Best Thunderbolt 4 Gaming Laptops

Gaming laptops offer high-end specifications, so you can play the most demanding games without missing a desktop computer. A good gaming laptop multi-core processor, superfast RAM, a dedicated GPU, and plenty of storage so that you have a self-contained computer without the need for external appendages.

However, most gaming laptops fail to offer an immersive visual display that delivers stunning images and elevates your gaming experience. A gaming laptop with Thunderbolt 4 helps resolve this issue and does more to ensure you get the best gaming experience money can buy.

Thunderbolt 4 supports up to 8K displays, the best you can get with the prevailing display standards and technology. But that is still a far cry from mainstream monitors that offer a 5K display at best. Nonetheless, you could set up a dual-4K monitor configuration or rely on a curved widescreen display with a 5K resolution for that immersive experience. While the setup may seem complicated, Thunderbolt 4 also supports daisy-chaining and makes installing a dual-4K setup super convenient.

Additionally, a Thunderbolt 4 gaming laptop lets you connect external SSD storages that allow you to maintain a gaming library on a portable drive. Using a Thunderbolt SSD, you can install and play your favorite games off the external drive thanks to the 40Gbps data transfer speed that Thunderbolt technology supports.

Furthermore, Thunderbolt 4 offers Power Delivery of 100W so that your gaming laptop can draw power from your Thunderbolt monitor while you enjoy endless hours of gaming fun.

On the downside, gaming laptops tend to be power-hungry because they need a heavy-duty cooling mechanism to keep them going and a dedicated GPU that plays a vital part in delivering premium gaming graphics. Thus, these laptops are also bulkier and heavier, making them difficult to carry around everywhere you go.

Nevertheless, they are excellent machines that offer plenty of fun, and you won’t realize the hours go by while gaming on these self-contained gaming devices.

The market is flooded with gaming laptops, so we have rounded up the best Thunderbolt 4 gaming laptop out there. We’ll compare them and review the pros and cons that each one has to offer. Next, we will present our buying guide that will list the parameter you must use to judge which laptop is best for you. Before we finish, we will answer some frequently asked questions about Thunderbolt 4 gaming laptops.

Comparison of the Best Thunderbolt 4 Gaming Laptops

Image	Product	Details	Check Price
	MSI GE76 Raider-11UE-046	Display: 17.3" FHD (1920x1080) IPS Refresh rate: 144Hz CPU: Intel Core i7 GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 VRAM RAM: 16GB DDR4 Storage: 1TB SSD Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 4 2 x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 1 x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 1 x Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 1 x HDMI 1 x Mini DisplayPort 1.4 1 x RJ45 1x SD Card Reader 1 x 3.5mm Audio Jack	Buy on Amazon
	ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16	Display: 16" WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS Refresh rate: 165Hz CPU: Intel Core i7 GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 RAM: 16GB DDR5 Storage: 512GB SSD Ports: 1x Thunderbolt 4 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C 1x HDMI 2.0b 1x RJ45 LAN port 1 x SD Card Reader 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack	Buy on Amazon
No products found.	No products found.	Display: 17.3" FHD (1920x1080) IPS Refresh rate: 360Hz CPU: Intel Core i7 GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6 RAM: 64GB DDR4 Storage: 1TB SSD Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 1 x HDMI 1 x mini-DisplayPort 1 x USB 3.2 Type-C Gen2 1 x Micro SD Reader 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack	No products found.
	Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop	Display: 15.6" 4K UHD IPS Refresh rate: 144Hz CPU: Intel Core i9 GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti RAM: 32GB DDR5 Storage: 1TB SSD Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2‎ 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x UHS-III Card Reader 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack	Buy on Amazon
	Acer Predator Helios 300	Display: 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) IPS Refresh rate: 144Hz CPU: Intel Core i7 GPU: NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 RAM: 32GB DDR4 Storage: 1TB SSD Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 4 3 x USB-A 3.2 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x mini-DisplayPort 1.4 1 x RJ-45 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack	Buy on Amazon
	HP OMEN - 16.1	Display: 16.1" FHD (1920x1080) IPS Refresh rate: 144Hz CPU: Intel Core i7 GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 RAM: 16GB DDR4 Storage: 512GB SSD Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 4 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen1 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x mini-DisplayPort 1 x RJ-45 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack	Buy on Amazon
	MSI Stealth 15M Gaming Laptop	Display: 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) IPS Refresh rate: 144Hz CPU: Intel Core i7 GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 RAM: 16GB DDR4 Storage: 512GB SSD Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 2 x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 1 x HDMI 1x SD Card Reader 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack	Buy on Amazon
	ASUS TUF Dash 15	Display: 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) IPS Refresh rate: 144Hz CPU: Intel Core i7 GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 RAM: 16GB DDR5 Storage: 512GB SSD Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.0b 1 x RJ45 LAN port 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack	Buy on Amazon

