Don’t compromise on power or portability with the best gaming laptops.

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We have thoroughly examined the most recent iterations of AMD processors and Nvidia graphics hardware in our testing of the top gaming laptops, enabling us to determine which devices are truly exceptional and which are merely mediocre. Not only are we talking about posh, costly new computers, but we’ve also selected a variety of gaming laptops at various price points to show you which are truly amazing and which offer the most value for your money.

The greatest mobile GPU and CPU available today from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel are part of the established current generation, and Intel’s Meteor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh processors are beginning to become available as well. After testing a number of possible replacements, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is still the greatest gaming laptop. The Razer Blade 16, the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16, and even the ludicrous MSI Titan GT77 HX appear superfluous when compared to the greatest RTX 4090 gaming laptops.

In case you are unable to afford a high-quality mobile device, the Gigabyte G6X is our selection for the finest gaming laptop under budget. To have it actually run, you might need to add some more RAM, but that’s a cheap and simple fix.

THE QUICK LIST

• BEST OVERALL: Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen8)
• BEST BUDGET: Gigabyte G6X (2024)
• BEST 15-INCH: Razer Blade 15
• BEST 14-INCH: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
• BEST 17-INCH: Gigabyte Aorus 17X (2024)

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1. Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen8)

The best gaming laptop

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Up to Core i9 13900HX

GPU: RTX 4090, RTX 4080, or RTX 4070

RAM: Up to 32 GB DDR5

Screen: 2560 x 1600, 16:10 aspect ratio

Storage: Up to 2 TB Gen 4 SSD

Battery: Up to 99.99 Wh

Dimensions: 26.2 x 36.3 x 2.2~2.6 cm / 10.32 x 14.3 x 0.86–1.01 inches

Weight: 2.8 kg / 6.17 lbs

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

The greatest 16-inch gaming laptop is the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, which also happens to be the best gaming laptop overall because 16-inch laptops are the best form factor. Win, win, win.

This system is priced at a level that makes the other top-tier RTX 40-series graphics cards appear even more absurd from their astronomical $4,00+ per unit positions. In testing, the RTX 4080 model has wowed us the most, with gaming performance so good that it makes me wonder why anyone would want an RTX 4090 system.

The Legion Pro 7i’s RTX 4080 operates at 150 W TGP, the GPU’s effective maximum power. If manufacturers believe they can squeeze a little bit more power via their own systems, they are allowed an additional 25 W to bolster their own specifications. Lenovo hasn’t taken that approach; the Legion Pro is aware of its preferences and sticks with the 150 W TGP.

The Core i9 13900HX, a 13th generation Intel processor, powers this Gen8 device. You would be mistaken if, like me, you thought that would basically be a little faster version of the Core i9 13900H that Asus uses in its fantastic Zephyrus M16 gaming laptop.

Since they are both utilizing the same fundamental Raptor Lake architecture, there are undoubtedly parallels. Not only is the HX faster than the 13900H, but it also boasts eight Performance cores—compared to the 13900H’s six—and twice as many Efficient cores—bringing its total processing power to 24. The larger chip naturally has a higher base TDP of 45 W, but the clock speeds stay the same at 5.4 GHz boost clocks. This will help to partially explain why gaming has such a horrible effect on battery life.

Over the past year, we’ve evaluated a number of Legion laptops, and all of them have extremely short gaming battery lives, despite the fact that they are still performance champions when plugged in. Because all gaming laptops have very poor gaming battery life metrics, it’s likely that you will play PC games mostly while plugged in.

The screen is the only other area where we experience some internal struggle. Recently, we’ve been treated to some truly stunning mini-LED panels, like the one found in the Lenovo Legion 9i, which has left the normal backlighting on this 1600p 240 Hz screen feeling a little blah.

It’s still a good screen, though, and the Legion Pro’s 16-inch screen size is a perfect fit for its 16:10 aspect ratio and native resolution of 2560 x 1600.

