Best gaming laptops of 2020

gaming laptops

If you plan to buy a computer and you like video games, you should know some of the best gaming laptops that you can find in the market. These computers are powerful enough to allow you to run the latest video games with good performance, even AAA titles.

In addition, they can not only be used for video games, also for other tasks of the most varied, and even for tasks as specific as graphic design, etc. And that's thanks to its hardware features. Whatever it is for, what you do have to be clear about is a series of recommendations and keys to choose the one that best suits your needs.

Comparison of the best gaming laptops

If you do not have technical knowledge or want us to make it easier for you, you can buy one of these models that are among the best gaming laptops on the market. All of them have the ideal characteristics to be able to run video games smoothly, with a good resolution and with a more than decent FPS rate… In addition, there are products in various ranges so that you can choose the one that best suits your budget.

MSI GS75 Stealth 10SE-045ES

MSI GS75 Stealth 10SE-045ES - 17.3 "FHD Laptop (Intel Core i7-10750H, 32GB RAM, 1TB ...
  • Intel i7-10750H Processor (6 Cores, 12 MB Cache, 2.6 GHz up to 5 GHz)
  • 32GB * 2 DDR4 2666MHz RAM

El MSI GS75 Stealth It is one of the best rated gaming laptops. A special product from the Taiwanese firm specially designed to perform at its best in the field of video games. All thanks to its key technical characteristics:

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H
  • RAM: 32GB DDR4
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB GDDR6
  • Storage: 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
  • Screen: 17.3 ″ FHD (1920x1080px), 240Hz Thin Bezel, and almost 100% sRGB

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-53-77M4

Acer Predator Helios 300 - 15.6 "FullHD Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i7-9750H, 8GB RAM, ...
  • 15.6 "screen, FullHD 1920x1080 IPS LED LCD
  • Intel Core i7-9750H Processor (Hexa Core, 12 MB Cache, 2.6 GHz up to 4.5 GHz)

Come from china you have the Acer Predator Helios 300 Series. A model equipped with the latest hardware to perform at its best and with a much more affordable price than the previous one. It is also somewhat more compact due to its smaller screen, and it also has details that gamers love, such as the RGB keyboard. As for the rest of the features:

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-1075H
  • RAM: 16GB DDR4
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 with 8GB GDDR6
  • Storage: 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
  • Screen: 15.6 ″ FHD IPS 144Hz Slim Bezel LCD FHD IPS (1920x1080px) 3ms

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502IU-AL011

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502IU-AL011 - Gaming Laptop 15.6 "FHD 144Hz (Ryzen 7 4800HS, ...
  • 15.6 "FullHD (1920x1080) 144Hz screen
  • AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS Processor

A great alternative for the previous team is the one that brings you the signature Taiwanese ASUS with the Zephyrus G15 from the ROG gaming dedicated series. A true work of art for gaming and with one of the best motherboards on the market made by ASUS itself. It comes equipped with one of the latest versions of AMD chips that are being put so hard on Intel. Excellent value for money without sacrificing the performance of its powerful hardware:

  • CPU:AMD Ryzen 7 4800H
  • RAM: 16GB DDR4
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with 6GB GDDR6
  • Storage: 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
  • Screen: 15.6 ″ LED Backlit FHD (1920x1080px) 16: 9 144Hz 250nits Anti-Glare IPS-level

Lenovo Legion 5 15IMH05

Lenovo Legion 5 - Gaming Laptop 15.6 "FullHD 144Hz (Intel Core i7-10750H, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, ...
  • 15.6 "screen, FullHD 1920 x 1080 pixels, 144Hz, 300 nits
  • Intel Core i7-10750H Processor (6C / 12T, 2.6 / 5.0GHz, 12MB)

If you want something more affordable, the Chinese Lenovo also has one of those products that you are going to love. It is one of its gaming notebook models, the legion 5. In this design they have removed a multitude of "decorations" and extras that are not expendable and have focused on what really matters, the interior:

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H
  • RAM: 8GB DDR4
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB GDDR6
  • Storage: 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
  • Screen: 15.6 ″ FHD (1920 × 1080) WVA 250nits Anti-glare, 120Hz, 45% NTSC

HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec1015ns

Finally, the HP Pavilion Gaming. A model of the Pavilion series specially designed to perform with the latest video games on the market, but at an extremely reasonable price. So that those with a lower budget do not give up gaming. Don't be fooled by its price, it has promising hardware:

  • CPU:AMD Ryzen 5 4600H
  • RAM: 8GB DDR4
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB GDDR6
  • Storage: 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
  • Screen: 15,6 ″ SVA FullHD (1920x1080px), anti-glare, micro-edge, WLED backlight, 220 nits, 45% NTSC

How much does the best laptop cost in value for money?

How much does gaming laptops cost

Gaming laptops are not exactly low prices, since include fairly powerful hardware. But that does not imply that you have to spend more than 1000 €. However, to get a team with a very good performance for the last triple A, then it would be necessary for you to approach the 1000 barrier.

But there are also some models of cheap gaming laptop, as is the case with the HP on the list. These types of laptops usually include microprocessor chips with SKUs for mainstream, that is, AMD Ryzen 5 and Intel Core i5. These chips are not that they are worse than the Ryzen 7 and Core i7, in fact, their performance may be quite equal despite having fewer cores.

The reason that this is so is that current video games cannot take advantage of the kernel-level parallelism. In other words, to be understood, more Ghz is better than more cores.

Obviously, if you want to do more than just playing video games, such as compilation, virtualization, rendering, etc., you will use software that demands a lot of resources. Therefore, it is likely that in those cases it is worth opting for a somewhat more powerful and expensive laptop model.

But as you can see, you can choose equipment for gamers that can go from 600 to 2000 € on average. Personally, I would not recommend you exceed those figures, either downward or upward. The reason is that too cheap laptops will force you to lower the graphic settings of the video game to make it run smoothly, especially for some more demanding titles or for those to come.

And equipment that exceeds € 2000 or € 3000 does not really necessarily imply a performance increase that makes worth it. Even less those computers that use Ryzen 9 or Core i9 chips, remember that it is better to get a chip with a higher clock frequency than one with a large number of cores when talking about games ...

I end with a tip, and is that if you change your laptop frequently, for example every year, you could opt for a cheaper device. That will save you a good amount of money. On the other hand, if you want it to last as long as possible, perhaps you should make a larger initial investment and buy a more powerful one so that it does not get out of date too quickly ...

Most popular brands of gaming laptops

gaming laptop brands

La brand of your gaming laptop it is also important. It is true that it does not influence the performance of video games, but it does affect the quality of the components and the assembly. Therefore, you will avoid acquiring a product that may fail you in the short term or that has design problems that cause it to overheat.

It is true that choosing brands like MSI, HP, ASUS, Acer, Lenovo, etc., does not guarantee that the engineers involved in its design have not "sinned" as optimistic about cooling, since there could be some model with some problems in the factory. But it is less likely that that will happen or that there are other types of problems.

Those brands that I have mentioned are among the best valued and those that occupy good positions in the reliability analysis. Therefore, if you want a reliable equipment, you should opt for one of those.

There is some other brands, or rather models, that have benefits similar to those large firms. In fact, some models are manufactured in the same factory by ODMs. But personally, I would not risk it without knowing that it exactly has the quality you are looking for.

If you wonder what an ODM is, say that it stands for Original Design Manufacturer, and that they are nothing more than factories that manufacture for several different brands. This is quite common in computing, so you may find that even two competing models are manufactured in the same place.

