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Gaming laptops come in a lot of shapes and sizes and deciding between them can be a challenging task. You have to balance power and portability while also sticking to your budget, and the sheer number of options you get doesn’t make the choice any easier.
So what gaming laptop size is the best choice? 15-inch and bigger laptops are more popular but can be heavy to carry around. On the other hand, 14-inch laptops are great for portability, but you lose power. Well, here’s what I’ve found.
Why Are 15-Inch+ Laptops More Popular?
15-inch has become the go-to screen size for some of the most popular gaming laptops on the market as this gives the manufacturer enough room in the chassis to put in powerful components that deliver good performance, without having to worry about heating issues, power budgets, or overall cost. They also strike a balance between power and portability, something their 16-inch or bigger counterparts aren’t known for.
You’ll also find plenty of 16-inch gaming laptops on the market. These are even better if you’re looking to get the most performance for the money you spend. 15-inch laptops do get pretty hot if they’re not cooled properly, but a 16-inch laptop’s chassis doesn’t suffer the same problems as these laptops are generally pretty well-cooled across the board.
They also tend to have even more powerful components thanks to the added cooling headroom. You get better, higher-resolution displays as well. However, all this comes at the cost of extra heft. Combined with the power brick, a 16-inch or bigger laptop can weigh a significant amount. You’re not getting very good battery life on account of the more powerful hardware either, so a power brick might become a necessity.
Finally, 17 and 18-inch gaming laptops exist as well and are considered portable desktops. However, they’re not as popular as their big size means you won’t be walking around with either of those in your backpack all day.
Why I Find 14-Inch Laptops Great for Gaming
14-inch laptops are a different story though. They’re a bit on the expensive side, but for around $1,500 to $1,800, you can get a pretty good machine that’ll run games, comes with a great display, has good battery life, and potentially even USB-C charging—all in a small, relatively lightweight package.
The price range can change significantly based on the exact model and specifications you’re getting. Do keep in mind though that you will be losing out on performance, as the manufacturer doesn’t have a lot of headroom or power to cool a more powerful chip running at a higher TGP (total graphics power).
That said, unless you like playing every game at the maximum possible graphics settings, newer 14-inch gaming laptops like theAsus G14,Omen Transcend 14, and even the olderAlienware X14 R2are powerful enough to run most, if not all, modern games.
You won’t have to compromise as much on frame rate or graphics quality either, as you should easily be able to hit medium to high settings and get 60FPS or better. WithIntel’s Lunar Lake chips looking like a game changerwhen it comes to performance and power efficiency, the performance difference should shrink even more.Technologies like Microsoft’s Auto Super Resolution, DLSS, and FSRcan come in handy, boosting graphics fidelity without much effect on performance.
Of course, all this performance comes with the benefits of a small and lighter device. You can carry and use it in places where a 15-inch or bigger laptop wouldn’t make sense. If I can play three hours of Shadow of the Tomb Raider on a 2.8K OLED display on a train by plugging in my 140W USB-C charger, you can too.
The difference between a 14-inch and a 15-inch laptop isn’t obvious on paper. You get a feel for it the first time you use a smaller laptop and your PC being portable opens up many other avenues for you to be able to use it. And what good is a laptop that you can’t use how you want away from your desk or a power outlet?
There aresome features and specifications to consider before you buy a high-performance or gaming laptop, but you’ll likely find all of them on a 14-inch laptop as they tend to be high-end, premium devices. If you do find one that matches your needs, you’re able to have a pretty good time.
What Is The Ideal Gaming Laptop Display Size For You?
If you want the best possible graphics and prefer a larger screen, 15-inch and above is the way to go. That said, I would recommend that you check out a 14-inch laptop in the flesh before making a decision. You can easily get used to these displays so they’re worth checking out.
However, if you’re willing to compromise a little in performance in exchange for better battery life and a smaller footprint, a 14-inch laptop will pleasantly surprise you. There’s a barrier of entry when you consider the price, but the overall experience is well worth the investment.
