When you’re the world’s biggest brand when it comes to PC gaming peripherals, it definitely speaks in your favor when your building looks exactly like one as well.
Few tech companies pay attention to how their own office buildings can become gigantic advertisements for their brand and identity. Apple, of course, is at the forefront of that appreciation, especially with the newer “spaceship” Apple Park in Cupertino embodying the company’s aesthetic and design language inside and out. Others, like Google and Meta, do take care to provide a comfortable, safe, and productive environment inside but don’t have much to show on the outside. Gaming brand Razer is setting itself apart and has turned its newest building into an architectural representation of what it means to be Razer.
It’s easy enough to pick out Razer products from a lineup. Over the years, it has established a design language that has become unique to its brand, even ignoring the telltale three snakes logo. All Razer products, from PCs to accessories, carry a dominantly black motif with acid green lines for accents and highlights.
The company’s new Southeast Asian headquarters bears these same design cues, both on the outside as well as inside. Built on one-north, Singapore’s hub for tech and businesses, the Razer HQ’s tall, triangular shape is almost reminiscent of a PC hub for peripherals and accessories. That’s almost fitting given the building’s location as well as its purpose of being the company’s office hub for the region.
During the day, it’s harder to make out the building’s ties to Razer, with the green lines barely visible against the light reflected off the tinted glass windows covering the entire structure. Its informal shape still gives it a different and almost playful vibe in contrast to the other buildings around it. Of course, the large Razer logo dead center does mark it as the company’s territory, though not everyone will be familiar with the company’s core business.
It’s when the sun sets, and the external lights turn on that the building’s true nature is revealed. Those green lights that run across the building contrast sharply with the black facade, as well as the rest of the city lights and the night sky. In a single swoop, Razer not only established its presence in the area but also changed Singapore’s skyline in a way that’s totally Razer-like: bold, audacious, and attention-grabbing.
This motif continues indoors, but thankfully not in the actual office spaces. While visually interesting and exciting, a very dark space with only neon green lights would have been a terrible working environment, so it’s definitely reassuring that offices are properly lit and comfortable. The black and green theme does make its appearance in more commercial spaces, like a store and a cafe, complete with a robotic arm barista.
Razer’s new building isn’t exactly revolutionary in any way, especially when stripped of those highlights. It is, however, the combination of those little details that make the building special and help make Razer’s presence more felt and seen, especially to those unfamiliar with the brand. It’s the attention to those little details that sometimes seem insignificant that set companies apart, especially when they don’t shy from using their own building as a standing advertisement.
It’s true when they say “Sustainability never goes out of style”. That’s what Razer’s newest collaboration with Cariuma proves to the consumers—be they video gamers or sneakerheads.
The tech company more popular for gaming accessories such as premium gaming mice and other gaming peripherals has teamed up with Brazilian sneaker brand Cariuma. The result is the Sneki Snek Sneakers that show the world what sustainability is all about. Sneki Snek is the official mascot of Razer’s #GoGreenWithRazer campaign.
Razer’s Sneki Snek has become a household name among gamers. There are actual products introduced already including a plushie toy, head pillow, giant cushion, fleece blanket, and an eye mask for the sleepyheads. Home buddies love the floor rug, ref magnets, and slippers while the Razer Sneki Snek Bobblehead will make you bob your head endlessly.
For those who want to tell the world their love for Sneki Snek and Razer, proudly don the hoodie and keycap. You can now finish off your look nicely with the Razer Sneki Snek X Cariuma Sneakers. Cariuma is an environment-friendly brand that makes sustainable yet comfortable sneakers using different materials. Their sneakers are mainly made from organic, suede, leather, and canvas.
The Razer Cariuma Sneakers’ upper and lining are made of organic cotton canvas. The sole uses a slip-resistant natural rubber. You can choose from either the black or white insole. For added comfort, the insole features memory foam and mamona oil bio-based cork insert which is a signature Cariuma feature.
