Best Gaming Laptops (2026): Razer, Asus, Dell, and More

I've been testing gaming laptops for over a decade, and I've observed an immense amount of evolution in those years. Gaming laptops were once expensive, thick, and altogether impractical—not to mention pathetic in performance compared to a desktop PC. In almost all cases, it just made more sense to buy or build a desktop.

That couldn't be more different in 2026. Not only are gaming laptops solid alternatives to a gaming tower, they aren't much larger than their non-gaming laptop cousins. From budget-friendly to decked-out powerhouses, I've reviewed over a dozen models in the past year to get you the very best options for all your gaming needs.

If one of the options below doesn't work for you, check out my comprehensive guide to How to Buy a Gaming Laptop for more information.

Powerful, Thin, and Gorgeous

The PC gaming aesthetic of the past was loud and in your face—blaring lights, harsh angles, and oversized vents. These days, it's all about embracing a clean, modern style. Thinner and less chunky is preferred, and if possible, a subtler approach to RGB and branding. The Razer Blade has always been a proponent of that new generation of PC gaming, and the latest Blade 16 embodies it best. Aside from the green-snaked logo on the lid, there are few elements here that scream “gamer.”

There's a reason it's often seen as the MacBook of gaming laptops. It sports a machined aluminum construction, thin bezels, very few vents, and simple straight edges. In 2025, the Blade 16 somehow got even more slim, despite the fact that it still ranges up to an RTX 5090, which is the most powerful laptop graphics card right now. It's really expensive, though, and only available through Razer.com.

If you like the design but want something cheaper and more accessible, the smaller Razer Blade 14 is also really impressive. Your GPU options with the 14-inch model are only between the RTX 5060 and RTX 5070, but you'll be surprised by how much performance it delivers. The Blade 14's compact nature means it's the better choice if you're planning to bring this around campus or on work trips.

For years, the Razer Blade laptops were alone in their pursuit of being the ultimate minimalist gaming laptop. Then, Asus came around with its ROG Zephyrus G14 and G16. Once relegated as cheaper knockoffs of the Blades, they're evolved into unique devices that are every bit as premium as Razer's laptops. They're just as thin, powerful, and high-end. Like the Blades, the G14 and G16 both use a high-resolution OLED display too. These days, these laptops are equally expensive to the Blades, but I mention them because they are still worthy alternatives to the Razer Blades.

Now, there's another class of high-end gaming laptop that focuses more on performance than being thin or portable. The Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 is one of my favorites in this class, featuring a beautiful white chassis and glossy OLED display. Unlike some OLED displays, the Legion 7i's screen can be cranked up to over 1,000 nits of brightness. The result is some really splendid HDR performance that brings games to life. HDR is a powerful way of improving the visuals of your games without a performance cost. The Legion 7i Gen 10 is one of the very best in this regard.

It's still fairly thin at 0.7 inches thick too, while a lot of the ports are found on the back. It's the definition of a “clean” gaming laptop. It's no slouch when it comes to performance either, offering either the RTX 5070 Ti or RTX 5080 for graphics.

Cheap Gaming Laptops That Are Worth It

No gaming laptops worth buying are actually cheap. High-refresh rate displays and discrete graphics will always make them more expensive than standard laptops. But as you get closer to $1,000, there is one laptop I always come back to: the Lenovo LOQ 15. Pronounced “Lock,” this Lenovo subbrand is known for cutting the fluff and focusing on giving gamers the performance they need at an affordable price. No laptop does that better than the LOQ 15. Many laptop manufacturers sell their RTX 5060 configurations for hundreds of dollars more. In reality, if you're shopping around $1,000, there's no reason to not buy the LOQ 15. Just do it.

If you do want to save some extra cash, there is another option that is cheaper than the LOQ 15 with a few compromises in key areas. The Acer Nitro V 16 is that laptop, which comes with an RTX 5050. This was as affordable as $600 at one point last year—before prices on laptops have risen due to the ongoing memory shortage—but it remains the only laptop cheaper than the Lenovo LOQ 15 that's actually worth it. It's fairly powerful for the RTX 5050, and while the screen is pretty shoddy, it's not a bad-looking laptop. The one big caveat is that the 135-watt power supply it comes with doesn't deliver quite enough power to keep it charged in Performance mode. Read more about this issue in my review, as it's important to know about if you're planning to buy it.

There are other cheap gaming laptops out there I've tested, such as the MSI Cyborg A15, but either the Acer Nitro V 16 or Lenovo LOQ 15 are better, cheaper options. You will also find lots of gaming laptops under $1,000 that use older graphics cards, such as the RTX 4050 or 3050. In general, I'd recommend staying away from these. They're only one or two generations back, but remember: Nvidia only releases new laptop graphics cards every couple of years. So, an RTX 4050 laptop may be well over two years old already, and an RTX 3050 is over five years old. Not only do you get worse graphics performance, these laptops are much more likely to need to be replaced sooner.

