Adam Levell

The best laptop for Fortnite for most players is the 2026 Lenovo LOQ 15 (RTX 5060): its 8GB of video memory matches Epic’s spec for the top “Epic” quality preset, its graphics run at the full 115 W, and it has a 165Hz screen. On a budget, an RTX 5050 laptop such as the Acer Nitro V 15 clears Epic’s recommended specs with room to spare. For the highest settings, the full-power ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025) is the step up.

Check the Lenovo LOQ 15 (RTX 5060) on Amazon →

How we put this together: this guide is based on Epic Games’ official system requirements, manufacturers’ specifications and Amazon US listings checked on October 13 and 19, 2026. It is not based on hands-on testing by iTech Level. Prices change often. See how we choose products.

Fortnite system requirements

All tiers are for 64-bit Windows 10 or 11. Epic says that on a minimum-spec PC Fortnite “will run on your machine, but probably not on the highest settings” (Epic Games). Unlike Valorant, Fortnite scales up a long way: the Epic preset’s RTX 3070 is a high-end desktop card, so the graphics chip is where your money matters most.

What matters in a Fortnite laptop

• Graphics chip and video memory. Epic asks for 8GB of video memory for the Epic preset. The RTX 5050, 5060 and 5070 laptop chips all have 8GB; what differs is speed and the wattage each laptop allows (see our laptop GPU power database).
• 16GB of memory and an NVMe SSD. Both are in Epic’s recommended spec, and both are standard on current gaming laptops. Avoid 8GB models.
• A fast screen. Competitive players run lower settings for high frame rates, so a 144Hz or faster screen helps; budget gaming laptops now have 144–180Hz.
• Windows. Epic’s PC requirements cover Windows only, so a MacBook or Chromebook isn’t a good Fortnite laptop.

Best laptops for Fortnite compared

The best laptops for Fortnite in 2026

1. Lenovo LOQ 15 (2026, RTX 5060): best overall

It has an AMD Ryzen 7 250, an RTX 5060, 16GB of memory, a 512GB SSD and a 15.3-inch 1920×1200 screen at 165Hz, in a 4.6 lb body. The RTX 5060’s 8GB of video memory matches Epic’s figure for the Epic preset, and Lenovo runs it at the full 115 W (Lenovo PSREF). The trade-off: an RTX 5070 laptop is faster at the highest settings, see pick 3. The 512GB SSD fills up fast if you install several other big games.

Good to know: our previous pick, the Acer Nitro V 16 with an RTX 5070, no longer fits the budget. It’s worth it again if it drops back into the budget.

Check the LOQ 15 (RTX 5060) on Amazon →

2. Acer Nitro V 15 (RTX 5050): best budget Fortnite laptop

An RTX 5050 with 8GB of video memory is far above Epic’s recommended GTX 960, so Fortnite runs comfortably at 1080p, and the 165Hz screen suits competitive settings. Acer’s US model (ANV15-52) has an Intel Core i7-13620H, 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD (Acer); many listings use the Core i5-13420H instead. RTX 5050 laptops have dropped below $800 in sales (see our cheapest gaming laptops). Good to know: Acer also sells Nitro V 15 versions with older RTX 2050, RTX 3050 and RTX 4050 graphics, so check that the listing says RTX 5050.

See Nitro V 15 (RTX 5050) listings on Amazon →

3. ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025): for the highest settings

If you want Fortnite’s best-looking settings, wattage matters: the Strix G16 (G614FP) runs its RTX 5070 at a full 115 W, with an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX, 16GB of memory, a 1TB SSD and a 16-inch 1200p 165Hz screen. See how it compares on price per watt in our RTX 5070 laptops guide.

Check the Strix G16 (RTX 5070) on Amazon →

Buying for a child who plays Fortnite?

Any of the picks above will run Fortnite well, but they’re heavy, with short battery life. If the laptop also has to cover schoolwork, our best laptops for kids guide weighs gaming against size, price and parental controls, and covers Roblox and Minecraft too. For Minecraft specifically, see our best laptop for Minecraft.

Lag a faster laptop won’t fix

In an online shooter like Fortnite, high ping or packet loss feels like lag even at 240 frames per second, and no graphics chip fixes it. Start with the free fixes: plug in an Ethernet cable (or sit closer to the router) and pick the nearest server region. If your ping is still high because of the route your connection takes to the game’s servers, a game booster can help: GearUP sends game traffic over its own network routes to cut ping and packet loss. It’s a paid subscription with a 7-day money-back guarantee, so you can compare it against your own ping before you commit. We haven’t measured it ourselves.

