As soon as you start getting a bit better at the game, it becomes quite obvious that your PC might not be fit for such endeavors – especially if you’re playing on the lowest graphical settings with 30 FPS rate and you get obliterated in every firefight you find yourself in. Let’s take a look at what we can expect from a laptop if we want to play Fortnite on ultra settings, how much it will cost us and what I recommend you to buy if you’re out for a good deal or need a lot of portable power for work and gaming on the go. Also, I’ll compare what’s available on the market right now and present to you my top 10 best gaming laptops for Fortnite on any budget. Let’s get started!
Fortnite is popular, and most people play it on their PC’s. But many don’t have a good enough PC for it. I’ll take a look at what kind of laptop one should buy for playing Fortnite on ultra settings and how much they cost. Also, I’ll recommend some good deals.
Requirements for a Fortnite laptop
Major Deciding on a memory
I’m sure you’ve already figured out that Fortnite isn’t like any other game. The problem is – there’s no “easy” way to tell how much RAM it needs. Why? It depends on the game settings, which could be pretty high or low, and what kind of graphics card you have.
Minimum (8 GB)
However, I still think it’s important to mention the minimum memory size for Fortnite – 8GB. It’s not too bad if you’re just playing Fortnite alone with low graphics settings, but it will become problematic when other games or applications are running in the background. You should also know that an 8GB laptop is barely usable for streaming, so if you plan on doing that, consider getting a higher-end model with more RAM.
Recommended (16 GB)
My personal recommendation would be 16GB of RAM – I find it to be a perfect balance between cost and performance for Fortnite players who are running their games at higher resolutions or playing competitively. This amount will let you run most games without any trouble while letting you multitask with no problems whatsoever.
Best (32 GB)
If you’re really looking for the best experience with this game, my advice would be to get a laptop with 32GB of RAM – but make sure your budget can afford it! This will give you plenty of headroom when playing Fortnite alone or in multiplayer mode.
8GB is barely usable for streaming, 16GB is a good balance between cost and performance, 32GB is a good start if you’re looking for the best experience with this game.
Major Choosing a graphics card
If you’re a Fortnite player, you’ll want to make sure your graphics card can handle the game’s graphical requirements. The game is highly visual, so I’d expect you to want a graphics card that can deliver high framersates.
Minimum graphics (under $1000)
If you don’t have much money to spend on a laptop, I’d recommend sticking with integrated graphics. These are typically found in Intel processors and will only give you about 60 FPS on low settings. If you’re really tight on cash, then integrated is the way to go. It’s not the best solution for playing Fortnite, but it’s better than nothing.
Recommended graphics ($1000 – $1600)
If you have a little more to spend, I recommend the GTX 1650. It can manage to hit 60 FPS on medium settings. If you’re looking for something better, then I recommend the GTX 1660 Ti which can give you 60 FPS on ultra settings.
Best graphics ($1600 and up)
If you have the money, I recommend the RTX 2070. It can provide 130 FPS on ultra settings which is plenty for Fortnite. The only downside is that it’ll be more expensive than other cards.
Major My processor recommendations for Fortnite
A processor is the brain of a computer, but what does that mean for gamers? That it’s one of the most important parts to invest in. You don’t want to have to wait for your PC to catch up with your mouse clicks, do you?
Requirements
Fortnite is not a demanding game, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for anything less than the best. I recommend at least an Intel Core i5 processor, and AMD Ryzen processors are also a good option.
If you want to eradicate FPS dips or you’re simply seeking an abundant framerate to take advantage of a high refresh rate screen (let’s say 144Hz) – you’ll need a high-end processor. In particular, I’d recommend the latest Intel’s 11th generation Core i7/i9 and AMD’s 5th generation Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9.
Recommendations
OK, so what should you look for in a processor? To put it simply, I’d recommend ditching anything lower than the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U for an Intel Core i5-10300H. And if you’re feeling rich (and trust me, we’re all feeling rich these days), go for one of the newest models: Ryzen 7 4800H.
- Fortnite is not a demanding game, but still, invest in a fast processor
- ditching anything lower than the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U for an Intel Core i5-10300H is a good start
- if you want a rich FPS or a high refresh rate display, get a high-end processor from Intel’s 11th generation Core i7/i9 or AMD’s 5th generation Ryzen 7 or Ryzen 9.
Optional requirements for a Fortnite laptop
Optional What’s the best display for playing Fortnite?
Do you want to be the best Fortnite player in the world? Then it’s time to get your act together. It starts with the display. Here are some key facts about what to look for in a display:
Resolution
There are two options for resolution – Full HD and 4K. The former is most common, and most players won’t notice a difference in framerate or input latency at these resolutions. A competitive shooter like Fortnite will show better performance on FHD, but 4K has its merits too.
