The best gaming laptops for 2018
Gaming laptops are a serious investment compared to a console or even a decent desktop computer, although there are advantages to a gaming rig you can pick up and take on the move.
While many purists will attest to the power and adaptability of a gaming desktop PC, if you need a piece of kit that you can take to a friend's house or university then you may want to look for a laptop instead.
How to buy a gaming laptop
When buying a gaming laptop graphics are king, and you will want to make sure to find a laptop with a serious graphics card (GPU) built in.
Nvidia's GeForce series remains the most common pick for top devices. You should look for the manufacturer's latest chips, the new 10-series configuration, preferably the latest GTX 1080.
For a breakdown of the highest performance graphics cards, Notebookcheck has a chart judging the framerates of the latest chips against some of the most demanding video game releases, such as Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Middle Earth Shadow of War.
Should I pick a desktop PC or a console for gaming?
There are some positives of a desktop PC for gaming over a laptop. A gaming laptop will be chunky and often weigh more than two kilograms, meaning it is hardly portable.
They are also expensive, much more so than a customised desktop kitted out for gaming. For between £800 and £1,200 you could buy a powerful gaming desktop that offers longevity and interchangeable components.
Plus, for virtual reality games you will have to splash on the latest gaming laptop technology, compared to the better value you could get from a PC.
Consoles like the PS4 Pro or Xbox One Xremain popular, but laptops do have some advantages. Gaming laptops will give you access to a far broader range of titles than those on consoles through services like Steam.
However, laptops have come on hugely in recent years and most offer the power to play the most high performance games if you are willing to spend the money.
What specs should I look for in a gaming laptop?
Look out for a laptop with eighth generation Kaby Lake Intel Core i5 or i7 processors or better for great processing power. You should also check the processor count, looking for a quad core build. For a top graphics card you should look for the Nvidia GTX 1060 series or better, the latest being the Nvidia GTX 1080.
Screen quality is also a key part of gaming laptops. Most gaming laptops will feature a 15.6-inch screen, while some will have a 17-inch screen, although this obviously starts to hinder portability.
Many new gaming laptops are now marketed with Quad HD (QHD) and 4K displays. QHD screens have resolutions of 3,200 x 1,800 pixels while 4K screens have 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. While more pixels can add more detail and depth, it does also mean the laptop will need a more powerful graphics card, which comes at a price.
How much should I pay for a gaming laptop?
If you are happy to go for a cheaper gaming laptop you could pay between £800 and £1,000 for the latest processors and the latest generation of graphics cards. However at this price you will likely sacrifice top levels of storage, build and screen quality.
For between £1,000 and £1,500 you will want top i7 processors and one of the latest graphics cards. For more than £1,500 you will be looking for an elite machine with huge storage and display technology that pushes it far above the rest.
Then there are the ludicrous gaming beasts, such as Acer's 21-inch Predator laptop for almost $9,000.
Other key features:
- Screen size: The optimum size for a gaming laptop in portability and visuals is a 15.6-inch screen. Anything closer to 17 inches is likely to weigh more than 3kg, getting to the point where you are sacrificing portability.
- Weight: Almost all gaming laptops are heavy beasts weighing more than 2kg, with 17-inch models weighing more.
- Battery life: Gaming laptops are not known for their staying power and many will only last four or five hours on moderate use.
- Customisation: While some laptops on this list have cheaper entry level prices to get the performance claimed by the manufacturer you may have to upgrade the components. For example, while the Alienware 13 is rated as having the best OLED screen on a gaming laptop, you will have to pay extra for the upgrade.
The best gaming laptops
HP Omen 15
Screen: 15.6 inches
Weight: 2.2 Kg
Battery life: 5 hours average
An entry level gaming laptop, HP's Omen series offers several models with incrementally improved performance. The HP Omen starts with 8GB of RAM at £829, although with the £999 model you get an improved i7 quad core processor and 1TB of storage, in addition to its 128GB solid state drive (SSD).
It has fairly average battery life, although the manufacturer claims it can last up to 10 hours. This model is currently available with eight per cent off on HP's website and can come bundled with a gaming mouse and headphones for just over £925.
