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When trying to choose a gaming laptop brand these days, buyers are spoilt for choice. With so many brands, sub-brands, and multiple models, picking a reliable, snappy machine can be an exacting task for some and straight-up daunting for others.
While many brands offer 'gaming' machines', most are simply branded 'gaming' as more of a sales tactic rather than based on specs.
What to look for in a 'gaming' laptop
While gaming laptops have hundreds of components, we will list the most important ones below:
1) CPU-GPU combo
The 'bare' minimum as of 2021 (or rather 2022) is an i5 9th gen along with a GTX 1650 (non-max q version, and preferably with Optimus disabled or with a mux switch) and with 8 GB of RAM (preferably 16 GB).
2) Display
The display is an integral part of our experience, so it should be given preference over other components. A gaming laptop should most definitely have a high refresh rate panel (120hz or above) and an FHD Display (1920*1080 at least) with preferably 300+ nits (cd/m^2) of brightness.
Also needed are decent color accuracy (~50% NTSC is pretty good for gaming) and response time(<5ms GTG is good enough for 120hz).
3) Cooling and build quality
Many consumers skip over the value of good cooling and build quality, especially when buying budget offerings. This is imprecise because inadequate cooling (and thermal throttling) will bottleneck the laptop's performance and damage its components over time.
It is also essential to buy a laptop with at least decent build quality as you will be physically interacting with your laptop day in and day out.
To summarize, you would be better off buying a slightly lower spec model with good cooling and build rather than a higher spec model with bad cooling and build quality)
4) Warranty period and customer service
Many folks forget about this aspect, and gaming laptop brands with bad service often capitalize on this by lowering their offerings, attracting more customers.
Best gaming laptop brands in 2021
We will list the five best gaming laptop brands to consider while buying a new gaming laptop.
5) Lenovo (Legion and Ideapad Gaming)
Lenovo Legion and Ideapad Gaming are some of the best options to consider when buying a new gaming laptop in 2021.
The Legion 5/7 range offers best-in-class build quality along with an unparalleled cooling system, dubbed CoolFront by Lenovo. Reviewers from around the world have showered the newer Legion models with praise and recommendations.
The legion series starts with the 'lower' end Legion 5 model with i5 10th gen and GTX 1650 and goes all the way up to a Ryzen 9 and RTX 3080.
On the other hand, Lenovo Ideapad Gaming is a more budget-oriented line, with a decent build quality at a minimal price.
Gaming laptop brand links:
Lenovo Legion
Lenovo Ideapad Gaming
4) HP (Omen and Victus)
HP's Omen and the newly launched Victus gaming laptop brands have been the go-to for many gamers and laptop enthusiasts alike.
The higher-end Omen line comes with a premium build quality at a premium price, whereas the Victus range comes at a lower price, albeit with a slightly toned-down build quality.
Both have more or less similar specs when compared at the lower end of the price spectrum, with the Omen taking the lead as we move higher up in price.
Gaming laptop brand links:
HP Omen
HP Victus
3) Asus (ROG and TUF)
With its ROG (Republic of Gamer) series, Asus has been pretty much synonymous with gaming laptops and is probably one of the most recognizable gaming laptop brands ever. Over the years, with their high-end specs and gamer appeal, these RGB fest machines have been serving elite gamers with deeper pockets.
With the TUF line of gaming laptops, Asus brings the same gaming DNA of the ROG to the masses with its budget-friendly price and Asus's appeal, (oh and did I mention RGB).
Gaming laptop brand links:
Asus ROG
Asus TUF
2) Acer (Predator and Nitro)
Like ROG and TUF, the Predator and Nitro have the same relationship within Acer's gaming laptop brands. The Predator line is the older, flashier, and costlier big bro and Nitro is the more budget-friendly lower spec'd offering out of the two.
(P.S. Acer Nitro 5 won the iF Design Award of 2021)
Gaming laptop brand links:
Acer Predator
Acer Nitro
1) Dell (Alienware and G series)
Possibly the most popular gaming laptop brand, Dell, with its Alienware series, has been at the apex (insert a bad Alien vs Predator joke here) of the gaming world. They have done well since acquiring the Alienware brand in 2006, thanks to the futuristic looks and top-end specs.
With its G series, Dell targets the hitherto untapped, lower end of the price spectrum and caters to a much broader and diverse range of PC gamers.
Gaming laptop brand links:
Dell Alienware
Dell G series
Note: This article reflects the author's views.
