If you’re looking for the best gaming laptops from Reddit recommendations, we’ve got you covered. We’ve scoured through countless sub-Reddits and comment threads to create our guide to the best gaming laptops from Reddit recommendations, and compile them all in one convenient guide.
In years gone by, gaming laptops were often a poor choice for serious gamers. Desktop systems were far easier to upgrade, and much more powerful. Laptops were traditionally underpowered, difficult and costly to upgrade, and just didn’t compare to their desktop brethren. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case. Advances in miniaturization, partially thanks to the push for smaller, more consumer-friendly electronics like tablets and smart phones, have allowed much more powerful hardware to be packed into ever smaller spaces. Now, you can have all the benefits of a high-end, powerful gaming system in a portable, compact package.
This opens up whole new vistas of possibilities for many consumers who, for the first time, might be considering the purchase of a gaming laptop rather than a desktop system. Manufacturers are eager to make a mark in this growing market, too. As a result, there’s a ton of choices and options out there. It can be hard to sort through all the noise, and find the systems that are truly worth it. One of the best places to go for unbiased reviews is Reddit. But, there too, it can be time-consuming and complicated to sort through multiple sub-Reddits and thousands of comments to try to find a consensus. So we’ve done it for you!
Our guide to the best gaming laptops from Reddit recommendations brings together all of this information into one convenient place. We’ve done the hard work of scouring all the relevant sub-Reddits and comments, independently evaluating the recommended systems, and condensing it all down into a short list of choices that are the most widely recommended gaming laptops on Reddit. You can use this guide for further research on Reddit, or on other consumer review sites. Or, you can use this as your basis for comparing systems, and finding your top 2 or 3 candidates to consider further. Whatever your needs may be, it’s our goal to provide this “bite-size” digest of the best gaming laptops from Reddit recommendations to help you get the best system, whatever your budget may be.
It’s helpful to start by providing a little more information about gaming laptops, and exactly what they are. There’s no universal definition, of course, but most people would say a gaming laptop is a laptop that’s powerful, with high-end processors, copious amounts of RAM, and top-tier video card components. They’re designed to be “portable desktops” in that sense. This is in contrast to business or general purpose laptops, which often don’t need to do much more “heavy lifting” than playing Internet videos, allowing browsing, word processing, and similar, low-intensity tasks.
In a practical sense, a gaming laptop should be capable of running most or all of the latest AAA top-tier gaming titles. They should have the physical power and component capabilities befitting a well-built gaming desktop, but in a portable package. Quite often, these gaming laptops aren’t the slim, lightweight laptops of modern day. They often look more akin to older, beefier, bulkier laptops from the 90s. Gaming laptops need more room in their cases for more hardware, and, most importantly, more cooling capabilities. It’s also not uncommon to find gaming laptops with integrated 17 inch or wider screens, much larger than your typical general purpose laptop.
Manufacturers typically tend to market their gaming laptops as such as well. It’s absolutely true that there are configurations available that could easily make excellent gaming laptops, as well as good productivity laptops for graphic designers, video editors, and other similar tasks. Still, as a market, gaming laptops are a lucrative segment, and most major manufacturers who play in this space have made significant efforts to distinguish their gaming laptop products from more productivity-oriented systems. Anyone who is familiar with computer hardware manufacturers will find many familiar names on our list of the best gaming laptops based on Reddit recommendations, but there’s no mistaking many of these entries for anything other than gaming laptops.
Most of the sub-Reddits where good gaming laptop and gaming systems advice and comments can be found are fairly straightforward and easy to find. We used the following sub-Reddits as primary sources for our gaming laptop research and recommendations, as well as sources of comments and feedback that we’ve included with each system.
These are great places to look if you want to explore the topic further after reviewing our guide. Most have large amounts of readers and commenters, who are typically very helpful in providing advice and answers to questions, from the basic to highly technical and esoteric. You’ll often be able to find threads already about a particular system, component, or topic simply by searching within the sub-Reddit. It’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole of information and options – and that’s a good thing – but also one of the reasons we’ve created these short guides.