Check GearUP’s game booster →

Our verdict

For Fortnite, buy the most graphics power you can afford with 16GB of memory and an NVMe SSD. The 2026 Lenovo LOQ 15 (RTX 5060) at about $1,250 is the best balance right now. The Nitro V 15 (RTX 5050) is the budget choice, especially on sale. If you want the highest settings, the full-power ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025) is worth the extra money. Skip 8GB laptops, older RTX 2050/3050 models, MacBooks and Chromebooks.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Best laptops for kids
• Cheapest gaming laptops worth buying
• Best RTX 5070 laptops
• Laptop GPU power database
• Best laptops for Valorant

Counter-Strike 2 is light on graphics but hungry for frame rate, and most pros play it at low resolutions, so the processor and the screen matter more than the graphics card. The best value laptop for CS2 is the 2026 Lenovo LOQ 15: an 8-core Ryzen 7 250, a full-power RTX 5060 and a 165Hz screen. For the most frames, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 adds a 16-core Intel HX processor. Whatever you buy, plan to plug in a 240Hz monitor at home if you play seriously.

Check the Lenovo LOQ 15 (RTX 5060) on Amazon →

How we put this together: this guide is based on Valve’s requirements on Steam, PCGamingWiki’s documentation of CS2’s settings, ProSettings.net’s data on the settings of 946 professional players, manufacturers’ specifications and retailer listings checked on October 12, 2026. It is not based on hands-on testing by iTech Level. Prices change often. See how we choose products.

CS2 system requirements

Valve’s minimum requirements on Steam are low: Windows 10, a processor with four threads (an Intel Core i5-750 or better), 8GB of memory, a DirectX 11 graphics card with 1GB of video memory, and 85GB of storage. Valve doesn’t list a recommended tier. CS2 runs on Windows and Linux, but not on macOS, so MacBooks are out.

Those numbers get the game running, not running well. Competitive players want frame rates well above their screen’s refresh rate, and CS2 allows it: gameplay is capped at 400 FPS by default, and the fps_max console command raises that to 1,000 or removes the cap (PCGamingWiki). The only built-in upscaling is FSR 1, so DLSS doesn’t help here either.

What pros play at, and why it matters for your laptop

ProSettings.net tracks the settings of 946 professional CS2 players. Only 13% of them play at 1920×1080; most use a lower, squarer 4:3 resolution, usually stretched to fill the screen (ProSettings.net, October 2026):

The pixel comparison is our own arithmetic: most gaming laptops now have 1920×1200 screens (2.30 million pixels). At the most popular pro resolution, the graphics card draws about half as many pixels per frame. That’s why a mid-range RTX 5060 is plenty for CS2, and why the processor, which has to prepare every one of those hundreds of frames a second, decides how high your frame rate goes. If you play at your screen’s native resolution instead, a faster GPU starts to matter again.

What matters in a CS2 laptop

• A fast processor. At low resolutions, CS2 frame rates depend heavily on the CPU. Intel’s HX chips and AMD’s 8-core Ryzen chips are the ones to look for.
• A high-refresh screen. ProSettings recommends at least a 240Hz monitor for serious players. Most affordable gaming laptops have 144–180Hz screens; 240Hz laptop screens are mostly on pricier models.
• An RTX 5050 or 5060 is enough. You don’t need an RTX 5070 for CS2 unless you also play heavier games. Do check the wattage in our laptop GPU power database.
• 16GB of memory in two sticks. Dual-channel memory helps CPU-limited games like CS2.
• Plug in to play. On battery, gaming laptops cut processor and GPU power, and frame rates drop.

Best laptops for CS2 compared

The best laptops for CS2 in 2026

1. Lenovo LOQ 15 (2026): best value

The 2026 LOQ 15 gets the CS2 priorities right for the money. Its AMD Ryzen 7 250 has 8 cores, and Lenovo’s spec sheet lists the RTX 5060 at a full 115 W, far more graphics power than CS2 needs. The 15.3-inch 1920×1200 screen runs at 165Hz, and the whole laptop weighs 4.6 lb, light enough to carry to a LAN.

