While there are regular laptops and gaming laptops, the line separating them has almost disappeared. Today, if you have a fast processor and graphics card, along with the benefits of a large screen and a good cooling system, you can play a decent amount of games on your laptop. Plus, not everyone needs a big, flashy gaming rig, and not everyone wants to spend the money it takes to get one. If you're considering a new laptop for school, you have more options than ever before to help you tackle your toughest studies and keep up with the next AAA game. These are our top picks for the best laptops for gaming and school, but if you're looking for a dedicated gaming laptop rather than a general purpose computer, check out our best gaming laptops list of our recommendations.
Best Laptops for Gaming and Studying in 2025
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Display Size: 14-inch OLED | Display resolution: 2560 x 1440 (QHD) | CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 | RAM: 32 GB LPDDR5X | Storage: 1TB SSD | Weight: £3.31 | Maximum battery life: 10 o'clock
Read our full Review of ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
Marshmallow G14 We've been recommending a laptop for gaming performance for years, but this year it's better than ever with a refined aluminum unibody design, a stunning OLED screen, and a weight reduction of just 3.3 pounds. It feels surprisingly light for a machine with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and NVIDIA RTX 4070 graphics. While the new Zephyrus G14 loses the RTX 4080 option from the previous model, it's not a big deal. You'll be better off choosing a lighter, more attractive model that won't cost a ton of money.
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
Display Size: 14 inches | Display resolution: QHD+ | CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS | GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 or 4070 | RAM: Up to 32 GB | Storage: Up to 1TB SSD | Weight: £7.98 | Maximum battery life: Up to 7 hours
Read our full Razer Blade 14 review
Razer's flagship Blade laptops have been the closest thing to Apple's MacBook Pro since their debut, and the latest Blade 14 doesn't change that one bit. It features the company's signature build quality and a durable aluminum body, but now comes with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and your choice of NVIDIA RTX 4060 and 4070. The new LCD display with a 240Hz refresh rate will also let you play almost anything. at incredible speeds (or at least it will give you a useful accuracy boost when shooting with a sniper rifle). Overwatch 2). While we'd love to see an OLED screen like the one on the Zephyrus G14, the Blade 14 remains a stunning gaming laptop. Just be prepared to pay a premium for its fantastic hardware.
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
Display Size: 15.6 inches | Display resolution: 1920 x 1080 (FHD) | CPU: Intel Core i5-13450HX | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 | RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X | Storage: 512GB SSD | Weight: £6.19 | Maximum battery life: 6.5 hours
While Alienware has established itself as a solid premium brand, Dell's cheaper G-series laptops are worth considering for anyone looking for a budget-friendly computer. In particular, G15 continues its trend of delivering very powerful hardware, including the latest 13th Gen Intel processors, AMD Ryzen 7000 processors, and NVIDIA RTX 30 and 40 series GPUs, for under $1,000. Of course, the body is mostly plastic, and the laptop's screen doesn't have all the latest features (at least there's finally a 165Hz option!). But for this price it is difficult to find something more powerful.
Dell
Display Size: 16 inches | Display resolution: QHD+ | CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H Processor | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 | RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X | Storage: 1TB SSD | Weight: £5.75 | Maximum battery life: 90 Wh
After just a year on the market, Dell has gone back to the drawing board with its latest product. Alienvare m16 and redesigned it from scratch. The result is the m16 R2, a lighter, more affordable gaming laptop that still delivers performance. Cyberpunk 2077 with an RTX 4070 GPU. At 5.75 pounds, it's a massive beast, but it's still 20 percent lighter than the previous model's 7.28 pounds. And for some, the weight will be worth it to live with the m16 R2's gorgeous 16-inch 240Hz LCD panel.
Asus ROG
Display Size: 18 inches | Display resolution: QHD+ | CPU: Intel Core i7-13650HX | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 | RAM: 16 GB | Storage: 2TB SSD | Weight: 11.9 lbs
Sometimes a 16-inch or even a 17-inch screen is not suitable. For the most demanding gamers and media editors there is ROG Strix G18An 18-inch beast, powered by the latest 14th Gen Intel processor and NVIDIA's RTX 40-series family (which, of course, includes the top-end RTX 4080). The Strix G18 screams “gaming laptop” more than anything else in this guide, but it's a good choice for those who want a big-screen machine at a relatively affordable price.
Are gaming laptops good for school?
As we already mentioned, gaming laptops are especially useful if you do complex work. Their big promise is powerful graphics performance that isn't just limited to PC gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also use their GPUs to perform time-consuming tasks. While you can find decent GPUs in some performance machines like the Dell XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse is to pay attention to the specs; Buy at least 16GB of RAM and the largest SSD you can find (ideally 1TB or larger). Both of these components tend to be difficult to upgrade in the future, so it's worth investing what you can up front to get the most out of your PC gaming experience in the long run. Also, don't forget about things like a webcam, which you'll likely need for schoolwork.
The only big downside to choosing a gaming laptop is portability. For the most part, we recommend the 15-inch models to get the best balance of size and price. They typically weigh around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly more than a three-pound ultraportable. However, modern gaming laptops are still much lighter than older models, so at least you won't have to lug around a 10-pound brick. If you're looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options these days. And if you don't like LED lights and other gamer-oriented things, look to more discreet models that still come with essential features like a webcam (or make sure you know how to turn off those lights).