Summary

• Not interested in building or upgrading a PC? Opt for a gaming laptop that comes ready to go with everything you need.
• Gaming laptops offer sufficient performance for most gamers, unless you're an enthusiast pushing framerates.
• Gaming laptops are versatile machines that can be used for work and for play, eliminating the need for separate devices.

Choosing between a laptop and a desktop PC is always a tough decision, especially if your main goal is gaming. Each platform has its share of advantages and drawbacks, and the conclusion continues to mainly rely on individual needs and budget. Gaming laptops are better than ever in 2024, but desktops remain the go-to for enthusiasts, especially those who enjoy building their own PC.

If you're considering getting into the world of PC gaming or are wondering whether you should upgrade your current PC, there are some great reasons to lean toward choosing a laptop as your next gaming centerpiece.

4 You're not interested in DIY builds or upgrades

Not everyone has the time or patience ... and that's OK

Building your own PC is a fun and rewarding experience. It can even be therapeutic, with many people likening it to the Lego they enjoyed as children (and often continue to enjoy as adults).

However, not everyone has the time to buy separate parts, assemble them into a working PC, and troubleshoot any issues that may arise. Sure, there are some great pre-built desktop gaming PCs on the market, but you need to spend large to really match the quality of a self-assembled system.

It's perfectly fine if the thought of building your own PC doesn't appeal to you. In the same vein, you probably don't care much about keeping up with current trends and ensuring that your PC is always at the cutting edge of performance. In that case, buying a gaming laptop and having everything ready to go — including operating system, keyboard, and display — only makes sense.

In terms of upgradeability, gaming laptops are still among the best out of all laptops. Upgrading memory and storage are both relatively straightforward tasks, allowing you to dip your toes into DIY PC work without diving in head-first. No pressure to do so; just be sure you get the right amount of RAM and storage from the factory.

3 You aren't concerned with maximizing performance

Not everyone needs to break speed records

Gaming laptops, due to their portable design, generally rely on mobile variations of desktop hardware. If you've ever browsed Intel or AMD product sheets, you'll likely have noticed slightly separate branding when it comes to desktop and laptop processors (CPU). The same goes for graphics cards (GPU), which often have "mobile" or "laptop" branding. To put it simply, a Nvidia RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 Laptop GPU are not going to offer the same level of performance.

This doesn't mean, however, that gaming laptops should be considered wimpy. Unless you're an enthusiast looking to push framerates — in which case you already have a pre-built, liquid-cooled desktop — a gaming laptop with the right CPU and GPU is going to be able to keep up with even the most demanding AAA games on the market. Most gamers just want a smooth experience that is easy on the eyes, and gaming laptops can certainly deliver.

Sure, battery life still sucks pretty much across the board, but I blame that more on the FAA and its 100Wh limit than on laptop makers. No laptop manufacturer wants to produce a laptop that you can't take on a flight.

2 You don't like sitting at a desk

Do your body a favor

Let's face it: gaming is addictive and hours can slip by without noticing. Sitting at a desk — or sitting at all — really isn't what our bodies are made for, and even standing in place can have your lower back and hips seized up before long.

This is personally one of the biggest reasons to game on a laptop instead of a desktop PC. Nevermind the wider portability perk; just being able to take your games with you to the hammock on the back patio, to the couch, or even to bed on a sick day will be enough for many people to opt for a laptop.

Using a mouse can be difficult when gaming away from a desk, but many games have controller support. Our guide to the best gaming laptop accessories can get you set up properly.

1 You want one PC that can do it all

Gaming laptops are versatile machines

Gaming laptops used to heavily favor chunky plastic designs with aggressive styling, geared toward a certain "gamer aesthetic" that now seems quite dated in the face of modern hardware.

Sure, trends change and there are still those chunky builds available, but we're at a point where manufacturers are equally happy building powerful gaming PCs that you'd swear were just any other laptop. Take Lenovo's Legion Slim 5, pictured above, as an example. It's a laptop I wouldn't be embarrassed to pull out in a professional meeting, and it's far from the only option. Just look at our favorite laptops for gaming and work to see how much variety is out there.

Beyond looks, many gaming laptops often have extremely comfortable keyboards, oversized touchpads, a wide selection of ports, a high-res and colorful display, and the performance needed to tackle specialized design and development work. With MUX switches — which allow you to manually or automatically disable the discrete GPU when it's not needed — becoming more prevalent, battery life on the side of productivity is much better than it was a few years ago.

As more people move into a hybrid work style, having a laptop is increasingly a requirement. Why spend money on a laptop for work and a desktop PC for gaming when you can spend once and have everything you need in one neat package?

Is your next gaming PC a laptop?

The argument between buying a desktop or a laptop for PC gaming will rage on forever, and it's even become more complicated now that so many great gaming handhelds have hit the market. If you were on the fence, leaning toward a laptop, I hope that these four reasons can help you make a final decision.

Our roundup of the best gaming laptops features a ton of great hardware that we've tested and reviewed here at XDA, giving you a clear idea of what you need to spend to land certain features and levels of performance. Keep in mind that there are always some great laptop deals on the go, even outside of major shopping events, and you might be able to land a killer gaming laptop for a lot less money than you were expecting.