For students and gamers, a two-in-one laptop for gaming and school would be the ideal choice. As compared to a PC, a laptop is a portable device for performing most of your tasks. That’s why for gaming and schoolwork, getting yourself a laptop is a good decision.
For smooth and lag-free gaming, a laptop should offer a powerful processor accompanied by a mid or high-range graphics card. Furthermore, the memory and storage space should be in line with the gaming needs of a person as well. On the contrary, a laptop for school should provide speedy performance, good battery life, portability, etc.
Given the above requirements for both of the tasks, it becomes difficult for users to select what’s best for them and what suits their requirements. If you are stuck with selecting the right laptop then keep on reading this article to get your issue resolved.
In this post, we are going to discuss the best laptops for gaming and school so that you can come up with the right laptop that suits your needs.
And: Best Laptop For IT Professionals
Ideal Specifications for a Good Laptop for Gaming and School
Before we proceed with the in-depth review, let’s take a look at the ideal specifications required for a gaming and school laptop. Are gaming laptops good for School?
After researching thoroughly, we came up with these components as the ideal ones to run most of the AAA games and handle your school projects as well.
| Specification Name | Lowest Requirements | Recommended Specifications |
| CPU | Intel Celeron N4020 | Intel Core-i7 |
| GPU | Intel Integrated UHD GPU | NVIDIA RTX 3060 |
| Display Screen | 14” anti-glare screen, 60Hz Refresh Rate | 17.3” screen with IPS panels, 144Hz refresh rate |
| Screen Resolution | 1366 x 768p HD | 1920 x 1080p / 2560 x 1440p |
| RAM | 8GB | 16GB/32GB |
| Storage | 128GB SSD | 1TB SSD |
| Battery | 4-5 Hours | 7-10 Hours |
1. Dell Inspiron 3000 Laptop
The first laptop on our list is the Dell Inspiron 3000 Laptop. It comes with a slim and portable design, good performance, and sturdy hardware. Let’s find out more in the detailed review of the Dell Inspiron 3000.
Processor and Performance (CPU&GPU):
The Dell Inspiron 3000 comes with an Intel Celeron N4020 2-core, and 2-thread processor. As for the graphics card, this laptop is equipped with Intel UHD Graphics.
The integrated graphics card is not powerful enough to support modern games, yet you can enjoy playing low-end games like Minecraft, etc. For school projects, the performance offered by this device would be satisfactory.
RAM and Hard Disk:
Dell Inspiron 3000 comes with 8GB of RAM that helps users to support and perform different tasks at once. For storage space, this laptop is equipped with 128GB SSD accompanied by a 1TB HDD as well.
The storage space offered by this laptop is amazing. With an SSD the booting time of this device also becomes better.
Keyboard and Display:
Dell Inspiron 3000 is equipped with a 15.6 inches screen with a 1366 x 768p HD resolution. The total pixel density of the screen is good enough to offer a clear and vivid picture quality.
The keyboard of this device is soft with good key travel. This laptop doesn’t offer a backlit keyboard however the typing experience is good.
Ports and Connectivity:
For ports and connectivity, this device is equipped with a USB 2.0 port, a pair of USB 3.1 Gen1 ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet jack, an audio line out port, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Battery Life:
The battery of this laptop lasts 6 hours.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
The speedy performance of this device and the huge storage space are what make it perfect for gaming and school. In terms of gaming, this device is only good for casual and low-end games. Unluckily, you won’t be able to enjoy any of the modern games.
2. ASUS VivoBook 17 F712DA
At number two we have the ASUS VivoBook 17 F712DA-DB51. Coming with an outstanding processor, handy features, a good display, and excellent performance, this laptop is a great choice for gaming and school.
Let’s dig a little deeper to know more about this device.
Processor and Performance (CPU and GPU):
The ASUS VivoBook 17 F712DA-DB51 comes with an Intel Core i5-8265U, 4-threads, and 8-cores processor.
The maximum frequency of this CPU is 3.90 GHz. Besides having a mid-range CPU this laptop is equipped with an integrated graphics card.
Also Read: Are ASUS Laptops Good for Gaming?
As for school projects, this device can help you work at a faster pace with a better performance experience. You can play some modern games like Valorant but on low graphics settings.
RAM and Storage:
ASUS VivoBook 17 F712DA-DB51 is equipped with 8GB of DDR4 RAM followed by a dual storage of 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD storage space. The 8GB of memory affects the overall performance of a device making it better and fast.
