Gaming laptops coming in 2022

What makes the best gaming laptop for 2022? I have a short answer and a long one.

First, the short one: The best laptop for gaming this year and the years to come is the one that copes with the burgeoning graphics/processing demands of previous as well as new games.

Long answer: Buying a new gaming laptop every year to play new and previous AAA titles is obviously not very favorable. Therefore, like me, you should hit the sweet spot, too. I mean buy a laptop that has the specs that wont grow old on new games.

In a Hurry? Have a Look at My Top Picks:

Display

The 17.3 full HD display is breathtaking, truly. It offers 100% sRGB but thats just the tip of the iceberg. As I said earlier, the real deal for gamers is always the refresh rate. This panel offers a 360 Hz refresh rate, which to be honest, is God-sent for multiplayer games. Games such as Battlefield Warzone feel close to reality if you take my word. The thin bezels add to that feeling. Nothing beats playing on a panel this big with all the real estate to the game visuals.

Performance

The m17 R4 comes with a different graphics unit and core. Since Ive used the Intel Core i7-10870H model that has the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 as its partner in performance, Id talk about that.

The CPU hits the 15386 CPUmark benchmark, which is the representation of the overall performance of a CPU. It lags behind AMD Ryzen 7 4800H but takes a slight edge over Apple M1 8 Core 3200 MHz. Thats some serious power at your disposal. The 2.2GHz clock speed that can be overclocked to 5GHz is more than enough throttle to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other components in terms of performance.

The other components are the RTX 3060 that runs games like Far Cry 5 at 142 fps as compared to the 113 fps of Razer Blade 15, and Rise of the Tomb Raider at 176 fps to that of the 156 fps, both at 1080p. That should help you realize how the machine tends to the AAA titles. Im sure Id still do great for the newer ones.

With 16GB DDR4 RAM and a 1 TB SSD, things will be snappy for you as they were for me.

Cooling

Playing high-end games on the unit certainly takes temperatures to a higher level. But the Alienwares Cryo-Tech feature manages things quite well. Under the hood, the fans wire and sometimes quite annoyingly but we cant do anything about it. Its a necessary evil.

The chassis gets heated once things go haywire. I used a cooling pad underneath because of the discomfort of a heated keyboard.

Keyboard

One of the biggest upgrades to date in this laptop is the mechanical keyboard. Each stroke feels heavenly. I didnt experience mushiness while typing and there was a distinct clicky sound. That should be attributed to the Cherry MX collaboration with Alienware. You can tweak the RGB colors to your liking.

Battery

The battery isnt impressive on this unit at all. It lasts only 2.5 hours on continuous game playing on power-saving mode.

Display

The laptop features an anti-glare 15.6 FHD screen that covers full RGB. All the colors appear to be exact and not washed out. With a response time of 3ms and a refresh rate of 144Hz, it sits comfortably on the top of the upper mid-range screens in terms of quality and performance.

Besides refreshing at 144Hz, the frames gel together, exhibiting low to no frame tearing. That should explain why gaming always feels so fluid with this one.

Performance

This laptop wins in terms of the CPU generation from the m17 R4 but lags behind by a mile with the GeForce RTX 3050 Ti. However, both in their aspects work great side by side in the laptop to produce decent results.

The CPU offers no hindrance to the GPU when it comes to realizing its full potential. Thats because of its own prowess. At a 3.3GHz clock speed that can rack up to 4.8GHz, it manages to gather 12393 CPUmark. Ironically, it sits below the 10th gen Core i7 I talked about above. There are only a few hundred differences between their benchmarks. In terms of multitasking, both of them perform quite well.

NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti is 50% slower than the RTX 3060 but it sure is faster than the 3050. For playing 1080p games at a high setting, the GPU has all the horsepower. However, the performance starts lagging behind once you increase the resolution.

That and the 8GB RAM puts a limit to the performance of the laptop, but thats totally fine considering the price. This is a budget laptop after all. Thankfully though, the 512GB SSD does great in snappy loading of games and programs.

Cooling system

Beneath the hood, there are 5 heat pipes that draw heat from the components to the fans. The unit gets hot on heavy usage, so a cooling pad is definitely recommended.

