Gaming laptops have recently come into the discussion; With the release of more and more powerful & compact computer hardware, Gaming laptops could be a viable option.

If you wanted to get a gaming laptop a few years ago, You would have found some decent ones weighing as much as 9 kilograms. Thought these laptops almost competed with the best gaming computers in the market, but their weight completely kills the idea of having a laptop.

In the recent times, Technology has advanced, and this is not the case anymore. You can find excellent gaming laptops without having to carry a box that weighs 9 kilograms. The questions we are going to focus on in this write up is weather laptops are a viable solution for portable gaming in 2018.

Let’s learn about the advantages and disadvantages of gaming on a laptop compared to a desktop.
Desktop vs Laptop for gaming

Gaming Laptop vs Desktop

The main heat producing components in a computer, i.e. CPU and GPU have a difference in the mobile and desktop variations. A laptop variant of GTX 1080 is not capable of competing with the performance of desktop version. These differences are intentional because of cooling limitations enforced by a laptop.

Ryan from GamingInMyDNA says:

“Laptops are not a great idea if it’s bought solely for gaming. A desktop is far superior in every aspect when it comes to gaming.”

Jimmy from PCGamer concludes:

“With the freedom to easily swap out components, coupled with the power they offer, it’s clear the desktop PC isn’t going anywhere.”
Feasibility

If you are on a budget and looking to buy a new computer for gaming, It’s best to go with a desktop. Desktop hardware is not only cheaper but also allows for ultimate customizability. New parts launch every once in a while and having an option to upgrade/change them is essential.

On the other hand, If you are not much concerned about the budget, Laptops are still not the optimal choice for gaming. There are plenty of laptops available which will allow you to run all latest games but they are insufficient in the aspect of upgradability.
Accessibility

Getting a laptop will save you the hassle of putting all parts together. They come all ready to use. On the other hand, Putting together a desktop is time-consuming and involves an amount of risk regarding part failure. It’s not a reason to not build a computer but surely something to keep in mind, If you are not familiar with hardware and how it works, It’s better to hire someone to assemble the computer for you.
Price to Performance ratio

Desktops are comparatively much cheaper. You can build a decent desktop for $500 while a laptop in the price range would come with outdated parts.
Portability

This is a clear victory for a laptop; This is what they are designed for.
What’s Best for you?

Gaming laptops are sure not a bad option especially if you travel and lot and like to game once in a while. These surely aren’t the optimal solution there is; Desktops are way superior and feasible when it comes to better performance. Which one is better for you? It’s not that complicated to figure it out; It’s largely dependent on the kind of use. The following questions will help you make a decision.

Do you travel a lot?
What kind of games do you like to play?

If you travel a lot, It’s simply killing the idea of having a desktop; The options are narrowed down by a lot. You can get a gaming laptop, but they are usually not very comfortable if you plan to work on them as well. Smaller and compact laptops are generally surely enhanced the productivity. So what options are you left with?
Handheld Console

This kind of consoles constitutes Playstation portable, Nintendo switch, which are very capable of running latest games. Using these consoles will limit the accessibility to several game titles, but it’s good enough to full-fill hobby.

If you don’t travel much, There is no reason to get a laptop. Sure they consume a lot lesser space, but they can limit the hardware upgradability and customizability. New gaming hardware releases every once in a while; If you get a laptop, Your options are strictly limited while with a desktop, You can upgrade anything anytime you wish at a very affordable price.

Another factor is that while gaming, You will need an external gaming mouse, mousepad, headphones and sometimes even a keyboard. Moreover, these laptops also tend to release a lot of heat while gaming, This makes them completely unusable unless you have a proper setup.
The verdict

Laptops are very capable of running high-end games while being very portable but they come at a very hefty price tag and require several accessories to provide you with a better gaming experience.

https://brainytechie.com/gaming-laptop-vs-desktop-which-should-i-choose/

Well said

Gaming desktops all the way, except you're a student in a Nigerian University.

No light anywhere. You can imagine what a 1.3KW fan will do to your power bill.

It's all about mobility

Fattycoal9:
A laptop variant of GTX 1080 is not capable of competing with the performance of desktop version

False.

Let me start by saying u're right. The option of going for a laptop or desktop is based on preference. But i feel like ur write up is tailored towards discouraging people from going for a laptop.

Now back to the quote above, i dont know what u're on about but saying laptop variants of gpus cant compete with their desktop counterparts is already a myth.
Thanks to Nvidia the current gen of gpus now operate at desktop performance levels. This is why Nvidia dropped the "M" suffix for their mobile Pascal cards.
Depending on the cooling solutions of the laptop, desktop cards now only best laptop cards by about 10%-15%, which might roughly translate to about 10-20 fps depending on the game. There's no longer a wide margin of difference in performance between the desktop and mobile cards for Nvidia gpus. AMD are the only ones lagging behind in that aspect.
Go to userbenchmark and compare the cards for yourself.


You can also check this out.

As for heat management, thats to be expected. Laptops are more confined than desktops. But one of the few things that can be done to reduce heat on laptops is to repaste the cpu and gpu(if you know how) and to undervolt your cpu.

And in terms of upgradability, you said yourself that gaming laptops have advanced from what they were 9 years ago. We now have desktop performance cards and even overclockable intel K processors in laptops. Most laptops now are regarded as desktop replacements. That plus the advancements in the PC industry, how long do you reckon we have before Laptop components become upgradeable??

wman:
It's all about mobility

+1

Wanted to oppose but hes right, on 1080 the desktop and mobile are similar, but there are different versions of the mobile, the ones that work fine need to be in big laptops cos of ventilation issues, if you've seen big gaming laptops you will understand they aren't to be carried about. Same as desktop.

Let me know whatever you decide on..

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Not anymore, laptop gpu have the same power as desktop gpu on modern laptop nowadays, so that should not be an issue, the world is advancing.

[red]TECNO[/color]

GameGod:
Not anymore, laptop gpu have the same power as desktop gpu on modern laptop nowadays, so that should not be an issue, the world is advancing.

U r wrong, that only applies in a few new gpu and even in them, its not all models of the series

crafteck:


U r wrong, that only applies in a few new gpu and even in them, its not all models of the series

Alright then, I'm not that good at gpu things. I hope you are right. Tho my gtx1060 is as powerful as it's desktop version.

GameGod:

Alright then, I'm not that good at gpu things. I hope you are right. Tho my gtx1060 is as powerful as it's desktop version.

Its not

Heh! The only good non controversial point is that laptops are more expensive than desktops of similar performance.

But desktops are not "wayyyyy" better like you put it.
It's about personal preference.
I wanna get a laptop so I could play games when I go out for jobs that exceeds a day. I have a desktop because it's cheaper not because it's better.
Heat with amd cards could sometimes be a problem, not always. But, you don't get much of that with Nvidia cards.
There are no better between laptops and desktops. They're like apples and oranges. It's about which is worth your money.
Try not to be bias in articles. It's not a good thing

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Brand New Open Box.. Alienware 15 R3 gtx 1060 6g i7 16g

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Brand New NO BOX.. Acer predators helios 300 gtx 1060 6g i7 16g

Display Unit.. Asus STRIX 1050 2g i7 8g

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