Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-54-76DE)
In second place in our ranking of the best gaming laptops under $1,000 is the Acer Nitro 5. The hardware is powered by a 7th generation Intel processor with the 9750H index. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti video card with 6 GB of memory. By default, it is sold with 8 GB of RAM. We recommend replacing it with two 16 GB sticks to fully unlock the potential of a good gaming laptop.
When working with browsers and undemanding games, the noise of the coolers is practically inaudible. If you run a serious game on “ultra” settings, for example Metro Exodus or Doom Eternal, be prepared for the noise to be quite noticeable.
Pros:
- 4 cooler operating modes;
- 2021 games are going ultra;
- cool keyboard backlight.
Minuses:
- no card reader.
Asus TUF Gaming TUF505 (TUF505DU-EB74)
In third place is the Asus model built on the basis of a 4-core 8-thread AMD Ryzen 7 3750H. The latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with 6 GB of memory is installed as a video card. The manufacturer is equipped with a one terabyte hard drive and a fast 256 GB SSD. The screen with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 and a diagonal of 15.6 inches completely immerses you in what is happening on the screen. The screen refresh rate is 120 Hz, which makes it comfortable to play shooters.
The appearance of the laptop immediately makes it clear that this is a gaming solution; the red inserts on the black body look amazing. The WASD buttons are highlighted against the background of the three-level brightness of the keyboard backlight. The connection interfaces are standard for a gaming laptop: HDMI, 3 USB, Ethernet port and 3.5 audio jack.
Pros:
- two USB 3.1 and Wi-Fi standard 802.11ac;
- Overstroke technology for the keyboard;
- appearance.
Minuses:
- difficult to find in Russia.
How to choose a gaming laptop: basic parameters
When choosing a good laptop for gaming, there are a number of important aspects to consider that represent the technical characteristics of the “machine”. It is these parameters that determine how fast and powerful the computer will be, which directly affects the comfort of the gaming process.
Processor and RAM
The presence of a powerful processor is the key to fast and uninterrupted operation of the computer even under increased loads. There are currently two major players in the computer technology market, specializing in the production of “stones” and chips, these are Intel and AMD.
It is impossible to say for sure which processor is the best, since each manufacturer has its own successful and unsuccessful models. It should only be noted that a budget gaming laptop of 2021 must have at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD A10 on board.
For your information!
You should pay attention to the labeling of processors. The spread of ultrabooks has led to the fact that processors designed for them began to penetrate the gaming segment. It’s easy to identify such a “stone” - at the end of its name there will be a letter U, for example, Intel Core i7-4500U. This will mean less actual power than the regular model.
You should not even consider buying a laptop that is equipped with processors from the Intel Atom, Celeron, Pentium or Core i3 series. All these models are designed for office PCs and are not capable of handling powerful games. You also need to be careful when choosing a chip from AMD. Some sellers are trying to sell laptops equipped with mobile processors from this manufacturer (AMD A10-5750M) under the guise of a cheap laptop for gaming. In terms of power, this “stone” is between Core i3 and Core i5 and will not be able to provide the necessary power reserve for modern games.
The second indicator to buy an inexpensive gaming laptop is the amount of RAM. Below 4 GB indicates that the buyer is looking at ordinary office equipment. The size of RAM affects your computer's ability to run a large number of open applications at the same time.
Modern gaming systems are very sensitive to this parameter, and some games have 8 GB of RAM as a minimum system requirement. The optimal figure is 16 Gigabytes. You should also consider the type of memory. The best gaming laptop should work with DDR4 or DDR3 levels; anything lower remains “overboard”.
Video card and hard drive
The graphics card in a gaming laptop should not be integrated or built into the motherboard. This will mean that the stock GPU simply cannot cope with the demands of the game.
Among video card manufacturers, two major players should also be highlighted: NVIDIA and AMD. The first produces models called GeForce. When choosing, you should pay attention to two things:
- the presence of a GTX prefix, which means the gaming “color” of the graphics processor;
- model number. Everything is simple here - the higher the number, the newer and, accordingly, more powerful the card.
For your information!
Separately, it should be noted a new line of gaming products from this manufacturer, which are codenamed Quadro. These are video cards of increased power, with advanced technical characteristics, but also a high price.
NVIDIA is considered a leader in the production of graphics accelerators for both desktop PCs and laptops.
The second manufacturer AMD labels cards in a similar way: family comes first, then ? generation, version and model. The most budget video card at the moment is the Radeon 8870M. And the best option, if the choice is made in favor of AMD, will be the Radeon R9 M290X.
The hard drive is not a determining factor when choosing a gaming laptop. It should be noted that 500 GB is enough to install any modern game. Finding laptops with a smaller capacity in stores is already difficult.
The only trick when choosing a hard drive is to focus on purchasing a model with an SSD drive. This is a solid state drive that has no moving parts and provides faster data transfer speeds. Despite the inflated price, they are able to provide the most comfortable conditions for playing.
An SSD, or solid state drive, provides high data transfer speeds and no noise.
Display dimensions of a good gaming laptop
The screen dimensions of modern laptops have the following standards:
- small format ? with a diagonal from 10 to 13 inches;
- medium format ? where this indicator varies from 14 to 16”;
- large format ? have a diagonal of over 17 inches.
Choosing a specific size is a subjective matter, but playing on a small screen is less comfortable. For large sizes, appropriate permission is required.
