The 8 Best Laptops for Skyrim Reviewed
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will officially be 10 years old this fall, but that doesn’t mean it’s not one of the best games to have come out in the last 10 years. Skyrim is one of those games that has been ported to almost every console since its release and has even spawned a virtual reality installment from the same developers. Of course, you don’t need virtual reality or an expensive console to enjoy playing Skyrim, and the base game of Skyrim, while capable of giving you hundreds of hours of entertainment, doesn’t require that high of a graphics card to play. At least, the base game doesn’t require that much processing power. One of the most incredible things about Skyrim is how prolific the modding community has been, leading to hundreds upon hundreds of mods that can update the graphics settings of the game, add entirely new areas to explore, and help you skip the originally unskippable intro that every Skyrim player has come to love and hate.
When you’re looking for a laptop to play Skyrim, thankfully you don’t have to invest in an incredibly intense gaming laptop, but that being said why would you skimp while looking for a new device? A good gaming laptop can serve you for years to come and allow you to play all of the other Elder Scrolls games that Bethesda has released, including the multiplayer online versions. But with so many different laptops on the market, it can be hard to find one that fits your unique needs, especially if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed. Here are a few tips to help you make sure that you’re getting the best laptop available.
The first thing you want to consider when shopping for a new laptop is the memory available to you. Thankfully, even the most modded Skyrim game doesn’t use that much memory, at least when compared to some of the more popular games on the market. While you can probably get away with a laptop that has 500 GB of memory, it doesn’t hurt to look at laptops in the 1 TB or even 2 TB range, especially if you’re looking to play other games on your laptop. That way, not only are you able to keep your favorite games downloaded, you can avoid unwanted crashing, lag, and run Skyrim at full capacity.
Speaking of running Skyrim at full capacity, you’re going to want to make sure that your laptop of choice has a decent graphics card. While you might not need the highest tier graphics card on the market to run Skyrim, or some of the mods even, if you’re ever looking to see what Skyrim looks like with Ray tracing, it’s always good to invest in a higher tier graphics card. While this may increase the price of the laptop, it will allow you to play the latest games on the market as they were meant to be played, and since most laptops can’t have their graphics cards easily swapped out, you will prepare yourself for years of gaming.
Now that you have a basic idea of what you’re looking for, let’s get into the laptops themselves. We’ve scoured the internet to find the best laptops for Skyrim, taking into consideration things like price range, memory, graphics card, and more to ensure you’re getting the best of the best. But don’t just take our word for it; we’ve also made a point to review user input, taking into consideration things like customer reviews and overall satisfaction to ensure you will be satisfied with your purchase. Without further ado, let’s get into the laptops.
Best Laptops for Skyrim
1. Acer Predator Helios 300
Forget just playing Skyrim, this laptop can play pretty much anything. Not only are we talking about a 15.6-inch full HD display, a 16 GB DDR4, and a 256 GB SSD, but this laptop also features an advanced cooling system specifically made to increase airflow and keep your computer functioning at peak capacity for longer during marathon gaming sessions. And trust us, if you’ve never played Skyrim before, get ready to write away an entire weekend to just the first area. Like any good gaming computer, this comes with a backlit keyboard to help you take on those late-night gaming sessions, without getting too confused over button inputs. As a bonus, this laptop comes with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card. For those not in the know about graphics cards, this is a decent card for a gaming laptop, especially for this price point. It’s honestly hard to find anything better on the market.
Like with any top item on our lists, we like to let the customers speak for themselves, and with over 2,500 positive ratings on Amazon, this laptop can sing its praises to the cows come home. AS one satisfied customer noted, “Laptop performs great. You’ll be able to run pretty much any AAA title at Max – Ultra at reasonable frame rates. Cooling much better than the 2018 model and I didn’t notice any thermal throttling.” If you’re looking for a laptop that’s more than capable of running Skyrim, as well as some of the best games on the market today, you’ll want to invest in an Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop.
- 9th Generation Intel Core i7 9750H 6 Core Processor (Up to 4.5GHz) with Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Graphics with 6GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM
- 15.6 inches Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED backlit IPS Display (144Hz Refresh Rate, 3ms Overdrive Response Time, 300nit Brightness and 72 percentage NTSC)
- 16GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory, 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD (2 x PCIe M.2 Slots; 1 Slot Open for Easy Upgrades) and 1 Available Hard Drive Bay
- Backlit Keyboard; LAN: Killer Ethernet E2500 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN; Wireless: Killer DoubleShot Pro Wireless AC 1550 802. 11ac; 4th Gen All Metal AeroBlade 3D Fan
2. Asus ROG Strix Scar II
From the get-go, it’s clear that this is a gaming laptop that means business. A 17-inch screen with full HD graphics, as well as 16 GB of ram and a 512 GB SSD means that this computer can help you dominate any game. The customizable RGB keyboard with isolated WASD keys allows you to hone your accuracy while playing games, without straining your eyes. Even with its intense processing power, this laptop is thinner than many other gaming laptops on the market and can take several hours of gameplay without overheating. If you’re looking for one of the best laptops to play Skyrim, this laptop is easily one of the best choices out there.
