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This might be one of the best value 1080p gaming laptops I’ve tested – if you can put up with a few missteps

6:54 am | November 4, 2025

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1: Two-minute review

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 seeks to strike the ideal balance between price and performance with the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, featuring an auspicious spec and a reasonable price tag.

It doesn’t make the best first impression, though, as it looks like a budget laptop. Its utilitarian focus leaves little room for style or elegance, and there’s little to signal its gaming prowess.

However, I was pleased to see that the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is surprisingly free from bulk, lacking the thickness or unsightly protrusions of many others in this sector. It won’t trouble the best gaming laptop constructions, though, since the materials aren’t the most premium, and the chassis flex doesn’t inspire much confidence.

Thankfully the lid is more sturdy and also easy to use. There’s quite a large gap between it and the bottom chassis when opened, which I found helped with ventilation.

There’s a decent selection of ports on the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, too, including three USB-A and two USB-C ports. There’s also a Mini DisplayPort, an HDMI port, and an ethernet port, all of which are welcome additions.

The Erazer Deputy 15 P1 impressed me with its gaming performance, handling AAA titles at high and even max settings very well. Cyberpunk 2077 and Dying Light: The Beast ran more smoothly than I was expecting given the RTX 5060 installed in my review unit: I experienced little in the way of stutter or significant frame rate drops.

Close-up of WASD keys on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

What’s more, the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 stayed remarkably cool throughout, with the hottest temperatures confined to the very back of the unit. There’s plenty of fan noise, though, so you’ll want to use a good pair of headphones to deal with this.

I found the image impressively sharp given the 1920 x 1080 resolution, since quality can suffer when this many pixels are stretched across a large display such as this. It’s also quite vibrant, although it’s perhaps a little more washed-out than some of its rivals. It’s quite reflective in suboptimal lighting conditions, too.

The full-size keyboard is a welcome sight, and there’s plenty of space between the keys. The floating keycaps are a nice touch as well, and they’re tactile enough for gaming purposes. They’re quite narrow, though, which I found to be problematic when typing.

The touchpad is smooth and quite small. Despite this, it can still get in the way when using the WASD keys, so you might want to disable it when gaming (easily achieved via an Fn shortcut).

The battery life of the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is nothing spectacular, but it’s not the worst in this sector, either. It managed to last close to seven hours in our movie playback test, but fared worse in the PCMark gaming battery test, where it only just managed to eclipse 90 minutes.

In many other regards, though, the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is a very capable 1080p gaming machine, offering a great experience for the money. There are other strong performers at this price point – and some considerably cheaper – which might have the edge in certain areas. But the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is still a worthy choice if you’re looking for a capable gaming laptop at the budget-end of the market.

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of webcam on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Starts from £1,099.99 (about $1,500 / AU$2,200)
Available now
Strong similarly-priced rivals

The Erazer Deputy 15 P1 starts from £1,099.99 (about $1,500 / AU$2,200) and is available now. Various configurations are available, including models with an Intel Core 9 and an RTX 5070. RAM and storage amounts vary between 16 and 32GB and 1 and 2TB respectively.

This is similar to the Acer Nitro 16 AMD, which is one of the best budget gaming laptop picks around. You’ll have to settle for a 4000 series RTX card, but the 165Hz refresh rate helps to elevate the experience.

For something even cheaper, there’s the Nitro V 15, another 1080p machine. You can configure this laptop with an RTX 5060, although the performance isn’t as good as the Erazer Deputy 15 P1’s.

Value: 4 / 5

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Specs

	Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 base config	Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review config	Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 max config
Price	£1,099.99	£1,349.00	£1,699
CPU	Intel i7-13620H (10 cores, 3.6GHz)	Intel Core 7 250H (14 cores, 2.5GHz)	Intel Core 9 270H (14 cores, 2.7GHz)
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 8GB	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 8GB	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, 8GB
RAM	16GB DDR5	16GB DDR5	32GB LPDDR5X
Storage	1TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	15.6-inch (1920 x 1080) IPS, 16:9, 144Hz	15.6-inch (1920 x 1080) IPS, 16:9, 144Hz	15.6-inch (1920 x 1080) IPS, 16:9, 144Hz
Ports and Connectivity	USB Type-C x 1 (with DisplayPort), USB 3.2 x 2, USB 2.0 x 1, HDMI x 1, Mini DisplayPort x 1, 3.5 mm jack x 1, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2	USB Type-C x 1 (with DisplayPort), USB 3.2 x 2, USB 2.0 x 1, HDMI x 1, Mini DisplayPort x 1, 3.5 mm jack x 1, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2	USB Type-C x 1 (with DisplayPort), USB 3.2 x 2, USB 2.0 x 1, HDMI x 1, Mini DisplayPort x 1, 3.5 mm jack x 1, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Battery	51.6Wh	51.6Wh	51.6Wh
Dimensions	0.9 x 14.2 x 9.7in (24 x 361 x 247mm)	0.9 x 14.2 x 9.7in (24 x 361 x 247mm)	0.9 x 14.2 x 9.7in (24 x 361 x 247mm)
Weight	5lbs / 2.25kg	5lbs / 2.25kg	5lbs / 2.25kg

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Design

Close-up of rear ports on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

Basic appearance
More portable than expected
Generous keyboard layout

It’s clear from even a cursory glance at the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 that it isn’t trying to win any style awards. Its austere looks are purely functional, with no fanfare in sight. The Medion logo on the lid is small and discreet, finished in a slightly darker shade of black than its surroundings.

There are a few unsightly juts and angles, but compared to others in this class, it’s pleasingly free from bulk. It’s reasonably thin, and although it features a rear protrusion for ventilation purposes, this isn’t as bulbous as many other examples. It’s also not as heavy as you might expect, meaning the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is one of the more portable 15-inch gaming laptops out there.

It’s not exactly built to the highest standards, though. The materials are far from the most premium, and the chassis has a fair amount of flex to it. Thankfully, the lid is a more solid affair, while still being easy and smooth to pivot into position.

There’s a noticeable gap between the display and the bottom half of the unit, which I haven’t seen before. This seems like a good idea for cooling purposes, though, helping to prevent heat radiating onto the display itself.

The bezel around the display is thin on most sides except the bottom. This is somewhat of a shame, but it does at least help to emphasize the widescreen effect.

Close-up of right-side ports on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

Since it’s quite a wide unit, the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 manages to fit in a full-size keyboard, complete with a number pad. The keys themselves don’t feel cramped, either, and I appreciated their floating design. They’re narrower than you’ll find on many other gaming laptop keyboards, though.

There are a generous number of ports on the Erazer Deputy 15 P1. There are three USB-A ports and two USB-C ports, spread across both sides, which improves convenience when connecting various peripherals. There’s also the obligatory headset jack.

On the rear you’ll find the power port, sandwiched between an HDMI port and an ethernet port. This location is a little impractical, since the included power adapter has an L-shaped barrel, meaning the cable will have to trail over your HDMI or ethernet cable, depending on your setup.

There’s also a Mini DisplayPort on the rear, which is a rare sight on a gaming laptop, but one I welcome all the same. One of the aforementioned USB-C ports can also handle external display connections.

Design: 3.5 / 5

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Performance

Close-up of right lid hinge on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1, open on desk with green wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Great 1080p performance
Sharp but reflective display
Impressive cooling abilities

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 Benchmarks

These are the various benchmark scores for the Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1:

Geekbench 6 (Multi Core): 14,639; (Single Core): 2,826
Cinebench R23 (Multi Core): 17,525; (Single Core): 2,056
Cinebench R24 (Multi Core): 1,111; (Single Core): 120
Crossmark Overall: 2,001
3DMark
Fire Strike: 26,820; Steel Nomad: 2,693; Solar Bay: 47,158; Speed Way: 2,938; Port Royal: 7,322
BlackMagicDisk Read: 3,917MB/s; Write: 2,458MB/s
25GB Copy Test: 278MB/s
Civilization VII (1080p, Medium): 190 FPS; (Max Resolution, High): 148 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, High): 121 FPS
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Medium): 150 FPS; (Max Resolution, Highest): 140 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Highest): 159 FPS
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Medium): 117 FPS; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 59 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Medium): 258 FPS; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 215 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Ultra): 240 FPS
F1 2024 (1080p, Medium): 254 FPS; (Max Resolution, Max Quality, No RT): 113 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Max Quality with RT): 87 FPS

The RTX 5060 and Core 7 250H combination in my review unit proved more than capable of keeping up with the latest AAA titles. When I played Dying Light: The Beast, I was getting fps figures in the low-to-mid 200s. This was with maximum graphics settings applied, DLSS upscaling set to Balanced, and Frame Generation turned on.

It didn’t run Cyberpunk 2077 quite so impressively, but it was still a great experience nonetheless. I was getting frame rates in the low hundreds on the maximum Ray Tracing: Overdrive preset, again with DLSS and Frame Generation turned on.

What’s more, its 1080p resolution looked sharper on the 15.6-inch display than I expected. It’s also surprisingly vibrant, although colors are still a little washed-out compared to other gaming laptops, and especially to the best gaming monitors. It’s also quite reflective in certain lighting conditions, and not even the highest brightness setting can mitigate the effect.

The cooling, on the other hand, is more impressive. During my play time, none of the touchable surfaces became anything more than lukewarm, not even the underside. The hottest part was just above the keyboard, but even this area wasn’t too hot to handle.

Close-up of touchpad on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

What’s more, that aforementioned gap between the lid and chassis prevented any heat leaking onto the screen. To achieve this all-round cooling, you will have to endure a fair amount of fan noise, but the best PC gaming headsets should keep this at bay.

The keyboard is great for gaming with. The keys have just the right amount of travel to make them tactile, and the WASD keys are textured and colored differently to make them easier to locate.

However, the keycaps are quite narrow, which can make them awkward to use. They’re well-spaced, which helps to prevent mispresses when gaming, but I found typing more of a challenge.

The touchpad isn’t as large as you might expect given the size of the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, but its smooth surface makes it easy to use. I still triggered it accidentally when using the WASD keys, but thankfully there’s an Fn shortcut to quickly disable it.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Battery Life

Close-up of left-side ports on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

Average battery life
Relatively fast charging

The battery life of the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is fairly average for a gaming laptop. It managed to last six hours and 47 minutes when I played a movie on a continuous loop. This is about the same as the cheaper Acer Nitro V 15.

It lasted one hour and 47 minutes when I conducted PCMark’s battery benchmark for gaming scenarios, which again is similar to the score achieved by the Nitro V 15, although it’s down on the two hours and 26 minutes of the Nitro 16 AMD. It is at least quick to charge, taking about two hours to replenish from empty to full.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1?

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	I haven’t encountered similarly priced 1080p laptops that can game as well as the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 can, although some come close – and some of those are cheaper.	4 / 5
Design	It’s not the most exciting or the most premium, but it’s surprisingly compact and portable for its size.	3.5 / 5
Performance	The 1080p performance is superb for the price, while the sharpness of the display belies its 1080p resolution, although it's quite reflective.	4.5 / 5
Battery Life	Not the best, not the worst. Some cheaper gaming laptops have similar endurance levels.	3.5 / 5
Total	The Erazer Deputy 15 P1 hits all the right notes at this price point, although the reflective display and lackluster design mar it somewhat. There’s strong competition at this price point, but the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 can hold its own against them.	4 / 5

Buy the Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 if...

You want high-end performance
The Erazer Deputy 15 P1 can handle high-to-max settings on demanding titles very well, keeping cool all the while.

You want to carry it around
Despite its 15.6-inch size, the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is surprisingly portable, thanks to its thinness and relatively light construction.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best display
Despite how sharp it looks, the display isn’t as vibrant as others, and it can be overly reflective.

You want something quiet
The price you pay for that excellent cooling is fan noise. Get yourself a good pair of headphones.

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro 16 AMD
The Nitro 16 is similarly priced to the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, but it has a slightly bigger screen and a sharper resolution. You won’t be getting the latest RTX GPUs, so performance won’t be as good, but the 165Hz refresh makes up for the shortfall somewhat in certain games.

Read our full Acer Nitro 16 AMD review.

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel
The Nitro V 15 is cheaper than the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, yet still gets RTX 5050 and 5060 cards. However, even with the latter equipped, it can’t quite match the performance of the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 in my experience, perhaps due to the inferior i7 chip in the unit I tested.

Read our full Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review.

How I tested the Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1

Tested for several days
Used for gaming and other tasks
Plentiful gaming laptop experience

I tested the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 for several days, using it for gaming, working, and general entertainment.

I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk and Dying Light: The Beast at various settings. I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to ... every facet of a laptop's performance.

I've tested plenty of gaming laptops before, from budget offerings to range-topping powerhouses. I've been PC gaming for over a decade and have experience with plenty of other machines and systems as well.

First reviewed November 2025
Read more about how we test

I’ve tested several of the latest budget gaming laptops recently, and the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 is the best value of them all

10:20 pm | October 30, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, Total War | Comments: Off

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9: Two-minute review

The Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 aims to take the lead as the best budget gaming laptop on the market, and in terms of performance for the price, it pretty much nails it.

At first glance, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish it from any other workaday laptop. It lacks the bulk and RGB lighting of its rivals, which may be a positive or a negative depending on how you feel about the modern gamer aesthetic.

Regardless, it certainly looks and feels premium. Smooth materials with elegant finishes are featured all over, with the keyboard being a particular highlight, thanks to the solid placement and subtle texturing of the keys.

What’s more, the LOQ Essential 15 is pleasingly light, which makes it more portable than a lot of the competition. However, while build quality is good, the LOQ Essential 15 isn’t as sturdy as the best gaming laptops on the market, since there’s a fair amount of flex to both the chassis and the lid.

There’s a welcome selection of ports on the LOQ Essential 15, featuring all the interfaces a gamer would need. There’s even an SD card reader, which isn’t something you often see on a gaming laptop. Most of these ports are located on the left, and there are none on the back, which may prove inconvenient depending on your particular setup.

Close-up of number pad and power button on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

The LOQ Essential 15 comes preinstalled with Lenovo Vantage, a utility app for viewing system information and adjusting performance settings. This is one of the best utility apps I’ve come across, providing plenty of useful information and tweaks. It also has a very clear interface, and during my time with it, it ran without a hitch.

Less impressive, however, was the outright performance of my review unit. The Intel i5 and RTX 3050 combination in my review unit struggled to run the latest AAA titles smoothly, especially if you enable even the slightest amount of ray tracing. At least the heat and fan noise were kept to a minimum throughout.

Thankfully, the display on the LOQ Essential 15 is more impressive. Despite the 1080p resolution stretching across 15 inches, the interface always looked clear and sharp. There’s plenty of vibrancy, too, and although the maximum brightness isn’t particularly high, the worst reflections are kept at bay.

