The best gaming laptops 2023: top laptops to game on for every budget

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REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
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REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
Asus best gaming laptop against gray background
(Image credit: Future / Asus)
Editor's note: March 2023

Gaming laptops equipped with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4000-series and AMD Radeon 7000-series GPUs have started to drop. There are several new additions to our list: the Alienware m17 R5 AMD Advantage, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, and the MSI GT77 Titan (2023). All three are coming out swinging with their superior specs and performance. 

- Allisa James, Computing Writer

There are several important things to keep in mind when searching for the best gaming laptops as they come in a variety of sizes, specs, and designs. And as such, we’ve put together a list of some of the top choices, all of which have been thoroughly tested to guarantee their quality and performance.

Though the current cost of living crisis has driven up the cost of tech in general, that doesn't mean that it's harder to find the best gaming laptop for your needs and budget. The best laptop you're using to play PC games can cover the gambit between more expensive options with better specs or something more budget-minded with lower-end specs. And no matter what games you choose, the best cheap gaming laptops are sure to be able to handle them.

For instance, the best thin and light gaming laptops are made to be extremely portable, while desktop replacement laptops are more powerful yet bulkier and heavier in return. Because of the difficulty of choosing between a desktop PC and a desktop replacement laptop, it’s important to compare the pros and cons of getting a gaming PC versus a gaming laptop, in order to see what works best for you.

You can also purchase laptops based on the manufacturer like the best Asus gaming laptops, the best MSI gaming laptops, and the best AMD gaming laptops. In the meantime, we've got all the best gaming laptops we've already reviewed and tested below. No matter what you need in a laptop for gaming, we have options that best fit your needs. 

The best gaming laptops 2023

Why you can trust TechRadar Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Asus Zephyrus G15

(Image credit: Future)
The best gaming laptop overall

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H – 9 5900HS
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 – 3080
RAM: Up to 32GB
Screen: 15.6-inch QHD (1440p), 165Hz, 3ms, 300 nits
Storage: 1TB

Reasons to buy

+
Outstanding performance, especially for the price
+
Incredible battery life
+
Affordable price tag

Reasons to avoid

-
Lack of webcam might disappoint streamers
-
Tenkeyless keyboard

It's not quite so new and shiny anymore, but the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 is still the best of the best. The Asus 'Republic of Gamers' brand has produced some truly excellent gaming laptops (you'll see a few more if you keep scrolling) but this is the definitive pick.

A high-end AMD Ryzen processor, choice of Nvidia RTX 3000 GPU, a great screen, and generally fantastic design mark the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 as a top-notch gaming laptop that can comfortably power through all the latest games. It also packs some truly legendary battery life, lasting about eight to nine hours during our rigorous testing process, which puts it up alongside the long-lasting Asus TUF Dash F15.

All this great performance is wrapped up in a robust chassis with a stylish design, an aesthetic that manages to look good and doesn't scream 'I'm a gamer!' to everyone within a ten-mile radius. To cap it all off, while this isn't a budget machine, it offers an absolutely stellar price-to-performance ratio. So if you want a high-performing gaming laptop that’s competitively priced to boot, nothing beats this one.

Read the full Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 review

Asus TUF Dash F15

(Image credit: Future)
The best value gaming laptop

Specifications

CPU: Up to Intel Core i7-11375H
Graphics: Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
RAM: Up to 16GB DDR4-3200
Screen: Up to 15.6-inch WQHD anti-glare 165Hz IPS-level display with Adaptive Sync
Storage: Up to 1TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Battery life up to 10 hours
+
Strong gaming performance in a thin chassis
+
Plenty of ports

Reasons to avoid

-
No webcam
-
Keyboard lighting color can't be changed

The Asus TUF line is no stranger to affordable excellent performers. Last year’s Asus TUF A15, for instance, was simply brilliant while keeping things accessible to budget-conscious gamers. In our view, this is the best gaming laptop you can buy if you're on a budget, as while it's more expensive than the MSI GF63 above, it has more powerful, and more recent, components, while still keeping the price impressively low. So, it brings in Intel Tiger Lake processors, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000 mobile GPUs, and up to a 240Hz 1080p display without costing a fortune.

