Top Portable Gaming Machines Worth Your Money in 2018

Although desktop setups continue to represent the peak of PC gaming, portable gaming machines have made remarkable strides over the past few years. A handful now compete head-to-head with their stationary siblings in terms of raw capability, build quality, and value. Whether you're hunting for a dedicated gaming powerhouse or simply a notebook equipped with a dedicated graphics chip, the selection has never been broader.

Browse through and consider joining the swelling community of laptop gaming enthusiasts — below you'll find our curated picks for the finest gaming notebooks available right now.

Quick overview

| | | | | Best gaming laptops | Category | Our rating | | Acer Predator 17 X | Best gaming laptop overall | 4 out of 5 | | Razer Blade | Best portable gaming laptop | 4 out of 5 | | Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming | Best cheap gaming laptop | 3 out of 5 | | Dell XPS 15 | Best stealth gaming laptop | 4.5 out of 5 |

Acer Predator 17/17X

The top pick

Why it's worth buying: You demand the ability to crank modern titles to their highest graphical settings while traveling.

The best gaming laptop

Acer Predator 17 G9-791-79Y3

The Acer Predator 17 transcends the typical gaming notebook — it's simply an outstanding laptop, period.

Ideal for: Players willing to invest a bit more to secure the highest-performing option available.

Price range: $1,500-2,500

Why the Acer Predator 17/17X earned its spot:

What makes the Predator 17 X stand out? A more fitting inquiry might be "where does it fall short?" Its computing prowess — fueled by an Intel Core i7-7820HK, 32GB of memory, and Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics — places it among the most formidable gaming notebooks money can buy.

Armed with a GTX 1080 GPU and that beastly processor, which comes unlocked and primed for overclocking, the Predator 17 X will breeze through virtually any workload you challenge it with. Absolutely, that includes Destiny 2 — go ahead and push those detail sliders to maximum, Guardian.

Naturally, what's tucked beneath the chassis matters most. Acer has put considerable thought into reimagining its Predator gaming lineup, and the refreshed models unveiled in 2017 raise the bar considerably. The aesthetic leans somewhat traditional, yet Acer offsets the familiar matte black and red palette with a robust, generous layout that incorporates a full-sized numeric keypad. Compared to the Asus G752, this presentation feels more refined — a look certain to satisfy those who consider the Asus overly flashy.

These design refinements extend to the standard Acer Predator 17 as well. Although it ships with merely a Core i7-7700HQ and GTX 1070 graphics, it mirrors the 17X in most other respects. And, with prices dipping to around $1,500 at certain retailers, it represents genuine value.

Our full Acer Predator 17 X (2016) review

Razer Blade

The finest travel-friendly gaming notebook

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Why it's worth buying: You crave gaming muscle wrapped in MacBook-inspired elegance.

The best portable gaming laptop

Razer Blade (2017)

Striking an ideal equilibrium between mobility and performance, the Razer Blade stands as the definitive featherweight gaming notebook.

Ideal for: Gamers who require a compact, lightweight machine that still delivers serious firepower.

Price range: Starts at $1,700

Why the Razer Blade earned its spot:

The Razer Blade delivers genuine gaming capability within a slender chassis. The latest iteration houses an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8750H alongside either an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q or GTX 1070 Max-Q for graphical duties. The previous 14-inch variant remains available, though we'd suggest opting for the 2018 edition.

The machine complements its svelte profile with a sophisticated, matte black finish. The outcome is a device that strongly evokes the dark MacBooks of days gone by (meant as praise). Boasting an elegant aesthetic plus a striking Chroma-illuminated keyboard and touchpad, it commands attention. Equally noteworthy is the 144Hz 1080p screen, designed to keep frame rates consistently elevated.

Despite its numerous advantages, the Blade isn't immune to constraints imposed by its compact form factor. Past iterations have tended to run warmer and noisier than rivals, and it can't match the raw output of a GTX 1080 GPU found in competing machines. Pricing also runs steep, beginning at $1,900 for a configuration with a 256GB SSD and the 1080p display. For those prioritizing sleekness and portability in a gaming notebook, the Razer Blade remains one of the few compelling choices.

Our full Razer Blade (2017) review

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming

The top budget gaming notebook

Why it's worth buying: It represents the strongest gaming machine you can snag for under $1,000.

The best cheap gaming laptop

Dell Inspiron 15 7577

Swift and budget-conscious, the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming stands as a dependable all-purpose computer.

Ideal for: Pupils, gamers, and anyone seeking a gaming notebook without emptying their wallet.