The keyboard feels a little cramped when gaming, and the lack of travel and dampening hampers feedback somewhat. It’s a different story, however, when typing, as the snappy clicks and ergonomic layout make this easy. And since the touchpad is quite small, it doesn’t get in the way when typing, either.

With its reasonable price tag, the LOQ Essential 15 is certainly a tempting proposition. While there’s plenty of quality here, the middling performance and keyboard hamstring its gaming prowess somewhat. If you can live with these drawbacks, though, the LOQ Essential 15 is still worth considering if you’re after a budget gaming laptop.

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of left-side ports on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Starting from $569 / £689 / AU$742.35
Available now
Budget end of the market

The LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 starts from $569 / £689 / AU$742.35 and is available now in the US, UK, and Australia. Various RTX GPU options are available as well, from the RTX 2050 all the way up to the RTX 5050. There are also different Intel and AMD CPUs available. RAM capacities range from 8GB to 32GB, while storage ranges from 512GB to 4TB.

The starting price on the LOQ Essential 15 is about as low as I've seen for a laptop of this quality. Better yet, I’ve seen the latest models with their RTX 50-series GPUs on sale at a significant discount, making them an even better value despite being more expensive.

However, there might be cheaper gaming laptops out there, depending on your region. The MSI Cyborg 15, for example, starts at a cheaper price in the UK and is similarly specced with a high-quality design.

If you're able to spend a little more, there’s also the Acer Nitro V 15, which—while more expensive than the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 in the US—is a better gaming laptop right now, in my view, thanks to its more capable performance.

Value: 4 / 5

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Specs

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review configuration
Price	£799
CPU	Intel Core i5-12450HX (2.4GHz, 8 Cores)
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 6GB
RAM	16GB DDR5
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	15.6" FHD (1920x1080), IPS, 144Hz, Anti-glare
Ports and Connectivity	2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x SD card reader; Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2
Battery	57Wh
Dimensions	14.15 x 9.29 x 0.78-0.90in (359.3 x 236 x 19.9-22.95mm)
Weight	3.9lbs (1.77kg)

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Design

Close-up of touchpad on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Premium feel
Not the sturdiest
Great utility app

If you didn’t know, you could easily mistake the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 for a mainstream laptop. It has the same form and looks, without any of the extraneous bulges or aggressive aesthetics typical of many gaming laptops.

It looks quite elegant, owing to the subtle sheen of the finish. It’s also impressively thin and light for a laptop in this class, which makes carrying it around easier. The materials look and feel fairly premium, although the LOQ Essential 15 isn’t as sturdy as others, with some flex to various panels and the display enclosure.

The keyboard is a more premium affair, with a smooth yet noticeable texture to the keycaps. They have the typical Lenovo ergonomic shape, although they seem less indented than other models from the brand.

There are plenty of handy shortcuts on the F row, including one to open Windows 11 settings, which I wish would feature on every laptop. There are also some unlabelled Fn shortcuts, such as Fn+Q, which toggles performance modes. I only happened to chance upon it when looking at Lenovo’s website.

You can also find it listed in a pre-installed app called Lenovo Hotkeys, in addition to a plethora of other useful shortcuts. For instance, you can also instantly toggle the refresh rate between 60 and 144Hz with Fn+R.

Close-up of right-side ports on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

One of the most disappointing aspects of the keyboard, though, is the lack of backlighting. Higher spec models have it, but it’s still a fairly egregious omission on base models. Not only does it add spectacle, it also serves a practical purpose by helping with key location when gaming in dimly-lit rooms, as is often the case for many.

What won’t disappoint is the number of ports on the LOQ Essential 15. All those relevant to gamers are present: there are two USB-A ports and one USB-C, as well as ethernet and HDMI interfaces. There’s even an SD card reader, which isn’t always seen on gaming laptops, but it's great for creator-gamers who might use their laptop for both work and play.

The placement of the ports might prove more divisive, though. All but two are loaded on the left-hand side, and there are none on the back. This layout might be inconvenient for certain setups; personally, I like to see at least the power port on the back.

The LOQ Essential 15 comes preinstalled with Lenovo Vantage, which is one of the best first-party utility suites I’ve come across. It contains a wealth of useful information and settings to tweak, especially the gaming section, which naturally has various cooling and performance modes to choose from.

What’s more, Vantage is clear and easy to navigate, and I didn’t experience any bugs or glitches when using it—not something that can be said about every first-party software.

Design: 4 / 5

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Performance

Rear three-quarter view of Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9 open on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Middling 1080p performance
Vibrant, non-reflective display
Keyboard lacks gaming prowess

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Single Core): 2,207; (Multi Core): 8,297
Cinebench R23 (Single Core): 1,588; (Multi Core): 9,774
Cinebench R24 (Single Core): 94 (Multi Core): 562
Crossmark Overall: 1,441
3DMark Night Raid: 37,229; Fire Strike: 11,392; Steel Nomad: 998; Solar Bay: 23,855; Solar Bay Unlimited: 25,530; Solar Bay Extreme: 4,391; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 4,436
BlackMagicDisk Read: 3,502MB/s; Write: 3,063MB/s
Civilization VII (1080p, AMD FSR, High): 200fps; (1080p, High): 136fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Highest, Balanced upscaling): 98fps; (1080p, Highest, SMAA x4, no upscaling): 53fps
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Ultra): 28fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 57fps; (1080p, Ray Tracing: Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 34fps; (1080p, Ultra, no upscaling): 37fps
Marvel Rivals (1080p, Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 33fps; (1080p, no upscaling, Low): 49fps

My review unit of the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 was equipped with an Intel Core i5 CPU and an RTX 3050 GPU, so as you might expect, gaming performance wasn’t exactly top-tier. When I played Cyberpunk 2077 with the Ray Tracing: Low preset, fps figures were in the high thirties and early forties on average, with some significant stuttering in busy scenes.

Personally, this stuttering didn’t derail the experience for me, but it was certainly noticeable and will likely bother more elite players. Disabling Ray Tracing altogether and applying the Ultra preset barely made a difference to frame rates or the stuttering, albeit the latter occurred with slightly less frequency.

Almost as soon as I started playing, the area around the WASD keys warmed up, but thankfully, it never peaked above lukewarm. The rest of the chassis stayed cool, save for the portion above the keyboard – but even this area remained touchable.

There is some fan noise during heavy workloads, but it’s quieter than others in this category, and nothing the best PC gaming headsets couldn’t drown out.

The display is also quite impressive. It’s remarkably clear and sharp, especially when you consider its 1080p resolution is stretched out over 15 inches. It’s also pleasingly vivid, and although it isn’t quite as bright as I would’ve liked, it still does enough to fend off troublesome reflections.

Close-up of webcam on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Harder to praise is the keyboard. It’s great for typing, thanks to the light and snappy actuation, as well as the generous spacing and aforementioned shape of the keys. What’s more, despite the inclusion of a number pad, the layout doesn’t feel cramped.

For gaming, however, the keyboard is less fit for purpose. In the WASD position, my fingers suddenly felt more confined, perhaps due to the relatively small size of the keys themselves. They also have little travel and next to no dampening, both of which result in a lack of feel, certainly when compared to the best gaming keyboard switches.

Thankfully, the touchpad on the LOQ Essential 15 rarely gets in the way when gaming or typing, thanks to its small size. However, this also means that navigation is more awkward than with larger pads, although this may be a moot point, since even the best touchpad is no match for the best gaming mouse.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Battery Life

Great playback result
Power-hungry Balanced mode
Very quick to charge

The battery life of the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 is quite good by gaming laptop standards. It managed to last close to eight hours during our movie playback test, which bests many others in this sector. However, this is still below the standards of the best laptops for general use, as some can achieve more than double that time.

In my PCMark Gaming battery test, the LOQ Essential 15 lasted about 32 minutes, which is significantly down on rivals. This was with the Balanced mode applied in Vantage, which also applies the Balanced mode in Windows 11 itself (the same mode used for the movie playback test).

This score doesn’t seem to square with its playback result, so your day-to-day use will land somewhere in the middle of the two results. I can only presume this is because Vantage’s Balanced mode is more eager than its rivals’ counterparts to boost power to the GPU while gaming. Charging performance is much better, though, taking a mere hour to go from empty to full.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9?

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 Scorecard
	Notes	Score
Value	The LOQ Essential 15 offers exceptional quality for its starting price, but different configurations will vary in overall value.	4 / 5
Design	Remarkably thin and un-gamerish with premium-seeming materials, though it's not the most solidly constructed.	4 / 5
Performance	It won’t handle the highest settings in AAA titles, but it still just about suffices to have a good time. The display is good, too.	3.5 / 5
Battery Life	Good for this class of laptop, but still behind more general laptops. Vantage’s Balanced mode lets the side down a little, too.	3.5 / 5
Total Score	The Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 is a well-made gaming laptop that's even more impressive thanks to its low starting price. The design quality makes up for the middling AAA performance, but overall it’s one of the best values you're going to find in a budget gaming laptop.	3.75 / 5

Buy the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 if...

You don’t need a flashy design
It might not be the most exciting thing to look at, but the materials look and feel more expensive than its price tag suggests.

You want a good display
Vivid and surprisingly sharp for a 1080p resolution. It also does a fine job of combating reflections, despite not being the brightest around.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best gaming keyboard
Although it’s perfectly fine for typing, the keyboard isn’t ideal for gaming.

You want top-tier performance on a budget
With an RTX 30-Series GPU inside, the LOQ Essential 15 couldn’t achieve the high frame rates of more recent GPUs, so you'll have to pay extra for better performance.

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel
Although it's considerably more expensive than the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9, it’s still within the budget realm as far as gaming laptops are concerned. What’s more, it has a much beefier spec, featuring an RTX 5050 in its base model. This means the 1080p performance is far superior, although the corollary is a fair amount of heat.

Read our full Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review

MSI Cyborg 15
The Cyborg 15 is another gaming laptop with an invitingly low price. In fact, even the model with the RTX 3050 is significantly cheaper than the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9. It doesn’t have the same level of quality, though, and the display isn’t quite as good, but the keyboard is much better.

Read our full MSI Cyborg 15 review

How I tested the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9

Tested for several days
Gamed and benchmarked
Wealth of gaming laptop experience

I tested the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general entertainment.

I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 at various settings, and ran our comprehensive series of benchmark tests. This included those for the battery life.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade and have experienced numerous systems and components during that time. I’ve also reviewed many gaming laptops before, ranging in their price points and specs.

MSI Cyborg 15: Two-minute review

The MSI Cyborg 15 is a budget gaming laptop with a basic spec, but one that should still suffice for enjoyable 1080p gaming.

I was pleasantly surprised by the elegance of its design, at least when compared to others in this sector. It’s not too thick or too bulky across any of its dimensions, although its weight hampers portability somewhat.

While not the most premium, the materials are of sufficient quality. Personally, I found the translucent accents did enough to add some aesthetic interest, too. However, it isn’t as well-made as the best gaming laptop models, with the display enclosure being a particular concern on this front, given the amount of flex it has.

All the salient ports for gamers are present and correct on the Cyborg 15. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C port, as well as Ethernet, HDMI, and headset jacks. The placement of these ports might prove impractical for some gamers, though, depending on their setup; all but two are placed on the right-hand side, while there is none on the back.

Rear three-quarter view of MSI Cyborg 15 open on desk on a pink background — (Image credit: Future)

As you might expect from the RTX 3050, my Cyborg 15 review unit couldn’t handle the AAA titles with high settings applied very well. Cyberpunk 2077 rendered at 30-40fps on average with the game’s Ray Tracing: Low preset selected, no matter what I did with the upscaling. Turning off Ray Tracing altogether didn’t result in any noticeable gains either.

Thankfully, the Cyborg 15 isn’t distractingly loud under load. It also remains admirably cool, with only the rear exceeding lukewarm temperatures – and even then, it’s still not too hot to touch.

The display is also very good, being sharp and vibrant enough for enjoying all kinds of content. It also staves off reflections quite well.

Better still is the keyboard on the Cyborg 15. It’s full-size, so it includes a number pad, yet the keys don’t feel cramped, which makes for easy typing. They also feel great to press, striking the ideal balance between clicky and dampening, while also offering a pleasing amount of travel.

However, the battery life of the Cyborg 15 is less impressive. It didn’t manage to break six hours when playing back a movie on a continuous loop, nor did it break an hour in PCMark’s gaming scenario battery test. Both of these results are at the lower end of the gaming laptop spectrum.

The competition is becoming evermore fierce at the budget end of this market, but the Cyborg 15 certainly sets out its stall with its eye-catchingly low price. You’ll have to settle for mediocre performance, but the Cyborg 15 is a solid pick for those looking to spend relatively little on a gaming laptop and still have a good time.

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of webcam on the MSI Cyborg 15 on a pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Starting at $999 / £649 / AU$1799
Available now in the US, UK and Australia

The Cyborg 15 is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $999 / £649 / AU$1799. My review model, the Cyborg 15 A13U, comes equipped with an Intel i5-13420H, an RTX 3050, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. All these components can be upgraded with costlier configurations.

This is a decent budget price for a gaming laptop. However, if you’re willing to spend about £150 more you could get the base model of the Acer Nitro V 15, which features an RTX 4050 – a significant upgrade over the RTX 3050.

Another great budget pick is the MSI Katana 15, which again packs a 4050 into its base model. It’s similarly priced to the Nitro, but features an i7 CPU rather than the i5 in the base models of both the Nitro and the Cyborg 15. It’s a great performer, which is why we think it’s currently one of the best budget gaming laptop options around.

Value: 4.5 / 5

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Specs

MSI Cyborg 15 review configuration specs
Price		£649 / AU$1799 (about $870)
CPU		Intel Core i5-13420H (2.1GHz, 8 Cores)
GPU		NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 6GB
RAM		8GB DDR5
Storage		512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display		15.6" FHD (1920x1080), 144Hz, IPS-Level
Ports and Connectivity		2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2
Battery		53.5Wh
Dimensions		14 x 9.8 x 0.9in (359 x 250 x 23mm)
Weight		4.37lbs / 1.98kg

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Design

Close-up of WASD keys on the MSI Cyborg 15, with blue backlighting on — (Image credit: Future)

Surprisingly slender
Quite heavy
Flimsy display enclosure

The Cyborg 15 might not push the boat out in terms of looks, but it’s surprisingly sleek for a gaming laptop, avoiding unsightly bulges and maintaining a relatively thin profile. This helps to make it more portable, although its substantial weight means you wouldn’t want to carry it around for long.

The chassis material feels smooth to the touch and has a subtle speckled finish. I also liked the transparent edges around the lid chassis, which adds interest and helps to lighten up the dourness tones of the body. However, MSI definitely missed a trick by failing to install LEDs behind these parts, as they would’ve been the perfect place for RGB effects to shine through.