On the other hand, you can easily store your school projects, data, multimedia, and important game files in 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD storage.
Keyboard and Display:
The ASUS VivoBook 17 F712DA-DB51 comes with a 17.3 inches screen accompanied by a screen resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels, HD Plus. Given the price and screen size of this laptop, I wasn’t quite satisfied with the resolution.
ASUS VivoBook 17 F712DA-DB51 features a sturdy keyboard featuring backlit technology. The keyboard comes with a fingerprint sensor as well which can be activated by using Windows Hello.
Ports and Connectivity:
This device is equipped with a good number of ports and connectivity options. It offers two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 Type C ports, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, a LAN port, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Battery Life:
The average battery life of the ASUS VivoBook 17 F712DA-DB51 is 8 hours.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
This device is a good choice for gaming and school uses. The performance is super fast, its processor is powerful as well. The battery life of this device is exceptional, making it perfect to use in school without the need for charging.
3. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K20015US)
At number three, let’s talk about Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K20015US). With solid features, amazing build quality, and fast performance, this device is excellent gaming and school laptop under budget.
Processor and Performance (CPU and GPU):
It arrives with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor with 6-cores and 12-threads. Furthermore, for better gaming visuals, this device is equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU.
With a powerful processor and a mid-range GPU, you can play AAA games at higher graphics settings. For school projects, the lag-free and smooth performance will help you a lot in finishing things at a faster pace.
RAM and Storage:
With Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K20015US) you will get 8GB of DDR4 RAM accompanied by 256GB of Storage.
With a 256GB SSD storage space, you can easily store your files on this device.
Keyboard and Display:
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (82K20015US) comes with a 15.6 inches display screen along with a 1920 x 1080p full HD resolution. Other than that, the display screen offers a 120 Hertz refresh rate which means you can achieve up to 120 FPS in different games.
Also Read: Are Lenovo Thinkpads Laptops Good For Gaming?
This device offers a quality keyboard with nice key travel and perfectly chiseled keys. The keys come with RGB lighting with different colors in each zone giving off a stunning glow.
Ports and Connectivity:
This laptop comes with a number of ports and decent connectivity options. You will get a USB 3.1 Type-A port, a USB-C port, an HDMI port, a LAN port, and a headphone jack on the left side of this device. On the right side, there is an extra USB 3.1 port. This laptop offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
Battery Life:
This device offers an average battery life of 5 hours.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
This laptop comes with a simple design with premium build quality. Given the price of this laptop, it outperforms its competition with a high-end processor, a powerful graphics card, and solid memory options.
Due to all these components, the overall performance of this laptop turns out to be beyond expectations.
4. ASUS TUF Gaming F17 FX706LI-RS53
The fourth laptop on our list is the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 FX706LI-RS53. Offering excellent performance, sturdy hardware components, and a bunch of amazing features this laptop is one of the best gaming laptops.
Processor and Performance (CPU and GPU):
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 FX706LI-RS53 is equipped with a quad-core Intel Core i5-10300H CPU with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB graphics card to provide exceptional performance in different games.
In short, the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 FX706LI-RS53 is a blend of a powerful processor and a sturdy graphics card providing the best performance in most AAA games and your school projects as well.
RAM and Storage:
As for RAM and storage, this laptop features 8GB DDR4 RAM accompanied by 512GB SSD Storage space. The best part is that you can easily upgrade its RAM and storage space as well.
The 512GB SSD storage makes your laptop faster, improves its booting time, and helps users to store their important data on the go.
Keyboard and Display:
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 FX706LI-RS53 is equipped with a 17.3 inches screen with a display resolution of 1920 x 1080p (Full HD). It features IPS panels with a 144Hz refresh rate for a good image experience.
The keyboard offered by this device comes with RGB backlit technology. The keys are comfortable and the typing experience is smooth.
Ports and Connectivity:
There are numerous options for ports and connectivity provided by this device. With the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 FX706LI-RS53, you will get two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports, one USB 2.0 Gen 1 Type-A port, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, and a LAN port.
For connectivity, this device offers Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth connectivity
Battery Life:
The average battery life of this device is 6 hours.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is packed with everything that you will need to enjoy making projects and playing games. With the good battery timing, you can use it easily at school without worrying about charging it constantly.
5. ASUS TUF Gaming (FX505GT-AB73)
At number five, let’s take a look at the ASUS TUF Gaming (FX505GT-AB73). This laptop features a premium combination of performance and features with an exceptional and portable design.
