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Whether you’re a professional gamer or a beginner who has just started playing PUBG, the following list of gaming laptops for PUBG will help you select your next laptop.
It might seem easier to check the minimum specs required for PUBG and settle for those, but things are rarely that simple. Even if you’re buying a laptop for PUBG, you’re going to use it for other tasks such as school/office work, streaming, internet surfing, and whatnot.
That is why you should figure out what you’re going to use the laptop for — and then look for specs that fit the criteria.
To help you with that, we’re first going to share the minimum and recommended specs for PUBG. Then we’ll talk about the key considerations to give you an idea of what to look for in a gaming laptop for PUBG.
After that, we head straight to the in-depth laptop reviews. Let’s begin!
Table of Contents
Minimum & Recommended System Requirements
Although you can run the game on a laptop with the minimum specs required, we suggest you consider the laptops that have the recommended system specs or above for a better gaming experience and future-proofing.
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 11th Gen Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 5000 series | 12th Gen Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 6000 series |
| RAM | 8GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) | 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) |
| GPU | 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX 550 | 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3000 or AMD RX 6000 series |
Besides these hardware specifications, you also need DirectX 11 and fast internet with less gaming latency. Of course, the ultimate results depend on how close or far away you are from the servers.
Top 7 Laptops For PUBG
Gear yourself up as we jump into the in-depth reviews of the best gaming laptops to play PUBG.
1. Play at Max Settings: MSI Thin
- CPU: 2GHz Intel Core i7-12650H
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
- GPU: 6GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
- Battery: Up to 7 hours
MSI Thin is a powerful beast packaged in a portable chassis. You can play PUBG at max settings without so much as a hiccup.
The 12th Gen. Intel Core i7 seamlessly runs PUBG without any lag and handles most of your CPU-intensive tasks without breaking a sweat. Add to that NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 (with its 6GB VRAM), and you’re set for all your gaming needs.
Even with the more intense tasks such as programming, photo editing and production, the laptop doesn’t budge. Most of the newer titles will run at high fps.
The machine does get a bit hot, and the fan noise is noticeable during gaming or other intensive task, so I’d recommend a cooling pad.
The FHD IPS display has a good refresh rate of 144Hz. It also has a faster response time, so you get smoother visuals when shooting down your opponents.
MSI Thin’s keyboard has monochromatic, red backlighting. It is a bit flat for my liking — it’s not bad, but I’d avoid it for longer typing sessions. I also find the touchpad small for a 15.6-inch laptop, but that might be just me.
True to its name, MSI Thin has a thin profile, so the laptop’s pretty portable. It also runs for seven-plus hours without a charger.
To sum it up, the MSI Thin is an excellent choice for a powerful gaming laptop that’s sturdy and easy to carry around for school lectures or office presentations.
- What We Like
- Powerful processor
- Solid GPU
- Good display
- Portable
- Sturdy
- Good battery life
- What We Don’t Like
- Can get hot
- Uncomfortable keyboard and touchpad
2. Great Value from Lenovo: Lenovo Legion 5
- CPU: 3.3GHz AMD Ryzen 5 5600H
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
- GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050TI
- Battery: Up to 5 hours
Lenovo Legion 5 offers impressive value for a budget gaming laptop for PUBG. With a solid CPU and GPU combination, a sturdy build, and a sleek design, Lenovo’s definitely worth considering.
It comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 that’s quite fast and reliable for both gaming performance and everyday work/study-related tasks.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (with 4GB VRAM) delivers solid gaming visuals at higher frame rates. You’ll experience seamless gameplay while playing PUBG with your squad.
The only thing that might come in the way of its performance is the limiting 8GB of RAM. Thankfully, you can easily upgrade both without much cost or effort.
Legion 5’s 15-inch FHD IPS display has a faster response time than its earlier version and other laptops in the same category. This makes the experience of playing games or watching movies all the more immersive and exciting.
Even though the keyboard and bottom deck are plastic, the laptop is quite sturdy, with practically no flex. But don’t go too hard on the keyboard, as the screen can wobble a little if you press the keys too hard. Overall, I’d say the laptop is well-built and has a nice feel.
The cooling fans don’t let temperatures rise too high without any throttling. And they’re usually pretty quiet, but you’ll notice them during intensive tasks such as gaming.
If you want an all-rounder option with a sturdy build, sleek design, and good heat dissipation, I’d check out Lenovo’s Legion 5.
- What We Like
- Sleek design
- Solid gaming performance
- Faster screen response rate
- Higher frame rates
- Sturdy build
- Good cooling
- What We Don’t Like
- Some screen wobble
- 8GB RAM
3. Best for Students: Acer Nitro 5
- CPU: 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5-12500H
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
- GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- Battery: Up to 6 Hours
If you’re a student looking for an affordable yet powerful gaming laptop for playing PUBG and schoolwork, look no further than the Acer Nitro 5.
