By: Lucas M. Cappel
Let’s face it, playing heavy games like FIFA 19, and Grand Theft Auto V on your regular PC is often a sluggish and underwhelming experience which also reduces the machine’s lifespan. To enjoy smooth, uninterrupted gaming, a gaming laptop is necessary and judging from the large variety in the market; manufacturers seem to have gotten the memo regarding the increased demand. On the flipside, many budding gamers don’t know what to look for in a gaming desktop or laptop outside of the price and brand name. Check out the following tips on how to choose the right gaming laptop and avoid disappointments and regrets.
Graphics
Most gaming dedicated laptops come with Nvidia GPU’s that can smoothly run just about every standard game. However, if you’re a fan of 3D and VR games, go for a machine that allows you to connect to an external Graphics Card. Some people prefer using a desktop GPU in laptop which they connect via ExpressCard or a dedicated dock on the computer. The result, providing you do the connections right, is a powerful gaming machine that rivals the Xbox One S in terms of graphics quality and smooth gaming.
RAM
The Random Access Memory determines how fast and efficiently your device will run various programs, and is one of the vital laptop specs for gaming. The amount of RAM you need depends on what games you like and what other tasks you intend to use the machine for. Generally, 16GB of RAM is enough to load most games available and should be ideally the minimum RAM. If you’re low on finances, you can purchase a 16GB laptop that can be upgraded later on if more power is needed. On your machine’s spec page, you’ll find, among other details, the current as well as the maximum possible RAM.
CPU Specs
The CPU is the heart of your gaming laptop as it provides all the firepower you need to run your games. We recommend looking for machines with at least an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor if you don’t want to experience lags and overheating. Such processors also allow faster and more seamless multi-player gaming. An Intel Core i5 CPU may also work well with some games, but it limits your future upgrading options and can be slow with bigger games.
Resolution
While playing games on laptop, you want to see all the graphics and visual effects clearly. Yeah, 1080p resolution is amazing and all but have you ever played Battlefield on a 4K screen? Pure bliss! Admittedly, 4K devices are relatively expensive but 1440p, and 3K resolutions are much better than the basic 1080p so you may also want to take a look.
Laptop Configuration Options
A lot of gamers are increasingly going for barebones gaming laptops that give them the option to create a custom experience on the cheap. If you’re not in the know, barebones are typically notebook computers that you can assemble using off-the-shelf parts that you don’t necessarily have to buy from one retailer. Thus, you can separately buy your preferred GPU, CPU, RAM stick and SSD individually and have them assembled for you. Of course, laptop configuration options are not an essential factor to consider, and you can just buy a ready-made machine if you have the money. We just found it necessary to include in recognition of the increased love for customizable gaming laptops among pro gamers.
Conclusion
Gaming laptops are cool and very necessary if you’re a heavy gamer and they can also perform regular computer tasks. There are lots of awesome laptops on the market, but there is also a lot of rubbish that you have to wade through. Hopefully, you now know the essential things to look for, and you won’t get lost.
As usual, questions, suggestions, and comments are much welcome.
About the author: Lucas M. Cappel is an educator and a web content writer interested in human culture and history. He hosts Besttechexpert.guide and enjoys sharing articles with people eager to learn more about technology.
