To find the best thin and light gaming laptop, you’ll need to determine the features that are right for you and your home. We recommend that you favor laptops with enough performance and features to make for a smooth and reliable gameplay experience. Make sure to also consider size and weight, as these computers are designed for maximum portability. When buying a thin and light gaming laptop always look for a powerful graphics card, a fantastic processor, and, of course, a light and compact form factor.
The best thin and light gaming laptop on the market is the Asus ROG Zephyrus S. This high-quality laptop computer boasts a powerful Intel Core i7 processer, 16GB of DDR4 ram, and a large 512GB solid-state drive for storing game data, movies, and more. Keep reading to learn more about the best gaming laptops available for purchase.
Top 10 Best Thin and Light Gaming Laptops
#1 Asus ROG Zephyrus S Gaming Laptop
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Fantastic gaming laptop with the best cooling system, thanks to a set of upgraded 12v fans and anti-dust tunnels, in addition to being fully specced out for modern gaming applications.
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- Powerful NVIDIA graphics card
- 16GB of DDR4 ram
- Upgraded 12v fans and anti-dust tunnels
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- 3ms response time
- Battery life on lower end
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The Asus ROG Zephyrus S is the best gaming laptop, thanks to some serious specs that include a powerful Intel Core i7 processor, an excellent Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card with 6GB of dedicated DDR6 ram, and 16GB of DDR4 ram for multitasking, in addition to featuring a 512GB SSD. Not only is this laptop light, at around four pounds, but features a pair of 12-volt fans and anti-dust tunnels for superior cooling.
Though the refresh rate comes in at a solid 144Hz, the response time is just 3ms, which is slightly slower than some models. Additionally, the battery life here takes a hit, due to the performance specs, and it will only last around three hours of heavy gaming before needing a recharge. It’s a good option if you’re looking for the best laptop for Sims 4 or a similar game.
#2 Gigabyte AERO 15 Gaming Laptop
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: Features an incredibly immersive display, thanks to anti-glare technology and ultra-thin bezels, with a powerful NVIDIA graphics card and a lithium battery that gets 9 hours of use per charge.
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- Anti-glare display with minimal frames
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card
- 9 hours of use per charge
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- Slightly weighty, at nearly 9lb
- 60Hz refresh rate
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The Gigabyte AERO 15 is a great laptop for serious gamers, thanks to an ultra-immersive display with thin bezels and built-in anti-glare technology. The specs here are also on point, with the inclusion of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card, 16GB of DDR4 ram, and a 512GB SSD. We loved the integrated lithium-ion battery, as it gets around nine hours of use per charge when while running advanced applications.
The supreme battery life does have one downside, however, as this is a slightly heavy gaming laptop, clocking in at around nine pounds. Also, the refresh rate is on the lower end, at 60Hz, which may impact graphically intensive games. For that, you’ll want to consider options from our best laptops for WOW buying guide.
#3 Acer Predator Triton 500
Award: BEST QUALITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: High-quality gaming laptop with a bevy of fantastic features, including an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of DDR4 ram, and a trio of durably made cooling fans
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- 3 cooling fans and 5 copper insulation pipes
- 16GB of DDR4 ram and 512GB SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce graphics card with 144Hz refresh rate
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- Keys are not reprogrammable
- Battery life is decent, though not fantastic
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The Acer Predator Triton 500 is made from durable and long-lasting components, such as a trio of metal cooling fans and five copper insulation pipes, for the purpose of heat dispersion. The specs here are fantastic, with 16GB of DDR4 ram, a 512GB SSD, and the excellent NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card, which comes equipped with its own 6GB of DDR6 VRAM. The customizable backlit RGB keyboard is also a nice bonus, as is the lightweight four-pound form factor.
Though the lighting can be programmed at will, the keys themselves do not have that luxury, if you are looking for some custom-made shortcuts. Additionally, the battery life here will get you around five hours of average use, which will go down slightly if you are playing graphically intensive games. Still, we like this option especially for people looking for the best gaming laptop for school.
Related: Also check out the best five back to school gaming laptops of 2014.
#4 Razer Blade Stealth Gaming Laptop
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Award: BEST STORAGE
WHY WE LIKE IT: Highly portable and compact design, weighing less than 3lb, and featuring a massive 2TB SSD, with a touchscreen display and plenty of beefed of specs for gaming.
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- Weighs less than 3lb
- Intuitive touchscreen display
- 16GB of DDR3 ram
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- 13” display size
- On the pricier side
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The Razer Blade Stealth comes with an absolutely massive 2TB solid-state drive, which delivers speedy transfers and enough storage space for dozens upon dozens of modern computer games and applications. The specs here are also decent, with 16GB of DDR3 ram and an 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8550U quad-core processor. We also appreciated how the display features an integrated touchscreen, turning the laptop into something of a hybrid device.
