Collection: Laptop

Which laptop do you actually need?

Most PC builders who come over to laptops make the same mistake: they shop by the GPU name on the box and ignore everything wrapped around it. In a laptop, the cooling system and power budget decide how fast the parts really run. Two machines with the same chip can differ by 20 to 30 percent in sustained performance.

Entry-level laptops (think Acer Aspire, ASUS Vivobook, Lenovo IdeaPad, HP Pavilion) use integrated graphics, a single fan with one heat pipe, and often a 60Hz IPS panel with weak colour coverage. They're fine for study, browsing and office work. The compromises are soldered RAM, a single SSD slot and a plastic chassis that flexes.

The sweet spot is where most people should land. That's something like a Lenovo Legion 5, ASUS TUF Gaming, Acer Nitro or MSI Thin and Katana, or a ThinkPad or Dell Latitude if you want a work machine. You get a mid-range laptop GPU, a 16:10 or high-refresh panel, two M.2 slots and dual fans with several heat pipes. Enthusiast lines (ASUS ROG Zephyrus, Razer Blade, Alienware, Legion Pro) add vapour chambers, higher GPU power limits, MUX switches and OLED or mini-LED panels. They deliver more, but the gains shrink fast. Moving from a mid-range laptop GPU to the flagship often costs double for a modest frame rate lift, because the chassis can only dump so many watts.

The spec to hunt for is the GPU's total graphics power (TGP). A laptop GPU running at 140W will beat the same-named chip limited to 80W by a wide margin. Reviews usually list it, and it matters more than the badge.

Upgrading and technical nuances

Laptop memory comes in two forms. Thin-and-light machines use LPDDR5X soldered to the board. It offers higher bandwidth and lower power draw, but you can't upgrade it, so buy the capacity you need on day one. Performance and gaming laptops typically use DDR5 SO-DIMMs, which are physically shorter than the sticks in our Desktop Memory range and not interchangeable with them. Make sure both slots are populated for dual-channel, because a single 16GB stick roughly halves memory bandwidth and hurts integrated graphics badly.

For storage, look for at least one PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280 slot and a second one if possible. A good drive from the Samsung 990, Crucial T500 or WD_BLACK families is a safe swap, and our Solid State Drives (SSD) range covers the common options. Check whether the slot takes a double-sided drive, since some thin chassis only fit single-sided ones. Heatsink-equipped drives rarely fit inside a laptop, so choose a bare drive with a controller that doesn't run hot.

On processors, current Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen mobile chips split into efficiency-focused parts and high-power HX or H-series parts. The efficient ones give you better battery life and decent integrated graphics. The HX parts are essentially desktop-class silicon that needs a proper cooling solution and the charger to match. If you want a similar experience at a desk, a Computers build with a CPUs & Processors upgrade path and a Graphics Cards / GPU swap will always outlast a laptop.

Displays are the other big trade-off. OLED gives near-infinite contrast and very fast pixel response, but it can show burn-in risk with static content and drops brightness in large white scenes. A good IPS panel with 100 percent sRGB, 300 nits and 144Hz or higher is more practical for mixed use. Mini-LED sits in between with strong HDR, but it can bloom around bright objects. A MUX switch routes the GPU straight to the screen and lifts frame rates a few percent, which is worth having on a gaming machine.

Practical things to check

Start with the charger. Gaming laptops can need 180W to 330W, and the brick is large and heavy. USB-C Power Delivery is great for ultrabooks, but it won't sustain a high-power GPU. Confirm the included charger matches the spec sheet, because some retailers ship lower-wattage bundles.

Next, look at ports. Check for HDMI 2.1, USB4 or Thunderbolt, and a full-size SD reader if you need one. If you'll dock the laptop to an external Monitors setup, make sure the USB-C port supports DisplayPort output, as not all do. Decent Cables & Connectors matter here, since a cheap USB-C cable can cap bandwidth or refuse to carry video.

Weight and thickness tell you about thermals. A 1.8kg laptop with a 140W GPU will either throttle or scream. Look for exhaust vents on the sides and rear rather than only underneath, and check reviews for fan noise at full load. A cooling pad from Fans, Heatsinks & Cooling can drop temperatures a few degrees, but it won't fix a weak chassis.

Wireless matters too. Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 only reaches its potential if your router supports it, so pairing the laptop with a decent Networking setup such as a TP-Link router helps. Finally, remember airlines cap batteries at 100Wh, so very large batteries are not allowed in carry-on.

Brands and local warranty

Reputable names include ASUS, Lenovo, Dell, HP, Acer, MSI, Gigabyte, Razer and Apple for those leaving Windows. ThinkPad and Dell Latitude lines lead for business durability, while ASUS, Lenovo and MSI cover gaming and creator machines well.

Warranty matters more with laptops than with any desktop part, because everything is integrated. If the screen, hinge or motherboard fails, you can't swap one component. Buying through an Australian retailer means your warranty is handled locally under Australian Consumer Law, rather than by posting a laptop overseas. Grey imports often have no local coverage and can come with the wrong keyboard layout or power plug. Check that the model number matches the Australian listing, and keep your invoice.

Frequently asked questions

How much RAM and storage do I need in a laptop?

16GB is the sensible minimum today, and 32GB is better if you edit video, run virtual machines or keep lots of browser tabs open. For storage, 512GB fills quickly with modern games, so 1TB is the practical starting point. If the SSD is upgradeable, you can start smaller and expand later.

Is a high-refresh screen worth it?

For gaming, yes. Moving from 60Hz to 144Hz or higher makes motion visibly smoother and cuts input lag. For office or study use, resolution and colour accuracy matter more, so a sharp 16:10 IPS panel is the better pick.

Can I upgrade the graphics card later?

Almost never. Laptop GPUs are soldered to the board. That's why buying one tier higher up front often makes sense if you plan to keep the machine for several years.

Why does my laptop throttle under load?

Sustained heat forces the chip to cut clocks to stay safe. Dust, old thermal paste and restricted airflow all make it worse. Cleaning the vents, using a hard surface and choosing a model with proper heat pipes or a vapour chamber helps.

Should I buy a laptop or build a desktop?

If you need portability, buy the laptop. If it stays on a desk, a desktop gives you more performance per dollar, easier upgrades and quieter cooling.