How to Pick the Best Gaming Laptop from HP Thailand
Finding the best gaming laptop for you means making a compromise between power, portability, and price.  

There’s no point in purchasing a top-tier machine if you primarily play low-intensity titles like Minecraft. On the other hand, a high-spec Triple-A (AAA) player would be wise to invest in a more capable though pricier device. And regardless of what games you play, you’ll want to sacrifice screen size for a petite chassis if you regularly lug your gaming rig around town.

Therefore, the best gaming laptop is a subjective affair. The perfect purchase boils down to your budget, gaming preferences, and travel habits. To help point you in the right direction, we’ve put together this go-to gaming laptop buyer’s guide.

What specs to look for in a gaming laptop

The hardware under the hood makes the difference between silky smooth and stuttering performance. But as top-end gaming machines cost a sizeable sum, it’s wise to analyse what you really need.

The GPU

The graphics processing unit (GPU) is the most critical piece of hardware in a gaming laptop. As many modern titles require a solid graphics card to achieve acceptable frame rates, it’s crucial to get this component right.

However, the GPU isn’t just the most essential spec; it’s also the most expensive. If you don’t plan to play graphically-intensive titles, you can save significant cash by shopping at the lower end of the price spectrum.

Most modern gaming laptops come with an NVIDIA® GeForce GTX™ / RTX™ or a Radeon RX 6000M series. Within these popular GPU types, you’ll find a bewildering array of models offering distinct degrees of performance.

Entry-level gaming: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or AMD Radeon RX 5500M GPU offer solid performance for casual gamers on the go. While these affordable yet potent GPUs pack enough punch to run almost all modern games, you’ll have to crank the graphics down on many titles. Expect to pay 30,000 to 40,000 TBH for a laptop with an entry-level GPU.

Everyday gaming: If you’re a sucker for crisp, high-definition gameplay, it’s worth investing more in a mid-range GPU. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and 4050 offer enough extra power to tweak those resolutions up a notch, even on recent AAA releases. On the AMD front, the RX 6700M is an excellent mid-range contender. Gaming laptops with these GPUs typically cost 40,000 to 50,000 TBH.

High-spec gaming: For avid gamers with stacks of cash in their coffers, it’s hard to go past a top-end GPU like the RTX 3070 or RTX 3080 Ti. These state-of-the-art cards let you run almost anything on maximum settings, offering an epic laptop gaming experience to rival even the most potent desktop PCs. If you’re prepared to spend big (think 70,000 to 10,000 THB), you’ll get everything from 4K resolution to ray-traced games and butter-smooth VR.

The CPU

Most modern games rely on the GPU more than the central processing unit (CPU), so you don’t need a top-of-the-line processor to achieve decent frame rates. But even though the CPU isn’t quite as crucial, it’s still a worthy consideration.

Like the GPU, two main players dominate the processor-manufacturing industry: Intel® and AMD. Intel offers a range of processors in their Core™ range, including the i3, i5, i7, and i9. AMD sell processors with similar juice in their Ryzen™ range, i.e., an Intel i5 is roughly equivalent to a Ryzen 5.

An i3/Ryzen 3 won’t provide sufficient processing power unless you only play basic browser-based games. Most casual players should aim for an i5/Ryzen 5 instead. High-spec gamers will benefit from an Intel Core i7/i9 or Ryzen 7/9. If investing in Intel, get the latest 13th Generation model (though a 12th Generation will do in a pinch).

RAM

Gaming hogs a tonne of memory, especially when multi-tasking web browsers and other apps on the side. With that in mind, it’s prudent to purchase a laptop with sufficient Read Only Memory (RAM).  

Aim for at least 8GB of DDR4 RAM if you’re a casual gamer. Should playing late-release titles or streaming your kills appeal, invest in a 16GB device instead.

Most gaming laptops with a mid-range card, like the GeForce RTX 4050, come with 16GB RAM to eliminate memory-related bottlenecks. One significant benefit of an HP gaming laptop like the Victus is that you can slot in extra memory if you see fit.

Storage

Don’t skimp on your storage; you’ll need abundant space to install your ever-growing games collection. These days, many blockbuster releases demand 50GB of space, and some titles bulge over 100GB, for example, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War requires 135GB for 4K gameplay.