Naturally, its legendary chassis is back, keeping things light, thin, and military-grade durable. At under an inch thick and less than 5lb, this is a gaming laptop you want with you wherever you need to go. As is its long battery life, this time around nearing 10 hours, so you have the juice to last you an entire workday if you also want to use it for work. 

Read the full Asus TUF Dash F15 review

Razer Blade 14 gaming laptop on a wooden desk

(Image credit: Future)
A compact and powerful premium gaming laptop

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 6900HX
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800
Display: 14-inch QHD (2560x1440), 165Hz
Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Bright and colorful screen
+
Powerful gaming performance
+
Robust metal chassis

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive for the components on offer
-
Keyboard feels a little cramped

Sure, it might be very expensive (the version we tested and reviewed costs $2,600), but the new Razer Blade 14 is just a thing of beauty; a compact, quiet, durable, and powerful gaming laptop that ticks just about every box. Top-notch internal components are joined by an incredibly bright and vivid screen, with the classic machined metal chassis that has come to define the aesthetic of the Blade laptop line.

Gaming performance is solid across the board, with the RTX 3070 Ti model we reviewed capable of hitting 60+fps in the majority of games at 1440p resolution. It's also surprisingly quiet for a gaming laptop, with the fans not reaching the same roar of many of the others on this list. Even the battery life is solid. Well, solid for a gaming laptop - it's not going to give any ultrabooks reason to worry!

Read the full Razer Blade 14 (2022) review

Alienware m17 R5 AMD Advantage test unit on a table

(Image credit: Future / Alex Cox)
A desktop replacement laptop with unrivaled gaming performance

Specifications

CPU: Octa-core AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX 3.3GHz
Graphics: 12GB AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (discrete), AMD Radeon 680M (integrated)
RAM: 32GB DDR5 @ 4800MHz
Screen: 17.3” 3840 x 2160, 120Hz, 3ms refresh
Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Pin-sharp design with clever cooling
+
Fantastic performance
+
Excellent, generous screen

Reasons to avoid

-
AMD Advantage spec is quite pricey
-
Slightly limited battery when gaming
-
Heavy, bulky chassis

The Alienware m17 R5 AMD Advantage is an excellent gaming laptop that delivers on every front. The 17-inch display is a ridiculous 120Hz 4K screen, further enhanced with Dolby Vision support. During our testing, we found that the gorgeous crystal clear image paired well with a smooth enough refresh rate for most gamers.

Its performance during our own benchmark testing was even more impressive, with eye-watering high scores on every GPU test. And when it came to testing out general gameplay performance, most games hit the highest highs in terms of framerate and more. Not only is its performance top-notch, but it also has a gorgeous design befitting the Alienware line. 

The clamshell design is not only aesthetically pleasing but keeps the main vent clear and more effective at proper ventilation, something absolutely vital when it comes to high-power gaming sessions. It's a bit heavy and bulky with a somewhat decent battery life of about six hours, but if you're getting a desktop replacement gaming laptop then you know the deal.

Read the full Alienware m17 R5 AMD Advantage review

MSI GF63 Thin gaming laptop open on a wooden desk, with a plant next to it.

(Image credit: Future)
Another excellent budget gaming laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-11800H
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
RAM: 8GB DDR4-3200
Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1920x1080), 144Hz
Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen3 SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Great price-to-performance ratio
+
Solid build quality
+
Good range of ports

Reasons to avoid

-
Unimpressive battery life
-
Some annoying bloatware

MSI's laptops and desktops run the gauntlet from impressive to lackluster, but the GF63 Thin definitely sits in the former category. It's far from the most powerful gaming laptop on this list, but with some very competitive pricing, it's an excellent choice for any gamer on a budget. When we reviewed it, we found that it also feels quite well-constructed, despite the sensible price tag.

