The Women’s Lenovo Y700 15.6″ FHD Gaming Laptop is our best gaming laptop and its graphics card is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M. Moreover, its hard disk size or HDD size is at 1 TB and its RAM size or memory card is at 8 GB in which you also have the option to choose up to 16 GB for an upgrade. Additionally, it has an approximate battery life of up to 5 hours and its hard drive has a rotational speed of 5400 RPM. Also, it has a very sleek design that is fit for gaming and it uses WiFi 802.11 A/C to connect to the internet.
Our step-up pick is the ASUS ROG GL752VW-DH74 17-Inch Gaming Laptop and this one can easily access online games using its unique GameFirst III technology. Like most gaming laptops, the WASD keys are stylized for gaming needs. You can even turbo this gaming laptop with speeds of up to 3.5 GHz. It has a total of 3 ports for USB 3.0 and 2 ports for USB 2.0 and it is also a skylake enabled gaming laptop. Its memory speed is 2133 MHz and the keys have been ergonomically designed with a key travel of 1.8 mm for a faster way of stroking keys when using them for commands and for highly responsive gaming.
The budget pick is the Dell 15.6-Inch Quad-Core i5-6300HQ Gaming Laptop and this i5 processor also has a cache of 6M in which its graphics card is a GDDR5 with a size of 4 GB. The keyboard is also backlit with a great gesture support so you can enjoy night gaming without much worry. Also, it has a total of 3 USB 3.0 ports to connect with and it is also an FHD IPS gaming laptop that measures 15.6 inches on its screen with wide angle design that prevents glaring while gaming to keep you undistracted.
A Little Background
A gaming laptop is relatively different from a gaming desktop or even an ordinary laptop such that it has the capability to run high-end games with rigorous graphics, smooth motion and other 3D aspects without as much lagging or compromising sound and hardware capability. Gaming laptops have become more popular nowadays than consoles due to the fact that you can take them anywhere due to their small size. Gaming laptops are sometimes also more preferred than gaming desktops because you can play games anywhere at any time of the day. The only catch is that you run on limited battery life but you definitely get a lot of portability with gaming laptops.
Compared to gaming desktops, gaming laptops are pricier in terms of parts, specs and the overall build. Desktops are obviously cheaper because they are heavier and bulkier whereas laptops are more advanced with thinner chips and technology, making them highly expensive to have, whether it is a regular laptop or a gaming laptop.
Today, many gaming laptops are also VR-capable such that you can play games using Oculus Rift and other VR gear to experience virtual reality. Also, most gaming laptops offer high-end graphics cards, solid state drives for faster loading times and many other features that are not too much present in gaming desktops.
How We Picked
In choosing the best gaming laptop, we considered the following:
Graphics card – the graphics card must be high-end and at least 1 to 3 GB of space.
SSD – a plus factor for a gaming laptop would be one with a solid state drive or SSD or at least a slot for it.
Memory card – the memory card should be at least 8 GB or 16 GB or expandable.
Disk Space – a recommended disk space is around 1 TB or at least 500 to 750 GB for HDD and 200 to 400 GB for solid state drive.
Our Pick
Lenovo Y700 15.6″ FHD Gaming Laptop
Our best gaming laptop is the Lenovo Y700 15.6″ FHD Gaming Laptop and it runs on Intel Core i7 6700 HQ for its processor with a speed of 2.6 GHz. Its RAM size or memory card is at 8 GB in which you also have the option to choose up to 16 GB for an upgrade and its hard disk size or HDD size is at 1 TB. Moreover, it runs on genuine and legitimate Windows 10 operating system for a faster and more reliable gaming experience.
For the video card, its graphics card is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M. The laptop screen measures 15.6 inches across so it is a medium sized gaming laptop for general gaming needs. Also, it has an approximate battery life of up to 5 hours and its hard drive has a rotational speed of 5400 RPM. Its screen resolution is at 1920 by 1080 pixels or 1080p for superior and full HD quality for gaming or watching movies, shows and videos and its graphics card has a size of 4 GB.
