Best Gaming Laptops that Look Normal (but Run Fast!)
Are you looking for gaming laptops that look normal, but still have all the power of a gaming powerhouse? Then you’re in luck! Today, we’ll be discussing our picks for the top five gaming laptops that look like any other device on the market.
But don’t let their deceptively plain exterior fool you these laptops are designed to deliver performance to satisfy even the most hardcore gamer. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at our top five!
High-powered laptops have been gaining a lot of popularity in recent times. Many leading brands are diving deep into assembling these laptops as they come with high-powered graphic cards that give an enhanced performance, which in turn lets you play heavy games on your laptop with the utmost ease. But what about if you want to buy a normal-looking gaming laptop without all the flashing lights and gamer decals plastered all over the casing?
It is a myth (so switch off Reddit!) that laptops for playing games are generally more massive than the normal ones in terms of everything and that they look different too – but that is not the case anymore! If you want to have a super fast laptop while not compromising on the overall looks of the same, then our top 5 best plain-looking laptop review guide is definitely for you.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE EDITORS CHOICE FOR 2023
In reviewing gaming laptops we need to make sure they meet the following criteria:
- Look like a regular-looking laptop.
- Powerful and fast enough to run the latest PC games like CoD: Warzone 2, League of Legends, Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077, CS2, and GTA V.
- Compatible with other apps such as Microsoft Word, Teams, Excel, Zoom, Skype and Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.
- Represent value for money.
Laptops for gamers are specifically designed to give you a pro-level gamers experience – comparable to a desktop computer but can be moved around the home or packed away in a backpack and used at work, college, or university for example.
Last update on 2023-12-04 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Did you know: The best normal-looking laptops that run high-powered games also double up as superb laptops for Zoom / Skype and Microsoft Teams apps because of the high processing power and top-level GPU cards!
Top 5 Gaming Laptops for Grown-Ups in 2023
The below-listed gaming laptops are equipped to give you the same experience and look like a standard laptop. We start with one of the best laptops for gaming from a reliable and highly reviewed brand, HP.
1. MSI Prestige 14 H (B12UCX-430UK) Gaming Laptop – [Budget Choice]
The MSI Prestige 14 H (B12UCX-430UK) Gaming Laptop is an ideal option for gamers seeking a potent device with a sleek design.
Equipped with an Intel 12th Gen i5-12450H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 graphics card, this laptop effortlessly handles the most demanding games.
It also has a Golden Ratio Display with a 16:10 Aspect Ratio that provides a spacious workspace and a comfortable visual experience during long gaming sessions.
One of the standout features of the MSI Prestige 14 H is its fingerprint lock and TPM 2.0 security capabilities, ensuring a secure and easy login experience.
In addition, this laptop has been crafted for multitasking with up to 14 cores and an Intel 7 process, making it perfect for dealing with all kinds of business tasks and daily usage.
Its ports, including HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, an audio combo jack, microphone, card reader, and webcam lock switch, will suit all types of productivity tasks.
Pros:
- Powerful Intel 12th Gen i5-12450H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 graphics card for smooth gaming experience
- Golden Ratio Display for a comfortable visual experience during long gaming sessions
- Fingerprint lock and TPM 2.0 security capabilities for secure and easy login experience
- Wi-Fi 6E and Thunderbolt 4 for easy connectivity
- Great for multitasking with up to 14 cores and Intel 7 process
Cons:
- Slightly heavier than other gaming laptops that look normal
- Price is on the higher side compared to other gaming laptops
2. HP Victus 16-d0001na Gaming Laptop
If you’re a gamer who wants to blend in without sacrificing performance, the HP Victus 16-d0001na Gaming Laptop is the perfect choice.
Its sleek design and subtle aesthetics make it a great laptop for both work and play, so you won’t feel embarrassed taking it out in public.
The 5-way air flow and open vent design keep the laptop running smoothly, even during extended gaming sessions, and the 144Hz FHD anti-glare display ensures that gameplay is smooth and crisp with no frustrating lag or image ghosting.
The OMEN Gaming Hub also elevates your gaming experience with software enhancements and hardware control.
Not only is the Victus by HP Laptop 16-d0001na powerful and versatile for gaming and daily needs, it also boasts a dual speaker system and custom tuning by Bang & Olufsen, making it an exceptional audio experience.
Additionally, it features an 11th Gen Intel Core processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti for quick performance and best-in-class connectivity. You can even customize the laptop to your liking through the OMEN Gaming Hub.
Pros:
- Sleek design and subtle aesthetics
- Powerful and versatile for gaming and daily needs
- Excellent cooling system to prevent overheating
- High-performance with an 11th Gen Intel Core processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
- Customizable through the OMEN Gaming Hub
Cons:
- As with most gaming laptops, battery life may not be as long as desired
- No SD card reader for those who need it for photography or videography purposes
3. Acer Aspire 7 A715-43G Gaming Laptop
The Acer Aspire 7 A715-43G Gaming Laptop is the perfect choice for gamers who want a high-performing machine that looks like a normal laptop.
With its powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card and AMD Ryzen 5000 processor, you can enjoy smooth gameplay without any lag.
The 15.6″ Full HD display with an impressive 81.61% screen-to-body ratio and Acer Colour Intelligence and Acer ExaColour technology provides stunning visuals that enhance your gaming experience.
It also has USB-C and four USBs, including two SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps Type-A ports that support offline charging.
This laptop delivers plenty of power with a 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD and 16GB DDR4 RAM that can handle your workload effectively, while its understated dark design and backlit keyboard add a professional touch that won’t look out of place in any environment.
