We have the solution if our Professional Laptop gets hang. “Go insert an SSD” would be the response from any technician. I hope things were this easy with the gaming laptops. It isn’t advisable and feasible too, to upgrade a gaming laptop with new hardware. So, you need to be careful while buying it. Here is a guide that will tell you how to choose the best gaming laptop.
With PUBG mobile returning after a ban, the demand for gaming laptops has fetched the heat again, for those who want to play a masterpiece game on the big screen, it is the perfect time for shopping. But you need to be clear with the technicalities and the technical issues before picking up your first gaming laptop. So, we have decided to make up a guide for you that will teach you and help you to choose the best gaming laptops.
Well there are several things and features that you must consider before you choose the best gaming laptop to buy and these include
- The Display Screen Size
- CPU and GPU
- Memory and Storage
- Design
- Ports and Inputs
Well, these are the most important factors to consider before you pick up any gaming laptop. Let me tell you that just knowing the names isn’t enough. We have categorized these factors further that will be a perfect guide for “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop”.
How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop
Let’s begin with the guide for “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop”. We have tried to make this guide simple for first-time buyers. We have categorized all the factors mentioned above into the key features that will give a clearer picture of the features you should look for before buying your gaming laptop.
Display
What is your first reason to buy a laptop rather than playing the same game on the mobile?
THE BIG SCREEN!!!
The screen sizes available for the gaming laptops start from 13 inches and move up to 17 and sometimes even bigger.
Yeah, a bigger screen will provide you a better gaming experience but the screen size is not all when it comes to the display factor of the gaming laptops.
Let’s have a look at the key features of the Display factor
Resolution
Normally, people often confuse size with resolution but there is a very basic difference between them both. Size is counted in inches like the ones we discussed above but the resolution is often described in pixels. Higher resolution means more pixels on the screen and more are the number of pixels, the clearer image will be displayed.
Talking of the standard pixels, it was 1080p but we know technology changes every day newer gaming laptops feature 1440p or the 4k display quality, and obviously, the higher you move in screen resolution more cost it will add to your laptop.
Refresh Rate
Next factor to consider in the guide “How to Choose the Best Gaming Laptop” is the screen’s refresh rate. This factor is one of the key features of the display factor. Let us get to know how this refresh rate affects the display of the gaming laptops.
For those who know how animation games work the term is clear but for those who are new to the concept, any animation game runs on the screen by redrawing the image per second.
For those who were attentive in the 10th standard science class, you must have heard if an image is changed in 1/16th of a second it appears to be moving.
The same is the case with the refresh rate. The more often screen is refreshed the more clearly and smoothly the game will run.
Almost all the leading gaming laptop manufactures make use of this technology, an average gaming laptop has a refresh rate of 120Hz to 144 Hz and as you go up with the cost you have chances of finding the laptop with better refresh rates.
Screen Size
Well, screen size is a definite factor to consider before you choose the best gaming laptop. In general, the screen size of 13, 15, 17 inches are available in the market.
But this is not all if you wish to have a bigger screen, you can connect an external monitor to the laptop.
But before buying a monitor for the gaming laptop you must consider its resolution, screen size, color, refresh rate, panel types, ports, and mounting.
OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)
The OLED concept is new to the gaming laptop world. Most gaming laptops used LED displays that moved the picture with the lit liquid crystals.
The introduction of the OLED in laptop screens has changed the quality of the display picture. This technology uses pixels that produce their color light rather than depending on the colors in the back end.
Now because of this specialty of the OLEDs, the contrast and the brightness of the image looks better and companies are using this OLED display to enhance the property of their gaming laptops.
It is for sure that with more quality, the cost increases. All you need to make sure is that you have a proper balance between all these key features of the display to get an excellent view experience on your new gaming laptop.
CPU
What are you without your Brain?
A simple dummy!!!!
The same is the case with the computer. “CPU is called the brain of the computer”, a short line that we mugged up in the first standard. Now is the time to understand.
The CPU you choose is the important point of the guide “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop” because it is going to affect your game speed and gameplay in the future.
Further, if you are an online game streamer then choosing the gaming laptop with the CPU that can hold the various functions at a time is a must.
Plus, the CPU plays a vital role in the game speed. Here are the key features of the CPU that you need to consider before you pick up the best gaming laptop.
Clock Speed
NO! This isn’t the time clock we are talking about.
Clock speed plays a vital role when it comes to a response from the hardware. The higher the clock speed, the faster your laptop would be.
Let me explain to you how higher clock speed helps.
The CPU sends signals to every port to check if there is any input, the faster signals are read, the faster your gaming laptop will work. Hence increasing the efficiency of the laptop.
Well, the speed is not only dependent on the clock speed there are various other factors as well.
Core Count
Now, this core count is another feature that will help you in deciding “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop”.
Every one of us doesn’t exactly know what core count is? After a deep study of the topic, I came to know that these core counts help in multitasking on the computer. The more cores, the more efficiently your computer will work.
In a layman’s language, each new task will be assigned to a new core and this will prevent queueing and the CPU will act fast.
