Gaming on laptops has become an ever-expanding world, and everyone has tried to get a slice of that pie. However, unlike consoles, where a single device is made for gaming with the most optimal design, It’s not that simple for a gaming laptop.
When it comes down to gaming laptops, there are several different factors to consider, such as the specifications, configurations, different needs, and different options to put together.
So it then becomes relatively difficult to figure out just what you need when you decide to buy a laptop for gaming and even more complicated when you find out the number of gaming laptops out there.
I have put together a list of some very good laptops in this article. The purpose is to provide you with some helpful information that can be useful when deciding what laptop will fit your budget.
So, let’s get started!
The Asus Vivobook 15 X571 – Best for Casual Gaming
The Asus Vivobook 15 X571 comes with an Intel Core i7 processor. Any basic tasks you carry out on the system are all handled pretty smoothly, and it’s got reasonable control over complicated tasks.
It doesn’t show any lag, with a few tabs and apps running simultaneously. Even when I tried to push it to the max, the Asus VivoBook 15 X571 held its grounds. Although the Asus Vivobook 15 X571 is not suitable for high-intensity gaming, it’s a decent option for casual gamers, in my opinion.
At medium and close to high graphics settings, it held up with games like Fortnite and GTA with slight frame drops here and there but not too serious; the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 card proves to be a masterstroke from Asus. The Asus Vivobook 15 X571 prices depend on the store you are buying it from; however, the lowest prices I’ve seen so far are online for about $860.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Laptop
This is the cutting edge of technology, and it wasn’t pulling any punches. It has an extremely sleek design. It is a 14inch screen with a max brightness of up to 500 nits.
It came with a wider touchpad, thinner bezels, and a Full HD display with an improved 120hz refresh rate that could allow me to zoom through browser pages with minimal fuss, and that was a plus.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Laptop came with an AMD Radeon Rx 62005 graphics card and an AMD Ryzen 9 Processor.
All of these things on their own are pretty powerful but put together, and they produced some really incredible performances. Paired with 32GB RAM and a 1TB SSD, you have the makings of one of the most powerful systems.
The graphics were pristine, and I barely noticed any dips in frame rates aside from the odd one here or there when it wasn’t charging, but when it was being charged, this machine just kept chugging along, never dropping below 60fps even at the highest graphics options set.
This is undoubtedly an impressive laptop, a powerhouse, and an absolute monster. However, at $2,000, this is not a cheap laptop at all.
The Dell Alienware M15 R2
At just under 3kg and 20mm thick, this isn’t the thinnest of laptops out there but its Magnesium alloy design makes it very light and very stylish.
While also being very rigid and made with quality materials thus, it doesn’t look very assuming or imposing; it just slides away into the background, allowing it into the game without being noticed. A nice change of pace from most bogus and attention-seeking gaming laptops out there.
Now with a quick look under the hood, you’ll be able to find out this laptop comes with a Core i7-9750 Hex processor. Allowing you to game at incredible speeds and response times. It also comes with a “six-phase voltage control” that pushes the processor up to 3-3.2ghrtz when docked.
The Nvidia RTX 2080 graphics card helps drive the laptop to peak gaming frame rates and can easily hit 60fps without any sacrifices or drawbacks on the CPU because of its “six-phase voltage control”. It also has 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD.
The screen is an absolute beauty. It’s a 1920X1080p display; it’s built with a 240hrtz refresh rate, and it comes with the full 100% IPS sRGB rating, so if you plan on editing videos and images on this laptop, you won’t find anything else that can stop this.
Although, there is one thing that you will have to contend with when you are handling high productivity projects like rendering and editing, and that’s the fan. It can get pretty loud when you’re undergoing those kinds of tasks, but it’s not annoying by the way.
Another drawback I found was the battery life. It still has a 76wh battery which lasts about five and half hours of screen on time and about three hours for gaming. It’s not terrible, but it could be better. All in all, this is an impressive machine, and I would no doubt be buying this if it wasn’t so expensive.
Oh, did I forget to mention it’s priced between $3000-$3500 and for that price, you wouldn’t expect to find anything wrong with the laptop, would you?.
However, that’s not the case, and while it’s a great laptop, it’s not perfect. Although, if you can afford it, this should definitely be on your list because it is currently one of the best gaming laptops on the market.
