If you are looking to upgrade your gaming experience, you have several options. There are gaming systems, desktop computers, and laptops. These will all provide you different experiences, but there are a few things that you need to consider with each option. Here are some tips to factor in to help you choose the ideal laptop for gaming purposes.
Design
One thing to look into when you are purchasing a gaming laptop is the design and size. This will incorporate the weight of the laptop, but also the screen size and overall size. With a smaller laptop, you gain much more portability and flexibility, whether it is something that you are carrying to a friend’s house or moving around a lot, or if you have the designated space in your set up. With a larger laptop, you obviously need to ensure that you have more space to accommodate it, but it comes with the benefit of having a larger screen, and of course, has space for its components. This can be important as a larger laptop may have an interior with a better layout, better spacing for fans and airflow, and even the potential for more hardware such as storage.
Necessary Graphics Card And Processor
One of the most important aspects of any gaming laptop is the graphics card and the graphics processor. This is what differentiates your everyday computer that is used for most jobs and school versus a gaming system. Although some other laptops and computers may boast higher specs, the graphics department is what is going to be used intensively for your gaming sessions. Without the needed processor, you will not be able to run games that are highly demanding when it comes to image processing. The GPU will vary depending on your budget, but you can absolutely get a midrange gaming laptop under 1500 that is capable of running most games. Some lower-end laptop specs can still run indie games and lower-end games, but you will miss out on being able to run triple-A titles.
Potential To Upgrade
Another important aspect to consider when you are looking for a gaming laptop is the potential to upgrade your system. As technology increases to match the flexibility and capabilities of its PC counterparts, you want to consider this room for upgradability on your laptop to ensure that your system is future-proof and can keep up with increasing demands on graphics and system handling. The biggest components you will be looking at when it comes to what you can upgrade are RAM, storage, and your wifi. It is important to factor in not only your current budget but what you would like to spend on in the future. If you cannot afford a high-end laptop right away, prioritize certain factors, and you can always add on or upgrade other specs at a later time.
RAM
Most mid-tier gaming laptops will come with two sticks of RAM or dual-channel memory. If you are looking at budget options, your laptop may only have one memory stick but have the essential parts needed for you to upgrade them. If you can, you should add another stick of RAM to increase your laptop’s performance. Most gaming laptops can and should upgrade their RAM to 16gbs but should consider higher amounts if they are used to play higher intensive games and run more demanding programs, especially if this is done simultaneously. Many gamers are streaming or running music or other programs in conjunction with their games, and you want to ensure that your performance is stable with these additions.
Upgrade Your Wifi
Unlike gaming PCs, one of the key benefits of a laptop is its portability. This translates to the connection you will have with your existing internet. Unlike a PC, you cannot rely on a wired connection to provide you that stability. If you are not stationary and using an ethernet port to stay connected and keep that consistency, you should consider upgrading your wifi connection. This is especially helpful as one of the benefits of gaming on your laptop is being able to bring your laptop with you anywhere, essentially allowing you to bring your gaming session with you.
A gaming laptop provides you an entryway into the pc gaming experience, with great accessibility and flexibility. You can get what you need at a reasonable price, and as you continue to grow as a gamer, you can expand your gaming systems. Consider the games you want to play to best invest in your gaming machine.