In both 1080p and 1440p resolutions, the Legion Pro 7i consistently outperforms the Razer Blade 16 and the Asus Zephyrus M16. The only motherboard that makes the most of its RTX 4090-ish GPU is the chonky boi MSI Titan GT77. And then maybe at the price of your sanity and the acoustics.

When examining this Lenovo laptop, this is the feature that keeps popping up: although it’s not the most elegant, it can achieve really high gaming frame rates and costs about $2,000 less than the Blade 16.

The fact that the Legion Pro 7i has been on sale for the past eight months or so, bringing the price of the RTX 4080 variant down to about $2,000 or even less, is another reason we adore it so much. This laptop boasts an elegant appearance and powerful gaming capabilities. Plus, it’s quite affordable.

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2. Gigabyte G6X (2024)

The best budget gaming laptop

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Intel Core i7 13th Gen

GPU: Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060

RAM: Up to 32 GB DDR5-4800

Screen: 16-inch IPS 1920 x 1200 @ 165 Hz

Storage: 1 TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD

Battery: 73 Wh

Dimensions: 36.1 x 25.9 x 2.5~2.9 cm / 14.21 x 10.19 x 0.98~1.13 inch​es

Weight: 2.56 kg / 5.64 lbs

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

The Gigabyte G6X (2024) is the finest gaming laptop around $200. It replaces the Gigabyte G5, which was formerly in this position, primarily because it provides better, more modern internal components at a lower cost for gaming performance.

The Core i7 13650HX found in the device we evaluated is not the most recent iteration of mobile gaming processor from Intel. The 14th Gen is that. That is, however, a happy omission on our part. The six P-cores and eight E-cores on this Core i7 are more than plenty for our needs, and they are essentially the same.

The 105 W RTX 4060 that is paired with that chip is actually a high power budget for this GPU, and the benchmark charts below illustrate how well it performs. Additionally, it is marginally quicker than the departing Gigabyte G5 KF that we have swapped out for it here; such hardware adjustments really make a difference in gaming.

Now let’s discuss the screen. With a 16:10 aspect ratio, 1920 x 1200 pixels, and a refresh rate of 165 Hz, it measures a full 16 inches. That is, to put it mildly, very damned good.

Crucially, the screen fits the hardware underneath it well. It is a little monotonous and unduly dark, albeit it does have a slight case of the blands. This is a common fate for these low-cost laptops, and the G6X is no different from its predecessors in this regard. In the end, we would describe it as “perfectly average.”

This laptop is fairly noisy because the fans make an average noise when they are operating at maximum capacity. That’s just a part of owning a gaming laptop, especially these more reasonably priced ones.

Additionally, the design of this laptop is rather conventional. It is, nevertheless, noticeably less “gamery” than some. The keyboard is illuminated by a single RGB LED zone, and a sizable trackpad is accommodated. This machine comes with two DIMM slots, and you can simply access the spare NVMe slot within the chassis should you wish to increase your storage beyond 1TB, which you most likely will. 32 GB of DDR5-4800 RAM was supported in our review model, however the 16 GB variant would still work well for most games and save you some money. Later on, switching to a higher-capacity kit wouldn’t be too difficult.

All things considered, the Gigabyte G6X provides everything we might want in a low-cost gaming laptop. Even though it’s a readily upgradeable platform if needed, you could play games on one contentedly right out of the box.

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3. Razer Blade 15

The best 15-inch gaming laptop

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Up to Core i9 13800H

GPU: Up to RTX 4070

RAM: Up to 32 GB DDR5

Screen: 1080p @ 360H or 1440p @ 240 Hz

Storage: Up to 1 TB SSD

Battery: 80 Wh

Dimensions: 23.5 x 35.5 x 1.7 cm / 9.25 x 13.98 x 0.67 inches

Weight: 2 kg / 4.40 lbs

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

The most recent iteration of the Razer Blade 15, the best 15-inch gaming laptop available today, builds upon one of the best gaming laptops ever created. It shares the same exquisite CNC-milled aluminum chassis as its predecessor, but it can now accommodate an Intel 13th Gen Core i9 CPU and one of Nvidia’s most recent RTX 40-series GPUs.

even though its days might not be long. It appears that Razer will not be releasing a new Blade 15 with 14th Gen Intel chips anytime soon, which may mean that this is the last iteration of the legendary device.

