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Best laptops for casual and light gaming

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
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Gaming laptops come with different specifications and configurations depending on your requirements. If you’re a major gaming enthusiast and you have the budget then you can definitely go for the super premium gaming laptops. But you don’t need to burn a hole in your pocket if you just want one for some casual and light gaming. You can easily get a decent laptop that can not only handle casual gaming but graphic intensive games as well. These laptops are also a great choice for productivity tasks.

So here’s a list of the best laptops you can get for casual gaming.

How we do our research


Our ranking criteria


Over the year, we reviewed the number of laptops covering every aspect and use case. We consider laptops with only with 4+ rating other than this we consider design, audio and display quality, and overall gaming performance.

We also consider the device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features.

Things to consider when buying a gaming laptop


With a number of screen sizes, processor options and other elements buying a gaming laptop gets harder. Should you focus on the processor, the cooling system, GPU or the keyboard.

Here are some important factors to keep in mind when buying a gaming laptop.

Display size


Most people overlook this part. However, the display size is just important as the hardware inside a gaming laptop. Most gaming laptops feature 15 and 17-inch of displays. But gaming on a larger screen gives you better gaming experience, but it means that the price will be higher.

Secondly, having a larger screen will require higher spec hardware. Lastly, a larger screen does add to the overall size and weight of the laptop which could be an issue depending on your specific use case.

CPU and GPU


CPU and GPU are the most important parts of gaming laptops, the better the CPU and GPU, the better the overall performance. Currently, gaming laptops with 10th or 11th Gen processors will do the job.

For the GPU, you can go for Nvidia GeForce GTX or RTX. The RTX 30-series can be your latest option. On the other hand, you can also look for laptops with AMD Radeon RX 5000M series.

Refresh rate


Gaming laptops come with different display configurations. Some display has lower resolution but they support a maximum refresh rate of 144, 240, or 360Hz. Remember, GPU with higher configuration will also be required to make full use of high refresh rate displays.

The Resolution


When buying a gaming laptop avoid displays that are lower than 1920 × 1080 resolution.

3840 × 2160 resolution or 4K screens is something to consider for your gaming laptop as this will give you decent visual experience.

Keyboard


You’ll spend endless hours pounding the keys on your laptop. Consider laptops with a lighted keyboard, which will be helpful during long gaming sessions. Also, a multi-coloured backlight keyboard is worth considering as it will enhance your overall gaming experience.

Features compared

LaptopsSpecificationsScreen sizeProduct link
MSI GF758GB/ 512GB NVMe SSD/ Windows 10 Home/ Nvidia GTX1650 4GB GDDR617.3- inchBuy On
Acer Aspire 7 AMD Ryzen 58 GB/ 512 GB SSD/ Windows 10 Home/ 4 GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Graphics15.6- inchBuy On
ASUS TUF Gaming F15GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6 Graphics (8GB RAM/512GB NVMe SSD15.6- inchBuy On
HP Pavilion Gaming8GB/ 512GB SSD + 32GB Intel Optane/ Windows 10 /NVIDIA 1650Ti 4GB15.6- inchBuy On
Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 38GB/ 512 GB SSD/ Windows 10/ Nvidia GTX 1650 4GB15.6- inchBuy On
HP Pavilion Ryzen 58GB/ 1TB HDD/ M.2 Slot /Windows 10/ NVIDIA GTX 1650 4GB15.6- inchBuy On
Dell G3 35008GB/ 1TB + 256GB SSD/ Windows 10 Home/ 4GB NVIDIA 1650 Graphics15.6- inchBuy On
Acer Nitro 58GB Ram/ 1TB HDD + 256GB SSD/ Windows 10 Home/ GTX 1650 Graphics15.6- inchBuy On
HP OMEN AMD Ryzen 58 GB DDR6 RAM, 4GB NVIDIA 1650ti Graphics, 512 GB SSD15.6- inchBuy On



MSI GF75 Thin

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
The MSI GF75 Thin laptop is powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10300H processor. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The gaming laptop features a large 17.3-inch Full HD display with a 144Hz refresh rate. It also comes with NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 graphics and 4GB of dedicated video memory. You get a Steelseries RED backlit keyboard, and an HD camera with this laptop. It comes with Windows 10 Home pre-loaded, Norton Internet Security and Norton Studio. The MSI GF75 Thin gaming laptop is a good value for money option for people who want a large screen.

