Gaming laptops have evolved all through the years. They used to look bulky, be heavy and make a lot of noise. Then gaming laptops started to look sleek, be quiet, and have a ton of gamer-centric looks.
In 2020, gaming laptops manufacturers have upped their game. Now gaming laptops can be thin and light while still being very powerful, slightly bulky with little gaming accents, and even able to perform the functions of both a gaming laptop and a workstation.
To ease the task of choosing a gaming laptop, we have compiled a list of things to avoid when buying a gaming laptop in 2020.
Not Trying out a last Gen GPU
A discrete graphics card, also known as a discrete GPU, is the most critical factor for anyone looking to buy a gaming laptop in 2020. GPUs have become very powerful and efficient.
The GPU scene was recently turned on his head with the announcement and release of Nvidia’s RTX 3070, 3080, and the most powerful GPU on the Planet, the RTX 3090.
With all the GPU power available right now, it is common for gamers looking to buy a new laptop in 2020 to avoid buying last generation GPUs like the GTX 1660 Ti, GTX 1070, GTX 1080, RTX 2060, and so on.
The GPUs listed above can deliver top-notch gaming performance when paired with a good processor on any laptop.
Avoiding AMD CPUs
Both AMD and Intel CPUs have been capable of playing games incredibly well for years now, but the king of gaming performance has always been Intel. That’s not the case anymore in 2020. With the release of AMD’s Ryzen 3000 and 4000 series, AMD processors now offer way better gaming performance than most of Intel’s line.
While not many laptops manufacturers have adopted the new AMD processors into their gaming laptop lineups, big names like Asus and HP OMEN have laptops with AMD Ryzen processors.
AMD Ryzen processors are not only cheaper than equivalent Intel processors, but they also offer way better performance at similar price points with Intel processors. If you are a gamer on a budget and need a laptop with the best performance to price ratio, an Asus gaming laptop with an AMD configuration might be for you.
Thinking Every GPU is the same
Image Credit: Pixabay
It is common in gaming laptops to see some with Max Q editions of a Nvidia’s GPUs, some with Super versions, some with Ti editions, and others with the original version of the GPU with no extra tag. While a GPU might have the same name, the Ti, Super, and Max Q edition of a GPU makes all the performance difference.
Generally, any Max Q variant of any Nvidia GPU is usually a slower version of the mobile GPU that is explicitly made to consume less power. You should expect lower performance from the Max Q edition of a Nvidia GPU. The super and Ti variants of any particular Nvidia GPU are the more powerful and power-hungry versions of the base GPU; you are sure to get more performance out of those.
Choosing the Wrong Display
Many gamers are willing to pay extra for laptops with incredibly fast refresh rates of up to 300Hz. For many gamers, a laptop with a 300Hz refresh rate screen is unnecessary because many laptops with the best hardware cannot push out that much frame rate per second in most games.
As a rule of thumb, getting a laptop with a screen with a refresh rate of 144Hz will give you all the advantages you need in games that need super high refresh rates like CSGO, Overwatch, and more.
Another thing to consider when buying a gaming laptop is the screen resolution. As a gamer, you want a laptop with a screen resolution of at least 1080 (full HD), and a high refresh rate of up to 144Hz. 4K screens have improved over the years, and the ones on premium laptops like the Razer laptops can push as much 120 frames per second.
Unless you are interested in only playing game titles that rely less on frame rates and are more detail-oriented, then you should opt for a 1080p screen.
Not checking reviews on the Cooling
The whole point of buying a gaming laptop is to get the best performance possible out of it while gaming. A flawed cooling system is one reason why many laptops underperform even when they have premium hardware in them.
Before buying a gaming laptop, make sure you check the reviews on cooling and look at the laptop’s general design to be sure that the cooling system would work for you.
Final Verdict
By looking out for the points highlighted in this article, you should find the right gaming rig for you. If money is short you can trade laptops used and broken with us for cash and use it towards your new machine.
