Best Laptop for Total War: Warhammer III 2023

As a long-time fan of the Total War series and Warhammer universe, I understand the importance of finding the best laptop for Total War: Warhammer 3. After all, this highly-anticipated game deserves a machine that can handle its impressive visuals and complex mechanics. In this guide, I'll help you navigate the vast sea of laptops and pinpoint the ideal choice for playing Total War: Warhammer 3 at its full potential.

To ensure you get the best experience possible, I've sifted through an extensive spreadsheet of recent laptop releases, comparing specs and reviews from both professional and user-generated sources. As a result, I have narrowed down the top laptops that cater to the unique requirements of Total War: Warhammer 3 players, considering factors such as processing power, graphics capability, and display quality. Whether you're planning to lead the forces of Chaos or rally the Kislevite armies, a high-performance laptop is essential for immersing yourself in the rich, fantastical world of Warhammer 3.

One vital aspect to consider when selecting the best laptop for Total War: Warhammer 3 is the game's ever-evolving nature. With DLCs, modding communities, and updates, you'll want a laptop that can not only run the game smoothly now but also accommodate future enhancements. By choosing the right laptop, you'll be well-prepared to forge alliances, command epic battles, and conquer the Realm of Chaos – all while enjoying a seamless, visually stunning experience.

Table of Contents

Deciding on a processor

Choosing the best laptop processors for playing Total War: Warhammer 3 boils down to a few variables. First, you'll need to assess your hardware requirements and budget. And second, you'll need to decide if the performance increase justifies the cost.

Requirements

The Total War franchise is a CPU-intensive game. Therefore, you'll need a strong CPU to maintain a consistent framerate – especially when on large maps with many units. In addition, Total War: Warhammer 3 has been optimized for Intel processors. So, for that reason alone, I recommend going with an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 CPU from the latest generation.

And while Ryzen CPUs can also run Total War: Warhammer 3 – it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. AMD has made some significant strides in recent years and can be a viable option if you have some extra cash on hand and want to spend it on improving FPS in games such as this one.

AMD's newest Ryzen 9 offers the best balance of price and performance. That said, don't forget about its weaker sibling, Ryzen 7 which is also great for gaming – but may require tinkering with configuration files.

Recommendations

I hope my recommendations help you choose your ideal processor for playing Total War: Warhammer 3:

i3-1115G4 – the bare minimum (or even an older i3)
i5-10300H – mid-range gaming laptop processor; adequate FPS in most games without GPU bottlenecking;
Ryzen 7 4800H – excellent FPS in most games without GPU bottlenecking;

TL;DR

AMD Ryzen 9 is the best balance of price and performance; go with an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 if you have budget constraints
AMD Ryzen 7 is also great for gaming – but may require tinkering with configuration files

Memory

Minimum (8 GB)

You can get away with 8GB RAM for Warhammer 3 – but that's only if you're on an [uncomfortably tight budget](the total war: warhammer 3 steahttps://store.steampowered.com/app/1142710/Total_War_WARHAMMER_III/m page) and you plan on upgrading to 16GB within your warranty period. But it's not recommended by any means. It's not enough for multitasking, nor for any kind of streaming or playing high-end games like Warhammer 3. It might be enough for simpler games like Fortnite or League of Legends, but I wouldn't go there.

Recommended (16 GB)

If I had to choose between 8GB and 16GB, I'd always go with 16GB. That amount of memory is sufficient for any game in 2019, and if you need more than that – you probably want to invest in something else, such as a processor or graphics card. The latter are much easier to upgrade than RAM. And by the way – I'm considering two graphics cards right now: one 1080 Ti and one 2080 Ti – both with 16 GB of RAM each! Both are stellar options, but the latter would be better suited for Warhammer 3 since it has 6 GB more video memory than 1080 Ti does.

Best (32 GB)

Lastly, there's always room for optimization – so if you want to buy the best laptop for playing Warhammer 3 in 2022+, I recommend 32GB model with at least 2400MHz DDR frequency and CL14 latency rating. That combination should allow running Total War: Warhammer 3 at its highest settings without issues or lag – no matter how many other applications are open at the same time!

TL;DR

8GB RAM is barely enough for Warhammer 3, so I'd go with 16GB instead
1080 Ti and 2080 Ti are great graphics cards that I'm considering for my next build (both have 16 GB of RAM)

Storage

Hey, I know what you're thinking. "Gee, why do I need a new laptop? My current one is good enough." But before you make a decision, let me just say this: Total War: Warhammer 3 will take up 120GB of storage space. It's not much, but you'll still need at least 256 GB of space on your hard drive for that and the rest of your games. And that's where SSDs come in.

Is HDD an option?

