Find the best laptop for gaming in 2026
To find the best gaming laptop we recommend to focus on these characteristics:
- Graphics card - look for latest offering from Nvidia and AMD, make sure it's discrete and has enough VRAM
- Thermal performance - rule of thumb: opt for thick and heavy laptop as they tend to handle workload better
- Display - 2K display with fast response (1ms) and high refresh rate (120Hz+) is optimal
Best Laptops under £400 for gaming
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" 81VS009GUS Platinum Gray 2020
Great Alternatives
These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs
ASUS GT730-SL-2GD5-BRK
OTVOC DGBook 15.6" DGBook A2 Gray 2025
UOWAMOU 15.6" BTC518 Gray 2025
ASUS Vivobook 14" X1404VA-I38128 Quiet Blue 2026
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6" 15IAN8 Arctic Gray
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook 14" 82XJ004AUS Abyss Blue 2025
BLUEING 15.6" NS15Y Gray
SanDisk WD Blue SN5100 SN5100
Acer Chromebook 314 14" CBO314-1H-C476 Star Black 2025
HP Chromebook 14" 14A-NE1013DX Gray
ASUS Chromebook ASUS 14" Touchscreen Chromebook Gray
Lenovo 100w 11.6" Gen 4 Gray
Micron 5400 PRO MTFDDAK240TGA-1BC1ZABYYR
Best Laptops under £800 for gaming
MSI Thin 15.6" B13VE-1697CA Cosmos Gray 2023
Great Alternatives
These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15.6" 82XM00LMUS Arctic Grey 2025
HP ZBook Ultra 14" G1a Meteor Silver 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
Combining an AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 processor, Radeon 8050S graphics, and up to 64GB of unified memory, this 1.57kg workstation delivers desktop-class rendering on a 14-inch 2.8K 120Hz OLED display. The 1.57kg design and 74Wh battery keep it truly portable, with EPEAT Gold sustainability and HP Wolf Pro Security adding enterprise-grade protection. It’s ideal for AI developers and 3D creators who need to run large language models locally or render complex models while traveling.
Acer Aspire 3 15.6" A315-24P-R7VH Silver 2023
Lenovo Ideapad 5 Pro 16" Ideapad 5 Pro Storm Gray 2021
MALLRACE 18.5" Ryzen 3 4300U Silver Gray 2026
Acer Aspire 5 15.6" A515-44-R4M5 Charcoal Black 2021
Rumtuk CM160 16" CM160-150 Gray
Acer Aspire 14" NX.J8LAA.001 Steel Gray
Why we recommend this ▼
Powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor with integrated Arc 140V graphics, this Copilot+ PC accelerates AI workflows and multitasking with 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD. The 14-inch 1920x1200 IPS display delivers accurate colors and wide viewing angles, complemented by Thunderbolt, HDMI 2.1, and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. It suits students and professionals needing AI-enhanced productivity and a vivid screen, with a 65Wh battery for all-day use.
ASUS Zenbook A14 14" UX3407QA-DS52-CA Zabriskie Beige
AVENKA YEPBOOK-4 15.6" YEPBOOK-4 Gray 2025
Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G7 QOY Luna Gray 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
The Snapdragon X Plus chip and 84Wh battery deliver multi-day endurance in a 1.82kg chassis, making all-day productivity a reality. Its 16-inch 16:10 display and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity provide a spacious, future-proofed workspace at a competitive price point. This laptop is best for business users and developers who prioritize battery life and portability over color-critical screen accuracy.
NAIKLULU 15.6" AM01 Silver 2025
ASUS Vivobook 14" 2025 Ultra Portable Business Quiet Blue
Why we recommend this ▼
With 24GB of RAM and a combined 1TB of solid-state storage, this 6-core Intel i3-1315U laptop delivers strong multitasking in a sub-1.4kg chassis. It bundles a lifetime Microsoft Office 2024 license and offers four USB-A ports, a rare find in ultraportables. Best suited for business travelers and students prioritizing memory, legacy connectivity, and pre-installed productivity software over graphics performance.
KAIGERR 16" TX16PRO Portable Gray 2025
Acer Aspire Go 15.6" AG15-32P-39R2 Silver
Best Laptops under £1,500 for gaming
Gigabyte AERO X16 16" AERO X16 1TH93USC94AH Black 2025
Great Alternatives
These options also score highly and may better suit your specific needs
Acer Predator Series 16" PT516-52s Steel Gray 2023
Why we recommend this ▼
The 2560x1600 240Hz G-SYNC display covers 100% DCI-P3 at 500 nits, backed by an Intel i7-12700H and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti with 8GB VRAM. Liquid metal cooling with 5th Gen AeroBlade 3D fans and Killer DoubleShot Pro networking sustain performance under combined workloads. Best for video editors and 3D artists who require a color-accurate high-refresh panel for grading and GPU-accelerated rendering while gaming competitively.
