Gaming is getting better and better every year. It’s still hard to imagine that it could’ve gotten better than Halo and Call of Duty 2, but technology keeps improving and game makers keep getting smarter.
Today’s games look better, run faster, and allow for bigger and more expansive gameplay than ever before. But fewer people are opting for the limitations proposed by game consoles. They are so limited, and they aren’t very travel-friendly.
Instead, people are choosing to buy the best gaming laptop over the best console. Because people want flexibility, they want something that can surf the web, use for work, and play modern video games all in the same day.
And they want a device that can go anywhere with them, so they can play their favorite games when they travel or visit grandma.
So how do you choose a gaming laptop that lets you do it all? Read on below to find out now.
Portability and Size
If you want the best computer gaming experience, then you would opt for a desktop computer, which is bigger, bulkier, and allows for more gaming capabilities.
But you don’t want a desktop. You want a laptop that can power video games so that you aren’t stuck only playing video games at home. You might travel a bunch and want to be able to play games or at least browse the web, from a hotel, an airport, or a train.
You might be a student who is strapped for cash and wants a computer that they can use in class, and to play games back in your dorm room instead of doing homework.
In these instances, your goal is to choose a gaming computer that fits in a backpack. You want it to be lightweight, with a slim profile. Otherwise, it will be too burdensome to carry around with you, and you might as well get a desktop.
Gaming laptops aren’t known for being the lightest computers around, often weighing in at around 5 lbs. So a trade-off has to be made between weight and processing power.
But modern gaming laptops are getting slimmer and lighter each year. But don’t expect to go any lighter than four pounds, and don’t make the mistake of getting one over six pounds unless you like getting a workout when wearing your backpack.
Processing Power
There are many different types of laptops to choose from today. And each one will be better suited to specific uses. For example, some computers are designed to run heavy software, such as graphic design software.
Other computers are designed for remote work, in a lightweight, slim package that can be taken everywhere with ease. And laptops intended for the gaming industry are those with the most processing power.
Not only does the processor need to process the video, but you are also controlling what happens on the screen. And since modern games are so resource-heavy, gaming laptops are those with the latest, most powerful processors.
These are like the engine in a car. Normal people’s cars don’t need a racing engine, or an off-roading engine, or a Ford F-150 engine. They need a basic engine that gets them to work, the grocery, and back home, hitting 70 or 80 mph.
But as a gamer, you need something beefier. Playing games is like driving at 120 mph at all times, so you need a device that can handle it.
The best processors right now available in gaming computers are the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and the Intel Core i5 11600K. The former features 12 cores, while the latter has six.
For these processors, you might need to build your own computer. But you can find prebuilt gaming laptops with very similar CPUs, such as the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro which has an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor.
Graphics Don’t Lie
To maximize your laptop experience when playing fast-paced video games, you also need to choose a laptop with a high-quality graphics chip.
While the processor is responsible for handling the functions of controlling a video game, the graphics chip is responsible for actually displaying that information for you. You need a chip that can respond as quickly as the processor can move.
Cheaper laptops have graphics capability built into the existing computer hardware. But these can’t handle the biggest, best PC games. So if you want to play games that are actually worth playing, you need a computer with a dedicated graphics chip in order to render information properly.
With a graphics card, the image-processing doesn’t have to rely on the CPU, but rather on the card itself. This helps provide seamless gameplay, void of lag.
As mentioned earlier, AMD is a company producing the best gaming components. Their graphics chips are some of the best available. Other noteworthy cards come from NVIDIA.
Lenovo Legion gaming laptops all feature NVIDIA graphics chips of varying specifications, depending on how expensive the laptop is. So whether you choose their sub-$1,000 gaming laptop, or spend more than $2K, you can get a screen that looks crisp and moves fast.
The More Storage, the Merrier
Another important aspect of a gaming laptop is the amount of Random Access Memory or RAM it has. Most people don’t understand RAM. But the more RAM available, the faster your computer will feel.
It’s similar to your hard drive, in that it stores information that is vital to run various applications. However, information stored on a hard drive moves very slowly.
In order for the application you are currently using, such as a computer game, to move fast, the information needs to be stored using RAM. It helps by storing the memory from your hard drive separately, for whichever application you are using at the moment.
That means your current application will move as fast as possible. When buying a brand new laptop for gaming, try choosing a model with 16GB of RAM if you can.
16 GB will let you play almost any game available today. 32 is even better but isn’t necessary. 8 GB will let you plan slower, less demanding games, but not modern multiplayer games.
Budget-Friendly
You can spend an arm and a leg getting the best gaming laptop. Or you can spend around $1,000 to get something that is really good, though not the absolute best.
The good news about spending that kind of money on a gaming laptop is that they are versatile. Not only can you use them for gaming, but you can use them for school, taking notes, and completing homework.
You can also use them for work, or to start freelancing or running an online business. Because they accomplish multiple functions, it’s a little easier to justify spending that kind of money.
After all, thousands of people spend $1,500 on a MacBook Pro just to browse social media and watch cat videos.
You can spend less on a gaming laptop when you buy from Lenovo. We are big fans of the Legion series of laptops, in case you haven’t noticed. Models range from around $900 to $2,000. Though Lenovo frequently runs sales on their website, which may allow you to snag a new laptop for just $600 or $700. Talk about a steal.
Tech Support
It doesn’t matter how much of a tech nerd you are as a laptop user, sometimes you just run into computer problems that you can’t seem to solve on your own. And if you run into a problem on a gaming laptop, that means no game time for you until you get it fixed. Ouch.
Choose a laptop from a company that offers fast, helpful support. You need to be able to access real humans quickly, not wait weeks before getting an email response.
It’s just another reason that Lenovo stands out from the crowd. They have a huge knowledge of each one of their products, making it easy to find information specific to your device.
And unlike other companies, it’s actually easy to reach out to the support team directly if you can’t find an answer to your question in the FAQs.
Regardless of which company you buy a gaming laptop, however, you just need to ensure it’s easy to reach help since you will inevitably need to contact them sooner or later.
Plan Ahead
Many people can anticipate needing a new computer well in advance. As a result, people often plan their laptop purchase strategically, since it’s probably one of the larger expenses they will incur in any given year.
But tech, such as computers, are those items that will always go on sale during Black Friday. You can count on big computer sales every time Thanksgiving rolls around.
While some companies keep their sales a secret until release, not letting you know if your idea model will be on sale, Lenovo releases their Black Friday sneak peek well in advance.
So if you’ve got your eyes on a Legion, be sure to look out for their sales flyer to see what you’ll be able to save the big bucks on.
The Best Gaming Laptop Depends on the Basics
When it comes down to it, you want your gaming laptop to be multifunctional. You want it to be light and small enough to transport with ease. Yet you need it to have enough computing power, graphics speed, and memory to power modern games.
If you can get the CPU, graphics, and RAM correct, then you can get the best gaming laptop to meet your needs. The rest is just depending on your budget and any additional features that you need.
Looking for more tech tips to make your life better? Read other articles on our blog today.
