"War is an art form" – that's an age-old saying from the grim universe of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. The game is officially out, but the battles have only begun. Whether you're a hardcore fan of the franchise or this is your first war in 40K, picking the right laptop for Darktide is essential.
It's easy to get wrapped up in all the specs and go over-budget, but don't worry, I'm here to make your laptop hunting process easier. In this guide, I'll explain all you need to know to buy the best laptop for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide and provide a few top picks based on your budget.
With that being said, let's jump right into it and see what kind of laptop your favorite Space Marines demand.
Graphics (GPU)
If you're looking to play the latest Warhammer 40,000 game, Darktide, on your laptop then you're going to need a discrete graphics card. Games are not a strong suit for Chromebooks, and that's especially true for the latest generation of Nvidia GPUs. So if you're looking to play games on your laptop – look for an option with a dedicated graphics chip.
When it comes to gaming laptops, we need to consider their size and weight as well as their cooling capabilities; The smaller the laptop, the harder it is to keep cool. This is important because GPUs can throttle performance when they overheat. That said, there are some very slim gaming laptops out there with great cooling solutions so don't rule one out just because it's thin.
For gaming laptops, I use 3DMark benchmarks such as Time Spy and Fire Strike when possible; these tests will give us an idea of how well the laptop performs in actual games compared to its competitors. However, keep in mind that these tests are run at very high settings so most people won't see these kinds of results in actual gameplay. Nevertheless, it's a good way to compare two laptops side-by-side.
Here are my recommended GPUs for various budgets:
Processor (CPU)
When it comes to deciding on the right laptop for gaming, there are a few key things you need to keep in mind. In this section, we'll be focusing on the processor (CPU) and how it impacts your choice of laptop for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide.
As always, when it comes to laptops – you'll want to pay attention to the graphics card (GPU) as well. However, in the case of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide – the CPU is not as critical as it is for other genres. This is because the game is not as reliant on raw processing power as something like an FPS or RTS. With that said, you'll still want a decent CPU if you plan on playing at high settings.
When looking at processors, there are two main things you want to keep in mind: clock speed and core count. The clock speed is simply how fast the processor can run and is measured in GHz. The core count is how many cores the processor has – which essentially means how many tasks it can handle at once. More cores = better performance but also higher power consumption.
In terms of ranking systems, I recommend using Cinebench R23 or R20 scores. These tests are specifically designed for gaming and will give you a good idea of how well a CPU will perform in actual games. That being said – don't expect to find many budget gaming laptops with high-end CPUs; instead, look for mid-range or even entry level CPUs paired with a powerful GPU.
With all that out of the way – let's take a look at some specific recommendations!
Processor Recommendations
- Minimum: i3-1115G4
- Recommended: i5-10300H
- High-end: Ryzen 7 4800H
Memory (RAM)
When it comes to deciding on the right laptop for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, one of the most important things to consider is the amount of RAM you'll need. Most mid-range laptops come with 16 GB of RAM these days, but if you want to play at 4K resolution or on high settings, you'll need 32 GB or more.
The type of RAM doesn't matter that much in gaming laptops, so I'd recommend getting DDR4-3200 or even DDR5 if you can afford it. But don't get too hung up on the speed – there's not much difference between DDR4-2666 and DDR5-3600 in terms of performance. So just go with whatever your budget allows for.
If you're looking for a laptop that will last you for years to come, consider getting one with upgradable RAM (not soldered-on). This way, down the road, if your laptop starts to struggle with 32 GB of memory – you could upgrade it to 64 GB or even 128 GB (if your wallet allows it).
Here's a table of recommended RAM configurations:
- Minimum: i3-1115G4
- Recommended: i5-10300H
- High-end: Ryzen 7 4800H
5 Best Laptops for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
1.Lenovo Ideapad3i
Lenovo Ideapad3i is a budget gaming laptop with decent performance, but its subpar keyboard and display quality may be a dealbreaker.- Affordable price
- Decent gaming and productivity performance
- Good battery life
- Dark and low-quality display
- Poor keyboard quality.
Summary
Despite its affordable price, the Lenovo Ideapad3i manages to deliver decent gaming and productivity performance. However, the laptop's low-quality screen and keyboard might leave you wanting more.