Though this laptop is incredibly light, at under three pounds, the display is just 13-inches wide, which may be too small for some consumers. Also, squeezing all of that advanced tech into such a small laptop has a literal cost, as this computer comes in on the pricier side. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for the best gaming laptop for Fortnite that can travel with you easily.
#5 MSI GS75 Stealth Gaming Laptop
Award: BEST FOR MULTI-TASKING
WHY WE LIKE IT: Ships with 32GB of DDR4 ram and is upgradable to 64GB, making this a beast for multitasking, in addition to robust specs that include a 512GB SSD and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX2070 graphics card.
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- Wide and immersive display
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX2070 graphics card
- 512GB SSD
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- Integrated speakers on weaker side
- Battery life significantly decreases when playing modern games
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The MSI GS75 Stealth is a great choice for those who like to multitask, as it ships with 32GB of DDR4 ram standard and can easily be upgraded to 64GB. The specs here are also decent for modern gaming applications, thanks to the inclusion of the renowned NVIDIA GeForce RTX2070 graphics card, itself containing 8GB of DDR6 ram. This laptop also includes a wide and immersive 17-inch display and a 240Hz refresh rate.
The integrated speakers here are on the weaker side, though there are plenty of ports and connections for attaching your own sound systems. Additionally, the battery life here maxes out at five hours of use per charge, but this metric significantly decreases as you work the processor. You might also like to check out our best 2 1 gaming laptops guide for options with just as much versatility.
#6 Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop
Award: BEST DURABILITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: Encased in an ultra-durable unibody aluminum frame, with a CPU Intel Core i7 octa-core processor, 16GB of DDR4 ram, and a blazingly fast 512GB solid-state drive.
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- Patented vacuum-sealed cooling chamber
- 16GB of ram and 512GB SSD
- 4K OLED touch display
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- Weighs around 9lb
- Battery life depletes quickly while gaming
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The Razer Blade 15 is an extremely durable and safe-to-use gaming laptop, thanks to a solid unibody aluminum frame and a patented vacuum-sealed and cooper-filled cooling chamber. The specs here are also fantastic for modern gaming applications, with 16GB of DDR4 ram and a powerful Intel Core i7 octa-core processor. The 15-inch 4K OLED display is equipped with a high-grade touchscreen, further enhancing the usefulness of this laptop computer.
Though incredibly thin, this Razer Blade pro laptop does weigh around nine pounds, which could slightly impact portability for some consumers. Also, the lithium battery can get around eight hours of use per charge as long as you are browsing the web or using a word processor, but this metric goes down to around four hours if you are playing a modern computer game. Razer Blade is one of the best gaming laptop brands, so it’s hard to go wrong.
#7 HIDevolution ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 Gaming Laptop
Award: BEST PROCESSOR
WHY WE LIKE IT: Comes standard with the ultra-powerful AMD Ryzen 9 8-core processor, in addition to featuring 16GB of DDR4 ram and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics card.
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- Proprietary tech regulates system temperature
- 1TB PCIe SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics card
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- 14” display size somewhat small
- Battery life fluctuates wildly depending on use
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The HIDevolution ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is an incredibly powerful light laptop, thanks to running on the AMD 4th Generation Ryzen 9 3.0 GHz 8 Core and 16 thread processor, which can be overclocked to 4.3 GHz. The rest of the specs are also impressive, with 16GB of DDR4 ram and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics card, which features 6GB of DDR6 ram. The 1TB solid-state drive will also ensure you can store plenty of modern games without coming close to maxing out the SSD.
Though the powerful hardware here allows for a superior gameplay experience, the display is on the smaller side, at just 14-inches wide. Additionally, the battery life here is fantastic for light browsing and other simple computing tasks, at nine hours of use per charge, but this metric significantly decreases as you start to play graphically intensive games that push the processor to the limit. Still, we like this option for people looking for the best laptop for League of Legends without the bulk of bigger models.
#8 ASUS ROG Zephyrus M Gaming Laptop
Award: BEST VALUE
WHY WE LIKE IT: Value-conscious gaming laptop with a robust feature set that includes the powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card and an ultra-slim and compact form factor.
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- Compact 0.78” form factor
- 16GB of DDR4 ram
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 with 8GB of DDR5 ram
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- 256GB SSD though does include 1TB HDD
- Battery maxes out at around 4 hours per charge
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The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M comes in at a relatively value-friendly price while offering a competitive feature set, with the powerful 8th Generation 6 Core Intel Core i7 8750H processor and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card with 8GB of integrated DDR5 ram. This is an extremely slim gaming laptop, at just 0.78-inches, despite offering 16GB of DDR4 ram and a suite of proprietary cooling technologies.