The shoelaces on either the low or high version are made with recycled plastic, passing through those debossed metal aglets. Like most pairs from Cariuma, the sneakers’ construction is handmade vulcanized with a fully stitched outsole.
Going green isn’t exactly difficult. You can start by making the right and greener choices. Little by little, you can live a more sustainable life. Both Razer and Cariuma are committed to such a cause. Razer has been working to save a million trees with its partnership with Conservation International.
Cariuma is all about sustainability. The brand believes being sustainable should be synonymous with style and comfort. Its products are made with you and the earth in mind so the shoes are guaranteed to be low impact and high quality all the time.
Conscious gamers, errr…conscious consumers look for items that are timeless and made responsibly. Razer has started to work towards a sustainable future by reducing environmental impact with business practices. The world can soon be a better place to “game and live in”. You can help society by supporting “greener” brands like Razer and Cariuma.
If you find yourself having trouble juggling different desks for your different roles, then Razer’s latest dream might be yours as well.
All of us have different roles to play in life. Some of those are easily compartmentalized, thanks to being confined to a specific location. With new arrangements that have left many people stuck at home, however, the boundaries between work, study, and play have started to get muddled. While there are those that advocate keeping different spaces and even desks for different tasks, most people probably have to live with just one at home. If Razer’s Project Sophia concept ever becomes a reality, however, that will be a problem of the very distant past.
Whether you have one desk or three, you most likely have different setups for the different roles you play. Work might require you to be professional and productive, but video or audio streaming requires specialized tools to keep quality up and noise down. Switching between setups and desks will always be a chore, and it would be nice if a single desk could reconfigure itself depending on the task at hand. While an autonomous workspace is probably still a fantasy, Razer is envisioning the next best thing.
Project Sophia is an all-in-one modular desk concept that employs strong magnets and crafty electronics to reconfigure its functionality, depending on the task at hand. The desk itself is actually a computer in disguise, powered by an Intel processor and NVIDIA graphics to drive the modular system. There’s even a huge OLED screen, either 66 or 77 inches, so you really have a complete computer setup even without the modules.
Those modules, however, are the magic sauce to Project Sophia. These snap beneath the desk’s glass surface and offer a wide variety of functionality for different use cases. The idea is that you can quickly swap out modules when you switch from work to play to your other work as a streamer, no need to leave your desk. Except perhaps to get the modules you need and reconfigure the desk.
Razer said that there are 13 separate modules, including a programmable hotkey, media controls, system monitors, and a wireless charger. The company even says there’s even a cup warmer module available for avid coffee fans. And, in typical Razer fashion, there is an RGB LED strip lining the desk that people can customize to fit the mood.
If these images make you fantasize about futuristic dashboards and cockpits, you wouldn’t really be far from the truth. Just like how most of those are fantasy, Razer’s Project Sophia is sadly still just a concept at this point, but it’s an exciting concept nonetheless, especially for those who find themselves with different shoes to fill in a single day.
Although Razer is more well-known within the gaming circuit for its incredible gaming peripherals, the company has been quick to notice the booming streaming industry that’s branched off from the gaming industry. While Razer clearly designed the Kiyo Pro to cater to the audience that loves to stream as they game, they inadvertently ended up making a 1080p webcam that’s so good, it even rivals most 4K webcams, making it a perfect work-horse for practically any sort of use – whether it’s streaming, filming, or even the humble office video chat.
The USB-C-powered 1080p camera mounts on top of monitors and screens, although it can be attached to a tripod or used as a standalone camera too, making it easy to use practically in a number of different ways. Where the Kiyo Pro does shine, however, is in its performance, which pushes the limits of what a webcam is capable of. It shoots 1080p at 60fps, outperforming your laptop’s crummy webcam or even the 20 buck webcam you buy online, and can capture in HDR too, resulting in a video that’s crisp, high-contrast, well-lit, and color-balanced no matter what setting you use it in.
