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| | | PC World - 14 May (PC World)In 2024, there’s no reason you can’t have a wireless keyboard anymore. From the most complex mechanical boards to the sleekest designer sets to the flashiest gamer machines, and everything in between, there are plenty of options for wireless excellence. That even includes keyboards for budget buyers — you can find a great pick in every category for well under three-digit prices.
We’ve spent hours and hours using each model, banging away on our reviews, surfing the web, and keeping up on social media to bring you a list of the very best wireless keyboards around. For example, the Logitech Wave Keys isn’t our pick for the best wireless ergonomic keyboard, even though it’s a fairly good option and a great value.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all keyboard, our recommendations aim to help you make an informed decision based on your own personal needs. After you’ve perused our best picks, be sure to check out our buying advice at the end to help you learn what to look for when shopping for a wireless keyboard.
Why you should trust us: PCWorld has been the go-to name for personal computer news and reviews for over 40 years. And as the writer of this roundup, and the reviewer of most of the keyboards on this list, I can assure you they’ve been thoroughly tested by people who are absolutely obsessed with keyboards.
Every single keyboard on this list has been used by an expert, put through its paces for features and reliability, and carefully considered against the alternatives. We’ve tested every facet of the boards, even programming and complete disassembly for those that support it.
For a more in-depth look at how we test keyboards of every kind, check out our dedicated article covering our keyboard review process.
Updated May 10, 2024 to include a new recommendation for the best wireless keyboard for travel: the Nuphy Air V2. This compact mechanical keyboard proves that you don’t need to sacrifice quality or features in exchange for a portable form factor. See our summary of the Nuphy Air V2 below to learn why we are so smitten with this stylish and capable board.
Logitech MX Keys S Wireless Keyboard – Best overall wireless desktop keyboard
Pros
Great typing experience
Customizable keys
Long battery life
Auto-dimming backlight
Cons
No height adjustment
Wireless can get choppy in crowded environments
Best Prices Today:
$104.99 at Amazon
Why I like the Logitech MX Keys S
Logitech’s top-of-the-line keyboard design returns in an S variant, this time with an updated Bolt multi-device receiver and a new auto-adjusting backlight feature. The typing experience is as good as it was in the original model, and it’s even a tiny bit cheaper, so this upgrade is a win-win if you like your keyboards thin and stylish.
Just be aware that dozens of Bluetooth devices in the vicinity might bog it down. If you prefer your Logitech boards a little more clicky-clacky, check out the MX Mechanical variant. This design is also available in a smaller “60%” model — see below.
Who should buy the Logitech MX Keys S
If you want one of the most stylish keyboards around that isn’t mechanical, and one that effortlessly works with multiple devices, this is it. The MX Keys is also shockingly quiet, so it’s a good choice for crowded offices. But it you want a longer, more traditional key travel or an ergonomic layout, there are better options out there.
Read our full
MX Keys S Keyboard review
Logitech MK540 Advanced Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo – Best value proposition
Pros
Quiet yet tactile keys
Programmable function keys and mouse gestures
Roomy, comfy design
Cons
Too bulky for mobile use
Limited MacOS support
Best Prices Today:
$44.99 at Best Buy$44.99 at Lenovo$49.99 at Adorama
Why I like the Logitech MK540 Advanced combo
Logitech does it again with the MK540 Advanced combo. It might not have the convenience of backlighting that the K800 offers, but it hits all the other important features for productivity: a roomy layout, dedicated media buttons, a numpad, programmable keys, and tactile typing. In addition to all that, the keyboard comes with a decent wireless mouse, that’s also programmable, so you’re good to go.
This budget combo isn’t especially good for gaming, and you might find your multi-device options (especially on MacOS) limited. But if you’re in desperate need for a keyboard and mouse, you need them wireless, and you want to spend as little money as possible, then this is the combo for you.
Who should buy the Logitech MK540 Advanced combo
Anyone who needs a keyboard and mouse for a desktop PC that didn’t come with its own, or who wants a quick-and-dirty setup for a laptop workstation, will be well-served here. But if you’re looking for a keyboard that can take a little gaming-grade punishment, or connect to devices over Bluetooth, check elsewhere on this list.
Read our full
Logitech MK540 Advanced Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo review
Corsair K65 Plus Wireless – Best wireless gaming keyboard
Pros
Solid hardware
Great value for wireless
Tons of customization options
Cons
No wrist rest
Slightly awkward default layout
Why I like the K65 Plus Wireless
Corsair has been improving its designs for the last couple of years, incorporating more premium features and customization options. And it all comes together in the vastly redesigned K65 Plus, and does so at a shockingly low price.
This keyboard combines the popular 75% form factor, high-speed, multi-device wireless, high-quality switches, and hot-swappable key sockets, with Corsair’s typically good gaming pedigree. The result is a keyboard that does a lot, for a lot of users, for a relatively low price.
While the K65 skips a couple of exotic features like adjustable actuation or an OLED screen, and it doesn’t include a wrist rest in the box, it nails just about every other facet of design. It’s simply the best gaming keyboard you can get at the moment.
Who should buy the K65 Plus Wireless
Anyone who wants a high-quality keyboard with tons of options for customization, both hardware and software, will be pleased with this design. It also has some excellent bonuses, like PBT keycaps and a dedicated button for turning RGB on (or off, if you want maximum battery life).
The 75% form factor isn’t for everyone — you’ll have to look elsewhere, or wait for Corsair to offer more models, if you want a different format. It’s also considerably less “flashy” than other gaming keyboards, and doesn’t offer the heft and quality of a metal body.
Read our full
Corsair K65 Plus Wireless keyboard review
Redragon K596 – Best ultra-budget wireless gaming keyboard
Pros
Low price
Included wrist rest
Long battery life
Volume wheel
Cons
Ugly keycaps
Can only program G keys
No Bluetooth
Best Prices Today:
$79.99 at Gamestop
Why I like the Redragon K596
Gaming keyboards usually don’t come cheap, and that goes double for wireless models. Redragon is a company that thrives in the bargain bin, and the K596 offers up most of the options of its full-priced competition at under 100 bucks. It also manages long battery life, a fancy volume wheel, and even a column of dedicated macro keys. Not bad.
Note that this is still very much a budget model from a budget brand, so it’s missing some of the fit and finish of more expensive keyboards. For example, you can only custom program those five G keys on the left. But for anyone who needs a deal, Redragon delivers, and throws a wrist rest into the package.
Who should buy the Redragon K596
There are a surprising amount of wireless keyboards that claim to be for “gaming,” even on the budget side of things. But Redragon is one of the few that walks the wireless walk, with most of the bells and whistles you’d expect and performance that doesn’t lag behind. Note that this is one of the few boards on this list that doesn’t offer Bluetooth — a fair trade for the value.
