The best gaming laptops of CES 2021: Asus, Lenovo, MSI and more – Eurogamer.net

This weeks CES exhibition saw the statement of dozens of new video gaming laptop computers, many with new AMD Ryzen 5000 processors, RTX 30-series graphics cards or both. This makes it a perfect time to choose up a gaming laptop computer, as youll know that youre getting the most recent specifications that will make PC video games look and play their best.

Just move down the page to begin, or utilize the fast links listed below to leap to the model youre most interested in.

The first designs are set to arrive on January 26th, so have a look at our roundup of the most interesting statements from the program floor – weve got highlights from all the significant producers including Asus, Lenovo, MSI, Razer and more. Weve likewise broken down the most significant gaming laptop trends for 2021, so youll understand the specifications and functions to keep an eye out for.

Acer Nitro 5: the best value proposition

15-/ 17-inch 1080p up to 360Hz or 1440p 144Hz, approximately RTX 3080, Ryzen 5900HX

The Nitro 5 was most likely Acers most popular video gaming note pad in 2020, thanks to its low expense of entry on the most decently equipped models and respectable performance throughout the stack. The 2021 variation looks even more powerful, with Ryzen 5000 series processors in many units and anything from a GTX 1650 to RTX 3080 offered depending upon how much you invest – with the base design costing $750 and the most pricey $2300. It could well be onto another winner if Acer is able to beat its competitors on price while maintaining performance. We wouldnt mind a fresh design on its 2022 models, though …

Also from Acer: The Triton 300 SE looks delightfully over the top for a 14-inch laptop, with a streamlined anodised aluminium body, other models upgraded for 2021 consist of the Helios 300, Aspire 5 and Aspire 7.

Asus Zephyrus G14: the king of 2020 returns

14-inch 1440p 120Hz, RTX 3060, Ryzen 5900HS

The programmable matrix design is back and upgraded with new functions, the RTX 2060 Max-Q has actually been switched for a substantially more effective RTX 3060 Max-P and the screen has actually seen a massive improvement too. The 1080p 120Hz 16:9 screen of the original has been switched for a 1440p 120Hz 16:10 alternative; the taller display and higher resolution should make this a better machine for surfing the web or working. If the company has the ability to strike the very same ~$ 1200 cost point, this could be an outright champ.

From Asus: If you desire even more power, Asus has likewise made a Zephyrus G15 with the same style, which can be fitted with up to an RTX 3080 graphics card. The remainder of the businesss deep lineup also looks strong, including the dual-screen ZenBook Pro Duo 15, the Strix Scar 15 and the Tuf Gaming Dash F15. Oh, and search for the Flow X13, its insane.

We chose the ultra-portable Flow X13 and its tiny XG Mobile RTX 3080 external GPU as the coolest tech revealed at CES 2021, however were choosing something a little more standard here. The Zephyrus G14 was the surprise laptop hit of 2020, thanks to its blend of a truly cool and elegant design and a suddenly powerful Ryzen 4000 processor. Now more laptop vendors have actually captured onto the strength of AMDs Ryzen platform, with many moving a bulk of devices to the new Ryzen 5000 chips, but the updated Zephyrus G14 still holds some special appeal.

Dell Alienware m17 R4: a throughly premium affair

17-inch 1080p 360Hz, up to RTX 3080 and Core i9 10980HK

Dell, like numerous manufacturers, is opting to upgrade its Alienware laptops with the current RTX 30-series graphics cards and enhanced display screen choices, although a lack of 45W 11th-gen parts means that youll still get a 10th-generation Core i7 or Core i9 Intel processor. HDMI 2.1 support has actually been included, permitting connections to compatible 4K 120Hz HDR monitors and TVs, and both memory and storage options have actually been expanded significantly. Regretfully, it appears like theres no 1440p screen alternative right now, with Dell rather choosing a 1080p 144Hz, 1080p 360Hz or 4K 60Hz. The smaller sized Alienware m15 likewise comes with a 4K OLED screen choice. The style of these laptops also hasnt altered, possibly teeing up a more substantive modification in the future. The m17 (and smaller m15) R4 will start at $2150, making these wholly exceptional proposals.

