Gaming is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world, and for many of us, it's also the best one. But unlike many other forms of entertainment, gaming requires specific and often expensive hardware to enjoy. Even among the best laptops on the market, it can be hard to find something good enough for gaming, and when you're spending upwards of $1,000, you want to make sure you're getting something that's just right for you. To help you out, we've rounded up some of the best gaming laptops you can buy today, so you can rest assured you're making a good purchase.
While everyone has different needs, there are a couple of things that tend to be very important with gaming laptops — powerful specs, such as the CPU, GPU, and RAM — and a high-refresh-rate display that can run your games as smoothly as possible. Of course, there's a lot more you may want to think about, like webcam quality or overall portability. It depends on what you're looking for, but we've rounded up a few options, so you can find just the right one for you.
Our top picks for gaming laptops in 2023
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 8
The best laptop for any gamer
With top-tier Intel processors and Nvidia RTX graphics running at high power levels, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i doesn't leave anything to be desired when it comes to performance. It handles all modern games without breaking a sweat, and it comes in a premium design, checking just about every box it can.
- Top-tier performance with 13th-gen Intel CPUs and Nvidia RTX 40 series GPUs
- 16-inch display with 16:10 aspect ratio makes it great for work, too
- Premium design unlike many other gaming laptops
- 1080p webcam
- No Windows Hello support
- Fairly heavy
- The display could be more vibrant
There aren't many gaming laptops that check all the boxes the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i does, especially not while keeping a somewhat reasonable price. Lenovo's latest gaming machine is a phenomenal choice in almost every way, starting with the terrific performance delivered by the 13th-generation Intel Core i9-13900HX processor, along with Nvidia graphics up to a GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, capable of using 175W of power. Any modern game will run on this laptop without any issues and at high framerates. You also get up to 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD.
On top of that, a large 16-inch monitor with a 16:10 aspect ratio and Quad HD+ resolution delivers a fantastic experience for gaming, especially with the 240Hz refresh rate. Whether you want smoothness or sharper visuals, the Legion Pro 7i can deliver. We did find the display to be a little muted in our review of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, but it's still a great experience. Plus, this is a gaming laptop with a 1080p webcam, which is always great to see.
Gaming laptops aren't always known for their premium design, but that's something else Lenovo nails here. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a beautiful metal finish all around, and it feels fantastic. Of course, it is a bit on the heavy side, starting at 5.5 pounds, and it's also 25.9 mm thick, but that's expected for a laptop with these internals. You also get a ton of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, standard USB Type-C with power delivery, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and Ethernet, so you can connect everything you might ever need without having to buy an adapter.
While higher-end models get a bit expensive, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is pretty close to a perfect laptop for almost any gamer out there, as long as you have the budget for it.
Razer Blade 16
If you have money to spend
For those with more money to spend, the Razer Blade 16 is one of the best laptops on the market. It has incredible performance with the latest Intel processors, Nvidia RTX 40 series graphics, and a great display. Plus, it comes in a premium design that even includes Windows Hello support.
- 13th-gen Intel processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs
- Phenomenal display for gaming and content creation
- 1080p webcam with Windows Hello support
- Very expensive
- No Ethernet
If you have a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket, and you want the best possible experience, the Razer Blade 16 is probably the laptop for you. As you'd expect for any premium gaming laptop in 2023, it comes with up to a 13th-generation Intel Core i9-13950HX processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, delivering fantastic performance in just about any modern game. It also comes with up to 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for storage.
But the highlights really start with the display. This 16-inch panel comes in a 16:10 aspect ratio and Quad HD+ resolution, not too dissimilar from the Lenovo laptop above. It even has a 240Hz refresh rate. More interestingly, it comes with 100% coverage of DCI-P3, which means it displays much nicer colors, making it a fantastic laptop for content creation. And if you want even better, there's a dual-mode mini-LED display option, which can switch between 4K resolution at 60Hz and Full HD resolution at 240Hz, giving you the best possible experience for gaming and content creation alike. On top of that, you get a 1080p webcam that supports Windows Hello facial recognition, which is extremely rare for gaming laptops.
