1. Dell G3 15 (2019)
The best cheap gaming laptop you can buy If you’re looking to get your loved one the best gaming laptop you can buy, but you don’t want to give up an arm and a leg, the Dell G3 15 is your best bet. For roughly around $799 (check for further discounts during the holidays), the G3 15 offers an Intel Core i5-9300H processor, an Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and a 1TB 5,400-rpm HDD, which is excellent for the price. It can run taxing games like Rise of the Tomb Raider at a solid 30 frames per second at Very High, 1080p settings. See our full Dell G3 15 (2019) review.
2. Razer Blade 15 (Late 2018)
The best midrange gaming laptop For a slightly more premium notebook that’s not as balls-to-the-wall expensive as other gaming laptops, take a look at the Razer Blade 15. For $1,499, you’ll snag a Core i7-8750H processor and an Nvidia GTX 1060 Max-Q GPU, or even a GTX 1660 Ti GPU for $1,599. Instead of a cheap plastic design, you get a thin CNC aluminum chassis packed with a battery that’ll last you for over 6 hours and a pair of speakers that will rock your ears. And if you’re itching for more power but want to stay under $2,000, you can get the RTX 2060 model for $1,999, and it’s likely to go down in price during the holidays. See our full Razer Blade 15 (Late 2018) review.
3. Alienware m17 R2
The best premium gaming laptop If you’ve got the money to spend, the best gaming laptop you can get right now is the Alienware m17 R2. Right now you can pick up the Alienware m17 R2 on a Black Friday sale for $2,699, and it’ll come with a Core i7-9750H CPU and an RTX 2080 GPU. That awesome power will net you 102 fps in Rise of the Tomb Raider at Very High, 1080p settings. Its 17.3-inch display also killed it, reproducing 140% of the sRGB color gamut and emitting 395 nits of brightness. Top that off with a comfortable keyboard and a lightweight design that looks absolutely stunning, and you’ve got a certified holiday winner. See our full Alienware m17 R2 review.
4. SteelSeries Apex Pro
The best gaming keyboard https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/accessories/steelseries-apex-pro Picking up a cheap gaming laptop might leave you with a crappy keyboard, so if you’re looking for a discrete gaming keyboard to go along with your loved one’s new laptop, then the SteelSeries Apex Pro is the one to go with. It offers a quality typing experience and one-of-a-kind features. For $199, the Apex Pro offers SteelSeries’ own OmniPoint switches, which are mechanical switches with adjustable actuation force. Now combine that with a 128 x 40 OLED panel that gives you easy access to the keyboard settings. Each key also has a cutesy sci-fi vibe on its font. See our full SteelSeries Apex Pro review.
5. Razer Basilisk Ultimate
The best gaming mouse A PC gamer isn’t really gaming correctly if they don’t have a trusty gaming mouse at their side. With the Razer Basilisk Ultimate ($169), you get a wireless gaming mouse with a comfortable design, a sweet, adjustable scroll wheel and excellent wireless performance. It also has some cool tech inside, including optical switches for each button and an optical sensor that enables several neat features that make your cursor more precise. Pair all of that with some awesome software and a cool charging dock, and you’ve got yourself one of the best wireless gaming mice around. See our full Razer Basilisk Ultimate review.
6. SteelSeries Arctis 7
The best gaming headset Your team members are going to yell at you if you start communicating with your laptop’s internal microphone. Enhance your audio and communication abilities with a badass wireless gaming headset, otherwise known as the SteelSeries Arctis 7. It features great sound and a comfortable fit, all for the reasonable price of $113. The Arctis 7 also has seamless wireless connectivity and offers an array of equalization options for both stereo and DTS 7.1 surround sound via the SteelSeries Engine 3 software. See our full SteelSeries Arctis 7 review.
7. Xbox One Wireless Controller
The best PC gaming controller You can’t take your gaming keyboard and mouse everywhere you go — well, you can, but that’s too much work for me. Simplify that by picking up an Xbox One Wireless Controller. The latest controllers have built-in Bluetooth, so they’ll work easily with any gaming laptop. They’re comfortable overall and work seamlessly with most games. If you want something a little more premium, consider picking up the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 for $179, which offers great customization options, better grips and USB Type-C charging. See our full Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 review.
8. Oculus Rift S
The best VR headset We’re still currently reviewing the Oculus Rift S, but it’s shaping up to be one of the best VR headsets we’ve ever tested. From its intuitive touch and motion controls to its high-res display, the Rift S offers an incredibly immersive experience that will literally make you forget about the real world — until you inevitably exhaust yourself. You can snag this badass VR experience for just $400, which isn’t that expensive when you consider that the cost is similar to what you spend for your everyday console. See our full Oculus Rift S hands-on.
9. Acer Predator X34
The best curved gaming monitor Not every gaming laptop is going to boast a bangin’ 4K display, so step up your game with the Acer Predator X34: a gorgeous 34-inch, 3440 x 1440 curved display. For $649, the Predator X34 takes its sick mechanical design with RGB lights and packs in a beautiful display with strong Nvidia G-Sync performance as well as a smooth 9.7 milliseconds of latency. The Predator X34 also has built-in 7-watt speakers that were incredibly loud and crisp when we tested them, preserving the impact of most in-game sounds. See our full Acer Predator X34 review.
10. Blue Yeti X
The best USB microphone A gaming headset is all well and good — until you start streaming and you realize you need the best of the best to translate that beautiful voice of yours to your audience. If you or your loved one wants to launch their Twitch or Mixer career, we recommend picking up the Blue Yeti X microphone. It has a sleek design, customizable LEDs all over and a solid overall recording quality. What really makes this microphone stand out, however, is its excellent EQ software, which lets you configure how the mic sounds. With the Blue Voice function, you can make yourself sound like a radio talk show host, or even an esports commentator, as the Logitech G Hub is packed with a full array of settings and effects. It’s well worth the $169 asking price. See our full Blue Yeti X review.
