Top 5 Best Upcoming Gaming Laptops in 2025

A gaming laptop fits PC graphics performance into a small, portable form factor, making it ideal for traveling, using on the couch, or simply taking up less desk space. There are many options available on the market, including screens that range from 14 to 18 inches (the Asus ROG G16 is a great option that falls comfortably in the middle), graphics cards that support a range of resolutions, and prices that start below but gradually rise above it. High refresh rate panels, opulent RGB lights, and occasionally even mechanical keyboards are features found in the best gaming laptops.

We have begun testing the newest 2025 components, such as Nvidia’s “Blackwell” mobile GPUs and Intel’s most recent Core Ultra CPUs. Even though we’re constantly anticipating the upcoming generation of gaming notebooks, those GPUs from the RTX 50 series haven’t yet made our list. We’re waiting on Nvidia to resolve some driver issues that were discovered during our review of the Razer Blade 16. In order to add more new picks to this page, we’re testing more and hope to see those updated soon.

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Last update on 2025-04-05 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Top 5 Best Upcoming Gaming Laptops in 2025

1.MSI Titan 18 HX

Last update on 2025-04-05 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

To be honest, the MSI Titan GT77 HX should have everything. At, the price we tested is well out of most people’s price range (don’t worry, there are cheaper options further down the list). There’s plenty to enjoy here, including a clicky, mechanical keyboard, a powerful performance, and an amazing 18-inch mini-LED screen.

Although they are powerful, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 laptop GPU and the Intel Core i9-14900HX don’t really represent a significant improvement over earlier models. However, you’ll have more memory than you’ll ever require for gaming thanks to 128GB of RAM and 4TB of SSD storage. An excellent tool for video editors would be this one.

The Titan 18 HX performed admirably in some of our most challenging tests, such as running Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing Ultra preset, even though the 14th Gen Intel Core processor doesn’t offer any significant performance improvements over 13th Gen Core gaming laptops.

The Cherry MX mechanical keyboard used by MSI is comfortable and clicky. Though it’s a shame that MSI doesn’t use these switches for the number and arrow keys as well, it’s a luxury for typing and gaming.

The 18-inch mini-LED display, however, is the standout feature. It measured an exceptionally bright 559 nits with our light meter and covered 112.4% of the DCI-P3 color gamut in our tests. Movies and games look great on this HDR screen.

With the Titan, MSI has come as close to cramming a desktop into a laptop chassis as possible. It is intended for those who don’t want or have space for a desktop computer. In many respects, if you can afford it, it’s the best.

We tested the Titan hard because we expected it to play games well with an Intel Core i9-14900HX, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, and 128GB of RAM. We contrasted it with another recent powerhouse, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, which had 32GB of RAM but the same CPU and GPU. Additionally, we compared it to the Alienware m18 from the previous year (Core i9-13980HX and RTX 4090) and the MSI Titan GT77 HX (Core i9-13950HX and RTX 4090).

To put this monster of a laptop to the test, I loaded up Alan Wake 2. The game forces DLSS or FSR (I used DLSS, as this laptop has an Nvidia GPU), and ran the game at 1920 x 1200 on the high preset with high ray tracing. With DLSS Frame Gen turned off, the game ran between 30 and 43 fps in early scenes. When I turned on Frame Gen, I would get up to 54 fps, though sometimes the game seemed unnaturally smooth.

Each of the four large laptops in our test pool sports a different native resolution. While the Titan 18 goes up to 3840 x 2400, last year’s Titan GT77 went up to 3840 x 2160 (that was a 16:9 panel). The Alienware m18 R1 we reviewed topped out at 1920 x 1200 (to hit 480 Hz) while the more recent Asus ROG Strix Scar was a 2560 x 1600 panel. This makes 1920 x 1080 the common resolution we were able to test across the laptops.

2.Dell G16 (7630)

Last update on 2025-04-05 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Budget-friendly equipment is frequently a bit older. However, the Dell G16 (7630), which is currently frequently in that low-cost price range, offers certain conveniences that other businesses do not.

