The plethora of gaming and programming laptop options available today is both a good and a bad thing.
It’s good because you have a lot to choose from. However, the number of options available can overwhelm you. This makes it difficult for you to choose the best laptop for programming and gaming simultaneously.
When looking for the best laptop for programming and gaming, you can certainly feel this come into effect.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a student a software engineer for a known tech company or a budding entrepreneur looking to build the next big thing.
The problem of not knowing which laptop to choose for programming and gaming is universal across all programmers (and gamers, of course).
Below, we’ve rounded up the top eight (8) best laptops for programming and gaming available today to help narrow down your choices and make it easier for you to come to a proper decision.
Best Laptops for Programming and Gaming at a Glance
Let’s take a quick look at the list of the best laptops that help you excel in programming and enjoy gaming at the same time.
| Rank | Model | Screen Resolution | Memory Speed | Graphics | More Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acer Aspire 5 | 1920 x 1080 | 3.5 GHz | AMD Radeon Vega 3 | Check Price |
| 2 | Acer Predator Helios 300 | 1920 x 1080 | 2.6 GHz | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti | Check Price |
| 3 | ASUS TUF | 1920 x 1080 | 2.6 GHz | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | Check Price |
| 4 | Lenovo Ideapad L340 | 1920 x 1080 | 2.4 GHz | NVIDIA GeForce | Check Price |
| 5 | MSI GL63 | 1920 x 1080 | 2.6 GHz | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 | Check Price |
| 6 | ASUS ROG | 1920 x 1080 | 2.6 GHz | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | Check Price |
| 7 | Acer Predator Triton 500 | 1920 x 1080 | 2.6 GHz | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 | Check Price |
| 8 | Razer Blade | 1920 x 1080 | 2.6 GHz | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 | Check Price |
1. Acer Aspire 5
- Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Memory speed: 3.5 GHz
- Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 3
The Acer Aspire 5 wins as the best laptop for programming and gaming worth buying today.
The slim and svelte Acer Aspire 5 isn’t going to be setting any speed records or winning any design awards anytime soon. Nevertheless, it’s one heck of a deal if you’re looking for something to start your freshman year in college with.
While the gaming performance of the Acer Aspire 5 is limited to a handful of good games, thanks to the AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile GPU for programming, the Acer Aspire 5 works wonders!
AMD’s Ryzen 3200U processor may not be as proven as Intel’s offerings, but it does its job well and is reliable enough.
You can code with this laptop. Plus, the Acer Aspire 5 also comes with 4GB of DDR4 Memory and a 128GB PCIe NVM SSD.
However, what makes the Acer Aspire 5 worth the investment is its slim profile, backlit keyboard, and LED-backlit IPS Full-HD display that you won’t find among laptops of the same caliber.
An excellent laptop through and through, the Acer Aspire 5 “aspires” to be more.
- Excellent laptop for programming and gaming
- Impressive display and battery life
- Backlit keyboard
- Plenty of power for conventional programming tasks
- So-so multitasking performance
2. Acer Predator Helios 300
- Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Memory speed: 2.6 GHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti
By pairing the ninth-generation Intel Core i7-9750H with the Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti, the Acer Predator Helios 300 presents itself as an excellent daily driver for programmers who don’t necessarily need top-end stuff.
The screen, which is an LED-backlit IPS display with 300nit Brightness, is plenty enough to minimize eye strain during those long hours of coding. It is brightly lit adequately to make you appreciate the graphics of any game that it boots up.
Design-wise, the Acer Predator Helios 300 isn’t bad either. It’s good. It’s ergonomic, albeit a little on the heavy side.
Overall, if you want a solid performer, the Acer Predator Helios 300 will not disappoint.
- Solid Full-HD (1080p) gaming performance
- Perfect screen quality
- Reliable laptop for programming and gaming
- Durability and build quality are both commendable
- The flimsy keyboard could feel a bit too mushy after hours of typing and coding
- A bit on the heavy side
3. ASUS TUF FX505DT
- Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Memory speed: 2.6 GHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
Seldom do you find a laptop that comes with all of your gaming and programming essentials with little to no compromise. Still, the ASUS TUF FX505DT delivers on all ends.
The AMD Ryzen 5 R5-3550H isn’t class-leading by any means, but it’s an excellent performer, both for programming and gaming.
Not to mention, the Full-HD display comes with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 is fully capable of powering in more mainstream and less taxing titles.
Perhaps the most significant compromise that you’ll be making with the ASUS TUF FX505DT is to lower the graphic settings in a couple of titles.
Outside of that, the ASUS TUF FX505DT is an attractive package that should give you your money’s worth.
- Compact and portable laptop for programming and gaming
- Designed for serviceability
- Bright and smooth display
- So-so battery life
4. Lenovo Ideapad L340
- Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Memory speed: 2.4 GHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce
Built for those who want something capable of basic programming and a little bit of gaming, the Lenovo Ideapad L340 is an entry-level gaming laptop that punches well above its weight.
