The right choice for a gaming laptop. Differences between gaming laptops and regular laptops What is the difference between a gaming laptop and a regular laptop

For gaming laptop Speed ​​and graphics quality are equally important. Both of these qualities are achieved only by choosing a balanced combination of the main components of the laptop: processor, video card and random access memory. In this article, we will tell you how to choose the configuration of a gaming laptop to fit within your budget and get good performance in games.

The most important criterion when choosing a gaming laptop

The gaming industry has been looking for some average indicator for quite a long time by which it would be possible to evaluate the speed of a game on processors, storage devices and memory. As a result, we stopped at frames per second, fps, also known as fps. It is believed that for a comfortable game you need 40 fps or more.

In fact, only 25 fps is usually displayed on the screen. “Extra” fps are simply thrown away and do not appear on the display. Why then is the bar so high? The fact is that the indicator is average. On difficult scenes it is smaller, on easy scenes it is higher. And we need to ensure smooth operation throughout all moments in the game.

Within certain limits, you can change the FPS in the game on a laptop. To increase it, reduce the quality of the picture or its resolution in the settings. There will be fewer details on the screen, but the FPS will be higher. This means the game will run faster.

What technical characteristics should you pay special attention to?

So, let's formulate main list requirements for laptop components that you should focus on when choosing mobile computer for games.

Video card

For a gaming laptop, the video chip is even more important than the central processor. In general, of course, taking into account the possibilities of your budget. The faster the better. This means it must be discrete. Those. having a separate chip soldered on the system board.

As a rule, video card manufacturers make mobile solutions based on standard desktop ones. Slightly lower frequency less memory on board, slightly lower performance, but the chip is essentially the same. There is very little space in a laptop, even a gaming laptop, and it is extremely difficult to ensure effective heat removal from a hot chip.

Attention! Remember that a gaming laptop will definitely be noisy in extreme operating conditions. Therefore, when purchasing, be sure to try it in games to evaluate the noise level of the fans. If silence is important to you, then it is better to choose a less powerful version of the laptop.

However, technologies are constantly improving and the difference in the performance of mobile video cards and conventional ones is becoming smaller. At the time of writing this article leadership in performance in the class of single video cards for gaming laptops belongs to. The regular 980 operates at a frequency of 1127 MHz, and the mobile one operates at 1064 MHz. But the performance difference is not that significant. For example, in the game Tomb Raider, a laptop with a 980M video card showed 104.3 FPS, and a desktop computer with a regular 980 showed 108.5 FPS.

It is believed that mobile video cards are more energy efficient. Those. with similar performance indicators, they heat up comparatively less than solutions from the main red competitor.

AMD has another advantage - the price of their mobile video cards is slightly lower. That's why if you need to choose a gaming laptop with a minimum budget, then an AMD mobile graphics card is optimal for you.

The list of criteria for choosing a graphics card for a gaming laptop, sorted in descending order of frames per second in games, looks something like this.

CPU

A powerful laptop for gaming should be equipped with a mechanical keyboard. It has a faster response time and lasts longer. This keyboard can be found in both the MSI and Dell mobile gaming lines.

We don’t even consider using a touchpad in a gaming laptop other than for working in office applications. And when it comes to choosing a mouse, each gamer has his own subjective preferences. So the touchpad on a laptop is not critical for gaming.

"Dream configurations" for gaming laptops

So, here are the main parameters for choosing a laptop designed for gaming and the Internet.

• You need to choose discrete solutions, and it is better from the company. In some laptops, manufacturers even use full-fledged desktop video cards, significantly strengthening the cooling system.
• In descending order of applicability: Intel Core i 7, i 5 and i 3. In the low price range, you can pay attention to mobile AMD processors. So it’s better to choose an inexpensive laptop with a chip from this manufacturer.
• Mechanical keyboard. The best gaming laptops come with just this. This factor does not affect the number of fps in games in any way, but it completely changes the gameplay.

And here are the “dream configurations” that leading manufacturers have put together for us.

Class, price niche	Configuration	Price, US dollars
High price	: Intel Core i7 5950HQ / 5700H, 2× 8G	from 3500
High price	: Intel CORE I7 6 6700HQ (6 MB Cache), NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 980M 4 GB GDDR5	from 3000
Average price range	Dell Alienware 15: Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 970M with 3 GB GDDR5	from 2000
Average price range	MSI GT72 2QE-1488RU Dominator Pro: Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce GTX980M	from2000
Affordable price	Lenovo IdeaPad Y5070: Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce GTX860M	from 1000
Affordable price	ASUS K501LX: Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce GTX950M	from 800

If you are faced with the task of purchasing a laptop for gaming, then you must understand that the “gaming” classification is conditional. This word does not hide accurate information. It simply means that such a laptop is equipped with high-class components that, together, can “pull” most of the new and popular games.

Why the majority? Because every year system requirements for games grow. For some expected gaming releases this year, the stated hardware parameters are such that even the best laptop available on the market is unlikely to handle them at ultra settings.

This is an inevitable quality of all laptops. Their main advantage is their compactness and the ability to work autonomously for a long time, without connecting to the network. Accordingly, components for laptops are adapted in such a way that they take up as little space as possible and consume as little energy as possible. This does not fit very well with gaming hardware, which, due to its purpose, cannot be called economical. Reducing the size of powerful video cards and other components specifically for a mobile base, in addition, greatly adds to the final cost of the entire device.

In other words, laptops for the most demanding games are not the best platform, but manufacturers are trying their best to meet demand and create machines that can handle the vast majority of existing gaming projects. It's not hard to conclude that gaming laptops are quite expensive.

How are gaming laptops different from the rest?

So, what parameters should a full-fledged gaming machine have? We could simply say “the best,” but this is unlikely to help us constructively approach the process of choosing hardware for a particular game.

Let's start with simple and clear things: a gaming laptop must have a discrete graphics card (not built-in) and a fairly powerful processor. All machines that claim to be gaming machines, one way or another, meet these basic requirements. Everything else (screen diagonal, amount of RAM and physical memory, etc.) can vary within very wide limits. Well, it’s worth adding that for a gaming laptop, advanced cooling systems (often noisy) and a mechanical keyboard are almost always relevant.

These are the most General characteristics. If you are choosing a laptop for some specific game, then you need to focus on the recommended system requirements stated for it. You can always find them on the official website of the game or fan sites. If you need a universal gaming machine with a reserve for several years ahead, then you need to focus on the most demanding games, the release of which is announced for this year.

That’s why, before moving on to a detailed explanation of what to look for when choosing a gaming laptop, let’s remember the most popular games for which laptops are often purchased and learn about their requirements. This will save time for those who are well versed in possible hardware configurations and will help everyone else better navigate.

System requirements for popular online games

Every year, several dozen different multiplayer game projects are announced and released, and there is simply no way to list them all. Therefore, we will consider the stated requirements for the most popular ones. Unlike offline (single-player) games, they do not have sky-high requirements, and in most cases, even a mid-level gaming laptop can run the game without any problems even at maximum settings.

Lineage II– one of the most famous and most popular online games of the 2000s. It was first released in 2003 and over 15 years has acquired a multimillion-dollar audience of fans. Despite the fact that the game is old, the “Lineage 2” and “Lineage 2 Classic” servers are still popular. The recommended system requirements are as follows:

• Intel Core i7 920 processor
• GeForce 8600 GT / Radeon hd2600 XT or better
• RAM – 4GB
• 30GB of free hard disk space

World of Warcraft- another super-popular multiplayer project with a multimillion-dollar audience of players from all over the world. Every few years it is updated globally, due to which the recommended system requirements are constantly growing. The upcoming World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth update, scheduled for September 21, 2018, will require:

• 64-bit operating system
• Intel Core i5-760 or AMD FX™-8100 processor or better
• Video card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 2GB or AMD Radeon HD 7850 2GB or Intel HD Graphics 530
• RAM – 4GB
• 70 GB of free hard disk space

EVE Online is the world's most popular multiplayer space game. In the game galaxy there are more than 7 thousand star systems with more than 60 thousand planets. Clans of thousands of people are fighting for power in space. different countries. In 2017, the game's audience was more than 330,000 active players. At different times of the day official server there are from 15 to 50 thousand users. Recommended system requirements at the beginning of 2018 were as follows:

• Processor: Intel Core i7 or AMD X4 2 GHz or better
• Video card: AMD Radeon 6790 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560, 1 GB of video memory or better
• RAM: 4 GB or more
• Hard drive: 20 GB free space

World of Tanks is an online game for all ages that does not need a detailed description. In March 2018, a global update was released on the Core engine. This is practically a new game with higher requirements. For a comfortable game in World of Tanks enCore, the following recommended parameters are stated:

• Operating system: Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 (x64 version).
• Processor: Intel Core i5 or AMD FX-6xxx.
• RAM: 4 GB.
• Free space on HDD: 36 GB.
• Video card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 2048 MB or ATI Radeon HD 7850 2048 MB.

All specified requirements are relevant when using operating system Windows. For MacOs, Linux and other operating systems, the parameters may differ. Additionally, it is important to remember that all online games require a high-speed broadband Internet connection.

System requirements for popular offline games

With offline games (single player) everything is somewhat more complicated. Developers of game projects with multi-million dollar budgets are raising the bar for hardware requirements every year. Graphics are becoming more advanced, and the volume of information being processed is larger. It's no secret that gaming personal computers of almost any configuration become obsolete in 3-4 years. The same applies to laptops. Even the most advanced gaming laptop purchased today, in 1-2 years, the parameters may not reach the recommended requirements of the next hit.

It is well known that it is computer games that set the speed of progress in the development of components for personal computers and laptops. The same applies to consoles and mobile devices, capable of supporting gaming software. The fastest processors, the best screens and video adapters are needed just for games.

