It’s finally time to take your streams to the next level.
You know you want a laptop to make this happen, but…
…the choices before you are overwhelming, expensive, and maybe even complete gibberish.
There are so many gaming laptops on the market and everyone has an opinion.
How are you supposed to determine which laptop is right for you?
And more importantly: how will you know which laptop has the right capabilities for your streams?
Don’t worry—I’ve been there. And I’ve put together a complete guide to streaming laptops to help you make the right decision.
Let’s get started.
Disclaimer: Why Your Laptop for Streaming Choice Doesn’t Matter Like You Think It Does
Here’s the truth:
I’ve seen streamers succeed on bottom-of-the-barrel equipment.
When I first started streaming, I was going live in my college dorm room, strapped for cash, struggling to make do with a 2020 Macbook Pro and a pair of AirPods.
I couldn’t go live for more than half an hour without my stream glitching, dropping significant frame rates, or crashing completely.
And you know what?
I didn’t gain a following after I got better equipment—it happened before.
(After I fixed the crashing problem, anyway).
The point I’m trying to make is:
It’s not realistic to assume every streamer can afford a $3,000 laptop on top of a microphone, webcam, etc.
That doesn’t mean quality doesn’t matter, and it also doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to produce a great stream if you can afford to.
Just don’t sweat it if you can’t afford top-notch streaming equipment right away.
After all, the secret behind every successful streamer isn’t a laptop, microphone, or webcam—it’s their brand.
What Qualities to Look for in a Streaming Laptop
If you’re like I was when I was just starting out, you need a rubric of sorts to compare your choices against.
Here’s what we’re looking for in a good streaming laptop:
- Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)—laptop GPUs just won’t compare to desktop GPUs, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be powerful. There are two main processors: NVIDIA (their GPUs begin with “RTX” or “GTX”), or AMD Radeon (their GPUs have either “M” or “S” at the end which indicate high or low-end performances, respectively). It’s difficult to get into the nuances of a good GPU briefly, so we’ll cover that later.
- Central Processing Unit (CPU)—note that your CPU isn’t as important as a good GPU. A decent average is 16GB, but 32GB is the most professional and you don’t want to go below 8 GB.
- Refresh Rate—1080p or 1440p screen resolutions have the best refresh rates at 120/144Hz and some can even go up to 300 Hz.
- Battery Life—laptop battery life typically just doesn’t last long without being plugged in, but a good average is 3-4 hours.
- Portability—if you’re looking for a streaming laptop, then you’re probably after lightness/thinness/comfortability. Most of the laptops on this list fall into those categories.
- Optimus/MUX—this is a more complex laptop quality but in essence: the faster your GPU, the more you want your laptop to have a MUX switch instead of Optimus (or automatic optimus) to save FPS.
- Storage—you’re looking for a minimum of 256GB of storage but might need 1TB if you’re loading multiple AAA games.
- Cooling Tech—this is absolutely necessary for high-performance laptops. You can buy a cooling pad to help, but it’s better if the laptop comes with its own cooling technology.
Note that a lot of this information comes from this YouTube video which is extremely helpful for novice streamers/gamers:
Note: this post contains affiliate links meaning if you make a purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The Best Laptop for Streaming in 2023: The Razer Blade 15
This is by far one of the most talked about laptops in the streaming community.
It’s powerful, stylish, and extremely versatile. There’s a different version of it for every type of streamer: a 17in or a 15.6in display screen, advanced or base models, GeForce RTX 3080, 3070, or RTX 3080 Ti.
And because there are multiple versions, there are multiple prices that range from $1,500 to $3,000 depending on your price needs.
It also lasts a whopping 8 hours without charging, so you can stream uninterrupted for long periods away from home.
Let’s break down the specs further:
- GPU: GeForce RTX 3080, 3070, or RTX 3080 Ti
- CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core processor (14-core)
- Refresh Rate: High, 144Hz
- Battery Life: 8 hours
- Portability: 15 inch for portability, light and sleek
- Optimus or MUX: MUX
- Storage: 1 TB
- Cooling Tech: Yes
This laptop is perfect for streamers who go live for extended periods of time, play AAA games that need power equipment, and have money to spare.
The only con to this laptop is that the built-in webcam is fairly low quality for the price.
The Best Budget Laptop for Streaming in 2022: Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Laptop
This is one of the cheapest gaming laptops you’ll be able to find on the market with decent specs at $728.99.
