It’s hard to keep up with gaming’s most exciting releases if you don’t have a machine that can run anything more demanding than “Stardew Valley.” That problem is compounded if you don’t have the option of buying or building a desktop PC. If you’re in the market for a new gaming laptop, check out this list of machines you can research, post Reddit threads about, and maybe even add to your cart before deciding that you need to do just a little more due diligence.
Alienware m18 R2
This desktop replacement sure is tempting, what with its huge screen and top-of-the-line specs. Surely, this will be able to play any game you can imagine at very high settings. What more could you ask for? Then again, aren’t laptops supposed to be portable? Also, would your friends make fun of you for buying an Alienware product?
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
Okay, so let’s prioritize portability. A 14-inch laptop would be easy to carry around in your backpack. Even without the ability to upgrade RAM, it’s got enough power to keep you happy. That is, if you want a teeny-weeny, itsy-bitsy computer for babies. Are you a baby?
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16
Here we go: a mature gaming laptop that’s built for a big grown-up who doesn’t play games for babies. I mean, G16 is two better than G14, right? Wait, are the LEGO games for babies? Because you’re gonna want to play the LEGO games. Okay, maybe this wasn’t a super helpful framework for picking a laptop.
Razer Blade 15
Okay, maybe “no-nonsense” is a better way to look at this. You’re dead serious about gaming, no matter the title’s intended audience. You want a machine that is as serious as you. Well, the Razer Blade 15 certainly fits that description. You can inspect every centimeter of this laptop and you won’t find an ounce of nonsense. Honestly, it might be a little boring. Maybe too boring. Ugh.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen 9)
A bunch of cool RGB lights ensure that no one would ever call your laptop boring. In fact, they’ll probably think it’s cooler than you. Your friends will start inviting your computer out and “forgetting” to call you. The worst part is you won’t even be able to game when you’re stuck at home, since your Pro 7i wouldn’t be there.
HP Spectre x360
Wait, I thought you said you wanted a gaming laptop—oh, no. Dude, your webcomic isn’t gonna take off. It’s not that you lack the right tools. It’s not even that you’re a terrible artist. It’s a dead medium. You have to accept that.
MSI Titan 18 HX
Holy shit. This thing is a beast. Sure, it might be almost eight pounds, but maybe that’s worth it to be able to say that you have the most powerful gaming laptop in the world. In fact, it’s almost definitely worth it. You know what? I think your search is—oh, fuck. It’s $5,000. Next.
Acer Nitro 16
Okay, budget options. The Nitro 16 is certainly no slouch when it comes to performance. It’ll probably run all of your favorite games just fine, even if it’s not as powerful as some of the beefier machines on this list. And yeah, it’s probably the responsible decision. But come on. Let’s just keep looking a little while longer, okay?
Just Start Picking out Components for a Desktop
Sure, it doesn’t fit your use case at all. Maybe you travel a lot, or you don’t have space in your home for a dedicated gaming area. Still, it’s fun to dream. Take a few minutes to play around in a virtual PC builder. Put together a build that would make Henry Cavill blush. It’s okay. We’ll be here when you get back.
Gigabyte Aorus 16X
This makes sense. It’s got some impressive specs and won’t destroy your wallet. You could live with this. You could even be happy with this. But wait—why did we say we didn’t like that Alienware laptop? I know the tab is still open around here somewhere….