For those who prefer gaming laptops to personal computers, this situation is the most disappointing. If in a system unit it is sometimes enough to change the video card, then in the case of a laptop you often just have to buy new car due to the impossibility of replacing the graphics adapter. And the cost of a gaming laptop is relatively high. A personal computer system unit with components of approximately the same level sometimes costs half as much, but you cannot take it with you on the road or on vacation.

Let's list the most popular games for which laptops are often purchased.

Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5)- the fifth part of the popular franchise about criminal adventures in the big city. Distinctive feature All GTA games are open world, a huge number of quests and the ability to use any vehicles (cars, motorcycles, bicycles, etc.) to achieve the goal. There are many reviews on the Internet on testing gaming laptops within the requirements for GTA 5. For this game it is recommended:

• Operating system: Windows 8.1 64 Bit, Windows 8 64 Bit, Windows 7 64 Bit Service Pack 1
• Processor: Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.2GHZ (4 CPUs) / AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHZ (8 CPUs)
• RAM: 8 GB
• Video card: NVIDIA GTX 660 2 GB / AMD HD7870 2 GB
• Sound Card: 100% DirectX 10 Compatible
• Hard drive: minimum 65 GB of free space
• DVD drive

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a role-playing game from the Polish studio CD Projekt RED, the third part of the adventures of the witcher Geralt in a medieval fantasy world. A very large open world and almost revolutionary graphics for 2015. After the game was released, most gamers had to upgrade their computers. The stated hardware requirements were quite high. However, even after 3 years, not every gaming laptop with average characteristics can handle this game. The recommended requirements are as follows:

• OS: Windows 7/8/8.1 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel Core i7 3770 3.4 GHz/ AMD AMD FX-8350 4 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB
• Video card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 770/ AMD Radeon R9 290
• Hard drive: 40 GB free space

Presumably in 2019, another hit from Polish developers is expected to be released - the game Cyberpunk 2077. System requirements have not yet been announced, but they will definitely be higher than those of the 3rd part of the Witcher adventures.

The most anticipated games of 2018

Far Cry 5 is a first-person shooter in an open world from the famous studio Ubisoft. One of the most anticipated releases of 2018. The release date is scheduled for March 27th. The recommended requirements are as follows:

• OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit versions only);
• Processor: Intel Core i7-4770 3.4 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 3.2 GHz;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD R9 290X (4 GB of video memory with support for Shader Model 5.0);
• RAM: 8 GB.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance- a first-person game with an open medieval world. The developers promised gamers a reality in which even minor characters live full lives. The game promises an exceptional level of realism, including when it comes to battles. The release took place on February 13, 2018. Recommended requirements:

• OS: 64-bit Windows 7 or 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1)
• Processor: Intel CPU Core i7 3770 3.4 GHz, AMD CPU AMD FX-8350 4 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB RAM
• Video card: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 1060, AMD GPU Radeon RX 580
• Hard drive: 30 GB

As an example, we could cite a few more games that are worthy of purchasing a gaming laptop, but our task is just to voice the approximate requirements for modern games. The examples given are more than enough.

Next, we could move on to a review of possible options for components for gaming laptops, but first we will give options for answering one of the most asked questions on the topic: how much does a good gaming laptop cost?

How much does a gaming laptop cost? About prices and brands

As mentioned above, “gaming laptop” is a very conditional definition. The price of each specific laptop depends on the level of components, screen size and even the date of entry into the market. New models, regardless of performance, always cost a little more. Over time, the price decreases.

As for manufacturers, almost all leading brands have gaming laptops in their catalog. And the variety of models is very large.

The requirements announced for the most popular and anticipated games in 2018 are relatively high. As a starting point when determining a gaming laptop, let's take the presence discrete video card, a screen with a diagonal of 15 inches (15.6") and a processor with a performance of 2.4 GHz.

For a clearer picture, we will divide all equipment that meets these parameters into several price categories.

From 1500 to 2500 rubles. In this price category, all gaming laptops have a diagonal of 15.6" and a fairly wide range of laptops with a diagonal of 17.3".

The most inexpensive machines with a 15.6" screen will cost about 1,500 rubles. As a rule, they are equipped with Intel Core i5 processors (frequency 2.8 GHz), a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M card, RAM from 4 to 8 GB and hard drive with a capacity of 500 to 1000 GB. The largest number of models of this class are offered by Asus, Acer, Lenovo and MSI. The minimum price for gaming laptops with a diagonal of 17.3" with the same parameters starts somewhere from 1,750 rubles.

The most productive machines with a screen diagonal of 15.6" will cost about 2,500 rubles. The configuration can be represented by an Intel Core i7 7700HQ processor (2.8 GHz frequency), an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 video card, RAM from 8 to 16 GB and a hard drive with a capacity of 1000 to 2000 GB. In addition to the brands already listed, equipment of this level is widely represented in the Dell and HP catalogue. Laptops with a 17.3" screen and approximately the same parameters will cost more.

From 2500 to 5500 rubles. In this price range there are only gaming laptops with a screen diagonal of 17.3". There are a few options from MSI with a diagonal of 17.0".

A machine with a sixth or seventh generation Intel Core i7 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 video card, RAM from 8 to 16 GB and a HDD hard drive with a capacity of 1000 to 2000 GB will cost from 2500 to 3000 rubles. As an alternative, many models offer a 1000 GB HDD hard drive plus one SSD drive with a capacity of 128 to 512 GB.

The configuration of laptops with prices ranging from 5,000 to 5,500 rubles differs only in a more powerful video card. The same 17.3" screen, sixth or seventh generation Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 card and in almost all variants one 1000 GB HDD hard drive plus one SSD drive with a capacity of 128 to 512 GB.

Gaming laptops ranging from 2500 to 5500 rubles are presented in a wide variety by manufacturers Asus, Acer, Lenovo, MSI, Dell and HP.

From 5500 rubles. The vast majority of gaming laptops with a diagonal of 18.4" will cost more than 6,000 rubles. In the range from 5,500 to 6,000 rubles there are literally single options. The high cost is determined, of course, by the size of the screen, but manufacturers quite reasonably assume that a machine with a large screen is simply cannot have low performance. A laptop costing up to 7,000 rubles (18.4" screen) will have approximately the following configuration: Intel Core i7 processor (generation 4-7), NVIDIA video card GeForce GTX 980M, one 1000 GB HDD hard drive plus one SSD drive with a capacity of 128 to 512 GB.

If you need a more powerful video card, you will either have to pay attention to models with a 17.3" diagonal, or focus on a price starting from 8,000 rubles. The list of manufacturers is the same: Asus, Acer, Lenovo, MSI, Dell and HP.

Thus, it is not difficult to draw a simple conclusion: the cost of a gaming laptop is determined primarily by the size of the screen and the power of the video card. For the popular online games mentioned above, a machine with a 17.3" diagonal from the price range of 1,750 rubles will be sufficient. This is the most optimal option. For offline games like GTA 5 or Kingdom Come: Deliverance, which was released in February 2018, You will need a more powerful and more expensive car.

Now that we have an idea of ​​the requirements of popular games and know approximately how much a gaming laptop suitable for them will cost, we can move on to detailed description how to choose the right gaming laptop and what to pay attention to first.

The main indicator of laptop speed in games

Whenever discussing the advantages of a particular hardware configuration on the Internet, fans first of all compare FPS. FPS (frames second) is an indicator of the number of frames per second. Everyone agrees that at levels above 30 FPS nothing will slow down, and not everyone will notice the difference between 30 and 60 frames per second. Nevertheless, the generally accepted norm for a comfortable game is a level of 40FPS. The higher this number, the better.

It is worth remembering, however, that the monitor’s refresh rate must also match the maximum FPS. So, if you are playing at a frame rate of 70 FPS, and your screen refresh rate is only 60 Hz, then it turns out that the monitor is wasting 10 extra frames per second. You must set the maximum FPS value in the settings strictly to the screen refresh rate. FPS is adjusted by reducing or increasing the quality of rendering in the game or the acceptable resolution settings.

By the way, it will be useful to know that the number of frames per second is always an average. Typically, the screen displays no more than 25 frames per second, but for more “heavy” scenes with a lot of small details, a higher maximum threshold is sometimes required.

The speed of operation is determined primarily by the characteristics of the processor and the power of the video card. When selecting components for gaming desktop computers, it is important to maintain a balance in processor and video card performance. One must correspond to the other. If during the game it turns out that the graphics card is only 70-80% loaded, but something slows down or lags, it means that the processor is most likely underpowered.

Gaming laptops generally do not have this problem. Manufacturers by default install components that optimally match each other. All components installed in a laptop, together with software components, are called the “hardware platform”.

CPU

As for processors, a separate article could be written on them, or even more than one. Since when choosing a gaming laptop we just need to have a general idea of ​​​​mobile versions of processors, we will briefly dwell on the labeling and general rating categories of a particular model.

Processor Specifications

The power and speed of information processing depend on several characteristics. Each of them can be important when evaluating and choosing a processor for a gaming laptop.

Number of Cores– from a technical point of view, the definition is not entirely correct. For example, a 4-core processor is 4 separate processors on one board, working synchronously. That is, any incoming task is divided into 4 parts. There are processors that can support more threads than the number of cores. For example, the number of cores is 4, the number of threads is 8. Such chips are even faster.

Tests show that different games can be better or worse adapted to processors with different numbers of cores. For example, in GTA 5 the average number of frames per second (FPS) on a 2-core chip (with a frequency of 3.3 GHz) was 57.6, and on a 4-core chip it was 109.4. But the average performance of a 6-core processor with the same frequency in the same game increased by only a few points to 116.8 FPS.

