Combining portability and performance, gaming laptops are perfect for PC gamers seeking a little more flexibility in their setup, ensuring they’re ready to tackle the best PC games from just about anywhere. Our top choice right now is the beastly Razer Blade 14 with its impressive processors and stunning display, but whether you’re after more modest rigs for wallet-friendly prices or big screens with high-end internals, we’ve found a gaming laptop for you.
Jump to detailed looks at our picks for the best gaming laptops, or just see the shopping list below:
TL;DR – These are the Best Gaming Laptops
From a powerful CPU and graphics card to efficient cooling and sleek design, these are all the hallmark features of the best gaming laptops. Grabbing an option with a bigger screen and beefier components like the Origin EON17-X even makes them viable replacements for some of the best gaming PCs. However, cramming all that top-of-line hardware into a compact chassis gets expensive, so be prepared to shell out extra cash for these highly capable, mobile rigs.
To help you on your hunt, we’ve battle-tested and researched a range of gaming laptops. Take a look at our nine top contenders for 2024 so far – and go here to find them in the UK.
Looking for discounts on laptops like these? Check out our guide to the best gaming laptop deals.
The Best Gaming Laptops Right Now
1. Razer Blade 14
Best Gaming Laptop
Razer’s latest model of the Blade 14 is an all-around stunner, thanks to its sleek build that packs in powerful internals to cruise through any game elevating the laptop to Ultrabook status. With one of the latest CPUs and graphics card—an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor and RTX 4070 GPU—you’ll be good to play even some of the most demanding games with the highest settings at the display’s native resolution of 2,560 x 1,600. Even when playing with that hardware, the battery manages to outlast most other gaming laptops, which is a boon considering the clunky charger you’d have to tote around otherwise.
The Razer Blade weighs around four pounds and is only 0.7 inches thick, similar to the MacBook Pro 14-inch. The 240 Hz QHD+ display is slightly taller than your typical screen, with a 16:10 aspect ratio that could take some getting used to. And even if you opt for a model with less powerful internals, you still get that gorgeous display. Rounding out this solid gaming laptop is a responsive keyboard with per-key RGB lighting, great-sounding speakers, a large trackpad, and ample ports.
2. Gigabyte Aorus 15
Best Budget Gaming Laptop
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a great budget gaming laptop, but Gigabyte delivers with the Aorus 15, leaving you money left over to score some of the best game deals. For under $1,500, you get a spiffy setup complete with a 13th gen Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics. On top of capable processors, it’s packing 16GB of memory to keep you cruising through games and tasks, even with loads of open tabs.
Just because you’re getting some top-notch components doesn’t mean you’ll be sacrificing elsewhere. The Gigabyte Aorus 15 is equipped with a crisp 15.6-inch QHD screen boasting a 165Hz refresh rate for butter smooth action, while there’s a wealth of connectivity options, including a Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, and Mini DP 1.4. If you’re looking to play competitive online titles like Apex Legends and Overwatch, the Wi-Fi 6E support will be appreciated, and this machine is ready to take on indie games and smaller single-player experiences, too. That makes the Gigabyte Aorus 15 one of the best gaming PC deals around.
3. Lenovo Legion 9i
Best High-End Gaming Laptop
The Lenovo Legion 9i is a laptop like no other, with integrated liquid cooling, a unique carbon pattern, eye-popping RGBs, and next-gen features that will push your gameplay further than before. Packed with a minimum of 32GB of DDR5 RAM, Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, and a 14th-gen Intel i9 CPU, you can play the latest AAA titles with ease.
And what would a gaming laptop be without stunning RGBs? The Legion 9i’s system-wide RGBs react to games, music, and movies. Fully immerse yourself and feel reassured that Legion’s liquid cooling system will kick in at 180 degrees Fahrenheit. To further cool things down, the laptop comes with a triple falcon fan design and gravity assist. Legion says it’s the first gaming laptop with built-in liquid cooling, and we love it!
