The gaming PC vs gaming laptop debate is something that has confused so many PC gamers out there. That's because both systems have their strengths and weaknesses that may or may not ride well with somebody's needs or wants.
gaming pc vs gaming laptop
Well, that's what we aim to demystify with this article today. Once you're done reading this, you will of the key differences between the a gaming PC and a gaming laptop - and what makes either of them perfect for a specific type of user.
The Performance Debate
IGN says it plain: a high-end gaming desktop will always outperform a high-end gaming laptop, even if they seem to have the same hardware on paper. So whenever you see a laptop with an RTX 3080, that GPU isn't going to be as fast as its desktop counterpart. If you don't believe us, here's a benchmark comparing a laptop version of the 3080 vs its full, fat desktop counterpart:
The performance difference is night and day, as you could see.
One might say that on a desktop, PC hardware can be pushed to their absolute limits without worrying too much about heat. Computer cases have a lot of room for airflow to cool even the hottest GPU and CPU combos on the market. But on a laptop, there's really not much room for airflow. And as such, the hardware's performance needs to be kneecapped so they don't overheat.
This is why a gaming laptop will always, ALWAYS feel hotter than normal. And all of this really just leads back to portability - which will be the next topic we'll talk about.
Portable Or Not Portable?
As previously mentioned, even the best gaming laptops will have their high-end hardware kneecapped so they don't overheat. "Why don't we just make laptops with better cooling," you ask? Well, it's technically almost impossible because laptops HAVE to be portable. And to improve their cooling will almost always mean making them bigger, which is terrible for portability.
In the gaming PC vs gaming laptop debate, portability is one of the biggest points of contention. You can't really fit a gaming desktop into your backpack for plane rides or in the car, even if it's already small. You'll still need to bring a compatible display, a mouse, and a keyboard (game controller optional). With the best gaming laptops, you get literally everything in one package: built-in display, mouse, keyboard, power source, everything.
The best gaming laptops are plug-and-play, and it's just convenient for folks who travel more often than not and still need the performance only PC gaming can provide.
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Price Considerations
Another major component of the gaming PC vs gaming laptop debate is price. Simply put, all of that gaming performance packed into a tiny package is what makes the best gaming laptops cost an arm and a leg. But that's not everything that drives laptop prices way up.
As per DotESports, a gaming laptop tends to be more expensive because it hasextremely limited upgrade and repair options. If your laptop breaks or slows down, the only recourse is ask somebody to fix it or buy a new one. You can't upgrade a laptop beyond adding more RAM to it these days. The hardware you get will stay the same.
On the side of desktop PCs, they can still be more expensive than laptops at times. That's because the price of high-end components, like GPUs, are often as astronomical as entire laptops on their own. Not to mention, you'll need to buy separate peripherals, a separate display, and a few other accessories. But this price can be lowered if you go for basic peripherals that don't break the bank.
Gaming PC Vs Gaming Laptop: Overall Value
There's really no winner in this gaming PC vs gaming laptop debate. Even in terms of value, both options for PC gaming make a ton of sense for very different types of users.
If you mostly do your gaming at home and don't need to game as much when travelling, stick to a desktop. If you need to travel a lot but don't want to leave your games behind, get a laptop. That's pretty much it.
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