Welcome to the ultimate guide for finding the best laptop for NBA 2K23. As a basketball gaming enthusiast and laptop expert, I understand the importance of striking the right balance between performance, portability, and price to enhance your overall gaming experience. Whether you're looking to dominate the courts in MyCareer, build your dream team in MyTeam, or become the next great GM in MyLeague, having the ideal laptop can make all the difference.
When searching for the best laptop for NBA 2K23, there are several factors to consider, including graphics capabilities, processor power, and display quality. To determine the top contenders, I've reviewed an extensive laptop spreadsheet of recent releases, comparing specs and reviews from both professional and user-generated sources. By focusing on the unique requirements of NBA 2K23 players and factoring in various price ranges, I've narrowed down the top laptops that will enable you to compete at the highest level and truly immerse yourself in the game.
Throughout this guide, I'll take into account the preferences of the NBA 2K community, from casual gamers to dedicated players who frequent the NBA 2K subreddit, follow Ronnie2K on Twitter, or watch top 2K Twitch streamers like Tyceno and PoorBoySin. You can trust that the laptops featured in this guide will meet the demands of NBA 2K23, allowing you to enjoy smooth gameplay, crisp graphics, and responsive controls as you strive for greatness on the digital hardwood.
Example: When it comes to powering your NBA 2K23
With the new 13th-generation Intel processors still not available on laptops and AMD's Ryzen chips taking up 20% of the market, it can be a bit confusing to decide on the best processor for gaming laptops.
To get the most out of your gaming experience for NBA 2K23, you'll need to know how much power you'll actually need and what types of processors are available in the market.
How much do you need?
NBA 2K23 is a demanding game, and if you're looking to play it in 4K with high framerates, then you'll need at least a mid-tier CPU such as Intel's Core i5-10310U. For better performance, you can opt for Intel's Core i7-1180G7, which is their latest high-end processor.
AMD's Ryzen processors are good alternatives if you're looking for a good battery life, but keep in mind that they won't be able to handle the same level of performance as Intel's chips.
Which processors are best suited for gaming laptops?
If you're looking for a gaming laptop, then an Intel Core i7 H-series processor is your best bet. However, if you're on a budget, then an Intel Core i3-1115G4 will also do the job. I recommend using Cinebench and PassMark to compare processors since they are more relevant than synthetic benchmarks like 3DMark.
Also, make sure your laptop has a fast SSD and graphics chip that supports Optimus (or Advanced Optimus).
Here's a table of recommended processors:
Processor | Minimum | Recommended | High-end |
---|---|---|---|
Intel Core | i3-1115G4 | i5-10310U | i7-1180G7 |
Graphics Card: Maximize Your Gaming Performance
The laptop graphics market is currently dominated by Nvidia's RTX series GPUs. With the latest RTX 30 series, you can expect some of the best gaming performance available on a laptop, but the downside is that they don't come with ray-tracing support for NBA 2K23 (yet). This means you'll have to look to the 10-series or 11-series of Nvidia GPUs if you want to play the game on your laptop.
When it comes to deciding on the right GPU for NBA 2K23, the most important factor to consider is not power, but rather power efficiency. This is because NBA 2K23 isn't a very demanding game, so you won't need the most powerful GPU on the market; rather, you'll need a GPU that can run the game efficiently with minimal drain on your laptop's battery.
To determine which GPUs are best for NBA 2K23, you can rely on benchmarks like 3DMark. This is a well-known benchmark that will give you a good idea of the expected performance of different GPUs in the game. You can also look at in-game framerates, which are more indicative of real-world performance.
If you're looking for a laptop with enough power to play NBA 2K23, here are some recommended GPUs and their expected laptop prices:
- Minimum: GeForce GTX 1650 (around $700)
- Recommended: GeForce RTX 3050 (around $900)
- High-end: GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (around $1,200)
At any price point, you can expect great performance for NBA 2K23. But if you plan on playing other games on your laptop, make sure you have enough power allocated to your GPU so that you don't end up with a subpar experience.
Boost Your Game: Choosing the Right RAM for NBA 2K23
NBA 2K23 is one of the most resource-intensive games around, so you'll need to make sure that your laptop is up to the task. Fortunately, most mid-range laptops these days come with 16 GB of RAM and high-end machines often have 32 GB or more. This is plenty for most tasks and should offer smooth performance for NBA 2K23.