The Lenovo Y700 15.6″ Laptop has one USB 2.0 port and two USB 3.0 ports in total and it uses WiFi 802.11 A/C to connect to the internet. It has a very sleek design that is fit for gaming and it also comes with a flash memory with a size of 8 GB. There is a quad core (4-core) processor for this gaming laptop and the thermal cooling is very optimal for this gaming laptop. The keyboard is also backlit for stealth gaming needs. Its audio technology uses JBL and Dolby Home Theater Audio systems which provide a clearer and crisper audio experience that sound very realistic compared to most systems. It also displays IPS on its FHD (full HD) display and the gaming laptop has all of the gaming essentials that you need.
Flaws but Not Dealbrakers
Some of the flaws that do not break the deal with our best gaming laptop, the Lenovo Y700 15.6″ FHD Gaming Laptop, include the fact that it does not have a solid state drive or SSD but it does have a slot alongside it so you can put in an SSD of your choice to upgrade the loading times of your games.
Step-up Pick
ASUS ROG GL752VW-DH74 17-Inch Gaming Laptop
The ASUS ROG GL752VW-DH74 17-Inch Gaming Laptop is our step-up pick which has a VRAM of up to 4 GB due to its NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics card that is a discrete GPU for high-end gaming purposes. The RAM or memory card spans at 16 GB of size and uses DDR4. This gaming laptop is also relatively larger with a 17-inch screen and has a total disk space capacity of 1 TB and it also includes a solid state drive or SSD of 128 GB, unlike our top pick, making it naturally pricier.
Its HDD runs at a rotational speed of 7200 RPM and it can display a full HD resolution of 1920 by 1080 or 1080p. It has a very fast WiFi connection at dual band Gigabit 802.11 AC and you can easily access online games using its unique GameFirst III technology. Its processor is an Intel Core i7 6700 HQ with a speed of 2.6 GHz and it is also a sixth generation processor. The keys have been ergonomically designed with a key travel of 1.8 mm for a faster way of stroking keys when using them for commands and for highly responsive gaming.
The laptop can easily fit any M.2 SSD and can be upgraded with a bigger memory card set or hard disk drive using its upgrade panel that can easily slide off. Running on the latest Windows 10 OS, it has a rotational speed of 7200 RPM on its HDD and its memory speed is 2133 MHz. what’s more, you can even turbo this gaming laptop with speeds of up to 3.5 GHz. It is also a skylake enabled gaming laptop and it can display FHD IPS, making it a true gaming laptop. Its graphics cards are also dedicated for a true gaming experience.
It has a total of 3 ports for USB 3.0 and 2 ports for USB 2.0 and it has an optical drive that is capable of DVD-RW and CD-RW. It also provides full support for DirextX 12 on its graphics card and like most gaming laptops, the WASD keys are stylized for gaming needs. The ASUS ROG 17-Inch Gaming Laptop uses audio enhancements such as SonicMaster and AudioWizard to increase the quality of sound while gaming and reduces lag using the GameFirst III technology. It is backed by an international warranty of 1 year.
Budget Pick
Dell 15.6-Inch Quad-Core i5-6300HQ Gaming Laptop
Our budget pick, the Dell 15.6-Inch Quad-Core i5-6300HQ Gaming Laptop, has a quad core processor that is a sixth generation Intel i5 6300HQ processor with a speed of 2.3 GHz that can be turbo sized up to 3.2 GHz for faster gaming. This i5 processor also has a cache of 6M and the laptop also comes with a solid state drive or SSD of 256 GB.
Its memory card is 8 GB of RAM at DDR3L and it uses NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M for its high quality graphics display. It is also an FHD IPS gaming laptop that measures 15.6 inches on its screen with wide angle design that prevents glaring while gaming to keep you undistracted and it has been pre-installed with the latest Windows 10 OS. Moreover, its graphics card is a GDDR5 with a size of 4 GB.
Never lose time gaming as its average battery life is up to 4.5 hours. Also, its WiFi connection uses 802.11 A/C and its graphics card is also dedicated for uninterrupted gameplay. The max resolution of this gaming laptop is up to 1920 by 1080 pixels or 1080p. It has a total of 3 USB 3.0 ports to connect with and it supports DirectX 12 for a superior gaming experience. In fact, you can also get support for an Xbox controller so you can easily play Xbox games right off the bat.
