{"id":3625,"date":"2026-05-08T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T17:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/?p=3625"},"modified":"2026-05-08T17:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T17:30:00","slug":"we-tested-a-bunch-of-gaming-laptops-these-are-the-clear-winners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/?p=3625","title":{"rendered":"We tested a bunch of gaming laptops &#8212; these are the clear winners"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"link_wrapped_content\">\n<section class=\"wp-block-bigbite-multi-title\"\/>\n<p>Not all gaming laptops deliver the same experience, which is important to know when you\u2019re shopping for one. Some are made to push boundaries by maximizing performance, while others prioritize design or lighting. But the real test is how they hold up in actual gameplay.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s where we come in!<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-1 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-1 POST @@-->\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"instant-buy-box\">\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-1\" class=\" pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Alienware-16X-Aurora-Clair-Obscur-game.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Alienware 16X Aurora\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row \">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Alienware 16X Aurora\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>High-end CPU performance<\/li>\n<li>Bright and beautiful display<\/li>\n<li>Great gaming experience<\/li>\n<li>Very competitive price<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>You can get better gaming performance with a faster GPU (of course)<\/li>\n<li>Some hot air blows out the sides<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Alienware 16X Aurora\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-2\" class=\" pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/acer-nitro-v-16-ai-2.jpeg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Acer Nitro V 16\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row \">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Acer Nitro V 16\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Large touchpad compared to alternatives<\/li>\n<li>16-inch 1200p display at a low price<\/li>\n<li>Lots of physical connectivity<\/li>\n<li>Good battery life for a budget gaming laptop<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Sub-par CPU performance<\/li>\n<li>Terrible audio quality from built-in speakers<\/li>\n<li>Wireless connectivity stuck on the Wi-Fi 6 standards<\/li>\n<li>Slightly more expensive laptops offer better value<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Acer Nitro V 16\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-3\" class=\" pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Legion-7i-16-10-8.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row \">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Top-notch performance<\/li>\n<li>Excellent display<\/li>\n<li>Fast wired and wireless connectivity<\/li>\n<li>Supports USB-C charging<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Premium pricing<\/li>\n<li>Has the short battery life of gaming laptops<\/li>\n<li>Trackpad could be bigger<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr id=\"instant-buy-box-row-4\" class=\" pricing-details-row\">\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Razer-Blade-14-2025-head-on.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Razer Blade 14 (2025)\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView Deal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"pros-cons-row \">\n<td colspan=\"4\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-show\" data-title=\"Razer Blade 14 (2025)\">Show Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"pros-cons-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"pros-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Pros<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pros-list\">\n<li>Thin, light, and compact<\/li>\n<li>Solid gaming performance<\/li>\n<li>Beautiful OLED display<\/li>\n<li>Premium quality all around<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-sub-heading\">Cons<\/p>\n<ul class=\"cons-list\">\n<li>Expensive<\/li>\n<li>Bulkier gaming laptops will perform better<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"pros-cons-row-heading pros-cons-wrapper-hide\" data-title=\"Razer Blade 14 (2025)\">Hide Pros &amp; Cons <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"chevron-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M151.5 347.8L3.5 201c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l19.8-19.8c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0L160 282.7l119.7-118.5c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l19.8 19.8c4.7 4.7 4.7 12.3 0 17l-148 146.8c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--@@AT_A_GLANCE@@--><\/p>\n<p>At PCWorld, we\u2019ve put every laptop on this list through hands-on testing. And we didn\u2019t just stop at the specifications, either! We looked at everything, including keyboard feel, port placement, performance consistency, and display quality.