Best Thunderbolt 4 Gaming Laptops – Our Pick

1. MSI GE76 Raider-11UE-046 – Best Overall

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The MSI GE76 Raider laptop series offers an exhaustive list of gaming features and combines this with fantastic aesthetics. The 11UE-046 model offers an excellent set of specifications that allows you to play some of the most demanding games.

The GE76 Raider has a 17-inch IPS panel with a FullHD display in a 16:9 aspect ratio. You get a 144Hz refresh rate that ensures minimal motion blur, and the video doesn’t appear choppy while playing the latest Grand Theft Auto.

The 11UE-046 comes with the 11^th generation Intel Core i7-11800H processor (8-Core, 24MB Cache, and up to 4.60GHz clock speed). The laptop has 16GB DDR4 RAM and offers a 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD for storage. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU handles the graphics well with a 6GB GDDR6 VRAM.

The laptop offers a cooling solution for the CPU and GPU for efficient thermal management. These include large dual fans that help increase the airflow and ventilate the computer. It also uses multiple heat pipes that enhance heat dissipation and keeps the processors running smoothly.

The GE76 Raider laptop series offers eye-catching aesthetics thanks to the elaborate RGB lighting system. It includes an RGB backlit keyboard and additional lighting along the laptop’s front edge.

MSI does a great job with gaming acoustics by offering a dual 2W speaker and dual 1W woofers. Thus, even if you don’t use a pair of headphones, you will be assured of an immersive audio experience.

Our Take

The MSI GE76 Raider 11UE-046 is an excellent laptop for entry-level to mid-level gaming. It bundles everything a gamer needs into one laptop and makes the package attractive by offering a dazzling lighting setup, which you can customize to gameplay.

2. ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 – Laptop with DDR5 RAM and 12^th Generation Intel CPU

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The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 provides the latest CPU and RAM technology. So, not only do you get the best technology, but you also get to future-proof your setup without worrying about upgrades for the foreseeable future.

The M16 features a 16-inch WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS panel display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and offers a 165Hz refresh rate with a response time of 3ms. The display supports Adaptive-Sync, which is handy while playing games with varying demands for refresh rate. Pantone Validate display covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut to ensure the images look vibrant and lifelike.

Asus offer this variant of the M16 with the 12^th generation Intel Core i7-12700H processor (14-Core, 24MB Cache, and 4.70GHz clock speed). It also has 16GB DDR5 RAM that uses PCIe 5.0 and delivers unmatched performance. For storage, you get a 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD, which is enough, but some avid gamers may like to scale this up or settle for a portable SSD. Additionally, the M16 uses the popular NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB GDDR6 VRAM to handle graphics.

The Asus M16 uses a multi-layered thermal management system that includes two 84-blade Arc Flow Fans™ that help to ventilate the system. The system includes six heat pipes that help dissipate the heat and targeted airflow with internal blast cooling for specific components.

Like the MSI GE76 Raider, the M16 also lays great emphasis on the audio output of the laptop. Asus offers a six-speaker setup with two 2W woofers and two 2W tweeters. Of course, these are no comparison to the external units, but they are an excellent addition as far as laptops go.

Asus offers plenty of expansion ports to ensure that you can connect all your peripheral devices. It also provides Wi-Fi 6E and an Ethernet port for high-speed network connectivity.

Our Take

The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 offers the best that technology has to offer with the 12^th generation Alder Lake CPUs and DDR5 RAM. Hence, it is perfect for users looking for a laptop to future-proof their setup and play the latest games.

