How you can Select the Proper Gaming Laptop computer (2025): What You Have to Know

ROG Strix is Asus’s performance-focused subbrand. That is the place the corporate’s thicker, extra standard gaming laptops are discovered. Pricing can vary extensively, because it consists of inexpensive choices just like the ROG Strix G16 with the RTX 5050, which begins at simply $1,300.

TUF Gaming is the corporate’s entry-level gaming laptop computer subbrand. These TUF gaming laptops was once a number of the most inexpensive gaming laptops you can purchase, however they’ve gone up in value over the previous few years. There aren’t any Asus gaming laptops below $1,000 that function the newest RTX 50-series GPUs, although you’ll find loads of older fashions for much less on Amazon or Finest Purchase.

Dell’s gaming laptop computer lineup is pretty sparse today. All of Dell’s gaming laptops fall below the Alienware model, which the corporate acquired again in 2006. Alienware has been by way of many cycles of reinvention with its gaming laptops, however in 2025, there’s actually solely 4 laptops within the stack proper now: the Alienware 16 Aurora, Alienware 16X Aurora, Alienware 18 Space-51, and Alienware 16 Space-51. I just like the simplicity of the brand new lineup, which focuses on what Alienware has all the time been recognized for: its brash, gamer model and higher-end efficiency.

The Alienware 16 Aurora is the corporate’s try to succeed in a less expensive demographic, beginning the laptop computer at simply $1,100 proper now for an RTX 5050 configuration.

HP’s Omen gaming model has been round for over a decade, but it surely actually appears like the corporate has began to construct some momentum round it over the previous few years. Curiously, HP breaks down its choices into three classes of thickness and efficiency. Omen Max is the chunkiest at virtually an inch thick, and helps as much as an RTX 5080. Omen 16 is the center floor, capping out at an RTX 5070. Omen Transcend, which provides a 14-inch mannequin, nonetheless helps as much as an RTX 5070, however brings the thickness all the way down to 0.7 inches. There are 16-inch dimension choices obtainable throughout all three subbrands; nevertheless, not one of the laptops are as skinny as a number of the competitors. There’s additionally an Omen 16 Slim, which blurs the strains a bit.

Other than Omen, HP additionally launched its “Victus” subbrand in 2021, which represents its budget-oriented choices. HP solely has a couple of configurations of the HP Victus 15 and Victus 16 obtainable proper now.

{Photograph}: Luke Larsen

• Razer is solely dedicated to PC gaming, not like lots of the laptop computer manufacturers on this checklist. Its Blade gaming laptops have turn out to be iconic within the trade for his or her minimalist aesthetic. Like many firms, Razer has a Blade 14, Blade 16, and Blade 18, which all have an equivalent design, however scale up by way of dimension and efficiency.
• MSI has made fairly a reputation for itself within the gaming area, particularly with its high-end, performance-focused, monster gaming laptops just like the MSI Titan HX. Past Titan, MSI has a mind-boggling quantity of different choices, although, together with the Raider, Stealth, Vector, Katana, Sword, and its budget-oriented Cyborg sequence. There’s rather a lot to dig into.
• Acer’s Predator line has its personal fanfare about it. Predator Helios is its high-end, performance-driven line with tons of choices throughout 14-inch, 16-inch, and 18-inch sizes. Triton is its thin-and-light sub-brand, but it surely hasn’t been up to date in 2025 to date. The corporate additionally has its Nitro funds model, which is available in 14-, 15-, and 16-inch choices and with help as much as an RTX 5070.

Past these mainstay manufacturers, you even have PC gaming firms which have dipped into gaming laptops, akin to Gigabyte, Origin, and Maingear. Simply steer clear of the no-name manufacturers which have well-liked listings on Amazon regardless of missing discrete graphics playing cards—like this.

Gaming on Non-Gaming Laptops

Whereas there’s a complete ecosystem of laptops marketed towards avid gamers, that does not imply you may’t play video games on different units. Laptops with devoted graphics playing cards can typically play video games simply in addition to gaming laptops, however they’re typically focused extra at creatives who want higher graphics to run inventive functions. These embody laptops just like the Dell 14 Premium, Acer Swift X 14, and the Asus ProArt P16.

In the event you’re shopping for a laptop computer primarily to play video games, although, I would not suggest one among these. They often do not help the higher-tier GPUs just like the RTX 5080 or 5090, and you will not get super-fast refresh charges past 120 Hz. In the event you’re extra of an off-the-cuff gamer and simply desire a high-end laptop computer that may do all of it, these are good choices. They’re particularly good in case you despise the “gamer” aesthetic and wish one thing a bit extra delicate.