Pros:
- Powerful NVIDIA graphics card and AMD processor
- Impressive 15.6″ Full HD display with a high screen-to-body ratio and color-enhancing technology
- Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 for faster and more reliable connectivity
- Plenty of power with 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM
- USB-C and multiple USBs for easy connectivity
- Understated design with backlit keyboard for a professional appearance
Cons:
- Limited upgradability with only two soDIMM slots for RAM expansion
- No Thunderbolt 4 connectivity for faster data transfer speeds
4. Dell G15 5530 Gaming Laptop – [Editors Choice]
The Dell G15 5530 Gaming Laptop is an excellent option for gamers seeking a high-performance machine that strikes the perfect balance between style and substance.
With a sleek and stylish design, it’s a gaming laptop that looks normal, making it perfect for blending in at school, work, or any other public settings.
This laptop boasts an immersive gaming experience with its 15″ FHD display that has a 120HZ refresh rate. The latest Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX Laptop GPU provides the necessary power to run the most spec-heavy games smoothly.
One of the most impressive features of this laptop is its Alienware-inspired thermal design that includes four heat pipes and improved fans with ultra-thin blades.
This innovative design guarantees optimal laptop cooling, even during intense in-game sessions. On top of that, the combination of the Vapor Chamber and Element 31 thermal interface material delivers exceptional cooling performance.
The all-new Alienware Command Center is another great feature, allowing gamers to control more than ever before.
The software offers performance presets and overclocking capabilities, allowing you to optimize your gaming experience. With the performance overlay, you can easily monitor CPU, GPU, memory, and thermal statistics without interrupting your gameplay.
Additionally, the AlienFX feature enables you to personalize your setup with custom lighting settings that extend to all your Alienware accessories. You can also customize keybinds and perform calibration to enhance your gaming setup.
Pros:
- Sleek and stylish design that blends in with other laptops
- Experience unmatched performance with our cutting-edge machine featuring the latest Intel Core processors and the powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX Laptop GPU
- Featuring an impressive thermal design inspired by Alienware, this laptop remains cool even during the most intense gaming sessions
- The brand new Alienware Command Center offers enhanced control over the laptop’s performance, allowing users to optimize their gaming experience to the fullest
- F9 button is also the Game Shift macro key, allowing for quick and easy performance boosts
Cons:
- Limited storage capacity with only 256GB of internal storage
- The inclusion of the Game Shift key may vary by region, which could be a letdown for some gamers
5. Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro Creative Laptop
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro Gaming Laptop is an ideal option for gamers seeking a high-performance laptop that seamlessly blends into any setting.
Its sleek Storm Grey design, slim 16.9 mm profile, and lightweight 1.95 kg body make it effortlessly portable, allowing you to take it with you wherever you roam.
But don’t let the stylish exterior fool you, this laptop is packed with powerful features that make it ideal for gaming and content creation.
The 16-inch 2.5K IPS display with 120Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB GDDR6 graphics card offers an immersive and smooth gaming experience.
And with its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS Creator Edition processor, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage, you can enjoy fast load times and seamless gameplay.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is also equipped with a host of features that enhance your productivity and protect your privacy. The IR camera for Windows Hello ensures easy and secure login, while the TÜV Eyesafe certification protects your eyes from blue light.
Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro Gaming Laptop is the perfect blend of style and performance. Whether you’re a gamer or a content creator, this laptop can handle all your needs.
So, consider investing in this laptop if you are looking for powerful and efficient gaming laptops that look normal.
Pros:
- Sleek and stylish design
- Powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card
- High-resolution display with 120Hz refresh rate
- TÜV Eyesafe certification for blue light protection
- Amazing power hidden in a casual design
Cons:
- Limited ports, only 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1
- Pricey compared to other gaming laptops in the market
Can Gaming Laptops be Used for Everyday Use?
High-powered laptops are similar to typical laptops (in looks anyway) except that they have better performance because core components such as motherboard, GPU, CPU, and RAM are faster are designed to run faster and render frames quicker.
The good news is that many office apps these days require many features that you would normally find inside a games laptop.
Getting a fast laptop for office or home use apart from gaming is an excellent choice. It will enhance the productivity of your work as they have superior features compared to normal laptops. That said, the following key reasons are why you can use a gaming laptop as a normal laptop:
Versatility – if you are tired of replacing your laptop with the latest versions, then a gaming laptop is perfect. Most models are upgradeable and allow you to keep your drives up to date as well as change them with relative ease.
Fewer problems with the hardware – gaming laptops use the latest and quality technology to run. And as such, the chances of hardware failure are low. Thus, it’s more convenient to use as compared to a normal laptop.
Easy to use – gaming laptops can run various applications that normal laptops do. And some of them include surfing, emailing, business use, running documents, and listening to music, among others.
Speed – due to the high-end features and components they come with, they have a higher speed. Thus they not only deliver the best gaming experience but also outperform the functions of a regular laptop.
Which brand do you want to work with? There are multiple brands of the best gaming laptops to choose from. Each brand has a specific price range depending on the features that the laptop has to offer. The following brands are the best options to consider – Dell, Acer, HP, Asus, Lenovo, and MSI.
If your focused on a everyday use laptop be sure to check out our Top 5 laptops for everyday use where we price for all brackets here.
Quick Overview of our Best UK 2023 Normal Laptops that You can Play Games on
We hope that you find our latest guide useful. To conclude, the trick in buying gaming laptops that suit adults is to choose a PC that has a fast, CPU, RAM, and graphics card whilst having decent cooling to run all day without overheating.
If you are at work or at home studying then all our laptops reviewed double up as gaming beasts whilst enabling you to perform everyday tasks such as emailing, internet surfing, accessing social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin, and using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe software tools.
