Best 14 Inch Gaming Laptop | Reviews and Buyers Guide
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Finding the best laptop comes down to understanding what you actually need and knowing which features are worth a bit more. So check out our reviews of the top 14-inch gaming laptops today.
For most people, the best gaming laptop is one that weighs less and has feature-rich specs for a great price. This makes it easy to carry around but still provides enough room on the screen for playing your favorite games without suffering lag.
However, this can be a difficult decision to make when you’re trying to find a computer that’s both lightweight and powerful enough for gaming. To help with this task, we’ve compiled reviews of different laptops in our guide below.
Why buy a 14-inch laptop for gaming?
The main difference between a smaller laptop (such as an 11-inch) and a larger one (like the 17-inch) is that you’ll sacrifice portability in return for more power. Many gamers want to be able to carry their laptops everywhere but still want the best specs for gaming.
For this reason, 14-inch laptops are a popular choice because they tend to weigh less than their larger counterparts while providing excellent response times and refresh rates for playing in return. With a screen size of 14 inches, you’ll be able to play games on the commute to work without having to suffer any drop in performance.
Although there are more extensive options, several brands have developed 14-inch computers specifically for gamers. If you’d like to get the best specs for your money, go with our top picks below!
Best 14 Inch Gaming Laptops | Compared
CLICK any image to see Ratings and Reviews on Amazon
| Image | Title | Buy | Empire Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Top | Razer Blade 14 Gaming Laptop | Buy Now | 4.9 / 5 (Best Overall) |
 | ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14" | Buy Now | 4.7 / 5 (Best Value) |
 | HP Pavilion x360 2-in-1 Laptop Computer | Buy Now | 4.4 / 5 |
 | 2021 Lenovo ThinkPad P14s 14" FHD | Buy Now | 4.6 / 5 |
 | 2021 Newest Dell Inspiron 14 7000 2-in-1 | Buy Now | 4.5 / 5 |
 | MSI Prestige 14 A10SC-020 14" | Buy Now | 4.2 / 5 |
 | ASUS ZenBook 14 Ultra-Slim Laptop | Buy Now | 4.3 / 5 |
Best 14 Inch Gaming Laptops | Reviews
1. Razer Blade 14 Gaming Laptop (Best Overall)
- The Razer Blade 14 is an ultra-thin gaming laptop with a sleek exterior design, world-class graphics, and cutting-edge AI that redefines mobile entertainment. The NVIDIA RTX 30 Series GPU delivers the most realistic ray-traced graphics for sharp visuals, making games come to life in even more vivid detail. It's perfect for immersive gaming on the go because it comes at 0.66 inches thin, making it one of the slimmest laptops available.
- Boasting NVIDIAs latest graphics, the rising star of the PC gaming world will let gamers do more than ever without sacrificing power or performance. With a sleek and modern design built on quality materials, this machine stands out from competitors with its minimalistic appearance accentuating its powerful components.
- The Razer Blade 14 Gaming Laptop is the best of both worlds for fast gaming and ultra-clear display. With an AMD Ryzen 5000 Series processor, this laptop provides one-of-a-kind immersive experiences while dominating any multi-threaded task, like 3D rendering and software compiling. The impressive QHD 165Hz display is perfect for quick viewing in either high-photo editing or competitive matches.
- It has an edge-to-edge display which offers plenty of screen real estate for both work and play. With the capability to switch between a thin keyboard or touchpad, you can be as agile as you like. This laptop also features a large backlit spill-resistant keyboard so that typing during those late-night gaming sessions is more comfortable than ever before.
- The Razer Blade has some of the best sounds on the market. This includes up to 7.1 surround sound, giving you the most lifelike experience out there. The laptop is sleek, hot, and ready to play. They are built for gaming with Wi-Fi 6E technology, USB Type-A connections on the go, HDMI 2.1 plus TPM 2.0, locking your data safe with ultimate security!
2. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (Best Value)
- The ROG Zephyrus G14 is a powerful gaming laptop that can run exceptionally well. With 120Hz refresh rates, gamers will feel like they are playing on TV with this great laptop.
- It's got a 14 inch Full HD Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and the Latest AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS Processor (beat 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H), making it excellent at gaming and other tasks. With an 8 Core processor of up to 4.30GHz along with 1TB SSD memory, it will be super fast when loading programs or files, saving you lots of time! The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 has 16GB DDR4 RAM, so that multitasking won't be the slightest bit of a problem for you!
