The best gaming laptops of 2024, hands-on tested

Read Mashable's full review of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.

Who it's for:

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a great mid-budget gaming laptop that has a little bit of everything. From the MacBook-like design (which kind of reminds us of Razer's popular gaming laptops), to the gorgeous display, to the top-tier keyboard and impressive performance, this laptop is our overall top pick for anyone looking to get into PC gaming on a portable level.

Why we picked this:

If you want a high-end gaming laptop that won't break the bank but also don't want to go the budget route, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a mid-point option that we think is a great value for the money. Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon, who reviewed the laptop, lauded the machine's MacBook-esque build. "The ROG Zephyrus G14 is perfect for those who want to bring a respectable, MacBook Pro-esque laptop to the office — before gaming at night with a beastly gaming rig," she wrote, referring to the computer's dual speaker grilles as CNC aluminum unibody chassis highlights that are similar to its Apple counterpart. Unlike a MacBook, though, the G14 actually has a decent variety of ports.

Gedeon also really enjoyed the laptop's OLED display, which produced extremely crisp visuals and colors. However, one knock against it is that the display just isn't bright enough overall — not a dealbreaker, though. The keyboard layout and feel are also high points, and the laptop's speakers sound good enough that we question if you even need a gaming headset while you play. As for performance, the ROG Zephyrus G14 easily passed our Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark tests with flying colors. Battery life is good, not great at one hour and 17 minutes.

When it comes to downsides, there aren't many. Aside from the display brightness, the most glaring issue with this laptop is that it tends to run extremely hot.

Who it's for:

The Razer Blade 14 sits right at the intersection of gaming laptops and productivity laptops. The battery performs well in both departments, and we can definitely see it being a gamer's "do it all" machine. If you've got the budget and you want a gaming laptop that is both powerful and portable, the Razer Blade 14 might be your dream gaming laptop.

Why we picked this:

In a world filled with chunky gaming laptops, the Razer Blade 14 stands out. It is, by far, the best thin and compact laptop we've tested. Now, you'd probably think that the Blade sacrifices some power to get it as portable as it is, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. This laptop is an absolute powerhouse, and not just for its size, but for any gaming laptop. During our testing period, it ran beautifully whether we were streaming via the cloud or playing demanding titles natively. It stayed relatively cool throughout gameplay, too.

Another big highlight of the Razer Blade 14 is the device's battery life. Gaming laptops are known to have extremely short battery lives, but the Blade is well above-average in that department. We got around four hours of heavy gameplay (non-cloud) before needing to recharge, which might not sound like a lot, but when most other gaming laptops are putting up numbers in the one- to two-hour range, it's a very welcome upgrade. When you do end up needing a charge, the device re-ups quickly and gets you right back in the game.

With the Blade 14, you'll also get access to the Razer Synapse app, which is a great tool for tailoring your experience with the machine. You can use it to further optimize your battery and component usage, which may get you some extra juice, as well as customization for RGB lighting, key mapping, and more. We also thought that the display was totally stunning.

Our gripes with the Razer Blade 14 come down to just two points. One might deter you from picking one up at all, and it's the cost. The build we tested — which was decked out with all the highest possible specs — comes in at a steep $2,699. While we absolutely loved this laptop, we hope the next iteration isn't so overkill on the sticker price. You can opt to go for the lower-level specs, but that'll come out to a total of $2,199. The other point, though much smaller, is the laptop's touchpad. It felt just a little too tough to press down, but you may not have the same issue.

Read Mashable's full review of the Acer Nitro V 15.

Who it's for:

There aren't many gaming laptops under $1,000 that are actually worth buying, but the Acer Nitro V15 (formerly known as the Acer Nitro 5) is one of our favorites in this price range. If you're looking to save some cash but still want a high-quality gaming laptop, this is the one you should check out.

Why we picked this:

The laptop's low price wouldn't mean anything if it wasn't also a rock-solid performer, which it totally is. In fact, it has a lot of the same inner components as a few of the more expensive options in this roundup, and it exceeded our expectations when running demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077. Mashable Tech Editor and reviewer Kimberly Gedeon praised the Nitro V 15's performance but also marked the laptop's thermals and quiet, balanced keyboards as highlights. We were also impressed with the device's wide variety of port options and enjoyed the overall design.

The Acer Nitro V 15 does come with some downsides, though. Most notably, the display doesn't get all that bright, which undercuts the laptop's great performance by hindering the visuals. It's also a bit of a fingerprint magnet, but a lot of laptops are these days. It runs pretty loud and the battery life isn't anything to write home about, but these cons are to be expected when picking up a budget-level device. All in all, the Acer Nitro V 15 is a fantastic choice for anyone who wants a high-performing laptop for under $1,000. 

Read Mashable's full review of the MSI Cyborg 15.

