Best Gaming Laptop 2024: Top picks for gamers

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) is our pick for the best gaming laptop you can buy right now. It gained a 5-star review from us, courtesy of the remarkable balance of power, luxury and portability that it offers.

Since its inception several years ago, the G14 has been an excellent laptop for gamers, often presenting an intriguing value proposition. Unfortunately, the price did begin to rise and, this year, there has been a pivot to give enhanced value at a higher price. And, it has worked a treat. With a more stylish design and boosted speakers, the G14 now gives the MacBook Pro 14-inch a run for its money in most areas. It, of course, also offers the huge boon of high-level gaming when compared with its Mac rival too.

The power on offer from the G14 is stunningly impressive for its size, often tussling with larger devices in our testing. Cyberpunk 2077 at QHD Ultra settings was its achilles heel but that was mostly an exception rather than the rule. We found it regularly capable of 60fps at QHD Ultra while you can take full advantage of the 120Hz panel at FHD Ultra settings.

One of the more surprising and exciting upgrades for the G14 this year is the speakers. Windows laptops have long fallen short of Mac competitors in this department but the new Asus comes mightily closer. They offer crisp, loud and full sound. It may still fall short on bass, but it’s excellent all around.

Reviewer: Adam Speight
Full Review: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) review

If you’re looking for the cream of the crop for power, then the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D gaming laptop is a fantastic choice, although you will be paying quite a hefty sum for such a premium experience. Looking past the eye-watering £3799/$3999 price tag, the ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D comes with a new 3D V cache CPU that can enable triple-A games to run even faster. 

The upgraded AMD Ryzen 9 processor, coupled with the Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card allowed this laptop to power through our gaming benchmarks, towering above its competition in our Rainbow Six Extraction and Cyberpunk 2077 QHD tests. Our reviewer noted that it was one of the fastest laptops they had ever tested and perfect for gamers who prioritise raw power. 

The large 17.3-inch display packs a 240Hz refresh rate alongside a 2560×1440 IPS display, with gamut coverages of 99.9% sRGB, 98.2% DCI-P3 and 84% Adobe RGB. In purely gaming-related terms, the screen ticked all the boxes for our reviewer, with ghosting kept to a minimum and support for Nvidia’s G-Sync ensuring that everything looked smooth and fluid. 

While the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D won’t be making it onto our best budget laptop round-up, there is a reason it sits atop this list. If you’re looking for a premium laptop with supremely fast gaming performance and all the bells and whistles of the Armoury Crate then this is one of the best options out there. 

Reviewer: Alun Taylor
Full Review: Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D review

If you’re looking for a high performing gaming laptop that will offer smooth gameplay even at high detail settings, a pin-sharp picture and heaps of connectivity options then the MSI Vector 17 HX (2024) is a fantastic choice.

Its 3kg chassis alongside a 592g power supply means the Vector 17 HX is not a particularly portable laptop. In addition its battery life is woefully short as it survive just under two and a half hours of playtime in our testing.  

Running on the Intel Core i9-14900HX alongside 32GB of DDR5 RAM, the Vector 17 HX scored highly across general performance and productivity benchmarks, with results rivalling even the fastest alternatives such as the Razer Blade 16, Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 and the Acer Predator Helios 18.

Having said that, there’s not quite enough power to run triple-A titles at QHD or the native resolution with ray tracing effects maxed out.

It’s also worth noting that when running anything beyond basic productivity apps, the Vector 17 HX becomes a very noisy laptop, which is worsened once you start gaming. At peaks we measured sounds of over 58dBA which is what we’d expect from a desktop PC or even a desk fan running at top speed. 

Although its 17-inch display does have a lower contrast ratio than on an OLED or Mini LED alternative, we still found that blacks look dark and contrast levels are decent. However we did find colour accuracy wasn’t the best but it was still good enough for everyday use. 

Otherwise the display works well across videos and gaming, plus it sports a 240Hz refresh rate so games look and feel especially smooth.

The keyboard also feels large and stretched out, which makes for a comfortable typing experience. We also especially appreciated the transparent style of the WASD keycaps which allow more of the RGB backlighting to shine through.

