Notebookcheck's Top 10 Gaming Laptops

The Razer Blade Pro 17 is not only a regular on these top 10 lists but also almost always a favorite for one of the top spots, and the 2020 edition is no exception. Our particular review unit came equipped with a Core i7-10875H and a GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, which was capable of running all games smoothly on the laptop’s internal FHD display albeit only rarely at the panel’s maximum frequency of 300 Hz.

The Gigabyte Aero 17 XB impresses with a very bright and accurate UHD panel when you get the HDR model. However, the graphics card (GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q) is often not powerful enough for the default resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. The slim and visually restrained chassis is not only interesting for gamers, but also content creators. Thanks to the long battery runtime and the moderate weight, the laptop is still well-suited for trips, despite the 17-inch form factor. We also like the integrated Thunderbolt 3 port.

gigabyte should improve the position of the webcam, the port layout as well as the fan noise under load.

The Razer Blade 15 is not only available in a base configuration (see below) but also a better equipped advanced edition. The 2020 model of the latter includes a vapor-chamber cooler, a high-quality 300 Hz display, and well-made input devices.

If you’re in the market for a 15-inch notebook with mechanical keyboard the Aorus 15G might be worth a closer look. Our review unit, the XB edition, features a Core i7-10875H, a GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q, and a 240 Hz display for a smooth gaming experience.

Gigabyte managed to place three of its current laptops in our top 10. In addition to the Aero 17 and the Aero 15 we also welcome the Aorus 17G. The latter is targeted primarily at gamers, as suggested by the striking and distinctive design. Its biggest highlight and unique selling point is the excellent mechanical keyboard with powerful backlight.

Razer manages to secure fifth place in our gaming top 10 list with its 2020 Blade 15 base model that scored a very respectable 86 % in our test. Despite its small case Razer includes only high-end hardware, such as a Core i7-10750H and a GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q. The images are cast on a OLED display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160.

Gigabyte refreshed its Aero 15, which now comes in a new discreet and thin case. One of its most important updates is the bright high-contrast OLED display. Unfortunately, it turned out to be highly reflective due to its glossy coating. In addition, the device was fairly loud under load. Our review model, the Aero 15 XB, offered a Core i7-10875H and a GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q.

With a weight of 2.6 kg (5.73 lbs) and a thickness of 2.75 cm (1.08 inches) the MSI GE75 Raider sits right in-between traditional desktop replacements and more lightweight and compact slim & light contenders. The 17-inch devices featured a Core i7-10750H paired with a GeForce RTX 2060, a fast 144 Hz display, and powerful speakers. It also offered decent input devices, simple maintenance, and various lighting options.

The Alienware m15 R3 is basically the miniaturized version of the much bulkier Area-51m. Instead of a desktop CPU it is equipped with a traditional notebook CPU paired with a GeForce RTX 2070. This, in turn, helped Dell’s engineers to lower the weight to around 2.3 kg and its thickness to just 2 cm, which means the m15 qualified for our think and light top 10. As is typical for Alienware the device featured a high-quality case with slim bezels, plenty of connectivity (including Thunderbolt 3), unique visuals, and various lighting options. Keep in mind that Optimus is not supported on SKUs equipped with the 300 Hz display.

The GE66 Raider is a complete redesign, and reminiscent of the 17-inch GT76 Titan rather than its 15-inch GE65 sibling. Compared to the GT76 the GE66 is significantly thinner (2.3 cm / 0.91 inches instead of 4.2 cm / 1.65 inches) and lighther (2.4 kg / 5.3 lbs instead of 4.2 kg / 9.3 lbs).