As a die-hard sports fan, I cannot get enough of NBA 2K23. Be it in-game or on TV, basketball has always been my go-to for entertainment. On this road, there were two pieces of advice given to me by the veterans: to have a good gaming mouse and a laptop that could support the game. So, after much experience with both, I decided to create a guide on what to look for when buying a laptop to play NBA 2K23.
This guide will focus on the kind of laptop you will need to play the game efficiently. We'll talk about the important specs, benchmarks and I'll include recommendations of the laptops I have used. A lot of research has been done to put this together, and I'm sure it will be very helpful in the process of finding your dream laptop for NBA 2K23.
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.
6 Best Laptops for NBA 2K23
HP Victus 15 I
Pros and cons
- Great value for budget gaming
- Sufficient performance for NBA 2K23
- Display and webcam quality could be better
- Preinstalled software takes up storage
Alternatives
MSI GF63 Thin
- Lightweight and portable for on-the-go gaming
- Powerful Intel Core i5 CPU for speedy performance
- Low-end gaming performance
- Unimpressive screen display
GIGABYTE A5 K1
Pros and cons
- Great price-performance ratio
- Easily accessible battery
- Not the sturdiest construction
- High emissions under load
Alternatives
Acer Swift X SFX14-42G-R607
- Powerful eight-core Ryzen 7 CPU for lag-free gaming
- Affordable price for budget-savvy gamers
- No SD or microSD card slot
- Finicky keyboard might cause frustration
HP Victus 15t
Pros and cons
- Wallet-Friendly Price
- Powerful CPU Options
- Underpowered GPU
- Poor Battery Life
Acer Predator Triton 500
Pros and cons
- Fast refresh rate and bright display for optimized gaming experience
- Sturdy and sleek aluminum body
- Soldered RAM and SSD, limiting customizability
- Loud fan noise and warm palm rest
Alternatives
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
- QHD 120 Hz Display for Outstanding Visuals
- Lightweight and Portable Design for Mobility
- Small Amount of VRAM for More Demanding Titles
- Variable Performance Depending on Power Mode
Acer Predator Triton 500
Pros and cons
- High performance capabilities
- Bright and responsive 240 Hz display
- Soldered-in RAM
- Poor keyboard layout
Alternatives
MSI Titan GT77
- High performance for NBA 2K23 with chart-leading CPU and GPU
- IR and fingerprint reader biometrics for secure login
- Expensive and heavy
- Poor 720p webcam
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 4
Pros and cons
- Stable, durable housing
- High resolution display for immersive gaming
- Poorly designed keyboard and TrackPoint keys
- Limited M.2 storage, no WWAN
Alternatives
MSI Titan GT77 12UHS
- Bright 4K Display
- Sturdy Chassis
- Bulky and Heavy
- Expensive Price Tag
Table of the Best Laptops for NBA 2K23
Laptop | Price (approx) |
HP Victus 15 I | $600 |
GIGABYTE A5 K1 | $790 |
HP Victus 15t | $900 |
Acer Predator Triton 500 | $1200 |
Acer Predator Triton 500 | $2930 |
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 4 | $3650 |