Best laptops for Forza Horizon 5 in 2023

As an avid racing game enthusiast, I understand the importance of finding the best laptop for Forza Horizon 5 to fully experience the high-octane gameplay and stunning visuals. In this guide, I will help you navigate through the vast laptop market and identify the top choices for enjoying the latest entry in the Forza Horizon series.

Forza Horizon 5 boasts a vast open-world environment, filled with diverse terrains and dynamic weather conditions. To truly appreciate the intricate details of this game, you'll need a laptop that not only meets the minimum requirements but also excels in areas such as display quality, performance, and cooling solutions. It's essential to find a laptop that can handle the game's graphics and provide smooth gameplay at high settings without breaking the bank.

After reviewing an extensive spreadsheet of recent laptop releases, comparing specs, and analyzing both professional and user-generated reviews, I've narrowed down the top picks for the best laptop for Forza Horizon 5 across different price ranges. I've considered factors like CPU and GPU capabilities, refresh rates, and thermal management to ensure you get the most out of your Forza Horizon 5 gaming experience. Stay tuned as we dive into the specifics and help you find the perfect laptop to immerse yourself in the world of Forza Horizon 5.

Deciding on a processor

There are many components that will affect your gaming experience on a laptop, but one of the most important ones is the processor. CPUs are designed to handle the large number of calculations required for games, which makes them integral to gaming performance.

Requirements

Forza Horizon 5 is a demanding game, but not at the same level as Call of Duty or Battlefield. You'll need at least an Intel Core i3-1005G1 processor to meet minimum requirements, but for a decent gaming experience, I recommend Intel Core i7-1065G7. AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS is your best option if you want to take advantage of high refresh rate displays or achieve a high FPS with 4K resolution.

Recommendations

When looking for a laptop for Forza Horizon 5, I recommend looking for one with at least an Intel Core i3-1005G1 and, ideally, Intel Core i7-1065G7. AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS is also a good option if you're looking for high FPS in 4K or 144Hz displays.

The right graphics card

Minimum graphics (under $1000)

Since there are no benchmarks yet, it's hard to say what is the best graphics card for Forza Horizon 5 (I'll update this section in the near future with accurate banchmark results). The only thing I can recommend is NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile. It will be able to run Forza Horizon 5 on lowest settings with playable framerate, but it's not guaranteed that the game will run smoothly.

Recommended graphics ($1000 – $2500)

It's still too early to say what is the best graphics card for Forza Horizon 5, but if you're looking for a good compromise between price and performance, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 is your best bet.

It will be able to run Forza Horizon 5 on high settings with 60 FPS.

Best graphics ($2500 and up)

If you want the best graphics card for Forza Horizon 5, go for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080. It will be able to run Forza Horizon 5 on highest settings with ~100 FPS.

My memory recommendations for Forza Horizon 5

RAM is one of the few component that is easy to get right when it comes to laptops. As long as you're not on a tight budget, 16 GB is the perfect amount for most people.

Minimum (8 GB)

There are two situations where 8GB RAM is more than enough. First of all, if you're on a tight budget and you know that you can upgrade to 16GB or 32GB in the future. Second, if you know what you're doing and are willing to get your hands dirty by adding an extra stick of RAM later.

Recommended (16 GB)

For Forza Horizon 5 – 16 GB should be enough for most people, unless they are using it for other purposes, such as working on CAD or rendering video. It's plenty of gaming and work.

Best (32 GB)

If you are the type of person who streams gameplay, has multiple games open, or uses Chrome 100 tabs open – consider investing in a 32GB model. The more RAM, the merrier, but it's not necessary by any standard. I'd instead invest in other components, such as CPU or GPU.

TL;DR

8GB RAM is bare minimum for Forza Horizon 5
16GB RAM is recommended for Forza Horizon 5 (work, other programs)
32GB RAM is recommended for high refresh rate displays and streaming (high FPS)

My storage recommendations for Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 5 is the latest installment in the popular racing series, but you can't just pick any old laptop and expect to play it. You need a good storage setup.

Why is storage important?

First of all, let's talk about why storage is important. To put it simply, a lot of what you do in a game is load files from your hard drive into your computer's memory. The more space you have, the more data you can store on your hard drive and less of it will be loaded from the disk every time you load a level or open up a menu. It will make your gameplay smoother, faster, and free up some memory for other tasks while playing the game. So the bottom line is – get as much storage as possible.

The bare minimum

The bare minimum you should go for if you want to play Forza Horizon 5 on a budget is 256 GB SSD. It will be enough for OS and a few other essential programs, but won't leave any room for games or anything else you might want to store on your computer's hard drive. It's enough for most people, but not everyone. And that's why we're here – to help those people who need more than just enough.

512 GB SSD?

I'd recommend getting at least 512 GB SSD if possible – that would still leave some room for extra stuff like pictures or videos (depending on how many you take). But this option might not be available to everyone, depending on how much they are willing to spend on their laptop or if they can afford it at all (some laptops are too expensive). If that's the case with you, I recommend getting as big an HDD as possible – it'll help with loading times and general performance while playing Forza Horizon 5 even if it doesn't provide any additional storage space to install games or anything else.