That price is kept low by wisely employing some slightly older components, like the 11th-gen Intel Core i7 processor and the PCIe 3.0 SSD, but these are paired with an Nvidia RTX 3000 GPU that still offers excellent gaming performance. It's not quite as flexible a laptop as some of those found on this list (many of which can easily pull double duty for demanding content creation work), but if you're just looking for a straightforward 1080p gaming system, this is the one for you.

Read the full MSI GF63 Thin (2022) review

Corsair Voyager a1600 laptop on a wooden desk.

(Image credit: Future)
The best AMD-powered gaming laptop

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6800M
RAM: 32GB DDR5-4800
Screen: 16-inch QHD (2560x1600), 240Hz
Storage: 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent QHD performance
+
Big screen with a high refresh rate
+
Amazing mechanical keyboard

Reasons to avoid

-
Quite expensive
-
Not enough ports
-
First-gen design will take some refining

Corsair only broke into the gaming laptop space this August, and we have to say we're seriously impressed with the manufacturer's first attempt. The Corsair Voyager a1600 is a laptop that stands out from the crowd, from its big, beautiful 16:10 screen to the bar of touch buttons (and a tiny LCD display) that rests above the keyboard.

That keyboard is great too - it uses Cherry MX Ultra-Low Profile mechanical key switches, a rare sight in gaming laptops, which feel absolutely incredible to play games with. This is a fully AMD-powered gaming laptop too, with the excellent Radeon RX 6800M graphics card and a powerful Ryzen 9 6900HS processor.

One other nifty feature is seamless 'Slipstream' connectivity, which allows you to instantly connect compatible Corsair peripherals (say, a wireless headset or mouse) without the need for a plug-in dongle. The touch bar and included software are also geared towards streamers, so if you're waiting for your big break on Twitch, this could be the laptop for you.

Read the full Corsair Voyager a1600 review

An MSI GT77 Titan on a pink desktop mat

(Image credit: Future)
A titan in both looks and performance

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i9-13950HX
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
RAM: 64GB DDR5 (32GB x 2)
Screen: 17.3-inch IPS, 4K 144Hz Mini LED, HDR 1000, 100% DCI-P3
Storage: 2TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Out of this world performance
+
Surprisingly OK battery life
+
Mini DisplayPort output

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive
-
Enormous and heavy
-
Sounds like a tiny jet engine

If you’re looking for a contender for the most powerful gaming laptop, the MSI GT77 Titan (2023) has the competition beat so far. It comes with the latest in specs, including a 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU and an Nvidia RTX 4080 12GB Laptop GPU. During our extensive testing, we found that it managed to beat out the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i in most of our benchmark scoring when it came to GPU performance.

Its display is a ridiculous 4K resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate, and as we tested this behemoth we found that PC games never looked and moved better. The cherries on top are that this laptop comes with a Mini DisplayPort output and, according to our tests, the battery life is okay for a gaming laptop four and a half hours. It does charge fast, so that’s another positive to add.

There are some caveats we found, however. The biggest one is the sheer size of this behemoth, which weighs over seven pounds. You will never move this laptop off your desk, it’s the truest form of desktop replacement. And thanks to its size, it sounds like a jet engine. Cost is also an issue, but if money isn’t a problem then you can’t go wrong investing in this exceptionally powerful laptop.

Read the full MSI GT77 Titan (2023) review

Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733

(Image credit: Future)
The best of AMD and Nvidia

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
RAM: 16GB – 64GB
Screen: 17.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 anti-glare – 17.3-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) 16:9 anti-glare display
Storage: 1TB + 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent performance especially at 1080p
+
Brilliant mechanical keyboard
+
Cool design

Reasons to avoid

-
Poor battery life of less than 5 hours
-
Expensive

One of the best gaming laptops that money can buy, the Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733 barely breaks a sweat. That excellent performance is due to the impressive specs it’s kitted out with, combining the best of what AMD, processor-wise, and Nvidia, on the GPU side, has to offer. Sadly, it also put out of most people’s reach, price-wise. 

