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MagyarThe Best Thin & Light Gaming Notebooks
"Mobile gaming" - what sounded like a poor joke a few years ago has already become common practice; at least in the notebook range. Processors and graphics cards are getting smaller and more power-efficient, which makes cooling easier. As a result, powerful components can be packed into slimmer and slimmer cases. Although 17-inch powerhouses still dominate the 15-inch and smaller range is steadily growing.
The following table shows an overview of the Top 10 gaming laptops reviewed by Notebookcheck in the previous 12 months that weigh less than 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) and are less than 2.0 cm (0.8 inches) thick. More gaming rankings from Notebookcheck:
The Best Thin and Light Gaming Laptops
The table above contains an overview over the best thin & light gaming notebooks reviewed by Notebookcheck over the course of the past 12 months as well as still relevant and available older products. In cases of identical score the more recent device is listed first. All prices in above table and price comparisons are updated daily and can thus differ.
Link: all devices in this class reviewed
Editors' Comments
1st – Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model
Where would you possibly find a 1080p webcam in a laptop – Apple’s MacBook? Microsoft’s Surface? Nope, it’s Razer’s gaming laptop Razer Blade Advanced. It features decent hardware and performance (i9-11800H, RTX 3080) but gets much hotter and louder than the larger Zephyrus in return.
Tiger Lake offers a huge boost in CPU performance. In addition, the laptop features one of the most “modern” webcams currently available.
At the time of writing the best way to purchase a Razer Blade Advanced Model was Razer’s own web shop.
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2nd – Razer Blade 14
After a rather long hiatus Razer has finally designed a successor to the Blade 14, and one that impressed us a lot. AMD’s R95900HX offers great performance, as does Nvidia’s RTX 3070. And all that packed in a case no more than 17 mm thick weighing less than 4 lbs.
The Razer Blade 14 is more than just eye candy. It offers great hardware and great performance.
In addition to Razer’s own web shop the Blade 14 is also available among others on Amazon.
Top 10 Laptops
Multimedia, Budget Multimedia, Gaming, Budget Gaming, Lightweight Gaming, Business, Budget Office, Workstation, Subnotebooks, Ultrabooks, Chromebooks
under 300 USD/Euros, under 500 USD/Euros, 1.000 USD/Euros
Best Displays, for University Students
Top 10 Smartphones
Smartphones, Phablets, ≤5-inch, Camera SmartphonesThe Best Smartphones for Less Than 160 Euros
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3rd – Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model (Early 2021)
A new-entry at the very top of our list, the Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model (Early 2021) may still be based around Intel’s Comet Lake generation, but it remains one of the most powerful yet at the same time thin and lightweight gaming notebooks available thanks to its NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. It also offers good battery life and a blazingly fast 360 Hz display.
The Razer Blade Advanced Model 2021 features a great 360 Hz display, good battery life, and a powerful RTX 3080.
Prices start at around $2,600 for the GTX 3070-equipped SKU and $3,100 for our GTX 3080-equipped review unit. The device is available through Razer’s own webstore as well as the usual retail channels, such as Amazon.
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4th - Razer Blade 15 (2020 Advanced)
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.
The reason why the device barely missed our "Very good" rating (88% and more) are some minor details rather than major compromises, for example fairly high palm rest and power supply temperatures. Gaming power is abundant, thanks to aCore i7-10875H and a GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q. Our review of the even more expensive SKU equipped with an RTX 2080 Super Max-Q can be found here.
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5th – Razer Blade 15 Base Model
The RTX 3060-equipped entry-lavel SKU of Razer Blade 15 starts at around $1,700. It features a 144 Hz display, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD. Its gaming performance is higher than that of its RTX 2070-equipped predecessor, particularly in high resolutions and details.
Unfortunately, it lacks a number of features despite its high price, such as for example USB-C charging or per-key RGB backlight. In addition, you cannot run both CPU and GPU at maximum performance simultaneously and have to pick either or. Nevertheless, this thin gamer deserves its spot in our top 10 list.
The gateway to the world of Razer Blades. The entry-level model comes with an RTX 3060 and a 144 Hz display but lacks features such as per-key RGB lighting or USB-C charging.
The RTX 3060-equipped SKU is available through the usual retail channels, such as for example Amazon.
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6th – Schenker XMG Pro 15
The Schenker XMG Pro 15 is definitely a high-performance gamer thanks to its RTX 3080 GPU. There are barely any similarities with its predecessor. Instead, it inherited the Schenker Key 15’s aluminum case. In addition to high levels of CPU and GPU performance it also features a fast 300 Hz display, Thunderbolt 3, and good maintenance options. Downsides include its noise as well as temperature emissions.
