CHOOSING A GAMING laptop is a lot like putting together a well-balanced adventuring party. You need to look at what you plan to use it for, what kinds of quests you’ll tackle, and try to match its capabilities to your needs—without emptying your coin purse. To that end, weary travelers, we took it upon ourselves to source the latest and greatest gaming laptops from forges large and small. We gathered them in our keep and ran them through a variety of tests to sort the god-rolls from the vendor trash. Here they are, the best gaming laptops for every kind of player.
Be sure to check out our picks for the best overall laptops, gaming mice, keyboards, headsets, and wireless headsets.
Updated in June 2022: We’ve added the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 and G14, Acer Nitro 5, and Lenovo Legion 5 Pro.
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Best Overall Gaming Laptops of Coming Years
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2022)
The ROG Zephyrus M16 combines gaming horsepower with modern, high-quality perks. The Asus G15 was a powerful model, but the M16 added an extra-wide 16:10 screen, webcam, and support for Thunderbolt. The matte black design also helps it compete with the likes of Razer on style.
This second iteration has shed one of the few weaknesses of the first—being limited to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card. The M16 can now be equipped with a faster option, up to an RTX 3080 Ti. The top-tier gaming performance is made all the more glorious by one of the best laptop keyboards around and a strong selection of display options.
Specs to look for: Intel Core i7-12700H processor, Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, 24 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD, 16-inch QHD+ display with a 165-Hz refresh rate
The Acer Nitro 5 is a no-frills laptop in every respect. Its black plastic design doesn’t stand out—beyond a smattering of RGB lighting. The display won’t blow you away, but at 15.6-inches, with Full HD and a fast 144-Hz refresh rate, it is a great choice for gamers. The standout keyboard has a surprising amount of travel and feedback for such a low-cost device.
The cheap models are where the value is at, but you can spec this up to 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Ryzen 7 chip, and RTX 3070 GPU. This is a laptop for those who want a portable gaming machine but don’t want to break the bank.
Specs to look for: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display with a 144-Hz refresh rate
Best 14-inch
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022)
This compact gaming laptop from Asus burst on the scene a couple of years ago as a stunning value proposition. Now the ROG Zephyrus G14 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) offers less value for the money, but the full package remains hugely appealing. It has a fantastic keyboard, a crisp display, and a webcam—a welcome new addition!
The flagship model’s bright white look is eye-catching for a gaming laptop. A pivot to an all-AMD focus for this year’s model has also allowed Asus to beef up this laptop’s gaming capabilities, which were previously capped at an RTX 3060. The new Radeon RX 6800S delivers performance between an RTX 3070 and 3080. Battery life has taken a hit, but this remains a portable gaming delight.
Specs to look for: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor, AMD Radeon RX 6800S graphics card, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, 14-inch QHFor Play and Work
Razer Blade 15
Laptops with improved performance and stylish looks may have challenged Razer’s crown—namely, the Asus ROG Zephyrus—but the Blade series remains strong in its own right. When it comes to a trim combination of high performance, robust luxury materials, and good looks, the Blade 15 is still a top dog.
The latest components from Intel and Nvidia have enhanced resolution and refresh rates across the board. We think 165 Hz and 1440p strikes the right balance, but FPS fanatics can opt for Full HD 360 Hz. Ultimately, Razer continues to be a strong gaming option, especially if you want to play in style.
Specs to look for: Intel Core i7-11800H processor, Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, 15-inch 1440p display with a 165-Hz refresh rate
$2,294 AT AMAZOND+ display with a 120-Hz refresh rate
What Makes a Great Gaming Laptop?
It’s More Than Just Dancing Lights
A gaming laptop is like an enchanted sword. It can do all the usual sword things—chop, slice, cleave—but an enchanted sword can do a lot more, like talk or glow or deal extra damage to orcs. When it comes to raw power, a gaming laptop is almost always going to have the upper hand over a regular laptop. The key distinction is easy to spot: Gaming laptops all have discrete graphics cards. This is what gives your gaming laptop its extra oomph.
All laptops have graphics chipsets, usually just built into the processor so they can handle light gaming (think Hearthstone or Gwent). But a discrete graphics card (also called a graphics processing unit, or GPU) is a unit solely dedicated to rendering the visuals in your games. It’s an essential component in any gaming laptop, and it’s usually why they tend to be a bit pricey. Enchantments don’t come cheap, after all.
Know Your Specs
What specs are right for me?
In 2022, gamers in the market for a laptop should try to get a machine with 16 GB RAM, if they can afford it. While 8 GB of RAM is still workable for those who play low-demand games or have little desire for fancy graphics, 16 GB RAM is a safe bet for most. Consider the step up to 32 GB RAM if you’re an avid gamer.
Outside of RAM, you’ll have to decide whether you want the very best processors and graphics cards around, with Intel now on its 12th-Generation gaming CPUs and AMD Ryzen with the 6000 series. Nvidia has a wide range of 30-series GPUs as well—with the entry-level mobile RTX 3050 Ti having recently made its way to shelves—all the way up to a 3080 Ti. And that’s before you think about your display needs, from 4K resolution options to high-refresh-rate picks.
For additional help with all the different specifications on offer, check out our guide to buying the right laptop for you.