The 12th Gen. Intel Core i5 offers solid gaming performance considering its price. And it’s pretty fast for everyday use.
Mix in NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, and you’ve got enough juice to play PUBG at high frame rates, with vibrant visuals and no lag.
The 8GB RAM is low-ish for a gaming laptop, with otherwise solid specs. You would also be better off with more SDD storage space.
Its FHD IPS display is good enough for gaming and provides crisp, smooth visuals. But if you’re into professional photo or video editing, I recommend checking out the MSI Raider GE77 or other gaming laptops in the $2000 price bracket because they have better screens that offer more detail and higher color accuracy.
Nitro 5’s cooling system consists of dual fans and a quad exhaust system that keeps it cool. The laptop doesn’t get too hot or loud even during extended gaming sessions.
I like the laptop’s matte-black finish that gives it a modern, gamer look but isn’t too flashy for a library or an office setting. Despite having a plastic make, it’s also pretty sturdy and doesn’t flex.
It’s a bit on the heavier side, so you might have to think twice when bringing it to classes. A solid 6 hours of battery life is great for budget gaming laptops, but you’ll need to bring a charger if you plan to take it to your office or classes.
Overall, I found Acer Nitro 5 a value-packed machine with solid performance, great design, and durability — at a bargain price.
Watch our Acer Nitro 5 Review
This YouTube review was created by the Not Just Laptops team. The specs may slightly differ from the laptop in the article.
- What We Like
- Solid performance
- Modern look
- Sturdy make
- Budget-friendly
- Good battery timing
- Smooth visuals
- What We Don’t Like
- RAM needs upgrade
- A bit heavy
4. Mid-Range Option from ASUS: ASUS TUF Gaming F15
- CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i5-12500H
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
- GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- Battery: Up to 7 Hours
ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is a portable gaming laptop for PUBG that offers impressive performance and crisp visuals.
With a 12th Gen. Intel Core i5 processor, GeForce RTX 3050 (with 4GB VRAM), and 16GB of fast RAM, TUF Gaming F15 runs PUBG at high frame rates on medium to high graphics settings. These specs also deliver lag-free gameplay for most AAA titles.
The 15.6” FHD display is bright, crisp and offers good viewing angles. It also has a high refresh rate, making the transitions smooth and seamless. The matte display also prevents reflections.
ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has a solid cooling system that keeps it cool and prevents throttling, even during intensive gaming. The fans get loud during extended gaming sessions, but you won’t hear them during normal usage.
I like the laptop’s sleek and portable design. It’s also one of the lighter gaming laptops, so it’s pretty easy to carry around. The laptop gives 7 hours of battery performance. So, if you travel a lot, TUF Gaming F15 is a solid machine to take along.
Its keyboard is pretty sturdy, despite being plastic, and comfortable to use. But I’ve used better trackpads. So I’d suggest getting a mouse for added comfort.
All in all, ASUS TUF Gaming F15 proves to be a solid gaming machine. It offers a portable design with good battery life and solid gaming performance.
- What We Like
- Solid performance
- Portable
- Crisp visuals
- Good battery timing
- Efficient cooling system
- Sturdy build
- What We Don’t Like
- Storage needs upgrade
- Trackpad could be better
5. Best for Budget Gaming: Acer Aspire 5
- CPU: 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-1240P
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
- GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050
- Battery: Up to 7 hours
Acer Aspire 5’s portable design and long battery life make it a good gaming laptop for PUBG players that travel a lot.
Aspire 5’s compact design packs a lot of power thanks to the 12th Gen. Intel Core i5 processor. On the graphics end, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 ensures smooth, lag-free gameplay.
Similarly to a few other laptops on this list, 8GB RAM is ok-ish for most purposes, but I’d upgrade to 16GB if you also want to enjoy the latest games.
The FHD IPS display has good brightness and offers great color accuracy, good contrast, and faster refresh rates. With bright and vivid visuals, finding weapons to loot and locating enemies gets a lot easier.
Aspire 5’s got a comfortable keyboard, and I found the trackpad quite responsive and accurate.
I love that the laptop is easy to carry around thanks to its slim and light make. You’ll hardly feel it in your backpack. Add to that 7 hours of unplugged performance, and you’ve got a level of portability that few other gaming laptops offer.
I found the fan noise annoying, but nothing a nice pair of noise-canceling headphones won’t fix.
Overall, Acer Aspire 5 proves its mettle in the budget gaming laptop category thanks to its incredible portability and solid performance.
- What We Like
- Solid performance
- Nice display
- Lightweight
- Budget-friendly
- Comfortable keyboard
- Strong battery life
- What We Don’t Like
- RAM needs an upgrade
- Loud cooling fans
6. Newest Option from HP: HP Victus
- CPU: 2.1GHz Intel Core i5-13420H
- RAM: 16GB DDR5
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
- GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- Battery: Up to 5 hours
The latest from HP, Victus stands tall as a powerful gaming laptop for PUBG — boasting a sleek design and high productivity performance.
