Best Gaming Laptops 2023: (Top 10) With Pros and Cons

Best Gaming Laptops 2023: (Top 10) With Pros and Cons

We understand it’s difficult to choose a gaming laptop these days because there are so many possibilities, and new models are released every year with ever-more-powerful CPUs and GPUs. 

Furthermore, due to their power requirements and the thermal constraints of the chassis, a CPU or GPU may perform significantly differently from one laptop to another, making the purchasing decision even more difficult.

To help you, we’ve picked out the best gaming laptops and system setups for 2023 that will give you the smoothest gaming experience at different price points. We also included a quick guide to help you select great gaming laptops at any time.

Best Laptops For Gaming In 2023

1. Dell Inspiron i7559 ($799.99)

The Dell Inspiron I7559 enables you to enter the world of gaming without spending a lot of money because it is one of the best gaming laptops in 2023 balancing cost and quality.

The Dell Inspiron I7559 delivers the finest value in gaming performance thanks to its NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M GPU. Virtually every game can be played with excellent performance thanks to the GPU’s 4 gigabytes of VRAM.

Not only that, but the Dell Inspiron also gives you access to a potent Processor and enough RAM.  It makes gaming even more pleasurable and reasonably priced thanks to its Intel quad-core i7-6700HQ processor, 8GB of RAM, and 1TB 5400 RPM storage.

Despite having specs that make it appear to be an entry-level gaming laptop, it is nonetheless a gaming laptop. The graphics card’s 4GB VRAM makes it simple to play any game. You can still enjoy playing games even when it can’t run them at their top settings.

To some of its downsides, the 1TB HDD storage can prove to be sluggish, but you can simply replace it with an SSD with faster performance and more memory, running the operating system with ease.

Also, the keyboard, while excellent for playing games, is not as good for typing. Thus using an external keyboard may be preferable while taking notes or typing a lot. Last but not least, the Dell Inspiron I7559 boasts a respectable battery life of 5 to 6 hours with everyday use but only 2 hours during gaming. On the good side, though, the charger is respectable; it takes the battery roughly 2.5 hours to fully recharge.

2. MSI GS60 Ghost Pro 4K ($1,948.26)

One of the best gaming laptops available in 2023 is the MSI GS60 Ghost Pro which combines a sleek design with quick gaming graphics and a decent selection of features.

It has lots of storage, can run most games at or close to their top settings at 1080p, and looks excellent while doing it. 

But, there are significant limitations, including a limited battery life and performance that, at the highest settings, is closer to 30 frames per second (fps) than 60 fps, which may not be desirable given the price.

The MSI GS60 Ghost Pro is sleek and small, not at all like the stereotypically bulky gaming laptop. It is still very wide but very thin, measuring 0.78 by 15.35 by 10.47 inches (HWD), has a 15.6-inch screen, and weighs only 4.57 pounds.

For instance, despite having a similar screen size, the Acer Predator 15 (G9-591-74KN) is much heavier at 1.52 by 15.39 by 11.79 inches and just over 8 pounds, whereas the Acer Aspire V 15 Nitro (VN7-591G-70JY) is much more comparable at 0.94 by 15.3 by 10.1 inches.

A 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M graphics, and 16GB of memory are included in our Ghost Pro evaluation unit. It received a score of 3,255 on the PCMark 8 Work Conventional test, Moving to its cons, The MSI GS60 Ghost Pro has not-very-good battery life. For a smaller laptop operating at 1080p, the battery life was disappointingly brief at just 2 hours and 31 minutes.

3. Lenovo Y700 ($959)

For being a great choice in terms of pricing, the Lenovo Y700 competes very closely with the Dell Inspiron I7559 for the best laptops for gaming in 2023.

It also comes with exciting specifications, one of which is the GTX 960M graphics card that enables you to play several of the most well-known games at nearly high settings. The Lenovo Y700 not only offers you gaming capabilities, but it also has a sleeker, lighter style. Hence, the Lenovo Y700 stands to be one of the greatest gaming laptops overall thanks to a full HD display, a strong processor and GPU combination, and one of the best sound characteristics out today.

In addition to its Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M graphics card, it comes with an Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor and up to 16GB of RAM and 4GB VRAM. This Lenovo gaming laptop has a 1920 x 1080 display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a maximum brightness of 263 nits. This performs significantly better than the Dell Inspiron I7559, offering you a viewing experience with considerably more bright colours overall.