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why you should trust PCWorld for laptop reviews and buying advice:<\/strong> It\u2019s in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We\u2019ve been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who\u2019ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We\u2019re also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart product-chart\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-1\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Alienware 16X Aurora\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title \" id=\"alienware-16x-aurora-best-gaming-laptop-overall\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAlienware 16X Aurora \u2013 Best gaming laptop overall\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Alienware 16X Aurora - Best gaming laptop overall\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Alienware-16X-Aurora-Clair-Obscur-game.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>High-end CPU performance<\/li>\n<li>Bright and beautiful display<\/li>\n<li>Great gaming experience<\/li>\n<li>Very competitive price<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>You can get better gaming performance with a faster GPU (of course)<\/li>\n<li>Some hot air blows out the sides<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$1,999.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/dell-logo.svg\" alt=\"Dell\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$1999.99\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$2,803.68\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-alienware-16x-aurora\">Who should buy the Alienware 16X Aurora?<\/h3>\n<p>If you want a high-end gaming laptop that punches well above its price point, the Alienware 16X Aurora is the one to spring for. It\u2019s fast, powerful, and surprisingly good value for what you\u2019re getting. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU is an absolute beast for gaming (or productivity!), and the RTX 5070 graphics handles modern titles just fine at high settings, even at higher resolutions. Whether you\u2019re jumping straight into AAA games or streaming your favorite titles, this laptop will definitely keep up.<\/p>\n<p>The 16-inch 2560\u00d71600 IPS display is bright, colorful, and buttery-smooth thanks to its 240Hz refresh rate. It\u2019s great for competitive gaming or fast-paced action games. You also get a full-sized keyboard, a responsive trackpad, and a crisp 1080p webcam with Windows Hello face login. The build is solid, too. It feels premium and the design doesn\u2019t lean very much into the flashy gamer aesthetic.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"alienware-16x-aurora-further-considerations\">Alienware 16X Aurora: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>The Alienware 16X Aurora isn\u2019t the lightest laptop in the room at 5.86 pounds and that\u2019s okay. The aluminum and plastic construction keep it premium-feeling, though it does pick up fingerprints more than we\u2019d like. The keyboard and trackpad also aren\u2019t the best.<\/p>\n<p>The RTX 5070 GPU isn\u2019t top of the line, but it offers plenty of oomph for high-end gaming at 1440p. If it\u2019s a fancy OLED display and an all-metal build you\u2019re after, you\u2019ll definitely pay significantly more for those features. Finally, battery life is about average for a gaming laptop (we eked out seven hours on a single charge), but you\u2019ll probably be plugged in anyway for those intense matches. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlienware 16X Aurora review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-2 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-2 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-2\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Acer Nitro V 16 AI\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title \" id=\"acer-nitro-v-16-best-gaming-laptop-under-1000\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAcer Nitro V 16 \u2013 Best gaming laptop under $1,000\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Acer Nitro V 16 - Best gaming laptop under ,000\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/acer-nitro-v-16-ai-2.jpeg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Large touchpad compared to alternatives<\/li>\n<li>16-inch 1200p display at a low price<\/li>\n<li>Lots of physical connectivity<\/li>\n<li>Good battery life for a budget gaming laptop<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Sub-par CPU performance<\/li>\n<li>Terrible audio quality from built-in speakers<\/li>\n<li>Wireless connectivity stuck on the Wi-Fi 6 standards<\/li>\n<li>Slightly more expensive laptops offer better value<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$899\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$886.98\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/walmart-logo.svg\" alt=\"Walmart\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$915\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-acer-nitro-v-16\">Who should buy the Acer Nitro V 16?<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re a gamer on a budget who wants modern RTX 50-series performance, you can\u2019t get much better than the Acer Nitro V 16 AI. The RTX 5050 GPU handles most 1080p games smoothly, hitting high frame rates in titles like <em>Rise of the<\/em> <em>Tomb Raider <\/em>and even running more intensive games like <em>Cyberpunk 2077<\/em> at playable settings. <\/p>\n<p>This laptop also offers surprisingly good battery life. You can get anywhere from eight to 12 hours on a single charge depending on usage. Plus, the 16-inch 1200p display at 180Hz is slightly better and smoother than the standard 15.6-inch 1080p screens on similar budget laptops.