On the whole, the Cyborg 15 feels well put together, with a relatively sturdy construction. The lid hinge is also pleasingly solid, offering a stable hold while being easy to operate. However, the lid itself has a considerable amount of flex, which is somewhat concerning.

The body materials aren’t the most premium, either, but they suffice. Thankfully, the keys feel more upmarket, thanks to their smooth, subtly textured finish. Their backlighting is also bright enough to make them clearly visible in dark environments.

Close-up of left-side ports on the MSI Cyborg 15 on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

There are a variety of useful shortcuts, including some unique options bound to the arrow keys. For instance, you can instantly adjust the fan speed with Fn+Up, and turn off the main display with Fn+Right. Meanwhile, Fn+Down brings up a static red crosshair in the middle of the screen, which is something I haven’t seen before and can only assume is there for some sort of calibration purpose.

Underneath you’ll find four feet in each corner, which are smaller and offer less ground clearance than those installed on many other gaming laptops. However, their small profile does at least help to maintain the overall sleekness of the Cyborg 15.

The port selection of the Cyborg 15 is reasonable, catering to most gamers’ needs. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C, ideal for connecting peripherals. HDMI, RJ-45, and headset ports round out the rest.

Some may take issue with the distribution of these interfaces. Most are loaded on the right-hand side, save for one USB-A port and the headset jack, which are on the left. Meanwhile, no ports are to be found on the rear, not even the power connector. Of course, the practicality of this arrangement will depend on your setup, but personally I would’ve preferred a more even spread.

To tweak various settings, the Cyborg 15 comes preinstalled with the MSI Center app. From here you can install further modules, including one for adjusting fan speed and performance presets. The software proved reasonably stable during my time with it, and while the interface is a little buggy, it responds swiftly and is easy to navigate.

Design: 4 / 5

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Performance

Close-up of right-side ports on the MSI Cyborg 15 on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

Lackluster AAA performance
Good display
Excellent keyboard

MSI Cyborg 15 benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Single Core): 2,394; (Multi Core): 10,165
Cinebench R23 (Single Core): 1,692; (Multi Core): 10,471
Cinebench R24 (Single Core): 100 (Multi Core): 601
Crossmark Overall: 1,576
3DMark Fire Strike: 10,675; Steel Nomad: 924; Solar Bay: 21,226; Speed Way: 1,071; Port Royal: 2,685
BlackMagicDisk Read: 4,475MB/s; Write: 3,124MB/s
Civilization VII (1080p, Medium): 203fps; (Max Resolution, High): 77fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, High): 86fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Medium): 74fps; (Max Resolution, Highest): 63fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Highest): 82fps
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Medium): 57fps; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 26fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Medium): 48fps; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 34fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Ultra): 51fps
F1 2024 (1080p, Medium): 113fps; (Max Resolution, Max Quality, No RT): 40fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Max Quality with RT): 29fps

The performance of the Cyborg 15 isn’t anything spectacular. Given my review unit was equipped with an RTX 3050, this wasn’t exactly surprising, but it really is starting to feel its age at this point.

It didn’t handle Cyberpunk 2077 particularly well with the Ray Tracing: Low preset applied, with fps figures oscillating between the late 30s and early 40s. This was with DLSS upscaling enabled, and its various modes, from Auto to Balanced to Performance, seemed to make little difference.

My sessions were also blighted by frequent slowdowns when encountering busy scenes. Even dropping down to the Ultra preset, which disables Ray Tracing, failed to yield significantly better results.

As with virtually any gaming laptop, fan noise is certainly noticeable on the Cyborg 15. However, it's not loud enough to be distracting, and the best PC gaming headsets should provide sufficient isolation.

What’s more, the fans seemed to be doing a fine job, as temperatures never rose to uncomfortable levels during my time with the Cyborg 15. The keyboard became nothing more than lukewarm, while the rear, despite bearing the brunt of the highest temperatures, still remained touchable.

Close-up of number pad with blue backlighting on the MSI Cyborg 15, on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

Another impressive aspect of the Cyborg 15 is its display. The 1080p resolution doesn’t feel stretched across its 15-inch real estate, rendering games and various interfaces sharply. Colors are vibrant, too, and reflections are kept at bay to a large extent.

The full-sized keyboard also feels great to use, thanks to the generous spacing of the keys, meaning it doesn’t feel cramped. This is all the more impressive given the fact that a number pad is included.

The keys are fit for gaming and typing equally, thanks to their tactile feel. They have more travel than you might expect from a gaming laptop keyboard, which yet remain light and easy to press. What’s more, they strike the perfect balance between being clicky and dampened, which makes them all the more satisfying to use. They even come close to rivaling the best gaming keyboard switches in this regard.

I also appreciated the wide Control key, as I usually struggle to hit this comfortably when gaming on other keyboards. It provided plenty of margin for error when trying to navigate towards it blindly with my little finger, which in turn made it much easier to hit consistently than I’m accustomed to, based on my experience with other keyboards.

The touchpad on the Cyborg 15 can get in the way when typing, though. It’s easy to accidentally click – let alone swipe – it with the palm of your thumb, thanks to how readily it actuates. Thankfully, it’s easily disabled with an Fn shortcut.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Battery Life

Close-up of touchpad on the MSI Cyborg 15 on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

Poor battery life
Reasonably quick to charge

The battery life of the Cyborg 15 is subpar. It lasted about five and a half hours during our movie playback test, which is easily beaten by many of its rivals. The Nitro V 15 Intel that I tested lasted about an hour longer.

It didn’t fare much better in the PCMark Gaming battery test, either. It didn’t manage an hour before giving up the ghost, again placing it towards the back of the pack. At least the Cyborg 15 is quick to recharge, taking just over two hours to get from empty to full.

Battery Life: 3 / 5

Should I buy the MSI Cyborg 15?

MSI Cyborg 15 Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	Not many offer such quality for so little, but you will have to sacrifice spec for the best deals.	4.5 / 5
Design	The Cyborg 15 is pleasingly sleek and well-made, although the flimsy display is somewhat concerning.	4 / 5
Performance	The Cyborg 15 struggles to keep pace with modern AAA titles at the highest settings, so you'll need to dial those back a bit. The keyboard and display are great, though.	3.5 / 5
Battery Life	Towards the lower end of the sector in this regard. At least it’s quick to charge.	3 / 5
Total	The low price of the MSI Cyborg 15 certainly makes it tantalizing, especially when you consider the quality of the display and keyboard. But those after peak AAA performance will be disappointed.	3.75 / 5

Buy the MSI Cyborg 15 if...

You want a great keyboard
Whether you’re gaming or typing, the keyboard on the Cyborg 15 is always a joy to use.

You want to save money
The Cyborg 15 is very well priced for a gaming laptop, and its design and quality belie its budget cost.

Don't buy it if...

You want top-tier performance
My review unit, with its Intel i5 and RTX 3050, couldn’t handle demanding titles at the highest settings.

You want the best battery life
Most gaming laptops are wanting in this area, but the Cyborg 15 is among the worst on this front.

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel
The Nitro V 15 is another great budget machine that punches above its weight. The review unit I had featured a 5060, therefore it's significantly more powerful – and expensive – than the Cyborg 15. However, it still comes in under a thousand pounds, which represents good value in the gaming laptop world.

Read our full Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review.

How I tested the MSI Cyborg 15

Tested for several days
Played games and ran benchmarks
Plentiful gaming laptop experience

I tested the MSI Cyborg 15 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, typing, and general browsing.

I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, and ran our extensive series of benchmark tests, which covered all aspects of performance, from gaming and creative to AI and battery life.

I've reviewed plenty of gaming laptops in the past, ranging greatly in their spec, form factors, and pricing. I've also been PC gaming for over a decade, and have build my own machines in that time, so I'm well-positioned to know a great gaming laptop when I use one.

MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Two-minute review

Some of the best gaming laptops are those that are portable enough for you to take on the go with you, whether it's because you’re a commuter or just because you want to use your laptop in various places - and love to game.

With more options hitting the market over the past year thanks to the release of Nvidia’s 50 series graphics cards, we've been eagerly awaiting MSI's new edition of its Stealth series, the MSI Stealth A16 AI+.

The good news is that the new MSI Stealth A16 AI+ is once again a formidable gaming laptop, deftly balancing powerful performance with a sleek design, making it a candidate for our best thin and lightweight gaming laptops buying guide.

While its battery life leaves something to be desired and it can run hot under pressure, its vibrant OLED screen, robust build, and exceptional gaming capabilities make it a compelling choice for those looking for a portable powerhouse.

It's a strong contender in the competitive gaming laptop market, offering a premium experience for both work and play, but it comes at a (high) price: $2,899 / £2,199. While this is the average price for laptops featuring these specifications, that doesn’t take away from the dent it leaves in your wallet.

MSI Stealth A16 AI+ on wooden surface — (Image credit: Future)

MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Price and availability

How much does it cost? $2,899 / £2,199
When is it available? Now
Where can you get it? US, UK, and some European regions

You can pick up the Stealth A16 AI+ for $2,899 / £2,199 which is an average price for laptops which feature the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. You can customize the MSI Stealth A16 AI+ to come with the more powerful RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 GPUs, but this will increase the price by quite a bit - however, even then, the MSI Stealth A16 AI+ remains reasonably priced compared to the competition.

Currently, you can purchase the Stealth A16 AI+ in the US, UK, and select European countries.

While there’s currently no confirmation as to when the device will be coming to other markets, MSI does typically release its products in other regions later down the line.

Value: 3 / 5

MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Specs

The Stealth A16 AI+ impresses with its potent specs: an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, 64GB LPDDR5X memory, and a 2TB SSD, making it a future-proof powerhouse for demanding tasks and gaming.

	MSI Stealth A16 AI+ 5070 Ti	MSI Stealth A16 AI+ 5080	MSI Stealth A16 AI+ 5090
Price:	$2,899 / £2,199	$3,299 / £2,249	$3,999 / £3,399
CPU:	AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370	AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370	AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
Graphics:	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090
RAM:	64GB LPDDR5X	64GB LPDDR5X	64GB LPDDR5X
Screen:	16-inch Widescreen Display - QHD+ (2560 x 1600) - OLED - 240Hz	16-inch Widescreen Display - QHD+ (2560 x 1600) - OLED - 240Hz	16-inch Widescreen Display - QHD+ (2560 x 1600) - OLED - 240Hz
Storage:	2TB SSD	2TB SSD	2TB SSD
Ports:	2x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet port, 1x Audio jack	2x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet port, 1x Audio jack	2x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet port, 1x Audio jack
Wireless:	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Camera:	HD Webcam	HD Webcam	HD Webcam
Weight:	2.1kg	2.1kg	2.1kg
Dimensions:	355.8 x 259.7 x 19.95 mm	355.8 x 259.7 x 19.95 mm	355.8 x 259.7 x 19.95 mm

MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Design

Thin and light for its size
OLED display is fantastic
Good selection of ports

The Stealth A16 AI+ features a sleek and understated design, perfect for both professional environments and gaming setups. Its chassis feels robust yet surprisingly lightweight, making it an excellent companion for those who need to work or play on the go.

The narrow bezels around the display add to its modern aesthetic and maximize screen real estate, drawing you deeper into your content.

MSI has been generous with port selection, ensuring you're well-connected without the constant need for adapters.

You'll find a versatile array of ports, including multiple USB-A and USB-C ports, an HDMI output for external displays, and an Ethernet port for reliable wired internet.

This comprehensive connectivity is a significant advantage, especially for gamers who need a load of peripherals or frequently switch between setups. However, if you’re hoping to run a streaming setup from this laptop you may need a USB adaptor so you can hook up a webcam and microphone too (though the included webcam and mic array do a fine job if you're not planning on doing professional-level streaming).

The OLED screen itself is a highlight, offering vibrant colors and sharp detail that enhance everything from those AAA story games to high-definition movies. Its ample size provides an immersive viewing experience, whether you're deep into a creative project or enjoying a casual browsing session. The more I use OLED screens, the more I wish they would become the industry standard.

Despite its large screen, the overall size and weight of the Stealth A16 AI+ remain impressively manageable for a gaming laptop at less than 2cm thick. It’s also relatively lightweight when compared to alternative gaming laptops on the market at 2.1kg - for example, the MSI Raider A18 HX comes in at 3.6kg.

Design score: 5 / 5

MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Performance

Excellent gaming performance
Good at multitasking
Can get hot

Benchmarks

These are the results of our benchmarking tests for the MSI Stealth A16 AI+:

3DMark: Night Raid: 38,762; Fire Strike: 30,723; Time Spy: 13,384
GeekBench 6: 2,930 (single-core); 15,398 (multi-core)
CrossMark: Overall: 1,897 Productivity: 1,982 Creativity: 1,765 Responsiveness: 1,729
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 176fps ; (1080p, Low): 380fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 105fps ; (1080p, Low): 176fps
Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 206fps ; (1080p, Low): 287fps
PCMark 10 Battery Life: 4 hours 57 mins
TechRadar movie test: 4 hours 45 mins

During our testing, this laptop consistently delivered exceptional performance across a variety of demanding applications and, crucially, in the latest AAA gaming titles.

Whether it was playing Cyberpunk 2077 at ultra settings or engaging in fast-paced combat in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, the Stealth A16 AI+ maintained impressively high frame rates, ensuring a smooth and immersive experience.

This was with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti inside, so if you buy a model with the more powerful RTX 5080 or 5090 GPUs, then you're going to get even better gaming performance.

I was able to render breathtaking visuals without a hitch. Even with ray tracing enabled, the laptop held its own, providing a stunning level of graphical fidelity that truly elevates the gaming experience.

Beyond gaming, the processor handled intensive multitasking and content creation with ease, making it a truly versatile machine for power users.

One thing to note is that the laptop did get quite hot and loud when running games at ultra, opening a lot of intensive programmes at once, or when benchmarking. While it wasn’t too hot to use the keyboard - an issue I’m seeming to face more and more in the world of gaming laptops, it was certainly worth noting.

The speakers on the laptop are decent - they certainly get the job done - but you won’t be able to take advantage of directional audio within games.

Performance score: 4 / 5

MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Battery life

Not brilliant battery life
Very short when gaming

While MSI promised up to 13 hours of video playback, I found that the Stealth A16 AI+ just didn’t deliver anywhere near this.

During my time testing the MSI Stealth A16 AI+, I noticed that the battery life was closer to around six hours when using the laptop for general browsing or watching videos, which came down to about an hour when playing intensive games.

In our battery life benchmark, we got just shy of five hours in both the PCMark 10 edition and our own TechRadar movie test.

