Each PC gamer faces the dilemma of choosing between a gaming laptop and a desktop to play their games.
As a gamer, the one you decide to choose should be influenced by some necessary factors and what exactly you want to get from your gaming experience.
This article is going to discuss gaming laptop vs desktop: which is better?
The strengths, weaknesses and specifications of each option will be analysed to help you make the best choice.
Gaming Desktops
Without a doubt, desktops have always been the preferred choice for gamers.
When comparing equivalent specs, gaming desktops are less expensive than laptops.
Additionally, desktops provide easy upgrades and greater compatibility.
We’re going to discuss all the pros and cons of using gaming desktops in this section, let’s begin with the pros.
Pros of Gaming Desktops
1. Price
Depending on the accessories and parts that are connected to them, gaming desktops may be less expensive than their comparable laptop competitors.
A high refresh rate monitor or the newest top-of-the-line GPU can easily raise the cost above that of a gaming laptop.
However, the price of a desktop can be significantly increased by peripherals like gaming mouse, headphones, and keyboards.
While desktops don’t always cost less than laptops, they do offer greater value for the money.
Although a powerful desktop may be more expensive than an expensive gaming laptop, it will perform better and have a larger panel.
When comparing the long-term costs of gaming laptops against desktops, desktops win.
Laptops have fewer upgrading choices and age out more quickly than desktop computers.
The user will then need to buy a brand-new laptop with the newest specifications.
But since desktops can be upgraded, they last longer. Users can replace individual components when new technology becomes available rather than replacing the entire equipment.
Desktop users can also replace the malfunctioning item and keep using the system.
However, owners of laptops have few choices for repairs and frequently must dispose of the device if it malfunctions.
When comparing desktops to laptops, the ability to replace broken parts or progressively upgrade rather than purchasing a new system is a huge plus on the side of desktops.
2. Ability To Upgrade Your Desktop
The possibility to upgrade PCs is another factor in their allure. The majority of desktop computers allow users to upgrade parts including RAM, CPUs, GPUs, and storage drives, though there may be certain restrictions as the technology gets older.
Due to the fact that modern game files are constantly expanding and requiring more resources due to their high-resolution visuals, this issue is crucial.
Users can simply replace the parts required to run the games without having to replace the entire computer.
Repairability and upgradeability go hand in hand and this is why users can often get a replacement for any desktop PC component that fails from a variety of manufacturers.
A desktop computer’s lifespan is extended and users save money when parts can be replaced.
3. Customization and modularity
Compared to laptops, desktop gaming PCs have many more customization features.
Users can choose each component and create a desktop for their precise needs with some businesses, such as iBuyPower.
Everything is customizable for the user, from the casing to the GPU and cooling system.
Limited customization possibilities are available on pre-built gaming computers from manufacturers like Asus and Alienware.
The casing and cooling options are not available for user selection, however, users can choose performance components like GPUs, RAM, and processors.
4. Flexibility in choosing Monitor size
The ideal screen size for each player can be selected when building or purchasing a desktop PC.
Although other players can utilize 4K, widescreen, or other alternatives, competitive gamers can run 24-inch 1080p monitors.
When a solo monitor breaks or a user wants to update without a complete system replacement, it is simple to replace it.
5. It Has Great Cooling and airflow Systems
In comparison to laptops, desktop PCs provide greater ventilation and cooling. The air can flow more easily through desktops because they have larger inner spaces.
Users now have more cooling alternatives thanks to the additional room, and they may choose whether they’d like an all-in-one (AIO) water cooler or more cooling fans based on their preferences.
6. Great Performance
Performance is also impacted by space. Because they have full-size components rather than miniature versions, gaming desktops frequently outperform their laptop counterparts in terms of performance.
Higher cooling and ventilation also contribute to better desktop performance because each component operates at peak efficiency.
Read more:
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Cons of gaming desktops
1. They are not Portable
Gaming desktops are heavy and cumbersome. Depending on how many components it has, the case is typically heavy, and carrying larger monitors becomes more challenging.
Although this is typically true, there are a few exceptions. Compact mini-ITX or micro-ATX designs in smaller cases are preferred by some users.
These builds may be more portable than their mid-tower ATX counterparts if they are used with a tiny monitor.
2. Unavailability of Parts
While the majority of PC components are simple to obtain, others, like GPUs, can be challenging due to their scarcity.