That makes sense in a manner because the Blade 16 isn’t particularly larger while having a larger screen. Crucially, though, it is thicker. True, the Blade 16 is a little bit chonkier than the previous Razer chassis, but I still much like the earlier, more elegant look.

In actuality, though, missing out on the 14th generation of Intel’s mobile Core CPUs is not a big deal because the Raptor Lake Refresh is really a minor update to the 13th Gen chips. Thus, the Razer Blade that is now on the market still stands as the best 15-inch gaming laptop available, thanks to its GPU, the RTX 4070.

That scale does restrict the screen, as was previously mentioned. The Blade 15 boasts a QHD 240 Hz panel with a native resolution of 2560 x 1440. That’s still fantastic, but with the 16:10, 1600p mini-LED screens that most new laptops come with, I’ve been spoilt. It also indicates that the Blade 15 has a sizable “chin,” which is a sizable bezel along the length of the panel’s bottom.

Although the screen’s 240 Hz refresh rate makes it feel really sleek, I would still prefer it to be brighter. Nevertheless, it is snappy. It is also angular, with its 1440p resolution condensed to only 15 inches of actual space.

Even inside the thin Blade 15 chassis, the 115 W RTX 4070 proves to be a very capable gaming GPU, therefore the lack of the newest CPU has little effect on gaming performance. With DLSS 3 and Frame Generation not even present, the RTX 4070 within our most recent review system clearly outperforms the mobile RTX 3080 in the most recent iteration of Razer’s 15-inch screen that we tested.

The price premium is still a problem with Razer gaming laptops. The 16-inch Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, which is our choice for the best gaming laptop, is regularly far less expensive than the Blade 16’s highest RTX 4070 SKU, which also has a significantly faster RTX 4080. Given the Razer machine’s unibody aluminum design, it isn’t nearly as lovely of a device, but it’s difficult to suggest the Blade if you’re on a low budget.

Even if it hasn’t evolved all that much in the last few years, it is still a beautiful device. With two Thunderbolt 4 ports and three USB 3.2 Type-A connections, it is also reasonably well-connected. Additionally, a full HDMI 2.1 output and the necessary combined 3.5mm audio jack are present.

It continues to be, in my opinion, the greatest 15-inch gaming laptop available, and it still perfectly captures the gaming MacBook style that has made the Blades so popular.

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4. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)

The best 14-inch gaming laptop

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS

GPU: Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070

RAM: 32 GB LPDDR5X-6400

Screen: 14-inch 1800p @ 120 Hz | OLED

Storage: 1 TB SSD NVMe PCIe 4.0

Battery: 73 Wh

Dimensions: 31.1 x 22.0 x 1.63 cm / 12.24 x 8.66 x 0.64-inches

Weight: 1.50 kg / 3.3 lbs

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) has supplanted the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) as the best 14-inch gaming laptop. That may give the impression that the more recent model was a lock to take the top spot in this guide, but in reality, it has undergone some significant design enhancements. those that, by themselves, make it fully worthy of the top rank.

The new all-metal chassis that comes with the G14 2024 is really gorgeous. A couple of us in the office have finally been persuaded to look past the Razer Blade, which is renowned for its all-metal build, thanks to the chassis. In addition to feeling and looking fantastic, the metal construction of the Zephyrus G14 reduces the device’s bulk to make it even more portable. Its thickest point is only 1.63 cm.

