We special in laptop battery ,laptop adapters for most of top brands, such as apple,acer, asus, dell, fujitsu,hp, compaq, ibm, lenovo, toshiba, samsung, sony on UK,all the ac power adapters, laptop batteries are high quality and low price.
Amazon AlexaandApple Homeare two of the best smart home platforms around. Both support hundreds of devices, dozens of product categories, and offer a simple way to automate your smart home. However, there are some big differences between these two technologies, and choosing the wrong one could prevent you from syncing your favorite devices. Not all of the products that work with Apple Home (sometimes referred to as HomeKit) work with Alexa, meaning you need to be careful when choosing which to adopt.
Thankfully, both are excellent choices for your home. They also work withMatter, allowing you to access gadgets outside their primary platform. Choosing the right option for your home largely comes down to personal preference — and you should base your decision on which products you plan to use with the software. Love your Echo Show? Opt for Alexa. Prefer your HomePod? Apple Home is the better choice.
Here’s a closer look at Amazon Alexa and Apple Home to help you find the best platform for your needs. This includes a look at supported devices, hubs, and ease of use.
Smart home platforms offer a centralized place to control all your smart home products. After loading up the software (whether it be on your phone or a hub device), you’ll be able to see a list of everything in your smart home and have easy access to all its controls.
Of course, you don’t necessarily need to use a smart home platform, as most smart home products come with their own standalone applications. But if you have tons of gizmos sitting around your house, each with its own app, it can be cumbersome to flip through all of them to carry out basic tasks. With a smart home platform such as Alexa or Apple Home, everything in your home can be accessed in one unified location.
Hub devices are the center of most smart homes, with both smart speakers and smart displays giving you ways to control the rest of your setup. However, Apple doesn’t have the most robust selection ofHomeKit hubs, as you’ll largely be limited to the HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K, or a standard iPad Pro.
Note that iPads are no longer supported as a home hub on the new Home architecture, meaning you’ll likely want to use an Apple TV 4K or a HomePod as the brains of your operation.
Amazon Alexa, meanwhile, works with the entire Echo lineup (which includes a variety of smart displays and smart speakers), as well as third-party products like the Sonos One or Bose Home Speaker 500. Amazon also seems to be churning out more smart home hubs for Alexa than Apple is for HomeKit. In fact, Apple doesn’t even have a dedicated smart display for Home — although that could bechanging in the future. So if you’re set on adding a smart display to your home, you might have to wait a while if you pick Apple Home.
Winner:Alexa
Compatible devices
Without a doubt, Amazon Alexa is supported by more products than Apple Home. From video doorbells and smart thermostats tosmart speakersand robot vacuums, it’s hard to find a product that doesn’t work with Amazon’s smart home platform. Amazon itself churns out some of the best products for Alexa, including the Amazon Smart Thermostat, Blink Video Doorbell, and more.
Apple falls far behind Amazon in terms of sheer number of compatible products, but its smaller pool is arguably of similar quality. So while you won’t have dozens of smart speakers to choose from, having HomePod and HomePod mini support with HomeKit is a big win. There are also plenty of third-party products thatwork with HomeKit, including popular items from Nanoleaf, Schlage, and Ecobee. Expect to see this number balloon further asMattercontinues to roll out to more products.
For now, however, it’s hard to go wrong with Amazon Alexa, as you’re all but guaranteed to find something that fits your needs. Apple Home is no slouch, but its catalog is a bit smaller and typically a bit more expensive than the competition.
Winner:Alexa
Ease of use
Apple
With intuitive smartphone apps and responsive voice assistants, both Apple Home and Alexa are remarkably easy to use. Alexa works across both Android and iOS smartphones, while Apple Home is limited to iOS devices, but aside from that quirk, controlling your smart home is as simple as opening an app.
Winner:Tie
Verdict
Amazon
If you’re glued to the iOS ecosystem and don’t mind a smaller pool of products to choose from, there’s nothing inherently wrong with Apple Home. It’s functional, easy to use, and supports more than enough products to build a robust smart home.
Alexa, however, is an easy recommendation for everyone. With a catalog that’s bursting with top-tier products, you’ll never have a problem finding something that fits your needs and budget. Shoppers on a budget will find Alexa to be an incredible option, as you can pick up the Echo Pop to use as a hub for just $40 (and it’s often on sale for much less).
Alexa is also a great voice assistant, capable of tackling any task you throw its way. Siri performs voice tasks just as well as Alexa, but the fact that it’s limited to fewer products makes HomeKit harder to recommend.
All told, Alexa is probably a better choice for your smart home than HomeKit. With a wider variety of products and support for both Android and iOS devices, it’s hard to go wrong with Amazon’s comprehensive platform. HomeKit is a close second, but with fewer options and some big omissions, there’s not much of a reason to pick it over the competition.
Ever since finding my very first PC that fit my budget (and need for power) back in 2009, I’ve been on the hunt for the very best budget laptops that offerallthe bang for your buck.
Now, with my expert team and I reviewing dozens of laptops each year, I can bring my search expertise to help you find one yourself.