Acer Aspire 7

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
The Acer Aspire 7 comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD display and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics and 4GB of dedicated video memory. It is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 quad-core processor coupled with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. It is equipped with a USB Type-C port, one USB 2.0 port, two USB 3.2 ports and an HDMI port. You also get Wi-Fi 6 for wireless connectivity, and Windows 10 Home pre-installed. The Acer Aspire 7 comes in Charcoal Black colour, and it’s a good option for a no-frills gaming laptop.


ASUS TUF Gaming F15

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
The Asus TUF Gaming F15 laptop comes with the 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10300H processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. It features a 15.6-inch Full HD display with a 144Hz refresh rate. You also get NVIDIA GeForce 1650 graphics and 4GB of dedicated video memory. The laptop comes with a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass. It features a one-zone RGB backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 and an HD webcam. The Asus TUF Gaming F15 laptop is another option for not just casual but professional gamers too.


HP Pavilion Gaming 15-dk1514TX

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
If you want your gaming laptop to stand out then you can go for the HP Pavilion Gaming 15-dk1514TX. It has a good looking design with a 15.6-inch Full HD display and a 144Hz refresh rate. You also get an ultraviolet backlit keyboard, and an HD webcam. The laptop runs the 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10300H processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. It is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics and 4GB of dedicated video memory. The HP Pavilion Gaming 15-dk1514TX is recommended for those who want a good looking gaming laptop.


Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
The Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 is another laptop that can be considered for casual gaming. It is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11300H processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. You also get NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics and 4GB of video memory. The Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 laptop also comes with MIL-STD-810G design for durability. It features a 15.6-inch Full HD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 has a sleek design and white backlit keyboard with anti-ghosting keys.


HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec1024AX

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
This is another HP Pavilion Gaming laptop that you can consider. It is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H processor coupled with 8GB of RAM and 1TB of HDD storage. The laptop has a 15.6-inch Full HD WLED-backlit display, and it comes preloaded with Windows 10 Home. It also has NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics and 4GB of video memory. The HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec1024AX laptop has a good-looking design with 3-sided micro edge bezels.

Dell G3 3500

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
The Dell G3 3500 gaming laptop features a 15.6-inch Full HD display and comes with a simple design. It is powered by a high-performance 10th generation Intel Core i5-10300H processor. This is paired with 8GB RAM, a 1TB HDD and a 256GB SSD, so you don’t have to worry about sacrificing storage space for speed. Graphics duties are handled by a 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 card. This Dell gaming laptop is a great alternative if you want something with a powerful processor and abundant yet fast storage.

Acer Nitro 5

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
The Acer Nitro 5 AN515-55 gaming laptop is powered by the 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor coupled with 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD and a 1TB HDD. It is equipped with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650Ti graphics. The laptop features a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate. If you’re looking for a powerful laptop to play games on the go, the Acer Nitro 5 is a good option. It is equipped with Acer Coolboost technology and dual exhaust port design to keep the device cool while gaming.

HP OMEN AMD Ryzen 5

Best laptops for casual and light gaming
HP also offers RGB gaming laptops under its Omen series. The HP Omen 15 offers a clean and sleek look for a gaming laptop with RGB lighting. You can play around with the RGB lighting and choose between different themes, effects and colours. In terms of specs, the HP Omen 15 features a 15.6-inch Full HD display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The laptop is powered by the Ryzen 5-4600H processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. It comes with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650ti graphics card, and pre-loaded Windows 10 Home. The HP Omen 15 has micro-edge bezels, audio powered by Bang & Olufsen, and 3-side venting along with 5-way airflow for cooling.

DISCLAIMER: The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.


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