Gigabyte Aorus 15P: all about the cooling capability

15-inch 1080p 240Hz, RTX 3060 or RTX 3070, Core i7 10870H

From Gigabyte: The Aorus 15G and 17G are comparable designs with comparable specs, however sustained performance needs to be a bit lower in exchange for a slimmer design. Depending on how frequently you move your laptop computer around, a thinner and lighter option might make more sense. For more budget-friendly alternatives, take a look at the brand-new Gigabyte Gaming A and Gaming G series styles, that include 11th-gen Comet Lake H CPUs, RTX 30-series GPUs and 144Hz or 240Hz display screens.

Lenovo Legion 7: powerful, expert, quite irreproachable
16-inch 1440p 165Hz, RTX 30-series (TBA), Ryzen 5000 (TBA).
The Lenovo Legion 7 seems to have perfectly recorded the trends of CES 2021, with an upgraded screen, RTX 30-series graphics cards and Ryzen 5000 processors. The screen is the emphasize for me; its a 16-inch 1440p 165Hz G-Sync unit with a 16:10 element ratio (taller than the typical 16:9). Its also HDR capable, with an entry-level DisplayHDR 400 accreditation and DolbyVision assistance, which is a cool inclusion. The chassis is excellent too, with zone-controlled Corsair iCUE-controlled RGB lighting on every side – which can be switched off for a perfectly professional appearance – and a larger trackpad than in 2015s iteration. Internally, it looks like Lenovo is another maker intending for improved cooling efficiency, with increased airflow, more copper heat pipes and a number of brand-new temperature level sensing units. Even the internals have actually been styled too, with QR codes for fast acknowledgment of parts to replace or upgrade when the time comes. The entire package looks extremely appealing, and were wanting to check this one out ourselves.
More from Lenovo: The 17-inch or 15-inch Legion 5 designs should be the best value options in the lineup, with last years 15-inch sizes dropping to around ₤ 800 for a version with RTX 2060 and Core i5 processor. And unlike entry-level gaming laptops from other vendors, the Legion 5 looks restrained and clean, quickly passing for an organization laptop when called upon, while still providing decent thermal performance, battery life and port choice.
Lenovo likewise launched this death metal review of in 2015s Legion, which is … awesome.MSI GE76 Raider Dragon Edition Tiamat: the name says it all.

Gigabyte claims this has reduced CPU/GPU temperature levels by around 10 degrees, a substantial improvement, and that the laptop computer can preserve high clock speeds longer than its competition. The laptop computer likewise utilizes Microsoft Azure AI to balance load between CPU and GPU, something that Nvidia likewise mentioned doing with their Dynamic Boost 2.0 tech on the brand-new RTX 30-series cards.

15-inch 1080p 240Hz, RTX 3060 or RTX 3070, Core i7 10870H.

The specifications, features and styles that are so hot today.

Dell, like numerous manufacturers, is choosing to update its Alienware laptops with the newest RTX 30-series graphics cards and enhanced display alternatives, although a lack of 45W 11th-gen parts means that youll still get a 10th-generation Core i7 or Core i9 Intel processor. The laptop likewise uses Microsoft Azure AI to stabilize load between CPU and GPU, something that Nvidia likewise pointed out doing with their Dynamic Boost 2.0 tech on the brand-new RTX 30-series cards. And unlike entry-level gaming laptops from other suppliers, the Legion 5 looks clean and restrained, easily passing for a company laptop when called upon, while still providing decent thermal performance, battery life and port selection. These are all terrific changes, but the proof of the pudding will be in the tasting – so do examine your favourite outlets for evaluations on laptop computers youre interested in rather than taking a laptop makers word that their new system is as best as it appears.

When selecting a laptop, do make certain that both elements have actually been updated, as some makers are doing more restricted refreshes of simply the CPU or simply the GPU, specifically on their entry-level products. This is specifically true on Intel-based devices, where full-fat followups to chips like the Core i9 10980HK do not yet exist – so producers require to pivot to AMD Ryzen 5000 or stick with 10th-gen CPUs. These half-upgrades will result in less expensive price tag, but its still worth knowing just how much you d require to spend to get the latest tech throughout.

