Press Start for 2022 With the Best Gaming Laptops of the Year!

High-end gaming rigs are all the rage nowadays as more people get into video games. One problem is that you can’t play your favorite titles wherever you go, or can you? Fortunately, the best gaming laptops can fit all that quality into one compact device.

It’s not that easy to find the best one because the internet provides so many choices. What’s more, you will have to try matching those with your lifestyle. That’s why we will go through the top four choices for 2022.

The list will feature the best options from four brands: Asus, Lenovo, Razer, and MSI. Next, we will talk about how you can select the best gaming laptop yourself. If these criteria don’t suit your needs, we will discuss whether or not a gaming PC is a better choice.

Here are the top gaming laptops of 2022:

1. Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 – Overall best gaming laptop of 2022
2. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro – Heavy-duty gaming in a hefty package
3. Razer Blade 17 – Heavy-duty gaming in a hefty package

#1. Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 – Overall best gaming laptop of 2022

"The best gaming laptop of 2021 was dethroned! We have a new champion."

Check out @Dave2D's review of the ROG Zephyrus G15 and Zephyrus M16 to find out who the champion is 😎
👉https://t.co/X85jjwygLo pic.twitter.com/cBTJBoDLVL

— ROG Global (@ASUS_ROG) March 16, 2022

Gamers usually require four things from their laptops: great graphics, smooth framerates, substantial battery life, and minimal weight.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 meets all these criteria with flying colors! First, the Zephyrus screen has Quad-HD or QHD resolution. This is not to be confused with the small letter qHD, meaning quarter high definition.

The QHD enables the Zephyrus to display four times the number of pixels of regular 720p high definition. In other words, it can run the latest games with the highest graphics.

Let’s see how it ran some of the most graphics-intensive games at the time of writing. It ran Red Dead Redemption II at max settings and 58 FPS.

Meanwhile, the ROG Zephyrus ran the Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 81 FPS with ultra graphics and ray tracing. Most gamers demand 60 FPS, so these numbers are ideal for the best gaming laptop.

We’ve covered the graphics and framerate, so let’s turn to the battery life. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 can handle regular office work for around eight hours.

Gaming takes a significant amount of energy, so expect a laptop’s battery to run out of juice much faster. The Zephyrus can run Red Dead Redemption II for about an hour before needing a recharge.

What’s more, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 provides all this performance while weighing just around 3.5 pounds. Now, let’s turn to the design features of this gaming laptop.

The divide has a reinforced metal lid available in two colors: Eclipse Gray and Moonlight White. The screen also flexes up to 180 degrees, so you can keep gaming on your bed or lap.

You may also appreciate its silent design. This is one of the best gaming laptops because it doesn’t whir loudly while you play. Also, the keyboard keeps each button press under 30 dB.

This is something you need if you want to use your machine in a public area. You wouldn’t want your laptop to sound like a jet engine while people are quietly drinking at a cafe!

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 ticks all the boxes when it comes to everything a gamer needs. That’s why it’s the best gaming laptop of 2022!

Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 technical specs

• Model: ROG Zephyrus G15 GA503 GA503QC-HQ077T
• Display: 15.6-inch 165 Hz WQHD display (2560 x 1440)
• Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 9 5900HS Mobile Processor
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX (4GB GDDR6)
• Memory: 16GB DDR4 on board & 16GB DDR4-3200 SO-DIMM with max capacity of 48GB
• OS: Windows 11
• Storage: 1TB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 3.0 SSD
• Ports: 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort™ / power delivery / G-SYNC, 1x RJ45 LAN port, 1x card reader (microSD)
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.1 (Dual band) 2*2, Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.1
• Battery: 90WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion
• Dimensions: 13.98″ x 9.57″ x 0.78″ ~ 0.78″ / 35.5 x 24.3 x 1.99 ~ 1.99 cm
• Weight: 1.90 kg / 4.19 lbs
• Colors: Eclipse Gray and Moonlight White
• Price: $1,999.99 – $2,499.99 (depending on model)

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#2. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro – Heavy-duty gaming in a hefty package

Stylish. Savage. Legion.

