Six of the best laptops for game development in 2021

Whether for developing games for fun or professionally, each laptop performs differently, it’s important to keep in mind that not every model out there can handle games that use complex software. The gaming industry has been growing rapidly in recent years.

A study conducted by New Zoo found out that the global gaming market is expected to rise to $160 billion by the end of the year. And 48 percent of it will be dominated by mobile gaming. Now is the best time to become a gaming developer. Every game developer requires a good laptop to test their creation. In this post, we are going to discuss the six best laptops for gaming development in 2021. But first, let’s look at a few laptop basics.

Buyer’s guide – Laptop for game development

Before we start discussing the best laptops for gaming, it’s important to keep in mind that the best laptops don’t have to be expensive. Let’s face it. It’s not mandatory to break the bank just to buy a machine that isn’t ideal for the intended purpose. There are a handful of specifications that define a worthy laptop when it comes to game development. And the price isn’t on our list.

The appropriate hardware is necessary to run the software that is necessary to develop a game and IDEs like Unreal Engine and Unity 3D. Remember, these IDEs are demanding. Therefore, when looking for a laptop to develop games, it’s important to look for these specifications:

CPU

Without a doubt, game development demands a good CPU. Therefore, when looking for a laptop, it’s necessary to get a hexa-core or a quad-core Intel. For those who are not into Intel, it’s possible to go for AMD Ryzen 7 Series Processor.

RAM

When developing a game, many applications will be running simultaneously. And it’s necessary to be able to jump from one app to another without any hindrances or lags. That’s why RAM is key. A machine should have at least 16GB RAM – 32GB would be even better.

GPU

Experienced game developer are probably familiar with 3D models and playing in real-time. A capable GPU will ensure access to a number of games, from FIFA to Fallout moothly. When it comes to game development, a 4GB graphics card will be necessary. However, for those willing to develop AAA titles, 6 or 8GB VRAM is better. When it comes to storage, SSD should always be chosen over HHD because SSD is way quicker. After all, who wants a delay. 512GB storage should be the minimum since huge amounts of data will be required. Another option is a laptop with 1 TB SSD or investing in an external hard drive to save game codes.

Display

Since you’ll be testing what you create, it’s important to choose a display that makes a statement. You should go for at least 1080p. If your budget allows, a 4K OLED will work well for you. Ensure that your display has a high frame rate and a low response rate. Here’s a list of laptops:

Asus Zenbook Pro Duo

Battery life: 5 Hours
RAM: 16GB
Processor: Intel Core i7
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060

The Asus Zenbook Pro Duo is the best gaming laptop that you’ll find on the market today thanks to its heavy-duty processor. Its 16 GB RAM makes switching between developed games and Unity 3D smooth like butter. This laptop was among the first to get equipped with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 which can handle AAA titles. Its battery lasts for 4 hours 45 minutes when surfing and streaming high-quality videos.

Dell XPS 15

Battery life: 7 Hours
RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM
Processor: Intel Hexa-core i7 9th generation
Graphics Card: 4GM Nvidia GTX 1650

This laptop can get any kind of task done in no time thanks to its powerful 9th generation processor. Additionally, the 16GB RAM can allow you to open multiple applications at the same time. When you gather your friends and show them how powerful this laptop is, they won’t get away from you. The 15.6-inch display will allow you to see the tiny details of your creation without hurting your eyes. Its battery runs for eight hours when handling minimal tasks and five hours when testing games.

Acer Predator Helios 300

Battery life: 4 Hours
RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM
Processor: Intel core i7
Graphics Card: GeForce GTX 1660 Ti

The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a budget game development laptop that doesn’t sacrifice performance. Apart from game development, you can use it to video edit. It comes with corei7 and 16GB RAM which makes it one of the best game development laptops. Its 15.6 inch HD Display will ensure that all your games run without any lag. The battery lasts around 4 hours when running heavy games. And that’s below average.

HP Spectre x360

Battery life: 10 Hours
RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
Processor: Intel quad-core i5
Graphics Card: Integrated Intel Iris Plus

This is one of the most affordable laptops when it comes to game development. However, you’ll have to sacrifice RAM and Graphics Card for price. However, you’ll have intel Core i5 which is a powerful processor. The laptop doesn’t slow down at all when running heavy software. Its 13.3-inch display makes multitasking convenient and easy. Its battery life is on point because it goes for ten hours.

Apple MacBook Pro

Battery life: 11 Hours
RAM: 16GB RAM
Processor: Intel core i7
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon Pro 5300M

If you have set your mind on the Apple MacBook Pro, you can do wrong. The laptop is powered by a Core i7 9th generation processor with 16GB RAM and AMD Radeon Graphics Card. It’s the ideal choice for a game developer due to its built-in storage of 512 GB which can be extended to 1TB. Keep in mind that all Apple products are masterpieces when it comes to display. Its battery lasts for 11 hours.

Gigabyte Aero 15X

Battery life: 8 Hours
RAM: 16GB RAM
Processor: Intel core i7
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 1070

This is an amazing gaming laptop that doesn’t break under pressure. Its Core i7 processor and 16 GB RAM make this laptop ideal to run AAA title games. It’s an affordable laptop that doesn’t sacrifice performance. With a single charge, this laptop can go for 8 hours straight.

These are six amongst the best game development laptops in the market today, capable of running professional applications as well as playing online games such as FIFA and Minecraft.

The editorial unit