Read our full
Redragon K596 Wireless Keyboard review
Nuphy Air V2 – Best wireless keyboard for travel
Pros
High-quality switches
Hot-swap sockets
Colorful style
Sound dampening
VIA programming
Cons
Cramped number pad layout
That’s it, it’s a darn good keyboard
Best Prices Today:
$159.99 at Amazon$167.53 at Aliexpress
Why I like the Nuphy Air V2 series
Low-profile keyboards are sleek and travel well, but you give up a lot of the powers of a mechanical keyboard by going with a more compact design. Or do you? Nuphy’s Air series wants to cram as many features as possible into the teeny-tiny keyboards, and for the most part, it does just that.
Metal body? Check. RGB lighting? No big deal. PBT keycaps? Yup. There’s even interior dampening for a wonderfully “thocky” feel, and premium switches customized by the manufacturer. And like a lot of the keyboards on this list, you can customize your layout and macros with browser-based VIA software.
But the most impressive inclusion here is that Nuphy made the Air keyboards hot-swappable. There are a lot fewer options with Gateron low-profile switches…but Nuphy sells a handful of customized switches itself, instantly upping your choices when you order. It doesn’t hurt that the keycaps and case colors are poppy and stylish.
Who should buy the Nuphy Air V2 series
If you’re looking for a keyboard that travels as well as it looks, the Air V2 series is available in full-sized, 75 percent, and 60 percent form factors. (I’d recommend the 75 for a good balance between size and practicality.) It gets this slot over a limited number of competitors thanks to cramming as many features as possible into a high-quality, super-slim package.
Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that the keyboards are a lot cheaper than you might think based on the features and materials. Depending on the size and switch choices, they range from $100 to $140 at standard prices.
Read our full
Nuphy Air96 V2 keyboard review
Logitech Casa – Best all-in-one travel option
Pros
Clever, aesthetically pleasing design
Excellent battery life
Range of remappable keys
Makes working-from-home more ergonomic
Cons
Not travel friendly
Expensive
Why I like the Logitech Casa
If you need something a little more comprehensive for your travel needs, Logitech’s Casa might just hit the spot. It’s a keyboard and touchpad set that also comes in a swanky bento-style case, which doubles as a stand that significantly elevates your laptop. As an all-in-one solution for those who want to set up an office-style workstation on the go, it’s a pretty neat little package.
It is on the pricey side, though — for the same price you could get a laptop stand, keyboard, and touchpad and save a bit of dough, albeit without the neat travel-friendly design.
Who should buy the Logitech Casa
If you can’t stand typing on your laptop but you prefer a touchpad to a mouse, then this is the perfect package for you. It’s also surprisingly stylish in its all-in-one case, which folds down into a portfolio for grab-and-go convenience.
The option to raise your laptop screen may appeal, though there are easier ways to do that on the go. There are certainly cheaper ways to do all three.
Read our full
Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk review
Keychron Q Max series – Best high-end mechanical keyboard
Pros
Tons of features
Excellent typing
Improved 2.4GHz wireless
Endless customization
Cons
No adjustable feet
No wrist rest
Why I like the Keychron Q Max series
For the last couple of years Keychron has been absolutely killing it with its high-end Q series. These mechanical boards make features previously available only via building your own or spending a fortune on a boutique design available to everyone, like full aluminum bodies, gasket-mounted PCBs, and easy, open-source programming with VIA. They’re about as good as you can get for a standard design.
The Q Max series takes these designs and shores up their one weakness: reliance on Bluetooth. While Q Max keyboards have multi-device Bluetooth available, they’re also packing standard 2.4GHz wireless with a USB dongle, making them ideal for use with a hefty desktop PC (and they even do alright as gaming boards).
With a wide variety of layouts like the TKL-sized Q3 Max above, there’s a keyboard in this series for just about anyone, including split “ergonomic” designs. They’re fantastic as stand-alone purchases, or bases for your custom dream build with replacement switches and keycaps.
Who should buy the Keychron Q Max Series
If you’re ready to step up to a premium mechanical keyboard design, one of these Q Max models should be at the top of your list. At the time of writing they’re available in full-size with number pad, TKL, 75%, 65%, and compact “1800” sizes, plus oddball Alice and left-handed models. There’s even a Happy Hacking Keyboard clone version, all of which come with hot-swap switch sockets and RGB lighting.
They’re great on their own with no extra mods, with the only real downside being so-so stabilizers. But you can swap those out too if you’re okay with opening the case, and the rest of the board is just as customizable. They can be custom-programmed, too, so both newbies and veterans are welcome.
Keychron’s high-end boards are on the pricey side, even if they aren’t as expensive as the boutique builds they’re inspired by, so bargain hunters should hunt somewhere else. And while they offer 2.4GHz wireless and wired options for gamers, the lack of game-specific software features means that there are better choices if you want to slay first and type later.
Read our full
Keychron Q3 Max keyboard review
Keydous NJ80-AP – Best typing experience
Pros
Amazing typing experience
High-quality parts
Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless
Long battery life
Cons
Clunky software
Plastic case
A bit heavy
Best Prices Today:
$135 at Amazon
Why I like the Keydous NJ80-AP
Keychron gets the recommendation for an all-around mechanical keyboard. But if what you really want is a fantastic “thocky” typing feel right out of the box, then this unassuming little keyboard is the best I’ve ever tested. It does this with a lot of high-quality components, like PBT keycaps, a brass plate, premium stabilizers, and lots of internal sound dampening. But the big magic is in the switches.
Keydous went with exotic, high-end switches from Kailh to make the NJ80-AP and its stablemates stand out. These “Blueberry Ice Cream” BOX switches have a ridiculous name, but with soft POM plastic housing, reinforced stems, and a factory-lubed sliding mechanism, they feel amazing. They’re the best I’ve ever seen come standard on a keyboard, and that includes boards that cost twice as much as this one.
The NJ80-AP also offers both Bluetooth and dongle-based wireless, RGB lighting, an aluminum volume wheel — all the standards from a high-end mechanical design. Its plastic case and fiddly, proprietary programming software are a disappointment, but for satisfying typing out of the box, it’s simply the best around.
Who should buy the Keydous NJ80-AP
If you’re looking for a standard design with absolutely amazing typing, look no further. The NJ80-AP delivers, and if you want something bigger or (slightly) smaller, the same features are available in 65% and compact “1800” layouts (full number pad, slightly squished). Just make sure to order the one with those fancy switches.
But on the other hand, the software leaves a lot to be desired, and you can get keyboards with better all-metal bodies or faster wireless by spending a little more. And if you really want to go all out, you can get most of the way towards the high-quality typing of this board by ordering the same switches online and putting them in another board with hot-swap capability.
It’ll cost a lot — Keydous designs are on the cheap side of the high end — but if you’re dropping more than three digits on a keyboard anyway, it’s a legitimate option.