It's the cheapest option by far – and if it's good enough for your school work and browsing, it should be fine for most of your games too. Just remember that the best HDDs come with 7200RPM and 16MB cache and you might want to check how they stack up against SSDs when looking at reviews. The choice is yours – with one exception: if you're not looking to play any games on your laptop but only want to use it for school or office work, then go ahead and get an HDD without remorse.

I'm not going to spend time comparing the two options since SSDs are always superior, but we can quickly go over some key facts:

SSDs use less power
SSDs boot up faster
SSDs access data quicker
HDD requires defragmentation
HDD wears out over time
HDD makes more noise when in use

TL;DR

SSDs are always superior to HDDs for gaming laptops (faster, more durable, less noisy)
SSDs are more expensive than HDDs, but still worth it if you're playing more than one game at a time (i.e. you'll be playing more than one game at a time)
even if you're only going to play one game at a time, get an SSD if you want your laptop to last longer and be less noisy while doing so

FAQ

What laptop is best for Total War: Warhammer 3?

It depends on your budget and the features that you need. For a minimum set-up, you can go with the GIGABYTE A5 K1. If you have more to spend, we recommend the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or the GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4 for a medium set-up and the Dell XPS 15 9520 for the highest performance.

How to choose a laptop for Total War: Warhammer 3?

To choose the best laptop for Total War: Warhammer 3, you should consider your budget and the requirements of the game. A minimum set-up requires an Intel i3-1115G4 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB SSD storage. A medium set-up should have an Intel i5-10300H processor, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB SSD storage. For a maximum set-up, you will need a Ryzen 7 4800H processor, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD.

What laptop specs do I need to run Total War: Warhammer 3?

The minimum specs required to run Total War: Warhammer 3 are an Intel i3-1115G4 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of SSD storage. For a medium set-up, we suggest an Intel i5-10300H processor, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of SSD storage. For a maximum set-up, a Ryzen 7 4800H processor, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD are recommended.

What laptops can run Total War: Warhammer 3?

Many laptops can run Total War: Warhammer 3 if they meet the minimum requirements. We recommend GIGABYTE A5 K1 for a minimum set-up, ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4 for a medium set-up, and Dell XPS 15 9520 for the highest performance.

Is RTX 3060 enough for playing Total War: Warhammer 3?

The NVIDIA RTX 3060 is capable of running Total War: Warhammer 3 at its highest settings with no problems, so it should be more than enough for your gaming needs.

Can Total War: Warhammer 3 run on a laptop?

Yes, Total War: Warhammer 3 can run on a laptop as long as it meets the minimum requirements.

Does Total War: Warhammer 3 work well on laptops?

Yes, it does. As long as your laptop meets the minimum requirements and is capable of running the game, you should have no problems playing Total War: Warhammer 3 on a laptop.

Can you play Total War: Warhammer 3 on a notebook?

Yes, you can play Total War: Warhammer 3 on a notebook provided that it meets the minimum requirements.

Do I need Core i7 to work with Total War: Warhammer 3?

You do not need a Core i7 to run Total War: Warhammer 3. An Intel i5-10300H processor is recommended for a medium set-up, but you can get by with an Intel i3-1115G4 for a minimum set-up.

Is 500 GB SSD enough for playing Total War: Warhammer 3?

500 GB of SSD storage should be enough to run Total War: Warhammer 3. For a medium set-up, we suggest 512 GB of SSD storage, and for a maximum set-up, we recommend 1 TB of SSD storage.

6 Best Laptops for Total War: Warhammer 3

$700

1.Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16

Total War: Warhammer 3 laptop

Pros

Solid processor (Ryzen 9 6900HX)
Solid graphics card (RTX 3070 Ti)
First-class memory amount (64GB)
Featherweight (5.48 lbs)

Cons

No IPS Panel (inferior color reproduction)

View on Amazon

Alternatives

$730

HP Victus 15t

Pros

Low price
Intel or AMD CPU options

Cons

Weak GPU yields unsatisfactory frame rates
Screen only so-so despite 144Hz refresh rate

$850

2.HP Victus

HP Victus 15 is an affordable option, but its performance and features are not up to the mark for Total War: Warhammer 3.

Pros

Easy serviceability
Attractive visual design
Relatively cool surface temperatures
Smooth 144 Hz refresh rate

Cons

Buggy battery life and fan behavior
No Thunderbolt or USB-PD support
Subpar Turbo Boost sustainability
Weak hinges

View on Amazon

Summary

While HP Victus 15 has an appealing design, easy serviceability, and a smooth refresh rate, it falls short in terms of performance and features. For the price of $850, its RTX 3050 Ti GPU is not powerful enough for Total War: Warhammer 3 and it lacks Thunderbolt or USB-PD support.

Reviews

Notebookcheck

HP Victus 15 laptop review: Expensive for a budget gamer