A thin metal case, high performance, a 300 Hz display, and Thunderbolt 3 are the XMG Pro’s highlights. Downsides include noise and temperature emissions.
The device is not available in North America.
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7th – Aorus 15P XC
First things first: Comet Lake 8-core CPU, GeForce RTX 3070, 32 GB of dual-channel RAM, two NVMe SSD slots, and a fast 240 Hz FHD IPS display are the Aorus 15P XC’s highlights. Its downsides include a mediocre display brightness as well as the lack of Thunderbolt connectivity. In return, performance is great and battery life is decent, which is somewhat uncommon for a gaming laptop.
Good battery life, RTX 3070, and two SSD slots are some of the highlights battling against the lack of Thunderbolt connectivity and most importantly the very dim display.
The device is not available in North America.
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8th - Razer Blade 15 (2020 base model)
Razer manages to secure first place in our mobile gaming top 10 list with its 2020Blade 15 base model that scored a very respectable 86% in our test. Despite its small case Razer includes only high-end hardware, such as aCore i7-10750H and a GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q. The images are cast on a OLED display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160.
In addition to first-class performance the Blade 15 also offers simple maintenance, a robust and good-looking case, and modern connectivity. On the flip side it gets comparatively hot and its battery life is fairly poor.
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9th - Donor Key 15
TheDonor Key 15 is based on the PC50DN2 Clevochassis that combines a slim profile with powerful hardware. You will be hard pressed to find more powerful hardware than a Core i7-10875H and a GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q in a device weighing less than 4.4 lbs with a case that is less than 0.8 inches thick.
Thanks to its customizable hardware the Key 15 can be individually customized to your liking. Benefits include the 144 Hz FHD panel with a 4K OLED option as well as the Thunderbolt 3 port. On the flip side its temperatures and noise emissions under load were too high.
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10th - Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XB
Gigabyte's more recentAero 15 update brings us a new very thin case that remains rather conservative in design. One of its most noteworthy features is the bright high-contrast OLED display. Unfortunately, it suffers from noticeable reflections due to its glossy surface. The device was also fairly loud under load. Our review unit was equipped with a Core i7-10875H and a GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q.
Connectivity is plentiful, the built-in Wi-Fi modem is very fast, and the overall design with its slim bezels is definitely very attractive.
Pricecompare
Top 10 in Comparison
Test Results
| Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model Core i7-11800H | Razer Blade 14 Ryzen 9 RTX 3070 | Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model Early 2021 | Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Super Max-Q | Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021, i7-10750H RTX 3060 | Schenker XMG Pro 15 (Early 2021, RTX 3080) | Aorus 15P XC | Razer Blade 15 RZ09-0328 | Schenker Key 15 Comet Lake | Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XB-8DE51B0SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | ||||||||||
| Display P3 Coverage | 66.9 | 97.2 | 65.88 | 69.4 | 64.3 | 69.2 | 67.21 | 99.87 | 67.24 | 99.94 |
