11 Best Gaming Laptops in Australia Compared for 2024

The best gaming laptops provide an excellent mix of performance and battery life for the price, all the while letting you game for extended periods of time without overheating or freezing. If you’re looking for a new gaming laptop or if you’ve never played games on a laptop before, you’re probably overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices.

To help you make an informed decision and choose the laptop that’s best for you, we’ve reviewed and compared the 11 best and most popular models on the market, looking at their specifications, performance benchmarks, and value for money.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. The 11 Best Gaming Laptops Ranked
2. Reviews of the Market's Top-Rated Gaming Laptops
3. Comparison of the Best Laptops for Gaming
4. Important Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Gaming Laptop for You
5. Gaming Laptop FAQs
6. Conclusion | What's the Best Gaming Laptop to Buy in 2024?

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. The 11 Best Gaming Laptops Ranked
2. Reviews of the Market's Top-Rated Gaming Laptops
3. Comparison of the Best Laptops for Gaming
Show Full Guide
4. Important Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Gaming Laptop for You
5. Gaming Laptop FAQs
6. Conclusion | What's the Best Gaming Laptop to Buy in 2024?

The 11 Best Gaming Laptops Ranked

Here’s our final list of the 11 best gaming laptops for 2024:

1. Acer Nitro 5 — Our top pick for the best gaming laptop with a powerful i7 CPU, RTX 30 Series GPU, Ray Tracing, stunning IPS display, and Acer CoolBoost technology.
2. Asus TUF FX505DT — Best value gaming laptop with a super-durable build, offering excellent performance for the money.
3. Acer Predator Helios 300 — Built to run next-gen games on ultra-high settings, with advanced cooling that ensures excellent thermal performance during long gaming sessions.
4. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 — Best gaming laptop under 1,000 AUD that can run all modern games on high settings without lag or stuttering.
5. Asus VivoBook 15 — Decent mid-range laptop for casual gamers with a limited budget. It’s ideal for playing older titles that aren’t too graphically demanding.
6. MSI GV 15 — Costs just $1,033. It’s sleek and modern, built to be 10% cooler and quieter than other models with similar specifications.
7. Razer Blade 15 — Super-powerful, with a 300Hz refresh rate display for a fully immersive gaming experience and up to 100 FPS on ultra-high settings.
8. HP Victus — Affordable option with desktop-level performance, great for both casual and hardcore gamers.
9. MSI GE76 Raider — High-end gaming laptop with a stunning 17.3″ display, ideal for playing visually demanding AAA games at max settings.
10. Lenovo Legion Y549 — Sturdy, durable laptop with a super-responsive keyboard, great for work and casual gaming.
11. Dell Inspiron 14 — A two-in-one touchscreen laptop with 360° hinges, a fast processor, and integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics.

Reviews of the Market’s Top-Rated Gaming Laptops

Read our in-depth reviews of the best laptops for gaming to learn more about what different models offer, what they excel at, and what types of games they’re the most suited for.

1. Acer Nitro 5 — Our Top Pick for the Best Gaming Laptop

Acer Nitro 5 is a powerful gaming laptop that gives you plenty of options regarding the CPU, GPU, and RAM, allowing you to create your ideal gaming machine.

You can outfit yours with a variety of processors, ranging from Intel Core i5-11400H to the 12th gen i7 processor with up to 14 cores and up to 20 threads. In combination with Nvidia RTX 30 Series GPUs, it can comfortably run even the most demanding games on high or ultra-high settings with high, stable FPS.

The laptop is powered by the 2nd gen RTX Ampere architecture that supports RTX, with new Ray Tracing cores, Tensor Cores, and streaming multiprocessors with DirectX 12 Ultimate support, so you can expect gorgeous, life-like visuals and superb performance free of stuttering, screen tearing, and ghosting.

When it comes to RAM memory, the minimum Acer Nitro 5 comes with is 8 Gb of DDR4 RAM, running at 3,200 MHz. The laptop has two memory slots, so you can easily upgrade it to 32 Gb of RAM, which we highly recommend if you plan on running modern AAA games.

One of the main advantages of Acer Nitro 5 over most other gaming laptops is that it allows you to connect simultaneously to your WiFi network and via the ethernet cable. You’ll also have total control over priority traffic on both networks for maximum speed and throughput.

Another thing worth mentioning is that the Acer Nitro 5 features Acer CoolBoost technology, which increases fan speed by 10% and reduces CPU and GPU working temperatures, drastically improving the device’s thermal performance so you can comfortably game for hours on end.

