Gaming laptops have changed dramatically in recent years, with the unwieldy designs of the past now being replaced by sleek and slender notebooks that still pack a punch for gaming. With the modern gamer having so many choices at their disposal, and with gaming laptops typically not coming cheap, there's a lot to consider if you're in the market for a portable PC gaming device.

That's where this guide comes in. We've tested the latest gaming laptops to deliver a list of recommendations for different types of users. Whether you're looking for a behemoth desktop gaming PC replacement or a portable device on a budget, we have a recommendation for you. Let's dive in.

Best overall gaming laptop

If you're in the market for a gaming laptop, you probably want little more than a portable laptop that can churn out frames for all your favorite games, with little need for much else. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i remembers this core purpose and delivers in spades.

It delivers all the high-end gaming performance you might want thanks to its Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 4080, or 4090 GPU. Yet it comes in cheaper than many other high-end gaming laptops because it doesn't have too many (often unnecessary) bells and whistles.

It starts just shy of $1,500 for cheaper configurations, but for the best bang for your buck, we recommend an RTX 4080 configuration with 32GB RAM such as the ones we've linked here. For this, you get a smart, sturdy machine with a crisp 1600p, 240Hz IPS screen and battery life of up to 99.9Wh.

You can expect over 100fps at 1440p resolution on max settings in most modern titles with this configuration of the laptop. This stellar performance combined with its price tag is what puts the Legion Pro 7i at the top of our list.

Best budget gaming laptop

For this pick, as with our best overall pick, we've selected a laptop that sticks to its purpose and offers great value with just that in mind. The Gigabyte G5 KF is a solid all-rounder if gaming is your primary use, and it doesn't break the bank, either.

Some 2024 US versions thankfully come with 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD (the 2023 US version only shipped with 8GB and 512GB, respectively), meaning most gamers shouldn't have to fit any aftermarket upgrades. With the RTX 4060 configuration that we'd recommend picking up, you can expect over 60fps on max settings (minus ray tracing) in most good-looking modern games. This is great news because its 1080p screen reaches 144Hz, so every frame above 60 will count.

The 2023 version of this laptop frequently goes on sale, so we can expect similar sales for the 2024 version down the line. But even at its full $1,099 price, the Gigabyte G5 KF (2024) will be better value than other options like the Asus TUF A15 for most gamers.

Best portable gaming laptop

Razer's Blade notebooks have been a longstanding favorite here at Pocket-lint. Not only do they pack top-of-the-line hardware to chomp through the latest triple-A titles, but they do so in a slim and elegant chassis that's more akin to a MacBook than most gaming rigs.

The 2023 Razer Blade 16 is no different, somehow cramming up to RTX 4090 into its supple frame, and keeping the bar set high when it comes to build quality and premium feel.

It features an innovative dual-mode display, which can switch between 4K at 120Hz and 1080p at 240Hz. This means you can enjoy the high-fidelity visuals of a story-driven adventure or switch into performance mode when things get competitive -- it's the best of both worlds. The downside is its price tag. This lovely laptop is a serious investment.

Best display gaming laptop

OLED screens – which offer an unparalleled combination of vibrancy, response times, motion clarity, color accuracy, and contrast – are finally capturing the PC gaming market. And now, they're here on laptops, such as this Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024).

The main draw to the Zephyrus G14 is its gorgeous OLED display, which offers incredible pixel density thanks to its 2880 x 1800 resolution being crammed into a 14-inch 120Hz screen. That 120Hz max refresh rate runs alongside Nvidia GSync VRR tech, too, which is a completely new feature for OLED laptop screens.

Asus clearly knows its target market with this monitor, too. In addition to some stellar specs (an AMD Ryzen 9 CPU, up to an RTX 4070 GPU, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD and 16GB DDR5X RAM) that allow it to achieve 60-100fps at 1080p in most good-looking modern games, this laptop has a form factor to match its screen.

Following after the Razer Blade, the Zephyrus G14 (2024) is reminiscent of a MacBook with its sleek and understated design and large trackpad. It even has RGB lighting under its keys, although unfortunately, this is single-zone lighting.

Best big screen gaming laptop

Most 18-inch gaming laptops are for those who want a desktop gaming PC replacement and don't mind sacrificing some portability, or a chunk of their savings. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is one such laptop, and we've picked it because it's great value compared to other 18-inch gaming desktop replacement laptops (we're looking at you, glorious but ridiculously expensive MSI Titan 18 HX).

The configuration that makes the most sense for a large, high-end laptop is one with an RTX 4080 for about $3,000, rather than a 4090 version. Some other 4090 laptops outperform the 4090 version of the Scar 18, and we're trying to keep things within some semblance of a budget, here.