3. No products found. – Best Refresh Rate

The Dell Alienware x17 R1 is a gaming beast that offers an unbeatable refresh rate and pairs this with high-end specifications. This means you can play the most fast-paced games on the market, and you won’t face issues like screen tearing or motion blur.

The x17 comes with a 17.3-inch FullHD IPS panel display and 16:9 aspect ratio. Its 360Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time ensure no motion blur or ghosting and help deliver an immersive gaming experience. Further, its 100% sRGB color gamut delivers realistic color representations, and its low blue light technology ensures no color distortion and eye strain even during extended gaming sessions.

The x17 R1 offer plenty of processing power with its Intel Core i7-11800H processor (8-Core, 24MB Cache, and up to 4.70GHz clock speed). You also get a massive 64GB DDR4 RAM and the 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD provides plenty of storage for all your games. The x17 features a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM. Hence, it doesn’t matter whether you play Halo Infinite or God of War; you have enough processing power that delivers an immersive experience in single-play or multiplayer mode.

The Alienware x17 also offers a top-of-the-line cooling system to ensure that your gaming session doesn’t face any downtime because of overheating. As opposed to other gaming laptops, the x17 uses four fans to enhance airflow and help ventilate the system. Additionally, Alienware uses Element31™, a gallium-silicon thermal interface material that dissipates heat from the CPU, ensuring that the CPU delivers high-performance consistently.

The laptop comes with plenty of I/O ports that are located on the side and rear panels. Alienware follows its unmistakable branding on the lid and around the computer, which screams Alienware. And the laptop offers an RGB backlit keyboard that enhances the overall gaming vibe.

Our Take

In the past, high-performance gaming has been synonymous with Alienware. The Alienware x17 R1 tries to reclaim that by offering high-performance specifications that allow you to play the game of your choice. The 360Hz refresh rate is evidence of that. However, Alienware pricing has always been on the higher end of the spectrum, and the x17 is not different. So, users who are into serious gaming and don’t mind splurging on a laptop that delivers performance will love the Alienware x17.

4. Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop – Thunderbolt 4 Gaming Laptop with 4K Display

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The Razer Blade 15 combines a 4K display with excellent specifications that ensure you don’t feel the need for external components.

The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch 4K UHD IPS panel display that offers a 144Hz refresh rate. And when your game demands a higher refresh rate, you can scale down the resolution to 1080p, allowing you a refresh rate of 360Hz, perfect for AAA titles. Further, the 4ms response time ensures no ghosting, and the 100% DCI-P3 color gamut helps deliver lifelike color representations.

The Razer Blade 15 offers tremendous firepower with the 12^th generation Intel Core i9-12900H processor (14-Cores, 24MB Cache, and up to 5GHz clock speed). With the support for PCIe5, you also get a colossal 32GB DDR5 RAM that handles memory function efficiently. For storage, you get a 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD which is good, but you would expect more considering the price. The laptop comes with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti with 16GB GDDR6 VRAM, and playing intensive games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Rainbow Six Siege isn’t challenging.

The laptop uses vapor chamber cooling technology that helps keep the processor from overheating. It also uses larger fans and heat pipes that help to circulate the airflow and dissipate the heat around integral components.

Lastly, the Razer Blade 15 offers plenty of I/O ports to connect peripheral devices, but you will feel the absence of an Ethernet port for LAN gaming sessions.

Our Take

The Razer Blade 15 is the best choice when you want a self-contained high-end gaming laptop and don’t want to use an external monitor. However, high-end also means expensive, and not everyone can afford the hefty price tag of the Razer Blade 15.

5. Acer Predator Helios 300 – Best Mid-Range Laptop

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The Acer Predator Helios 300 is an excellent mid-range laptop that offers good value for money. You get an Intel Core i7- processor (8-Core, 24MB Cache, and up to 4.60GHz clock speed). There is a generous 32GB DDR4 RAM, and you also get a 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD storage. The laptop comes with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB GDDR6 VRAM, allowing you to play AAA titles easily.

The laptop features a 15.6-inch FullHD IPS panel display that offers a 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. So, the screen won’t let you down and you can enjoy your favorite games without any image distortion. The screen supports 300nits brightness and covers 112% of the DCI-P3 color gamut to deliver bright and beautiful colors.