Keyboard

You get an island keyboard situated right beneath the screen. Theres no offset, so typing on this thing is a breeze. The key travel is safe enough for right strokes. However, theres some mushiness involved. I sincerely love the turquoise backlight with emphasis on the WASD keys.

Battery

With this laptop, youd get around 8 hours of battery. Thats a miracle for a gaming laptop, to be honest.

Display

Since Ive used Acer Predator Helios 300s base model and Im reviewing one, the screen refresh rate is 144Hz. That certainly does not put a limit to the 15.6 FHD panel. The viewing angles are good and it covers 100% sRGB. Thats not the problem at all. My only issue is the chunky bottom bezel that seems to take most of the beautiful, beautiful screen.

Performance

The laptop runs on Intel Core i7-10750H. This 10th gen Comet Lake CPU performs outstandingly with a 12507 average CPU mark. With a clock speed of 2.6GHz that goes all up to 5.0GHz, it outperforms many of its contemporaries such as [and of course] the i7 9th gen, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, and all the previous versions.

Its single-core performance at 2,733 is even better than the Ryzen 7 4800Hs 2,647.

Multitasking is a breeze with this CPU and its companionship with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU jacks up the power needed to run AAA titles at commendable frames per second.

The card is very well equipped to run with DirectX 12. At 1080p, it churns out a stellar performance with around 78fps on Red Dead Redemption 2 and 98fps on Hitman 3. The performance is still fair in 1440p but dont expect it to run with the same zeal in 4K.

The model comes with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD. Theres plenty of room for upgrading the storage.

Cooling system

There are two fans snuggling deep into the back of the chassis, trying hard to keep this monster cool. They are quiet as compared to the behemoths of Alienware. Besides, you can always tweak them by using PredatorSense a dedicated Predator software.

Keyboard

You get a tacky keyboard with this one. There are four distinct RGB zones that can be tweaked by the PredatorSense as well the colors, I mean. I think we should be thankful to Acer for bordering the WASD keys for easy recognition. I found the keys clicky with decent travel time.

Battery

On a good day of full video playback, the battery lasts about 7 hours. But obviously, it dwindles down to a mere 3 to 4 hours of gaming. Not bad at all.

The MSI GL66 with NVIDIA 3060 isnt the best bet of the company but the model Im going to review comes with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. That is not only better or fitting at the price but entirely powerful to start with.

Design

This robust laptop has a robust design with slanted screen edges and a plain, not-so-modern lap. Ironically, for a laptop of this price and stature, MSI hasnt used a lot of metal. Only the gray lid is aluminum while the rest feels like premium plastic.

The unit weighs around 4.63 pounds even though most of it is plastic. Hinges didnt return any problems when I used this unit.

Both sides of the chassis combined have three USB Type-A ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, an Ethernet port, a headphone jack, an HDMI, and thats it. No fingerprint scanner, no face recognition.

Display

For a laptop that has an NVIDIA RTX 3070, the refresh rate of the 144Hz screen is more than welcome. You get all the colors there are with commendable brightness. However, the colors appear to be a little washed out as compared to other 15 screens. Still, they are way better than what you get with the base model from MSI. Apart from that, the screen has an anti-glare coating with wide viewing angles for a congruent viewing experience throughout.

Performance

The Intel Core i7-11800H provides a class act of its own. With 8 cores and 16 threads, it features a total CPUmark of 21630 which is commendable truth be told. The clock speed is 2.3 GHz and can reach up to 4.6 GHz if youre fond of pushing the limits of CPUs like me. Thanks to the multiple cores, this processor pushes back AMD Ryzen 7 4800H and the Apple M1 8 Core 300H by a mile. Its also obviously faster than the Core i7 10th gen as indicated by the single thread rating of 3,154 vs 2732. However, Apples M1 Core takes the single-core edge by a few points.

That is to say, the CPU will prove to be snappy, opening applications and handling games without remorse.

The GPU NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 levels up to the requirements of modern AAA titles easily. Its a winner at 1080p, a good performer at 1440p, and an average at 4K. I played Red Dead Redemption 2 at 101 fps at 1080p, 75fps at 1440p, and 48fps at 4K. Still, not bad but we gamers want more!