The RTX 4060 in the G16 provides much better gaming performance than the RTX 4050 found in the majority of gaming laptops at this price. The cherry on top is the fact that Dell came with a Cherry MX mechanical keyboard, which is frequently seen in more expensive laptops bearing the Alienware brand. Additionally, a 16-inch screen with a refresh rate of up to 240 Hz is available for quick-twitch esports.

It lacks some of the newest features and is somewhat heavy, like the majority of low-cost devices. However, it’s difficult to overlook the power you receive for the performance.The G16 is a big laptop, and I don’t just mean in weight (6.3 pounds), but also in terms of pure size. It’s a big and thick machine – I measured it at 1-inch thick at its thinnest point (front) with the lid closed, and 1.25 inches thick at the rear. The thick and wide chassis not only allows Dell to put in a large 16-inch display, but there’s ample room to put in enough cooling for the 13th Gen “Raptor Lake” processor and the 140-watt GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU.

A mostly-plastic chassis is par for the course in laptops in the sub price range. You’ll also find that trend with the G16, with thick plastic used for the primary chassis and plenty of cutouts for ventilation. However, Dell tries to class things up with an aluminum lid with its logo emblazoned in the center.

With its angular design, the G16 looks good and exudes some style that we would anticipate from a laptop that costs hundreds of dollars more. I will admit, though, that the angular design did annoy me in one way: the front-ridge edge of the deck dug into my palm when I was using the arrow keys, which was inconvenient.

On the right side of the chassis are two USB 3.2 Type-A ports; on the left side are a Gigabit Ethernet port (which has a drop-jaw hinge), a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a battery status LED. A proprietary power port with a barrel-style plug for the 330-watt adapter, an additional USB 3.2 Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a Thunderbolt 4 port are all located on the back panel.

I wouldn’t feel comfortable carrying the G16 around all the time due to its large size and heavy weight. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 is 14.13 x 10.20 x 0.98 inches and weighs 4.96 pounds, whereas the Lenovo LOQ 15ARP9 is 14.17 x 10.19 x 0.94 inches and weighs 5.12 pounds. The next most portable laptop in this group is the Acer Nitro 16, which weighs 5.95 pounds and measures 14.8 x 11.02 x 1.1 inches.

3.MSI Katana 15

Last update on 2025-04-05 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

The Katana 15’s design is undergoing significant changes. The entire laptop is made of high-sheen plastic, and the keyboard deck and display lid have a lot of flex. MSI engraves its logo on the lid and decorates the keyboard deck with imitation flathead screws. Additionally, pixel-style design elements are imprinted on the sides of the chassis, along the edge of the display lid, and beneath the display (shown in the pictures below, close to the USB ports). Although the laptop feels “cheap” overall, it is exactly what we would anticipate from a laptop in this price range.

The four-zone RGB keyboard, which employs an unusual font and more pixel elements between the keys close to the number pad, is the most audacious design decision, though. Because the power and WASD keys are transparent, you can see the scissor switches underneath. The arrow keys’ strange and overly busy prints don’t appeal to me.

The Ethernet jack, HDMI 2.1, and USB 3.2 Type-A and Type-C ports are located on the right side of the chassis. Another USB 3.2 Type-A port, a USB 2.0 port, and a proprietary power outlet for a barrel-style plug are located on the other side.

The Katana 15 is on the lighter side of this grouping, measuring 14.13 x 10.20 x 0.98 inches and weighing 4.96 pounds. In contrast, the Dell G15 weighs 5.5 pounds and measures 14.1 x 10.8 x 1.1 inches, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 weighs 5.51 pounds and measures 14.16 x 10.49 x 0.86 inches. The Acer Nitro 5 is 14.19 x 10.67 x 1.06 inches and weighs 5.51 pounds.

