Best gaming laptop 2023: powerful portables for PC games

Finding the best gaming laptop to buy can be tricky. Do you want something not too expensive? Something on the slimmer side? Or do you want out-and-out gaming performance under the hood? From budget power performers to hardcore hardware, there’s a bewildering choice of laptops out there for serious gamers who need plenty of GPU horsepower.

Whatever you need, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite gaming laptops of the moment. There’s plenty of power for hardcore gamers out there and they’re all (reasonably) portable.

If you’re looking for a laptop to work on and watch the occasional film, check our our guide to the best laptops instead. But, without further ado, here are the best gaming laptops you can buy.

What is the best gaming laptop?

We think the MSI Titan GT77 HX 13V (check price) is the best gaming laptop on the market. Designed as the sort of all-conquering laptop that’ll form the basis of your gaming life for years, the MSI Titan GT77 is one of the first models with the all-powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 inside.

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Other gaming laptop recommendations

Okay, so we think the MSI Titan GT77 HX is the best gaming laptop you can buy, but at $5000/£5000, it’s too much money for most people. Here are some other gaming laptop recommendations.

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The best gaming laptops you can buy today:

1. MSI Titan GT77 HX 13V

MSI Titan GT77 HX 13V specs
Screen	17.3in 3840×2160 144Hz mini LED
CPU	Intel Core i9
GPU	GeForce RTX 4090 16GB
RAM	32GB
Storage	2TB SSD
Battery	1-5 hours
Dimensions	37mm thick, 3.47kg

Designed as the sort of all-conquering laptop that’ll form the basis of your gaming life for years, the MSI Titan GT77 is one of the first models we’ve tested with the all-powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 inside. This monster of a dedicated graphics chip can have games looking their very best at super-high frame rates, even with HDR enabled – and that’s before you call on the clever DLSS 3.0 tech that magically creates AI-generated frames between each GPU-generated one.

If you want maximum speed and an incredible mini LED screen, this rig will absolutely get the job done, although it’s ruinously expensive. For that kind of cash you could buy an RTX 4090-equipped PC and a proper gaming monitor. You also have to put up with loud fans and a keyboard that only partly uses mechanical key switches, which feels a little cheap given how much MSI is charging for the machine.

Still, it’s the fastest gaming laptop around and has the best screen going right now.

• Read more: MSI Titan GT77 HX 13V (2023) review

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2. Lenovo Legion Slim 7i

Lenovo Legion Slim 7i specs
Screen	16in, 2560×1600 LCD w/ 165Hz
CPU	Intel Core i7
GPU	Nvidia RTX 3060 6GB
RAM	16GB DDR5
Stoarge	1TB
Battery	Up to ten hours
Dimensions	358x260x17mm, 2.17kg

With sharp looks, a high-quality screen and more than enough desktop performance for both work and play, the Legion Slim 7i is a real portable powerhouse. It’s got gaming pedigree but doesn’t scream that fact from the rooftops, so it won’t look out of place in the office. Add in impressive battery life courtesy of clever GPU-swapping tech, and there’s little it can’t do.

Now that Intel and Nvidia have announced their next-gen processors and graphics cards, prices of ‘older’ models have quickly begun to dip, meaning you can pick up an otherwise identical machine with an RTX 3070 ti for pretty much the same money. Rivals like the Acer Predator Helios P300 are very closely matched, although the Legion bests them for sheer portability.

Yes, 13th-gen Intel CPUs and Nvidia 4000-series GPUs might be the next big thing, but they’ll carry a big price premium for the foreseeable – and the hardware inside the Legion Slim 7i isn’t far behind. Grab one in the right spec and there’s an awful lot to like here for a very decent price.

