The biggest advantage gaming laptops have over desktops is their built-in screens, which allow you to enjoy your favorite games anywhere. While laptop screen sizes vary, we believe the best 17-inch gaming laptops offer an ideal balance between display size and portability.
If portable gaming with a large screen is a priority for you, then the best 17-inch gaming laptops in 2024 are worth considering. These larger models provide more than just a bigger display; they typically feature full-size gaming keyboards, enhanced cooling systems, and additional features that enhance your gaming experience.
Top pick
MSI Stealth 17 Studio
The MSI Stealth 17 Studio impresses with its top-tier specs, sleek design, and exceptional performance, making it a powerhouse for gaming and productivity tasks.
Editor’s choice
Acer Nitro 17
The Acer Nitro 17 offers exceptional value with impressive gaming performance, a large screen, and quiet fans at a budget-friendly price, featuring a full-sized RGB keyboard.
Best value
Razer Blade 17
The Razer Blade 17 remains a formidable choice with its sleek design, powerful specs, and renowned performance, offering a slim profile and fast performance.
In this review, we’ll present our top picks for the best 17-inch gaming laptops on the market, offering detailed insights into performance, design, and value to help you make an informed decision.
1. MSI Stealth 17 Studio
When only the absolute best will do, the MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a top contender. This powerhouse commands a high price tag, but if budget is not a concern, its gaming and productivity performance is unmatched. It boasts an RTX 4090 GPU, the cutting-edge 13th Gen i9 CPU, and a massive 64GB of DDR5 RAM, making it one of the best RTX 4090 gaming laptops on the market.
What sets this machine apart is its ability to pack such high-end specs into a slimline chassis. The laptop features a 240Hz 1440p display, which the GPU can easily handle, but for those seeking the ultimate experience, connecting it to one of the best gaming monitors for true 4K gaming is highly recommended.
Despite its thin and light design, the MSI Stealth 17 Studio doesn’t compromise on build quality or style, offering a sleek, understated look. The inclusion of a Thunderbolt 4 port also opens up possibilities for using an eGPU to further enhance its graphical capabilities.
Performance-wise, this laptop excels. Games run smoothly at max settings without any issues. It offers a good balance of weight and design, making it both powerful and portable.
PROS
- Unbelievably powerful
- Decent amount of storage
- Tons of superfast RAM
CONS
- Incredibly expensive
2. Acer Nitro 17
When it comes to value for money, the Acer Nitro 17 is hard to beat. Offering impressive gaming performance, a large screen, and quiet fans, all at a budget-friendly price, it’s currently available at its lowest price ever.
Typically, the cost of 17-inch and larger laptops is a major downside—the larger the screen, the higher the price. However, Acer’s Nitro brand stands out by delivering high-end performance at an affordable price, and the Acer Nitro 17 exemplifies this balance perfectly.
One of the highlights of the Nitro 17 is its full-sized keyboard, complete with customizable four-zone RGB lighting that looks stunning in the dark. While these displays might not be the brightest, they still offer high quality.
Overall, the Acer Nitro 17 is a fantastic 17-inch laptop, though it’s clear from using it that it’s a budget option.
PROS
- Full-sized RGB keyboard
- Cool and quiet thermals
CONS
- Awkward trackpad placement
- Dull design
3. Razer Blade 17
The Razer Blade 17 may not be the newest gaming laptop on the market, but it remains a powerful contender, boasting a sleek all-metal frame that is unmatched in style.
Renowned for its gaming peripherals like keyboards, mice, and headsets, Razer has also made a significant mark in the laptop world with its Razer Blade series. These slim and stylish gaming laptops offer a compelling blend of performance and aesthetics.
Although the Razer Blade 17 utilizes an older 12th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and 30-series Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, these components are still incredibly capable for most users. The included 12th-gen Intel Core CPUs and 30-series Nvidia GPUs deliver high-quality performance.
The Blade series is distinguished by its sleek, minimalist design. With an all-metal construction, a weight of six pounds or less, and a thickness of under an inch when closed, the Blade 17 is as visually impressive as it is functional.
Given its age, the Razer Blade 17 is more affordable than the newer models in the Blade lineup.
PROS
- Remarkably slim
- Option for 4K screen
- Fast performance
CONS
- Older hardware
- Poor trackpad
- Small keyboard
- Short battery life
4. ASUS TUF F17
A respectable 17-inch gaming laptop doesn’t have to break the bank, and the ASUS TUF F17 proves it. With an 11th Gen i5 CPU, RTX 3050 GPU, and 8GB DDR4 RAM, this entry-level configuration offers solid performance at a budget-friendly price, making it an excellent choice for 1080p gaming.
While the specs may not be the most impressive, they are more than capable for the price. You won’t be able to max out the latest PC titles, but you can expect to game at 1080p with 60fps or higher by adjusting your settings wisely. Using NVIDIA GeForce Experience can help optimize games for the best performance.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has a sleek design, though the excessive angles may seem a bit overdone. Its strongest feature is its screen, offering fantastic image quality, vibrant colors, and a warm brightness that is easy on the eyes, even in dim lighting.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is ideal for casual gamers who don’t mind playing less demanding games or more demanding titles at lower settings.
PROS
- Budget-friendly price
- Respectable gaming performance
- Fast display
CONS
- Smaller SSD
- Older hardware
5. ASUS ROG Strix G17
Earning the title of best 17-inch gaming laptop was no easy feat, but the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has managed to do so with a host of gamer-friendly features. This laptop goes beyond its powerful AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX processor.
It boasts a fast QHD 240Hz/3ms panel, enhancing the gaming experience with crisp, vibrant visuals that cover 100% of the DCI-P3 color space.
The Strix G17’s robust cooling solution, which includes Thermal Grizzly’s Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal, ensures sustained performance during long gaming sessions. While this advanced cooling mechanism is a significant advantage, it does add some bulk to the laptop.
However, when it comes to balancing power, speed, and thermal performance, this laptop sets the gold standard in the 17-inch category, making it the top choice for gamers seeking a new gaming laptop in 2024.
PROS
- AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX processor ensures top-tier performance
- RTX 4070 to max out graphics settings
- High refresh rate display for great fluidity
CONS
- Cooling solution adds bulk
- QHD panel may drain battery faster
How to Choose the Perfect 17-Inch Gaming Laptop
Navigating the world of 17-inch gaming laptops can be daunting, but focusing on a few key considerations can simplify the process and make it more strategic. By prioritizing graphics capability, processing speed, and battery life, buyers can find a laptop that elevates their gaming experience to the next level.
Graphics Capability
Graphics capability is crucial. A high-end graphics card ensures crisp visuals and smooth frame rates, even during graphics-intensive gaming. Opting for a laptop with a top-tier card like NVIDIA’s RTX series or AMD’s Radeon RX can significantly enhance your gaming experience.
Processing Speed
A fast processor is essential for seamless gaming. Multicore processors, such as AMD Ryzen 5000 or Intel Core i9, handle complex computations swiftly, minimizing lag during intense gaming sessions.
Battery Life
A strong battery life is vital to keep the gaming action uninterrupted. Choosing a laptop with a powerful battery ensures long-lasting gaming sessions without the disruption of a dying battery.
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