It doesn’t sacrifice too much quality for the price and you can upgrade as needed; there are even advanced versions available for below $1,000.
As for the spec details:
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H, 16GB of RAM
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz
- Battery Life: 6-7 hours
- Portability: 15.6” display screen, thin, light
- Optimus or MUX: Optimus
- Storage: 256 GB
- Cooling Tech: Yes
This laptop has some obvious cons: smaller memory space which can lead to low frame rates, less power overall, and Optimus instead of a MUX switch (which can further lower frame rate).
However, for its price, it offers a pretty decent gaming experience to the average streamer.
You can also add modifications and upgrade as needed if you can afford it.
Other Good Streaming Laptops to Consider
Now let’s run through some other contenders that may meet your specific streaming needs.
The Best Laptop for PC Alternative: The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15
Missing the secondary monitor a PC allows but don’t want to sacrifice the portability of a laptop?
No problem! The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 has you covered.
It’s a dual screen, so it allows you to operate on two different screens simultaneously—just like a secondary monitor with a PC.
It also happens to be a fantastic gaming computer all on its own.
Let’s take a look at the specs:
- GPU: GeForce RTX 3080
- CPU: Intel Core i7-10875H Processor 2.3 GHz
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Battery Life: 5.5 – 6 hours
- Portability: 15.6inch display screen, 5lbs
- Optimus or MUX: Optimus + MUX Switch
- Storage: 1TB
- Cooling Tech: Yes
The only real downside to this computer is its cost: it can range anywhere from $2,800 to just short of $4,000.
The Best All-Purpose Laptop: Lenovo Legion 7 Gen 6 (AMD)
This laptop is great for a wide variety of streamers: it’s cheap, upgradeable, lightweight, thin, and has the specs to support most games with a high frame-rate capability and fast refresh rate.
If you’re looking for a mid-range laptop to cover your bases, the Lenovo Legion 7 Gen 6 is a perfect choice.
As for the details:
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 3070
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H 8-core processor
- Refresh Rate: 165Hz
- Battery Life: 5 hours
- Portability: 16-inch display screen, 5.5 lbs
- Optimus or MUX: MUX Switch
- Storage: 2 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
- Cooling Tech: Yes
You can find a base model for under $1,500—with configuration, you’re looking at about $2,500.
The only real downsides with this computer are its short battery life and lower performance rate (at least compared to some of the other laptops on this list).
The Best Laptop for Streaming Runner Up – ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15
In terms of spec quality, this laptop falls only slightly short of The Razor Blade 15 (which is to say it has excellent spec quality).
It features some of the highest frame rates you can get on the go made possible by one of the best processors you can get in a laptop right now.
I’ve even heard some reviewers say this laptop is the closest you can get to a desktop replacement—although I’ll hold my opinion about The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15.
Here are the specs we’re working with:
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
- CPU: Ryzen 9 6900HS
- Refresh Rate: 240Hz
- Battery Life: over 8 hours
- Portability: 15.6inch display screen, 4.19lbs
- Optimus or MUX: MUX Switch + Optimus (2022 model only)
- Storage: 1TB NvME solid-state drive
- Cooling Tech: Yes
The only obvious downside to this laptop is the price which can go up to $2,000 at local retailers. However, if you have the money to spare, it’s certainly worth the extra upgrade in specs.
The Best Streaming Laptop for Big Screen Gameplay – Asus ROG Zephyrus S17
If you’re looking for a laptop that feels like a PC in terms of size—but is compact enough to remain portable—The Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 may be what you’re looking for.
As an added bonus, its larger chassis allows for more versatile cooling options to ensure your laptop can handle a wide variety of gameplay while streaming.
Let’s break down the specs:
- GPU: GeForce RTX 3080
- CPU: Intel Core i9 processors
- Refresh Rate: 165Hz/120Hz depending on panel option
- Battery Life: almost 8 hours
- Portability: 17 inch display screen, 5.73 lbs
- Optimus or MUX: Advanced Optimus
- Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe
- Cooling Tech: Yes
The Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 also comes with a keyboard tilt that allows for easy gameplay and extra ventilation. It has an extremely vivid 1440p panel and an extra high-resolution screen—probably the best you’ll get outside of an actual PC.
Again, the only downside with such a capable laptop is the price: $2,900 for the base model, which puts this laptop as the most expensive on the list.
