11 Best Laptops For Game Development

In the early days of games developed during the 70s, developers were cooped in tiny rooms constructing their game concepts. 

In the fast-paced, mobile life of today, mobility is essential.

This is why durable laptops for game development are taking the top spot.

A gaming laptop must score high for storage, processing, GPU, RAM, and graphic display. 

From the beginning of the concept stage through the final stage of production, the gaming laptop must run demanding applications with no lag or stuttering.

Creating games with a low-powered computer is indeed a daunting task.

Some laptops comfortably accommodate the specifications and equipment required to develop games.

This article will review all the specifications, including pros, and cons on what we consider to be the top gaming laptops.

1. ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo (Laptop for game development)

If you’re looking for a budget for a laptop, then the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo laptop is the ideal choice for top-quality game production. 

Apart from its stunning screen in 4K, it also has another display above the keyboard called The ScreenPad Plus – a thoughtful design feature, particularly for developers and designers.

Perhaps you could utilize this second screen to put your templates or images when designing the game’s setting?

 Maybe run two applications simultaneously on two screens? Overall it’s an absolute productivity boost.

However, these productivity capabilities aren’t worth the necessary hardware, and ASUS is aware of this. 

With a processor of 5Ghz, one TB of SSD, 16GB RAM with 6GB NVIDIA RTX 2060 combination, ZenBook Pro Duo makes for a great deal.

ASUS has designed this laptop to be in a way that provides a great user experience through functions that can solve the problems of everyday life.

It comes with the ErgoLift keyboard design that elevates the body at an angle when you open the lid, allowing the best view on the two screens. 

It also offers an ergonomic position to rest your hands and provides better airflow. 

ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo falls somewhat on the heavier side at 5.5 pounds. 

It also has a good battery life of 4-5 hours. This is the best laptop for game development.

Overall, if you are looking for the most powerful gaming laptop, whether you are working in Unity Pro or Unreal Engine, or another program, it is an excellent alternative.

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2. GIGABYTE AORUS 15P XD (Best laptop for game development)

If your work is to create a video game’s design, appearance, and feel, this is the ideal laptop.

It’s a laptop GIGABYTE AORUS15P XD designed for real-time gaming testing and development, the AORUS 15P XD has an efficient GPU set up with a vibrant display and a workstation.

For starters, there’s an FHD screen with Delta E 11 accuracy in color. 

This makes it among the most accurate laptops for color available, with a 240Hz refresh screen that allows you to play games of the highest quality smoothly.

The Unity Laptop’s efficiency is backed through an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card. 

It comes with a 2.3GHz 11th-Gen Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and an SSD of 1TB. 

Although 8GB is a good way for most professional users, it’s the reality that it’s twice the RAM proves that it’s one step ahead.

If you’re searching for a computer that isn’t too heavy, this 4.8 pounds beast features an ergonomic keyboard that has well-balanced key-spacing and travel and has a plethora of ports for connectivity.

In addition, it also comes with an immense battery backup that allows it to run for as long as 8 hours of mixed-use. It’s one of the best laptops for game development under $1,000.

The main drawback is its price. It’s not cheap, yet it’s less expensive than other brands. 

The simple and elegant style essentially demonstrates the class of luxury products it is.

Overall it’s a high-quality laptop that we can recommend without a doubt.

3. Lenovo ThinkPad P52 (Best computer for game development)

While most workstations attempt to handle multiple tasks concurrently, game development demands only a handful of large operations in tandem. 

Lenovo ThinkPad P52 is an unusual laptop that can help with this.

With NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 Ti and 4GB and Intel UHD Integrated Graphics, The ThinkPad P52’s GPU is extremely powerful. 

No matter which intensive software or ten lighter ones, you’re enjoying an uninterrupted, seamless experience.

However, why do laptops have integrated graphics even if there is already an above-par GPU?

Because many people integrate graphics on their PCs, This feature allows you to determine if your 2D game developed for NVIDIA 1650 Ti can run on lower-end devices or not.

The GPU boots alongside an Intel Hexa Core i7 processor, 32GB RAM, and a massive 1TB SSD. 

We were awestruck by the internal configuration such that the laptop placed third on our list of best laptop for game development.

It is a great choice for most users. Is a top performer in every area.