Battery life: 2 / 5

Should I buy the MSI Stealth A16 AI+?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Price	The value of the laptop is pretty average when compared to alternatives on the market with the same specs.	3 / 5
Design	This laptop has an immaculate design featuring a decent array of ports and remaining light when compared to alternatives.	5 / 5
Performance	You get exceptional performance from this laptop but it does get quite hot and loud.	4 / 5
Battery life	The battery is significantly below the promised lifespan which is very disappointing.	2 / 5
Total Score	This is a well-priced thin and light laptop with some excellent components that means it offers fantastic gaming performance. However, it can get quite hot, and battery life isn't the best.	3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You need a sleek gaming device
You want a gaming laptop that's also highly portable and can be used for work on the go.

Screen quality is important to you
If you want a vibrant OLED screen for an immersive visual experience, then this could be the laptop for you.

You want a powerful device
This is a powerful machine that can handle demanding AAA gaming titles and intensive multitasking with high frame rates.

Don't buy it if...

You want to go all day without charging
If you want a long battery life for extended use away from a power source then this isn’t the laptop for you.

You are on a tight budget
While this laptop is priced fairly compared to alternatives, this doesn’t mean it won’t put a dent in your wallet.

You are sensitive to laptop heat and fan noise
This laptop gets very hot and loud when you’re using intensive software or playing demanding games.

MSI Stealth A16 AI+ review: Also consider

	MSI Stealth A16 AI+	Asus Zenbook A14	Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024)
Price:	$2,899 / £2,199	$1,399.99 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,899	$2,499 / £2,499 / AU$3,999
CPU:	AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370	Snapdragon X X1 26 100 Processor with Qualcomm Hexagon NPU up to 45TOPS	Apple M4 Pro (14-core)
Graphics:	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti	Qualcomm Adreno GPU	Integrated 20-core GPU
RAM:	64GB LPDDR5X	4GB DDR4	24GB unified memory
Screen:	16-inch Widescreen Display - QHD+ (2560 x 1600) - OLED - 240Hz	14.0-inch, WUXGA (1920 x 1200) OLED 16:10 aspect ratio, LED Backlit, 0.2ms response time, 60Hz refresh rate, 400 nits	16-inch, 3456 x 2234 Liquid Retina XDR display (mini-LED, 1,000 nits sustained brightness, wide color P3 gamut, ProMotion technology)
Storage:	2TB SSD	16GB LPDDR5X on board	512GB SSD
Ports:	2x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet port, 1x Audio jack	1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 2x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack	3x Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C), HDMI, SDXC card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3
Wireless:	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) (Dual band) 2*2 + Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3
Camera:	HD Webcam	FHD camera with IR function to support Windows Hello	12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View
Weight:	4.6 lbs (2.1kg)	2.16 lbs (0.98kg)	4.7 lbs (2.2kg)
Dimensions:	355.8 x 259.7 x 19.95 mm	31.07 x 21.39 x 1.34 ~ 1.59 cm (12.23 x 8.42 x 0.53in ~ 0.63in)	14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches (356 x 248 x 17mm)

If you're in the market for a new laptop, here are some alternatives to the MSI Stealth A16 AI+...

Asus Zenbook A14
For those seeking a premium, ultra-lightweight, and highly portable laptop, the Asus Zenbook A14 is an excellent choice. It offers a powerful processor and a stunning OLED display, all within a design optimized for superior portability.

Read our Asus Zenbook A14 review

Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024)
For intensive tasks such as 3D animation or demanding video rendering, the Apple MacBook Pro, with its M4 Pro processor, offers superior performance. Read our Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) review.

How I tested the MSI Stealth A16 AI+

Tested for two weeks
Used in a variety of scenarios
Ran benchmarks and played games

For two weeks, the MSI Stealth A16 AI+ served as my primary laptop for both work and leisure.

I thoroughly integrated it into my daily routine, using it for typical workdays, evenings spent gaming and watching movies, and even general browsing. To assess its portability and performance outside my usual setup, I also brought it to various remote work locations.

Beyond everyday use, I conducted comprehensive benchmark tests using software like 3D Mark and in-game tools to evaluate its performance.

First reviewed September 2025
Read more about how we test

I was surprised by just how well this thin and lightweight gaming laptop, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025), performed – but you’ll have to endure its sizzling temperatures

4:28 pm | September 26, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, Razer Blade, Total War | Comments: Off

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025): Two-minute review

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is a thin and lightweight gaming laptop with a small design but a large spec, allowing it to perform as well as its bigger rivals.

To look at, it seems more like an everyday machine than a gaming powerhouse. The only giveaway is the diagonal LED strip across the lid, which does little to add interest.

It has an impressively compact form, though, making it a contender for the best gaming laptop that’s practical to carry around. It lacks the bulk usually associated with such devices, being exceptionally thin and light by gaming laptop standards.

The lid is especially lightweight, and it opens easily yet remains stable once in place. Also, the bezel around the display is about as thin as it could possibly be, which helps to maximize screen space.

For such a compact device, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) has a generous selection of ports, even putting much larger gaming laptops to shame. There are two USB-C and two USB-A connections, as well as an HDMI port, a headset jack, and a microSD card reader.

More importantly, though, the performance of the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is also impressive. The 5070 Ti in my review unit provided very high frame rates, even with maximum graphics settings.

The 120Hz OLED display contributed to the smoothness, and also rendered scenes with plenty of vibrancy, brightness, and contrast. What’s more, the 3K resolution offered a super sharp image, which was great for gaming as well as other tasks.

Bird's eye view of closed lid on Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) on a black background — (Image credit: Future)

However, you’ll have to contend with a fair amount of fan noise and blistering heat in the pursuit of this high-end performance. Temperatures around the keyboard are kept to reasonable levels, but the rear and underside of the unit can get uncomfortably hot, even at the slightest provocation.

The keyboard of the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is another highlight. The switches are deep and tactile, offering enough resistance to provide feedback without being onerous to use. The large size of the key caps and their comfortable spacing also makes them good for typing.

The touchpad is similarly excellent, thanks to its large area and smooth surface, although you probably won’t be using this while gaming. What’ll deter you even more is the fact that it can get in the way when using the WASD keys. Thankfully, there’s a shortcut to easily disable its functionality.

Battery life is poor, though. It only managed a little over two and a half hours in our movie playback test, which is short even by gaming laptop standards. The Razer Blade 14 (2025) and the Acer Nitro V 15 can both outlast it by a considerable margin.

At over $2,000, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) doesn’t come cheap. It’s close to more premium models, such as the Razer Blade 14, which is about the best compact gaming laptop we’ve tested. For some – or perhaps many – it may be worth spending that bit more for the Blade, but the Zephyrus G14 (2025) remains a fine pick if you're after a compact and capable gaming machine.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Price & Availability

Close-up of touchpad on Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future)

Starts from $2,099.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$3,899
Available now
Premium end of the market

The Zephyrus G14 (2025) starts from $2,099.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$3,899 and is available now. Various models are available with varying Ryzen 9 CPUs and RTX GPUs, from the 5060 to the 5080. RAM and storage capacities alternate between 16GB and 32GB, and 1TB and 2TB, respectively.

It’s cheaper than the Razer Blade 14 (2025), even though both base models get an RTX 5060. However, the price gap isn’t huge, and the Blade 14 is one of the best gaming laptops around right now, impressing us with its incredible performance, design, and display.

If you’re looking for the best budget gaming laptop, the Acer Nitro V 15 is a fine choice. You’ll have to settle for an RTX 5050, but it can still game with aplomb. In fact, when I reviewed the Nitro, I was impressed with its 1080p performance. Like the Zephyrus G14 (2025), it can get quite hot in certain areas, but not to the same degree.

Value: 3 / 5

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Specs

	Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Base Config	Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Review Config
Price	$2,099.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$3,899	$2,499.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,999
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 270 (8 cores, 4.0GHz)	AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (12 cores, 2.0GHz)
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 8GB	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 12GB
RAM	16GB LPDDR5X	32GB LPDDR5X
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	14-inch (2880 x 1800) OLED, 16:10, 120Hz, G-Sync / Adaptive-Sync	14-inch (2880 x 1800) OLED, 16:10, 120Hz, G-Sync / Adaptive-Sync
Ports and Connectivity	2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-C (1x 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB 4), 1x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1x microSD, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4	2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-C (1x 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB 4), 1x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1x microSD, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
Battery	73Wh	73Wh
Dimensions	12.24 x 8.66 x 0.63 ~ 0.64in (311 x 220 x 15.9 ~ 16.3mm)	12.24 x 8.66 x 0.63 ~ 0.72in (311 x 220 x 15.9 ~ 18.3mm)
Weight	3.31lbs / 1.50kg	3.46lbs / 1.57kg

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Design

Close-up of left-side ports on Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future)

Non-gaming looks
Remarkably small and light
Surprising number of ports

One of the most impressive aspects of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is that it looks like a normal laptop, lacking the bulk and brash aesthetic of those designed for gaming. This is also helped by the light silver colorway of my review unit, which I found to be an uplifting antidote to the dour shades of many of its rivals (although such a finish is available).

What marks the Zephyrus G14 (2025) out as a gaming device is the diagonal LED strip across the lid and the small shiny embossed logo in the corner. Both are relatively subtle, although the strip is quite incongruous.

Not only is the screen size small for a gaming laptop, but so are all of its dimensions. The lid is especially thin, even beating some of the best MacBooks in terms of how sleek it is. The bezel around the display itself is also about as thin as I’ve ever seen in this class of laptop.

However, the chassis is thicker than you’ll find on many other laptops, and there are a few juts and sharp angles, as well as the thick rubber bars underneath, that sully the smooth planes somewhat. But all things considered, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) remains impressively elegant for its class.

Build quality is also quite good. All the materials feel premium and solid, and there’s only a small amount of wobble to the lid. Crucially, it remains stable once set in position.

Close-up of Zephyrus logo on rear of Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025), closed on desk with green background

(Image credit: Future)

Despite its small size, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) has a generous keyboard layout. There are some useful shortcut keys, including those for disabling the touchpad and toggling performance modes, and even four customizable M buttons. However, some peripheral keys are truncated in size, with the arrow keys being the worst casualty in this regard from a gamer’s perspective.

The LED backlighting on the keyboard is a nice touch, although it can be hard to make out at times, especially when certain colors and RGB patterns are displayed. This appears to be caused by the narrow openings of the key markings and a lack of overall brightness.

The touchpad on the Zephyrus G14 (2025) stretches right from the back edge of the space bar to the very end of the chassis, offering a larger surface area than you’ll find on other laptops this size.

Another surprise is just how many ports there are on the Zephyrus G14 (2025), putting many gaming laptops much larger to shame. It features two USB-C ports, which both support Power Delivery and DisplayPort standards each, although only one supports G-Sync/ Adaptive Sync displays. There are also two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a headset jack, and even a microSD reader.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Performance

Close-up of right-side ports on Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future)

Great gaming at max resolution
Fantastic OLED display
Gets very hot in places

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) benchmarks

Geekbench 6
(Single Core): 2,939 (Multi Core): 15,680

Cinebench R23
(Single Core): 2,017 (Multi Core): 20,803

Cinebench R24
(Single Core): 117 (Multi Core): 1,192

Crossmark Overall: 1,974

3DMark
Fire Strike: 32,113 Steel Nomad: 3,488 Solar Bay: 71,022 Speed Way: 4,031 Port Royal: 10,119

BlackMagicDisk
Read: 4125MB/s Write: 4015MB/s

25GB Copy Test: 1,729MB/s

Civilization VII
(1080p, Medium): 193fps
(Max Resolution, High): 123fps
(Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, High): 94fps

Shadow of the Tomb Raider
(1080p, Medium): 168fps
(Max Resolution, Highest): 118fps
(Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Highest): 158fps

Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness
(1080p, Medium): 119fps
(Max Resolution, Ultra): 47fps

Cyberpunk 2077
(1080p, Medium): 371fps
(Max Resolution, Ultra): 143fps
(Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Ultra): 133fps

F1 2024
(1080p, Medium): 256fps
(Max Resolution, Max Quality, No RT): 127fps
(Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Max Quality with RT): 93fps

I found the performance of the Zephyrus G14 (2025) to be excellent. My review unit was equipped with an RTX 5070 Ti, and it handled the AAA titles I threw at it very well. When I played Cyberpunk 2077, I got between 200-230 frames per second on average. This was with the Ray Tracing: Ultra preset selected (which the game chose by default for the laptop) and DLSS Auto scaling and Frame Generation enabled.

This was also with the Zephyrus G14 (2025) running in Turbo mode. As you might expect, this causes the fans to produce a fair amount of noise, but it was nothing the best PC gaming headsets couldn’t drown out.

Dropping down to Performance mode didn’t seem to make much difference to frame rates, and only marginally decreased fan noise. Despite the raucous, though, the fans weren’t able to disperse heat as effectively as I would’ve liked.

During my sessions with the Zephyrus G14 (2025), it became very hot in places. The keyboard and front section of the chassis only remained tepid (thankfully, since this is where you’ll be making the most contact), but the area above the keyboard became too hot to handle.

Close-up of keyboard and touchpad on Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future)

The same was true of the underside of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025). Despite the aforementioned ground clearance created by the rubber bars, there’s still not enough for optimal cooling it seems; this is certainly a laptop I’d recommend using with one of the best laptop cooling pads if you can.

The OLED display is pleasingly sharp and vibrant, which makes it great for all kinds of tasks, not just gaming. That aforementioned ultra-thin bezel means the 14-inch display projects a bigger image than you might expect, too.

The keys are tactile, thanks to their surprising resistance and deep travel relative to those of other laptops, even ones designed for gaming. This makes them well suited to the task, while still being light and snappy enough for comfortable typing.

The touchpad is great as well. Its impressive size, along with its very smooth surface, makes navigation easier. However, this will likely be irrelevant for most gamers, since it’s still no match for the best gaming mouse.

What’s more, it gets in the way when you’re using the keyboard, even if you stick to the WASD position. This means you’ll likely want to disable it when gaming, but you’ll be more reluctant to do so while typing, given its usefulness for productivity purposes.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Battery Life

Close-up of M buttons on keyboard of Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future)

Poor battery life
Quick to charge

The battery life of the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is quite poor. When we ran a movie on a continuous loop, its battery lasted just over two and a half hours. This is way down on its key rivals, such as the Blade 14 and the Nitro V 15, both of which manage over twice that duration.

Thankfully, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is quick to charge, taking about 90 minutes to fully replenish via the included power adapter.

Battery Life: 2.5 / 5

Should I buy the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)?

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The Zephyrus G14 (2025) is at the higher end of the market, and there are slightly better rivals for not much more.	3 / 5
Design	The Zephyrus G14 (2025) is surprisingly compact and elegant for a gaming laptop. It also seems built to a high standard.	4.5 / 5
Performance	The RTX 5070 Ti in my review unit handled AAA titles brilliantly, and the display rendered them in their full glory. There’s a worrying amount of heat in places, though.	4.5 / 5
Battery Life	Poor even by gaming laptop standards; there are plenty of rivals that can outlast it. At least it’s quick to charge.	2.5 / 5
Total	The form factor, performance, and display are all excellent, but the heat, noise, and steep price mean you’ll have to assess your priorities before determining whether it’s the right gaming laptop for you.	4 / 5

Buy the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) if...

