The Best 14" Gaming Laptops Right Now

Summary

This video compares top 14-inch gaming laptops, evaluating their displays, performance, battery life, and value. The review covers models like the ASUS Zephyrus G14, Razer Blade 14, Lenovo Legion Slim 5, Acer Helios Neo4, and others. Key highlights include display quality (with the Blade 14 taking top honors), performance differences driven by power limits, and battery efficiency, with the Tough A14 and G14 leading in battery life. While the Legion Slim 5 is praised for its price-to-performance balance, the Omen Transcend 14 falls short on value. The video ultimately recommends waiting for newer 2024 models for the best experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Razer Blade 14 features the best display with superior brightness, color accuracy, and a high refresh rate, earning it an S-tier ranking.
• 😀 The ASUS G14 and Legion Slim 5 offer great displays with excellent color accuracy, but the Neo4 has a higher Delta E value (1.42), which may affect color-critical work.
• 😀 Razer Blade 14 is the only laptop in this roundup with upgradeable memory, allowing configurations up to 96GB.
• 😀 The Tough A14 and Legion Slim 5 offer dual M.2 storage slots, making them more upgradeable than the other models that feature only one M.2 slot.
• 😀 AMD's Zen 5 architecture in the Tough A14 provides significant performance gains over older CPUs, while Intel's 13th-gen chips (e.g., Core i9 185H) deliver competitive performance.
• 😀 Graphics performance is heavily impacted by power limits, with the G14 falling behind despite its RTX 470, as its power is restricted compared to other laptops like the Legion Slim 5 and Tough A14.
• 😀 The Helios Neo4 delivers impressive gaming performance with a higher GPU power ceiling (115W), outpacing competitors like the Blade 14 in certain titles despite design limitations.
• 😀 Battery life is best in the Tough A14 and G14, both of which outperform the other laptops in light load tests, with the G14 providing the best balance overall.
• 😀 The Blade 14 has the worst battery life in the roundup, lasting just over 6 hours, making it less practical for users who prioritize long battery life.
• 😀 The Omen Transcend 14 underperforms due to power limitations (50W), despite its sleek design and integration with the HyperX Cloud 3 Series wireless headset, making it a poor value for its high price.
• 😀 The Legion Slim 5 offers the best value for money with solid performance at a competitive price, though its design is showing signs of aging and could use a refresh.

Q & A

Which laptop has the best display in this roundup?

The Razer Blade 14 features the brightest display with excellent color accuracy, earning it the S-tier ranking for its display.

What are the main differences between the G14 and other laptops in terms of display quality?

The G14 has an excellent display with good color accuracy, but it falls short in brightness compared to the Razer Blade 14 and struggles with outdoor visibility due to its glossy screen. It's ranked A-tier for its display.

How does the Neo4 perform in terms of color accuracy?

The Neo4 has a Delta E value of 1.42, which indicates poorer color accuracy compared to the other laptops in this roundup. Lower Delta E values are preferable for color-critical work like creative editing.

What makes the Razer Blade 14 unique in terms of upgradeability?

The Razer Blade 14 stands out because it allows users to upgrade memory, with configurations up to 96 GB, unlike other laptops in the roundup where memory is soldered to the motherboard.

Which laptops in the roundup have expandable storage?

The Tough A14 and Legion Slim 5 feature two M.2 slots, allowing users to expand storage. Other laptops like the Blade 14 and G14 only offer a single M.2 slot.

What impact does power delivery have on gaming performance in these laptops?

Power delivery plays a crucial role in gaming performance. For example, the Omen Transcend 14 performs poorly due to being limited to 50W, while laptops like the Legion Slim 5 and Tough A14 perform much better because they deliver higher power to the GPU.

Which laptop offers the best gaming performance in this roundup?

The Helios Neo4 offers impressive gaming performance for its price, matching or even surpassing the Razer Blade 14 in certain games due to its higher GPU power levels.

How do the battery lives of these laptops compare?

The Tough A14 and G14 lead in battery life, performing well even under light loads. The Blade 14 has the worst battery life, lasting just over 6 hours in heavier tasks. The Neo4 struggles with battery life despite having a large battery.

What is the general price-to-performance value of the Tough A14 compared to other laptops?

The Tough A14 offers near-top-tier performance at a significantly lower price than the Razer Blade 14, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious gamers who still want solid performance.

Why is the Omen Transcend 14 considered not worth the price?

The Omen Transcend 14 is considered not worth its price because it suffers from poor power delivery (only 50W), resulting in underwhelming performance for its $1800 price tag. Despite a good design and features, it doesn't justify the cost.