Introducing the new Legion 5 and Legion 5 Pro. Expertly crafted, battle ready, and designed for the modern gamer.

Learn more: https://t.co/BWQLLpo2Vo | #LenovoCES #CES2022 pic.twitter.com/1DchuHVoKp

— Lenovo Legion (@LenovoLegion) January 5, 2022

It’s all about options in today’s gaming market, so let’s talk about alternatives to the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15. The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is a match in terms of graphics and framerate.

Let’s use Red Dead Redemption II again for comparison. The Legion was able to run the game at roughly 59 FPS at the highest graphics settings.

That’s a point higher than the Zephyrus, but you may not notice the difference. That slight bump to the framerate may not compensate for the lackluster battery life and chunky weight.

The Lenovo Legion only lasted 4.5 hours with ordinary office work, but the ROG Zephyrus lasted for eight hours. What’s more, the former weighs 5.4 pounds.

This makes the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro heavier than the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15. Yet, it has an advantage in several factors. First, the 5 Pro has user-upgradeable RAM and storage.

The 8GB GDDR6 VRAM is a great feature, but the 512GB capacity leaves more to be desired. Fortunately, you can upgrade the laptop by replacing the parts.

You can’t do that with the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 since it has a partially-soldered RAM. What’s more, the Legion has a webcam while this one doesn’t.

Some make consider the upgradeable RAM and the built-in webcam to be a deal-breaker.
Now, let’s turn to the aesthetics of the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro.

The laptop boasts a matte finish for its lid. A shinier metallic surface tends to show more smudges and scratches, so this may look cleaner in the long run.

As with most gaming laptops, the Lenovo Legion has a light-up keyboard. Unlike its ASUS counterpart, it has a Numpad. That might not look great since people hardly use it nowadays.

What’s more, the Legion 5 lacks the muffled keys of the Zephyrus. Although gamers may like its accuracy thanks to Lenovo’s TrueStrike technology.

The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is a chunky device, but it has features that its counterparts don’t have, such as a webcam and upgradeable RAM. If you need these features, then this is one of your choices for the best gaming laptops of 2022.

Lenovo Legion 5 Pro technical specs

• Model: Legion 5 Pro Gen 6 (16″ AMD) Gaming Laptop
• Display: 16″ WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS, 16:10, 500 nits, 165Hz / 3ms response time, 100% sRGB, VESA DisplayHDR-certified, Dolby Vision-enabled, NVIDIA G-SYNC
• Processor: Up to AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Processor (3.20 GHz, up to 4.40 GHz Max Boost, 8 Cores, 16 Threads, 16 MB Cache)
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB
• Memory: Up to 32 GB DDR4 3200MHz
• OS: Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro
• Storage: Up to 2 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
• Ports: USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4), Headphone / mic combo, USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, E-Shutter Button, 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (1 always-on), USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4, power delivery), HDMI 2.1, RJ45
• Connectivity: 802.11AX (2 x 2) Bluetooth 5.1
• Battery: Up to 8 hours (MM18)
• Dimensions: 0.86-1.1″ x 14.01″ x 10.4″ / 21.7-26.85mm x 356mm x 264.2mm
• Weight: Starting at 2.54kg / 5.4lbs
• Colors: Storm Gray and Stingray White
• Price: Starting at $1,039.99

#3. Razer Blade 17 – High price for high performance

Enter the new Razer Blade Pro 17, now armed with @NVIDIAGeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs. Experience the smoothest game visuals with up to a 360Hz screen. Encased in an even smaller and portable 15.5”-wide body, take on any game anywhere with unrivalled power.https://t.co/wB6rnASSNo pic.twitter.com/lhLdSbhZz9

— R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) January 12, 2021

You can just look for the most expensive options when looking for the best gaming laptops. After all, they often compensate for the high price with superior graphics and framerates.

