The best gaming laptop 2017: the 10 best gaming laptops we've reviewed.

Find the best gaming laptop to suit your fragging needs

Whereas the best laptops are becoming increasingly thinner and lighter, gaming laptops have always subscribed to a different philosophy, namely high performance. You might think handheld game consoles were the true champions of convenience, but even those systems have to make graphical compromises in the name of portability. Gaming laptops, on the other hand, can be as powerful – if not more powerful than – their desktop brethren.

Because they’re extremely capable, however, gaming laptops often run into the issue of battery life brevity. In other words, it’s historically been the case that you would have to plug your laptop in at all times, else it would go dead after a single match of Overwatch, Destiny 2 PvP or what have you. Nowadays, the best gaming laptops have – at long last – found solutions for this all-too-common complaint. As a result, we’ve found these machines all the more compelling, orchestrating the best of both the worlds of hardy specs and energy efficiency.

As our minds change about the state of gaming laptops, so too does our list of the best ones available out there. That’s why we’ve established this here guide, which serves as a living document, complete with all the clamshelled rigs we recommend that you use for your next round of PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds). We’ve tested, reviewed and ranked – in that order – the 10 best gaming laptops for the money, prioritizing value as much as we have visuals and frame rates across the board.

1. Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501

Under an inch thick and still kicking ass

CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM) | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, wide-view 120Hz panel with G-Sync | Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe x4 SSD

₹86990

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₹110999

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Astonishingly powerful

Innovative and quiet cooling

Laughable battery life

Poor keyboard and ergonomics

Kicking Nvidia’s Max-Q technology off right, the Asus Zephyrus GX501 combines the heralded thinness of an Ultrabook with the performance of a gaming PC to bring the best of both worlds to your feet. Despite exhibiting subpar times in our battery life benchmarks, this svelte powerhouse of a notebook is one for the books when it comes to both portability and style. Plus, it’s virtually silent if noise is a cause for distraction in your everyday routine.

Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501

2. Razer Blade

A gaming-ready MacBook Pro rival

CPU: 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700HQ | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5 VRAM) | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 14-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) – QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) IGZO (LED backlit, multi-touch) | Storage: 256GB – 1TB PCIe SSD

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Impressive battery life

4K display option

Fans whir loudly under load

Limited upgrade options

You may not be able to stick a bigger hard drive in it later, but the Razer Blade is otherwise built for stamina and, of course, high quality visuals. On top of boasting a battery life of over 7 and a half hours, it can handle up to 4K Ultra HD gaming with the help of a Razer Core V2 external graphics box and a spare monitor. Or you could opt for the more recently added integrated 4K display option. Either way, you’re in for a treat, we assure you.

Read the full review: Razer Blade

3. Asus ROG Strix GL502

It's hard not to love a gaming laptop this good

CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 - 1070 | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Screen: 15.6-inch full HD 1,920 x 1,080 IPS | Storage: 128GB - 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD

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Rocks Full HD gaming

Deliciously vibrant screen

Middling battery life

The Asus Strix GL502 may not boast the most innovative design, swapping out the usual black and red color scheme for one that makes it feel like Halloween year-round. But, it's undoubtedly one of the best when it comes to gaming in 1080p. In fact, we were able to crank the settings all the way up in Overwatch without taking a hit below 60fps. The battery life is janky, sure, but the screen, performance and onboard sound system more than make up for it.

Read the full review: Asus ROG Strix GL50

4. Alienware 13 R3

Gawk at the first-ever OLED gaming laptop

CPU: Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB DDR4 | Screen: 13.3-inch HD 1,366 x 768 TN – QHD 2,560 x 1440 OLED touchscreen | Storage: 180GB – 512GB SSD

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Gorgeous OLED screen

Improved hinge-forward design

Unexpectedly dense

Short battery life

Unlike most laptops its size, the Alienware 13 R3 bears a hinge-forward design. By moving the heat sinks behind the screen, the chassis is allowed to be thinner, at 0.81-inch (0.22cm). Unfortunately, this means you won’t find many 13-inch laptop bags that will actually suit the Alienware 13 R3. While you may be tempted by the inclusion of a full-size Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, it’s the OLED touch display that caught our attention. 

Read the full review: Alienware 13 R3

5. Razer Blade Pro

Finally, a desktop replacement with portability in mind

CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB GDDR5) – 1080 (8GB GDDR5X) | RAM: 16 – 32GB | Screen: 17.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) 120Hz matte IPS – UHD (3,840 x 2,160) IGZO touchscreen with G-Sync | Storage: 512GB – 2TB PCIe SSD

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Starboard trackpad placement

A desktop experience you can finally carry

Off-putting price

Less than 5 hours of battery life

At long last, Razer has introduced a true desktop replacement that won’t weigh you down. Measuring in at only 0.88 inches thick with the option between a 17-inch 1080p display running at 120Hz or a G-Sync-laden 4K touchscreen, the Razer Blade Pro also introduces the company’s ultra-low-profile mechanical switches to a notebook for the first time ever. That’s a deal that’s only sweetened by an unusual trackpad placement that makes it comfier to boot.

Read the full review: Razer Blade Pro

This product is only available in the US and UK as of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Alienware 17 R4