4. (CURRENTLY OUT OF STOCK) Alienware m16
Best 16-inch Gaming Laptop
Although currently out of stock at major retailers at the moment (as of April 23rd, 2024), if you care about the laptop size being 16 inches, this is the primary 16-inch laptop we’d recommend you check back on. Why? The Alienware m16 is a beast of a machine in more ways than one, as it features some impressive internals and weighs over seven pounds. Though hefty, this 16-inch gaming laptop is still portable and ready to power a brilliant QHD+ display. Games can run at over 240fps at full resolution, while G-Sync is loaded in to ensure some stutter-free, butter-smooth gameplay, keeping you immersed in the action.
Now, you’re probably wondering what’s powering that display, and this rig has a 13th Gen Intel Core i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU combined with 16GB DDR5 RAM, letting it tackle just about any game with ease. And, Alienware places a focus on cooling, so it overengineered the thermals with large vapor cooling chambers, a custom Element 31 thermal paste, seven heat pipes, five vents, and four cooling fans. That makes it easy for this laptop to overclock the 24-core processor and push the GPU to operate at 240W without throttling.
5. Origin EON17-X
Best 17-inch Gaming Laptop
The Origin EON17-X places a stunning 17.3-inch IPS screen with a 4K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate in front of you. But the question is, can it handle those high frame rates in your favorite games? Luckily, its 24-core Intel Core i9-13900HX processor and Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics that feature DLSS and Frame Generation all but ensure an unbelievable performance in games, 3D rendering, or video editing. Add in up to 64GB of memory and 24TB of storage, and there’s almost nothing this PC can’t chew through.
Given those beastly specs, the Origin EON17-X draws a good deal of power, so you’ll have to get used to the noisy fans when pushing it to the extreme. Fitting in all those components means this laptop is on the bulkier side, weighing 7.25 pounds and measuring 0.98 inches thick. Its battery life is also nothing to rave about, making this rig more of a desktop replacement rather than a great travel companion. Overall, it’s a great 17-inch laptop you can buy in 2024.
6. Razer Blade 18
Best 18-inch Gaming Laptop
Having a thin-and-light laptop is nice, but for a true desktop replacement, the Razer Blade 18 is hard to beat. This 18-inch option packs a 13th gen Intel Core i9 processor paired with an equally impressive Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card that can chew through just about any task without breaking a sweat, including gaming and editing. Combining those processors with 32GB DDR5 memory and 2TB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage only further solidifies its ability.
Clearly, the Razer Blade 18 is packing all the power needed to take advantage of its QHD+ display with a 240Hz refresh rate featuring G-Sync. Its IPS panel is bright and vibrant, covering 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, while the large screen size means you’ll probably never feel the need to hook up a gaming monitor. However, if you have the urge to add some additional screen real estate or other peripherals like the best PC controllers or gaming headset to this laptop, it has Bluetooth 5.3 support and is packed to the brim with well-spaced ports, including three USB-A, a USB-C, a Thunderbolt 4, a HDMI 2.1, and a UHS-II SD card reader.
7. Acer Predator Helios 16
Best Desktop Replacement Gaming Laptop
Looking for the performance prowess of the best gaming PCs but in a portable form factor? The Acer Predator Helios 16 is the rig for you. With Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics, a 13th gen Intel i9 processor, and 16GB of expandable RAM, it’s powerful enough to cruise through all your favorite games at the highest settings. And we mean high settings, as its brilliant 2560x1600p 16-inch IPS display can hit frames up to 240Hz and has G-Sync support baked in to ensure you don’t experience any stuttering or tearing.
Given the impressive processors and crisp, bright screen, this laptop needs a robust cooling system to avoid performance drops. Luckily, Acer didn’t miss a beat, designing a roomy chassis with ample fans that keep the temperature down even when playing the most demanding games—though those fans can get noisy. That does mean the Predator Helios 16 is bit clunky, but those extra dimensions give the laptop space for tons of ports to hook up peripherals.
