The best thin and light gaming laptops of 2023

There are many causes to go for a gaming laptop, not least with the ability to play your favourite video games wherever you’re. And whether or not away out of your desk or on the transfer, a skinny and lightweight mannequin provides one of the best in gaming portability.

Portability doesn’t essentially imply sacrificing energy, both. At the moment’s skinny and lightweight laptops mix light-weight supplies, subtle cooling tech, and smaller parts to ship comparable gaming efficiency to thicker laptops and the best gaming PCs. 

Compact laptops are often thinner than 1 inch and below 2 kg in weight, making porting them round a breeze. Their aesthetics have not too long ago erred on the restrained aspect too, combining clear strains and minimalist designs that make them appropriate for the workplace or library in addition to house.

With a dizzying array of decisions, we’ve shared recommendation on how to choose a thin and light gaming laptop on the backside of this information. Design is vital if you need a smooth laptop computer that might look the half within the workplace or library and nonetheless have delight of place as a mainline gaming rig.

Subsequent up are the capabilities of its GPU and CPU, and show high quality — measurement, decision, refresh charge, and pixel density. All of the compact gaming laptops on this information have a minimum of 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of disk drive area.

We actually charge the most recent Asus Zephyrus G14 collection of Asus gaming laptops. It provides a gorgeously gentle chassis surrounding blisteringly highly effective {hardware} that’ll set you up for years to come back. Anticipate to pay a premium for the most recent in benchmark-busting efficiency, although. 

In case you’re extra funds targeted, we’d level you within the path of the MSI GF63 Skinny. It cleverly blends a high-end RTX GPU with barely lower-spec {hardware}, however at below $1,000/£1,000, it’s an absolute steal. 

With all of the above in thoughts, it could possibly get overwhelming enthusiastic about GPUs, CPUs, PPIs, and QHDs. Fortunately, we’ve discovered some key contenders for quite a lot of makes use of, wants, and budgets.

These are one of the best skinny and lightweight laptops in 2023:

1. Asus Zephyrus G14 – finest premium laptop computer
2. Dell XPS 17 – finest giant show
3. MSI GF63 Thin (2023) – finest funds laptop computer
4. Legion Slim 7i Gen 7 (16” Intel) – finest mid-range laptop computer
5. Alienware x15 R2 – finest design
6. Acer Predator Triton 500 SE – finest 1440p show

1. Asus Zephyrus G14 (2023)

Greatest premium compact laptop computer.

Asus Zephyrus G14 (2023) specs:

Execs

• Beautiful design
• Powerhouse efficiency

Cons

• Might be very costly
• Battery life could possibly be higher
• Can run scorching

The Asus Zephyrus G14 provides blistering efficiency and a good show, all housed in an unbelievably skinny, gentle pocket book. And after a fling with Radeon for 2022, this newest laptop computer vary welcomes again the NVIDIA RTX chipset with open arms. Asus has even managed to squeeze in a webcam — albeit a 1080p lens that’s slightly behind the instances. Battery life has additionally sadly taken successful from earlier iterations, because of its elevated energy utilization.

Although it has appreciable graphical would possibly, a prime spec G14 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (one of the highly effective cell graphics chipsets), AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS and a mini LED QHD 165Hz show goes to make a critical dent in your pockets. Our tip? You’re extra prone to seize a cut price by plumping for a mid-to-high model of this Asus gaming laptop.

Design-wise, we love the Zephyrus’s modern strains and minimalist look that doesn’t scream gaming laptop computer. It’s an altogether cleaner and sleeker-looking machine that appears good whether or not for enterprise or pleasure.

For these desirous to make an impression, there’s an AniMe Matrix show that may show dotted pictures and GIFs on its lid. Certain, it could possibly really feel slightly gimmicky, but it surely’s a cool aesthetic characteristic that highlights simply how design-oriented Asus is.

This is among the smallest and lightest high-end gaming laptops we’ve seen. With a max weight of 1.72 kg and sporting a svelte girth of 20.5 mm, it’ll disappear right into a backpack with ease. Although costly, we really feel spoiled that someway Asus has managed to cram a lot energy and efficiency right into a tiny, enticing chassis. Towards fierce competitors, it makes the G14 a critical contender for many who have the funds.

2. Dell XPS 17

Greatest giant show.

Dell XPS 17 specs:

Execs

• Contact show
• Vivid display screen
• Superior processing energy
  

Cons

• Solely 720p webcam
• Costly
• Not a devoted gaming machine

This highly effective machine is a horny choice when you’re an expert inventive by day in addition to a gamer. Dell has upped the processing efficiency of this yr’s XPS 17 with out altering a lot else, and that’s not essentially a nasty factor.

On your cash, you’re getting an aluminium shell with a carbon-fibre keyboard, which displays the XPS collection’ deal with premium construct high quality. The commerce off then, is that this can be a good bit heavier than different fashions on this record, with a max payload of two.44 kg.

The highest of the road XPS 17 is powered by Intel’s Thirteenth-gen i9-13900H processor, which provides blistering velocity if you’re toiling away on Photoshop or Premiere Professional.

