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The 5 best gaming laptops for 2024
Asus, Dell, Lenovo, Razer, Velocity Micro
Gamers tend to be very picky about their gaming gear. A computer must offer ultra-fast performance, a superior GPU, plenty of RAM, a ton of internal storage and an immersive display. Of course, they also insist on an equally capable gaming keyboard, mouse and headset. While some gamers believe this level of performance can only be achieved with a souped-up Windows desktop, the latest gaming machines offer a truly remarkable gaming experience — in laptop form.
Companies like Alienware (Dell), Asus, Lenovo, Razer and Velocity Micro offer plenty of highly capable and customizable gaming laptops. And we’ve rounded up the best of the best of the year.
For more help choosing the best laptop for you, check out the five best laptops for 2024, the five best laptops for college in 2024, the five best budget laptops for 2024 and the five best Chromebooks for 2024.
What is the best gaming laptop in 2024?
Our in-house experts have curated this roundup of the best gaming laptops available. These options come from a variety of brands and cater to casual, moderate and highly-skilled gamers. Keep in mind, each of the brands featured here offer gaming laptops that come in a variety of display sizes and with different hardware configurations, so you often have plenty of really great customization options.
Best gaming laptop overall: Asus ROG Strix G16 (2023)
Amazon
Display size: 16-inches | Display type: IPS WUXGA | Display resolution: 1,920 x 1,200 pixels | Display refresh rate: 240Hz | Operating system: Windows 11 Home | CPU: 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13980HX | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB | Battery life: Up to 6 hours | RGB lighting: Yes (with Aura Sync RGB customization) | Keyboard: Full-size with 1.9mm travel distance | Ports: 2x USB Type-A, 1x USB Type-C, 1x HDMI, 1x Thunderbolt 4 DisplayPort, 1x RJ-45 LAN, 1x 3.5mm audio hack | Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Speakers: | Dimensions: 13.94 x 10.39 x 0.89 inches | Weight: 7 pounds
It’s easy to build an Asus ROG gaming laptop worth more than $3,800, but for the casual to moderate gamer, this version of the Strix G16 offers impressive hardware at a very fair price. The 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13980HX is complemented by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for storage.
From the 16-inch display, you can expect up to a 240Hz refresh rate (with 100% of the sRGB color space and Dolby Vision support). The laptop also features Thermal Grizzly’s Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal on the CPU and tri-fan technology that allows for better sustained performance over long gaming sessions. This is a mid-priced gaming laptop that can handle all of the latest games. It also comes with Xbox Game Pass preinstalled.
Best budget gaming laptop: Lenovo LOQ
Lenovo
Display size: 15.6-inches | Display type: IPS WUXGA (with G-Sync support) | Display resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 pixels | Max. display brightness: 350 nits | Display refresh rate: 144Hz | Operating system: Windows 11 Home | CPU: AMD 8-core Ryzen 7 7840HS | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 | RAM: 32GB | Storage: 1TB | Battery life: Up to 7 hours | RGB lighting: Backlit keys | Keyboard: 1.5mm key travel | Ports: 3x USB Type-A, 1x USB Type-C, 1x Ethernet, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack | Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth | Dimensions: 14.16 x 10.49 x 0.99 inches | Weight: 5.29 pounds
Here’s a slightly-better-than-entry-level gaming laptop that’s well priced and ideal for casual gamers. Several configurations are available at the time of purchase from Amazon, but this one includes an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU with a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. It’s also configured with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for storage.
While the 15.6-inch display offers a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate, it’s maximum brightness is just 350 nits, which is fine when you’re gaming in a dimly lit space, but a bit on the weak side if you’re in a well lit room. Battery life is respectable for a gaming laptop that weighs in at less that 5.3 pounds.
Most customizable gaming laptop: Velocity Micro Raptor S77
Velocity Micro
Display size: 17-inches | Display type: QHD or UHD | Display resolution: 2,560 x 1,440 or 3,840 x 2,160 pixels | Display refresh rate: 144Hz or 240Hz | Operating system: Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro | CPU: 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX | GPU: Nvidia RTX 4000 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 500GB | Battery capacity: 6 cell 80Wh Polymer battery pack | RGB lighting: Backlit keyboard with numeric keypad | Keyboard: Two layout options | Ports: 1x HDMI, 1x mini DisplayPort, 1 Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB Type-A, 1x USB Type-C, 2x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x Ethernet | Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0 | Speakers: Stereo | Dimensions: 15.59 x 10.32 x 0.98 inches | Weight: 6.17 pounds
What we absolutely love about the Velocity Micro Raptor S77 is that every single unit is custom-made for the buyer. When you order from the company’s website, you can fully customize almost every aspect of the laptop.