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"acer-nitro-v-16-further-considerations\">Acer Nitro V 16: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>There are some trade-offs to keep in mind. First, the Ryzen 5 240 CPU is entry-level, so CPU-heavy tasks like video editing or streaming may feel sluggish if you\u2019re pushing the machine pretty hard. Storage and RAM are also limited to 512GB and 16GB. That\u2019s fine for gaming, but it could require updates over time. Speakers and webcam are also basic, and Wi-Fi isn\u2019t cutting-edge.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAcer Nitro V 16 AI review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-3 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-3 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-3\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title \" id=\"lenovo-legion-pro-7i-16-gen-10-best-high-end-gaming-laptop\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tLenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10 \u2013 Best high-end gaming laptop\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10 - Best high-end gaming laptop\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Legion-7i-16-10-8.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Top-notch performance<\/li>\n<li>Excellent display<\/li>\n<li>Fast wired and wireless connectivity<\/li>\n<li>Supports USB-C charging<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Premium pricing<\/li>\n<li>Has the short battery life of gaming laptops<\/li>\n<li>Trackpad could be bigger<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$3,599\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  amazon_vendor\">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/amazon-logo.svg\" alt=\"Amazon\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$3529\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/walmart-logo.svg\" alt=\"Walmart\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$3529\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-lenovo-legion-pro-7i-16-gen-10\">Who should buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10?<\/h3>\n<p>If you want a no-compromises gaming machine, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 is where it\u2019s at. It has an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX chip and RTX 5080 graphics, which is more than enough for buttery-smooth AAA gaming. The 16-inch OLED screen looks awesome, and that crazy fast 240Hz refresh rate makes everything feel super smooth when you\u2019re gaming.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"lenovo-legion-pro-7i-16-gen-10-further-considerations\">Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10: Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>The Legion Pro 7i is pricey and not exactly backpack-friendly at more than five pounds, but if you\u2019re chasing high frame rates and gorgeous visuals, this laptop delivers. Battery life isn\u2019t its strong suit, so plan to stay plugged in for long sessions. But when it comes to raw gaming power, this one\u2019s a beast.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLenovo Legion Pro 7i 16 Gen 10 review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-4 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-4 POST @@-->\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-product-chart-item product-chart-item \" id=\"product-chart-item-4\">\n<p><h2 data-p_name=\"Razer Blade 14 (2025)\" class=\"product-chart-item__title-wrapper--title product-chart-title \" id=\"razer-blade-14-2025-most-portable-gaming-laptop\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRazer Blade 14 (2025) \u2013 Most portable gaming laptop\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"large-pro-cons-product-chart-section\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper product-chart-item__image-outer-wrapper--large\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-lightbox-container\" data-wp-context=\"{\" imageid=\"\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" class=\"product-chart-item__image\" alt=\"Razer Blade 14 (2025) - Most portable gaming laptop\" src=\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Razer-Blade-14-2025-head-on.jpg?quality=50&amp;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-body\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-columns\">\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"pros\">Pros<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Thin, light, and compact<\/li>\n<li>Solid gaming performance<\/li>\n<li>Beautiful OLED display<\/li>\n<li>Premium quality all around<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-column\">\n<h3 class=\"product-chart-subTitle\" id=\"cons\">Cons<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"product-pros-cons-list\">\n<li>Expensive<\/li>\n<li>Bulkier gaming laptops will perform better<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__information\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-label\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrice When Reviewed:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__information--rrp-value\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$2,699\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"product-chart-item__pricing-details--label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBest Prices Today: \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cta_button_table_content product_chart_table_format price_comp_table best_picks_story_types\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-price-comparison price-comparison\">\n<div id=\"New\" class=\"new_products_tab tabcontent \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__record  \">\n<div class=\"price-comparison__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pcworld.com\/wp-content\/themes\/idg-base-theme\/dist\/static\/img\/newegg-logo.svg\" alt=\"Newegg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$3029\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"product-content\">\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"who-should-buy-the-razer-blade-14-2025\">Who should buy the Razer Blade 14 (2025)?<\/h3>\n<p>Looking for a gaming laptop that won\u2019t kill your back? The Razer Blade 14 (2025) is only 3.59 pounds, which is  crazy light for a beast like this. It\u2019s packing an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 CPU and an RTX 5070 GPU, so it can easily handle modern games on High or Ultra settings. The 14-inch 2880\u00d71800 120Hz OLED screen is a delight to behold and, somehow, the laptop itself manages to stay cool and quiet even when it\u2019s under load. Oh, and that matte-black finish? Pretty slick.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" id=\"razer-blade-14-2025-further-considerations\">Razer Blade 14 (2025) : Further considerations<\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s not cheap or super flashy, but it hits the sweet spot for power and portability. Battery life is pretty good for a gaming laptop (just over 11 hours!), but don\u2019t expect to game unplugged all day. The keyboard and touchpad are fine, speakers could be better. Still, if you want a capable gaming rig that you can carry with ease, this one\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"product-chart-review-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRazer Blade 14 (2025) review\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-5 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-5 POST @@-->\t\t<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"other-gaming-laptops-weve-tested\">Other gaming laptops we\u2019ve tested<\/h2>\n<p>We\u2019ve also tested a few other gaming laptops that impressed us, even though they didn\u2019t make the final cut in the end. The Maingear Super 16 is an absolute beast of a laptop with an Intel Core Ultra\u202f9\u202f275HX, an RTX\u202f5070\u202fTi, 32GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and a 16\u2011inch 2560\u00d71600\u202f300\u202fHz display, but it\u2019s expensive\u2013you\u2019ll spend well over $2,000.<\/p>\n<p>The Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 AI, on the other hand, is a more compact machine. It\u2019s got an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor, an RTX 5070, and a 14.5-inch 2880\u00d71800 120Hz OLED panel, and it\u2019s on sale for just $1,499.99 at Amazon right now. at the time of this writing.<\/p>\n<p>And then we\u2019ve got the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo, which is the unicorn of the gaming laptop world. It\u2019s got two 16-inch OLED 2880\u00d71800 displays that you can position either horizontally or vertically. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-box-text inline-box\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-we-test-gaming-laptops\">How we test gaming laptops<\/h2>\n<p>The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we\u2019ve tested. Chromebooks, on the other hand, undergo a series of web-based tests.<\/p>\n<p>For a much deeper look at our review methodology, check out\u00a0how PCWorld tests laptops.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-curated-this-article\">Who curated this article?<\/h2>\n<p>Hi, I\u2019m\u00a0Ashley Biancuzzo, and I oversee all laptop and Chromebook coverage at PCWorld. While you\u2019ll see me review Chromebooks on occasion, I\u2019m also really into the broader world of consumer tech. I spend a lot of time writing and thinking about where laptops are headed, from AI and sustainable designs to long-term trends. When I\u2019m not deep in the world of tech, you\u2019ll probably find me gaming, getting lost in a good book, or chilling with my rescue greyhound, Allen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-choose-the-best-gaming-laptop\">How to choose the best gaming laptop<\/h2>\n<p>To find the best gaming laptop for your needs, pay close attention to the following features.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-6 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-6 POST @@--><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s the best screen for a gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<p>When you buy a gaming laptop, one of the most important decisions you\u2019ll need to make regards the screen. After all, what you get on day one is what you\u2019re stuck with until you junk the device. You could run an external monitor, but then what\u2019s the point of a laptop? Look for an IPS or OLED display, though\u00a0gaming laptops under $1,000\u00a0sometimes feature a TN panel. You can get by with a 60Hz display if you mostly play single-player games, but thankfully, most gaming laptops these days opt for faster 120Hz+ panels instead.