Reviews
Alternatives
Lenovo Ideapad 3
- Satisfying performance and battery life
- Comfortable keyboard
- Screen looks dimmer than it is
- Unimpressive webcam and audio
2.Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro offers impressive gaming performance and good upgradability but lacks Thunderbolt support.- High-quality 165 Hz 16:10 IPS display
- Relatively easy serviceability
- Integrated numpad
- Very fast charging
- Low-resolution webcam with no IR or privacy shutter
- Very warm CPUGPU temperatures when gaming
- Moderate-heavy uneven backlight bleeding
- Only average battery life
Summary
Lenovo's upgraded CPU and GPU make the Legion 5 Pro a very fast laptop, ideal for playing Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. The display is of high quality with fast charging, integrated numpad, and MUX support. However, it has an average battery life, no Thunderbolt support, and a low-resolution webcam with no privacy shutter.
Reviews
Alternatives
ASUS TUF F15 FX507ZM-ES74
- High TGP target compared to other gaming laptops
- Fast GeForce RTX 3060
- Chassis base and lid have some flex
- No per-key RGB lighting
3.ASUS ROG Strix Scar
ASUS ROG Strix Scar delivers exceptional performance, but with high heat and noise emissions.- Sturdy construction
- Fast Wi-Fi 6E
- Excellent response times and no PWM
- Wide color gamut coverage with Dolby Vision support
- Limited display angle
- No biometric login
- Heavy
Summary
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 G533 features upgrades to Intel Alder Lake Core i9-12900H and a 150W Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti with a dedicated MUX switch. It has a sturdy construction, fast Wi-Fi 6E, excellent response times, and wide color gamut coverage with Dolby Vision support. However, the laptop has high heat and noise emissions under load and heavy SSD throttling during continuous reads.
Reviews
Alternatives
Acer Predator Triton 500
- High performance capabilities
- Excellent, bright 240-Hz display
- Soldered-in RAM
- Inaccessible SSD
4.ASUS ROG Strix Scar G733CX-XS97
ASUS ROG Strix Scar G733CX-XS97 is a high-end gaming laptop with extensive features, but comes at a premium price.- Stable gaming performance
- Fast QHD panel with 240 Hz refresh rate
- Extensive case illumination
- TB4, Wi-Fi 6E, and PCIe 4.0
- Inconsistent SSD performance
- Premium for HX CPU isnt worth it
- No webcam
- Electronic noises
Summary
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar G733CX-XS97 is a high-end gaming laptop with top-of-the-line hardware that ensures stable gaming performance. It has a fast QHD panel with 240 Hz refresh rate and extensive case illumination. However, it comes at a steep price and lacks a webcam.
Reviews
Alternatives
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo
- Dual-screen setup for multitasking
- Powerful GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU and Ryzen 9 CPU
- High cost
- Awkward keyboard and touchpad layout
5.Dell XPS 17 9720
Powerful Dell laptop with a stunning display for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, but with a few minor drawbacks.- Excellent 4K display with AdobeRGB
- High-quality case
- Thunderbolt 4 PCIe 4.0
- Very high system performance
- Lower graphics performance than the predecessor
- Performance not completely stable under combined load
- Not Wi-Fi 6E compatible
- Mediocre
Summary
The Dell XPS 17 9720 is a powerful laptop with a gorgeous 4K display that covers the AdobeRGB gamut, and its high-quality case houses an excellent system performance, fast card reader, and good speakers. However, its lower graphics performance than the predecessor, unstable performance under combined load, lack of Wi-Fi 6E compatibility, and mediocre 720p webcam may deter some users.
Reviews
Alternatives
Dell XPS 15 9520
- Premium design and build with portable form-factor
- Upgraded hardware with efficient performance
- Limited screen angle and other ergonomic quirks
- Miniaturized IO
Table of the Best Laptops for Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
Laptop | Price (approx) |
Lenovo Ideapad3i | $910 |
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro | $1,350 |
ASUS ROG Strix Scar | $2,310 |
ASUS ROG Strix Scar G733CX-XS97 | $3,800 |
Dell XPS 17 9720 | $5,600 |