If you’re looking for a powerful gaming laptop for competitive gaming, you’ll want to consider an option that has a high refresh rate. In this guide, we’ve listed a handful of the best 144Hz laptops currently available to help you find the right laptop for your needs.
Speed is key when it comes to gaming, the faster you see it, the faster you can react. That’s why the popularity of high refresh rate displays has skyrocketed in the last few years. While 144Hz refresh rates were mainly restricted to monitors, we are now seeing a wide variety of laptops incorporate it as well.
(And, now, you can even get laptops with a 360Hz refresh rate!)
Now, most high-end gaming laptops include a high-refresh rate screen. This results in massive benefits, such as smoother visuals in fast-paced game sequences and less tear in the graphics, all of which can enhance your gaming experience.
Here’s our list of the best 144Hz gaming laptops that you can buy right now.
A Quick Look at the Best 144Hz Laptops
For a quick breakdown of our picks for the best 144Hz laptops, check out the table below. We’ve made selections for the best option overall, the best value 144Hz laptop, the best budget option, and the best cheap 144Hz laptop, too.
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NAME | SPECS | RATING | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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TOP PICK
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 |
Lenovo Legion 7i |
|
/10 | |
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VALUE
|
 |
MSI GL66 |
|
/10 | |
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BUDGET
|
 |
GIGABYTE G5 KC |
|
/10 | |
|
CHEAP
|
 |
Acer Nitro 5 |
|
/10 |
*For more information on each of these laptops, Click the “Read Review »” link under the “Check Price” button on to skip down to our overview on it.
1. Lenovo Legion 7i 16.0″
The best 1440P 144Hz+ laptop
Our top pick for the best 144Hz gaming laptop, the Legion 7i is neither small nor lightweight. With dimensions of 0.92 by 14.2 by 10.2 inches (HWD) and a weight of 5.5 pounds, it has quite a bit of heft without seeming unnecessarily proportioned. Its 16:10 aspect ratio display nicely fills up the frame, and its inward-sloped corners make it appear slimmer than it is.
It’s base configuration comes with an Intel Core i7 processor but it can be upgraded to include an Intel Core i9 processor. And, while the base configuration also comes with an RTX 3060 GPU, you can also upgrade it to turn it into an RTX 3080 laptop.
When it comes to connectivity, the Legion 7i’s ports are positioned towards the back to hide cords. Ethernet, Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C), a trio of USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and an HDMI 2.1 video output are all illuminated port labels on the back overhang, from left to right. This is also where the 300-watt power adaptor is connected.
This Lenovo gaming laptop’s standout feature, however, is its 16-inch screen. The 2560 x 1600 display will provide the best of both worlds for those who are looking for a higher resolution screen, but not the performance hit that comes with a 4K screen. The RTX 3080 GPU takes full advantage of the display’s 165Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-Sync is fully supported as well, allowing for tear-free gaming.
2. MSI GL66 15.6″
Top value 144Hz gaming laptop
The best value 144Hz gaming laptop is MSI’s GL66 Pulse. With an Intel Core i7-11800H CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 series graphics card, this laptop gives the most value you can get for a 144Hz gaming laptop at its price.
The GL66 Pulse is enhanced by a metal lid and RGB keyboard backlighting. The MSI Center software allows you to customize the keyboard backlighting, although customization is limited to one color or lighting zone.
With this RTX 3070 laptop, you get three type-A USB ports ( a USB 3.2 Gen 1 and a legacy 2.0), one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, an HDMI 2.0b, a high speed headphone jack, Gigabit Ethernet, and video output are all available on the GL66 Pulse’s sides. At the back left, the 180-watt power adaptor can be connected. Wireless communication is provided by an Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 card.
All in all, this MSI gaming laptop is a fantastic option that can handle both gaming and creative tasks with ease. In 1080p gaming, the MSI Pulse GL66’s Intel Core i7-11800H and RTX 3070 combination works extremely well to give great performance numbers that can compete with the best.
3. GIGABYTE G5 KC 15.6″
The best budget 144Hz laptop
The Gigabyte G5 KC is our pick for the best budget-friendly 144Hz laptop. It has a 15.6-inch IPS panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 144Hz.
This Gigabyte laptop comes with an Intel Core i5-10500H processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.
One USB 3.1 port, one USB-C (with DisplayPort output), and one coverless SD card slot are on the right edge, while one USB 2.0 port, one USB 3.1 port, and the separated 3.5mm mic and headphone ports are on the left. On the back, the power jack, Ethernet port, HDMI, and Mini DisplayPort output are all hidden.
At the end of the day, while this RTX 3060 laptop’s specifications may not place it at the top of the leaderboard, it has custom configurations and high-quality tech that makes it an excellent option for the pricetag it comes with
4. Acer Nitro 5 15.6″
An ultra-cheap 144Hz laptop option
The Acer Nitro 5 is one of the best ultra-cheap 144Hz gaming laptops currently available. Aside from having an Intel Core i5-10300H processor and an NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU, the Nitro 5 also comes with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB NVMe solid-state drive. And, it comes with a pricetag of just a little over $800.
For most people, the smaller SSD is the most practical compromise; but this can make it difficult to install a lot of your larger games. Unscrewing the bottom panel reveals a second M.2 slot for another SSD, as well as a 2.5-inch drive bay that can hold up to a 2TB hard drive.
Two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a Killer Ethernet port, an audio jack, and a security lock slot are located on the laptop’s left flank. On the right, a Type-A port joins a USB-C 3.2 port and an HDMI video output. The AC adapter, as well as the Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth wireless connection ports, are located in the back.
It’s also reasonably portable, at only 10 inches by 14.3 inches (255 mm x 363 mm x 2.4 mm) and a weight of 3.6 kilos (around 8 pounds).
Ultimately, this Acer Nitro gaming laptop is the perfect option for anyone who is looking for a gaming laptop under $1,000 that will provide ideal in-game performance.
Which 144Hz Gaming Laptop is Right for You?
Buying a gaming laptop can be a large investment, depending on the specifications you’re looking for and where you’re willing to compromise versus not. That’s why it’s incredibly beneficial to establish a solid budget upfront, so you can ensure you get all of the features you want.
Once you have a budget laid out, think about what kind of features you’d like your laptop to have. Does it need a lot of RAM? Is a high-end GPU necessary? Do you need that 1TB SSD? Taking these kinds of things into account will ensure you get the perfect laptop, without overspending.