The Acer Predator Helios 300
This is one of those laptops that I see, and I just know it’s a gaming laptop. It’s like gaming at first sight. Its brushed aluminium design is cool and comes with a rigid design too.
The red accents lined around the laptop make it look cool but not shouty, and it’s got a nice plastic finish on the bottom so all in all the laptop looks good. However, at 31mm, it’s a chunky laptop.
However, the laptop does have a lot to offer. With an NVIDIA GTX, 1060 6GB, this laptop has one of, if not the best graphics cards I’ve seen on any laptop within its budget.
Its Intel Core i7-770HQ processor has a lot of range and power, and it comes with a double 16GB DDR4 RAM. It also has a 500GB SSD to match.
From a pure gaming standpoint, this can match up with the best of them out there. It is pinned at a high-quality 60hrtz, and 60fps build for almost every game, and it doesn’t slow down even when it’s not charging.
Its native 1080p 60% IPS sRGB rating display isn’t incredible, and it has a max brightness of about 250nits; it’s not the best for video and image editing.
The battery life isn’t anything to write home about as well; with a conservative 4hrs battery life, you can never be too far away from a socket, especially with a 2hr gaming life.
Finally, the keyboards are a bit stiff, its RAM isn’t upgradeable, and the screen could be better. All in all, this is a gaming laptop, and it can do a lot, but it doesn’t handle a lot of creative tasks well. So if you plan on gaming and doing school work and some light editing work, then this is the laptop for you.
However, if you are a creator who likes to game, you could find something else, maybe the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15. However, with a price of $1100, it’s still a good option, and if you can buy another more powerful display like Samsung’s new 4k 240hrtz monitor, you can get to it.
The Acer Nitro 5 2021
Finally, we have the Acer Nitro 5. The new 2021 all-black plastic build is nice, and with a weight of up to 2.3kg and up to 2.8kg with the power brick, this is a nice portable gaming laptop that you won’t feel when carrying around.
It’s got a 14.3inch screen, and it’s got a full HD 1440hrtz display. It’s got an sRGB rating of 63%, an ADOBE RGB rating of 44% and a DCI-P3 of 45%.
This laptop has an average colour accuracy, so it’s not the best for editing. I’m beginning to sense a pattern here with budget laptops and low colour accuracy.
It’s got an Intel Core i5 processor and 16GB stick of RAM; however, it can be upgraded. It makes use of the dynamic boost system, which shifts power from the CPU to the GPU when gaming to improve the gaming experience and allows it to hit 60fps but not at a stable rate when it’s not charging.
However, it doesn’t have a MUX switch like in more high-end laptops, so other tasks aside from gaming don’t see the same noticeable differences in power boost.
Also, it has a 57wh battery that only lasts about three and a half hours of screen on time and about two hours max for gaming.
I think this is a good laptop, especially for entry-level gamers who have a lot of other things they would like to do with their laptops and are on a tight budget because with a price of about $1000 at the time of writing. It’s a decent enough laptop to get the most out of anything you’re doing. In the end, it will get you going, but it won’t finish the journey with you.
Conclusion
I hope you found this piece valuable and informative, and even if you don’t buy one of these laptops, at the very least, you will be able to compare each one and know exactly what you want and don’t want in your next gaming laptop.
FAQ
Is the Asus Vivobook 15 X571 a Good Laptop?
The Asus Vivobook 15 X571 is a good laptop because it offers a variety of features that are beneficial to users. For instance, the laptop has a 15.6-inch display, which is a good size for most users.
Additionally, the X571 is equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor, which is a good choice for those who want a reliable and powerful laptop. Also, the X571 comes with up to 16GB of RAM and up to a 2TB hard drive.
Is Asus Vivobook 15 X571 a Gaming Laptop?
Asus Vivobook 15 X571 is not a gaming laptop as it is not designed for high resource-intense gaming. However, it can be used as a casual gaming laptop for less demanding games.
The laptop’s performance will not be as good as a dedicated gaming laptop, but it should be able to handle most games without any major issues.
Is Zephyrus G14 A Good Laptop?
The Zephyrus G14 is a good laptop overall. It has a nice design and a good range of features. The main downside is the price, but it is definitely worth considering if you can afford it.