You want something truly portable
Thanks to its small dimensions and light chassis, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is easy to carry around, especially compared to other gaming laptops.

You want great performance
Gaming is smooth even with maximum settings, while the 3K OLED display shows them off at their best.

Don't buy it if...

You want something cool and quiet
The Zephyrus G14 (2025) makes a fair amount of noise, and it can get extremely hot in places.

You’re on a budget
The Zephyrus G14 (2025) is expensive, rubbing shoulders with some true icons in the space.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Also Consider

Razer Blade 14 (2025)
For not much more than the Zephyrus G14 (2025), you could also have the Blade 14, which we think is one of the best gaming laptops around at the moment. There’s little to fault here, since its performance, design, and display are all exemplary. It can get quite hot and the keyboard isn’t anything special, but in every other regard it’s a brilliant gaming laptop that’s easy to carry around.

Read our full Razer Blade 14 (2025) review.

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel
If you’re looking to spend a lot less on a gaming laptop, the Nitro V 15 is a great budget pick. You’ll have to settle for an RTX 5050, but I found this offered plenty of power for smooth 1080p gaming. It’s certainly not as portable as the Zephyrus G14 (2025), but that’s the sacrifice you make for the saving.

Read our full Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review.

How I tested the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)

Tested for a week
Used for gaming and other tasks
Plentiful gaming laptop experience

I tested the Zephyrus G14 (2025) for a week, using it for gaming, working, and general browsing. I also connected various peripherals to it.

I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 with various graphics settings, and conducted our series benchmark tests designed to test multiple facets of gaming laptops. I also ran our battery test, playing a movie continuously until the battery depleted.

I've been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used numerous machines in that time, both desktop and laptop. I've also have plenty of experience reviewing gaming laptops, as well as those made for productivity and everyday use.

First reviewed: September 2025
Read more about how we test

I gamed for days on the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel, and its 1080p performance is great for the price – as long as you can stand the heat

5:24 am | August 29, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life | Comments: Off

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel: Two-minute review

The Acer Nitro V 15 Intel is yet another gaming laptop from the esteemed brand that promises high-end performance for a relatively modest outlay.

It has a fairly muted design for the most part, although the variegated lines and Nitro symbol on the lid hint at its potential. It’s quite bulky and reasonably heavy, but still manages to be more portable than some of its rivals. This is also helped by the omission of a rear ventilation bulge common on many gaming laptops.

It’s not as well built as the best gaming laptops, though. It employs less-than premium materials in places, and the flex of the chassis doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. In the main, though, it’s perfectly acceptable, and the important aspects, such as the keys and the lid hinge, are of a higher standard.

Most of the usual ports are present and correct on the Nitro V 15 Intel, although they’re loaded on the left-hand side; all you get on the right is the headset jack and one USB-A port. I would’ve liked to have seen a few more here for versatility’s sake, but this is a minor gripe.

The performance of the Nitro V 15 Intel isn’t exactly off the charts, but it’s more than sufficient for solid 1080p gaming. You’ll get around 60fps or above with high – if not the highest – settings in many AAA titles.

Acer Nitro V 15 open on desk with wooden panels, plant, and pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

The display impressed me with its vibrant color rendering colors and deep black tones. Reflections can get in the way somewhat, but its maximum brightness level is just about enough to mitigate the worst of them. It’s a small shame, however, that the lid doesn’t open all that wide.

There’s also a fair amount of fan noise, even when gaming with modest settings, although it’s still within tolerable bounds for the most part. Plenty of heat is also generated, which can be a little disruptive as it makes its way to the space bar and radiates from the right vent. It can also climb up to the display, which is less than ideal.

With its relatively low starting price, the Nitro V 15 Intel makes for a tempting proposition. However, there are some other great budget picks at this end of the market, including its bigger sibling, the Nitro 16. And if you don’t need the latest tech, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another admirable 1080p performer. But the Nitro V 15 Intel can stand proud alongside these as another reasonably priced gaming laptop worth the money.

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Price & Availability

Starts from $899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370)
Available now
Budget end of the market

The Nitro V 15 Intel starts from $899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370) and is available now. It can be configured with an RTX 5050 or 5060, an Intel Core i5 or i7 of the 13th generation, and 512GB or 1TB of storage.

This is a good value for a gaming laptop with an RTX 5000 series GPU. It does face some stern competition at this price point, however – chiefly from its larger counterpart, the Nitro 16, which we think is the best budget gaming laptop around right now, and has the advantage of having a larger display (albeit only slightly).

If you don’t need the absolute latest components, then the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another strong alternative with a reasonable price. It does have a few flaws, such as a poor trackpad and middling battery life, but there are worse areas to have made sacrifices.

Value: 4 / 5

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Specs

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Specs
	Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Base Config	Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Review Config
Price	$899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370)	$1,199.99 / £999.99 (about AU$1830)
CPU	Intel Core i5-13420H (8 cores) 2.10GHz	Intel Core i7-13620H (10 cores) 2.40GHz
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 8GB	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 8GB
RAM	16GB DDR4 SDRAM	16GB DDR4 SDRAM
Storage	512GB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 M.2 SSD	1TB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 M.2 SSD
Display	15.6-inch Active Matrix TFT LCD (1920 x 1080), 16:9, IPS, 165Hz	15.6-inch Active Matrix TFT LCD (1920 x 1080), 16:9, IPS, 165Hz
Ports and Connectivity	3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 4), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3,5mm Audio, WI	3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 4), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3,5mm Audio, WI
Battery	76Wh	76Wh
Dimensions	14.3 x 9.4 x 0.9in / 362 x 240 x 24mm	14.3 x 9.4 x 0.9in / 362 x 240 x 24mm
Weight	4.65lbs / 2.11kg	4.65lbs / 2.11kg

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Design

Rear of Acer Nitro V 15 open on desk with wooden panels, plant, and pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Minimal design
Reasonably thick and heavy
Well-made keyboard

The Nitro V 15 Intel adopts a fairly minimal aesthetic for a gaming laptop. About the only indication of its leanings is the multicolored linear pattern on the lid, which adds a small amount of interest to its appearance.

It’s a somewhat bulky, blocky unit and it weighs a considerable amount, although there are certainly thicker and heavier examples in this class. It also lacks the rear bulge for cooling purposes common on many gaming laptops, which improves its portability.

The materials employed throughout the unit don’t strike me as being among the most premium, feeling a little cheap compared to those of the competition. There’s also some flex to the enclosure for the keyboard and trackpad, but thankfully not to a disconcerting extent.

Thankfully, the lid hinge seems built to a higher standard, opening with ease and offering sufficient stability. It doesn’t open very wide, though, since the bottom of the lid hits the underlying surface if you take it even slightly past 90 degrees.

The keys are also a highlight in terms of build quality. They’re smooth to the touch and comfortably proportioned, as well as being generously spaced apart. And despite the inclusion of a number pad, the overall layout doesn’t feel cramped.

One strange omission, though, is the lack of an FN lock shortcut. Instead, you have to toggle this setting in the BIOS, which is very inconvenient – especially given there are no dedicated media control keys (they’re bound to the F row).

There are four rubber feet underneath the Nitro V 15 Intel that provide adequate grip and support, and raise the chassis from the surface by a small amount – but perhaps not enough for optimal airflow.

You’ll find most ports on the left-hand side of the Nitro V 15 Intel. The power port is furthest, followed by the ethernet and HDMI ports, and then two USB-A ports and one USB-C.

On the right there’s only a USB-A port and the headset jack. I would’ve preferred a better balance between the two sides – perhaps more USB-A ports on the right for connecting various peripherals, but this is a small gripe.

The power brick that comes with the Nitro V 15 Intel is pleasingly small, while the cable that runs from it to the laptop is relatively long, which makes it better suited to a wider variety of setups.

Design: 3.5 / 5

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Performance

Fingers on keyboard of Acer Nitro V 15 — (Image credit: Future)

Runs AAA titles at very high settings
Maximum settings not attainable
Vivid and bright display

With the RTX 5060 equipped in my review unit, the Nitro V 15 Intel performed quite well, if not blisteringly so. When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset (which the game chose by default), I was getting somewhere in the region of 60-70fps. I’m sure many gamers are happy to play at these rates (myself included), but those looking for figures in the hundreds will be disappointed.

The display does a commendable job of rendering colors vibrantly and providing plenty of contrast, with blacks being particularly impressive. It’s also devoid of the washed-out tones that can plague other LCD displays. It can be overly reflective at times, but thankfully there’s enough brightness to combat the worst offenders.

A fair amount of fan noise accompanied most of my playing time with the Nitro V 15 Intel, but this was nothing a good pair of headphones or the best PC gaming headsets couldn’t mask. As expected, heat was also generated, which can make its way to the keyboard, even after a short time playing. I found it particularly concentrated around the space bar, which can exceed temperatures I find totally comfortable handling.

Right side ports of Acer Nitro V 15, open on desk with wooden panels and pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Also, since there’s no protrusion behind the lid, vents are placed in front of the display. And since the display housing reaches all the way down, level with the bottom of the chassis, the expelled hot air radiates onto the display, which isn’t exactly the best place for it.

As for the keys, their lack of dampening and surprising resistance can make them somewhat uncomfortable to game with, as I would sometimes experience fatigue when using the WASD keys for long periods. However, their clicky feel and short actuation point makes them snappy and responsive, which in turn makes them ideal for typing as well as gaming (their aforementioned size and spacing also help in this regard).

The trackpad, however, frequently got in my way while typing, registering swipes accidentally even when I made marginal contact with the palm of my thumb.

Performance: 4 / 5

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Battery Life

Left side ports of Acer Nitro V 15, open on desk with wooden panels, plant, and pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Middling longevity
Quick to charge

The Nitro V 15 Intel has a reasonable, if not spectacular, battery life. It managed to last six and a half hours during our movie playback test, and one hour and 37 minutes in the PCMark battery test for gaming scenarios, neither of which are class-leading scores.

Having said that, there are certainly gaming laptops with worse batteries, and thankfully the Nitro V 15 Intel is very quick to charge, taking about an hour and twenty minutes to totally replenish.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel?

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	It’s well-priced for an RTX 5000 series laptop, and it hasn’t skimped on the important aspects of a gaming laptop.	4 / 5
Design	It might not have the most premium construction, but it suffices, and quality is high in the areas that matter most.	3.5 / 5
Performance	You’ll get decent 1080p gaming at high settings, but maximum ones are beyond it. There’s a fair amount of heat generated, too.	4 / 5
Battery Life	Nothing special, but not the worst either. At least it’s quick to charge.	3.5 / 5
Total	The Nitro V 15 Intel does well in the most important areas considering its low price tag, and it can hold its own against other budget offerings in the gaming laptop space.	4 / 5

Buy the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel if...

You want solid 1080p gaming
AAA titles run smoothly on the Nitro V 15 Intel, and you won’t have to dip that far below maximum settings. The display is also impressive.

You want to save money
The Nitro V 15 Intel is very well-priced considering its spec and performance, and the compromises made are sensible – for the most part.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best battery life
The 76Wh battery can’t endure to the extent of some of its rivals, so those without a power outlet nearby might be disappointed.

You want the best gaming keyboard
Although the keys are great for typing, their short travel yet surprising resistance can make gaming a little fatiguing.

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro 16
Our pick for the best gaming laptop for those on a budget, the bigger sibling to the Nitro V 15 Intel is an equally enticing proposition. It’s similarly capable and features the same 165Hz refresh rate, but you do have to sacrifice some portability for that larger screen.

Read our full Acer Nitro 16 review.

MSI Katana 15 (2023)
If you’re willing to go for an older model, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is a fine choice. Again, the 1080p performance here is admirable, and its low cost makes it the ideal gateway model. Of course, you won’t get top-tier performance, and it’s hardly the most portable of units, but these are drawbacks to expect given the price.

Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.

How I tested the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel

Tested for a few days
Used for gaming, work, and browsing
Plentiful gaming experience

I tested the Nitro V 15 Intel for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

I played AAA titles and ran our series of benchmarks that test gaming and productivity performance, storage speeds, and battery life.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have experienced various machines and components during that time. I’ve also reviewed a number of laptops previously, including other Acer and gaming-oriented models.

First reviewed: August 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) and it performs better than its price suggests – but there’s one big sacrifice you’ll have to make

5:18 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: AMD, Battery Life | Comments: Off

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025): Two-minute review

The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a gaming laptop that promises top-tier performance at an affordable price. It doesn’t exactly convey its power visually, looking rather muted compared to others in this class. However, it does exude a fair amount of elegance, which belies its budget price tag.

It’s surprisingly thin and free from bulk, although it’s still quite heavy. The lid hinges are pleasingly small, and the bezel around the screen is very minimal – in fact you’ll struggle to find a more slender frame on even the best gaming laptop models.

Build quality is also respectable, although the keyboard doesn’t look the most premium. Thankfully, the keys themselves feel great, offering sufficient dampening, travel, and feedback, which makes them a joy to use when gaming.

And, on that front, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) acquits itself very well. The RTX 5050 in my unit performed remarkably well, achieving very high frame rates with demanding graphics settings selected, although Cyberpunk 2077 labored considerably on the highest preset, with disruptive stutters, lag, and visual glitches. But dropping the settings down slightly improved the experience greatly, while maintaining plenty of visual fidelity.

Close-up of keyboard on ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) — (Image credit: Future)

More bothersome, however, was the noise the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) generated, which is distractingly loud and pretty much rules out playing without headphones. At least the unit stays relatively cool for the most part, with any heat steering clear from any touchable surface.

The large 16-inch, 1920 x 1200 display of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is certainly good enough to represent AAA games faithfully, but it’s not the best in class, guilty of looking a little washed out at times. It also lacks the high brightness levels of its rivals, and is a little too reflective.

As mentioned, the keys feel great to use when gaming, but the cramped layout – owing to the inclusion of a number pad – can make typing awkward, at least for someone as ham-fisted as me.

This isn’t too big a gripe, though, and if you’re willing to put up with the incessant noise and can settle for gaming at close-to maximum settings, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a respectable performer that won’t break the bank – at least not to the extent other gaming laptops will.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Price & Availability

$1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499
Available now
Well-priced for the spec

The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) starts from $1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499 and is available now. In the US, we couldn't find a model equipped with an RTX 5050; the base model here appears to start with a 5060 instead.

This is a decent price for a 16-inch laptop with an RTX 5000 series GPU. There are few compromises, too, with the 1920 x 1200 resolution being the main concession. But the overall design and build quality of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) aren’t what you’d call cheap.