It’s up to you, but I’d recommend FHD if you want high FPS without breaking the bank.
Refresh rate
A high refresh rate is often paired with IPS panels. These displays are more expensive than TN panels, but they’re worth it if you’re playing competitive games like Fortnite. It will result in lower input latency and better responsiveness. It’s up to you whether or not it’s worth it – but if you do decide to go for one of these displays, make sure your GPU can handle it too!
Response time
If you’re not playing competitive games – response time doesn’t matter much at all. But if you are – go for a low response time! You don’t want a slow display because this will have a negative impact on your gaming performance and general experience.
- there are two options for resolution – FHD and 4K
- if you’re playing competitive games, get a high refresh rate display with an IPS panel
- if you’re not playing competitive games, response time doesn’t matter much at all
Optional Picking a good storage
Laptops are not cheap these days, but don’t worry, it’s still possible to find one with a big enough SSD. Here’s the rundown on what storage size is best for Fortnite players.
What size should I get?
That depends on your preferences. Do you want the most bang for your buck or do you need all the space in the world? You can’t have both, but there are some workarounds – for example, if you know that you’ll be streaming Fortnite on Twitch, getting a laptop with a small SSD and external hard drive will work just fine.
So first things first – if you’re on a budget, an entry-level 256 GB SSD will be more than enough. If you can afford it, 512 GB should do the trick. And if money is no object – 1 TB of space should keep you satisfied for quite some time.
How much will it cost?
When picking out laptops that are affordable yet offer enough storage space, look for models with at least 128 GB of solid state storage. For models with 256 GB of storage, expect to pay $500-$600. For models with 512 GB of storage, expect to pay $700-$800. For models with 1 TB of storage, expect to pay $900-$1000.
- 256 GB is more than enough if you’re on a budget (if you can afford it, 512 GB should do the trick)
- 1 TB of space should keep you satisfied for quite some time (if money is no object)
5 Best Laptops for Fortnite
MSI GF63035
Pros and cons
- Competent processor (i5-10200H)
- First-class graphics card (RTX 3050)
- Not the best memory amount (8GB)
- Bulky (4.1 lbs)
Alternatives
Acer Swift3 Light
- Ample 1TB SSD
- Backlit keyboard
- So-so processor (i7-1165G7)
- So-so graphics card (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs)
MSI Bravo 15
- Competent processor (Ryzen 5 5600H)
- Competent graphics card (Radeon RX 5500M)
Lenovo Legion 5
Pros and cons
- Excellent processor (Ryzen 7 5800H)
- Exceptional graphics card (RTX 3060)
Alternatives
HP Pavilion FHD Touchscreen
- Terrific display (15.6 IPS Touch)
- Excellent memory amount (32GB)
- Underwhelming graphics card (Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 40005000))
HP Envy x360
- Very good display (13.3 OLED Touch)
- Light-weight (2.9 lbs)
- Garden-variety graphics card (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs)
Lenovo Legion 5
Pros and cons
- Good processor (Ryzen 5 5600H)
- Decent graphics card (GTX 1650)
Alternatives
HP Envy x360 2-in-1
- Splendid display (13.3 OLED Touch)
- Featherweight (2.9 lbs)
- Underwhelming graphics card (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs)
MSI GF65
- Great graphics card (RTX 3060)
- Exceptional display (15.6 144Hz IPS-level)
- Run-of-the-mill processor (i5-10500H)
- Run-of-the-mill memory amount (16GB)
Dell XPS 9710
Pros and cons
- Solid processor (Ryzen 7 5800H)
- Solid memory amount (128GB)
- Heavy (5.4 lbs)
- No IPS Panel (subpar viewing angles)
Alternatives
ASUS ROG Strix G15
- Splendid processor (Ryzen 9 5900HX)
- Great graphics card (Radeon RX 6800M)
Acer Predator Helios 300
- Very good processor (i7-11800H)
- Fair graphics card (RTX 3060)
- Heavy (5.1 lbs)
ASUS ROG Strix Scar
Pros and cons
- Solid processor (Ryzen 9 5900HX)
- Terrific graphics card (RTX 3080)
Alternatives
ASUS ROG 16
- Excellent processor (i9-11900H)
- Good memory amount (40GB)
- Ordinary graphics card (RTX 3060)
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen
- Great processor (i9-11950H)
- Splendid graphics card (RTX 3080)
Table of Best Laptops for Fortnite
Laptop | Price (approx) |
MSI GF63035 | $650 |
Lenovo Legion 5 | $830 |
Lenovo Legion 5 | $960 |
Dell XPS 9710 | $1410 |
ASUS ROG Strix Scar | $2770 |