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Buying a gaming laptop is challenging as there are many options, with new models released every year sporting increasingly more powerful CPUs and GPUs. When shopping for the best gaming laptop, you'll want to focus on a few aspects, like its CPU and GPU performance, performance over time (thermal throttling), as well as the display's refresh rate, motion performance, and VRR support. A good keyboard helps, too, as you'llwant one that can give you clear tactile feedback and won't cause fatigue over long gaming sessions. If you don't plan on using a headset, you might want to look at the fan noise, as most gaming laptops can get pretty loud under load. If you plan on gaming on the go, you'll also want to look at the laptop's portability and battery life.
We've bought and tested over 110 laptops. Below are our recommendations for the best gaming laptops you can buy. You can also see our recommendations for thebest laptops, the best budget and cheap gaming laptops, and the best Windows laptops.
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Best Gaming Laptop
Dell Alienware m16 R1 (2023) 10
Gaming
8.9
Size
16"Refresh Rate
240 HzVariable Refresh Rate
FreeSyncTyping Quality
8.5
Ports
9.0
Thermals And Noise
7.4
Serviceability
9.1
See all our test results
The best gaming laptop we've tested is the Dell Alienware m16 R1 (2023). This 16-inch model provides an amazing gaming experience. It's available with fast AMD Ryzen 7040 CPUs and various discrete AMD and NVIDIA GPUs, up to an RTX 4090. Display options include two QHD+ panels (165Hz or 240Hz) and an FHD+ 480Hz panel, so you can choose based on your preference and CPU/GPU configuration. All three panels support variable refresh rate to reduce screen tearing.RAM and storage max out at 64GB and 8.5TB, respectively; both are user-replaceable.
This laptop feels very well-built. However, it isn't the best for portable use because it's bulky and heavy, and you'll need to bring the charger, too, as the battery lasts less than an hour when gaming. The keyboard is configurable;you can get it with scissor or low-profile CherryMX mechanical switches. Online gamers, you'llbe happy to hear it has Wi-Fi 6E and an Ethernet port to ensure a reliable internet connection. You can get this laptop directly fromDellif you have trouble finding it elsewhere.
If you only intend to play at home and want a larger, more immersive display, you can go with the 18-inch Dell Alienware m18 R2 (2024). It's also available with NVIDIA 40-series GPUs, up to an RTX 4090; however, it uses Intel 14th Gen CPUs, which are generally faster than the m16 R1'sAMD Ryzen 7040HX-series processors. Unfortunately, the Intel CPU's increased performance comes at the cost of higher keyboard temperatures and louder fans. The design is very similar to the 16-inch model; the only notable difference is the addition of a numpad.
See our review
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Best Mid-Range Gaming Laptop
Lenovo Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 16 (2023) 9
Size
16"Refresh Rate
165 HzVariable Refresh Rate
FreeSyncTyping Quality
8.0
Ports
9.0
Thermals And Noise
6.7
Serviceability
8.6
See all our test results
Our best mid-range pick is the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 16 (2023),also a 16-inch model available with AMD CPUs and NVIDIA 40-series GPUs. However, it doesn't feel quite as sturdyas the Dell Alienware m16 R1 (2023) above build-wise, and its GPU configuration tops out at an RTX 4070, which is more of a mid-range graphics processor. Display options are also more limited, as you can only choose between a 165Hz or a 240Hz QHD+ IPS panel. It has a tactile, full-size keyboard, Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity, and tons of ports, including an HDMI 2.1 and Ethernet. The fans get pretty loud, but on the upside, neither the CPU nor the GPU throttles under load, so you'll get consistent performance when gaming.
See our review
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Best Budget Gaming Laptop
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) 7
Current Deal: The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) has dropped in price by $350 at BestBuy.com.
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Gaming
8.6
Size
16"Refresh Rate
165 HzVariable Refresh Rate
FreeSyncTyping Quality
8.0
See AlsoBest gaming laptops in 2024: I've had my pick of portable powerhouses and these are the bestPorts
8.0
Thermals And Noise
5.9
Serviceability
8.4
See all our test results
The best budget gaming laptop we've tested is the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023). You can get this laptop in a Ryzen 7 7735HS or Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU configuration paired with an AMD Radeon RX 6700S or Radeon RX 7700S. Every configuration can deliver high, consistent frame rates in demanding AAA games at 1080p or 1440p. Display options include a 165Hz FHD+ or a 240Hz QHD+ panel; both are 16-inch panels that support variable refresh rates to reduce screen tearing.
