5 Best Gaming Laptops from HP

Gaming laptops aren’t just for gamers. Video editors, content creators, graphic designers and 3D artists stand to benefit immensely from these power-packed devices and their high-end specifications.

If you’re looking for the best gaming laptop, you must consider several factors beyond just the processor and graphics card. You need a modest-sized display for a comfortable viewing experience and a responsive keyboard to keep up with non-stop action. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at the top specs to watch for when choosing a laptop for gaming and the best gaming laptops from HP for beginners, serious enthusiasts and pro gamers.  

How to choose the best gaming laptop

Selecting the right gaming laptop can be a challenging task with so many specifications to consider. You also have to strike a balance between performance and compactness, which isn’t easy to achieve. The most feature-intensive gaming laptops quickly achieve monstrous proportions and are heavy to lug around. The solution is to look for all the essential features you need in the smallest form factor possible. Here are the most important specs you should watch for when buying a gaming laptop.

CPU

The central processing unit (CPU) is the heart of a computer and is one of the single most crucial elements that can make or break a gaming system. 

•    Clock speed: Choose a CPU with the highest clock speed you can find, as it’s indicative of the operational speed. The clock speed is measured in GHz (gigahertz). Some processors allow you to overclock or run them at higher speeds than their normal clock speed ratings.

•    Core and thread count: CPUs with a higher number of cores (physical processors) and threads (virtual cores)  are better, as they can rip through complex graphics during gameplay. 

•    Refresh rate: Another specification to keep in mind is the highest refresh rate your processor can support. This is the number of times the display updates its image every second and is measured in Hz (hertz). The most demanding games can peak at 120 Hz. The CPU should support the monitor’s maximum refresh rate to make full use of your display’s capabilities.

Graphics Card

Some CPUs have integrated graphics which might suffice for all but the most graphics-intensive games and complex video renders. Seasoned gamers will prefer a dedicated graphics processing unit (GPU), also called a graphics card, to handle all graphics workloads to complement the main processor. 

•    Resolution: This is the highest video resolution the GPU supports and is measured in pixels. You’ll only be able to enjoy games in breathtaking 8K or 4K quality if the graphics card supports these resolutions.

•    Clock speed: This measures the clock speed of the GPU processor and is commonly measured in MHz (megahertz). As with the CPU clock speed, higher is better.

•    Video memory: This is not the system RAM; it’s the dedicated memory located on the graphics card itself. The larger this video memory, the better the graphics performance. Common video memory sizes include 4GB, 8GB and 12GB. 

•    Refresh rate and frame rate: The GPU sends a video stream to the monitor as a sequence of still image frames. The highest frame rate (number of frames per second) the GPU can support will place an upper limit on your gameplay. Pick a GPU that can keep up with your monitor’s refresh and frame rate specs.

RAM

The processor uses random access memory (RAM) as a scratchpad to access information faster. While beginners might find 8GB suffices their gaming requirements, pros will need the highest RAM they can lay their hands on, as it’ll make a major difference to the gaming experience.

Display

Your monitor, the final link in the graphics chain, is an important determiner of your overall gaming experience. Consider the monitor resolution and refresh rate - you need a 4K display to make the most of your UHD (ultra high definition) games. The size of the monitor screen and the display technology (AMOLED, OLED, microLED) are important to review too.

Keyboard

Throughout a gaming session, you need an ultra-responsive keyboard to keep pace as your fingers navigate your game character. 

•    Mechanical keyboard: Choose a mechanical keyboard for maximum durability and speed. 

•    NKRO and Anti-ghosting technology: Keyboards with N-key rollover (NKRO) and anti-ghosting technology will register multiple keypresses accurately.

•    Backlighting: A backlit keyboard helps gamers segment the keyboards into zones for seamless gaming and improves visibility.

Battery life

Ideally, the best laptop for gaming and work will run unplugged for hours. However, depending on how resource-hungry the game is or if you’re multitasking, you might experience shorter battery life than expected.

Connectivity

Make sure the gaming laptop you choose has enough input and output ports to connect all your gaming accessories, such as keyboards, monitors, streaming cameras, microphones and USB hubs.

Build quality and environmental footprint

The best gaming laptops are comfortable to use for extended durations and are designed with careful optimisations to even seemingly small details like the keyboard finish, cover and base finish and the keyboard frame. While good design is invisible and never comes between you and the game, bad design will announce itself by constantly presenting inconveniences. 

Choose a laptop that is EPEAT®-registered and is built from recycled and sustainable materials for a low environmental footprint.

The best HP gaming laptops for beginners and pros

We’ve handpicked the best laptops from HP for gamers at all levels based on the criteria above.

Victus Gaming Laptop 15-fb0074AX

Victus Gaming Laptop 15-fb0074AX packs a powerful punch with an AMD Ryzen™ 7 processor. The AMD Ryzen 5000 H-Series Mobile Processor ensures peak gaming performance in a small form factor, so your laptop remains lightweight and portable. 

The Victus laptop also features an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050 graphics card with ray-traced graphics and AI-enabled Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technology for gaming and video editing at maximum frame rates. The graphics card includes 4GB GDDR6 dedicated memory.