Read our full
Keydous NJ80-AP wireless mechanical keyboard review
K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard – Best full-size multi-device option
Pros
Works with all major platforms
Can toggle between three paired devices
Quiet keys with great travel
Cons
Not built for portability
Best Prices Today:
$52.49 at Amazon$59.99 at Adorama$59.99 at Best Buy
Why I like the Logitech K780
If you like the convenience of a Bluetooth keyboard that can switch among different devices, but don’t require the compact layout of the MX Keys Mini, Logitech’s K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard promises to be the one keyboard to rule all your computing gizmos. Indeed, it’s fully compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Chrome OS, Android, and iOS for fast and effortless switching between your computer, smartphone, and tablet.
It also costs a good deal less than the MX Keys Mini, and offers a roomy layout with a numpad. The integrated device stand is especially good for phones and tablets up to about ten inches in size — like the standard iPad Air. Anything bigger might need its own separate stand. That makes this an excellent companion for a multi-device desk…though it doesn’t exactly pack away well.
Who should buy the Logitech K780
If you’re constantly switching between a PC and a phone or other mobile gadget, this keyboard is exactly what you’re looking for. The dedicated keys for switching gadgets and the integrated stand make it an excellent way to save time and space on your desk.
Read our full
Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard review
Logitech Ergo K860 – Best ergonomic wireless keyboard
Pros
Curved and split ergonomic design
Comfortable wrist support
Palm raise feature lets you adjust height for sitting or standing
Cons
Requires some time to get used to split design
Expensive
Best Prices Today:
$129.99 at Adorama$129.99 at Amazon$129.99 at Best Buy
Why I like the Logitech Ergo K860
Logitech’s Ergo K860 has finally conquered our skepticism about awkward ergonomic keyboards. In the course of our review, there was a marked improvement in typing comfort and reduced muscle tension, all without sacrificing productivity to a steep learning curve.
It’s a little expensive compared to a conventional wireless keyboard, but if you’re struggling with comfort, the K860 is the only ergonomic keyboard we’d heartily recommend. If you need a more compact, affordable version of Logitech’s curvy keyboard design, check out the Wave Keys instead.
Who should buy the Logitech Ergo K860
Ergonomic keyboards aren’t the easiest to find, especially with big, comfy integrated wrist rests. Among major vendors it’s basically this design and the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard, which is wired. So if the split, angled layout with low-profile keys is what you want, the K860 is the best game in town.
If you aren’t trained in strict home row-style typing (index fingers on F and J, et cetera), the split layout may cause a headache. Try the Wave Keys instead if you want bigger, more responsive individual keys and a continuous layout that still has a comfy wrist rest integrated into the design.
Read our full
Logitech Ergo K860 review
FAQ
1.
What’s the difference between a Bluetooth keyboard and a wireless keyboard?
Wireless keyboards connect to a PC in one of two ways: via Bluetooth or a USB receiver. Wireless keyboards that connect via a USB receiver or dongle can only connect to a computer or device if it has a USB port. Bluetooth connectivity on the other hand does not require any dongle or extra receiver and can therefore easily connect to other Bluetooth-enabled devices without the need for any ports. Additionally, Bluetooth keyboards tend to cost a little more but also offer longer battery life.
While shopping, you may find that older devices do not support Bluetooth. However, if you need a keyboard to work across different platforms on newer devices, a Bluetooth-enabled model is the way to go.
2.
Can a laptop be used with a wireless keyboard?
Yes, you can use a wireless keyboard with a laptop without issue. Depending on whether you are using a wireless USB dongle keyboard or a Bluetooth keyboard, you just need to connect to the laptop and then you are good to go. This is true if you wish to connect a wireless keyboard to your tablet or 2-in-1, as well.
3.
Do wireless keyboards need special batteries?
Usually wireless keyboards are powered using either rechargeable or disposable batteries. Wireless keyboards with rechargeable batteries will just need to be plugged into an external power source such as a computer or wall outlet when the battery is low. Otherwise, wireless keyboards with disposable batteries will need those batteries to be replaced when they die. The most common types of batteries these keyboards use will be either AA or AAA alkaline batteries.
4.
Are wireless keyboards good for gaming?
Wireless keyboards are a fantastic option for most people, but they have a few limitations when it comes to gaming. Wireless keyboards can produce some slight latency issues between the keystroke being made and it being registered by your computer. This lag can be especially frustrating when playing games that require fast reaction times or in competitive environments — the latency may in some instances lead to a competitive disadvantage.
That being said, wireless technologies have improved immensely in recent years and any lag or interference issues are becoming extremely rare with the latest technology. Most casual gamers will be just fine with a wireless keyboard — opt for 2.4GHz wireless over Bluetooth for the most reliable results. You can minimize interference issues by keeping other wireless devices away from your wireless keyboard, as well.
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| | | PC World - 14 May (PC World)AI isn’t just a buzzword trying to drive PC sales to consumers. It’s also becoming a huge and very lucrative business — just ask Nvidia, which has more than doubled its stock price in the last year off of selling GPUs to data centers powering the backend of generative artificial intelligence apps. And chip competitor Arm, and its business daddy SoftBank, wants a piece of that pie.
Nikkei Asia reports that Arm is currently setting up an AI division and seeking partners for mass chip production, with a prototype AI chip planned for early 2025 and full-scale manufacturing penciled in for the fall of that year. It’s all part of SoftBank’s 10-trillion-yen ($64 billion USD) investment in the AI space, combined with plans to build data centers around the world and seek out new mergers and acquisitions. Notably, Nvidia failed to buy Arm from SoftBank in 2022 after the US Federal Trade Commission threatened to block the deal.
Arm-based chips are usually seen in smartphones and other mobile devices, but more recently they’ve been on the rise in Mac laptops and a big push for Windows machines. Arm’s architecture is also gaining steam in servers, where they’re generally less powerful but far more efficient than the x86 and x64 designs data centers usually rely on, still evolving from chip designs as far back as the 1980s.
Arm CPU designs are gaining performance ground quickly, with Qualcomm claiming its upcoming Snapdragon X Elite chips could even snatch some performance crowns from Intel. That’s yet to be proven, of course — we’ll have to wait and see how the next generation of Arm designs stack up against more conventional chips for consumers and industry. (Arm’s CEO also recently teased that he expects more companies to make Arm-based PC chips in the next few years — possibly Arm itself, or maybe Nvidia?)
Since AI applications require both number-crunching power and huge amounts of electricity, a compelling offering from Arm could set off an even bigger AI arms race, if you’ll pardon the pun. The company will have a lot of ground to make up versus Nvidia and others in 2025, but the potential for profit is simply too great to ignore for SoftBank.
