Best Gaming Laptops in Singapore For Every Budget (2022)

Thinking of refreshing your gaming setup with the best gaming laptop currently? Depending on your budget, here are a few laptops for you to consider.

When work-from-home became the norm due to COVID-19, there was a surge in interest in building one’s desk setup. From standing desks to ergonomic chairs to computer desktops, everyone was vying to deck out their workspace with the coolest and latest furniture and electronics.

However, since restrictions are easing from DORSCON Orange to Yellow, all employees may return to the workplace from 26 April onwards. All of a sudden, the stationary CPU desktop and monitor you bought last year wouldn’t be as useful as before.

So this is where we pivot the conversation to its more mobile and compact counterparts, laptops. As the adage goes, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Kill two birds with one stone by getting a laptop that’s suitable for both gaming and working whenever appropriate. 

Based on your budget and preference, read on to know which gaming laptop has the best specifications and purpose for its price point.

Table of contents

• Budget: Below S$1,000
• Budget: S$1,000 to S$1,500
• Budget: S$1,500 to S$2,000
• What specs are absolute must-haves
• Which components can you save on

_{Disclaimer: All laptops are discussed according to base specifications presented on original retailer or e-commerce (e.g. Amazon, Shopee) websites. Laptop performance is subject to manufacturing inconsistencies and personal preferences. Please exercise discretion in researching and reviewing your desired laptop further where applicable.} 

If your budget is… below S$1,000

HP Pavilion x360 (2020) --- S$988.28

The HP Pavilion x360 (2020) model has all the decent specs and features you’d need for basic gaming and efficient working. Specifically, we’re referring to the 14M-DW0023DX model.

Portable, compact and light (from 1.61kg), its sleek design makes it incredibly mobile and easy to carry on the move. 

It contains an Intel i5-1035G1 quad-core mobile processor (CPU) and an integrated Intel UHD graphics card (GPU). On all fronts, the integrated UHD GPU can’t hold a flame towards the dedicated NVIDIA GTX 1650 GPU benchmark for gaming these days. Its quality is too lacklustre by current standards. 

However, where it fall shorts in gaming performance, it compensates with its 256GB and 16GB Optane PCI-e SSDs which allows users to save files faster and store massive amounts of data at 15x the speed of traditional hard disk drives (HDD). 

The PCI-e SSDs provide enough juice to power gaming applications, open multiple servers, daily backups and more. This means that you can finish your work without a hitch while running games at the bare minimum. 

Because of these factors, we would consider the HP Pavilion x360 (2020) as more of an on-the-go work laptop with the casual gamer in mind — the emphasis on casual.

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If your budget is… between S$1,000 to S$1,500

Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-45-R553) (2021) --- S$1,454

For those perusing the budget gaming laptop market, the Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-45-R553) should come as no surprise. With multiple models falling under this series, the Nitro 5 has been a consistent player (pun intended) when it comes to running your AAA titles.

Despite the Nitro 5 (AN515-45-R553) launching in Q2 2021 (July), that doesn’t make it any less competent than its more recent 2022 counterpart. Allow us to shed some light on its CPU and GPU performance.

At first glance, both their CPUs are strong eight-core processors. However, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H performs slightly better with a clock speed of 3.2GHz. 

GPU-wise, the RTX 3050-Ti was released in Q2 2021 while the GTX 1650 was released in Q2 2019. Logically, the Acer Nitro 5’s GPU is ostensibly more outdated and performs weaker; and if we check the FPS for lighting, reflection, multi-rendering and NBody calculation, it does seem to be the case. 

Noticeably, the GTX 1650 still holds an overwhelming market share relative to the RTX 3050-Ti — 446% greater market share and 43% more popular. It’s one of the cheaper Turing-based graphics cards available. That said, older AMD graphics cards like the RX 570 8GB surpasses its performance by roughly 15%; so that’s food for thought.

At 2.2kg and containing 512 GB of SSD, it’s mobile enough with ample storage. Not to mention, the RBG keyboard facilitates working or gaming in dimly-lit environments.

Ultimately — save for its slightly weaker graphics and battery life — the Nitro 5 (AN515-45-R553) is a decent gaming laptop for its price point compared to newer 2022 models. 

Note: If you purchase it on the official Acer store at S$1,498, you’ll also receive complimentary 3-Years McAfee Internet Security and an Acer Backpack.

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Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i (Gen 6) --- S$1,459

Many PC gamers have heard about the Lenovo Legion series, but what about the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i? This underrated series possesses an excellent gaming calibre that might have gone under your radar.

The IdeaPad Gaming 3i is designed with an Intel Core i7 CPU and a GTX 1650 GPU, capable of running high-definition displays at 120 FPS. This is great for those dabbling in multiplayer and battle royale games like Valorant or Apex Legends.

