How to Choose The Best Gaming Laptop in 2019

GIGABYTE Notebooks knows the struggle is real when it comes to choosing the best gaming laptop in 2019. There's so many great options in the market and you can get power, performance and speed in a budget friendly laptop depending on your real needs. Now, we can go on and on about the really cool laptops created by our company, but what we really want to do is help you know how to choose the right kind of laptop so when you do buy a new laptop in 2019 you feel secure in how you spent your hard earned cash.

Pro-tip: Don't just grab the best deal on Black Friday - you spend a lot in software licenses, you need to make sure your hardware is up to the task.

Use this guide to help you choose the right laptop for you this Black Friday - You can find our sales here

Here's some exciting news: Depending on your software needs you might need a gaming laptop or you might need a laptop created for creative pros. What? How can this be true? Doesn't everyone know if you want power, speed and performance you MUST have a gaming laptop? Well, no - that used to be true but no longer - Creative professionals have very specific needs, in this article we're going to give you the info you need to make the right decision when investing in your next laptop whether you're a creative who casually games or a hard core gamer who sometimes edits video.

So do you need a gaming laptop if you're not a gamer?

If you're a creative using Adobe Creative Suite, 3D modeling programs like Blender or Zbrush or 3D Coat or do a lot of 4K, 6K or even 8k editing then you might think you need a gaming laptop to get the job done. While that used to be true, after all you needed the power of a CPU with a graphics card that could pull the heavy load and until GIGABYTE Notebooks pioneered the creative professional pc laptop featuring the extreme performance of Intel CPUs and Nvidia RTX Studio graphic cards, gaming laptops were your only real choice. Today the options are plenty and amazingly budget friendly compared to just five or six years ago and this new generation of laptops and gaming laptops come with so much more power and speed.

For gamers, you need super fast refresh rates, special cooling features so you don't over heat when you're in the middle of a raid and you definitely need options on your CPU like what if you want to overclock? Wait? You can overclock a laptop? Yes, yes you can when you get the right one.

Let's face it, there are so many options when choosing a computer it can be an overwhelming decision, that's why we're breaking things down into 3 use categories to help you make the right decision when investing in your new laptop regardless of budget, these are the key things you'll be looking for in a gaming laptop or creative professional laptop.

ALL GIGABYTE Notebooks use premium components to ensure smooth, power laden performance.

Ultra-Performance

Creative professionals who need power, blazing fast speed and stability to render 4K (up to 8K) video, multi-task with graphic and animation heavy software developing games, environments and creating out of this world special effects, can't afford to compromise. So, if you're using Nuke, Zbrush, Adobe Premiere, and other heavy software features you need:

* Color Accurate Display - Coloring film, ensuring print and outstanding resolution to ensure all the final details are polished. It's why the AERO Series are calibrated for color accuracy whether you're looking for the outstanding display of a 4K OLED panel in the AERO15 Series calibrated especially for filmmakers with the X-rite Pantone certification or the Adobe RGB 100% calibration for designers and photographers on the UHD/FHD panels available in all AERO models, GIGABYTE Notebooks ensures that each unit is calibrated for color accuracy right out of the box.

* Lightening Fast CPU - If you're doing a lot of multi-tasking, keep a ton of tabs open and flip back and forth between programs while editing 4K or higher footage, while creating amazing special effects, or if you're using CAD programs to design complex 3D models for print, games or film - nothing will beat the Intel 9th Gen i9 Core. (Not sure what the CPU's really do?- read this article where we translate tech into real talk when it comes to CPUs)

*Portability - Ultra-Performance includes portability. After all if you're getting a laptop so you can create away from your desk, whether you're on location or just want to get out of the office, having a laptop that's sleek, light and powerful is essential. That's why the AERO series laptops are under 5lbs, less than 1 inch thick. There's no compromise in any of the AERO models when it comes to style. Check out Emmy Winner Mark Nazal's reaction to his first peek at the AERO17 UHD which he used to edit his independent micro short film - Enter The Shadowbane.

