If you wondered where the gaming laptops went in our CES 2021 laptop roundup, you’re in the right place. We wanted to give the segment its own post so you can see what new gaming machines are coming out this year.
We won’t keep you waiting to dive in. Let’s just get to it!
ACER
The Nitro 5 is for those who want the best value to game on the newest chipsets. It has been upgraded to run on the latest 11th-gen Intel Core H35-series processors or up to an AMD Ryzen 9 5900 HX mobile processor, and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU for smooth gameplay across popular titles. It comes in 15.6-inch or 17.3-inch display options with QHD with 165Hz refresh rate or FHD 360Hz refresh rate, and it has narrower bezels for an 80% screen-to-body ratio. The Nitro 5 offers a pair of fans, a quad-exhaust port design, and Acer CoolBoost technology for cooling. The 15-inch Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-56) will be available in EMEA in March starting at EUR 999 (roughly PHP 58,190), and in China in June, starting at RMB 5,999 (PHP 44,562). The 17-inch Acer Nitro 5 (AN517-53) will be available in EMEA in March starting at EUR 999 (PHP 58,190) and in China at a starting price of RMB 6,499 (PHP 48,276).
The Predator Helios 300 is for those who want a fast and fluid display and machine to handle their favorite titles. This gaming laptop has been upgraded to run on NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU and up to 32GB of DDR4 memory. It comes with a 240Hz IPS display with a 3ms response for silky smooth visuals and DTS:X Ultra audio and 3D simulated surround sound for more immersive audio. The Predator Helios 300 (PH315-53) will be available in North America in February starting at USD 1,249.99 (PHP 60,047); in EMEA in February starting at EUR 1,499 (PHP 87,383); and in China in February, starting at RMB 9,999 (PHP 74,357).
The Predator Triton 300 SE is for those who want to game on-the-go. It’s a slim and portable machine at just 17.9mm and weighs 1.7kg. It has been upgraded to the latest version of Intel’s Core H35-series chips and with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 GPUs, 5th-gen AeroBlade Fan, and Acer’s Vortex Flow tech to keep temperatures in check during heavy gaming sessions. Enjoy playing games and watching content on the 14-inch FHD screen with a 144Hz refresh rate. At most, you can get 10 hours of battery life with this machine. The Predator Triton 300 SE (PT314-51s) will be available in North America in March starting at USD 1,399.99 (PHP 67,255) and in EMEA in February starting at EUR 1,499 (PHP 87,383).
ASUS
The ASUS Republic of Gamers now has its smallest laptop yet in the ROG Flow X13. It’s a 2-in-1 convertible with a 360-degree hinge, which allows it to work as a laptop and a touch-friendly tablet. Its 13-inch chassis comes in at only 15.8mm thin and 1.3kg. The ROG Flow X13 runs on up to an eight-core AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS CPU and dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 GPU. To get desktop-class gaming performance, ASUS ROG’s secret is plugging in the XG Mobile external GPU. It lets you use up to a GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. At launch, the ROG Flow X13 offered as a USD 3,000 (PHP 144,188) bundle with the XG Mobile.
The ROG Strix G15 and G17 are for amateur gamers who just want a better laptop to play games. They run on up to a Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU and GeForce RTX 3070 GPU. Both the 15-inch and 17-inch models are offered with either a 300Hz/3ms Full HD display or a 165Hz/3ms WQHD panel with a wider DCI-P3 color gamut. The Strix G15 and G17 come out with a new Electro Punk edition with a comic-book-inspired Coded Puzzle aesthetic and a speckled pink accent on the hinge. It is also still available in the Original Black and Eclipse Gray colors. The Strix G15 will be available in Original Black for PHP 109,995, while the G17 will also come in Original Black for PHP 114,995 when they launch in the fourth week of February locally.
The ROG Strix SCAR line is for those who want the fastest laptop displays. The flagship Strix SCAR 17 has a 17.3-inch IPS display featuring a 360Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time, while the 15.6-inch Strix SCAR 15 has an option that goes up to a 300Hz refresh rate with a 3ms response. These are powered by Ryzen 5000 series mobile processors and the new GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs. While more compact, expect a full assortment of ports. These machines also feature new mechanical switches that eliminate debounce delay and cut response time to 0.2 milliseconds. The Strix SCAR 17 has a starting price of PHP 149,995, while the Strix SCAR 15’s starting price is PHP 5,000 lower at PHP 144,995. Both will be available starting the second week of February.
The ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE is a new special edition variant of the original Zephyrus Duo, which runs on an AMD Ryzen 5000 series CPU with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series GPU. It has a premium 4K 120Hz panel or 300Hz display and ASUS ROG’s AAS Plus Cooling System to dissipate heat. ASUS ROG promises a broader range of configurations for this machine so more users can access this dual-display powerhouse. You can get it at a starting price of PHP 199,995 by the second week of February.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 is for those who want a portable, playful, yet capable gaming laptop. It runs on up to a Ryzen 9 5900HS processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. ASUS ROG offers two display options: a WQHD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and a wide DCI-P3 color gamut or a faster Full HD option that scales up to 144Hz. The G14 is available in Holographic White and Holographic Gray, or you can choose the Moonlight White and Eclipse Gray options with ASUS ROG’s fun AniMe Matrix display. This display features an array of 1,125 fully programmable mini LEDs that can show custom images or animations at the back of your main screen. This updated variant doesn’t have pricing and availability information yet.
The ROG Zephyrus G15 is for the gamers and creators who need a larger screen than the G14 offers paired with more premium hardware. It runs on up to a Ryzen 9 5900 HS with up to top-of-the-line GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. You can get a higher FPS display with a 165Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time or a higher fidelity panel with a WQHD resolution and pro-grade DCI-P3 color. It also comes in the same shimmering Holographic colors as the G14. But we don’t have info on pricing yet. The Zephyrus G15 and G14 are expected to launch in Q1 of 2021.
The ASUS TUF line introduces the new TUF Dash F15 for an ultraslim gaming experience. It comes in at only 19.9mm thin and 2kg. It is not underpowered, though, as it runs on an 11th-gen Intel Core H-series CPU and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU. And you get a respectable gaming panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, and Adaptive Sync. The TUF Dash 15 arrives in the second week of February at a starting price of PHP 85,995.
The TUF Gaming A15 and A17 are designed to be affordable gaming machines. The refreshed laptops are equipped with AMD Ryzen 5000 series CPUs and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics. These laptops also get better cooling systems with 83-blade fans and fast displays with Adaptive Sync and refresh rates up to 240Hz. Pricing and availability aren’t available at the moment.
Dell
Dell’s Alienware brand brings NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 30 series to its laptop lineup. Both the 15.6-inch m15 R4 and 17.3-inch m17 R4 will come with the Ampere graphics cards. These are paired with up to 10th-gen Intel Core i9 chipsets, up to 32GB RAM, and up to 4TB storage. Alienware’s vapor chamber technology handles cooling. Craving high refresh rates? The m17 R4 gets an optional 360Hz FHD panel for smoother gameplay. The pair are already available in the US, starting at USD 2,150 (PHP 103,388).
Lenovo
The Legion 5 keeps things clean for those who want a minimalist design for their gaming laptop. There are two screen sizes available: 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch. The 17-inch laptop gets up to a Full HD IPS with a 144Hz refresh rate. If you want something faster, the 15-inch gets a Full HD panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB color. Both laptops run on up to the next-gen AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs. The Legion 5’s starting price is USD 770 (PHP 37,010) beginning March 2021.
The Legion 5 Pro is for those who want to elevate their gaming experience. It runs on the latest AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor with next-gen NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics. With Dual Burn support, it can push CPU and GPU performances for better framerate. This machine can handle the heat with a larger thermal intake and quad ventilation system. You get a 16-inch QHD IPS panel that combines a super-fast 165Hz refresh rate, up to 3ms response time, a taller 16:10 aspect ratio than its previous generation, and a 90% screen-to-body ratio. It gets a new cover design and refined chassis in Storm Gray or Stingray White. The Legion 5 Pro has a starting price of USD 1,000 and will be available starting March 2021.