The keyboard is also backlit with a great gesture support so you can enjoy night gaming without much worry. In fact, there are a total of 2 cooling fans alongside 240 thermal fins and large vents as well as 3 exhausts to keep your gaming experience as cool as possible. The thin 1-inch design of this gaming laptop makes it low profile and lightweight. It also has a built-in subwoofer so it can provide you with great sound on the go and you also get Waves MaxxAudio Pro for its sound enhancing capabilities.
The Dell 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop comes with standard ports such as HDMI, Ethernet jack, headphones, security lock, SD / MMC card reader, power adapter, USB 3.0 and others. Its Bluetooth service is tied to its WiFi / wireless card and it is pre-installed with a few applications.
Best Touch Screen Enabled Gaming Laptop
Alienware AW13R2-12222SLV 13-Inch WQXGA+ Touchscreen Laptop
The Alienware AW13R2-12222SLV 13-Inch WQXGA+ Touchscreen Laptop has a hard disk drive space capacity of 500 GB with an additional SSD or solid state drive space of 8 GB for faster gaming loading times and its graphics card, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, adds better versatility and quality to this great gaming laptop. It also uses a 6th generation processor – the Intel Core i7 6500U with a speed of 2.5 GHz and it is also a unique touch screen laptop with support for WQXGA+.
The laptop measures 13 inches across so it is quite discrete in its design and it has been pre-installed with a Windows 10 operating system. Moreover, the true-life touch screen technology adds versatility to the gaming laptop. And despite its visual size, it has a whopping 3200 by 1800 pixels resolution due to its WQXGA+ support. Its SDRAM is DDR3L at 16 GB on its total size and the silver chassis adds a sleek design and look to the gaming laptop. Its premium display is also aided by its copper cooling for the best and most superior gaming experience and loading performance.
Likewise, it does not compromise the battery life and performance for its slim size and its dedicated NVIDIA graphics card is a GDDR5 type and has a size of 2 GB. Its wireless connection is 802.11 A/C and its memory speed is 1600 MHz. The Alienware 13-Inch WQXGA+ Touchscreen Laptop comes with up to three USB 3.0 ports to connect to. And also, the hard drive has a rotational speed of 5400 RPM.
Uniquely, its backlit keys add experience and versatility for night gaming and it can also be used for HDMI connections. Its Bluetooth has been tied to the wireless card and its data transfer rate on its SATA HDD is 6 GB per second.
Best Notebook Sized Gaming Laptop
MSI GE62 Apache Pro-004 Gaming Laptop
The MSI GE62 Apache Pro-004 Gaming Laptop is our best notebook-style gaming laptop and this gaming laptop has a size of 15.6 inches so it is quite standard but nonetheless good in its screen size. It uses an Intel Core i7 6700HQ processor which runs at a speed of 2.6 GHz which can be turbo up to 3.5 GHz and it runs on a built-in Windows 10 operating system.
The keyboard has a full rainbow scale colored backlighting for your best gaming pleasure and its display is full HD with a wide view angle eDP and a resolution of 1080p or 1920 x 1080. Its quad core processor is definitely something to rely on and its hard drive has a total of 1 TB of disk space and runs at 7200 RPM on its rotational speed.
The memory speed is up to 2133 MHz and its RAM card is 16 GB (8 GB x 2) and both are DDR4 RAM cards. Also, it also has an anti-ghost key plus a silver lining feature which makes it an awesome gaming laptop to consider and its true color technology enhances the gaming rig. Its LAN Killer Gaming Network E2400 ensures your enjoyment and pleasure for LAN games and its optical drive is a Super Multi DVD. Its data transfer speed of its USB 3.1 Gen2 is up to 10 GB per second and you can enjoy high quality 1080p gameplay with this gaming laptop.
Ideal Gaming Laptop with Full HD Resolution
Acer Predator G9-791-735A 17.3-inch Gaming Notebook
The Acer Predator G9-791-735A 17.3-inch Gaming Notebook gives you a full HD gaming experience even with a notebook sized design that is slim and low profile. It runs on a built-in Windows 10 Home OS and uses an Intel Core i7 6700HQ with a total speed of 2.6 GHz with a cache of 6 MB. Its battery life is guaranteed up to 5 1/2 hours and its memory card is a DDR4 dual channel memory with a size of 16 GB.