It embeds 9th-generation Intel Core i5 processors, providing you with additional power to overcome and outsmart your opponents in the game field. The 8GB DDR4 RAM lets your laptop work smoothly without any hassle.
Against the competitors in this list, the Lenovo Ideapad boasts its advanced Dopooundsy audion technology, as it incorporates real-blast sound along your way.
- Relatively light and compact
- On-the-go laptop for programming and gaming
- Simplistic design
- The blue backlit keyboard is refreshing on the eyes
- Thermal performance under heavy loads could be a lot better
- Weird trackpad
5. MSI GL63 8RS-060
- Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Memory speed: 2.6 GHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
The Intel Core i5-8300H and Nvidia GTX 1050 make for a potent, albeit aging, combination for gaming and programming, which is precisely why the MSI GL63 8RS is such a catch.
With a Full HD IPS display, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, as well as 256GB NVMe SSD, the MSI GL63 8RS-060 is a complete introductory package for would-be programmers who are still new to the industry.
Paired with its intricate and clean design, the MSI GL63 8RS-060 is hard NOT to want and even harder NOT to recommend.
- Excellent inner and outer thermals
- Good audio quality
- Relatively quiet even when under load
- Rather outdated design
- Small battery
6. ASUS ROG G531GT
- Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Memory speed: 2.6 GHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
For programming, light gaming, and daily use, you’d be hard-pressed to find something just as good, let alone better than the ASUS ROG G531GT.
The ASUS G531GT may not be what you’d refer to as the top-of-the-line, but it does its job just fine.
With 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 1TB HDD, the ASUS G531GT is the total package.
Where the ASUS G531GT may lack is battery life and display quality.
However, as long as you’re okay with making those compromises, the ASUS G531GT is portable enough of a gaming laptop to be your daily driver when you need to program on the go and in the office.
- Overall excellent performance, design, and build quality
- RGB LED Lighting
- Surprisingly light and portable
- So-so performance from its built-in speakers
- The display could be a lot better
7. Acer Predator Triton 500
- Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Memory speed: 2.6 GHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
For programmers who want to stand out but don’t want to pop out too much, the Acer Predator Triton 500 presents the perfect blend of game-ish aesthetics without going too overboard.
At a little less than 4.5 pounds (4.41 pounds, to be exact) and 0.7 inches thick, the Acer Predator Triton 500 is as thin and as portable as they come.
But, don’t think for a second that there’ll be compromises in terms of performance.
Because the Acer Predator Triton 500 is a stalwart performer, equipped with the latest in gaming hardware.
This includes the 9th generation Intel Core i7-9750H and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, along with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage. Of course, all of those hardware goodies will be useless without a good screen, and the Acer Predator Triton 500 also comes with that.
The 15-inch LED-backlit IPS display comes with 300 nit brightness and 72% NSTC, along with a 144Hz refresh rate, making it the perfect companion for programmers who are always on the go to break the monotony every now and then with a quick gaming session or two.
- Comes with plenty of connectivity options, including Ethernet and multiple USB ports
- The membrane keyboard is incredibly comfortable to type on
- Brightly lit 144Hz display for minimal eye strain and maximum eye candy
- Frustrating keyboard layout
- Hardware layout and design make upgrading difficult
8. Razer Blade
- Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Memory speed: 2.6 GHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080
Razer’s laptops have always been the epitome of design and build quality, which is why the 2019 version of the Razer Blade 15 is a no-brainer for programmers who want to program and game in style.
Offering Ray tracing capability in a portable package, making it one of the first gaming laptops to do so, the Razer Blade 15 can provide some of the most polished and stunning environments in all of gaming.
In addition to the top-of-the-line graphics card, the max-spec version of the Razer Blade 15 also comes equipped with a 240Hz factory-calibrated matte screen, 512GB SSD storage, and support for Thunderbolt 3.
This machine also comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and the latest ninth-generation Intel Core i7-9750H gaming processor, all of which are housed inside a 0.7-inch thin CNC aluminum unibody that’s designed to stay cool even under the most intense of gaming sessions.
Powerful, beautiful, and portable, the Razer Blade 15 is for those who won’t settle for less.
- Ray tracing support
- Premium quality build and design
- 240Hz factory-calibrated 100% sRGB display
- No G-sync
- Factory storage options might not be enough for hardcore programmers and gamers
Final Thoughts
Finding a capable and reliable laptop for programming and gaming in a sea of options is not easy. Hopefully, we’ve made this arduous task easier for you. With all these laptops, you can ensure you get high fps in-game and good coding and compiling performance. Regardless of the laptop for programming and gaming you chose from our list, we’re pretty sure they’re far more than capable of meeting your preferences and needs effectively.
