Best gaming laptop 2021:

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Gaming on the go has never been easier. Here are our pick of the best gaming laptops for every budget

Now that Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 30-series graphics chips have made their way to portable computers, the best gaming laptops are more powerful than ever.

Nvidia’s new GPUs represent a significant step up in performance from the RTX 20-series, meaning gaming laptops housing them offer a true next-gen experience, complete with stunning graphics and super-smooth framerates.

In addition to that supreme performance, we’re now seeing more console exclusives being ported to PC, while Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass for PC gives players the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of premium titles for a monthly fee.

That combination of factors means there’s no better time to buy one of the best gaming laptops and join the huge community of PC gamers. You could, of course, build your own desktop gaming setup, but if you want to play your games on the go then buying one of the best gaming laptops is the way forward.

You’ll typically have to pay a little extra for the convenience of a gaming laptop, but it will give you significantly more freedom than its wall-tethered desktop alternatives.

Our team of experts are regularly testing the latest and greatest gaming devices and you’ll find our pick of the best gaming laptops listed below. Each has undergone an extensive range of benchmarking tests, which include our in-house 4K processing test, read and write speed tests, graphical tests and a battery rundown test.

Before we jump into our list of the best gaming laptops on the market right now, we’ve put together a handy buying guide detailing all the things you should take into consideration before splashing out on new gaming hardware.

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The best gaming laptops: At a glance

How to choose the best gaming laptop for you

There are a number of things to consider when buying one of the best gaming laptops. Below, you’ll find a checklist of the key features to look out for along with an explanation as to why they’re so important.

GPU: The graphics processing unit (GPU) is a gaming laptop’s single most important component. As the name suggests, GPUs handle the manipulation of graphics and image processing. When buying a gaming laptop, you want to look for a device that features a dedicated GPU rather than one that is built on the same die at the processor.

Nvidia is the big name to look for in GPU manufacturing, while AMD also produces some very powerful graphics chips. As a general rule, the higher the model number in a product line, the better performance you can expect. For example, Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080 is superior to the cheaper RTX 3060.

Processor: A laptop’s central processing unit or CPU is another core component. CPU power is measured in GHz and dictates how quickly a laptop retrieves information and executes commands. Newer processors with a greater number of cores and a higher clock speed are more effective at running multiple processes simultaneously. Pretty much every decent gaming laptop houses a CPU made by either Intel or AMD.See related Best budget gaming laptop 2021: The cheapest gaming notebooks from £700Best laptop deals: Big discounts on laptops from Apple, Asus, HP and more this SeptemberBest laptop 2021: The finest Windows, Apple and Chrome OS laptops to buy

RAM: Random Access Memory (RAM) is your gaming laptop’s short-term data storage and the more your device has available, the better. For gaming laptops, you’ll want 8GB RAM at an absolute minimum, though we recommend 16GB if your budget allows.

Storage: The more storage your gaming laptop has the better. A Solid State Drive (SSD) of 512GB or above is enough for most people but consider a device with more storage if you don’t want to have to delete games to make room for new ones.

Display: Your gaming laptop could house extremely powerful internal components but they’d be wasted if your device doesn’t have a display capable of doing them justice. You’ll want a display with at least Full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080p), while 4K displays (3,840 x 2,160p) are starting to become more common but are significantly more expensive. Bear in mind, your GPU needs to be very powerful if it’s to render graphics at playable framerates at native 4K resolution.

Pay attention to the display’s refresh rate as this dictates how many frames per second it can display. Refresh rates are measured in Hz, with a higher figure resulting in smoother on-screen action.

You’ll also want to think about the size of the display. 15.6in is typically the sweet spot for gaming laptops, though there are plenty of 17in models out there, too. The larger the display the more screen real estate but the heavier the device becomes. If you plan on using your gaming laptop while on the go, you’ll want to avoid larger options.

Connectivity: Gaming laptops encourage the use of peripherals such as headsets, speakers mice and external hard drives. Make sure the laptop you buy has the corresponding ports to support such accessories and that it also supports Bluetooth if you plan to use peripherals wirelessly. USB-A ports are always useful, while newer connection standards like USB-C and Thunderbolt are worth keeping an eye out for.

Keyboard: If you’re not using an external controller, a gaming laptop’s keyboard becomes an extremely important feature. Most gamers favour mechanical keyboards over their membrane counterparts as they’re more precise and tactile.

Keyboards are also where a lot of gaming laptop manufacturers like to incorporate some form of RGB lighting. This adds a colourful twist to your device and many allow you to customise the colours of each key individually. While far from a necessity, those that want a personalised portable gaming experience will want to ensure their gaming laptop sports RGB lighting in some form.

Battery life: If gaming laptops have one big weakness, it’s their battery life. The power required to run demanding games means they won’t last very long when not plugged into the mains. This isn’t a big deal if you’re going to spend most of your time gaming at your desk but it’s worth bearing in mind if you’re looking for a device to use portably.

How much should I spend on a gaming laptop?

Gaming laptops don’t come cheap. The powerful internal components needed to run AAA titles mean that even budget options will set you back around £700. We don’t recommend dipping much below that figure if you want a satisfying gaming experience.

Decent mid-range options tend to cost in the region of £1,000 to £1,500, while premium devices designed for gamers that want top-end specs and all the bells and whistles available can expect to pay in excess of £2,000.

Best gaming laptop 2021:

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