As a fellow Viking enthusiast, I understand the importance of finding the best laptop for Valheim to ensure you get the most out of your gaming experience. In this guide, I will help you navigate the treacherous seas of laptop selection by sharing my knowledge of what to look for when purchasing a laptop specifically tailored for Valheim, one of the most popular survival games in recent memory.
As a procedurally generated, open-world adventure game, Valheim demands a laptop with the right balance of performance and reliability. After reviewing an extensive laptop spreadsheet, comparing specs and reviews from both professional and user-generated sources, I have narrowed down the top laptops based on Valheim-specific requirements and various price ranges. Knowing that Valheim players spend countless hours exploring, building, and battling mythical creatures, we need a laptop that can handle the game's rich, immersive graphics while delivering smooth gameplay and minimal lag.
As you embark on your quest to find the best laptop for Valheim, it's essential to consider factors such as display quality, processing power, and graphics capabilities. While the game's low-poly art style and atmospheric lighting allow for playability on a range of systems, it's worth investing in a laptop with a high refresh rate display and a powerful dedicated GPU for smoother gameplay and the ability to run the game on higher settings. Additionally, since Valheim is still in early access and receiving regular updates, a laptop with upgradable components will ensure you're ready for any new content or optimizations in the future.
With this guide, I aim to help you conquer the world of Valheim and lead your Viking tribe to victory, all while enjoying the best gaming experience possible on your ideal laptop. So grab your mead, gather your fellow warriors, and let's set sail on this epic journey to discover the best laptop for Valheim!
The right processor
Intel
Intel is probably the most popular choice for CPUs, but there is still plenty of variation. Generally speaking, you should avoid anything below the 10th generation (Ice Lake). The 11th generation (Tiger Lake) is the sweet spot – it offers excellent performance and power efficiency.
For Valheim, I recommend getting an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor. It has 4 cores, 8 threads, 2.4GHz base clock and 4.2GHz turbo clock. It's a decent option for those on a budget and should be more than capable of running Valheim at reasonable frame rates and settings.
If you don't want to go with Intel, then the AMD 3020e is your best bet. It has 4 cores, 4 threads, 2.2GHz base clock and 3.3GHz turbo clock. It's a good budget option for those who want decent performance on a budget.
AMD
AMD has made great strides in the past few years, and it has managed to take 20% of the CPU market. That being said, it's not as popular as Intel when it comes to laptops. Their 6th generation Ryzen processors offer great performance and good battery life, and they're well suited for Valheim gaming.
I recommend the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U. It's a 7nm chip with 8 cores, 16 threads, 2.0GHz base clock and 4.2GHz turbo clock. It offers excellent performance and should be able to handle any game you throw at it with ease.
For those on a budget, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600U is a great option. It has 6 cores, 12 threads, 2.1GHz base clock and 4.0GHz turbo clock. It offers decent performance and good battery life.
Summary
For Valheim, I recommend going with either an Intel Core i5-1135G7 or AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor. Both offer excellent performance, but the Intel is more power efficient. If you're on a budget, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600U is a great option. Finally, if you're looking for something more affordable, the Mediatek MT8173C should do the trick.
Deciding on a graphics card
The laptop graphics card market is dominated by Nvidia, who recently released a few RTX 40 series cards. Unfortunately, they are not yet available on laptops; the latest notebook cards are in the RTX 30 series (such as RTX 3070 Ti). Additionally, desktop GPUs are now a lot more power-hungry, which widened the gap between power-limited notebook graphics and desktop graphics cards. Finally, Nvidia has discontinued the Max-Q label for its RTX graphics cards, and now a laptop manufacturer (OEM) determines an exact GPU wattage. This results in a wide variance in graphics performance even in laptops with the same GPU chipset.
The GTX 1650 is the minimum requirement for playing Valheim with acceptable frame rates on low settings. You can get by with this for casual play but may experience stuttering and slowdowns during intense sequences.
The recommended option is the GTX 1660 Ti, which can handle Valheim at medium settings and provides smooth gameplay with more consistent performance.
For high-end gaming, go for the RTX 2060. It can handle Valheim at high settings and provide excellent visuals and fluidity.
The best memory for playing Valheim in 2021
The good news is – laptop RAM is very easy to get right since we don't need to care much about memory frequency or latency. In the laptop world, all of these secondary metrics sit in a very narrow range. Apart from enthusiast-grade gaming notebooks, every single one has a very similar memory setup, usually strongly tied to the processor and laptop's price bracket. The only spec that is worth your time to get it right is the total memory size. So let's talk about that.
Minimum (8 GB)
First of all, I should mention that you could get away buying an 8GB RAM laptop. Though that's acceptable in a single situation – you're on an uncomfortably tight budget, and you could upgrade the 8GB laptop with an extra RAM stick.
