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BEST GAMING LAPTOPS FOR 2018
TOP 10 REVIEW
We review the top offerings from all the manufactures to find the best gaming laptop for 2018. So, if you're looking for a new portable gaming machine then we have everything you need in this monster top 10 review guide, where we dive in and review the best gaming laptops that boast Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GTX 1080 to find the best laptops for gamers available on the market for April 2018.
Best Gaming Laptops 2018
For those of you who think TL;DR is simply is not enough, check out our in depth individual laptop reviews below.
Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501
The Best Gaming Laptop 2018
- Ultra-thin and ultra-light with a thickness of only 0.7" (with the lid closed) and weighing only 4.9 lbs
- Next-generation gaming performance with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ 2.8 GHz Processor (Turbo up to 3.8GHz) and GeForce GTX 1080 8GB with Max-Q design. Windows 10 Pro
- Quiet and cool featuring ROG Active Aerodynamic System which improves airflow by up to 40% and reduces temperatures by up to 20% compared to conventional cooling. *Actual cooling performance varies due to system and environmental conditions
Overview
The best money can buy, the worlds thinnest gaming laptop out there equipped with a GTX 1080 and a 120Hz display! The only trade off is the cost. But, the good news is we have found you the cheapest price for the laptop here.
Due to hardware cooling restraints, typically when you have to choose a gaming notebook you have to pick between thin and less powerful or thick and more powerful. Until now, you’d never be able to have the best of both worlds. Asus have smashed this restriction with the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501, a gaming notebook that is both thin and powerful, and boasts to be the worlds thinest gaming laptop with a GTX 1080 GPU. Asus have managed to design a stunningly thin gaming notebook that has bags of power for the latest games, truly an amazing peice of hardware.
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
The only unimpressive part of the Asus laptop is its battery life which is arounf a maximum of 2 hours. No matter how well we tried to optimize the operating system or how few applications we had running, it was impossible to squeeze more than about 2 hours battery life out of the laptop. Which is pretty poor for a modern laptop, even if it is a gaming laptop. This is definitely something you need to factor in if your often traveling or away from a power point.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 | 3DMARK 2011 GPU SCORE | 24487 |
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 18421 |
CPU - Intel Core i7-7700HQ | GeekBench Single-core | 4131 |
CPU - Intel Core i7-7700HQ | GeekBench Multi-core | 12976 |
Technical Specifications
The Asus ROG Zephyrus is setting the standard for thin and powerful gaming notebooks able to deliver a quiet operation with exceptional performance and has a design. If you’re after a powerful thin gaming notebook with an excellent display we highly recommend the Asus ROG Zephyrus.
PROS
CONS
Gaming Mouse
If you have just purchased a new gaming laptop YOU should seriously consider investing in a good gaming mouse. Save your time, money and potential disappointment and check out our best gaming mouse of 2018 round up, where we test each of the best mice available on the market for 2018.
Alienware 17 R4
The Best Value
- Intel Core i7-7820HK (Quad-Core, 8MB Cache, Overclocking up to 4.4GHz )
- 32GB DDR4 at 2400MHz (2x16GB); 32GB Maximum
- 256GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s (Storage); No Optical Drive
Overview
If laptop thickness is not an issue, then grab the Alienware 17 R4 2018 edition. It offers the best value for money and we have found the best price here.
With so many options being available on the market, it's often difficult to choose the right gaming laptop. But if you're after a great bang for buck well made 17" portable gaming machine we recommend the Alienware 17 R4. Coined as the “magnificent monster”, due to it's high performance and impressive looks with subtle but customizable LED lighting (has the option to disable). All this found at a highly affordable price when you consider the build quality and technology packed into this machine.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 10344 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7820HK Processor | GeekBench Single-core | 5151 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7820HK Processor | GeekBench Multi-core | 17389 |
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
The Alienware 17 R4 is a gaming laptop with a subtle yet sleek design and lighting. With a thinner chassis, due to the heat sinks being relocated underneath the keyboard towards the back of the device. Unfortuntely due to this design move the laptop kicks out a little more fan noise when under load.
The Alienware allows for custom lighting effects on the trackpad, you can customize the pad with upto 20 different colors and shades. Unfortuntely the keyboard does not use mechanical key switches, but on the plus side the laptop has plenty of inputs. Due to the lack of a mechanical keyabord, you might want to hook up a wired or wireless gaming keyboard and mouse.