ASUS TUF Gaming 14" FA401WV-WB94 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
The ASUS TUF Gaming A14 packs an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with 50 TOPS NPU and an RTX 4060, paired with a 165Hz 100% sRGB display and durable 89-blade dual-fan cooling. Its AI acceleration via Copilot and a free SSD slot for upgrades make multitasking flexible for the price. Best for gamers seeking a compact, bombproof 14-inch machine with AI-powered productivity extras.
Lenovo LOQ 15.6" 83JC00LYUS Luna Grey 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
The RTX 4050 with 8GB VRAM and a 144Hz 100% sRGB display delivers smooth 1080p gaming with accurate colors, avoiding the common 6GB bottleneck in this price tier. At just 1.36kg, this Lunar Grey chassis is exceptionally portable for a 15.6-inch gaming laptop, though the 39Wh battery limits unplugged use. It's best for budget-conscious gamers who prioritize frame rates and color accuracy over battery life.
ASUS ROG Strix 16" G16 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
The 16-core Intel 14650HX processor and RTX 5060 graphics deliver strong 1080p gaming performance with ray tracing on a smooth 165Hz display. Its 16:10 aspect ratio screen provides extra vertical space for productivity, while Wi-Fi 7 and a full port selection offer robust connectivity in a 2.64kg chassis. This laptop is best for competitive gamers and streamers who prioritize high frame rates and a large screen over portability.
ASUS TUF Gaming F16 16" FX608JHR Jaeger Gray 2025
ASUS TUF 15.6" FX507VV-BH74-CB Mecha Grey
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 15.6" G533QS-DS94 Black 2022
Why we recommend this ▼
Powered by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX, the 15.6-inch 300Hz FHD IPS display ensures minimal motion blur in fast-paced titles. Its opto-mechanical per-key RGB keyboard provides tactile, clicky feedback rarely found in gaming laptops. This machine suits esports competitors who need 300Hz refresh rates and responsive mechanical inputs above 4K resolution.
Acer Nitro V 16 AI Black 2025
Why we recommend this ▼
Pairing an AMD Ryzen 5 240 6-core chip with GeForce RTX 5050 8GB graphics, this laptop pushes smooth frame rates on its 16-inch 180Hz IPS panel. Its 421 AI TOPS-capable GPU and Thunderbolt 4 port provide headroom for accelerating AI tasks and connecting high-speed peripherals. It’s a solid pick for esports gamers wanting high refresh rates on a budget and for entry-level creators who need CUDA cores for light rendering work.
ASUS TUF Dash 15.6" FX517ZR-F15.I73070 Off Black 2022
Why we recommend this ▼
A 10-core Intel Core i7-12650H processor and GeForce RTX 3070 GPU drive a 144Hz 1080p display inside a thin 2.00kg chassis. With 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 144Hz refresh rate, it provides strong value for its budget-friendly design. This laptop is ideal for budget-conscious gamers who prioritize portability and high-frame-rate 1080p gaming.
MSI Thin GF63 15.6" 12UCX Black 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
The 144Hz anti-glare IPS display teams with an RTX 2050 GPU and a cavernous 2TB SSD for fluid, glare-free entry-level gaming and rapid load times. At just 4.1 pounds with a backlit keyboard and 24GB of DDR4 memory, it packs ample multitasking muscle into a portable chassis. This laptop suits students and budget gamers who need one machine for classwork and high-refresh esports titles like Valorant.
Acer Swift X 14.5" SFX14-72G-77NJ Gray 2024
Lenovo Legion LOQ 15.6" LOQ Luna Gray
Lenovo LOQ 15 Series 15.6" LOQ
Why we recommend this ▼
The RTX 5050 with 8GB VRAM and a 144Hz IPS display makes this a capable 1080p gaming machine at an accessible price point. Its 16GB of DDR5 RAM and HDMI 2.1 port add strong multitasking headroom and easy external display connectivity. This laptop is best for budget-conscious gamers who want smooth frame rates in esports and AAA titles without overspending.
TOPGRO 16" S1 Silver
Dell Inspiron 16" 5645 Midnight Blue 2024
Why we recommend this ▼
The Ryzen 7 8840U processor with integrated AI ensures smooth performance and crisp video calls on a 16-inch 16:10 display with Dolby Vision. Military-grade testing, AI noise-reducing microphones, and a mechanical camera shutter deliver dependable security and communication. It suits remote workers and students who prioritize clear virtual meetings and daily productivity, though the 250-nit brightness limits outdoor visibility.