The Helios 300 follows a two-pronged approach for heat management that includes its AeroBlade™ fan and heat pipes. The AeroBlade™ fan increases airflow by 55% over regular fans, and the heat pipe helps dissipate the heat from critical components on the motherboard.

Finally, the laptop offers plenty of I/O ports, including an RJ-45 port for wired connectivity, and it provides Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity.

Our Take

The Helios 300 offers an excellent set of specifications at a reasonable price. Thus, making it the ideal choice for most gamers. You can enjoy even the most intensive games and save money on the deal.

6. HP OMEN-b0013dx – Thunderbolt 4 Gaming Laptop with Best Audio

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The HP Omen offers plenty for gaming enthusiasts and audiophiles. The laptop features audio by Bang & Olufsen, which complements the premium feel of this gaming laptop.

HP offers this laptop with a 16.1-inch FullHD IPS panel display, a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 7ms response time. The screen emits low blue light and provides a brightness of 300nits that helps reproduce vibrant displays.

The laptop comes with the 11^th generation Intel Core i7 processor (8-Core, 24MB Cache, and 4.60GHz clock speed), 16GB DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD for storage. And it has the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 with 6GB GDDR6 VRAM for graphics processing. Thus, it is better suited for entry-level to mid-level gaming and not so much for high-performance gaming.

Nonetheless, it is an excellent laptop with plenty of expansion ports, including Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, and a mini-DisplayPort. You can connect to high-speed networks using the 1 Gigabit Ethernet port. Unfortunately, you only get Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, which is disappointing, especially considering the price.

The HP Omen is not the most efficient laptop in terms of thermal management. It offers air vents on three sides and has a 5-way internal airflow network for cooling.

Our Take

The HP Omen is perfect for entry-level to mid-level gaming. High-performance gaming is primarily limited because of the inadequate 16GB RAM, and the 512GB storage will all be short when you want to install multiple titles. Nevertheless, the audio from Bang & Olufsen helps to deliver an excellent audio experience.

7. MSI Stealth 15M – Thin and Lightweight Gaming Laptop with Thunderbolt 4

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The MSI Stealth 15M offers a thin and lightweight chassis that is perfect for gamers who are forever on the go.

The laptop features a 15.6-inch FullHD IPS panel. So, you get excellent viewing angles ideal for when you are on the move. Further, the refresh rate of 144Hz ensures you enjoy games without distortions caused by motion blur.

The MSI 15M comes with an Intel Core i7-11375H processor (4-Cores, 12MB Cache, and up to 5GHz clock speed). You also get 16GB DDR4 RAM and a 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD for storage. These specifications are ideal for entry-level and mid-level gaming titles. High-performance gaming is rarely done on the go, so these specifications work well for lower-rated titles that you can enjoy while on a long flight.

Like the GE Raider, MSI offers the Stealth 15M with a dual 2W speaker that enhances the gaming experience. MSI also pays due attention to thermal management and provides the 15M with two fans and six heat pipes that play their part in keeping the system cool.

Our Take

Gaming laptops tend to be bulky and heavy; the MSI Stealth 15M is an exception that allows you to play mid-level games on a thin and lightweight laptop. Further, it comes at a pocket-friendly price, making the overall deal hard to ignore.

8. ASUS TUF Dash 15 – Best Budget Thunderbolt 4 Gaming Laptop

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Gaming laptops require expensive high-end specifications that enable you to play hardware-intensive games. The Asus TUF Dash 15 offers a pocket-friendly computer on which you can easily play mid-level games.

Asus offers this laptop with a 15-inch FullHD IPS panel display that offers a 144Hz refresh rate. The display offers a 62% sRGB color gamut, one of the reasons why the price of this laptop is considerably lower than competitors. You also get support for Adaptive-Sync, which helps tweak the gaming graphics.

The laptop features the 12^th generation Intel Core i7-12650H processor (10-Cores, 24MB Cache, and 4.7GHz clock speed). You also get 16GB DDR5 RAM and 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD that delivers suitable performance for mid-range gaming. The laptop also uses the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB GDDR6 VRAM to display stunning graphics.

