Find the best laptop for gaming in 2026
To find the best gaming laptop we recommend to focus on these characteristics:
- Graphics card - look for latest offering from Nvidia and AMD, make sure it's discrete and has enough VRAM
- Thermal performance - rule of thumb: opt for thick and heavy laptop as they tend to handle workload better
- Display - 2K display with fast response (1ms) and high refresh rate (120Hz+) is optimal
Best Laptops under €500 for gaming
Acer Aspire 3 15.6" A315-24P-R7VH Silver 2023
Great Alternatives
These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs
ASUS GT730-SL-2GD5-BRK
Coolby 15.6" RiaBook Gray
HP Essential 14" TPN-Q221 Pink 2026
ASUS Vivobook 14" X1404VAP-V14.C58256 Quiet Blue 2025
Acer Aspire Go 15.6" AG15-32P-39R2 Silver
HP Stream HP Stream 14 Silver 2024
OTVOC DGBook 15.6" DGBook A2 Gray 2025
Lenovo IdeaPad 14" 1
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook 14" 82XJ004AUS Abyss Blue 2025
Coolby BTC519 15.6" BTC519 2025
BLUEING 15.6" NS15Y Gray
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex Flex 3 Chromebook 15" Blue 2024
Acer Chromebook 314 14" CBO314-1H-C476 Black 2025
Acer Chromebook 15.6" CB315-4H-C8XU Silver 2022
HP Newest HP 14 Inch Laptop Natural Silver 2024
Best Laptops under €900 for gaming
HP ZBook Ultra 14" G1a Meteor Silver 2025
Great Alternatives
These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs
Lenovo LOQ Essential 15.6" 83LK00C9US Luna Grey 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
An Intel Core i5-12450HX and RTX 4050 drive a 15.6-inch 144Hz 100% sRGB IPS display for smooth 1080p gaming. The 1.9kg build and color-accurate screen add portability for content consumption. It best suits students and casual gamers needing everyday entertainment and 1080p play, though 8GB RAM limits developer multitasking.
Acer Nitro V 15.6" ANV15-52-586Z Black 2025
TOPGRO 16" S1 Silver
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6" 82XM00LMUS Arctic Grey 2025
Acer Nitro 15.6" V Gaming Laptop |
ASUS Vivobook 16" M1607KA-DS54 Quiet Blue
Why we recommend this ▼
The dedicated AMD XDNA NPU in the Ryzen AI 5 340 processor provides up to 50 TOPS for on-device Copilot+ features like Recall and live captions. Its 16-inch 1920x1200 IPS display with 16:10 aspect ratio and a backlit numeric keypad supports efficient data entry and multitasking. This laptop is best for students and office workers who want an AI-enhanced large-screen machine for document work, not color-critical creative tasks or frequent travel.
Lenovo Ideapad 5 Pro 16" Ideapad 5 Pro Black 2021
HP OmniBook X Flip 14" 14-fk0013dx Meteor Silver 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
The AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 processor with 50 TOPS NPU and 19.5-hour video playback battery life deliver responsive AI-powered productivity in a thin-and-light convertible. Weighing just 1.41 kg and featuring a 14-inch multi-touch display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, it offers durable, flexible portability. This laptop is best for students and remote workers needing all-day battery and on-device Copilot+ features, not for color-critical creative work or gaming.
Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6" 15ABR8 Arctic Grey 2025
ASUS Zenbook 14" UX3407QA-DS52-CA Beige 2025
Acer Aspire 16" A16-11MT-X669 Gray
Why we recommend this ▼
The Snapdragon X chip with a 45 TOPS NPU and Adreno GPU drives a 16-inch 1920x1200 120Hz touchscreen with 100% sRGB and Wi-Fi 7 for responsive AI tasks. Weighing 1.55kg with a backlit keyboard, HDMI 2.1, and dual USB-C ports, it delivers a well-connected portable design. This Copilot+ PC suits students and entertainment-focused users for everyday productivity and streaming, though its integrated graphics perform poorly in gaming.