The traditional figure for modern laptops is 1366×768 pixels. For a gaming laptop it cannot be smaller, only larger. There is also a division by matrix type. Real gamers prefer the cheaper TN model, which has a faster response time, which ensures no blur in dynamic scenes.
For your information!
Another indicator that concerns the screen is its coverage. For games, it is better to choose gloss, which provides increased color brightness and richness of the palette, which is important in the gaming process.
The larger the screen with sufficient resolution, the more comfortable the gaming experience.
operating system
Here the choice will depend on the user’s ability to install the OS themselves. Stores offer laptop models without a pre-installed operating system, which allows you to save some money. If the buyer is not ready to bother with installing the shell himself, then it is better to choose a laptop with a ready-made OS. At least you don’t have to worry about its licensing.
When choosing a laptop for gaming, pay attention to the following parameters
- Central processor . Should have maximum performance, today this is a line of Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processors. If you need a gaming laptop, but at a more budget price, pay attention to Intel Core i5 and AMD Ryzen 5. The performance level is lower, but enough for comfortable gaming a decent supply.
- Video card . Modern gameplay relies entirely on the video card, always loading at 100%. The leaders in mobile graphics cards are the nVidia GTX 1660 Ti and nVidia RTX 2080, guaranteeing performance at the highest level.
- RAM . A modern game requires a minimum of 8GB of RAM, but for a gaming laptop, 16GB is the gold standard. If you are buying a laptop with an eye toward a future upgrade, choose models with two slots for RAM, expandable up to 32 GB.
Best Top Gaming Laptops
The most expensive and extremely powerful models for true gaming fans or those who need a laptop with exceptional performance.
MSI GT75
4.9
★★★★★
editorial assessment
95%
buyers recommend this product
See review▶
The crown model from MSI is sold with two types of 17.3-inch displays: Full HD and 4K. The laptop’s enormous performance is enough for comfortable gaming even in ultra-high resolution.
In addition to the most powerful components, the GT75 will delight fans of the bright, aggressive “gaming” design characteristic of devices from this manufacturer. The keyboard is considered one of the most comfortable among all laptops and has a beautiful RGB backlight.
The weak point of the laptop is typical for powerful portable computers - it is a short operating time. To save charge, the device is equipped with a special SHIFT function, which, if necessary, switches it to energy-saving mode.
Another interesting application is App Player, which allows you to run mobile games on your laptop.
Pros:
- First-class performance.
- Bright display in two versions: Full HD or 4K.
- Ergonomic keyboard.
- Great sound.
- USB-C port.
Minuses:
- Exorbitant price.
- Short operating time.
The most powerful MSI model has all the advantages and disadvantages of a top-class gaming laptop. But connoisseurs of gaming bells and whistles and high performance will be forced to pay a high price for this device and endure its extremely short operating time without recharging.
Razer Blade Pro 17
4.9
★★★★★
editorial assessment
93%
buyers recommend this product
A very good gaming laptop, its performance and stylish appearance are quite suitable for professionals.
Like other high-end models, the Pro 17 is equipped with the latest components, including RTX graphics cards with Max-Q technology, an Intel processor, very fast SSDs and an efficient cooling system.
The laptop's 17.3-inch Full HD display provides clear, highly detailed images and has a gaming refresh rate of 144 Hz. The body of the device is made of aluminum and has an impressive appearance.
A number of connectors are provided for connecting peripherals, including USB-3.2 ports and universal Thunderbolt 3.
A comfortable laptop keyboard can be very finely customized by the user. In addition to the color of each key, you can easily change its functionality.
The operating time is slightly above average for most top-end models, but still short - about three and a half hours.
Pros:
- Maximum performance.
- Slim and stylish body.
- Great sound.
- Efficient cooling system.
Minuses:
- Very high price.
- Not too long a battery life.
A stunningly stylish and thin laptop that delivers remarkable performance and is suitable not only for gaming, but also as a work machine for creative people.
Dell Alienware Area-51m
4.8
★★★★★
editorial assessment
90%
buyers recommend this product
The world's most powerful laptop now outperforms the vast majority of desktop computers and is ready to easily replace them.
An eight-core Intel Core i9 processor, a full-fledged GTX 2080 graphics card, more than 32 GB of RAM and capacious storage provide fantastic performance in the maximum configuration.
When the user is doing simple work that does not require serious power, Nvidia's Optimus feature automatically turns on the integrated UHD 630 graphics card, disabling the discrete one.
The laptop has a magnificent 17.3-inch Full-HD screen with an IPS matrix, which has excellent color reproduction, a high refresh rate and supports G-Sync technology.
To connect peripheral devices, the laptop body has a sufficient number of ports, including USB-3.1 and Thunderbolt 3.
There is also the ability, rare for laptops, to completely upgrade laptop components, including the processor and graphics card.
However, the model has two serious disadvantages that can push even advanced gamers away from it: poor battery life and an exorbitant price.
Pros:
- Gigantic productivity.
- Fast SSD drives.
- Display with a frequency of 144 Hz.
- Possibility of updating components.
- Gorgeous futuristic design.
- Comfortable keyboard.
Minuses:
- Extremely expensive.
- Very short operating time without power.
This monstrous top-class gaming laptop is comparable in performance to a powerful desktop computer.
For some users, this is enough to cover the shortcomings of the device, but most will prefer more portable and affordable options.