It also has amazing features: it has a 15.6-inch display that is IPS as well as a fingerprint reader that will make sure that no one steals your private information, and a Mini-DisplayPort that allows you to easily attach your laptop’s computer to other displays in the event of need.

The only problem is the cost. However, if you are looking for laptops to generate income, these are investments that can help you earn an income. 

So, our verdict? It’s worth it. It increases speed, delivers the best performance, and is future-proof. This is the best budget laptop for game development.

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4. Razer Blade Pro 17 (Good laptop for game development)

Coming in at #4 with a world-class display and performance-capability packed in a classic black chassis: Razer Blade Pro 17 can develop AAA titles, let alone play them.

It features a 15-inch screen with a 300Hz 4K UHD display that has 100% accuracy in color and nearly no bezels. 

It’s an almost 17.3-inch screen in the 15-inch size of its body. It’s the best laptop for game development.

It also puts the laptop at just 2.84 pounds weight. This is the first time for laptops that boast such massive power.

If you’re looking for performance, this Blade Pro 17 is equipped with an Octa-Core i7 processor and the most recent NVIDIA GeForce RTX Super 8GB VRAM GPU, which reduces the time to build projects using UE 4. 

It is upgradeable to the memory of 16GB and an SSD capacity of 512GB that boot up your computer in just three seconds. 

But, some credit is due for the reason that this comes with no extra software.

When workstations are extremely hot, Razer combats the issue by creating a custom cooling chamber that vaporizes. 

There are tiny sections inside the laptop’s body that act as heat exchangers. 

They come with special fans that maximize heat dissipation by increasing airflow.

If you’re looking for an ultra-wide display laptop that has strong specifications and no issues with thermals, Razer Blade 17 Pro is the perfect laptop designed for gaming that you could get.

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5. Acer Predator Helios 300 (Game design laptop)

Incredible looks, amazing display, and lightning-fast performance. 

Acer Predator Helios300 is a gamer’s desire. After reviewing it, we realized that many more features of the machine meet the eye. 

Let’s look at our GPU as an illustration.

This laptop comes with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, which, unlike other GPUs that are based upon Turing Architecture and is built upon Ampere Architecture instead. 

It’s the newest innovation developed by NVIDIA, which lets the exact GPU handle more than twice as many processes concurrently.

Interestingly, it has been made to assist game designers in overcoming the huge workload limitations they encounter when they implement Ray Tracing into their games.

In addition to the GPU Apart from the GPU, Predator Helios 300 comes with an Intel Core i7 10th Gen Hexa-Core processor, 16GB RAM, and an SSD with 512GB. 

Although this configuration is as impressive as the others, you may require an external backup of your storage for massive games’ output files.

Alternatively, you could expand the storage capacity by using two additional M.2 slots and the additional Hard Drive Bay. 

Other fun features include a four-zone RGB keyboard with backlighting, a 4K display, and a highly efficient heat dissipation device known as AeroBlade 3D Fan Technology. AeroBlade 3D-Fan Technology.

With a reasonable price and huge graphics processing power, The Helios 300 is our top option for laptops with the most powerful GPU used for gaming development.

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6. HP Omen 15 (Best laptop for unreal engine)

For professionals who require an elegant laptop with powerful performances, HP Omen 15 is a sleek and minimalist design but is a mighty machine inside. Here’s how.

Its 10th Generation Core i7 processor is increased to a frequency of 5GHz, and the NVIDIA GeForce the RTX 2060 graphics card, which has a capacity of 6GB VRAM. 

Combining these two can boost rendering speed and increase gaming performance (even try it with a more frame rate). THis is one of the best laptops for game development.

Apart from that, HP Omen 15 comes with 16GB of RAM and an impressive 512GB SSD, and 32GB Optane Memory that is a standout feature of this laptop computer. 

Let us take a look at it.

It takes files from storage and stores them temporarily instead of sending them directly into the RAM. 

(Pretty awesome technology, actually!) This increases rendering and compiling times and the efficiency of RAM used by game engines such as Unity and Maya.

The experts who reviewed this laptop wrote about the notebook’s 15.6-inch FHD screen with a high refresh rate of 144Hz, which is extremely vibrant and clear when watching movies. 

This is not just great to use for recreation but also for game development too. It can provide an extra dimension.

All in all, HP Omen 15 is our most affordable game development laptop.

7. Apple MacBook Pro (Mac game development)

It would be an offense to list the top laptops for game developers but didn’t include one of them, the Apple MacBook Pro. 