Int 15.6" NYBOOK 2026
MALLRACE 15.6" LX15PRO Gray
Lenovo Ideapad 1i 15.6" 82QD00DHUS Cloud Gray 2023
Lenovo V15 15.6" V15 Black 2026
Best Laptops under €2,000 for gaming
ASUS ROG Strix 16" G615LM-DS96 Eclipse Gray 2025
Great Alternatives
These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs
Lenovo LOQ 15.6" LOQ Grey 2023
Why we recommend this ▼
Its 14-core Intel Core i7-13700H and RTX 4060 with 8GB VRAM power smooth 144Hz gameplay, while the 32GB DDR5 memory handles multitasking. A unique bonus is the included KKE mousepad and the versatile port selection, including USB-C with DisplayPort 1.4 and 140W charging. This machine suits budget-conscious esports players and streaming creators who value a high-refresh 1080p screen and full I/O without premium pricing.
Acer Nitro 16" ANV16S-41-R2AJ Black 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
AMD Ryzen 7 260 and GeForce RTX 5060 with 572 AI TOPS power its 16-inch 180Hz 100% sRGB IPS display for fluid, accurate visuals. Thunderbolt, HDMI 2.1, and three USB-A ports, alongside 32GB DDR5 RAM, deliver robust connectivity and smooth multitasking. It’s best for desk-bound gamers and creators prioritizing high-refresh AI performance over portability, reflected in its low 50.4 compactness score.
MSI Thin 15.6" Thin A15 Gray 2025
ASUS Vivobook 16" V16 Black 2025
ASUS TUF 16" FX608JHR-DS74 Jaeger Gray 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
Equipped with a 16-core Intel Core i7-14650HX and an 8GB GeForce RTX 5050, this laptop delivers strong 1080p gaming performance with DLSS 4 and a smooth 165Hz display. Its military-grade durability and efficient cooling system ensure reliable operation during long sessions, backed by a generous port selection including Thunderbolt 4. This machine is best for competitive gamers and streamers who need a durable, high-refresh-rate system with the latest frame generation technology.
Acer Predator 16" PT516-52s Steel Gray 2023
Why we recommend this ▼
The 2560x1600 240Hz G-SYNC display covers 100% DCI-P3 at 500 nits, backed by an Intel i7-12700H and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti with 8GB VRAM. Liquid metal cooling with 5th Gen AeroBlade 3D fans and Killer DoubleShot Pro networking sustain performance under combined workloads. Best for video editors and 3D artists who require a color-accurate high-refresh panel for grading and GPU-accelerated rendering while gaming competitively.
ASUS TUF Gaming 14" FA401WV-WB94 Black 2024
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 15.6" G533QS-DS94 Black 2022
Why we recommend this ▼
Powered by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX, the 15.6-inch 300Hz FHD IPS display ensures minimal motion blur in fast-paced titles. Its opto-mechanical per-key RGB keyboard provides tactile, clicky feedback rarely found in gaming laptops. This machine suits esports competitors who need 300Hz refresh rates and responsive mechanical inputs above 4K resolution.
Acer Nitro V 15.6" ANV15-52-98KV Black 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
The 14-core Intel Core i9-13900H and RTX 5060 8GB graphics deliver strong 1080p gaming performance, backed by a 165Hz IPS display for fluid motion. A 1TB Gen 4 SSD and Thunderbolt connectivity add speed and expandability beyond typical budget gaming laptops. This machine is best for competitive gamers who prioritize high frame rates and upgradeability over ultra-portability.
MSI Cyborg 15.6" 144Hz Black
MSI Cyborg A15 AI 15.6" Cyborg A15 AI B2HWEKG-074US Black 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
With an AMD Ryzen 7 260 and RTX 4050 with 8GB VRAM, it drives its 144Hz 1080p display for smooth gaming in a 1.95kg chassis. Its 1TB SSD, Wi-Fi 6E, and semi-transparent cyberpunk-inspired design add practical speed and a distinctive look. This laptop suits entry-level gamers and students who need a portable machine for esports and daily productivity.
Acer Nitro 5 15.6" AN515-58-725A Obsidian Black 2022
Why we recommend this ▼
The 14-core Intel Core i7-12700H and RTX 3060 6GB GPU drive smooth 1080p gameplay, leveraging a 144Hz IPS display with a 3ms response time for crisp motion clarity. A full port array including Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI 2.1 ensures strong peripheral connectivity, despite the 2.50kg build’s limited portability. This laptop suits budget-focused gamers seeking high refresh rate performance and desktop-level CPU muscle without needing a thin-and-light form factor.
HP Victus 15.6 Gray 2024
Dell Alienware 16 Aurora 16" AC16250 Blue
MALLRACE 18.5 Inch Laptops Silver Gray 2026