Who it's for:

The MSI Cyborg 15 is a great gaming laptop for those who fall in the middle of the road when it comes to budget. Meaning, you don't want to get the cheapest laptop possible, but you don't necessarily want to shell out for the priciest one, either.

Why we picked this:

Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon reviewed the MSI Cyborg 15, scoring it a 4.2 out of 5. Highlights from her hands-on review include the device's surprising performance for the price, variety of ports, cooling ability, and halfway decent keyboard. While most gaming laptops at this price point will struggle with ultra-demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2, the Cyborg 15 had little issue.

"I’ve seen machines buckle under the great stress Cyberpunk 2077 puts them through," wrote Gedeon in her review of the machine. But after running a few benchmark tests, she came to the conclusion that the MSI Cyborg 15 can "handle some complex graphics rendering, particularly if you toggle on the right settings." That's great news for those who want to run processor-heavy games without having to stream via cloud, and also don't want to spend over $2,000.

Gedeon encountered two snags in the review process: the laptop's display and speakers. The display's max brightness was simply too low, which is a bummer for those who want to see their games in full, vivid color. The speakers' max volume was also a bit too low, but if you're playing with a gaming headset, you shouldn't have any issues.

Ultimately, if you're OK with not shopping from the top shelf, the MSI Cyborg 15 is a more than solid choice. As Gedeon put it, "If you’re a practical gamer who wants bare bones specs – acceptable frame rates, a 1080p display, and a comfortable keyboard – the MSI Cyborg 15 is ideal. Plus, you get it all for a great price."

Who it's for:

The budget Acer Chromebook 516 GE promises its users a fantastic cloud-based PC gaming experience, and in our testing, it definitely delivers. At this price point, great gaming laptops are hard to come by, but the Chromebook 516 GE breaks that mold by offering top-notch performance during gaming and general use, a beautiful display, killer perks, and more for just $649 (we've already seen them go on sale for only $499). If you're looking for the intersection of quality and value, you'll find it here.

Why we picked this:

If you're not familiar with cloud gaming yet, it's the equivalent of watching content through an app like Netflix: You'll be streaming games rather than downloading them or owning a physical copy. That means no load times to start playing, no downloads, and no updates. Sometimes, this can result in poor game quality and super choppy performance, but this laptop doesn't have those problems. We used Xbox Game Pass as our cloud platform of choice during testing, and we had an overall great experience (we also used an Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, which connected easily).

We played single-player games like Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Rollerdrome, and Cyberpunk 2077, as well as online multiplayer games like Sea of Thieves, Mortal Kombat 11, and Fortnite — all of which require fast and responsive performance to play as intended. We're happy to report that every game we booted up ran swimmingly, save for a slight loss in fidelity (which is extremely common with cloud gaming). We also experienced zero input lag or stuttering, an impressive feat.

Luckily, you won't be beholden to Game Pass. Along with your purchase, you can redeem three free months of NVIDIA GeForce Now at the Priority level, which grants you access to NVIDIA's high-end cloud servers with enhanced resolution and frame rate. You get other perks, too, including three months of YouTube Premium, a year's worth of Google One cloud storage, and a month of access to Boosteroid. Like we said, the value for your money here is stellar.

Aside from the gami

Read Mashable's full review of the Alienware m16 R2.

Who it's for:

The Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop is for gamers who don't need all the fancy bells and whistles but still value high performance. Quality over quantity, so to speak. It's not perfect, but we think it's the most impressive mid-budget gaming laptop. It's also going to be your best bet if you're new to the PC gaming realm.

Why we picked this:

Mid-budget shoppers rejoice, because your dream gaming laptop has arrived on the scene in the Alienware m16 R2. Yes, it has some drawbacks, but the positives far outweigh the negatives, and it serves as our top pick for the time being.

The newly redesigned gaming machine is much more minimalist than its predecessor, ditching the thermal shelf that normally juts out the back of the laptop and adding a hotkey for "Stealth Mode," which turns off that RGB lighting that isn't everyone's cup of tea. The m16 R2 can be used as an everyday laptop or a gaming machine thanks to its MUX switch, which allows you to jump between integrated and dedicated GPUs at a moment's notice. (You can also use NVIDIA's Advanced Optimus feature to do this automatically.)

Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon applauded the laptop's performance at this price point, even running demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 without making a bunch of compromises in the settings menu. Framrates looked smooth on the 240Hz display according to Gedeon, although the overall brightness could've used a boost. She also highlighted the machine's keyboard, which had clicky, tactile feedback and responsiveness.

Unfortunately, the Alienware m16 R2's speaker system isn't really up to par — volume is fine, but everything has a bit of a tinny sound that just isn't very pleasant. So, we recommend playing with headphones whenever you can. The webcam isn't the best quality, and battery life leaves much to be desired at just under an hour per charge (most will play plugged in anyway, though). But, none of those setbacks could overshadow the best parts of the Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop. It's a Mashable Choice Award winner, and our top pick for the best gaming laptop you can get right now.