The question of which laptop is better to buy for gaming has been raised by gamers for many years.

The difficulty is that new models are coming out and what was previously considered the most powerful, today can no longer be considered as such.

The reason for this conclusion is very simple - all modern games are written for Windows (all sorts of chess and balls are not considered, we take into account games like GTA 5, NFS and the like).

But the problem is that if the computer is designed for the same MacOS, installing Windows on it will be very problematic.

The official Apple website says that there is a Boot Camp program for using Windows programs on a Mac.

There are installation instructions. But even in this case, no one is immune from compatibility problems.

Until that time, all the games were just fine, and the picture was, as they say, delicious. Now everything has changed. The same applies to other similar systems.

Frequency

The fact is that the minimum processor frequency for a gaming device today is 2.4 GHz.

Most modern games normally work only with such a frequency. It is logical that the higher the frequency, the higher the performance will be.

This can be clearly seen in the following graph.

Figure 4 shows the results of testing the same game with different processor frequencies.

Again, the main parameter here was the number of frames per second. And the lines of different colors show what the fps value was at different screen resolutions.

At 2160p the difference isn't that big, but at 1080p it's already quite noticeable.

Since most modern laptops have a resolution of no more than 1080p, it is obvious that for a good gaming laptop, the processor frequency should be at least 3 GHz.

This is more than enough for games that are still waiting to be released.

Advice: The minimum frequency of the processor should be - 3 GHz.

Number of Cores

Obviously, the performance of the computer also depends on the number of processor cores - the more there are, the faster the information will be processed.

Here the principle is very simple - all information is evenly distributed between the cores and they all process it.

But if we have already determined that the minimum processor frequency should be 3 GHz, then the criterion for the number of cores disappears automatically.

The fact is that processors with such a frequency simply cannot have few cores - from 4 to 8.

It's more important to look at the processor manufacturer and the core architecture. As for the first, let's say right away - AMD processors are not suitable for games. Choose Intel.

This is clearly seen in the following graph.

As you can see, here they took processors from Intel and AMD with a different number of cores and launched the GTA 5 game.

As a result, more frames per second were recorded when working with Intel processors.

In terms of architecture, the following graph shows that the optimal architecture models for Intel processors today are Broadwell, Skylake and Haswell, which have come out in the last 3 years.

Hence the next selection criterion.

Advice: Best Processor ArchitectureBroadwell, skylakeorHaswell.

Criterion number 3. RAM

As you know, usually games require a lot of files and data that relate to locations, objects, maps, saves and everything else. All of this is what RAM is responsible for.

Accordingly, the heavier the game, the more data it needs for loading and normal operation, the more RAM it needs.

Of course, modern games require quite a lot of such memory, but not as much as manufacturers offer.

For example, let's take a few heavy games and see what their RAM requirements are for running at maximum settings:

1. Crysis 3 - 8 GB.
2. Battlefield 4 - 8 GB.
3. Assassin's Creed 4 - 4 GB.
4. Need for Speed ​​2015 - 8 GB.

The same picture with other heavy games of our time. 8 GB is enough for the toy to work quietly without any freezes.

Yes, it is possible that in a year or two something very demanding will come out and more gigabytes will be needed there, so we will take it with a margin.

Criterion number 4. video card

As for the video card, here we will consider the most important and central parameter - the size of the video memory.

This parameter determines how much graphic information the device can store in itself.

For example, if in the game you need to load some textures to go to the next level, then they will be loaded through this very memory.

The higher the resolution in a laptop, the more video memory it will need.

In most cases, one gigabyte of video memory is more than enough.

But in order to determine the ideal amount of video memory, we must again turn to the maximum requirements for the heaviest modern games.

After reading these requirements, you can see the following picture:

1. Crysis 3 - 4 GB.
2. Battlefield 4 - 4 GB.
3. Assassin's Creed 4 - 2 GB.
4. Need for Speed ​​2015 - 4 GB.

From this we can draw a very simple conclusion - for a modern gaming laptop, you need 4 GB of video memory.

All other parameters related to the video card simply cannot be low with a large amount of video memory. Hence the next criterion.

Advice: You need at least 4 GB of video memory.

