Which gaming laptop is right for you?
There's a mind-boggling number of options when it comes to picking a gaming laptop today. Here's some help in picking the right one for you.
You want your notebook to be super thin
You’re picky about image quality and color accuracy
You want a powerful laptop that will blend in
You need a desktop replacement
You want a mechanical keyboard but not the added bulk
You’re on a tight budget
You care about audio
You want zero compromises
You want something tiny
The MSI GS65 Stealth 9SF is one of the thinnest and lightest gaming laptops around. It measures just 17.9mm thick and weighs a mere 1.9kg. But underneath that svelte chassis lies plenty of power, and it packs an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q. It can even be configured with a 240Hz display for some super smooth action.
Read: Our review of its predecessor, the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin 8RF
The edge-to-edge 4K AMOLED display on the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA boasts retina-searing levels of brightness and absolutely gorgeous colours. It's super powerful as well, featuring an Intel Core i7-9750H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q. While the Aero 15 is more for creators rather than gamers, it's fully capable of doubling as a gaming machine as well.
Read: Our review of the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA
The Razer Blade (2019) is a compact 15.6-inch laptop in the body of a 14-incher. It boasts a sleek unibody aluminum chassis, and its angular, understated design is tasteful in a way that few other gaming laptops are. Its minimalist looks are married to powerful hardware, and it comes with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q.
Read: Our review of the Razer Blade (2019)
The Alienware Area-51m is a 17.3-inch beast of a laptop that is fully upgradeable. You'll be able to swap out everything, including the CPU and graphics card. It can be equipped with up to an Intel Core i9-9900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080. The only downside is that you'll need to get it from overseas retailers at the moment.
Read: Our coverage of the Alienware Area-51m
The Aftershock APEX 15 uses optical switches on its keyboard, which rely on light for actuation instead of a mechanical connection. However, the APEX 15 measures just 19.9mm thick and weighs 1.95kg, making it one of the most portable laptops to offer a mechanical keyboard and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q.
Read: Our review of the Aftershock APEX 15
The Aftershock Forge 15 is a value-oriented notebook that can be equipped with an Intel Core i7-9750H processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050. It also comes with a 120Hz display, which is still a rare feature at this price point. It starts at a mere S$1,151, but you can configure it with up to an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650.
Read: Our coverage of the Forge 15
The HP Omen 15 has consistently had one of the best speakers on a gaming laptop. The dual speakers are tuned by Bang & Olufsen and they pump out surprisingly loud and full-bodied tunes. The laptop is reasonably slim, measuring just 20mm thick. It can also be configured with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q for some serious gaming heft.
Read: Our coverage of the HP Omen 15
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX502 isn't a Max-Q notebook, but it might as well be one. It measures just 18.9mm thick and weighs 1.99kg, and yet it holds a full-fat version of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070. This is the only such laptop to offer this much power in a slim package, but there's one thing you'll need to take note of. Its single-channel memory means a huge performance hit, so you'll need to add an extra stick to help it reach its full potential.
Read: Our review of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX502
Do you want a gaming ultrabook? Well, Razer just made one. The company is the first to cram an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 into a 13.3-inch notebook, creating an ultrabook that is also a proper gaming laptop. It can also be configured with an Intel Core i7-1065G7, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.
Read: Our coverage of the Razer Blade Stealth 13
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