The Lightest and Thinnest Gaming Laptops in 2024

Long gone are the days of bulky, unwieldy laptops with gigantic power cords. They are being replaced with increasingly compact designs every year. Even with a host of style and performance upgrades consistently raising the standard, that’s not enough for some users. For laptop users who have a lot of places to be and people to see, only the thinnest, lightest laptops will do. Whether it’s ultimately for style or for function, having a sleek laptop with premium specs can make a big difference on the subway or in the conference room.

Packed with powerful features and high-quality hardware, these ultraportable laptops make a few sacrifices in order to deliver convenient digital access from anywhere. This guide compiles the best lightweight laptops for gaming, with some of the most attractive specs today.

Getting a gaming laptop is not as easy as expected as different models have varying capabilities. Below are some important factors to consider:

Graphics Card: Gamers must know what graphics card their preferred laptop comes with. Seeing as it is the comment of the laptop that renders images and scenes on the screen. With today’s games becoming more and more demanding, a powerful graphics card is a must-have to enjoy one’s gameplay. However, the graphic card needs of some games are different from others. For instance, the competitive title Fortnite Battle Royale requires an Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 2GB while an Nvidia GeForce GTX 4GB is recommended for World of Warcraft.

RAM: Another crucial aspect of shopping for a light and thin gaming laptop is the RAM. For gaming, higher RAM is recommended to allow the laptop to run smoothly and switch from one software to another. Buyers are advised to aim for laptops that feature at least 8GB of RAM as that’s the threshold for mid-range gaming. Anyone looking to play new titles without hassle should raise the bar and buy a 16GB RAM laptop.

Battery Life: The best gaming laptops are designed for high performance and can take a toll on the battery. However, some laptops can last for up to 6 hours thanks to high-end lithium batteries. When browsing the specs of laptops, ensure that the battery life is adequately considered. If one’s budget permits, aim for a laptop with a long-lasting battery.

Refresh Rate: Like TVs and gaming monitors, laptops come with a refresh rate which can be higher or lower depending on the manufacturer. A high refresh rate allows users to enjoy excellent gameplay without any screen tearing or other inconveniences. While the benchmark is 60Hz, aiming for a higher refresh rate guarantees fluid gameplay.

Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Light And Thin Gaming Laptops in 2024

PC gamers are no strangers to Alienware gear, even if they aren’t quite the best PC manufacturer anymore. Still, their prowess remains in play among gaming laptops and the X14 R1 is the proof. Moderately priced, the X14 is the thinnest and lightest gaming laptop available. With a weight ranging from 3.96 lbs to 4.06 lbs (depending on which additional options are selected) while being just 0.57 inches thick, this Alienware laptop is seriously svelte. Although it isn’t the most powerful option, it can certainly handle plenty of intense games at competitive levels.

The X14 internals are just as impressive, with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU being supported by 4GB of GDDR6. Plus, with 512GB of storage, the Alienware X14 is the best option for most players looking to score the lightest and thinnest gaming laptop. The price is perfectly average, making it approachable for some players on a budget, while still offering add-ons that make it even more enticing to players with a bit more cash to burn.

Lenovo’s gaming laptops tend to be some of the best options available, but with the Legion Pro 7i, the manufacturer managed to fit its powerful specs into a fairly compact structure. Although it isn’t nearly as light as the top choice at slightly over six pounds, it is almost as thin with a tapered thickness ranging from 0.86″ to 1.01″. It ships with excellent offerings like 32GB of RAM, the Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU, and the high-end Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU.

Adding to the reasons it’s only a runner-up is its higher cost, starting at around $2,000, but easily going up to (and beyond) $2,600 with certain build options that many gamers will want. However, that increased cost means increased performance. The Lenovo AI Engine+ is built into the Legion Pro, making the laptop ready for VR gaming, as well as other games that demand high performance.

For $700, the Acer Nitro 5 AN515 brings qiality specifications to game at 1080p resolution. The Core i5 12500H is a popular budget mobile CPU that brings a hybrid architecture with a total of 12 cores and 16 threads. This ensures optimal gaming performance when combined with the RTX 3050 laptop GPU, plus impressive productivity and multitasking without breaking the bank. It boasts a 144Hz IPS display with good color accuracy and fluidity in gaming.