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"whats-the-best-screen-size-for-a-gaming-laptop\">What\u2019s the best screen size for a gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<p>The size of the screen dictates the size of the laptop itself, and thus weight. Think long and hard about whether you\u2019re willing to take the weight penalty in exchange for the screen real estate.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"whats-the-best-screen-resolution-for-a-gaming-laptop\">What\u2019s the best screen resolution for a gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<p>The buzzword today is \u201c4K.\u201d That high resolution delivers sharper photo viewing and more space for video editing, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s for everyone. Anything not using the panel\u2019s native resolution of 3840\u00d72180, such as games running at lower-than-4K resolution, won\u2019t look quite as sharp unless you exponentially increase the graphics power of the laptop.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re running at 1920\u00d71080 resolution because your GPU can\u2019t hit 60fps at 4K, that feature is moot. For many gamers, 1920\u00d71080 (1080p) or 2560\u00d71440 (1440p) is more optimal.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-7 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-7 POST @@--><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ips-vs-tn-vs-oled-whats-the-difference\">IPS vs. TN vs. OLED: What\u2019s the difference?<\/h3>\n<p>The panel technology is a key feature. IPS (in-plane switching) generally produces much greater color accuracy and superior off-axis viewing, but tends to lag in response times, which can lead to blurring. TN (twisted nematic) panels can offer far higher refresh rates and usually better response times than IPS, but can look washed out or just blah.<\/p>\n<p>A middle-ground technology that\u2019s appearing more often is VA (vertical alignment). VA is sometimes alternately referred to as \u201cwide viewing angle\u201d technology. (Many assume this spec to be IPS, but it\u2019s not). In our experience, we\u2019ve found VA panels to run the gamut from being worthy competitors to IPS to being worse than the better TN panels.<\/p>\n<p>The wildcard in all this is OLED. Unlike IPS, TN, and VA, OLED panels don\u2019t rely on edge- or backlighting where \u201cblack\u201d is produced by a shutter-like mechanism that blocks light from coming through. Instead, each pixel generates its own light. To produce black, it just switches off the light. This amounts to truly stunning contrast ratios and vibrant colors. OLEDs also boast fantastic response times.<\/p>\n<p>The negatives include smaller screen sizes (we haven\u2019t seen anything larger than 15.6 inches yet), higher cost, and lack of support for variable refresh rate.\u00a0OLED panels can also use more power than conventional methods if the image is on a white background.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-8 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-8 POST @@--><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"should-a-gaming-laptop-have-g-sync-or-freesync-support\">Should a gaming laptop have G-Sync or FreeSync support?<\/h3>\n<p>Okay, we called this section G-Sync and FreeSync, but the reality is, when it comes to beefy gaming laptops, it\u2019s a GeForce GPU world. And that means it\u2019s a G-Sync world. In a nutshell, Nvidia and AMD\u2019s respective variable-refresh-rate technologies help synchronize the monitor and the GPU to greatly reduce screen tearing. Variable refresh rates can make gaming at 40fps far smoother to your eyes than a screen without it.<\/p>\n<p>The first variable-refresh-rate panels for laptops maxed out at 75Hz, only marginally better than the standard 60Hz. More recently, we\u2019ve begun to see laptop panels that can push 120Hz, 144Hz, and even 240Hz.\u00a0This generally means smoother and sharper gaming to your eyes. It even helps smooth out everyday tasks such as scrolling a browser page or Word document.<\/p>\n<p>One last very important note: G-Sync screens have to be connected directly to the laptop\u2019s discrete GPU, which means a large hit on battery life. In most laptops without G-Sync, the Intel integrated graphics is connected directly to the screen, so the GPU can be turned off when not being used. So while G-Sync is beautiful to behold, the cost in battery life is huge.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-should-you-look-for-in-a-gaming-laptop-keyboard-and-trackpad\">What should you look for in a gaming laptop keyboard and trackpad?<\/h3>\n<p>A new trend in gaming laptops is the offset trackpad, which is more conducive to gaming than a dead-center trackpad. The concept is sound, but anyone who actually cares about PC gaming will just plug in a mouse. The worst thing about that offset trackpad is when you try to use it for non-gaming purposes.