- The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a sophisticated gaming laptop with dazzling graphics and immersive sound, made possible by the latest NVIDIA RTX 6GB dedicated video memory technology, Dolby Atmos, and Wireless/Wired connectivity (Wi-Fi 6-802.11 ax).
- So, if you're a gamer who has been looking for a lighter, more portable laptop that doesnt sacrifice performance or quality, then ASUS made the perfect one just for you. The ROG Zephyrus G14 is less than an inch thick and around three pounds...light enough to take with you anywhere. And the keyboard contains chiclets keys which make it easy to type, even in low-lit conditions. Plus, this sleek machine features a 14-inch Full HD display..enough space to be comfortable while gaming on even your most extended binge session.
3. HP Pavilion x360 2-in-1 Laptop Computer
- While this computer may not be as high-end as a Razer Blade Pro, it looks to have one thing going for it: price. The 2020 HP Pavilion x360 is sleek, intuitive, and able to tackle any task you need. The Quad-Core processor gives it the pep needed for heavy-duty tasks while letting you enjoy your favorite movies on your roomy Full HD Display with a touch screen. This computer can go from laptop to tablet mode effortlessly-all at a great price!
- The HP Pavilion x360 is a 2-in-1 laptop with an IPS 1920x1080 resolution and touch, tap, slide, and Windows 10. The 16GB DDR4 Memory is excellent for full-power multitasking, as well as the 256GB PCIe SSD Solid State Drive (PCI-e). It has up to 15x faster performance than a traditional hard drive and excellent quality color and clarity with the 1080p screen.
- HP Pavilion x360 is the best-designed, functioned laptop for students at a price point under $1000. It has a 10th Generation Intel Core i5 processor, so you will have future compatibility and greater processing power with wireless connectivity up to 802.11ac, which allows for playing HD video or streaming high-quality audio from multiple devices simultaneously over Wi-Fi from any location in your home theater setup.
- The keyboard provides instant visibility during night use but won't stay lit after use. While the 256GB SSD storage may be too low for some, it's the best entry-level gaming laptop we could find.
4. Lenovo ThinkPad P14s 14″
- This lightweight 14 laptop from Lenovo packs an impressive display into a small package-it still has plenty of screen real estate even though it's lower than most others on the market. The 1920 x 1080 IPS display lets you use the HDMI port or the USB Type C ports to extend your content onto additional monitors, which can make game-play even more real.
- Chances are, you're out to get work done, and your computer is the only tool that will do. Thats why it needs powerful protection for hackers or would-be intruders. The Lenovo ThinkPad P14s notebook stands up to several security challenges to protect your digital identity and maximize productivity in rain or shine. Bulletproof hardware includes a match-on-chip fingerprint reader, a dedicated TPM chip, and a Kensington lock slot for physically tethering the computer while traveling (just like what you see at Starbucks).
- The ThinkPad P14s Mobile Workstation gives you up to 15 hours of battery life so that you have plenty of time to finish what you started before heading home or heading out on your next adventure. With the new Wi-Fi 6 and optional WWAN, we make it easier than ever for you to get online when and where it matters most.
- A well-balanced 14 display, 250 nit brightness rating, and an anti-glare surface make long hours in front of a computer easy on your eyes without glare or distracting reflection. The 256GB PCIe NVMe M2 SSD boots Windows 10 Professional lightning-quick from sleep mode for those times you need to dive back into games as soon as you have time to spare.
5. Dell Inspiron 14 7000 2-in-1 Touchscreen Business Laptop
- The Dell Inspiron 14 7000 2-in-1 has a sharp, bright display and mighty processing power packed into a sleek package. Laptops are no longer boring with this versatile two-in-one device that can double as a tablet for entertainment on the go.
- This laptop boasts an excellent 1920 x 1080 resolution for impressive displays with wide viewing angles. You can get creative with Full HD color or enjoy an immersive adventure on the large screen, featuring natural finger-touch navigation to help you find anything in Windows 10 effortlessly. This laptop is also a 4th generation AMD Ryzen 5 4500U Hexa Core Processor for top-of-the-line performance!