• Read more: Lenovo Legion Slim 7i review

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3. Medion Erazer X40 Beast

Medion Erazer X40 Beast specs
Screen	16in, 2560×1600 LCD w/ 165Hz
CPU	Intel Core i7
GPU	Nvidia RTX 3060 6GB
RAM	16GB DDR5
Storage	1TB
Battery	Around 4.5 hours
Dimensions	383x272x36mm, 2.82kg

Medion has managed an unlikely feat with the Erazer X40 Beast, making such an expensive laptop seem like good value. This is about as little as you can hope to pay at the time of review for a laptop with an Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card, 13th Gen Core i9 processor and 32GB RAM. The fanciest models charge hundreds and hundreds more for the same specs. And yet Medion still manages to fit in some top drawer design features like a cracking Cherry MX mechanical keyboard and a large glass touchpad.

Where do you feel the cuts? The integrated speakers are not good, and we’ve seen much better 1080p webcams this year. We do wish the fan tone had managed to avoid the higher-pitch element to the tone heard. There’s some “whee” with the “whoosh”, but it doesn’t take too much shine off this laptop. Not persuaded? Check out the HP Omen 17, one of the few competing models at a similar price.

• Read more: Medion Erazer X40 Beast review

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4. Asus ROG Flow X16

Asus ROG Flow X16 specs
Screen	16in, 2,560 x 1,600 165Hz IPS
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB
RAM	32GB
Storage	1TB
Battery	Up to 8 hours
Dimensions	355 x 243 x 19.4mm, 2.1kg

The Asus ROG Flow X16 has a slick, impressive design that enables loads of gaming versatility. The hybrid form factor is underpinned by powerful internals, a great keyboard, and great screen and speaker quality.

There’s no denying the Flow’s quality, but it’s not perfect: the display could be a bit better, the chassis could be cooler and quieter and connectivity could be improved. And you’ll certainly get more gaming power if you spend similar cash on a conventional laptop.

This does mean that the Asus ROG Flow X16 occupies a luxurious niche in the laptop market and that most people would get more value elsewhere. But if you do want a versatile, slick gaming hybrid, this should be at the top of your list.

• Read more: Asus ROG Flow X16 review

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5. MSI Raider GE77

MSI Raider GE77 specs
Screen	17.3in, 2,560 x 1,440 240Hz IPS
CPU	Intel Core i9
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 16GB
RAM	32GB
Storage	1TB
Battery	Up to 5 hours
Dimensions	397 x 284 x 26mm, 3kg

This laptop is a beast. It’s faster than almost all of the other 17.3in notebooks we’ve tested. The screen has great gaming quality, the keyboard is receptive and robust, and MSI’s machine has loads of ports, super-fast connectivity and impressive build quality.

It’s a bruiser too, though, with a thicker and heavier chassis than any competitor. It’s loud if you play challenging games. And at almost $4000/£4000, it’s enormously expensive. An equivalent Alienware – with its quieter, slimmer design – is always cheaper, albeit without an identical display. Only the sleeker Razer is pricier

This level of pace will always be expensive, though, and the MSI Raider GE77 delivers more performance than any rival inside a robust and well-appointed chassis. This is the laptop equivalent of a muscle car – and for some people, that’s perfect.

• Read more: MSI Raider GE77 review

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6. MSI Pulse GL66

MSI Pulse GL66 specs
Screen	17.3in, 2,560 x 1,440 240Hz IPS
CPU	Intel Core i9
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 16GB
RAM	32GB
Storage	1TB
Battery	Up to 5 hours
Dimensions	397 x 284 x 26mm, 3kg

The MSI Pulse GL66 is a solid gaming laptop with a mid-range design and, in our review spec, high-end components. You get an extremely colour-rich screen with a near-ideal 1440p resolution, Intel’s new and swift 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU just a couple of steps away from the best you can get.

There are a few issues to consider, though. MSI seems to limit the graphics card’s power more than some of the competition when playing games. While the fan system isn’t actually loud when set to manage its own performance, its tone is quite noticeable.

The design also may seem a little basic if you pick one of the top specs, pushing the cost upwards. While we don’t think a lack of an intense RGB light show or plastic keyboard plate should put everyone off, not having a Thunderbolt 4 port may sting.