Choosing a display

Forza Horizon 5 is the latest iteration of Forza's signature series. Like any open-world racing game, the graphics and performance are critical. However, the Forza Horizon series has never been renowned for its visuals – it's about racing and exploring to your heart's content. With that in mind, there are two crucial considerations when choosing a laptop display for Forza Horizon 5:

Resolution

A resolution of 1920×1080 (FHD) is ideal – you won't have to worry about any less visible detail on screen. If you're not in a rush to upgrade your current laptop – stick with FHD for now. But if you want an upgrade right away – QHD or 4K are viable options. A higher resolution will allow you to see more detail at once, which might be helpful when driving at high speeds. And it'll make textures appear smoother, which is always nice.

Refresh rate

You can achieve refresh rates of 120Hz or more on some laptops, but that requires an expensive configuration with a high-end graphics card. For most people, 60Hz will suffice just fine – but keep in mind that it might be easier to spot frame drops with a high refresh rate display.

TL;DR

Forza Horizon 5 is an open world racing game that requires a FHD display with 60Hz refresh rate
QHD or 4K is viable for those who want to see more detail at once, but FHD is sufficient for most people and can be used as an upgrade from an older laptop
Forza Horizon 5 doesn't require high performance and high refresh rate displays, so any laptop with FHD and 60Hz will do just fine

FAQ

What laptop can run Forza Horizon 5?

The minimum specs you will need to run Forza Horizon 5 on a laptop is a Core i3-1005G1 processor, 8GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, and GTX 1660 Ti graphics card. You can choose from a wide variety of laptops with these specs and higher depending on your budget.

Is Forza Horizon 5 playable on a laptop?

Yes, Forza Horizon 5 can be played on a laptop, provided the hardware meets the minimum requirements of an i3 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD and a GTX 1660 Ti graphics card.

How to choose the best laptop for Forza Horizon 5?

When looking for the best laptop to play Forza Horizon 5, consider your budget and the features you are looking for. If you are looking for the best experience and performance, you should consider a laptop with at least an i7-1065G7 processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and a GTX 3060 graphics card. If you are willing to pay more, consider laptops with higher specs such as the Ryzen 9 4900HS processor, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and an RTX 3080 graphics card.

Does Forza Horizon 5 require Core i7?

Core i7 is not required for Forza Horizon 5, but if you want the best experience and performance, it is recommended. Core i7 processors have more power and better performance than Core i3 processors.

Does GTX 1660 Ti support Forza Horizon 5?

Yes, GTX 1660 Ti can support Forza Horizon 5 as it meets the minimum requirements for the game. However, if you want better performance and higher quality visuals, you should consider GPUs with higher specs such as the RTX 3060 or higher.

What are the minimum requirements for running Forza Horizon 5?

The minimum requirements to run Forza Horizon 5 on a laptop is an i3-1005G1 processor, 8GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, and GTX 1660 Ti graphics card.

What is the best laptop for playing Forza Horizon 5?

The best laptop for playing Forza Horizon 5 will depend on your budget. We recommend the ASUS TUF F17 FX706HCB-ES51 for budget-conscious gamers or the GIGABYTE A5 K1 for those who want better performance and features. If you want the best experience, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar or MSI Titan GT77 12UHS would be good options.

What processor do I need to play Forza Horizon 5?

The minimum processor you need to play Forza Horizon 5 is an Intel Core i3-1005G1. However, if you want better performance and features, you should consider upgrading to an Intel Core i7-1065G7 or higher.

Does my laptop support Forza Horizon 5?

It depends on your laptop’s specs. To play Forza Horizon 5, you will need at least an i3-1005G1 processor, 8GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, and GTX 1660 Ti graphics card. If your laptop meets these requirements, then it should support Forza Horizon 5.

What graphics card do I need for Forza Horizon 5?

You will need at least a GTX 1660 Ti graphics card to run Forza Horizon 5. If you want better performance and higher quality visuals, you should consider GPUs with higher specs such as the RTX 3060 or higher.

4 Best Laptops for Forza Horizon 5

$700

1.Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16

Forza Horizon 5 laptop

Pros

Great processor (Ryzen 9 6900HX)
Exceptional graphics card (RTX 3070 Ti)
Solid display (16)
Solid memory amount (64GB)

Cons

No IPS Panel (worse viewing angles)

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Alternatives

$790

HP Victus

Pros

Attractive price
144Hz screen

Cons

Comes with bloatware preinstalled
Stiff touchpad

$850

2.HP Victus

HP Victus is an affordable gaming laptop for light gamers, but struggles with competition in its price range.

Pros

Easily upgradable
Attractive design
Cool surface temperatures
Smooth refresh rate

Cons

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

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Summary

HP Victus is a budget-friendly laptop that could have been a great choice for light gamers if it were priced under $1000. However, with its current price range, the laptop struggles to compete with other laptops that offer better performance at a similar price.

Reviews

Notebookcheck

HP Victus 15 laptop review: Expensive for a budget gamer