Budget doesn’t have to mean bare minimum, and you may be surprised to find that productivity notebooks for work or studying (like theAcer Aspire Go 15) and even gaming laptops (check out theMSI Cyborg 15) with impressive specs won’t have to empty your wallet. Whether it’s a budget laptop for students or even some light video editing, I’m here to point you toward the ones worth investing in.
If you’re after even more affordable options, you’ll want to head over to our list of thebest laptops under $500.
To make sure you’re saving cash without sacrificing too much, think about the following:
What will I use my laptop for?
Depending on what you generally do on a laptop, one may be more suited to you than others.
Studying or Work:If you’re looking to work on documents, answer emails or head into video calls while you’re jumping between work spaces, you’ll want a lightweight, portable notebook that has the power to multitask and last you more than just a couple of hours. That’s where theAcer Aspire Go 15(for Windows 11) andMacBook Air M1(for macOS) come in handy, as they offer decent performance, great battery life and great value for the money.
Casual use:If you prefer to have a laptop for browsing websites, binge watching your favorite shows or jotting down a few notes, the good news is you won’t have to pay a pretty penny for one. But you’ll still want a decent display or even a touchscreen to interact with them far more easily. Chromebooks excel at this, and theLenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plusor theLenovo Chromebook Duet 3are fantastic options. The former is more premium (but great for watching shows), while the latter is a 2-in-1 that offers versatility.
Gaming:If you don’t want to break you bank account on a gaming laptop but still want enough power to run popular PC games, especially when it comes to multiplayer titles, getting a machine that offers a strong enough CPU and GPU, along with enough RAM, is essential. Budget laptops won’t offer maxed-out graphics in AAA games, but they can still deliver excellent gameplay with smooth visuals. That includes theMSI Cyborg 15andAcer Nitro V 15, which boast RTX 40-series GPUs and surprisingly good performance — for the price, that is.
How much should I spend on a laptop?
This entirely depends on your budget, but anything around $500/£500 is considered an excellent price for a laptop. Although those numbers are a tad different for gaming laptops, as anything under $1,000/£1,000 is what you can expect from a budget gaming machine.
Now, notallbudget laptops are worth their low price. Some lean too hard on lackluster components to make up for their cheaper cost, but if it can barely open a Chrome tab or two without stuttering or, even worse, crashing, then there isn’t much point in spending money on it.
Still, there are several laptops that offer a great price-to-performance ratio, and you can find some for around $300/£300 while offering commendable power. If you’re only looking for an entry-level machine to get everyday tasks done, then a budget laptop will help you save while also giving you the performance you require.
+Comfortable keyboard +Useful port array +Good battery life (10 hours tested)
Reasons to avoid
-Crappy 720p webcam -Poor performance
Who is this for?
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is our favorite budget laptop because it is a solid workhorse with enough power for all your basic productivity needs. If you need something for the classic office work alongside some binge watching, this is a solid choice.
Why is it the best overall budget laptop?
It comes down to this offering the best balance across three key elements that make a good laptop. First, the port array with USB-A, USB-C and HDMI makes it easy to plug into any setup wherever you are. Second, the keyboard is comfortable to type on for hours on end. And third, with 10 hours of battery life, there’s impressive longevity here too.
What do we like?
????Comfortable keyboard:It’s rare that you see a good keyboard in a budget laptop, but Acer has pulled out the stops here with a well-spaced board with a nice comfortable, tactile impact on each key press.
????A whole lotta ports:Connectivity is key to the success of this laptop. With a pair of USB-A ports, a USB-C socket, HDMI out and a headphone jack, this is a good suite of ports that you can count on to plug into a TV for binge watching and your whole range of peripherals/accessories.
????Strong battery life:Longevity is normally an afterthought in cheap laptops, but with over 10 hours in our battery life testing, this is sure to last you a full day of work.
What don’t we like?
????Weak performance:With the N-series Intel Core i3 and UFS storage, this isn’t going to be able to do anything beyond your casual productivity and gaming via Nvidia’s GeForce Now.
Bottom line
The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a cheap laptop that doesn’t really feel that cheap in use. There are of course some cutbacks like the weak speakers and potato of a webcam. But for what you need a laptop for, Acer absolutely delivers.
+Performance is still decent +Amazingly long battery life +Comfy Magic Keyboard +Still getting years of OS support
Reasons to avoid
-Has thick bezels -Light on ports -Getting rather old by this point
Who is this for?
The M1 MacBook Air is the cheapest way to get an Apple laptop with all its macOS goodness (including all the Apple Intelligence features. This one is for the casual user who wants the perfect companion to their iPhone and AirPods.
Why is it the best budget MacBook?
MacBooks are typically some of the most expensive laptops you can buy. But with performance and a premium construction that still stands up to this day, the$599 M1 Airis a fantastic low-cost choice.
What do we like?
????M1 is still going strong:How is a four-year-old chip still capable of feeling zippy in terms of multitasking performance? I’m not sure what witchcraft Apple has pulled off here, but whether it’s multitasking, basic productivity or even some video editing, the M1 chip in the MacBook Air continues to impress.