Razer’s dalliance with smartphones seems to have paid off since it almost directly contributes to the Kiyo Pro’s abilities. The webcam comes outfitted with a larger-than-usual 1/2.8 ultra-sensitive CMOS sensor that captures more light and is capable of detecting how light or dark your setting is and automatically adjusting its video settings in real-time. This, along with the webcam’s ability to shoot HDR, sets it apart, allowing it to reliably capture whatever is in front of it, whether it’s the face of a gamer streaming from a dimly lit room with crummy RGB lighting, or someone sitting in a bright office space with a window right behind them. The Kiyo Pro sports a pixel size of 2.9μm (larger than the average 4K camera), allowing it to capture much more light information and automatically enhance your video if you’re working in low light conditions. The HDR setting accounts for the inverse, preventing overexposure that causes brightly lit parts of your video to appear as pure white blobs (like the window behind you, or parts of your face when a bright light shines at it).
The Kiyo Pro webcam also comes with a wide-angle lens and an adjustable FOV, giving you the freedom to decide whether you want the camera to focus just on your face, or capture a wider view to show everyone the rest of your room/studio. It’s pretty clear that Razer designed the Kiyo Pro from the ground up, focusing on creating a webcam that works just as well for gamers and content creators as it does for office-goers. The webcam can be configured within the Razer Synapse software, allowing you to adjust the FOV (with three settings – 103°, 90°, and 80°), toggle AutoFocus, tinker with brightness/contrast/saturation, and even switch on/off the HDR feature. It’s worth noting that with the HDR on, the Kiyo Pro’s video output drops from 1080p@60fps to 1080p@30fps.
A magnetically-attaching privacy guard lets you proactively cut the webcam’s video feed, giving you control over what the Kiyo Pro sees.
In designing a webcam that’s great for streamers, Razer ended up making a pretty versatile webcam that ranks pretty highly in all categories. With its 1080p@60fps output, it’s perfect for streamers, YouTubers, and content creators, allowing you to pull uncompressed video footage that’s also incredibly well-lit, thanks to the massive sensor and Razer’s STARVIS technology that ensures brilliant performance in even low-light settings. However, for more average endeavors like video chats, meetings, and Zoom calls, the Kiyo Pro’s ability to adjust based on lighting and environment, and its HDR feature make it a webcam that’s about as good as the camera on your phone at presenting a balanced video feed that doesn’t look blown out or overexposed.
While the Razer Kiyo Pro can’t be classified within the ‘budget webcam’ category, it clearly isn’t designed to be a budget webcam. With all that’s sitting under the hood (along with the software abilities), the Kiyo Pro is clearly for professionals who are demanding when it comes to being in front of a camera. Whether you’re someone who conducts online meetings, interview, or even seminars, or a streaming enthusiast who livestreams games, or even a budding YouTuber who wants to look good on camera without spending a couple of grands on high-end recording equipment, the Razer Kiyo Pro is the most versatile and capable work-horse of a webcam you can lay your hands on.
If you’re a fan of playing video games and meeting new people, streaming is a fantastic activity to get in on, but it’s also fairly technical. It’s not just about having the latest consoles or PC gear, either. The most successful streams offer crisp audio, dynamic lighting and clear video, on top of smooth gameplay and a steady drip of irresistible charm (though, that last one isn’t for sale at any store). YouTube and Twitch streamers have specific, high-tech needs, and you don’t have to look far to find a gadget that’ll make playing games on these platforms easier — or even just a little more colorful. Here’s some of our favorite gear for going live with a good game and a few (hundred? thousand?) friends.
Microphones
Blue Yeti USB microphone
BEACN Mic
Headphones and headsets
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x and ATH-M50xSTS
Sony WH-1000XM5
Cameras
Logitech C922 Pro HD Stream Webcam
Elgato Facecam
Lights
Logitech Litra Glow
Razer Key Light Chroma
Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus
Accessories
Elgato Stream Deck MK.2
8bitdo Ultimate Controller
Elgato HD60X capture card
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-game-streaming-gear-160012102.html?src=rss
It’s the season to cozy up in front of your monitor with a big blanket, a cup of hot cocoa, a great game and all of your best friends in the Twitch chat. But before going live on Twitch or YouTube, there are dozens of factors to consider, such as lighting, audio quality, video output and software organization — and that’s just to get on-air. If you want to succeed as a streamer, it also takes practice, charisma, luck and, of course, the proper equipment.