In other words, depending on the number of cores and created threads, the speed may change, but often the speed of information processing in a particular game depends on the adaptation of the software to work with processors with different numbers of cores. Most experts agree that 4-core processors are sufficient for all modern games. There is simply no need for chips with 6 and 8 cores yet.

Frequency– a characteristic that determines how many operations per second the processor can perform. The higher the number, the better. Everyone, again, agrees that for gaming there is simply no point in purchasing a laptop with a processor frequency below 2.4 GHz. However, sometimes too high thresholds are also not necessary. The same GTA 5 can easily work with a 2.5 GHz processor. Even the most expensive laptops use processors with a frequency of 2.9 GHz, rarely up to 3.1 GHz. In turbo mode, performance will be higher.

Cache– the amount of processor’s own memory used to optimize calculations. Depending on the model, it can vary from 3 to 12 MB. It does not play a significant role when evaluating a processor, since the cache size has virtually no effect on performance. Manufacturers always equip the processor with the amount of memory necessary for normal operation.

These are the most important characteristics by which the performance of the chip is assessed. There are other less significant ones, but there is no point in mentioning them here.

Manufacturer. Intel or AMD?

By 2018, the global processor market is almost completely captured by two companies: Intel and AMD. When buying a gaming laptop, you most likely won’t have to wonder which brand is better. Gaming hardware platforms require high performance, and Intel has a clear advantage in this sense, even despite the fact that relatively competitive Risen processors have appeared in the AMD line.

The variety of gaming laptop models in online stores numbers several thousand, and only in a few variants can you find an AMD processor. So, without going into details of the reasons for this state of affairs, when asked which manufacturer, we boldly answer – Intel. Laptops with an Intel processor have a much wider choice of hardware platforms.

Processor markingsIntel

Since almost all gaming laptops use Intel processors, it’s worth looking at the labeling of chips from this company in more detail. In this article, we will talk in detail only about processors from the Core line, since they are the ones that are installed in game modifications. Less productive Atom, Celeron and Pentium are installed in office laptops and universal format machines. The most powerful Xeon E are installed in workstations, hardware platforms for high-performance computing (3D modeling, animation, etc.).

The architecture, generation and version number of the processor can be identified by the markings. As an example, let's look at the designation of the Intel Core i7-7920HQ processor.

• Intel- manufacturer
• Core i7– line (family)
• 7 – the first digit after the hyphen indicates processor generation
• 920 – model number within the generation
• HQ– Latin letters (if any) indicate the processor version (purpose).

Now let’s talk in more detail about each item, starting with belonging to a specific line.

Intel Core processor family. The vast majority of gaming laptops are equipped with processors from the Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 families. At the same time, Core i3s are already quite rare.

What is the fundamental difference? Belonging to a line with a particular number does not directly indicate the generation and age of the processor. The only difference is in the type of architecture. So Core i3 and Core i5 have Nehalem microarchitecture, when both Core processors i7 are based on a variety of architectures introduced by the company over the years. The first Intel Core i7 processors appeared back in 2008. Now the Core i7 identification is used exclusively as a marketing name - a continuation of the successful traditions of Intel.

Generation. Intel updates generations of its chips approximately every year and a half. However, due to technological reasons, this time is gradually beginning to stretch out. In the future, perhaps the difference will be 2-3 years.

There is a certain strategy for updating generations, which at one time was dubbed “Tick-Tock”. Since 2016, the scheme has become more complex to the “Tick-Tock-Tock” principle.

• 1st step “Tick” – reduction stage technological process based on existing microarchitecture. Minimal changes.
• The 2nd step “So” is the transition to an updated architecture within the existing technological process.
• 3rd step “So” – optimization stage with changing the name of the architecture.

By the beginning of 2018, 5 generations could be found on sale mobile processors Intel lines Core from 4th to 8th.

• 4th generation. 2013 – transition within the technological process – 22 nanometers to the Haswell architecture (“So”). For example, Core i5-4200U or Core i7-4510U processors
• 5th generation. 2014 – transition to the 14 nm technological process (“Tick”) with a simultaneous transition to the Broadwell architecture, an improved version of Haswell. For example, Core i5-5200U or Core i7-5500U processors
• 6th generation. 2015 – transition to the Skylake architecture (“So”) within the framework of the 14 nm technological process. For example, Core i5-6200U or Core i7-6500U processors
• 7th generation. 2017 – optimization to the Kaby Lake architecture (“So”) within the framework of the 14 nm process technology. For example, Core i7-7920HQ or Core i7-7820HQ processors.
• 8th generation. 2017 – optimization to the Coffee Lake architecture (“So”) within the framework of the 14 nm process technology. For example, Core i5-8400H or Core i7-8850H processors.

Processors are scheduled to appear in 2018 9th generation, accompanied by another reduction in the technological process to 10 nanometers, and the improved Intel Skylake will simultaneously be called Cannonlake.

In 2019, within the same technological process (10 nm), another optimization of the architecture is expected, which will be called Intel Icelake.

In 2020, a new optimized version (10 nm) will be called Intel Tigerlake.

Model number within generation (SKU number). Indicated by a three-digit number. It does not carry any special information. When choosing, it is better to focus on the frequency, number of cores and other important parameters, which will differ depending on the model number.

Version. In mobile versions it is indicated in Latin letters. When evaluating parameters, it matters, perhaps even more than the usual comparison, for example, Core i5 and Core i7. There are four main versions used in modern laptops:

• "Y" versions And "Core M"– passive cooling, low performance. “Core M” processors have their own markings that are different from “Core i”. For example, Intel Core M 5Y31.
• Versions "U"– optimal combination of price, performance and energy consumption. Good for general purpose laptops (but not for gaming laptops). For example, an Intel Core i7-7500U processor.
• "HQ" versions And "HK"– high-performance processors (4 cores). For example, Intel Core i7-7920HQ. Used in gaming machines.

If we purchase a gaming model, then with a very high probability we will have to deal with hardware platforms where the “HQ” or “HK” version processor will be installed. Almost all Core i5 and Core i7 processors with this marking will have a power consumption (TDP) of at least 45 W. And this, in turn, requires a good cooling system and a battery with a large capacity. The clock frequency, depending on the model, can vary from 2.3 GHz (Core i5-6300HQ) to 3.1 GHz (Core i7-7920HQ). All variants of the Intel Core i7 and the Intel Core i5-7700HQ processor, thanks to Hyper-Threading technology, are capable, among other things, of creating 8 threads (with 4 cores).

Processors of the “HK” version, unlike the “HQ”, have an unlocked multiplier, which allows you to independently overclock the processor by manually increasing the clock frequency. But you shouldn’t be tempted by the letter “K” in the marking. Manufacturers often limit the ability to overclock by removing the corresponding functions from the laptop BIOS.

This concludes the topic of processors for gaming laptops. For overall assessment the level of processor in a gaming laptop, this information is more than enough.

Thus, we can conclude that in a gaming laptop we need:

• Processor – Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7
• Clock frequency – at least 2.4 GHz.
• Number of cores – 4 (optimal) or more
• Generation – the higher, the better.
• Version – “HQ” or “HK”.

When selecting a processor, keep in mind that the recommended requirements for games are indicated taking into account modifications of desktop processors (for desktop PCs). When choosing a gaming laptop, you need to make allowances for the fact that mobile versions processors (for laptops) have their own markings.

Let's move on to the second equally important part - choosing a video card.

Video cards (graphics adapters)

The processor and video card are the very components by which the level of a gaming laptop is assessed. The size of the faucet, the capacity of the batteries and the type of keyboard also matter, but performance directly depends on the well-balanced combination of the processor and video card.

The good news is that laptop manufacturers independently determine which processor best matches the performance of a particular video card, and you won’t have to get confused about the nuances of matching one to the other. The bad thing is that it will be impossible to replace either the card or the processor later. You can upgrade the RAM, change the hard drive to a larger one, but the processor and video card cannot be replaced. In any case, the manufacturer does not provide such a possibility.

Video card type

Let's start with the fact that only laptops with a discrete graphics card fall into the “gaming” category. Even the best integrated video adapters will not allow us to run “heavy” games.

About a third of all laptops with the “gaming” prefix, in addition to a discrete video card, are also equipped with a simpler built-in video card that allows you to save battery resources when working with light applications. For such laptops, “switchable” is often indicated in the “video card type” column. The machine becomes more versatile and can be used effectively for simple everyday tasks.

The "SLI" (NVidia) or "CrossFire" (AMD) type indicates that the laptop uses two or three identical video cards running simultaneously (combined power). The performance of models with such cards is much higher, but the cost of the entire hardware platform will be high. The cost of such laptops starts somewhere from 6,000 rubles.

Hybrid video cards are not used in gaming laptops.

Manufacturers and labeling

The main manufacturers of discrete video cards are two companies: NVidia and AMD. Intel does not specialize in discrete video adapters, preferring to develop integrated ones.

Nvidia marking

Video cards from NVidia are called GeForce. As an example, let's look at the markings of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M card.

• GeForce– family
• GTX- type
• 9 – generation (series)
• 60 – model
• M– version

Family. The name of the family reflects the purpose of the card and the application it is designed for. Cards for home use, including for powerful gaming platforms, are overwhelmingly of the GeForce type. Models of the “Quadro” family are designed for powerful workstations, “NVS” cards are designed to support multiple monitors.

Type. A sign that reflects the purpose of the video card and partly indicates the level of performance. In the simplest cards, the type may not be indicated at all, for example, GeForce 240. The “GT” type is labeled for mid-range cards, “GTX” for the most productive options.

Generation (series). Each new generation of video cards has a set of characteristics different from the previous one. In our example, the card belongs to the 9th generation, models of which first appeared on the market in 2014-2015. The most relevant are the 10 series cards. They appeared on the market in 2016 and are still being produced, for example, GeForce GTX 1080 Ti.