It does not matter which model of the video card will be installed in the laptop, the main thing is that it has at least 4 GB of memory.

Criterion number 5. Hard disk capacity

Most of the games listed above require at least 30 GB of free hard drive space.

But of course, we will not have one game, but 10-20 pieces, so we need to multiply 30 GB by at least 10, the result will be 300 GB.

If you take it with a margin, it will be about 500 GB. This will be our next criterion.

Advice: The minimum storage capacity must be 500 GB.

Yes, manufacturers today offer more, but so far there is simply no point in this.

Even if you install the 10 heaviest games and add a sea of ​​\u200b\u200bmovies there, it will still be very problematic to fill even 1 TB.

In addition, there is a myth that the size of the drive somehow affects performance.

This is due to the fact that supposedly the more information on the computer, the slower it will work. It is not true.

All the information that is on the drive is processed by the processor, and the faster it does it, the more productive the laptop will be. And this pattern does not change even after years of using the device.

But above we have already determined that the minimum frequency of the processor should be equal to 3 GHz. So, this is quite enough for quiet work with a large number of gigabytes of information.

Types of hard drives

An ideal option for a gaming laptop is an SSD drive. The arguments for such a bold assertion are as follows:

1. SSD drives are 100 times faster than the same HDD drives. These are not just words. Other hard drives need to spin up to access data, while SSDs have the ability to instantly access it. And all because there are no moving parts in the SSD.
2. SSD drives have higher bandwidth, and at times. This means that this type of drive will be able to skip more megabytes every second.
3. SSD drives have much higher I/O performance. This parameter characterizes how many operations the device can process. It is related to the previous one.
   Bandwidth refers to how many operations a hard drive can get into at all, while I / O performance refers to how many of these operations it can process.
4. SSDs have much faster response times. This means that they react faster when some operation comes to them for processing. Accordingly, they can process this same operation much faster.

All these parameters are shown in the figure below.

As you can see, in all three parameters, SSDs are two or three heads higher than their HDD counterparts. SSDs have other benefits as well.

For example, due to their one-piece construction, they are much more reliable.

They are absolutely not susceptible to drops, scratches, mechanical damage and, in the end, shock. Fact: The shock resistance of any SSD drive is at least 1000g/0.5ms.

In fact, this means that you can throw it against the wall and drop it on the pavement - absolutely nothing will happen to it. In general, the following criterion is obvious.

Advice: The laptop must haveSSDstorage device.

Interestingly, the combination of an SSD drive and less RAM than described above and a less powerful processor than described above can also give an impressive result.

Even with 5 GB of RAM and a processor frequency of 2.4 GHz, you can easily play the same Crysis 3 or NFS.

On the other hand, with the above parameters, you can sacrifice the dream of an SSD and take a model with an HDD.

Criterion number 6. Working hours

As you know, the operating time depends on the battery.

Of course, most of the time the laptop will work from a regular outlet, but from time to time the gamer will have to take it with him on trips or there will be some kind of power failure.

For such cases, it is necessary that the laptop has an excellent battery. Since games require a lot of computer resources, the battery must be very powerful.

Considering all the above parameters, the maximum battery life can be 9 hours.

But for a gaming laptop, 4 hours is also quite suitable - it still bothers to play games and sometimes you need to rest. Therefore, the following criterion is obvious.

Advice: Required minimum battery life is 4 hours.

In any case, you will have to buy another battery, because even if it is stated that the battery will last at least 10 hours, with an average load it will work somewhere around 7-8, and in games - 4-5.

Therefore, in practice, the same battery for 4 hours is enough for about 2 hours.

Advice: For a gaming laptop, be sure to buy a second battery, and more powerful than the one already built into it.

Criterion number 7. Weight and dimensions

Of course, no gamer wants to carry 10-20 kg on himself, even in a briefcase. The heaviest laptop to date is the Dell XPS M2010 which weighs 8.3kg.

There are also secret military developments from Philips, which, according to some experts, weigh up to 9 kg. Of course, it is not very convenient to carry such a colossus on yourself.

Therefore, it is optimal that the laptop weighs up to 4 kg.

Such a weight will not harm the human body, and if you constantly carry such an apparatus with you, a person will even stop noticing it.