Packing the latest 13th Gen. Intel Core i5 with 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, HP Victus delivers powerful gaming performance, smooth visuals, and a lag-free experience.
The 16GB of RAM ensures shorter boot times, and the 512GB SSD is enough for everyday use. However, more storage is always good.
Its FHD IPS display offers wide viewing angles and pretty good contrast. The finer details of the battleground look sharp.
With all these good things going on for Victus 15, the flimsy plastic chassis was a major letdown. While the keyboard deck doesn’t flex much, there is some screen wobble if you hit the desk hard.
I found the keyboard responsive and comfortable to type on. The keyboard also has a backlight. However, the lighting is plain white — a downer for RGB-backlight admirers. And the trackpad has good size (at least for my liking) and delivers smooth glides and clicks.
The fans were also silent during normal use but ramped up during intense gaming sessions.
HP Victus 15 is a solid gaming laptop if you’re looking for good gaming performance and sharp visuals while shooting your way to victory.
- What We Like
- Solid performance
- Sharp visuals
- Responsive keyboard
- Comfortable trackpad
- Silent fans
- Sleek design
- What We Don’t Like
- Flimsy build
- No RGB-backlight
7. Cheapest Option with Dedicated GPU: Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- CPU: 3.3GHz AMD Ryzen 5 6600H
- RAM: 8GB DDR5
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
- GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- Battery: Up to 5 hours
Despite being the cheapest option on the list, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers solid specs, making it a great gaming laptop for PUBG enthusiasts on a budget.
The IdeaPad Gaming 3 has an AMD Ryzen 5 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (with 4GB VRAM). The powerful CPU and GPU combination seamlessly run PUBG and the latest games at high frame rates.
I recommend upgrading its RAM to 16GB for a significant boost in performance. The 256GB of SSD storage seems quite limiting, too, so I’d upgrade that as well.
IdeapPad Gaming 3’s IPS display has a fast response rate and supports high refresh rates. The different PUBG locations look sharp, and the movement of players is smooth, making the gaming experience all the more exciting.
The laptop supports solid thermals that keep its temperature in check. Even though the fans can get loud, it’s nothing a pair of headphones can’t fix.
It offers fast boot times and solid productivity performance. I also find the keyboard and trackpad comfortable to use — making it a good work/study laptop.
However, it offers 5 hours of battery life which reduces drastically when playing intensive games. So it’s best to keep a charger nearby when playing games or performing intensive tasks.
If that’s not something you want, you’d have to look into gaming laptops in the $1500 range — a great example is the ASUS ROG Zephyrus, with 10+ hours of unplugged performance.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers an amazing package of solid performance and a nice display at a bargain price for all PUBG lovers that don’t want to spend too much.
- What We Like
- Solid performance
- Good display
- Budget-friendly
- Solid thermals
- Fast booting
- Comfortable keyboard
- What We Don’t Like
- RAM and SSD need upgrade
- Loud fan noise
Buying Guide for Gaming Laptops for PUBG in 2023
The following laptop buying guide reviews the most important considerations to remember when buying a gaming laptop for PUBG.
Performance
Look for laptops with at least an 11th Gen. Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 5000 series. I’d recommend going for the 12th Gen. Intel Core i5 (or AMD Ryzen 5 6000 series) or higher for better performance and future-proofing — if you have enough cash.
But a solid processor is not the only thing you’ll need to run PUBG (or other games, for that matter.) You’ll also need a dedicated graphics card. Look for an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 2GB / AMD Radeon R7 370 2GB if you’re okay with low-to-medium graphics settings.
However, if your pocket allows it, I’d get a laptop with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series with 4GB VRAM for a smoother gaming experience at higher graphics settings and better frame rates.
Other important considerations are its RAM and storage. 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD are good enough for most tasks, including gaming.
You’ll often find budget-friendly gaming laptops with good performance with just 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD or 512GB SSD storage. If so, you can purchase the laptop and upgrade its RAM and storage later.
Display
Look for a FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display with a good refresh rate — 120Hz or above is good.
You’ll also need your screen to be large enough to enjoy your gaming sessions. Some folks don’t mind 14-inch screens since they offer better portability. Others prefer larger screens, not minding the extra bulk.
However, for most people (myself included), 15-inch screens bring the optimal balance between a good viewing experience and portability.
Cooling
Gaming sessions can get hot — both literally and figuratively. To prevent the laptop from overheating, gaming laptops need an effective cooling system that dissipates excess heat and keeps the internals cool.
Laptops often throttle when gaming without good thermals, which ruins the experience. Constant throttling also reduces the laptop’s lifespan. Worst case scenario, the heat can damage internal components.