A 512GB drive gives you enough space to hold several big-name games simultaneously, which negates the need to cycle through titles. Insist on a speedier solid-state drive (SSD) to slash those annoying level-loading times - SSD is pretty much the norm nowadays, anyway.

What screen to look for in a gaming laptop

What do you value more, portability or screen size?

A generously-proportioned screen leads to a more immersive gaming experience, giving you a clearer picture of the action on the battlefield. Of course, a big screen also means a bulkier chassis, which adds substantial extra weight to your device.

Many gamers find a 15-inch laptop offers the right balance between portability and screen size. While smaller screens shave off weight, they’re too difficult to focus on for extended sessions - you don’t want to spend all day squinting. Larger laptops with 16 or 17-inch screens provide a superior in-game experience, albeit at the expense of extra weight.

Top-of-the-line GPUs need plenty of room to house an appropriate cooling system. That’s why most high-end gaming laptops come in a bigger-than-average size (15-17 inches).

Size isn’t the only thing that matters with a screen. Aim for full high-definition (FHD) resolution for a crisp, crystal-clear gaming experience. Ultra-high definition (UHD) and 4K screens output superior image clarity but require high-end hardware to achieve respectable frame rates.

Another worthwhile consideration is the refresh rate, which refers to how many times the screen will refresh each second. While the stock-standard 60 Hz is sufficient for single-player gaming, many online players prefer 144 Hz or more. All that extra refreshing results in a smoother, stutter-free experience to give hardcore gamers a competitive edge.

The Three Best Gaming Laptops from HP

Now we’ve covered what to look for in a gaming laptop, let’s check out the top options in the HP Thailand Store.

Victus Gaming Laptop 15-fa1069TX

Victus Gaming Laptop 15-fa1069TX
Hot off the factory floor, this cutting-edge gaming device is powered by Intel’s recently released (October 2022) 13th Generation i5 processor. Couple that with a GeForce RTX 4050 plus 16GB of RAM, and you’ve got a potent mid-range machine capable of running demanding modern games.

These impressive specs and a crisp FHD display make the Victus Gaming Laptop 15-fa1069TX among the most popular options in the HP Thailand Store. If you’re craving a more powerful i7 processor, check out the Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 15-inch fa0087TX instead.

  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
  • CPU: 13th Generation Intel Core i5 processor
  • RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM (2 x 8GB)
  • Storage: 512GB PCIe® Gen4 NVMe™ TLC M.2 SSD
  • Screen: 15.6” diagonal, FHD Display

Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 15-inch fb0085AX

Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 15-inch fb0085AX
Prefer AMD over Intel?

Then the Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 15-inch fb0085AX is your go-to option. A speedy AMD Ryzen 5 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 provide impressive performance on this affordable, entry-level machine.

Like other 15-inch Victus laptops, this model weighs a modest 2.29 kg, making it light enough to whisk around town on a whim.  

  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 processor
  • RAM: 8GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM
  • Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
  • Screen: 15.6” diagonal, FHD display, 144 Hz, 9 ms response time

Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 15-inch fa0088TX

Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 15-inch fa0088TX
A zippy GeForce RTX 3050 and 12th Generation Intel Core i5 make the Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 15-inch fa0088TX a worthy contender in the HP Thailand Store. 8GB of RAM and a spacious 512GB SSD gives you plenty of memory, while the 144 Hz FHD screen pumps out lightning-fast refresh rates.

As usual with the Victus, you’ll get a sleek, understated design and dual fans to cool its blazing-hot GPU.

  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
  • CPU: 12th Generation Intel Core i5 processor
  • RAM: 8GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM
  • Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
  • Screen: 15.6” diagonal, FHD display, 144 Hz, 9 ms response time

Summary

Finding the right gaming laptop means striking a balance between power, portability, and price.

Research the recommended requirements for your favourite games and aim slightly higher to future-proof your device. Next, think about how often you’ll move your laptop around to decide which screen size is the best fit.

Once you’ve worked out your laptop-shopping requirements, the next step is to review our three recommendations or visit the HP Thailand Store.

About the author: Harry Stewart is a Tech Takes contributor covering everything from laptop reviews to how-to guides.