Asus offers the TUF Dash 15 with its Arc Flow Fans™ that ventilates the system using four vents. Asus also uses five heat pipes to dissipate the heat from vital components like the CPU and GPU.

Our Take

The Asus TUF Dash 15 is an affordable laptop that most budding gamers love. It offers an excellent set of specifications that allow you to play mid-level games and future-proof your computing requirements.

Best Thunderbolt 4 Gaming Laptops – Our Buying Guide

Here are some key parameters to remember when buying a Thunderbolt 4 gaming laptop.

Specifications

The CPU, RAM, and storage are any computer’s three most essential components. Before deciding on the specifications, you must have a look at recommended requirements of the game you want to play and then finalize these parameters:

CPU

You need to ensure that the processor can handle the demands of the game. Most Intel-based gaming laptops come with the Inter Core i7 processor, which offers multiple cores, and you can get a CPU that offers up to 5GHz clock speed that ensures fast processing.

RAM

Even the most hardware-intensive games recommend a maximum of 16GB RAM. Sure, you should consider that, but gaming is not the only thing you need to provide. Several OS processes run in the background, and it is reasonable to assume that you would use your laptop for more than just gaming. Hence, you should provide for more than just the recommended requirements. A laptop with 32GB RAM will take care of present and future needs.

Storage

AAA titles can take up as much as 50GB of your computer’s storage space. So, providing enough storage for such games is essential, and anything less than 512GB would be too little. And if you are a gaming fanatic, you must look for a laptop that offers you an expandable memory.

All the laptops on our list offer plenty of firepower to allow you to play almost any game.

Display Panel

You must evaluate a display panel on these three parameters:

Size

Most gaming laptops offer a display size between 15″ and 17″. But bigger is not always better, and you must consider the other two factors.

Refresh Rate

You can only have an immersive gaming experience when there are no image distortions that take away from the visuals. Hence, it would be best to look for a display screen with a refresh rate of 144Hz. A high refresh rate ensures you don’t experience motion blur while playing fast-paced games.

Further, you must look for displays that offer low response time as it does away with ghosting resulting in sharper picture quality.

Resolution

From FullHD to 4K, there are several resolutions to choose from. While FullHD screens offer a refresh rate up to 360Hz, they are no match for the clarity the 4K screen provides. Needless to say, most laptops with 4K screens limit refresh rate to 144Hz.

GPU

A good gaming laptop must have a dedicated GPU. The NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3060 GPU is the most popular GPU in gaming laptops, and you won’t have a problem find. However, several laptops offer the RTX 3070 and RTX 3080, but they are expensive.

Cooling System

Gaming laptops use high-performance specifications that generate plenty of heat at peak performance. Hence, it becomes critical that the laptop provides an adequate cooling mechanism.

While fans and heat pipes are standard, laptops such as the Asus ROG M16 use a liquid-cooled system for efficient heat dissipation.

Ports

When you want to play your favorite games with a group of friends, you will need a Gigabit Ethernet port and superfast network connectivity. Unfortunately, not all gaming laptops offer a Gigabit Ethernet port. Hence, if you are into multiplayer gaming, ensure your laptop has an RJ-45 port supporting Gigabit Ethernet speeds.

Best Thunderbolt 4 Gaming Laptops – Frequently Asked Questions

What is VRAM in a GPU?

VRAM or Video RAM is a component of the GPU that stores graphics data. The GPU accesses this data to reproduce the fine image quality you see on the screen.

Why do gaming laptops generate excessive heat?

Gaming requires high processing levels that keep the CPU and GPU occupied at peak performance levels for long durations. It also requires frequent memory access using the RAM components. These constant operations generate plenty of heat. If the laptop doesn’t manage this heat well, it leads to a loss in performance and eventually will result in the computer hanging.

What is a MUX Switch?

The MUX Switch is a component of the GPU that allows it to demand higher refresh rates directly from the display screen without involving the CPU or the GPU. Thus, it is an efficient mechanism that enhances graphics performance.

Can I upgrade my laptop’s GPU?

No, you cannot upgrade a laptop’s GPU. There are several reasons for this, the primary being that removing your old GPU may damage the motherboard.

However, if your laptop has a Thunderbolt port, you could consider using an eGPU when you feel the need to upgrade the laptop’s GPU.