Most users who are passionate about PC gaming are aware that in order to play to the maximum of their possibilities it is necessary to exploit the power provided by a classic fixed PC, with case, motherboard, video card and monitor optimized for the game. Playing PC games from a laptop is not always a happy choice: the lower computing power, the problem of overheating and the small screen are all valid reasons to avoid using a notebook as a game console. But this rule is not always respected: there are numerous portable PCs designed to play great games as if we were on a desktop PC, with few sacrifices. If we want a portable PC to play, in this guide we will show you the features that a gaming notebook must have and the best models on the market online, so that we can get a good price.
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Features of a gaming notebook
We assume that the power obtainable on fixed PCs is not obtainable on portable PCs (except very rare very expensive cases), a good gaming notebook must have the following characteristics in order to be exploited properly:
1) Processor
As a processor we could not rely on Intel products, always synonymous with quality when it comes to assembling gaming PCs.
On laptops the processors are slightly different than those available for PC, but by focusing on the i5 or i7 we will still get the power necessary to run any game. Let's avoid processors like Intel Pentium or Intel Core i3 if possible, absolutely unsuitable for playing.
2) RAM
Having a lot of RAM is essential for running the game, even more on laptops. The minimum is 8 GB, but many games may not start with this amount of memory so we always recommend focusing on models that have at least 16GB of DDR4 RAM. To play, avoid PCs with DDR3 RAM (now fallen into disuse) or with quantities of RAM less than 8 GB.
3) Video card
The video card is essential to be able to run all the games at higher resolutions without jerking or slowing down. Since the video cards on laptops are actually simple chips soldered on the motherboard, we will not be able to replace them in case of problems or if we intend to carry out a hardware update. To play smoothly we rely on the NVIDIA GTX series, which has always been a guarantee of gaming power and we avoid the NVIDIA lower series video cards (NVIDIA GT or similar).
4) Internal memory
In order to save all the games we will need a large amount of space and high reading and writing performances. A simple hard disk is no longer enough to play, but we will have to consider only gaming notebooks equipped with a main SSD next to a mechanical disk, in this way we can start the operating system and programs from the SSD and keep the data in the mechanical disk.
5) Screen
Not being able to access the monitors for PCs (however connectable as external monitors), the screen integrated in the laptop must be sufficiently large and with a good resolution, so as to be able to play all the playful video titles without compromise. We focus on models that adopt at least FullHD resolution (1920x1080) and have a diagonal of at least 15 inches.
6) Connectivity
Connectivity is important on a gaming PC, because there can be many peripherals to be connected. There must be WiFi (better if Dual Band) and Bluetooth (for wireless controllers), at least 3 USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI or mini-HDMI output and the classic Ethernet port. The DVD player is not always present, often replaced by an additional disc by means of a special caddy.
7) Autonomy
A gaming notebook must never run on battery, so we can safely avoid looking at this parameter (useful only when the power goes out and we want to turn off the game without losing everything).
Best laptops to play
After seeing the characteristics that a good gaming notebook PC must have, here are some models that we can consider for purchase. We can only warn you that the prices are always very high as these are products intended for passionate gamers.1) ASUS NB VIVOBOOK
Among the cheapest gaming notebooks, the Asus VivoBook certainly stands out, with a sober and elegant design (it doesn't look like a gaming notebook) but which boasts an Intel Core i7-7700HQ, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB hard disk, 256 GB SSD, an NVidia GTX1050 video card and a 15.6 "Full HD screen.
We can view this notebook here -> Asus VivoBook (950 €)
2) MSI GF63
MSI is a large manufacturer of gaming products and has created a line of thinner laptops, such as the MSI GF63, which boasts an Intel Core i5 9300H, a 512 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD, 8 GB of RAM, a GTX 1050 video card, 15.6-inch screen and the innovative Cooler Boost 4 cooling system.
We can view this notebook here -> MSI GF63 (850 €)
3) Acer Predator Helios 300
We are looking for a nice gaming laptop "> If we are interested in this notebook we can see it here -> Acer Predator Helios 300 (1159 €)
4) ASUS TUF
In the mid-range of the gaming notebook market, the ASUS TUF stands out, equipped with a 15.6-inch screen, Intel Core i7-8750H processor, 16 GB of DDR 5 RAM, 1 TB hard disk accompanied by a 128 GB SSD and a high-performance NVidia GeForce GTX 1060 video card.
We can find this gaming notebook here -> ASUS TUF (1400 €)
5) Asus ROG
The ASUS ROG are high-end PCs equipped with everything necessary to be able to play at high levels even on the laptop. The model we recommend to observe is the Asus TUF FX505GE-BQ151T, which has a 15.6 "FullHD screen, backlit keyboard, Inter Core i7-8750H CPU, 16 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD, 1 TB hard disk and NVidia GeForce GTX 1060 video card.
We can view this gaming laptop here -> Asus ROG (from 1100 €).
6) HP Omen
Among the high-end gaming notebooks we find the HP Omen 15-ce003nl, with a unique design and lots of power to sell, supported by an Intel Core i7-8750H, 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, a 1 TB hard disk, a 256 GB SSD, a 15-inch screen and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 video card.
We can find this gaming notebook here -> HP Omen (1500 €)
7) MSI Gaming GE63
One of the best PCs that we can buy for the high-end market is the MSI Gaming GE63, equipped with Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, 15.6 "FHD screen, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, 1TB hard disk and a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB of GDDR5 video memory.
If we are interested in this gaming laptop we can view it here -> MSI Gaming GE63VR 7RF (1685 €).
8) MSI GE75 Raider
The most powerful laptop that we can buy today at a still sustainable price is a real monster from MSI, able to not regret the best of the Macs. This laptop is equipped with an Intel Core i7 8750H CPU screen, 17.3-inch screen with 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, 32 GB of RAM, Nvidia Turing RTX 2060 video card, 256 GB SSD and innovative cooling system.
We can view this laptop from here -> MSI GE75 Raider (over 2000 €).
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