The MSI Vector 17 HX (2024) sports heaps of connectivity ports too, including Type-C and Type-A slots, one Thunderbolt 4, Ethernet and HDMI. You’ll also find a full-sized SD card slot too. 

Full review: MSI Vector 17 HX (2024)

Reviewer: Stuart Andrews

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) is the best luxury gaming laptop you can buy. The 2024 model has gotten a facelift that puts its style on par with other luxe options like the MacBook Pro and Razer Blade.

The new G16 comes with an all-aluminium body that oozes luxury, with its surprisingly sleek frame adding to this as well. It looks a bit less gamer-y now too, ditching the AniMe Matrix lighting on the lid for a more reserved Slash Lighting option.

For power, you get the latest and greatest Intel Core Ultra chips as well as a slew of Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics chip picks. We tested an RTX 4090 version and it managed over 90fps at Ultra settings at FHD across our testing and could even manage 40fps with ray tracing on too.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 now comes with a luxurious display to match its stylish design as well. The panel is a lush 16-inch 240Hz QHD+ OLED. The results are awe-inspiring, providing terrific immersion and colour for gaming, content creation, productivity work and taking in movies.

Reviewer: Stuart Andrews
Full Review: Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) review

The Acer Nitro 5 is a gaming laptop that excels at 1080p gaming. It has everything you’d want from a mainstream gaming portable, including a high 165Hz refresh rate and enough power to play any PC game with a smooth performance.

We were really impressed with the laptop’s performance, packing a 12th Gen Intel Core chip, as well as a generous selection of Nvidia GPUs. Our review model featured Nvidia’s RTX 3070 Ti graphics, and was capable of running games such as Rainbow Six Siege at up to 314fps, making it a good option for online multiplayer.

When activating the performance mode, the Nitro managed to play both Horizon Zero Dawn and Borderlands 3 at over 90fps. However, boosting the performance in this way will see the laptop fans become distractingly noisy. We were also impressed by the SSD speeds, ensuring this laptop can blaze through loading times.

But with great power comes great heft, as the laptop weighs 2.4kg which isn’t ideal if you wanted this machine to double up as a productivity portable. Still, if you’re craving a great value laptop for 1080p gaming, you’ll struggle to find a better option than the latest Acer Nitro 5. And if you want an even cheaper gaming laptop, we suggest checking out the Lenovo Legion 5 (Advantage Edition) instead.

Reviewer: Stuart Andrews
Full Review: Acer Nitro 5 (2022) review

The Framework Laptop 16 is a gaming laptop with some remarkably admirable goals, aiming to provide a more sustainable solution to help the environment and consumer wallets. Its unique proposition is our top pick for the best modular gaming laptop.

The bread and butter of the new 16-inch offering from Framework is that it now offers a replaceable (and upgradeable) GPU. Along with being able to swap the ports and easily replace the RAM, SSD, keyboard, trackpad, screen and CPU in rather simple fashion, you can now do the same with the GPU. These features allow for enhanced longevity as well as far less costly repairs compared with some manufacturers who, either, don’t allow you to repair your purchases or make it mightily hard.

As well as the stunning modularity, the Framework comes with strong specs, like a 1440p 165Hz IPS display that’s ideal for gaming. Inside, it’s an all-AMD affair, with a choice between a Ryzen 7 or 9 chip alongside an RX 7700S graphics chip. You can also configure it without a graphics chip if you fancy as well.

Reviewer: Alun Taylor
Full Review: Framework Laptop 16 review

Gaming laptops come in many shapes and sizes but 18-inch models have been a big trend this past year. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2024) is the cream of the crop and our pick for the top 18-inch gaming laptop.

The star of the show is the 18-inch Mini-LED QHD+ 240Hz panel crammed inside this massive machine. The size may defeat much of this laptop’s portability but what it gives you is an unrivalled level of immersion of a clamshell device. It looks absolutely breathtaking whether you are gaming, watching movies or getting creative work done.

Of course, a huge device like this can cram in some serious internals. You’ll find Intel’s gaming-focused 14th Gen Intel Core i9 chip along with the top-tier RTX 4090 graphics option. We managed to get beyond 120fps in AAA games and 170fps in competitive titles at FHD Ultra settings, showing the immense prowess of this enormous powerhouse.

