It can be assumed that for a laptop to be suitable for gaming, it should be powerful, and that is all. This is usually the case, but not always. To run high-performance games, your hardware must be not only powerful but also balanced. A weak processor or lack of RAM can easily become a “bottleneck” when the low performance of one component interferes with the potential of a more powerful unit. In addition, some elements of the laptop may be too powerful even for the most pretentious games, so there is a risk of seriously overpaying for the device. In this review, we will tell you how to choose a decent gaming computer and avoid overpaying for it.
It turns out that not every high-performance laptop is optimal for gaming. But in the opposite direction, the rule works almost flawlessly. If the device copes well with modern games, then it will be enough for other tasks – for example, for editing or graphic design. Fortunately, not all manufacturers today offer laptops with RGB backlighting, so there are plenty of options to select from. However, earning money online is easy nowadays. Visit the highest payout online casinos Canada website, and try your luck to win money on your purchase.
Pick the Appropriate Video Card
When selecting a gaming laptop, you should foremost pay attention to the video card and processor. However, video cards for computers and laptops may differ. The power of laptop video cards is usually lower than similar versions for stationary PCs due to the limitations of the cooling system.
At first glance, it may seem that the larger the number in the name, the better: it is logical that the RTX 3080 video card is more powerful than the RTX 3070. Moreover, the manufacturers like Nvidia and AMD take into account the different financial capabilities of buyers, so they present several options at once within the line – the more powerful, the more expensive. But there are several nuances here:
- Video cards from the latest line are not necessarily more powerful than the ones of the past generation. For example, the RTX 2080 mobile graphics card generally performs better than the RTX 3060.
- In the case of laptops, it is not enough just to choose a device with a suitable graphics card. Often, manufacturers artificially limit the power of the video card. If engineers make a very thin laptop, then they won’t be able to install a powerful cooling system inside. So, they have to limit the maximum amount of electricity supplied to the video card, making it less powerful.
If you’re looking for maximum performance, check the laptops with the RTX 3070 (8GB) and RTX 3080 (16GB), or models with their AMD counterpart – the Radeon RX 6800M (12GB). For example, the RTX 3070 in the recent Resident Evil: Village produces about 85-90 FPS at maximum graphics settings in Full HD. If we consider 60 FPS as a necessary minimum, then the RTX 3070 should now be enough.
Choosing the Appropriate CPU
It is difficult to make a mistake with the choice of processor today for two reasons:
- Current models are often sold with current processors, so you don’t have to choose between generations;
- Processors become obsolete more slowly than video cards. This means that any current model will show acceptable results and will serve the player well for many more years. This also applies to the previous generation models.
Of course, more expensive flagship models will perform better, but the overpayment is not worth such a slight advantage in performance. If you are looking for a laptop for working tasks – rendering, graphics, clip making – you should pay attention to the older models of the current generation.
Processors for consumer laptops today are made by Intel and AMD. Many players believe that AMD solutions have become better in recent years, but this does not always correlate with the tests: 11th generation Intel mobile processors, on average, are better for gaming than AMD Ryzen 5000 series. Therefore, if you are only interested in gaming performance, it makes sense to pay attention to Intel.
Screen Size and Compactness
Choosing the right screen size is primarily a matter of preference. Most often, the choice of the buyer is limited to two options – 15.6 or 17 inches. The 17-inch laptop has a larger screen, but it is unlikely to fit into a medium-sized backpack. Also, as a rule, 17-inch devices are more expensive. If you plan to work on a laptop and take a model with a high screen resolution, a large diagonal will help to place several “tracks” in the editing program – it is much more comfortable to deal with large projects.
RAM and ROM
Another important element of a gaming laptop is RAM. In general, it has quite a few characteristics, but the main thing to keep in mind is the size and standard. The available memory also plays an important role. Today, for games, the optimal amount is 16 GB. If the RAM is less than 16 GB, this will not be enough both for games, and busy office use. If you use a laptop for working tasks – rendering, graphic design, ideally you should look for a device with 32 GB of RAM. This is especially true for those who run several resource-intensive programs at the same time.
Be sure to watch reviews with tests: from there you can often find out information that the manufacturer does not tell about. Do not try to save on RAM, otherwise, the laptop runs the risk of quickly losing relevance.
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