Interestingly, all other parameters in the Dell XPS M2010 were at a very high level at the time of the release of this creation.

As for the size of a gaming laptop, here the considerations are the same - it is absolutely inconvenient to carry too wide a colossus.

Therefore, it is optimal that the length of the device is not more than 500 mm, and the width is 40 mm.

This is where most experts agree. This size allows the laptop to have a diagonal of 17.3 inches. Hence another criterion.

Although, of course, someone may want to buy something big and impressive. Therefore, this parameter can also be classified as optional.

Criterion number 8. Connectors and drives

For some heavy games, in particular GTA 5, the manufacturer requires that the computer has a DVD drive.

This is done with the expectation that the user will still buy the official game on disk and will only use it, and will not download everything on the Internet from torrents.

Of course, the reality is that now everything can be found on the Internet and download various games for free.

But manufacturers are moving forward and, quite possibly, already in 2017 a game will be released that cannot be broken.

A few years ago, Fifa 14 came out and for a long time no person called a “cracker” (who makes cracks for the game, that is, files that allow you to bypass protection) could crack it.

Attempts were made even by teams of specialists, in particular skidrow, Razor, Reloaded and others.

Usually all versions of FIFA break down a month after the release, but here 5 months have passed and only after that a crack appeared on the skidrow website.

And now all new versions of the football simulator break down not so easily, and at least three months pass between the release of the game and the release of the crack.

In general, it's getting harder and harder for crackers to open new games, so there should always be a DVD drive and a few thousand for a new game.

The same applies to other connectors and communications.

For example, a laptop must have an input for an HDMI cable, because if you want to connect a computer to a TV, you can do this using an HDMI cable.

In extreme cases, you can connect the TV via a VGA connector, but it's better to still have HDMI. In addition, you always want to show your friends a powerful laptop and play something together.

Therefore, the computer must have several connectors for USB devices such as joysticks and gamepads. The optimal number of USB connectors is 4.

This conclusion can be drawn from the fact that most games in the mode of collective participation are designed for such a maximum number of people.

For example, the same Fifa has five positions - one for the keyboard and 4 for gamepads.

Advice: Must be present 4USBconnector and preferablyHDMI.

Criterion number 9. Brand

In the case of laptops, do not skimp on buying a laptop from a well-known brand. The benefits of such a purchase are obvious.

Firstly, a well-known brand has its own service centers, most likely in your city or the nearest large settlement to you.

The situation here is almost the same as with phones - there are well-known brands that sell their products at a high price, and there are Chinese brands that are the same in terms of parameters, but are sold cheaper.

But the problem is that the products of well-known brands can be repaired in any city, and in order to repair the representative of our socialist brother, you need to send him directly to China.

Maybe laptops will not need to be sent directly to the manufacturer, but it is still easier and faster for craftsmen to repair well-known brands.

And secondly, after all, many years of experience proves the reliability of a particular brand.

And cheap China is still something new for us and not yet fully tested.

Based on this, we can select a list of brands that enjoy the greatest authority among users. These include the following brands:

• asus;
• Toshiba;
• Apple;
• Dell;
• Lenovo;
• Acer;

Advice: Choose manufacturers -Asus, Toshiba, Dell, Lenovo, AcerorHP (Applewe excluded from the very beginning due to difficulties with adapting games to the OS).

First Place - HP ZBook 17

Based on all the above characteristics, one single winner of the competition for the title of the best gaming laptop on the market has been selected.

They became the HP ZBook 17. You can buy it for $ 5,500 or about 380,000 rubles.

In Russia, it can be purchased at the HP brand store. It has different configurations, but the most powerful of them has the following characteristics:

• Intel Core i7 processor with a maximum frequency of 4 GHz, 4 cores and Haswell architecture;
• 32 GB of RAM (you can take it with 8 GB, it will be half the price);
• two hard drives - one 256 GB SSD (it is better to install the main games on it) and another 1 TB HDD;
• there is a DVD drive (no HDMI);
• the screen diagonal is 17.3 inches, the maximum resolution is 1920x1080;
• video memory - 8 GB;
• 4 USB ports - 3 for USB0 and 1 for USB 2.0;
• dimensions - 41.6x27.2;
• preinstalled Windows 7;
• weight - 3.5 kg.