There are CPUs for almost every task that can be accomplished using the computer. So, it is important to know what your expectations or requirements are from the laptop.
If you want to buy a laptop for recording, streaming, and game playing. Then we recommend you for the CPU that has at least an intel core i7 processor.
GPU
GPU is the factor to consider before picking up the gaming laptop in the guide “How To Choose Your Gaming Laptop”.
GPU standard for the Graphics Processing unit and as the name suggests it is important for the graphics quality of the laptop.
Well, if you are looking forward to playing your game in 1440p or 4k then with the high-resolution display screen you require a GPU of higher quality that supports the cause.
Let’s look at the key features you have to keep in mind while choosing the right GPU.
Frame Rates and Resolutions
Now, before buying the laptop you must know the types of games you are going to play on your gaming laptop.
Make sure the resolution requirements of the games of your choice meet the laptop. Not only this, a correct balance between the frame rates and resolutions is also Important to maintain.
Display Refresh Rate
We have read about this refresh rate in the display section.
Getting only the display that has a higher refresh rate is not enough. You need to get a GPU that consistently responds to your display refresh rate. For example, if you have bought a display giving a refresh rate of 144 Hz, you need a GPU that responds with at least 144 FPS or higher.
Storage and Memory
Well, the key factor of using a gaming laptop over a gaming phone is the storage and the memory of the laptops.
This Storage and memory is the next factor that we are going to discuss in the guide about “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop”.
If you remember starting the article, I started it with the term SSD (Solid State Drivers). An SSD is nothing but the flash memory that is added externally to increase the space and speed of the CPU.
How does an SSD Work??
Well, an SSD acts as a flash memory and saves the recent tasks in it. So the next time you require it. You get it pretty fast as compared to HDDs(Pre-installed in Computers).
Now, You might be thinking I suggested not to Upgrade the hardware of the gaming Laptop. I am still on it. Many Gaming Laptops are now manufactured with pre-installed SSDs. You can look for the Gaming Laptops with it.
RAM (Random Access Memory)
What would be the perfect RAM for a Gaming Laptop?
The most common question arises whenever we think of “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop”.
It depends on the plans you have made to use your Laptop.
Here we have made a proper guide that will tell you what size of RAM suits which plan.
- 2-4 GB of RAM is enough for playing the older and lightweight games. You can also use your laptop for browsing and Lightweight applications.
- 8 GB of RAM is the minimum PC requirement for large games but is enough for mid-range gaming. You can also use the laptop for work applications.
- 16 GB of RAM is perfect for the gamers who record and live stream their gameplay. It allows you to play intense games at higher quality and use the background apps for voice chat and video recording.
- 32 GB of RAM is for intensive multitasking and content creation. The 32 Gb of Ram is perfect for people who utilize the memory more frequently like video editing.
Design
Looks, Matter!!!!
Now, you are aware of all the technical aspects of a gaming laptop. I think it’s the perfect time to shift the guide “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop” from the technical aspects to the looks.
We are not only focused on the technical factors, a laptop you bought must look ideal and worth showing off.
So what are the probable Key features that you will look at in the Laptop? We have mentioned a few for you.
- Build Quality – Most of the laptops nowadays are coming with an Aluminium casing. This makes it lightweight and more durable than the plastic casing.
- Thin Bezels – Try to go for the laptops with the thin bezels this will reduce the overall size of the device but the screen size remains the same.
- Light Weight – Lightweight and thinner device means to be easily portable. However, most of the gaming laptops are heavy, known as the Musclebooks as they are meant to be stationary with all the setup at home.
- Aesthetics – Most of the gaming laptops today come with a brushed metal finish, RGB Lighting, and many breathtaking designs. Choose the laptop that helps you flaunt it in front of your friends.
- Luxury Extras – Well, as the mane signifies these are the extras that you may or may not buy with your gaming laptops. These include the upgradable hardware, extra screen for more realistic views, and mechanical switches on the keyboard.
- Wireless Connectivity – Too many wires connected to a device will make it look messy. So it is recommended to go for the laptops that have the inbuilt cards to connect to the wifi hotspots and most importantly the Bluetooth connections.
Ports
Now moving on to the next point of consideration when we move into the guide “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop”.
Generally, companies reduce the number of ports to reduce the size of the laptop and achieve a smaller form factor.
But remember that more ports mean more chances of expanding the laptop’s functionality.
Let’s have a quick look at the types of ports that are necessary for the gaming laptops
- Displayport – I told you at the beginning of the guide “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop” that if you want a better experience on a bigger screen you can connect an external monitor to your gaming laptop. This external monitor is connected to the laptop by the HDMI or display port. So before picking up your gaming laptop make sure it has a display or an HDMI port.
- Thunderbolt 3 Technology – This technology is not found in many gaming laptops. If you wish to play the games on multiple screens then make sure that you have got the Thunderbolt 3 Technology which transfers data at the DisplayPort standards.
The name of the technology signifies it all, it is fast and transfers audio and video data almost four times the speed of USB 3.1.
- USB – connecting external peripherals such as a mouse, keyboard, mice, headsets, and many more, is done through these USB ports. So shaving more USB ports is always preferable.