The rest of the performance components do well to cope up with the power the laptop produces such as 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD.

Cooling

The GL66 has come straight from hell if you ask me. It gets really hot, thanks to its super components under the hood. Nothing we can do much about it. That should explain why the fans wire out of their mind. My wife could hear them roar from across the room when I was playing.

And you might wanna buy a cooling pad to stay on the safe side.

Keyboard

The keyboard is nothing extraordinary. At this price, you could easily ask for a four-zone RGB if not per-key color, but this one gives you a single color option tweakable through the MSI Center application. Theres a Numpad [quite unnecessary] that squeezes its way into the whole keyboard. Ironically though, the dedicated Home, Page Up/Down and End keys are missing.

Battery

On a full battery and power-saving mode, the laptop would play a video for around 3 hours at most. Its a gaming laptop, I understand, but this much battery juice is pathetic.

The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has all the right reasons to be called a gaming laptop suitable for 2022 but not a high-end unit but an average or mid-range affordable one.

Design

Laptops with 17-inch screens are bound to be wide enough to accommodate plenty of things needed or otherwise. The case is the same here, too.

A full RGB keyboard adorns the premium-grade plastic chassis right below the screen. It has a Numpad that does not interfere with the position of the rest of the keyboard.

The material used is predominantly plastic. A few rough striations flank the trackpad that gives the laptop an impression of brushed aluminum. The unit weighs only 5.73 lbs and that is quite understandable. Portability hadnt been an issue with this one when I used it.

The whole laptop is strewn with angled designs from the space bar to the backside where youd find 45 degrees angled honeycombs.

All the ports are situated on the sides with the left side featuring an HDMI, Ethernet, a Thunderbolt 4, two USB Type-A ports, and an audio jack. The right side houses one single USB Type-A port. The port selection as you can guess is decent.

Display

Here too, you get a 144Hz display. Imagine fluid gaming on 17 of pure luxury because this laptop will give you that. With a brightness of 284 nits, yes, this display is not the brightest one, but certainly, you wont be playing games outdoors more often.

At 1920 x 1080 resolutions [FHD], the 45% of colors of the DCI-P3 spectrum produced are vibrant and fantastic only when youre looking directly at the screen. Since the viewing angles are not that good, the sides ooze washed-out colors.

Performance

This laptop also features the Intel Core i7-11800H CPU just as the MSI GL66. However, the graphics card used is not the latest. The performance, thus, is restricted to stellar gameplay of games at 1080p. If youre one of those folks who are looking for 4K gaming on this thing, please look elsewhere. The MSI would do better at that than this one.

But again, considering the budget constraints, if youre willing to bring your expectations down to 1080p, the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 wont disappoint you. Im sure it will deliver that kind of performance for years to come.

I played loads of games on this one but Ill mention the ones I mentioned before. The Red Dead Redemption 2 gives out 78fps on 1080p, 55fps on 1440, and 32fps on 4K. See what I meant before?

Cooling

The fans given on this one manage to keep the whole system cool. The vents on either side do talk a lot when things are taken to their extremes, but thanks to that the keyboard stays cool. So, you wont feel uncomfortable using the keyboard. Do get a cooling pad because the underside can reach a whopping 113 degrees.

Keyboard

The keyboard has a rubbery feel but it is responsive. One thing I noticed with its sunken design is that it reduces typing efficiency. Normally keyboards are designed to be raised but for some reason, ASUS decided to sink it into the chassis. Theres only one gold color in the backlight with WASD prominent but you can change it with Aura Sync.

Battery

On continuous surfing at medium brightness, the battery lasts only one and a half hours. Ridiculous, I know.

The Razer Blade 14 has the built quality and the performance capability to be called the best 14-inch gaming laptop. It will surely let you cruise through 2022 without a game left behind.

Design

A very subtle design awaits your hands with all its grandeur. The 15.6 screen nestles in small bezels, save the bottom one. The chassis features a beautiful island-style keyboard and plenty of room for two speakers to play sounds right from where least expected.