Technical Specifications
If you are on the lookout for a solid reliable, battle tested 17-inch gaming laptop, then the Alienware 17 R4 is deffintly a recommended buy. The machine is more of a desktop replacement, that can also be picked up and taken else where with ease. The Alienware would probably not be suitable for people who are often traveling and need a more portable machine.
PROS
CONS
Dell Inspiron 15 7000
The Best Budget Laptop
- Powerful 7th-generation Intel Quad-Core i5-7300HQ 2.50 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 3.50 GHz
- 8GB DDR4 2400MHz Memory, 1TB 5400 rpm Hybrid Hard Drive with 8GB Cache
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 4GB GDDR5, Optical Drive Not included, Backlit Keyboard
Overview
The Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming Laptop offers excellent value and AMAZING battery life, so amazing in fact, that it smokes a lot of the high end machines. If you are looking for a good value, well made budget machine that has awesome battery life then buy this machine from Dell, as a kicker we have found the best price possible here.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 5200 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7820HK Processor | GeekBench Single-core | 5028 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7820HK Processor | GeekBench Multi-core | 19942 |
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
The Dell has excellent battery life for a gaming laptop. In fact, battery life is comparable to a non gaming laptops in some use case tests.
Budget Gaming Laptops
If you're looking for an in-depth budget gaming laptop comparism, check out our review for the best gaming laptop for 1000 dollars. The review looks at what the market has to offer gamers for under 1000 dollars, and offers our top 4 picks for budget laptops.
Technical Specifications
PROS
CONS
Razer Blade Pro 4K
The Best 17" Laptop
- World's first THX Certified Mobile Device for immersive visual and audio experience
- 17.3" 4K UHD G-SYNC touchscreen display with 100% Adobe RGB color space coverage
- VR Ready with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics
Overview
The Razer Blade Pro is high end portable gaming laptop capable of replacing your gaming desktop. We highly recommend this machine If you're looking for a high end maching with a solid build quality. The price is high but the machine is rock solid, we found the best price for the Blade Pro in February 2018 for you.
Between traditional notebooks and gaming laptops, there has always been a stark distinction – some differences even casual gamers would easily be able to spot. But, thanks to the introduction of the Razer Blade Pro, we now have a true desktop replacement. All in a mobile light and thin package with a well made metal chassis. The laptop comes with an unlocked i7, allowing for overclocking. The i7 CPU coupled with the Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics card makes the Razer Blade a superior gaming machine, with enough power to replace a high end desktop PC.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 14120 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7 6700HQ Processor | GeekBench Single-core | 5488 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7 6700HQ Processor | GeekBench Multi-core | 18398 |
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
The Razer Blade Pro has a 99WHr rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery. While this might sound quite impressive, it does not sufficiently boost the battery life. Reducing the brightness of the screen and enabling low power mode and keeping our browser tabs to a minimum we managed to around four hours of battery usage. But, it’s unlikely you’ll squeeze any more battery life out of the machine.
Technical Specifications
The Razer Blade Pro could arguably be considered to be one of the best desktop replacement that remains portable enough to carry around. The laptop keeps it's original form factor with a 2018 refresh, something we personally did not have an issue with (if it ain't broke).
So, if a gorgeous quality, portability, incredible keyboard, and build quality are some of the main determining factors for your next purchase, then the Razer Blade Pro would be a great choice.
PROS
CONS
Asus ROG Strix GL502
The Best Value HD Laptop
- ROG Strix GL502 packs the latest 6th gen Intel processor in a compact and lightweight design, 16GB RAM, 1TB 7200RPM plus 128GB M.2 SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M graphics with full Microsoft DirectX 12 support gives you efficient, powerful performance for heavy gaming or productive multitasking such as live streaming and video editing.
- Ultra-portable design that fits snugly in a messenger bag or backpack. Whether you're waiting for your flight, kicking back at a café, or at a LAN tournament.
Overview
Fantasic budget laptop for 1080p gaming, fantastic vibrant display and a solid performer for 60Hz / 60 FPS gaming at a budget price.
In the race for the thinnest gaming notebook, many contenders are competing for the top spot. But dispite the compition, very few manufacturers have managed to achieve this goal. Asus however, have with the ROG Strix. A laptop which has managed to strike the perfect balance between power and portability. Beyond measurements and parts, this notebook has managed to deliver on all fronts with excellent built in audio, design, and a vivid color display.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 12514 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7 6700HQ Processor | GeekBench Single-core | 3383 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7 6700HQ Processor | GeekBench Multi-core | 12559 |
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
Yet again the laptops battery life is the weak link. In regular use, browsing the web we managed to get around 3 to 4 hours. It should also be pointed out that we were extremely conservative with the screen brightness and the tasks we performed used little resources.