Its hard drive has a capacity of 1 TB with a rotational speed of 7200 RPM and its solid state drive (SSD) has a total size of 128 GB. For graphics, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M has a total size of 3 GB which uses VRAM / GDDR5. It has one thunderbolt / USB 3.1 type C port. It uses True Harmony Premium sound system with a high performance and it uses 802.11 A/C WiFi which also uses MU-MIMO 2×2 technology.
For further improvement in connections, its Killer Wireless AC 1535 is dual band at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. It uses the latest Bluetooth 4.1 and LAN gaming is not a problem due to its Gigabit Ethernet. Super light weight at only 4 kg, it has a total of four USB 3.0 ports and comes with a built-in SD card reader. Its double layer DVD drive is M-Disc enabled and has speeds up to 8x of speed. Moreover, the i7 can be turbo up to 3.5 GHz and also, its screen has a widescreen resolution of 1920 x 1080 IPS display that is LED backlit.
Ideal Gaming Laptop with SSD or Solid State Drive
Razer Blade 14″ QHD+ Gaming Laptop
The Razer Blade 14″ QHD+ Gaming Laptop runs on Windows 8.1 operating system but can also be upgraded for free to Windows 10 and has a total of 256 GB solid state drive for its storage for faster loading times. The screen measures 14 inches and is equipped with a QHD+ touch screen for your convenience and the graphics card of this laptop is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M.
Its memory card is a DDR3L SDRAM which has a total size of 16 GB and it uses the Intel Core i7 4720HQ processor with a speed of 2.6 GHz and a turbo speed of 3.66 GHz. It has a very thin and slim profile so it is very easy to carry around at only 0.7 inches thin and it has a long battery life span of up to 6 hours on the average use. The laptop uses a Wireless 802.11 A/C card and its dedicated graphics card has a total size of 3 GB. Moreover, it uses the IGZO or Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide display panel technology to give you the smoothest video response and playback and motion possible for gaming. The thermal engineering uses localized heating and the keyboard is capable of anti-ghosting and is also backlit for night gaming.
Ideal Gaming Laptop with Backlit Keyboard
HP OMEN 15-5210nr i7 15.6-Inch Laptop
The HP OMEN 15-5210nr i7 15.6-Inch Laptop has a very high quality screen that has been LED-lit with a total size of 15.6 inches with a max resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels or 1080p for full HD quality. Its GPU is an NVIDIA GTX 960M that will spice up your gaming rig and its memory card is an 8-GB SDRAM DDR3L RAM card. Its processor is an Intel Core i7 4720HQ with a speed of 2.6 GHz. Also, it has a built-in Windows 10 operating system and the laptop comes with a solid state drive of 256 GB.
It uses a 4th generation Intel processor. In fact, processing is very superb for this gaming laptop to achieve the ultimate gaming experience. It has a total of four USB 3.0 ports for great and faster connectivity and it is super lightweight at only 4 pounds. The laptop comes with a standard USB Ethernet adapter and comes with backlit keys with up to 7 lighting zones that can be synchronized with your music or gaming sounds. It also has multiple inputs and output ports and has a total battery life average of up to 5 1/2 hours.
It comes with Bluetooth and WLAN 2×2 802.11ac and its full HD screen is also touch screen with a diagonal display design. It also comes with an HDMI interface as well as mini display port.
Best 17-Inch Screen Gaming Laptop
CyberpowerPC FANGBOOK EVO HFX7-400 17.3-Inch Laptop
The CyberpowerPC FANGBOOK EVO HFX7-400 17.3-Inch Laptop has a high quality processor, the Intel Core i7 4770MQ with a speed of 2.4 GHz. Moreover, this laptop measures 17.3 inches across on its screen so it is perfect for high resolution gaming and it has a built-in Windows 8 operating system. It also comes with a hard disk drive with a size of 750 GB plus a 250 GB solid state drive or SSD and its graphics card is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M that goes along with its large screen. The silver finish is very sleek for the best gaming performance and design and the laptop also uses a SO-DIMM memory card with a total size of 16 GB.
