Gaming laptops are a great alternative for gamers looking for portable devices to fulfill their gaming needs as even though a PC is far more efficient it restricts you to one place.
However, the gaming machines are not only for playing games they offer more than that, especially for professional who wants to pursue their career in video editing and designing, their preferred choice is gaming laptops.
There is a lot of debate over Are gaming laptops good for everyday use. Besides their average battery and bulkier body gaming laptops have widespread among all sorts of users.
There is no doubt many users want to own it due to its performance capability, cool designs, and decorative keyboards but do you really need them in your everyday tasks let’s discuss either gaming laptops are worth regular use.
Also Read: Can you upgrade gaming laptops
Are gaming laptops good for everyday use?
There is no evident answer to this either gaming laptops are good for regular day-to-day tasks as every work has different demands from its computing components yet when it comes to performance you will not have any regrets about owning a gaming device.
As these machines are meant for heavy tasks you won’t find any difficulty while working on excels, presentations, watching movies, and web browsing.
Whereas if you want to do video editing, 3D modeling, or wants to play games then it completely depends on what kind of applications you want to run.
For demanding tasks usually, gaming laptops stand out but make sure to check the software and hardware requirements before buying a new gaming laptop as there are many models available in the market and not everyone is compatible with your working needs.
Super-fast system
Every computing machine builds with 4 major components that are the processor, graphics card, ram, and Hard drive, the big difference between gaming laptops and regular laptops is their inbuilt features.
For instance, processors in normal laptops are designed with a lower TDP of around 15watts whereas in gaming laptops 45watts makes them faster and more efficient to conduct any work.
Additionally, most normal laptops come with an integrated GPU that is largely dependent on CPU performance to deliver maximum support, especially for visual quality and gaming laptops designed with dedicated graphics cards.
The dedicated GPU gives a far more pleasing illustrated experience as it operates independently you see pictures on the screen faster and further it also puts narrower pressure on your processor.
The ram memory in gaming laptops minimum you get is 8GB which is excellent for doing multi-tasking work you can run multiple tabs on the internet with many files and software open in the background without much worry about lagging the system.
Also read: Can you use the laptop as a Monitor for Xbox one
Mux switch for switching between gaming and regular use
The invention of the Mux switch is a game changer in gaming laptops as it added a lot of value to the users as you can switch between integrated GPU and dedicated GPU whenever you wanted just by pressing a switch.
This is particularly valuable to enhance the laptop’s battery, as a gaming laptop uses a lot of power as a result the battery hours are shortened but the MUX switch is a very smart feature you can use while doing normal task switch to i-GPU and for resource Hungary task d-GPU.
However, the biggest challenge is to find a gaming laptop with a MUX switch as there is a very limited edition first it was used by Lenovo but now it has slowly become mainstream and brands like Asus, and Razer offering the MUX switch in their latest models.
Innovative Design
Gaming laptops are known for their beautifully composed and well-designed body especially the RGB lighting with vibrant logos makes them look very cool however this depends on your preference.
As a professional, you might require a simpler-looking device that you can bring for meetings with clients and gaming devices do not fit into the requirements.
However, the models like Lenovo Ideapad gaming are an exception as it looks more like a business laptop than a gaming rig but this is only about design and not about weight as the laptop is bulkier above 2kgs.
Also read: FPS drop when a laptop is unplugged
Excellent keyboard
The keyboard plays a vital role in playing game and manufacturers puts a lot of effort into making laptop keys as user-friendly as possible.
The key distance on gaming machines is very well placed you enjoy typing on it at the same time colorful 4 zone RGB keyboards create a studio environment around you, overall design of the keyboard depends on a budget in the lower range you still get a single backlit keyboard.
Whereas in expensive laptops mechanical keyboards hit the market, there are not many options yet brands like Alienware, Asus, and Razer started making mechanical keyboards, These types of keyboards are durable and far more user friendly predominantly it’s designed for gaming point of view.
Battery Life is average
Even though the gaming must be done on charging yet while going outdoors you will not always have access to a power cord and electricity.
Gaming laptop battery life is always a concern for users and it’s often criticized for having a low battery backup of around 2-5 hours depending on the usage also running hours rely on in build battery wattage.
However, I firmly believe that instead of criticizing we have to understand the fundamentals of the laptops designed in very limited space brands provide such high-power hardware to tackle intensifying tasks where they have to sacrifice battery power.
The CPU and GPU run on optimal settings that use battery power far more quickly than normal laptops so even though it is disadvantageous but adequate considering the performance if you are someone who travels a lot then you should always go for normal business laptops.