We’ve listed the top gaming laptops below in alphabetical order by manufacturer name, and don’t intend to imply one is better than the other or vice versa based on their ranking order. Rather, this list contains the best gaming laptops, across all categories – budget, high-end, mid-range, portable/lightweight, mobile desktop, and so on. What might be the “ideal” choice for some people may not be for the other. But any of the options on this list would be fine choices.
However, as with every category of product or service we review, we’ve selected one entry on the list to receive our “Redditor’s Top Choice” award, based on positive feedback and comments, value, general recommendations on Reddit, and other factors. Be sure to look for it in the list below!
As a standard disclaimer, all specifications, images, and other information are accurate as of the time of publication, and subject to change based on retailer and manufacturer updates. Always be sure to review the exact specifications and options listed for the model you are considering before confirming your purchase.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the best gaming laptops from Reddit recommendations.
MSI is one of the biggest names in gaming laptops these days, with highly affordable yet high-end options. The GS75 Stealth series makes our list of the best gaming laptops from Reddit recommendations largely for its affordability. Like most of the laptop brands on our list, there are many variations available with different tiers of GPUs, hard drives, and so on. The one we’ve chosen to highlight opts for the “slightly” lower-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 instead of the 2070 or 2080, which results in significant cost savings for consumers without sacrificing much in the way of performance. Indeed, compared to similarly-specced gaming laptops, you’re saving anywhere from $300 to $500, and even more if you find a good sale or are comfortable with less storage space than the model we’ve highlighted here.
Inside the MSI GS75 Stealth-412 model, part of the 9SE series, uses the 9th generation Intel i7 hex-core processors, along with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6 GB of dedicated video memory. The series supports up to the 2080 Max-Q, but 2070 and 2080 series cards add considerably to the price tag. 16 GB of RAM is standard, along with a generous 1 TB NVMe SSD and a good quality display with a thin bezel and full HD resolution. It’s light weight and thin for a 17” laptop, while also offering fairly good battery life, thanks in part to a larger-than-average 82 watt-hour battery pack. The gold hinges and full RGB keyboard are a nice touch, too.
| Spec Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | MSI |
| Model Number: | GS75 Stealth-412 |
| O/S: | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| CPU Clockspeed: | 2.60 GHz |
| CPU Cores: | 6 |
| Screen Size: | 17.3” IPS |
| Screen Resolution: | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Networking | 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Operating system | Chrome OS |
| Graphics Card Memory: | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Refresh Rate: | 144 Hz |
| Battery Capacity: | 4200 mAh |
| Height: | 0.8” |
| Width: | 15.6” |
| Depth: | 10.2” |
| Weight: | 5.02 lbs |
| MSRP: | $1999 |
Acer has made a name for themselves in the desktop PC world, but their gaming segment has grown substantially in the last several years. In the Predator Triton 500, they’ve created a compact, slim, and mobile gaming laptop that manages to pack quite a punch. While the screen is on the smaller side for a gaming laptop, it’s responsive and clear with a 144 Hz refresh rate, supporting full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution. The hardware also makes up for any size shortcomings, with the capability of running 3 external displays simultaneously.
Inside you’ve got some seriously impressive hardware, including the 6-core 8th generation Intel i7 processors, the formidable GeForce RTX 2080 with 8 GB of dedicated video memory, 16 GB of RAM, and a reasonably-sized SSD. The Acer custom designed Aeroblade cooling technology rounds out the package, helping to keep your system in top working order despite the rigors of hours-long marathon gaming sessions. There are also a ton of customization options that you can control from the PredatorSense app – 4 controllable zones of color LEDs for the keyboard, overclocking, diagnostics, hotkey creation, and more. Other hardware variants are available with more RAM, storage, and other video setups, though this particular model has the most bang for your buck.
| Spec Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Acer |
| Model Number: | PT515-51-75L8 |
| O/S: | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| CPU Clockspeed: | 2.20 GHz |
| CPU Cores: | 6 |
| Screen Size: | 15.6” IPS |
| Screen Resolution: | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Networking | 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Operating system | Chrome OS |
| Graphics Card Memory: | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Refresh Rate: | 144 Hz |
| Battery Capacity: | 5400 mAh |
| Height: | 0.7” |
| Width: | 14.1” |
| Depth: | 10” |
| Weight: | 4.41 lbs |
| MSRP: | $2499 |
Alienware, now part of Dell, has long been known for their gaming-centric systems and accessories, as well as sleek, flashy, and downright cool appearance. The Alienware M17 Gaming Notebook (the newest version – older versions have been around for several years) is the latest in a long line of systems designed with this aesthetic and gaming market in mind. It features a large format 17.3” screen in full HD resolution, in a clean and robust magnesium alloy case, with a screen that almost seems to float, thanks to beveled cutouts at either side along the hinge. It’s also relatively portable, weighing in at more than the slim-look systems on our list, but still manageable at under 6 pounds and less than an inch thick.