The Lenovo Y700 isn’t specially made for travel because its battery life is less than that of the Dell Inspiron I7559, at just about 5 hours of online browsing. While both the keyboard and touchpad offer adequate key travel and precision tools, respectively, the keyboard tends to get warm when used for prolonged gaming.

The Lenovo Y700 performs amazingly well for a mid-range gaming laptop with a pretty aesthetic appearance, an excellent sound system, and superb gaming performance. It offers you an HD display, touchscreen options, and a respectable keyboard. Thus, even though it doesn’t have the longest battery life or the finest screen, the Lenovo Y700 is still worth the money because it offers the best sound quality and the best gaming performance.

 4. Gigabyte P35x V5 ($1543.33)

The Gigabyte P35x V5 outperforms both its predecessors and many of its rivals with incredible gaming performance thanks to one of the most potent GPUs available and Intel’s competent Skylake processor, the Core I7-4710HQ. Although it lacks aesthetic appeal, it offers you plenty of port availability and a unique display. The Gigabyte P35x V5 thus stands out as one of the best gaming laptops in 2023 because of its excellent gaming performance and Ultra HD 4K display.

The Gigabyte P35x V5, which boasts one of the greatest displays available in a gaming laptop, offers the best gaming performance in a small, comparatively light design. The P35x V5 is equipped with an Intel Skylake processor and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M graphics card, enabling you to play the best games at their maximum settings with ease and watch them on a 4K Ultra HD display. 

With the Intel Core I7-4710HQ processor, the GTX 980M graphics card, and 8GB of RAM as standard, the Gigabyte P35x V5 gives you all the power you need to play AAA games without difficulty. Also, it exceeds many other gaming laptops with a quick and incredibly responsive gaming performance thanks to the possibility to upgrade to 32GB of RAM and the Intel Core I7-6700HQ processor. With 6GB of VRAM as opposed to the V6’s 8GB, it does, however, perform less graphically than the P35x V6.

The Gigabyte P35x V5’s display has a resolution of 3840 by 2160 and is an IPS panel. You can see vivid and vibrant colours despite the display’s average brightness of 271.9 cd/m2 and low contrast ratio of 496:1. This is because of the display’s wide colour gamut, which covers 95% of the sRGB spectrum. The Gigabyte P35x V5 gives you the option of having a 1TB 7200RPM HDD or a combination of that with a 256GB SSD for storage. Even though an SSD won’t significantly improve your game performance, it will make navigating the operating system a lot faster and simpler.

One of the best gaming performances and a ton of upgradeability are provided by the Gigabyte P35x V5. It also has an excellent battery life for a very portable gaming device, even though its aesthetic design may not be the finest.

Although it costs almost twice as much as many other gaming laptops, such as the Dell Inspiron I7559 or the Lenovo Y700, its flaws make it way too pricey. But, during certain sales, the cost could actually be justified.

 5. Acer Predator 17 G9-791-78CE ($2299)

The Acer Predator 17 is a perfect example of both what the best gaming laptops of 2023 are capable of and where they still lag far behind the competition.

All things considered, there was one feature—FrostCore Acer’s cooling technology— that wasn’t seen in any other laptop before it. FrostCore functions as a hot-swappable cartridge with additional fans and cooling units that you can swap out of

the slot that typically houses your optical disc. 

This adds a set of vents that the laptop uses to release steam from the graphics card and CPU and keeps the laptop cool during prolonged gaming sessions.

Many Acer apps are preinstalled on the Predator 17 at launch, and they can assist you with everything from contacting tech support to altering the profile of your current activity. Looking through the Predator 17’s specification sheet is like compiling the roster of every PC gamer’s all-star team. 

The Predator 17 roared through every test and game we could throw at it thanks to its sixth-generation Intel Core i7-6700HQ quad-core Skylake processor, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, an Nvidia GTX 980M graphics card, and 512GB of storage on a PCI-e SSD.

On the Predator 17, there are many different connectivity options. With 4 USB 3.0 connections, 1 HDMI 1.2 port, 1 SD card slot, 1 RJ-45 ethernet port, and 1 port for Thunderbolt 3, the newest addition to the block.

The Predator did suffer a little bit in the battery department because of the powerful hardware that was packed inside of it. The battery typically lasts for about 4 hours and 53 minutes during tests with the disk loaded and with high-end gaming.

