The world of PC gaming is ever-evolving, demanding ever-more powerful machines. But who wants to be chained to a desk? Gaming laptops offer the perfect blend of portability and performance, allowing you to dominate the battlefield from anywhere. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the best gaming laptops we’ve tested in 2024, catering to a variety of needs and budgets.
Conquer Any Battlefield: Top Gaming Laptops of 2024
Gone are the days when serious gaming was confined to bulky desktops. Today’s gaming laptops offer exceptional performance in a portable package, allowing you to dominate your favorite titles from anywhere. Whether you crave desktop-like power or prioritize portability, there’s a perfect gaming laptop waiting to unleash your inner champion.
The market boasts a wide array of options to suit diverse needs and budgets. Screen sizes range from compact 14-inch displays to immersive 18-inch behemoths. Graphics capabilities cater to a spectrum of resolutions and price points, with some starting under $1,000 and others exceeding the $5,000 mark. Top-tier models often boast dazzling RGB lighting, high refresh rate displays, and even mechanical keyboards for the ultimate tactile experience.
To empower your informed decision, we extensively test various gaming laptops throughout the year. We put them through their paces in popular titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Borderlands 3, meticulously assess their screen quality, measure battery life, and of course, experience them firsthand. Here, we unveil the best gaming laptops across different sizes, price ranges, and functionalities, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your gaming needs.
Best Gaming Laptops 2024
MSI Titan 18 HX: Currently the Best Gaming Laptop
- CPU: Intel Core i9-14900HX
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
- Display: 18-inch, 3840 x 2400, Mini-LED, 120 Hz
- Weight: 7.93 pounds (3.6 kg)
The MSI Titan GT77 HX pulls out all the stops, and for good reason – its hefty price tag of $5,399.99 puts it out of reach for most gamers (but fear not, budget-friendly options are coming!). This behemoth boasts a combination of top-tier specs, a stunning display, and a luxurious keyboard, making it a dream machine for those who can afford it.
Unleashing the Beast
The Titan GT77 HX packs a serious punch with an Intel Core i9-14900HX processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU. While performance gains over previous generations might be modest, the sheer power ensures smooth gameplay on even the most demanding titles. Adding to this is a staggering 128GB of RAM, a number that surpasses most gaming needs but would be a boon for video editors. The 4TB of SSD storage provides ample space for your entire game library and more.
While the 14th Gen Intel Core processor might not offer a revolutionary leap compared to its predecessor, the Titan 18 HX still shines in our benchmarks. It effortlessly handled games like Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing cranked up to the max.
A Typing and Gaming Oasis
MSI equips the Titan with a luxurious Cherry MX mechanical keyboard. The clicky keys offer a satisfying typing experience and enhance your in-game feel, although it’s a shame these premium switches aren’t used for the number pad and arrow keys.
The Star of the Show: The Display
The true crown jewel of the Titan GT77 HX is its 18-inch mini-LED display. This beauty boasts exceptional color reproduction, covering a whopping 112.4% of the DCI-P3 color gamut in our tests. Additionally, the display reaches an impressive brightness of 559 nits, making HDR games and movies truly come alive with stunning visuals.
Razer Blade 16: Best Slim Gaming Laptop
- CPU: Intel Core i9-14900HX
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
- Display: 18-inch, 3840 x 2400, Mini-LED, 120 Hz
- Weight: 5.4 pounds (2.45 kg)
For gamers who prioritize stunning visuals, the Razer Blade 16 is a force to be reckoned with. Its crown jewel is the optional Mini LED display, a technological marvel that offers the best of both worlds. With a single click, you can switch between a crisp Ultra HD+ resolution at a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, ideal for detailed immersion, or a lightning-fast Full HD+ panel with a buttery 240Hz refresh rate, perfect for competitive edge.