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-9 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-9 POST @@--><\/p>\n<p>As far as keyboards go, the most important gaming feature is n-key rollover. This means the keyboard physically scans each key separately. If you wanted to, you could press 20 keys simultaneously and they\u2019d all register, as each is independently wired. That probably sounds excessive, but keyboards that lack this feature can suffer missed keystrokes, which both ruins gameplay and hurts in everyday tasks. <\/p>\n<p>Other keyboard considerations include LED backlighting (which adds ambiance but does nothing for gameplay) and mechanical keys vs. membrane. Mechanical keys are excellent, but are available on only a handful of laptops that usually weigh a ton. We have seen a few designs with low-profile mechanical keyboards, but even we admit they can be an acquired taste.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-kind-of-storage-is-best-for-a-gaming-laptop\">What kind of storage is best for a gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<p>Having your games load from an SSD instead of a hard drive significantly cuts down on load times. But beyond that, we haven\u2019t found it to matter that much whether it\u2019s a super-fast NVMe PCIe drive or a slower SATA SSD.<\/p>\n<p>What does matter more today is the size of the SSD rather than the interface it uses. With games now topping 50GB and some touching 100GBs, a once-spacious 256GB SSD will feel too small with just four games installed.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-10 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-10 POST @@--><\/p>\n<p>So when spec\u2019ing out that gaming laptop, be mindful of just how much total storage you have. If you go for a laptop with a small SSD and large hard drive combo, expect to install your games to the hard drive. If the laptop will have an SSD only, choose an absolute minimum of 512GB, with 1TB preferred.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-much-ram-do-you-need-in-a-gaming-laptop\">How much RAM do you need in a gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<p>When laptop makers spec out gaming laptops, one of the levers they use to try to convince you to buy their product is upping the amount of RAM. It\u2019s not hard to find gaming laptops with \u201cupgraded\u201d configurations that go from 16GB of RAM to 32GB.<\/p>\n<p>While having an adequate amount of RAM is important for gaming, today\u2019s games typically top out at 16GB of RAM, and sometimes can run fine with just 8GB of RAM. Most people should invest in a gaming laptop with 16GB of memory if possible, and it makes sense to opt for 32GB if you plan on holding onto your gaming laptop for a long time. Modern games are only getting more memory-hungry.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"should-a-gaming-laptop-have-dual-channel-or-single-channel-ram\">Should a gaming laptop have dual-channel or single-channel RAM?<\/h3>\n<p>Besides the amount of memory, a couple of other important, but not critical, questions to ask is what clock speed and what mode. Modern CPUs let you run RAM in sets to increase the memory bandwidth.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-11 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-11 POST @@--><\/p>\n<p>More memory bandwidth immediately helps laptops that are running integrated graphics, but the conventional wisdom has long been that discrete GPUs in laptops don\u2019t benefit as much because they have their own dedicated, much faster GDDR5 RAM to use. That\u2019s typically the case, but the performance of today\u2019s GPUs and CPUs can make this conventional wisdom wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Gaming performance is often about a balance between the CPU and the GPU, and how graphically intensive a game is. With games that are graphically intensive, the GPU is the primary bottleneck on performance. Play a game that isn\u2019t graphically intense, though, and the CPU can rapidly become the bottleneck on performance.<\/p>\n<p>With the power of today\u2019s GPUs, a lot of games, especially at a sedate resolution of 1920\u00d71080, have shifted more performance to the CPU.\u00a0The reason we\u2019re talking about this now is if you rob the CPU of memory bandwidth, even a decently fast one, you can take a sizable hit in gaming performance.<\/p>\n<p>The basic lesson is you should opt for dual-channel memory bandwidth configurations when possible. On a laptop spec sheet, you typically would see this expressed as \u201cdual-channel\u201d or \u201c2 x 8\u201d to indicate that two 8GB memory modules were used in a laptop.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-12 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-12 POST @@--><\/p>\n<p>Some laptop makers will express memory in clock speed, so you\u2019ll see \u201cDDR4\/2,133 or DDR4\/2,400.\u201d While a higher memory clock does increase memory bandwidth, the impact isn\u2019t quite as great as going from dual-channel to single-channel mode.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-many-cpu-cores-do-you-really-need-in-a-gaming-laptop\">How many CPU cores do you really need in a gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<p>For most people on a budget, a 4-core CPU with Hyper-Threading will function just fine in most games, especially when combined with a lower-cost and lower performance GPU.<\/p>\n<p>Still, if you have the extra cash, a 6-core CPU with Hyper-Threading is likely the sweet spot for today and tomorrow. If you plan to stream your gaming live or edit it, investing in a 6-core is recommended.