????Battery life continues to shock:There are notebooks in 2024 that are still paling in comparison to the 14 hours and 41 minutes we achieved when putting the M1 MacBook Air through our grueling battery life test.
????A great keyboard and trackpad:Apple knows how to do good ergonomics, and these are on full show with the slick multi-touch trackpad and great-feeling chiclet keyboard.
What don’t we like?
????Just two USB-C ports:Where the Acer Aspire Go 15 thrives, the MacBook Air falls. With just two USB-C ports (one of which will be used for charging), you’re out of luck when it comes to plugging in more than one accessory unless you have a dongle
????You can feel the age:I know I’m talking up a big game on the M1 Air, and it still is pretty impressive to this day. But let me repeat — this is four years old. It’s well on the way to not receiving software updates, and you can feel it slowdown in intense moments of multitasking.
Bottom line
In 2020, we called the M1 MacBook Air “shockingly good” for its combination of speed and endurance. While it’s not so shocking anymore (we’re onM4 Macsnow to surprise us with performance and power efficiency), this is still a stellar budget buy.
-Grainy 720p webcam -Middling display -Runs hot while gaming
Who is this for?
As you can probably guess by the name, this is for the gamer on a budget — the MSI Cyborg 15 gives you enough power for some solid 1080p gaming here while coming in at under $1,000!
Why is it the best budget gaming laptop?
The MSI Cyborg 15 deserves this moniker for the horsepower under the hood (including that RTX 4050 giving you access to Nvidia’s stellar DLSS tech), while also paying attention to the things that matter like giving you a fluid 144Hz display and a great keyboard to boot.
What do we like?
????The most powerful laptop on this list:Pairing 13th Gen Intel Core i7 with RTX 4050 graphics leads to some surprisingly impressive gaming performance. I know there are stronger GPUs out there for far greater prices, but for the lowest cost you can find, this can do more than you think — especially with DLSS turned on effectively doubling frame rates in a lot of your favorite AAA titles.
????Great keyboard:Sometimes, to invest more in the internals, you’ll get the keyboard equivalent of a wet sponge on a lot of cheap gaming laptops. Not here, though, as MSI has paid attention to the tactile impact of every key press.
????Large and in charge design:Some people may not appreciate this aesthetic, but I kind of dig it. The Cyberpunk-inspired design gives it a cool, edge look that is both gamer in feel but also utilitarian enough to not look weird on a desk.
What don’t we like?
????Mid display:It’s great to get a 1080p panel with 144Hz refresh rate, but you can feel the cheapness in its color and light blooming. Make sure you save up for a monitor for some better-looking gaming at home.
????Runs hot while gaming:It’s always good practice to use a gaming laptop on a desk, as they can get hot. That goes doubly so for the MSI Cyborg 15, which can hit a peak of 112 degrees Fahrenheit
Bottom line
If you’re keen to game on the go without breaking the bank, you can’t go wrong with the MSI Cyborg 15. There are a lot of strengths here from its internals to the keyboard and general gaming performance, that it’s easy to look past the naff webcam and surface temps.
The best budget Chromebook
4. Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
The best budget Chromebook for most
Specifications
CPU:Intel Core i3-1315URAM:8GBStorage:128GB eMMCDisplay:14-inch (1920×1200) IPS touchscreenDimensions:12.4 x 9 x 0.8 inchesWeight:3.57 poundsTested battery life:7:36
Reasons to buy
+Good performance +Bright touchscreen +Comfy keyboard +Plenty of ports
Reasons to avoid
-Middling battery life -No stylus included
Who is this for?
The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is a versatile and durable 2-in-1 with a 360-degree 1200p touchscreen, making it an excellent, affordable option for students and professionals who need the flexibility of a tablet and a laptop.
Why is it the best Chromebook on a budget?
At $499, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus offers exceptional value for what it offers. Not only is it a 2-in-1, but it delivers enough performance to run virtually any app you throw at it, a bright 1200p touchscreen for getting work done, browsing through websites and watching shows, along with a lightweight, premium-looking design with a keyboard you’ll find very comfortable to type on. For that price, it’s hard to go wrong.
What do we like?
????Premium, versatile design:The Flex 5i defies its budget-friendly price with a high-quality and sturdy build. The chassis feels durable and looks refined, with a flexible yet firm 360-degree hinge and a comfortable keyboard for an excellent user experience.
????Beautiful AMOLED display:This Lenovo Chromebook Plus excels with a 14-inch (1920×1200) IPS touchscreen with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Its FHD+ resolution delivers a bright, colourful and highly responsive picture that surpasses what you’d think a laptop at this price could deliver.
????Speedy performance (for a Chromebook):Powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of RAM, the Flex 5i delivers impressive speeds. Paired with the lightweight ChromeOS, you can expect a consistently zippy and fluid performance for everyday tasks, just don’t expect the horsepower of other MacBooks or Windows laptops.
What don’t we like?
????Battery life is lacking:At under 8 hours until it cuts out, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus won’t exactly get you through a full workday, or even a one filled with classes. Not the worst, but it could be better.
????No stylus?:Touchscreens are made to be doodled on, but there’s no stylus included in the box. Fine for tapping away on, but for Chromebook, a simple stylus would have been nice to see.
