Laptop Batteries, Chargers and AC Adapters

These laptops are great for both gaming and work

As a lifelong gamer and a hardware reviewer, I know a thing or two about what makes thebest gaming laptopsworthwhile.

The perfect gaming laptop needs a bright, vibrant screen, solid specs, and a design that isn’t too flashy. It’s also important that a machine can be viable for years and won’t destroy your bank account.

With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of gaming laptops that I’d not only recommend but that I’d buy with my own money. They’re not just great for playing the latest games; they’re also super capable for everyday stuff like writing and editing videos or audio.

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HP Omen Transcend 14

TheHP Omen Transcend 14may be a gaming laptop, but there’s nothing about its look that screams “gaming laptop.” Thanks to a sleek design and understated RGB keyboard, it could easily pass for a business ultraportable.

HP even calls it “the world’s lightest 14-inch gaming laptop,” and it’s definitely the slimmest I’ve listed here.

Under the hood, it’s got an Intel Core Ultra Meteor Lake chip and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 laptop GPU. Though not the latest components, they’re enough for playing games at medium graphical settings. On top of that, games look and run smoothly on the Omen Transcend’s 14-inch 2.8K 120Hz OLED.

Battery life is pretty low, even for a gaming laptop, lasting for a little less than an hour in our testing. Because of that, it might not be your best bet if you’re looking for an all-day, every-day notebook. Still, the HP Omen Transcend 14 is an exceptional and incredibly thin gaming laptop.

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Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

TheAsus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)might not be new, but it’s still a great gaming laptop. It’s super portable, packs a punch performance-wise, and rocks a gorgeous OLED display. Plus, it’s surprisingly quiet.

Beyond gaming, the Zephyrus G14 is comfortable to work on thanks to its roomy keyboard and nice, chunky keycaps.

The Zephyrus G14 has a clean, minimalist look that’s closer to one of the best MacBooks than a typical gaming laptop. The only hint of a “gamer” vibe is a cool diagonal light on the lid. And don’t worry about ports, it’s got a good selection on both sides for all your gaming peripherals.

The 14-inch (2880 x 1800) OLED is a showstopper. Games and videos look incredible, with deep blacks and vibrant HDR really pulling you in. For competitive players, the silky smooth 120Hz refresh rate and lightning-fast 0.2ms response time give you a serious edge.

Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptop

This is the newest and priciest gaming laptop I recommend, and it’s certainly worth every penny. The Alienware 16 Area-51 Gaming Laptop is a futuristic-looking device featuring powerful components that deliver an incredible gaming experience.

The Liquid Teal finish on the anodized aluminum chassis gives this laptop a dark iridescent sheen that shifts colors when viewed under different lighting conditions. I also like how the RGB lighting on the back mimics the motions of the aurora borealis, which serves to heighten this laptop’s otherworldly feel. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s a clear Gorilla Glass window on the bottom that lets you see the internal components.

Speaking of internals, all configurations pack an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and up to an RTX 5090 GPU. Combine that with up to 64GB of RAM, and you have a machine that can play the best PC games at high frame rates, especially with Nvidia DLSS 4 enabled. Games also look beautiful on the laptop’s 16-inch 240Hz display.

Yay, we can play AAA games… but what’s even the point?

I’ve praised theSwitch 2for its 120Hz display — it has finally caught up with the rest of the industry, allowing modern games to run as smoothly as they were designed to. But apparently, its 60Hz mode isslow.

On June 13, Yaka Mochi’s blog,Chimolog.co, reported that the Switch 2 display’s response time is an average of 17.06 milliseconds at 60Hz. That may not seem like much, but to put it into context, we’ve seen gaming monitors with a response time as fast as 0.03 milliseconds.

Let’s talk about why that significantly slow response time matters and what it means for the Switch 2’s future.

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The Switch 2’s response time doesn’t bode well for fast-paced games

Response times that are off by even a few milliseconds can make a significant difference in competitive games or even your average shooter, which may be why playingCyberpunk 2077felt a bit sluggish during my original testing. And for all my rhythm game lovers out there… sorry, you’re off beat.