Graphics additionally come courtesy of the NVIDIA RTX 4080. Even so, the processor and the choice of a 17-inch contact panel make this a reasonably costly choice, even for the entry degree mannequin. 

The XPS 17’s trump card is its stunning InfinityEdge show. Working at UHD+, this elegant contact panel is sort of borderless, and with a brightness of 500 nits, your work and play periods will certainly pop onscreen. If there’s an enormous misstep,  it’s the inclusion of an insufficient 720p digital camera, which places an actual dampener on the remainder of the XPS 17’s spectacular specs.

The tip result’s that whereas individuals who solely recreation would possibly wish to look elsewhere, video editors, quantity crunchers and designers would possibly wish to contemplate this as a strong choice. The XPS 17 encompasses a smooth, business-like design with loads of reserves for enjoyable on the finish of the day.

3. MSI GF63 Skinny (2023)

Greatest funds laptop computer.

MSI GF63 Skinny (2023) specs:

Execs

• Nice worth
• Good construct high quality
• Surprisingly respectable audio system

Cons

• Low-res 720p webcam
• Rivals have higher keyboards
• Display could possibly be brighter

A skinny and lightweight MSI laptop computer with NVIDIA RTX 40 collection for below a grand? That looks as if a cut price, particularly with MSI’s penchant for strong construct high quality and reliability.

After all, don’t anticipate benchmark-dominating efficiency right here — that is as just about as funds as gaming laptops with a devoted GPU get. Nevertheless, surprisingly, you’ll get a good gaming expertise out of it because of the RTX GPU and final gen i7 Core Raptor Lake CPU, which nonetheless holds up in contrast with at this time’s Alder Lake chipset. Which means you’ll most likely be wonderful working most modern video games with mid-range settings on the equipped 1080p panel.

Furthermore, its 144 Hz refresh charge makes it excellent for taking part in twitchy esports the place you want a clean and responsive expertise. 

We’re additionally impressed with the GF63’s no-frills chassis. There’s some bend in its body as a result of it’s a skinny machine, however the black casing, brushed aluminium end and pink backlit keyboard make for a reasonably smooth aesthetic. Talking of the keyboard, there’s some flex within the body, so we’re undecided about utilizing the laptop computer as an on a regular basis machine, particularly because the webcam is barely 720p.

With all that mentioned, MSI undoubtedly received the memo that having a good GPU is among the most vital points of a gaming laptop computer. Its different specs are typically a mix of last-gen tech that also holds up pretty effectively. All this makes the GF63 a significantly inexpensive contender within the gaming laptop computer market and virtually not possible to withstand for these on a funds.

4. Legion Slim 7i Gen 7 (16” Intel) Gaming Laptop computer

Greatest mid-range laptop computer.

Legion Slim 7i Gen 7 specs:

Execs

• Nice choice of ports
• Robust audio system
• Wonderful display screen

Cons

• Not the most recent tech
• Design considerably uninspired
• Shallow keyboard

The Legion Slim 7i Gen 7 is among the finest Lenovo gaming laptops, with respectable all-around specs that make it a reasonably inexpensive choice. The mixture GeForce RTX 3000 collection paired with the Intel Core i7 means it could possibly deal with something, whether or not quantity crunching, video stream modifying, or polygon wizardry.

We additionally love this mannequin’s show panel. There’s a selection between a 1080p or 2.5K display screen, with the previous getting a 240 Hz refresh charge and the latter 165 Hz. We’re additionally large followers of its close to borderless display screen, which is wealthy in coloration and runs at a max 500 nits — a lot brilliant sufficient.

Nevertheless, because the Intel i9s and the RTX 4000 collection are actually among the many gold customary in processing energy, it throws slightly chilly water on the Slim 7i’s futureproofing capabilities. Thoughts you, you’ll be paying much more for these best-in-class specs elsewhere.

Design-wise, this laptop computer, with its anodized, skinny, and lightweight aluminum chassis, appears to be like mature sufficient for the boardroom, even with the Legion emblem on its lid. Its restrained look would possibly deter hardcore avid gamers — but it surely’s extra of a laptop computer that may do all the things and swimsuit any setting. And though the keyboard options little journey, there’s the welcome addition of a numeric keypad.

It’s spectacular that Lenovo has crammed a lot into its tiny 17 mm thick body. It’s nice for individuals who want a powerful set of specs for work, research, or gaming, with quite a lot of ports to deal with a large number of media and duties.

5. Alienware x15 R2

Greatest designed skinny and lightweight laptop computer.

Alienware x15 R2 specs:

Execs

• Stunning design
• Tremendous slim
• Stable efficiency

Cons

• Costly
• No ethernet port
• Battery life poor

Alienware gaming laptops have at all times stood out from the gang because of their hanging designs, and the x15 R2 isn’t any exception. That includes an unfathomably skinny profile, it makes you surprise what witchcraft goes on at Dell to craft this beautiful gaming rig with a sub-16mm girth. To be honest, it does sit wider, so you’ll want to measure your backpack to make sure a good match. 