| sRGB Coverage | 97.1 | 99.9 | 96.38 | 98.85 | 91.79 | 99.65 | 98.68 | 100 | 96.2 | 100 |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 69 | 85.4 | 67.97 | 70.51 | 65.53 | 70.83 | 68.57 | 97.42 | 68.67 | 98.21 |
| Response Times | ||||||||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 4.2 (2.6, 1.6) | 16.4 (8, 8.4) | 16 (7.6, 8.4) | 3.2 (1.4, 1.8) | 8.8 (4.4, 4.4) | 3.6 (1, 2.6) | 11.2 (6, 5.2) | 2.7 (1.2, 1.5) | 10 (5.2, 4.8) | 2.2 (1, 1.2) |
| Response Time Black / White * | 10 (5.2, 4.8) | 10.8 (5.6, 5.2) | 10.4 (6, 4.4) | 8 (4, 4) | 10 (5.6, 4.4) | 10 (5.2, 4.8) | 9.6 (5.2, 4.4) | 2.6 (1.1, 1.5) | 9.2 (4.4, 4.8) | 1.8 (1, 0.8) |
| PWM Frequency | 1000 (99) | 24040 (25) | 59.52 (100) | 60 (80) | ||||||
| Screen | ||||||||||
| Brightness middle | 353.4 | 331.1 | 338 | 345.4 | 317.2 | 327 | 298 | 366.7 | 300 | 385 |
| Brightness | 340 | 318 | 334 | 342 | 306 | 335 | 278 | 371 | 281 | 390 |
| Brightness Distribution | 92 | 91 | 94 | 90 | 89 | 89 | 88 | 91 | 80 | 93 |
| Black Level * | 0.31 | 0.36 | 0.24 | 0.34 | 0.31 | 0.22 | 0.29 | 0.29 | ||
| Contrast | 1140 | 920 | 1408 | 1016 | 1023 | 1486 | 1028 | 1034 | ||
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 * | 2.17 | 2.25 | 1.39 | 3.18 | 4.37 | 2.18 | 0.96 | 5.21 | 5.39 | 2.46 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 max. * | 5.69 | 4.62 | 3.31 | 6.57 | 6.62 | 4.24 | 3.22 | 7.92 | 14.35 | 4.01 |
| Colorchecker DeltaE2000 calibrated * | 1.05 | 0.97 | 1.77 | 2.67 | 1 | 0.83 | 1.73 | 2.6 | ||
| Greyscale DeltaE2000 * | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 2 | 9.8 | 1.39 |
| Gamma | 2.2 100% | 2.3 96% | 2.291 96% | 2.15 102% | 2.4 92% | 2.123 104% | 2.242 98% | 2.17 101% | 2.019 109% | 2.31 95% |
| CCT | 6830 95% | 6751 96% | 6626 98% | 7109 91% | 7418 88% | 6815 95% | 6519 100% | 6514 100% | 8174 80% | 6395 102% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 68 | 64.3 | 59.2 | 71 | 69 | 86.6 | 69 | 98 | ||
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 89 | 99 | 91.4 | 93 | 91 | 100 | 92 | 100 | ||
| Noise | ||||||||||
| off / environment * | 25.1 | 25.1 | 24 | 27 | 25.3 | 25 | 24 | 28.4 | 25 | 30 |
| Idle Minimum * | 25.3 | 25.2 | 26 | 27 | 25.4 | 33 | 25 | 28.4 | 26 | 34 |
| Idle Average * | 25.3 | 25.2 | 28 | 27 | 25.4 | 34 | 29 | 28.4 | 27 | 36 |
| Idle Maximum * | 25.3 | 25.2 | 40 | 27 | 25.4 | 35 | 34 | 31.7 | 44 | 41 |
| Load Average * | 42 | 31 | 45 | 44.7 | 42.5 | 51 | 44 | 47.7 | 53 | 48 |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 45.6 | 44 | 43 | 51.2 | 42 | 52 | 49 | 47.5 | 51 | 48 |
| Load Maximum * | 51.6 | 51.7 | 45 | 54 | 52.2 | 57 | 53 | 49.5 | 53 | 54 |
| Heat | ||||||||||
| Maximum Upper Side * | 51 | 45 | 49 | 50 | 45.2 | 51 | 47 | 49.6 | 52 | 49 |
| Maximum Bottom * | 52 | 44.4 | 54 | 52.2 | 48 | 66 | 57 | 50.2 | 62 | 61 |
| Idle Upper Side * | 35.2 | 40.2 | 30 | 37.2 | 34.4 | 32 | 26 | 32.2 | 31 | 27 |
| Idle Bottom * | 37.8 | 39.2 | 32 | 41.4 | 37.2 | 32 | 27 | 34.6 | 33 | 29 |
| Battery Runtime | ||||||||||
| Reader / Idle | 828 | 866 | 466 | 506 | 571 | 418 | 518 | |||
| WiFi v1.3 | 353 | 439 | 538 | 380 | 289 | 433 | 399 | 241 | 289 | 364 |
| Load | 79 | 120 | 91 | 97 | 89 | 80 | 166 | |||
| Power Consumption | ||||||||||
| Idle Minimum * | 19.5 | 9.4 | 13 | 14.3 | 11.7 | 8 | 14 | 11.1 | 10 | 18 |
| Idle Average * | 23.3 | 15.8 | 15 | 22.3 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 13.7 | 14 | 21 |
| Idle Maximum * | 40.1 | 24.1 | 22 | 36.9 | 29.3 | 22 | 33 | 33.4 | 18 | 38 |
| Load Average * | 98.9 | 76.8 | 98 | 118.4 | 95.6 | 97 | 96 | 104.4 | 106 | 113 |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 174 | 154 | 126 | 153.7 | 141.3 | 179 | 179 | 159.9 | 142 | 149 |
| Load Maximum * | 214 | 189.7 | 165 | 220.8 | 197 | 225 | 256 | 203.8 | 210 | 256 |
* ... smaller is better
