You want a powerful gaming computer, right? Sure, a rigorous machine that can handle any game at max settings, outperforming the latest consoles would be cheaper to build. But that’s a daunting, and frankly unnecessary, task for anyone more interested in playing games than tinkering with hardware.
A gaming laptop is exactly what you want when you want it. You don’t have to replace parts individually when one is acting up; in fact, you don’t even have to buy a monitor, a mouse or a keyboard. Your entire gaming setup is immediately is joined into a single device, free to travel wherever you do.
For a decent gaming notebook, you’re looking at an expenditure around $1,000 (around £800, AU$1,400) minimum. To experience the best PC games at the highest resolutions and frame rates, you can expect to fork over significantly more. That’s assuming, though, that the games are optimized for the hardware of your choosing.
Fortunate, the barrier of entry for high-end gaming is getting lower. The system requirements for VR have dropped significantly since the launch of the Rift while VR-ready graphics cards like the GTX 1060 cost but a fraction of their last-gen equivalents.
In this article, we’ve delivered our impressions on the 10 best gaming laptops spanning various brands and budgets. These are the best gaming laptops you can buy in 2017. Not one is perfect, but each entry on this tidily upheld list is high-specced and ready to conquer the hell out of your crowded Steam library.
1. Asus ROG Strix GL502
It's hard not to love a gaming laptop this good
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 - 1070 | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Screen: 15.6-inch full HD 1,920 x 1,080 IPS | Storage: 128GB - 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD
- Rocks Full HD gaming
- Deliciously vibrant screen
- Middling battery life
The Asus Strix GL502 may not boast the most innovative design, swapping out the usual black and red color scheme for one that makes it feel like Halloween year-round. But, it's undoubtedly one of the best when it comes to gaming in 1080p. In fact, we were able to crank the settings all the way up in Overwatch without taking a hit below 60fps. The battery life is janky, sure, but the screen, performance and onboard sound system more than make up for it.
Alienware 13 R3
2. Alienware 13 R3
Gawk at the first-ever OLED gaming laptop
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB DDR4 | Screen: 13.3-inch HD 1,366 x 768 TN – QHD 2,560 x 1440 OLED touchscreen | Storage: 180GB – 512GB SSD
- Gorgeous OLED screen
- Improved hinge-forward design
- Unexpectedly dense
- Short battery life
Unlike most laptops its size, the Alienware 13 R3 bears a hinge-forward design. By moving the heatsinks usually located beneath the keyboard to a distinct bulge that projects outward behind the screen, it allows for a thinner, 0.81-inch (0.22cm) chassis. Unfortunately, this means you won’t find many 13-inch laptop bags that will actually suit the Alienware 13 R3; rather you’ll likely have to opt for a 15-inch carrier. The real draw, however, isn’t the Alienware 13 R3’s protruding appendage or even its impressive quad-core, H-class CPU. While you may be tempted by the inclusion of a full-size Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, it’s the OLED touch display that caught our attention. The flavorful color gamut puts practically every other laptop on the market to shame.
HP Omen 17
A premium desktop replacement sans the premium cost
CPU: 6th gen Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5); Intel HD Graphics 530 | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Screen: 17.3-inch 4K (3,840 x 2,160) IPS with G-Sync | Storage: 1TB - 2TB HDD, 128GB SSD
- Affordable price
- 4K, G-Sync Display
- Plastic-y build
- Large physical size
Like the GameCube of laptops, the HP Omen 17 has the build quality of a children’s toy. However, when you see what it can do, you’ll wonder why it didn’t cost more. At 7 pounds, you’ll have to forgive the weight of the HP Omen 17 if you want to benefit from its 17-inch Quad-HD display. Of course, although the GTX 1070 is more of a 1440p performer than a 4K one, you can still expect a consistent 30 fps in games like The Division at the highest graphical settings. Overall, the HP Omen 17 is HP’s Gigabyte P57X equivalent, but with Bang & Olufsen speakers that might tip you over the edge.
4. Gigabyte Aero 14
An Ultrabook that’s first-rate in performance and value
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5) | RAM: 16GB – 32GB | Screen: 14-inch, QHD 2,560 x 1,440 anti-glare IPS | Storage: 512GB – 1TB SSD
- Lightweight and thin design
- Competitively priced
- Battery life under-delivers
- Loaded with bloatware
Donning a 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia Pascal-series GPU and a screen resolution that soars above 1080p, this laptop is more affordable than a comparably specced Razer Blade or Alienware 13 R3. At the same time, it neglects to compromise in terms of portability and performance. This is a laptop, for instance, that weighs a mere 4.17 pounds (1.89kg) and measures in at 0.78 inches thin, undeniably a feat for a gaming machine. Factor in the 3 hour and 38 minute PCMark 8 battery test and 190-degree hinge, and it’s easy to see why the Gigabyte Aero 14 made the cut.
5. Razer Blade
A gaming-ready MacBook Pro rival
CPU: 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5 VRAM) | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 14-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) IGZO (LED backlit, multi-touch) | Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe SSD
- Impressive battery life
- Thunderbolt 3 a smart add
- Fans whir loudly under load
- Limited upgrade options
For many gamers, Ultrabook is a four-letter word, but it doesn't have to be. The first time you get your hands on a Razer Blade, you'll be looking at a battery life of 3 hours and 35 minutes in-game (or six hours of non-stop video). While you could argue it does skimp as far as graphics are concerned, with the help of a Razer Core external GPU enclosure, you can strap an Nvidia Titan X inside if you want.
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