8. Asus ROG Flow Z13
Best Gaming Tablet
You probably think any tablet that you grab isn’t going to the powerful gaming rig, but the Asus ROG Flow Z13 might just change your mind. Sure, it doesn’t have as much gaming prowess as some of the other options on our list, however, that’s made up for in extreme portability. You get a device weighing slight over 2.5 pounds with a 13.4-inch full HD display that totes a 120Hz refresh rate All you have to do is kick out the kickstand, pair a great phone controller or travel keyboard, and you’re free to game while lounging on the couch, laying in bed, or wherever else you choose.
This portable slate pairs an Intel Core i9 CPU with Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti graphics to let you play AAA and indie games almost anywhere. And if you’re looking for a bit more power, you can also opt to buy the Asus’ eGPU module, the XG Mobile that packs up to an Nvidia RTX 3080 for a serious graphical bump at your gaming desk. Between, the Asus ROG Flow Z13’s function as a true gaming tablet and support for external graphics, this is one of the most versatile 2-in-1 gaming laptops around.
9. Acer Chromebook 516 GE
Best Gaming Chromebook
Chromebooks have come a long way from their simple, affordable roots, as some are now highly capable workhorses that can even handle gaming. The best example of that endurance and stellar performance is the budget-friendly Acer Chromebook 516 GE with its 12th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU that totes 12 cores and 16 threads alongside 8GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage. Unfortunately, you get an integrated graphics card to help keep the price lower, but its other internals allows this laptop to cruise through your favorite titles while cloud gaming.
All that good under the hood pairs well with the Acer Chromebook 516 GE’s 16-inch WQXGA display featuring a 120Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB coverage for smooth and vibrant graphics. Though, unlike many Chromebooks, it isn’t a touchscreen. However, you get multi-zone RGB lighting and anti-ghosting on the keyboard, which most gamers will appreciate, while everything is housed inside a lightweight, sturdy chassis for optimal portability.
Make sure you check out our laptop vs chromebook comparison for more details.
Where to Get the Best Gaming Laptops in the UK
We’ve managed to find the vast majority of very best gaming laptops available in the UK, with all our favourites ready and available to buy from retailers such as Amazon, while other brands can be found elsewhere such as Dell, Currys PC World, or Scan.
Shopping Tips: What to Look for in a Gaming Laptop
Gaming laptops have come a long way in relatively little time. Power, portability, and price have all seen dramatic improvements in just the last 5 years, and somehow gaming laptops are getting thinner and adding even more features.
Portability
The first thing you’ll want to ask yourself is where will you be taking this gaming laptop? If you imagine yourself taking it out every day, you’ll want something portable, such as a 15-incher or something smaller. Users who just want a laptop to live at home as more of a desktop replacement should go for a 17-inch rig or bigger for the larger screen size and greater power.
The portability is a huge advantage, as is a ready-to-go display, often equipped with variable refresh rate technology or better-than-HD resolutions.
Power
The newest gaming laptops come equipped with the latest Nvidia RTX or Radeon RX graphics chips. These mobile chips are nearly as capable as their desktop version, plus they support the latest ray tracing and DLSS technologies. Choosing the latest processor isn’t quite as necessary, but it’s nice to have.
When shopping for a gaming laptop be sure the Intel processor has a model number of Intel Core ix-13xxxH (i.e. Intel Core i7-13700H or Intel Core i9-13900H). This denotes it’s one of Team Blue’s Raptor Lake H-series processors. Also, be on the look out for Intel’s latests 14th gen processors. If the gaming laptop you’re eying has an AMD processor, ensure its model number has a six or seven at the start of it—such as AMD Ryzen 7 6900HS—as it lets you know it’s one of AMD’s latest 6000-series or 7000-series processors.