MSI GP72
Screen: 17.3 inches
Weight: 2.7kg
Battery life: up to 4 hours
MSI's range of gaming laptops come with huge options for customisation, although this is probably some of the best value you can get for a 17-inch gaming laptop that features the latest processing and graphics capabilities.
This MSI has a powerful Intel Core i7 processor with 8GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, although battery life is disappointing at under four hours. Inside is an Nvidia GTX 1050 graphics card. Its price is now just £849 on Amazon, making this MSI an excellent value buy for a 17-inch laptop.
Dell Inspiron 7000 Gaming
Screen: 15.6 inches
Weight: 2.65kg
Battery life: Up to 8 and a half hours
You really can't look further than Dell's entry level gaming laptops if you want quality for £1,000. The 7000 series has the power you will need to keep playing, and comes with great battery life for a gaming laptop. With a better than average battery life you could be gaming on the move far longer than most other gaming laptops.
The latest models now have Nvidia GTX 1050 graphics cards built-in, which will work well on games from Prey to Resident Evil 7. A 128GB solid state drive (SSD) provides quick storage access, plus it comes with a 1TB hard disk drive. This model has 16GB of RAM for just over £1,000.
Alienware 13
Screen: 13.3 inches
Weight: 2.6 kg
Battery life: average 6 hours, up to 10 hours
Nobody can miss this laptop with its imposing, space age design. Alienware's R3 range comes with a powerful i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a Nvidia GTX 1050 graphics card with 2GB GDDR5 for plenty of power.
But where this laptop stands out is its screen. While the entry level model will perform perfectly well and set you back £1,249, the top range design includes a stunning organic LED (OLED) display for true dark colours. It is a little smaller for added portability, but remains a heavy piece of kit.
Asus ROG Strix GL502VS
Screen: 15.6 inches
Weight: 2.2 Kg
Battery life: 4 hours
One of the big challenges of picking the right gaming laptop is the level of customisation on offer can be overwhelming. That is probably the biggest challenge when picking up one of Asus's excellent mid-range gaming laptops from its Republic of Gamers (ROG) series.
This ROG Strix stands out for its powerful Nvidia GTX 1070, with 16GB of RAM and a 512 SSD. There is plenty of connectivity on this thick laptop, with three USB 3.0 ports, ethernet connectivity, SD card reader and a USB C connector.
Razer Blade 2017
Screen: 14 inches
Weight: 1.88 kg
Battery life: Up to 7 hours
Razer's latest update to its Blade series is considered one of the best gaming laptops you can buy. With a 14-inch screen and a super slim weight, the new Blade is positively svelte by gaming laptop standards. It is one of the few gaming laptops to come with a highly detailed 4K screen.
It is still pricey for its top range i7 processors and GTX 1060 graphics card, and even more so if you want to add extra storage.
Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501
Screen: 15.6 inches
Weight: 3kg
Battery life: 2 hours
This Asus laptop combines a thin profile with incredible power, as a new generation of graphics cards create sleek new laptops. Of course this comes at a price, the Asus ROG Zephyrus has a particularly tiny battery life, under two hours even under moderate use. It has a stylish red, blue and green keyboard and a 15.6-inch screen with 120 Hz refresh speed.
This model comes with 16GB of RAM, the latest NVidia GTX 1080 8GB, plus it has a full brightly backlit keyboard. Ports include four USB ports and a USB-C, plus it's just 24mm thick.
Razer Blade Pro
Screen: 17.3 inches
Weight: 3.49 kg
Battery life: Up to 7 hours
For something even more elite, the Razer Blade Pro is the top generation in laptop gaming. It has hugely powerful seventh generation Intel Core i7-7820HK processors and the most advanced Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics card, a VR ready graphics card that blows the competition away. It comes with a 4K display for a stunning picture for high performance gaming and an outrageous 32GB of RAM.
Of course you will have to shell out £4,000 for this beast. At that price you could get an incredible home gaming desktop with a massive screen, so maybe save for that instead.
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