Heads might be turned by the x15’s outer stylings, notably the place the hinge has been moved away from the again edge. A futuristic “15” additionally adorns the lid, which comes with a lit Alienware emblem. Most notably, surrounding the rear ports is a customizable RGB ring of sunshine that’s straight out of Tron. 

Its innards show it’s no slouch both. With premium specs, together with an Intel i9 processor and RTX 3000 collection GPU, efficiency will at all times be on level. And we love how beautiful the show is, which may go as much as 1440p with a minimal refresh charge of 165 Hz.

The x15 has been surpassed by a few of its friends, a few of which provide higher worth for cash. It does really feel like a lot of the premium has been spent on its unparalleled design. Battery life can be sub-par, so don’t anticipate it to final lengthy with out mains energy. And regardless of having a beneficiant set of ports, an ethernet connection is a puzzling omittance.

If you would like a stupendous, svelte gaming laptop computer that makes an impression, that is it.

6. Acer Predator Triton 500 SE

Greatest 1440p show.

Acer Predator Triton 500 SE specs:

Execs

• Responsive show
• Nice 1440p panel
• Excessive efficiency

Cons

• Good bit of fan noise
• Runs scorching
• Outclassed by some rivals

Coated in all-metal gray, the Acer Triton 500 SE options elegant but understated appears to be like. The truth is, first impressions would possibly overlook its function as a gaming machine and extra of a high-end enterprise machine. Whereas it received’t flip many heads, it received’t look misplaced on an workplace desk. 

The jewel within the crown is a refined 16-inch display screen with a 16:10 facet ratio, a barely taller display screen that makes it ultimate for scrolling via text-heavy docs. And with its 2.5K decision, excessive refresh charge, and 500-nit brightness, it’s within the god-tier league of screens that do justice to even probably the most graphically-intensive video games.

Regardless of the NVIDIA 4000 collection now ruling the graphical roost, the Triton 500 nonetheless is a gaming powerhouse with its high-end 3000 Ti chipset. It runs triple-A titles with buttery clean efficiency, even with maxed settings at 1440p, significantly spectacular in a laptop computer below 2 cm thick. Nevertheless, probably the most discerning are prone to discover equally succesful machines with higher worth. 

Moreover, all that brightness and efficiency interprets to warmth and fan noise, each of that are in considerable provide within the Triton 500. It’s honest play then, that Acer had the knowledge to incorporate a “Turbo” fan mode, accessible through a devoted keyboard button. It’s additionally received ports for days, together with USB-A, Thunderbolt, HDMI, and SD card reader, the latter of which is little question helpful for picture information.

With a strong chassis, sturdy display screen and graphics, and glorious productiveness, this can be a hard-working laptop computer no matter time of day.

Are gaming laptops getting lighter?

Completely. Efficiencies in crafting smaller built-in circuits have resulted in a lot tinier {hardware} parts. Mix that with higher heatsink programs and light-weight supplies, and you’ve got gaming laptops that method ultrabook ranges of measurement and portability.

These laptops characteristic extra energy and bigger display screen actual property, and so they can comfortably steadiness on a single hand. They’re additionally ultimate for taking to work and again house, because of their diminutive body and light-weight nature.

How to decide on one of the best skinny and lightweight gaming laptops

It’s all concerning the specs field. A very powerful specification to contemplate is energy, which is decided partly by your central processing unit (CPU) however primarily by your graphics processing unit (GPU). You typically can’t improve these after buy, and so they’ll be key determiners in what video games you may run. 

A good GPU will even assist futureproof your machine for a great few years, so get one of the best your funds can permit. And whereas built-in chipsets are sometimes cheaper, they’re typically less than dealing with probably the most graphics-intensive video games, so at all times plump for a devoted graphics card.

Subsequent to contemplate is RAM, for which we’d at all times advocate getting a minimum of 16 GB. Some fashions are upgradeable, however proper now, a good CPU and GPU with 16 GB ought to serve you wonderful.

Storage is one other large consideration relying on what you’re enjoying. These triple-A titles will eat closely into your gigabytes, so 512 GB and even 1 TB is really helpful when you’re working plenty of giant video games. Whilst you can select between conventional exhausting disk drives and solid state drives — the latter of that are a lot quicker however much more costly — some laptops embody each of their structure.

Subsequent to contemplate is your show, and right here you’ll must steadiness velocity and pixels. Pace is decided by your refresh charge, probably the most primary of which is 60 Hz, and whereas that is usually wonderful for many avid gamers, aggressive or FPS gamers would possibly discover extra profit with 120 Hz or 144 Hz. There are alternatives past this, however most received’t discover the distinction. Pixel density is outlined because the ratio of your display screen measurement and its decision, supplying you with pixels per inch (PPI). A PPI of round 100+ is respectable, although 140 or above is good for competitors play. 

Lastly, contemplate battery life. Probably the most highly effective gaming laptops are an enormous energy drain, so don’t anticipate to get greater than 1–2 hours of untethered play, until you’re enjoying indie titles. Realistically, you’ll at all times should be close to a mains connection.

We selected these laptops via a mix of private expertise and researching main fashions from key business gamers within the area. Discover out extra about how we test, review, and rate on PCGamesN.