 are gaming laptops worth it in 2021? Gaming laptops couldn't compare 5 or 10 years ago against desktop PCs, but today you have to put that into consideration before buying a gaming device. First, let's look at convenience, then features, performance slash value, and a summary at the end. The first and most obvious advantage of a gaming laptop is portability. Portability is definitely better if you need a portable device to go to college, work, or travel. The reason I say it's much better now is because laptops are getting way more thin and they look like regular laptops more and more. This combined with being more efficient in performance and thermals make it an actual usable gaming laptop. Even something as small as the Legion 5 can play 1080p games at 60fps. It looks like it could fit in a backpack like a slim book. Next, let's move on to the most important segment, performance. So let's look at the Acer Nitro 5 for example. This thing is below $700 with an Intel i5 and an Nvidia 1650 GPU. For a desktop that costs around that, it could be packing a 1660 Ti and a Ryzen 5 3600. Desktops are just years ahead when it comes to value. You could double the performance just for having more space. Everything can be enlarged like the CPU, the GPU, and especially the fans. This is why laptops can't catch up. Their thermals will start throttling when there is no physical space. Laptop makers couldn't make them thicker but that would defeat the purpose of a portable laptop. Plus, they will also have to take into consideration the battery. Companies are making CPUs more efficient however, which is why laptop performance is still being increased in laptops. The value for performance in laptops have definitely increased exponentially over the years. Recommending a gaming laptop is easier than ever and some have been getting more and more worth it in 2021. Gaming desktops will always be better value when it comes to performance. Laptops come with a trackpad, keyboard, and monitor. On this you will have to buy and assemble it yourself if you buy a pre-built or PC parts. This leads to less wires, more portability, and less time wasted on setting it up. It has windows pre-installed without the watermark which is obviously a bonus. Finally, you can get a warranty which means that if there is any issue with the laptop, the brand can help you fix it. Customization is a nice option for desktops. Spending more money on the processor and less on storage is amazing. But again, laptops have extra features. So in conclusion, if you need a device for college, work, or travel, and you want to game along the way, I would say gaming laptops have never been more worth it to buy. They look nice, have great performance for the money, and offers really good portability. I think both desktop PCs and laptops have better value than consoles. In the next 20 or 30 years, I wouldn't be surprised if laptops are the more popular option for high performance gaming. They are getting more and more efficient. If you mainly stay at home and care more about performance and customizability, a desktop is a good place to spend your money. Both are really nice.