Internally, the Blade 16 houses the latest and greatest from Nvidia and Intel. This translates to powering through even the most demanding games at their highest settings with all the bells and whistles enabled. However, if the dual-mode display isn’t a priority, there are more budget-friendly (though still premium) configurations available.
A longstanding characteristic of Razer Blades – and something to consider – is their tendency to run hot, especially when paired with the powerful RTX 4090 graphics card. Opting for the RTX 4080 can shave off a significant $700, deliver near-identical performance in most cases, and potentially save your fingers from getting toasty.
Alienware m18 R2
- CPU: Intel Core i9-14900HX
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
- Display: 18-inch, 2560 x 1600, 165 Hz
- Weight: 8.63 pounds (3.91 kg)
While desktops reign supreme in terms of upgradeability, the Alienware m18 R2 pushes the boundaries for gaming laptops. Cracking open the chassis reveals a treasure trove of user-serviceable components – multiple M.2 SSD slots, readily accessible RAM modules, a replaceable Wi-Fi card, and even the battery. This level of customization ensures your machine can evolve alongside your gaming needs.
The m18 R2 boasts a sturdy build with an aluminum frame, although this contributes to its hefty weight. A true highlight is the optional Cherry MX low-profile mechanical keyboard. It provides a satisfying typing experience and enhances in-game control – a worthy $50 upgrade in our opinion. Unlike the MSI Titan, Alienware equips its mechanical keyboard across the entire key layout, including the number pad and arrow keys.
However, the m18 R2 isn’t without shortcomings. While the display is functional, it falls short of the brilliance offered by some OLED panels on the market. Additionally, the touchpad could benefit from a responsiveness upgrade, though most gamers will likely rely on an external mouse anyway.
Despite these minor drawbacks, the Alienware m18 R2 stands out with its impressive build quality, powerful performance, and user-friendly upgrade options, making it a compelling choice for gamers seeking a desktop replacement with a touch of future-proofing.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 8945 HS / intel i9
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, RTX 4070
- RAM: 16GB, 32GB
- Storage: 1TB
- Display: 14-inch OLED, 2880 x 1800, 120Hz, 400 nits
- Weight: 3.31 pounds
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 reigns supreme as the best-balanced gaming laptop available. It builds upon the strengths of the beloved 2023 model, offering a thin and light 14-inch design without sacrificing too much power or affordability.
This sweet spot translates to smooth gameplay. You can expect consistent 60 frames per second on ultra settings at the native resolution in most games, even with or without DLSS technology. The Zephyrus G14 avoids overheating thanks to its efficient design, ensuring comfortable gaming sessions. Battery life also shines at a reasonable 6.5 hours, powered by a 73Wh battery.
The 2024 refresh brings welcome improvements. Asus equips the G14 with a cutting-edge Ryzen 9 8000 series processor, ensuring top-notch performance. The display receives a noticeable upgrade – transitioning from an IPS panel to a stunning high-resolution OLED screen. Configurations now offer a whopping 32GB of memory, and every model boasts a spacious 1TB SSD for all your game storage needs. Asus even reintroduces lighting on the lid, albeit a sleek diagonal LED strip instead of the previous dot matrix.
For budget-conscious gamers, the RTX 4060 Zephyrus G14 offers significant savings (up to $500) while maintaining the exceptional build quality and display. While it comes with half the memory, the performance difference compared to the RTX 4070 version hovers around 10% at 1080p resolution with ultra settings.
While competitors like the Razer Blade 14 boast a slightly higher refresh rate screen and RAM upgradability, they fall short in key areas. The Razer Blade 14 suffers from underwhelming battery life (barely reaching 4 hours), utilizes a more basic IPS display lacking G-Sync and HDR support, and carries a hefty price tag that can be $700 more expensive.
The RTX 4070 Zephyrus G14 strikes the perfect balance between price, performance, portability, and features. It delivers exceptional value for gamers seeking a powerful yet portable machine without breaking the bank. In essence, the Zephyrus G14 is the best all-around gaming laptop you can buy today.