Welcome to our guide on the best thin and light gaming laptops in 2018. Not too long ago, buying even the best gaming laptop meant having to lug around a big and heavy machine that wasn't much more portable than a desktop PC.
However, thanks to modern advancements in technology, which has seen smaller, more power-efficient, mobile components being made, gaming laptops can be almost as thin and light as standard laptops.
For example, Nvidia's Max-Q design technology allows laptop makers to create thin, light and powerful gaming laptops that make use of the company's best graphics cards. No longer do you need to make a choice between power and portability.
However, thin and light gaming laptops can be a bit more expensive than regular gaming laptops, due to the complex parts and careful construction they require. That's where are best thin and light gaming laptops guide comes in. We've selected the very best slimline gaming laptops to help you make your decision easier.
1. MSI GS65 Stealth
Thin. Beautiful. Powerful.
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM, Max-Q) | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, wide-view 144Hz panel | Storage: 512GB M.2 SSD
At just .69 inches thick and featuring beefy Coffee Lake processors, the MSI GS65 Stealth isn't just one of the best thin and light gaming laptops ever made, it's one of the best devices you can currently game on full stop. It features an Intel Core i7-8750H CPU and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 graphics, which gives you plenty of power for playing the latest games with the graphical settings set to 'high', and it all comes in a brilliantly thin and gorgeously-designed body.
Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth
2. Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501
Max-Q masterclass
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM) | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, wide-view 120Hz panel with G-Sync | Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe x4 SSD
The absolutely brilliant Asus Zephyrus GX501 is a fantastic showcase for Nvidia's Max-Q technology, offering a powerful gaming laptop in a thin and light design that you'd normally see in an Ultrabook. If you want a powerhouse gaming laptop that offers top-notch gaming experiences, stylish and portable design and runs almost silently, then this is the laptop to go for. Our only issue is that battery life is pretty short, but that's often the case with gaming laptops.
Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501
3. Razer Blade Stealth
Thin, light, powerful
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620 – Intel UHD Graphics 620 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 12.5-inch UHD (3,840 x 2,160) – 13.3-inch QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) | Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe SSD
The latest Razer Blade Stealth is an absolutely brilliant thin and light gaming PC. It's a brilliant demonstration of just how far gaming laptop technology has come, with Razer fitting some seriously impressive components into the slimline body of the Blade Stealth. The 2018 version comes with some of the most up-to-date hardware money can buy, and it benefits from a brighter (and larger) display and a new, more subtle, design.
Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth
4. Gigabyte Aero 15
Another thin and light gaming beast
CPU: Intel Core i7 8750H | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5) | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LCD anti-glare | Storage: 512GB SSD
The Gigabyte Aero 15 proves that you don't need to be big and bulky to be a brilliant gaming laptop. It packs a 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU and a GTX 1060 into a slimline body that you'd expect from an Ultrabook. And, thanks to that beefy processor, the Gigabyte Aero 15 isn’t just one of the best gaming laptops – it’s just as good when you need to get some work done.
Read the full review: Gigabyte Aero 15
5. Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
Making power portable
CPU: Intel Core i5-i7 | Graphics: Radeon RX Vega M GL Graphics with 4GB HMB2 Graphics Memory | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 15.6-inch, 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) InfinityEdge anti-reflective touch display | Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
Okay, so the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 isn't billed as a gaming laptop, but within its thin and light frame are components that will give you a brilliant gaming experience. Packed with an Intel Kaby Lake G-series processor, this gaming laptop can keep up with its competitors. While you may not be able to play the very latest games at the highest graphical settings, with a bit of tweaking you'll find that this thin-and-light laptop is brilliant for gaming. Plus, it has a gorgeously-thin design from Dell that makes it stand out from the crowd.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
- Don't care about the size? Here's the best gaming laptops of 2018