<\/p>\n<p>Intel and AMD\u2019s top-end 8-plus-core CPUs will deliver the greatest benefit to those who might do other graphics-intensive tasks, such as 3D animation or video editing. If you also plan to record and stream video, the 8-core will offer a performance benefit there, too.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-13 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-13 POST @@--><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re thinking, great, let me buy a 4-core Core i5 or Ryzen 5 CPU with a luxury laptop to save money, you usually can\u2019t, because PC makers typically only offer budget CPUs with other budget parts. Why? Well, most budget shoppers can\u2019t afford any luxury items, and most PC makers like to add in the extras to increase the profit.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-gpu-is-best-for-a-gaming-laptop\">What GPU is best for a gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<p>The single most important piece of hardware in a gaming laptop is undoubtedly the GPU. For AMD fans, the situation is as sad as it is in CPUs: It\u2019s an Nvidia GeForce world.\u00a0As with CPUs though, the good news is that the dominating products are top-notch.<\/p>\n<p>The hardest part will be deciding just how much GPU you need. Our general guidance is to buy as fast a GPU as you can afford and are willing to heft. Generally, the faster the GPU (or GPUs), the larger and heavier the laptop. If you\u2019re talking about playing on a higher-resolution panel of 2560\u00d71440 at high-refresh rates, then keep increasing the amount of money spent on the GPU.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-kind-of-battery-life-should-a-gaming-laptop-have\">What kind of battery life should a gaming laptop have?<\/h3>\n<p>The last topic we\u2019ll cover is battery life. The best way to understand battery life on a gaming laptop is to accept that it\u2019ll be horrible for all things gaming.<\/p>\n<p><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-14 PRE @@--><!-- @@AD gpt-leaderboardmainbod-14 POST @@--><\/p>\n<p>The minute you crank up a GPU on a gaming laptop to play a game, you\u2019re basically limiting yourself to an hour or an hour and a half of battery runtime. Period. And in some cases, far less than that.<\/p>\n<p>The only reason to consider battery life on a gaming laptop is if you want to use your laptop unplugged for non-gaming purposes. In that respect, you\u2019ll find a lot of variance, with some offering decent battery life, albeit with a trade-off in gaming performance.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-block faq-block\">\n<h2 class=\"faq-block-title\" id=\"faq\"> FAQ <\/h2>\n<hr class=\"block-horizotal-divider\"\/>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">1.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-the-best-gaming-laptop\">What is the best gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>The Alienware 16X Aurora is PCWorld\u2019s top gaming laptop, delivering high-end performance without the ridiculously high price tag. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">2.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-the-best-cheap-gaming-laptop\">What is the best cheap gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>The Acer Nitro V 16 AI is PCWorld\u2019s top budget gaming laptop. It offers good gaming performance and a spacious 16-inch, 1200p display for a low price.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">3.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"when-is-the-best-time-to-buy-a-gaming-laptop\">When is the best time to buy a gaming laptop?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>The best time to pick up a gaming laptop is during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or back-to-school season. Those deals will save you a lot of cash.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">4.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"should-you-get-a-gaming-laptop-or-a-pc\">Should you get a gaming laptop or a PC?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>It really depends on your lifestyle. If you\u2019re someone that\u2019s always on-the-go, a gaming laptop is a good fit. But if you\u2019re okay with staying in one spot and want more power or upgrade options, a PC is a better choice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-inner-block faq-save-block\">\n<div class=\"faq-save-content\"><span class=\"faq-rank\">5.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"whats-the-difference-between-a-gaming-laptop-and-a-regular-laptop\">What\u2019s the difference between a gaming laptop and a regular laptop?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-idg-base-theme-faq-answer-block how-to-tip\">\n<p>A gaming laptop is made for handling games, so it has beefed-up graphics and better cooling. A regular laptop, on the other hand, is designed for everyday stuff like browsing or working on documents and operating unplugged for extended periods of time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Not all gaming laptops deliver the same experience, which is important to know when you\u2019re shopping for one. Some are made to push boundaries by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3626,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Alienware-16X-Aurora-Clair-Obscur-game.jpg?quality=50&strip=all","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rj"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3625\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}