This best affordable gaming laptop comes standard with a relatively small 256GB solid-state drive, though it does also include a 1TB hard disc drive. Also, the battery here is relatively weak, maxing out at around four hours per charge. For better battery life, you might also check out our best laptop of Roblex buying guide.
#9 Gigabyte AERO 15 Classic Gaming Laptop
Award: BEST FRAMELESS DISPLAY
WHY WE LIKE IT: Features an immersive near-frameless bezel and a 3840×2160 anti-glare display, with 16GB of Samsung DDR4 ram and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card with Optimus technology.
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- Integrated anti-glare technology
- 100% RGB color gamut
- 512GB SSD and 16GB DDR4 ram
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- Somewhat heavy, at 8lb
- 60Hz refresh rate on lower end
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The Gigabyte AERO 15 Classic offers a truly immersive gaming experience thanks to a near frameless and ultra-thin bezel and a gorgeous 3840×2160 anti-glare UHD display that offers a 100 percent RGB Adobe color gamut. The gaming-centric specs here are also impressive, with 16GB of Samsung-made DDR4 ram and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card with Optimus technology.
Though this gaming laptop is indeed thin, it does weigh around eight pounds, which could cut down on portability slightly. Additionally, the refresh here is just 60Hz, which is on the lower side but it is solid, adequately reproducing 60 fps on most modern gaming applications. To help you carry it around more easily, you may want to invest in the best laptop bag for improved portability and protection.
#10 Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: Budget-conscious light laptop with some beefy gaming-centric features, such as the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor, 16GB of ram, and a durable aluminum unibody.
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- Durable metal unibody design
- 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor
- 144Hz refresh rate and 16GB of ram
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- 256GB solid-state drive
- Integrated webcam not the greatest
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The Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop comes in at a budget-friendly price while offering a serious feature set that includes the fantastic 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor, which can perform up to 5.0 GHz at max turbo mode, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card. The 144Hz refresh rate and 16GB of dual-channel DDR4 ram will also make playing modern computer games an absolute blast.
Though this is the best budget gaming laptop, it does only ship with a 256GB solid-state drive, which is on the smaller side. Also, this laptop does come with a webcam installed, but it is not of the highest quality. If your budget is less of a concern, our best VR-ready laptops buying guide has some pretty cool options.
How We Decided
To help narrow down to the above list, we first ensured that the laptops were extremely thin and light, so as to increase portability and allow consumers to play advanced gaming applications anywhere they like, even coffee shops and outdoors. To that end, we preferred computers no more than eight pounds and no thicker than three-quarters of an inch.
Of course, these are dedicated gaming laptops, so they need to have plenty of high-end specifications. We tended to choose high-powered laptop computers with ultra-powerful processors, manufactured by AMD or Intel, and NVIDIA-manufactured graphics cards that can easily handle modern games. Long-lasting lithium batteries were also considered as we went about the listing process.
We also liked laptops with plenty of onboard ram, with 16GB being the minimum threshold. Storage was also a must and we liked laptops integrated with newer solid-state drives, for added speed and reliability. Finally, we liked computers with plenty of connectivity options and ports, which generally included HDMI, USB 3.0. USB 3.1, and a Thunderbolt 3 port.
Best Thin and Light Gaming Laptop Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Size and Weight
If you are looking to take your gaming laptop out and about for the purposes of remote and portable gaming sessions, then you’ll want to make sure that the computer you purchase is light and compact. Look for gaming laptops that clock in at around four or five pounds, though this can vary significantly depending on the internal specifications. Additionally, a wide-screen (3840 x 2160) full HD monitor in the area of 17-inches wide may be best for immersion, but it could struggle to fit inside of a backpack or carry bag, so take that into consideration. - Gaming Specs
These are laptops intended for advanced gaming performance, so you’ll want to make sure the specs are up to snuff. Look for laptops with plenty of onboard ram, as much as 32GB of DDR ram, and those with a high-grade integrated graphics card, typically manufactured by NVIDIA or AMD. Additionally, be sure to purchase a processor with a speedy and powerful multiple-core processor. These are typically manufactured by Intel. Other specs to take a look at include refresh rate, response times, and the size and speed of the storage drive. - Battery
Gaming notebooks are intended for portable and remote use, so you’ll want to err on the side of caution when it comes to the internal lithium battery. Look for power-efficient batteries that will get you nine or ten hours of use on a single charge. It must be noted, however, that the advertised battery specs will often decrease significantly when you are running a graphically intensive gaming application as opposed to just surfing the web or doing some quick writing or photo editing.
