Monitors have vastly improved in recent years. As of 2022, people are able to purchase monitors with the following refresh rates speeds:
- 60Hz
- 120Hz
- 144Hz
- 240Hz
- 360Hz
Since refresh rates can now reach speeds of up to 360Hz, 144hz laptops have become more affordable. 144hz laptops offer a smooth gaming experience with that can rival the performance of some desktops. There are many great 144hz laptops available for under $1,000.
What should you look for when buying a 144Hz laptop?
In order to run a smooth 144Hz display, the laptop needs to have a good graphics card and processor along with a few other components. Here is a list of specs to look at when purchasing a laptop.
- Processor – The processor is the most important part of any laptop, and it’s especially important in a gaming laptop
- Graphics card – The graphics card is also very important in a gaming laptop, as it determines how well the games will run
- RAM – You’ll want at least 8GB of RAM in your 144hz laptop
- Storage – You’ll also want plenty of storage space, especially if you plan on installing lots of games
- Battery life – Finally, don’t forget to consider the battery life of your potential 144hz laptop
Our Top 3 144Hz Laptop Recommendations
The MSI GF65 gaming laptop is a one of the most affordable and lightweight laptops you can find on today’s market. The top chassis is made of brushed aluminum while the bottom is made up of a hard plastic. The keyboard has red backlighting which is nice for most people who like to us their laptops at night. Although the specifications can vary from any laptop of the same model, there are two distinct versions to this laptop. The key difference between these versions is their graphics card. You will either find this laptop equipped with a GTX 1650 or an RTX 3060. Th GTX 1650 version is not capable of running 144Hz so you will need to ensure you are purchasing the one with the RTX 3060 installed.
Although most of the reviews regarding this laptop are pretty positive, one of the most common complaints this laptop gets is the brushed aluminum chassis. The gun metal design makes this laptop look pretty sleek, it unfortunately makes it easy to see fingerprints.
Having said that, I’m fine with a few fingerprints if it means I can play some games at 1440P settings. I’m sure I can speak for most gamers that their online teammates won’t notice stains on the laptop. But if presentation is important to you, I recommend stickers to personalize your laptop or a laptop cover case.
The Pros
- Affordable 144hz laptop
- Lightweight
The Cons
- Top chassis is prone to finger prints due to the brushed aluminum.
- Poor color accuracy compared to other gaming laptops
Similar to the MSI GF65, the ASUS TUF F15 laptop comes with 2 possible versions, the GTX1650 vs the RTX 3060. Unlike the MSI GF65, however, the RTX 3060 version comes with an Intel Core i7-12650H processor. This is an 8-core processor which is an upgrade from the MSI GF65 and its 6-core processor.
Other upgrades to take note of are the RAM and storage options. Most variations of this website come with 16GB DDR4 memory. With the caliber of games rising every such as Elden Ring or God of War, these titles require lots of RAM, graphics, and processing power to run smoothly. For AAA title games, 16GB of RAM is pretty much the recommended minimum amount of memory to have a lag-free experience. As for storage, your two main options are either a 512GB SSD or 1TB SSD storage. As long as it’s an SSD storage device, you won’t have to worry about performance.
Unfortunately, not all laptops are built to perfection. Although this laptop has a long battery life, one of the reasons for that is that the performance is locked by the graphics card. While other gaming laptops are able to share the burden of graphics processing with the CPU, this laptop utilizes NVIDIA Optimus, meaning it puts all the strain on it’s graphics card. The battery does benefit from this because there is less power needed for the overall laptop. But this also means that the color accuracies are not as precise. If you are someone who also works with creative work on the side, this may not be the laptop for you. But if you don’t care much about colors on this display, it is a reliable laptop guaranteed!
The Pros
- Affordable 144hz laptop
- RGB Backlit keyboard
- Webcam
- Battery life
The Cons
- Colors accuracies are reportedly low
Asus has a tendency to add “ROG” to any of their products that are meant to perform above the market average. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a higher end product than the ASUS TUF F15 laptop and was an overall good gaming laptop.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 was a favorite among the gaming community in 2021. It had great performance that rivaled Razer Blade laptops. The combination of a the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 gives this laptop a wider range of colors than the ASUS TUF gaming laptop. Ryzen processors are known for being able to handle high temperatures making this a very reliable AMD gaming laptop.
A unique feature on this laptop is the AniMe Matrix™ Display. Although it does nothing for performance and drains your battery life, it is still a pretty neat aesthetic feature and nice conversation starter.
The Pros
- Great performance overall
- AniMe Matrix™ Display feature
- Battery life
The Cons
-
No webcam
What is the best 144Hz laptop for gaming under $1,000?
The Acer Nitro 5 144Hz Gaming Laptop is one the best gaming laptops for under $1000. By pairing an i7 8-core processor with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card, this laptop is able to outperform many laptops in this price range. However, as the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for”. There are more powerful laptops that can reach a higher refresh rate with better hardware combinations. Laptops such as the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 that has a higher Color Gamut coverage.
Conclusion
To play the latest AAA games, gamers need a good gaming laptop that have high frames per second. With 144Hz refresh rate, you can enjoy smooth and responsive visuals that give you an edge over your opponents in competitive games. Overall, I believe that the best option for a 144Hz laptop is the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. Personally, I feel that gaming desktops are more fun since the parts can be upgraded individually. When I purchase a laptop, I plan to keep it for several years. Having said that, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is worth saving my dollars for given that it has a high performance ranking for creatives and AAA games.
FAQ
What is the difference between 144hz vs 165hz?
144hz is better because it produces a smoother and cleaner picture than 165hz. It also helps reduce eyestrain since you don’t have to refocus as often.