The GPUs from Nvidia’s 30 series are one of the most apparent examples.
These GPUs are still hard to get a year after their release, so customers must consider other solutions.
GPU supply and demand directly influence the price. Despite being newer and performing better, Nvidia’s RTX 3070 graphics card was released at the same $699 price as the RTX 2080.
Although the recommended pricing for both cards is the same, the RTX 3070 sells for about $1,500 because of its limited supply and high demand.
Gaming laptops
Gaming laptops provide unmatched portability and ease of use. A gaming laptop includes everything, including the monitor, webcam, and keyboard, so customers don’t need to bother about purchasing them separately.
Due to their small size and ability to run the most recent games, gaming laptops are the only choice for those who frequently travel.
Regardless of these great features of Gaming laptops, they also have their downsides.
We’re going to discuss both the pros and cons of using Gaming laptops in this section.
Pros of gaming laptops
1. Gaming Laptops Are Very Portable
It’s quite obvious that portability is the main benefit of gaming laptops.
A laptop and related accessories, such as a mouse and headset, can be conveniently packed into a travel case and carried along with you wherever you go.
2. They have a Plug-and-play nature
Gaming laptops are convenient to set up and operate since they include integrated sound, cameras, displays, and other devices.
Customers don’t have to search for suitable accessories to get the system working because everything they require is contained in a single device.
To get the maximum gaming experience out of their laptops, the majority of gamers prefer to purchase aftermarket mice and headsets.
Cons Of Gaming Laptops
1. Laptops are Usually Highly priced
While the cost of gaming laptops can be higher than that of desktops, there are numerous other considerations.
The price of desktops can be higher than that of laptops due to the high cost of modern GPUs and the quickest monitors, especially when additional accessories like mouse, headsets, and keyboards are taken into account.
Given that there are fewer maintenance and upgrade options for laptops, their price is higher when the whole cost of ownership is taken into consideration.
When a user’s current laptop wears out or develops a malfunction, no parts may be upgraded or replaced; instead, they must purchase a new laptop.
The laptop is usually more pricey when comparing desktops and laptops with equivalent performance.
However, if you include a monitor, speakers, keyboard, mouse, and headset, the cost of a desktop PC can exceed that of a laptop.
2. Laptops Have Limited Repairability and Upgradeability
The majority of gaming laptops have few upgrade options. Users can increase RAM and storage space, but since the CPU and GPU are built into the motherboard, they cannot be changed.
Even if most desktop computers are simple to upgrade and open, some laptops can be difficult to disassemble.
Before doing any repairs, it’s best to consult the user manual as opening a laptop can also void the warranty.
Additionally, the integrated components make it more difficult to fix broken gaming laptops.
If a gaming laptop’s CPU or GPU malfunctions, owners may have to replace the entire system rather than just that component if the machine is out of warranty.
3. Laptops Gave Smaller Screen Size
The size of the screen is yet another aspect that gaming laptops fall short of desktops.
Laptop users typically only have access to the 15.6- and 17-inch screen sizes, in contrast to desktop users who have a wide range of screen size possibilities.
A laptop can have larger aftermarket monitors added to it, but doing so raises the system’s already high cost
4. It Has Lower Performance
The size of components of a laptop must be reduced by manufacturers to accommodate them inside a laptop.
A laptop’s CPU, for example, is built differently from its desktop version. Rather than having a universal fit for all devices, these parts are made to fit a specific motherboard for laptops.
So because a full-size desktop GPU simply cannot fit inside a laptop, mobile GPUs with inferior performance are typically used instead.
Although gaming desktops have typically outperformed laptops in terms of performance, the differences have reduced with time but at a cost.
Modern high-end laptops provide competitive performance, but they are expensive and out of reach for most gamers who don’t require a highly portable gaming PC.
Gaming laptop vs Desktop: Conclusion
After all, we’ve discussed, it’s time to answer the question; Gaming laptop vs Desktop: which is better?
Well, a gaming desktop is generally a better option. Gaming desktops offer greater value for your money, require less upkeep and repair, and last longer before becoming outdated.
Portability, however, is a priceless asset that laptops possess. The difference between portable gaming laptops and stationary gaming PCs cannot be ignored.
Therefore, Users that want the best performance, customization, and repair options should choose desktops while users who frequently travel or require some degree of portability for their daily commute to and from work should go for gaming laptops.