*Battery Life - Okay, let's face it, sometimes you have to work on a plane, on location or on the run. Oh those last minute edits, you know the drill. High powered computing means high battery use, AERO Series laptops give you all the power with amazing battery life. But let's face it, if you're running all the programs at the same time, you're going to use all the battery too. Check out this article on battery life.

* Blazing Fast GPU - Nvidia's RTX Studio graphics cards are insanely powerful. It used to be that GPUs would take up CPU use, but Nvidia has created a fantastic solution in the new RTX Studio series. Whether you work on visual effects or 3D modeling the speed, stability and render times using these cards are insane. No stutter, no chug, just performance. For ultra-performance you want to make sure you're using an Nvidia RTX Studio 2080 Max-Q (calibrated per unit on AERO Series laptops for peak 3D performance).

* Ports - ALL OF THEM. Seriously, the AERO Series comes with more ports to keep you connected to all the devices. Super easy to connect your drawing tablets, monitors, lightening cords, and even boasts an SSD slot. (Who loves you? Yeah, we do, we gave you all the ports for all the things.)

3x USB 3.1 Gen1 (Type-A) 1x Thunderbolt™ 3 (USB Type-C) 1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4 & USB3.1 (USB Type-C)* 1x 3.5mm Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack 1x UHS-II SD Card Reader 1x DC-in Jack 1x RJ-45

Check out this teaser edited by AERO Brand Ambassador, Emmy Winning visual effects supervisor Mark Nazal, he used the AERO17 UHD to edit his experimental micro-short film "Enter The Shadowba featuring original music from Che

Ultra- Performance Gaming

If you're a Hardcore Gamer, then you need different specs, GIGABYTE Notebooks believes in zero compromise when it comes to getting the right laptop for your needs. Just like creators can't afford to compromise, neither can you. If you're into E-sports, twitch streaming or are just serious about AAA games then you need a gaming laptop that takes on the competition head on. You can't afford to use inferior components and as the king of components GIGABYTE ensures that the AORUS series of laptops is as hardcore as you are, check the specs:

Monitor - Let's chat refresh rates shall we? No, we didn't stutter, and neither will you when you're in the middle of the field in the dark wondering where the heck that guy came from... The AORUS17 17.3" Thin Bezel AUO FHD 1920x1080 240Hz Anti-Glare Display or AORUS 15 with the 15.6" display

Insane Performance CPU - You used to get stuck to a tower gaming if you wanted to over clock your CPU on a gaming computer. Intel's 9th gen i9 is a powerful beast of a CPU which you can overclock to be an absolute monster while you're slaying your foes and taking names.

System Memory - 32GB DDR4 2400MHz, 2 Slots (Max 64GB) - It's all Intel inside on GIGABYTE laptops.

Graphics - You so have not gamed until you have gamed with real time ray tracing. Nvidia Geoforce RTX 2080 GPUs give you outstanding visuals while giving you insane performance boosts. It's almost unfair to use this kind of power in your game, almost... Intel® UHD Graphics 630

NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 GDDR6 8GB

Ports - All the ports for you too! Let's face it if you're streaming or recording you need to plug in all the things, so many ports...it's like a port fest.

1x HDMI2.0 2x USB3.1 Gen1(Type-A) 1x USB3.1 Gen2(Type-A) 1x USB3.1 Gen1(Type-C) 1x DP 1.4 & USB3.1 (Type-C)* 1x Thunderbolt3 (Type-C) 1x UHS-II SD Card Reader 1x Microphone 1x Earphone (HiFi/SPDIF) 1x RJ45 2x DC-in Jack

AORUS 17 is the ULTIMATE in Ultra Performance Gaming Laptops

High Performance

Let's face it, not everyone is running Nuke, Adobe Premiere and After Effects at the same time with a touch of Maya being tossed in for good measure. However, you might be using Adobe Photoshop, 3D Coat and Unreal at the same time and need a high performance laptop that's got your back with no chug or stutter. It's important to understand what your needs are when you're investing your money into a laptop, after all this is how you make your living.