Experimental Stuff

One of the exciting things about the world of gaming laptops right now is the experimentation. While clamshell gaming laptops with a conventional Nvidia GPU are the most standard way to go, there's a few different ways to take your PC games on the go that stretch the boundaries. You might consider a gaming handheld, for example, like the Steam Deck or Xbox Ally X. These handhelds have their fans, and while you can't also do your homework on these devices, they're great on couches, trains, and planes.

But beyond handhelds, there's also some more interesting gaming laptops that play with different form factors that I've really enjoyed testing over the past year. My favorite has to the Asus ROG Flow Z13. This is a 2-in-1 gaming laptop, meaning it's essentially a Windows tablet with a detachable keyboard cover. All the guts of the device are behind the screen, which in the case of the 2025 model, include the AMD Ryzen Max+ chip. In other words, it's a Surface Pro designed for playing games.

Because it's a tablet, your hands are always kept far away from vents and warm surfaces. Nearly every gaming laptops I've ever used gets warm on the palm rests and keyboard while gaming, leaving you with sweaty hands after a few missions of Arc Raiders. But not the Flow Z13. Because of the design, the ROG Flow Z13 is also one of the smallest and most compact gaming devices you can buy. Asus has also been experimenting with dual-screen gaming laptops for years, and the most interesting one is coming out later this year, the ROG Zephyrus Duo. I saw it at CES a few months ago, and it was one of the most exciting new gaming devices I've seen in a while.

There's a lot of laptops that can play games that aren't necessarily marketed solely as gaming products. There are laptops more oriented toward content creators with discrete GPUs like the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i or Asus ProArt P16. I like both of these options, and since they're over six months old at this point, you can find some decent deals on them, such as this RTX 5050 version of the Yoga Pro 9i.

For something a bit more grounded, I'd take a look at the Dell XPS 14. While it doesn't have a discrete graphics card, there's a configuration that uses Intel's latest X7 integrated graphics, which are surprisingly powerful. Don't buy the XPS 14 first and foremost as a gaming device, but like a MacBook Pro, it's absolutely capable of running AAA games on the side. I was able to average 56 frames per second in Cyberpunk 2077 with the settings at Medium. For a laptop without a discrete graphics card, that's kind of mind-blowing. When you need it, Intel offers both a Low Latency mode and XeSS upscaling—and when used together, you get faster frame rates without too much visual distortion or input lag. Battery also benefits if you go with a non-gaming laptop. Unlike many of the gaming laptops on this list, it actually gets fantastic battery life, competitive with the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

Other Good Gaming Laptops I've Tested

Asus TUF Gaming A14 for $2,200: I tested this laptop recently and was impressed by the quality of the design, display, and touchpad. The AMD Strix Point CPU used inside is also compelling, providing the best gaming performance ever seen on integrated graphics. That being said, it's priced much higher than last year's more conventional RTX 5060 version, which is still more powerful.

Asus ROG Strix G16 for $1,400: It doesn't have the design finesse of the Razer Blade 16, Lenovo Legion 7i, or Alienware 16 Aurora. But the Strix G16 offers great performance at lower prices than those competitors, and the RTX 5060 is at $1,300 right now. The Lenovo LOQ 15 is still the better value, though.

Alienware 16X Aurora for $1,600: Alienware has lost some focus with its gaming laptops recently, but its latest refresh feels like a return to form. The Alienware 16X Aurora (7/10, WIRED Recommends) sits in the middle of the lineup, attempting to offer the right balance of performance, premium features, and price. At its current price, it nails it. And while there are cheaper ways to get RTX 5060-level performance, the bright, color-accurate IPS display is a great upgrade, as is the premium touchpad. All in all, the Alienware 16X Aurora ended up being my favorite Alienware gaming laptop in years. It's too expensive at retail price, so wait for a discount on this one.

MSI Titan 18 HX for $4,999: Power. It's what PC gamers want most, right? Well, if that's you, and you don't have a budget, get the MSI Titan 18 HX (7/10, WIRED Recommends). It sets the definition for “large and in charge.” This machine is blinged out with tons of advanced features like a mechanical keyboard, an invisible haptic-feedback touchpad, and plenty of RGB lighting. The touchpad wasn't my favorite, but typing and gaming on the mechanical keyboard is an absolute joy. There are a few other 18-inch laptops to consider, like the updated Alienware 18 Area-51 or the Razer Blade 18. But the incredible 4K+ mini-LED display is something you can't get on another 18-inch laptop. Games look gorgeous on it, and thanks to the RTX 5090, you can play AAA games at that native resolution at decent frame rates. This MSI is a beast of a laptop, so don't try to take it with you on a work trip. Trust me.

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