Why choose between a gaming laptop and one for school when you can get a PC that does both? Gaming laptops are now cheaper And more powerful than ever before, and many wouldn’t look out of place in a classroom. If you want to do serious multimedia tasks in addition to playing video games online, it’s worth taking a look at a dedicated gaming system. You can find general information on choosing a gaming notebook in our guide. However, if you are looking for a few models that are perfect for school and leisure, you have come to the right place.
Are gaming laptops good for school?
As mentioned earlier, gaming laptops are particularly helpful when completing demanding tasks. Their big promise is strong graphics performance that isn’t just limited to gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also use their GPUs to complete tedious tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity machines, like Dell’s XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse: get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest solid state drive you can find (ideally 1TB or more). Both components are usually difficult to upgrade later, so it’s worth investing as much as possible in advance.
The only major downside to choosing a gaming laptop is portability. Most of the time, we recommend 15-inch models to get the best size-to-price ratio. These typically weigh around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly more than a three-pound ultraportable. However, today’s gaming laptops are still significantly lighter than older models, so at least you don’t have to lug around a 10-pound brick. If you’re looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options available these days. And if you’re not a fan of LED lights and other gamer accessories, look for sleeker models (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off).
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Read our full review of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
The ASUS ROG Zephryus G14 may be a little more expensive than when it launched, but it remains a fantastic all-purpose 14-inch laptop. The beauty of the latest model is that it features an all-new unibody aluminum chassis, a vibrant 120Hz OLED display, solid performance and loads of ports – all for hundreds less than an equivalent Razer Blade 14. It features even has a built-in microSD card reader and multiple color gamut presets, so it can easily be used as a photo/video editing device. The sound is also well above average thanks to the powerful, upward-firing stereo speakers. The battery life is also solid: The Zepyrus lasted almost eight hours in our rundown test. And to top it off, the G14 weighs almost half a pound less than competing laptops with a similar design. The biggest drawbacks are that the GPU is limited to an RTX 4070 (instead of a 4080 like the previous model) and that the RAM is soldered in. But if you’re looking for a really great all-rounder that offers a lot of power in a portable package, this system needs to be at the top of your list. — Sam Rutherford, senior writer, reviews
$2,000 at Best Buy
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
For years, Razer has built a reputation for making gaming laptops that look just as good as MacBooks. And that’s still true. Razer’s Blade 15 features a slim and durable metal chassis, an understated design (unless you really turn on the RGB keyboard lighting), and offers just about all the performance you’d want from a portable gaming powerhouse. If money is no object, you can equip the Blade 15 with Intel’s latest 13th-generation processors, NVIDIA’s powerful RTX 4070, and a 1,440p 240Hz OLED display.
While you’ll pay a little more for the Blade 15 compared to some other models, it still has some different price points to work with. The entry-level model starts at $1,999 with an RTX 3070 GPU and a 360Hz 1080p display. That’s definitely enough power for most games and creative apps. If you’re looking for something smaller, Razer’s new AMD-based Blade 14 also looks compelling. Razer also recently introduced the new Blade 16 and 18 models, which cost (and weigh!) a lot more than the Blade 15 but can be useful if you need a larger screen.
$2,450 at Amazon
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
While Alienware has established itself as a solid premium brand, Dell’s cheaper G-series notebooks are worth a look for anyone on a budget. Notably, the G15 continues the trend of offering very powerful hardware—including Intel’s latest 13th-generation CPUs and NVIDIA’s RTX 30- and 40-series GPUs—for under $1,000. Sure, the body is mostly plastic and the screen doesn’t offer all the modern niceties, but for the price it’s hard to find anything more powerful.
$800 at Dell
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
ASUS’ latest Zephyrus Duo 16 takes the idea of a gaming laptop to the extreme, combining AMD’s latest Ryzen mobile processors with NVIDIA’s great RTX 40-series hardware. And as the name suggests, it has two Screens: a gorgeous 16-inch main display (with optional mini-LED backlighting) and a very wide 14-inch secondary panel just below. This enables multitasking at almost desktop level, as you can spread windows across both screens. For example, it could help you follow an online lecture while fitting in one Halo Infinite Match on your main screen. Don’t worry, we won’t tell.
$3,500 at ASUS