This laptop sports a solid port selection for peripherals and external displays, including an Ethernet and HDMI 2.1 port. The RAM and storage are user-replaceable, providing a clear upgrade path down the line. Thermal throttling is minimal under load, but the laptop does get hot and loud. Thankfully, there aren't any hot spots around the WASD keys. This laptop also isn't particularly portable as it's relatively bulky, and you'll need to carry along its fairly beefy charger for use on the go as its battery life lasts a little over an hour when gaming.
See our review
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Best Cheap Gaming Laptop
Lenovo LOQ 15 (2023) 6
Gaming
8.7
Size
15.6"Refresh Rate
144 HzVariable Refresh Rate
FreeSyncTyping Quality
7.5
Ports
8.0
Thermals And Noise
7.2
Serviceability
7.6
See all our test results
The best laptop for gaming we've tested in the cheap category is the Lenovo LOQ 15 (2023). This 15.6-inch model is available with an AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS or Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU and various NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs ranging from an RTX 3050 at the low end to an RTX 4060. These GPUs deliver high and consistent frame rates at 1080p and 1440p. We recommend going with an RTX 4060 for 1440p gaming, as the RTX 4050 only has 6GB of VRAM, which will likely cause pop-ins and stutters.
For the display, you can choose between a 60Hz or 144Hz FHD panel or a 165Hz QHD option, with the latter two being your best bet for gaming, as they'll provide better responsiveness and support VRR to minimize screen tearing. Just note that the response times on these displays are on the slower side, so you can expect to see some ghosting behind fast-moving objects. As far as downsides go, while this laptop feels sturdy for its price point, its all-plastic construction sets it apart from some of the more expensive options on this list. It also has a relatively small 60Wh battery that struggles to provide a full hour of gaming time, so you'll need to ensure your charger is handy.
A quick FYI: this laptop may be hard to find via marketplaces and third-party sellers. You can get it directly from Lenovo if you have trouble finding it.
See our review
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Best Gaming Chromebook
Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2022) 13
Gaming
5.1
Size
16"Refresh Rate
120 HzVariable Refresh Rate
NoTyping Quality
7.5
Ports
7.0
Thermals And Noise
9.1
Serviceability
6.0
See all our test results
The best gaming Chromebook we've tested is the Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2022). Unlike our picks above, this device runs Chrome OS, an operating system that isn't typically associated with gaming, and it runs on its Intel CPU's integrated graphics. It's because it's made for cloud gaming services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW. Cloud gaming means the processing takes place on NVIDIA's server—or whichever company provides the service—and the image is streamed to your device, alleviating the need for powerful hardware. GeForce NOW is a paid subscription service; the laptop comes with a three-month trial.
The overall build quality is good, and while it's on the bulkier side, it isn't too heavy, so it's still portable. Its 16-inch QHD+ display has a 120Hz refresh rate and a good response time, resulting in a clear image with minimal ghosting in fast-moving scenes. You get Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity and an Ethernet port, which is great, as cloud gaming performance highly depends on your internet connection. The keyboard feels spacious and tactile, doesn't get hot under load, and has RGB backlighting. Unfortunately, its battery life is very short, at around six hours of light use or an hour of gaming.
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Recent Updates
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May 01, 2024: Small text edits for clarity. Added the Dell Alienware m16 R2 (2024) as a Notable Mention.
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Apr 04, 2024: Small text edits for clarity. Added the Dell Alienware m18 R2 (2024) as an alternative to the Dell Alienware m16 R1 (2023).
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Mar 04, 2024: We've replaced the ASUS TUF Dash F15 (2022) with the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023), as the F15 is discontinued and hard to find. We've also replaced the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021) with the Lenovo LOQ 15 (2023) as our cheap pick because it's available with faster Ryzen CPUs and NVIDIA 40-series GPUs, providing significantly better gaming performance. Removed the HP Victus 15 (2022) as a Notable Mention because it's getting hard to find. Added the ASUS TUF Dash F15 (2022) as a Notable Mention.
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Feb 08, 2024: Minor text edits for clarity. No changes in product picks.
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Jan 11, 2024: Minor text changes to improve clarity. No change to recommendations.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best laptops for gamingto buy. We factor in the price (a cheaper laptop wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no laptops that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our laptopreviews, sorted by price from low to high. Keep in mind that most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it's best to see the full review for information about other variants.