MacBooks have always been considered one of the top options for game developers who are professionals due to their strength, durability, and high-end build.

MacBook Pro comes with Apple’s signature 16-inch Retina display that features True Tone technology making it one of the most impressive displays that have ever been featured on laptops. 

It has the equivalent of 500nits brightness as well as its P3 Wide color gamut ensures exact color reproduction. This would be the best laptop for game development for you.

The powerful machine is powered using an Intel Core-i9 CPU and AMD Radeon Pro 500M, which are paired to give you incredible performance. 

Its 16GB RAM and 512GB of SSD that can handle data transfer speeds as high as 3.2GB/s make it a great configuration for running programs such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and GDevelop without delay.

The brand new MacBook Pro boots up in seconds and comes with fingerprint scanners to authenticate the user before logging into. 

It runs on 100Wh of battery which provides you with an on-screen duration of around 11 hours, which is among the top for its price.

Another great feature for this laptop would be the Scissor Switch Keyboard that has the longest travel distance. 

This makes typing effortless and comfortable while also creating an extremely satisfying click sound. 

Although it has a large battery, The MacBook Pro only weighs 4.3 pounds and is among the lightest laptops with the largest display of 16 inches.

In truth, for MacBooks, We don’t have to decide. They’re just that amazing.

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8. HP Envy 17T (Best laptop for game design)

Are HP Envy 17T not sufficient, and that’s the reason it’s #8? Not. 

This laptop is our most lasting Unreal Engine game development laptop with high-end specs and some of the most exclusive features.

The Envy 17T comes with an 11th-Gen Intel i7 processor capable of operating at the maximum 4.7GHz frequency and an NVIDIA GeForce MX450 graphics card.

An SSD of 1TB has the fastest boot time possible and an SDRAM of 16GB. 

If you think that 16GB of RAM isn’t enough to meet your requirements, upgrading it with the two slots is possible. 

The laptop also comes with specialized vapor chambers that help keep the temperature under control even during the most intense load.

So, we thought, long-lasting. HP Envy 17T boasts 10 hours of battery life when used in mixed-use. 

It is not common on workstations and particularly in this list. It also comes with HP rapid charge, which will fully charge your PC in just 90 minutes.

HP Envy 17T overall is an excellent laptop that can handle high-volume use without limiting you to the charging port. 

It’s a simple and sleek design, and despite having a huge battery, it weighs just 5.95 pounds.

9. MSI GF75 (Best laptop for unity development)

For beginners in the field of game development or students studying programming, The MSI G75 is the ideal hardware and software combination for a low price! 

It’s fitted with a 10th-Gen Intel i5 processor, which runs at 2.6GHz and has a turbo boost of 5 GHz.

In line with the processor’s speed is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX1650 Ti graphic card.

It’s one of the best GPUs which can play the latest games at 1080p. This is the best laptop for game development 2021.

The most notable characteristic of this gadget is its huge 17.3-inch FHD-IPS display.

It features a 144 FPS refresh speed, allowing users to play games with high resolution and high quality. 

The screen features an 88% screen-to-body ratio, which gives it a stylish and elegant appearance.

MSI always strives to create laptops that are built with solid quality. The MSI GF75 is a perfect example of the same principles.

This laptop is built on an aluminum chassis and the plastic used to make the deck is very high-quality and sturdy.

Its weight is 4.85 pounds, which is standard for laptops in this class.

Excellent value for money: The MSI GF75 is a gaming device that offers a wide range of features for game developers to get their hands on.This is best laptop for game development.

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10. ASUS TUF Gaming F17 (Best laptop for video game design)

This ASUS Gaming TUF 17 is one of the more distinctive laptops on this list. 

It’s because it will remain in style for a long time since you can easily upgrade it with components from the aftermarket just by unbolting the cover on the back. 

It is possible to install two additional RAM sticks and two SSDs or even the hard disk.

TUF Gaming F17 delivers the top specs on the market for the price. 

It comes with a 10th generation quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, the 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics card, 8GB RAM, and an SSD of 512GB. 

This combination of hardware is strong enough to play simultaneously 2D and 3D game engines and easily create small- to mid-range projects.

ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is equipped with a 17.3-inch Ultra HD display with a refresh rate of 144Hz. 

