2021 Best Guide: Tips In Finding The Best Gaming Laptop
You don’t have to be a professional gamer to know which gaming laptop to pick. Yet, you need to learn a few essential tips to not get disappointed by your choice. If you are tight on budget, you can still get the best gaming laptop that fits you. If you are a beginner, then this is the best guide you can take in buying your first-ever gaming laptop.
Here are some of the essential considerations you should consider:
Portability
One of the initial concerns you need to consider in buying your gaming laptop is portability. But, that should not constraint its ability to play demanding games.
Traditionally, gaming laptops are bigger and heavier than regular ones. In general, it may amount to 17- or 18-inch screens. Those types have more powerful processors and have heavy-duty cooling systems.
Yet, if you love to move around and are always on the go, those types are not suitable for you. A lighter and smaller version must be the best fit for you. If so, you can check out medium-sized gaming laptops having 13-, 14-, or 15-inch screen displays. They are much easier to carry around wherever you go.
Graphics
Another consideration is the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). It is the heart of your gaming laptop. It accelerates the creation of images and transmits the signal to the monitor. This process can be a headache if you don’t have a dedicated video memory or VRAM for it. Hence, the GPU that you should get is a discrete one with its dedicated memory for at least 4G VRAM on average.
Display
Aside from the graphics and its display size, there are other more display-related factors you should never overlook. What is the use of having smooth frame rates and beautiful graphics if your laptop display is of extremely poor quality? To prevent this, here is a better guide for you:
Resolution
The first is the resolution. The least should be 1920 x 1080. Anything lesser than that is a poor quality display. But, you can always aim higher. QHD (2560 x 1440) or 4K (3840 x 2160) are becoming more popular nowadays. On the other side, these options may need higher costs. But then, you can always adjust it depending on the game you are playing.
Touch Screens
This detail is the only one that you can overlook. It is not much needed. Some gaming laptops offer broader touch-screen displays. However, this feature is unnecessary. It does not significantly affect the laptop’s battery life or its gaming performance. This is more a matter of preference.
Audio
When it comes to finding the best gaming laptop that fits you, audio is as important as visuals. While you can have your headset when in public, gaming with friends in private is another story. You surely want to have your speakers on and get a bark as loud as its bite.
Keyboards and Touchpads
One thing you should never overlook is the keyboard quality. Keys need to be not just looking nice but also feeling nice. It should offer top performance that can keep up with a rapid game. Here are some more detailed things you need to look for:
Key Travel
Key travel should have an average depth between 1.5 to 2 millimeters. If your budget allows you, anything closer or over 2 mm is a much better choice.
Actuation
The actuation force should be at least 65 to 70 grams. Keys below the cut-off tend to feel too soft. This may affect your gaming experience as it will slow down your performance.
Customization
For customization, keyboards with backlighting effects are the most popular trend this year. If you are tight on budget, a cheaper choice offers red or white backlighting. For better options, you can have RGB backlighting and other customizable lighting.
Anti-Ghosting
Anti-ghosting allows you to press several keys at once and have them all register. This is one of the most essential features for every gamer.
CPU and RAM
If GPU is the heart of your gaming laptop, then CPU is the brain of the operation. It generally handles everything that has nothing to do with graphics. It also affects all other applications on your laptop. This may include your non-gaming applications, browsers, OS, and more.
In picking the right CPU and RAM capacity, here are some tips:
- Choose Intel only.
- It should be at least 6th-Gen Core
- Core i5 is the bare least. It is the slowest CPU you can have.
- Go for quad-core and always avoid the dual-core. Quad-core CPUs have suffixes ending in HQ or HK. HK chips are the fastest speed and offer better gaming performance.
- Don’t settle for anything less than 8GB of RAM. Getting 16GB is a major plus if you can afford it.
Storage
For storage, you can pick between hard drives or SSDs. For most gamers, SSDs are much loved. If SSD is way out of your budget, it should have at least 1TB for your hard drive with 7200-rpm speed. Yet, it is always best to choose a configuration that has both an SSD and a hard drive.
Budget
In terms of practicality, you can have it for at least $1000. It might be surprising to learn what your $1000 might offer.
For a price range of at least $1000-$2000, you can have a quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU with at least 16GB of RAM and a 1080p display.
If you can afford a much higher budget, $2000-$3000 is an ideal budget. With that, you can find screen resolutions ranging from 1920 x 1080, 2560 x 1400, or 3840 x 2160
If your budget can go more beyond, then things can get crazy. A $3000 or more budget can get you a high-resolution display, custom paint job, and most of 64GB of RAM.
Your Best Buy
The best gaming laptop is not all about its powerful components, colorful designs, or premium prices. It is all about what fits and works best for you. Depending on your budget, lifestyle, and the type of game you play, factors may differ. The advice and tips mentioned above may help you decide. But, it is always your preference, and what is comfortable for you should prevail.
Reach me at: kadeeeartiaga@gmail.com
Visit my YouTube Channel at: Kade Artiaga — YouTube
