The best gaming laptops come in all shapes and sizes, for different needs and budgets. Because while a tricked out $5,000-plus model with the highest-end graphics and best display might give you the best gaming laptop experience, most of us can't afford a rig like that. And even if we could, it wouldn't be the best gaming laptop for those who travel frequently with their PC.

Thankfully, there are more gaming laptop options now than ever, from budget-friendly to VR-ready. Some come with full-size Nvidia GeForce GTX or RTX graphics cards, while others go for the more efficient Max-Q designs that enable thinner chassis and (sometimes) quieter fans. While many of the best gaming laptops come with a 1080p display and high refresh rates, some include 4K screens.



One of the newest innovations we've seen is AMD SmartShift, which shares power between the CPU and the GPU based on need. We saw this in the Dell G5 15 SE, but it won't be in other laptops until 2021.

To help you find the best gaming laptop today, we've compiled a list of the best models we've tested and reviewed recently. For much more on how to narrow down your list of best gaming laptop considerations, check out our best gaming laptop buyer’s guide. But here are a few quick tips to get you started down the road to the right portable gaming rig for you.

While many gamers may go to desktops to get the most performance for their money, try lugging a tower, monitor and keyboard around in your backpack. When you need a powerful rig you can take with you, there's no substitute for a gaming laptop.

Quick Shopping Tips

Focus on the GPU: Most games are dependent on the GPU, and those aren’t upgradeable. If you splurge on a powerful GPU now, you’ll be gaming comfortably for a few years.

You can upgrade some parts later: While CPUs and GPUs are almost always soldered down, most gaming laptops let you replace the RAM and storage, so you can buy cheaper now and add more memory and a bigger hard drive or SSD down the road.

Battery life will probably be bad: Very few gaming notebooks get 8 hours or more on a charge, and you need the power supply to get the best gaming performance anyway. However, we've seen some strong times from AMD's Ryzen 4000 processors, and Nvidia suggests its improved Optimus technology may help turn the tide.

Best Gaming Laptops You Can Buy Today

MSI GE66 Raider (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The MSI GE66 Raider is a gaming laptop, and it’s saying it loud with a massive RGB light bar. It’s new look is aggressive, but it’s not just talk, with options going up to an Intel Core i9-10980HK and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q.

For those looking for esports-level performance in games like League of Legends or Overwatch, there’s an option for a 300 Hz display.

And while it’s not the slimmest laptop around (or even MSI’s thinnest), it does feel remarkably portable considering the power inside, and we can’t help but appreciate high-end build quality.

Read: MSI GE66 Raider review

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

2. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Best Thin and Light Gaming Laptop CPU: AMD Ryzen 4900HS | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q | Display: 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 120Hz | Weight: 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) $1,099.99 View at Best Buy $1,299.99 View at Best Buy $1,999 View at Amazon Good looks AMD Ryzen 4900HS offers strong performance Stellar battery life Comfortable keyboard Fan sometime whirs when idle No webcam No Thunderbolt 3

For those looking for something slim and attractive, our pick is the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. As far as gaming laptops go, the Zephyrus is unassuming in either white or gray with minimalist stylings. But with the AMD Ryzen 4900HS and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q in our review unit, you get strong productivity and gaming performance. It’s not the best performer on the market in terms of graphics, but it’s the best value for most people.

The battery life is also surprisingly long for a gaming notebook and the keyboard is clicky and comfortable. The fan, however, sometimes goes off even when just sitting on the desktop, and this system doesn’t come equipped with a built-in webcam.

Read: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 review

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

3. Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model Best Thin and Light Gaming Laptop (Alternate Pick) CPU: Intel Core i7-10875H | GPU: Nvidia RTX 2080 Super Max-Q | Display: 15.6 inch, 1920 x 1080, 300Hz | Weight: 4.7 pounds (2.1 kg) $2,899.99 View at Amazon Thin and light Stunning design Great selection of ports 300 Hz Display Uncomfortable keyboard Expensive

If you want higher specs and are willing to pay more for a thin and light gaming laptop, the Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model is a strong choice. It has a sleek design that’s easy to take with you anywhere, and has a nice selection of ports if you also want to plug in a bunch of peripherals.