While we can’t help with the patience, natural talent or social factors that determine who becomes a streaming star, we can recommend the tools to make a channel look as professional as possible from day one. If anyone on your gift list is serious about diving into the business of video game streaming, these are the gadgets they’ll be ecstatic to unwrap (and show off on-camera).
Elgato Wave:3
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
The Wave:3 is solid. This mic plugs into a PC via USB and delivers high-quality audio in a sleek black package. The Wave:3 is a cardioid mic, meaning it’s designed to isolate background noise and pick up just one speaker at a time, making it ideal for streamers. It’s simple to plug in and go live with this baby, and a mute button at the top of the mic also makes it easy to cut off your audio at the source. If you’re looking for broadcast-quality sound at a reasonable price point, the Wave:3 is the mic for you.
Now you’re just showing off. The BEACN Mic delivers incredibly high-quality audio, complete with noise cancellation so precise you’ll be able to ditch your headset, even with a game raging through your speakers. This alone makes it great for Twitch and YouTube streams, but the BEACN also looks fantastic on-camera in either black or white, with a customizable strip of RGB lighting running around its midsection. The BEACN is a dynamic mic that connects to a PC via USB-C, but its kit comes with a USB adapter as well. BEACN is a great choice for anyone who wants the best or prettiest mic around.
Astro’s A10 Gen 2 will get the job done and look cute while doing so, no matter what your personal style is. The Gen 2 comes in a variety of colors and patterns, from deep black with neon details to pastel purple or teal, meaning there’s something for every kind of live streaming vibe. It has a flip-to-mute boom mic, an incredibly flexible body, and replaceable ear pads and headband cushion. This headset is compatible with PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch, so have at it, no matter how you play.
This one is especially great for PC streamers with serious live-streaming intentions. The Arctis Nova Pro is a top-of-the-line headset that delivers the most crisp sound possible, including 360 degree spatial audio. Meanwhile, the mic has AI-powered noise cancellation abilities, and the whole thing comes with a 10-band equalizer for swapping settings on the fly. The Arctis Nova Pro uses a USB connection and it’s compatible with PC, Mac, PS4, PS5 and Switch.
Elgato’s Stream Deck makes live streaming easier, while also making users feel like they’re the captain of a 1970s spaceship. The Stream Deck is a customizable desktop controller with 15 LCD keys that can be set to launch and manage apps like Twitch, YouTube, OBS, Spotify and XSplit. Not only does this allow streamers to swap among programs with ease, but the buttons themselves are a lot of fun to press. This baby looks cute, feels good and it’s extremely useful in streaming situations – what more do you need?
8bitdo knows its way around a wireless gamepad, and the Pro 2 Bluetooth controller is no exception. Whether in the transparent-body special edition or the classic black, white or gray, the Pro 2 delivers precise inputs, support for up to three custom profiles, and two extra back buttons. The Pro 2 looks like an old-school controller but it has advanced, modern capabilities, and it works with PC, Mac, Android and Switch.
Capture cards ensure your gameplay and streaming antics are preserved in their best possible form, and Razer’s Ripsaw HD is a fantastic option for any player. It’s a pluggable device that records and streams gameplay at 1080p and 60fps, while allowing the game itself to hit 4K and 60fps. This is professional-level streaming with a plug-and-play interface.
Logitech is one of the oldest desktop camera brands around and its expertise is apparent in the StreamCam. The Logitech StreamCam records in full HD – 1080p and 60fps – with a 78 degree field of view, auto-focus and dynamic auto-framing that keeps you centered as you shift around in the shot. The whole thing connects to a PC or Mac via USB-C, and it works out of the box with popular streaming software including OBS and Streamlabs.