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| | | PC World - 12 May (PC World)Calling all engineering students! If you’re in the market for a laptop that can handle resource-intensive coursework, you’ve come to the right place. These laptops offer reliable performance as well as a portable form factor, which is important for when you’re running from class to class. We’ve also included budget-friendly machines and gaming rigs for those late night gaming sessions. Read on to learn more.
Why you should trust us: Hey, it’s in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We’ve been covering PCs since 1983, and now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who’ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We’re also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget.
Looking for great laptop deals? Check out our regularly updated list of the best mainstream, gaming, and 2-in-1 laptop deals.
Updated May 9, 2024: We added the Acer TravelMate P6 and the HP Dragonfly G4 as alternative options underneath our Best Ultraportable pick. The Acer TravelMate P6 is physically lighter than our current pick and has a bigger battery, but it’s more expensive and doesn’t have an OLED display. The HP Dragonfly G4, which stands as a more high-end option, offers snappy performance as well as an LTE connection. We’ve also updated our list of recent laptop reviews and added a new “at a glance” section below.
Best laptops for engineering students at a glance
Dell Inspiron Plus 14 (Best overall) $849.99 at Dell
Acer Aspire 3 (Best budget option) $325 at Walmart
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (Best for work and gaming on a budget) $955 at Amazon
Acer Swift Edge 16 (Best ultraportable) $849.99 at Best Buy
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Best OLED display) $1,199 at Amazon
The best laptops for engineering students
Dell Inspiron Plus 14 – Best overall
Pros
Strong performance
Phenomenal battery life
Fantastic typing experience
Cons
CPU throttles under very heavy loads
No user upgrades
Why we like the Dell Inspiron Plus 14
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is one of the most well-rounded laptops we’ve come across in recent months. This sub-$1,000 machine offers reliable performance, phenomenal battery life, and a gorgeous display. You really can’t get much better than that. With an exceptional PCMark 10 score of 7,061, it toppled comparable machines like the Acer Swift Go 14 and the more expensive Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. This laptop also has a battery life of 17 hours on a single charge (a spectacular result!), so you don’t have trouble yourself with finding a wall outlet to juice up.
Who should buy the Dell Inspiron Plus 14
Anyone looking for a laptop that checks off all the right boxes. Battery life and overall performance are outstanding, sure, but don’t forget about the gorgeous 14-inch 1400p display, which is “exceedingly well suited to office work and static imagery,” according to our review. It has a maximum brightness level of 418 nits and an anti-glare coating, so you can use this laptop in various lighting conditions. The design is far from sexy, but its hardware capabilities and amazing battery life make up for the uninspired aesthetics.
Read our full
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus review
Acer Aspire 3 – Best budget option
Pros
Reliable performance
1080p display
HD webcam
Solid build
Cons
Speakers sound tinny when playing music
A little heavy
Best Prices Today:
$299.99 at Amazon
Why we like the Acer Aspire 3
The Acer Aspire 3 laptop offers dependable performance at an affordable price. It’s fast enough for day-to-day tasks like checking e-mail, browsing the web, assembling code, and so on. You’re also getting a full-sized keyboard plus a 1080p screen. It even edged out the competition with a respectable Cinebench R15 score of 1,925, beating out the comparable Acer Aspire Vero 14. Cinebench, by the way, determines how well a laptop handles processor-intensive multi-threaded workloads by running all of the cores of a CPU.
Who should buy the Acer Aspire 3
Anyone who’s on a restricted budget! It’s a great value because of the low price tag and the good performance. The HD webcam also produces clean, crisp video, so you’ll always look your best in video calls, and the battery lasts about eight hours on a single charge. That’s more than enough battery life for a full day of learning!
Read our full
Acer Aspire 3 review
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition – Best for work and gaming on a budget
Pros
All-day battery life
Robust chassis
Gorgeous 16:10 display
Cons
720p HD camera leaves little to be desired
Keys feels a little soft
Why we like the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition
The Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition is something of a unicorn and I mean that in the best way possible. It exhibits strong graphics performance as well as long battery life. Long battery life? A gaming laptop? How preposterous! Well, not anymore! The Asus TUF managed an incredible 11 and a half hours on a single charge. Also, thanks to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU inside, it achieved an impressive 123 frames-per-second in the Rise of the Tomb Raider benchmark. That’s nothing to sneeze at, especially for a sub-$1,000 gaming machine.
Who should buy the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition
The Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition is a good option for those on a tight budget. For under a grand, you’re getting reliable graphics performance, a spacious keyboard, and long battery life. It also works as a good general purpose machine, which is perfect for college students that want to work on homework during the day and then switch to gaming at night. With a Cinebench R20 score of 589, it should have “no trouble running lightweight apps and programs,” according to our review.
Alternative option: The Lenovo LOQ 15 is a good alternative option, as it comes with a slightly better GPU (RTX 4060). Despite getting a high rating, it didn’t make the cut because of poor battery life and limited connectivity options.
Read our full
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition review
Acer Swift Edge 16 – Best ultraportable
Pros
Gorgeous OLED display
Lightweight
Strong CPU performance
Cons
Mediocre battery life
Weak audio
Best Prices Today:
$1,365.99 at Amazon
Why we like the Acer Swift Edge 16
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is lightweight, affordable, and powerful. It weighs just 2.71 pounds. The 3200x2000p OLED screen is super vibrant and, according to our review, “delivers an infinite contrast ratio and deep inky black levels that produce convincing shadows in dark scenes.” It even turned in a strong PCMark 10 score of 6,494, beating out the more expensive Acer Swift Go 16. That means the Swift Edge 16 is capable of out-performing some machines that cost hundreds of dollars more.
Who should buy the Acer Swift Edge 16
If you’re looking for a lightweight ultraportable with strong performance, the sub-$1,000 Acer Swift Edge 16 is the laptop you want. It’s light enough to take with you from class to class and the spacious 16-inch display is fantastic for school work, watching movies, and so on. Sure, the design is a bit bland and battery life is a disappointing six to seven hours (still not an awful result), but if you can handle those minor shortcomings, then the Acer Swift Edge 16 is the right pick for you.
Alternative option(s): If you’re able to stretch your budget a little further, then you should definitely consider picking up the Acer TravelMate P6. It’s a little lighter than our top pick at 2.65 pounds and has a bigger battery, but it’s more expensive and doesn’t have an OLED display. The HP Dragonfly G4 is another solid option, as it offers high performance as well as an LTE connection. That said, it’s very expensive.