Metal has been used thoroughly in making up the unit. Theres not a single place that does not give the feeling of owning one of the high-end laptops. Why shouldnt it? After all, youd be paying some good money for this.

The color is all black with the back of the lid featuring a single logo of Razer Blade those tangled snakes.

Unlike the previous models, Razer Blade has managed to make this one quite portable with 0.66 x 12.6 x 8.7 inches dimensions. However, it is a tad bit heavy at 3.92 lbs.

To the left, you get USB-C and USB 3.1 Type-A ports, while the right one features an HDMI. The USB-C ports are not made for Thunderbolt 3 and 4 support, which is to be attributed to the CPU of the laptop.

Display

Possibly, this is one of the most amazing displays you could get on a laptop. Given the price, it is justified to get a QHD screen with a refresh rate of 165Hz. The graphics card in the laptop takes full advantage of this refresh rate to produce stellar frame rates without frame tearing visible anywhere. The colors are quite sharp and vivid it can easily beat some monitors. However, the real bummer here is its 14 size.

Performance

The laptop is powered by the superior AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX 8 Core and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD.

With this performance, playing AAA titles in 2022 will be a breeze. Even in the 4K regime. You simply cannot call it an entry-level 4K gaming machine. It is more than that.

The 23419 CPUmark of the Ryzen 9 5900HX surpasses that of the Intel Core i9 9th gen with its 18821 points. Both have 8 cores and 16 threads but the performance of Ryzen 9 beats it by a mile. You should also take into consideration the clock speeds of the two with Ryzen 9 taking it to 3.3 GHz and the Core i9 9th gen having 3.6GHz.

However, the Core i9 10th gen beats our CPU by only a mile despite having 10 cores.

So, the Ryzen 9 is efficient and snappy by all means.

Playing games on RTX 3080 is a treat to the eyes. I played The Witcher 3 at 110 fps in 4K, Monster Hunter: World at 61fps, and so on.

Cooling

The heat produced in this unit is considerable but the cooling system is as efficient as you can imagine. Its called the Vapor Chamber Cooling system, which has a liquid evaporating and condensing to dissipate the heat. The GPU has been clocked to remain at 100W to reduce enormous heat production and that should explain why the laptop stays cool as compared to others.

Keyboard

The island-style keyboard has single-key color options unlike other laptops in this list. The keys are tactile with an equal response from all but at this price, Id have preferred a mechanical one.

Battery

Unlike other units, this laptop has produced quite a balance in power consumption. The max life of it is 9 hours on low usage. On heavy, it dwindles down to 5.

A tough contender to the Razer Blade 14 in terms of performance, the Eluktronics MAX takes a definite edge when it comes to screen size, the material used, and more.

Design

This one has a subtle touch of the Eluktonics Max. Just as in its previous models, this one around as well, they have kept the design minimum but powerful. It speaks of the price it asks for neither too flashy, nor drab.

The 15.6 screen is surrounded by small bezels, which kind of gives the whole screen a sense of expansion. All of the laptop is made from magnesium alloys the same thats been used before.

Theres really nothing overwhelming in the design but its still classy in some sense. The chassis has been redesigned with a full keyboard with Numpad digging into it. This one is a truly portable unit with only 0.77 height when closed. The weight is also not unbearable at 3.8 lbs.

Talking about the ports, the flanks cover everything you need. You get 3 USB-A, a USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet, microSD card reader, and a headphone jack. The vents are situated at the end of the chassis. They dont interfere in any way with the ports.

Display

Like the Razer Blade 14, the display here too features 165Hz QHD. Its stunning in its own right but what makes it exceed in value is its size. A 15.6 panel displays vivid colors. Its worthy to note here that youd be using an LED panel. For a gaming laptop, this is crucial since their battery already has slim chances of providing a lot of juice for games off-cord.

Performance

The performance of this laptop takes an edge over that of Razer Blade 14. Thats all because of the graphics cards performance tweaked according to the manufacturer or the laptops heat dissipation capabilities. The fans do good in removing heat in Eluktronics. That should explain why it does better in running games as compared to the Razer Blade 14.