Bottom line
In short, the Lenovo Flex 5i is a fantastic deal, successfully mixing affordability with a quality feel. The screen is lovely, the keyboard is comfortable and it’s perfect for daily tasks. The only real catch is the so-so battery life, but for this price, it’s a brilliant choice.
The best budget 2-in-1
5. Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3
The best budget Chrome tablet
Specifications
CPU:Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2RAM:4-8GBStorage:64-128GB eMMCDisplay:11 inches, 2,000 x 1,200 pixelsDimensions:10.16 x 6.48 x 0.31 inchesWeight:1.2/2.1 lbs (tablet only/tablet + cover)Tested battery life:10:30
Reasons to buy
+Bright, sharp display +10+ hours of battery life +Packed-in keyboard cover is decent +Surprisingly loud for a Chrome tablet
Reasons to avoid
-Still no headphone jack -Lackluster cameras-Keyboard cover uncomfortable for sustained typing
Who is this for?
If you need something super lightweight for quick note taking and casual productivity, you can’t go far wrong with the Chromebook Duet 3. Ideal for students and workers on-the-go.
Why is it the best budget 2-in-1?
Windows 2-in-1s at this price usually suck, but in the Chromebook space, you can get a lot more for your money. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 is a fantastic convertible with a bright display, a surprisingly good keyboard cover and over 10 hours of battery life.
What do we like?
????Lovely display:Packing an 11-inch 2K display with multitouch, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 is rather nice on the eyes and responsive to interact with too — great for work and entertainment.
????Solid design:The construction with its black aluminum chassis feels impressively premium to the touch. The detachable keyboard also has a nice travel to every key, and when all folded up, it’s sturdy and lightweight to carry around.
????Great battery life:In our battery life testing, the Duet 3 lasted 10 hours and 30 minutes — thanks to the lower intensity of that Snapdragon chip. This means that for your all-day usage, this will stick right there with you.
What don’t we like?
????No headphone jack:No option to be wired in here! Luckily, there is bluetooth, but the lack of a headphone jack is always going to be frustrating in any kind of laptop.
????Webcam = potato:Yes there are compromises, and for the Duet 3, it’s the webcam that takes a big hit with grainy pictures that look like they were taken on an early 2000s camera phone.
Bottom line
For a cheap 2-in-1, the Duet 3 focuses on the things that make this recipe work — a good display, nice-feeling keyboard, and long battery life. ChromeOS continues to go from strength to strength with regular updates from Google, to the point that you’ll completely forget the webcam is naff here.
The best cheap gaming
6. Acer Nitro V 15 (2024)
A great budget gaming laptop alternative
Specifications
CPU:Intel Core i5-13420HGPU:Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050RAM:8GB DDR5Storage:512GBDisplay:15.6-inch FHD (1980 x 1080) IPS, 16:9, 144Hz refresh rateDimensions:14.2 x 9.4 x 0.9 inchesWeight:4.6lbsTested battery life:5:41
Reasons to buy
+Stylish, efficient design for cooling and portability +Smooth 144Hz display +Wealth of ports +Respectable gaming performance for the price
Reasons to avoid
-But general performance is still limited -Fans get too loud -512GB storage isn’t enough
Who is this for?
For anyone looking to get into PC gaming but doesn’t have the budget to dish out for the latest and greatest gaming laptops around. With its 144Hz display and solid gaming performance, it’s great for casual gamers looking to try out popular PC titles.
Why is it the best budget gaming laptop alternative?
Since it doesn’t come back with Nvidia’s RTX 40-series GPU, it’s understandable why some may want more of a modern gaming laptop with more up-to-date specs (such as the MSI Cyborg 15). However, for those after something even more affordable, and aren’t fussed about RTX numbers, it’s hard to go wrong with this Acer Nitro V 15.
What do we like?
????Stylish design:From its compact chassis to its subtle but sleek looks, this gaming laptop is a looker. Even better, it isn’t too big or heavy to lug around.
????Smooth visuals:Having a 15.6-inch FHD (1980 x 1080) with a 144Hz refresh rate on a laptop this affordable is a bargain. Plus, it’s big enough to take in small details in games and videos.
????Great gaming performance:Despite coming with a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 and an RTX 3050, this laptop still brings the heat, especially for the price it’s set at. For less demanding games, this laptop shines, but it can even push the limits on some high-quality PC titles, too.
What don’t we like?
????Loud fans:Make sure to wear some headphones, as the Nitro V 15 can sometimes sound like a jet engine at full throttle.
????Small storage:For a gaming laptop, you’ll need way more than just the 512GB of storage this laptop offers. It will mean having to install and uninstall games frequently, and that’s not what any PC gamer wants.
Bottom line
For a cheap gaming laptop that offers up enough gaming performance to play many of the latest games, the Nitro V 15 does an admirable job. It may not pack the latest specs or offer a premium design, but its price gives it an edge over those with beefier specs. If what you need is a decent system that offers good gameplay, the Nitro V 15 offers great value.