If you can afford it, however, there are a few other things you’ll love about it. That design is unapologetically gaming-esque, with its resplendent RGB lighting that allows it to light up like Christmas and its optical mechanical keyboard that’s simply one of the best we've experienced on a laptop, gaming and otherwise. This is among the best of the best out there, and a worthy consideration if you’re not limited by your budget.

Read the full Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733 review

black gaming laptop with cyberpunk running

(Image credit: Future)
A high-performance and high priced desktop replacement

Specifications

CPU: 13ᵗʰ Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 12GB GDDR6
RAM: 32GB DDR5
Screen: 16-inch WQXGA (2560x1600) IPS 500nits, 100% sRGB, 240Hz
Storage: 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Incredible gaming performance
+
A wide keyboard with RGB lighting
+
High-end specs
+
Excellent port selection
+
Display has a ridiculous 240Hz refresh rate

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive
-
Horrible battery life
-
Slight overheating issues
-
Very heavy

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is one of the most powerful gaming laptops we’ve tested so far, thanks to its RTX 4080 mobile GPU. When we tested it out, it delivered some incredible gaming performance, absolutely smoking through every one of our graphics-based benchmark tests with flying colors, and nearly matched our scores for the Alienware Aurora R15 gaming PC. This level of power also translates to gaming performance, with titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered looking its best.

Its display is an absolutely ridiculous 16-inch WQXGA, 240Hz, 500nits screen, which means that when we took it for a gaming test drive, we found the refresh rate to be butter smooth enough for professional gamers. The screen is extremely bright with a high-definition resolution, and it also features an RGB-lit keyboard with an excellent port selection to boot.

The chassis is very bulky and heavy, as befitting of a desktop replacement laptop, with an abysmal two-and-a-half-hour battery life. This laptop was made purely for performance, with not a thought to its aesthetics, but for the performance it’s worth it.

Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 open on a desk, with both screens turned on and displaying a desktop background.

(Image credit: Future)
The best dual-screen gaming laptop

Specifications

CPU: Ryzen 9 6900HX
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
RAM: 64GB DDR5-4800
Screen: 16-inch 16-inch 2560 x 1600 ROG Nebula HDR
Storage: 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Great gaming performance
+
Two vibrant displays
+
Amazing, booming speakers

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive
-
Cramped keyboard and trackpad

If you're after something a bit different — or you're a content creator who wants a laptop for gaming too — then the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 is an incredible (if expensive) choice. The 16:10 main display is joined by the delightful ScreenPad Plus, a secondary touchscreen that elevates out of the chassis when you open the lid, creating a laptop that's reminiscent of a certain beloved handheld console.

Nintendo DS references aside, the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 is also an absolute monster of a system thanks to its Ryzen 9 6900HX processor and RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, backed up by a whopping 64GB of DDR5 RAM. It's great for gaming and watching movies, in no small part due to a set of powerhouse speakers that provide shockingly good room-filling audio.

Read the full Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 review

How to choose the best gaming laptop for you

Choosing the best gaming laptop is easy when you’ve got deep pockets or have a couple of thousand dollars to spare. It’s when your budget is more limited that getting a great gaming laptop becomes trickier.

Lucky for us, we’re getting plenty of more affordably-priced CPUs and GPUs that don’t compromise on power. The latest internals are more capable yet also cheaper than ever. That means that gaming notebooks under $1000 can be just as capable as any gaming PC while keeping things portable and space-saving. 

Still, some components are more powerful or cheaper than others. While it’s no longer a hard and fast rule, AMD’s offerings are generally more affordable, which means that AMD Ryzen-powered laptops tend to be slightly cheaper. 

In terms of graphics cards, Nvidia is still king when it comes to performance, although which RTX card you should go for depends on the type of gaming experience you want. The RTX 3060, for example, is a terrific mid-range contender with lots of power for 1080p gaming. However, if you want that 4K goodness, an RTX 3070 or higher is the way to go.