The best thing you can do for your live-streaming setup is to get some good lighting, and Logitech’s Litra Glow has you covered. This is a small, mountable LED square that delivers a diffuse, soft glow without any harsh shadows or defined edges, and it’s designed to make its subjects look their best. It comes with an extendable three-way monitor mount and is USB-powered.
Every stream needs a little flair, and that’s where Nanoleaf comes in. The company has a line of light panels in various shapes and configurations, but the Hexagon Smarter Kit is a great place to start. The kit comes with seven light-up hexagon panels, and all the things you’ll need to install and customize them. You’re able to sync the lights to your gameplay or music, and they connect to Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple Homekit, Samsung SmartThings and Razer Chroma.
Nanoleaf may be the premier brand when it comes to live-stream lighting, but there are plenty of other, cheaper options in the realm of on-screen glow. Wanxing, for instance, has a line of neon signs that’ll make any streaming space pop, at prices that won’t bust your budget. There are plenty of designs to choose from, including skulls, hearts, ghosts, game controllers and cute text, each available for less than $40.
While the company has dropped some high-end features, the RGB lit filters remain.
In CES 2021 – the first-ever virtual avatar of the biggest tech event to kickstart 2021 and Razer has come up with an answer to a question on everyone’s mind – how will tech handle our covid infested world? 2021 promises to be the year of solutions, with vaccines rolling out with speed, while realistically, we know that face masks aren’t going anywhere. Razer, the world’s leading lifestyle accessories brand for gamers takes a dip in the face mask world with the Project Hazel, now released as Zephyr.
The face mask concept showcased a glossy, waterproof, and scratch-resistant shell, transparent by design to allow for lip-reading, and made from recycled plastic. The main attraction is the two circular ‘Active Ventilation’ discs that sit on the sides of your mouth and hold the reusable N95 filters that give a 95% filtration efficiency.
Every Instagram-worthy gaming setup is in visual sync with each other, why should your mask not be a part of the new normal? Jokes aside, if this is a feature that helps people keep their masks ‘on’ wherever they are, I am all for it. The rings can glow with the color of your choice and the LEDs automatically detect and light up in a low light setting to illuminate your face so you can always be seen talking. How helpful is this feature, that is something we will know only once we actually try it but it does sound good in theory!
As Razer says, “The Razer Zephyr is not a medical device, respirator, surgical mask, or personal protective equipment (PPE) and is not meant to be used in medical or clinical settings. It is not tested specifically against the COVID-19 virus but offers the same functionality and adequate protection due to its 99% BFE rating.” Razer has dropped the before-promised UV charging case and voice amplification module to save costs.
Speaking of specs, the mask is now available on Razer’s site with three pairs of filters tested to last about three days each for a full day’s use. As an add-on, a pack with 10 sets of replacement filters will run $30. You can also buy it in a starter pack with the mask and 33 sets of filters — roughly 3 months’ worth — for $150! The mask weighs 209 grams (7 ounces) and it runs for about 8 hours with dual-speed fans set to low.
The mask is currently made for the masses, with no size variations or even allowances for a beard. Razer was one of the few companies worldwide that converted their manufacturing plants for the creation of surgical masks and wanted to pledge and donate up to a million surgical masks. The mask currently ships with an antifog spray, with Razer recommending that you don’t wipe your mask surface. Given all this, the mask seems more aesthetic rather than a medical wearable, but we’ll wait for further reviews to make a final call!
“Ah, this gives me such fond GameBoy Advance memories!”
2021 marks a pretty important milestone in the timeline of gaming. It was 2 decades back that Microsoft unveiled its ambitious plans to move from computing to full-blown gaming with the Xbox, a console designed to take on Sony’s PlayStation which released in 1995… a rivalry that even 20 years later, is still going strong. To mark the 20th Anniversary of the Xbox, Microsoft announced a special edition of its wireless controller, with a uniquely nerd-pleasing translucent black design with green accents – colors that have a strong link to the Xbox brand and even their logo.