How to choose the best budget laptop for you
There are some things to keep in mind when you’re hunting for a good cheap laptop. Don’t expect bleeding-edge performance, a super premium design or even the most colorful displays. However, there’s no reason to compromise, as an affordable laptop can still take you far. Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a laptop.
What operating system do you prefer?
There are various types of operating systems, with some being simpler and others offeringlotsof customization. ChromeOS is the simplest option but limited in scope, whereas Windows has vastly more capability but can be a battery hog. macOS tries to find a sweet spot, but apps can be pricey here. Figure out your use case and you’ll see how much you actually need your operating system to do.
How much battery do you need?
Will you be going long spells away from the plug outlet, or will you have charging capabilities wherever you go? There’s a sliding scale on all of our choices between performance and power efficiency, and how important this is will dictate what you’ll buy. If a laptop lasts around 8 hours (generally a working day), it’s doing an adequate job, but they should last a little longer than this. For gaming laptops, though, don’t expect long-lasting battery life, as these machines are made to be plugged in more often than not.
Are you a gamer?
This one is an easy one. If gaming is your primary concern, then a laptop like the MSI Cyborg 15 or Acer Nitro V 15 (2024) are the ones for you. If not, then you can turn your attention to others.
Seeing less than 1080p display quality?
You may see a lot of cheap laptops pack a less than full HD display. In the words of Admiral Ackbar: “It’s a trap!” You’ll be left with buyers’ remorse when you see just how much resolution you lose by going down this road. Generally, you’ll want a laptop that offersat leastFHD (1920 x 1080) quality. Yes, they’ll still be affordable.
The MSI Titan 18 HX AI A2XWJG isn’t your typical gaming laptop. Rather than focusing on portability and good-enough performance, the Titan brings serious power to the table – where it’ll stay most of the time. It’s not without faults, like loud fans and a touchy trackpad, but when you consider the capabilities of an RTX 5090 paired with a gorgeous 4K display, the MSI Titan 18 HX is easy to recommend as a desktop replacement if you have the scratch.
When I think “gaming laptop,” I think of a portable machine with just enough juice to squeeze out 60 FPS in modern titles at medium settings. TheMSITitan 18 HX AI, however, seeks to break that mold and offer something closer to a desktop replacement, boasting a tagline of “total dominance.”
With enough power under the hood to crank out 90+ FPS in fairly demanding titles likeNBA 2K25andBlack Myth: Wukong, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI lives up to its name. It’s a behemoth of a laptop, weighing in at 7.93 lbs (3.6kg) and sporting an RTX 50-series GPU.
It’s not going to live out of your backpack – it’s going to sit still on your desk and look pretty doing it. But it does offer much more portability than a traditional desktop PC.
As for that massive 18-inch display, it’s a joy to game on. The miniLED4Kresolution and 120Hz refresh rate offer the perfect balance between high refresh rate competitive gaming and high fidelity story gameplay. You’re probably not going to hit 4Kand120 FPS in most titles, but the ability to pick is enough for me, especially on a laptop.
There are only a few areas I wish the Titan 18 HX executed differently – namely, the trackpad and cooling system. While the trackpad is a nice size, I found myself muttering under my breath at the accidental inputs and unclear distinction between left- and right-clicks far too often.
As for the cooling system, I can tell you with complete certainty that this is not a fanless laptop. If you’ve ever heard a jet engine whirring up, you have a good idea of what the MSI Titan 18 HX AI sounds like under load.
And then there’s the price. There’s no beating around the bush; this system is going to cost you anarmand a leg. But when you consider the hardware on offer in a (somewhat) portable machine, that price point starts to make more sense. Still, it’s a tough pill to swallow.
When all is said and done, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI is an incredibly performant machine with a few scant drawbacks and a price point that makes it perfect for a select few.
How much does it cost? Starting at $5,799.99 / £5,999.99 / $11,799AU
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? US, UK, and Australia
With great power comes great…asking prices. You get what you pay for with the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, and you get quite a bit. At a starting price point of just under $6,000, with options to upgrade the CPU, RAM, and display for a higher premium, that’s going to prove a very high barrier to entry for most.
Frankly, you can find a lot of thebest gaming PCson the market well under that price point andstillhave some cash left over to get yourself a gaming handheld or decent gaming laptop.
But if you’re set on a top-of-the-line laptop, you’ll have to pay for it.
It looks like the only model available in Australia is the MSI Titan 18 HX AI Dragon Edition Norse Myth, which features the same set of specs along with a unique graphic on the lid and trackpad.
In terms of design, the first thing you’ll notice is how large this laptop really is. It’s not afraid to take up space, and at 7.93 lbs (3.6kg), there’s some serious heft to it. It’s not making our list of thebest thin and light gaming laptopsanytime soon, but it was never trying to.
Instead, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI’s design lends itself more to a desktop replacement than a portable gaming rig. Don’t get me wrong, it would still be far easier to lug this laptop around in a large backpack, tote, or suitcase than a traditional gaming PC. But I wouldn’t opt for a Titan if you’re planning to take your gaming laptop to and from college or a friend’s house.