Read our full
Acer Swift Edge 16 review
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED – Best OLED display
Pros
Robust build quality
Attractive OLED touchscreen
Good CPU and integrated GPU performance
Outstanding battery life
Cons
Uninspiring design
Keyboard isn`t memorable
Mediocre connectivity options
Why we like the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED dazzled us with its peppy CPU performance, outstanding battery life, and slick-looking OLED touchscreen display. According to our review, “movies and games look realistic and vibrant” on the 14-inch 1980x1200p OLED touchscreen, although it can be difficult to view content in brighter environments because of the reflective surface. It also died at the 16 hour mark on a single charge, which is absolutely fantastic. That result outclasses comparable machines like the Lenovo Slim 7 14 Gen 9 and the HP Pavilion Plus Laptop 14. As for how it performs, you should have zero problems zipping through real-world tasks like web browsing, video conferencing, and so on.
Who should buy the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
Anyone that’s looking to pick up an affordable laptop with an OLED display. It’s so much more than that, though. The build quality is solid and day-to-day performance is both fast and responsive. Connectivity options are a bit limited, but that’s not unusual for a laptop in this price range. Overall, this is an exceptional budget laptop, as you can’t really beat the price to performance ratio.
Read our full
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED review
Recent laptop reviews
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14: The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 is a lightweight, elegant all-rounder for business professionals.
Acer Predator Helios Neo 18: Want a lot of performance for $1,500? Acer’s gigantic Helios Neo 18 is a good bet.
Lenovo Yoga 7i: The Lenovo Yoga 7i (16IML9) is a competent and well-built at a palatable price. It’s not the best value for a standard laptop, but it’s flexibility may make up for its shortcoming for some users.
Acer Swift Go 14: The Acer Swift Go 14 is a reliable travel workhorse through and through.
How we test engineering laptops
The PCWorld team puts every Windows laptop through a series of intense benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them. For a much deeper look at our review methodology, check out how PCWorld tests laptops.
Windows laptops
PCMark 10: The PCMark 10 benchmark is how we determine how well the laptop handles general use tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, streaming, and so on.
HandBrake: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It measures how long a laptop’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
Cinebench: Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It renders a 2D scene over a short period of time.
3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips. This is how we test a gaming laptop’s GPU.
Video rundown test: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10’s Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.
FAQ
1.
How much processing power will I need in an engineering laptop?
You’re going to need a good amount of processing power for engineering tasks, so we’d recommend an Intel Core i5 or higher. However, an Intel Core i7 is considered ideal. This type of processor is good for multitasking, gaming, and demanding workloads.
2.
Is RAM important to an engineering laptop?
Absolutely! The amount of RAM directly impacts the speed of your programs. Engineering students will likely be living in programs like Java and Python, so making sure those programs run smoothly is absolutely vital. The bare minimum we’d recommend is 8GB, but 16GB is better.
3.
What about storage?
You’re going to need quite a bit of space for a slew of engineering programs, so we’d recommend at least 512GB of SSD (solid state drive) storage. If you want more space and have the budget for it, go for 1TB of NVMe SSD storage.
4.
How much should my laptop weigh?
You don’t want to be lugging a five pound beast from class to class. A portable laptop should weigh about three pounds or less. In terms of portability and value, we suggest buying a laptop with a 13- or 14-inch display.
Laptops Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 11 May (PC World)Calling all gamers! Whether you consider yourself a competitive pro or someone who’s more casual, we’ve got quite the diverse list below. The best part is that every gaming laptop has been tested by a member of PCWorld and we’ve checked out everything from graphics performance and typing experience to connectivity options and image quality. These rigs can basically do anything a desktop PC can do, and we’ve tested dozens after dozens of them to bring you this roundup of the best gaming laptops around.
Why you should trust us: It’s in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We’ve been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who’ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We’re also committed to reviewing gaming laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget.
See our roundup of the best laptops for even more recommendations—premium laptops, ultraportables, Chromebooks, and more.
Update May 10, 2024: We added the Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 as an alternative option underneath our Best Connectivity Features pick. Not only does it offer great connectivity options and strong performance, but it also has a bigger screen. We’ve also updated our list of recent laptop reviews and added a new “at a glance” section below.
Best gaming laptops at a glance
Alienware m16 R2 (Best overall gaming laptop) $1,849.99 at Dell
MSI Titan 18 HX (Best high-end gaming laptop) $5,449 at Amazon
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (Best gaming laptop under $1,000) $955 at Amazon
HP Omen Transcend 14 (Most portable gaming laptop) $1,699.99 at Best Buy
Razer Blade 16 (Best 4K gaming laptop) $4,299.99 at Razer
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (Best connectivity features) $1,884.99 at Walmart
Acer Chromebook 516 GE (Best gaming Chromebook) $449 at Best Buy
Alienware m16 R2 – Best overall gaming laptop
Pros
Great gaming performance
Durable
Long battery life
Cons
Dim display
Why we like the Alienware m16 R2
The Alienware m16 R2 is a well-rounded gaming laptop, especially for the price and performance. Not only are you getting great graphics performance, but you’re also getting long battery life, an unusual combination for a gaming laptop. The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU are a powerful duo, as shown in our testing. It averaged 144 frames-per-second when running the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, which is nothing to sneeze at. According to our review, it’s just “four frames-per-second slower than the Razer Blade 16,” which is rocking a more powerful RTX 4090 GPU and a $3,000+ price tag. It also lasted 11 hours and fifteen minutes on a single charge, which is more than a full work day.
Who should buy the Alienware m16 R2
Anyone looking for a fantastic gaming laptop. You can play most games on the High or Ultra graphics preset and the 90 watt-hour battery will keep you going long into the night. The 1600p IPS display is also quite spacious at 16-inches and the 240Hz refresh rate should result in smooth gameplay. The picture quality is quite good, but it’s not an OLED panel, where the colors would be more saturated. While it’s not the brightest or most color rich display we’ve ever tested, it’s still fine for gaming. Besides, if you’re really desperate, you can always plug into an external monitor.
Alternative option: If you’re looking for the same great Alienware package with a bigger screen, the Alienware m18 R2 is worth considering. It offers strong gaming performance, an 18-inch display, and a fantastic mechanical keyboard with Cherry switches. That said, it’s very expensive and the laptop itself weighs a colossal nine pounds (!!!). Talk about a back-breaker!
Read our full
Alienware m16 R2 review
MSI Titan 18 HX – Best high-end gaming laptop
Pros
Tons of connectivity options
Rugged build quality
Fantastic mechanical keyboard
Phenomenal CPU and GPU performance
Cons
Very expensive
Mediocre touchpad
Why we like the MSI Titan 18 HX
The MSI Titan 18 HX is one hell of a powerhouse, so performance is no issue here, as it’ll run pretty much anything you throw at it. Inside the beast’s shell, you’ll find an Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU, an Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, 128GB of RAM, and 4GB of SSD storage. Holy cow. When we ran the Metro Exodus: Enhanced Edition benchmark, it churned out an outstanding 87 frames-per-second at 1080p resolution with the Extreme detail setting switched on. Did we mention it also has a phenomenal 4K Mini-LED display?