However, please keep in mind that the difference is only slight. For example, the RTX 3080 in Razer Blade 14 might perform just as the later versions of RTX 3070. On the contrary, the same card in the Eluktronics Max 15 performs just about right.

Youd be able to play AAA titles on both with this one giving you more fps.

The increase in performance should also be attributed to the 32GB DDR4 RAM as opposed to the 16GB. It really jacks up processing speeds by a delicious gap.

Cooling

The manufacturer offers the standard thermal interface cooling system with this laptop. It efficiently removes heat to keep the laptop relatively cool.

Keyboard

You get a mechanical keyboard with all the perks and quirks of it. It is clicky and thus responsive. You feel the keys click beneath your fingers and thats how you become sure of the keystrokes. Thats you being one step away from frustration because of a mushy keyboard.

Battery

On light performance, the battery lasts for about 9 hours. Thats very good actually.

With the ever blazing AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX coupled with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, the ASUS ROG Strix G17 will stay with you not only in 2022 but beyond.

Design

Every inch of the laptop speaks of the time and money invested in making it withstand the test of time for more than a few years, that is to say. The design is quite similar to the Scar 17. However, this one is free from the gimmicks such as a translucent chassis that lets you see your laptops parts in action.

The 17-inch screen has nearly absent bezels, save the bottom where youd see a slanted cut-out for god-knows-what. The logo behind illuminates just as with the rest of the laptops.

It is safe to say that in this model, Asus has touched aesthetics quite meekly without going overboard. The keyboard rests lavishly overlooking an equally RGB strip lining the front of the chassis.

The port selection isnt odd, only their placement. The left side has two USB 3.1 ports but the right side is barren. The USB 3.1 Type-A port, HDMI, USB-C, Ethernet, and power are all situated at the rear.

Display

The 17.3 screen looks astoundingly extravagant. But thats a good thing for a gamer. You get a whopping 300 Hz refresh rate thats backed by the kind of components under its hood.

I mean youd be able to squeeze out quite decent frames from your games with the kind of firepower it possesses and the screen that shows it in full galore.

Besides that, the usual 3ms response time adds finishing touches to an otherwise exquisite-looking display.

Performance

Ive talked at length about the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX and its edge over the Core i9 9th gen. The coupling of this CPU with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 has taken things on a rough patch. But that is only in comparison to the pricey laptops above that have an RTX 3080 coupled with them.

The performance here certainly does not lag behind with the components giving you the power you need to play AAA games in good fps, media editing, and so on. Obviously, not as good as the RTX 3080. The RTX 3070 is only 50% less efficient than the RTX 3080 but it costs 10% less. So, you can guess.

Ive no issue with the 16GB DDR4 RAM and 1TB SSD because they pass the threshold.

Cooling

Whenever you overclock this machine, the ROG thermal liquid cooling system comes into play. It maintains temps quite efficiently, not promising to reduce them by any chance. Youd hear the fans more often than not, but the laptop would stay cool for a considerable time. Thats true only for modes other than Turbo. You might wanna use a cooling pad with that.

Keyboard

This model has the same rubber keyboard as the previous Asus models. Theres not much upgrade with that. However, as compared to the mechanical keyboard of Scar 17, this one is quieter. Typing on it remains smooth with equal responsiveness and a whole lot of ease.

Battery

Whatever Asus says, the battery lasts for about 5 hours on minimum usage. That means youd get around 2 to 3 hours on gaming. But if youve to use the Turbo mode, plugging it in will stay necessary.

This is the second laptop from Eluktronics on this list. Like the previous one, the Prometheus XVII also does not fail to impress. It is expensive but provides every bit of value on the spend.

Design

The design is fairly unorthodox. It does not boast any expensive materials but the plastic is hard and premium. I wonder why the company spared this one from brushed aluminum, even when they had to price it so vividly over the head.

The answer to that is in the components under the hood. Ill get back to that later.

The 17.3 screen looks sharp as it covers more real estate. It is attached to the chassis in the middle and the sides are diagonally cut. It seems as if a monitor has been attached to a keyboard.

Big screen means a big width means a spacious keyboard. Even the trackpad has been given a rather greater area to somehow make you ditch your gaming mouse, which is impossible obviously.