Price range: Starts at $900

Why the Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming earned its spot:

This wallet-friendly notebook might not initially project gaming pedigree, yet as one of the most affordable systems sporting a discrete GPU, it demands attention. It adopts a more restrained approach than the other entries here, shipping with an Intel Core i5-7300HQ and 8GB of RAM out of the box. The genuine highlight is its graphics solution — an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q architecture. Throughout our evaluations, it nearly matched pricier notebooks such as the Razer Blade. Its appearance may be less refined, but it possesses ample horsepower to handle current titles at elevated detail levels.

Our evaluation sample achieved 65 frames per second when running Battlefield 1 at ultra settings in 1080p. The Razer Blade, priced from $1,800, managed 67 FPS at ultra in Battlefield 1. Even with Deux Ex: Mankind Divided cranked to ultra, the frame rate hovers around 37 FPS — a thoroughly playable result that climbs substantially when settings are dialed back slightly. Both titles run smoothly at medium to high settings and 1080p resolution.

Regrettably, the Inspiron 15 Gaming does project a budget-oriented image. It's somewhat bulky, wrapped in generous quantities of not-particularly-rigid plastic. The display's bezel flexes, as does the touchpad. That surplus plastic translates to a footprint larger than ideal, even for a 15-inch gaming notebook. Furthermore, its screen ranks among the weakest we've evaluated in years, actually regressing compared to earlier iterations.

The silver lining is that Dell has refreshed the lineup, relaunching it as the Dell G Series. Beyond the catchier name, the range will now include configurations starting at $750, all featuring discrete GPUs. Once we secure one for testing, anticipate it displacing the Inspiron 15 Gaming from this roundup.

Our full Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming review

Dell XPS 15

The premier understated gaming notebook

Why it's worth buying: It's a gaming notebook you can confidently bring to the office.

The best stealth gaming laptop

Dell XPS 15 9560

Sleek and polished, the Dell XPS 15 emerges as a surprisingly capable gaming platform.

Ideal for: Anyone wanting to game while mobile without lugging around a black-and-red giant.

Price range: Starts at $1,000

Why the Dell XPS 15 earned its spot:

The Dell XPS 15 may not register as a gaming notebook at first glance — and truthfully, it isn't strictly one. Yet that embodies the essence of the "stealth gaming laptop" category, which is increasingly viable. The XPS 15 is about to receive 8th-generation internals, now shipping standard with a quad-core Core i5-8300H, or configurable with the six-core Core i7-8750H.

Additionally, it starts at just $1,000, undercutting most other notebooks on this list — the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming being the exception. While the new Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 makes a strong case for innovation with its keyboard and GPU approach, its price point isn't aggressive enough to win us over from the XPS 15.

The best part is that it received a 2018 refresh, which is now available through Dell. It introduces powerful new configurations featuring a Core i9-8950HK and a 4GB GTX 1050Ti. That's tremendous gaming and processing capability for a notebook that fits in at a coffee shop as comfortably as a MacBook Pro. The Dell XPS 15 is impressively slim and lightweight, despite housing substantially more gaming hardware than a typical work machine.

Our full Dell XPS 15 review

Our testing methodology

When we evaluate a laptop — especially a gaming one — we examine every specification thoroughly. Beginning with aesthetics and ergonomics and proceeding through individual hardware benchmarks, notebooks entering our testing facility don't exit until they've been challenged in every conceivable manner.

Beyond formal assessments, we dedicate substantial hands-on time with the notebooks passing through our offices. We utilize them for routine work and web browsing, aiming to surface any subtle problems our initial testing might have missed. For additional details on our laptop testing procedures, you can find a comprehensive explanation here.

What to anticipate from a gaming notebook

Gaming notebooks have evolved considerably over the past couple of years. While certain models remain the LED-adorned giants we've grown to adore, manufacturers have increasingly managed to compress substantial performance into compact form factors. Consider the Razer Blade as evidence. It rivals standard non-gaming notebooks in size while delivering genuinely impressive capability.

That said, can you expect desktop-caliber performance from a portable machine? Nearly, yes. The finest gaming notebooks on the market come remarkably close, though desktops retain advantages in a handful of areas.

To begin, desktop gaming setups are larger, affording more internal space. That extra room proves critical for thermal management. Even the most thermally optimized gaming notebook will encounter challenges with heat buildup. Within a laptop's enclosure, components are packed so tightly that manufacturers can do little beyond expelling heat as rapidly as possible.

Likewise, gaming desktops almost invariably feature superior processors, unconstrained by battery considerations or the thermal concerns mentioned above. They can draw as much power as necessary to operate those 4.0GHz octa-core CPUs without hesitation. As a byproduct, they generate substantial heat that disperses readily through air cooling.

Consequently, regarding performance, an excellent gaming notebook will approach desktop gaming quality in all but those specific areas. It will run warmer and somewhat slower. Desktops remain quicker, but if portability is your priority, a laptop can absolutely deliver.

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