The manufacturer gives a 3-year warranty on it.

As you can see, something still had to be sacrificed, in particular, an HDMI connector and a 500 GB SSD drive. But the fact that there is an SSD here at all is already a huge plus.

And the battery is weak - for 4.5 hours. But still, you won't find anything better on the market today.

It is worth saying that because of such a powerful graphics core, the HP ZBook 17 is perfect not only for gamers, but also for everyone who is somehow connected with graphics, in particular, designers, artists and developers.

In addition, a huge advantage of this device is that it is available in the CIS. Some modern powerful laptops can only be bought in America or China, for example.

Second place - Fujitsu CELSIUS H920

If we sacrifice several selection criteria, in particular the last one, then the winner will be the Fujitsu CELSIUS H920. It is very difficult to buy it.

Within the CIS, it is available only in a few stores. A real exclusive!

Although it costs about $ 3,000 or 200,000 rubles, which is very good. This monster has the following characteristics:

• Intel Core i7 processor with a frequency of 3 GHz, 4 cores, but with Ivy Bridge architecture;
• 16 GB of RAM;
• preinstalled Windows 7;
• screen with a diagonal of 17.3 inches and a resolution of 1920x1080;
• 4 GB video memory;
• SSD drive 512 GB;
• Blu-ray drive;
• 4 USB ports - 1 for USB0 and 3 for USB 2.0;
• battery for 9 hours.

In principle, due to a pure SSD drive, this model could beat our today's winner, even despite the outdated processor architecture, if it had more RAM.

And yet HP ZBook 17 is better.

But the Japanese Fujitsu CELSIUS H920 has its own advantages. In particular, it is a more durable battery.

If it will be possible to play on the winner of our today's competition for only 2 hours, then the Japanese will definitely withstand 4.

In any case, all modern games and even those that will be released in the next 2-3 years will work very well on both Fujitsu CELSIUS H920 and HP ZBook 17.

By the way, it is interesting that the Japanese was released in 2012, so the outdated kernel is not particularly surprising.

But the fact that this laptop has held the brand for 3 years is quite impressive!

Third place - Lenovo IdeaPad Y50-70

Finally, if one criteria is omitted, namely, the processor frequency up to 2.4 GHz (we said that this will be enough for all modern games), then the Lenovo IdeaPad Y50-70 will be the winner.

Of all three winners, this model is the most affordable to buy today - it is sold in dozens of online and offline stores.

Such a pleasure costs about 1900 dollars or 130,000 rubles. The characteristics of the Lenovo IdeaPad Y50-70 are as follows:

• Core i7 processor with Haswell architecture, 2900 MHz, 4 cores;
• 16 GB of RAM;
• the screen diagonal is 15.6 inches, the maximum resolution is 3840x2160;
• 4 GB video memory;
• battery for 5 hours;
• 1 GB of internal memory on the HDD hard drive (here, the HDD + SSD Cache combination is used, that is, the information is stored on the HDD and processed on the SSD - the effectiveness of this approach has not yet been proven);
• dimensions - 387x263.4 mm;
• weight - 2.4 kg;
• there is a DVD drive and an HDMI connector;
• 3 USB connectors - 1 for USB0 and 2 for USB 3.0;
• preinstalled system - DOS/Windows 10/Windows

In principle, this laptop loses to today's two winners only due to a slightly lower processor frequency.

But the difference is only 100 MHz, which will not be particularly noticeable in games. Under all other criteria, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y50-70 fits just fine.

In addition, it is very easy to buy it - there are many stores with different conditions. The Lenovo IdeaPad Y50-70 can even be borrowed.

But the Fujitsu CELSIUS H920 and HP ZBook 17 will have to be searched on the Internet, and you will definitely not find them in ordinary hardware stores.

So, you have chosen a gaming laptop and bought it. Now you need to do the following:

• Launch "Control Panel" and click on "Uninstall a program". There you need to see what software is already installed on the computer. The fact is that gaming laptops often add programs that duplicate each other or are not needed at all.
  They need to be removed.

• Clean up your computer from time to time. Games usually leave a lot of temporary and other unnecessary files.
  To do this, open "My Computer", right-click on the disk where the games are recorded and click "Disk Cleanup" in the window that opens.

