Are you looking to buy a new laptop and are wondering whether a gaming laptop would be a good fit for you?
Well, if that’s the case, then this article is for you. You are going to learn what gaming laptops are and what they are used for.
A gaming laptop is a portable computer that is specially designed to run graphically-intensive games and software smoothly. It features a high-performance processor, dedicated graphics card, RGB backlit keyboard, and an advanced cooling system.
The high-performance hardware in gaming laptops is what makes them different from normal laptops.
Gaming laptops can be thought of as portable gaming desktops and are the perfect gaming device for PC gamers who love to game on the go. They pack a lot of power and can easily be carried in a laptop backpack to LAN parties, eSports events, or even work.
Gaming Laptops For Everyday Use
Gaming laptops can be used for other things besides gaming, such as everyday browsing, word processing, coding, watching videos, and anything else you’d normally do on a normal laptop. At their core, they have all the parts that regular laptops have.
In fact, since they have performance-grade processors and more RAM than normal laptops, they are much better at multitasking. This means you can run several programs simultaneously without experiencing lagging.
Using a gaming laptop for everyday tasks just means you won’t be utilizing the extra power or pushing its hardware to the limit. It can comfortably handle light tasks “without breaking a sweat”.
Besides PC gaming, here are a few demanding tasks that gaming laptops are able to perform:
1. Video Editing
Having a dedicated graphics card, lots of RAM, and a powerful processor makes gaming laptops perfect for video editing, They can run video editing programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro CC, Final Cut Pro X, and Corel VideoStudio Ultimate with ease.
2. Digital Art Design
Graphic design software such as Procreate, Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator are very GPU and CPU-intensive and require a decent amount of RAM. Most gaming laptops are able to meet all their minimum system requirements and are therefore perfect for graphic designers and digital artists.
3. Engineering Students
Besides being good for dodging boredom during breaks, gaming laptops are also ideal for engineering and art (especially film and animation) college students who need to run demanding design and simulation software.
4. Programming
Gaming laptops can handle both light programming, such as that of mobile and web applications, as well as heavy programming that involves complex physics simulations, such as that of game development and engineering.
5. Work
If your job involves working with heavy software such as Blender, AutoCAD, and MotionBuilder and also requires you to be mobile, then a gaming laptop is a good choice. It can serve the same function as a mobile workstation.
However, if portability and good battery life are a priority for you, then gaming laptops might not be ideal for you. Gaming laptops have bad battery life and tend to be a little heavier than regular laptops.
Gaming Laptops For Video Streaming
Gaming laptops are good for streaming games on Twitch, Mixer, or Youtube. They pack almost the same amount of power as regular desktops and meet the system requirements needed for streaming. However, they do not dissipate heat as well as desktops and may overheat after extended periods of live streaming if their cooling system is not properly designed.
Gaming Laptops For VR
High-end gaming laptops have enough processing and graphics power to run Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, or any other VR (Virtual Reality) headset smoothly. They have fast processors, a powerful graphics card, sufficient RAM as well as HDMI, DisplayPort (DP), and USB ports required to connect VR headsets.
If you want to run VR on a gaming laptop, go for one with an intel i5 processor or higher, at least a GTX 1070 or RTX series Nvidia graphics card, and at least 8 GBs of RAM. You also need HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2, and USB 2.0 ports.
Upgrading A Gaming Laptop
Most gaming laptops allow you to upgrade only the storage and RAM. With the exception of a few high-end gaming laptops, upgrading the processor and graphics card is usually impossible because it is permanently soldered onto the motherboard.
Therefore, when buying a gaming laptop, it is a good idea to invest in one with a good processor and graphics card instead of one with more RAM and storage.
The Cost Of Gaming Laptops
Gaming laptops can be quite expensive, compared to regular laptops, and cost anywhere between $800 and $4,000. However, some very high-end gaming laptops such as the Acer Predator 21X and the ASUS ROG mothership can cost upwards of 5,000.
The cost is determined by the specs of the hardware installed, the level of customization that’s possible, and the build quality.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let the term ‘gaming laptop’ confuse you the next time you hear people throwing it around. They aren’t only used for gaming but can also be used for everyday tasks such as taking notes in class, coding, and watching movies.
Gaming laptops have all the components you’d find in a normal laptop. The only thing that’s different is that their internal components, specifically the processor and graphics care are a bit more advanced than those of regular laptops, thus allowing them to run demanding games and applications.
