Best Gaming Laptops of 2022
The best gaming laptops come in various sizes and shapes, for different needs and budgets. So while a tricked out $5,000-plus model with the highest-end graphics and best display might give you the best gaming laptop experience, most of us can’t afford a rig like that. Our picks here are often high-end models (we’re an enthusiast site, after all), but most come in various configurations at various price points. For those on a tight gaming budget, we’ve have dedicated pages for the best gaming laptops under $1,500 and the best gaming laptops under $1,000.
Thankfully, there are more gaming laptop options now than ever, from budget-friendly to desktop replacements. Some come with full-size Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards, while others go for the more efficient Max-Q designs that enable thinner chassis and (sometimes) quieter fans.
Finding the Best Gaming Laptop
While many of the best gaming laptops come with a 1080p display and high refresh rates, some include 4K screens, so you can pick between fidelity and resolution. Several gaming laptop go as fast as 360 Hz. There are also an increasing number of 2560 x 1440 display options, giving you an option other than 1080p or 4K. Additionally, some more expensive, premium options include OLED for deeper blacks and more vivid colors.
There is more choice than ever in components, too. While Intel is still a popular option, AMD’s Ryzen processors are becoming more common. On the GPU side, Nvidia’s RTX GPUs are in most laptops, though AMD is slowly starting to pair its own graphics cards with hits CPUs for what it calls an “AMD Advantage.” (We’re not seeing AMD GPUs with Intel CPUs).
The latest technologies in processors include Intel’s 12th Gen “Alder Lake” processors, which use a hybrid design with Performance and Efficient cores, and AMD’s Ryzen 6000 CPUs, though we haven’t seen as many of those comes through as our lab. With Intel and AMD both having moved to their next generations on the desktop, we’re expecting to see updates to laptops in the next few months.
Nvidia’s RTX 40-series has started to hit desktops, but they’re not on laptops quite yet. We’re expecting to see that in the next few months, so stay tuned.
To help you find the best gaming laptop, we’ve compiled a list of the best models we’ve tested and reviewed recently. For much more on how to narrow down your list of best gaming laptop considerations, check out our best gaming laptop buyer’s guide. But here are a few quick tips to get you started down the road to the right portable gaming rig for you.
While many gamers may go to desktops to get the most performance for their money, try lugging a tower, monitor and keyboard around in your backpack. When you need a powerful rig you can take with you, there’s no substitute for a gaming laptop.
The picks on this list should be ready to run Windows 11 if it didn’t come preinstalled already.
Quick Gaming Laptop Shopping Tips
- Focus on the GPU: Most games are dependent on the GPU, and those aren’t upgradeable. If you splurge on a powerful GPU now, you’ll be gaming comfortably for a few years.
- You can upgrade some parts later: While the best CPUs for gaming and GPUs are almost always soldered down, most gaming laptops let you replace the RAM and storage, so you can buy cheaper now and add more memory and a bigger hard drive or SSD down the road. Thicker, more powerful laptops are often easier to upgrade than thinner ones, so be sure to do some research before buying. (We include this information in our reviews).
- Battery life will probably be bad: Very few gaming notebooks get 8 hours or more on a charge, and you need the power supply to get the best gaming performance anyway. However, we’ve seen some strong times from AMD’s Ryzen processors, and Nvidia suggests its improved Optimus technology may help turn the tide. For peak gaming performance, however, you’ll want to be sure to be plugged in while playing.
Best Gaming Laptops You Can Buy Today
The best gaming laptops of 2022
The best gaming laptops come in different sizes and shapes, for different needs and budgets. So while a tricked-out $5,000+ model with top-of-the-line graphics and the best display can give you the best gaming experience out of a laptop, most of us can’t afford such a device. We often pick the top models here (we are a site for enthusiasts, after all), but most come in different configurations at different prices. For those on a tight gaming budget, we have dedicated pages for the best gaming laptops under $1,500 and the best gaming laptops under $1,000.
Fortunately, there are now more gaming laptop options than ever, from affordable to desktop replacements. Some come with full-fledged Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards, while others go for more efficient Max-Q designs that allow for thinner chassis and (sometimes) quieter fans.
Finding the best gaming laptop
While many of the best gaming laptops come with 1080p displays and high refresh rates, some include 4K screens, so you can choose between fidelity and resolution. Several gaming laptops run at up to 360 Hz. There are also a growing number of 2560 x 1440 display options, giving you an option other than 1080p or 4K. Additionally, some more expensive, premium options include OLED for deeper blacks and more vivid colors.
There is also more choice than ever for components. While Intel is still the popular choice, AMD’s Ryzen processors are becoming more common. On the GPU side, Nvidia RTX GPUs are in most laptops, although AMD is slowly starting to pair its own graphics cards with hit CPUs, which it calls the “AMD Advantage.” (We don’t see AMD GPUs with Intel processors).