Disk Cleanup via My Computer

• Make a backup of your data. To do this, in the same "Control Panel" you must select the item "Archiving computer data".

This will make it possible to restore the system to its initial state in the event of a malfunction.

In addition, in the same menu as shown in Figure 17, you can set up scheduled data archiving.

Although, when you first start Windows, the system must independently perform such a configuration.

• Buy wipes to wipe the screen. While conventional computers do not need to have a crystal clear screen, gaming laptops should make sure that there is no debris and dust on the screen.
  It is very important that you always have a blank screen on your gaming laptop! And this is important, first of all, because otherwise the color rendition will suffer.

• If you plan to use your laptop in the same way as a normal laptop without connecting it to the mains, from time to time you need to perform the following procedure:

1. Discharge the battery up to 40-50%;
2. Remove it from the computer and place it in a plastic bag;

3. Place the battery in one of the chambers of the refrigerator at a temperature of approximately 5 ° C;

5. Keep it in this state for several hours.

This procedure will significantly increase the battery life. Otherwise, after two years it will have to be replaced with a new one.

• If you live in a cold area and want to take your laptop out into the cold in winter, be sure to turn it off and wait about 20 minutes.
  The fact is that gaming laptops usually operate at elevated temperatures and too sudden temperature changes will definitely not do them any good.
  After arriving in a warm room from a frost, you must wait at least half an hour and only then turn on the laptop. Of course, the device must be carried in a special bag.

• Disassemble the laptop from time to time and clean the dust inside it. In gaming devices, dust will accumulate twice as much as in ordinary laptops, because the load on them is much higher.
  Particular attention should be paid to the cooler (it is marked with a red frame in Figure 20).

All this will help to enjoy greater productivity over the long term.

Below you can see a small video presentation of the Lenovo IdeaPad Y50-70, the most convenient gaming laptop to buy with maximum performance.

Video review laptop Lenovo IdeaPad Y5070

Buying a laptop! Which one to choose for games?

Modern gaming laptops a priori cannot be cheap. They must have powerful video cards and central processors, the amount of RAM. However, you can try to identify more or less affordable gaming platforms that can be classified as state employees.

1st place - ASUS G551JK (35,000 rubles)

Asus positions this laptop as a gaming laptop, although its price does not match at all.

So, the model is based on an Intel Core i5 (4200H) processor with Haswell cores with a frequency of 2.8 GHz, has NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M discrete graphics, 8 GB of RAM. There is also a regular 100 GB HDD and a 15.6-inch display with FullHD resolution.

It is worth noting that the Intel Core i5 (4200H) processor appeared in 2013. Then it was one of the most powerful dual-core chips that could increase the core frequency from 2.8 to 3.4 GHz thanks to Turbo Boost technology. Today there are much more productive processors, but this one is not far behind. In the 3Dmark06 benchmark program, this model scores 4361 points. In the overall laptop processor performance ranking, it ranks 99th. This is a good result considering its low cost.

A few words about the GeForce GTX 850M video card. This model is positioned as graphics above average. It was announced in 2014 and built on the then new Maxwell architecture. It has 640 shaders at 876 MHz and a 128-bit memory bus. Note that these graphics do not boast very high processing power, and games such as the relatively old "Crysis 3" or the more modern "Quantum break" or "Dishonored 2" will require lower graphics settings. To run the latest games, you generally have to drop the settings to a minimum. But games from 2013-2015 can be played at the highest settings.

Notebook ASUS G551JK is a good budget solution for not very demanding games. Therefore, we put it in the first place in the ranking.

2nd place - MSI GL62 6QD (44,000 rubles)

MSI has always been known for its great quality and affordable gaming laptops. The budget GL62 6QD is popular with gamers. Today it is cheap and available to the general public.

Inside, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M discrete graphics are used, an Intel Core i5 6300HQ processor with 4 cores, as well as 4 GB of RAM + there is a free slot for another 4 GB of RAM. There is also 500 GB (HDD) of memory and a simple display with a resolution of 1366x768, which does not quite correspond to a gaming laptop.

