Gaming laptop vs gaming desktop PC: Pros and cons explored

Many gamers are confused between a gaming laptop and a desktop PC while building a rig. Both form factors come with their set of pros and cons. This makes it harder to land on strong ground and eliminates one of the available options.

Depending on the use case, either of the above options can be superior. Although there is a general formula that makes gaming desktop PCs much better, the verdict quickly shifts depending on the circumstances.

Thus, it is better to make an informed decision and choose between a gaming desktop PC and a laptop accordingly.

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Which among gaming laptops and gaming desktop PCs is cheaper?

While choosing between laptops and desktop PCs, most gamers want to side with the cheaper alternative. On this turf, we have a clear winner. Let us take an example of a mid-range gaming PC and a laptop to prove this.

For around $2,000, we can build the following gaming PC:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor
• Motherboard: ASRock B550M Pro4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard
• RAM: TEAMGROUP Vulcan Z 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory
• Cooler: Deepcool LS520 high-performance 240 mm AIO cooler
• PSU: EVGA 650 N1 650 W ATX Power Supply
• Storage: Western Digital Black SN750 SE 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVMe
• Video card: Asus TUF GAMING OC Radeon RX 6900 XT 16 GB Video Card
• Case: Phanteks Eclipse P300A Mesh ATX Mid Tower Case
• Monitor: Dell SE2723DS
• Keyboard: HP HyperX Alloy Core RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard

For around the same price, the HP OMEN 17-CK1020NR 17.3 inch is among the best choices in terms of overall specs.

• Processor: Intel Core i7 12700H 14-core
• RAM: 16 GB (2x 8 GB) DDR5 4800 MHz
• Storage: 512 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
• Video card: Nvidia Geforce RTX 3070 Ti laptop GPU
• Display: 17.3" anti-glare IPS QHD (2560 x 1440) 165 Hz

It is worth noting that HP laptops are known for their notorious build quality and thermal design. They are not the best choices in terms of overall experience. Higher-end models like ASUS ROG and Dell Alienware cost a lot.

The RTX 3070 Ti laptop GPU is much weaker than the Radeon RX 6900 XT graphics card. Thus, it is no wonder that the PC build listed above will outperform the laptop in almost every video game.

Thus, it is evident that for the same price, users can build themselves a much more powerful gaming desktop. Those with the freedom to choose between the two should always opt for a gaming PC build.

However, gaming laptops have a few key benefits over gaming desktop PCs.

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When should gaming laptops be chosen over gaming desktops?

Gaming laptops have the following benefits:

1. Laptops are portable. They fit in a backpack and can be carried almost anywhere with very little effort. This is the key selling point of laptops in the first place.
2. Gaming laptops consume less power as compared to a similarly performing desktop PC. Over an extended period, gamers can expect to save a ton of money by opting for a laptop.
3. Laptops are more convenient than a desktop PC.
4. Requires very minimal setting-up efforts.

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When should gaming desktops be chosen over gaming laptops?

A gaming PC lit up with RGB lights (Image via u/Pihlox/Reddit)

Gaming desktops outlive gaming laptops in various ways.

1. More customization freedom as compared to a laptop.
2. Much cheaper than a similarly specced laptop.
3. Easily upgradeable.
4. Potentially better thermal performance than a gaming laptop.
5. PC hardware can be overclocked to squeeze more performance.

At the end of the day, there is a tussle between convenience, customization, and tinkering options. Gamers should weigh which features they want in their gaming rig and choose their device accordingly.