However, the Acer Nitro 16 AMD is cheaper by a significant amount. This has a less impressive spec, though: the base Nitro 16 AMD gets an RTX 4050 GPU, an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, and only 512GB of storage. It’s also quite bulky and doesn’t exactly look premium. We were very pleased with its 1080p performance, though, and we also liked its keyboard.

Value: 4 / 5

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Specs

	ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Base Config	ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Maximum Config
Price	$1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499	$1,699.99 / £1,699.99
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 260 Processor 3.8GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.1 GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)	AMD Ryzen 9 270 Processor 4.0GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.2GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, 8GB	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, 8GB
RAM	8GB DDR5	32GB DDR5
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	16-inch, FHD+ 16:10 (1920 x 1200, WUXGA), 165Hz, IPS, Anti-glare display, G-Sync	16-inch, FHD+ 16:10 (1920 x 1200, WUXGA), 165Hz, IPS, Anti-glare display, G-Sync
Ports and Connectivity	1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Battery	90WHrs	90WHrs
Dimensions	13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)	13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)
Weight	4.85lbs (2.20kg)	4.85lbs (2.20kg)

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Design

Close-up of trackpad on ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Surprisingly thin
Very thin screen bezel
Good-feeling keyboard

To my personal delight, ASUS hasn’t done much to gamify the appearance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). It has a minimal aesthetic and the whole unit looks surprisingly elegant for a gaming machine.

It isn’t saddled with the typical gaming laptop bulk, either. The chassis is pleasingly thin and the rear protrusion is comparatively small. While it's still quite weighty, again it’s not as heavy as some of its rivals.

The lid hinges look rather smart, and are easy to operate yet provide plenty of stability, while the bezel around the display is very small, allowing almost all of the allotted space to be used.

There are a few missteps in the design, though: the corners of the base are a little too sharp, and the keyboard looks a little cheap. A number pad is also included, which unfortunately makes the whole layout a little more cramped than it otherwise would be. Still, I did appreciate the translucent WASD keys, which distinguishes them from the others.

Underneath the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) are four rubber feet and plastic strips that raise the unit from the surface by a fair amount, which helps to improve airflow.

You’ll find the usual selection of ports on the TUF Gaming A16 (2025), with most of them located on the left side. They’re sensibly ordered, too; I particularly appreciated the headset jack being at the front and the power port at the back.

Along with an ethernet port and an HDMI port, you’ll also find two USB-C ports on the left – one is 3.2 Gen 2 and the other 4, but both support external display connections. On the right are two USB-A ports, which are again logically located, since it makes them amenable to connecting peripherals such as mice.

Design: 4 / 5

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Performance

Close-up of webcam on ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025), with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Impressive AAA performance
Quite loud
Display not the most vibrant

I was impressed by the overall performance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset – which the game selected by default – I was getting roughly between 175-200fps, depending on the in-game environment.

Turning the preset to Ray Tracing: Ultra naturally resulted in a decrease, but I was still in the respectable region of 115-150fps. Ray Tracing: Overdrive caused a further dip, down to 70-100fps, but with the added bane of significant stuttering and input lag, as well as some strange visual artefacts and pop-in effects. Suffice to say this isn’t a setting I can recommend playing on.

Nonetheless, the above demonstrates a laudable effort on the part of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). However, the price is paid in noise – a loud one. Under load it’s a veritable cacophony, as the fans whir away with considerable force. Needless to say this can be quite disruptive, requiring one of the best PC gaming headsets with strong noise cancellation to drown it out.

At least the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) stays relatively cool. Any heat generated is confined to reasonable temperatures, and concentrated mainly at the very back of the unit – although this can spread to the underside, so if you are using the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) on your lap, your legs might get a little toasty. Mercifully, though, the heat doesn’t encroach on the keyboard or the sides of the chassis, so there’s no chance of scorching your fingers.

The 1920 x 1200 display on my unit provided sufficient sharpness, even at 16 inches, and proved to be very bit as smooth and responsive as you’d expect from its 165Hz refresh rate. Colors appear vibrant enough, but they can look a little washed out at times. What’s more, the maximum brightness level isn’t that high, and reflections can rear their ugly heads under certain lighting conditions.

Close-up of left side ports on ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025), open on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

The keys are tactile and well damped, and have more travel and resistance than those on your typical laptop, which makes them easy and satisfying to use when gaming. I also appreciated the prominent nub on the W key, making it easy to locate.

While the keys also feel good to type on, the aforementioned cramped layout can hamper the A16's productivity credentials. I never fully got used to it, and what’s more the large trackpad does encroach on your hand placement, so you need to take care in not pressing down too hard.

The trackpad is smooth and makes for effortless swipes and gestures, but it can be inconsistent in registering taps, sometimes requiring a harder hit than normal. This might be a moot point for many gamers, though, since they’ll likely be pairing the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) with one of the best gaming mice.

Typical of many Asus products, there are a few annoying pop-ups from Armory Crate, as well as some bizarre notifications from Nvidia about display mode changes, which usually appear when booting up a game; for some unknown reason the system frequently thought two displays were connected.

Thankfully, this didn’t seem to affect performance in any way, and Windows at least makes it easy to change projection settings with the Win+P shortcut. Aside from these niggles, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) provides a pretty seamless experience overall, as you might expect given the power on tap.

Performance: 4 / 5

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Battery Life

Back of ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025), open on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

The battery life of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is pretty impressive. It managed to last two hours and ten minutes in the PCMark gaming battery test, which is close to the time achieved by the Acer Nitro 16 AMD.

In our movie playback test, where we ran a short film on a continuous loop, it lasted an impressive 12 hours and 18 minutes. What’s more, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is also quick to charge, taking just under two hours to fully replenish.

Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should I buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)?

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is priced very competitively considering the spec. The relatively low resolution is about the only sacrifice.	4 / 5
Design	It’s surprisingly thin and elegant for a gaming laptop, and it also appears built to a high standard	4 / 5
Performance	The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) delivers high frame rates in AAA titles with demanding settings, although it won’t handle max presets all that well, and the noise is bothersome.	4 / 5
Battery Life	It performed well in our series of battery benchmarks, and it's fast to charge, too.	4 / 5
Total	The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) seems to have achieved its aim of delivering high performance at a relatively low price point, which makes it a tempting proposition for those on a budget – if they can put up with the noise.	4 / 5

Buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) if...

You want a sleek design
For a large powerhouse, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) does remarkably well to keep the bulk to a minimum, and the build quality seems reasonably solid, too.

You’re on a budget
The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is very well priced, especially considering its powerful spec. The 1920 x 1200 resolution is about the only major cutback.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best display
While it’s perfectly good enough for gaming, the colors can look a little washed out, and it’s prone to irksome reflections, too.

You want peace and quiet
The sound of the fans when gaming, even at moderate settings, is persistent and distracting, so a good pair of headphones are a must.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro 16 AMD
Our current pick as the best affordable gaming laptop, the Nitro 16 AMD does most of the important things right. The 1080p performance impressed us, while the 165Hz refresh rate is very welcome at this price point, especially since it’s cheaper than the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). Read our full Acer Nitro 16 AMD review.

MSI Katana 15 (2023)
If you’re willing to go with a model a few years old, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another capable gaming laptop at a relatively low cost. This again has solid 1080p performance and a fast refresh rate, although it’s let down somewhat by the middling battery life and poor trackpad. Thankfully, these areas are where compromises are some of the least egregious. Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.

How I tested the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)

Tested for a few days
Used for gaming and everyday tasks
Plentiful PC gaming hardware experience

I tested the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) for a couple of days, during which time I used it for gaming and everyday tasks such as typing and browsing.

I played various games, including Cyberpunk 2077, which is a demanding test for systems and remains a cutting-edge AAA experience. I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to assess the gaming, creative, and productivity credentials of PCs, as well as storage speeds and battery life.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I’ve experienced plenty of systems and hardware. I’ve also reviewed a number of laptops, from gaming machines to those designed for productivity and general use.

First reviewed: August 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested an outrageous Acer Predator laptop with Nvidia 5090 GPU, and I wish I could recommend it, but I just can’t at this price

12:10 pm | July 31, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, Razer Blade | Comments: Off

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI: Two-minute review

The Acer Predator Helios 18 AI is a top-tier gaming laptop with a phenomenal spec that’s sure to whet the appetites of even casual gamers. Despite what lurks inside, its exterior is remarkably restrained. At 18 inches, it's obviously very large, but the black finish and lack of branding keep its profile reasonably low. However, that large rear protrusion and ostentatious RGB lighting give away its intentions.

I think Acer has done well to keep the Predator Helios 18 AI as slender as possible. Of course, this is all relative given the size of laptop we’re dealing with here, but it’s impressively thin for the most part, although it thickens at the rear.

Build quality is also excellent, equaling the best gaming laptops in this regard. Premium materials are employed everywhere, and the hinge for the lid is smooth and easy to operate, while offering plenty of stability once set.

The keyboard is tactile and snappy, and the generous spacing of the keys makes it easy to type and game on the Predator Helios 18 AI. The number pad somewhat compromises the layout, though, with the space bar paying the highest price; it’s a little too short for my liking.

On the other hand, the large trackpad does a fine job of not interfering while using the keyboard, with accidental contact failing to register in my experience. It’s also very smooth and accurate, should you wish to use it over one of the best gaming mice.

Considering its mighty spec, the Predator Helios 18 AI performs as well as you might expect. Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages ran with aplomb, each delivering fps figures in the hundreds with maximum graphics settings, including those for ray tracing.

Rear of Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

You will have to endure constant fan noise when gaming, but thankfully this isn’t egregious when the default Balanced mode is selected in the Predator Sense app. The Predator Helios 18 AI also generates a fair amount of heat, which can spread to the sides and the keyboard after a while. Again, though, this isn’t bad enough to cause an issue.

The biggest price you’ll have to pay for all this performance is… well, the price. Starting at $3,000, the Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive. I struggle to think who’ll need such a large and powerful laptop, and be willing to pay this much for one.

Of course, the entire gaming laptop market is a premium one, but there are better value alternatives out there if you don’t need an 18-inch display and triple-digit frame rates, such as the excellent Razer Blade 16 (2025) or the MSI Katana 15 (2023), the latter of which we think is currently the best budget gaming laptop around.

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Price & Availability

Starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299
Hugely expensive
Better value alternatives

The Predator Helios 18 AI starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299 and is available now. It comes with spare WASD and arrow keys, as well as a thermal pad upgrade kit for the RAM.

You don’t need me to tell you what an eye-watering sum this is. It’s understandable considering the spec, and my review unit was even more outlandish, equipped with a 3840 x 2400 display and 192GB of RAM(!).

Prices are similar to the Razer Blade, which performs similarly too. If you want something that’s even better value, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is, in our view, one of the best budget gaming laptops around, if you’re happy to game at 1080p.

Value: 2.5 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Specs

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Specs
	Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Base Config	Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Review Config
Price	$2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7299	TBC
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 (16GB)	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (24GB)
RAM	64GB DDR5	192GB DDR5
Storage	2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD	2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD
Display	18-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS	18-inch WQUXGA (3840 x 2400), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS
Ports and Connectivity	3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Battery	99Wh	99Wh
Dimensions	401 x 308 x 29.6mm	401 x 308 x 29.6mm
Weight	3.5kg / 7.7lbs	3.5kg / 7.7lbs

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Design

Close-up of left side ports on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Large but surprisingly thin
Relatively understated
Excellent build quality

Given its large display size, the Predator Helios 18 AI is a reasonably understated gaming laptop. The rear bulge that extends beyond the lid hinge gives it some distinction, and the RGB lighting can light up the whole unit like a Christmas tree if you want it to (the bar that runs along the front edge and wraps around the side is especially striking). But switch this off and you’ll struggle to tell it apart from the best business laptops.

It’s quite bulky, although I think the Predator Helios 18 AI does an admirable job of keeping its dimensions contained considering the beastly components that lay within. The front end is reasonably thin, but thickens as it moves towards the back. This increased size does allow for larger vent openings, though, so it’s a worthy sacrifice to improve cooling performance.

The overall build quality is hard to fault. All the materials that are used look and feel premium and durable. The lid is also impressively smooth to operate yet remains sufficiently stable when set in position.

Underneath you’ll find three feet that run across the width of the Predator Helios 18 AI, and they provide plenty of grip on desktop surfaces. They also raise the chassis from the surface by a significant degree, again allowing for improved ventilation.

There are plenty of ports on the Predator Helios 18 AI. On the left, you’ll find an ethernet and a USB-A port, as well as an SD card slot and a 3.5mm audio in/ out jack. On the right are two more USB-A ports, which is a sensible location considering this is where you’ll likely be connecting external peripherals.

On the rear are two USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and a large power cable port. As you would imagine, the power supply is large, but unfortunately the cable running from the brick to the jack end is quite short. Owing to my setup, this meant I had to keep the brick on my desk rather than placing it on the floor, which was quite the inconvenience.

Design: 4 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Performance

Close-up of rear ports on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Fantastic AAA performance
Vibrant and sharp display
Some fan noise and heat

Gaming with the Predator Helios 18 AI didn’t get off to a particularly auspicious start. When I ran Cyberpunk 2077 for the first time, the game’s benchmark function recorded a disappointing 42fps, with the maximum 3840 x 2400 resolution and Ray Tracing: Ultra preset selected.

Some tinkering with the graphics settings resulted in modest improvements to performance, but it wasn’t until after restarting the game a couple of times that things suddenly improved: I started getting about 100fps, even in busy in-game environments, without lowering the resolution or any other graphical settings.

Similar figures were achieved when I played Doom: The Dark Ages, although I did have to change the DLSS mode from Auto to Ultra Performance to get there. Thankfully, this made no discernible difference to the image quality.

And on that front, both games looked fantastic on the WQUXGA display. Colors were accurate and vibrant, if very slightly washed-out. This is a common issue on many IPS displays, but here the effect did little to detract from the awesomeness of the visuals.

The ultra-high 3840 x 2400 resolution in my review unit offered incredible levels of sharpness, while the high response times resulted in super-smooth gameplay. It’s also capable of very high brightness levels, which helps to keep pesky reflections at bay.

Close-up of trackpad on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Benchmarks

Here's how the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI performed in our series of benchmark tests:

Geekbench 6.2:
Single - 2,803
Multi - 16,720
Cinebench R24:
Single - 125 13.89x
Multi - 1,728
3DMark:
Fire Strike - 36,158
Time Spy - 17,341
Port Royal - 12,994
Night Raid - 60,951
PCMark10:
8,885
Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p Low - 469fps
1080p Ultra - 361fps
1080p Ray Tracing: Overdrive - 128fps
Battery test:
Movie playback - 3 hours and 2 minutes
PCMark10 (Gaming) - 1 hour 27 minutes

Fan noise is constant when gaming on the Predator Helios 18 AI, but I didn’t find it distractingly loud. The volume increases considerably if you set the Predator Sense profile to Performance mode, though – then you’ll really need one of the best PC gaming headsets to drown out the noise.

