Gaming- oriented computers tend to cost “the eyes of the guy” and gaming notebooks, then, don’t even mention it!
If you are a fortunate person who won at Mega-Sena and can buy such a powerful machine – be it in cash or in the “my gamer machine, my life” plan – to take your gaming platform in your backpack, it may be worth thinking well before investing your hard-earned money in such an expensive product.
The truth is that when it comes to gaming laptops, details such as design, brand and other parameters are not always factors that imply improvements to the game – which is the main objective of the machine. Sometimes, it is better to plan to purchase a truly equipped gaming device, than to bet on a device that has a light show. If you’re from India like the country you can go to the best gaming laptop in India.
Furthermore, it is worth considering that it is not any hardware that will deliver the intended performance. Often, a machine with a configuration good enough to run a title like League of Legends does not necessarily have the capacity to face more modern games like a Ghost Recon Wildlands.
It may seem obvious to say that just thinking about the hardware to purchase a powerful computer for your tasks. However, this tip is important, since devices aimed at laptops tend to have limitations so that a notebook CPU does not always perform the same as the desktop.
That way, to make sure you make the right choice, we’ve set out some smart tips that may be valid before closing that purchase at your favourite store. It is important to note that, in this article, we will essentially deal with information about laptop parts, but we will not give recommendations for brands or models.
Processor – activities, models, specifications
Many players shout that the processor does not have as much impact on performance during the game. However, we have already proven in component reviews for desktops that the CPU has a big impact on graphics processing – even the chipset and the motherboard can differ in-game execution.
Yes, it is true that the processor is not the main component for superior gaming performance, but the choice of a minimally competent model to accompany the video card is essential for a satisfactory experience. So, before diving into the choice of GPU, it is worth a break to better understand the CPU.
In the current scenario, thinking we are in Nov 2020, the overwhelming majority of notebook gamers come with Intel processors, so we are not going to go into details about AMD chips. Basically, for gaming PCs, you have three component options: Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7.
As you can imagine, this number in the series indicates the capacity of the products, so that the Intel Core i3 caters to the incoming audience (but already thinking about high performance), the Intel Core i5 focuses on heavier activities (and should already enough to keep up with robust graphics cards) and the Intel Core i7 features the ultimate in technology and performance.
Intel Core i3 and Core i5 – entry-level gaming laptops
Well, considering that notebook manufacturers limit the options for personalizing devices, chances are you won’t find a gaming laptop with an Intel Core i3 chip. However, there are models that can even run games (either with dedicated cards or onboard), but that is not focused on this activity – many that even include Intel Core i3 options.
If you intend to enjoy light games with a GeForce 940MX card or some similar old series, possibly an entry-level Intel Core i3 or Intel Core i5 model should already meet your needs.
Now, if you want really high gaming performance, the suggestion is to purchase a machine that has at least an Intel Core i5 processor. However, before you enter your card data, it is worth checking carefully the information about the chip in question, as not every component will offer adequate performance for games.
Intel Core i5 – Intermediate Gaming Laptops
There are models of laptops with two- or four-core Core i5 processors (all are capable of processing up to four threads simultaneously, but parts with four real cores perform better).
For games, it is recommended to bet on an Intel Core i5-7300HQ – which is a quad-core clocked at 2.5 GHz – or on a more advanced model. Some machines use the Intel Core i5-7300U (note the similarity of the names), which is a dual-core clocked at 2.6 GHz.
It is worth noting that only these specifications can give a wrong impression, since the Intel Core i5-7300U even has a higher frequency, but it is worthwhile to consult the product sheet to stay on top of other details. The Intel Core i5-7300HQ may even have a lower clock, but its quad-core feature and double-sized cache memory can make a difference in games.
A very important tip in this part of the processor is to keep an eye on the suffixes of the models. Components of the HQ or HK type are geared towards high performance in graphics (with the K model having the advantage of having facilities for overclocking). The U series products are more focused on low energy consumption.
Intel Core i7 – Top of the line gaming laptops
With the tips above, you may be thinking that just betting on an Intel Core i7 to get maximum performance, right? Well, there is no point in simply choosing a model of the i7 series and thinking that you will have the maximum performance, because, even among these more powerful chips, there are components that may not be the most suitable for games.
Again, here we have a catch, because an Intel Core i7-7500U, for example, is not geared towards games. Despite being a high-performance component, as we mentioned above, it is focused on energy savings. This processor, specifically, has two cores and possibly will not perform as well as the Core i5-7300HQ.
With notebooks in mind, the best options for maximum performance are the Intel Core i7-7700HQ, Intel Core i7-7820HK or Intel Core i7-7920HQ. All of these models are quad-core, can process up to eight threads simultaneously and bring similar specifications (only the i7-7700HQ loses in terms of reduced cache memory), so that the big changes are due to the clocks regulated differently in each piece.