The design is classic Razer, with a premium all-black chassis accented by the green Razer logo and RGB keyboard. Compared to other laptops of this caliber, it's fairly portable, coming in at 21.9mm thick and starting at 5.4 pounds, though it's still not meant to be something you take everywhere. And for ports, you get Thunderbolt 4, a standard USB-C port, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1, and a full-size SD card reader, so there's a great setup all around, and it can cover all of your needs for gaming and content creation. It's very expensive, but the Razer Blade 16 is a phenomenal laptop in just about every way.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (2023)
For anyone without a huge budget
A more budget-conscious option, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is a very capable laptop that packs 13th-generation Intel processors and mid-range Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics. It also comes in a sleeker and more portable design, making it great for a student gamer or anyone who travels more frequently.
- Solid performance with the latest Intel processors and Nvidia graphics
- Sleek design is great for a student who also likes to game
- Windows Hello facial recognition
- 720p webcam
- Display isn't particularly impressive
- Part of the RAM is soldered
Not everyone has a huge budget to spend on a laptop, even if it is meant for gaming. If you're looking for something more reasonable, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 may just be for you. This laptop already comes packing modern specs, but not quite as powerful as the models above. You get a 13th-generation Intel Core i7-13620H processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU that can use 140W of power. With 16GB of RAM (plus a free slot) and a 512GB SSD, you have everything you need to get started with gaming.
The display isn't as impressive as other models, but it's a great fit for this hardware. You get a 16-inch display with a tall 16:10 aspect ratio, which helps make it more suitable for gamers who also want to get some work done. The resolution is Full HD+ with a 165Hz fresh rate, so it's not mind-blowing, but it's still going to be great for gaming. Plus, 100% coverage of sRGB also helps round out that experience. Unfortunately, the webcam is 720p, but it does support Windows Hello facial recognition, which is always great to see on a gaming laptop.
A benefit of this laptop compared to others on this list is that because it has weaker hardware, it's more portable. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 weighs 4.41 pounds, and that makes it much easier to carry around. If you're a student who likes to play games, you can reasonably take this laptop and use it in class (for taking notes, of course). It still has a lot of ports, including Thunderbolt, standard USB-C, USB Type-A, HDMI, and RJ45 Ethernet, so there's still a well-rounded experience here. This is a great laptop that almost any gamer can buy confidently.
MSI Titan GT77 HX (2023)
If you're looking for something that's as big and powerful as it looks, the MSI Titan GT77 HX is for you. Packing top-tier Intel processors and Nvidia graphics, this laptop can handle just about anything you throw at it. It also has a large immersive screen to deliver a terrific gaming experience.
- Top-of-the-line performance with an Intel Core i9 and GeForce RTX GPUs
- Configurable with up to 128GB of RAM and 4TB of storage
- Fantastic 17-inch 4K display
- Extremely expensive
- Very heavy
- 720p webcam
If you want a big laptop that makes good use of all the power, the MSI Titan GT77 HX is a beastly machine with a big display. It starts with top-tier performance afforded by the Intel Core i9-13980HX, along with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, powering the most demanding gaming experiences you can get with no issues. What's more, you can configure this laptop with up to a massive 128GB of RAM and a 4TB SSD out of the box, so there's nothing you're not getting here.
Along with that, the MSI Titan GT77 HX has a huge 17-inch display and an incredibly sharp 4K resolution, delivering fantastic visual experiences for gaming and content creation. That's taken even further when you consider that this is a min-LED panel with multiple dimming zones and certified for DisplayHDR 1000, along with covering 100% of DCI-P3. Everything about this screen is phenomenal for gaming and watching movies. It, unfortunately, comes with a 720p webcam, but it does support Windows Hello facial recognition, which is very welcome.
Design-wise, the MSI Titan GT77 HX is as beefy as the specs indicate. It does weigh a whopping 7.28 pounds, so this is not a machine you want to take with you everywhere. The laptop is also very flashy, with an RGB mechanical keyboard and a large RGB light bar all across the fan exhaust on the rear of the laptop. That big chassis also gets you a ton of ports, with two Thunderbolt 4 connections, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, Ethernet, and a full-size SD card reader.
The clear downside here is the extremely high price, but if you want the cream of the crop for performance and visuals, the MSI Titan GT77 HX is hard to beat. You can learn more about it in our MSI Titan GT77 HX review.