Who should buy the MSI Titan 18 HX
If you’re after the ultimate gaming experience, the MSI Titan 18 HX will certainly deliver. In addition to the massive amount of power this thing generates, it also has loads of connectivity options for those times when you want to hook up to an external mouse or monitor. That said, it’s an incredibly expensive machine. If money is no object, then the MSI Titan 18 HX is the right pick for you. For those on a stricter budget, check out our best budget pick below.
Alternative option: We strongly considered putting the recently reviewed MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VIG on this list. It’s similar to the MSI Titan 18 HX as far as sheer power goes, but it didn’t make the cut because of the finicky rear power port and loud fan noise. That said, these nitpicks are relatively minor. I will say, the MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VIG is less expensive than the MSI Titan 18 HX at $3,799.99.
Read our full
MSI Titan 18 HX review
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition – Best gaming laptop under $1,000
Pros
All-day battery life
Robust chassis
Gorgeous 16:10 display
Cons
720p HD camera leaves little to be desired
Keys feel a little soft
Why we like the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage
The Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition is something of a unicorn and I mean that in the best way possible. It exhibits strong graphics performance as well as long battery life. Long battery life? A gaming laptop? How preposterous! Well, not anymore! The Asus TUF managed an incredible 11 and a half hours on a single charge. Also, thanks to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU inside, it achieved an impressive 123 frames-per-second in the Rise of the Tomb Raider benchmark. That’s nothing to sneeze at, especially for a sub-$1,000 gaming machine.
Who should buy the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage
The Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition is a good option for those on a tight budget. For under a grand, you’re getting reliable graphics performance, a spacious keyboard, and long battery life. It also works as a good general purpose machine, which is perfect for college students that want to work and play. With a Cinebench R20 score of 589, it should have “no trouble running lightweight apps and programs,” according to our review.
Alternative option: The recently reviewed Lenovo LOQ 15 is another good budget option. It’s affordable and it comes with a better GPU (RTX 4060). Despite getting a high rating, it didn’t earn the nod here because of poor battery life and limited connectivity options. If you plan on mostly staying plugged in and don’t need a long battery life, the Lenovo LOQ may be a better option due to its more capable graphics.
Read our full
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition review
HP Omen Transcend 14 – Most portable gaming laptop
Pros
Compact and lightweight
Gorgeous OLED screen
Good performance for the price
Cons
Keyboard is a bit mushy
Annoying bloatware
Why we like the HP Omen Transcend 14
The HP Omen Transcend 14 is a great machine because of its lightweight design (3.6 pounds!), stunning OLED display, and reliable performance for the price. Most gaming laptops tip the scales at around five pounds or more, so the fact that this machine is a little heavier than your standard ultraportable is downright impressive. In addition to its lightweight design, it also has an all-metal chassis, which means it’s rugged enough to handle the daily abuses of life. The hinge that connects the display to the keyboard deck also feels pretty solid. As for performance, it’s no slouch! Thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, it achieved a respectable 93 frames-per-second during the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark.
Who should buy the HP Omen Transcend 14
Anyone that likes to game on-the-go! It’s both lightweight and powerful, which is a rare combination when it comes to gaming laptops. Battery life is quite good, too. The HP Omen Transcend 14’s large 71 watt-hour battery lasted eight and a half hours on a single charge, which is impressive, as most gaming laptops tend to die at the four or five hour mark. The 14-inch 1800p OLED display is lovely as well. It has a maximum brightness level of 500 nits and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. According to our reviewer, who normally uses IPS displays on a day-to-day basis, “OLED displays like this one look incredibly beautiful” to him.
Alternative option: If you’re interested in an alternative option, check out the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. It weighs a scant 3.31 pounds, which is a little less than our current pick. Although it has a nice OLED screen, an exquisite and portable design, and packs a decent punch in the performance department, its ho-hum webcam lands it behind the HP Omen Transcend 14 here.
Read our full
HP Omen Transcend 14 review
Razer Blade 16 – Best 4K gaming laptop
Pros
Dual-mode display is easy to use and beautiful to look at
Attractive design
Powerful
Cons
High price tag
Case is a fingerprint magnet
Why we like the Razer Blade 16
Woo boy. I’m not sure where to begin with this one. The Razer Blade 16 is a unique gaming laptop because it’s like having two displays in one. You get to choose between two modes, the native 3840×2400 panel with a 120Hz refresh rate or the 1920×1200 panel with a 240Hz refresh rate. You can switch between the two with Razer’s Synapse app. So, what does it all mean then? It means you can enjoy intensive shooters at 1080p 240Hz or you can take things slow and soak in all the details in your favorite strategy game. The laptop comes loaded with an Intel Core i9-13950HX CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, so you’re getting gobs upon gobs of power over here.
Who should buy the Razer Blade 16
Anyone who desires gaming in 4K! If it weren’t for the $4,000+ price tag (ouch), I’d be tempted to buy this machine myself, as I’m a fan of city management games and would love to get up close and personal with every detail. The price of this laptop is a hard pill to swallow, even with these awesome specs, but the 4K dual-mode display really makes it stand out from the rest of the competition.
Read our full
Razer Blade 16 review
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 – Best connectivity features
Pros
Reasonably priced
Fantastic connectivity options, includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports
CPU and GPU performance is strong for the price
Cons
Off-center touchpad is awkward to use
Audio is too quiet
Display experienced some stuttering
Best Prices Today:
$1199.99 at Acer$1,629 at Amazon
Why we like the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 comes packed with loads of ports and surprising gaming performance. Thanks to the Intel Core i7-13700HX CPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU inside, you’ll get reliable performance for productivity tasks or gaming. Where the laptop really shines is its diverse selection of ports. It has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, three USB-A ports, an HDMI port, Ethernet, a Micro SD card slow, and a 3.5 combo jack for audio. The Thunderbolt 4 ports make “downloading files at up to 40Gbps while streaming to an external display as easy as pie,” according to our review.
Who should buy the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
Anyone who needs a lot of connectivity options. Maybe you’re just the type of person that likes to hook up to an external keyboard, mouse, or monitor. If you look inside of yourself and find that to be true, then the Acer Helios Neo 16 is the one for you. It’s a bit unwieldy when on the go, but as far as connectivity and price-to-performance goes, you can’t get much better than the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16.
Alternative option: The Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 offers plenty of connectivity options, speedy performance, and a comfortable keyboard and touchpad. It just has a bigger screen than our top pick, which some gamers may prefer.