Notwithstanding that, internal temperature control is key to moderating high-performance gaming. This model is equipped with a dual-fan and vent system with add-on heat sinks for consistent cooling all throughout. Higher CPU and GPU temperatures won't be a problem.

Ergonomics was also a huge factor in this IdeaPad Gaming build. Lenovo took into account bigger arrow keys and a 30% increase in one-piece trackpad with Windows Precision Drivers for the optimal gaming experience.

While possessing generally favourable reviews, there have been some concerns regarding its battery lifespan and performance inconsistencies. Luckily for you, the latter can be remedied with its two upgradeable RAM slots of up to 64GB.

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If your budget is… between S$1,500 to S$2,000

Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 6) --- S$1,539

It should come as no surprise why the Lenovo Legion 5i is considerably more decked out than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i. The Legion 5i utilises an Intel i5-11400H six-core CPU compared to the Intel i7-11370H four-core CPU. Despite both CPUs belonging in the same generation, the i5-11400H still supersedes the i7-11370H in operating prowess.

While the best gaming notebooks afford a 300Hz screen refresh rate, don’t underestimate the Legion 5i’s 165Hz. This refresh rate is still incredible and will by no means compromise your cinematic gaming experience. 

Also, when it comes to data storage, the M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD is highly durable and more resistant to damage. This translates to half the time taken to boot up a laptop as compared to traditional HDDs. 

In terms of battery life, the Legion 5i offers decent time on internet usage with around two hours of gaming on AAA titles.  

Lenovo has once again received praise for its excellent design on the ThinkPads, catering to business- and gaming-oriented purposes in mind.

All that said, its more heavy duty counterpart — the 16-inch Legion 5 Pro (Gen 6) — will take your gaming experience up a few notches thanks to its advanced RTX 3050 GPU. Just expand your budget range by a couple of hundred dollars and you’re all set.

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Dell G15 Ryzen (5515) Edition --- S$1,699

Although pushing on the price boundary slightly, the Dell G15 Ryzen 5515 Edition gaming laptop is another solid contender for budget laptops. Popular among the gaming community, this Dell series has seen its fair share of high praises and mixed opinions since its launch.

The highlight attribute of this laptop has to be its RTX 3050 Ti GPU that’ll allow your gamer heart to run your favourite titles with minimal issues. For instance, Cyberpunk 2077 averaged 66.61 FPS and Red Dead Redemption 2 averaged 71.39 FPS at their highest 1080p settings.

For battle royale and FPS gamers, it’s worth noting a general slower latency between mouse and screen for this 5515 model. 

As the cherry on top, it also contains the Alienware Command Centre Application to integrate all your necessary gaming features and enhance dynamic performance effortlessly.

In general, the Dell G15 Ryzen 5515 has amazing CPU performance, strong graphics and reliable battery life as far as budget gaming laptops go. It’s easy to see how it’s earned a great reputation among mid-tier gaming laptops. 

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ASUS ROG Strix G17 (2021) --- S$1,742.61

Of course, we can’t forget about the ASUS ROG series. In particular, the Strix G17 (2021) is a decent entrant on this list below S$2,000. Again, the newer RTX 3050 Ti model comes out supreme when compared to the likes of GTX 1650. 

Additionally, this model offers a 144Hz screen refresh rate which has been pegged as the ideal or gold standard for refresh rates. Other budget gaming laptops tend to fall within the 60Hz to 120Hz range instead. 

Couple that with the 17-inch screen and powerful RTX 3050 Ti GPU, your viewing pleasure will not take a backseat. 

Apart from that, every ROG laptop is equipped with ASUS’ special Intelligent Cooling thermal system with Thermal Grizzly Liquid Metal Thermal Compound for the best temperature regulation.

Also do note that this laptop is one of the heaviest on the list at 4.15kg. So mobility might be an issue if you need to lug it to and fro between office and home.

Alternatively, you can buy the Strix G17 for slightly pricier at S$1,974.14 here. But you'll be eligible to receive a 30-day Xbox Game Pass for PC and a free 90-Day Norton 360 Security Software Trial.

Local computer hardware companies like Aftershock PC are great for those seeking both pre-built laptops and custom PC builds.

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Which base specs are recommended?

• A current-generation, quad-core CPU, preferably an Intel Core i5, i7 or an equivalent AMD Ryzen CPU would suffice
• 8GB of DDR4 RAM
• A discrete graphics card (e.g. NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1650)
• A screen that can display 1920 x 1080 resolution 

Where can you cut some costs?

• Say bye to solid-state drives (SSD) and choose a 1TB hard disk drive (HDD) instead
• Lower quality screen with slower refresh rates (e.g. 120Hz, 144Hz or 165Hz refresh rates instead of 300Hz)
• Mid-tier graphics cards (e.g. NVIDIA GTX 1650 or AMD RX 6600)
• Standard 8GB RAM of memory rather than 16GB or 32GB

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