Model. The model number indicates the video card's place in the hierarchy within its generation. The higher the number, the higher the power.

Version. Indicates the type of application of the card. Up to the 9th generation, all mobile video cards (for laptops) were marked with the letter “M”. Due to the fact that, starting from the tenth generation, the same chip is used for desktop and mobile devices, the letter “M” is not added to the marking of the 10th generation adapters. An additional "X" (for example, GeForce GTX 680MX) means higher performance. The symbols “Ti” (Titanium) are added to the markings of desktop cards to indicate a more powerful modification.

Thus, when labeling GeForce cards, it makes sense to pay attention not only to the generation number, but also to the model number. There is a fairly simple way to compare video cards up to the 9th generation from NVidia in terms of performance using the formula “+100 (-10)”. So cards from different generations GTX 680M, GTX 770M, GTX 860M and GTX 950M will have approximately the same level of performance.

AMD marking

Video cards from AMD are marked in a similar way. Let's look at the AMD Radeon R9 M390X model as an example.

• Radeon– family
• R9– generation (series)
• M– version
• 390X– model

Family. The Radeon family includes cards for a wide range of applications. There are an absolute majority of them, including gaming ones. The FirePro family of cards is similar to NVidia's Quadro. These are quite powerful options for professional platforms.

Generation (series). The generation number indicates how long ago cards of a similar modification appeared on the market. By the beginning of 2018, the latest series was “RX”.

Version. The letter M marks video cards for mobile devices

Model. The model number uses letters and numbers to indicate position within the generation. The higher the number, the more powerful the card.

As for comparing NVidia and AMD video cards, it should be noted that both manufacturers are moving, as they say, in lockstep. That is, no one has a significant lag in the technological level when producing ordinary cards and mid-level models. However, on this moment NVidia solutions for gaming laptops are more preferable due to the greater variety of high-performance options.

Gaming hardware platforms with AMD video cards are currently offered, perhaps, only by DELL (Alienware series). Upon careful examination of the characteristics, it becomes obvious that some options from this line definitely deserve attention. At the same time, if necessary maximum power, then you need to choose from model range Nvidia.

Main characteristics

Clock frequency. Measured in Megahertz (MHz). Video cards indicate a base and maximum (in Boost mode) value. Maximum indicates the limit at peak loads. So, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, discussed above, has a base core frequency of 1096 MHz and a maximum frequency of 1677 MHz. For comparison, the mobile NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 has a base frequency of 1607 MHz and a maximum frequency of 1746 MHz.

Memory frequency. Also measured in MHz. Indicates the video memory operating frequency. The higher the value, the better. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M has a memory frequency of 2500 MHz.

Memory size. Indicated in bits. Can range from 64 to 264 bits. The higher the value, the higher the bus bandwidth, the faster the exchange between the video card’s own chip and memory. Video cards for gaming laptops must be at least 128-bit. For example, the GeForce GTX 940M has a bus bandwidth of only 64 bits. Obviously, this video adapter is not suitable for modern games.

Memory type. Nowadays there are cards with local memory of GDDR3 and GDDR5 types. The second option is later, more productive and, accordingly, more in demand.

Video memory size. There is an established stereotype for assessing the level of a video card by the number of gigabytes of video memory. The stereotype is not entirely correct, since performance depends on the type and amount of memory, the level of the video processor, the bus width, etc. In other words, you shouldn’t chase the maximum numbers. As a commercial ploy, manufacturers sometimes deliberately inflate this parameter to make their products more attractive. The most common cards are with capacities from 2 to 32 GB. In particular, for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M it is 4 GB, and for the mobile NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 it is 8 GB.

Number of universal processors. The bigger, the better. However, there is often a situation in which a card with a large number of universal processors is inferior in performance to models with a smaller number. For 9th generation NVIDIA cards, the number of cores, depending on the model, can vary from 640 to 1536 cores, for 10th generation adapters - from 640 to 2560.

Thus, it can be argued that the performance of a video card is assessed according to many parameters. It is important to pay attention not only to the generation number, but also to the model number within it. The frequency of the processor core and memory characteristics also matter. The memory capacity must be at least 128 bits, preferably at least 4 GB in size.

RAM

Just a year ago (in January 2017), the optimal amount of random access memory (RAM) was considered to be 4 GB. All games released in 2018 already require at least 8 GB. If you are purchasing a machine for online gaming, then 4 will be enough, but gaming computer for all modern games it should have 2 times more RAM.

Unfortunately, unlike desktop computers, laptops most often have no more than 2 slots for RAM. It is important to note that, all other things being equal, two 4 GB sticks will work faster than one 8 GB stick.

RAM type

Currently, the following types of RAM sticks can be found in gaming laptops.

DDR3– third version of the DDR standard. The second one differs from the previous one in the increased capacity of the microcircuits (8 bits). The minimum total volume has also increased. Now it cannot be less than 1 GB. Voltage from 1.5 to 1.8 Volts.

DDR3L– one of the DDR3 RAM options. The letter L stands for Low. The main difference is lower power consumption. The voltage ranges from 1.25 to 1.35 V. Less energy is consumed and less heating, which is especially important when used in laptops. DDR3 and DDR3L sticks are physically compatible, that is, a DDR3L stick will fit into a DDR3 slot. Such a replacement makes sense if the BIOS allows for appropriate voltage regulation, but experts still recommend using exactly the type of memory that was originally provided. Be careful! When using Intel Skylake processors (6th generation) and later, only DDR3L memory is installed.

DDR4– currently the latest version of the standard. In theory, DDR4 is capable of addressing larger amounts of information and achieving higher clock speeds than DDR3, but it may have lower data transfer rates than the best DDR3 variants. However, numerous tests have shown that so far there is no noticeable difference in performance between DDR3 and DDR4. Be careful! DDR3 and DDR4 sticks are physically incompatible. That is, memory of one type will not fit into the memory slot of another. In addition, it will be useful to know that DDR4 memory is fully supported only by processors from Intel Skylake (6th generation) and later versions.

In rare cases, the definition of “gaming” includes laptops with LPDDR3 or LPDDR4 RAM. RAM for smartphones and tablets has this marking. A gaming laptop with this type of memory raises big questions.

RAM frequency

It is necessary to select RAM by frequency based on the maximum frequency supported by the processor and motherboard. For example, if you install a bar with a frequency of 1600 MHz, and the motherboard only supports 1333 MHz, then the memory will operate at a frequency of 1333 MHz. It is worth taking memory with a margin to the limit only if you plan to overclock the processor.

What to remember when upgrading laptop RAM

32-bit versionsWindows do not support memory sizes greater than 3 GB. The operating system simply does not see a larger volume.

64-bit versionsWindows require 2 times more RAM. For example, Windows 7 with this bit capacity requires about 800 MB for its needs. From which it follows that 2 GB will not be enough for such a system; at least four are needed.

All 64-bit versions of Windows from 7 to 10 inclusive reach their full potential with 8 GB of RAM.

Storage devices (hard drives)

Since the drive in a gaming laptop can be replaced if necessary, the question of choice is not so acute. Nevertheless, it is worth briefly dwelling on this issue.

Drive types

Gaming laptops currently use 3 types of drives:

• Hybrid HDDs

HDD– classic hard drive design with a magnetic recording principle. Advantages: relatively low cost and fairly large capacity. Disadvantages - relatively not high speed work, increased vulnerability to shock and mechanical stress, noise and overheating. Still used in most gaming laptops due to its ability to store large amounts of information. The maximum volume used in laptops is 4000 GB (4TB), but in gaming modifications devices with a capacity of 500 to 2000 GB are used.

SSD– solid-state drive with storage media based on flash memory. Advantages - high speed of storing and transmitting information, lower power consumption, lack of noise, high resistance to physical and mechanical stress (not afraid of shocks and shaking). Disadvantages: high cost and small maximum capacity relative to HDD. The capacity of the most capacious SSDs used, including in gaming laptops, is 1024 GB. The minimum volume starts from 8 GB.

Hybrid HDDs– the golden mean between the two above types. The principle of operation is to record all data on HDD media and transfer to SSD that part of the information that is used most often. A special intelligent system is responsible for placing emphasis when distributing information. Hybrid HDDs are slightly more expensive than regular HDDs, but cheaper than SSDs. The read and write speed remains quite high. Most often, gaming laptops use models with a capacity of 1000+8 GB (HDD+SSD).

Data transfer speed for a gaming laptop is the cornerstone, which is why SSD drives are a must-have for mid- and high-end gaming laptops. Since their volume is not enough to harmoniously match the level of modern software, they are installed as additional ones for now. HDDs are still used as the main storage. That is, for a gaming laptop the optimal combination is 1HDD+1SDD.

In expensive models, several SSDs may be attached to the main HDD. In budget options, as an alternative to a combination of HDD and SSD, one hybrid HDD is installed, which is partly an alternative solution to the speed problem. The most economical versions can even use 1 HDD, but this is not the best option for a gaming laptop.

Screen

There shouldn’t be any serious difficulties with choosing a screen either. There are literally several parameters that need to be taken into account when choosing. A few words about each.

Screen diagonal– for the vast majority of models it can range from 13.3 to 18.4 inches. There are also options with a larger screen, but they will most likely have to be specially ordered. They are not very popular due to their high price. In general, the principle “than bigger screen, the more expensive the laptop” is also relevant for gaming laptops.

Screen resolution– this is the number of pixels that fit on the screen matrix. The higher the resolution, the more pixels, the smaller the displayed objects, the more objects fit on the monitor screen. For a gaming laptop, the nominal resolution is currently 1920x1080 (Full HD). Anything less just doesn't make sense. Higher resolution for a gaming laptop if you have enough cash seems good decision, but you need to remember that screens with QHD (2560 x 1440) or 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution are very demanding on hardware performance. For almost all modern games, Full HD is enough for the eyes.