Read our full
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 review
Acer Chromebook 516 GE – Best gaming Chromebook
Pros
Attractive design
Excellent CPU performance
Plenty of wired and wireless connectivity
High resolution 1600p display
Cons
Mediocre keyboard and touchpad
Disappointing speakers and microphone
Display falls behind in contrast and color vibrancy
Why we like the Acer Chromebook 516 GE
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE offers reliable day-to-day performance as well as smooth cloud gaming gameplay, thanks in part to its fast, high-resolution display. Just so we’re clear–Chromebooks aren’t designed to run games locally, so you’ll need to be a member of a cloud gaming service like GeForce Now or Amazon Luna. Fortunately, this Chromebook has an Ethernet port, which scores major brownie ports as far as stable Internet connections go. Plus, compared to other budget Windows laptops, the $650 MSRP isn’t bad.
Connectivity options are good, too. You’re getting two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, one HDMI, one Ethernet, and one 3.5mm combo audio. Additional goodies include a 1080p webcam, a 65 watt-hour battery, and a high refresh rate display (120Hz to be exact).
Who should buy the Acer Chromebook 516 GE
Anyone that wants to give cloud gaming a whirl on a reasonably priced Chromebook. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE features strong day-to-day performance and, according to our review, “gameplay felt perfectly smooth” while playing on GeForce Now. That said, if you want to install and run games locally, or have a poor internet connection, one of the Windows-based budget gaming laptops above would be a better option.
Read our full
Acer Chromebook 516 GE review
Recent laptop reviews
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14: The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 is a lightweight, elegant all-rounder for business professionals.
Acer Predator Helios Neo 18: Want a lot of performance for $1,500? Acer’s gigantic Helios Neo 18 is a good bet.
Lenovo Yoga 7i: The Lenovo Yoga 7i (16IML9) is a competent and well-built at a palatable price. It’s not the best value for a standard laptop, but it’s flexibility may make up for its shortcoming for some users.
Acer Swift Go 14: The Acer Swift Go 14 is a reliable travel workhorse through and through.
How we test gaming laptops
The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them.
PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is how we determine how well the laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and so on.
HandBrake: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It basically measures how long a laptop’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
Cinebench: Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a short period of time.
3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips.
Gaming tests: We benchmark each gaming laptop using several titles.
Video rundown test: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10’s Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.
For a much more detailed explanation, check out how PCWorld tests laptops.
Buying Guide: How to pick the perfect gaming laptop
While there’s no such thing as a perfect gaming laptop, you can always find one that fits your budget and lifestyle. Need an affordable, entry-level gaming laptop? First of all, the GPU is the most important aspect to consider. If you think of a game like a vehicle, then the GPU is its driver. You’ll also need a good amount of SSD storage for your games library as well as a high refresh rate display, which keeps visuals looking nice and smooth.
For additional reading, be sure to check out this comprehensive guide on the gaming laptop features that matter most. If you’re on a strict budget, then you should dive into this piece about what a $1,000 gaming laptop really gets you. Otherwise, our FAQ below dives deep into several component considerations for gaming laptops
FAQ
1.
What’s the ‘best’ screen for a gaming laptop?
When you buy a gaming laptop, one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make regards the screen. After all, what you get on day one is what you’re stuck with until you junk the device. You could run an external monitor but then, what’s the point of a laptop? Look for an IPS or OLED display, though gaming laptops under $1,000 sometimes include a TN panel. You can get buy with a 60Hz display if you mostly play single-player games, but thankfully, most gaming laptops these days opt for faster 120Hz+ panels instead.
2.
What’s the ‘best’ screen size for a gaming laptop?
The size of the screen dictates the size of the laptop itself, and thus weight. You can’t, for example, get a 17-inch gaming laptop that’s four pounds (although MSI’s excellent GS75 gets awfully damned close at five), so think long and hard about whether you’re willing to take the weight penalty in exchange for the screen real estate.
If the laptop is going to be your only gaming machine, having a 17-inch screen might be ideal. We should also add that a 17.3-inch screen is easier on weaker eyes than a 15.5-inch screen. This is very much a matter of personal preference.
3.
What’s the ‘best’ screen resolution for a gaming laptop?
The buzzword today is “4K.” That high resolution delivers sharper photo viewing and more space for video editing, but that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. Anything not using the panel’s native resolution of 3840×2180, such as games running at lower-than-4K resolution, won’t look quite as sharp unless you exponentially increase the graphics power of the laptop.
If you’re running at 1920×1080 resolution because your GPU can’t hit 60 fps at 4K, that feature is moot. For many gamers, 1920×1080 (1080p) or 2560×1440 (1440p) is more optimal.
4.
IPS vs. TN vs. OLED: What’s the difference?
The panel technology is also a key feature. IPS (in-plane switching) generally produces much greater color accuracy and superior off-axis viewing, but tends to lag in response times, which can lead to blurring. TN (twisted nematic) panels can offer far higher refresh rates and usually better response times than IPS, but can look washed out or just blah.
A middle-ground technology that’s appearing more often is VA (vertical alignment). VA is sometimes alternately referred to as “wide viewing angle” technology. (Many assume this to spec to be IPS, but it’s not). In our experience, we’ve found VA panels to run the gamut from being worthy competitors to IPS to being worse than the better TN panels.
Generally, if color accuracy is important, go IPS (a trademark of Sharp), and if you want the fastest response times go for a gaming-oriented TN panel. With the variability of VA, we recommend you check feedback from reviewers and users of a particular model.
The wildcard in all this is OLED. OLED-based panels have been used in phones for years but have recently migrated to larger screens in laptops. IPS, TN, and VA all use LEDs behind the screen or along the edges. “Black” is produced by a shutter-like mechanism that blocks light from coming through. As you can imagine, there’s usually some light leakage, which means the black tends to be gray.
OLED panels don’t rely on edge- or backlighting. Instead, each pixel generates its own light. To produce black, it just switches off the light. This amounts to truly stunning contrast ratios and vibrant colors. OLEDs also boast fantastic response times.
The negatives include smaller screen sizes (we haven’t seen anything larger than 15.6 inches yet), higher cost, and lack of support for variable refresh rate. OLED panels can also use more power than conventional methods if the image is on a white background.
5.
Should a gaming laptop have G-Sync or FreeSync support?
Okay, we called this section G-Sync and FreeSync, but the reality is, when it comes to beefy gaming laptops, it’s a GeForce GPU world. And that means it’s a G-Sync world. In a nutshell, Nvidia and AMD’s respective variable-refresh-rate technologies help synchronize the monitor and the GPU to greatly reduce screen tearing. Variable refresh rates can make gaming at 40 fps far smoother to your eyes than a screen without it.
The first variable-refresh-rate panels for laptops maxed out at 75Hz, only marginally better than the standard 60Hz. More recently, we’ve begun to see laptop panels that can push 120Hz, 144Hz and even 240Hz. This generally means smoother and sharper gaming to your eyes. It even helps smooth out everyday tasks such as scrolling a browser page or Word document.
