Why laptops are better for gaming

I love gaming, and I have been playing on console for most of my life, not because I prefer console gaming but because back in the 90s the games that were available on PC required powerful machines that not everybody had access to; this is partly due to the fact that computers were extremely expensive back then.

When I eventually got a laptop of my own, I realised that gaming on a computer was a lot more fun because there were hundreds of games available for download straight onto your machine.

It was also around about this time that I learnt that most games cost less when you buy them for PC.

Why gaming on a PC is better?

Although I still own a console and play online gaming, my children have been nagging me to buy a laptop for them to play online games on, and obviously, being a tech guy, I needed them to give me a credible reason as to why I should get a laptop for them if they have a console.

This is where my son impressed me when he gave me his reasoning; he told me that there are benefits to playing on a laptop, such as the fact that you can do mods on the game.

At first I was confused at what mods were, so he showed me some YouTube videos from a gamer named Caylus.

He has built up his channel by creating content on GTA 5, but the type of content is based on mods in GTA.

When they speak of ‘Mods,’ it actually means that they modify the game to have custom maps, cars, or characters in the game.

With this ability to do mods you can put SAPS or JMPD skins onto cars and I have even seen guys modify the game to have cars such as the Golf 1 and Golf 7.

The problem with playing on a console is that you are not able to modify anything because you can’t access the root folder of the game.

Gaming has changed so much since the 90’s, most of the games that kids play are online games where you play with your friends on teams and my kids have proved to me that playing on a laptop can give you the competitive edge.

Having a keyboard also gives you the option to reconfigure your controls, so in games like Fortnite, which is basically Call of Duty for kids, you can set up shortcuts that help you play faster, which makes you climb up the ranks like a pro.

Other games, such as Roblox, are also better to play on a laptop because you can download the Roblox studio to create your own Roblox games.

Besides gaming, having a laptop also teaches your children the necessary computer literacy skills that will give them a head start in life.

This is why we have tested two notebooks from HP that would be perfect for beginner gamers, content creators, and students, and the best part is that they won’t break the bank.

HP Elitebook x360 2-in-1

The EliteBook is a compact 14-inch professional laptop that doubles up as a tablet and not only looks amazing but performs like a laptop should.

Being a multimedia designer, I have been disappointed in the performance of many laptops when you have multiple programs running at a time, and when using a lot of programs at the same time, this puts a lot of machines under strain.

This EliteBook’s performance was outstanding; it never froze up or crashed once, and what was more impressive was that the machine was so quiet, the fans barely made any noise.

This laptop had an impressive 32 GB of RAM with an i7 processor to handle even the most demanding tasks.

Video editing was also a pleasure, even when using 4K footage, which tends to have a bigger file size, although when trying an 8K file, I did see a noticeable difference in the performance.

The display performance is also amazing; the graphics when gaming have a great response time, and the colour is just so realistic and vivid.

This machine has a 14-inch display with a resolution of 1920×1200 and Intel Iris Xe Graphics, which performed amazingly in areas where there was a lot of light on the screen.

Being a 2-in-1, it is obviously touchscreen, and one of the features I liked was the sensor on the display that detects when you are in front of the laptop and automatically wakes the machine up or puts it to sleep when you walk away.

The backlit keyboard is also an essential for gaming at nighttime in the dark, so you never miss a key.

The EliteBook now uses a USB Type-C charger, and the cable itself is very durable, so it won’t get damaged when charged. There are 3 USB Type-C ports to connect devices and charge your machine, but I would have liked to see more normal USB ports to connect devices; especially when you use a USB mouse, you are limited on ports.

The 1TB storage is more than enough space to store all your software and games, and because it is an SSD, it performs tasks a lot quicker.

For gamers who are also content creators, one of the handy features is the 5MP IR camera with HP auto; this can film you while you screen record your game.

This 2-in-1 is definitely a great option whether you are a gamer, content creator, or a professional.

HP Dragonfly

The next machine we look at is the HP Dragonfly, which is ideal for gamers who don’t want a full-on gaming machine but still want something that is going to perform well.

This stunning slate blue machine is not a 2-in-1, but it also has a touchscreen display with superior anti-glare performance.

This device is only 13.5 inches, so it is a lot lighter and easy to use on the go, but don’t be fooled because smaller doesn’t always mean weaker.

The Dragonfly also uses the 13th Generation Intel Core i7, like the EliteBook, paired with 32GB of RAM and a fast 1TB SSD hard drive that can store plenty of games.

Your games look extra crisp thanks to the Intel Iris Xe Graphics card and 1920×1280 WUXGA+ display, which gives you an immersive gaming experience like no other.

This machine has a nano SIM slot on it, so that gives you the ability to connect directly to the internet while on the go, which is honestly a feature that we should have seen on many more laptops.

As with most of the HP products, this machine also now comes with a USB Type-C charger, but like the EliteBook, I wish it had more USB ports. This one only has 2 USB Type-C ports and one traditional Type-A port, and considering that charging your device occupies one port, you only have 2 ports at your disposal.

One of the features that HP deserves credit for is the fact that 90 percent of the Dragonfly’s components are made from recycled magnesium, which shows that they are conscious about our environment.

What HP has done with this machine is pack a very powerful processor into a very portable machine without impacting the performance; this makes the Dragonfly a perfect option for people who are always on the go and never leave their machine behind.

Being a content creator myself, I would use this machine because it is so small it could fit in my camera bag, and it can handle demanding tasks like video editing and animation reliably.

Another feature it shares with the Elitebook is the 5MP camera; the only difference is that the Dragonfly has an 88-degree field of view.

This machine gives a new meaning to mobility; with the compact form factor and built-in SIM, you can have lightning-fast LTE to play online games while you are on the go. It is an absolute game changer from HP.

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