Screen Matrix– can be presented in several options. High-quality TN panel with Full HD, slightly more expensive PLS or at the very the best option IPS with 4K resolution. Modern IPS options seem to be the best choice, but we must not forget that TN matrices better time response. Matrix PLS – intermediate option between TN and IPS. Screens with an OLED matrix are not yet widely used today.

Touchscreen– Found in a few models of gaming laptops. Can be useful if you are a fan of mobile games, but practically useless for classic gaming. As a rule, laptops with a small screen diagonal (up to 15.6 inches) are equipped with touch screens.

Matt/glossy– a choice, more depending on preferences. The main argument of glossy finish advocates is brighter colors. Matte screens do not reflect glare, but the colors are less saturated and the detailing is slightly worse.

Keyboard

Many years of gaming experience show that there is no alternative to mechanical keyboards. Only they allow you to achieve maximum comfort in games. In addition, the keys must have a pitch (distance between the keys) of at least 1.5-2 mm.

Options and modifications of keyboards vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. The keys on Asus models operate smoothly and softly, which does not go well with gaming dynamics, but is perfect for everyday work. MSI keyboards often resemble the dashboard of an airplane, which is very attractive to gamers. In some Acer models, the keys turned out to be slippery and short-travel.

In short, there are nuances. For those for whom this issue is of particular importance, we can only recommend that you personally test the keyboard before purchasing.

Conclusion. Parameters of a modern gaming laptop.

To summarize everything that has been said, let’s briefly summarize all the information. So what kind of laptop do we need to run 2018 games? If you study the recommended requirements of the most popular gaming projects, you will need a machine with the following set:

• 4-core processor Core i5 or Core i7 clocked at 2800 MHz (2.8 GHz). In turbo mode, such chips are quite capable of reaching the 3400 MHz (3.4 GHz) stated for modern games.
• Video card Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 level or better.
• RAM type DDR3L or DDR4 with a total volume of at least 8 GB.
• Drives– one HDD with a capacity of at least 1000 GB and one SSD with a capacity of at least 256 GB.
• Keyboard– mechanical
• Optical drive

A laptop with such characteristics is almost guaranteed to run modern games at the recommended settings. It is worth noting, however, that such a machine will not be cheap. The same set in the desktop version (for a desktop computer) will certainly cost less, but this is a matter of preference.

As for almost all online games, the requirements for them are significantly lower. A completely usable set would look something like this:

• Quad core processor Core i5 or Core i7 clocked at 2500 MHz (2.5 GHz).
• Video card Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or better
• RAM type DDR3L or DDR4 with a total capacity of 4 GB.
• Drives– one HDD with a capacity of 1000 GB is enough.
• Keyboard– mechanical

An optical drive is unlikely to be useful for online games, but you don’t have to skimp on such little things. Everyone will choose the screen type and diagonal according to their needs.

In short, that’s all you need to consider when choosing a gaming laptop in 2018. To simplify the choice, we took specially selected ones for this article best models gaming laptops in price/quality ratio. Under each image there is a link, by clicking on which you can go to the product card and get acquainted with the detailed characteristics.

To place an order, click “Add to cart” and leave your contact information. A call center specialist will contact you as soon as possible and tell you in detail about possible options payment and delivery. By the way, any laptop from this article can be purchased in installments.

If you have any additional questions, please call. Phone numbers at the top of the page.

For hand-held and mobile devices, Intel specially developed Atom, a processor with extremely low energy consumption.

Their advantages lie in the absence of moving mechanical parts, which increases both the reliability of the device and the speed of reading information.

If continuity of operation is critical, consider a battery backup option.

Executive laptops are the leading models in the business segment. They are characterized by an optimal balance of functionality and image, complemented by the most interesting and promising advanced technologies.

An executive laptop is primarily a fashion accessory, so special attention is paid to design, finishing and materials, as well as innovative options when developing these models. Accordingly, prices for equipment of this class start at an average of 50,000 rubles.

Executive-class laptops are a worthy example of a strict and at the same time stylish design. Bright elements in them are replaced by expensive monochromatic materials and seasoned finishing details that emphasize the image and status.

• Compactness and functionality are the two main differences between executive equipment.

The exceptional lightness of such laptops is explained by the inclusion of high-quality 11-13-inch matrices, which in terms of color rendering and brightness are not inferior to large screens, as well as a careful selection of rare components and materials.

• Another feature of executive laptops is their impressive communication functionality, which will help you quickly organize a video conference, receive the latest report in your hotel room, or send the documentation necessary for preparing a presentation.
• In addition to the Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11g interface, which has already become an industry standard, providing full communication with the outside world within the range of a wireless network, executive laptop models contain new generation communication modules - Wi-Max and WWAN.

Actively developing WiMAX networks are expanding the possibilities of data transmission: information “flies” at speeds of up to 70 Mbit/s, the range of action is calculated in kilometers. The WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) provides access to the Internet via cellular networks: you can get on the World Wide Web within the coverage area of ​​your operator mobile communications. Such a module can also be useful as a backup option in case of failure at the Internet service provider.

A separate category of laptops consists of systems designed for computing-intensive applications. The cost of portable graphics stations is quite high, and their weight can reach 3–4 kg. But such a laptop can handle both 3D visualization and video editing at a professional level.

If a laptop is purchased for resource-intensive applications, work with complex graphics and video editors, and three-dimensional CAD models, the requirements for the power of a discrete video card and matrix resolution come to the fore.

• These models also have a multi-core processor and a very spacious hard drive.

Another component of trouble-free work with professional tasks is powerful RAM (4 GB or more). A nice option is the ability to expand it using dedicated slots. If during work the need for such an expansion becomes obvious, it will be cheaper to equip the laptop with RAM yourself than to initially choose a system with a “reserve” of resources.

A special subcategory is professional series laptops with a modular compartment. They allow, if necessary, to replace the write drive with a battery, a second hard drive and even a serial port (for server tasks of IT specialists).

The coolest laptop

How far has the progress come?

Just a couple of decades ago, no one could have imagined how much our lives would depend on office equipment. After all, in past times, instead of a calculator, there was an abacus, instead of a computer, a typewriter.

Now in the modern world, a person cannot even imagine how he managed without such things, everything is so improved. Now, to make a call, you don’t need to run somewhere, but you can do it in any place convenient for a person, since without mobile phone not enough. Previously, you had to wash clothes at Belka, but now washing machine will do everything itself, for this you just need to simply load the laundry, press the button and wait a little.

The Internet changes everything

You could list the latest technologies for a very long time, but they, be that as it may, will still be constantly updated. Since progress, as we know, does not stand still. Now, if you take a computer, for example, literally fifteen years ago the Pentium was considered the coolest computer. After him, over the years there have been so many of the most expensive and luxurious computers, and then laptops, that you can’t count them. Thus, many are wondering what is the coolest laptop today?

As you know, the ultra book was recognized as the coolest laptop of 2012, the main advantage of which is that it can work for seven hours without charging from the mains, which, in fact, attracts most users. Since the Internet was not used so widely before, three hours a day on the computer was enough for people. Currently, with the advent global network Three hours without recharging is definitely not enough.

Apple laptops

In addition, in the ultra book " Apple MacBook Pro 15" has a quad-core processor with a frequency of 2.3 GHz, as well as an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics card, which allows you to play even the most powerful modern games, despite its modest dimensions.

But no matter how much a person wants to find the answer to the existing question about what is the most sophisticated and coolest laptop in the world, he still will not be able to find the answer.

After all, technology is developing every day, and there will always be a manufacturer that will outperform the other. If we assume that such a computer should be based on a combination of the latest electronic developments, then, accordingly, the cost of electronics will be much more expensive.

At this time, it is generally accepted that the title of the coolest and most expensive laptop in the world goes to the Golden MacBook Pro. It makes no sense to talk about how much this “miracle machine” costs. You just need to know that its case is covered with 24-karat gold, and the existing logo is lined with sapphires.

Other expensive laptops

And, for example, the most expensive, which costs about 16 thousand US dollars, is “Ego for Bentley”.

The interface of this computer is not particularly different. Its features are that it is beautiful, comfortable, chic. However, it is more suitable for a female representative to chat with her friends in a chat, rather than for a man who loves to play new games.

The most expensive laptop series includes the Stealth Macbook Pro, which costs about $6. It is based on all the same functions.

The SonyVAIO BondZ series laptop, which costs about $5,000, has very high boot speeds and 128 GB of disk storage space.

All the presented laptop models belong to the highest price category, and, of course, not everyone can afford such a luxury, however, if such beeches are produced and invented, it means there is still a certain demand for them.

Today, the number of different laptop models has reached a huge number and it is not surprising to get confused when choosing a portable PC. In today's article we will tell you 7 simple tips by choice of laptop. By focusing on them, you can more accurately determine what exactly you need from a laptop.

Most people, when choosing a laptop, are based on the price-quality ratio. There are, of course, those who care about appearance rather than content, or vice versa; some buy the most sophisticated model, although the only task of this laptop will be to open a browser or office application. It’s the tasks for which the laptop will be intended that you should base your choice on. And the tasks can be very different: from watching movies to working with 3D objects.

So, here are some tips for choosing a laptop:

Tip #1. First, decide what screen diagonal you need for your work. The market offers models with diagonals from 10 to 18 inches. Devices with a screen of 10-12 inches belong to the class of netbooks.

They are mainly designed for working on the network and with documents. The performance of netbooks is usually lower than that of full-fledged laptops, but they have more time battery life. Some netbooks can last up to 15 hours on a single charge. Also, the advantages include compactness and small size. Netbooks are suitable for those who are constantly on the move for work, often on business trips, and simply for people who want to be mobile anytime, anywhere.