The configuration is future-proof, and you will not feel the need to update it at any time during the life of your laptop.

F17 provides a lot in terms of features, particularly for its price. 

There are, however, a couple of compromises to the specs it offers. 

The notebook has a weight of 5.73 pounds, which makes it the heaviest laptop we’ve reviewed. 

It also gets quite loud when the powerful fans start to kick in.

If you’re only getting into the game industry and don’t need to buy an expensive computer right now, ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is the perfect machine, to begin with. 

It’s fast, has a stunning display, and you can upgrade it to suit the needs of your evolving game. This a perfect and the best laptop for game development.

11. HP Spectre X360 (Best game development laptop)

Laptops are designed to be portable, do you think? Laptops are a must since we are constantly in motion, which is also applicable to developing games.

HP Spectre X360 is a great choice. HP Spectre X360 is for the person searching for a different way to sit at an office all day.

External stimulation is essential for us to work to our maximum capability, and this laptop lets gamers run various game development systems almost everywhere.

It’s difficult to imagine creating when you’re sitting in the cafe or on a bench in the park, but it’s possible with this device.

The GPU and CPU are both sufficient. The Tenth-generation Intel Core i7 processor is perfect for development. 

This integrated processor is adequate. There’s no traction in high-end game development, but mid-range graphics are good.

There is 512 GB of SSD on this laptop, which can provide quick access to your information. 

The display is bright and clear, with luminous pictures of excellent quality.

It’s no secret that the greatest aspect of this device is its lightweight design and the ability to fold the screen.

If you’re developing for your games in addition to developing, you’ll love the ability to use touchscreens. 

Imagine the possibilities that are available with this laptop that can be used as a 2 in 1.

One drawback of this laptop is the possibility of overheating. 

The thermal management protocols used in the manufacturing process weren’t properly developed.

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Laptop Specs Recommended for Game Developers

Today, Game Development has become an extremely broad field, and it’s difficult to pick the all-around top laptop. The best laptop for you is determined by the way you program.

Typically, the process of developing and creating the game follows four major routes, and these important Recommendations are:

Coding and Programming

If you need to create and input large amounts of code, the CPU is most likely the most critical component. Other specs such as RAM, storage, or graphic card have an equally significant influence on the performance of the CPU. 

Therefore, if you’re buying a premium CPU, it is important to think about these specs. The impact an SSD drive can bring to the compilation of code is astonishing.

2D Art

2D Art has been a component of games for a long time and, therefore, isn’t particularly difficult to master. 

A touchscreen with high resolution and basic hardware are likely to be the most crucial feature in this particular case.

3D Animation

For those involved in 3D game designers who require high polygon count scenes, real-time sculpting, realistic graphics, The GPU will be the single most essential factor. 

In general, Nvidia Geforce cards are performing well in various top-rated laptops, either with or without RTX.

Augmented Reality Development

Augmented Reality development can be described as an experience that is interactive in an actual-world environment. 

The objects found within the physical world can be enhanced with computer-generated perception information. Luckily, AR does not require expensive hardware or expensive laptops, and a basic laptop can do the job effectively.

Virtual Reality Development

Virtual Reality (aka VR) is not without its limitations and needs for running a user-choice VR device. 

In general, you’ll need a VR-capable processor as well as a Graphics Card. Shortly, anything more than NVIDIA 1060’s GPU or Ryzen 5 2600s will be more efficient. 

It’s because VR is running two screens and is quite concentration-demanding. Utilizing low-spec equipment can result in headaches or sickness.

What are the things to look out for when purchasing the best Laptop to use for Developing Games?

There are some things you should think about as essential for this section:

Latest Processor

The best processors to program with include 8th generation or later Intel i5, i7, and i9. An i3 could be sufficient for basic game development; however, generally speaking, it is recommended to think about an i5 Quad-Core processor or better. 

A lower-powered option like Intel Atom isn’t powerful enough to handle the majority of game development tasks.

Maximum RAM

A memory that is less than 8GB is not enough for creating games. At the same time, 8GB is a minimum achievable requirement for 2021. 

However, I recommend not less than 16GB RAM for game developers. 32GB or more can be unnecessary memory, but 16GB appears to be the ideal size.

Dedicated GPU

For any 3D work or contemporary gaming, GPU holds the value. The latest generation of 2060 and 2070, and 2080 GPUs from Nvidia focus on RTX or real-time Ray-Tracing. 