The folks at Velocity Micro recently sent us a unit to review, and we were highly impressed with its overall performance and build quality. The company uses all name-brand components, so while you’ll typically pay a bit more compared with a gaming laptop off the shelf, what you get is a premium machine that’ll give you every possible gaming edge. These gaming laptops are definitely for more competitive gamers looking for a powerful desktop alternative.
The core components of this laptop include a 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX 24-core processor, along with a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. The 17.3-inch QHD display offers 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution. A 500GB SSD and 16GB of RAM are all part of the core configuration — but almost everything can be upgraded at the time of purchase, so you can easily spend $3,500 or more for an ultra-high-end setup with 64GB of RAM, two 4TB SSDs and other enhancements.
Best gaming laptop for casual and moderate gamers: Dell Alienware x17 R2
Dell
Display size: 17.3-inches | Display type: IPS FHD | Display resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 pixels | Max. display brightness: 300 nits | Display refresh rate: 360Hz | Operating system: Windows 11 Home | CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H | GPU: Nvidia GeForce 3070Ti | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB | Battery capacity: 6 cell 87Wh lithium-ion | RGB lighting: Backlit keys | Keyboard: 1.5mm key travel | Ports: 2x USB Type-A, 2x USB Type-C, Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, MicroSD card slot, Mini DisplayPort, 3.5mm audio jack | Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0 | Speakers: 2x two-watt stereo tweeters, 2x two-watt stereo woofer | Dimensions: 11.79 x 15.72 x 0.82 inches | Weight: 6.82 pounds
Here’s an example of a Dell Alienware gaming laptop that starts out affordable at the entry-level configuration, but for a more souped-up version, you can easily spend $2,600 (or more). While the entry-level version is ideal for more casual players, more competitive gamers will definitely want to upgrade.
This entry-level configuration offers a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, along with a Nvidia GeForce 3070Ti GPU. You also get 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for storage. From Amazon, you can upgrade to a 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H processor, which boosts the price up to $2,280.
Or, for $2,600, get the 2024 version of the Alienware x17 R2 with the Intel Core i9-12900H, along with 64GB or RAM and a 2TB SSD for storage. This higher-end version will reliably run top games like “Witcher 3,” Fortnite,” “Call of Duty,” “Elden Ring,” “Titanfall 2,” “Apex Legends,” and many more. It’s also VR ready. If you have the cash, this is the configuration we recommend.
Best high-end gaming laptop: Razer Blade 16
Razer
Display size: 16-inches | Display type: OLED QHD+ | Display resolution: 2,560 x 1,600 pixels | Max. display brightness: 400 nits | Display refresh rate: 240Hz | Operating system: Windows 11 Home | CPU: 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX (2.4 GHz) | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB | Battery capacity: 4 cells 6,182 mAh (95.2 Whr) | RGB lighting: Integrated Chroma RGB and per-key lighting | Keyboard: 1.0mm key travel | Ports: 1x USB Type-C, 3x USB Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x UHS-II SD card reader, 3.5mm audio jack | Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 | Speakers: 2x tweeters, 2x subwoofers | Dimensions: 13.98 x 9.61 x 0.87 inches | Weight: 5.4 pounds
This is the all-new, 2024 version of the Razer Blade 16 gaming laptop. It’s a higher-end option for more serious gamers who need the processing power of the 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX combined with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. This laptop comes with a stunning 16-inch OLED display that offers 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution and a super-quick 240Hz refresh rate.
When you buy, you can upgrade the amount of RAM from 16GB to either 32GB or 64GB. Plus, you can upgrade the GPU to either the RTX 4080 or RTX 4090. So, while the hardware configuration featured here is priced at $3,000, the 2024 version of the Razer Blade 16, with the 16-inch dual mode mini LED display, 64GB of RAM, a 4TB SSD, and the RTX 4090 GPU, boosts the price up to $4,700. Whichever configuration you can afford, you’ll enjoy amazing gaming complemented by the company’s customizable Chrome RGB lighting.
How to choose the best gaming laptop
Casual gamers can get away with using a lower-end laptop, especially if their focus is on cloud-based games. But for a gaming experience that rivals a high-end Windows desktop, you need a laptop designed specifically for gaming and that uses name-brand components.
Here are 14 of the key components to look for when shopping for a gaming laptop:
- Display: In addition to size, consider the type, resolution and refresh rate. This all contributes to the quality of the visuals you’ll experience when playing your favorite games. We suggest an OLED that can display sharper graphics. And for ultra-smooth animations and on-screen action, at least a 120Hz refresh rate is key. The maximum brightness (measured in nits) is also an important consideration. The brighter the better. We recommend 800 nits or higher, especially if you’ll be using the laptop in well lit areas.
