Why choose between a gaming laptop and a school laptop when you can get a computer that does both?Gaming laptops are now cheaper and It’s stronger than ever, and many won’t look out of place in the classroom. If you plan on doing some serious multimedia work alongside your online video games, it’s worth considering a dedicated gaming system. You can find general advice on choosing a gaming laptop in our guide. But if you want some models suitable for school and play, you’ve come to the right place.
Are gaming laptops suitable for school?
As we mentioned, gaming laptops are especially useful if you are doing any demanding job. One of their big promises is strong graphics performance, and that’s not just limited to gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also take advantage of the GPU to handle heavy tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity machines, like Dell’s XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse: get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest SSD you can find (preferably 1TB or more). These components are often difficult to upgrade, making them worth the upfront investment.
One of the big drawbacks of choosing a gaming laptop is portability. In most cases, we recommend the 15-inch model for the best balance of size and price. They typically weigh around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly heavier than an ultraportable laptop that weighs 3 pounds. Still, today’s gaming laptops are much lighter than older models, so at least you’re not lugging a 10-pound brick around. If you’re looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options now. If you’re not a fan of LED lights and other gamer-centric bells and whistles, keep an eye out for more low-profile models (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off).
Photography: Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Read our full review of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
The Asus ROG Zephryus G14 may be a little more expensive than when it first launched, but it’s still a great 14-inch laptop for all purposes. What’s great about the latest model is that it features a new unibody aluminum chassis, a vibrant 120Hz OLED display, solid performance, and a ton of ports, all for hundreds of dollars less than the comparable Razer Blade 14. It even has a built-in microSD card reader and multiple color gamut presets, so it can easily do double duty as a photo/video editing machine. Its audio is also well above average, thanks to powerful upward-firing stereo speakers. Battery life is also great, with the Zepyrus lasting just eight hours on our run-down test. Best of all, the G14 weighs nearly half a pound less than competing laptops with similar designs. The main drawbacks are that its GPU is capped at an RTX 4070 (rather than 4080 like the previous model), and its RAM is soldered into it. But if you want a truly great all-rounder that offers powerful features in a portable package, this system has to be at the top of your list. —Sam Rutherford, Commentary senior writer
$2,000 at Best Buy
Photo by Will Lipman for Engadget
Over the years, Razer has built a reputation for producing gaming laptops that look as good as a MacBook. This is still true. The Razer Blade 15 has a sleek yet sturdy metal exterior, a low-profile design (unless you actually turn on those RGB keyboard lights), and pretty much all the features you’d want in a portable gaming powerhouse. If money is no object, you can equip the Blade 15 with Intel’s latest 13th-generation processors, NVIDIA’s powerful RTX 4070, and a 1,440p OLED display running at 240 Hz.
While you’ll pay more for the Blade 15 than some other models, you still have some options at different price points. The entry-level model starts at $1,999 and comes with an RTX 3070 GPU and a 360Hz 1080p display. This is certainly enough for most games and creative applications. If you’re looking for something smaller, Razer’s new AMD-powered Blade 14 also looks attractive. Razer also recently launched new Blade 16 and 18 models, which cost (and weigh!) much more than the Blade 15, but may be useful if you need a larger screen.
Amazon $2,450
Photo by Will Lipman for Engadget
While Alienware has established itself as a reliable high-end brand, Dell’s cheaper G-series laptops are worth considering for anyone on a budget. In particular, the G15 continues the trend of delivering powerful hardware for less than $1,000, including Intel’s latest 13th generation CPUs and NVIDIA’s RTX 30 and 40 series GPUs. Sure, the casing is mostly plastic, and the screen doesn’t offer all the latest details, but for the price, it’s hard to find anything more powerful.
Dell $800
Photo by Will Lipman for Engadget
ASUS’ latest Zephyrus Duo 16 takes the gaming laptop concept to the extreme, combining AMD’s latest Ryzen mobile processors with NVIDIA’s outstanding RTX 40 series hardware.And, as its name suggests, it has two Screen: Gorgeous 16-inch main display (with optional Mini-LED backlight), and a very wide 14-inch secondary panel directly below. This opens up near-desktop-level multitasking, since you can spread your windows across two screens.For example, it can help you listen to online lectures while adapting Halo: Infinite Pair from your home screen. Don’t worry, we won’t tell.
Asus sells for $3,500
Photo by Will Lipman for Engadget
The m18 is the largest and most powerful Alienware laptop ever, making it the ideal gaming laptop for those who prioritize screen size. It can be equipped with Intel’s fastest 13th generation CPU, NVIDIA’s RTX 4090, and a 165Hz QuadHD+ screen or a blazingly fast 480Hz 1080p+ display. It’s a gaming beast, but it’s also a good choice for students editing audio or video. A bigger screen means a bigger timeline view—just what you need for larger projects.
$2,800 on Amazon