If RTX isn’t a priority for you, the 1070 or 1080 cards are both viable options. Also, the 1650 model is an excellent alternative for a lower-cost GPU, but without RTX.

SSD (Solid State Drive)

Solid State Drive massively improves the performance of all things. Always search for an SSD with 256GB or more. For heavy-duty work that is high, professional 1TB is the best option.

Battery Life

The battery’s life is crucial, but it’s not something you must be focusing on. A typical battery may perform well for indoor work. If you’re an outdoor person, You should consider one that provides more. 

Since game-related apps drain the juice from batteries, A 5-hour average life battery will be fine for you.

Size, Weight, and Thermal

Laptops are typically purchased in 13-17″ inches versions, and weight is pretty straightforward. A laptop that weighs more than 5lbs tends towards being heavier and less mobile.

However, heavier workloads create an increase in system heat, which is an enormous issue. The importance of thermals is difficult to assess by reading user reviews. Ask about maintenance of your heat before buying.

Display and Screen Resolution

The display is a mix of several elements. The kind of panel (Matte, TN, OLED, IPS) and resolution (1080p instead of 4K) and the refresh rate (60hz or 120+) are important. Much of it boils down to personal taste. 

A display with 4K/60hz is great, while 1080/IPS is amazing. Check out your budget and requirements before buying a device.

Conclusion

The laptops range from basic models for beginners to advanced models to help game developers. 

Each laptop comes with the specifications to create games without any problems.

Always make sure you select the model with an adequate amount of RAM and SSD storage, CPU speed, and robust GPU protocols that meet your requirements.

Make sure you choose the right model to suit your level of development. 

It is unnecessary to have the most powerful specs if you’re an absolute beginner or only using 2D. 

If you’re developing using 3D or 4K graphics in your mind, choose the models that have the most powerful CPUs and the most powerful graphics card.

If you have found this guide useful, please tell us in the comments section and share this post.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mac and Windows: Which Is Better for Game Development?

In reality, it is all about deciding which you have the right specifications for the kind of game development you want to create and your taste

Windows will always be able to come with, at minimum, the minimal requirements in terms of storage, CPU, GPU, and RAM. In addition, you can improve or upgrade the specifications if you need to.

Nvidia graphics are another thing to be looking for in both brands. Many Windows models have Nvidia graphics, but Mac comes with an unfavorable image for good game development procedures.

In this regard, an item such as that of the MacBook Pro is more than capable of handling the most demanding game development. However, Windows is more flexible in general.

If you’re convinced that you believe that a Mac is the best choice for your requirements, then the MacBook Pro is probably the best choice for developing games.

If you’re looking to have a flexible and upgradable desktop to develop, choose Windows.

Are Gaming Laptops a Good Option for Game Development?

Tradition may say that when a laptop is made for gaming, it must be able to develop games.

It’s not always the case as there are a lot of gaming laptops designed best to play 2D games and could be considered gaming laptops.

Game development is ever-changing. It requires a lot of power from memory, GPU, CPU, and battery life in order to develop games.

Standard laptops may not have enough power to handle processing graphics and other functions in smaller mobile chips.

If you want to develop 3D and VR games, it is necessary to have a laptop with an efficient GPU and CPU.

If your laptop has at minimum a Core i5 processor (i7 is optimal) as well as a high-quality graphics card as well as SSD storage, the laptop can be used for developing games. 

Be aware of the kind of game you’re developing in terms of graphics.

In addition, if your laptop comes with integrated graphics, keep in mind that 3D or VR game development might require greater power.

It all boils down to how modern your game is compared to what the gaming laptop can offer in terms of specs.

Which Graphics Card Best for Game Development?

A powerful video card acts as the foundation of everything else that is constructed with game development. 

As you require powerful graphics for gaming, it is the same for development as well.

It is difficult to comprehend the way your game can appear without powerful graphics. 

Therefore, it all boils down to the quality of your graphics card. Nvidia is the leading firm when it comes to powerful GPU cards for game development.

For basic as well as 4K game development For game development, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti will cover all bases. 

This GPU card can make games extremely realistic and bright when displayed on the screen. Graphics are complex and vivid that it appears as if your graphics cards are transferring your thoughts directly from your head onto the screen.

This Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is the perfect choice as it can strike a good balance between beginner and advanced game levels of development.