Good to know: it ships with a single 16GB memory stick. Add a matching second stick for dual-channel memory, which is one of the cheapest frame-rate upgrades in a CPU-limited game like CS2.

Check the Lenovo LOQ 15 (RTX 5060) on Amazon →

2. ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2025): most CPU power

If you want the highest frame rates, the processor is where to spend, and the Strix G16 (G615JMR) has the strongest one here: a 16-core Intel Core i7-14650HX. It pairs that with an RTX 5060 at the full 115 W (100 W plus 15 W of Dynamic Boost, from ASUS’s official list), 16GB of DDR5, a 1TB SSD and a 16-inch 1920×1200 screen at 165Hz.

Good to know: HX processors use a lot of power, so expect short battery life. It’s a laptop to play plugged in, which is how you should play CS2 anyway.

Check the ROG Strix G16 (RTX 5060) on Amazon →

3. Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 10 (240Hz IPS): a 240Hz screen built in

If you’ll play CS2 mostly on the laptop’s own screen, a 240Hz panel is worth having. Lenovo sells the Legion Pro 5i Gen 10 with a 16-inch 2560×1600 IPS screen at 240Hz (or a 165Hz OLED), Intel Core Ultra HX processors and an RTX 5060 or 5070 at a full 115 W (Lenovo PSREF). Choose the 240Hz IPS version; the OLED’s 165Hz is the slower panel for CS2.

Good to know: 240Hz gaming laptops mostly cost $2,000 or more, and some listings add extra memory at a markup. Check the refresh rate and the seller on each listing. A 240Hz monitor plus one of the cheaper picks above usually costs less.

See Legion Pro 5i Gen 10 listings on Amazon →

Going the monitor route? UPERFECT’s GR16CQ is a portable 16-inch 2560×1600 monitor at 240Hz. It weighs 1.6 lb and connects over USB-C or mini HDMI, so it can travel with the laptop to LAN nights. We found no independent lab tests of it, so this is based on the maker’s specs.

Check the UPERFECT GR16CQ (16-inch, 240Hz) at UPERFECT →

Cheaper options and laptops to skip

• Cheaper: the Acer Nitro V 17 with a 95 W RTX 5060 costs less. It runs CS2 well, but its 6-core Ryzen 5 240 is the weakest processor here. See our best gaming laptops under $1,200 and cheapest gaming laptops.
• Skip: laptops with 8GB of memory or a single-channel stick you can’t add to, and very low-power RTX models such as MSI’s Cyborg 15 and 17 B2RW (RTX 5060 at 55 W).
• Skip: MacBooks, since CS2 has no macOS version.

Lag a faster laptop won’t fix

In an online shooter like Counter-Strike 2, high ping or packet loss feels like lag even at 240 frames per second, and no graphics chip fixes it. Start with the free fixes: plug in an Ethernet cable (or sit closer to the router) and pick the nearest server region. If your ping is still high because of the route your connection takes to the game’s servers, a game booster can help: GearUP sends game traffic over its own network routes to cut ping and packet loss. It’s a paid subscription with a 7-day money-back guarantee, so you can compare it against your own ping before you commit. We haven’t measured it ourselves.

Check GearUP’s game booster →

Our verdict

For CS2, buy the processor and the screen, not the graphics card. The 2026 Lenovo LOQ 15 is the best value, with an 8-core Ryzen, a full-power RTX 5060 and a 165Hz screen. The ASUS ROG Strix G16’s 16-core HX processor gives the most frames. If you want 240Hz built in, look for the Legion Pro 5i Gen 10 with the 240Hz IPS screen, or add a 240Hz monitor at home. To hear footsteps clearly, pair it with good headphones: see our best headphones for footsteps.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Best gaming laptops under $1,200
• Cheapest gaming laptops worth buying
• Laptop GPU power database
• Best headphones for footsteps
• Best laptops for Marvel Rivals

The Sims 4 isn’t demanding, so you don’t need an expensive gaming laptop. For most Simmers, the MacBook Air (M5) is the best choice: The Sims 4 runs natively on Apple silicon Macs, and the Air is silent, light and lasts all day. If you play with lots of mods, custom content and expansion packs, or want to play other games too, a budget gaming laptop like the Lenovo LOQ 15 (RTX 5050) has far more headroom. Skip Chromebooks: EA lists requirements for PC and Mac only.