As is to be expected, there are a variety of versions of the M17, fully customizable depending on where you want to spend additional money (or downgrade and save a bit on one or more components). The system we’ve chosen to highlight is a happy medium between something that’s totally tricked out, with no regard to price, and the more downgraded, budget options. The latest generation i7 6-core processors and 16 GB of RAM augment the 8 GB GPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q. While functionally equivalent in many benchmarks to a full 2060, this particular package comes with a 512 GB PCIe SSD as well, whereas many of the downgraded options are limited to, or come by default with, only with a 1 TB Hybrid drive instead of the SSD, costing you a premium to upgrade, which works out in favor of this build.
| Spec Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Alienware/Dell |
| Model Number: | AWm17-7105SLV-PUS |
| O/S: | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| CPU Clockspeed: | 2.20 GHz |
| CPU Cores: | 6 |
| Screen Size: | 17.3” IPS |
| Screen Resolution: | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Graphics Card Memory: | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Refresh Rate: | 60 Hz |
| Battery Capacity: | 3000 mAh |
| Height: | 0.9” |
| Width: | 16.1” |
| Depth: | 11.5” |
| Weight: | 5.79 lbs |
| MSRP: | $1999 |
The second entry from Alienware on our list of the best gaming laptops from Reddit recommendations, the Area-51M is a beast. This is not a slim laptop designed for note-taking in class or business purposes – it’s a gaming laptop through and through. There are no compromises on the chassis/case size, so that adequately high-end GPUs and, more importantly, cooling systems can be installed in this package. We’ve chosen the highly-recommended custom build from HIDevolution, an authorized Alienware builder and reseller, as they upgrade the thermal control elements (largely the thermal paste used to transfer heat) and do an additional level of QC and testing on the system. The result is a product that tends to run quieter and cooler than stock Alienware systems of the same specifications.
In terms of those specifications, the Area-51M is pretty tricked out. Of course, there are multiple configurations available, particularly with regard to the hard drive(s) and whether or not you want the GeForce 2060, 2070, or 2080 as your GPU. We’ve chosen the most-recommended setup from Reddit, which includes the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (full, not Max-Q), the 9th generation Intel i7 8-core 9700K series CPU, 16 GB of RAM, a very high-quality, 144 Hz refresh rate 17.3” display in full HD resolution (with G-Sync and eye tracking capabilities), and both a 512 GB SSD and 1 TB Hybrid (SSHD) drive for storage. She’s no petite little flower, weighing a hefty 9.7 pounds, and nearly 2 inches thick. But that size is needed for the raw power and appropriate thermal control systems necessary to avoid problems that often plague thinner gaming laptops. It’s still highly portable, just not in the same lightweight class as some of its competition.
| Spec Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Alienware/Dell (Built by HIDevolution) |
| Model Number: | AW-51M-2070-B-HID4 |
| O/S: | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| CPU Clockspeed: | 3.6 GHz |
| CPU Cores: | 8 |
| Screen Size: | 17.3” IPS w/G-Sync & Tobii Eye Track |
| Screen Resolution: | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Graphics Card Memory: | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Refresh Rate: | 144 Hz |
| Battery Capacity: | 4600 mAh |
| Height: | 1.7” |
| Width: | 16.1” |
| Depth: | 15.9” |
| Weight: | 9.7 lbs |
| MSRP: | $3249 |
One of two Asus entries on our list of best gaming laptops, the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 is considered one of the standard-bearers for thin-profile 17” laptops on the market today. Asus has made significant strides in their ROG (Republic of Gamers) line of products in the past several years, and the Zephyrus S benefits from that pedigree. It has a unique design with an incredibly small bezel around the screen, allowing it to fit a 17” screen into what traditionally would be a 15” screen footprint. Performance is quite good, and even comes with Windows 10 Pro (as opposed to Home) as an added bonus over most of the other entries on our list. The case is made from magnesium alloy, and is designed to be tough while still keeping the weight under 6 pounds.