The Best Streaming Laptop for Performance – Alienware M17 R4
The Alienware M17 R4 is a top-notch streaming laptop with excellent performance capabilities and gameplay. This laptop has WiFi 6 enabled, which means you can stream wirelessly instead of via ethernet (perfect for college students or users with poor connection).
This is another laptop with high-quality reviews from the streaming community; also a great starter laptop if you can afford it.
For the specs:
- GPU: RTX 3060 or 3070 or 3080
- CPU: 2.2Ghz core i7
- Refresh Rate: 360Hz
- Battery Life: 2 hours
- Portability: 17.3-inch display screen
- Optimus or MUX: MUX Switch
- Storage: 1TB solid-state drive
- Cooling Tech: Yes
The only major cons to this laptop are the short battery life and the price, which can run upwards of $2,500 for the 17.3-inch Alienware M17 R4.
The Best Streaming Laptop for Budget Runner-Up – MSI Katana GF66
The MSI Katana GF66 is another great budget laptop with decent specs. You should be able to find the base model for just under $1,000.
It’s also a very portable laptop with a 15.6-inch display screen and a sleek design. If your main interest is portability and you’re looking for a cheaper option, the MSI Katana GF66 might be right up your alley.
Here are the specs:
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
- CPU: Intel’s 11th generation Core i7 Processors
- Refresh Rate: 144Hz
- Battery Life: 2-4 hours
- Portability: 15.6-inch display screen
- Optimus or MUX: MUX Switch
- Storage: 1TB
- Cooling Tech: Yes
Predictably, there are more than a few downsides to this laptop. It comes with poor battery life, mediocre graphics, loud cooling fans, and a plastic chassis (which may mean your MSI Katana GF66 is overheating more often than not).
Still, it’s a fairly decent laptop and more than worth the trouble for the price if you aren’t too concerned with performance. If you’re looking for a foundation for your streaming equipment that you can upgrade later, definitely give this laptop a chance.
Why Stream from a Laptop Instead of a PC?
You’ve probably heard that PCs are all-around better for streaming.
While PCs do have some advantages over laptops (more powerful specs, longer performance time, multitasking, etc.), laptops have their own set of advantages that may suit some streamers better than others.
There are two main reasons to use a laptop in place of a PC:
- Portability
- Price
If you’re a streamer who’s frequently changing locations, a laptop is obviously more convenient.
For instance, when I was streaming in college and constantly traveling between my dorm and childhood home, a laptop was the only choice I had to make streaming work. There was no way for me to establish a permanent set-up in either place.
Maybe you’re on the road or transitioning between homes. Whatever your situation, a laptop allows for easy adaptability that a PC doesn’t.
The other reason is price.
Unfortunately, it’s becoming harder and harder to find PC parts at a reasonable price. Graphic card scalpers (or illegal resellers) hack into popular manufacturers’ websites and resell equipment at highly expensive prices.
If you’re trying to build a PC from scratch, you might be out of luck on the financial front.
How to Make the Right Streaming Laptop Choice for Your Brand
The first question I had to answer when I was looking for streaming equipment was:
What’s important to me?
The same sentiment applies to your laptop choice, too.
Do you want max performance or max portability? Do you want a laptop that feels like a laptop, or a laptop that feels like a PC?
Do you care more about its streaming capabilities or its gaming capabilities?
I think it’s also important to consider the types of games you’re playing. If your game requires more skill and agile movements, you’ll want to put more thought into your laptop’s keyboard and touchpad.
If the devil is in the (graphic) details, you may want a laptop that has an excellent display resolution and can handle high frame rates.
It just depends on what you want out of your gaming and/or streaming experience.
To recap: ask yourself what qualities your dream laptop would have for streaming. Then, look back over this list and find that laptop that checks the most boxes.
Just know there isn’t a “holy grail” choice for streaming laptops. So long as your streams are high-quality and enjoyable, your viewers probably won’t know the difference.
Conclusion
Remember: if you can afford to nab a high-quality laptop for your streams, that’s great. But it’s not a make-or-break part of your streaming experience.
So long as you put in the time, effort, and care into your streams to make them enjoyable, you’ll have an equal spot on the playing field.
But if you are in a position to look for more streaming equipment, check out our post for the best recommendations we have to offer.
Happy streaming!
Savannah Sellers is a content creator who started a successful Twitch stream and TikTok channel from scratch as a personal project under the name flarity_.