The best gaming laptops and the best laptops were almost indistinguishable, few years ago. As long as you had an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and dedicated graphics, you were awesome. These days, though, everything has changed. We have you covered with the best gaming laptops you can buy today.
In 2018, there are a ton of portable gaming laptops that can replace the gigantic desktop.
So, whether you’re looking for a laptop that you can use for work as well as play, or you want a traditional, thick gaming behemoth, we have the recommendations you’re looking for. And, because we’ve tested, reviewed and ranked all the best gaming laptops ourselves, you can be sure that you’re going to find something great on this list.
1. MSI GS65 Stealth
CPU: Intel Core i7
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM, Max-Q)
RAM: 16GB
Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, wide-view 144Hz panel
Storage: 512GB M.2 SSD
Price: Starting at $1,785.00
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2. Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501
Under an inch thick and still kicking ass
CPU: Intel Core i7
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM)
RAM: 16GB
Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, wide-view 120Hz panel with G-Sync
Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe x4 SSD
Price: Starting at $2,720.00
Kicking Nvidia’s Max-Q technology off right, the Asus Zephyrus GX501 combines the heralded thinness of an Ultrabook with the performance of a gaming PC to bring the best of both worlds to your feet. Despite exhibiting subpar times in our battery life benchmarks, this svelte powerhouse of a notebook is one for the books when it comes to both portability and style. Plus, it’s virtually silent if noise is a cause for distraction in your everyday routine.
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3. Asus ROG G703GI
The behemoth
CPU: Intel Core i7-i9
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM)
RAM: 64GB
Screen: 17.3-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080)144Hz
Storage: 3 x 512GB SSD (M.2, RAID 0), 2TB HD
Price: Starting at $2,989.00
Thin and light gaming laptops are kind of in vogue in 2018, but if you reject all that and want to stick with a heavy, monstrous laptop that can demolish any title under the sun, the Asus ROG G703GI is for you. There’s no way around it – this is a massive – and expensive – laptop, but it backs its size and price with gaming performance that can rival some of the best gaming PCs. Just don’t expect to be able to bring it to a coffee shop without its two power bricks – or awkward stares.
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4. Razer Blade
CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5 VRAM)
RAM: 16GB
Screen: Up to 15.6-inch UHD (3,840 x 2,160) 60Hz
Storage: 512GB M.2 SSD
Price: Starting at $2,599.99
The Razer Blade might still have an unbearably edgy name, but now that the 2018 version is here, it’s fitting – it’s still on the cutting edge. Beyond its insanely high-end specs and beautiful chassis, it can fit up to a 4K Ultra-HD display, with the specs to actually back it up. That’s not to mention the expandability that the Razer Core X opens up. It might be expensive, but if you’re a Razer fan looking for the best gaming laptop, it might just be for you.
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5. Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
CPU: Intel Core i5-i7
Graphics: Radeon RX Vega M GL Graphics with 4GB HMB2 Graphics Memory RAM: 8GB
Screen: 15.6-inch, 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) InfinityEdge anti-reflective touch display
Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
Price: Starting at $1,089.95
If you want one of the best gaming laptops, but don’t want to miss out on the ultra-portable craze, you need to consider the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. Packed with an Intel Kaby Lake G-series processor, this gaming laptop can keep up with its competitors rocking a GTX 1050 without featuring truly discrete graphics. And, when you combine that gaming horsepower with a chassis that looks this good, it’s a total win – even if you have to endure some fan noise to get there.
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6. Asus ROG Strix GL502
It’s hard not to love a gaming laptop this good
CPU: Intel Core i7
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 – 1070
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Screen: 15.6-inch full HD 1,920 x 1,080 IPS
Storage: 128GB – 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD
Price: Starting at $1,199.90
It may not boast the most innovative design, substituting the usual black and red aesthetic for one that makes it feel like Halloween all year round (no complaints here). But, it’s undoubtedly one of the best when it comes to gaming in 1080p. In fact, we were able to crank the setting s all the way up in Overwatch without ever straying below 60fps. It doesn’t feature the longest battery life, but the screen, power and onboard sound system more than make up for it.
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7. Acer Predator Helios 300
Great gaming on a budget
CPU: Intel Core i7
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3GB-6GB
RAM: 16GB-32GB DDR4
Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) ComfyView IPS (144Hz refresh rate)
Storage: 128GB SSD; 1TB HDD
Price: Starting at $1,099.00
With the Acer Predator Helios, you’ll be able to get some gaming done on the go, and save some cash while you’re at it. At it’s asking price, you’re not going to find much better, thanks to its impressive GTX 1060 graphics and beautiful 15.6-inch 144Hz 1080p display. You should be able to play any of the best PC games on this thing, at a fraction of the price that something like the Razer Blade would charge. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll be running into some thermal issues with the Acer Predator Helios 300 – but you can fix that with some fan setting tweaking.
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8. Gigabyte Aero 15
Thin. Light. Powerful.
CPU: Intel Core i7 8750H
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5)
RAM: 8GB – 16GB
Screen: 15.6-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LCD anti-glare
Storage: 512GB SSD
Price: Starting at $1,799.00
The best gaming laptops used to be these huge, bulky devices that were necessary to experience the best PC games on the go – not anymore. The Gigabyte Aero 15 throws that tradition in the garbage, where it belongs by packing in a 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU and a GTX 1060 into a package that allows it to pass as an Ultrabook. And, thanks to that beefy processor, the Gigabyte Aero 15 isn’t just one of the best gaming laptops – it’s just as good when you need to get some work done.
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9. Alienware 17 R5
Using the power of i9 to dominate the competition
CPU: Intel Core i9-8950HK
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM)
RAM: 32GB
Screen: 17.3-inch QHD (2,560 x 1,440)144Hz
Storage: 246GB PCIe M.2 SSD, 1TB 7,200RPM HDD
Price: Starting at $1,729.00
Ever since Intel unveiled its i9-8950HK, we just knew that it would find its way behind the best gaming laptops 2018 had to offer, and not even a full month later, and we’ve been proven right. The Alienware 17 R5 is a beast of a gaming laptop with the aforementioned CPU and an overclocked GTX 1080. If you’re willing to get an absolute tank of a laptop that weighs nearly 10 pounds, this hulking computer will demolish any and all games you throw at it. Just don’t expect to throw it in a bag without some severe back pain.
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10. Alienware 13 R3
CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060
RAM: 8GB – 16GB DDR4
Screen: 13.3-inch HD 1,366 x 768 TN – QHD 2,560 x 1440 OLED touchscreen
Storage: 180GB – 512GB SSD
Price: Starting at $1,179.00
Unlike most of the best 13-inch laptops, the Alienware 13 R3 bears a hinge-forward design. By moving the heat sinks behind the screen, the chassis is allowed to be thinner, at 0.81-inches (0.22cm). Unfortunately, this means you won’t find many 13-inch laptop bags that the Alienware 13 R3 will actually fit in. While you may be tempted by the inclusion of a full-size GTX 1060, it’s the OLED touch display that caught our attention.
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