What to Look For in a Gaming Laptop

Gaming laptops: There are so many out there, but which one is right for you? That is the question that must be answered. Strewn about the sea of components and numbers that might not make sense is an answer. And like a finely tuned vessel, I shall lead you to the computer that you will treasure! So, let’s take a look at what you should keep an eye out for when considering a new gaming laptop.

Screen Size

I like to start out with screen size because, unlike every other laptop out there, gaming laptops can get huge! The bigger these laptops get the heavier they become. But you can take solace knowing that the bigger models typically have more robust components designed to deliver the highest-quality gaming experience out there.

The average screen size you will find for a gaming laptop will be 16 inches, while the largest gaming laptop features dimensions up to 18 inches. If you prefer something smaller, there are plenty of options well within the 14-inch range. I would personally recommend the 16-inch display as that is the sweet spot; it’s neither too big nor too small. 

Display

This might come as a surprise, but I like to take a look at the actual display itself. Size is just one aspect, but the panel and display technology is a huge consideration that I think is worth putting high on your priority list. 

You want to look at resolution, refresh rate, and the type of display panel. The higher quality the panel, the more expensive it becomes. The average display uses In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology. This gives you wider viewing angles and some solid color performance. The other option that I would keep an eye out on is OLED. These panels offer really great color performance with deep colorization and vivid imagery. These are usually paired with higher resolutions. 

Speaking of resolutions, the higher the resolution the better. A good sweet spot is 2560 x 1600. This also means that the aspect ratio changes a bit compared to the average display. Instead of the 16:9 resolution, you get a bit more horizontal space, bringing the aspect ratio to 16:10. There are a few other displays that have a 3840 x 2400 resolution, which really brings out the detail, but could be a bit overkill. 

Finally, the last thing regarding the display is the refresh rate. This directly correlates with the maximum number of frames that can be presented on your screen. This number changes, but like everything else, the higher the better. Most displays will feature 120 Hz refresh rates but can reach over 240 Hz! This adds a layer of smoothness to your gaming. Even if the game itself maxes out at 60 fps, the extra headroom is nice for faster-paced competitive games. 

Processor

Now that we have the display and size under wraps, it is time to look at processor. The processor is the brain of the laptop, and it manages all the other tasks. When it comes to gaming, a handful of titles will be processor or CPU-dependent. This means that the processes of the game rely heavily on the performance profile of that processor. Knowing this, the better the processor, the better the performance. 

There are two main processor manufacturers, AMD and Intel. They both have naming nomenclatures that are quite like each other. For instance, the AMD Ryzen 7 tends to deliver similar performance to the Intel Core Ultra 7. They are both well within their margins as great processors and you can’t really go wrong with either one on an average scale. 

Equipped with this knowledge, I would safely state that either the AMD Ryzen 7 or Intel Core Ultra 7 processor is recommended. Some models might have the step-up models, the Ryzen 9 and Core Ultra 9, and they are able to handle even heavier and more demanding games. 

Memory

Next up is Random Access Memory (RAM). This component takes information and stores it temporarily and then lets it go once the system is done using it. Much like everything else (and say it with me now), the higher the number the better. A good starting point is 32GB of DDR5 memory. If you are performing heavier tasks, you could go higher, but there isn’t a real need to if you’re just gaming. You’ll have plenty of headroom with 32GB. I wouldn’t go lower than that as 16GB might reduce performance. 

There are two different types of RAM: DDR and LPDDR. Regular DDR memory means that you can remove the modules of the same generation. So, let’s say you buy a laptop with 16GB of DDR5 memory, you could replace it with 32GB of DDR5 memory. Meanwhile, LPDDR memory means that the RAM is soldered directly to the motherboard and cannot be replaced. 

Storage

We have come a long way from the days of fitting 2.5-inch drives in gaming computers. Now, we have a much smaller M.2 storage drive! Not only are they smaller, but they are also much faster and the status quo in regard to storing your games, files, and more! How much storage should you have? Well, the average baseline is going to be 1TB, but with the expanded file sizes of some games, 2TB should be more than enough.

Some gaming laptops have expansion slots, giving you an additional M.2 slot so you can add in more storage. While I don’t think this is a necessity, it is a great option if you are looking to bring your entire gaming library with you. 

Graphics

One could say that when it comes to gaming laptops, graphics are incredibly important. There are two types of graphics, integrated and dedicated. Integrated graphics run directly off the processor which delivers not-so-great performance when you are doing anything relatively demanding. I wouldn’t advise dedicated graphics for a gaming laptop at all.

I would instead opt for dedicated graphics, and they usually come from one brand: NVIDIA. There are a few AMD Radeon graphics, but they are few and far between currently. NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics is what you want to look for. In every case, this is followed by a series of numbers. For example, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080. The first two numbers tell you what series this graphics card is a part of while the second number is a brief summary of performance all around. If you see a graphics card like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, you know that it is the 40 series generation and ranked in the middle of the back with the 70 there. As always, the higher the number the better the performance you’ll get.

When it comes to gaming laptops, I could easily suggest a system that has a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or 5080 for solid performance. I would only suggest the RTX 5090 if you are doing some real heavy gaming on a higher resolution display. 

Nice-to-Haves

There is a slew of features that might be important to gaming enthusiasts. The keyboard and touchpad are both really important because they will be the primary way you will be controlling your system. Backlit keys with a level of customization are definitely something nice to have. 

Ports are also important as you’ll want to connect peripherals to the laptop like controllers, headphones and more. In some cases, folks might want to use their gaming laptop on a TV, so having a mix of USB-C, USB-A, and even HDMI ports are important to get the most out of your system. So, keep an eye on what you will be using and if the laptop will be able to handle everything you connect. 

Wireless device support also counts as connectivity. In some cases, you’d want to check which type of Wi-Fi the system has. This will determine how well it connects to various wireless networks and how fast your games download and quality of your streaming media. You also want to check Bluetooth version is present so you can use wireless peripherals like headphones and controllers opposed to the wired connection. 

Audio is also a really nice feature to have in a gaming laptop. A 3.5mm audio jack is great for private listening, but if you are looking for robust sound then you should keep an eye on how many speakers are built in, and if they offer anything above the standard audio profile you’d find on other laptops. 

Gaming laptops tend to be pretty pricey, so you want to make sure that there are a few security features to help safeguard your system. From biometric fingerprint readers to physical lock slots, these are all made to prevent folks from either accessing onboard data or removing the device. Luckily enough, most laptops (even non-gaming ones) have these features. But it’s always important to make sure they are present. 

Finally, the last nice to have consideration is the battery power of the system. This ties into how long you can play your games without being tethered to an outlet. While a bigger battery means a longer lifespan and runtime, it also means a physically bigger system. 

Conclusion

As we see here, there are plenty of elements that goes into a great gaming laptop. And while there are many different devices out there, it’s nice to consider these points and figure out what is the most important aspect for you. In some cases, components will be hand-picked for a reason. For example, a high-resolution display will always have a powerful graphics card within the system to ensure that it can reach that level of performance. 

If you would like a few suggestions for some of the best gaming laptops out there, you can take a look at a few models here and hopefully that will inspire you to find the best one for you!