While Xbox has a history of releasing translucent variants of their controllers (notably the translucent green Xbox Duke controller), it’s a tactic that one could argue was popularized at least in the gaming circuit by Nintendo, with the translucent GameBoy, GameBoy Color, and GameBoy Advance. The controller isn’t fundamentally different in function, although it’s a hat-tip to 20 years of Xbox revolutionizing the console gaming industry. It comes along with a translucent Universal Quick Charging Stand that’s designed by Razer, which claims to charge your controller in under 3 hours, with overcharge and overheating protection.
The Xbox 20th Anniversary Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controller, which was announced earlier today, goes on sale beginning November 15th. Alongside the controller, Microsoft also announced a wired 20th Anniversary Special Edition Xbox Stereo Headset, complete with bright green highlights and a translucent black shell.
“November 15th, 2021 will mark 20 years of gaming together! Fans helped shape what Xbox is today and we can’t wait to see what the next 20 years will bring”, said Microsoft in a press release on the Xbox Wire blog. “Today, we celebrate our history together with the 20th Anniversary Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controller and 20th Anniversary Special Edition Xbox Stereo Headset – launching November 15 and available for pre-order now. We were inspired by our favorite memories together from the last 20 years and created not one, but two unique accessories to commemorate this milestone.”
Designer: Microsoft (Universal Quick Charging Stand designed by Razer)
I’m convinced that Razer’s product development team spends most of their time planning out elaborate practical jokes that they possibly then turn into real products that their fan base will unquestioningly buy for a laugh. The company’s known to release great gaming gear but also some questionably weird products, like a “gaming toaster” and even this sustainable reusable straw that comes with its own compact carrying case. Their most recent launch? A pair of finger gloves that ‘absorb sweat’ and prevent friction burn while mobile gaming.
Dubbed the Razer Gaming Finger Sleeve, this set of two finger-gloves (one for each thumb) comes made from a blend of 60% Nylon, 35% Silver Fiber (to make it touch-sensitive), and 5% Spandex. With a universally fitting design (thanks to the stretching Spandex woven in), the finger sleeves come in a single size, and sport Razer’s branding and logo on it. They’re designed to be comfortable and breathable while providing high capacitive sensitivity for quick touch-responsiveness while gaming. Additionally, they’re non-slip too, so you don’t need to worry about accidentally pressing the wrong button while gaming. Each pair of finger-sleeves cost $9.99, if you’re into that kind of thing.
Gaming laptops are the true Transformers of the PC world: They’re powerful enough to play your favorite titles, but you can also harness their speed for media creation or extreme multitasking, like streaming high-resolution gameplay to Twitch. Today, you can even find a few that weight less than the smallest MacBook Pro, making them solid options for daily drivers as well. For the demanding Apex Legends player, or the power user just looking for a capable GPU to handle video encoding, it’ll be easier than ever to find the best gaming laptop to suit your needs — but sorting through the seemingly endless number of options can be taxing. We've tested and reviewed plenty of gaming laptops and we continue to do so as new models become available. Here, we outline our top picks for the best gaming laptops, along with everything you need to know before purchasing one.
What to look for in a gaming laptop
Price
Your laptop buying journey starts and ends with the amount of money you're willing to spend. No surprise there. The good news: There are plenty of options for gamers of every budget. In particular, we're seeing some great entry-level PC gaming choices under $1,000, like Dell's G15 lineup. A cheap gaming laptop in this price range will definitely feel a bit flimsier than pricier models, and they'll likely skimp on RAM, storage and overall power. But most cheaper laptops should be able to handle the majority of video games running at 1080p at 60 frames per second, which is the bare minimum you'd want from any system.