You shouldn’t always rely on this rule of thumb, though. Sometimes, products may not have enough quality to justify their price. You could say this applies to the Razer Blade 17.

It earns a place as one of the best gaming laptops of 2022. In terms of gaming performance, the Blade can cut down its competition easily. Sadly, you may think twice before you buy it.

Let’s stay consistent by using Red Dead Redemption II as an example yet again. The Razer Blade 17 can run at the highest settings at roughly 72 FPS. It can even hit 83 FPS with Nvidia’s DLSS!

Unfortunately, this contender has three major problems: battery life, weight, and price. The Blade 17 can only handle office work for around three hours before needing a recharge.

This is a far cry from the Zephyrus’ eight hours and the Legion’s four hours. What’s more, this gaming laptop weighs 6.06 pounds or 2.75 kilograms.

Some people can get a light workout with a five-pound dumbbell, so you can imagine 6.06 points will be a chore to move around. You’ll have to add more weight to the accessories too.

Worse, the price starts at $3,999.99. You could make up for the weight and battery life by connecting the Legion to a power outlet. Still, you might want to buy a gaming PC if that’s the case.

It’s up to you whether the superior performance makes up for the lackluster portability and battery. Nevertheless, the Razer Blade 17 is one of the best gaming laptops of the year.

Razer Blade 17 Pro technical specs

• Model: Razer Blade 17 – QHD 240Hz – GeForce RTX 3080 Ti – Black
• Display: 17.3″ 240Hz 1440p display with G-Sync
• Processor: Intel Core i7-12800H (1.8GHz, Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz, with 24MB of Cache)
• Graphics: GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (16GB GDDR6 VRAM)
• Memory: 32 GB DDR5 4800MHz dual-channel memory
• OS: Windows 11
• Storage: 1TB SSD and one open M.2 Slot, upgradeable to 4TB SSD
• Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port that supports 15W power delivery, 3.5mm combo headphone/mic jack, 1 x 2.5 Gb Ethernet port, 1 x Kensington Security Lock port, 1 x UHS-II SD card reader.
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E AX1690 (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/az), Bluetooth 5.2
• Battery: 82WHr
• Dimensions: 15.55″ x 10.24″ x 0.78″ / 395 mm x 260 mm x 19.9mm
• Weight: 2.75 kg / 6.06 lbs
• Price: Starts at $3,999.99

How can I choose the best gaming laptop?

We just talked about all the top-quality options you have for a portable PC. However, you can find so many alternatives out there. If these three don’t match your needs, feel free to check those.

As mentioned, that can be difficult because you’ll have to go through numerous brands and models. It’s also not that easy to compare specifications, especially if you’re a first-time buyer.

That’s why we will now learn how to find the best gaming laptop for your needs. Look out for the display, CPU, GPU, memory, storage, ports, and design:

Display

This refers to the aspects that affect how your game will look on screen. Most people go for the wide monitors since it lets you see more of your game. However, you should also look at these criteria:

• Resolution tells you how many pixels your screen can handle. The higher the pixel count, the better quality image you’ll get. However, you have to make sure that your refresh rate can keep up with the resolution.
• Refresh rate is the number of times your screen will redraw an image per second. You will need a lot of this for gaming since its visual effects constantly shift. If you have a high resolution and low refresh rate, you’re likely to experience lag while playing.
• Screen size, as the name suggests, refers to how wide your display is. You may want to look for screens with thin borders or bezels, so the display will take more space.
• OLED or organic light-emitting diodes can illuminate your screen instead of a backlight. As a result, the screen can show deeper black coloration and higher contrast.

CPU

This is also known as the central processing unit or the computer’s “brain.” It’s the part that sends signals to the other computer parts, so they can perform specific tasks.