Don't think there's compromise in a High Performance laptop, at GIGABYTE we created the AERO series with specific users in mind.

At Adobe Max, AERO Art Ambassador, Anthony Jones wow-ed the crowd by painting on Adobe Photoshop while running 3D Coat and Unreal at the same time with zero stutter or chug. Multi-tasking goodness happens on High Performance machines and if you're editing up to 4K video, making 3D animated projects, editing large raw photo files, or creating cool stuff on a 3D printer, the High Performance AERO series laptops were created with your needs in mind.

AERO Art Ambassador Anthony Jones painting with Adobe Photoshop with Unreal Engine and 3D Coat running in the background at AdobeMax 2019

So let's get down to what's under the super slim and sleek chassis - All the good stuff with a tweak or two.

* Color Accurate Display - Coloring film, ensuring print and outstanding resolution to ensure all the final details are polished. It's why the AERO Series are calibrated for color accuracy whether you're looking for the outstanding display of a 4K OLED panel in the AERO15 Series calibrated to color film or video with the X-rite Pantone certification or the Adobe RGB 100% calibration for designers and photographers on the UHD/FHD panels available in all AERO models, GIGABYTE Notebooks ensures that each unit is calibrated for color accuracy right out of the box.

* Lightening Fast CPU - Here's the deal, sometimes you just need a solid CPU, if you're working with things like our Art Ambassador Anthony Jones the Intel 9th Gen i7 Core does a great job with stress free stability for high performance creation. Still super fast, the i7 core does what you need to make those amazing art pieces, and develop animated 3D models for gaming and printing. (Not sure what the CPU's really do?- read this article where we translate tech into real talk when it comes to CPUs)

* Super Powered GPU - Nvidia's RTX Studio graphics cards are insanely powerful. It used to be that GPUs would take up CPU use, but Nvidia has created a fantastic solution in the new RTX Studio series. All of these RTX Studio cards offer amazing performance, the 2070 Max-Q is really powerful and even if you're editing up to 6K footage you're good on models with this card. No stutter, no chug, just performance. For high-performance you want to make sure you're using an Nvidia RTX Studio 2070 Max-Q (calibrated per unit on AERO Series laptops for peak 3D performance).

3x USB 3.1 Gen1 (Type-A) 1x Thunderbolt™ 3 (USB Type-C) 1x HDMI 2.0 1x DP 1.4 & USB3.1 (USB Type-C)* 1x 3.5mm Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack 1x UHS-II SD Card Reader 1x DC-in Jack 1x RJ-45

High Performance Gaming Laptops

Maybe you're just starting a Twitch channel or getting into competitive gaming, or maybe you're a serious gamer but have a tighter budget. You don't need to make do to have smooth game play. After GIGABYTE loves it's gaming family, we want you to game with confidence. High Performance Gaming Laptops don't have all the power of the Ultra-Performance laptops, but they're still powerful and great gaming machines.

The AORUS series High-Performance Gaming Laptops are made with premium components, so you're getting great game play with the security of premium parts from Intel and Nvidia.

Monitor - The AORUS17

17.3" Thin Bezel LG® FHD 1920x1080 144Hz Anti-Glare IPS Display

High Performance CPU - Not everyone wants to overclock their gaming laptop (nor should everyone over clock their machine... it's an expert level task.) The 9th Gen Intel i7 is a powerful 6 core processor that offers you a ton of power. 9th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-9750H (2.6GHz~4.5GHz)

System Memory - Samsung® 16GB(8GB*2) DDR4 2666MHz, 2 Slots (Max 64GB)

Graphics - The Nvidia RTX Studio 2070 GPU is stunning with awesome real time ray tracing and speed that rocks.