The back of the screen has nothing at all. Its just plain back. On the flanks combinedly, you get 1 USB Type-C port, an HDMI, a USB 3.1 [Gen 2], 2 USBs 3.1 [Gen 1], SD Card Reader, Ethernet, Audio jack, and Kensington Lock Slot.

As you can see, the port selection has every nit and bit you could ask for.

Display

Forget the material because this laptop has one of the best screens out there. Its QHD with a 165Hz refresh rate. The colors are bright but not annoyingly bright. Thanks to wide viewing angles, you get color coverage all around.

Performance

The AMD Ryzen 5900HX processor coupled with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is here for all the right reasons. With 8 cores and 16 threads, the CPU can compete with any desktop out there. This whole unit is basically a big yes to those who are seeking alternatives to their desktop for good.

What really makes this laptop worth it is its capacity to overclock the GPU to its max capacity of 165W, thankfully enough because of the NVIDIA Dynamic Boost 2.0.

So, all in all, youd be able to play modern titles at considerably well fps. Im talking about medium to medium-high 4K gaming at ease.

The only, and I mean only, bummer here is its low SSD. Youll get only 512GB.

Cooling

Although the firepower of the laptop is enough to boil many things, the impressive thermal cooling maintains a bearable temperature for this one. But obviously, like most of the laptops, when you overclock it, do use a cooling pad.

Keyboard

Its RGB, well-built, responsive, and spacious with adequate key travel time. I wish the backlight was per key but youd have to do with a single color overall. But seriously, no problem with the response rate whatsoever.

Battery

The battery is only 62kwh. It doesnt last long enough ironic for a laptop that claims to be a desktop replacement.

Heres the bad boy Id talked about when I was reviewing the ASUS ROG Strix G17 laptop. The CUK ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is a machine to behold.

Design

The design is similar to the Strix G15. However, the differences I talked about such as a small translucent patch of chassis letting you peek inside, the material, and the RGB strip lining the front.

The logo on the back of the screen illuminates irrespective of the color of the keyboard. You cant individually switch that off. The bezels are extremely thin and the signature slant cut is there in the bottom. Its almost enticing to see the screen attached to the rest of the laptop by two hinges only. The huge gap between them makes up for the style.

One of the highlights of the laptop is its Numpad on the touchpad. However, despite its sturdy looks and RGB galore, Id very much liked the LED strip to be a little below. It distracted me from the screen often.

Display

The 15.6 QHD display offers depth like no other and fluid frames with its 165Hz refresh rate. In the Strix 15, you only have FHD but here, Asus has taken things up a notch to provide a dazzling panel.

You get a decent sRGB coverage and the colors pop quite well, thus, adding to your experience whenever youre watching videos or playing games.

Performance

There isnt much difference in performance when it comes to Strix 15 and Scar 15 not at least the models Ive reviewed here. Both run on AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 as the graphics card. The processor edges closer to Intels high-end chips, so youd get the most performance out of the 8 cores and 16 threads.

Talking about the card, playing games like Red Dead Redemption 2 at 100 fps on 1080p will be a breeze. Know that the fps drops to 48 when you hit 4K. So its safe to say, and Ive said it before, that using this card for 4K is a lost cause.

Cooling

Thermal Grizzly Liquid works round the clock to keep the unit cool during intense usage. I must tell you that the laptop remains relatively cooler. Yes, youd feel the heat emanate from the chassis but thats bearable considering how much power the machine puts forward.

Keyboard

You get a mechanical RGB keyboard that is clicky but responsive. The noise is real when typing but youd notice your speed increase by manifolds.

Battery

The battery performance is not impressive but not bad either. You could expect a battery juice of 4 to 5 hours.

Conclusion

This year wont be different from other years when it comes to gaming. New games have already taken over the horizon and for that, you need a solid machine. Ive listed all the laptops that would work great even with new titles because theyve still got it in them.

However, please note that the performance of laptop components greatly depends on its ability to provide them with that power. Different manufacturers have clocked them at different watts and that could affect their performance by a minor margin.

Worry not, however, because the list of the best gaming laptop in 2022 wont disappoint you.