The greatest discovery for me at this years program has actually been the intro of high refresh rate 1440p screens on many models. For far too long, youve just had 2 choices on video gaming laptops: a standard 1080p screen at 120Hz or higher, targeted towards competitive players, and a 4K 60Hz alternative developed for content developers. Neither are perfect alternatives – 1080p can look a little grainy at 15 inches or more and doesnt offer a lot of screen property for working, while 4K is frequently nigh-impossible to run at 60fps in modern AAA games and absolutely wrecks your battery life. Now, 1440p offers the very same amazing middle ground it does on PC monitors. It looks sharp at 15 or 17 inches, it needs just a modest boost in visual horse power to perform at high frame-rates and it provides more screen property for getting work done. 1440p is the absolute sweet spot for PC gaming on desktops, and with the most recent CPUs and GPUs theres no factor why that cant likewise be true on brand-new laptops.

Laptop designers have also pushed out the boat this year, with lots of selecting more trendy or over-the-top designs that can assist you stick out or mix in, depending on your preferences. MSI and Asus have actually lead the pack here, but weve spotted some remarkable styles from a wide variety of manufacturers. There generally appears to be less of a concentrate on decreasing and shrinking dimensions weight too, with numerous new models in fact being much heavier or thicker than their equivalents to make sure appropriate cooling efficiency, longer battery life or the addition of features like higher-res screens. These are all fantastic modifications, however the proof of the pudding will be in the tasting – so do examine your preferred outlets for reviews on laptop computers youre interested in rather than taking a laptop computer makers word that their brand-new system is as perfect as it appears.

Approximately 15-inch 1440p 240Hz, RTX 30-series, as much as Core i7-10875H.

Also from Razer: The Blade Pro 17 has likewise been refreshed with RTX 30-series graphics cards and improved screens, while the Blade 15 Base is less expensive than in the past at $1700 – yeah, its still not cheap however thats never actually been Razers thing. In general, there are a lot more configurations than in the past, thanks to the brand-new screen choices, so do inspect evaluations and item pages thoroughly to ensure its the specification youre interested in!

With that, we come to the end of our CES 2021 laptop computer roundup. I hope you discovered these musings useful, and make certain to let us understand if you have any questions, recommendations or comments. You can reach me on Twitter @wsjudd or in the comments below; either way well capture you for more PC video gaming coverage here at Eurogamer in the really near future.

Razers Blades use some of the best styles in the gaming laptop space, crafted like a MacBook from a single hunk of aluminium, so its not surprising that we dont see a new design for the 2021 models. Rather, you get upgraded internals, particularly RTX 30-series graphics cards, and updated displays, with alternatives for high refresh rate 1080p and 1440p resolutions plus 4K 60Hz – so far, so common? I d love to see Ryzen 5000 processors offered as a choice too, with all of the designs Ive identified choosing for Intels slightly-outdated 10th-generation Core i7 processors rather.

We wouldnt mind a fresh style on its 2022 designs, though …

MSI are never content with making a common laptop, a mindset I enjoy. The laptop computer is likewise the very first to ship with WiFi 6E, according to MSI, which can use the 6GHz band as well as the more normal 2.4 GHz and 5GHz bands.

From MSI: The GE76 is likewise offered as a more common looking laptop for $2199, while the GE66 Stealth is a thinner and lighter 15.6-inch take on a comparable concept. The Stealth 15M is MSIs super-thin and more expert offering, while the Creator 15 features a 4K OLED screen and RTX 30-series graphics card. All appearance fully equipped, although future Ryzen 5000 designs could offer much more firepower.

Also from Acer: The Triton 300 SE looks delightfully over the top for a 14-inch laptop, with a sleek anodised aluminium body, other models updated designs 2021 include the Helios 300, Aspire 5 and Aspire 7.

Gaming laptop 2021 trends.

Mentioning upgraded specs, there are numerous developments you can anticipate on your next purchase. As we pointed out in the intro, all three major chip-makers have revealed brand-new models recently, so instead of getting simply a CPU or GPU upgrade over in 2015s models youre likely to get both. This incorporate really nicely with the shift to 1440p 120Hz screens, with Nvidias RTX 30-series cards apparently delivering up to a 50 per cent boost in frame-rates on comparable processors; you can likewise anticipate a small increase from updating to Intel or AMDs latest silicon too. High speed RAM, ranked at 4266MHz, is likewise ending up being more commonplace on high-end devices, which is especially fantastic for both integrated graphics performance and Ryzen CPU efficiency. These new elements also bring with them upgraded connectivity options, like PCIe 4.0, Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1 and Wi-Fi 6E, offering a concrete advantage beyond greater frame-rates.

Razer Blade 15 Advanced: more choices, plus one unique screen.