Things get interesting when you start looking at the best gaming laptops in the mid-range space, with prices at $1,000 and higher. At that point, you'll start finding PCs like the ASUS Zephyrus ROG G14, one of our favorite gaming notebooks. In general, you can look forward to far better build quality than budget gaming laptops (metal cases!), improved graphics power and enough RAM and storage space to handle the most demanding games. These are the gaming machines we'd recommend for most people, as they'll keep you gaming and working for years before you need to worry about an upgrade.
If you're willing to spend around $1,800 or more, you can start considering more premium options like Razer's Blade. Expect impeccably polished cases, the fastest hardware on the market, and ridiculously thin designs. The sky's the limit here: Alienware's uber customizable Area 51m is an enormous beast that can cost up to $4,700. Few people need a machine that high-end, but if you're a gamer with extra cash to burn, it may be worth taking a close look at some of these pricier systems.
CPU and GPU
The answer to this question used to be relatively simple: Just get an Intel chip with an NVIDIA GPU. But over the last few years AMD has stepped up its game with its Ryzen notebook processors, which are better suited for juggling multiple tasks at once (like streaming to Twitch while blasting fools in Fortnite). Intel responded with its impressive 12th and 13th-gen chips, but it’s nice to have decent Ryzen AMD alternatives available, especially since they’re often cheaper than comparable Intel models.
When it comes to video cards, though, AMD is still catching up. Its Radeon RX 6000M GPU has been a fantastic performer in notebooks like ASUS’s ROG Strix G15, but it lags behind NVIDIA when it comes to newer features like ray tracing. (We’re still waiting to test AMD’s new Radeon 7000 series mobile graphics.) At the very least, a Radeon-powered notebook can approach the general gaming performance of the NVIDIA RTX 3070 and 3080 GPUs.
If you want to future-proof your purchase, or you’re just eager to see how much better ray tracing can make your games look, you’re probably better off with an NVIDIA video card. They’re in far more systems, and it’s clear that they have better optimized ray tracing technology. NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs also feature the company’s DLSS technology, which uses AI to upscale games to higher resolutions. That’ll let you play a game like Destiny 2 in 4K with faster frame rates. That’s useful if you’re trying to take advantage of a high refresh rate monitor.
You’ll still find plenty of laptops with NVIDIA’s older RTX 30-series GPUs these days, and they’ll still give you tremendous performance. But to be safe, it’s probably worth opting for the newer RTX 40-series systems, since they support the newer DLSS 3 technology and offer a wealth of performance upgrades. (If you’re looking out for the best deals, you can probably find some killer RTX 3070 laptops out there.) The entry-level RTX 4050 is a solid start, but we’d suggest going for a 4060 or 4070 if you’re aiming to maximize your framerates on faster screens. The RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 are both incredibly powerful, but they typically make systems far too expensive for most users.
It’s worth noting that NVIDIA’s mobile graphics cards aren’t directly comparable to its more powerful desktop hardware. PC makers can also tweak voltages to make gaming performance better in a thinner case. Basically, these laptops may not be desktop replacements — don’t be surprised if you see notebooks that perform very differently, even if they’re all equipped with the same GPU.
Screen and refresh rate
Screen size is a good place to start when judging gaming notebooks. In general, 15-inch laptops will be the best balance of immersion and portability, while larger 17-inch models are heftier, but naturally give you more screen real estate. There are some 13-inch gaming notebooks, like the Razer Blade Stealth, but paradoxically you'll often end up paying more for those than slightly larger 15-inch options. We’re also seeing plenty of 14-inch options, like the Zephyrus G14 and Blade 14, which are generally beefier than 13-inch laptops while still being relatively portable.
But these days, there is plenty to consider beyond screen size. For one: refresh rates. Most monitors refresh their screens vertically 60 times per second, or at 60Hz. That's a standard in use since black and white NTSC TVs. But over the past few years, displays have evolved considerably. Now, 120Hz 1080p screens are the bare minimum you'd want in any gaming notebook — and there are faster 144Hz, 240Hz and even 360Hz panels. All of this is in the service of one thing: making everything on your display look as smooth as possible.
