Andy Edser, {hardware} author
This month I have been testing: Gaming laptops, headphones, and the odd mouse or two. I’ve additionally fallen again into the time sink that’s Diablo 4, as a result of one of the simplest ways to check a gaming mouse is to hammer it repeatedly whereas swearing. Most likely.
One of many clichés you study to keep away from as a author is beginning a bit with “once I was youthful.” Nevertheless, I’m nothing if not contrarian, so with out additional ado—once I was youthful, gaming laptops had been garbage.
From tank-like chassis designs, to scratchy plastics, to keyboards that felt like typing on bubble wrap, there was one thing majorly incorrect with nearly all of them. The long-held recommendation was: for those who’re on the lookout for a gaming machine, do not buy a laptop computer. Correct gaming PCs had been for play, cellular machines had been for work, and shopping for a gaming laptop computer was a simple approach to waste your cash.
Over time, that notion has modified. Definitely, it has been potential to purchase a correctly highly effective gaming laptop computer for some time now for an affordable value, and we at PC Gamer spend our days searching down the perfect gaming laptop computer offers for that very motive.
Portability, too, has come a great distance. Slim, svelte machines that may slip into your backpack with out concern whereas nonetheless permitting some gaming in your subsequent flight are actually way more commonplace, and the world is healthier for it.
However 2024 felt like a sea change second for me. Regardless of current advances, I began the yr nonetheless of the opinion that, whereas gaming laptops had been significantly better than they as soon as had been, they had been nonetheless a step or two away from being the ultra-flexible, futuristic machines all of us need in our heads.
After which I obtained my palms on the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16. I nonetheless keep in mind the second I pulled it from its field, and actually laughed out loud. It is absurdly skinny, with a milled aluminium chassis that is half MacBook (boo, hiss), half sci-fi (yay). The glittering slashed rear lid design is pin-sharp in particular person, the shape issue discreet. You can simply deliver this to a gathering and by no means increase an eyebrow, apart from maybe from some uninformed soul questioning whether or not they missed the newest Apple announcement.
Besides my evaluation mannequin had a cellular RTX 4090 inside it. And that, for those who ever get the possibility to carry a G16, is absurd. I keep in mind flipping it round in my palms. The place precisely had it gone? How on earth is it going to maintain it cool?
Properly, the quick reply is, it does not. The G16 is one more laptop computer the place shoving Nvidia’s top-spec cellular GPU into the body is a foul thought. And but, it was higher than I assumed it could be when it got here to efficiency. Sure, that GPU is closely thermally throttled, and sure, the followers spin up a deal with, but it surely was higher. Not ok to justify shopping for one with this explicit graphics chip onboard, however nonetheless mightily spectacular in a laptop computer this glossy and fascinating.
On account of this mismatched GPU and chassis combo, I needed to take a large quantity off the rating in my evaluation of the G16. Because of the presence of the RTX 4090, it was too costly, and it merely did not make sense to purchase the actual mannequin I had in my palms.
Gosh it was good, although. So I used to be very happy to see that my pricey colleague Jacob, in his evaluation of a Strix Level and RTX 4070-equipped model, fell in love with it as a lot as I did. This was similar to my evaluation unit, with the mega-GPU caveat eliminated. And what a improbable laptop computer it’s.
Jacob additionally reviewed its smaller sibling, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, and gushed about its virtues to all who would pay attention. Each the G16 and the G14 have OLED screens, good keyboards, wonderful audio system, good battery life, and that cant-put-your-finger-on-it feeling of premium. Not solely that, however we have been discovering them on low cost all yr, making each of those laptops even higher worth than they’re at MSRP.
2024 to me felt just like the yr gaming laptops began to ditch their cantankerous roots, and commenced blossoming into one thing altogether extra refined.
It is not simply Asus that is been having a yr of it, both. The Lenovo Legion Professional 7i Gen 9 impressed our Katie immensely, because of its improbable velocity, spectacular Thermal Mode, and thick-yet-understated chassis.
This can be a imply machine, and whereas not as transportable because the Zephyrus fashions, definitely makes a case for itself as a grown up, highly effective gaming laptop computer for these of us that do not spend all of our waking lives bathing in RGB.
Need one other? How in regards to the Razer Blade 14, a superbly transportable little machine with an all-metal chassis, an ideal trackpad, and an extended battery life. It is not massively completely different to the Razer Blade fashions earlier than it, however appears and appears like a refinement of a formulation lengthy iterated on within the Razer labs. Gaming laptops are getting higher, it appears, and impulsively the transportable gaming machine future begins to look very vivid certainly.
In fact, there are exceptions. The MSI Titan 18 HX A14V feels prefer it comes from a special period totally, and the Asus Strix Scar 18 remains to be a little bit of a dinosaur regardless of having some redeeming options. However general? 2024 to me felt just like the yr gaming laptops began to ditch their cantankerous roots, and commenced blossoming into one thing altogether extra refined.
Which makes me very excited for 2025. On the subject of parts, we have solely simply began seeing the newest Strix Level and Lunar Lake laptops hitting the market, and we have been impressed in our early testing with what the brand new cellular CPUs can present. CES 2025 is often the venue for main laptop computer releases, and I can not wait to get my palms on the newest fashions once I fly out to Vegas initially of subsequent yr.
And as for GPUs? Properly, who is aware of at this level. Whereas we’re anticipating to see a spread of recent Nvidia graphics playing cards releasing subsequent yr, how lengthy it’s going to be earlier than cellular variations seem in new machines is anybody’s guess. Though, on condition that CES has all the time been about laptops, I would not be shocked if there was a cellular GPU launch or two thrown within the combine. Regardless, no matter the brand new cellular chips find yourself being, I think about they’re going to nonetheless pump out warmth in a means that provides producers complications.
However with the whole lot else about gaming laptops seemingly bettering, I am very curious to see what the following technology appears like when producers begin churning out new fashions with the newest parts. 2024 often is the yr when gaming laptops grew up, however as for what they could appear to be in 2025? I believe we must always all be very excited to seek out out.
