Skip to main content

Break out of the basement and game on the go! How to buy a gaming laptop

samsung series 7 gaming laptop review front screen
Image used with permission by copyright holder

While mobile computing has seen a lot of change over the last five years, including the rise of tablets and the introduction of convertibles, there’s one category that has remained steadfast – the gaming laptop. These old-school hulks of processing power don’t give a damn about touchscreens and slim frames. It’s all about speed.

That might make the segment seem simple, yet gaming laptops present their own challenges. Hardware specifications are critical and, as a result, consumers looking to buy a gaming rig need to know more than average. However, as long as you’re able to grasp the basics, learning every detail is not required.

It’s all about the GPU

The importance of the graphics processor in a gaming laptop seems self-evident. Once shopping, however, consumers are sometimes distracted by the plethora of other extras bundled in gaming systems. RAM, network cards, extra hard drives, color LED keyboards – all of this vies for attention but must be ignored until after you judge the GPU.

We can’t hope to summarize the best hardware in this article because new products are often released. Instead, let us point you to the Notebook Check laptop GPU comparison chart. It’s a simple list that gathers benchmark data and uses it to rank graphics hardware. Any system claiming the title of gaming laptop should feature a GPU ranked as Class 1 on this list.

Any extra cash that can be spent on upgrades should first be spent on the GPU. No other part will offer better performance per dollar.  

The processor is (kinda) important

Don’t let the focus on graphics suggest that the CPU does not matter. It does. Sometimes.

The value of the processor depends on the game being played. Some titles barely stress it and could make do with a Core i3. A select few, however, can bring even a Core i7 quad to its knees. Supreme Commander, for example, can still tax today’s hardware a full five years after its release.

Sticking with a Core i5 is not a bad choice if money is an issue. An i5 will not hold back by most games, and leftover cash will usually be better directed towards a GPU upgrade. A Core i7 quad is in every way preferable, however, so grab one if possible.

We don’t generally recommend spending money to get even faster versions of the Core i7 quad. The entry-level Core i7-3610QM is more than adequate. Upgraded versions are quicker but provide poor value. Money is better spent on other components.

Solid-state drives rule the world of storage

The rise of the solid-state drive has increased the importance of storage. It used to be a boring piece of equipment where bigger was always better. Now, with solid-state drives, performance matters.

A solid-state drive will drastically reduce load times for all games. Levels that normally take 20 or 30 seconds to load will instead take 10 seconds or less. Some games will also show less texture pop-in and stuttering as content is loaded more quickly. Gamers that have cash left over after upgrading the GPU and CPU should spend it here.

If one is good, two is better. A pair of SSDs running in RAID 0, a factory option on some high-end gaming laptops, can offer mind-blowing performance. Some games will load almost instantly, and even the slowest games will load in less than 10 seconds. This is a pricey upgrade, however, so only consider this if you’re flush with cash.

An SSD should usually be accompanied by a mechanical drive that can provide mass storage. With that said, not everyone needs the extra gigs and extra storage is always just an external hard drive away. Don’t let capacity fears keep you away from an SSD.

Do the graphics justice with a great display

Image quality is crucial for a gaming laptop. What’s the point of an amazing GPU if the graphics it cranks out are diluted by a terrible display?

Most systems ship with a resolution of 1600 x 900, or 1080p. Though 1080p is more recognizable, a 1600 x 900 display is fine for a 14-inch or 15.6-inch system. Only gamers looking at a large rig need to push for 1080p.

Don’t expect to find IPS panel technology. Though it’s normally an excellent choice, it’s considered undesirable in gaming laptops due to low pixel response times that can interfere with gaming. That doesn’t mean quality is poor, however. On the contrary, gaming laptops tend to score better than average in our display quality benchmark testing.

There’s no easy way to determine the quality of the monitor at a glance. Only testing can tease out the details. We judge the display of every laptop we review on the basis of color gamut, brightness, black levels, and screen uniformity. Though gaming laptops generally score better than average, our testing has shown that there are still significant differences between competitors.

Trust tests, not your eyes. Displays rarely look the same at home as they do under showroom lights. Read reviews, note test results, and let these guide your decision.

Portability is a relative term

Manufacturers in the gaming market will occasionally talk about how one of their smaller systems offers mobile gaming power. Alienware’s M14x uses that exact tagline to promote itself as a truly portable gaming PC.

In truth, however, no gaming system is portable by any normal measurement. A small entry like the M14x can, in certain configurations, match the weight and battery life of a standard 15.6-inch laptop – and that’s about as portable as gaming laptops get. Even 11.6-inch alternatives available from boutiques like Origin are beefier than their display size suggests.

We’re not saying that size is irrelevant. While every gaming laptop is chunky, the largest models are absurdly huge. Alienware’s M18x weighs about 10 pounds, as does Origin’s EON17-SLX and the ASUS G75. Even 15.6-inch models usually weigh between 7 to 9 pounds. Gamers who travel frequently should shy away from these behemoths and stick with a 14-inch model.