The one downside of this laptop is that some models only come with a 256 Gb SSD, and most modern AAA titles take well over 50 Gb of storage. You’ll be hard-pressed to find one that comes with a 1 Tb SSD out-of-the-box, so keep in mind that you’ll likely have to add an extra SSD if you want to have dozens of games on your Acer Nitro 5.

2. Asus TUF FX505DT — Best Value Gaming Laptop

The Asus TUF offers great value for money, sporting a powerful AMD Ryzen 5 R5-3550H and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 for a little over 1,200 AUD. With 8 Gb of DDR4 RAM on top, you’ll be able to play most modern games on medium settings without issue.

That said, what makes this Asus gaming laptop stand out from other models on our list is its great durability. It’s made from military-grade materials, so it’s much more resistant to drops, vibrations, and even water spills.

It features an ergonomic RGB backlit keyboard with 20-million keystroke durability, so you can comfortably game on this laptop for years to come. And the dual fans with anti-dust technology prevent the laptop from overheating, ensuring stable performance during long gaming sessions.

The biggest downside of this model is its relatively short battery life. When gaming at 1920×1080, it typically lasts three to four hours. Additionally, if you tweak the power options for maximum performance, you should expect to have to sit next to a power outlet if you plan on gaming for a few hours.

3. Acer Predator Helios 300 — Built to Run Next-Gen Games on Ultra-High Settings

Acer Predator Helios 300 is a powerhouse built to run next-gen games on high and ultra-high settings. It’s powered by a super-fast 11th gen Intel Core i7-11800H processor, with 8 cores and 16 threads, so it can easily run the most CPU-intensive games.

The graphics card is an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, so you’ll enjoy the latest ray-traced graphics and AI-powered features like NVIDIA DLSS. Coupled with a Full HD IPS display, the GPU displays gorgeous, life-like visuals for a fully immersive gaming experience while eliminating lag and stuttering, enabling you to achieve peak performance.

To support these high-performance components, Acer Predator Helios 300 features custom-engineered 5th gen AeroBlade cooling fans with liquid metal thermal grease. This ensures optimal thermal performance while performing resource-intensive tasks or running next-gen games and prevents the laptop from heating up too much.

Another thing worth mentioning is that it comes with built-in PredatorSense, an app that lets you customize the keyboard RGB backlight, manage overclocking, and take full control over fan speeds. The keyboard also features a dedicated PredatorSense key, so you can tweak the settings in seconds, even while in the middle of a game.

To top it all off, this laptop comes with ten different ports, including multiple USB ports, a Thunderbolt 4 port, an HDMI port, a Mini DisplayPort, and an audio jack, so it offers unmatched connectivity options.

4. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 — Best Gaming Laptop Under 1,000 AUD

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the best gaming laptops you can get for less than 1,000 AUD. It features an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor and a GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, so you can run games like GTA V on ultra-high settings without lag or FPS drops.

The six-core mobile processor is built for performance while not adding too much weight to the laptop, so the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is still very light and portable.

In addition to excellent gaming performance, what’s worth highlighting about it is its dual-fan cooling technology. The high-performance thermal system ensures the components overheat even while performing the most resource-intensive tasks, like 3D modeling or running super-demanding games.

This means you won’t experience any lag, stuttering, or freezes, even after playing for several hours. That said, to ensure optimal airflow, it’s best to have the laptop raised a few centimeters above the table.

One thing to note is that the display has a 120 Hz refresh rate compared to all the higher-ranked models on our list with 144 Hz displays. While the difference between the two in terms of producing images comes down to one millisecond, that short timeframe could be the deciding factor in a multiplayer FPS game.

5. Asus VivoBook 15 — Decent Mid-Range Laptop for Casual Gamers

This is a great mid-range option if you’re on a limited budget and typically play games that aren’t too graphically demanding, such as roguelikes, card games, MOBAs, or older titles.

It comes with a 10th gen Intel i3-1005G1 processor with solid performance benchmarks. Compared to other CPUs commonly found in gaming laptops, it’s right in the middle of the pack, so while it won’t be able to run next-gen titles like Hogwarts Legacy, it’s still a decent option for casual games.

One thing to note is that the Asus VivoBook 15 doesn’t have a dedicated GPU. Instead, it relies on the ‎Intel UHD Graphics coprocessor, so you shouldn’t expect stunning visuals or super-high FPS on high graphics settings. That said, you’ll still be able to run games like Rocket League, Team Fortress 2, Fortnite, World of Tanks, and the like without issue.

