How to Buy a Gaming Laptop – Know Before Making a Purchase

Are you in the market for a new gaming laptop? Gaming laptops are becoming more and more popular as the demand for the industry grows. But, with the number of choices in stores, you may have felt a little overwhelmed by all the options out there. How do you know which one is right for you?

 Things to consider when buying a gaming laptop

When you are looking for a gaming laptop, there are many important factors to consider. In this section, we’ll discuss what to look for when choosing a gaming laptop with outstanding features. We’ll also provide recommendations for specs that are sure to give you an amazing gaming experience. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced gamer, read on to learn more about selecting the perfect gaming laptop.

Higher Graphics Processing Unit or GPU

The GPU renders the images and graphics that you see on your screen. So, if you want the best gaming experience, it is important to select a laptop with a powerful GPU.

The best way to ensure a smooth gaming experience with high-quality graphics is by investing in a Nvidia GPU. They are powerful, have better performance, and provide better quality than their AMD counterparts. An average gamer would benefit from having 4GB of VRAM installed on their computer.

Quick tips!

• Casual gamers. If you don’t need high game settings, we recommend going with either a GTX 1650 or RX 5500M. These will let most people play and enjoy themselves without too much fuss. However, if your budget allows it, invest in something more powerful like an RTX 2060, which would provide significant performance improvements even when running middling-setting video games. A GTX 1660 will let your favorite titles run smoothly, but they will not offer any bump-up in performance over what is already there.
• Mainstream gamers. The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 is a good card for playing heavy visual games. Meanwhile, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 will whip out some solid fps in modest settings. This is perfect if your computer doesn’t have too much power or graphic horsepower! If that’s not enough, there are other options like RTX 2060, which can handle most high-definition games without breaking too much sweat on your laptop. Plus, both cards offer great value when compared to their more expensive counterparts from AMD which often cost just as much yet lack certain gameplay capabilities (like action sequences).
•  Hardcore gamers. For serious gamers, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 can run games up to 4K high settings. It’s also VR-ready and can produce some impressive frame rates, but, it isn’t as good for playing on smoother graphics when compared against 1080 in higher quality modes. Meanwhile, the RTX 2070 will let you enjoy any game with high detail textures with popping-colored frame rate drops during intense action scenes.

More RAM storage for your gaming needs

RAM acts as a temporary storage area for data while the system is running. With more RAM, you can run programs faster and with fewer glitches. The amount of memory in your laptop can heavily affect its performance. For example, 8GB will suffice for mid-impact games and are often present with GTX 1650 or higher.

People recommend 16GB for gaming laptops like GTX 2070 or higher–but that’s just a plus. Laptops with 32GB are perfect for hardcore gamers, or those who direly need more space for video editing and animation.

Quick tips!

• A few extra gigabytes may seem tempting but don’t let their size fool you. They’re not needed unless specifically asked by an app/game requiring more memory space (or HD Dual Card Gaming).
• RAM with 32GB can be tempting when buying for the first time because you might think that’s enough space. But 8GB and 16GB will suffice just fine!
• Serious gamers who need “future proof” mainstream games may need 32GB.

Be sure to make a reference on your laptop’s manual if you are unsure about the specs needed. There may be occasions where different models need varying graphics card requirements and this can cause issues with game installation or compatibility during use.

Get more SDD Storage

Game load times are the quickest when you have an SSD. Not only will they be faster, but also less hitching – that annoying pause during gameplay where your computer can’t produce assets fast enough to keep up with what’s happening on screen!

The benefits of an SSD are great, but they can be expensive. If you don’t have the budget for one, we recommend getting at least a 128GB hard drive with 7200 rpm speed and a 256GB size in your system so that loading times will not affect what programs or games you use often. Just make sure it has faster-accessing capabilities than 5400 RPM drives do.

Quick tips!

• Laptops come standard with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of drive storage. Casual gamers who are sticking to one game may opt for 128GB.
• Mainstream gamers who simply want the best performance, without worrying about running out of space for their favorite games may find 256GB adequate.
• If you’re looking to play AAA titles consistently, get yourself one that has higher amounts, like 512GB or 1TB.

Installing AAA games for the first time won’t take up a lot of space on your SSD. After that, any updates might increase game sizes slightly. Then there are all the other programs you need to store on your SSD. Large programs and windows updates take up a lot of space too!

Higher CPU clock speed

If you’re looking to get the absolute most out of your system, then an Intel Core i5 will simply not do what’s needed – don’t even bother with them! For those seeking something that can handle high-end games but still want some speed up, consider going straight into quad-core i7 models instead.

Now, Intel recently unveiled their most current CPU, which is an improvement over previous models. If you want more power than this processor offers, try the Intel Core i9-9980HK.

Quick tips!

• Clock speed is more important than the number of cores for gaming, but both factors contribute to how quickly you can complete simple tasks. Higher clock speeds mean quicker performance in these types of games, while additional processing power will help get through time-consuming workloads faster with any family brand processor.
• Having an Intel Core i7 with a minimum of 8GB is a good starting point for AAA game titles. If playing games and streaming at the same time is all about smooth performance, an Intel Core i9 processor or better is necessary for ideal results. The Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 5800X pack some serious punch for clock speed power!

Display, resolution, and size

The display is often 15 to 17 inches, but some laptops have a larger screen than this. These 18-inch displays provide more space for your games and make them easier on your eyes as well!

Higher resolutions also provide clearer visuals during gameplay. If you find yourself in the market for a new laptop, make sure it has at least 1920 x 1080 resolutions.

Quick tips!

• The only way to get a faster refresh rate is by going up in resolution, so don’t settle for anything less than 1920 x 1080.
• 4K or 2560×1440 which are both just as good, but require more power consumption from graphics cards to operate smoothly without experiencing laggy gameplay.

Refresh rate

It’s important to consider more than just raw performance when buying a gaming laptop. You should also think about screen refresh rates and overdrive response times, as these will keep you on track while playing heavy-duty games or your desired title nonstop.

 Usually, up to 144Hz displays are among one of the best ones available today. If you can find anything higher than that, like 240Hz or 360Hz, you’ll find faster and smoother gameplay.

Quick tips!

• 60Hz will be just about enough and still provide amazing visual quality.
• Mainstream and hardcore gamers may opt for preferences that extend beyond this other than higher pixel densities (2560 x 1440 or 3840×2160).