Reviewer: Stuart Andrews
Full Review: Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2024) review

The Razer Blade 16 (2024) has seen a big upgrade in the form of a 240Hz OLED screen compared to its predecessor, becoming the first portable from Razer to combine such a speedy performance with the vibrant screen technology.

Otherwise, Razer has kept the same super-stylish design as before, with the matte black anodised aluminium shell catching the eye more so than even its best gaming laptop rivals. It’s not overindulgent with the RGB lighting either, allowing you to use it both at home and at your workplace.

Performance is fantastic, with the laptop available with the breakneck Intel Core i9-14900HX and Nvidia RTX 4090 specs. We were able to run Cyberpunk 2077 in Quad HD with an impressive 87fps performance, despite it being one of the most taxing games you can play.

The Razer isn’t quite the most powerful gaming laptop, nor is it the most portable, as there’s some fierce competition. But we do love the looks of the Razer Blade 16, and it still performs well across the board. So if you care just as much about looks as you do about speed, then this is the best gaming laptop for you.

Reviewer: Stuart Andrews
Full Review: Razer Blade 16 (2024) review

Achieving a perfect five-star rating, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 is a seriously impressive gaming laptop that boasts high performance, efficiency and portability, all for an affordable price.

Its 14.5-inch OLED screen is bright, vibrant and able to reach up to 615 nits in HDR mode, while sporting a 120Hz refresh rate and a low G2G response rate too, making it perfect for gaming and CAD animations. 

Not only that but the Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 comes pre-installed with X-Rise Color Assistant which allows you to swap the display colour profile between AdobeRGB, DisplayP3, sRBG and Rec.709. 

Its TrueStrike keyboard, although is a pleasure to type on thanks to its precise and tactile keycaps, does lack any distinctive gaming features which may be an issue for some. 

Otherwise the Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 offers lots of connectivity ports with two USB-C, two USB-A, an HDMI, SD card reader, audio jack and even a webcam isolator too. 

Powering the Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 is the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU and Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU. While the former isn’t the best processor on the market, it’s still a powerful and more-than-capable offering. You do have the option to upgrade to the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU for an extra £150, however we don’t think this is worth the extra splurge. 

The Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 also sports impressive thermal management with the maximum temperature reaching 39°C yet the fan noise never exceeded 58.5dBA which is among the lowest figures we’ve recorded from a gaming laptop. 

Lenovo has also cleverly split the hardware and game library management between two separate apps: Lenovo Vantage and Lenovo Arena respectively. This means that both apps are subsequently easier to navigate without needing to scroll between multiple tabs. 

Its battery life is solid too, lasting just over six hours and 45 minutes so this should just about see you comfortably through the working day.

Full review: Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8

Reviewer: Alun Taylor

With a stunning 17-inch mini-LED screen that delivers stunning clarity, vibrant colours and up to a 250Hz refresh rate, the Acer Predator Triton 17 X boasts one of the best displays we’ve seen on a gaming laptop.

Although 17-inch laptops are becoming more common, the Predator Triton 17 X opts for a taller 16:10 aspect ratio and a 2560 x 1600 resolution which helps make the already enormous screen seem even bigger. 

Thanks to its 1000 nits of brightness and DCI-P3 support, the gaming experience is as good as a large screen OLED TV, thanks to its vivid colours and HDR highlights that pop. 

Otherwise the laptop is made from black CNC-milled aluminium which weighs an undeniably hefty 3kg. If you’re looking for a laptop that can be easily transported around then this is certainly not the one. 

In fact, its battery life only lasts around four hours which means you should avoid using this too far away from a power outlet anyway. 

Powering this beast of a machine is the Core i9-13900HX CPU, the RTX 4090 GPU and 32GB of DDR5 RAM, which we found delivers unbelievable speeds and performance even in the most demanding of titles. Even when the Ray Tracing Ultra preset is toggled, the Predator Triton 17 X can still hit 65fps with DLSS enabled. 

The laptop also boasts lots of connectivity ports, including for Ethernet, Thunderbolt 4 and a full-sized SD card slot too. 

Full review: Acer Predator Triton 17 X (2023)

Reviewer: Stuart Andrews