We are primarily interested in "iron". First, the Intel Core i5 6300HQ processor was announced in mid-2015. It has 4 cores with a frequency of 2.3 GHz, which can be overclocked to 2.8 (when loading all the cores) and 3.2 GHz (when loading two). The chip is made using 14nm technology, and small-sized FinFET transistors are used here. This allowed more transistors to be used in a smaller chip. Also, the Intel Core i5 6300HQ has an integrated HD Graphics 530, but we are not interested in it, because. There is a good integrated video card.

If we characterize the processor from a hardware point of view, then it is equal in performance to the Core i7-4712HQ processor. But this chip does not support Hyper-Threading technology, which is why its power is reduced by 25-30%. But the Intel Core i5 6300HQ chip itself is one of the best among budget options. In the processor performance rating (link to it is above), it takes 71st place. This is a great result.

Also, do not forget about the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M graphics. This graphics card is above average, it supports DirectX 11 and is manufactured using a 28nm process technology. It has 640 shaders at 914 MHz and a 128-bit memory bus. Most modern games of 2014-2015 will run on high graphics settings. However, 2016-2017 games will require a reduction in settings. Games like Prey (2017) or the latest installment of Dark Souls (2016) will require lower settings. Although the same Xcom 2 (2016) will go to the maximum parameters.

In any case, this video card can be called a gaming one. Just like the laptop itself. Of course, the available 4 GB of RAM will not be enough. Therefore, to the cost of 44,000 rubles, immediately add the cost of an additional 4 GB RAM slot.

3rd place - DELL INSPIRON 7566 (51,000 rubles)

The INSPIRON 7566 is powered by a powerful Core i5 6300HQ processor (exactly the same as the model above) and cool NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M discrete graphics. Also available is 8 GB of RAM and a 15.6-inch screen with FullHD resolution. Moreover, it uses a hybrid hard drive: HDD + SSD. This solution improves the performance of the system as a whole due to faster access to the disk memory cache. The capacity of the SSD drive is allocated specifically for the cache memory. But that's not the point.

By the way, there is also a more expensive (over 60 thousand rubles) modification of this model based on a powerful Core i7 processor. However, now we are considering a budget laptop INSPIRON 7566.

You already know the performance of the Core i5 6300HQ processor. The same chip is used in the MSI GL62 6QD model (2nd place in this rating). But we have not yet written about the GeForce GTX 960M video card. Like the 950th model, this chip is manufactured according to the 28th technical process, has 640 shaders with a frequency of 1096-1202 MHz. A 128-bit memory bus is standard here. In the overall ranking of mobile graphics cards GeForce GTX 960M takes 75th place. The full rating is available at the link above.

We will not go into technical details, but we note that modern games of 2017-2016 will run on medium / low graphics settings. This laptop is better than the one in 2nd place, but not by much. And at the same time, it is much more expensive, although it still fits into the category of state employees.

4th place - ASUS GL552JX (47,000 rubles)

The next gaming laptop from Asus is the GL552JX model with a 15.6-inch screen and a resolution of 1366x768. It already uses the familiar 2-core Intel Core i5 4200H CPU with an operating frequency of 2.8 GHz and the ability to raise it to 3.4 GHz. Also inside is 6GB of RAM and GeForce GTX 950M discrete graphics. We have already described all this “hardware” above.

What can be noted: modern “heavy” games this laptop will not pull, but thanks to its parameters it may well be called a gaming one.

5th place - Lenovo IdeaPad Y700 14 (48,000 rubles)

Typically, Lenovo makes budget laptops for general use, not gaming. But here an exception happened and Lenovo introduced the Y700 14 model, which immediately received the status of a gaming budget laptop.

Inside, AMD Radeon R9 M375 discrete graphics and an Intel Core i5 6300HQ processor are used. The same processor is used in the MSI GL62 6QD laptop, which is in second place in this rating. Among state employees, he is one of the best. We will not repeat. If you are interested in more detailed information about it, see the second place above.

As for the Radeon R9 M375 graphics, it is made according to the 28-nm process technology, has a 128-bit bus and 640 shaders with a frequency of 1015 MHz. This is a lot, but performance can be limited by 128-bit slow memory.

A distinctive feature is hardware video decoding and the ability to switch between discrete and integrated graphics (if such graphics are in the processor), which saves energy. In the rating of mobile video cards, this model is in 180th place, which is worse compared to video cards higher in the rating.