There are all sorts of customization options for backlighting and other aesthetic elements thanks to the integrated control panel. It’s also worth noting the speakers and sound quality are exceptional, and right up front and visible below the screen – a nice change compared to most gaming laptops. Inside, you’ve got the fairly standard 8th generation 6-core Intel i7-8750H CPU family, along with the GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q mobile GPU with 8 GB dedicated memory. 16 GB RAM and a 1 TB PCIe/NVMe SSD round on the standard offerings – the latter being a big leg up from most other systems, where 512 GB is the standard, and upgrades run $200 or more. It’s also worth noting that the 17.3” full HD resolution screen is also Pantone calibrated and certified for color accuracy – again, a nice touch.
The battery is upgraded from some of the 15” models and previous 17” models, with just under 4000 mAH (76 Wh) of power. It still won’t last long under intense gaming on battery, just like any laptop in this class. But with smart switching for everyday, non-gaming use, a decent sized battery, and USB-C charging compatibility, among other quality of life features, you can definitely use it on the go for non-gaming needs quite well. Coupled with the thin form factor, it falls into that class of gaming laptops that are also truly portable and mobile.
| Spec Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Asus |
| Model Number: | GX701GX-XS76 |
| O/S: | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit |
| CPU Clockspeed: | 2.20 GHz |
| CPU Cores: | 6 |
| Screen Size: | 17.3” IPS w/G-Sync |
| Screen Resolution: | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Graphics Card Memory: | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Refresh Rate: | 144 Hz |
| Battery Capacity: | 3900 mAh |
| Height: | 0.7” |
| Width: | 15.7” |
| Depth: | 10.7” |
| Weight: | 5.95 lbs |
| MSRP: | $3299 |
The second of our two Asus laptops, the Asus ROG Strix Scar II is a mid-range gaming laptop that doesn’t compromise on power or performance. It’s at a lower price point than the Zephyrus S, more than $1,000 lower in MSRP in fact. The Strix Scar II isn’t as thin, but it’s not thick and beefy, either – again, it’s a mid-range choice at 1” thick. The bezel is quite thin, and it packs a high-quality 17.3” full HD resolution 144 Hz refresh rate panel that gives you an excellent display. Also worth noting is the high-quality keyboard, with a definite punch with 1.8 mm key travel distance, along with customizable RGB lights.
Like most Asus ROG gaming laptops, the cooling system is quite good, with high-quality fans, heatsinks, and other hardware to maintain good thermal control. Asus has paid special attention to fan noise in this model, working hard to reduce it and providing quick toggles in addition to the typical automatic ramping. Other hardware is comparable to what you’ll find in most of the other systems on our list, including the 8th generation Intel i7-8750H 6-core processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU with 8 GB dedicated memory, and 16 GB of RAM. You’ll also get not only a 512 GB PICe NVMe SSD, but a 1 TB 5400 RPM Hybrid FireCuda SSHD as well, which is a nice plus. Battery life is limited, as with most gaming laptops, which should not be a problem for plugged-in gamers, but may limit useful life for non-gaming activities on battery.
It’s also important to note that the Strix Scar III is now available. However, as it hasn’t been on the market very long, there really aren’t enough reviews, comments, and feedback available (compared to the other systems on our list) to fully evaluate and include it this time around.
| Spec Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Asus |
| Model Number: | GL704GW-DS76 |
| O/S: | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit |
| CPU Clockspeed: | 2.20 GHz |
| CPU Cores: | 6 |
| Screen Size: | 17.3” IPS |
| Screen Resolution: | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Graphics Card Memory: | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Refresh Rate: | 144 Hz |
| Battery Capacity: | 3400 mAh |
| Height: | 1.0” |
| Width: | 15.7” |
| Depth: | 10.7” |
| Weight: | 6.5 lbs |
| MSRP: | $2199 |
Lenovo is more well-known for general purpose laptops than gaming, but they’ve made some solid entries in the gaming category with their Legion line of gaming laptops. The Y740 is, among Redditors, almost universally praised as the best 17” gaming laptop with GeFroce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics that money can buy. That’s not to say it’s the best in terms of performance, but it does offer the best value – the highest-tier hardware for the lowest price. Perhaps, for this reason, many retailers are finding it hard to keep the Y740 17” in stock, in any variety, despite several variants with differing SSD and HD capacities and RAM amounts. Nevertheless, if you find one in stock somewhere at or below the MSRP, it’s well worth considering.