If you’ve honed in on a laptop, check out the reviews from trusted users regarding the laptop’s cooling system. Ideally, you want a laptop that remains cool even during extended gaming sessions and doesn’t sound like an airplane.
Keyboard and Trackpad
While the RGB lights are all good for gaming aesthetics, you need a comfortable keyboard — so look for good key travel and feedback.
You also want a trackpad that’s smooth and comfortable to use. Even though you’ll use a mouse for your gaming sessions, you’ll need a good trackpad for everyday tasks.
Portability
Gaming laptops are not famous for their portability — these beasts can weight anywhere from 4 to 10 lbs. If you move a lot, you want a lightweight laptop, so go for 3-5 lbs. Luckily, there are gaming machines under 4 lbs on the market, like ASUS ROG Zephyrus.
You also want a laptop with a good battery life. Since gaming laptops are power-hungry machines, they usually don’t have a lot of juice. Still, you should go for a gaming laptop that offers at least 4 to 5 hours of unplugged performance (anything above seven would be great).
Price
Gaming laptops get pretty expensive when you start considering higher-end models. But that’s not always the case. In fact, most mid-range and even some entry-level gaming laptops are powerful enough to run the latest games at high frame rates. For this reason, the below list of laptops are all under $1000.
However, the lower price means there will be a few compromises. For example, Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers an impressive performance, but it’s bulky and doesn’t have an impressive battery timing.
So when looking for gaming laptops, always weigh the pros and cons. Consider what your everyday use looks like. For example, if you move a lot, you want a more portable machine. On the other hand, if you do photo/video editing, you can settle for a bulkier option if it has a better screen.
FAQs about Gaming Laptops for PUBG
Which is the best laptop for playing PUBG?
Any laptop with sufficient hardware – 16GB RAM and i5 CPU – and an intuitive gameplay design will run PUBG well. Also, a good keyboard, precision trackpad, and a hi-res display are always welcome.
Having said that, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to laptops. Different users have different needs. Some are students that need to run specific software. Others travel often, so they need more portable laptops.
Therefore, it’s best to first consider what you’re going to use the laptop for other than playing PUBG and choose a laptop that meets those requirements. However, we do have a few suggestions: MSI Thin, Lenovo Legion 5, and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3.
Why are PUBG gaming laptops expensive?
You don’t need extremely expensive, high-end gaming laptops to run PUBG. You do, however, require a gaming laptop with a dedicated graphics card (which is expensive) to run PUBG.
Gaming laptops are made to handle more CPU- and GPU-intensive tasks (e.g. gaming) which is why they come with high-performance processors and graphics cards with dedicated VRAM. They also need to have top-notch cooling systems to prevent the laptop from overheating during extended gaming sessions, among other things.
All these specifications come at a cost — literally. That is why gaming laptops are much more expensive than normal laptops.
However, there are pretty cheap gaming laptops that can run PUBG seamlessly, e.g., Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, Acer Aspire 5, and Acer Nitro 5.
Why aren’t there macOS laptops on the list?
PUBG is not available for macOS, which is why we didn’t include any Macs. But that doesn’t mean you can’t play PUBG on your Mac.
Here are a couple of ways:
• Use Boot Camp to run Windows on your Mac and enjoy PUBG. However, Boot Camp only works on Macs with an Intel processor, i.e., it won’t work on M1 or M2 Macs.
• Use Parallels to install Windows on your M-series Mac. The performance won’t be great, though.
What is the ideal budget for the best laptop for PUBG?
We would say that you should aim for somewhere around $1000. This way, you can get a laptop that does not compromise performance. As for gaming results, you’d enjoy better frame rates, easier processing, and less load on the CPU.
However, don’t worry if you’re a little low on cash. Acer Nitro 5, Acer Aspire 5, and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are pretty solid laptops that are under $800.
Which graphics card is the best for PUBG?
PUBG lists NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Super / AMD Radeon RX 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB as the minimum and recommended GPU requirements, respectively.
Having said that, the latest entry-level and mid-range gaming laptops have much better GPUs so even an entry-level gaming laptop will be good enough to smoothly run PUBG.
Verdict
We hope that our list of gaming laptops for PUBG gave you a good understanding of what you should look for in a gaming laptop.
A good approach is to consider your needs and then look for a laptop that meets those. But if you’re having doubts, we’ve got a few recommendations:
- If you’re looking to play PUBG at max settings, go for the MSI Thin. It is also the lightest laptop on the list and offers 7+ hours of unplugged performance.
- Students who want to play PUBG should opt for Acer Nitro 5 because of its great productivity performance and longer battery timing.
- PUBG players on a budget should go with Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3.
If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, you might want to check our all-time favorite gaming laptops or go through our in-depth laptop buying guide to get a better understanding of what to look for in a laptop.