Getting your priorities straight

We’ve now touched on all the important points. There’s a lot of information to remember, so here’s a summary of priorities in order of importance.

It’s all about the GPU! – Graphics always, absolutely, without question is priority number one. If you have any extra money for upgrades, spend it first on graphics. The GPU should be the first component compared when looking at two different laptops.

Go Core i5 on a budget, Core i7 if not – Self-explanatory, really. A Core i7 quad is the preferable processor for a gaming laptop, but sticking with a Core i5 is fine if budget matters.

Solid-state drives rock – Look for a gaming laptop that offers inexpensive SSD upgrades. Choose a capacity of at least 256GB if the SSD will be the laptop’s only hard drive. Lower capacities are acceptable if it includes a mechanical drive.

Check the display – Read quality reviews to see how a laptop’s display checks out before buying it. Give preference to low black levels, a wide color gamut, and high brightness. Avoid laptops that only offer 720p resolution.   

Buy the right size! – Bigger isn’t always better. Massive rigs are both thick and heavy, making them terrible for travel. Pay close attention to a system’s weight and thickness before buying. 

That’s the core of what any consumer needs to know. Other factors, like RAM and connectivity, can also be important – but these are less likely to be a concern because gaming laptops are ridiculously well equipped by default. Don’t worry about the details until you’ve found a laptop that fulfills the basics.   

Editors' Recommendations

Matthew S. Smith
Matthew S. Smith is the former Lead Editor, Reviews at Digital Trends. He previously guided the Products Team, which dives…
One of Razer’s best gaming laptops is $400 off right now
The Razer Blade 18 on a table in front of a window.

The Razer Blade 16 with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card is one of the most powerful gaming laptops in the market right now, so while its original price of $4,300 is pretty expensive, it falls within expectations. You can enjoy savings when buying the machine though, as Razer is offering a $400 discount that lowers its price to $3,900. It's still not cheap, but if you can afford it, you'll quickly understand why it's worth every single penny. Buy the gaming laptop now as its price may be back to normal as soon as tomorrow.

Why you should buy the Razer Blade 16 gaming laptop
The Razer Blade 16 features the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card, alongside the 13th-generation Intel Core i9 processor and 32GB of RAM that's the sweet spot for high-end gamers, according to our guide on how much RAM do you need. These specifications make it powerful enough to challenge the best gaming laptops -- you'll not only be able to play the best PC games at their highest settings without running into issues, but you'll also be prepared for the next few years of upcoming PC games.

Read more
Best Buy has a refurbished MacBook for $580, and it’s a good buy
Apple MacBook Air M1 open, on a table.

Typically, refurbished MacBook deals, or most refurbished laptop deals for that matter, aren't worth the cost. You can buy a brand-new system for about the same price, especially thanks to the best MacBook deals out there. But that's not the case with a deal Best Buy has available right now. You can get a Geek Squad Certified and refurbished MacBook Air, with an Intel 8th Gen Core i5,  for just $580 -- that saves you $320 off the usual $900 price. A newer model MacBook Air is going to cost you over $900, especially when you factor in taxes and shipping. This is the 2019 model, so while it is a few years old, you're still getting a laptop that can go the distance, as Apple's software updates usually keep older systems performing well.

Why you should buy this refurbished MacBook Air deal at Best Buy
Generally, we only recommend buying refurbished or renewed products straight from the manufacturer, but Best Buy's Geek Squad is the exception to that rule. That's because all refurbished and certified products go through rigorous testing, with detailing, sanitization, and cosmetic grading for the finished product done before they're put up for sale. In other words, they take their time to make sure they certify only good products in reasonable condition. Even if a bad egg slips by, they offer a 90-day warrant with extended warranty protection available -- if you're worried about extended coverage. Although extended warranties are available on an item-by-item basis, some may not qualify.

Read more
This Razer Blade 17 gaming laptop with an RTX 3070 Ti is 47% off
Cyberpunk 2077 running on the Razer Blade 17.

If you want a large screen to accompany your gaming laptop, look no further than the Razer Blade 17. It's an even more attractive purchase right now because it's 47% off from Razer, which slashes its price to just $1,800 from its original price of $3,400. The $1,600 in savings is among the biggest that you can get from today's gaming laptop deals, so if you're interested, it's highly recommended that you complete the transaction as soon as possible because there's no telling when stocks of the device will run out.

Why you should buy the Razer Blade 17 gaming laptop
As you can deduce from its name, the Razer Blade 17 features a 17.3-inch screen with QHD resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate, which will allow you to spot even the smallest details of the best PC games. To maximize the large display, the Razer Blade 17 is equipped with the 12th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, the Nvidia GeForce RX 3070 Ti graphics card, and 16GB of RAM -- these specifications aren't as powerful as those found in some of the best gaming laptops, but they'll be more than enough for most gamers, whether you're just starting out or you've been into PC gaming for years.

Read more