Now, how do choose which USB port is better?
USB ports are categorized as 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1 depending on their transfer speed.
- Audio – what kind of gaming experience would it be without the audio?
So make sure you have the audio jack 3.5 mm or the USB ports for the Compatible speakers or headsets.
- Ethernet Port – why is the Ethernet port important?
Ethernet provides a stable connection as compared to wifi and increases the speed of the internet.
What kind of Ethernet port is suitable for a fast and stable connection?
RJ 45 Ethernet jack is suitable for a fast and suitable connection.
What to do if my laptop does not have the Ethernet jack or port?
If your laptop does not have the Ethernet jack then a USB to Ethernet adapter will serve you the purpose.
- SD Card Port – This port is necessary when you require to expand the memory of the computer or for the quick transfer of the data like videography or photography. If your laptop doesn’t have the SD Card Port then the solution is to buy a card reader and use it as the pen drive through the USB ports.
Well, it is not possible to have too many ports in the compact laptops then what would be the possible solution for it?
The best possible solution for the problem is to use an extended USB port board. This board requires only one USB port for connection and you can join multiple devices on it. But this hampers the speed of the laptop so it is advised to check and remember the availability of ports in “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop”.
Look For Laptop Cooling
What made it possible to reduce the size of the laptop?
Why were the old laptops heavy?
The straightforward answer to bother the questions is the improvement in the laptop cooling technology.
So, the next point of consideration in the guide “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop” is laptop cooling.
Any device used for a longer period gets heated up. Remember the heating effects of electric current.
As we know games are interesting and we can play them continuously for hours. So laptop heating is a common problem. We suggest that while you pick the best gaming laptop for you, you must consider the cooling process of the laptops.
Earlier it used to be fans but with the advent of technology cooling pipes, heat sinks, smaller fans, and vents have replaced the folder technology. So, considering the cooling factor for a gaming laptop is a must.
Inputs
A perfect dream for an online game streamer. A big monitor screen, with big speakers giving better experience and laptop in the center.
Inputs and ports go side by side. If you have ports then use them and connect devices like monitor screen, better speakers, and gaming mouse for a better user experience.
Look at the list of the inputs that can be connected
- Mechanical Keyboard – Most gaming laptops do not come with mechanical keyboard buttons or aesthetics. So, it is advisable to connect an external mechanical keyboard with the laptop through the USB ports.
- Gaming Mouse – A touchpad might be of great use for daily use professionals. But it is not at all preferable for gamers. A gaming mouse is a must for the proper gaming experience.
- Headset or Audio – As told above checking the port for audio and headsets is a must in the guide “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop”.
It serves a major role for the online game streamers on YouTube. You must get a proper headset that helps you record your audio as well as helps you hear the sound effects of the game for the best experience.
- Speaker – We all are aware of the facts about the inbuilt speakers of the laptops. To connect an external trading speaker or the soundbar with the gaming laptop and let the sound experience blow your mind away.
How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop
Well, finding all the qualities and technicalities in a single gaming laptop is tough. The more resources you require the more cost you need to pay for it.
The best laptop you wish to buy depends on the way you are going to use it.
If you want to connect the laptop with the external monitor then the display factor is not a priority to consider, focus on the CPU and GPU of the laptop.
If you wish to buy a laptop for video editing and online streaming the 32 GB RAM laptop would serve the best purpose and you don’t need to worry much about the GPU.
Having the latest technology is not all when you want to pick up the best gaming laptop. It depends on the way you are going to put it to use.
If this guide on “How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop” proves useful to you, let us know in the comments section.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a laptop for gaming?
While choosing a laptop for gaming you got to keep the things in mind and that is your Requirement. For example If you want to connect the laptop with the external monitor then the display factor is not a priority to consider, focus on the CPU and GPU of the laptop.
Rest keep in mind the Pointers like
- The Display Screen Size
- CPU and GPU
- Memory and Storage
- Design
- Ports and Inputs
Which is the No 1 gaming laptop?
As of now in July 2021, the best gaming laptop is Asus ROG Zephyrus. Given below are the specifications of Asus ROG Zephyrus.
| Brand | ASUS |
|---|---|
| Series | ASUS Rog Zephyrus |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Item Weight | 6 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 19 x 12.6 x 4 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 19 x 12.6 x 4 inches |
| Processor Brand | AMD |
| Processor Count | 8 |
| Computer Memory Type | DDR4 SDRAM |
| Flash Memory Size | 1 TB |
Which laptop brand is best for gaming?
You can Consider Asus ROG Zephyrus 14 and Asus ROG Zephyrus 15 as an option for the best gaming laptop. Here is the list some goog gaming laptops
- Asus ROG Zephyrus 14
- MSI GS66 Stealth
- Dell G7 17
- Dell G5 15 5500
- Alienware Area-51m R2
- ACER PREDATOR TRITON 500
- Acer Nitro 5
- MSI GE66 Raider
- HP Omen 15
- Asus ROG Zephyrus 15
Featured Image Source: Ecommcode
Great Info.