The best laptops for gaming and schoolwork in 2024

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The line between gaming laptops and respectable workhorse notebooks has all but disappeared. These days, having a fast CPU and GPU, along with excellent cooling and a beautiful screen, will help you play the latest games and run all the demanding software you’d need for school work. Not everyone wants a garish gaming rig, though, so we’ve collected some understated options that will be at home across the classroom, library and heated sessions of Apex Legends in your dorm room. These are our top picks for the best laptops for gaming and schoolwork — but if you’re looking for a dedicated gaming laptop rather than an all-in-one machine, check out our best gaming laptops list for our recommendations.
 
Are gaming laptops good for school?
 
As we’ve mentioned, gaming laptops are especially helpful if you're doing any demanding work. Their big promise is powerful graphics performance, which isn't just limited to PC gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also tap into their GPUs to handle laborious tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity machines, like Dell's XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse: Pay attention to the specs; get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest solid state drive you can find (ideally 1TB or more). Those components are both typically hard to upgrade down the line, so it’s worth investing what you can up front to get the most out of your PC gaming experience long term. Also, don’t forget the basics like a webcam, which will likely be necessary for the schoolwork portion of your activities.
 
The one big downside to choosing a gaming notebook is portability. For the most part, we'd recommend 15-inch models to get the best balance of size and price. Those typically weigh in around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly more than a three-pound ultraportable. Today's gaming notebooks are still far lighter than older models, though, so at least you won't be lugging around a 10-pound brick. If you’re looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options these days. And if you're not into LED lights and other gamer-centric bling, keep an eye out for more understated models that still feature essentials like a webcam (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off).
 
Best laptops for gaming and school in 2024
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-laptops-for-gaming-and-school-132207352.html?src=rss

https://www.engadget.com/best-laptops-for-gaming-and-school-132207352.html?src=rss 

 The best laptops for gaming and schoolwork in 2024

https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2024-05%2F0ec957d0-1dbf-11ef-9ff1-a4b4f1b6a353&resize=1400%2C787&client=19f2b5e49a271b2bde77&signature=3ffbf88375c5a9d65e30e3af5caa2e650ce55c33

The line between gaming laptops and respectable workhorse notebooks has all but disappeared. These days, having a fast CPU and GPU, along with excellent cooling and a beautiful screen, will help you play the latest games and run all the demanding software you’d need for school work. Not everyone wants a garish gaming rig, though, so we’ve collected some understated options that will be at home across the classroom, library and heated sessions of Apex Legends in your dorm room. These are our top picks for the best laptops for gaming and schoolwork — but if you’re looking for a dedicated gaming laptop rather than an all-in-one machine, check out our best gaming laptops list for our recommendations.
 
Are gaming laptops good for school?
 
As we’ve mentioned, gaming laptops are especially helpful if you're doing any demanding work. Their big promise is powerful graphics performance, which isn't just limited to PC gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also tap into their GPUs to handle laborious tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity machines, like Dell's XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse: Pay attention to the specs; get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest solid state drive you can find (ideally 1TB or more). Those components are both typically hard to upgrade down the line, so it’s worth investing what you can up front to get the most out of your PC gaming experience long term. Also, don’t forget the basics like a webcam, which will likely be necessary for the schoolwork portion of your activities.
 
The one big downside to choosing a gaming notebook is portability. For the most part, we'd recommend 15-inch models to get the best balance of size and price. Those typically weigh in around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly more than a three-pound ultraportable. Today's gaming notebooks are still far lighter than older models, though, so at least you won't be lugging around a 10-pound brick. If you’re looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options these days. And if you're not into LED lights and other gamer-centric bling, keep an eye out for more understated models that still feature essentials like a webcam (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off).
 
Best laptops for gaming and school in 2024
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-laptops-for-gaming-and-school-132207352.html

https://www.engadget.com/best-laptops-for-gaming-and-school-132207352.html