Every day, thousands of people become fearless warriors, cunning detectives, or legendary heroes. Some join their friends and competitors in online matches. Others solve brain-bending puzzles or manage a motley crew of characters through epic sagas. They fight monsters, aliens, and enemy armies, explore dungeons and haunted houses, or dive down to hostile planets. And a few just want to relax and decorate a virtual room.
Gaming laptops have become one of the best ways to enjoy games. The right gaming laptop lets you take your adventures with you. They also help you with other activities, like creating content or getting some work done.
“A gaming laptop gives you the freedom to go where you want and take a powerful technology companion with you,” says Bennie Budler, consumer business manager at Acer Africa. “There are many great options available, and people are often confused about what they should select. They don’t want to spend too much or end up with an underperforming laptop.
“We help many customers decide what they need, and it’s not a difficult process. Start with knowing what kind of gamer you are. Very soon, you’ll find a laptop that gives you great mileage and experiences, whether playing, working, or creating.”
Not every gamer needs to be at the cutting edge of the latest titles, engines, and graphics. They want a portable system that can do other things. But they don’t want to be left behind, so they expect a gaming system to deliver good visuals, responsive speeds, and longevity.
* The Busy Professional: You enjoyed playing games, but other responsibilities at work and home have gradually drawn you away. Now, though, you have more time and a yearning to indulge in the latest games, relax, and share some moments with friends who also play games. You could be interested in a wide variety of games, old and new, and don’t have an outright preference between single and multiplayer experiences. What really matters is that you can play a game you like when you have a chance.
* The Casual Gamer: Being called a casual gamer used to be insulting. But today, many gamers enjoy more easy-going experiences where winning isn’t everything. If you are a casual gamer, you prefer titles that are a little more cosy and less demanding, such as adventure games, farming sims, and puzzles, and you lean more towards single-player relaxation than multiplayer action. But this doesn’t mean you’ll settle for an inferior gaming laptop.
* The Student and Entertainment Fan: Games are a part of your lifestyle. However, you are on a budget, and you need a laptop that can also handle other tasks, such as studying while listening to music or popping on a movie when you just want to relax. Your best option is an inexpensive laptop with the right hardware for great gaming experiences, a stunning display, and decent built-in speakers for clear audio.
“If you identify with one of these personas, consider a laptop with a medium-sized display such as 15 inches and a reasonably powerful processor like an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5. Those will support good game visuals, and also movies, shows, and work applications. Sixteen gigabytes of memory will serve you well, and 1 terabyte of storage will be enough space for your files. You want a good graphics chip such as an Nvidia RTX 3050 or 4050, a backlit keyboard to use the laptop in low-light, and quality speakers, webcam, and microphone for audio/visual tasks,” says Budler.
“Consider the Acer Nitro V series of laptops, which cover all these bases and include game-specific features such as advanced cooling, long battery life, and RGB lighting customisation.”
For top-tier gamers, only the best will do. These gamers take their activity very seriously and socialise with other gamers who are equally serious about the best performance, cutting-edge graphics and response speeds. Such gamers often have a dedicated gaming system, though they might also use it to create content or host streams to celebrate their love for gaming.
* The Socialite: Some people enjoy playing games on their own. But for you, gaming is a great way to meet new people and hang out with friends. You will play online and travel to LAN events near them. You want to primarily play multiplayer games with others, ranging from aggressive first-person shooters to collaborative adventure and role-playing games.
* The Content Creator: There is more to gaming than playing games. You want to create images and videos, make memes for gaming communities, and stream your gameplay sessions online. Content creators need a laptop that makes gaming graphics pop out (after all, you want things to look good!) while also handling the heavy-lifting involved with streaming, and editing images and videos.
* The Aspirant Pro and Hardcore Gamer: You want a serious gaming kit that will not compromise under any circumstances. You have likely owned gaming PCs before. Now, you need a real upgrade to a strong machine with the best hardware, software to tweak performance, customisable keycaps, fast connectivity, and a large, beautiful display.
“Hardcore gamers do not compromise. Their gaming system is as much about pride as about performance, and they want the best. If that is you, you want a large laptop with a big display, serious amounts of memory, and the latest graphics chip. Typically, that means an Intel Core i7 or i9, 16 to 32 gigabytes of memory, 1 to 2 terabytes of storage, and an Nvidia RTX 4050, 4060, or 4070 with 8 gigabytes of video memory and the latest Nvidia DLSS support for high frame rates. The screen should be 16 to 18-inches, with a 240Hz refresh rate,” says Budler.
“For these personas, the new Acer Predator Helios 16 and Acer Predator Helios 18 represent the pinnacle of gaming laptops. They are designed for serious gamers, including great battery performance, AI-enhanced audio and microphone noise reduction, and specialised software to customise the gaming experience.”