Imposing size aside, the Titan 18 HX looks great. It features an understated black and grey design with subtle accents like an MSI logo on the clamshell lid and light texturing on the speakers and chassis. If you have to have your RGB, you’ll be happy to know the Cherry mechanical keyboard is per-key customizable.
Speaking of the keys, this is one of the first gaming laptops that didn’t make me want to break out my own typing piece. It does come with a high-pitched metallic pinging sound on some keys that I’m not crazy about, but the typing feel is quite springy and satisfying. Plus, you get a full-sized keyboard with a tenkey numpad and function keys here, which is a big plus for quick adjustments and games that utilize a lot of inputs.
Moving to the port selection, you’ve got a Kensington security slot, two USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports, and an SD Express card reader on the left side. On the right, you get two Thunderbolt 5 USB-C ports, another USB-A 3.2 Gen2 slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Around the back side, there’s an HDMI 2.1 port, an RJ45 slot, and a slot for your 400W power adapter.
Overall, that’s a really solid port selection you’d be hard-pressed to complain about. I love seeing the USB-A and USB-C combo here as a lot of PC peripherals (including thebest gaming mice) still use that tried and true USB-A connection.
Now, for something I wish were a bit different: the cooling. When I tell you these fans areloud, it doesn’t quite do it justice until you’ve heard them yourself. I had to raise the volume of the game I was playing multiple times just to hear over the whir required to keep that RTX 5090 cool.
This is only when the laptop is under load, so if you’re just browsing the web or listening to music, you get a pretty noise-free experience. But this is a gaming laptop after all, and unless you’re sticking toStardew Valley(in which case, don’t shell out for this laptop), those fans are going to make themselves known.
Design:4 / 5
MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Performance
Outstanding 1080p and 1440p performance
Solid 4K capabilities
Offers fast-paced, competitive gaming and gorgeous story gameplay
Performance is the name of the game for the MSI Titan 18 HX AI. With anIntelCore Ultra 9 285HX processor, RTX 5090 laptop GPU, and a whopping 64GB of DDR5 RAM (upgradeable to 96GB), this laptop is the heavyweight main event of the evening.MSI Titan 18 HX AI Benchmarks
Benchmark
Header Cell – Column 1
Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core
Row 0 – Cell 1
3,046
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core
Row 1 – Cell 1
22,082
Crossmark Overall
Row 2 – Cell 1
2,269
Crossmark Productivity
Row 3 – Cell 1
2,033
Crossmark Creativity
Row 4 – Cell 1
2,757
Crossmark Responsiveness
Row 5 – Cell 1
1,760
25GB File Copy Transfer Rate (MB/s)
Row 6 – Cell 1
2,636
3DMark Fire Strike
Row 7 – Cell 1
40,374
3DMark Time Spy
Row 8 – Cell 1
22,437
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
Row 9 – Cell 1
15,621
3DMark Time Spy Extreme
Row 10 – Cell 1
11,644
3DMark Speed Way
Row 11 – Cell 1
6,094
3DMark Steel Nomad
Row 12 – Cell 1
5,530
3DMark Port Royal
Row 13 – Cell 1
15,289
Assassin’s Creed Shadows (Ultra High, 1080p)
Row 14 – Cell 1
54 fps
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)
Row 15 – Cell 1
59 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)
Row 16 – Cell 1
71 fps
Metro: Exodus (Extreme, 1080p)
Row 17 – Cell 1
93 fps
Monster Hunter Wilds (Very High, 1080p)
Row 18 – Cell 1
87 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very High, 1080p)
Row 19 – Cell 1
196 fps
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)
Row 20 – Cell 1
220 fps
Web Surfing Battery Informant
Row 21 – Cell 1
2:16
PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Test
Row 22 – Cell 1
1:37
I’ve been on a sports sim kick lately, with titles likeNBA 2K25andRematchdominating my playtime. While2K25is fairly demanding, the Titan chewed through it like nothing, easily spitting out 90-120 FPS at 2K resolution.Rematch, on the other hand, is pretty lightweight, but that just means the 120Hz display can really shine.
I also ran the MSI Titan 18 HX AI through synthetic benchmarks and tested it in several triple-A games, includingCyberpunk 2077,Black Myth: Wukong, and more, which you can check out in the chart above.
Performance definitely takes a hit at 4K, but many of the games are still playable at around 30-70 FPS. Plus, if you tweak a few settings and use upscaling where available, you can definitely land a sweet spot between decent frame rates and gorgeous 4K visuals, even without Frame Generation.
You’ll also get a solid rendered FPS at 4K with DLSS 4, so Multi-Frame Generation won’t introduce the kind of noticeable input latency that it would on less powerful devices, so feel free to turn it on and maximize the capacity of the 120Hz display when you can.
Performance:5 / 5
MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Battery life
Considering this is a gaming laptop with a 50 series GPU, Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX and a massive 120Hz display, the battery life here is actually pretty passable. Not to mention that with a machine this bulky, it’s going to be plugged in most of the time anyway, so battery life isn’t a big concern in my eyes.
It’s not going head-to-head with theRazerBlade 16 anytime soon in terms of battery life, so if you’re looking to game on the go at 4K without a power bank or outlet nearby, forget it.