It's not my favorite solution for playing Valheim, but if you're in a pinch, this would do the trick. Just make sure to consider future upgrades when you're looking at a low-end machine!
Recommended (16 GB)
If you aren't in this situation – stick with 16 GB. That's the sweet spot for gaming, work, and everything in-between. I might consider 32 GB to be more future-oriented than 16 GB, but if you don't particularly care whether you're ahead of the pack or not – 16 GB is still a considerable amount of memory for most purposes.
And even if it wasn't enough for me – I'd still recommend this option over going below 16 GB. Just keep in mind that most laptops have a max of 16GB available out of the box – so if your budget allows it, just bump up your RAM from 8GB to 16GB and call it a day!
Best (32 GB)
If money is no object for you or there are any other considerations that put 32GB out of reach for now, then go ahead and choose this option when shopping around! The more memory, the merrier!
- Valheim requires 8GB RAM or more to run smoothly
- 16GB is the sweet spot for gaming, work, and everything in between
- 32GB is the best option if money is no object or you want to future proof your purchase
Storage
You want to play Valheim, huh? You need storage, but you don't know which one is best. Let me tell you, my friend, I have been playing games for a long time. I've been playing video games for over ten years.
Is HDD an option?
If you're looking for a new laptop to play Valheim on, I'm going to suggest that you get one with an SSD. And if it's not an option, then go with a hard drive instead of a Solid State Drive. A hard drive will cost less and be faster than a Solid State Drive. You can even put the game on the hard drive instead of the SSD and that will make the game run faster and smoother too. But don't worry, because even if you have a hard drive instead of an SSD, your laptop will still be able to play Valheim just fine.
Picking an SSD
There are many types of storage drives and I'll go through them all so that you can decide which one is best for you. For laptops, most people get an SSD because they are faster than HDDs and they're less likely to break because they have no moving parts. And if it does break, then the data on it will be safe because it's saved on a solid state chip rather than on a spinning disc or platter like in HDDs. That means that when your laptop breaks or gets stolen or something like that happens and your computer crashes when it turns back on again – your data won't be lost forever like it would be if it was saved on an HDD.
But what size should I get? Well there are two sizes: small and large. And since we're talking about Valheim here – we need the large size! So we should look for 256 GB or 512 GB – but never go below 256 GB! Because anything below 256 GB will fill up quickly and then we'll have nothing left to save our progress in!
- get an SSD for faster performance and longer life span
- get an SSD with at least 256 GB capacity
- don't get anything less than 256 GB
Display
As a mobile-oriented RPG, Valheim is a relatively simple game with a very simple set of display requirements. To find the best laptop for playing Valheim, you'll need to find an IPS display with vivid colors. That's all there is to it.
If you're in the market for a laptop for playing Valheim – an IPS display is the only option. It's better than TN in every way, and TN is the default panel type on most laptops.
Resolution
FHD is just fine for this game. If you have higher demands – IPS displays can also do 4K. And if you're going for a laptop over $1200 – there are some OLED panels with high color contrast that might fit your needs. But for this guide, I'll focus on FHD displays that offer an IPS panel.
Refresh rate
For most gamers, this metric doesn't matter – not when Valheim runs at 30 FPS on its lowest graphics settings anyway. A high refresh rate can help with input latency and competitive games, but it's not needed here – so save your money!
- buy an IPS display for playing Valheim
- don't worry about refresh rate – it's not needed for this game
5 Best Laptops for Valheim
$7001.Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16
Valheim laptop- First-class processor (Ryzen 9 6900HX)
- Excellent graphics card (RTX 3070 Ti)
- Great memory amount (64GB)
- Lightweight (5.48 lbs)
- No IPS Panel (limited viewing angles)
Alternatives
HP Victus 15t
- Low price
- Solid array of ports
- Weak GPU yields unsatisfactory frame rates
- Bad battery life
$8502.HP Victus
HP Victus: A Budget Laptop for Casual Gaming.- Easy to service
- Cool surface temperatures
- Smooth 144 Hz refresh rate
- Sleek visual design
- Buggy battery life and fan behavior
- No Thunderbolt or USB-PD support
- Subpar Turbo Boost sustainability
- Weak hinges
Summary
The HP Victus 15 is a great budget laptop with a sleek visual design and a smooth 144 Hz refresh rate. However, its GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU falls short of its competitors in the same price range.
