Negosentro.com | Power up: How to Choose the Right Gaming Laptop Spec | Do you enjoy building cities, racing down highways, exploring space, or battling your friends with laser guns? Video games allow you to do all of that and so much more, which is why more than 164 million people play them regularly.
Yet the computer specs you have can make or break your gaming experience. Without a solid gaming rig, you’ll see nothing more than a stuttering mess of pixels. So how can you go about buying a system that won’t let you down?
If you’re considering getting a laptop for gaming, keep reading for a guide that will breakdown which laptop specs are the most important.
Which Type of Games Do You Play?
When looking at different laptop choices, remember that the games you play impact the specifications that you need to consider.
Below are three of the most popular gaming genres with details and how to make the gaming experience as enjoyable as possible.
FPS
FPS, or first-person shooter games, have become one of the most popular gaming genres in recent years. Games such as Fortnite, Overwatch, and Call of Duty dominate the industry and pit people across the world against one another in heated battles.
As with many other modern games, FPS games are getting bigger and bigger, both in an abstract sense and in terms of their file sizes. This means that you should try to avoid getting a smaller (and cheaper) storage capacity, as tempting as it may be.
Of course, graphics are also becoming more intense, which means that the GPU should be another major factor. A high-speed GPU will make your FPS games look as pretty as possible, helping to further immerse you into the experience as you play. Be sure to save some money for the fortnite item shop.
Adventure Games
Visual standards are just as high when it comes to adventure games. Red Dead Redemption 2 and Far Cry 5 are gorgeous to behold, but nothing will ruin the experience faster than stutters and constant lag.
Look into getting a display that comes with a refresh rate of at least 144Hz. You should also go with a high-end GPU. Graphics cards in the NVIDIA GTX series will allow you to see the details of whichever world you’re exploring.
To make sure that you have solid performance across the board, look into getting a laptop that comes with a 1TB high-speed SSD. You should also make sure that it comes with at least 6GB of memory.
Racing Games
What sets racing games apart from other genres are the realistic physics engines. Aside from making racing as realistic as possible, these also work to provide realistic weather conditions and tracking.
With regards to the GPU, laptops with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX series should be able to render and process all of the on-screen visuals without a problem. Try to get at least 8GB of memory, although 16GB is preferable.
Racing also requires a quality processor to ensure a lag-free driving experience. For best results, get a laptop that houses an Intel Core i5 processor. If you can swing it financially, look into getting an Intel Core i7.
Laptop Specs to Consider
If you’re not sure what type of games you want to play or plan on playing a variety of different ones, you should consider each hardware piece to make a decision.
Here are seven different aspects to consider that can have a huge impact on your gaming experience.
GPU
If you’re new to the world of computer hardware, the graphics processing unit (GPU for short) is perhaps the most important factor that you’ll need to consider.
Although some games rely on the CPU, the majority depend on the GPU. Essentially, the better your laptop’s GPU, the better your visuals and performance will be. However, graphics cards can also be expensive, so you may need to balance power with your wallet.
In most cases, you won’t be able to upgrade the GPU in the laptop you choose to get. This means that choosing the right GPU is essential, as you want it to last for a long time. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself unable to play the latest games before you know it.
Sites such as lenovo.com are great places to find laptops decked out with some of the latest and most powerful graphics cards.
CPU
The CPU, or central processing unit, is like your computer’s brain. Its job is to juggle multiple applications and programs running at the same time.
Although the CPU won’t have as huge of an impact on your games as the GPU, it’s important to choose a solid one regardless. As mentioned, certain genres such as racing and FPS require a better CPU than others.
As a general rule, you should be fine choosing an Intel i5 processor for most modern games. However, if you can afford it and want to push your gaming limits to the next level, it might be worth it to go with an Intel i7 processor.
As is the case with the GPU, the CPU is non-upgradable, so make sure to choose one that you won’t mind using for as long as you have your laptop.
RAM
RAM, or random access memory, is another component that helps your computer handle different tasks. Adding more RAM to your computer will provide you with shorter loading screens, faster save times, and many other benefits.
Regardless of what sort of games you play, you should make sure that your laptop comes with at least 8GB of RAM. Anything less, and you may experience sluggish performances and lengthy load times. If you can, try to get 16GB for an even better experience.
If the laptop you buy doesn’t offer as much RAM as you’d like, don’t worry. As long as you know how to use a screwdriver, you can add additional sticks of RAM at a later point in time.
Storage
Unless you plan on playing one game for the rest of your life, you’re going to want to make sure that your laptop comes with enough storage. Modern games can take up hundreds of gigabytes worth of space.
Laptops come with either a hard drive, an SSD drive, or both. Hard drives are slower but generally offer larger storage capacities. SSD drives are the opposite: they’re often smaller, but lightning fast. Getting a hybrid storage system gives you the best of both worlds.
If your laptop of choice doesn’t provide you with the space needed to store your collection of 72 different games, many laptops allow you to upgrade the storage space later on.
Display
You can have the best laptop in the world, but if you’re playing it on a tiny screen, then part of the magic will be lost. If you don’t plan on connecting your screen to an external monitor, the display is a very important part.
The majority of gaming laptops come in 15-inch, 17-inch, and 18-inch varieties. Bigger screens will make your experience more enjoyable, but it also means that you’ll need to lug a heavier computer around.
With regards to resolution, don’t get a gaming laptop that has less than a 1920 x 1080 display. You should also look for systems that come with a 60 Hz display and a 1080p resolution.
Keyboard
Most gaming computers come with a back-lit display. However, most people don’t realize that many other factors can make a keyboard ideal or a nightmare for gaming.
Actuation refers to how much force you need to use for a keystroke to register. In general, you’ll want to get a laptop that needs between 65-70 grams. This provides resistance without feeling too soft.
In terms of the back-lit display, you can also look for laptops that provide more options than the traditional red or white. Some laptops come with RGB backlighting, while others allow you to customize the lighting pattern altogether.
Battery Life
Battery life shouldn’t affect your laptop choice as much as other factors, and here’s why. Almost no gaming laptops have good battery life, and few will be able to make it more than a few hours without needing a charge.
To get the best performance, you’ll need to keep your computer plugged in. However, that comes with the territory, as most gamers know.
Choose the Right Laptop Specs and Game Away
As all gamers know, it’s never a good idea to skimp when it comes to hardware. If you’re looking at buying a laptop, make sure you take into account these laptop specs to ensure that you have a consistently smooth and enjoyable experience.
Do you now have a better understanding of which laptop specs you need to check before buying? Before you go and start comparing different models, take a moment to check out some of our other blog posts for more tech-related guides and tips.