• Read more: MSI Pulse GL66 review

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7. Acer Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition

Acer Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition specs
Screen	15.6in 3840×2160 3D IPS
CPU	Intel Core i9
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 8GB
RAM	32GB
Storage	2TB
Battery	Up to 4 hours
Dimensions	359x275x28mm, 3kg

Looking for something a little different? Bragging rights over your gaming buddies? You can impress them with Acer’s 3D gaming laptop.

Beyond the Predator’s big 3D boasts, the machine also has high-end Intel and Nvidia internals and a bold sense of design – on paper, at least, it’s making all the right moves. That sounds great, but the Acer squares up to strong contenders. We’ve already explained the monstrous MSI Raider GE77, and both Alienware and Razer have capable competitors in the 15.6in and 17.3in markets.

Of course, if you buy into new technology then it’s always a gamble – you don’t know how well it’ll work and if it’ll grow into prominence or fade into obscurity. And, right now, the jury is out for Acer’s SpatialLabs screen –it’s cool, but it could be better. Read a more nuanced take in a full review below.

• Read more: Acer Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition review

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8. Razer Blade 15 Advanced

Razer Blade 15 Advanced specs
Screen	15.6in 1920×1080 360Hz / 2560×1440 240Hz / 4K 144Hz
CPU	Intel Core i7/i9
GPU	GeForce RTX 3060 6GB / 3080 Ti 16GB
RAM	16-32GB
Storage	1TB SSD
Battery	1-4 hours
Dimensions	17mm thick, 2.01kg

Razer makes some of the best gaming laptops on the market, and its latest machines take aim at competitive gamers who want every advantage in top esports titles. That’s no surprise given the firm’s pedigree in peripherals – they’ve spent years building the best gaming mice and keyboards around.

The Razer Blade 15 Advanced uses lightning-fast 360Hz displays with 2ms response times, so there’s hardly any difference in performance between these screens and the best desktop displays.

Those 360Hz panels pair ace performance with excellent visuals, including 100% sRGB reproduction and high contrast – handy for seeing enemies lurking in the darkest corners. Alternative display specs are available: the 1080p, 240Hz variant has Nvidia G-Sync for smooth gaming, and the 4K model is ideal for creative work.

Razer’s machines have the internals to keep up with those displays. They’re bolstered by Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX 3070 Ti and 3080 Ti GPUs, which deliver extra cores and higher clock speeds than non-Ti models, and they have 12th-gen Intel processors that have proven to be exceptional for gaming and working. There’s a lot to like around the rest of the specs too – like Thunderbolt 4 ports with charging, SD card slots, Killer Wi-Fi 6 and crisp RGB-lit keyboards.

The speakers are high-quality, and the 17mm body and 2.01kg weight mean this is slimmer and lighter than most 15.6in machines. The aluminium exterior does get warm in tough gaming situations, but it doesn’t bring too much fan noise.

The updated Blade 15 Advanced is not cheap: the most affordable model with a 12th-gen CPU costs around $3000/£3000. There are also 17.3in and 14in variants, but for us that 15.6in model with the 360Hz screen is the esports sweet spot.

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9. Alienware x15

Alienware x15 specs
Screen	15.6in 1920×1080 165Hz/ 360Hz / 2560×1440 240Hz
CPU	Intel Core i7/i9
GPU	GeForce RTX 3070 / 3080 8GB
RAM	16/32GB
Storage	512GB-1TB
Battery	1-5 hours
Dimensions	16.3mm thick, 2.36kg

Alienware has long been a big beast in the field of gaming laptops, and that’s set to continue with the x15. It’s a tweaked version of the firm’s m15, and pairs a sleeker design with superb components and top-notch display options.

As usual, there’s a wide selection of customisable specs, and this rig is also available in a hefty 17.3in form factor as the x17.

The x15’s updated design is unmistakably Alienware thanks to its honeycomb vents and RGB LEDs. It’s hewn from magnesium, aluminium and plastic, and has near-flawless build quality. It’s also lighter than its predecessor.