Price
If you’re set on a gaming laptop and just need to decide which one to get under a certain price point, then your choices will be narrowed down based on your maximum budget. If that’s you, you’ll probably want to explore our full list of cheap gaming laptops we’d recommend instead, but here’s our top budget pick right now:
Most gaming laptops are only as portable as the nearest electrical outlet. All that power comes at a price, though. After all, there are a few exceptions like our top choice, but the general rule of thumb in gaming laptops is their battery life stinks.
Another consideration when choosing a gaming laptop versus a gaming desktop is its price. It costs quite a bit more to stuff all those components (i.e. the built-in trackpad, keyboard, speakers, and display) into an easy-to-carry shell.
From our experience, it’s always better to stick with the least amount of memory and storage on checkout, and then upgrade it yourself with higher capacity components that are much cheaper to buy on their own. A 1TB SSD might sound tempting as it’ll help get your system boot instantly and store all your games, but a high-end upgrade like that can often cost half or a quarter as much as the whole machine.
However, upgrading leads directly to another consideration, how easy it to swap out components. Whereas it’s usually a snap to add or replace a component in your desktop rig, upgrading anything in your gaming laptop, other than RAM, will often mean having to buy a whole new computer.
Gaming Laptop FAQ
Should You Buy a Gaming Laptop or a Gaming PC?
In most cases, a gaming desktop is the better choice. Gaming desktops provide more bang for your buck, are less expensive to upgrade and repair, and last longer before they go obsolete. However, if you’re looking for portability, then a gaming laptop is certainly your best bet. See our guide to gaming PCs vs. gaming laptops for more info.
When Is the Best Time to Buy a Gaming Laptop?
A gaming laptop is an expensives purchase, but there are a few times throughout the year where you can find some really good discounts on these devices. The most obvious times are Black Friday, Cyber Monday and in the summer for all the back-to-school sales. For more details, see our advice on the best time to buy a laptop.
Should You Buy a Steam Deck or a Gaming Laptop?
One of the biggest advantages to a gaming laptop over a gaming PC is that it offers portability. Which is also the greatest advantage of the Steam Deck over a gaming laptop. Gaming handhelds are portable and have enough power to run just about any PC game you need to. Check out our guide on the Steam Deck vs. gaming laptops for a deeper analysis or checkout some of the best handheld gaming PCs.
Are MacBooks Good for Gaming?
Don’t get us wrong, MacBooks are exceptional laptops that excel in many areas, but gaming isn’t one of them—at least not yet. Apple simply hasn’t designed its devices for this purpose, with many of its most powerful Pro models focused on professional and creative use. That being said, the Apple-developed silicon in these machines is mighty powerful and graphically capable of handling many gaming titles. However, you can’t easily make upgrades like PC gaming laptops allow for.
While you can play some games on a Mac, one of the biggest drawbacks to MacBook gaming is MacOS’ lack of support for many of the most popular gaming titles, which often run on the Windows platform. Apple has introduced a porting toolkit to bring more PC games to Mac, and a new “Game Mode” on MacOS Sonoma. It’s clear Apple is making strides in the gaming world, but at the present moment, there’s a ways to go before MacBooks become a go-to portable gaming option.
Do You Need a Laptop Cooling Pad?
Many modern gaming laptops come with ample cooling solutions baked into the chassis. But given their much smaller form factor than traditional desktop gaming PCs, thermal throttling can occasionally be an issue. If you are experiencing a downgrade in performance or your device seems a little too hot to the touch, a laptop cooling pad could be a simple, affordable solution. Laptop cooling pads often feature fans and ventilation slots or mesh for better airflow than when your laptop rests on a gaming desk or your lap, helping to ensure your device is working to its full potential and can even increase its longevity. If you’re looking to keep your gaming laptop cool on the cheap, the Havit HV-2056 is an excellent option.
For more helpful guides, be sure to check out our guide to the best gaming accessories, best gaming chairs, and the best gaming mouse.
Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.
Image Credit: Annalee Tsujino is a multi disciplinary designer and illustrator. Check them out on Instagram @antsu_illustrations.
