I read this question many times on gamers forums and Facebook groups where people wonder what makes a great gaming laptop in 2020.
I believe this is a great question you should ask because it can be a base for you when choosing a good gaming laptop for yourself.
Personally, a great gaming laptop in 2020 is a gaming laptop with powerful components, a great cooling system, enough storage space, a solid display panel, and design aesthetics that I like.
It should allow me to play my favorite games in an immersive and enjoyable gaming experience.
All of those things also should come with a price tag that will not make me go homeless.
To put all of those features into numbers, a great gaming laptop in 2020 should have at least the following:
- Quad-core processor from Intel or AMD
- Nvidia GTX 1660 graphics card
- 8GB of RAM
- 256 GB of SSD Storage
- 60Hz display panel with at least 200 nits
- Double fan setup for its cooling system
- Well build and portable enough
- Not more than $2500
I know everybody will give you different answers. Still, I need to have these essentials when looking for a great gaming laptop in 2020.
Let’s dive deeper into why these features are essential.
Table of Contents
What Makes a Good Gaming Laptop in 2020?
These days, pretty much any laptop you buy off the shelf can play games to some degree.
However, if you want to play new games at high graphics settings and resolutions like 1080p or even 4K, you’re going to need a bit more power.
I believe all these components here will make a good gaming laptop in 2020.
The Graphics Card
Let’s begin with the graphics card. A graphics card is essential because it’s one of, if not the most, crucial part of a gaming laptop.
The graphics card is responsible for rendering all the pretty graphics in a game and bringing game graphics to life.
Without a good graphics card, your games will not look good or, in some cases, even run at all.
There are two leading manufacturers of dedicated gaming graphics cards: Nvidia and AMD. For the most part, they’re equally good, although Nvidia is generally considered to have the upper hand.
Based on several benchmarking and testing, the minimum you want to have on your gaming laptop in 2020 should be the Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti.
This graphics card will let you play some AAA games on a medium to high settings without any problem in 1080p resolution.
The Processors
Next, let’s talk about the next important component of a great gaming laptop, the processor.
The processor is the brain of the computer, and it’s also vital for gaming.
As we know, the processor is responsible for running everything inside your laptop.
I always explain it this way to people new to gaming on a pc or a laptop.
If a graphics card is a muscle that you need to get a good and beautiful image from your game, then the CPU or your processor is the brain.
You will need a processor or a “brain” that is strong enough to move that “muscle.”
You don’t need the best and most expensive CPU to play games, but you do need at least a mid-range processor.
I suggest you pick up a gaming laptop with at least quad-core in 2020, either from Intel or AMD.
Although you can get a better value from AMD Ryzen line ups in 2020 as they bring more powerful computing powers compared to the Intel chips.
The RAM
Next, the RAM is also a crucial part of your gaming laptop.
The more RAM you have, the more things you can have running at the same time without getting a slowdown.
It is very crucial to your gaming laptop if you want to do some heavy multitasking.
For instance, maybe you want to record your gameplay or stream your game so others can watch.
You will need a ton of RAM for those things.
Plus, games nowadays also eat up RAM quite considerably.
8GB of RAM is the bare minimum you should have in 2020, and 16GB is really what you should be going for if you’re looking to have good gaming experience.
The Design and Build
I know this will be very subjective, but you want a laptop with good cooling design and well built to withstand some force.
You don’t want your gaming laptop to overheat quickly or break in a few months.
You want your gaming laptop to come with a dual-fan setup that will tremendously help you cool your system.
To check this, you need to open the laptop’s back panel or just ask the storekeeper or watch some youtube videos for that specific gaming laptop.
Also, you want your laptop to have a good build quality.
You don’t want it to feel flimsy and fall apart after a few months of use.
The Screen
Since you will be looking at your laptop screen all the time, you might want to choose a good screen.
Most of the gaming laptops in 2020 come with 15″ and 17″ displays.
You want your screen to be 1080p or higher because anything lower than that won’t allow you to play most games at a satisfactory resolution.
There’s also the refresh rate of the screen.
Most screens these days are 60Hz, which is sufficient for most people.
However, suppose you really want to have immersive and better gaming experience.
In that case, you’ll want a screen that has a refresh rate of 120Hz or higher.
Other aspects of the screen, such as color gamut and display brightness, should also be in your consideration if you plan to choose your gaming laptop for video editing or designing work.
The Upgradability
Last but not least, a good gaming laptop should be upgradable.
This is crucial for the gaming laptop you purchase with your hard-earned cash to last for a very long time.
Usually, there are three things you can upgrade on a gaming laptop, the RAM, the storage and the Wi-Fi card.
To really futureproof your gaming laptop, you should look for a gaming laptop with at least an upgradable RAM slot.
Of course, the more upgradable your laptop, the more futureproof it will be.
Are Gaming Laptops Worth It in 2020?
Gaming laptops are becoming more powerful and portable in 2020.
They are becoming more affordable, lighter, and have a longer battery life.
Therefore, gaming laptops are worth it in 2020, especially if you want a portable machine where you can play games on and do other kinds of stuff as well.
The combination of a powerful laptop that can also be taken anywhere you go is a very attractive one.
Here are three reasons why gaming laptops might be worth it in 2020.
1. They Are Becoming More Affordable
While gaming laptops have traditionally been very expensive, this is changing in 2020.
The price of a gaming laptop used to be around $1,500.
However, this price is coming down.
Laptops with great specs that were once only affordable by the rich are becoming more and more common.
As the price of laptops comes down, more people will be able to afford them.
You can get a great gaming laptop with around $1,000 nowadays.
Heck, even an $800 gaming laptop can play some AAA games with no issue in 2020.
2. They Are Getting Lighter
For many people, the biggest problem with laptops is their weight.
The average laptop weighs around 5 pounds.
This might not sound like much, but after a full day of carrying it around, your arms will start to feel tired.
Gaming laptops are traditionally heavier than regular laptops. However, this is also changing in 2020.
Gaming laptops are getting lighter and lighter.
The reason for this is that there is a growing market for gaming laptops.
Manufacturers are now designing lighter and more powerful laptops to cater to this market.
So it is very ideal if you are looking for a portable machine that you can game on anywhere you go.
3. They Are Getting More Powerful
Gaming Laptops are getting more powerful every year.
This is mainly due to the fact that manufacturers are designing them with gamers in mind.
Gamers will need the best performance on their machine to be able to run AAA games and have an enjoyable gaming experience.
That is why the average gaming laptop has a powerful graphics card and a fast processor.
This allows you to play your favorite games on the go.
Plus, this powerful combination of the graphics card and fast processor will let you do other kinds of stuff too.
With this combination, tasks such as video editing, designing, or even school or business work from your gaming laptop.
Final Thought
There you have it.
For me, a great gaming laptop in 2020 is a gaming laptop that let you enjoy your favorite games in an immersive gaming experience without breaking your bank.
I also believe it is worth it to buy a gaming laptop in 2020 because they are more affordable, more portable, and more powerful than ever.
How about you?
How do you define a great gaming laptop yourself?
Let us know in the comment below.
Thanks!