With an Intel Core i7-13620H Raptor Lake processor, a low-end GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of DDR5-5200 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD, our MSI Katana 15 review was well-equipped.We saw frame rates hover around 70 to 80 fps in the games we tested at 1080p resolution and high detail settings enabled.

We weren’t expecting world-class display performance in the sub-$1,000 segment, and that holds true with the Katana 15. According to our colorimeter, the Katana 15 could only reach 49 percent DCI-P3 coverage, while it hit 69 percent of the sRGB color gamut. That is right in line with the segment averages in those respective categories. However, the 250 nits brightness measurement put it in last place in this grouping, while the Acer Nitro 5 took top honors at 314 nits.

Despite the drawback on paper, I had no issues seeing the display clearly in a home office with lots of overhead lights or outside on a cloudy day. The picture quality was an issue, though, even though it was not difficult to see what was on the screen. The colors displayed on the Katana 15’s screen appeared subdued in everything from Disney Plus programming to YouTube videos and games. It is evident that MSI is putting a high refresh rate ahead of overall quality in order to please gamers.

4.Gigabyte Aorus 16X

Last update on 2025-04-05 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

As tested, the Gigabyte Aorus 16X is a great all-around laptop that can compete with some of the top gaming laptops. With its Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card and Intel Core HX-class processor, this midrange 16-inch model provides outstanding performance. It is excellent in almost every way, but especially in terms of its screen. Its useful features, like an IR webcam and a comfortable keyboard, also make it appropriate for daily use when not gaming. There is still much to be grateful for, even though we wish the battery life had been longer.

The Aorus 16X’s “midnight” gray chassis looks more like black in person. It makes no attempt to hide that it’s a gaming laptop, with aggressive cooling vents, an RGB lightbar and keyboard, and flashy detailing on the palm rest.

The laptop is built with sturdy plastic used in the chassis and aluminum on the lid. The lid opens only 45 degrees past vertical; I’d like to see it go a full 180 degrees. Looks-wise, Aorus’ reflective lid logo and badge don’t really stand out, though the lightbar running along the bottom edge is bright and projects Aorus’ logo about an inch behind the laptop for a touch of uniqueness. The Gigabyte Control Center app provides different color schemes and patterns (pulse, rainbow wave, static, and color cycling). The lighting can, of course, be disabled. I liked it and kept it enabled.

This laptop’s interior is likewise ostentatious, featuring textured patterns on either side of the keyboard and vents across the top of it. The printed lines that run through the touchpad add flair, but I don’t like the “Team Up, Fight On” lettering on the palm rest. The aggressive look is successfully executed by the Aorus 16X.

The Alienware m16 R2 (14.33 x 9.81 x 0.93 inches, 5.75 pounds) and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 (14.3 x 10.25 x 1.05 inches, 5.51 pounds) are heavier than the Aorus 16X, which weighs 5.07 pounds and measures 14.02 x 10 x 1.06 inches. Compared to the Alienware, it is not quite as thin.

The Aorus 16X’s abundant connectivity starts on the left edge with Ethernet, HDMI video output, a USB Type-A port, and a USB Type-C port. Both USB ports are version 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps). The USB-C port supports DisplayPort 1.4 video output. The barrel-style AC power jack is also here.

If you’re left-handed, peripherals plugged into these ports may encroach on your external mouse space, which is why I don’t like that some of the ports are farther forward (toward the user) than the chassis midpoint. If nothing else, the exhaust air shouldn’t get to your hands because the cooling vents are far enough back.

A MicroSD card reader, a Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C port, a 3.5 mm headphone/microphone combo jack, and an additional 10 Gbps USB-A port are among the ports on the right. The Legion Pro 5i Gen 9 lacks the Thunderbolt 4 port, which is a huge plus.Our Aorus 16X has an Intel Core i7-14650HX processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 laptop graphics card (140W), and 32GB of RAM. It’s well equipped for modern gaming.

Playing Crysis 3 Remastered at 2560 x 1600 with Very High details, I saw between 75 and 85 frames per second indoors and almost 100 fps outdoors. The game was very smooth and didn’t lag at all.