You get an uncompromising 15.6-inch, 144 Hz full high definition (FHD) micro-edge display for breathtaking visuals to power your gameplay. The monitor also has a flicker-free anti-glare panel for better visibility when you’re outdoors.

The laptop features 16GB DDR4 RAM, which makes it perfect for content creators and video editors who need to squeeze every ounce of performance for smooth video playback and rendering. You also get fast 512GB SSD memory to store all your files.

The Victus is perfect for gamers on a budget. There are USB Type-C and Type-A ports to conveniently connect all peripherals and accessories.

Low on battery power? The laptop has HP Fast Charge technology to rapidly charge to 50% in just 30 minutes.

The product is EPEAT-certified and is engineered from sustainable materials, including post-consumer recycled and ocean-bound plastic. When it comes to environmental footprint, tiny details matter; therefore, even the keyboard keycaps are made with recycled plastic.

Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 16 inch d1053TX

Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 16 inch d1053TX is ideal for beginners who need a budget-friendly laptop with all bells and whistles. You get a powerful 12th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card to tackle complex graphics.

The Victus has a beautiful 16.1-inch FHD anti-glare display with a refresh rate of 144 Hz to do justice to your high-resolution games. Multitask all you want with the 16GB DDR5 RAM and keep all your favourite videos, games and movies close with the 512GB SSD storage.

The laptop weighs just 2.46 kg, making it easy to carry around. You can game for longer unplugged with a powerful battery and charge hyper-fast with HP Fast Charge technology.

The Victus model is EPEAT-registered and is constructed from ocean-bound plastic in the speaker and base enclosures together with recycled plastic in the keyboard keycaps.

Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 16 inch d1057TX

Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 16 inch d1057TX takes gaming to a whole new level with a blazing-fast 12th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and is perfect for serious amateur gamers. It houses the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU with dedicated 4GB GDDR6 memory to smoothly sail through graphics-intensive scenes and games.

Enjoy your games in pristine high-definition glory on the 16.1-inch FHD display and experience realistic sound with the custom Bang & Olufsen audio. 

The Victus has 16GB DDR5 RAM and 512GB SSD storage. It is EPEAT-registered and uses ocean-bound and recycled plastic in its design.

OMEN by HP Gaming Laptop 16 inch n0012AX

OMEN is a name that needs no introduction and is a holy grail for the most discerning gamers. OMEN by HP Gaming Laptop 16 inch n0012AX carries the legacy further with ultimate computing capabilities.

This economical OMEN laptop has an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU for best-in-class graphics performance. The graphics card itself has 6GB GDDR6 dedicated memory. Combine this with 32GB of superfast DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, and you get a formidable gaming monster to tackle anything.

Despite the exceptional performance, it only weighs 2.39 kg, so you can game on the move without anything stopping you. OMEN Tempest Cooling keeps the laptop cool during long gaming sessions, so only your games spit fire, not your system.

Elevate gameplay with an immersive 16.1-inch high-resolution, 144 Hz display that is TÜV and Eyesafe® compliant to keep your eyes relaxed, even during enduring gaming or video editing sessions.

The keyboard is specially designed for responsive gaming and supports four-zone RGB backlighting and 26-key rollover anti-ghosting technology to accurately register multiple keypresses in the correct order.

The EPEAT-compliant laptop goes easier on the environment, as it’s built from sustainable materials, including recycled aluminium and ocean-bound plastic.

OMEN by HP Gaming Laptop 16-inch k0074TX

OMEN by HP Gaming Laptop 16-inch k0074TX is a gaming beast for those who need nothing but the very best. It packs a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card (with high-speed 8GB GDDR6 dedicated graphics memory ) for turbocharged, power-efficient gaming. 

The 32GB DDR5 RAM means you can edit and playback several high-resolution video streams together. The 1TB SSD ensures you never have to delete a file or game to make space for more.

The 16.1-inch quad high definition (QHD) display is built from an anti-glare screen that reduces reflections in outdoor environments. It’s also Eyesafe compliant to shield your eyes from harmful blue radiation and minimises strain.

DTS: X® Ultra technology produces rich 3D spatial sounds for an unprecedented entertainment experience. The custom sound tuning by Bang & Olufsen, HP Audio Boost and HP Dual Speakers all work together for cinematic sound effects.

The laptop features a four-zone RGB backlit keyboard with 26-Key Rollover anti-ghosting technology for low-latency gaming.

The OMEN laptop uses ocean-bound plastic and recycled aluminium for a reduced environmental footprint and is EPEAT-compliant.

Summary

Looking for top gaming laptops? It’s imperative to pay careful attention to the CPU, GPU, RAM, display, connectivity, keyboard and battery specs to shortlist a device that checks all boxes and is still portable enough. HP gaming laptops are among the most powerful machines for lightning-fast performance sought by pro gamers and content creators alike.

About the Author: Vidhu Jain is a contributing writer for HP Tech Takes. A Fortune 500 experienced brand storyteller, she’s a voracious reader who loves travelling and exploring the world.