Ports - All the ports for you too! Let's face it if you're streaming or recording you need to plug in all the things, so many ports...it's like a port fest.

Essential for No Compromise Portable Computing

When it comes to getting your work done right and on time, you have a base line of performance that you must have before you start losing quality on finished projects and worse - lost time. GIGABYTE Notebooks takes workflow seriously and ensures that our models created for people starting out or with lighter software needs (like photographers and graphic designers) still get no compromise when it comes to the performance you need to get your projects done well and on time.

Every creative pro has specific needs in their portable computer solutions, some need Ultra and High Performance, others need solid, stabile delivery. For photographers, graphic designers or students working to get into the design, arts or film industries, GIGABYTE Notebooks created laptops that give you the essentials to help get the job done and done right.

If you primarily use Adobe Creative Cloud and 3D modeling software like Blender now and then, you can rest assured that the Essential grade of the AERO series has you covered.

* Color Accurate Display - If you can't quite reach for the 4K OLED displays, you still get X-rite Pantone calibration in Adobe RGB 100% calibration for designers and photographers on the LCD panels available in Classic AERO models, GIGABYTE Notebooks ensures that each unit is calibrated for color accuracy right out of the box.

* Lightening Fast CPU - Here's the deal, sometimes you just need a solid CPU, if you're working with things like our Art Ambassador Anthony Jones the Intel 9th Gen i7 Core does a great job with stress free stability for high performance creation. Still super fast, the i7 core does what you need to make those amazing art pieces, and develop animated 3D models for gaming and printing. (Not sure what the CPU's really do?- read this article where we translate tech into real talk when it comes to CPUs) (Not sure what the CPU's really do?- read this article where we translate tech into real talk when it comes to CPUs)

*Portability - After all if you're getting a laptop so you can create away from your desk, whether you're on location or just want to get out of the office, having a laptop that's sleek, light and powerful is essential. That's why the AERO series laptops are under 5lbs, less than 1 inch thick. There's no compromise in any of the AERO models when it comes to style. Check out Emmy Winner Mark Nazal's reaction to his first peek at the AERO17 UHD which he used to edit his independent micro short film - Enter The Shadowbane.

* Stabile GPU- The Nvidia GTX 1660ti is a solid and stabile GPU which gets the job done. This is a great entry level choice for students and people who manage workflow without heavy multi-tasking.

* Ports - Plenty of ports to plug in monitors, external storage and of course an SD card for uploading photos and short videos.

USB 3.1 Gen1 (Type-A)*2

USB 3.1 Gen2 (Type-A)*1

Thunderbolt3(Type-C) *1

mini-DP 1.4 & USB3.1(Type-C)

HDMI2.0 x HDCP2.2

SD Card Reader(UHS-II)

Essential for Entry Level Gaming

Whether you're a casual gamer or just getting started, having the essentials with premium brand components means you still get some great game time when you power up your machine. These machines are easy on the budget and give you great play with decent graphics to help you build your skills.

Monitor - Whether you're going for 17.3" or 15.6" screens - The AORUS series gives you super thin bezels so you get more screen to play on plus they come with

LG® 17.3" Thin Bezel FHD 144Hz IPS anti-glare display LCD or LG® 15.6" Thin Bezel FHD 144Hz IPS anti-glare display LCD

System Memory - 8GB DDR4 2666MHz, 2 Slots (Max 64GB)

Graphics - Decent graphics from the best in GPUs - NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 GDDR5 4GBSupports NVIDIA® Optimus™ Technology

Ports - Plenty of ports to get that dual monitor flow going

USB 3.1 Gen1 (Type-A) x 2

(Support USB charger x1),

USB 3.1 Gen2(Type-C) x 1

Gen2(Support DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4

HDMI2.0 x HDCP2.2

Mini SD Card Reader x 1

Home of the Best Laptops for Creating and Gaming