Its display has anti-glare capabilities with a resolution quality of 1080p or 1920 x 1080 pixels. The CyberpowerPC FANGBOOK 17.3-Inch Laptop comes with a 4 in 1 card reader and the keyboard is also backlit for your night gaming experience. It has a built-in optical drive, the DVD-RW with a speed of up to 8X and the NVIDIA graphics card has a total size of 4 GB.
The laptop uses an 802.11bgn for its wireless card and it has three USB 3.0 ports and two USB 2.0 ports. Moreover, it is a quad core gaming laptop that also has an HDMI output. The gaming laptop is backed by a limited warranty of 1 year.
Ideal Gaming Laptop with i7 Processor
CybertronPC Tesseract SK-X2 17.3″ Gaming Laptop
The CybertronPC Tesseract SK-X2 17.3″ Gaming Laptop has a total size of 17.3 inches across so it gives you a wide view and the memory card used for this gaming laptop is a DDR3 RAM that measures 16 GB. It runs on a built-in Windows 10 operating system (genuine, home version at 64-bit) and comes with an AC adapter as well as a 6-cell battery.
Its graphics card is an NVIDIA GTX 960M graphics card with a size of 2 GB and there is also a highly advanced Bluetooth 4.1 as well as a backlit LED screen that has anti-glare capabilities and is able to display full HD content. The quad core Intel Core i7 6700HQ has a speed of 2.60 GHz. Super lightweight at only 6 pounds, it comes with a webcam that has a quality of 2 megapixels and comes with a Network Ethernet RJ-45 connection at 10 / 100 / 1000.
The CybertronPC Tesseract Gaming Laptop has a total of four USB 3.0 ports and comes with connections for S/PDIF, HDMI, Mini Display Port and VGA. It also comes with a solid state drive of 480 GB, which is particularly larger than most solid state drive systems and uses the Intel 3165 Wireless AC for its internet connectivity.
Very responsive when it comes to gaming and loading storage, it comes with an HDD or hard disk drive of 1 TB along with its solid state drive. It supports DirectX 12 for a superior gaming experience and also comes with a 6 in 1 card reader. Its max resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels or 1080p and it also supports NVIDIA ShadowPlay for the best experience on gaming.
The Competition
Other gaming laptops that we did not include in this review are the ones that did not have enough specs to make them fully expandable or fully compatible with large games and rigorous tasks. It is important for a gaming laptop to have a high quality set of specs and gear and be fully upgradable as a laptop.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the advantages of having a gaming laptop?
A: According to Cetrain ISU , speed is a great thing to consider because laptops typically boot up faster than desktops or consoles. Gaming computers can do everything other than play games – you can use them for both work and play. Gaming computers are built for the most rigorous tasks possible. You can also upgrade gaming laptops and the like due to its expendable parts, open slots and ever changing technology if you want to keep up with the highest demands of the gaming industry.
Because gaming laptops are very versatile, you can take them anywhere and play games virtually anywhere you like without all of the hustle and bustle. Despite the price, gaming laptops are very convenient for playing any kind of game, whether it is a retro game from an old console or even the newest games on Steam.
Q: How do you choose the best gaming laptop?
A: According to Laptop Mag , touch screen laptops are okay but do be aware that they expend a lot of battery power. You should go for a high quality graphics card from tough brands like NVIDIA. A good gaming laptop has a full display of at least 1080p or 1920 x 1080 pixels and a solid state storage or SSD is a must for better loading times and faster installation. Consider the screen size depending on your needs and portability. An i7 processor for a laptop is much more practical for a gaming laptop.
Wrapping It Up
To wrap it up, the Women’s Lenovo Y700 15.6″ FHD Gaming Laptop is our best gaming laptop if you want to take gaming to the edge of being portable anytime, anywhere.
Jen Miller is a former electrical engineer and product specialist with more than 20 years of product design and testing experience. She has designed more than 200 products for Fortune 500 companies, in fields ranging from home appliances to sports gear and outdoor equipment. She founded Jen Reviews to share her knowledge and critical eye for what makes consumers tick, and adopts a strict no-BS approach to help the reader filter through the maze of products and marketing hype out there. She writes regularly and has been featured on Forbes, Fast Company, The Muse, The Huffington Post, Tiny Buddha and MindBodyGreen.