Technical Specifications
The Asus Stix laptop is a full HD gaming machine, with high quality built in speakers and a vibrant screen with excellent color depth.
PROS
CONS
Alienware 13 R3 (OLED)
The Best Screen
- Intel Core i7-7700HQ (Quad-Core, 6MB Cache, up to 3.8GHz w/Turbo Boost)
- 16GB DDR4 at 2400MHz (2x8GB); 32GB Maximum
- 512GB PCIe SSD; No Optical Drive
Overview
The Alienware 13 R3 is a great portable gaming machine, and a fantastic option if you don't want to lug the Alienware 17 R4 around with you! The laptop looks amazing and boasts an OLED screen, we have found the cheapest price for the Alienware 13 R13 here.
In the past couple of years, gamers all over the world have seen Alienware introduce some truly godlike, high-class gaming laptops with wonderful features and unique designs.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 11323 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7700HQ Processor | GeekBench Single-core | 3686 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7700HQ Processor | GeekBench Multi-core | 13116 |
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
This is the feature where this Alienware notebook seems to falter, which is actually quite a shame. Even though reports from official sources have suggested that battery life has been bumped up, unfortunately testing did not back up this claim. We only managed to get 4 hours and 30 minutes out the battery when we were using the laptop at a bare minimum.
Technical Specifications
PROS
CONS
Razer Blade
The Best 14" Laptop
- Extremely thin (0.7") CNC aluminum chassis, weighing in only at 4.25 lbs
- 14.0" QHD+ Touch Screen Display provides unparalleled visual clarity and crisp colors
- 6th Gen Intel Core i7 pushing the limits of next-level gaming
Overview
The Razer Blade is a 14 inch highly portable gaming laptop that's built like a tank! If you're after something that resembles a gaming laptop version of the MacBook pro, then have just found it! As usual we have hunted out the best price for you, check it out here.
In the gaming laptop scene, Razer are a go to brand. The previous 14-inch gaming notebooks produced by this company are extremely well made. So it comes as no surprise the latest version seems to have incorporated all the previous features and improved the glitches in order to introduce a far superiour portable gaming machine.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 14120 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7 6700HQ Processor | GeekBench Single-core | 5488 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7 6700HQ Processor | GeekBench Multi-core | 18398 |
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
The Razer Blade is regarded as one of the most respected gaming notebooks in terms of battery life. We were able to see an increase of 30 minutes, which means the total battery life would last you around 4 hours and 8 minutes, not bad considering we were operating the laptop at a brightness of 50%.
Technical Specifications
Even though the 2018 version of this notebook seems to be longer lasting and stronger than the previous year’s, it would be nice to see more original features being incorporated. If you want a metal laptop for gaming this laptop is a great choice, if you're on a tighter budget we would check out the Alienware 13 R13 instead.
PROS
CONS
Gigabyte Aero 14
The Best Mid-range
- Extremely thin (0.7") CNC aluminum chassis, weighing in only at 4.25 lbs
- 14.0" QHD+ Touch Screen Display provides unparalleled visual clarity and crisp colors
- 6th Gen Intel Core i7 pushing the limits of next-level gaming
Overview
A gaming laptop that packs a 7th-generation Intel i7 processor and an Nvidia Pascal GPU. The machine manages to remain portable with a reasonable battery life. You can see what others are saying about it here.
When it comes to thin gaming notebooks, Gigabyte are a major contender. That is why with its latest offering, it has promised to deliver ultra-thin and affordable gaming notebook of your dreams. Equipped with Intel’s latest quad-core processor, a 3K screen, massive battery life and a GTX 1060 graphics card from Nvidia – there is not anything more that you could ask for.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 11625 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7 6700HQ Processor | GeekBench Single-core | 4242 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7 6700HQ Processor | GeekBench Multi-core | 12793 |
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
Another impressive feature of the Aero 14 would be its long battery life – something which seems to be lacking in most of the gaming laptops. That is why it would come as extremely good news to all the users who would like to use their gaming notebooks for an extended period of time. Even though they have claimed that the laptop would last you the whole day, we have found it to last for only half a day. Even then, we did not find any room to complain as it still out performed many other makes and models.
Technical Specifications
There is no doubt Gigabyte have always managed to offered superb performance packed in a portable and thin package. That is why it was good to see that Aero 14 was also no different. As a result, it has managed to stand above its counterparts with better numbers in benchmarks, all offered at an affordable price.