This statistic extends a little more when idle with no activity and the screen at 100% brightness, reaching a total of 6 hours and 11 minutes. This comes perfectly within the range of the life ratings you’d get out of any comparable gaming laptop with similar specs, while it isn’t much to write home about if you plan on taking lengthy excursions between plug-ins.

The 1920 x 1080p IPS LED display on the Predator is adequate for what it is, but it also lacks the vibrancy and depth you’d prefer to see on laptops in this high price range.

 6. ROG Zephyrus G15 ($1799.99)

One of the lightest 15-inch gaming laptops available is the Zephyrus G15, which weighs just over four pounds. But, you aren’t sacrificing any performance for portability because it is powered by the best mobile chips AMD and Nvidia have to offer and has a quick 165Hz QHD (1440p) display. Combined, those parts are capable of handling even the most challenging AAA games at QHD quality. Your games will appear wonderful because the panel reproduces colours really effectively.

Yet, the G15 offers amazing performance practically everywhere else as well. Strong percussion and bass are there in the audio (pumped through a six-speaker array), the keyboard and touchpad click satisfyingly, the port selection is adequate, and the battery can last an incredible eight and a half hours.

Not everyone will need a laptop like the G15. There isn’t a webcam, which is a major omission, and some people would prefer something more reasonably priced or with a flashier design. But, the G15 is the great overall option for the best gaming laptops in 2023. It’s not just the best gaming laptop available; it’s also among the best laptops available in general.

7. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ($1649.99)

The G14 is essentially a condensed version of the G15 if you’re searching for something lighter and thinner than the G15. You need to make sure to get the $1,649.99 SKU with the 6700S GPU out of the available combinations. 

We believe that this particular model is the top 14-inch gaming laptop available today. With a weight of just 3.79 pounds and a thickness of 0.77 inches, this is an excellent gaming device for trips and commutes.

It has a wonderful screen, touchpad, keyboard, and port selection. It generated reliable frame rates during tests, and there isn’t much of a performance difference between the 6700S and 6800S models. It also offers a day’s worth of battery life, which is uncommon in modern gaming laptops. And there is a webcam as well. You can even pay more for a computer that features Asus’s AniMe Matrix if you want an animated grid of coloured lights on it. 

Although we don’t believe these models are particularly good value for the money, they do have some cute features, such as the ability to be customized to show text or images of your choice and the presence of a playable virtual pet. 

Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a 14-inch laptop that can also serve as a daily driver and has strong gaming capabilities, this one should be at the top of your list.

8. Razer Blade 16 ($4299.99)

The Razer Blade 16 is a good option to think about if you want your games to look as stunning as they possibly can. This great aesthetic brings it to the list of best laptops for gaming in 2023. With just one click, the Blade’s optional Mini LED screen can switch between native UDH Plus/120Hz and FHD Plus/240Hz modes.

With top-tier components from Nvidia and Intel inside, the Blade can run the majority of today’s demanding games at their maximum settings with whatever effects you desire. If the dual-mode display is not important to you, you can choose less expensive (though, as you might imagine, still expensive) variants.

The Blade 16 system comes with a Core i9-13950HX, 32GB of Memory, a 2TB SSD, and a top-tier RTX 4090. Memory and storage can both be upgraded. Given the enormous frame rates the Blade will produce, it’s impressive for a full-tilt gaming laptop that it weighs only 5.4 pounds less than the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Max.

It is undoubtedly more svelte than a variety of other enormous laptops that will include the RTX 4090 chip. The Blade 16 is primarily a gaming laptop, but you are more than welcome to use it for editing and other GPU-intensive tasks as well. 

Moreover, battery life is subpar. With an energy saver enabled, the external GPU disabled, the keyboard backlight off, and a resolution of 1920 x 1200, it can multitask in about 20 Chrome tabs for three hours and forty-three minutes of continuous use. One significant issue with its design is that it still attracts fingerprints. As soon as you remove the Blade from the packaging, you’ll begin to notice fingerprints all over it.

9. Legion 5 Pro ($1530)

The Legion 5 Pro is Lenovo’s greatest gaming laptop to date. It’s AMD Ryzen 5000 processors deliver outstanding performance in a stylish 16-inch chassis. Even at its native 2560 x 1600 resolution, it produced respectable results in every game we tested. You can utilize the Legion 5 Pro’s power to its fullest extent with the 165Hz display.

