Gaming laptops have become better in recent years. With their advanced components, colorful designs, and premium prices, these are emerging as more popular than their traditional counterparts. Multiple issues come up for users while buying gaming laptops. They can get confused between things like graphics cards and how they affect performance. It is not easy for many users to differentiate between ray tracing and DLSS. Hence, it is essential to have proper knowledge regarding the features and scope of future upgrades.
Consider the following 7 best features:
Graphics Card:
A laptop graphics card is the key element of any gaming system. It helps in delivering the best images on display by processing the data and transmitting a signal to the monitor. You need a discrete GPU system with dedicated memory, also known as VRAM (Video Memory), to avoid stressful situations while running games on your system. Generally, gaming enthusiasts remain comfortable with 4GB of RAM, which supports their games and graphics-related software for smoother flow without interruptions.
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Integrated Graphics:
“Integrated GPU” refers to the graphics card, which shares the same space in the memory as the CPU. Integrated means that these are combined on the same chip. Thus, CPUs with integrated graphics can handle both CPU and GPU processes together.
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Dedicated/Discrete Graphics:
Dedicated graphics are graphics cards that can be installed separately from the CPU. It doesn’t share any of the memory, which comes out in the form of VRAM, with your CPU. It is considered best for heavy game users who can’t compromise their graphics quality while playing games.
Display:
For gaming enthusiasts, the display is an important factor but is sometimes overlooked. If you want an amazing gaming experience with sharper displays, then there are some factors to consider. Here we are considering them:
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Size:
In the market, most gaming laptops have size considerations of approximately 15 to 17-inch screens, while some huge systems have an 18-inch panel. What size you are looking for while gaming also depends on personal preferences. Larger sizes and bigger screens lead to heavier laptops and portability issues.
- Resolution:
When you are looking for a gaming laptop, never compromise on the size of a 1920 x 1080 display. Generally, it is difficult to find a lesser resolution, but if you go for 4K (3840 x 2160), then these screens change your gaming experience.
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Refresh Rate:
There are varieties of laptops in the market that offer 1080p resolution and a display at 60 Hz. Most games like Fortnite or League of Nations are comfortable with this size and inference. You can also get the choice of FHD displays with faster refresh rates of 144Hz, 240Hz, and 360Hz, respectively. However, many of the new games need a great GPU for playing on high settings and emphasizing frame rate over graphic fidelity.
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Avoid Touch Screens:
Touch screens are not comfortable for notebook gaming. While playing games, users need to continuously touch the screen, which leads to shorter battery life and affects the productivity of these systems.
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OLED:
There are a number of gaming laptops coming in the market with OLED display options. These systems have slower refresh rates in comparison to LED displays. Some gaming enthusiasts often get into trouble due to the possibility of burn-in circumstances on these panels.
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NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync:
Some gaming laptops offer support for new technologies that sync out. It aids in the prevention of screen tearing and ghosting.
Storage:
What will your choice be? Hard Drive or SSD? Why not both of them? Currently, multiple budget gaming laptops come with only a hard drive (usually 1 TB). No need to worry; there are other gaming notebooks that also consist of a small SSD that serves as a boot drive. But there are some devices that come with larger SSDs, which leads to reduce loading times. Moreover, you come across an SSD, HHD, or SSHD while buying out a gaming laptop:
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HDD (Hard Disk Drive):
HDD offers a pleasurable gaming experience to users with a huge amount of capacity—14 TB. It has a shorter lifespan than an SSD and a much slower read/write speed due to its moving parts.
- Solid State Drive (SSD):
Solid-state drives act as a boon for the storage industry. However, as the concept is new in the market, it is expensive in comparison to its counterparts. There are multiple benefits offered by SSD over HDD, which are important to consider.
- These drives fastly operate in comparison to HDD.
- It can read and write at a speed of 3200 MB or 3200 MB per second.SSDs are durable and long-lasting as there are no moving parts like HDDs.