The Predator Helios 18 AI does a good job of keeping temperatures down. Its underside doesn’t get too hot, although over time heat leaks out of both sides, which can be a little distracting for your mouse hand. After a couple of hours of gaming, I noticed the bottom of the keyboard became quite hot, too, especially around the space bar.

It wasn’t hot enough to make using the keyboard a problem, though. And what’s more, the keyboard on the Predator Helios 18 AI is great to game with. The keys are clicky but damped enough to make them tactile.

They’re a little on the small side (although they’re generously spaced apart), owing to the inclusion of the aforementioned number pad. This compromises the layout somewhat – especially the space bar, which isn’t as long as I would’ve liked, and therefore somewhat awkward to hit with my left thumb.

The trackpad on the Predator Helios 18 AI is large and very smooth, making it easy to use. Mercifully, it also appears unaffected by contact with the sides of your palms, meaning it won’t accidentally register movements while your hands lean over it to use the keyboard.

Performance: 5 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Battery Life

Close-up of keyboard with RGB lighting on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI — (Image credit: Future)

Large 99Wh capacity
Underwhelming longevity
Quick to charge

The battery life of the Predator Helios 18 AI isn't particularly impressive. Despite its 99Wh capacity, it lasted just under 90 minutes PCMark10's battery test for gaming scenarios.

This makes it considerably worse than the Razer Blade 16 (2025), which managed about an hour more, but much better than the MSI Katana 15 (2023), which didn’t even last one hour.

Charging the Predator Helios 18 AI back up to full is a surprisingly quick process, though – and given the size of the power brick, you would hope it would be.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Predator Helios 18 AI?

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive, and only worth it if you need the absolute best gaming performance in laptop form.	2.5 / 5
Design	The Predator Helios 18 AI is very large, but is admirably thin considering what’s inside. It’s brilliantly made, too, and the RGB lighting is tastefully vibrant.	4 / 5
Performance	My review unit had an RTX 5090 and an Intel Core Ultra 9, so naturally its performance is out of this world. The display is excellent, too.	5 / 5
Battery Life	The Predator Helios 18 AI can't last an especially long time, but at least it's capable of replenishing quickly.	3.5 / 5
Total	There’s no denying this is a ferocious gaming machine; you can’t really ask for more from a gaming laptop. But the astronomical price puts it beyond the reach of many gamers, and there are many better value propositions out there.	3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want the best portable performance
With Nvidia RTX 5000 series GPUs available, the Predator Helios 18 AI can achieve astonishing fps figures, while the CPU and configurable RAM are equally capable components.

You want a large display
At 18 inches, the screen is more than big enough for laptop gaming, and renders AAA titles in all their glory.

Don't buy it if...

You want to save money
You’ll need plenty of cash to buy even the base model, and there are better value options out there.

You want a truly portable device
You’ll want something much smaller and lighter than the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI if you’re constantly on the go.

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Also Consider

Razer Blade 16 (2025)
We were already big fans of the Razer Blade 14 from 2024, but the Blade 16 (2025) surpasses it in many ways. Like the Predator Helios 18 AI, it too can be equipped with an RTX 5090, and is built to a similarly high standard. It’s a shame there’s no 4K option this time round, though, and it’s still about as expensive as the Predator Helios 18 AI. Read our full Razer Blade 16 (2025) review.

MSI Katana 15 (2023)
Our current pick as the best gaming laptop for those on a budget, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) gets the balance right between price and performance, impressing us with its 1080p gaming. The trackpad and battery life might be weak points, but these are areas in gaming laptops where we’re willing to forgive shortcomings. As your first foray into the sector, it’s a great place to start. Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.

How I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI

Tested for a few days
Played AAA games
Extensive PC gaming experience

I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI for a few days, during which time I played games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages, both AAA titles that provide stern tests for rigs owing to their demanding, cutting-edge graphics.

I also ran TechRadar’s series of benchmarking tests, including a battery test where I played a movie on a continuous loop until the Predator Helios 18 AI shut down.

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have experienced a number of systems and components. I have also reviewed laptops previously, as well as copious amounts of gaming hardware.

First reviewed: July 2025
Read more about how we test

I’ve tested laptops for years, and the Alienware 16 Area-51 is easily one of the best gaming laptops ever made

7:00 pm | July 19, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: AAA, CPU, RAM, RGB | Comments: Off

Alienware 16 Area-51: Two-minute review

There are only a few gaming laptop releases that’ll impress buyers this year as much as the Alienware 16 Area-51. Everything about this work of premium art and technology oozes perfection.

Though the configuration I reviewed came out to around $3,249.99 / £3,349 / AU$5,497.80, there’s plenty of scalability in terms of both price and component options, with systems starting at $1,999.99 / £2,149.01 / AU$4,198.70.

The design alone places this as one of the best gaming laptops going, thanks to a futuristically sleek design that mirrors its desktop sibling with “fluid contours and soft surfaces” that blends nice angles, lovely multi-zone customizable lighting, smart port placement, clever ventilation, a clear glass panel on the bottom to show of the internals, and much more.

The phenomenal design philosophy is matched with gaming performance that’ll impress enthusiasts and competitive gamers alike. All of that power is pumped out through a 16-inch 2560x1600 display that offers a 240Hz refresh rate as well.

However, holding the display back significantly is the image quality. Despite featuring 100% DCI-P3, 500 nits of brightness, and Nvidia G-Sync, images lack crispness and can come off as smudged a bit as well. Thankfully, the Dolby Atmos-certified speakers provide great, nuanced sound for gaming alongside general music listening.

That doesn’t even count the amount of extras that are featured on the Area-51 16, such as the option to have a full RGB mechanical keyboard, which makes it to where serious players don’t have to use a USB slot and lug an extra keyboard around.

Even outside of gaming, the mechanical keyboard makes general computing tasks a thrill thanks to how fantastic keystrokes feel. In a cool touch, the touchpad itself glows with customizable lighting too.

All of this greatness does come at the cost of borderline abysmal battery life, which comes with the territory of most high-end gaming laptops.

Those in need of more juice for long flights or times without a nearby electrical socket may be in some trouble. Regardless, the Alienware 16 Area-51 is out of this world when it comes to laptop gaming.

Alienware 16 Area-51: Price & availability

An Alienware Area-51 16 laptop on a desk — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much does it cost? Starting at $1,999.99 / £2,149.01 / AU$4,198.70

When is it available? Available now

Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Alienware 16 Area-51 is now available through Dell’s online store and other digital retailers, starting at $1999.99 / £2,149.01 / AU$4,198.70. Buyers in the US, UK, and Australia can choose from a range of configurations and options tailored to their Windows gaming needs.

My review unit was configured with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD Storage comes in at $2,849.99 / £3,298.99 / AU$5,497.80. Other features include the 4K web camera and mechanical keyboard options.

While not the most expensive laptop in its size class, it's not the cheapest either, but its starting price is very good for a laptop with this kind of premium feel.

Value: 4 / 5

Alienware 16 Area-51: Specs

	Alienware Area-51 16 (Lowest Configuration)	Alienware Area-51 16 (Review)	Alienware Area-51 16 (Highest Configuration)
Price:	$1,999.99 at Dell.com \| £2,149.01 at Dell.com \| AU$4,198.70 at Dell.com	$2,849.99 at Dell.com \| £3,298.99 at Dell.com \| AU$5,497.80 at Dell.com	$5,499.99 at Dell.com \| £5,779 at Dell.com \| AU$$8,847.30 at Dell.com
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 255HX	Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 275HX	Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 275HX
Graphics:	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
RAM:	16GB DDR5-6400MT/s	32GB DDR5-6400MT/s	64GB DDR5-6400MT/s
Screen:	16" WQXGA 2560x1600 240Hz 3ms 100% DCI-P3 500 nit, NVIDIA G-SYNC + Advanced Optimus	16" WQXGA 2560x1600 240Hz 3ms 100% DCI-P3 500 nit, NVIDIA G-SYNC + Advanced Optimus	16" WQXGA 2560x1600 240Hz 3ms 100% DCI-P3 500 nit, NVIDIA G-SYNC + Advanced Optimus
Storage:	1TB SSD	1TB SSD	12TB (3 x 4TB) PCIe SSD (4TB PCIe SSD in Australia)
Ports:	1X SD Card Slot, 1 x 3.5mm Headset Jack, 2 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, 1 x HDMI 2.1	1X SD Card Slot, 1 x 3.5mm Headset Jack, 2 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, 1 x HDMI 2.1	1X SD Card Slot, 1 x 3.5mm Headset Jack, 2 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, 1 x HDMI 2.1
Wireless:	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750 (2x2 320Hz) MIMO 802.11be Wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.4	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750 (2x2 320Hz) MIMO 802.11be Wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.4	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750 (2x2 320Hz) MIMO 802.11be Wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.4
Camera:	1080P Webcam	4K Webcam	4K Webcam
Weight:	7.49 lbs \| 3.40 kg	7.49 lbs \| 3.40 kg	7.49 lbs \| 3.40 kg
Dimensions:	14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 ins \| 365 x 290 x 28.5mm (W x D x H)	14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 ins \| 365 x 290 x 28.5mm (W x D x H)	14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 ins \| 365 x 290 x 28.5mm (W x D x H)

Alienware 16 Area-51: Design

Sleek, rounded design with a beautiful liquid teal colorway and RGB lighting nearly everywhere
Nice rear port selection and SD Card slot
Comfortable experience with the mechanical keyboard

As noted before—and it bears repeating—the Alienware 16 Area-51’s design is truly breathtaking. From the moment you unbox it, the spaceship-inspired curves and sleek, dark liquid teal finish immediately signal a premium, high-end machine that stands out in any setting. While closed, there are some noticeable design choices that truly set this gaming laptop apart from others.

Every angle of the Area-51 16 is picturesque from top to bottom. This includes the top panel featuring the standard Alienware logo that is backlit by customizable RGB.

At the bottom, you get to see the laptop’s Cryo-Chamber structure, allowing direct airflow to the laptop’s core components. This also raises the device for both comfort and larger air intake. For added measure, there’s a clear Gorilla Glass panel showing the AlienFX fans that also has customizable lighting.

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A nice selection of ports is located on the rear, which offsets the display hinge by about a few inches. That portion also features a customizable RGB light ring that circles it from top to bottom, too.

This allows access to three USB-A, two USB-C with Thunderbolt, a single HDMI port, and a power port. Those are joined on the left side by an SD Card slot and a 3.5mm headset jack. Smartly designed V-Rail edges make opening and closing the gaming laptop a smooth

When opened, the display offers either an FHD or a 4K webcam at the top. Below, the mechanical keyboard provides a satisfying feel for both gaming and typing, complete with customizable RGB lighting, and is flanked by a speaker system with two 2W woofers, two 2W tweeters, and Dolby Atmos certification.

The smooth, precision glass touchpad at the bottom also features customizable RGB lighting, adding to the laptop’s premium, tailored experience. Usage is made extra comfortable through a pillowed palm rest, which helps when gaming or when doing general web browsing tasks for long periods.

The Alienware Area-51 16 is just so thoughtful in the engineering and design. There’s a visual appeal and functional enhancements that elevate the ownership experience here in ways that feel luxurious yet cool.

Design: 5 / 5

Alienware 16 Area-51: Performance

Incredible power for modern AAA games with high frame rates
Can control power output through Alienware Command Center
Display performance is awesome though image quality suffers

Alienware 16 Area-51 CPU benchmarks
Benchmark		Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single-core		3,126
Geekbench 6.4 Multi-core		20,498
Crossmark Overall		2,338
Crossmark Productivity		2,173
Crossmark Creativity		2,587
Crossmark Responsiveness		2,145

Gaming and high-end creative task performance match the design perfectly on the Alienware 16 Area-51. The Intel Core Ultra 9, Nvidia RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD in my configuration was probably the ideal way to make the most of the 16-inch 2560x1600 resolution display when it comes to configuration options.

I was able to play all the latest, visually arresting AAA games at 60+ frames per second without problems using Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong, Forza Motorsport (2023), Doom: The Dark Ages, and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows.

Alienware 16 Area-51 GPU benchmarks
Benchmarks		Score
3DMark Fire Strike		37,813
3DMark Time Spy		21,070
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra		14,073
3DMark Time Spy Extreme		10,558
3DMark Speed Way		5,613
3DMark Steel Nomad		5,142
3DMark Port Royal		13,966

There are ways to push frame rates even higher thanks to Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology. The base configuration option is great for 1080p and 1440p gaming, while the max configuration is good enough for 4K gaming if users plan on connecting to a compatible monitor.

The Area-51 16-inch is powerful enough to edit high-resolution photo and video content without any problems in apps like Adobe Premiere and Photoshop.

Despite pushing the Area-51 16-inch to max capabilities, I didn’t hear much fan noise and it didn’t get too hot, mostly thanks to the Area-51 16-inch's Cryotech cooling and smart vent placement.

Game		Average FPS
Assassin's Creed Shadows (Ultra, 1080p)		52
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)		58
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)		63
Monster Hunter Wilds (Max, 1080p)		83
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very high, 1080p)		183
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)		201

Like other Alienware devices, the Command Center app is a great way to augment power delivery to focus on a quieter fan speed, focus on battery (though it doesn’t help much), and full-on performance power. Other features of the Command Center include the ability to manage various game settings alongside customizing the various RGB lighting zones around the gaming laptop.

Gaming and the display performance are good enough to make me forget how average-looking the display is when it comes to image quality, suffering from washed-out colors that aren’t very crisp.

Performance: 5 / 5

Alienware 16 Area-51: Battery life

General computing tasks usage will give around 4 hours of usage between charges
Trying to game is only going to provide about two hours

Gaming laptops at this level rarely excel in battery life, and the Alienware 16 Area-51 is no exception. In our PCMark 10 gaming battery test, it lasted around two hours, typical for machines in this category.

More disappointing is its performance in everyday tasks: during our Battery Informant Web Surfing test, it managed just over four hours with power-saving settings like reduced RGB lighting and lower brightness.

With lighting and medium volume levels on, the battery dipped to roughly three hours before needing a recharge. It would be nice to see the power-focused sect of gaming laptops reach the level of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14.

On the positive side, the Alienware Battery Defender technology promises to balance power consumption with temperature monitoring to give the battery a longer life.

Charging takes a little over a few hours to reach full battery life, and there isn’t any quick charging. The power adapter brick is also pretty large as well so be mindful when traveling.

