10 Best Thin and Portable Gaming Laptop Models Today

One look at the Acer Predator Triton 500 and it immediately screams powerful thin gaming laptop. Whether it’s a Triple-A game or not, you’ll have no trouble whatsoever with the Predator’s raw processing power. Gaming on this laptop is buttery smooth thanks to its powerful GPU and high refresh rate screen. In addition, there’s less frustration when it comes to internet connection because of the Triton 500’s Gigabit Ethernet port.

Unfortunately, it isn’t a perfect device and there are a few downsides that come with it. The cooling system air inlets are underneath and on the sides of the device, so you can’t place it on a soft or uneven surface due to potential heating problems. Otherwise, you’d be able to avoid overheating and throttling for the most part. 

In addition, the bezels on this device are massive, especially the bottom bezel. They subtract a few points on what would otherwise be a pleasantly designed thin gaming laptop. Moreover, its panel is limited to 1080p so you’re going to have to connect it to an external monitor through HDMI if you want 4K gaming.

An Alienware gaming laptop is to be expected on any kind of list of gaming laptops, and this list is no exception. It’s the smaller version of the Alienware 51m and effectively turns gaming into a portable endeavor. With it’s ultra-thin and ultra-lightweight qualities, you won’t have trouble bringing it around everywhere. Moreover, its interior has the power to match its beautifully designed exterior. 

However, the Alienware m15 R2 is not without its flaws. Some of these include high CPU temperatures and poor turbo-boosting which can both limit your gaming experience. If you’re a fan of ramping up your settings, you might need to wind it down a bit to keep your system from overheating. In addition, some parts of the Alienware aren’t upgradeable like its RAM and Wi-Fi. That means it’s less future-proof compared to other upgradeable gaming laptops.

The trouble with buying a thin gaming laptop is that you’re not always guaranteed a small form factor. Sure, you get something thin enough to squeeze into your backpack. However, you’ll get something with a huge length more often than not — normally at the 15-inch mark. If you want to make lightweight gaming even lighter than most thin gaming laptops, then the Zephyrus G14 might just be the thing. 

With the Zephyrus G14, you get a powerful AMD CPU with a high-end laptop GPU that’s great for all your gaming needs. You should be able to play almost all modern-day titles with ease. What’s more, the high refresh rate screen makes for a buttery smooth visual experience. However, you have to stick with FHD while playing since it doesn’t come in 4K. Moreover, the short battery life and the lack of a few handy ports do drag this laptop down a notch.

Another Asus pick in our lineup is the Zephyrus S gaming laptop. It’s a thin and light gaming laptop that’s very portable despite its 15-inch length. It features powerful internals enough to run heavy games smoothly. Moreover, its high refresh rate makes for a very fluid gaming experience. However, it’s also only available in 1080p (like many on our list) so you’ll have to give up 4K gaming.

Moreover, the first thing you’ll notice about this laptop is its strange design. Its keyboard and trackpad are placed in an unusual spot at the bottom half of the panel. If you can get used to this, it’s not such a bad laptop to own. However, some people might be deterred if they don’t want to overcome this learning curve.

One uncommon choice on our list is the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. You may have heard of it before and know that it’s not marketed as a gaming laptop. However, you can use it for gaming, and its performance on that end will definitely surprise you. 

Its internals is powerful with a high-performance Intel processor and a dedicated graphics card. If you tweak your settings a little bit, you can get more than just your baseline gaming experience, especially with the 4K resolution. It’s honestly a pretty great experience though you can’t run graphics-heavy games on the highest settings. Its beautiful design and usability for other tasks like school or work make up for its shortcomings. However, its price tag will make you question yourself a couple of times. 

If you want a gaming laptop that’s great for both gaming and work, the Gigabyte AERO 15 should be able to do just that. It’s mostly aimed for creative professionals but it can also game like a beast. With powerful internals like the Intel Core i7 and GTX 1060, you can both game and work very comfortably. Its 15-inch color-accurate OLED screen will no doubt satisfy your needs. 

Not only that, but the AERO 15 is extremely thin and portable making it easy to carry around with you. You can also bring it out in the sunlight with its anti-glare screen. However, keep in mind that the display can be pretty dim if you’re outdoors. 

There are a few downsides to the AERO 15, though. Firstly, the 1080p resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate stifle the gaming experience if you want high-quality visuals. Moreover, the webcam is placed on the lower side of the laptop which can be annoying for video calls. 

Many people say you can’t judge a book by its cover, and that is exactly the case with the MSI GS65 Stealth. This thin gaming laptop can almost classify as an ultrabook given its thickness and weight. You can carry it around anywhere with you, no sweat. 

While its outside might seem a little too thin and light, its insides are still very powerful. You get a heavy-duty Intel processor and GTX 1070 graphics that can take you far when it comes to gaming. Even if you game at high settings, the MSI GS65 Stealth can keep up. However, the underneath can, unfortunately, get pretty hot so it’s still not perfect. Moreover, its native audio quality is substandard given the price. 

If you’re the type to think bigger is better, then there’s good news for you. The MSI GS65 Stealth has a bigger brother in the MSI GS75 Stealth. It has a 17-inch display and has all the power of the GS65 Stealth, too. You can game smoothly and comfortably on this laptop with its powerful internals and high refresh rate. Moreover, you get to see all the details of your game much more clearly with a larger screen. 

Unfortunately, the MSI GS75 Stealth does have some downsides because it is slightly unstable in build and design. In addition, the fans and the maintenance options could use a bit of work to truly make this laptop shine.

Simple, beautiful, and powerful, the Razer Blade 15 does not disappoint when it comes to gaming. You get high-end internals like the Intel Core i7-10750H and RTX 2070 Max-Q so you can game like a monster. Not only that, but you also get a beautiful exterior design and a wonderful display. It’s higher resolution than most other thin gaming laptops although it isn’t in 4K. 

You also get top-of-the-line performance in terms of maintenance and connectivity. However, the Razer Blade 15 can get pretty hot when you’re putting it under a heavy load. Moreover, its battery life is pretty poor so you’ll have to be near an outlet if you do game on-the-go.

Gaming laptops that come in 13-inch options aren’t that common in the thin gaming laptop world. However, if you do want a smaller screen size, the Razer Blade Stealth 13 is as good as it gets. You’ll get some of the most powerful internals that will crush any game. There’s also the option to overclock which can push your gaming performance. 

However, it still can’t compete as well with its larger gaming laptop counterparts despite its powerful internals. Moreover, it lacks a few video-out ports which can be kind of inconvenient. It’s also very expensive so it might not be a good fit if you’re on a budget.