The latest in processor technology includes Intel’s 12th Gen “Alder Lake” processors, which use a hybrid design with powerful and efficient cores, and AMD Ryzen 6000 processors, although we didn’t see as many as in our lab. As both Intel and AMD have moved on to their next generations on desktops, we expect to see updates for laptops in the next few months.
Nvidia’s RTX 40 series has started to appear on desktops, but not yet on laptops. We expect to see this in the next few months, so stay tuned.
To help you find the best gaming laptop, we’ve compiled a list of the best models we’ve tested and reviewed recently. For much more on how to narrow down the best gaming laptop considerations, check out our best gaming laptop buyer’s guide. But here are some quick tips to get you started on the right portable gaming device.
While many gamers may go for desktops to get the most performance for their money, try packing a tower, monitor and keyboard in your backpack. When you need a powerful device that you can take with you, there’s no substitute for a gaming laptop.
The selections in this list should be ready to run Windows 11 if it wasn’t already pre-installed.
Quick tips for buying a gaming laptop
• GPU focus: Most games are GPU dependent and cannot be upgraded. If you spend now for a powerful GPU, you’ll be gaming comfortably for several years.
• You can upgrade some components later: While the best gaming processors and GPUs are almost always soldered on, most gaming laptops allow you to swap RAM and storage, so you can buy cheaper now and add more memory and a bigger hard drive or SSD down the road. Thicker, more powerful laptops are often easier to upgrade than thinner ones, so be sure to do your research before you buy. (We provide this information in our reviews).
• Battery life is likely to be poor: Very few gaming laptops charge for 8 hours or more, and you need a power source anyway to get the best gaming performance. However, we’ve seen some strong times from AMD’s Ryzen processors, and Nvidia is hinting that its improved Optimus technology may help turn things around. However, for peak gaming performance, you’ll want to make sure you’re connected while playing.
msi ge76 raider gaming laptop
The Best Overall Gaming Laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Intel Core i9-12900HK
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Display: 17.3 inches, 1920 x 1080, 360 Hz
Weight: 6.39 pounds (2.9 kg)
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
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REASONS TO BUY
- Strong CPU and GPU performance
- Plenty of ports
- Striking RGB light bar
REASONS TO AVOID
Fans run loud
Display is dimmer than prior model
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If you’re looking for a laptop with desktop-level power, the MSI GE76 Raider is about as close as you’ll get, though you may also have to spend a ton of money to get there. Still, with its high-end components like the Intel Core i9-12900HK and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti.
We’d be remiss to point out that the Raider has a large RGB light bar on the front, which, when combined with per-key lighting, makes for quite an effect in the dark (or you can turn it all of if you prefer something a bit less showy).
The 17.3-inch, 1080p display goes up to 360 Hz, which is great for esports players, but everyone else might want to consider a 1440p or 4K display, depending on available configurations.
We tested this laptop at $3,999, which is enough to make you tear up when you check your bank account. That’s an awful lot to spend on a laptop (we imagine DDR5 memory partially brings that price up), but it’s also the best performer we’ve seen recently.
001-MSI GE76 Raider Gaming laptop
MSI GE76 Raider Specifications
| CPU | Intel Core i9-12900HK |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (16GB GDDR6, 175 W max graphics power, 1,590 Hz boost clock) |
| Memory | 32GB DDR5-4800 |
| Storage | 2x 2TB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD |
| Display | 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080, 360 Hz, IPS-Level |
| Networking | Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675i, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Ports | Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, Ethernet, SD card reader, HDMI, mini DisplayPort |
| Camera | 1080p |
| Battery | 99.9 WHr |
| Power Adapter | 280 W |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 15.63 x 11.18 x 1.01 inches / 397 x 284 x 25.9 mm |
| Weight | 6.39 pounds / 2.9 kg |
Gaming and Graphics on the MSI GE76 Raider
The biggest question for people looking for a gaming laptop with the latest and greatest is how the Intel Core i9-12900K and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti work together. It’s a potent combination, though if you have 11th Gen Intel and last year’s RTX 3080, the difference won’t exactly be life-changing.
I used the Raider to play Halo Infinite‘s campaign on its ultra quality preset. The game ran around 130 frames per second at 1080p (the display’s native resolution), but sometimes as high as 160 fps. When I moved to multiplayer, I switched the preset to low and pushed around 200 fps.
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Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: Intel Core i9-12900HK
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Display: 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080, 360 Hz
Weight:Â 6.82 pounds / 3.09 kg
The Alienware x17 R2 switches to Intel Core i9-12900HK and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, some of the most powerful parts on the market. In our review, the laptop showed strong performance in both gaming and productivity.
Alienware’s design, which debuted last year, is beautiful. It’s still clearly a gaming laptop, but it’s futuristic and minimal. That being said, it’s a bit larger than some of the competition, and at 6.82 pounds, you probably won’t want to carry it too often.
If you’ve got a little extra cash, we highly recommend the optional $50 Cherry MX mechanical keyboard, which feels great and has been enjoyed by everyone on our staff who’s tried it.
Alienware X17 R2 Gaming Laptop Get Now