- Processor (CPU): Whether you go with a CPU from Intel or AMD, choose one that caters to gamers and that offers the fastest speed you can afford. Focus on clock speed, core count and a CPU’s overclocking capabilities.
- GPU: Visuals are essential — and it’s the GPU that generates those graphics. You want a high-performing GPU that plays well with the computer’s CPU and display. For some popular games, the power of the GPU is more important than the CPU.
- RAM: For a gamer, the more RAM, the better. We recommend at least 16GB, but for a higher-end gaming laptop, you’ll be served better with 32GB.
- Storage: How much storage a gaming laptop offers determines how many games and how much game-related data you can store locally — and not have to rely on the cloud. Again, more is better. We recommend an SSD (solid state drive) with at least a 512GB capacity, but 1TB or even 2TB gives much more storage to work with.
- Size and weight: To compensate for the higher level of components, many gaming laptops are larger and heavier than traditional ones. Sure, a 17-inch gaming laptop offers more immersive visuals and on screen real estate than a 15-inch laptop, so it comes down to what you’re willing and able to carry.
- Ports: For most gamers, at least several USB Type-C ports and an HDMI port are an absolute necessity. The ports you’ll need will depend on what you want to connect to the computer, such as a monitor, gaming keyboard, mouse and headset, and how large of a display you want.
- Wireless connectivity: All gaming laptops offer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth integrations. But your laptop should support the latest and fastest wireless protocols, such as Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth 5.3. With Wi-Fi 7 on the immediate horizon and Bluetooth 5.4 recently been released, that support will help future-proof your gaming laptop.
- RGB lighting: RBG lighting adds to the gaming aesthetic. Programmable per-key lighting enhances game play by allowing you to color code keys to reflect what’s happening in-game.
- Battery: No matter which gaming laptop you choose, battery life is going to be much shorter than what a traditional laptop offers, especially when you’re playing games that require a lot of processing power. You might get a few hours of battery life out of the laptop during gaming sessions, plan on plugging it into a power source whenever possible. And when shopping for your gaming laptop, choose one with the highest capacity battery.
- Keyboard: The size of the gaming laptop often determines the layout of its keyboard. Other elements you want to pay attention to include the quality of the keys, per-key backlighting, key travel, actuation, anti-ghosting and n-key rollover support. Programmable macro keys and specialty function keys can also be useful. For key travel, we suggest between 1.5mm and 2mm.
- Cooling system: Anytime you’re playing a game that requires a tremendous amount of processing, the computer is going to heat up. With a well designed cooling system, heat will get dissipated and won’t have an impact on a gaming laptop’s performance.
- Speakers: No matter how good the speakers in a gaming laptop are, you’ll almost always enjoy better sound if you use wireless headphones, earbuds or a gaming headset. Whichever option you choose, it should offer noise cancellation and spatial audio support. If you’ll be relying on the internal speakers, pay attention to the number of speakers, the size of the drivers, the speaker wattage and whether a woofer is also integrated into the sound system.
- Brand reputation: The laptops featured within this roundup come from Alienware (Dell), Asus, Lenovo, Razer and Velocity Micro — all considered to be the best gaming laptop brands in the business, but you have other options. If you go with a lesser known brand, make sure it’s at least configured using name-brand components, especially when it comes to its CPU and GPU.
For expert advice on choosing the best tablet, Android-based tablet, Apple iPad, tablet for kids, desktop computer, wireless headphones, noise cancelling earbuds, laptop computer, budget-friendly laptop computer, Chromebook, laptop computer for college, smartwatch, Android smartphone or cell phone, be sure to check out our extensive and continuously updated tech coverage.
Legislation to expand Social Security benefits to millions of Americans passed the U.S. Senate early Saturday and is now headed to the desk of President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign the measure into law.
Senators voted 76-20 for the Social Security Fairness Act, which would eliminate two federal policies that prevent nearly 3 million people, including police officers, firefighters, postal workers, teachers and others with a public pension, from collecting their full Social Security benefits. The legislation has been decades in the making, as the Senate held its first hearings into the policies in 2003.
“The Senate finally corrects a 50-year mistake,” proclaimed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, after senators approved the legislation at 12:15 a.m. Saturday.
The bill’s passage is “a monumental victory for millions of public service workers who have been denied the full benefits they’ve rightfully earned,” said Shannon Benton, executive director for the Senior Citizens League, which advocates for retirees and which has long pushed for the expansion of Social Security benefits. “This legislation finally restores fairness to the system and ensures the hard work of teachers, first responders and countless public employees is truly recognized.”