With that in mind, the major selling point of the Asus VivoBook 15 is its thin, light design, which makes it super-portable. It also features an ergonomic, backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader for quick and easy login and enhanced security.

What we also love about it is the array of connectivity options. The laptop features three USB ports — USB 3.2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Type-A, and USB 2.0 — and an HDMI port that lets you connect it to a larger screen and stream your favorite online content on your TV.

6. MSI GV 15 — Fine-Tuned to be 10% Quieter and Cooler

The MSI GV 15 is a sleek, modern laptop that provides decent performance for the price. It’s designed to be around 10% quieter and cooler than other models with similar specifications, so it’s a good choice for virtually any environment.

Beyond this, it’s powered by an Intel Core i5-11400H processor, running at 2.6 GHz by default, with the ability to overclock it up to 4.5 GHz. The GPU is paired with an Nvidia GeForce 1650, so you’ll be able to comfortably run most modern games on low-to-medium settings.

The 15.6″ display has a 144 Hz refresh rate, providing vibrant visuals and excellent response time, so you won’t experience input lag, stuttering, or screen tearing. In addition to great visuals, this model features powerful speakers, so you won’t have to invest in a gaming headset to be fully immersed in the virtual world.

That said, the base model only comes with 8 Gb of RAM and a 256 Gb SSD. To get the most out of the MSI GV 15 and ensure a great gaming experience, it’s best to upgrade it with an additional 8 Gb of RAM and an extra SSD so you can have room for all your games.

7. Razer Blade 15 — Provides a Fully Immersive Gaming Experience on Ultra-High Settings

Razer Blade 15 is a super-slim, light, yet very powerful gaming laptop, perfect for gamers who want to fully immerse themselves in the games. That said, this model comes with an eight-core Intel Core i7-10875H, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070, and 16 Gb of DDR4 RAM, so it can run even the most demanding AAA games on ultra-high settings while reliably maintaining over 100 FPS.

The Full HD display, with narrow bezels and refresh rates from 240 Hz up to 300 Hz, provides stunning visuals and smooth gameplay without screen tearing. The matte black display also reduces reflections, minimizing glare and eye strain.

Beyond this, another thing users love about Razer Blade 15 is the smooth keyboard. Each key is individually backlit with Razer Chroma RGB lighting, and you can fully configure the lighting effects via Razer Synapse 3.

One thing to note is that the laptop heats up quite fast when running AAA games at max settings, but that’s to be expected of such a slim and lightweight model.

8. HP Victus — Affordable Option With Desktop-Level Performance

The HP Victus offers desktop-level performance for 1,500 AUD, so it’s a top contender for the title of the best affordable gaming laptop. The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti make this HP gaming laptop a beast when it comes to gaming performance.

If you’re excited by new releases like Hogwarts Legacy, Diablo IV, and Dead Island 2, this model is a great purchase that’ll allow you to run these and other AAA titles on high settings.

The laptop features a 15.6″ micro-edge display with a 144 Hz refresh rate, so you can expect crisp, sharp visuals. One thing to note is that, instead of the two hinges, the display is connected with a single plastic folding over a metal pole, which makes the screen extremely wobbly.

Beyond this, a standout feature of this model is the HP Connection Optimizer, which improves WiFi connection stability by automatically switching between the most efficient wireless access point. This is key if you’re playing multiplayer online games since you won’t have to worry about high ping.

9. MSI GE76 Raider — Reasonably Priced High-End Gaming Laptop

MSI GE76 Raider is one of the most powerful gaming laptops on the market, so it’s a great long-term investment if you plan on playing a lot of next-gen games.

That said, the specifications of this gorgeous laptop are quite impressive — an Intel Core i7-10870H running at 5 Ghz, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, and 32 Gb of DDR4 RAM.

This means that you’ll be able to run pretty much any game at max settings without issue at 60 to 80 FPS, without lag, stuttering, screen tearing, or ghosting. This 17-inch laptop also offers stunning graphics at 1080p, thanks to a 300 Hz refresh rate, so you can fully immerse yourself in your favorite games.

Beyond this, the laptop also has excellent cooling with a Cooler Boost feature that lets you maximize the fan speed, so it maintains excellent thermal performance. However, the drawback is that the fans can get extremely loud during intense gaming sessions, to the point where you’d hear them through your gaming headphones.