- The Inspiron 14 7000 combines the power of an ultra-compact laptop into an amazingly portable one. With up to 16GB of DDR4 Random Access Memory and 1TB SSD flash memory, this computer is perfect for students, business professionals, and gamers alike, challenging their creativity or maximizing their performance.
- It's no surprise that gamers want the best of the best, and we think you might like it too. This Dell Inspiron laptop is perfect for competitive gamers on a budget! With AMD Ryzen 5 4500U high application performance and smoother gaming experiences, with machine intelligence multitasking capabilities with up to 6 cores and 12 processing speeds, this laptop is a top contender in its class!
6. MSI Prestige 14 A10SC-020
- MSI strives to deliver quality and innovation for gamers of all levels. The MSI Prestige gaming laptop is a sleek and compact 14 Full HD display that features supreme sound clarity and intense graphics power with its Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU. It amplifies productivity via excellent multitasking capabilities.
- The MSI Prestige 14 is one of our favorite products. It packs a 3.9GHz processor and has 16 GB of ram, which will enable all the multitasking you can throw at it with no significant issues. This product should suit any gamer who isnt looking for raw graphics power but still appreciates stunning visuals.
- The Nvidia GeForce GTX1650 graphics card is not equal to Intels Core i5-10210U, but it still performs well for most competitive titles. Suppose you want better performance with high-quality visuals in your game of choice. In that case, though, you should lower settings and get acceptable frame rates rather than running into lag spikes while trying to play any high demanding games.
7. ASUS ZenBook 14 Ultra-Slim Laptop
- They built the thin and light design of the ZenBook 14 with portability in mind. With a full HD IPS display, anti-glare panel, and gorgeous edge-to-edge screen bezels, this laptop weighs in at less than 2.9 pounds making it very easy to carry around for a full day of work or play without ever getting tired of carrying your laptop around!
- The ASUS ZenBook 14 features a 4-inch ScreenPad that can multitask without interrupting the task at hand. The ZenBook 14 is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce MX450 discrete graphics, giving you reasonably powerful performance anywhere.
- Fundamentally, youve got a reasonably powerful Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor paired with Nvidias GeForce MX450 graphics card. Though it can handle games, this combination is only suitable for more competitive titles that arent too demanding on your system resources - otherwise, expect to struggle in anything else, especially if playing on higher settings because it won't reach the high framerates.
- If you're looking for a budget laptop with an impressive screen and fast performance, the ZenBook 14 is worth considering.
- The lightweight design of this device will make it easy to take anywhere without weighing down your backpack or messenger bag! Plus, theres always that additional display for other tasks, such as video and photo editing.
Video: How Far Behind Are Today’s Laptop GPUs?
What is a gaming laptop, and why do you need one?
A gaming laptop is a high-performance, feature-rich computer designed for playing video games. Mainstream laptops and most 2-in-1’s are not made for hardcore gaming and will fail to run the latest titles at an acceptable framerate. If you’re looking to play competitive titles, you will need a high-performance gaming laptop with an advanced graphics card.
Currently, the best laptops for gamers are in the 14″ to 17″ range. If portability is your main concern, there are some excellent options in the 13″ category. However, these smaller models often have weaker gaming performance because of their compact size, which leads to CPUs and GPUs that will struggle in more demanding games.
The best gaming laptops are also costly because they feature cutting-edge hardware, including an advanced GPU (graphics card), a fast processor, lots of RAM (at least 16GB), and large amounts of SSD storage. Expect to spend around $1500 for a decent gaming laptop with dedicated graphics.
If you are on a budget, the laptop you get will be less potent than these high-end models while still running most titles at an acceptable framerate – but don’t expect to run the latest AAA-rated games.
Buy on AmazonBuyers Guide:
Before buying a laptop for gaming, decide what type of games you want to play and how vital the graphics quality is. If you only plan to play indie titles that aren’t graphically demanding, it doesn’t make sense to splurge on an expensive device with high-end specs. Here are some features and specs to consider.
CPU:
The CPU is one of the most fundamental things to consider when buying a gaming laptop. Most processors sold in laptops are of the Intel Core i5 or i7 series, but some aren’t, so check to ensure you’re getting at least a quad-core because dual-core processors won’t cut it for the power-hungry modern games.