With over 300 positive reviews, it’s easy to see why customers are head-over-heels for this laptop. As one customer said, “This laptop has decent specs and a very good responsive screen. If you play FPS games, then this laptop should do well enough for you.” They also noted that this laptop can achieve decent FPS on multiplayer at medium-high settings and can be adjusted to reach an even higher period. Of course, this isn’t necessary for the average Skyrim player or anyone looking to play casual games, but if you are a serious gamer it’s worth considering. Overall, this is a great laptop for both the intro and experienced gamer.
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6
- Intel Core i7 8750H Hexa Core Processor
- 144hz 3ms 17.3” FHD (1920x1080) IPS Type display
- 16GB DDR4 2666Mhz RAM | 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD | Windows 10 Home
- 802.11ac Wave 2 Gigabit WiFi | Quad Antennas and ROG RangeBoost technology provides up to 30% wider coverage.Bluetooth 5.0
3. HP Omen
Anyone who looks for laptops is familiar with the HP brand, and for good reason. This gaming laptop features 32 GB of ram, 512 GB SSD, and a 15-inch screen, allowing you to play the latest and greatest games at high quality. 32 GB of RAM is more than enough to play modded Skyrim and ensures that you’re not sitting there squinting at your graphics card wondering why your computer is making a weird humming noise. This laptop focuses on processing power, meaning it might be a little overkill for those looking to just play Skyrim, but is a great investment for the serious gamer. This laptop also features upgradeable memory with accessible memory slots, allowing you to customize your laptop for your storage needs. There are also backlit directional keys so you can spend less time trying to figure out your inputs and more time beating the boss.
We’re not kidding when we say this laptop focuses on performance as its key selling point. As one reviewer noted, “I just want to start and say I’m impressed that I was able to stream live on twitch using OBSlabs overlays, playing league of legends, playing Spotify, and using discord while maintaining 120-144 fps at the highest graphics.” It’s hard to pass up a computer that can do all that without breaking a sweat.
- Cutting-edge gaming performance: play The latest games, including Fortnight, PUBG, and Overwatch, from anywhere—without sacrificing performance.
- Super Fast Processor: 8th Generation intel(r) core(tm) i7-8750H Processor, 6-Core, 2.2GHz up to 4.1GHz for top gaming performance.
- Beautiful graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8 GB GDDR5 dedicated). 15.6-Inch diagonal FHD IPS Anti-Glare micro-edge WLED-backlit (1920 x 1080) with 144Hz refresh rate.
- HP OMEN command center: easily turn up your performance with included software that enables control over your CPU overclocking settings and prioritizes your gaming traffic to minimize latency.
- Memory: 32 GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM (upgradable with 2 accessible Memory Slots). 512 GB PCIe nvmetm M.2 SSD.
4. Microsoft Surface Laptop
This entry is a little further down our list because it’s not technically a gaming laptop. Sure, it does feature both 16 GB of ram, Intel Core I7, and 512 GB of memory, but it does come up a little shy when it comes to the fan capabilities you’d see in other gaming laptops. However, this tradeoff means that you get a lighter laptop that’s perfect for traveling, as well as using for other projects. And this laptop can easily play Skyrim without even breaking a sweat, allowing you to bring your favorite games with you on the go.
This laptop boasts 14.5 hours of video playback on a single charge, mini you could watch a good chunk of the Marvel extend the universe of films or play Skyrim for that length of time. The trackpad is meant to be responsive and lightweight, so it is worth noting that hardcore gamers may find the key inputs a little too sensitive for their needs. However, as one reviewer noted, “It looks and feels like a solid midrange laptop for everyday use. The design is sleek and simple, I was disappointed with the fact that it is difficult to find a simple laptop that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. All in all, I liked the laptop, a lot!” If you’re looking for quality, you want the Microsoft Surface Laptop (1st Gen).
- Microsoft Surface Laptop features a 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 512 GB of storage, 16 GB RAM, and up to 14.5 hours of video playback
- Backed by the best of Microsoft, including Windows and Office and aspect ratio is 3:2, 3.4 million pixels
- Four tone-on-tone color combinations. Exterior has aluminum casing
- Natural typing and trackpad experience, Ultra-thin and light
- Luxurious Alcantara fabric-covered keyboard. 3.5 mm headset jack
5. Dell G5
It’s hard to go wrong with a Dell. this laptop is made for performance and comes in at the mid-range as far as gaming laptops go. It has an 8 GB memory, 128 GB SSD, and 1 TB HDD. For those not that interested in technical jargon, that means that you can play and store more of your favorite games while on the go. This laptop is on the thicker side, but most gaming laptops are made to take a bit of keyboard punishment, meaning that added bulk is worth the added price. Even with a bit of a thicker casing, this gaming laptop still manages to look sleek while offering you your favorite games on an anti-glare display that will help you enjoy your favorite games clearer than ever.
One of the main things to consider when looking at this laptop is it does have less memory than some of the others in the market and doesn’t offer as many features as some of the other gaming laptops on this list. But if you’re not looking for a flashy laptop, and you could care less about RGB lights or a backlit keyboard, this is a great gaming laptop that’s sure to please.