Battery life: 3 / 5

Should I buy the Alienware 16 Area-51?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	Gaming laptops are expensive by nature but the lower configuration versions of the Alienware 16 Area-51 do come at an attractive price.	4 / 5
Design	Between the smooth sleek chassis with lovely RGB lighting everywhere, port placements, fan placement and see-through bottom, this is the coolest looking gaming laptop ever made. This is the perfect match of form and function.	5 / 5
Performance	No matter which configuration you choose, you’re getting top-tier components that offer impressive scalability in performance options.	5 / 5
Battery	Battery life is pretty average so users are going to have to make sure they are near some power outlet.	3 / 5
Average rating	Image quality and battery life issues aside, this gaming laptop is worth every penny.	4.25 / 5

Buy the Alienware 16 Area-51 if...

You require one of the best-designed gaming laptops available
The Alienware 16 Area-51 is beautifully designed with a lovely chassis, properly placed ports, and awesome RGB lighting.

You need premium performance
Various configurations for top-of-the-line Intel Core CPUs and Nvidia RTX 50 series GPUs mean a variety of performance options.

You want some good extras
Great sounding speakers and a mechanical keyboard mean that serious gamers don’t have to use a USB port for an external one.

Don't buy it if...

You need better image quality
Though the performance of the 16-inch display is great, colors aren’t crisp and can feel a bit washed out. This means that gamers who are on the creative content side may have some issues.

You want better battery life
Gaming laptops aren’t usually known for their battery life, so expect similar results with the Area-51 16-inch.

Also Consider

If our Alienware Area-51 16 has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...

Razer Blade 14 (2024) review

Though it may not have the colorful lighting of the Area-51 16 and loses about two inches of display real estate, the Razer Blade 14 is a powerhouse that’s also portable.

Read the review here

MSI Katana 15

Anyone looking for an ultra-affordable gaming laptop that’s good for 1080p gaming performance should definitely check out the MSI Katana 15.

Read the review here

How I tested the Alienware 16 Area-51

Tested the gaming laptop over the course of a week
Games tested include Forza Motorsport (2023), Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II and Doom: The Dark Ages among others
General computing tasks include Tidal, Google Chrome and Adobe Suite

During my week with the Alienware 16 Area-51, I spent my time split between work during the day and gaming at night.

During the day, I used Google Chrome for web browsing, Gmail, Docs, and Sheets. Other software used includes Tidal to test speakers and Adobe Suite software like Photoshop, alongside Premiere Pro for creative tasks.

Outside of standard benchmark tests for games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong, I tested out plenty of modern games, including Forza Motorsport (2023), Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II, and Doom: The Dark Ages. I also managed to handle a few video conferences, which allowed me to test out the webcam as well.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Two-minute review

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is an ideal desktop replacement with more than enough power to take on just about everything in PC gaming spaces and at max settings for the most part.

While there are some situations you might need to bring some settings down a smidge (cough*Cyberpunk 2077*cough), that’s only really due to the higher resolution OLED panel that only requires a bit of power.

Starting at $2,909.99 / £2,700 / AU$4,999, the Legion Pro 7i comes with an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, Nvidia RTX 50-series GPUs, a 16-inch 2560 x 1600p OLED display, and up to 64GB DDR5 RAM and 2TB PCIe SSD storage.

Along with the performance and OLED screen are a nice assortment of ports, a full keyboard, and a responsive touchpad that is, unfortunately, not ideally aligned.

For some, especially those who don’t take their gaming laptops on the road all that much, this might be among the best gaming laptops out there. But poor battery life might make one take pause if you plan on getting a laptop that you want to use regularly untethered.

Still, if you have the cash and don’t plan on transporting your gaming laptop often (or have a big backpack), the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is worth a look, especially if you want a larger 16-inch screen for your gaming experience.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Price and availability

A Lenovo Legion Pro 7i on a table — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

How much does it cost? Starting at $2,909.99 / £2,700 / AU$4,999
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i might not be Lenovo’s most expensive gaming laptop – that honor goes to the Legion Pro 9i – but it’s still very expensive. Its most affordable price is a sizable $2,909.99 / £2,700 / AU$4,999.

Starting out with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD, pricing goes up from there. The review unit I have, upgraded with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 and 2TB SSD, costs $3,559.99 / £2,990.00 / AU$6,839.00, while the maxed-out configuration of Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and 2TB SSD is a jaw-dropping $4,424.49 / £3,900.00 / AU$7,079.00.

As expensive as the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is, larger gaming laptops tend to come with an even heftier price tag. The Origin EON17-X v2 I reviewed last year started at $3,400.00 (about £2,610.00 / AU$5,120.00) for a configuration of Intel Core i9-14900HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, 16GB of RAM, and a 17-inch 1440p@240Hz screen.

Of course, you can customize the lid on the EON17-X v2 with whatever design you want, but this does make the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i look affordable in comparison.

Price: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Specs

The underside of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

No matter which configuration you choose, the CPU you get is the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, a 24-core/24-thread processor with a peak frequency of 5.4GHz.

However, there is some wiggle room with the GPU where you can choose from an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080, or RTX 5090, 32GB or 64GB RAM, and between 1TB or 2TB SSD storage.

	Lenovo Legion Pro 7i base configuration	Lenovo Legion Pro 7i review configuration	Lenovo Legion Pro 7i max configuration
Price:	$2,909.99 / £2,799.99 / AU$4,999.00	$3,559.99 / £2,990.00 / AU$6,839.00	$4,424.49 / £3,900.00 / AU$7,079.00
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
Graphics:	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU
RAM:	32GB DDR5	32GB DDR5	64GB DDR5
Screen:	16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), OLED, HDR 1000 True Black, 500 nits, 240Hz	16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), OLED, HDR 1000 True Black, 500 nits, 240Hz	16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), OLED, HDR 1000 True Black, 500 nits, 240Hz
Storage:	1TB SSD	2TB SSD	2TB SSD
Ports:	HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C (power delivery 140W), 3x USB-A, Headphone / mic Combo, RJ45	HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C (power delivery 140W), 3x USB-A, Headphone / mic Combo, RJ45	HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C (power delivery 140W), 3x USB-A, Headphone / mic Combo, RJ45
Wireless:	Wi-Fi 7 / BlueTooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7 / BlueTooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7 / BlueTooth 5.4
Camera:	720p with e-privacy shutter	720p with e-privacy shutter	720p with e-privacy shutter
Weight:	Starting at < 2.72kg / 6lbs	Starting at < 2.72kg / 6lbs	Starting at < 2.72kg / 6lbs
Dimensions:	21.9mm-26.6mm x 364mm x 275.9mm / 0.86″- 1.04″ x 14.33″ x 10.86″	21.9mm-26.6mm x 364mm x 275.9mm / 0.86″- 1.04″ x 14.33″ x 10.86″	21.9mm-26.6mm x 364mm x 275.9mm / 0.86″- 1.04″ x 14.33″ x 10.86″

Considering that the base configuration is still fairly expensive, it’s no wonder that all the configurations keep the more premium appointments. Specifically, no matter what you do, you’ll get that OLED 1600p @ 240Hz panel with HDR 1000.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Design

The right-side ports on the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

This is a big computer
Large keyboard, touchpad aligned to the left
Lots of ports including Thunderbolt 4

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is big. It is a 16-inch laptop, after all. It’s fairly imposing in its matte “Eclipse Black” finish with only Legion emblazoned on the back of the lid and Lenovo in silver on the top back as flourishes. It’s also a little over an inch at its thickest.

This is not the most portable of gaming laptops. So, while it makes for a great desktop replacement, leave plenty of space in your backpack if you plan on getting this.

The left-side ports on the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Almost all the venting is underneath and back, so you don’t have to worry about hot air being blown onto you when gaming, assuming you’re using a mouse situated next to the laptop.

Besides the large 16-inch OLED screen, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i comes with a full-size keyboard complete with a ten-key numpad. There aren’t any standalone hotkeys, but plenty of keys have secondary functions, so I didn’t really miss them.

The keyboard of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The keycaps have a quality feel to them with a concave shape and textured feel that makes typing a relative pleasure. I do find the keyboard to feel a little big for some reason and find myself sometimes pressing the wrong button when reaching (mainly when gaming).

The touchpad is not oversized, but it’s set off to the left, which makes sense as the keyboard with the Numpad pushes the natural hand placement to the left as well. However, I’m not a fan of the touchpad’s placement – I would prefer it to be a bit more centered. At least, it’s accurate and responsive.

If you do want to use the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i as a desktop replacement, you’ll be happy to know that the port selection is fairly plentiful. It comes with an HDMI 2.1 port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, and a USB-C port, both of which support DisplayPort 2.1. There are also three USB-A ports and an Ethernet one, along with an eShutter button for privacy’s sake.

Design: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Performance

A Lenovo Legion Pro 7i on a table playing a game — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Strong performance that’s limited somewhat by the power-hungry panel
Can run most games at max settings with speedy results
Sound quality is pretty good

Considering the powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and higher-end Nvidia 5000-series GPUs – I tested the model with an RTX 5080 – not to mention a minimum of 32GB of RAM, the gaming performance here is going to be quite robust.

Now, all that hardware has to power the 16-inch OLED panel which has a 2560 x 1600p resolution with a refresh rate of 240Hz. That panel also manages 500 nits of brightness and has HDR 1000 True Black support.

So, that can knock off up to 20 or 30 fps from the Lenovo Legion 7i’s performance if you want to take full advantage of this laptop’s display. It’s worth noting that it also achieves a DCI-P3 of 100%, making this a sharp looking, vibrant display. I definitely preferred running games like South of Midnight, Starfield, RoboCop: Rogue City, and Cyberpunk 2077 at that higher resolution.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Synthetic Benchmarks
Benchmark		Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core		3,103
Geekbench 6.4 Multi Core		19,829
Crossmark Overall		2,163
Crossmark Productivity		1,998
Crossmark Creativity		2,525
Crossmark Responsiveness		1,727
25GB File Copy Transfer Rate (MB/s)		2,030.38
3DMark Fire Strike		34,434
3DMark Time Spy		16,928
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra		11,388
3DMark Time Spy Extreme		8,337
3DMark Speed Way		4,301
3DMark Steel Nomad		3,999
3DMark Port Royal		10,958

Speaking of, I was able to run all those games at basically max settings, including Ray Tracing where applicable, with smooth results and crisp, clear images. I didn’t experience any skipping, stuttering, or screen tearing. Any way you cut it, this is a powerful gaming laptop that will hold up.

If you look at our benchmarks, you can get a solid idea of what to expect. Cyberpunk 2077 with everything maxed will look good and will be smooth enough, but won’t really take advantage of that high refresh rate as it gets just an okay 30 fps on average on 1600p, so if you plan on playing at the display's native resolution, make sure to use DLSS for the best experience.

However, there are plenty of games where I can achieve up to and above 100 fps even before compromising on settings.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gaming Benchmarks
Game & settings		Frames per second
Assassin's Creed Shadows (Ultra High, 1080p)		45 fps
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)		45 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)		50 fps
Metro: Exodus (Extreme, 1080p)		63 fps
Monster Hunter Wilds (Very High, 1080p)		73 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very High, 1080p)		163 fps
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)		144 fps
Web Surfing Battery Informant		4:37
PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Test		1:36

As mentioned before, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a four-speaker system. I didn’t mention that it supports Nahimic Audio, so you get some spatial audio support. Laptops often have mediocre audio at best, but this one sounds pretty good.

Besides the usual caveat that laptop speakers will never surpass dedicated headphones or speakers, the sound is full with plenty of clarity. There’s not a lot of rumble (to be expected, of course), but there’s not anything else missing from the frequency range.

Lastly, the webcam with its 5MP resolution looks good and is pretty smooth to boot. If you get this laptop to stream, you might not need to get a dedicated webcam. It’s also nice that it has a privacy eShutter button.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Battery life

Suffers from the typical short battery life of a gaming laptop
Doesn’t do a great job of retaining charge while in sleep mode

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Battery Test Results
Web Surfing Battery Informant		4:37 hours
PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Test		1:36 hours

The battery life on gaming laptops is typically not all that great. There are some exceptions, but a powerhouse sporting a 16-inch OLED screen with a 1600p resolution is not going to be one of them.

For proof, just look at our benchmarks. In our web surfing test, it lasted a whopping four and a half hours. That’s not great, but this isn’t a new MacBook Air that lasts almost 15 hours, nor is it supposed to be.

It’s not surprising that in the PCMark 10 gaming benchmark, it lasts just over an hour and a half. If you want extended cordless gaming, you should probably get a Steam Deck (or one of its competitors).

A little more concerning and a little more unexpected is the fact that the battery runs down even when in sleep mode. Now, this is not atypical, but there are plenty of laptops that don’t drop down to 35% battery life after being unplugged for a day, even though they haven’t been used.

Battery life: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i?

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	It may start at a hefty two grand asking price, but that’s not unusual for large screen gaming laptops.	4 / 5
Design	This laptop is massive, making it more of a desktop replacement than a portable gaming machine. At least, it has plenty of ports.	4 / 5
Performance	The gaming performance here is pretty great, only really limited by the fact that it also has to power an OLED screen.	4.5 / 5
Battery Life	The battery life is not great, though about what one would expect with a gaming powerhouse. However, it could do better holding a charge when asleep.	3.5 / 5
Final score	Despite a high cost and low battery life, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is a very powerful machine, ideal for those wanting a gaming desktop replacement.	4 / 5

Buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i if...

You want a powerful desktop replacement
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is quite big, and it’s quite powerful. If you’re looking for something that can replace a gaming desktop, this model is more than capable.

You want an OLED screen
The OLED screen here comes with a higher resolution and frame rate, not to mention strong HDR support and DCI-P3 color coverage. If you want a good OLED screen with your gaming laptop, you’re certainly getting it here.

You can afford it
This laptop has the latest and greatest powerful components (at least for a laptop), so it comes with a hefty price tag. Consider this one if money is no object.

Don't buy it if...

You have a limited budget
If you have limited cash for a gaming laptop, then the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is going to be out of your price range, considering its starting price is around 2K.

You want good battery life
Gaming laptops typically don’t have good battery life, and this laptop is no different. If you want one that can last a while without being plugged in, there’s a short list of options out there that don’t include this one.

How I tested the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i

Tested for a couple weeks
Used it for work, gaming, and streaming
Played different types of games

I used the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i for a couple of weeks, playing all sorts of games including Battlefield 2042, RoboCop: Rogue City, and Cyberpunk 2077, to get a feel for what this laptop is capable of.

I tried them at max settings, including Ray Tracing where applicable, mainly Cyberpunk, to see where their limitations are. I wrote most of this article on it and used it for some day-to-day browsing and streaming.

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is ideal for gamers who want a desktop replacement that can handle just about everything gaming-wise and have the budget to afford that kind of gaming rig.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.

First reviewed July 2025