Chinese computer manufacturers want to get in on gaming

By Brad Jones May 6, 2016

chinese computer makers to release budget gaming computers haier — Kobby Dagan/123rf

There was a time not so long ago when gaming laptops were widely considered to be a poor relation of their desktop cousins. However, now these systems have evolved to a point where gamers who need access to their Steam library on the move have plenty of potent choices — and now that marketplace is set to expand even further.

Chinese brands are apparently expected to enter the gaming laptop market in a big way as we head deeper into 2016. A list of companies including Haier, Hasee, Colorful and RaBook are set to lead the charge, according to a report from Hexus.

These outfits have various levels of experience outside of China — for instance, you may have heard of Haier thanks to its other consumer appliances, which include fridges and televisions. Conversely, Hasee is not at all well known internationally, but is the second largest computer manufacturer in its home country.

It’s thought that these companies are going to attempt to carve out a niche in the competitive gaming market by undercutting the prices of their competitors. Gaming laptops have long been sold at a premium due to the need for high quality components in a portable form factor, but this could soon change.

We’ve already seen manufacturers like Huawei, Xiaomi, ZTE, and Nubia successfully implement a similar battle plan in their low-cost smartphone options. A budget-friendly alternative is always going to find an audience, but there are still plenty of obstacles to overcome.

Given that these Chinese suitors to the gaming laptop market aren’t household names elsewhere in the world, they will have a tougher job convincing consumers that their output can compete with more established brands. That said, if these firms can gain a foothold, we might see some big changes to the gaming hardware landscape.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…

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