There’s a lot of excitement around the second wave of Tiger Lake-H (H35) chips from Intel, hitting gaming systems in late 2021. The Intel Core i9 CPUs and thin and light Core i7 processors will be available for gamers who want top performance from their laptops. At the same time, budget machines can get new low-power i5 versions with improved battery life thanks to these higher-performing parts.
The four-core Intel H35 is a good fit for media and multi-threaded tasks like video editing, but it’s not as vital in gaming. The additional cores bring benefits to these types of projects that can impact efficiency and performance compared to simpler games that don’t usually see much benefit from more threads.
The Tiger Lake series has been designed with gamers or casual users alike; this processor delivers improved scores when working on multi-threaded applications such as 3D rendering software rather than relying heavily upon one task at a time like most people do while playing their favorite titles.
Are you planning to buy a new laptop? Make sure you’re buying the best processor for your needs. High-end systems will have Intel Core i7 H, HQ, and HK processors, while midrange platforms feature an i5 with U series chips being more power-efficient in their design and are found in budget machines. Remember that not all laptops are created equal, so be on top of what type of system it is before making any purchases!
There are a few different processor options for gaming laptops, but some of the best will offer Intel Core i9 H-Series processors. These chips are also great at media tasks and offer excellent performance overall in any type or genre you’re interested in playing! You can find U-series chips in gaming laptops, but they’re uncommon.
The Ryzen 5 5000 series is an excellent example of how AMD has competed with Intel in the high-end CPU market. We’ve seen that these processors give a strong signal for even better performance, and we’ll be looking forward to testing them further when our upcoming laptop comes equipped with one!
Buy on AmazonNVIDIA GPU:
The GPU is also known as a graphics processing unit, the most critical component in determining how well your laptop will perform in the latest games. A higher-end GPU is always preferred when it comes to the graphics card, as this will affect your gaming performance. You should aim for an RTX 2000 series, but if budget permits, go ahead and get one with the newer RTX 3000 model number instead.
The process of rendering graphics on a screen is called “graphic processing.” It’s what gives movies and games their fluid look, but it takes up all kinds of time. Enter: GPUs (graphics processor units), which work with your computer system to rapidly turn 2D polygons into tangible objects for you!
The higher numbered series mean more powerful chipsets that can do this faster than lesser models–for example, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 will produce better frames rates plus provide higher-quality graphics than its counterpart, the RTX 3040 does, and that’s true across all brands. Remember, the higher the number, the better the GPU.
Nvidia still rules the roost when it comes to graphics. Intel, on the other hand, has maintained its position in the CPU market. Its largest competitor AMD is seeing an increase in use. More gaming laptops are now coming equipped with Radeon RX 5000 Series GPUs, and you’ll often find them paired up alongside an Intel processor too.
We’re also starting to see more frequent examples of this type of combo – sometimes even pairing both together at once on one machine for ultimate performance.
Buy on AmazonScreen display:
As the main component determining how well you can game, you should pay close attention to your laptop’s resolution. This will ultimately determine how many pixels you see on the screen, affecting other performance factors like refresh rate and frame rates.
Whatever screen size you choose, your monitor’s native resolution should be at least full HD (1920-by-1080 pixel) to provide the best viewing experience. If you want higher resolutions, it will cost you a lot more, and for a 14″ display, it’s most certainly not worth it. You see, it’s not just about the more costly screen but also, the more expensive, more powerful, more everything graphics chip you’ll need to power it!
Your graphics card is the most critical component in providing a smooth game-play. If you play games on your computer, then 1080p resolution might be better for you as it will result in faster frame rates and less lag time when compared with 4K screen resolutions which are not supported by all types of powerful graphic cards yet!
Refresh panel:
If you’re looking for the best gaming experience, your laptop must have a high-refresh panel. You can identify laptops with screens like these by looking for 120Hz, 144Hz, or 240 Hz panels in their product descriptions – 60Hz panels are typically found on standard models. Still, gaming machines need over 100Hz to be effective.
RAM:
We recommend at least 16GB RAM here, so much so all the models we’ve recommended have it. You used to be able to get away with 8GB RAM but not today. The games are far too powerful, and you’ll see real advantages in opting for double the RAM.
Drive:
For faster performance, look for at least 512GB SSD storage – unless you are on a tight budget, in which case you can get away with 256GB. Because the latest games are so big, they can easily take up to 60GB of storage space alone!
