This is the best Dell gaming laptop you can buy

Three different color variants of the Dell G16 gaming laptop on a table. — Dell

The G-series of gaming laptops from Dell represent a balance between performance and affordability. While it is positioned below the Alienware gaming laptop lineup, it manages to incorporate some of the standout features from its more expensive counterpart. It takes inspiration from its pricier cousin in terms of design and build quality, and also offers commendable thermal and graphics performance.

The company officially unveiled the 2023 G-series back in January at CES, and if you have decided to purchase a new Dell gaming laptop, then we recommend going for the latest G16 7630.

The G16 looks compact for a 16-inch laptop, however, it is quite bulky. Built with a combination of aluminum and plastic, it weighs almost 3 kilograms, so it’s not the sleekest gaming notebook out there. But that is expected from most gaming laptops of this size. Currently, it is only available in a Metallic Nightshade color scheme, which includes shades of gray, with purple heat sinks that are visible through the rear air vents. The laptop also comes with an RGB backlit keyboard, and you can control the lighting and macros using the bundled Alienware Command Center software.

Dell G15 rear 3-quarter view. — Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

You get a healthy set of ports including three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port with DisplayPort functionality (Thunderbolt 4 on the RTX 4070 model), an HDMI 2.1 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and even an Ethernet port.

The laptop is available with a 16-inch QHD 16:10 display adorned with slim bezels. Dell is offering two options where you can choose between a 165Hz refresh rate or 240Hz. Personally, I think 165Hz is more than adequate unless you are an first-person shooter fanatic and every single frame matters to you. Like the overall design, the display here isn’t going to be as premium as something you might see on the higher-end Alienware gaming laptops. From what we know, the brightness of the display is limited to 300 nits, which isn’t all that impressive, but it’s not terriblr.

Dell definitely means business when it comes to performance. The G16 is available with Intel’s 13th Gen Core i7-13650HX or the Core i9-13900HX, both of which are extremely powerful CPUs. There is also the option to choose between the Nvidia RTX 4050, 4060, or 4070 mobile GPUs. Sadly, Dell has fixed combinations where you can only pair the 14-core Core i7-13650HX with the RTX 4050 or go for the i9-13900HX with either the RTX 4060 or the 4070.

Dell G15 (2023) sitting on a coffee table. — Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

If you can stretch your budget to $2,000, we highly recommend going for the top configuration with the RTX 4070 GPU, which will assure excellent gaming performance in demanding AAA gaming titles. This particular configuration also comes with 32GB of DDR5 memory and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. Have a limited budget of $1,500 or below? Then you should opt for the tier below that offers an RTX 4060 paired with the 24-core Core i9 CPU.

No matter which configuration you go for, the laptop comes with an additional SSD storage slot and non-soldered memory, essentially offering good user upgradeability options.

It is also important to mention that it’s more than a portable gaming machine, as the Dell G16 serves as an excellent desktop replacement. It comes with a robust build quality, a fast and sharp display, and powerful chips at its disposal. The only thing holding it back is its thick and bulky design, which is something that may or may not be a deal-breaker for you. Looking for something more premium, check out our recommendation of the best Alienware gaming laptop for 2023.

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