Ranking: Best gaming laptops reviewed by Notebookcheck

Asus has switched to Intel CPUs for the new ROG Zephyrus G14. Equipped with the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, it remains one of the most powerful 14-inch laptops on the market. In addition, the 120-Hz OLED display now achieves brightness levels of over 1,000 nits.

The only 14-inch gaming laptop featuring the powerful GeForce RTX 5070 Ti combined with the new OLED panel brings games to life on the screen with stunning quality.

You can purchase the 2026 version of the ROG Zephyrus G14 with the RTX 5070 Ti and Intel Core Ultra 9 at Computeruniverse for 3,300 euros.

With the new ROG Zephyrus Duo, a dual-screen gaming laptop powered by Intel’s Panther Lake CPUs and the GeForce RTX 5090, Asus takes the concept of the dual-screen convertible to a new level.

The new Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo GX651 is a unique product and could be a very interesting device for gamers, content creators, or heavy users. 

The new ROG Zephyrus Duo GX651 is already available for pre-order in the U.S. The RTX 5090 SKU with 32 GB of RAM costs $5,499 (approximately 4,675 euros). As of the time of this review, the model is not yet available in stores in Germany.

Apart from its high performance, the Legion 9 18IAX10 offers more RAM and SSD expansion options than rival 18-inch laptops like the Razer Blade 18, Alienware 18 Area-51 or MSI Titan 18 HX. It is quieter than many other options as well.

Although Lenovo's 18-inch Legion 9 came a little late to the 18-inch gaming party, it is easily one of the best devices in its size class.

The Legion 9 18IAX10 is currently available in the German-speaking market directly from Lenovo for ~5,400 euros, and from Amazon.de for ~5,499 euros. Both SKUs linked are equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090.

The Razer Blade 18 is one of the fastest gaming laptops and will be released in 2026 featuring Intel’s latest Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, paired with the well-known GeForce RTX 5090 and the dual-mode4K IPS display with a refresh rate of 240 or 440 Hz.

The Razer Blade 18 is once again among the fastest and quietest high-end gaming laptops available.

The 2026 Razer Blade 18, with 32 GB of RAM and a 2-TB SSD, is available on Amazon for 5,735 euros.

Since there are no new GeForce GPUs this year, the Arrow Lake Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and the 1,600p OLED display are the only two new features for the 2026 Alienware 16 Area-51. The new CPU is, in fact, up to 25 percent faster than the previous top-of-the-line model, the Core Ultra 9 275HX. Even more significant is the switch from an IPS to an OLED display.

The Arrow Lake Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and, above all, the new 1,600p OLED display make this year’s Alienware 16 Area-51 even better.

Dell Germany is now shipping the 2026 Alienware 16 Area-51 starting at 2,799 euros for the base configuration with the Core Ultra 9 275HX and RTX 5070, up to 4,549 euros or more for our configuration with the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and RTX 5080.
 

XMG's Apex 16 Max is a gaming laptop with a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti laptop GPU, a fast AMD Fire Range HX processor and a mini-LED panel resolving at 300 Hz.

The Apex 16 Max focuses on gaming performance, delivering convincing results. With the mini-LED panel, HDR gaming in particular is a lot of fun.

The current-gen XMG Apex 16 Max can be configured at Bestware for 2,099 euros or more.

The Raider 16 Max HX may be smaller than the massive Raider 18 or Titan 18, but it still prioritizes performance above all else. The Arrow Lake-HX CPU and the 175-W GPU are among the fastest options available regardless of laptop size, making the Raider 16 Max HX one of the fastest gaming solutions on the market. The glossy OLED display is equally impressive.
 

The new Raider 16 Max HX delivers an incredible level of performance, even when compared to most larger 18-inch gaming laptops.

The MSI Raider 16 Max HX with an RTX 5090 is currently available for 4,349 euros at notebooksbilliger.de. The version with an RTX 5080 costs 4,299 euros at Alternate.de.

The Razer Blade 16, previously exclusive to AMD, can now be configured with Intel CPUs, and the differences are sometimes striking. Faster RAM, better HDR support, slightly cooler core temperatures, and a more efficient CPU deliver improved gaming performance while retaining the same GeForce RTX 5090 GPU and unchanged chassis design. The battery deserves special mention, as it now lasts much longer.

In the 2026 model, very little has changed in principle. Many minor improvements and increased battery life result in a better overall system—though one for which you’ll pay an even higher price than you already do.

The Razer Blade 16 (2026) with a Core Ultra 9 386H, 32GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and a GeForce RTX 5090 is currently available at Alternate or Computeruniverse for just under 5,400 euros.

With the Fusion 16, XMG offers a slightly more powerful version of the familiar Core 16. The star of this show is the new OLED panel, offering outstanding picture quality and even more vivid images compared to the IPS display option.

Overall, the new XMG Fusion 16 is a good product. The OLED screen is worth it if you want the best picture quality.

The Fusion 16 can be ordered from XMG starting from 1,899 euros. Our test system costs around 2,700 euros due to being significantly more powerful.

Asus is updating its ROG Strix SCAR 18 G835LXG with the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX, a GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU, and an 18-inch 4K Mini-LED display with a 240 Hz refresh rate and 2,000 dimming zones. It also offers excellent serviceability thanks to simplified access to components and extensive customization options with AniME Vision and versatile RGB lighting.

The Asus ROG Strix SCAR 18 G835LXG is one of the most powerful gaming laptops currently on the market; CPU and GPU performance remain stable even under sustained load.