Like most of the top-tier gaming laptops from Reddit, the Lenovo Legion Y740 has a 17.3” full HD resolution screen, with 144 Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-Sync technology. The same 8th generation Intel family chip that powers the majority of systems on our list is present here, too. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, functionally equivalent to a full 2070, is among the top options for GPUs currently available, with 8 GB of dedicated memory. 16 GB of RAM is standard these days, as is some kind of SSD. In the case of the Lenovo, a 256 GB SSD (half the size of most other entries on our list) is augmented with 1 TB SATA HDD – a bit old school, but perfectly functional, and they had to keep costs down where they could to hit these prices. It’s not ultra-thin, but not super-thick, either, at 0.9” in height. Battery life is about typical for gaming laptops – not great if you want to game unplugged, but good enough for non-gaming purposes when travelling without a plug.
| Spec Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Lenovo |
| Model Number: | 81HH0004US |
| O/S: | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit |
| CPU Clockspeed: | 2.20 GHz |
| CPU Cores: | 6 |
| Screen Size: | 17.3” IPS w/G-Sync |
| Screen Resolution: | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Graphics Card Memory: | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Refresh Rate: | 144 Hz |
| Battery Capacity: | 3900 mAh |
| Height: | 0.9” |
| Width: | 16.2” |
| Depth: | 12” |
| Weight: | 6.4 lbs |
| MSRP: | $2299 |
Razer is a well-known brand among gamers, and while they offer a 17” Razer Blade gaming laptop, the 15” remains a far more popular option based on sales and reviews. It’s also much more affordable, and we wanted to include at least one additional 15” laptop on our list (beyond the Acer Predator Triton 500) for those who want power on a budget, and/or don’t care so much about the size of the integrated screen. After all, many gamers use gaming laptops as portable desktop equivalents, and connect to external screens for game play, meaning a less than 2” horizontal size difference isn’t a huge consideration, and that money can be spent on better internal components and upgrades.
Like most gaming laptops, there are several variants available. Razer offers a base model and an advanced model, which vary primarily in what GPUs they support, with the base capped at the RTX 2060, while the advanced can support up to the 2080, along with a 4K touchscreen display. We looked at the advanced model, with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q card, the standard full HD resolution screen, 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and the 8th generation Intel i7-8750H hex-core processor. One notable aspect of all versions of the Razer Blade 15 is that the case is machined from a single block of aluminum, making it durable despite the thinness, light weight, and incredibly small footprint of this powerful gaming laptop.
| Spec Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Razer |
| Model Number: | RZ09-02887E92-R3U1 |
| O/S: | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit |
| CPU Clockspeed: | 2.20 GHz |
| CPU Cores: | 6 |
| Screen Size: | 15.6” IPS |
| Screen Resolution: | Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| Graphics Card Memory: | 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Refresh Rate: | 144 Hz |
| Battery Capacity: | 4100 mAh |
| Height: | 0.7” |
| Width: | 14.0” |
| Depth: | 9.3” |
| Weight: | 4.63 lb |
| MSRP: | $2599 |
There are a ton of great gaming laptops that Redditors have recommended, and a wealth of good information and commentary available across the relevant forums on Reddit. Whether you’re a techie looking to compare specs, or a novice just wanting advice on the best gaming laptop to buy for your money, Reddit is a great place to post questions, comments, read, and learn. Hopefully, our compendium of the best gaming laptops from Reddit recommendations has given you ideas of where you should start on your search for your next gaming laptop. While everyone’s budget, needs, and preferences differ, there’s no denying that any of the gaming laptops on our list would make an exceptional gaming machine. Remember, gaming laptop is no longer the oxymoron it used to be. Think hard, do your research, and snag yourself an awesome gaming rig to take your gaming to the next level.