But it does buy you about an hour and a half from full charge to dead under moderate stress (at 60Hz with RGB off), and if you need to break it out of your bag to send a few quick emails and watch a little Netflix, it’ll get the job done.
Battery life:3 / 5
Should you buy the MSI Titan 18 HX AI?
Category
Notes
Rating
Value
While you do get a lot of horsepower with the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, the price tag isn’t pretty. You’re looking at well over $5,000 for a gaming laptop here, even if you do get a mobile RTX 5090.
2.5 / 5
Design
Gripes are far and few between when it comes to design – I wish the trackpad was a bit more consistent, and the fans get very loud under load. But you get a fantastic port selection, gorgeous display, satisfying keyboard, and sleek aesthetics.
4 / 5
Performance
This is where the Titan 18 HX really shines. You can crank the settings at 1080p or 1440p, and even get a respectable 60FPS at 4K with some settings tweaks.
5 / 5
Battery Life
It’s a powerful gaming laptop, so you shouldn’t expect all-day battery here. But for the hardware under the hood, it’s actually pretty decent.
3 / 5
Final score
Overall, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI is a fantastic desktop replacement that offers more portability than a traditional tower PC.
4 / 5
Buy the MSI Titan 18 HX AI if…
You need more portability than a tower PC While “portable” isn’t one of the first words I would use to describe the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, it is definitely easier to move than a traditional tower PC, monitor, and peripherals setup.
You want paramount performance from your laptop There’s serious power packed into this gaming laptop, including an RTX 5090, Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re looking for something affordable While the MSI Titan 18 HX AI is many things, affordable is far from one of them. You’re going to have to pay for what you get here, and there are plenty of gaming laptops at half the price or cheaper.
You need to move your laptop often While the Titan offers some semblance of portability, it wouldn’t be my first pick for tossing in a bag and taking to work or a friend’s house.
One of the most important things to do to ensure your computer runs well is to keep temperatures low. If you run demanding software without proper cooling, excess heat could end up damaging your components. For example, if you find that your CPU is overheating often, the reason could be your computer’s airflow. Unless your system is designed with low-powered components in mind, every computer will require fans to push and pull cool air through its internals.While solving an issue like airflow might seem simple at first, poor planning and hardware incompatibilities can easily ruin your efforts. In some cases, even putting your computer through a wind tunnel won’t do much to help you. Relying too much on pushing extra air through the computer can end up making it horribly loud, too, and the sound of the fans might be so intense as to distract you from gaming or working. A better solution to keep your PC cool and quiet is to understand how airflow works first, and then focus on how you can optimize heat dissipation in all its components.>>>Replacement adapter for Dell XPS 8950 Optiplex 7000Avoid poor gaming PC cases
Dell’s Alienware Aurora R15 came under heavy criticism for a number of reasons, with the loudest complaints stemming from its case design. The outer shell has very little ventilation, making it exceptionally difficult for fans to pull in air. Other cases suffer from the same issue, especially those that have fans very close to the glass panels and only tiny slits available for air to move through. If that sounds like what you’ve built your own PC in, this issue might be reducing its performances.That said, it’s not hard to find a well-built case. Even some of the most ridiculous PC cases you could want might end up with pretty good airflow if there is enough room inside. If you’re after a traditional, boxy design, the NZXT H5 Flow is a good example of what you should look for. It has a mesh front panel to allow air in while keeping dust out, and it offers multiple different entry and exit points for air to move through. It also includes a pair of fans of its own, so you don’t have to choose between relying solely on your CPU and GPU coolers or buy some extra fans yourself.>>>>Replacement battery for Dell Precision 5470Customize your fan speed curves
Making adjustments to the speed of your fans can have a strong impact on your computer’s noise level and cooling ability. You can alter your fans’ speed curves either through the BIOS settings or by using programs like MSI Afterburner. This allows you to make the fans spin faster when the temperature of your components increases, while making sure they’ll stay quiet when you aren’t doing anything more intense than scrolling through social media.These days, most processors come with predefined thermal limits that try to automatically prevent serious damage. Most enthusiasts agree that keeping your components at about 90 degrees Celsius is safe, especially if they occasionally dip a little lower, since they were designed to operate at even higher temperatures. This means that you don’t need to set all your fans at maximum speed all the time, even if that would certainly make your computer cooler. Unless you’re fine using your PC exclusively with closed headphones blocking all external sounds, optimizing your airflow means balancing acoustics and cooling.Add or swap case fans with better ones
