Although you may think it is easy, deciding on the right gaming laptop to get can be a pretty challenging task. Most gamers buy laptops that don’t have the proper gaming specifications for them. Salespersons more often than not convince gamers to buy outdated or non-gaming laptops. Gamers get frustrated further, forcing them to spend the extra money they didn’t intend to spend.
So what do you need to think about before getting a suitable gaming laptop? There are seven main things to check, and they are listed below.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
The Graphics Processing Unit, GPU for short, is the most important thing you should look out for when you want to buy a gaming laptop. This is the piece of technology that allows a computer to support modern games. It provides the graphics power needed to the computer so it can meet the requirements of a game. The most common GPUs are:
Nvidia
These GPUs are mighty, and they boast of one of the best graphic cards in the world presently. Some examples of Nvidia graphic cards include RTX 30-series cards and the RTX 3080.
AMD
Although laptop developers use Nvidia more commonly, AMD is a force to reckon with in the GPU market. Some examples include the RX 5700M and RX 5600M.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
GPUs carry a fair amount of the gaming load, but several other parts are responsible for seamless gameplay. One of these components is the RAM. If you are looking to play entry-level games, you can purchase an 8GB RAM laptop.
However, if you’re looking to play more modern and heavily-featured games, you would need a bigger RAM size. For example, the matebook 13 2020 is a laptop that came out last year. It comes with 16GB RAM and an Nvidia GeForce MX250 GPU. These features allow it to play most games without a hitch.
Central Processing Unit(CPU)
CPU is one of those components that contribute to fast and problem-free gameplay. The most modern CPUs are the i7 and i9 CPUs.
If you’re playing a more entry-level game, then you can go for a Core i5 laptop. You should know that Core i3 rarely plays games perfectly. Even if they do, they are likely to overheat and cause internal issues to the computer. Thus, if you want to play games seamlessly, it is recommended you don’t go below a laptop with a Core i5 CPU.
Storage
When it comes to storage, there are two factors you have to consider. These are:
Hard disk type
There are a couple of hard disks, namely SSD and HDD. In terms of speed, an SSD is faster than the latter. However, it is also quite expensive and harder to find compared to the HDD. If you can afford to spend a little more money, you should go for an SSD drive to decrease loading times.
Size
Generally, SSD storage spaces are smaller than HDD. Unfortunately, modern games command large sizes. You would only be able to install roughly three games on a 250GB SSD. The 750GB HDD, which approximately costs the same price as the 250GB SSD, would be able to house at least nine games. In the end, it’s a choice you would have to make between speed and space.
Display
Although people think a laptop’s display is less critical than other factors, you should not overlook it because it can make all the difference. Some things you should consider when choosing your display are:
Size
The most common gaming laptops sport a display of 15-17 inches. Some go even smaller or more significant than that, and it’s up to you to determine your display preference. As a suggestion, you should not go for laptops smaller than 13 inches or bigger than 20. Smaller laptops are unlikely to capture the game’s dimensions fully, and bigger ones will be bulky to carry.
Resolution
You should never go for a display that offers less than 1920 * 1080. Most games require at least a 4K (3840 *2160) screen for you to enjoy it fully.
Keyboard
Before you get a keyboard, make sure it is easy to the touch. No matter how beautiful your gaming laptop choice is, it wouldn’t be handy if you can’t operate it fully. You must also consider essential travel, actuation, and other keyboard features before deciding what you want.
Battery life
Many laptops offer at least a 4-hour standby time. However, playing games can easily cut those four hours into one. When you want to choose, ensure you get one with at least an 8-hour battery life. That would make sure your laptop lasts at least 2 hours of gaming when it’s not charging.
Additionally, you also have to check how durable the battery is. It should be able to last you a few years.
Final Thoughts
Picking a gaming laptop can be quite a challenging thing to do. Above all, make sure you get a computer that will last you a few years. If you have the money, it would be best to go for a high-end laptop with high-end components. If you don’t, but you still want to game almost problem-free, you can go for a mid-range laptop. Choosing to buy a low-end laptop may leave you with more problems than you bargained for.
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