Which 144-hertz laptop is best for gaming?
There are several 144-hertz laptops that have frame rates optimized for gaming. Check out the best models we found!
Reaction times in video games are crucial if you want to get the highest score or the fastest lap. But it doesn’t always come down to your internal hardware. While a powerful central processing unit can help, the frame rate of your display is a significant factor.
A higher frame rate moves the pixels across the screen faster, letting you see what’s happening before an opponent with a slower frame rate. Fortunately, there are several 144-hertz laptops that have frame rates optimized for gaming.
Why a higher refresh rate is better
Any content on a laptop’s screen, whether a video game or a Hollywood blockbuster, is made up of pixels. These tiny specks produce the visuals by changing their colors quickly. In conjunction with that, content is made at a certain frame rate, which is measured in frames per second.
For example, a video game coded to use 60 frames per second (and thus a refresh rate of 60 hertz) changes frames twice as fast as a game that is 30 frames per second. It makes the visuals much smoother because more frames and detail are displayed. More frames mean you have more time to react to in-game actions.
Refresh rate vs. response time
The frame rate measures how quickly the entire scene changes, but it’s not solely up to the hertz to produce that. An often overlooked aspect is the display’s response time, which indicates how quickly each pixel can change color.
A lower response time is always the best, as you want your pixels to change color in one or two milliseconds. But you’ll get ghosting effects or color blurring if the response time can’t keep up with the lightning-fast frame rate. The two display technologies must work together to create the best possible visuals. Having a fast refresh rate but a slower response time is counterproductive.
The display’s resolution
The display’s refresh rate is responsible for smooth graphics, but the resolution shouldn’t be taken for granted. Bigger is usually the best, but it gets tricky when involving 144-hertz or higher displays.
Generally, most gaming laptops with high refresh rates have a display resolution of 1080p (Full HD), as it provides enough detail while the components don’t need to be stressed to the maximum.
Upgrading the graphics card in a laptop isn’t easy or affordable, so many gaming laptop makers stick to 1080p visuals. On the other hand, you can achieve higher resolutions, such as 2K or 4K at 144 hertz, but you’ll need a more powerful graphics card.
What you need to buy for gaming on a 144-hertz laptop
[ MSI GV15 15.6-inch 144-hertz Gaming Laptop ]
In addition to the 15.6-inch 144-hertz display, this gaming laptop has an Intel 11th-generation Core i5 processor with a maximum clock speed of 4.5 gigahertz. It has 8 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM and a 256GB hard drive. The biggest drawcard, however, is the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, providing excellent visuals to the full-HD screen. But all that power generates a lot of heat, and the fins underneath help to dissipate it.
[ ASUS TUF Gaming F17 Gaming Laptop ]
This 17.3-inch gaming laptop is powered by an Intel Core i7-11800H processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a generous 1-terabyte hard drive. The 144-hertz visuals are provided by the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card with 16GB of DDR4 onboard memory, and you’ll have no connectivity issues with the built-in Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 component. It comes pre-installed with the latest version of Windows 11.
[ Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ]
This laptop is the best option for gamers who demand the best visuals possible. The 144-hertz 4K display is powered by the excellent Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 12th-generation Intel Core i9 processor with a maximum clock speed of 5.3 gigahertz. This laptop has more exhaust fins and quieter fans than previous Blade models as well as a larger liquid cooling capacity.
[ Lenovo Legion Y540 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop ]
Perfect for power gamers on the move, this Legion Ultimate S laptop has 16GB of RAM and an Intel Core i7 processor with a maximum clock speed of 5 gigahertz. It has a 256GB solid-state hard drive and comes pre-installed with Windows 10. Visuals are provided through the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti graphics card with 6GB of onboard memory.
[ Acer Nitro 5 AN515-55-53E5 Gaming Laptop ]
Pre-installed with the latest Windows operating system, this gaming laptop has a 144-hertz display powered by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM. It has a 256GB solid-state hard drive and backlit keyboard keys.
This gaming laptop is the ultimate in top-tier entertainment. In addition to the massive 2TB hard drive and 17.3-inch display, it has 64GB of RAM and uses an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. It has a backlit keyboard and comes with a complimentary 32GB USB thumb drive.
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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