Gaming laptops are quite a handy tool for users who likes to do PC gaming without compromising on portability yet is a laptop worth investing in for playing games.
For instance, we are shortly going to cover each piece of information on are gaming laptops worth it. Yet you need to ask a few questions yourself about whether you really need a gaming machine.
The biggest reason I am saying this is many assume that you must have a gaming laptop for every task, but it is not true at all.
As you can operate numerous assignments without a dedicated GPU in your system, especially for basic video editing or photo editing you do not necessarily need a laptop that is meant to play games.
Now since its creation, laptop technology has developed a lot and we have gadgets in the market that even have the capacity to deliver desktop-like experiences.
Yet a desktop is still a terrific alternative for gaming, if you are not constantly touring then definitely a gaming pc is always preferred over a laptop.
However, as said we have powerful machines in the market, especially in the last 2-3 years laptop for gaming has been the best preference, as brands have come up with outstanding advancements in laptops’ inner design and hardware functionality.
Also Read: Best gaming laptop with a mechanical keyboard
Why Are gaming laptops worth it in 2023?
1. Graphics Processing power
The processing is immensely powerful in gaming laptops when compared to regular laptops you can easily employ for heavy usage, the software like AutoCAD or blender runs ultra-smoothly.
Additionally, if you have to do a lot of editing stuff then your work is going to be quick as due to a dedicated graphics card complex rendering becomes efficient.
Overall, gaming laptops are packed with good CPU, GPU, ram, and hard drive that loads everything smoothly.
Now the most attractive topic when comes to gaming laptops is definitely their video card support which makes the entire system different from another standard laptop.
There are few non-gaming laptops available in the market that do come with a dedicated graphics card yet they are not meant for gamers.
As most of them are suitable for creators who are looking for portable choices for professions such as design or any student studying CSE or civil engineering also prefers regular laptops as they have to carry laptops with them all the time.
This type of laptop is lightweight and also provides better battery backup than a gaming machine, however, there are other laptops that have equipped with MAX-Q design technology in gaming laptops promoted as gaming laptops to some extent they do solve the purpose.
Now adding more to the information of GPU, when it comes to desktop vs gaming laptop, recently released some of the 20 and 30 series graphics cards have similar benchmarks compared to computers with a laptop.
It does not entirely demonstrate the whole scenario as desktop GPU still has powerful graphical processing power, as brands ensure to keep laptops GPU little underclock to tackle cooling system.
Overall modern laptops support all the games lot depending on hardware as well, but GPU performance in PC is much better.
The entry-level GPU option RTX 3050 with 4GB card size is available at a budget price models such as Acer Nitro, Lenovo legion, and Lenovo Ideapad offer the RTX 3050 at the cost of around 800 to 900 bugs which is value for money in this budget.
However, Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics card is optimal for basic gaming in fact this GPU allows you to play a graphics-intensive game like Cyberpunk 2077 at low-mid settings, but do not expect to run the latest games at high-ultra settings with GTX 1650.
Moreover, if you have a budget around let’s say 1200 dollars you get an Nvidia RTX 3060 with a 6GB chip that was quite impossible to get in such the lowest budget few years a ago, this is still the future-proof option to run the latest titles smoothly including AAA games.
Additionally, just like processors, the power of the graphics card also determines the speed and the TGP of the GPU also plays important role in gaming performance.
The TGP in a laptop higher the better for your gaming needs, the most probably in the budget option, and for entry-level gaming, many users prefer RTX 3050 but make sure to check its TPG it should have at least 75watts to run games.
Also read: Best laptop for playing sims 4
Processor speed and Cores:
The processing power is another factor that makes gaming laptops more powerful yet it consumes a lot of power than regular laptops, however surprisingly most of the games to date require single-core rather than multi-threaded performance.
Overall, the processing speed is ideal for anything from 2.5 to above, and overclock speed is 4.5Ghz minimum required for gaming.
However, if you do perform tasks such as video editing or designing try and consider 6 cores CPU rather than 4 cores just for multi-tasking purposes otherwise for gamers 4 cores are pretty much fine.
Display
The screen size is a tricky part as you have very limited options in terms of size though there are 17-inch screen machines available yet it becomes very bulky.
However 15.6″ size pretty portable option for gamers, overall when you compare this scenario with desktops you can get the largest screens for gaming.
The quality and refresh rate in a gaming laptop have various options from full HD to QHD resolution, for games full HD is more than enough, additionally for a refresh rate you get incredible options from 120hz to 360hz frame.
Basically, the conclusion is that you are not having a variety of choices to choose from as you get in gaming monitors while building desktops, yet when it comes to quality and refresh rate laptops have come a long way, and there are excellent options available in the market.
Also in high-end laptops for gamers, brands use different types of technologies to make your gaming experience as smooth as possible, the features like G sync, and free sync technology helps in keeping visuals fine and smooth during high-intensifying gaming sessions.
Additionally, some of the latest gaming laptops are designed with unique features called “Mux Switch” which is quite amazing as you can switch between i-GPU to d-GPU as per your requirement this helps to increase the battery in the gaming laptops.
Note: MUX switch functionality is not available in all laptops there are limited options in the market but it has become the mainstream and most of the brands started making gaming laptops with mux switches.
Build quality
To make them valuable for users, since their invention gaming laptops have gone through a lot of construction and testing, as time advanced brands have made significant changes in the built quality and texture of laptops.
Though gaming laptops under 900-1000 dollars come with a plastic build nonetheless manufacturers use very compact plastic usable for a longer time, however, if you are ready to spend above 1000 you will get those sturdy metal aluminum finishes in laptops.
