Gaming is a serious business. If you’re in the market for a gaming laptop, you’ll already know there are some difficult choices to be made. Not all gaming laptops are created equal. Some players may be looking for a laptop to suit specific games, others may be focused on the size of their screen or the best graphic outputs. So, how do you work out which is the best gaming laptop for you?

In the past, gaming laptops couldn’t compete with the customisability and performance of a desktop. But laptops have evolved and now offer players some pretty awesome features wrapped up in a small, portable package. 

Why a Gaming Laptop Is Perfect for Gaming on the Go

Are you looking for a computer you can use anywhere, any time? With the right gaming laptop, you’ll be able to do most of the things you’d do at home on a desktop, but anywhere you like. This flexibility is great for those who travel often or want to take their machine to gaming meet-ups or competitions. For gaming at home, you can create a desktop-like experience with just a few extras such as an external display, keyboard and gaming mouse.

If you’re set on a laptop but like the features of a desktop, the Acer Nitro 5 15.6" Gaming Laptop Core i5 is about as close as it comes to a mobile desktop with its 16GB of RAM, dual-fan cooling technology to prevent overheating, and loads of ports, so you get the benefit of extra power and features with the portability of a laptop. “If you are looking for a more portable system for gaming and want to run the games with very high graphics, then a specialist gaming laptop is required,” says Anthony Hill of Geeks2U, Officeworks' tech support partner.

Will you opt for GPU or CPU graphics processing when choosing a gaming laptop?

The Best Gaming Laptop for Your Favourite Game

When choosing a gaming laptop, one of the first things you need to consider is the type of games you want to play. This will help you narrow down exactly what your system requirements will be. For example, will you be playing an older game such as Fortnite that doesn’t require super high-powered hardware? Or will you be exploring new games that necessitate something heavy-duty so they can run with the best graphics possible?

If you’re unsure which hardware you’ll need for the types of games you’re into, head to Can You Run It. This website can give you baseline system requirements for existing and upcoming games. All you need to do is enter the game you want to play in the search bar and use the recommended requirements as your gaming laptop guide. 

SEE ALSO: How to Create the Best Gaming Setup for You

The Best Gaming Laptops for Graphic Display

If you’re looking for a gaming laptop with incredible graphics, you’ll also need to think about its capacity to manage heat. While desktops have an advantage when it comes to cooling and components performance due to their size, gaming laptops are catching up. “Consider the cooling of the system,” says Anthony. “Processing very high graphics generates a lot of heat in the CPU [central processing unit] and graphics chips. This heat needs to be dissipated quickly and can affect the performance of the system and even damage components. The compact size of laptops reduces the space available for cooling the system and they can quickly overheat, especially during extended game play.”

For gaming professionals, the best gaming laptop will have a dedicated GPU (graphics processing unit or card). A GPU enables game visuals to be processed separately using its own video RAM (VRAM), which means the latest graphics-intensive games can run super smoothly at a higher resolution. Some gaming laptops with GPUs also include dual-channel cooling, to prevent overheating. Keep in mind, gaming laptops with a GPU are generally more expensive than CPU-only gaming laptops, so consider the types of games you want to play to find the right option for you. 

Hot Tip: Prevent overheating by making sure your laptop’s air vents aren’t covered – this can happen if your laptop is on a soft surface, such as your bed or a soft pillow. If you don’t have a firm surface like a desk or a table to place your laptop on, use a book as a substitute. Wherever your laptop is placed, remember to regularly check the air vents are free of dust, hair or anything else that may block them.

What to Try

SEE ALSO: 10 Hacks to Make Your Gaming Setup Even Better

The Best Lighting and Aesthetics for Your Gaming Laptop 

Being completely immersed in an exciting online world is one of the best things about gaming, so improving the atmosphere of your space can only enhance your experience. RGB LED smart lighting gives you the option to play with colours and effects to create the perfect gaming zone using voice controls or an app. (RGB refers to ‘red, blue, green’ and can produce millions of colour options based on a combination of these three colours, much like your primary school colour wheel.)

The Philips Hue range of smart light bulbs and light strips offers more than 16 million LED colour options with voice assistant or app control, or try the LIFX Beam Kit Smart Lights, which comes with 6 beams that you can mount to your wall any way you like. Smart lights can also be programmed to mirror the colours on your screen or pulse to the rhythm of the music. If you’re creating a dedicated space at home for your gaming laptop, an RGB LED keyboard and gaming desks with built-in programmable lights will help you create the perfect mood.

What to Try

What Size Screen Do I Need for My Gaming Laptop?

If you’re immersing yourself in another world, the size of your screen matters. The best gaming laptops have full HD screens, with the biggest laptops offering up to 17 inches, although the extra screen size can add to its weight, potentially reducing its portability. Look for a gaming laptop with a 15- to 16-inch screen for an optimal experience that’s still lightweight and portable. If you fancy the option of an even bigger screen, consider connecting a large external monitor to your gaming laptop for when you’re gaming at your desk.

A screen with a high refresh rate - measured in Hertz (Hz) - is also crucial. For example, a 144Hz display refreshes at 144 times per second, as opposed to a standard 60Hz laptop display. Essentially, the higher the refresh rate, the smoother the gaming experience, especially when you’re playing competitive, fast-paced games. 

Yet it’s not as straightforward as buying a monitor with a 240Hz display, as your system needs to be powerful enough to support it. Remember to take into consideration the CPU and GPU, as well as other features, such as resolution.

What to Try

The Best Gaming Laptops for Work and Play

If you’re investing in a top gaming laptop, it makes sense that you should be able to use it for work, too. And while playing games at work may once have been frowned upon as time-wasting, a recent Brigham Young University study suggests a quick collaborative gaming session may be just the thing to give your brain a break and increase team productivity. 

If you’re taking your laptop to the office or using it while working from home, you can easily use your gaming laptop for your everyday work requirements. If your job involves working with graphics or video, your gaming laptop’s powerful hardware and CPU or GPU will make these tasks a pleasure. Gaming laptops’ powerful hardware uses up a lot of battery power, though, so you’ll need to be able to easily recharge and, if you’re on the go, consider a smaller, lighter and more portable gaming laptop or invest in a powerbank.

SEE ALSO: How to Choose the Best Gaming Chair