Since most laptops are equipped with the latest-gen Intel and AMD CPUs supporting DDR5, you don't need to worry too much about which RAM generation you're getting – DDR5 is now the standard. Of course, if you want to upgrade your RAM in the future, make sure that your laptop has an empty SODIMM slot (or two).
When selecting RAM modules, you should also consider the latency and frequency. Low latency and high frequency will make your games run smoother and give you a better gaming experience. If you're unsure about the quality of the RAM, you can always compare it against popular benchmarks and see how it stacks up.
In terms of budget, if you want to keep things as cheap as possible, 8 GB should be enough for NBA 2K23. However, if you want to future-proof your laptop and enjoy smooth performance on more than just this one game, 16 GB is the recommended option. High-end gamers may want to go for 32 GB or more for the ultimate experience.
5 Best Laptops for NBA 2K23
1.HP Victus 15 I
Solid entry-level gaming performance, but with trade-offs- Strong entry-level gaming performance
- Solid productivity features
- Inexpensive for a gaming laptop
- Display and webcam could be better
- Too much preinstalled software
Summary
HP Victus 15 I offers strong entry-level gaming performance and solid productivity features, making it an inexpensive option for a gaming laptop. However, the display and webcam could be better, and there's too much preinstalled software.
Alternatives
MSI GF63 Thin
- Inexpensive
- Powerful Intel Core i5 CPU
- Limited gaming performance
- Dull screen
2.Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16
NBA 2K23 laptop- Very good processor (Ryzen 9 6900HX)
- Very good graphics card (RTX 3070 Ti)
- Superb display (16)
- Superb memory amount (64GB)
- Heavy (5.48 lbs)
- No IPS Panel (inferior color reproduction)
Alternatives
HP Victus 15
- Good gaming performance for the price
- Affordable
- Poor battery life
- Plain design
3.ASUS TUF F15 FX507ZM-ES74
ASUS TUF F15 FX507ZM-ES74 delivers impressive gaming performance at a reasonable price.- Fast GeForce RTX 3060
- 300 Hz IPS panel w full sRGB coverage
- 2x SODIMM, 2x M.2 PCIe4 x4
- MUX switch
- Chassis base and lid exhibit some flexing
- No per-key RGB lighting
- Shorter WLAN runtimes
- Larger power brick
Summary
With a high TGP target, faster GPU, and 300 Hz IPS panel with full sRGB coverage, the ASUS TUF F15 FX507ZM-ES74 is a top choice for gamers looking to play games like NBA 2K23. However, the chassis base and lid exhibit some flexing, and the laptop lacks per-key RGB lighting.
Reviews
Alternatives
Dell G15
- High CPU performance
- Able to run quietly
- Dark display poor in contrast
- Low color space coverage
4.ASUS ROG Strix Scar
ASUS ROG Strix Scar delivers impeccable gaming performance at a premium price.- Sturdy construction
- Fast Wi-Fi 6E
- Excellent response times and no PWM
- Wide color gamut coverage with Dolby Vision support
- Limited display angle
- High heat and noise emissions under load
- Poor battery backup
Summary
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 G533 is a powerful gaming laptop with excellent response times, high performance Intel Alder Lake Core i9-12900H and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti. Its sturdiness and fast Wi-Fi 6E are major assets, but the limited display angle, high heat and noise emissions under load, and poor battery backup make it less appealing.
Reviews
Alternatives
Dell XPS 17 9720
- Excellent 4K display with AdobeRGB
- High-quality case
- Lower graphics performance than the predecessor
- Performance not completely stable under combined load
5.HP Omen 17
HP Omen 17 offers impressive gaming performance with QHD display and expandable memory but comes with a noisy fan and weak battery life.- QHD display with 165 Hz
- Advanced Optimus technology
- Expandable working memory
- High noise level
- Clattery case
- Meager battery life
Summary
HP Omen 17 is a high-end gaming laptop that delivers powerful QHD gaming performance with an expandable working memory and advanced Optimus technology. However, the laptop produces high noise levels and has meager battery life, making it unsuitable for prolonged gaming sessions.
Reviews
Alternatives
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo
- Impressively thin and elegant design with dual displays and top-end performance
- Refined two-screen layout
- Expensive, especially as configured
- Awkward keyboard and touchpad layout
Table of the Best Laptops for NBA 2K23
Laptop | Price (approx) |
HP Victus 15 I | $600 |
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16 | $700 |
ASUS TUF F15 FX507ZM-ES74 | $1,300 |
ASUS ROG Strix Scar | $2,310 |
HP Omen 17 | $3,470 |