Best gaming laptop under $1,500?

Can anyone point me toward a solid gaming laptop under $3333
?
I'm prioritizing CPU power over graphics for this build 👍

neonheron9 said:Can anyone point me toward a solid gaming laptop under $3333
?
I'm prioritizing CPU power over graphics for this build 👍

If you're gaming, the GPU is actually the priority. Most games aren't optimized enough to make high-end CPU cores (like a Ryzen 9 5959 x) worth the extra cash compared to a better GPU.
Since you're working with a tight budget (as we all are these days), skip the flashy bells and whistles like a 120 Hz screen or an Nvidia RTX card with ray tracing. You can still grab a decent enough graphics card for $1200. Just keep in mind, you'll likely be looking at a GTX rather than an RTX.

A 120Hz refresh rate isn't some flashy gimmick; if you're dropping $1,500 on a gaming laptop, it better come with an IPS screen at 120Hz or higher.

That link Amy Vaughn12 shared is solid. A buddy of mine has a similar build—I think it has an RTX3070—and he’s pretty happy with it.

The Ryzen 9 5959 x isn't a mobile chip, so you won't find it in any laptops.

The 5800H is a great processor, works just fine for gaming and everything else.

Amy Vaughn12 said:https://www.bestbuy.com/site/laptops/gaming-laptop/pcmcat138422310044.c?id=pcmcat138422310044

Cheers

Is there actually a massive difference between

the RTX 3060 and the RTX 3050?

granitecrane2 said:If you're gaming, the GPU is actually the priority. Most games aren't optimized enough to make high-end CPU cores (like a Ryzen 9 5959 x) worth the extra cash compared to a better GPU.
Since you're working with a tight budget (as we all are these days), skip the flashy bells and whistles like a 120 Hz screen or an Nvidia RTX card with ray tracing. You can still grab a decent enough graphics card for $1200. Just keep in mind, you'll likely be looking at a GTX rather than an RTX.

I've already got a great desktop setup. It's just that I've been traveling for longer stretches lately, and I want something to kill the boredom while sitting around playing games—something my current laptop just can't handle.

neonheron9 said:Cheers

Is there actually a massive difference between

the RTX 3060 and the RTX 3050?

If you're just sticking to 1080p, the RTX 3050 works fine for someone who isn't obsessed with chasing high framerates and all that. Most modern titles should run okay at 1080p on medium-to-high settings. The real headache is that tiny 4 GB of VRAM, which is going to be a bottleneck sooner rather than later. On the other hand, the RTX 3060 is noticeably faster and packs 6 GB of VRAM.
Just a heads up, trying to game on a laptop without the power brick plugged in will drain the battery in about an hour, and your performance is going to tank significantly.

So, can a gaming laptop with a 1080p screen actually push a signal to a 2K monitor and let me run games at that higher resolution? I’m asking strictly from a technical standpoint here—not worrying about whether my frame rates will tank or anything like that.

granitegardener said:So, can a gaming laptop with a 1080p screen actually push a signal to a 2K monitor and let me run games at that higher resolution? I’m asking strictly from a technical standpoint here—not worrying about whether my frame rates will tank or anything like that.

Most modern laptops can handle at least 4K at 60 Hz on an external display, and plenty of the high-end ones with dedicated GPUs can drive two monitors like that. So, technically speaking, you should be fine.

Which one should I grab?
https://www.amazon.com/example-laptop-link-1

https://www.amazon.com/example-laptop-link-2

Matthew Booth said:Which one should I grab?
https://www.amazon.com/example-laptop-link-1

https://www.amazon.com/example-laptop-link-2

I’d probably just go with the Acer. Mostly because it won't drain my bank account quite as fast.

wiredotter14 said:A 120Hz refresh rate isn't some flashy gimmick; if you're dropping $1,500 on a gaming laptop, it better come with an IPS screen at 120Hz or higher.

That link Amy Vaughn12 shared is solid. A buddy of mine has a similar build—I think it has an RTX3070—and he’s pretty happy with it.

The Ryzen 9 5959 x isn't a mobile chip, so you won't find it in any laptops.

The 5800H is a great processor, works just fine for gaming and everything else.

Not necessarily. Besides, how is it even going to hit 120 FPS if the GPU is underpowered?

granitegardener said:So, can a gaming laptop with a 1080p screen actually push a signal to a 2K monitor and let me run games at that higher resolution? I’m asking strictly from a technical standpoint here—not worrying about whether my frame rates will tank or anything like that.

Why wouldn't they be able to? 1440p is basically the modern standard anyway (though technically, 1080p is what most people call Full HD).

granitecrane2 said:Not necessarily. Besides, how is it even going to hit 120 FPS if the GPU is underpowered?

The RTX3060 mobile is plenty for 1080p 120Hz gaming.
If you're picking a GTX card in a laptop from $3.25 somewhere, you messed up