- 8th Generation Intel Core i5 8300H Processor (quad core, 8MB Cache, up to 3.9 gigahertz w/Turbo Boost)
- 8GB 2666 megahertz DDR4 up to [32GB], (additional memory sold separately)
- 128 GB (SSD) Boot + 1 TB 5400 RPM [SATA] HDD Storage
- 15.6 Inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Anti Glare, LED Backlit Display
- Be more productive. Windows 10 is the best for bringing ideas forward and getting things done
6. Lenovo E570
While not technically a gaming laptop, the Lenovo E570 High-Performance Laptop Offers you many of the same advantages of a gaming laptop without the price point. This laptop features 16 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD, and a full HD 15.6-inch display so you can see modded Skyrim in all its glory. While this laptop might not be able to take on the latest ray tracing technology, the graphics card is nothing to scoff at, and the lighter weight design allows you to bring this laptop with you with ease. This is a great all-around laptop is made to tackle both work and play in one convenient device. All in all, this is a great high-quality laptop, and even includes a disk drive, something that’s becoming harder and harder to find in laptops. If you’re looking to take your gaming to the next level, it’s worth checking out the Lenovo E570 High-Performance Laptop, especially if you’re someone who likes to use your laptop for more than one purpose.
7. Acer Aspire 5 Slim
This is another laptop that isn’t technically a gaming laptop but can easily play Skyrim (and many of the other Elder Scrolls games) without an issue. One of the largest upsides of looking at non-gaming laptops is that you dodge some heftier price tags, while still getting decent specs for your price. This laptop is slim, sleek, and features a backlit keyboard, all great things for a gaming laptop that can easily make the transition from your workday to your weekend. It is worth noting that this laptop does only have 120 GB SSD and doesn’t boast the same high-end graphic cards as some of the other options on their list. However, if you’re looking for a great low-price laptop that can play some of your favorite games without issue, the Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop is a great option to consider.
There are plenty of upsides to talk about when discussing this laptop, but one satisfied customer got most of the bullet points with their review, noting, “The keyboard backlight stays on while you’re typing, shuts off when you aren’t. Perfectly configured. This boots in about 15 seconds. It has some heft but is still very light. Hard to describe, but you can carry this all day in your backpack and not even know it is there.” If you’re looking for a laptop you can take on the go, go with the Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop.
- Aspect Ratio:16:9
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual Core Processor (Up to 3.5GHz); 4GB DDR4 Memory; 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- 15.6 inches full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED backlit IPS display; AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics
- 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, 2 USB 2.0 ports & 1 HDMI port with HDCP support
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Backlit Keyboard; Up to 7.5 hours battery life
8. Lenovo Legion Y7000
How can you pass up a gaming laptop that offers 1 TB HDD and 120 GB SSD? For the average layman, that means that you can store a ton of games, as well as any pictures, movies, or anything else you want to keep on your laptop. The anti-glare screen allows you to enjoy the enhanced graphics of your favorite games without worrying about whether you remember to close the curtains in your room. This laptop is a little further down on our list mainly because it doesn’t feature the illuminated keyboard that’s one of the other options available have. This laptop also doesn’t feature as intense a cooling system as some of the other gaming laptops on the market, meaning you could run the risk of overheating should you find yourself in the middle of a marathon gaming session. However, don’t let this turn you off from this laptop, as it is a great investment made by an incredible laptop company that’s sure to please gamers from beginners to professionals.
- POWERFUL GAMING LAPTOP: The Lenovo Legion Y7000 gaming laptop comes with an Intel Core i7-8750H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Discrete Graphics, 16 GB DDR4 RAM, 1 TB HDD + 128GB PCIe SSD and more.
- PRACTICAL PORTABILITY: At 1.1 inch thin and only 5.2 pounds, the Legion Y7000 gaming laptop was redesigned to deliver the ideal balance between epic gaming performance and practical portability
- FHD DISPLAY: Featuring bezels that are only 0.3 inches thin, the Y7000 Laptop rocks a 15.6" FHD display, 300 nits of brightness, and brings your games to life
- BACKLIT KEYBOARD: Legion Y7000 is equipped with a full-sized, white backlit and high-response keyboard and number pad to your hands with 1.7 mm of key travel for the most ergonomic and comfortable gaming experience
- 60 FPS AND BEYOND: Lenovo gaming laptop comes specced with the latest generation Intel processors, NVIDIA discrete graphics, DDR4 memory and more, all optimally cooled via a reengineered dual-channel cooling system
How to make Skyrim run better on a laptop
If you are using an older or lower-spec laptop, you may need to make some adjustments to make Skyrim playable. Watch this video to see how to make Skyrim run well on your laptop:
Conclusion
When are you looking to experience the original Majesty of Skyrim, or looking to see how many mods you can fit in a single game, choosing the right gaming laptop can help you accomplish your goals. That’s why we’ve compiled from the best laptops on the market, so you can shop with confidence knowing you are getting the best technology available for your needs.