Processor and Performance (CPU and GPU):
With the ASUS TUF Gaming (FX505GT-AB73), you will get a powerful 9th generation Intel Core i5-9750H a Hexa-core processor. For better performance in gaming, this device is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card that has 4GB of video memory.
With the fast processor, you can enjoy using this laptop for school tasks.
With this GPU you can easily play your favorite games on high graphics settings while getting 60+ FPS.
RAM and Storage:
Other than the CPU and GPU, this device offers 8GB DDR4 RAM which is enough system memory to play games and run different software and apps essential for school students.
Also Read: How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last
Furthermore, this laptop is equipped with a 512GB solid-state drive. As for your needs, 512GB can be enough or it can be less for you.
Keyboard and Display:
The ASUS TUF Gaming (FX505GT-AB73) is equipped with a 15.6 inches display screen followed by a full HD 1080p screen resolution. The display of this laptop features In-Plane Switching panels to provide a better image and color quality.
The keyboard is quite comfortable but since the laptop has a plastic build when pushed harder it flexes. Also, the keyboard comes with backlit technology that gives it an aesthetic look.
Ports and Connectivity:
For ports, this device comes with an HDMI port, a USB 2.0 Type-A port, a pair of USB 3.2 Gen-1 Type-A ports, a headphone jack, and a LAN port. For connectivity, you will get Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and Bluetooth 4.2 features with this device.
Battery Life:
The battery life of this laptop is around 4 to 5 hours.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
There are a lot of reasons why the ASUS TUF Gaming (FX505GT-AB73) is highly recommended for gaming and school. In short, the ASUS TUF Gaming (FX505GT-AB73) is a blend of portability, good performance, a good battery life, and modern features. All of these things make this laptop a good choice for gaming and school.
6. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
At number six, let’s discuss the Microsoft Surface laptop 3. Basically, this laptop was specifically made to fulfill users’ needs regarding professional tasks, etc. Let’s check out the detailed review of this product to know more about its capabilities.
Processor and Performance (CPU and GPU):
The 13.5 inches Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is equipped with an Intel Core i5-1035G7 processor that helps the device to run in an outstanding way.
Well, the processor is quite good however I wasn’t happy with the Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7. Given the price of this device, there should have been a mid-range graphics card from some top-notch GPU brands.
RAM and Storage:
With the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, you will get 8GB of RAM which is enough to perform different tasks at a fast pace.
On the contrary, the storage space added in the base model is 256GB. But I think 256GB is enough to store school docs, as well as game files.
Keyboard and Display:
This device comes with a display screen of 13.5 inches followed by a screen resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels. As a result of this combination, the total pixel density offered by Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is 201 PPI.
This laptop comes with a comfy keyboard with a good key shape and a decent key distance. The typing experience on the keyboard is quite convenient.
Ports and Connectivity:
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 provides a decent amount of ports and connectivity options. With this device, you will get a USB Type-A port, a USB Type-C port, a headphones jack. For connectivity, this laptop is equipped with Wi-Fi 6 compatibility followed by Bluetooth features as well.
Battery Life:
The battery life of this laptop is 11.5 hours as advertised.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
Due to its good performance, long battery life, excellent speed, and portability, this laptop has become a good choice for gaming and school. However, there are a few things that can be improved.
Overall, it is a good fit for gaming and school.
7. Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S
Moving up next, we have the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S. This device has a sturdy construction, coming with super-fast performance and some solid features as well.
Processor and Performance (CPU and GPU):
First of all, let’s talk about the performance of this device. The Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH315-54-760S) is equipped with an Intel Core i7-11800H processor.
Also Read: How to Connect Wii U To Laptop
Other than a powerful processor, this device is equipped with an NVIDIA RTX 3060 graphics card with a video memory of 6GB. The combination of a powerful processor and a mighty graphics card in this laptop is what you need for endless gaming and school use.
RAM and Storage:
With the Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH315-54-760S) you will get 16GB of RAM which makes the performance unbelievable.
The storage space offered by this laptop is 512GB SSD. The addition of an SSD makes the booting time fast and helps with other things as well.
Keyboard and Display:
This laptop comes with a 15.6 inches full HD display along with a 3ms of response time that makes your gaming experience even smoother. Moreover, the display screen provides a 144Hz refresh rate which adds to the overall FPS count in your favorite games.