Check the MacBook Air (M5) on Amazon →

How we put this together: this guide is based on EA’s official system requirements, manufacturers’ specifications and published reviews (linked below). It is not based on hands-on testing by iTech Level. Prices are list or recently reported sale prices. See how we choose products.

The Sims 4 system requirements

Source: EA. On Mac, EA’s recommended spec is macOS 10.15 or later, a 4-core processor, 8GB of memory and 50GB of free space, with Metal graphics support required. EA’s Mac list still names Intel chips, but EA’s April 18, 2023 update added native support for Apple silicon Macs, so the game no longer needs Rosetta 2 on M-series chips (Sims Community).

These are modest requirements, but they describe the base game. Every expansion, game and stuff pack adds to the download, and big custom content and mod folders slow loading and need more memory, so aim above the recommended spec if you collect packs.

Best laptops for The Sims 4 compared

The best laptops for The Sims 4 in 2026

1. Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5): best for most Simmers

The Sims 4 runs natively on Apple silicon, and the M5 MacBook Air is far beyond EA’s Mac requirements, with 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD as standard. It’s also the most pleasant laptop to play on the sofa: it weighs 2.7 lb, has no fan so it’s silent, and Apple rates it for up to 18 hours of video streaming. Students get education pricing (Apple). Good to know: with no fan, it can slow down in very long sessions, and a lot of games besides The Sims aren’t on Mac. More on our MacBook Air M5 page.

Check the MacBook Air (M5) on Amazon →

2. Lenovo LOQ 15 (RTX 5050): best for mods, CC and other games

If your Mods folder is huge or you want to play other PC games too, a budget gaming laptop gives you a real graphics card and room to grow. The RTX 5050 version of the LOQ 15 usually comes with an Intel Core i5-13450HX, 16GB of memory, a 512GB SSD and a 15.6-inch 144Hz screen. It’s often discounted on Lenovo’s site (Tom’s Guide). Good to know: gaming laptops are heavy and their batteries don’t last long unplugged. More in our cheapest gaming laptops guide.

Check the LOQ 15 (RTX 5050) on Amazon →

3. Acer Aspire Go 15: cheapest Windows option

On a tight budget, the Aspire Go 15 gives you an 8-core Ryzen 7 7730U, 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD, comfortably above EA’s recommended processor, memory and storage. Good to know: it uses integrated Radeon graphics rather than the dedicated graphics card EA recommends, so expect to lower settings in busy lots and with heavy custom content. At about 1.8 kg (3.9 lb), it’s also on the heavy side.

Check the Aspire Go 15 on Amazon →

Tips for Simmers buying a laptop

• Get at least 512GB of storage. EA recommends 50GB for the base game, and packs, custom content and saves add to that.
• 16GB of memory helps if you use lots of custom content and mods, even though EA recommends 8GB.
• Mac or Windows? Both run The Sims 4. A Windows gaming laptop has more graphics power and plays many more PC games; a Mac is quieter and lasts longer on battery.
• Chromebooks won’t run it, because EA lists requirements for PC and Mac only.

Our verdict

For most Simmers, the MacBook Air (M5) is the best laptop: The Sims 4 runs natively on it, and it’s light, silent and long-lasting. If you play heavily modded saves or want other PC games, a budget RTX 5050 gaming laptop like the Lenovo LOQ 15 is the better buy, and the Acer Aspire Go 15 is the cheapest Windows option for lighter play.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Best laptops for kids
• Cheapest gaming laptops worth buying
• Best laptops for college students
• MacBook Air 13 (M5)

The best laptop for streaming on Twitch or YouTube is an NVIDIA RTX gaming laptop, because its built-in NVENC encoder handles the stream so your game keeps running smoothly. For streaming new games at high settings, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i with an RTX 5070 Ti is the sweet spot, with an Ethernet port for a stable connection. On a budget, the Lenovo LOQ 15 (RTX 5060) has the same latest-generation encoder for much less. Add a USB microphone: it matters more to viewers than an extra few frames.

Check the Legion Pro 5i (RTX 5070 Ti) on Amazon →

How we put this together: this guide is based on NVIDIA’s and OBS’s documentation, manufacturers’ specifications and published reviews (linked below). It is not based on hands-on testing by iTech Level. See how we choose products.