5.Asus TUF Gaming A14

Last update on 2025-04-05 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

When I first handled Asus’s thin and light TUF Gaming A14 laptop before Computex earlier this year, I was impressed. With a metal base and lid, the A14 feels and looks high-end for a sub-brand that Asus has traditionally viewed as a low-cost substitute for its Strix or Zephyrus lineups. Additionally, weighing only 3.22 pounds, it is almost as portable as ultraportables of a similar size, with the exception that the A14 has RTX 4060 graphics rather than a thermally constrained one like the one found in HP’s Omen Transcend 14.

I now know from testing and using the TUF Gaming A14 that its battery lasts more than 10 hours, which is almost twice as long as some of its rivals, including some of the top gaming laptops. It’s one of the greatest choices in its $1,399 price range for individuals searching for a portable laptop that can support intense gaming without looking out of place (or running out of battery) in an office or classroom. I only wish it had a more powerful speaker and a more recent AMD Ryzen AI processor.

The TUF A14 is completely different from the Zephyrus G14 in terms of external design, even though it has the same ports and keyboard layout. It lacks an RGB keyboard (just white backlighting), an LED strip on the lid, and a gaudy silver color option. The TUF A14’s deck and bezel surrounding the display are made of matte-black plastic, while the metal lid and bottom are dark gunmetal gray. Although smudges and oils from your hands tend to be picked up by the plastic deck, it is generally less noticeable in normal lighting than in our brightly lit photos.

Surprisingly light for a gaming laptop is another feature of the TUF Gaming A14. At 3.22 pounds, it weighs significantly less than the Razer Blade 14 (4.05 pounds) and marginally less than the Zephyrus G14 (3.31 pounds). It’s not much lighter, even for 14-inch ultraportables with built-in graphics. The Asus ZenBook OLED weighs 2.82 pounds, while HP’s OmniBook X, powered by the Snapdragon X, weighs 2.97 pounds. In other words, you can get the gaming capabilities of an RTX 4060 while still staying within the ultraportable range for less than a third of a pound of extra weight. Additionally, Asus didn’t cut corners on unplugged running time, as we’ll see later in our battery testing.

The TUF Gaming A14 with the new Ryzen AI 300 processors, which Asus will soon sell, had not yet been formally released as of this writing. Thus, the Ryzen 7 8845HS and RTX 4060 graphics are included with this initial version of the A14 laptop. Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14 (Ryzen 9 8945HS, RTX 4070), the Razer Blade 14 (also a Ryzen 9 8945HS and RTX 4070), and HP’s Omen Transcend 14 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, RTX 4060) are the other 14-inch gaming laptops we’ll be comparing it to in our benchmark testing below.

Gaming Laptop Shopping Tips

Quick Gaming Laptop Shopping Tips

Pay attention to the GPU: The majority of games rely significantly on the GPU, which cannot be upgraded. You will have years of comfortable gaming if you invest in a powerful GPU now.
Later, you can upgrade a few parts: Although the top gaming CPUs and GPUs are nearly always soldered down, the majority of gaming laptops allow you to swap out the RAM and storage, allowing you to purchase a less expensive model now and upgrade to a larger hard drive or SSD later on. Do your homework before purchasing a laptop because it’s usually easier to upgrade a thicker, more powerful model than a thinner one. This information is part of our reviews.

The battery life will likely be poor because very few gaming notebooks can run for eight hours or longer on a single charge, and you need a power supply to play games at their best. AMD’s Ryzen processors have, however, shown promise in recent years, and Nvidia says its enhanced Optimus technology could help reverse this trend. However, you should make sure that you are plugged in while playing in order to get the best possible gaming experience.
Make sure your games have enough storage: Premium gaming laptops are costly, and video games now consume more storage than ever before. Anything less than 512GB should be avoided. For a gaming laptop, 1TB is the sweet spot and 2TB is perfect. Fortunately, the majority of machines allow you to add more storage later on if necessary.