Just like its ancestor, this laptop is also equipped with a four-zone RGB keyboard that improves the overall colors.
Ports and Connectivity:
The ports and connectivity options include two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, an Ethernet jack, a USB Type-A, and Type-C port, an HDMI port, a Display port, and an audio jack. Moreover, it provides WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5 compatibility as well.
Battery Life:
The average battery life of this laptop is 3 hours.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
The exceptional build quality, super-fast performance, and a couple of handy features make it an excellent choice for gaming and school. However, due to the short battery life, you might face issues in school.
8. Dell Gaming G15 5510
The eighth product on our list is the Dell Gaming G15 5510 which is a portable laptop offering top-notch performance for gaming and school purposes. Let’s check out the detailed review of this device.
Processor and Performance (CPU and GPU):
The Dell Gaming G15 5510 is equipped with a 10th generation Intel Core i7-10870H processor with more than 5.0 GHz maximum turbo speed and a cache size of 16MB. Besides this powerful processor, this laptop comes with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card with 6GB of video memory.
The Dell Gaming G15 5510 is a combination of a powerful processor and a graphics card which enhance the overall performance of this laptop.
RAM and Storage:
Other than having a powerful CPU and GPU, this device is equipped with 16GB of DDR4 RAM further improving its performance and making it a speedy laptop.
Also Read: Are Dell Laptops Good For Gaming?
The storage space offered by this laptop is 512GB SSD which perfectly fits your need to store different multimedia, documents, and game files on the go.
Keyboard and Display:
Dell Gaming G15 5510 comes with a 15.6 inches full HD (1080p) anti-glare display screen. This laptop has thin bezels that remove distractions while doing school work. The display provides 120 Hz of refresh rate which enhances the FPS in your games.
The keyboard of this laptop is quite convenient and the keys are soft. With a good key distance, the typing experience becomes even better.
Ports and Connectivity:
For ports and connectivity, this device offers a USB 3.2 Gen1 port, USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C port, a DisplayPort, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, and an ethernet port.
It comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatibility as well.
Battery Life:
The average battery life of this device is around 7 hours.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
Its incredibly fast performance, good battery life, and useful features make it a good choice for gaming and school purposes. The battery life of this laptop lasts longer so that you can easily carry it to school without any hassle.
9. Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-53-72XD
The ninth product on our list is the Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH315-53-72-XD). This device is equipped with a good amount of useful features and it provides a high-grade performance as well. Let’s take a detailed look at the review of this laptop.
Processor and Performance (CPU and GPU):
The Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH315-53-72-XD) is equipped with a 10th-generation Intel Core i7-10750H, a 6-core processor with a maximum turbo speed of 5.0 GHz. Furthermore, this device is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB of video memory.
Combining these two components, the overall performance of this laptop turns out to be quite marvelous.
RAM and Storage:
This laptop comes with 16GB of RAM followed by a storage space of 512GB SSD. A 16GB of memory is enough to perform most of your tasks smoothly on this device.
Moreover, with a 512GB SSD, you can seamlessly store your important documents on this device and download AAA games without worrying about the game size.
Keyboard and Display:
The Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH315-53-72-XD) has a 15.6 inches display screen with a Full HD (1080p) resolution. The display screen of this laptop comes with IPS panels, a 3 ms response time, and a 144 Hz refresh rate that improves the overall visual quality in games.
The keyboard of this laptop is a sturdy and comfortable one. It has good key travel and it offers a matte feel to avoid your fingers being slippery while typing. The keyboard comes with RGB lighting and is quite responsive.
Ports and Connectivity:
For ports and connectivity, this device is equipped with a USB 2.0 port, two USB 3.1 ports, an HDMI port, a mini DisplayPort, an Ethernet port, and an SD card reader. It also provides Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
Battery Life:
The average battery life of this laptop is around 5 hours.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
There are a lot of reasons why this device is recommended for gaming and school. The main reasons include its exceptional performance, vast connectivity options, a satisfactory battery life, and good display.
10. Alienware m15 R3
At last, we have the Alienware m15 R3 laptop which is equipped with a powerful design, good quality hardware, and top-notch performance. Let’s see why this device is recommended for gaming and school.
Processor and Performance (CPU and GPU)
The Alienware m15 R3 is equipped with an Intel Core i7-10750H processor that gives a massive performance boost to this laptop. Furthermore, it offers the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU for better graphics.
This laptop features an excellent combination of processor and graphics card. With these powerful components, the overall performance of this device is unbelievable.
