Gaming Laptops

Shopping for a gaming laptop is a unique experience, as gaming laptops offer a level of computing power that's almost unrivalled in a portable format and tend to come in a broad selection of unique designs you won't see with top laptops built for other purposes. This aesthetic divergence is at least in-part to cover for the fact that gaming laptops have traditionally been larger and heavier than your run-of-the-mill notebook, with chassis' built to house powerful graphics cards, plus the extra cooling necessary to ensure optimal performance under heavy loads.

In recent years, higher-end gaming laptops have begun to buck this trend, and you can now find a huge range of sleek, slim gaming laptops, though you might find yourself paying a premium for this step-up in style.

Finding the perfect gaming laptop for you

When it comes to gaming laptops, there's no one-size-fits-all solution, but with the right guidance, you can discover the best gaming laptop that suits your needs. Before diving into specific laptop options, let's outline the key factors to consider when making your choice.

Budget

Your budget is your starting point. Gaming laptops can be a significant investment, so it's crucial to determine how much you're willing to spend. To make this decision easier, think about how long you plan to use the laptop. If you anticipate daily use over the next 5 years, break down the cost to understand your daily, weekly, or monthly expenses. This will help you establish a realistic and affordable budget.

Gaming needs

Consider the types of games you'll be playing and their system requirements. Some games demand high-end hardware, while others can run on more modest setups. Think about the performance you need to enjoy your favorite titles without hiccups. For gaming laptops, a dedicated graphics card and a powerful processor are essential for smooth gameplay.

Portability vs. performance

Do you need a laptop that's highly portable or one that prioritizes raw gaming performance? Smaller, more portable laptops are great for on-the-go gaming, but they may compromise on power. Larger, bulkier laptops often deliver better performance, but they're less convenient to carry around. Decide what balance works best for your lifestyle.

Display and accessories

Consider your preferences for display size and resolution. Do you plan to connect to an external monitor, or will you rely on the laptop's built-in screen? Additionally, think about any accessories you might need, such as a gaming mouse, keyboard, or external speakers to enhance your gaming experience.

Price segments

To help you get started, here are some popular gaming laptops in different price segments:

Entry-Level Gaming Laptops: Ideal for casual gamers on a budget.

Mid-Range Gaming Laptops: Balanced performance for a reasonable price.

High-End Gaming Laptops: Top-tier gaming performance with premium features.

Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list, and the best choice ultimately depends on your individual needs and preferences. By considering these factors, you'll be well on your way to finding the perfect gaming laptop for you.

What are the most popular gaming laptops?

Checking out the most popular laptops is a quick way to crowd-source the best gaming laptops, by taking advantage of research other customers have already done - and you can do this quickly and easily by checking out our Top 10 Selling Gaming Laptops.

Desktop replacement, or travel buddy?

Where are you planning to use your gaming laptop? Will it serve as a desktop-replacement, and will spend the majority of its life on your desk rather than on the move like a traditional laptop might? If so, you'll want to consider a larger screen-size, such as a 17" gaming laptop to maximise the space, it'll feel more comfortable than a smaller display, particularly if you want to run multiple displays with a larger, external monitor connected.

if you travel a lot and need the laptop expressly for this purpose, pay particular attention to the weight of the device and aim for something no larger than 14" to 15" gaming laptops, depending on your budget.

How demanding are your favourite games?

Now you know your budget, and roughly the size of laptop you're looking for, consider the types of games you play - if you're looking at highly demanding AAA titles, or just want a laptop that'll tackle anything you throw at it, you'll need to consider a higher-end RTX gaming laptop powered by the latest NVIDIA graphics cards - at Box you'll find options ranging from more affordable RTX 3050 Ti Laptops, up to the latest and greatest RTX 4080 Laptops.

If competitive gaming is more your thing, you'll find that many popular esports titles are far less graphically intensive, and won't necessarily require the most extreme hardware - if your gaming time is spent playing games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike or Valorant, our selection of Gaming Laptops under £1000 may satisfy your needs - but you'll be looking for at least a GTX 1650 laptop to get the job done.

In both cases, you'll likely want to keep an eye out for deals on laptops with high-refresh rate displays for the smoothest visuals - 144hz laptop displays are now the standard for gaming, and you'll find laptops with displays up to 360hz.

Gaming laptop specs

Typically you can shop gaming laptop specs by graphics card, because this is the most important and expensive component, the rest of the laptop will be built around it - and manufacturers will generally make sensible decisions when it comes to matching other spec up with the graphics card - but it pays to know what you're shopping for so you can identify the differences between laptops at similar price-points and find the best gaming laptop deal possible at the time.

Graphics card

As mentioned above, this is pivotal to gaming performance so aim for the best option in your budget range - GTX 1650 laptops are a great entry point, but you'll also find a huge range of options offering NVIDIA's RTX technology, with RTX 3060 Laptops providing good mid-range options and the latest RTX 40 series laptops providing the ultimate in gaming performance in this form factor.

Processor

Laptops with the latest 13th Generation and AMD 7000 Series processors offer the most future-proof technology, but often you'll find that as long as the graphics card is up to spec, you'll be OK with a previous gen Intel Core i5, or AMD Ryzen 5 laptop - a good processor is important, but the GPU does most of the heavy lifting for gaming.

Memory

An entry-level gaming laptop you should have a minimum of 8GB RAM, and if you're planning on playing demanding games, your laptop should be equipped with at least 16GB RAM. Ideally the memory should be at least DDR4 at 3200MHz, though more powerful DDR5 laptops are now available that will offer the most future-proof performance.

Storage

With the latest graphics come the largest textures, and that means games keep getting bigger. Entry-level laptops should come with high-speed M.2 NVMe SSD storage and you should be looking for a minimum of a 512GB, with 1TB or more preferable if it fits your budget.

What brands of gaming laptops can I buy from Box

When it comes to laptops it pays to put your money with a brand you feel you can rely on, and at Box.co.uk we offer an extensive range of gaming laptop deals from the world's biggest brands of gaming laptops, including Acer, ASUS, Alienware, Chillblast, Gigabyte, HP, Lenovo, Medion, MSI and Razer gaming laptop - so you can choose your next gaming rig with confidence