Prior to discussing the other positive aspects, it is important to note that Asus had to give up the one removable SO-DIMM slot that was present on the G14 models from prior years due to the smaller form size. The memory no longer has an upgrade path. However, as of this writing, 32 GB of LPDD5X comes pre-installed on every variant that is currently available.

I know some users won’t appreciate the lack of alternatives here, but that should last most people for years to come. Additionally, although though the SSD may be changed, there is only one NVMe slot accessible, which can complicate transfers by requiring a complete SSD to SSD swap.

If you’re still with me, let’s discuss the OLED screen, which is one of the nicest elements of the G14. It appears much better in person if it looks excellent in the gallery photos up top. Outstanding color depth and contrast combine to create an amazing gaming display. The slightly wider aspect ratio (16:10) and higher resolution of 2880 x 1800 assist keep the little screen from feeling overly cramped.

The speakers on the G14 are a surprisingly strong point—they have gotten better every year. Now integrated inside the G14 are two woofers and four tweeters, arranged on either side of the keyboard, and they sound really fantastic. The speakers on the Zephyrus G16, which have also been zhushed up with the newest laptop, also impressed our Andy.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 2024 is the best gaming laptop available for those looking for a small, 14-inch laptop—still one of the more attractive form factors available.

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5. Gigabyte Aorus 17X (2024)

The best 17-inch gaming laptop

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Intel Core i9 14900HX

GPU: Nvidia RTX 4080 or RTX 4090 (175 W)

RAM: Up to 64 GB DDR5-5600

Screen: 17.3-inch 1440p @ 240 Hz

Storage: Up to 4 TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD

Battery: 99 Wh

Dimensions: 39.6 x 29.3 x 2.18 cm / 15.6 x 11.5 x 0.86 inches

Weight: 2.8 kg / 6.17 lbs

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

The greatest 17-inch gaming laptop we’ve tested recently is the Gigabyte Aorus 17X. It’s the one we’d genuinely want to purchase, not because it’s the fastest—the Strix Scar 17 X3D still holds that distinction. A gaming laptop that is focused on power and one that can strike the perfect balance are very different from one another.

And in response to that, Gigabyte has been releasing an updated version of the Aorus 17X, which has been designed with the end user in mind rather than just as the person who has to sit through the annoying fan noise while the damn thing sounds like it’s about to take off.

This remains one of the issues with gaming laptops, more so with the Asus Strix Scar 17 X3D, which had this spot in our recommendation for a considerable amount of time. Thanks to the combination of the RTX 4090 GPU and the 3D V-cache on the Zen 4 processors, this incredibly powerful system may achieve the best possible gaming performance. However, you will need some equally excellent noise-canceling headphones.

In our testing of the Aorus 17X, that hasn’t always been a problem, and as Katie states in our review, “I’d take the Aorus’ quiet wins over the Strix Scar’s unnecessarily power-hungry performance.”

The Strix Scar 17 3D V-cache version’s main drawback is its difficulty in finding, particularly at a reasonable price. if more, this is where the Aorus 17X excels: the cost is far lower, especially for the nearly as powerful RTX 4080 version, and if you’re operating at 1440p, you won’t really notice the occasional drop in frame rate.

When you increase the resolution to the screen’s native 2560 x 1440 resolution, the delta between the Strix and the Aorus becomes much smaller, allaying any concerns you may have about the 1080p numbers below. Particularly when you are able to truly hear what you are thinking simultaneously.

However, that screen is only one of the things that can make you think about a laptop that is further up on the food chain—you might even consider looking into a massive Razer Blade 18. However, if you do want a nice 4K panel inside your big-screen laptop, you will have to shell out the big money. While not as excellent as the Nebula screens of the smaller Asus ROG machines or the breathtaking OLED that the Blade 16 sports, this 1440p 240 Hz display is nonetheless good.

Another thing to think about is the dearth of USB Type-C connectors. A good Type-C hub will be necessary if you plan to use this for content creation and the numerous Type-A ports aren’t meeting your needs. But, the Aorus 17X is now the best option if you’re searching for a big-screen gaming laptop that is well-balanced, has a respectable battery life, and has good cooling.