Gaming grunt comes from Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3070 and RTX 3080 cores and you can choose from a trio of displays: combine the RTX 3070 with a 165Hz screen for buttery-smooth mainstream gaming, or opt for the RTX 3080 with 1080p at 360Hz or 2560×1440 at 240Hz if you want esports excellence or high-res visuals. This machine has top 11th-gen Intel processors and lashings of memory, and it’s available with up to 4TB of SSD storage.

The x15 has the pace to tackle any gaming scenario, while the displays have lashings of brightness and huge colour gamuts. Wi-Fi 6 ensures fast networking, the USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4 and the snappy keyboard has 1.5mm travel and per-key RGB LED backlighting.

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10. Acer Nitro 5

Acer Nitro 5 specs
Screen	15.6in 1920×1080 144Hz
CPU	Intel Core i5/i7 / AMD Ryzen 5/7
GPU	GeForce RTX 3050 4GB / 3070 8GB
RAM	8/16GB
Storage	512GB SSD
Battery	1-3 hours
Dimensions	24mm thick, 2.3kg

If you’d like to get your hands on some top gaming power without rinsing your bank account, this Acer is our top budget pick. This machine is available with current-gen Nvidia graphics alongside capable Intel processors and displays with the refresh rates to handle games at decent speeds.

The most powerful Nitro 5 models pair the RTX 3070 GPU with AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800H. Those components supply enough gaming power to scythe through any title.

More affordable specs rely on RTX 3050 and 3060 graphics cores – the former is ideal for casual games and older titles, while the latter is a rock-solid chip for esports. The Intel options aren’t current-gen and can’t keep up with AMD, but they’re respectable and won’t slow you down… plus they’re getting updated later this year, which bodes well for performance.

The 15.6in displays have a 144Hz refresh rate – fine for most situations – and offer good depth and contrast. You get three full-size USB ports, an HDMI output, dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth, plus a keyboard with a numberpad and four-zone RGB LED lighting. Those buttons are fast and comfortable, so ideal for long gaming sessions.

The compromises? Build quality is mediocre, so we’d recommend a protective sleeve if you’ll travel with this notebook. Plus it’s heavy, the speakers are tinny and ours only lasted for just over 3hrs during a work benchmark.

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11. Asus ROG Flow X13

Asus ROG Flow X13 specs
Screen	13.4in 1920×1200 120Hz
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9
GPU	GeForce RTX 1650 / 3050 Ti 4GB
RAM	8/16GB
Storage	512GB/1TB SSD
Battery	1-4 hours
Dimensions	16mm thick, 1.3kg

Gaming laptops are usually big lumps that don’t do much travelling, but the Asus ROG Flow X13 flips that convention on its head: it has a 13.4in display inside a body that’s just 16mm thick and weighs 1.3kg.

Of course, that restricts what hardware can fit inside, but Asus has thought of that too – because this machine is sold alongside a graphics dock with an RTX 3080.

The X13 is tiny and impressive. Its RTX 3050 Ti graphics core can handle most games at decent framerates, and it has a brilliant AMD Ryzen 9 processor that slices through work tasks. It’s also got a fantastic display: the 16:10 aspect ratio adds height, it’s a touchscreen, and it has amazing contrast and accurate colours.

Impressively, this is a hybrid, so it can swing into tent and tablet modes. It even has good speakers and a crisp keyboard, and is robust thanks to aluminium and magnesium construction.

There are downsides, though. The X13 doesn’t have many ports, exterior surfaces can get hot, it’s sometimes just as loud as big gaming laptops, and battery life is only mediocre; and while the RTX 3050 Ti offers reasonable pace, it won’t run the top games at high-quality levels.

But that’s where the XG dock comes in. That RTX 3080 has the power to handle any gaming task, even if you output to an external display with a higher resolution or refresh rate. The dock also provides loads of extra connectivity and is nice and easy to use – it just slots into a bespoke port on the laptop’s left-hand edge.

The dock weighs 1kg, so slinging that plus the laptop in a bag means you’ll be carrying as much weight as a conventional gaming notebook – but in a smaller and more versatile package. And that’s really what this combination is all about: flexibility for more than just gaming.