The next category is laptops with a screen diagonal of 13 - 14 inches. Such models are also very popular. They are almost as compact as netbooks, but have higher performance. The screen dimensions allow you to comfortably surf the net, watch movies and work with documents.

Classic laptops have a screen diagonal of 15 inches. Such a laptop is quite comparable in performance to a regular PC, and the user is not tied to a power outlet. Battery life can reach 5 hours or more when using a reinforced battery or 2 - 3 hours when using a standard battery.

Laptops with a screen larger than 17 inches are purchased as a replacement for a desktop computer. They are heavy and run on battery power for no longer than 1-1.5 hours. The big advantage of this laptop is big screen, which allows you to comfortably work with any applications: office, graphics, games. Typically, such models are equipped with productive hardware: a fast processor, a lot of memory, a powerful video card, and a spacious hard drive.

Tip #2. The main part of any computer is the processor. And if RAM is called the brains, then the processor can probably be called the heart of the laptop. When choosing a laptop, pay attention not only to the processor frequency, but to the cache values. Cache is a fast memory used for data exchange between the CPU and RAM. We won’t go into technical details (search the Internet if you’re interested), just remember that the larger the cache size, the better. Now about the number of cores. Here we cannot safely say that more is better. Not all applications can work with a large number of cores, so you shouldn't chase the new ones. And, again, choose based on the tasks. For office work, a laptop with a single-core processor is suitable. To work with graphics, video, 3D models, two or more cores may be required. The latest Intel Core i3, i5, i7 processors are mostly dual-core, but there are “pebbles” that have four cores.

Tip #3.

The amount of RAM greatly affects the performance of a laptop, since all applications are partially or completely loaded into this very memory. Today, two common memory standards are DDR2 and the faster DDR3. Most laptops are equipped with 2 GB of memory or more. This is practically a standard now. Since the same modern Windows 7 “eats” a considerable part of the RAM. Remember, if you buy a laptop with 4 GB of RAM and are going to install Windows XP 32 bit on it, then the system will see only more than 3 gigabytes. Therefore, either leave the “seven” or install 64-bit Windows version XP.

Tip #4.

HDD. Everything is simple here - the more, the better. A large hard drive will allow you to store a huge amount of information, collections of films, music, photos and more. The only thing worth paying attention to is the rotation speed of the HDD spindle. As a rule, laptops are equipped with disks with a rotation speed of 5400 rpm. There are faster ones, with a frequency of 7200 rpm. The higher the rotation speed, the faster you will access information. There are also laptops with solid state drives(SSD). There are no disks at all. An SSD drive is a large and expensive flash drive. So far, such drives have not become widespread in our country.

Tip #5. The video card in a laptop can be built-in or discrete. The built-in video memory uses part of the RAM for its work. This type of memory is suitable for office applications, watching videos, etc. If you plan to run “heavy” applications and modern games on your laptop, then we recommend choosing a laptop with a discrete video adapter.

Tip #6. When choosing a laptop, pay attention to what operating system is installed on it. If the description says DOS, this means that no operating system is installed at all. This will allow you to install the system yourself. Mostly they put it on laptops latest version The OS from Microsoft is Windows 7. Netbooks and some laptops can have Linux OS installed (Ubuntu, Mandriva, etc.). Therefore, before purchasing, clarify this issue with sales consultants.

Tip #7. And one last tip for choosing a laptop: pay attention to the ports, connectors and other interfaces. For full network communication, you may need a built-in camera and microphone. Wi-Fi module, network port, as a rule, are present in all modern laptops. The number of USB ports matters. If there are few of them, connection problems may arise. external devices. In addition, one of them is usually used to connect a mouse. More expensive models are equipped with one or two fast USB ports 3.0. A plus will be the presence of HDMI and DisplayPort ports, which are used for connecting to plasma panels and LCD TVs. VGA output is available on all laptops. Some laptop models are equipped with a card reader and a fingerprint scanner.

We hope these tips will help you in choosing a laptop that will last for many years. And if you have any problems or need laptop repairs, please contact our service center.

Like on a laptop

Setting up the keyboard on a laptop

Imagine this situation. You are typing a text on your laptop, you are in a hurry, you are typing for a long time, and you are not looking at the monitor at all. Then suddenly you decided to look at the screen and your jaw begins to feel the force of gravity, and your eye begins to twitch nervously! Was there such a situation? 🙂 In this article we will look at ways to solve many problems that arise when using a laptop keyboard and touchpad.

Setting up hot keys on a laptop

Let's take a closer look at your laptop's keyboard. Some buttons have icons that indicate certain actions. The Fn button, in combination with other buttons, activates additional laptop functions.

Now let's look at what additional functions are enabled by the keyboard shortcut.

Fn button +	Will put your computer into sleep mode or return it to work mode.
Fn button +	Enables or disables the WI-FI network adapter.
Fn button +	Reduces the brightness on your monitor.
Fn button +	Increases the brightness on your monitor.
Fn button +	Expands the image being viewed to fill the entire screen, or turns on additional screen backlighting.
Fn button +	If you have connected an external display or projector to your laptop, then this key combination will allow you to display the image either on two screens at the same time, or on only one.
Fn button +	Turns the touchpad off or on. IN different models On laptops, this function is available under different buttons.
Fn button +	Turns off the sound on the computer completely.
Fn button +	Reduces the volume on your laptop.
Fn button +	Makes the sound louder.
Fn button +	Using this combination, you can quickly turn on or off the webcam.

Keep in mind that different laptop manufacturers may have different function buttons, but most laptops have similar buttons.

Setting up a touchpad on a laptop

First, let me explain to those in the tank: a touchpad (trackpad) is a touch pad below the keyboard on your laptop, which is used instead of a mouse. You move your finger over it and control the cursor.

The problem in which the cursor moves to another place when accidentally touching the touchpad occurs for more than half of users. Don't waste your nerve cells anymore, let's deal with this problem.

Download a small program for the TouchpadPal touchpad here, install it and open the shortcut. Then we simply follow the program wizard and then enjoy the work done.

Touchpad Pal works on this principle: when you enter text, it automatically disables the touchpad during accidental touches.

We can also disable the touchpad until the next time we turn on the computer using the Synaptics Pointing Device Driver program, in order to download the program, follow the link to the developer’s website, select which OS is on your laptop, then go to the very bottom and click on the button agreement to the license terms (if requested). Then feel free to click on “Save”, and continue as usual, complete the installation process.

But there is another way to deal with this trouble. This is disabling the touchpad using the function buttons. Different laptop models have different hotkey combinations. But if you have an HP laptop, then there should be a power off button above the touchpad itself, so press it. Try pressing the Fn+ button on which a hand is drawn touching the touchpad.

But it happens that keyboard shortcuts do not help solve this problem, then check whether you have installed drivers for the touchpad. If they are not installed (then it will be Exclamation point!), then we need to go to the website of the manufacturer of your laptop and download them. After installing the drivers, try pressing the function buttons again to disable the touchpad. Everything should work out.

If you want to disable the touchpad on the laptop itself, then do it as follows. Go to the “Start” menu, then “Control Panel”, “Device Manager”. Now select the item where it says “Mouse”. In the next window that opens, click on “Properties”. And open the “Device Settings” tab. Find the name of our touchpad and click disable it.

Bottom line. Using laptop function buttons is a really convenient thing from laptop manufacturers, which helps save a lot of time switching certain functions. Let's say thank you to the manufacturers for this service. Try to ensure that all programs on your laptop are “correctly” updated and loaded, then you will not have problems with the keyboard or touchpad. And then working with your laptop will only bring benefits and will be very convenient.

computerology.ru

Keyboards on laptops: settings, keyboard shortcuts, mode switching and other tips

Laptop keyboards, due to their portability, are somewhat different from full-fledged keyboards used with desktop PCs. The main differences for many of them are:

• presence of an auxiliary key “Fn”;
• lack of a separate numeric keypad.

Few laptops can boast of having a numeric keypad

But how to configure the keyboard on a laptop so that you can use it without restrictions? Let's take a closer look at the features of the keyboard of portable devices.

The "Fn" key and its use

Considering the need to reduce the number of keys and save space, laptop developers tried to maintain maximum comfort when working with them, so they introduced a number useful functions by adding just one button.

The "Fn" key is almost always located in the lower left corner of the laptop case, next to the left "Ctrl" and/or "Alt". It is combined with function keys in the same way as “Shift” is with letter keys: that is, it uses their “second” functions. If you look closely, you will see that the buttons “F1” through “F12”, and some others, have icons of the same color as the “Fn” key - that is, pressing it activates these functions.

If you look at the row of F-keys, you can see icons for turning on or off the Wi-Fi receiver, touchpad, external display or projector, sound, and numeric buttons. The transition to sleep mode or Scroll Lock mode is performed in the same way. In addition, the sound and screen brightness settings are often located on the directional buttons (arrows): by pressing “Fn”, you can adjust these values ​​in just one motion. The same applies to player controls: software laptop allows you to switch tracks or pause music directly from the keyboard using the same auxiliary key.

Of course, each individual brand and model of laptop will have its own set of these icons. If a symbol doesn’t intuitively remind you of anything, look up its purpose in the instructions for your PC.

Numeric keypad

If you do a lot of number crunching on your laptop, you might need numeric keypad: The top row of buttons is usually not very convenient for such tasks. Many laptops with a screen diagonal of up to 15.6 inches cannot pamper you with such “luxury” due to space savings, but the developers took this need into account and displayed numbers on letter keys.

Look at the part of the letters that are located under your right hand when typing - numbers will be printed on these buttons. The number input mode is activated using the same “Fn” key in combination with “ Num Lock" The “Num Lock” mode will most likely be displayed on one of the F-keys. It will take a little getting used to the arrangement, and you will be able to easily work with both text and numbers, switching between these modes as needed.