Yaka Mochi clocked the Switch 2’s fastest response time at 8.88ms and the slowest at 27.46ms. All of the testing was done on the 60Hz mode, however. Unfortunately, the reviewer was unable to determine how to adjust the Switch 2’s refresh rate for the purpose of testing. Typically, however, at higher refresh rates, display response times are higher. But there’s no guarantee that the Switch 2’s 120Hz mode would mitigate the already super slow response time.

Yaka Mochi compared the Switch 2’s display to dozens of other displays clocked at 60Hz, and the slowest among them was 11.06ms, whereas the fastest hit 0.18ms. Nintendo isn’t going to be pushing out another Switch anytime soon, so this is going to have a long-lasting negative effect on fast-paced games that make their way to the Nintendo Switch 2.

What does this look like in reality? Well, you’ll not only feel it when you’re interacting with the controller, but you’ll also see it with your eyes. Games may appear noticeably blurry due to the time it takes for the image to transition between frames.

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Unfortunately, this may have been achoice. If the display isn’t working as hard to refresh, that means the battery won’t be under as much strain. It’s unclear howmuchit would affect the battery life, however, so it’s tough to give Nintendo some grace here.

As I’ve complained about before, I wish the Switch 2 had an OLED display. In fact, OLED displays typically support faster response times, so this issue might not have been present if Nintendo outfitted the Switch 2 with an OLED display. We don’t have display testing for the original Switch OLED, but in theory, it could have a faster response time.

Well, the world may never know… until we get the Switch 2 OLED (yes, I’m still waiting).

Summary

• Laptop model names often include confusing manufacturer codes and suffixes that don’t clearly reflect specs or performance.
• To compare laptops effectively, focus on core specs like CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, and display rather than the model name.
• Always use the full model number when cross-shopping to ensure you’re comparing identical configurations across retailers.

Shopping for a new laptop can be exciting, but it’s also confusing. With countless models and cryptic naming schemes full of letters and numbers, it can be quite overwhelming. Instead of decoding these arbitrary names, here’s what to focus on instead.

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Why Laptop Model Names Are So Confusing

When I say laptop model names are confusing, I’m not necessarily referring to the product lineups that you see when you visit a manufacturer’s sales page, like Lenovo Yoga and ThinkPad or Dell Latitude and XPS. Those can be quite confusing for non-techies, but at least they carrysomemeaning that you can recognize and use to narrow down your choice.

For instance, if you want a2-in-1 laptopwith a 360º hinge, you could get aLenovo YogaorThinkpad X1,HP Pavilion x360orEnvy x360, or anASUS VivoBook Flip, just to name a few.

These laptop lineup names aren’t ideal, and manufacturers often break their own naming conventions. Suffixes and labels don’t always mean the same thing, and it only gets more confusing when marketing terms like “Pro,” “Carbon,” and “Flip” are thrown into the mix.

The real confusion, however, comes from the specific laptop model names that identify distinct sets of specifications. To illustrate my point with an example, there are five different versions of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Intel (14″) Aura Edition. Each comes with vastly different specifications and price points, so the only real way to tell them apart is by using Lenovo’s internal model names that the manufacturer uses to distinguish between them:

• 21NUCTO1WWUS1
• 21NU0033US
• 21NU003LUS
• 21NU003KUS
• 21NU0032US

While they’re all 14″ laptops that share the same chassis, there are many differences between them under the hood, such as the processor, display, amount of storage and RAM, and even the included Windows version (Home vs. Pro). That’s why the cheapest version (21NUCTO1WWUS1) costs $1,680.00, and the most expensive one (21NU0032US) is $2,769.00—nearly twice the price!

I used Lenovo as an example, but all manufacturers do this. Dell has two XPS 13 laptops (the Intel Core Ultra 9-powered9350and Snapdragon X Elite9345), both of which have another three variations. HP currently has13 different Envy x360sfor sale, while Acer has7 various Swift Go 14laptops. The list goes on.

Unfortunately, the model names don’t make it obvious whether you’re looking at the $1,680 or the $2,769 laptop. I seriously doubt even the average Lenovo employee knows these model names and their meanings by heart. That’s exactly why I’m writing about this, as I want to help you figure out how to buy a laptop without the confusion that usually comes with it.