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12. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro

Lenovo Legion 5 Pro specs
Screen	16in 2560×1600 165Hz
CPU	AMD Ryzen 5/7
GPU	GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB / 3070 8GB
RAM	8-32GB RAM
Storage	256GB-1TB SSD
Battery	1-4 hours
Dimensions	22mm thick, 2.54kg

Loads of people buy a gaming laptop and also use it for work, which is no surprise given the ample power available in the latest game-centric portables. If you’re on the hunt for a machine that can straddle work and play, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro does a tremendous job without costing silly money.

It’s got more screen space than most gaming laptops, and has some surprising features alongside plenty of power. And, crucially, it looks more ‘mature’ than most gaming notebooks so it won’t seem weirdly out of place in the office.

Lenovo’s machine has a load of features that boost its ability in work situations. The display has a 16in diagonal, a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 2560×1600 resolution, which means you get more vertical space and more pixels than most. It renders the sRGB colour gamut accurately, with great contrast, and it’s got awesome brightness levels that mean it works well outdoors.

Elsewhere, the Legion has loads of USB connections and a webcam with a privacy shutter and Windows Hello support. The keyboard is fast and comfy and includes a number pad.

On the inside, it’s available with AMD Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 processors, with the former suited to mainstream work and the latter a content-creation powerhouse. These rigs can run with up to 32GB of memory and 1TB of SSD space. It’s an impressive specification, especially when you consider that the Legion’s prices start at close to $1000/£1000 – and upgrades later in the year will see some models equipped with better processors, graphics cores and displays.

If you want to run top games without compromise you’ll need to specify an RTX 3080, and esports fans might not be happy with the 165Hz refresh rate. For most people, though, this is the best choice if you need a laptop for gaming and working.

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How to buy the best gaming laptop for you

Gaming laptops are expensive so to ensure you’re not wasting your money there are several important factors to consider to ensure you get the best gaming experience for your needs and budget.

Without a doubt, the most important aspect of a gaming laptop is performance. If your budget allows, you’ll want to opt for a laptop with a powerful processor (such as Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9), a dedicated graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce GTX or RTX, or AMD Radeon), and sufficient RAM (at least 16GB, preferably 32GB).

These components will directly impact your gaming performance. The GPU, in particular, is crucial for gaming performance – it’s really important to ensure your laptop has a dedicated graphics card, as integrated graphics are not powerful enough for modern gaming.

Of course, with all this performance on tap your gaming laptop can get hot during intensive gaming sessions, so you’ll want to make sure it has an efficient cooling system. Good thermal management will prevent overheating and help maintain optimal performance.

You’ll want to check if the laptop allows for easy upgrades of components like RAM and storage, as this can extend the machine’s lifespan.

After decent performance, you’ll want to make sure your laptop has a good display – after all, you can’t upgrade this like you would a gaming PC build. Look for a laptop screen with a high refresh rate (at least 120Hz) and low response time, as this will provide a smoother and more responsive gaming experience.

You’ll want to opt for an SSD (Solid State Drive) rather than an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) as your primary storage, as SSDs are faster and improve loading times in games.

A comfortable and responsive keyboard is vital for gaming, so you’ll want to make sure you’re happy with the keyboard in your gaming laptop (as, like the display, this can’t be upgraded at a later date). You should keep in mind the layout, key travel, and whether it has customisable RGB lighting.

Now, gaming laptops are infamous for their poor battery life, so if you plan to use yours for tasks other than gaming you’ll want to look for a laptop with reasonable battery life. You can read our reviews to find out the models below performed when it comes to battery life.

Finally, you’ll want to think about the design and portability. Some gaming laptops can be quite bulky and heavy, so if you plan to travel with it regularly then look for a balance between portability and performance.

Likewise, some gaming laptops can be understated, but many are flashy with RGB lights and brash design flairs. If you’ll regularly be taking your laptop to work in an office, you may want to opt for a more understated design.