In appearance, the build quality may not look premium, but it is actually durable without being too thick. At just 1″ thickness, it is one of the thinnest budget gaming laptops out there and weighs only 5.5 lbs for easy portability. Users will get all the necessary connectivity options, including Killer Wi-Fi 6 for fast internet and multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports on both sides. Moreover, the keyboard is backlit and features red-led lighting to improve the aesthetics.

The Alienware X17 R2 combines superb visuals with a thin build that’s perfect for gaming setups that need to move somewhat frequently, such as students heading to new dorms or players who travel for work. The stylish design shows off hex-pattern vents that help the Alienware Cryotech system keep the laptop cool.

This light and thin gaming laptop comes with a large 17.3-inch screen which makes for a slightly heavier build. Despite sitting at nearly six pounds, it manages to stay thin at 0.82″ in thickness. The screen pays off though, offering 1920 x 1080 resolution and a 360Hz, 1ms refresh rate. The performance specs are just as impressive, relying on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU and 8GB of GDDR6. Built with the 12th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, players can easily hop in and out of their favorite new games with incredible visuals.

The MSI GE76 Raider gaming laptop balances style and size to provide players with an attractive, portable gaming rig. Featuring a vibrant RGB accent along the front edge and an RGB backlit keyboard, light enthusiasts have little to complain about. Even proponents of lightweight laptops will appreciate the moderately low, 5.73-pound build.

Although this laptop isn’t among the thinnest, it still manages to come in at under an inch thick. Given the slightly larger size, this laptop is able to pack in some top-tier hardware, such as the 12th Generation Intel 14-core i9-12900H, which was released just last year. Plus, the large screen looks great while showing off games supported by the dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB and the integrated Intel Iris Xe GPUs.

MSI Cyborg 15 looks both like a productivity and gaming laptop as it features a slim body that can fit in any bag and is highly portable, thanks to its design that boasts a thickness of less than an inch and weighs only 4.37 lbs. The gaming laptop features a blue LED backlit keyboard that looks clean and has highlighted W-A-S-D keys for gamers. It leverages the power of Core i7 12650H that features 6 performance and 4 efficient cores to distribute the load on appropriate cores. This ensures that the games and applications get enough juice to run smoothly without any stutter.

The graphics are powered by the laptop RTX 4060 GPU, which is pretty solid for 1080p gaming even on ultra settings. Furthermore, the DLSS 3 Frame Generation allows it to increase performance without compromising on the visual quality. 32GB DDR5 RAM is provided in this edition, which is more than adequate for memory-intensive tasks and 2TB of storage will ensure users don’t run out of space quickly.

The so-called “Razer tax” may not be a completely fair moniker, but the Razer Blade 15 gaming laptop is one of the lightest and thinnest high-end laptops on the market. Listed at around $2,800, depending on the specific hardware options chosen during checkout, players will need to pay a pretty penny to get their hands on this gaming laptop. The compact laptop does have quite a few enticing features that make it worth the high asking price. With a thickness of just 0.66 inches and a weight of 4.4 pounds, Razer does have one of the lightest and thinnest gaming laptops gamers can have.

Despite this already impressive design, Razer also throws in the high-end specs they’re known for. The Blade 15 uses NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 40 series GPU and 13th-gen Intel Core i7 processor. These powerful features are kept cool with super-thin dual fans, and it still manages to leave room for an extra M.2 slot and user-upgradeable slots that support up to 64GB of additional memory.

FAQ

Q: What are good gaming laptop specs?

Shoppers should get a laptop that packs a decent number of features. For instance, the laptop in question should have a good GPU, a modest refresh rate, a decent battery life, and at least 8GB of RAM. If the budget permits, a later upgrade can be planned.

Q: How much RAM is good for gaming?

8GB of RAM is ideal for mid-range gaming, while anyone looking to play new titles without issues should aim for 16GB of RAM. The rationale for suggesting higher memory is that gaming relies heavily on RAM.

Q: Is 32GB of RAM overkill for gaming?

Yes, 32 GB is a bit much for just gaming alone. However, if other productivity-based tasks like graphics design, content creation, and programming are thrown in the mix, it makes sense to have that much memory.