For games, higher refresh rates also help eliminate screen tearing and other artifacts that could get in the way of your frag fest. And for everything else, it just leads to a better viewing experience. Even scrolling a web page on a 120Hz or faster monitor is starkly different from a 60Hz screen. Instead of seeing a jittery wall of text and pictures, everything moves seamlessly, as if you're unwinding a glossy paper magazine. Going beyond 120Hz makes gameplay look even more responsive, which to some players gives them a slight advantage.
Steve Dent/Engadget
Not to make things more complicated, but you should also keep an eye out for NVIDIA's G-SYNC and AMD's FreeSync. They're both adaptive sync technologies that can match your screen's refresh rate with the framerate of your game. That also helps to reduce screen tearing and make gameplay smoother. Consider them nice bonuses on top of a high refresh rate monitor; they're not necessary, but they can still offer a slight visual improvement.
One more thing: Most of these suggestions are related to LCD screens, not OLEDs. While OLED makes a phenomenal choice for TVs, it's a bit more complicated when it comes to gaming laptops. They're mostly limited to 60Hz, though some models offer 90Hz. Still, you won’t see the smoothness of a 120Hz or 144Hz screen. OLEDs also typically come as 4K or 3.5K panels – you'll need a ton of GPU power to run games natively at that resolution. They look incredible, with the best black levels and contrast on the market, but we think most gamers would be better off with an LCD.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Other things to remember when buying a gaming laptop:
Get at least 16GB of RAM. And if you're planning to do a ton of multitasking while streaming, 32GB is worth considering.
Storage is still a huge concern. These days, I'd recommend aiming for a 1TB M.2 SSD, which should be enough space to juggle a few large titles like Destiny 2. (If you can afford the jump to a 2TB SSD though, just do it.) Some laptops also have room for standard SATA hard drives, which are far cheaper than M.2's and can hold more data.
Get your hands on a system before you buy it. I'd recommend snagging the best gaming laptop for you from a retailer with a simple return policy, like Amazon or Best Buy. If you don't like it, you can always ship it back easily.
We review gaming laptops with the same amount of rigor as we approach traditional notebooks. We test build quality by checking cases for any undesirable flexible spots, as well as the strength of screen hinges during furious typing and Halo Infinite sessions. We benchmark every gaming notebook with PCMark 10, a variety of 3DMark tests, Cinebench and Geekbench. We also use NVIDIA’s Frameview app to measure the average framerates in Cyberpunk 2077, Halo Infinite and other titles. For media creation, we transcode a 4K movie clip into 1080p using Handbrake’s CPU and GPU encoding options.
Displays are tested under indoor and outdoor lighting with productivity apps, video playback and gameplay. We also try to stress the full refresh rate of every gaming notebook’s screen by benchmarking Halo Infinite, Overwatch 2 and other titles. Laptop speakers are judged by how well they can play back music, movies and the occasional game session with detail and clarity, and without any obvious distortion.
When it comes to battery life, we see how long gaming systems last with a mixture of real-world productivity apps and gameplay, and we also test with PCMark 10’s “Modern office” battery test. In addition, we’re judging the quality of a machine’s keyboard with typing tests as well as relative accuracy and comfort during extended gaming sessions.
Other gaming laptops we’ve tested
Framework Laptop 16
We were eager to test the Framework Laptop 16 since it promised both modular customizability and a decent amount of gaming power. But while we appreciated just how repairable and upgradeable it is, its actual gaming performance was middling for its high price. You could always buy it without the additional GPU, but that makes it more of a daily workhorse than a gaming system.
MSI Stealth Studio 14
On a brighter note, we were pleased to see MSI return to form with the Stealth Studio 14, which is far faster and more attractive than the previous model.
Razer Blade 16 and 18
We were amazed to see a genuine 4K/1080p native screen in the Razer Blade 16, but it’s far too expensive and impractical, even for such a pricey brand. Similarly, we found the Razer Blade 18 to be both oversized and overpriced.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gaming-laptops-172033838.html?src=rss
