While gaming laptops used to be niche enough that it was a little easily to search for the one that happened to be packing the best processor, GPU and RAM assortment, the field has exploded since then and it can be a little harder to determine the best gaming laptop.
The gaming laptop we're used to seeing – thick chassis with RGB and tapered flares – isn't the only option any more, with a variety of advancements (such as Nvidia's Max-Q technology) allowing the sleeker ultrabook form factor to harbour some incredible grunt as well.
Regardless of if you're in it for the stealthy, sleek numbers to slip in your satchel on the go, or an all-in-one replacement for a desktop rig, we've sifted through what's on offer to bring you the best gaming laptops available in Australia.
It used to be that the best gaming laptops were thick, bulky devices that were necessary to experience the best PC games on the move. Those days are over. The Gigabyte Aero 15 packs a 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and a GTX 1060 into a package that allows it to pass as an Ultrabook. And, thanks to that beefy 6-core processor, it’s not just the best gaming laptop right now – it’s one of the best laptops, period.
Read the full review: Gigabyte Aero 15
If you want to play some of the best PC games on the move, but you don’t want everyone to know you’re playing games, the MSI GS65 Stealth is the best gaming laptop for you. Coming in at just 17.5mm thick and featuring impressive hardware like Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series – refreshed with RTX 20-series graphics at CES – the MSI GS65 Stealth packs a ton of power into a very svelte package. There’s nothing you won’t be able to throw at this thing that’ll slow it down. And, thanks to the subdued design, you’ll be able to bring this beefy rig everywhere you go, making it on of the best gaming laptops on the market right now.
Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth
The 15.6-inch Razer Blade might look a lot like its 2018 predecessor, but the RTX upgrade marks a significant improvement to this gaming powerhouse. Beyond its insanely high-end specs and beautiful (and slightly tweaked) chassis, it can fit up to a 4K Ultra-HD display, with the specs to actually back it up. It might be expensive, but if you’re a Razer fan looking for the best gaming laptop, or simply want a portable way to experience the cutting edge of Nvidia's latest RTX cards, it might just be for you.
Read the full review: Razer Blade 15 (2019)
Thin and light gaming laptops are everywhere right now, but if you don’t care about that, and want a thick, heavy and monstrous laptop that can demolish any game you throw at it – the Asus ROG G703GI is for you. This is a massive – and expensive – laptop, but it justifies its size and price with gaming performance that rivals the best gaming PCs. Just don’t think you’ll be able to haul it along with you to your local coffee shop without its two power bricks – or awkward stares.
Read the full review: Asus ROG G703GI
If you want one of the best gaming laptops, but don’t want to miss out on the ultra-portable craze, you need to consider the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. Packed with an Intel Kaby Lake G-series processor, this gaming laptop can keep up with its competitors rocking a GTX 1050 without featuring truly discrete graphics. And, when you combine that gaming horsepower with a chassis that looks this good, it’s a total win – even if you have to endure some fan noise to get there.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
While there are other gaming laptops opting for the sleekness and subtlety of an ultrabook, the HP Omen 15 offers up aesthetics that are unashamedly on the louder side of gaming. Thankfully, this is matched with a solid, sturdy chassis and some seriously solid performance to back it up. In fact, for the price, the Omen 15 performs remarkably well with either its GTX 1060 or 1070, and all of its configurations will offer up something of value to those who buy it.
When you’re setting out to buy one of the best gaming laptops, one of the first things you’ll likely notice is how expensive they can get. Luckily, the Dell G3 15 is not just extremely affordable, but it punches above its weight class with great 1080p gaming performance. With up to an Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU, you’ll be able to play all the latest games at 1080p without breaking a sweat, even if it’s not at max settings all the time. And, that blue on black color combo is quite a looker, if that’s your aesthetic.
Read the full review: Dell G3 15
While there are a handful of laptops in the budget space that offer great gaming solutions for those who are tight on cash, the Acer Nitro 5 is this year’s budget-laptop to beat. Whether it’s the entry level offering that doubles the RAM allocation to 16GB and throws in an additional 16GB of Intel Optane system memory/storage, or the mid-tier option offering a Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU, the Acer Nitro 5 is really showing up the competition in the budget gaming space
Read the full review: Acer Nitro 5
Although the Predator Helios 500 from Acer might be almost as big as some desktop rigs, it's sporting an awesome 17.3-inch screen and has the performance to back it up. With a 144Hz refresh rate and G-Sync, this huge display matches up with a GPU that performs considerably better than other laptops with the same configurations. As long as you're not having to carry this one too far, the Predator Helios 500 is a great choice.
Read the full review: Acer Predator Helios 500
Kicking Nvidia’s Max-Q technology off right, the Asus Zephyrus GX501 combines the heralded thinness of an Ultrabook with the performance of a gaming PC to bring the best of both worlds to your fingertips. Despite exhibiting subpar times in our battery life benchmarks, this svelte powerhouse of a notebook is one for the books when it comes to both portability and style. Plus, it’s virtually silent if noise is a cause for distraction in your everyday routine.
Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501
- Want more choices? Check out our list of the best laptop 2019
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