Outside of performance, the 16:10 screen on the Legion 5 Pro is its best feature. These days, it’s difficult to find a gaming laptop with a screen this tall, and if you do, the Legion 5 Pro gives you more space for multitasking. With 1.5mm of travel and four-zone configurable illumination, the keyboard is also a pleasure to use.

The Legion’s battery life is one of its biggest drawbacks. In tests, it only lasts roughly four and a half hours of continuous use. Although it’s hardly the worst performance we’ve ever seen from a gaming laptop, the G15 will offer much better results.

But, the 300W power brick that comes with it charges the device incredibly quickly. Nevertheless, the Legion is still a good option—and we have to give Lenovo credit for the 16:10 screen—even though the G15 will be a better alternative for anyone who frequently works on the road.

10. GE76 Raider ($3599.99)

The last on the list of best gaming laptops in 2023 is the GE76 Raider. The GE76 Raider is extremely expensive, but it has a ton of power. It also has the cooling to keep them in line, and you can configure it to use the top mobile GPU from Nvidia and the top processor from Intel. 

You can get it with both a 1080p 360Hz display and a QHD screen, which we’d recommend for the majority of users because these powerful specifications can make the most of it.

It’s great to note that this laptop is basically only intended for gaming. If you’re searching for a device that can serve as a portable work driver, you should look elsewhere because of its poor battery life and large, heavy chassis. (The brick itself is enormous.) Yet, the GE76 Raider will provide a quality experience if you’re seeking a portable desktop.

How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop

Graphics Card

The GPU is the most crucial component of any gaming laptop worth its salt, so let’s get to it.

Nvidia has cards available for every price range you can think of in this market, but the three major chips to keep an eye out for are the GTX 960M, GTX970M, and GTX980M.

Overall, you want a card that can compete in AAA games (the 970M 3GB strikes a nice balance here), but isn’t so expensive that you’re priced out of a machine with better specs on the side. Each has its own applications and cost-to-benefit ratios.

Processor

The Core i7-6700HQ Processors aren’t as important for gaming as the graphics card, but you should still never sink below the “i5” line of CPUs unless you can’t avoid it in the price range you’re searching for.

That being said, almost all of the laptops on this list are using Intel’s mobile powerhouse.

RAM

While RAM is not as immediately important as the graphics card, it is another changeable component of gaming PCs. The general guideline here is to never go below 8GB, as this is the bare minimum that any game—be it Hearthstone or GTA V—will need to produce both its visuals and the operating system’s graphics smoothly at the same time.

Storage

If at all possible, avoid purchasing a gaming laptop without at least a 128GB SSD. The speed difference between an SSD and HDD for gaming is considerable, thus choosing the HDD-only option will cause you to wait much longer during loading screens.

Screen

While some claim they can’t live without 4K resolution on their computers, others claim they are quite content in a world where 1920 x 1080 is the standard.

Screen size and resolution are nearly always a matter of personal preference, and the appropriate choice for you will depend on your budget and the features you value most in a new computer.

Build Quality

Cheap laptops sometimes sacrifice build quality in favour of more powerful specifications, and even a handful of the choices on our list are just a little bit guilty of the sin.

But, if you buy from a respectable firm like Acer, Gigabyte, or MSI, you can be confident that the business will guarantee the durability and toughness of its cases and keyboards for up to three years after your first purchase.

Conclusion: Best Gaming Laptop 2023

This list of the top gaming laptops in 2023 is without a doubt the most varied and inclusive of all the lists on the subject. Value is subjective, so we’ve given you a lot of options to choose from that fit any price range and budget. This is why we have this category, to help me make choices on whatever products you are interested in.

Dollar for dollar, and pounds for pounds The Dell Inspiron i7559 offers outstanding value, but it falls short of meeting all of your needs in terms of a standalone laptop. Alternatives like the loud Lenovo Y700 or the graphic workhorse P35x from Gigabyte step in to fill the hole.

The MSI GS60 Ghost Pro has a magnificent 4K screen that’s ideal for movie watching, gaming, or both simultaneously with all the extra space you’ll have to play with, while the Predator 17 is a reliable and generally outstanding laptop.

The best gaming laptop isn’t always the one that’s easiest on your wallet or the most expensive. Rather, it’s the one that offers all the features you need in a single package, without any unnecessary extras to take away from the main reason you should own one of these devices in the first place: playing games for hours unending.