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Gaming laptops are powerful hardware components, there is no doubt about it.
However, despite major advancements in gaming laptop technology, especially in recent years, these specialized devices still have major drawbacks. Depending on your situation, these can range from annoyances to market disruptions.
If you’re considering a gaming laptop as your next purchase, here are five downsides to consider.
1. Gaming laptops don’t have the best battery life
While it varies from model to model, the battery life of most gaming laptops is a bit short.
Gaming laptops require powerful and demanding components, namely their processor and GPU, to run games to the best of their ability. However, the more powerful a component, the more power it requires, hence the shorter the battery life of a gaming laptop.
A key issue in this regard is that manufacturers haven’t upgraded gaming laptop batteries to the same level as their CPU and GPU components. Most gaming laptops struggle to last longer than four to five hours, unplugged, and less during a heavy gaming session.
Compared to non-gaming laptops, gaming laptops fall far short of the norm. One of the main reasons for this is that most non-gaming laptops can use their power more efficiently due to the lack of demanding components in gaming laptops.
If you compare the average lifespan of a gaming laptop to the 17-20 hour battery life of Apple’s compact M1-equipped MacBook Pro, the difference is striking.
What all of this means is that if you’re buying a gaming laptop, wherever you are, you’ll probably want to play it plugged into a power source.
2. Gaming laptops lack upgrade options
There are many brands that provide gaming laptops with many offering multiple models and varying specifications. However, they all have in common the lack of upgrade options, especially when compared to gaming PCs.
If you’re a console gamer, you’ll get a few more upgradeable areas if you upgrade to a gaming laptop, like the ability to upgrade your RAM and a little more freedom to upgrade your drive. hard. If you’re a desktop PC gamer, not so much.
The main components at risk of bottlenecking your gaming laptop – your processor and GPU – cannot be upgraded except for a few special cases. The same applies to other major components, such as your laptop battery and the internal cooling system.
It all depends on how manufacturers fix these components, their dimensions and their energy consumption. Unlike a PC, these are not interchangeable parts. You can’t just remove them and then attach the latest version of said component.
While there are ways to improve the performance of your gaming laptop, the only way to upgrade your machine once it becomes obsolete is to buy a newer device.
3. Gaming laptops are hot and noisy
A major drawback of gaming laptops is the heat and noise they produce under stress.
As the internal cooling systems of gaming laptops improve and the constructions make it easier to circulate air, you’re still going to get a lot of heat and fan noise as your gaming laptop works hard to avoid the heat. overheating during intensive games.
This is a big problem in thinner gaming laptops, gaming laptops with poor design, as well as gaming laptops with powerful components.
With thinner gaming laptops, you cram the same components into a smaller space, which will create more heat by default. You cannot add a large internal cooling system, as that would defeat the value of a “thin” laptop.
The mediocre designs of gaming laptops speak for themselves. There are several examples of poor design, such as the placement of air vents, the use of cheap materials, or poorly arranged and spaced components. This leads to poor air ventilation, which will do nothing to cool or calm your gaming laptop.
With high-end gaming laptops, the problem lies with their components. Powerful components require – well – a lot of energy, which generates a lot of heat. Unless your gaming laptop has a sophisticated cooling system, it will lead to high temperatures when gaming or under stress.
While it’s common to invest in a cooling pad, besides never placing your laptop on a soft surface – ironically, including on your lap – this will only reduce the problem instead of eliminating it.
High heat and noise are a common association with gaming laptops today. So if you buy a gaming laptop, make sure you don’t use it in a quiet public space or, if you’re a creator, to record music.
4. For console gamers, gaming laptops are much more expensive
If you are a console gamer and are looking for gaming laptops, the first thing that will probably stand out to you is their price.
A mid-range gaming laptop will set you back at least around $ 1,000, which is double the price of $ 500 for flagship offerings from Sony and Microsoft. And, if you’re looking to get a gaming laptop with roughly PS5 or Xbox Series X specs, then you’re looking for over $ 1000.
One potential argument is that as improved laptops come out year after year, you just have to wait a few years to buy a gaming laptop that’s better than the current generation consoles. Or wait for a gaming laptop equivalent to a PS5 or Xbox Series X to drop in price.
However, there are two issues.
First, with newer gaming laptops, you’re still paying over $ 1000 for a decent model. Also, you never know if next year’s new devices might be a giant leap from your laptop.
We’ve seen that happen this year, as the latest gaming laptops come with a complete overhaul of their processors and GPUs. Not only that, but at the same prices as last year’s entries.
Second, it will be a long time before we find a brand new gaming laptop boasting near-current-gen console-level specs for $ 500. While the price of current gaming laptops will drop as newer laptops take center stage, prices aren’t dropping as quickly as you might think.
While a gaming laptop might be a lot more versatile than a console, it’s still a bitter pill to swallow, thinking you’ll have to shell out more than double the money to get a gaming laptop. with roughly the same specifications.
5. For desktop PC gamers: it is more cost effective to build and upgrade a gaming PC
If you are planning to go from desktop gaming to a gaming laptop, be aware that despite the added convenience, you get a machine that is limited in nature.
Also, your desktop PC version will be upgradeable, allowing you to replace obsolete components instead of buying a whole new device every time it exceeds its lifespan, like you would with a PC. gaming laptop.
Gaming laptop hardware is also an adapted version of the desktop PC hardware type, to accommodate their more compact and portable nature. These laptop-oriented components are less powerful than their PC counterparts and therefore are less future-proof.
With fewer upgrade options and a shorter lifespan, it would be more cost effective to build your own gaming PC than to buy a gaming laptop.
Gaming laptops are getting better
There are some major drawbacks to gaming laptops that are worth considering if you are planning to upgrade to mobile gaming.
However, this is not all bad news. Gaming laptops are improving as their manufacturers try to find more effective solutions to their shortcomings.
While we’re not there yet, the potential of gaming laptops for the future is exciting.
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