Conclusion

We named the TOP 5 cheapest video cards that are positioned as gaming. They are not able to "pull" modern demanding games at high graphics settings, not to mention the games that are about to be released to the world.

A cheap gaming laptop is as much a myth as a unicorn or a flying spaghetti monster. An inexpensive gaming laptop like the Lenovo IdeaPad starts at Rs. In this article, we will tell you how to choose a budget gaming laptop and what you should pay attention to when buying.

What to Consider When Buying a Gaming Laptop

Graphic card

A gaming laptop differs from the usual one by the presence of a powerful graphics card. GTX 1050 Ti laptops offer the best value for money this year. However, the prices for these laptops are quite high. More budget laptops are equipped with Nvidia GeForce 940MX or AMD Radeon R5 graphics cards.

video memory

An important characteristic of a graphics adapter is the amount of video memory (VRAM). When choosing the amount of video memory, we recommend that you follow one simple rule - the more - the better. The minimum for a gaming laptop is 2 gigabytes of VRAM. It is better if the graphics card has its own video memory and does not use part of the RAM for its own needs.

CPU

The processor of a gaming laptop must be powerful enough to keep up with the work of the graphics adapter and process large amounts of information in time. For computer games, Intel Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 processors are recommended. Budget laptops are equipped with 6th generation SkyLake processors. Laptops with 7th generation processors are significantly more expensive.

RAM

The amount of RAM is very important for computer performance. For a gaming machine, it is recommended to have a RAM of 8 gigabytes or more.

HDD

A hard drive, HDD or SSD, is used to store games, movies, music, and other files. For a gaming laptop, 500 gigabytes is considered the minimum amount for a hard drive HDD. SSD drives are much faster and more reliable because they have no moving parts. But they also cost a lot more. Some gaming systems install two drives, an HDD for data storage and an SSD for the operating system. However, not all laptops can work with two drives.

Cooling system and noise

The processor and graphics adapter of a gaming laptop generate a lot of heat during operation. Without a proper cooling system, the laptop electronics will overheat, the laptop will run slower and freeze when overheated. The laptop cooling system consists of fans and sensors. Fans produce noise during operation, the level of which is measured in decibels. However, gamers usually make so much noise during the game that the noise of the fan can be neglected. You can learn about the efficiency of the cooling system from consumer reviews and from video reviews.

Keyboard

The keyboard is one of the main means of user interaction with a computer. For a gamer, the WASD buttons are of particular importance. When buying a gaming laptop, pay attention to the convenience of the location of the buttons and the comfort of pressing.

touchpad

For a gaming laptop, the touchpad does not play a big role, since gamers most often use a mouse-type manipulator.

Upgradability

Not all laptops allow you to independently increase the amount of RAM or change the hard drive. When buying, you should make sure that the design features of the laptop allow you to upgrade.

Build quality

Build quality is very important, however, quite rare in budget gaming laptops. Build quality refers to the material from which the case is made, the features of the display attachment, the comfort of the keyboard and other parts of the laptop. A quality laptop is more resistant to drops, bumps and other stressful situations.

Speakers

Speakers don't play a big role when choosing a gaming laptop, as gamers typically use headphones or external speakers.

Which laptop to choose for gaming

Below is a list of inexpensive gaming laptops that are suitable for games such as: World of Tanks, Dota 2, Minecraft and World of Warcraft. For games that are more demanding on the hardware of the computer, you should be guided by the technical recommendations that come with the game.

• Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575G-57D4
• Lenovo Ideapad 510 15.6 inch
• Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575G-52RJ
• HP 15-ba043wm 15.6 inch
• ASUS X555DA-WS11 15.6 inch
• Lenovo 110-17IKB 17.3 inch
• Dell Inspiron i5555-2866SLV 15.6"
• Dell Inspiron i5559-1747SLV 15.6"
• Acer Aspire E E5-575-53EJ 15.6 inch
• HP 15-ay011nr 15.6 inch
• Lenovo 300-17ISK 80QH 17.3 inch
• Acer Aspire E5-575G-562T 15.6 inch
• Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575G-53VG 15.6 inch