ASUS ROG Flow X13
Great for day-to-day use and casual gaming
If you're looking for a laptop that can handle gaming while still being very portable, the Asus ROG Flow X13 is your best bet. With a convertible design that's great for all kinds of users but all the performance needed for gaming, this is a terrific lightweight laptop for more casual gamers.
- It weighs under 3 pounds
- Convertible design makes it more versatile as a day-to-day laptop
- Enough performance to run most modern games
- Solid display with HDR support
- It won't run modern AAA games at the highest settings
- 720p webcam
Gaming laptops usually come in pretty hefty packages, but if you don't need bleeding-edge performance, the Asus ROG Flow X13 is a fantastic gaming convertible that's also very light.
Starting with performance, the ROG Flow X13 is powered by up to an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, along with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (with up to 40W of power), allowing you to play the majority of modern games as long as you're willing to tweak some settings. Beyond that, you get up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for storage.
Asus also sells an external GPU enclosure with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 (Laptop) GPU or an AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, adding more power and ports to the laptop if you need it.
The display is a 13.4-inch panel in a 16:10 aspect ratio, which helps make this a great laptop for work in addition to gaming. The base model uses a Full HD+ (1920x1200) panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, but there's also an Ultra HD+ (3840x2400) configuration with a 60Hz refresh rate. This is a convertible laptop, too, so the screen also supports touch and pen input, and a pen is even included in the box in some models. Unfortunately, the webcam is 720p and there's no facial recognition support.
Design-wise, the ASUS ROG Flow X13 truly shines for its portability. It weighs just 2.87 pounds, which is lighter than even some regular convertibles without dedicated graphics, and it's also impressively thin at 15.8mm. As for ports, there are two USB Type-C (3.2 Gen 2) ports, one USB Type-A (3.2 Gen 2) port, HDMI 2.0, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a very solid setup for a laptop of this size.
We've reviewed an earlier iteration of the Asus ROG Flow X13, and the latest model is similar but with more performance and a better screen. This one is a fantastic choice for users who only do gaming on the side and don't need the fastest gaming experience.
Alienware m18
For when you need a ton of power and a big screen
If you're looking for a laptop that can replace your desktop PC; the Alienware m18 is the best you can get. With a top-tier Intel Core i9 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, it delivers all the performance you could need, and the massive 18-inch display is perfect for gaming and work.
- 18-inch display is one of the largest on a laptop
- Terrific performance powered by Intel processors and Nvidia RTX graphics
- 1080p webcam with Windows Hello
- Extremely heavy
- Somewhat expensive
2023 is seeing the rise of a new kind of laptop — the 18-inch desktop replacement — and we're here for it. The Alienware m18 is one such option, and you should consider it if you're looking for something that big. It comes from one of the best gaming brands on the market, and it delivers spectacular performance, starting with an Intel Core i9-13900HX processor and top-tier Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs. You can also configure it with up to 64GB of RAM and up to a 4TB SSD, so the experience is premium across the board, whether you're gaming or working on other demanding workloads.
Of course, the display is an 18-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, one of the largest screens you'll get on a laptop. The Quad HD+ resolution and 240Hz refresh rate make this a phenomenal display for either gaming or productivity. With 100% coverage of DCI-P3, you're getting a fantastic visual experience with this screen, even making this an excellent laptop for media content creation. There's also a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello facial recognition, a very welcome addition that's thankfully becoming more common in 2023.
As you might've expected, though, the Alienware m18 is a very bulky laptop. The maximum weight can go as high as a massive 8.9 pounds, and the laptop is also over 26mm at its thickest point, so this really is meant to be used at a desk and to be mostly stationary. The design is very clean, though, including a light ring around the vents on the back for a bit of extra flair. And for ports, there are three USB Type-C ports (two with Thunderbolt 4), three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, Ethernet, and an SD card reader. There are a ton of ports here, so you can use all your peripherals without any adapters, just like a desktop PC.
You'll be paying quite a bit for this laptop, but the experience you get with the Alienware m18 is hard to find elsewhere.
Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra
For your gaming and content creation needs
If you want a top-tier laptop with a premium design and great performance, you can't do much better than the Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra. It has a phenomenal AMOLED display and great performance thanks to the Intel processors and Nvidia graphics.