1. If, while typing, you see that the cursor itself “jumps” to an arbitrary section of the page, most likely you are discreetly touching the touchpad. During such periods, you can disable it by combining the “Fn” button and the F-key with the touchpad icon. If you use a mouse on a laptop, you can deactivate the touchpad until you need it.

1. When you suddenly see numbers instead of letters when typing, you probably have Num Lock turned on. It can also be turned on and off using “Fn” and the key with the corresponding inscription.
2. Can't set up a Wi-Fi network? Perhaps the receiver is disabled at the software level: “Fn” + F-key with the wireless network icon will turn it on again. Some laptops are equipped with indicator lights to indicate the status of wireless receivers.

Conclusion

So, despite the compactness of the laptop keyboard, most of its functions were retained, and even new ones were added. Just take a closer look: those icons that you didn’t pay attention to before can significantly help you in your future work with your computer.

If you were unable to configure the keyboard of your laptop or encountered some other problem in its operation, write to us in the comments, we will try to give advice specifically for your situation.

Designation of keys on a laptop

There are keys on a laptop keyboard, or rather designations on the keys, the meaning of which is incomprehensible to a beginner. In this lesson I want to explain the meaning of such notations. If you look at the laptop keyboard, you will certainly see the “Fn” key on it; it is usually located in the lower left corner of the keyboard. The “Fn” inscription is usually highlighted in blue or surrounded by a white frame, depending on the laptop model. In addition, if you look closely, you can see the icons on the keyboard are also highlighted in blue or surrounded by a white frame. As you probably already guessed, there is a connection between the keys with these icons and the “Fn” key.

The "Fn" key (pronounced "Funkshin"), in combination with keys with blue icons or white borders, causes the computer to perform a specific action. On different laptop models, these icons are assigned to different keys, so I will describe the actions in pictures so as not to be tied to a specific key combination. Here is a list of such combinations and corresponding actions:

“Fn” + - call help using a keyboard shortcut.

“Fn” + - calls up energy consumption settings.

“Fn” + - turns BlueTooth on/off.

“Fn” + - enable/disable sleep mode.

“Fn” + - if an external display (monitor or TV) is connected to the laptop, then using this key combination you can switch display modes: to the laptop display, to an external display, or simultaneously to the laptop display and an external display.

“Fn” + - turns off the laptop monitor to save energy.

“Fn” + - turns on / off the TouchPada (the device on which you move your finger to move the cursor. Replaces the mouse).

I have an interesting story with this key combination. A friend of mine had been using a laptop for over a year and once during a meeting he asked me to help figure out why the Touchpad wasn’t working, i.e. He couldn't work on his laptop without a mouse for a whole year!

Without hesitation, I pressed this key combination - turned on the Touchpad and everything worked. He was very surprised because... I thought that the Touchpad was simply broken :)

How to set up a laptop?

Every year, laptop computers become more and more popular, crowding out traditional personal computers. Consultants in computer hardware stores are well aware that customers increasingly prefer compact laptops than full-fledged desktop computers.
The reason for this is simple - the technical characteristics of the average portable silicon assistant are almost as good as those in stationary models. The only unpleasant point is the limitation in screen diagonal, which in laptops rarely exceeds 19 inches. However, this can easily be solved by purchasing a separate monitor for your home.

However, as always happens, such popularity has its negative manifestations. In particular, now in service centers Laptop setup is often done. This service is in demand, and supply and demand, as we know, are directly related. For example, the Internet shows over 27 thousand offers where laptop customization can be done. Impressive number!

Theoretically, setting up a laptop can be done independently. Still, we must not forget that the differences between a personal computer and a laptop are rather constructive, but not fundamental. The same basic functions of the BIOS, the hardware components are similar in principle of operation, even the operating system is no different. Therefore, for example, a person who knows how to “lift” wireless network on personal computer, setting up Wi-Fi on a laptop will seem just as simple.

One of the differences between portable and desktop systems is the spartan simplicity of the BIOS of the former.

No overclocking of components, changing the timings of memory models, or activating blocked processor cores can be found here (with the exception of special models). Setting up a laptop starts with the BIOS. To enter the parameter selection screen, you must press F2 immediately after turning it on. Depending on the model, here you can set the main bootable media, date/time, select the desired mode of operation of the energy saving functions. Sometimes the BIOS provides the ability to work with the battery.

The next step is to set the screen brightness to suit you. On laptops, you need to press a certain combination of buttons to do this. For example, Fn + right arrow. The exact values ​​can be found in the instructions, and there are also prompt images on the buttons.

Setting up the camera on a laptop is done from the operating system. Before you begin adjusting the image, you must install the device driver. It is recommended to do this even if the control program is found in the library Windows drivers and was installed automatically. To resolve this issue, you will need the CD that came with your laptop. If there are several drivers for webcams, then you need to install them specifically for your model. You can find it out from the specifications for the laptop. After installation, you can launch Skype and adjust the display settings there (menu Tools - Settings).

It was not in vain that we pointed out the similarities between personal computers and laptops: all recommendations for setting up the former are almost completely suitable for the latter. Unless the operating mode of the energy saving manager should be different.

Settings make it possible to optimize the operation of the system in accordance with the wishes of the owner.

Many people use the words “laptop” and “laptop” interchangeably. But not many people know that there is a difference between these two concepts regarding the configuration and technical characteristics of the devices. In an ordinary friendly conversation, you can say “notebook” and “laptop” about the same device, it’s not scary. However, you should be careful when purchasing.

The simplest explanation of the difference between these two concepts can be formulated as follows: a laptop is a portable computer, small, that fits on the user’s lap (from the English “lap” - knee); a laptop is a thinner and more portable computer device (compared to a laptop). However, the thickness of the case is not the only difference.

As a rule, laptops are very light, their battery lasts for 4-5 hours of operation. Graphics system laptops is simple, since the main task of such devices is to provide basic computer capabilities to users who work outside the home or office, or relax, again outside the home. The size of laptop displays is around 12-14 inches. As a rule, the modem is pre-built into the case. The keyboard is small and functional, the processor does not draw much power. It's also worth noting that laptops tend to cost a lot because they're portable and minimalist.

Now let's take a closer look at laptops. The display diagonal is usually 14-17 inches, graphics are high (cards from NVidia or Ati Radeon). The laptop keyboard is large and wide. A laptop always has a built-in drive. The battery lasts for 3 (or more) hours of operation. A laptop is not a purchase for a year or two. Its components can be easily changed to suit your requirements and income. As a rule, laptops support Bluetooth and WiFi and are equipped with good speakers. They are often equipped with Intel Centrino processors, which provide fairly low power consumption.

Laptops are created as an almost complete replacement for a desktop computer, while laptops are lightweight computers for traveling and performing simple work tasks outside the home.

It turns out that there is still a difference between “laptops” and “notebooks,” albeit not very significant. Don't forget this when choosing a laptop computer!

Every user has different ideas about gaming laptops. Some see them as powerful and productive devices, others see them as machines that amaze the imagination with their original design, while others see them as just overpriced laptops. What is the difference between a gaming laptop and a regular one? Let's try to figure out how big this difference is and what you need to focus on when choosing a device in this article.

Obvious difference

If we consider gaming laptops in comparison with office or home laptops, then of course the first and obvious difference between them is much more power. After all, the main goal of this category of devices is to obtain high-quality graphics and maximum performance in the latest generation games. Which naturally requires powerful components, and this entails high material costs.

The big picture of the differences

In fact, there are quite a lot of differences between the external features and internal components of gaming and regular laptops. Let's look at some of them in more detail.

Appearance

The appearance of a gaming laptop is significantly different from a simple or work version. Typically, such devices have a peculiar futuristic design. Also, due to the presence of additional equipment, they have a lot of weight and increased dimensions, so there is no need to talk about the mobility of gaming devices. In addition, some modern gaming laptops have a curved monitor, allowing you to immerse yourself in the world as much as possible. computer game. Typically, the body of such a powerful laptop has many additional radiator outlet grilles, inserts and other elements.

The keyboard of gaming devices is equipped with a backlight, allowing both all keys to light up and only a certain combination of them to be activated.

Work or home laptops that are familiar to us have more compact sizes, sleek design and light weight, unlike their gaming counterparts.

Screen

The screen is one of the important parameters in a gaming laptop, because it is what you will have to look at for a long time. Therefore, the diagonal of gaming devices is usually from seventeen to twenty-one inches, while work or home laptops are often equipped with a seventeen-inch display.

The screen resolution of gaming laptops can be 1920x1080 (Full HD), 2560x1440 (QHD) or 3840x2160 (4K), and the frequency can be from 60 to 120 Hz. Laptops for home or office usually have Full HD resolution.

Laptop screens use two types of matrices: IPS and TN. Gaming devices most often use a TN matrix, since this technology is distinguished from others by its high response speed, which significantly affects dynamic scenes. And the appearance of smears and artifacts is practically reduced to zero. Since the dynamic component is not important for home and office laptops, they usually use more expensive IPS technology.

Screen coverage also plays an important role. Glossy has better color rendition and is more vibrant and rich colors, and the matte one has an anti-reflective coating, with which you should not be afraid of the sun shining into the monitor screen and reflection, which is undoubtedly important for office laptops. Gaming devices are available in both versions.

CPU

The processor is one of the most important elements responsible for the performance of a laptop. And since it is extremely important for gaming mobile devices to run resource-intensive applications with video rendering and 3D modeling, they are equipped with top-end performance chipsets from Intel or AMD. While home laptops are equipped with less powerful processors.

To run modern games of the latest generation, gaming laptops use processors with four cores or more. Universal home devices are most often equipped with dual-core chipsets. Even quad-core ones are used much less frequently for these purposes.