Consider the RAM as well. Other things to look at are the amount of storage, type of display, and type and variety of ports. Take a look at the battery life as well, especially if you plan on gaming on the go. Know that just because something is premium doesn’t automatically mean it’ll deliver a long battery life – the Alienware laptops are a cautionary tale. And, of course, since you do have to like how your gaming notebook looks, think about the design and whether or not you want RGB lighting.

Whichever one you pick however, we guarantee one of our picks below will let you dive into your favorite games, from the best cheap PC games to the best laptop games and the best PC games – all without tethering you to a desk.

How we test gaming laptops

Testing a gaming laptop isn’t as easy as you might think. But, then again, neither is narrowing down your options and choosing the best one for you, which is why we take our job seriously. Even if that means gaming for hours on end – hey, someone’s gotta make the sacrifice, right?

In all seriousness, we put every gaming laptop we test through its paces to make sure it delivers as promised and is worth your hard-earned case. That means that on top of playing the latest and hottest games on it, noting things like gaming and thermal performance, we also run synthetic benchmarks like PCMark 10, 3DMark and Geekbench 5 as well as battery tests.

Because a gaming laptop is only as good as its peripherals, we take a look at how smooth and fast the display is, how comfortable and responsive its keyboard is, whether or not there are enough ports on hand, and how good its overall design is. We also test its webcam, in case users want to utilize it for game streaming. 

We then take everything we’ve learned about the gaming laptop and compare it to its price – whether or not it’s performance and features are worth that price tag, and whether or not it offers the best value to customers.

Which laptop is best for gaming?

At a base level, you’re going to need a gaming laptop that runs the newest game releases, whether they’re AAA or games that require lower graphics settings. Ideally, you’ll want to pick a gaming laptop with a decent graphics card - it doesn’t have to be as advanced as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070, which can play even the most graphically intense games at the highest settings, but you’ll want something that can play any and every game you might play.

RAM is crucial in the best gaming laptops as well, as it makes sure there aren’t performance issues within the laptop. The last thing you want is for your game to sputter or freeze in the middle of important action sequences or cutscenes, so you’ll want a gaming laptop with plenty of RAM to tackle those high-intensity games.

Screen size should also factor into your gaming laptop decision. If you’re someone who likes having the biggest screen to see as much as possible of your game, you’re going to want a bigger screen, ideally something from 16- to 17.3-inches. If you’re okay with having a standard size screen, you may be able to get away with getting a gaming laptop with a screen anywhere from 14 to 15.6 inches.

If you travel a lot you’re going to want to consider how heavy the gaming laptop is, as well as any necessary accessories you’ll need to pack. Travelling often will also mean you need to make sure your gaming laptop has a decent battery life, otherwise you’ll be trekking from outlet to outlet on your journey. 

How much RAM do I need for gaming?

There are many gaming laptops that start you off with an 8GB DDR4 memory, which is the minimum these days. However, that might not be enough for a speedy performance. 

If you play a lot of demanding AAA titles, at least 16GB is recommended for the smoothest experience. If you can afford to splurge, a 32GB memory will give you the smoothest, most immersive experience.

Is it worth it to get a gaming laptop?

Absolutely. Gaming PCs are no longer incomparable, thanks to mobile devices getting smaller yet also more powerful. If you need something that's space-saving and/or portable yet powerful enough to tackle your favorite games, no matter if those are not-so-demanding games or the most graphically-intensive titles, one of the best gaming laptops is worth considering.

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Allisa James
Computing Staff Writer

Named by the CTA as a CES 2023 Media Trailblazer, Allisa is a Computing Staff Writer who covers breaking news and rumors in the computing industry, as well as reviews, hands-on previews, featured articles, and the latest deals and trends. In her spare time you can find her chatting it up on her two podcasts, Megaten Marathon and Combo Chain, as well as playing any JRPGs she can get her hands on.

With contributions from