PROS
CONS
HP Omen 17
- Processor: 7th Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7820HK, Quad-Core, 2.9GHz up to 3.9GHz; Powerful performance keeps up with your multitasking demands and enables new ways to interact with your PC.
- Video graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB GDDR5 dedicated); Unleash your gaming dominance with revolutionary graphics that turn your mobile rig into a sleek, powerful gaming weapon, powered by the game-changing NVIDIA Pascal architecture.
- Display: 17.3-inch diagonal FHD (1920x1080) 120 Hz IPS anti-glare WLED-backlit; Reduce lag and image ghosting with a display that combines a 120Hz refresh rate, G-Sync support, and a 1080p resolution for smooth, crisp gameplay.
Overview
A VR Ready gaming laptop that has an impressive display, great keyboard and mouse. The perfect choice for a portable VR gaming notebook, you can see what others are saying about it here.
The HP Omen 17 gaming notebook offers some fantastic features for the price. With G-Sync and 4K display, it's obviously not a budget machine. However, if you're a fan of HP machines and you want a well performing, well priced machine you should check out the HP Omen 17.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 12994 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7700HQ | GeekBench Single-core | 4179 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7700HQ | GeekBench Multi-core | 11778 |
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
It would not come as a surprise that the battery life has been found to be quite disappointing. But that is something which you could definitely expect from a large laptop.
Technical Specifications
This laptop has overcome its shortcomings with its affordable price point and powerful performance. All in all, if you are looking for a large form factor gaming laptop with great specs for the price, the HP Omen 17 is a great choice.
PROS
CONS
Gigabyte SabrePro 15
Feature Packed Bargin Laptop
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX1060
- 7th Gen Intel Core i7-7700HQ Processor
- M.2 SSD-Massive Storage with Speed in Overdrive
Overview
A well designed laptop with a RGB keyboard backlight, excellent quality screen (for this price point) and a solid performer at 1080p. You can read more reviews for this laptop here.
The thought of having to pay almost $2,000 for a laptop would make any sane person pause. That is why the Gigabyte SabrePro would come as a refreshing change thanks to its affordable price. Even though it does not have the build quality that you would be able to find in other laptops, the trade off is the performance the machine provides. All that being said, this would be one of the most affordable and powerful gaming notebooks on the market in February 2018.
Hardware | Benchmark | Score |
|---|---|---|
GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 | 3DMARK FIRE STRIKE | 9466 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7700HQ | GeekBench Single-core | 4630 |
CPU - Intel® Core™ i7-7700HQ | GeekBench Multi-core | 4224 |
- DESIGN
- PERFORMANCE
- BATTERY LIFE
The battery life lagged behind other competitors. The laptop offered only 3 hours and 32 minutes of battery life.
Technical Specifications
However, thanks to Gigabyte, they have managed to break this trend with this SabrePro 15. As its name would suggest, this would be a higher-end version of its budget-friendly version Sabre gaming notebook. The 15-inch model provides better graphics, a faster processor, and an RGB backlight keyboard.
PROS
CONS
Congratulations, you made it the end of the review of the top 10 gaming laptops of 2018! We hope this has helped you make your mind up, and gave you enough information to make a smart and informed purchase decision. But, if you're still on the fence and don't know if a gaming laptop is worth it, check out our buyers guide that will help you understand what to look for in a gaming laptop for 2018.
About the Best Gaming Laptop 2018 Buyers Guide
Why should you trust us?
We are gamers like you, when we buy hardware we do our research - spending hours researching products online, reading countless reviews, forums, Q&A's and FAQ's. We created this site to give back to the community and help gamers make informed purchase decisions.
Where did you get the Data?
When tasked with finding the best gaming laptops for 2018 we performed extensive research using sites we use and trust to provide good honest, well informed detailed hardware reviews. We always cite my sources in articles (usually at the bottom).
Why does this guide exist?
Why have you spent hours upon hours building out truly epic buyers guide resources for gamers. Simple really, we know how it feels to do all hours and hours of research and still not really know what to buy as your stuck within indecisiveness hell.
About the Author: Olivia Huntington
Hey You Guys! (Sorry I can't resist a good Goonies reference), as you may have guessed I'm a child of the 80's. I've grown up playing video games such as Doom, Quake, Quake 2 and Half-life which obviously lead me to a serious Counter Strike addiction.
P.S - everyone says I look like the new 2018 laura croft *not the 1996 lara!*