Design
With the build quality the design of the laptops too changed drastically, especially in the last 2-to to 3 years, in particular, we have seen many trendy-looking gaming laptops, though I have to say this year has been a milestone year for gaming machines in terms of design.
It has huge refinements from previous generation laptops and looks shiny with a decorative top lid and keyboards to look vibrant.
Also Read: Best laptop for game development
Portability and weight
Now many times this question arises why are gaming laptops heavy? Well, there is a reason gaming laptops bulky than normal laptops.
While making the machine you have to understand that, brands have to fit all the components in the smallest space making them heavy and they are also meant for slightly rough use.
So basically you have to compromise on the weight of the machine, proper gaming rigs have a weight of around 2 to 2.5kgs and even above at times.
However there are thin and light gaming laptops available in the market but these options are not for heavy gamers, some of the options for thin laptops are Asus Zephyrus and MSI stealth.
Upgradable feature
If you have a PC at home those are easier to upgrade in most parts but when it comes to gaming laptops you are limited with the upgradability attribute you can only maximize ram and SSD drive depending on the product to product.
Heating and cooling system
Gaming is a heavy task that heats the machine however it’s totally normal as every gaming laptop heats up, however, it should not be above 85 degrees, sometimes 90-95 degrees fine as long as it is not affecting your performance.
Additionally, you should get a laptop that has good cooling factors such as fans with pipes and a venting system machine it keeps the machine under control temperature.
Battery life
The battery life is the biggest drawback as gaming laptops’ batteries do not last long, especially while playing games however we always suggest you do gaming on charging as it keeps the battery good that enhances durability.
Moreover, thin gaming machines do give slightly better battery backup, anything between 3-5 hours is always considered good for such types of laptops.
To get more battery back up you should try and avoid using backlight support in keyboards and also reduce the brightness at the lower side, additionally while using the laptop for regular work keep the screen refresh rate at a 60hz frame rate.
Also Read: Gaming laptop with good battery life
Budget
Now it comes to budget, if you are on the lowest budget you have the GTX 1650 graphics card option which will be available from 600 to 1000 dollars yet I won’t suggest you spend on GTX 1650 if your budget is around 800 or above as you have options of RTX 3050.
Additionally, if you are spending above 1100 to 1500 try to choose a laptop with RTX 3060 or RTX 3070 available in the range, moreover for above 1500 to 3000 dollars you deserve a 3070, 3080 graphics card.
Now the budget is definitely higher than regular laptops as you get a dedicated GPU with a better frame rate for gaming.
Also, you end up spending more than what you spend on the desktop yet brands have dropped their price immensely over the years for gaming rigs.
Frequently asked questions
Is a gaming laptop a waste of money?
The gaming laptops are meant for heavy tasks you can also utilize them for day-to-day usage without any worry of slowness as it features solid-performing components.
Though gaming laptops are not a waste of money by any means yet few things have a drawback such as they are quite bulky in weight and Battery backup is lower than other notebooks or ultrabooks.
This is more about personal preference if you like to play games or do any heavy tasks you should consider a gaming laptop to tackle all your work.
Is a gaming laptop or a normal laptop better?
This a lot depends on your work if you do any kind of designing, animation, or 3d design then a gaming laptop is always recommended to run applications smoothly.
However, if you are a student or have to work on PowerPoint with basic editing for YouTube and editing photos then the normal laptop is fine for such work.
Moreover, if you do a high level of video and lots of photo editing every day then consider a gaming laptop.
What are the disadvantages of gaming laptops?
From a performance point of view, you do not find any lag in daily use, however, there are disadvantages to having gaming laptops firstly battery life is pretty average and the weight is quite heavy.
Also, they are a little pricier the regular laptops, and during strong gameplay, machines intend to heat, however, this is pretty ok if in the acceptable range.
Do gaming laptops last long?
If you use it in the right way gaming laptops can last long easily for over 5-6 years, specifically, you should give good attention to the laptop’s Battery and cooling system, your laptop can sustain for many years.
Does gaming reduce laptop battery life?
Gaming is a very intense task while playing it consumes a lot of Battery which definitely reduces battery backup.
However, as discussed above you should do gaming on charging rather than the battery it will do two things your battery won’t get down, and also enhances battery durability.
Why are gaming laptops so heavy?
These machines are made with heavy hardware especially comes dedicated GPU which makes the device a little bulky however if you need super performance then you have to compromise on portability.
Are gaming laptops good for school?
This is a lot depending on your usage, if you like to do gaming then you have no choice but to go with a gaming laptop, if not then what kind of work you are going to do that you need to consider.
Basically, the best practice is to always check in your college what software you will be using, and then you can inspect laptop requirements and take your decision, this makes the buying process easier.
Are gaming laptops good for video editing?
Yes, gaming laptops are good for video editing as it has the processing power to handle video editing software easily and for rendering you get good support from a dedicated GPU, also it comes with 8GB ram with SSD which makes the whole experience smooth and efficient.
Are gaming laptops loud?
Most gaming laptops do create noise yet it’s understandable as the in-built fans have to run faster to generate airflow to components that heat during gaming, so it will create noise depending on the products as some may create a lot of noise and few of them will have lower sound.
Final words
So here it is we have discussed everything in detail is gaming laptop worth it in 2022? well, definitely there are quite a few drawbacks to having a gaming laptop but it provides efficient computing hardware to perform challenging tasks smoothly.
Yet if any time is right to buy then this is actually the right time and worth getting one for your gaming needs also it is used for heavy tasks.
As there are quite a few beast gaming machines released especially in the last 2 years and the fun part is even though the desktop has more capacity yet you can not carry them outdoors for tournaments or while going with friends.
If you have any queries regarding this topic and still need any clarity on are gaming laptops worth it? then put your comments below I will reply to you with the best solution.