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Key Specs to Focus On Instead

I’ll talk about features shortly, but let’s first go over thecore specifications—namely, the CPU, GPU (integrated or discrete), RAM, storage, and display. They’re usually the main cost drivers and differentiating factor between different versions of the same laptop.

First, learn a bit about the current processor offerings from both Intel and AMD, and determinehow much poweryou really need. For instance, you don’t really need a Ryzen or Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU if most of your work is browser-based; a Ryzen 5 or Intel Core Ultra 5 or even a Ryzen or Intel Core Ultra 3 will probably suffice.

AI-enabled chips withintegrated NPUs, which enable AI workloads like local LLMs (you’ve probably heard ofCopilot+ laptops), are the latest trend, but they do come at a slightly higher price.

As forARM CPUs, they offer some notable benefits in terms of power efficiency, but their general lack of support for many older programs (or just programs in general) in Windows doesn’t make them an ideal candidate for everyone.

Next is the GPU. Integrated GPUs vary in performance but are usually tied to the CPU, so upgrading your CPU often means getting a slightly better integrated GPU as well. However, if you’re a gamer or a creative professional, you should look for a laptop with adedicated GPU. These laptops are more expensive, but they offer significantly better performance for graphics-intensive tasks.As for RAM, I believe that 16GB should be the minimum for a modern laptop these days. 8GB might be enough if you only need to run a few web browser tabs at a time and don’t plan to multitask or play any demanding games. 32GB or more is a bit overkill for most people, but if you work with large files, do a lot of multitasking, or just want to future-proof your system, it’s worth paying extra (particularly if the laptop doesn’t have upgradeable RAM).

Storage is another important consideration. While many laptops use standard M.2 NVMes these days, it might be worth paying a bit more now to get more storage. Personally, I don’t store a lot of files on my laptop, so I find even 256GB to be more than enough, but your mileage may vary.

The last and often-overlooked factor is the display. It’s one of the most expensive components in a laptop, yet units with vastly different panels can share the same model name.

Take the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Intel (14″) Aura Edition I mentioned earlier. While all variants include a touchscreen, some models come with a more basic 1920×1200, 60Hz, 100% sRGB IPS display, while the higher-end versions feature a much better 2880×1800, 120Hz, 100% DCI-P3 HDR500 OLED panel.

If you’re aware of the image quality advantages ofOLEDandhigher refresh rates, you’ll understand that these two panels are in entirely different leagues and definitely shouldn’t use the same laptop model name, even if the overall design and power are similar.

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Other Features to Consider

While the main specs play a big role in choosing a laptop, they’re only one part of the equation. There are numerous other features that you should look for when buying a laptop. I have a wholelist of must-have laptop features, which includes things like a bright touchscreen display, fast charging, and an expansive I/O.

That said, your priorities might look completely different. Maybe you care more about ultra-lightweight portability or a decent webcam and integrated microphone for conference calls on the go. If you’re a photographer, you might need an integrated SD card slot and multiple Thunderbolt ports for ultra-fast file transfers. If you work outdoors or in a workshop, a rugged laptop is essential.

Ultimately, it all comes down to your specific needs. Figure out which features matter most to you before you start shopping.

Laptop Model Codes Aren’t Entirely Useless

The last thing I want to leave you with is a few practical tips for your laptop shopping. Let’s circle back to the topic of discussion here—those confusing laptop model names. To find them, check the manufacturer’s product page carefully to find it. Lenovo puts them under “Part Number,” but you might also find it under “Model,” “Order Code,” or even the URL of the specific unit.

Once you have the exact model code of the laptop you want, use it to cross-shop across different online retailers. This ensures you’re comparing the same configuration, and you won’t get misled by variation listings.

If you only use the laptop’s model name instead of the code, you might get excited about finding a $1,500 laptop on sale for $1,000—only to realize it’s a lower-spec version with half the RAM and no OLED display.If you’re buying a used laptop, figuring out the exact specifications based on the model name will be almost impossible. Ask the seller to tell you the model code (usually found on a sticker on the bottom) or the exact laptop specifications before buying it.Although laptop model names and their accompanying codes can feel like a jumbled mess, now that you understand how they work, you can use them to your advantage when shopping. While the alphanumeric codes may not mean much on their own, you can still use them to identify the specifications of a laptop beyond just the marketing name the manufacturer provides.