The Legion 7 offers more screen to work and game with as it gets a taller 16-inch display with a new 16:10 aspect ratio. It can maintain the same compact metal chassis size by slimming down the bezels on all sides. This nearly edgeless QHD screen has a 165Hz refresh rate, 100% sRGB color gamut, 90% screen-to-body ratio, and up to 500 nits brightness. Those who take apart their machines have new cohesive “blackout” parts and a QR code pointing at hardware information and service options. It is available with up to AMD Ryzen 9 5900H chipset, up to next-gen NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs, and an 80WHr battery. The Legion 7 is expected to be available by June 2021, with a starting price of USD 1,670 (PHP 80,264).
The Legion Slim 7 takes portability very seriously as it becomes the brand’s thinnest and lightest gaming laptop yet. It weighs just 1.9kg but packs in quite a system. It is powered by a next-gen AMD Ryzen 7 5900H series processor and the latest GeForce RTX graphics. It has two display options: a 15.6-inch 4K IPS panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and 100% Adobe RGB or a faster 165Hz Full HD IPS display with 100% sRGB gamut. It comes in Shadow Black or Storm Gray with either a white keyboard backlight or Corsair iCUE RGB backlight. The Legion Slim 7 is expected to arrive in May 2021, but Lenovo hasn’t released pricing info yet.
MSI
The top-of-the-line GE76 Raider Dragon Edition Tiamat is an eye-catching gaming machine with a unique lid design inspired by the ancient goddess Tiamat. It features a 17.3-inch UHD display capable of running at 4K paired with up to an RTX 3080 GPU from NIVIDA, Intel Core i9 10980HK, and support for Wi-Fi 6E, which comes to all MSI’s 30 series laptops. Pricing isn’t available yet, but it’s expected to launch this month.
MSI also offers a smaller GE66 Raider laptop that shares many of GE76‘s specs, but it sports a smaller 15.6-inch 4K display. This variant doesn’t have its official price either.
Portability is a selling point for the thin and light GF75 Thin and GF65 Thin. Both run up to Intel Core i7 chipsets and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs. The GF75 Thin has a larger 17.3-inch Full HD IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, while the GF65 Thin has a 15.6-inch Full HD display with the same refresh rate. The GF75 Thin is available starting at USD 1,299 (PHP62,436), while the GF65 Thin’s price starts at USD 999 (PHP 48,017). Both are expected to launch this month.
The GP66 Leopard and GP76 Leopard are capable gaming laptops ready to keep up with you. Both are equipped with the latest Intel Core i7 processors and up to GeForce RTX 3070 graphics. These laptops mainly differ in screen sizes. The GP76 Leopard has a 17.3-inch Full HD IPS display, while the GP66 Leopard has a 15.6-inch Full HD display. Both support a 144Hz refresh rate. The GP66 Leopard’s price starts at USD 1,799 (PHP 86,469), while the GP76 Leopard has a starting price of USD 2,299 (PHP 110,501). Both are slated to come out this month.
The GS66 Stealth is for gamers who want a powerful machine running titles in 4K at playable framerates. It gets up to an NVIDIA RTX 3080 Max-Q GPU, up to a 10th-gen Intel Core i9 processor, and a 15.6-inch 240Hz or 300Hz Full HD screen. The GS66 Stealth’s starting price is USD 1,799 (PHP 86,469), and it will be available this month.
The Stealth 15M lives up to its name by being able to slip into bags easily. The company claims it is its thinnest 15-inch gaming laptop, which might even beat out its competitors at 0.6 inches thin. Despite its thinness, it still runs on up to an 11th-gen Intel Core i7-11375H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics, and up to 64GB of RAM. You can get the Stealth 15M at a starting price of USD 1,499 (PHP 72,049) beginning next month.
Razer
The Blade 15 and Blade 17 Pro are for those who want high refresh rates and screen resolutions. Razer upgraded its Blade laptops to run on NVIDIA’s new RTX 30 GPUs. These gaming laptops bring new high-refresh-rate Quad HD screens with 1440p resolution, which is a step up from “lowly” 1080p screens with high refresh rates. These laptops offer Full HD, Quad HD, and Ultra HD OLED display options that target different users. FHD will work best for gamers who want to game competitively at high FPS, UHD will be great for content creators, and QHD will be for those who wish to have higher resolutions and frame rates. The Blade 15 pricing starts at $1,699.99 (PHP 81,695), while the Blade Pro 17 starts at $2,299.99 (PHP 110,528).
