Whereas once upon a time the phrase “gaming laptop” was almost an oxymoron, nowadays rapidly advancing technology has led to the creation of mobile computers that are capable of running even the latest games on the market. While desktop computers will always have the upper hand when it comes to performance capabilities, there are a number of laptops, such as this 13 inch quad core laptop, that can easily hold their own in this regard. If you’re interested in creating the ideal gaming laptop to suit your needs and expectations, read on to find out the five most important aspects you’ll need to take into consideration.
- Graphics
A good graphics card is the backbone of any respectable gaming rig, so it stands to reason that a gaming laptop will also need one. Luckily, in this day and age powerful GPUs with generous reserves of dedicated video memory can be found in many laptops. The GTX 10 series, for example, is built around NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards, with cheaper models featuring the 1050 or 1060 cards, while the more powerful ones come equipped with the 1070 or even 1080 version. The latter two are an especially appealing proposition for gamers interested in virtual reality games, which traditionally tend to be much more demanding as far as hardware resources are concerned.
- Processing speed
Having a good graphics card won’t get you very far unless you pair it up with a decent processor and plenty of RAM to keep your laptop’s juices flowing. The mobile gaming market is currently dominated by Intel, and you should consider getting an i5 processor at the very minimum if you want any kind of firepower. Dual Core i7 models are better, but going Quad Core is your best bet when it comes to more recent games. Be aware that clock speed matters as well, so a 3.4 GHz processor will be noticeably faster than a 2.6 GHz one.
- Display quality
Since achieving total immersion is one of the main goals of gaming, having a good display is essential for any serious gamer. To that end, opt for laptop displays that have high resolution capabilities, since anything below 1920 x 1080 will translate into frustratingly choppy graphics. Laptops that have full HD capabilities are even better, but keep in mind that the higher the resolution is, the lower your in-game framerate will likely be, so always seek to strike a balance between performance and visual polish.
- Storage capabilities
Top of the line games have grown in size considerably in recent years, up to the point where a 50GB game is now commonplace. Since laptops tend to serve other purposes besides storing games, it’s important to factor in these ballooning sizes when deciding on your storage options. For most people, purchasing a 1TB hard drive is a must these days, but we recommend buying a smaller SSD drive as well, where you can keep your installed games and thus benefit from the higher speeds of an SSD.
- Portability
Last but not least, portability has always been an essential factor in any laptop purchase. After all, the main reason why gamers opt for gaming laptops instead of desktops is so that they can play their favorite titles on the go. However, good hardware generally tends to weigh more, so you can expect better quality laptops to be quite a bit more taxing on your back. Battery life is also something to take into consideration, since high performance laptops tend to be quite power-hungry as well. Like with all things, striking a balance is best, so make sure you weigh all the pros and cons before deciding on the model that works best for you.
That concludes our quick overview of the five most important things you’ll need to take into account when putting together your ultimate mobile gaming rig. Depending on your expectations and your budget, you can find excellent gaming laptops at prices ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 for the really high-end models. With the upcoming VR revolution looking ready to change the world of gaming forever, you can expect more and more laptops to feature the kind of firepower that was once solely reserved for desktop computers. So don’t hesitate to get in on the game and invest in the kind of gaming laptop that will offer you untold moments of joy down the line.