- Stunning 2.8K AMOLED display
- Relatively lightweight compared to proper gaming laptops
- Solid performance for content creation and gaming
- Performance isn't on par with other gaming laptops
- No facial recognition
Gaming isn't the only thing many of us use our PCs for, and if you're looking for a laptop that can handle your more demanding workloads while also being able to run some games, the Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is a great choice. It's powered by up to a 13th-generation Intel Core i9-13900H processor and includes up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070. These aren't the most powerful components around, but they're great for content creation, and they can handle some gaming, too. Plus, you get up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
The real highlight of the Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra is the display, which is a 16-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. That means you get true blacks and more vivid colors than on any other laptop on this list, and paired with the 2.8K resolution of the display, this is one of the best visual experiences you can get on a gaming laptop. Plus, it has a 120Hz refresh rate, so it can run games more smoothly, though there's a good chance you'll need to run the games at a lower resolution to make them playable. There's a 1080p webcam above that display for calls, but it doesn't support Windows Hello facial recognition, so you'll need to use the fingerprint reader.
There isn't much to the Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Ultra design, but it's much thinner than others on this list at 16.5mm, and it weighs 3.9 pounds, so it's one of the most portable options. As for ports, there's a solid setup, including Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB Type-A, HDMI, and a headphone jack, so you get most of your needs covered, though it's not quite on the same level as other gaming laptops.
It's not meant for more hardcore gamers, but if you want a premium laptop with enough performance to play modern games, this one is for you.
Lenovo LOQ 15i (2023)
If you want to get into gaming without spending a ton of money, the Lenovo LOQ 15i is a great option that costs under $1,000 and is often on sale for even less. It comes with 13th-gen Intel processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics with 6GB of memory.
- Modern 13th-gen Intel processors
- NVidia GeForce RTX graphics with 6GB of RAM
- Decently bright screeen
- Colors won't look great on the display
- Thick and heavy
Gaming can be an expensive hobby, but laptops like the Lenovo LOQ 15i also make it possible to get into gaming without spending a ton. This is modern and decently powerful laptop that can handle most games even if it's missing some bells and whistles.
For one thing, it's powered by 13th-generation Intel processors, starting with an Intel Core i5-13420H with 8 cores and 12 threads, capable of handling basically any modern game without issue. That's paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, and while that may not seem impressive, this is a less common variant of that GPU has 6GB of memory instead of 4GB, so it will perform better than you might expect. The cheapest model (at writing time) also includes 8GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD which is fantastic for the price.
The display isn't overly impressive, but the 15.6-inch panel comes in Full HD resolution, which is solid, and the 144Hz refresh rate means you can enjoy lighter titles at higher frame rates for a competitive edge. One thing that's pretty great about it, considering the price range, is the 350 nits of brightness. It may not be great for outdoor use, but it's brighter than most displays in cheap gaming laptops like this. Even the webcam is solid thanks to the 1080p Full HD sensor.
Design-wise, we're looking at a fairly thick laptop, measuring 25.2mm at its thickest point, and the weight starts at 5.29 pounds. That's all par for the course in this price range, though. The laptop looks subdued and sort of boring, but at least it packs a solid amount of ports, with one USB-C port, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack.
All things considered, the Lenovo LOQ 15i is a solid laptop for anyone wanting to get into gaming without a huge budget. An ongoing discount makes it even easier to recommend, but it's still worth it at full price.
Best gaming laptops in 2023: The bottom line
Those are the best gaming laptops you can buy today, and you can tell they're all fantastic for different kinds of gamers. However, our top pick is the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, as we absolutely loved it in our review. It's got top-tier performance, a great display for gaming and work, and a premium design that not many gaming laptops really have. It really checks all the boxes, and it's a nearly perfect choice as long as you've got the budget for it.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 8
While the price may be a bit much for some, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is the best gaming laptop you can buy right now. It has spectacular performance and a premium design you don't often see in gaming laptops, and it's an easy recommendation.
If you're looking for something cheaper, then the Lenovo LOQ 15i is still a fantastic choice, with modern hardware to run most games, though you'll need to turn down some settings in more demanding titles. Considering it costs under $1,000 and is currently on sale for less than $800, it's very easy to recommend to anyone just getting into gaming. If you want to look at some more affordable options for gaming laptops, check out our list of the best cheap gaming laptops to find some great options.