What makes a laptop good for streaming

• A hardware encoder. NVIDIA describes NVENC as “a physical section of our GPUs that is dedicated to encoding only,” so the game and other programs keep running normally, unlike encoding on the CPU with x264, which can cause stutter. NVIDIA recommends NVENC H.264 for Twitch and NVENC AV1 for YouTube on RTX 40 and 50 series cards, and says AV1 on RTX 50 series is about 43% more efficient than H.264 (NVIDIA).
• A strong graphics card for the game itself. Streaming and playing on one laptop means the game gets the rest of the GPU, so buy for the games you play.
• Ethernet. A wired connection is steadier than Wi-Fi for a long live stream. NVIDIA suggests setting your bitrate to about 75% of your available upload speed.
• Good audio and video. Laptop webcams and microphones are basic, so most streamers add a USB mic and webcam. On RTX laptops, the free NVIDIA Broadcast app can remove background noise and blur or replace your background (NVIDIA).

OBS Studio, the popular free streaming app, supports Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13 and newer, and Linux (OBS).

Best laptops for streaming compared

The best laptops for streaming in 2026

1. Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 10 (RTX 5070 Ti): best for most streamers

The RTX 5070 Ti runs at the full 140 W in the Legion Pro 5i, with 12GB of video memory and NVIDIA’s latest NVENC encoder, alongside a 16-inch 2.5K OLED screen. Ports include Ethernet, Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI, so you can wire up a stable connection, a capture card or a second monitor for your chat and OBS. In Notebookcheck’s testing of this chassis, the 5070 Ti was up to 25% faster in games than the RTX 5070. See our best RTX 5070 Ti and 5080 laptops. Good to know: at about 2.3 kg it’s a desk laptop.

Check the Legion Pro 5i (RTX 5070 Ti) on Amazon →

For that second screen, a portable monitor travels with the laptop: UPERFECT’s GR16CQ is a 16-inch 2560×1600 display at 240Hz that weighs 1.6 lb and connects over USB-C or mini HDMI. We found no independent lab tests of it, so this is based on the maker’s specs.

Check the UPERFECT GR16CQ (16-inch, 240Hz) at UPERFECT →

2. Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 (RTX 5080): for demanding games

If you stream the newest games at high settings, the extra power helps the game keep its frame rate while you broadcast. The Legion Pro 7i runs its RTX 5080 (16GB) at the full 175 W next to an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, with a 240 Hz OLED screen; Notebookcheck rates it 88% (Notebookcheck). Good to know: it needs a 400 W power brick, so it’s firmly a desk machine.

Check the Legion Pro 7i on Amazon →

3. Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 10 (RTX 5060): best on a budget

Budget RTX 50 series laptops have the same generation of NVENC encoder as the expensive ones, so stream quality doesn’t drop with the price; what you give up is game performance. The LOQ 15 Gen 10 with an RTX 5060, a Ryzen 7 250 and 16GB of DDR5 is our top pick in the gaming laptops under $1,200 guide, and it’s a good fit for streaming esports titles like Valorant or Fortnite. Good to know: turn game settings down a notch while streaming newer games.

Check the LOQ 15 (RTX 5060) on Amazon →

4. Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Pro): for Mac streamers and creators

If you stream creative work, podcasts or “just chatting” rather than PC games, a MacBook Pro is quiet, has a bright XDR display, HDMI and an SD card slot, and lasts far longer on battery than a gaming laptop. OBS Studio runs on macOS 13 and newer. Good to know: far fewer games run on Mac, and NVIDIA Broadcast is Windows and RTX only. Our MacBook guide compares the models.

Check the MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Pro) on Amazon →

OBS settings to start with on an RTX laptop

• Encoder: NVIDIA NVENC H.264 for Twitch; NVENC AV1 for YouTube.
• Rate control: CBR.
• Preset: P6: Slower (Better Quality).
• Keyframe interval: 2.
• Bitrate: about 75% of your upload speed.

These are NVIDIA’s recommendations from its broadcasting guide; adjust from there for your connection and game.

Our verdict

For streaming games, buy an NVIDIA RTX laptop so the NVENC encoder can handle the stream. The Legion Pro 5i with an RTX 5070 Ti is the best balance of power, ports and price; the Legion Pro 7i with an RTX 5080 is for demanding games at high settings; and the LOQ 15 with an RTX 5060 streams just as cleanly for less. If you stream creative work on a Mac, the MacBook Pro M5 Pro is the quiet option. Whatever you buy, put money aside for a USB microphone.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Best RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 laptops
• Best gaming laptops under $1,200
• Best gaming headsets
• Best laptops for video editing