The best gaming laptops of 2024, hands-on tested

Let's be real: PC gaming offers the best possible experience for gamers. High-end gaming computers pack more graphical and processing power than any home console, and they offer a level of freedom in terms of customization and game choice that you’re just not going to find anywhere else. But when it comes down to it, do you want your gaming sessions tied to your desk?

While desktops deliver elite performance, the best gaming laptops fit into the modern lifestyle more smoothly. It’s so convenient to take your gaming rig with you on the go – whether that’s to a friend’s place or just to another room. Plus, there’s a gaming laptop to fit every type of player. Whether you're looking for a powerhouse that supports eye-popping visuals, a lightweight notebook to fit snugly in your backpack, or hoping to find the best budget gaming laptop, we promise there's a machine for you.

Where should you buy a gaming laptop?

You can find great gaming laptops at pretty much any big-name retailer nowadays. Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, GameStop, B&H, and others all have large selections of gaming laptops across a wide variety of brands. During popular shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, these retailers often host huge sales.

However, there is a benefit to shopping directly with gaming laptop brands — their sites often offer a lot more customization, letting you pick out the exact specs you want. At bigger retailers, most off-the-shelf gaming laptops are already pre-specced, making it harder to find the right configuration and price.

What's the best cheap gaming laptop, and is it worth it?

When it comes to gaming laptops, it's totally fine to not immediately spring for the top-of-the-line, $2,000-plus powerhouse. Plenty of gaming laptops fall below the $1,000 mark and are well worth the money. But, we would advise against going too cheap. You really do get what you pay for, and if you do buy that bottom-of-the-barrel machine, you're not going to be able to run many of the games that you want to play.

However, if you're looking to keep a tight budget and don't mind playing via cloud streaming, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE is a great option (more details on that laptop below). And if you're looking to spend even less, the Lenovo Gaming Chromebook 16 is another solid cloud gaming laptop, which you can read about in our guide to the best laptops under $500.

What are the best gaming laptops?

Finding the best laptop for your needs and budget can be tricky. They may be easier to parse than their desktop counterparts, but gaming laptops still require a fair bit of careful spec scrutinization. These are no consoles — you can’t just pick the latest generation system off the shelf and get playing. Choosing between the many graphics cards, processors, storage sizes, and screen types can be a real head-scratcher. And that’s where we come in.

Mashable Shopping experts have tested and reviewed a lot of gaming laptops over the years. Read on to find our recommendations for the best gaming laptops of 2024.