Battery life:
Gaming laptops are always power-hungry, so don’t expect to get more than 3-4 hours of battery life. The good thing is you can charge it back quickly, but if you decide to game on the go, then make sure you have your charger with you just in case.
Price:
This will vary wildly between models, but if the price is your primary concern, then you can still get some great gaming laptops for under $1000. The more affordable the laptop, the less powerful it is, so it won’t necessarily be classed as a gaming laptop. It just has enough of the minimum specifications required to run some lighter games. Like the Razer Blade 14, a premium gaming laptop will cost more than $2000, so you’ll need to think about what you’re willing to spend.
Buy on AmazonCooling system:
Most laptops have fans that will blow hot air out through the vents on the side or back. This is important to keep in mind because it could affect how well your laptop performs during heated gaming sessions. If you don’t want thermal throttling regularly, you might want to go with a laptop with a better cooling system. Laptops naturally run hot, but some lower-priced models don’t have cooling systems powerful enough to avoid this.
Sound:
While this isn’t the most crucial factor when buying this laptop for gaming, having good-quality speakers can make your in-game experience more enjoyable if you like to listen to game audio and music while playing. The top models will have surround sound or similar speakers or a headphone jack to plug into.
Webcam:
Some laptops with a webcam built-in have low-quality cameras, so if you’re going to be doing a lot of video conferencing or streaming, then look for a model with a good HD camera. Or plug your external webcam into the USB port.
Buy on AmazonUSB ports:
Don’t just settle for the status quo when it comes to your computer. Make sure you have at least two regular-shaped USB 3.0 ports so that you can plug in an external mouse and hard drive for saved media files, or else buy something like this $35 dock which has four total connections, including HDMI out!
If you want a VR headset attached, make sure your GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or better rig has enough ports for it. You’ll need at least one HDMI video output and a USB connection so that all of the hydra-head cablings are correctly connected in order not to get any conflicts while using this device!
Backlit keyboard:
Most gaming laptops will come with a backlit keyboard so you can game in low light conditions or at nighttime with the lights off. This is especially handy if you like to game in the dark. It gives you better control of your characters and will help avoid errors when playing games.
Operating System:
Most gaming laptops run on Windows 10 Pro, but if it’s cheaper, some models may come with Windows 10 Home instead. You can always upgrade for free to Windows 11 on some models, so look out for that if you’re concerned about future-proofing your purchase.
Buy on AmazonConclusion
We hope this article has given you some valuable insight into the best 14″ gaming laptops available? While size is important, it’s not the only factor to consider when purchasing a laptop for gaming. Many different components impact performance, even if they aren’t immediately noticeable in terms of game-play.
As long as you choose a model with an appropriate graphics card, solid-state drive, high enough RAM, and as many USB connections as you need for your setup, you should be ready to game on instantly!
There are plenty of gaming laptops available in the market with different specs and features so that you can choose one depending on your budget. If you want a laptop for heavy usages like gaming and editing, go for a laptop with at least 1TB storage space and 16 GB RAM. For casual gamers, 512GB hard disk drive and 8 to 12 GB RAM should be enough. Also, choose a laptop with good battery backup to enjoy long hours of gaming sessions. We hope this article helps you in purchasing your favorite one!
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Best 13 Inch Gaming Laptops for the Money
Best 15 Inch Gaming Laptop | Reviews and Buying Guide
Here are our favorite 13 inch gaming laptops
CLICK any image to see Ratings and Reviews on Amazon
| Image | Title | Buy | Empire Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Top | Razer Blade Stealth 13 Ultrabook Gaming Laptop | Buy Now | 4.9 / 5 (Best Overall) |
 | Dell Inspiron 13 5310 | Buy Now | 4.8 / 5 (Best Value) |
 | Premium Acer Spin 5 13 2 in 1 Laptop | Buy Now | 4.7 / 5 |
 | ASUS ZenBook Flip 13 | Buy Now | 4.7 / 5 |
 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 | Buy Now | 4.6 / 5 |
 | 2021 HP Envy Laptop | Buy Now | 4.5 / 5 |
 | Lenovo IdeaPad S540 | Buy Now | 4.4 / 5 |
 | MSI Summit E13 | Buy Now | 4.7 / 5 |
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