Gaming laptops are a different kind of best for their exceptional designs, features, premium prices, and colors. Desktop is still the primary focus among many PC games but gaming laptops have the same maximum features and a something portable.
A gaming laptop is a special machine that offers enough power in a way smaller size to play games. But when you are going to buy a gaming laptop, you are going to ponder on multiple things apart from specs such as a built-in keyboard and display.
I always recommend users to at least get what you are paying for. A cheap gaming laptop does not mean that you have to suffer at very basic level of gaming.
To facilitate your research, we have compiled all the necessary stuff that needs to be pondered before buying a perfect gaming laptop.
GPU
Some games use CPU but maximum games still work on GPU. So, this is one of the major things to be considered while buying a gaming laptop.
Currently, Nvidia GeForce GTX or RTX is the GPU used in maximum gaming laptops. RTX 30-series cards are the latest graphic cards used.
Radeon RX 5000M series is used on the AMD front. The RTX models the commander in premium. GTX 1650 or RX 5500M GPUs are perfect if you don’t want to play on higher settings. If you are looking for a gaming laptop under 400 bucks, it is likely to have this type of graphics card.
You can play most games through this on middle settings.
GTX 1660 is highly powerful and worth investment. If you want to play games on the highest settings, then Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2060 is a perfect investment.
This is also considered as the minimum standard for virtual reality. An RTX 2070 is powerful enough to let you play at any higher settings.
It may be enough to play games in 4K quality. These are the different gaming ipads and tablets also available from where you can buy your interests accordingly.
CPU
A highly powerful Core i7 CPU can be purchased depending on your budget. The Intel Core i9-9980HK can even be overlocked as well. Desktop CPUs can also be purchased.
Core i5 processor should be the consideration because GPUs are better for gaming laptops than CPUs. Anything older than the Intel 10th Gen Core or less power should also be a good purchase.
This is a one-time choice because CPUs usually aren’t upgradable. 11th Gen Intel Core H35 is launched by Intel on CES 2021.
Storage
Some gaming laptops come with Hard Drive and others with SSD. What do you prefer? Why not both? Gaming laptops of budget price are coming mostly with 1TB hard drive.
But some with smaller SSD as well to serve as about drive. 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD are not uncommon to see these days. As the power of SSD increases, the loading time gets reduced.
If you want to have a more powerful SSD then you have to pay extra money. 7,200-rpm HDD must be pondered instead of a 5,400-rpm HDD. As the storage in gaming laptops is upgradable, you can even go for a 2TB or larger HDD.
RAM
RAM is the most intensive player in gaming laptops. 8GB is the recommended RAM for a gaming laptop. Anything lower than that isn’t good enough to play games even in middle settings. RAM is the key player to increase the productivity level.
If you can afford it, you should go for 16GB. GTX 2060 or higher offers 16GB RAM. As the RAM is also upgradable just like storage, if you can’t buy a gaming laptop with higher RAM, you should consider upgrading it in the future.
Display
The display is highly important to be pondered but often overlooked. The display is the major feature to offer you the visually to see all games.
Most gaming laptops have 15 or 17-inch screens. There are a few that come in 18-inches screens as well and a handful in 14-inches. Preference is of the user to whatever is of interest but remember the weight of the laptop will increase as the screen size increases.
Never go for a laptop with less than 1920 x 1080 display size. 4K (3840 x 2160) screens are also an option.
Refresh Rate
1080p resolution and a 60Hz display are the features in maximum gaming laptops. Displays may be increased to (2560 x 1440, 3840 x 2160) but 60Hz is the top out refresh rate. That’s why 1080p can be a good option.
For smoother gaming, 144 Hz, 240 Hz, or even 360 Hz are also offered in FHD displays. Greater GPU and settings emphasizing frame rate over fidelity are highly advantageous.
Battery Life
Plugging in is necessary for getting full performance out of GPU. If you don’t, a gaming laptop may last for an hour. Some last longer but it is all about the display. As the display size gets better and faster, battery timing gets squeezed.
Bottom Line
When you are buying a gaming laptop, go for that product that can last for a few years ranging from mid-range to higher-end GPU, SSD-led storage, good battery life, and more. Storage and RAM are upgradable but ponder well before buying.
Battery life will get shorter as the resolution and faster displays get higher. So, for these features, you have to compromise on battery life. However, all these features will decide how the machine will perform.