RAM and Storage
For further enhancement in performance, this laptop comes with 16GB of RAM accompanied by a total of 1TB SSD storage.
I am quite impressed with the configurations of RAM and storage space in Alienware m15 R3. The 1TB SSD storage is present in the form of two 512GB SSDs.
Keyboard and Display
The Alienware m15 R3 has 15.6 inches full HD IPS display. The response time of this laptop is 7 ms, which is quite low however the refresh rate is 144Hz which makes up for the slow response time.
The keyboard of Alienware m15 R3 is identical to other gaming laptops. It comes with an RGB keyboard which adds up to the look. The keyboard is comfortable I’m sure your typing experience will be good.
Ports and Connectivity
It comes with three USB 3.0 ports, a USB 3.1 port, an HDMI port, an Ethernet Port, a headphones jack, and a mini DisplayPort. One of the USB-C ports on this laptop comes with Thunderbolt 3 support as well. It provides Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatibility too.
Battery Life
The average battery life of this laptop is around 3-4 hours.
What makes it a good choice for gaming and school?
Its powerful performance and good hardware configurations make it a good choice for gaming and for school as well. Despite the design, it isn’t favorable if you want to carry this laptop to school. Besides, the battery life isn’t good to use at school.
Best Laptops for Gaming and School: Buying Guide
Choosing a 2-in-1 laptop for gaming and school is not an easy task. That is why our team decided to create a detailed buying guide for help.
In this way, you will be able to understand the crucial things to check before you buy a laptop for gaming and school. So, let’s start with buying guide.
Performance (CPU and GPU)
The first thing to check is the performance of the laptop. For gaming and school, a laptop should offer at least an Intel Core i5 or an AMD Ryzen 3 processor.
If you are a hardcore gamer then make sure that your laptop offers a dedicated GPU otherwise an Integrated one will do the work for casual games.
You can also choose a device with an Intel Celeron processor if you want to use it for basic school tasks and casual gaming.
RAM and Storage
The next important thing to check before buying a laptop for gaming and school is the RAM and storage.
The minimum RAM in your laptop should be 8GB while the recommended storage space is 256GB SSD. You can also get a device with dual storage (offering 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD storage). Ensure that these configurations are present on your laptop.
Display and Keyboard
For gaming, the minimum screen size should be 14 inches or 15.6 inches, and the maximum one is 17.3 inches. The recommended resolution is 1920 x 1080p full HD, however, if you are on a budget you can also go with an HD resolution of 1366 x 768p.
The recommended panel type is IPS because of the excellent color quality. On the contrary, the refresh rate of your laptop’s screen should be 75Hz. With a higher refresh rate, you can get good FPS in games.
Make sure that the keyboard of your laptop has a nice key travel and the keys are sturdy. While buying, try typing on the keyboard for a good 10 minutes to see if the keys are comfortable or not.
Ports and Connectivity
Another important thing to consider is the number of ports and the number of connectivity options. While buying a laptop for gaming and school, make sure it has the following ports or at least half of them:
- USB 3.0 Ports
- USB 3.1 Ports
- HDMI Port
- USB 2.0 Ports
- DisplayPort (Not Mandatory)
- Thunderbolt 3
- LAN Port
For connectivity, check if your laptop provides Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 compatibility.
Battery Life
For some people, battery life may not be an important factor. However, if you are planning to use a laptop for gaming and school purposes then make sure it has at least 5-10 hours of battery life.
With long battery life, you can easily carry your laptop with you at school and you can use it to study without worrying about its charging. And when it comes to gaming for an uninterrupted and smooth session a good battery life is a must.
So these were the essential factors in the buying guide for Best Laptops for Gaming and School. Our expert team checked all of these factors in the above-mentioned products before listing them in this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Gaming Laptops be Used for School in 2023?
Yes, gaming laptops are quite portable, and powerful making them perfect to use for school as well. Most of the gaming laptops are equipped with powerful components that help students perform different school projects easily with a lag-free experience.
Is a Gaming Laptop Good for Everyday Use?
Yes, gaming laptops are better for everyday use as compared to an average laptop.
What Laptops are Best for Gaming and School?
There are a lot of options to choose from, however, the following are some good choices for gaming and school:
o) ASUS VivoBook 17 F712DA-DB51
o) Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH315-53-72-XD)
o) Dell Gaming G15 5510
o) Microsoft Surface laptop 3
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