If all your current fans running at full speed are unable to keep your system cool, an obvious solution would just be to buy new fans. Companies will often sell these in bundles, like Corsair’s RS120 RGB Fans, which come in a pack of three for under $60, or even less for the non-RGB version. If you were careful with your case selection, you’ll have enough space to add fans like these, which will allow you to push more air through your computer. That begs the question of where you should place all those fans, and what an important question that is. Much more than their number, the fans’ placement is what really makes or breaks a PC’s airflow.When adding or replacing fans, it’s important to keep pressure in mind. Positive pressure means that more air is brought into the computer than is pushed out of it, while negative pressure works the other way around. Positive pressure warms your components because fresh air spends too long in the case and becomes hot before leaving. Negative pressure, on the other hand, will cause air to be sucked in through any cracks available in the case, allowing for a greater amount of dust to end up inside your computer. You’ll want to aim for a balance between the two, erring towards the side of positive pressure to prevent dust buildup.Space the components inside your gaming PCThere isn’t much you can do with good airflow if the air can’t actually reach all the components. Poor cable management can block air from getting to your processor, and certain cases leave no room for a large GPU to get air from anywhere. Your power supply can also be subject to these problems, especially if its fan ends up facing a wall of cables or a hard surface. For the best airflow possible, you’ll need to consider not only how you build your PC, but what to build it with, too.If you don’t know a lot about desktop PCs, you might be surprised to learn that you can use a mini-ITX motherboard in an ATX case. While there are upsides and downsides to this, one obvious positive is the additional room for airflow, which results in increased ventilation. Those already using a standard ATX build can take things a step further with an E-ATX case like the Antec Flux Pro, which lets you mount larger fans than usual. That said, you should be careful with your build and research each component before you buy it, since a bigger fan isn’t always guaranteed to decrease your PC’s temperatures.Carefully clean your computer
Cleaning your computer is the most obvious way to optimize airflow, but it might also be the most overlooked. Regardless of how often you vacuum your home and where you keep your PC, it’s only a matter of time before a layer of dust cakes everything inside it. This, of course, will prevent your components from cooling properly, as it reduces the amount of air being taken in by each fan. As much as mesh filters and positive pressure might help, sometimes you just have to pop your case open and give it a good cleaning.There are plenty of ways to prevent and clean dust buildup in your PC tower. Opening up your case and carefully dusting it every now and then can go a long way, especially with the help of some compressed air and a microfiber cloth. You don’t even need to take everything apart, as long as you can get to the main air pathways and clear them of any debris. If you make a habit of it, you’ll never have to worry about dust harming your airflow ever again.
Upgrading your RAM —Random Access Memory — whether you’re getting more RAM or faster RAM, is one of the easiest ways to improve your computer’s performance. With upgraded memory, you can multitask more efficiently, open and update apps and files faster, and experience overall snappier system responsiveness. The good news is that replacing the RAM on your laptop is usually something you can do yourself rather than seeking out a technician. It only takes a screwdriver, pry tool, and some basic knowledge of computer disassembly. However, if you’re not comfortable tinkering with your device, you can always take it to a service center and pay someone to refresh your computer. Unfortunately, while many modern laptops let you swap out the original RAM no problem, not all portable computers actually support such replacements. For one, you generally can’t upgrade the RAM in your Chromebook. You’re essentially stuck with the built-in RAM of your current model. In case you need something faster, you’ll be forced to buy an entirely new Chromebook. Here’s why.>>>Replacement battery for Asus Chromebook Flip CM3 CM3200 CM3200FVAChromebooks don’t have user-replaceable RAMs
Compared to your regular Windows laptop, Chromebooks are considerably more budget-friendly. They typically don’t go over $800, and you can even buy one brand new for as low as $179. One of the biggest factors behind this affordability is the Chromebooks’ soldered RAM. When the memory modules are soldered directly onto the motherboard instead of mounted on slots, the laptops tend to be cheaper to manufacture overall. This is because they require less manpower and fewer components.The downside of soldered RAM, though, is that you can’t upgrade the RAM on your Chromebook as easily. Unlike with a slot where you can quickly insert a new module, a soldered RAM is permanently fixed onto the board. You can’t replace it, unless you go through the tedious and very technical process of figuring out what RAM chips to buy, unsoldering those on the board, and soldering the new chips into place. This isn’t something an average user can do from home. You’ll need advanced knowledge and hands-on experience to upgrade a soldered RAM, and even then, there’s still the risk of damaging the motherboard in the process.>>>Replacement battery for Asus Chromebook C536EA-BI3T3Are there any Chromebooks with upgradable RAM?
Although most, if not all, of the Chromebooks you’ll find today have on-board RAMs, there are some models that did offer upgradeable memory. One of the more recent releases was the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition in 2022. It’s powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 and comes with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM that you can replace later. The Framework Laptop is on the more expensive side at $999, but its modular design makes the premium pricing worth it. To upgrade the RAM in this Chromebook, you simply have to pop the memory stick into the socket as you normally would on any traditional laptop. Regrettably, Framework has already discontinued the Chromebook, so you might have trouble getting your hands on one.Other Chromebooks that used to include user-removable RAM were the Google CR-48 Chromebook, Samsung Chromebook XE550C22, and Acer Chromebook C710-2847 and C710-2833. These models, however, were released back in the early 2010s, meaning they’re already old and aren’t the most powerful laptops out there specs-wise. For instance, the Samsung Chromebook XE550C22 only features 1.3Ghz Intel Celeron, 16GB of storage, and a 1280 by 800 LED screen, which might not even be enough for your multitasking needs. Even if you can buy a refurbished or used one online, it’s probably going to be more trouble than it’s worth. You’re better off browsing the currently available Chromebook models or converting your unused Windows laptop to ChromeOS.