The vote came down to the wire, as the Senate looked to wrap up its current session. Senators rejected four amendments and a budgetary point of order late Friday night that would have derailed the measure, given the small window of time left to pass it.
Vice President-elect JD Vance of Ohio was among the 24 Republican senators to join 49 Democrats to advance the measure in an initial procedural vote that took place Wednesday.
“Social Security is a bedrock of our middle class. You pay into it for 40 quarters, you earned it, it should be there when you retire,” Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who lost his seat in the November election, told the chamber ahead of Wednesday’s vote. “All these workers are asking for is for what they earned.”
What is the Social Security Fairness Act?
The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal two federal policies — the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) — that reduce Social Security payments to nearly 3 million retirees.
That includes those who also collect pensions from state and federal jobs that aren’t covered by Social Security, including teachers, police officers and U.S. postal workers. The bill would also end a second provision that reduces Social Security benefits for those workers’ surviving spouses and family members. The WEP impacts about 2 million Social Security beneficiaries and the GPO nearly 800,000 retirees.
The measure, which passed the House in November, had 62 cosponsors when it was introduced in the Senate last year. Yet the bill’s bipartisan support eroded in recent days, with some Republican lawmakers voicing doubts due to its cost. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the proposed legislation would add a projected $195 billion to federal deficits over a decade.
Without Senate approval, the bill’s fate would have ended with the current session of Congress and would have needed to be re-introduced in the next Congress.
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Saturday is the winter solstice and 2024’s shortest day. Here’s what to know about the official start of winter.
The 2024 winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, happens on Saturday, Dec. 21, in the Northern Hemisphere. The celestial event signifies the first day of winter, astronomically.
What is the winter solstice?
The winter solstice is the day each year that has the shortest period of daylight between sunrise and sunset, and therefore the longest night. It happens when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn, a line of latitude that circles the globe south of the equator, the National Weather Service explains.
The farther north you are, the shorter the day will be, and in the Arctic Circle, the sun won’t rise at all.
How is the day of the winter solstice determined?
The winter solstice occurs because of the Earth’s tilt as it rotates around the sun.
When the Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the sun, the nights last longer. The longest night happens on the solstice because the hemisphere is in its furthest position from the sun. That occurs each year on Dec. 21 or 22.
This year, it falls on Dec. 21 at 4:21 a.m ET, to be precise.
On the summer solstice, when the northern tilt is closest to the sun, we have the longest day, usually June 20 or 21.
National Weather Service
The solstices are not always exactly on the 21st every year because the earth’s rotation around the sun is 365.25 days, instead of 365 even.
Will days start getting longer after the winter solstice?
Yes. Each day after the solstice, we get one minute more of sunlight. It doesn’t sound like much, but after just two months, or around 60 days, we’ll be seeing about an hour more of sunlight.
When will winter officially be over in 2025?
The meteorological winter ends on March 20, 2025. Then, spring will last until June 20, when the summer solstice arrives.
How is the winter solstice celebrated around the world?
Nations and cultures around the world have celebrated the solstice since ancient times with varying rituals and traditions. The influence of those solstice traditions can still be seen in our celebrations of holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah, Britannica notes.
The ancient Roman Saturnalia festival celebrated the end of the planting season and has close ties with modern-day Christmas. It honored Saturn, the god of harvest and farming. The multiple-day affair had lots of food, games and celebrations. Presents were given to children and the poor, and slaves were allowed to stop working.
Gatherings are held every year at Stonehenge, a monumental circle of massive stones in England that dates back about 5,000 years. The origins of Stonehenge are shrouded in mystery, but it was built to align with the sun on solstice days.
Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images
The Hopi, a Native American tribe in the northern Arizona area, celebrate the winter solstice with dancing, purification and sometimes gift-giving. A sacred ritual known as the Soyal Ceremony marks the annual milestone.
In Peru, people honor the return of the sun god on the winter solstice. The ancient tradition would be to hold sacrificial ceremonies, but today, people hold mock sacrifices to celebrate. Because Peru is in the Southern Hemisphere, their winter solstice happens in June, when the Northern Hemisphere is marking its summer solstice.
Scandinavia celebrates St. Lucia’s Day, a festival of lights.
The “arrival of winter,” or Dong Zhi, is a Chinese festival where family gathers to celebrate the year so far. Traditional foods include tang yuan, sweet rice balls with a black sesame filling. It’s believed to have its origins in post-harvest celebrations.
Researchers stationed in in Antarctica even have their own traditions, which may include an icy plunge into the polar waters. They celebrate “midwinter” with festive meals, movies and sometimes homemade gifts.