While the Zephyrus stops at an RTX 2060, the Blade goes up to an Nvidia RTX 2080 Super Max-Q. It also has options for a faster 300 Hz display, which is great for esports.

Instead of a Ryzen chip, Razer has opted for Intel’s 10th Gen H-series processors to power the Blade 15. It’s not as power efficient, but offers strong performance.

Read: Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model review

Alienware m17 R3 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

4. Alienware m17 R3 Best 17-inch Gaming Laptop CPU: Intel Core i9-10980HK | GPU: Nvidia Geforce RTX 2080 Super | Display: 17.3 inch 3840 x 2160 60 Hz HDR400 | Weight: 6.6 pounds / 3 kg $1,649.99 View at Dell $1,649.99 View at Dell $1,899.99 View at Dell Bright, colorful, large screen Comfortable, clicky per-key RGB keyboard Thin for a gaming laptop Hot and loud Pricey

The Alienware m17 R3 can get expensive, especially the way we reviewed it with a 10th Gen Intel Core i9 and RTX 2080 Super. But it also has a fantastic, colorful 17-inch display, perfect for those who want the biggest screen they can get on a gaming notebook. The 4K 60 Hz HDR option is bright and colorful, but if you prefer, there’s also an option for 1920 x 1080 at 144 Hz.

The power we got out of the top tier components was tremendous, with amazing performance across our gaming suite. It also did quite well on our productivity benchmarks, should you want to use this as a workhorse as well.

The m17 R3 has a comfortable RGB keyboard and, for a gaming notebook, isn’t all that thick at 0.9 inches. But these components do suck battery power, so be sure to bring the charger.



Read: Alienware m17 R3 review

Dell's latest 15-inch G3 is the best gaming laptop we've tested to date for those on a tight budget. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The Dell G3 15 is the best gaming laptop for those on a tight budget. It feels solid, the price is right and it will play most games reasonably well. It even looks good. The display is bland, which is a shame, but battery life and keyboard is better than most similarly priced competition.

That makes the Dell a solid choice for anyone who can get over the display as a sacrifice for an otherwise strong machine. Heck, for those times when you don’t need to game on the go, you could plug it into a good budget monitor and get a bigger, prettier screen for your games and media playback at home. If you’re looking to get a machine starting under $1,000, it's an excellent choice.

Read: Dell G3 15 (2019) review

If money isn't much of an object and you want desktop-class performance that you can update down the road, the Alienware Area-51m is the best gaming laptop for you. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

6. Alienware Area-51m The Best Splurge Gaming Laptop CPU: Up to Intel Core i9-9900K | GPU: Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 | Display: Up to 1920 x 1080, 144 Hz with G-Sync | Weight: 8.5 pounds / 3.9 kg $1,654.73 View at Dell $2,369 View at Amazon $2,529 View at Amazon Strong gaming and productivity performance Beautiful new design Upgradeable CPU and GPU Extremely pricey No 4K options

The Alienware Area-51m, with its desktop-class Core i9-9900K and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080, is the best gaming laptop for those with a big gaming budget. It offers laptop performance so strong that it will appeal to power users more used to desktops. That's assuming you can afford it without taking out a second mortgage.

It’s awesome that you can upgrade nearly all aspects of the Area-51m, and I hope more desktop replacements go this route. But Alienware still has to release details about how new GPUs will be sold or if and when that replacement program will come to fruition. Then of course there’s the question of how future graphics modules will be priced compared to their standard desktop-card counterparts.

The process to make major upgrades yourself requires some tools and patience, but the ability to replace the CPU, GPU, RAM and storage is truly impressive.

You can also see our complete teardown of the machine.