For example:

  • Compal Electronics- Usually manufactures for Dell, Toshiba, HP and Acer. In fact, if you buy an Acer it is possible that 45% of the time it is manufactured by them.
  • Quanta Computer: It is another of the largest laptop manufacturers in the world, making some models of Acer, Apple MacBook Pro, etc.
  • ASUSTek Computer: It is not only responsible for manufacturing ASUS itself, it also manufactures for other firms, such as Apple Macbooks.
  • wilstrom- This factory is one of Dell's most important sources, along with Compa Electronics. So depending on the Dell model it will be manufactured by one or the other.
  • Foxconn Electronics: one of the best known in terms of manufacturing devices and equipment for third parties. A multitude of well-known products are assembled in its factories, including some MacBooks, Sony Vaios, and orders for HP and Dell are also sometimes executed.
  • MSI (Micro-Star International): manufactures its own MSI and also for third parties.

What I'm trying to make you see with this are two details:

  • Variations in quality of materials and assembly between brands is sometimes low.
  • Not all models of the same brand have to have heterogeneous reliability.

Where to find the best gaming laptop deals

where to buy cheaper online

If you are looking for the best quality price gaming laptopSurely you are wondering the right place to buy one. Well, the truth is that where the most competitive prices are handled is in online stores. For example, you can get these recommended models at:

  • Amazon: Bezos' online platform is one of the preferred places to buy for a large number of users. The reason is that they have a huge variety of models to choose from and they have a good stock. In addition, their service is reliable and they will not inconvenience you if you want your money back because a product has arrived wrong or is not to your liking. And if that seems little to you, if you have Amazon Prime, the shipping will be very fast, so you don't have to wait for your e-Sports games.
  • Media Markt: the German is another of the options that you have at your fingertips. You can buy both on its online platform and at your closest point of sale. They have a good selection of brands and models, although not as huge as on Amazon.
  • El Corte Ingles: this Spanish supermarket chain is an alternative to buy gaming laptops. Their service is good and you can trust them. Its weak point is the prices, since they do not stand out precisely for being the lowest. However, if you can take advantage of offers such as Tecnoprices, Black Friday, or any of the sales they do, then you can get a product at a profitable price.
  • carrfour: the French chain also has an important IT section where you can buy gaming laptops. As in the case of the previous two, you can choose the physical option or the online purchase.
  • PCComponentes: Perhaps it is the place with the most competitive prices of all and with a huge number of brands and models to choose from. In fact, that is because they act as mere intermediaries as Amazon does. Therefore, it is other sellers who offer their products through these online stores. Their customer service and delivery efficiency is excellent ...

Wherever it is, I advise you to always shop to get reasonable prices and do not buy in little-known stores. They may have poor after-sales service and may even be phishing websites ...

What is a gaming laptop and how is it different from others?

Gaming laptops, video games

A gamer laptop is a normal, ordinary laptop computer except for some special features. At first glance, the models intended for gaming differ by their size and weight, being higher than in conventional laptops or ultrabooks.

That's how it is for many reasons:

  • They tend to have somewhat larger screens in some cases, although most use the "near standard" 15.6 ″.
  • Its battery is larger, since they must have a greater capacity to have to feed a much more "gluttonous" hardware energetically.
  • The hardware is more powerful, which means that it sometimes takes up more space by not using certain integrated elements, having more ports on its flanks, etc.
  • In addition, the cooling system implemented to keep so much watt at a low temperature is also larger than in conventional notebooks.

Otherwise they are exactly the same, maybe you can find some other details like keyboards with RGB lighting (not in all cases), or certain modding trims, etc.

By the way, having more powerful hardware will drain the battery earlier than in ultrabooks. And that together with its greater weight and size will make Mobility be reduced.

Keys to choosing the best

tips for choosing gaming laptops

If you are thinking of buying a gaming laptop price quality, you should know some keys to know how to choose better. And it is that sometimes some users confuse the importance of certain components or characteristics that do not influence as much as they think, which leads them to spend more in order not to obtain better results.

