as it can drain power and feels bulky compared to some on this list, but for those looking to always have a power socket nearby this is an incredible laptop for gaming.
The Dell G3 15 has everything you need to play games comfortably at 1080p and together with its great battery life makes it one of the best laptops for gaming for under $1,000 / £1,000. Perfect for those who like lightweight gaming (such as Minecraft or Fortnite).
First of all, the Razer Blade 14 is noticeably smaller than the other Razer Blade laptops on this list and boasts Razor’s famously slick designs. With an AMD CPU and Nvidia 30-series GPU, you’re getting the best of both worlds. It’s safe to say that this laptop is a 14-inch powerhouse.
There are some nice design touches too, for example if you’re partial to a bit of flair then you’ll love the RGB light bar that matches the colourful backlit keys. It’s one heck of a machine but it definitely sits on the more expensive side of the price spectrum, with different configs going anywhere from £3,500 / £2,500 – $5,400 / £4,000.
All this tech and style comes with a catch; the MSI GE76 Raider is incredibly heavy, so it’s best used as a desktop replacement or a piece of kit you plan to plug into a nicer TV or monitor.
The starting price of the series begins around the $3,000 / £3,000 mark (you can sometimes find them on sale for $2,500 / £2,500) but in return, you get premium-quality gaming that will last you a long time and keep up with graphics trends. A future-proof laptop for gaming at a price? Then try the Alienware X17.
While this Asus is not the most extravagant laptop out there, it has some solid specs and one heck of a battery life that will ensure you can still play long after other laptops will have died. If you’re looking for a reliable laptop with a reasonable price tag, the Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition is the one.
The Razer Blade 17 Pro is the laptop for gamers who really want to enjoy the good things in life. The 4K touch screen display is fantastic but perhaps a little overkill, yet with the latest components and Razer’s sleek design, this really is the laptop of the moment. But all that good stuff comes at a price, an actual high price, but if you want a high-spec, blockbuster laptop that will run anything and everything, and budget isn’t an issue, then invest in the Razer Blade 17 Pro.
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Rachel is part of the PLAY magazine squad where she writes about PS4, PS5, and PSVR games. She has previous experience in the world of PC and laptop gaming from her time at PC Gamer. When she’s not taking hundreds of screenshots of the latest indie darling, you can find her nurturing her parsnip empire in Stardew Valley and planning an axolotl uprising in Minecraft.
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