Read: Alienware Area-51m review





(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

7. Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G732 The Best Esports Gaming Laptop CPU: Intel Core i9-10980HK | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super | Display: 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080, 300 Hz | Weight: 6.3 pounds / 2.9 kg $1,799 View at Amazon High refresh rate display Strong gaming perfomance Underside stays cool No webcam

To play esports titles like the pros, you need a laptop with the fastest screen you can get. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 ($2,199.99 to start, $3,299.99 as tested) is a bit pricey because it pairs a 300 Hz display with the top-end parts needed to play games at frame rates that can take advantage of it. But in our testing, that meant smooth animations so you never miss a frame.

Sure, it’s a bit thicker than some competitors like the Alienware m17 R3, but it also managed to outperform them.

If you’re using this laptop to stream your games, though, you’ll most certainly want to also buy a webcam, because the Strix doesn’t have one built in.

Read: Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G732 review



Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 GX550 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

8. Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 The Best Dual-Screen Gaming Laptop CPU: Intel Core i9-10980HK | GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 2080 Super Max-Q | Display: 15.6-inch IPS 60Hz 3840 x 2160 primary, 3840 x 1100 ScreenPad Plus secondary display | Weight: 5.3 pounds (2.4 kg) $2,999.99 View at Newegg $3,643.34 View at Amazon $3,699.99 View at Best Buy Attractive sci-fi style Nice 4K display Second screen lifts up for improved cooling and viewing angles Awkwardly displaced input devices No webcam Only one Thunderbolt 3/USB-C port

It’s admittedly expensive with a starting price of $2,999 (and $3,699 as tested), but Asus’ dual-screen ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 gaming laptop adds a handy, eye-catching second screen while improving cooling and keeping fan noise down in the process. If it weren’t for the awkward input devices and the lack of a webcam, this would be a near-perfect portable gamer.

There are single-screen laptops that will deliver similar performance for less, with better input devices as well. But if you like the idea of a portable with a second screen for Discord chats and YouTube hints as you make your way through the latest AAA title, the Zephyrus Duo 15 is easily the best option we’ve seen yet. Rather than just slapping on another screen, Asus used the space available below its ScreenPad to improve cooling considerably, for more reliable frame rates and quieter operation.

Read: Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 GX550 review

Best Gaming Laptops Compared

CPU GPU RAM Storage Display Weight MSI GE66 Raider Up to Intel Core i9-10980HK Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q Up to 32GB Up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD Up to 15.6 inches, 1920 x 1080, 300 Hz 5.3 pounds / 2.4 kg Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Up to AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q Up to 16GB Up to 1TB NVMe SSD 14-inch, 1920 x 1080, 120 Hz 3.5 pounds / 1.6 kg Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model Up to Intel Core i7-10875H Up to Nvidia RTX 2080 Super Max-Q 16GB Up to 1TB NVMe SSD 15.6-inch, Up to 1920 x 1080 300 Hz or 4K OLED 60 Hz 4.7 pounds / 2.1 kg Alienware m17 R3 Intel Core i9-10980HK Nvidia Geforce RTX 2080 Super 32GB DDR4 2x 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD (connected over RAID0) 17.3 inch 3840 x 2160 60 Hz HDR400 6.6 pounds / 3 kg Dell G3 15 Up to Intel Core i7-9750H Up to Intel Core i7-9750H Up to 16GB Up to 512GB NVMe SSD 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 5.4 pounds / 2.4 kg Alienware Area 51-m Up to Intel Core i9-9900K Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Up to 64GB Up to 2TB (RAID0) + 1TB SSHD 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080, 144 Hz 8.5 pounds / 3.9 kg Asus ROG Strix 17 G732 Up to Intel Core i9-10980HK Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Up to 32GB Up to 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD in RAID0 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080, 300 Hz 6.3 pounds / 2.9 kg Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 Intel Core i9-10980HK Nvidia GeForce GTX 2080 Super Max-Q 32GB 3,200 MHz DDR4 2x 1TB NVMe SSDs (RAID0) 15.6-inch IPS 60Hz 3840 x 2160 resolution primary display, 3840 x 1100 ScreenPad Plus secondary display 5.3 pounds / 2.4 kg

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