Reviews
Alternatives
$1,150Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16
- Awesome processor (Ryzen 9 6900HX)
- Solid graphics card (RTX 3070 Ti)
- No IPS Panel (inferior color reproduction)
3.Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is a powerful gaming laptop with a bright display, good cooling performance, and robust case, but is let down by poor design and limited battery life.- Very bright display with good color reproduction
- Good cooling performance
- Robust case
- Many connections
- Battery life severely limited without hybrid mode
- Slow Western Digital SSD
- RGB illumination with poor color display
- USB connections on the sides placed in the center
Summary
Despite its powerful Ryzen 7 and RTX 3070 components, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro falls short on some design elements, such as its RGB illumination and Western Digital SSD. However, it has a bright display, good cooling performance, and a robust case that make it an overall solid choice for gamers.
Reviews
Alternatives
ASUS ROG Strix G15 G513RM
- Fast QHD 240 Hz screen
- Solid build quality
- Gets hot in demanding loads
- No ThunderboltUSB 4, card-reader, camera or biometrics
4.ASUS ROG Strix G15
ASUS ROG Strix G15 offers top-notch gaming performance for Valheim, but falls short on connectivity.- High-performance CPU and GPU
- Good workmanship and design
- 300 Hz display for smooth gaming experience
- User-friendly maintenance
- Limited connectivity options
- Possible coil whine in certain situations
Summary
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 offers a high-performance gaming experience for Valheim thanks to its RTX 3070 GPU and Ryzen 5000 CPU. The 300 Hz display, sophisticated design, and user-friendly maintenance also make it an attractive option. However, the laptop's connectivity options are somewhat limited and coil whine may be present in certain situations.
Reviews
Alternatives
Acer Predator Triton 500
- High-performance capabilities
- Excellent, bright 240-Hz display
- Soldered-in RAM and inaccessible SSD
- Fan noise and warm palm rest
$3,4705.HP Omen 17
High-end gaming laptop for Valheim with a QHD display.- QHD display with 165 Hz
- Advanced Optimus
- Expandable working memory
- High noise level
- Clattery case
- Meager battery life
Summary
The HP Omen 17 is a powerful high-end gaming laptop with a QHD display and advanced Optimus. However, the laptop's high noise level, clattery case, and meager battery life are some drawbacks to consider.
Reviews
Alternatives
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo
- Elegant dual-screen setup
- Blistering gaming performance with the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU and Ryzen 9 CPU
- Expensive price point
- Awkward keyboard and touchpad layout
Thank you!
FAQ
Does Valheim run on a laptop?
Yes, Valheim can be played on a laptop.
What laptop specs do I need for Valheim?
Depending on the experience you want, the specs you need for a laptop to run Valheim will vary. For a minimum performance, you'll need an i3-1115G4 processor, 8GB of RAM, 1 TB HDD storage and GTX 1650 graphics. For a medium performance, you'll need an i5-10300H processor, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD storage and GTX 1660 Ti graphics. For a maximum performance, you'll need an i5-1135G7 processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD storage and RTX 2060 graphics.
How to choose the best laptop for Valheim?
Choosing the best laptop for Valheim depends on your budget and the level of performance you're looking for. If you have a limited budget and want good performance, a laptop with an i5-10300H processor, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD storage and GTX 1660 Ti graphics will be sufficient. If you want the best experience possible, you should look for a laptop with an i5-1135G7 processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD storage and RTX 2060 graphics.
What is the best computer for Valheim?
The best computer for Valheim depends on your budget and the level of performance you're looking for. However, if you have a large budget and want to get the best performance, laptops like the ASUS ROG Strix Scar, Acer Predator Triton 500, and ASUS ROG Strix G15 are some of the best options available.
Can I run Valheim on a 1650 laptop?
Yes, Valheim can be run on a laptop with an Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics card. However, you will only get minimum performance with this setup. For medium performance, you will need at least an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti graphics card.
What laptops can run Valheim?
Most modern laptops with an i3-1115G4 or higher processor, 8GB of RAM or more, and an Nvidia GTX 1650 or higher graphics card should be able to run Valheim. However, for the best performance, you'll need an i5-1135G7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and an Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card.
Does Valheim need Core i7?
No, Valheim does not need Core i7 to run. The minimum requirement is an i3-1115G4 processor and the maximum performance is achieved with an i5-1135G7 processor.
Is Ryzen 5 fast enough for Valheim?
Yes, Ryzen 5 processors can handle Valheim quite easily. However, if you want the best performance, it is recommended to use an i5-1135G7 processor.
Is 500 GB SSD enough for Valheim?
Yes, 500 GB SSD is more than enough for running Valheim. However, for the best experience, you should use a 512 GB SSD.
Table of the Best Laptops for Valheim
| Laptop | Price (approx) |
| Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16 | $700 |
| HP Victus | $850 |
| Lenovo Legion 5 Pro | $1,600 |
| ASUS ROG Strix G15 | $1,860 |
| HP Omen 17 | $3,470 |