The downside of high-refresh rate panels is the technology it’s available on: TN. As we said earlier, TN generally looks less vibrant and less accurate than IPS. The off-axis view is generally inferior, too. You’ll also need a far more powerful GPU to feed that high-refresh rate monitor at its native resolution.
One last very important note: G-Sync screens have to be connected directly to the laptop’s discrete GPU, which means a large hit in battery life. In most laptops without G-Sync, the Intel integrated graphics is connected directly to the screen, so the GPU can be turned off when not being used. So while G-Sync is beautiful to behold, the cost in battery life is huge.
Which is right for you? If it’s primarily a gaming laptop—go for a high refresh rate and G-Sync (or FreeSync, if you can find a laptop that supports it with a Radeon GPU). If you tend to also push pixels in Photoshop or do any color-critical work, skip variable refresh for an IPS panel.
6.
What should you look for in a gaming laptop keyboard and trackpad?
A new trend in gaming laptops is the offset trackpad, which is more conducive to gaming than a dead-center trackpad. The concept is sound, but anyone who actually cares about PC gaming will just plug in a mouse. The worst thing about that offset trackpad is when you try to use it for non-gaming purposes.
As far as keyboards go, the most important gaming feature is n-key rollover. This means the keyboard physically scans each key separately. If you wanted to, you could press 20 keys simultaneously and they’d all register, as each is independently wired. That probably sounds excessive, but keyboards that lack this feature can suffer missed keystrokes, which both ruins gameplay and hurts in everyday tasks. Anyone who’s used an Adobe product that might require a left-Alt, left-Shift, left-Ctrl plus two more keys to do something may have run into the limitations of non-n-key keyboards.
Other keyboard considerations include LED backlighting (which adds ambiance but does nothing for gameplay) and mechanical keys vs. membrane. Mechanical keys are excellent—but are available on only a handful of laptops that usually weigh a ton. We have seen a few designs with low-profile mechanical keyboards, but even we admit they can be an acquired taste.
7.
What kind of storage is best for a gaming laptop?
Having your games load from an SSD instead of a hard drive significantly cuts down on load times. But beyond that, we haven’t found it to matter that much whether it’s a super-fast NVMe PCIe drive or a slower SATA SSD.
What does matter more today is the size of the SSD rather than the interface it uses. With games now topping 50GB and some touching 100GBs, a once-spacious 256GB SSD will feel too small with just four games installed.
So when spec’ing out that gaming laptop, be mindful of just how much total storage you have. If you go for laptop with a small SSD and large hard drive combo, expect to install your games to the hard drive. If the laptop will have an SSD only, choose an absolute minimum of 512GB, with 1TB preferred.
8.
How much RAM do you need in a gaming laptop?
When laptop makers spec out gaming laptops, one of the levers they use to try to convince you to buy their product is upping the amount of RAM. It’s not hard to find gaming laptops with “upgraded” configurations that go from 16GB of RAM to 32GB.
While having an adequate amount of RAM is important for gaming, today’s games typically top out at 16GB of RAM, and sometimes can run fine with just 8GB of RAM. Most people should invest in a gaming laptop with 16GB of memory if possible, and it makes sense to opt for 32GB if you plan on holding onto your gaming laptop for a long time. Modern games are only getting more memory-ungry.
9.
Should a gaming laptop have dual-channel or single-channel RAM?
Besides the amount of memory, a couple of other important, but not critical, questions to ask is what clock speed and what mode. Modern CPUs let you run RAM in sets to increase the memory bandwidth.
More memory bandwidth immediately helps laptops that are running integrated graphics, but the conventional wisdom has long been that discrete GPUs in laptops don’t benefit as much because they have their own dedicated, much faster GDDR5 RAM to use. That’s typically the case, but the performance of today’s GPUs and CPUs can make this conventional wisdom wrong.
Gaming performance is often about a balance between the CPU and the GPU, and how graphically intensive a game is. With games that are graphically intensive, the GPU is the primary bottleneck on performance. Play a game that isn’t graphically intense, though, and the CPU can rapidly become the bottleneck on performance.
With the power of today’s GPUs, a lot of games, especially at a sedate resolution of 1920×1080, have shifted more performance to the CPU. The reason we’re talking about this now is if you rob the CPU of memory bandwidth, even a decently fast one, you can take a sizable hit in gaming performance.
The basic lesson is you should opt for dual-channel memory bandwidth configurations when possible. On a laptop spec sheet, you typically would see this expressed as “dual-channel” or “2 x 8” to indicate that two 8GB memory modules were used in a laptop.
Some laptop makers will express memory in clock speed, so you’ll see “DDR4/2,133 or DDR4/2,400.” While a higher memory clock does increase memory bandwidth, the impact isn’t quite as great as going from dual-channel to single-channel mode.
10.
How many CPU cores do you really need in a gaming laptop?
How many cores do you need in a gaming laptop? For most people on a budget, a 4-core CPU with Hyper-Threading will function just fine in most games, especially when combined with a lower-cost and lower performance GPU.
Still, if you have the extra cash, a 6-core CPU with Hyper-Threading is likely the sweet spot for today and tomorrow. If you plan to stream your gaming live or edit it, investing in a 6-core is recommended.
Intel and AMD’s top-end 8-plus-core CPUs will deliver the greatest benefit to those who might do other graphics-intensive tasks, such as 3D animation or video editing. If you also plan to record and stream video, the 8-core will offer a performance benefit there, too.
If you’re thinking, great, let me buy a 4-core Core i5 or Ryzen 5 CPU with a luxury laptop to save money, you usually can’t, because PC makers typically only offer budget CPUs with other budget parts. Why? Well, most budget shoppers can’t afford any luxury items, and most PC makers like to add in the extras to increase the profit.
11.
What GPU is best for a gaming laptop?
The single most important piece of hardware in a gaming laptop is undoubtedly the GPU. For AMD fans, the situation is as sad as it is in CPUs: It’s an Nvidia GeForce world. As with CPUs though, the good news is that the dominating products are top-notch.
The hardest part will be deciding just how much GPU you need. Our general guidance is to buy as fast a GPU as you can afford and are willing to heft. Generally, the faster the GPU (or GPUs), the larger and heavier the laptop. If you’re talking about playing on a higher-resolution panel of 2560×1440 at high-refresh rates, then keep increasing the amount of money spent on the GPU.
12.
What kind of battery life should a gaming laptop have?
The last topic we’ll cover is battery life. The best way to understand battery life on a gaming laptop is to accept that it’ll be horrible for all things gaming.
The minute you crank up a GPU on a gaming laptop to play a game, you’re basically limiting yourself to an hour or an hour and a half of battery runtime. Period. And in some cases, far less than that.
The only reason to consider battery life on a gaming laptop is if you want to use your laptop unplugged for non-gaming purposes. In that respect, you’ll find a lot of variance, with some offering decent battery life, albeit with a trade-off in gaming performance.
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