- They can easily fit into smaller form factors, such as those found in RAM sticks.
- SSHD(Solid State Hard Drive):
SSHD refers to an advanced combination of both SSDs and HDDs. It has a higher transfer speed than an SSD and a much larger storage capacity than an HDD. SSHDs help you remember the most frequently used memories and perform system tasks. Long-term maintenance of old files is performed by SSHDs
RAM:
RAM is an important component of Windows for a gaming laptop as it helps with accessing data more quickly than retrieving the information from the storage disk. You can easily store all the data on your hard or soft drive. In previous times, 4GB of RAM was considered optimal for a pleasurable gaming experience, but now the scenario is different. Most entry-level gaming laptops operate with 8 GB of RAM.
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8GB RAM:
It is the minimum requirement for most of the games and allows individuals to run with decent settings. But most of the upcoming games need a huge setup of resources, and 8 GB is appropriate only to play the lighter games.
- 16GB RAM:
It is obvious that to play heavy games, we need heavy resources. 16 GB of RAM offers you a comfortable gaming experience as it makes your system able to run multiple Chrome tabs in a single session. Thus, if you are a gaming enthusiast and looking for a pleasurable gaming experience, then 16GB of RAM will be best for you.
- 32GB RAM:
With the constant release of new games on the market, you now need at least 16 GB of RAM. However, 32GB of RAM offers a huge space for performing different activities while playing games. Thus, if you are an extreme power user, like professional video editors, designers, and graphic animators, then you need RAM of 32 GB.
Operating System:
The central point that controls everything remains the operating system. For past years windows remained the top OS for powerful gaming while other platforms like macOS and Linux have also their uses. Here we are considering the importance of operating systems in gaming laptops:
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Windows:
Windows has transformed the gaming scene. It offers a fast, efficient, comfortable, and pleasurable gaming experience to the users. If you fall into the category of gaming freaks who need support and compatibility, then Windows will be your priority.
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Linux:
Linux is not a single operating system, but rather a collection of several. It is simple but has the potential for customizing a lot of elements. Games need a proper level of customization, which can only be provided by Linux.
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macOS:
The most popular apple-created OS is known for its comfortability and ease of performing activities. However, gamers must be aware of the limited compatibility of macOS and the lack of supporting hardware. Some games can effectively run on macOS, like Cuphead, League of Legends, Minecraft, etc. It can also be a good choice for professionals who are looking for a better workflow.
Keyboard:
People appear to ignore the keyboard on a laptop on multiple occasions. Modern, powerful gaming laptops come with advanced mechanical keyboards that can tackle the speed and adventure required while playing games. Keys present on the mechanical keyboards can produce an audible click with a single push by the user. Additionally, these keyboards also consist of different switches that can facilitate a comfortable experience for users.
Future Scoping Potential:
Buying a gaming laptop is, like everything else, an investment that will most likely pay off in the future. Therefore, it is important to see whether the laptop you purchased is upgraded or not. Most of the systems don’t support being upgraded or designed. However, some things can be easily upgraded according to need.
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RAM:
It is advised that you should avoid buying soldered RAM laptops. If your system comes out with open RAM slots, then it becomes really easy to buy an additional stick of RAM or even upgrade it from time to time. You must properly check out RAM details and information related to its warranty.
- Storage:
If you are using a gaming laptop and it comes with an HDD, then it becomes really easy to pick out the budget gaming SSD. The upgrade slot will be really easy and open to everyone. So, when you purchase a gaming laptop, it is important to look at the details carefully.
Bottom Line:
When you are planning to buy a gaming laptop, always consider the model that lasts for many years. If you can afford it, then choose a mid-range or high-end GPU, which results in the best performance. For a pleasurable experience, you must use the best gaming laptop cooler in your system. Your choice can become more complex between the RAM and the CPU. Storage is an important aspect, but it can be easily upgraded. Finally, it is important to judge the laptop on the basis of combinations like higher resolution, displays, storage, RAM, operating system, and much more.