How we test gaming laptops

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We invest a great deal of time in testing gaming laptops to make sure we’re gathering all the necessary objective performance statistics and that we can chronicle the subjective experience of actually using a particular device. Because gaming laptops can be pricey products and it’s wise for you to shop around before making a purchase, we’re committed to providing you with accurate information on both the notebook’s use and power.

We must run every system through our regular benchmarking suite in order to satisfy the objective side. This gives us the confidence to directly referentially compare systems. Using the Cinebench R23 and Blender 3.3.0 benchmarks, we measure the raw performance of a system’s CPU, GPU, and storage components to obtain an idea of how well the processor and graphics card render. We also test a laptop CPU’s encoding capacity with X264.

The Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker benchmarks and 3DMark’s Storage test are excellent tools for showcasing a laptop’s storage subsystem’s gaming capabilities. Furthermore, 3DMark provides us with a means of obtaining an artificial assessment of a GPU’s performance for both gaming and ray tracing.

In order to establish a baseline reference score regardless of a system’s native resolution, we also subjected a system to game performance tests using Cyberpunk 2077, F1 22, Hitman 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Metro Exodus Enhanced.

In addition, we conduct a series of experience tests on a system’s panel, using conventional desktop and gaming testing to evaluate how a laptop’s screen feels, and Lagom’s LCD test images to assist determine things like black levels and white saturation.

It’s crucial to verify the real gaming frequency of a laptop’s CPU and GPU in order to assess the performance of a particular silicon slice in light of various notebook chassis’ heat limitations.

Next, we obtain a comparable battery life statistic using PCMark 10’s gaming battery life test.

For my part, I also enjoy writing a review directly on the laptop itself. This provides you with a positive impression of the trackpad, keyboard, and chassis design ergonomics.

In order to determine how well each machine we examine compares to all the other gaming laptops we’ve looked at in our combined decades of PC hardware testing, we then combine all of that subjective and objective data with the pricing.

FAQ

What’s the most important gaming laptop component?

The graphics card is the apparent solution when it comes to gaming, but lately things have grown a little more complicated there. Given how much GPU performance depends on cooling these days, you need to be aware of the maximum wattage a graphics card can use as well as the chassis it fits inside.

An RTX 4080 housed in an 18 mm chassis will run noticeably slower than one housed in a much chunkier box with space for better performance cooling, as we stated at the top.

Should I worry about what the CPU in a gaming laptop is?

It truly depends on your intended use for the laptop. Although an AMD Ryzen processor with 8 cores and 16 threads will be incredibly productive when traveling, it won’t be very useful for gaming. When combined with a graphics card such as the RTX 4070, a CPU with at least six cores and twelve threads, and a sufficiently high clock speed, should be more than sufficient to provide excellent gaming performance.

What screen size is best for a gaming laptop?

This is probably going to affect your build decision the most right away. The size of your laptop is essentially determined by the screen size you choose. While a 17-inch panel nearly always means workstation gear, a 13-inch laptop will be a tiny and light ultrabook. You’re looking at the most typical laptop screen size for gaming, which is 15 inches.

Are high refresh rate panels worth it for laptops?

We adore high refresh rate displays here, and although you can’t count on your RTX 4060 to run the newest games at 300 frames per second, you’ll still notice a difference in the way a 300 Hz monitor looks and feels overall.

Should I get a 4K screen in my laptop?

Nope. 4K gaming laptops are overkill; while they work well for video editing when working with 4K material, they are not the best option for playing games. Because mobile GPUs are typically slower, the normal 1080p resolution virtually guarantees high frame rates. In the meantime, firms are gradually introducing 1440p panels into their laptop lineups.

The ideal balance between excellent gaming performance and great resolution may be found with a 1440p screen. A 4K notebook will also cause your GPU to overwork and strain your eyes as you squint at your 15-inch display.