10. Lenovo Legion Y549 — Sturdy, Durable Laptop With a Super-Responsive Keyboard

The Lenovo Legion Y549 is a decent mid-range option for casual gaming. It has a sturdy, sleek chassis and a super-responsive keyboard, so it’s also great for work, especially if you do a lot of typing.

It comes with a Hexa-core i7-9750H, an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti, and 16 Gb of DDR4 RAM, so you can expect it to perform reasonably well when playing indie games and older titles that aren’t too resource-intensive. That said, you only get 256 Gb of storage, so you might want to consider upgrading to a 512 Gb SSD so you have enough room for all your games.

Beyond this, the display runs at a 144 Hz refresh rate, providing great visuals both when gaming and when streaming online content. However, one of the biggest downsides of this model is its battery life. Although the manufacturer advertises up to five hours of battery life, realistically, you can’t game for over two to three hours without charging this laptop.

11. Dell Inspiron 14 — A Two-in-One Touchscreen Laptop With Intel Iris Xe Graphics

The Dell Inspiron 14 is a nifty little two-in-one laptop with a touchscreen, so it doubles as a tablet. And it’s decently fast thanks to a 12th gen Intel Core i7-1255U processor, so it’s great for work and some casual gaming.

One key aspect to be aware of is the fact that this Dell laptop comes with integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, so it’s not the best option for next-gen games. It can run games like Rocket League, Fortnite, and Doom Eternal on low settings at around 40 FPS, but it’ll struggle with most multiplayer games like Apex Legends and Modern Warfare.

Its redeeming qualities are the Full HD touchscreen display, which is perfect for streaming online content and video conferencing, as well as the ExpressCharge technology which lets you get from 0% to 80% battery in an hour.

Comparison of the Best Laptops for Gaming

Here’s a quick comparison table of all the models on our list, so you can compare their specs more easily and see which gaming laptop is the best option for your price range:

Important Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Gaming Laptop for You

Here are the key factors you need to consider to ensure that you get a reasonably-priced model with performance that meets your needs and expectations:

CPU and GPU

When it comes to the processor and the graphics card in a laptop, generally, newer models offer better performance. That said, you don’t need the latest CPU and GPU to reliably run most games on high settings, but, at the same time, older models might struggle with newer AAA titles.

Carefully consider what types of games you’ll be playing, check their recommended system requirements, and compare them to the specs of the laptop you’re considering.

RAM Memory

While indie games and older titles will run smoothly on just 8 Gb of RAM, it’s always a good idea to upgrade to at least 16 Gb, especially since modern games are only going to become more and more resource-intensive.

Storage

As a gamer, you’re likely fully aware of how fast you can burn through 256 Gb of storage. And in case you need a bit more perspective, Hogwarts Legacy, the latest game in the Harry Potter universe, takes up 85 Gb.

Add half a dozen games on top, and you’ll quickly find yourself constantly having to delete one game to make room for another. That’s why we strongly recommend a 512 Gb SSD at a bare minimum for gaming.

Screen Size and Display Refresh Rate

When it comes to the refresh rate, you want a laptop with a 144 Hz display to get that smooth gameplay. Some gaming laptops on our list have 300 Hz displays for people with a large enough budget who want those life-like graphics and a fully-immersive experience.

Design

While the look and feel of a gaming laptop should be secondary to performance, you should still consider how well it fits with your gaming desk and overall setup.

Additionally, you should consider how sturdy and durable a particular model is, especially if you plan on often carrying the laptop with you and gaming on the go.

Value for Money

When comparing the price tags of different models, consider how much value you get for your money. Not every cheap gaming laptop is going to offer sufficient performance, and not all high-end models are worth the astronomical price.

Gaming Laptop FAQs

Aleksandar Stevanovic

Software Reviews Expert

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Aleksandar Stevanovic

Software Reviews Expert

Aleksandar Stevanovic spent 10 years honing his craft as a freelance content writer. He has a degree in Economics, and extensive experience in software, crypto, and cybersecurity industries. He covers a multitude of topics, writing factual and informative articles, helping individuals better understand the intricacies of the online world. Over the last two years, his research focus shifted more towards tech and software content, as evidenced by his publications on CEX.IO, Business2Community, and Techopedia. He believes in simplifying complex topics and bringing them closer to like-minded individuals. His work is as detail-oriented as it is creative, and is designed to…

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