Whereas laptops with advanced optimum, mux switch also quite a good edition to manage the system according to your purpose.
Additionally, nowadays thin and light gaming laptops are available in the market that produces more battery power than a dedicated gaming laptop.
However thin laptops are not competent in delivering high performance on gaming as a large number of variants in this segment come with MAX-Q GPU that is less powerful than MAX-P graphics cards yet the game is playable you can enjoy gaming.
Moreover, lightweight gaming rigs are very useful for other productive task like editing, designing, AutoCAD, and 3D rendering including for students who are pursuing engineering, animation, and architecture.
Size and weight
Another Disadvantage of gaming laptops is almost all of them are overweight above 2kgs, this is because this type of machine consists of slightly more equipment under the system.
Firstly it is designed with a separate video card and other things like extra fans, the heavy battery makes them bulkier.
Overall, this might be ok for someone who operates from one place and rarely travels but for a user like me who is contently on go, finds it difficult to keep on my shoulders for a longer time.
The dimension of the machine is larger than regular laptops as the screen sizes are larger for better viewing you get display sizes from 14” to 17” in gaming laptops makes them a little difficult to fit into a bag pack so while choosing the bag you should always measure the size correctly.
Also Read: Laptop only works when plugged in
Budget and Price
The cost of gaming laptops understandably goes a little higher than notebooks or ultra-books as manufacturers add powerful CPUs, and dedicated GPUs in all the latest gaming laptops you get the support of SSD drive makes them super-fast loads images, heavy applications, and the operating system promptly.
Additionally, to keep laptops in control temperatures brands also have to add extra fans and pipes to dissipate warm air, overall gaming laptops are more expensive than other types of machines.
Yet recently brands have cut down the prices on many models due to competition and demand, base price point starts from above 600 to 650 dollars and can reach above 3000 dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a normal and a gaming laptop?
Both laptops are meant for portability but there is a major difference between the both precisely you get a high-quality visual experience in gaming laptops compared to regular ones, and the screen refresh rate is higher in gaming devices.
The additionally dedicated graphics card makes your graphical intensive task smooth even though some of the few modern normal laptops come with dedicated GPU yet they are underpowered whereas in a gaming machine you get higher TGP.
Are gaming laptops good for coding and programming?
Yes, gaming laptops are an excellent choice for coding and programming especially if you are a professional programmer where you have to deal with heavy coding you must utilize a gaming laptop due to their CPU and GPU ability, additionally, large screen space ensures a user-friendly interface.
Moreover, if you are a student or do very basic coding work you can manage with normal laptops that have a minimum of 4 cores processor, 8GB ram, and an SSD drive.
Should I buy a gaming laptop if I don’t game?
This is depending on what kind of work you do like if you want a laptop for day-to-day tasks like data entry, normal software use, and web browsing you can manage with a normal laptop.
For heavy users like editing videos, designing, animation, and 3D rendering you should own gaming laptops additionally if your work relies on AutoCAD then a gaming rig can make your work li easier.
Are gaming laptops good for students?
For students, essentially portability matters so gaming laptops are not suitable for students unless you go with the light gaming laptop, also if you are a student where you have to deal with any heavy tasks then a gaming laptop is recommended.
Can I use a normal laptop for gaming?
Yes, you can use the normal laptop for gaming purpose but you can not play at high settings, the games like Roblox, Minecraft, valorant is playable on non-gaming laptops.
Whereas GTA 5 also provides decent gaming sessions, if you want to play the latest games then normal laptops are not capable of handling games.
As modern games require a lot of graphics card resources and a screen refresh rate minimum of 120hz is a must to play games at high FPS up to 60FPS, normal laptops come with a 60hz refresh rate which is not suitable for gaming.
Can I use a gaming laptop for business purposes?
To some extend Yes since the last few years gaming laptops have evolved a lot, as they have become much better at battery backup especially lightweight gaming laptop adds a lot more value to business professionals.
The only drawback would be its funky and vibrant design that does not fit into the office environment and even though brands have done a tremendous job on increasing battery life yet it can not beat the business laptops.
Final words
So here I conclude are gaming laptops good for everyday use? It all comes to your preference and purpose as discussed performance is going to be top-notch on gaming laptops.
But you have to compromise on portability, battery life, and gaming laptops heat up than normal laptops which are acceptable still it is a drawback of gaming laptops.
Moreover, it’s you who can figure out what’s best for you yet if portability is a concern then better to opt for normal laptops for everyday use.