Gaming laptops are often equipped with high-speed Intel processors Core i5, Intel Core i7 or A8, A10 from AMD. The clock speed in gaming devices ranges from 2.8 to 3.5 GHz. Regular laptops have more low frequency and less powerful CPUs - Intel Core i3 with indexes U and Y or AMD A4, A6.

RAM capacity

The main difference between RAM between a regular and a gaming device is its capacity. New games require high performance, so gaming laptops are equipped with from four to 64 gigabytes of DDR4. However, it should be understood that laptops with RAM of 32 gigabytes or more should be purchased by those who are professionally involved in video or graphics processing. Sixteen gigabytes will be enough to run games. Moreover, in modern devices It is possible to install additional memory modules, which will increase its volume.

Laptops for work and home use generally use RAM ranging from two to sixteen gigabytes.

Video card

A video card is especially important for gaming laptops, as it is responsible for the quality and detail of the image on the screen. Gaming devices are often equipped with multiple discrete graphics processors. And laptops for home use are equipped only with a built-in video card, with which you can run not too demanding games: quests or turn-based strategies.

To launch resource-intensive new products in the gaming industry, gaming laptops are equipped with graphics NVIDIA chipsets GeForce GTX or Radeon from AMD. The latest generation laptops use the powerful GTX 1050-GTX 1080 series, which are in no way inferior to their desktop counterparts. For AMD, gaming video card models are Radeon R9 and AMD FirePro with memory capacity from 2 to 8 gigabytes.

Regular laptops use significantly less powerful GPUs because they do not require high graphics performance.

Also, such an indicator as energy consumption directly depends on the power of the video card. Therefore, home laptops equipped only with a built-in video card are less expensive than their gaming counterparts.

Cooling

One of the main parameters that is very important for a gaming laptop is the cooling system. Any laptops get quite hot, but powerful gaming devices get much hotter. That is why they are equipped with a serious cooling system, including additional fans, heat pipes and ventilation grilles.

Most of all, processors and video cards heat up in laptops, and since home devices use components that are not as powerful as gaming ones, the requirements for the cooling system in such laptops are much lower.

You should also know that the powerful cooling system in gaming laptops has a fairly high noise level, unlike other universal or multimedia analogues.

Acoustics

Some gaming laptop models come with built-in sound system, allowing you to get richer and more spacious sound than in conventional laptop lines.

Large requests - high cost

Of course, such powerful and productive devices as gaming laptops have a price that is an order of magnitude higher than regular laptops. And in some modern models, where manufacturers install the latest developments in the field of computer hardware, the price goes through the roof several dozen times compared to home options.

Detailed information

Knowing the main differences between simple and gaming devices making a choice in one direction or another is much easier. Having a clear understanding of why a laptop is needed in the first place, deciding on a purchase will not be difficult. But if some doubts and ambiguities still remain, then on the pages of the electronic catalog of the QwertyShop online store there are many models of gaming, home and office laptops with a full description of their parameters, which will make it easy to compare the selected models with each other and see their features and differences.

Buying a gaming laptop is like a double-edged sword: it’s either a humming and overheating computer, but dressed up in a case with neon inserts, or powerful laptop, the performance is quite comparable to a home gaming PC. And “something in between”, in fact, is an ordinary laptop, designed only for working in a text editor.

So let's figure it out: what can you pay tens of thousands of rubles for without even looking, and what is better left unattended?

The second part of the review presents nine models of gaming laptops of different power levels and, accordingly, different price categories. But each of them, within the framework of the assigned tasks and opportunities, has the right to claim the title of a “good” purchase.

Now let’s talk about the general features: the main technical parameters and how to distinguish a gaming laptop from a “non-gaming” one.

Introduction

When buying a gaming laptop, be prepared for the fact that, unlike a standard laptop, it is a weighty device with a very aggressive design. Those. Calling it “mobile” is a big stretch. Or if you are ready to carry a block with you weighing from 3.5 kg, we are ready to take back what we said about mobility.

Plus, manufacturers’ experiments to fit a fairly powerful filling into the body are relatively small sizes do not always end well: whatever one may say, a home PC can do much more in this regard.

Therefore, buying a gaming laptop, in most cases, is a successful escape from buying a gaming computer. But we are still more inclined to the second. IMHO.

Well, since you have firmly decided: “There will be a laptop!”, Here are some options for you on how not to waste your money.

Signs of a gaming laptop

Sign one: price

Firstly, a gaming laptop capable of running decent games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Call of Duty: Ghosts or Battlefield 4 will cost at least 40 thousand rubles, i.e. If you are asked to pay attention to a model with a price tag below $1,250, silently turn away and move on.

Under the guise of gaming “budget” laptops, they may show you devices of the middle power class. In practice, these turn out to work quite well, but games run only on minimum settings, i.e. It is impossible to completely immerse yourself in the gameplay and get comfortable with the drawing of details on them. And this, believe me, is very sad.

Who cares, we played through Assassin’s Creed: Relevations with delight, admiring the depiction of each individual element games: our capricious sense of beauty easily froze even over a puddle - “look! look! how it is reflected! ”, and curiosity forced Desmond to go swimming in the first body of water he came across - the hero’s clothes got wet and dried according to completely human laws of physics, and the hero’s behavior in the water was depicted in detail in a very realistic way. Overall, lovely! And do you want to deprive yourself of the pleasure of playing games?

Laptops with lower price tags are most likely devices with a fairly powerful processor, but a weak entry-level video card: and with such parameters you won’t get far. In the same price range there may be laptops with very compromise components: for example, the hardware was slightly improved, but the price was left the same due to a lower-quality display. Well, what's the point of such a laptop?

Accept the price tag. Not less than 40 thousand rubles.

Sign two: processor

You can identify a non-gaming laptop by the type of processor. If in technical specifications computer is listed as Intel Atom or Celeron, or Pentium or Intel Core i3 - this is not your purchase. You know what to do: turn away and silently move on.

We do the same thing if suddenly a quirky consultant suddenly offers you a supposedly “gaming” laptop for mobile AMD processor. On the one hand, yes, the products of this company have proven themselves to be almost main competitor Intel, but even buying a laptop based on the AMD A10-5750M may turn out to be a failure: the impartial benchmark Cinebench 11.5 is very categorical - even this processor from AMD can only be placed between Intel’s Core i3 and one of the initial i5 processors of the previous generation.

But here it’s worth clarifying: despite the presence of the AMD A10-5750M, some laptops have very powerful video cards. MSI GX60, for example, or GX70 from the same manufacturer. This nuance undoubtedly adds a plus to the list of advantages of the laptop, and this model can even be taken a closer look.

And a big plus for a gaming laptop is the presence of a processor originally designed for ultrabooks. We are talking about ULV processors. You can identify this by the characteristic ending “U” in the index (for example, Core i7-4500U from Intel). ULV is a double win: on the one hand, these are inherently powerful processors, and on the other hand, they are more modern and more compact than most CPUs on the market today, because Designed for ultrabooks, not large laptops.

Let us only note that among the gaming laptops released at the end of 2013, ULV processors were not always accompanied by a powerful video card. The maximum maximum, from what we know, is the GeForce GT 750M from NVIDIA.

Sign three: amount of RAM

We also ignore models with less than 4 GB of RAM. What's the point of buying a laptop for gaming if the device won't even be able to handle the screensaver of the next shooter?

Specified in technical description models with 2 GB of RAM are already starting to cause convulsive hysterics: how did the manufacturer even go about producing such a laptop if the notorious 4 GB is not always enough to perform everyday tasks?

Computer games are rightfully considered one of the main engines of modernization of computer hardware. Therefore, it is generally better to buy a laptop “with a reserve”. We will not single out the maximum, as well as a confident average, sufficient for timely processing of game data: here the demands of each individual game are important, as are other characteristics of the laptop.

Focus only on the maximum permissible minimum: 8 GB of RAM (you can take 4 GB, but expandable). Anything below this level should not be considered.

Sign four: video card

Non-gaming laptops only have a built-in video core or video cards weaker than GeForce 670M/760M or Radeon 8870M. In gaming, as you understand, this should not happen.

We won’t compare mobile graphics accelerators found on home PCs with those installed in laptops: these are, after all, two different classes of hardware. And, of course, the latter are inferior to the former.

Although, when choosing a laptop based on the “video card” criterion, the manufacturers, without even knowing it, made our task very easy: well, there is not such a variety among mobile video cards as among accelerators for desktop PCs, so it doesn’t take much time to choose.

Sign five: screen

Above we have already expressed our friendly “fairy” about tricky way reduce the price of a laptop by installing a “so-so” screen. When it comes to the intention of playing heavy games with beautiful graphics, there is no point in buying a laptop that can process so much information, but is not capable of actually showing all the beauty of the picture. Therefore, we also avoid models with display resolutions less than 1,366x768 pixels. Despite the fact that if you follow the four points outlined above, the chances of finding a good laptop with a squalid screen instead are almost zero, some potential lucky ones sometimes get “lucky” here too.

On the one hand, a low screen resolution will somewhat relieve the load on the video card, but on the other...see. paragraph above.

About the type of matrix, let’s just say that most manufacturers opt for a TN matrix: with the appropriately high cost of a laptop, you can forget about poor color rendering and small viewing angles. And, on top of that, the TN matrix differs from the IPS matrix in its shorter response time, i.e. This one is better suited for displaying dynamic scenes.

Sign six: dimensions

These are, of course, very obvious things, but just in case: gaming laptops, with all the abundance of powerful components inside, simply physically cannot be ultra-thin and ultra-light.

Small gaming laptops have their place, but we can’t say anything encouraging about how they perform their assigned tasks.

In the second part of the material we will talk in more detail about models, price tags and the feasibility of a particular purchase.

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