To choose a good team for gamers the most important is

  • Brand: see the section dedicated to this in which I told you about the best brands. The reliability and quality of the product, and also the final price, will largely depend on this factor.
  • CPU- Any AMD Ryzen 5, AMD Ryzen 7, or Intel Core i5 or Core i7 microprocessor will allow you to play video games smoothly. You do not need to invest more money in a Ryzen 9 / Threadripper or a Core i9 at all. It will be a waste of money, you know that video games do not take good advantage of the high parallelism in terms of core-count. It is better that you always choose the model with the highest clock frequency, those will be noticed.
  • GPUGraphics cards like the AMD Radeon RX 570 or the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1550 are sufficient for most 1080p video games. But if you want something better, look for computers with somewhat higher graphics cards like those recommended in our selection. As for the VRAM memory, it will depend on the resolution you handle, for FullHD with 3 or 4GB it is fine, for higher resolutions such as 4K, it would not be bad to have 6-8GB.
  • RAM- Adding too much main memory won't make the game much better either. With 8GB it is enough for the vast majority of video games, even many triple A. However, to ensure that it fully meets the recommended requirements, you can opt for 16GB or buy a device with 8GB and add another module if it supports it.
  • Storage: It is very important that if you want your video game to load fast and your game does not take forever, you always choose SSD over HDD. The difference is truly abysmal, solid state hard drives being much faster in the accesses.
  • Screen: It is important that it has a good resolution, such as FullHD or 4K. Size does matter, since I don't recommend buying a gaming device below 15.6 ″. On a small playing surface, everything is more complicated, plus it will be worse for your eyesight. As for other features of the panel, look for it to have high refresh rates, above 60Hz for> 1080p. For example, for FullHD or higher it would be good if it was 144Hz or 240Hz for greater fluidity in video games. Regarding the type of panel (IPS, TN, VA, QLED, OLED), do not get too obsessed, but many gamers prefer TN and LED, avoiding IPS, although the latter have improved a lot and you will not notice obvious differences either.
  • Refrigeration: does not directly influence performance, but does indirectly. Keeping the semiconductors working at a lower temperature not only makes them perform more and avoid situations of high temperature throttling, but it will also prevent problems that affect the reliability or useful life of the chips, such as electromigration.
  • I / O devicesAlthough the keyboard on these laptops is usually mechanical and of better quality, it is important that you make sure that it is. It is not so important that it has RGB, since it is a purely aesthetic detail, but it does have appropriate controls for your games. You can always choose to use an external controller or controller, or a USB gaming keyboard / mouse.
  • Battery: It will not directly influence the video game, but it is important that it has a high capacity (mAh or Wh) so that it can last for hours of gameplay. However, if you have a power outlet handy it won't be too much of a problem, the problem is if you use it in places without plugs, such as in public transport, parks, etc. But do not despair, you must be aware that a gaming laptop is not designed for mobility and energy efficiency, it is designed to perform at its best ... so do not make comparisons with ultrabooks, it does not make sense.

Advantages of buying a gaming laptop

advantages and disadvantages

Buying a gaming laptop involves a series of advantages and disadvantages, as with almost everything. It is a choice and you must find the best compromise according to your needs. However, some believe that gaming laptops are only for entertainment, and they are not.

A team with those characteristics can be adapted to all kinds of tasks (office automation, navigation, design software, virtualization, development, etc.). In fact, having such powerful hardware will outperform other normal laptops and ultrabooks.

Advantages

  • They are much more powerful than normal ones. This will allow you to work faster and smoother on heavy tasks
  • They have screens with a very good quality, which can be advisable for other multimedia tasks, such as watching movies, graphic design, photo editing, etc.
  • Your keyboards are of better quality, so they will give less problems if you give it an intensive use This is so since they are usually mechanical, much superior to those of membranes.
  • They comply with the functions and applications that a normal laptop would have, so you can do everything with them and not just play ... Something that all normal teams do not meet, since many do not allow you to play.

Disadvantages

  • They're more expensive than normal due to its power. But it is something justified and as you have seen before, there are also some cheap gaming laptops.
  • Its weight and dimensions are high, being able to weigh several kilos more. Fortunately there are special gaming backpacks for transport.
  • Its reliability is somewhat lower than that of a normal laptop, since when working at higher speeds and high temperatures, its useful life is shortened.

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