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It is tempting to get a gaming laptop if you work for a company that allows you to bring your device (BYOD) if you are a freelancer or if you have some other control over the laptop that you are provided with for work. There are, however, some gaming laptops that are not suitable for use in the workplace. How to choose a gaming laptop for your work is outlined below.
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Choose a Gaming Laptop for Your Work
When compared to a “business” laptop, what does a gaming laptop actually have in common? It is not a set of RGB lights—that much is certain! It is possible to find some characteristics that simplify the process of performing work, particularly with regard to the safeguarding of company information.
The use of a fingerprint reader and a webcam that is compatible with Windows Hello are both beneficial. Additionally, essential is the provision of support for hardware-based disk encryption. Given that Windows 11 mandates this as a basic need, it is imperative that any gaming laptop running Windows 11 possess this capability.
Read More: 9 Best Gaming Laptops to Buy in UK 2023
Pay Attention to Battery Life and Practicality
The vast majority of gaming laptops are more portable than they are mobile. Because of the high-performance components that they use, the battery life of the device can be depleted in a very short amount of time, and the device is actually intended to be used when plugged in. Current central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) are able to scale significantly in order to conserve power.
You should look for a gaming laptop that supports technologies such as NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, which automatically switches between the integrated graphics processing unit (iGPU) and the discrete or dedicated graphics processing unit (dGPU) depending on the task that the system is currently executing for the user. Similarly, certain Intel gaming laptops are equipped with p-cores, which are performance cores, and e-cores, which are efficiency cores. This configuration enables the laptop to function more like a power-efficient laptop when a battery powers it.
Be sure to seek out battery benchmarks for the laptops you are considering purchasing, regardless of the exact technological capabilities that are included in the machine. This will ensure that the laptop will have sufficient battery life to allow you to finish that last-minute presentation while you are riding in a taxi on your way to a conference.
Consider a “Sleeper” Gaming Laptop
Despite the fact that it might not be a significant factor in many contemporary work environments, gaming laptops typically have a particular appearance that is not exactly suitable for a professional environment. The bright and extravagant looks that gaming laptops are known for are not to everyone’s liking. As a result, there is a part of the market that sells “stealth” computers that do not appear to be gaming systems at first glance.
The Stealth gaming laptops from MSI are a fantastic illustration of this. These laptops have the appearance of large black metal laptops, yet they also feature wonderful RGB keyboards that can be set to disco mode after a long day of gaming.
Choose a Thin and Light Gaming Laptop
Recent developments in computer technology have made it possible for “thin and light” laptops to pack a large amount of power into their construction. While still being a Windows gaming PC, gaming laptops such as the Razer Blade 14 are as close as you can get to a MacBook Pro. This is because they are almost identical to the MacBook Pro.
If you conduct the kind of work that requires you to always be on the move, then these laptops are ideal for you because they are effortless to transport. It is important to note that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The performance of thin gaming laptops and their light is invariably inferior to that of bigger laptops, which have superior cooling options and use identical components. In spite of this, they still have a significant amount of power available, making it an excellent choice if you want a single mobile monster that can perform all of the tasks.
Don’t forget about eGPUs!
The transformation of business laptops into gaming machines can also be accomplished through another route. A business laptop that supports eGPUs, also known as external graphics processing units, allows you to connect a GPU to the system so that it may be used for gaming while it is docked. By installing an additional graphics processing unit (GPU), a good business-class laptop can be transformed into a competent setup. These laptops often feature a large amount of RAM and strong CPUs.
Nevertheless, Thunderbolt 3 and 4 connections continue to be the most frequent type of electronic graphics processing unit (eGPU) connection. These connections are fairly limited in terms of bandwidth, which means that any GPU that you connect is likely to experience some performance issues. It is possible that in the future, with the introduction of Thunderbolt 5 and other options such as OCuLINK, eGPUs will become an even more advantageous choice; nonetheless, even at this moment, it is an intriguing choice. Particularly if you currently possess a laptop for work that is capable of supporting this. Then, in that situation, it is a lot more affordable than purchasing a whole new laptop!
What to Avoid in a Gaming Laptop for Work
When you want to utilize a gaming laptop as a professional laptop, there are a few things you should probably avoid doing, in addition to taking into consideration the positive characteristics that you should search for:
Screens that are not correct in terms of color: If you are a creative who needs a screen that is accurate in terms of color in order to complete your work, you should pay particular attention to the color specifications of the screen in gaming laptops. To a greater extent than accuracy, they tend to prioritize high refresh rates and quick response times. As an alternative, you might want to consider purchasing a hybrid laptop that combines gaming and creation, such as the MSI Creator series.
1080p Screens: A large number of gaming laptops are equipped with 1080p screens, which are ideal for gaming on a monitor measuring 15 inches or even 17 inches, but they are much too small for use in a professional setting. Consider purchasing a 1440p model if at all possible.
It is possible to purchase gaming laptops that come equipped with mechanical keyboards as an additional option. Although this may be an excellent choice for playing video games, it is not necessarily the ideal choice for typing, and it may also be a noisy nuisance for other people who are working in shared office spaces.
Insufficient input/output: Although gaming laptops typically include a wide variety of connectors for peripherals, it is possible that they do not provide the appropriate combination of connections for your requirements. It’s possible, for instance, that they don’t have any SD card readers or even a modest number of USB type A connectors.
This is not an exhaustive list of potential dangers (you could always come up with more! ), but it is instance of the thinking you need to undertake when you are willing to take the “one laptop to rule them all” approach to your job and pleasure. You are now in a position where you can truly be “business in the front, party in the back.”