With a 4080 version of this behemoth laptop, you should achieve more than enough frames to make the most of its beautiful 18-inch, 1600p, 240Hz Mini-LED screen. This is, in part, because Asus has done all it can to keep the Scar 18 (2024) cool, with liquid metal for heat transfer and tons of vents for heat expulsion.

This thing isn't over-the-top in its design either, so you shouldn't feel embarrassed slapping it on the table at your local café -- although carrying it there might be a problem, given its size. Still, if you want a large screen and high-end performance, you have to sacrifice such portability.

The bottom line: Best gaming laptop

Our current favorite gaming laptop is the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9. It's powerful, has great cooling, a lovely display, and comes cheaper than many other high-end gaming laptops. It knows its target market, and it plays to those strengths.

However, we know the Legion Pro 7i won't be right for everyone. If you want something more affordable, check out the Gigabyte G5 KF. And if you want something more sleek and stylish, you can opt for the ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) or Razer Blade 16, depending on whether you want better performance or a more impressive screen.

How did we choose these gaming laptops?

We've tried and tested each one of these laptops in-house at Pocket-lint. This means we can vouch for the performance, build quality and user experience that each of these machines brings to the table. We've not just run some benchmarks and called it a day, either. We've used these laptops for both work and play to get a real feel of what they're like.

We've tried to include a broad spectrum of devices on this page, but with so many machines on the market, it's impossible to include the right laptop for everyone. If you're looking for something more affordable, you might want to check out our guide to the best cheap gaming laptops instead. And if you need something more portable, why not try our guide to the best laptops for students?

Obviously, if you're looking for a gaming laptop, you're going to need it to handle your favorite games. This will mostly fall under CPU and graphics card performance, but there are a few other factors to consider, as well. If you love more graphically demanding games like GTA V and Cyberpunk, then you'll want to focus on finding a laptop that's filled with top-end hardware. If you're more into strategy games like Crusader Kings or casual titles like Fall Guys, then you may be satisfied with a more mid-range configuration. Our gaming laptop reviews always test the performance of some popular titles, so they should give you a good idea of what to expect.

The other things to consider are the keyboard, which may be very important if you plan to use it for first-person shooters, and equally the monitor's refresh rate. If you play a lot of reaction-based competitive games, then 120Hz and the above screen will be ideal for you. If you prefer single-player games, you can save some money by purchasing a 60hz option.

FAQ

Q: Is a gaming laptop good for productivity and work?

Gaming laptops can make for great work laptops, because there's a lot of crossover in terms of performance thanks to powerful CPUs, GPUs, and speedy memory. Just make sure to check whether the laptop has enough storage for you and a good enough screen.

Q: How much should I spend on a gaming laptop?

The sky really is the limit when it comes to a gaming laptop, and, while ultra-premium options are often in the region of multiple thousands, there are some great budget options, too. This is an area where a higher price usually means higher performance components, but there are a few things to watch out for.

To get the most out of your money, you might want to look at a lower-resolution display. A 1080p gaming experience will still look great on a laptop's relatively small screen, and won't require a beefy graphics card. Most gamers won't need loads of RAM. You can usually get away with about 16GB on even the most demanding titles. So, as long as you're not planning any heavy-duty video rendering, you can avoid overspending by cutting down on the system memory.

Q: Are gaming laptops good for other uses?

One of the best things about PC gaming is that you can use your PC for all manner of tasks outside of gaming. Thanks to the high-end hardware found in these devices, they're particularly suited for creative tasks like video editing, graphic design, 3D rendering and live broadcasting. Video editors will want a display with a high degree of color accuracy, and usually a resolution greater than 1080p. Those who want a gaming laptop that can double up as an office machine will likely want to focus a bit more on webcam quality and battery life.

If you plan to lug it around in a backpack, then you'll want to keep a keen eye on the device's portability. Battery life, too, is a big factor here, and it's worth noting that performance can differ significantly when running on battery as opposed to mains power. You will also want to consider the connectivity options. If you want to plug in multiple monitors and a host of peripherals, then your ideal laptop should accommodate those. Luckily, in the gaming laptop space, we're usually well covered with connectivity, and rarely have to resort to dongle life.

Most hardcore gamers prefer to use a headset for maximum audio fidelity, so they might not care much about a laptop's speakers. However, as we've said, a PC can be used for many things. If you're likely to watch a movie about the thing, then you'll definitely want to look at its speaker performance -- there's nothing worse than a tinny, quiet speaker to ruin the immersion, after all. This is an area where options differ wildly, ranging from barely audible to pretty darn good.