Also, it processes all the instructions your programs need, especially your games. This is why you should check the CPU when looking for the best gaming laptop. Check the following features:

• Clock speed is the number of cycles that your CPU runs every second. It’s measured in gigahertz or GHz, and higher numbers indicate a faster central processing unit.
• Core count refers to the number of cores that your CPU has. Each one acts as an individual processing unit, so they will help your CPU do more work.

GPU

Computers also have a graphics processing unit, the component that forms the images on your screen while you play games. A good CPU and GPU are a must for gaming, especially if you want a 1440p or 4K display.

You may have heard people talk about the GPU and the graphics card as the same thing. Yet, there’s a subtle difference between them. The graphics card houses the GPU.

You’ll need to know this if you require certain specs for your game. You may find the GPU you need inside graphics cards from different manufacturers.

This makes it easier to buy the one you need. Watch out for these features when you’re shopping for a graphics card or GPU:

• Frame rate and resolution should remain constant with your GPU. Otherwise, your display may stutter or the game might crash.
• Display refresh rate is another factor your graphics card should maintain. This will allow you to consistently achieve a high frame rate, so your games run smoothly.

Storage

You have two choices for storing data on your laptop: hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD). Remember that the best gaming laptops use the latter.

It runs faster and lasts longer than the HDD, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find modern laptops that still have that old component. The common types of SSD are NVMe and SATA.

• SATA or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment SSD uses the same connectors as traditional hard disk drives.
• NVMe or non-volatile memory express SSD is much faster than the SATA.

You could augment your limited data storage with an external storage unit. As always, higher quality means higher prices, so match the one that fits your budget.

Memory

Storage refers to the data that your laptop will retain for you. However, it will need to store even more information while you’re doing a specific task.

This will allow the computer to get that info immediately when you need it. This is called Random Access Memory or RAM, and its data resets whenever you turn the computer off.

Having a lot of RAM lets your laptop run more processes at the same time. The best gaming laptops have enough RAM to provide high performance while running other background tasks.

In other words, it can run other programs without slowing your game down. For example, you could run Twitch and host a live stream without crashing your game.

You need at least 8GB for video games, but 16GB is ideal. Besides looking at the amount of RAM, you should also check its other features such as:

• Speed measures how fast your RAM can access its memory when it gets a request from the CPU. It’s measured in MHz or megahertz.
• Upgradeability means you can increase or replace your RAM. It’s not that easy to find laptops that let you replace this component, so you may want to buy one that has a lot of RAM already.

Ports

If you’re gaming, you won’t use your laptop on its own. You’ll need to attach numerous accessories to it, such as a mouse. Make sure that your portable computer has the following sockets:

• Display ports include HDMI and DisplayPort. You may want this if you prefer gaming with a bigger screen at home.
• USB ports are a must for the best gaming laptops because it has to allow important components like the mouse.
• Audio refers to the sockets for the 3.5mm headphone jack and speakers.
• Ethernet lets your laptop have a wired connection with your modem. Most people use Wi-Fi nowadays, but a wired connection is often faster and more reliable.

Design

Let’s face it, you don’t just buy the best gaming laptop for the performance. You probably want a sleek device with cool RGB lighting. Still, function and form often come together.

You want a laptop that looks good, but it should also be sturdy. The usual drawback is that it takes on more weight, just like the Razer Blade 17.

You may want a metal casing for your laptop so it looks smooth and stylish. However, make sure your laptop has a proper cooling system.

Metal tends to heat up quickly, so it may cook your laptop’s internal components. Speaking of cooling, you must also check how that fan performs.

You can find online jokes about gaming laptops sounding like jet engines, but they’re somewhat true. They can be obnoxiously loud when running intensive tasks.

Final thoughts

The best gaming laptops are great, but you should check how you’ll use them. If you mostly play games at home, you might be better off buying a PC.

They can cost less and perform better than gaming laptops. The downside is that you cannot bring it everywhere, but at least you won’t have to deal with a gaming laptop’s issues.

You may also want to check the games you play. Popular titles like Genshin Impact don’t require that much for PC. Others like Elden Ring will need a beefier rig though.