In November 2019 this great open-world action-adventure game was finally released for Windows operating system.
I compiled a list of the 5 best laptops for Red Dead Redemption 2 so you can enjoy the game without any stuttering and lagging. Or maybe some other game if you get bored with the game.
First, of course, it depends on the budget you are willing to spend on a new gaming machine. Second, a good starting point would be meeting at least the recommended system requirements. Why recommended and not minimum? Because minimum requirements are based on what developers define that games are playable at the lowest graphic settings values. Whereas the recommended requirements are what is needed to run a game with decent or highest graphical settings with a high enough frame rate for the best gaming experience.
1. Acer Predator Helios 300
2. MSI GL65 Leopard
3. Razer Blade 15
4. MSI GS66 Stealth
5. Gigabyte AORUS 15G
1. Acer Predator Helios 300
2. MSI GL65 Leopard
3. Razer Blade 15
4. MSI GS66 Stealth
5. Gigabyte AORUS 15G
Last update on 2024-04-20.
Red Dead Redemption 2 System Requirements
Minimum Specifications:
- OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 7 – Service Pack 1 (6.1.7601)
- PROCESSOR: Intel® Core™ i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300
- GRAPHICS: Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 2GB / AMD Radeon R9 280 3GB
- MEMORY: 8GB
- STORAGE: 150GB
Recommended Specifications:
- OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 10 – April 2018 Update (v1803)
- PROCESSOR: Intel® Core™ i7-4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
- GRAPHICS: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB
- MEMORY: 12GB
- STORAGE: 150GB
Source: https://www.rockstargames.com/reddeadredemption2/pc
What is the Best Laptop for Red Dead Redemption 2?
There is no “the best one”. Each one of the machines listed here would run the game just fine, smoothly without any stuttering. But as mentioned previously, it also depends on how much you willing to go spend. You cannot expect the same performance from the lowest budget laptop to the highest one. Obviously. 🙂
Regarding performance, it’s mainly all about how many frames per second a gaming laptop can output to the display.
About FRAMES PER SECOND (FPS):
What is FPS? It is the number of consecutive images produced onto the monitor each second. (Note: In gaming FPS also stands for First Person Shooter but this is not the case here.)
How many FPS is needed? – It is not yet known for sure how many FPS the human eye and brain can process. But they predict it could be around 200. The number of frames per second that is acceptable for gaming though is far lower. From bare minimum 25 FPS up to the limit of your screen*. If the FPS drop below 25, you are likely to notice considerable stuttering.
*By screen limit I mean its refresh rate. Nowadays there are even 300Hz (frames per second) monitors in the gaming scene. That “high refresh” rate monitors give a feeling of a more responsive overall experience. The game type can also be a factor. If you play online competitive games you get an advantage over your opponents who have regular 60Hz displays. Basically, more frames, earlier and more you see than. 🙂
A great explanation here on this video from Nvidia:
Of course, a CPU & GPU must be able to maintain enough frames per second (possibly up to screen limit) to make it a difference.
The recommended GPU for Red Dead Redemption 2 is “Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB”. According to the performance chart on Videocard Benchmarks website, to be on a safe side, it’s recommended for a laptop to have at least RTX 2070 (standard or with Max-Q design).
Considering CPU, there’s really not an issue as today’s laptop specs are well above the 4th generation of an Intel Core i7. So this is nothing to be worried about.
Acer Predator Helios 300
Key Components:
PROCESSOR: i7-10750H • GRAPHICS: GeForce RTX 2060 • MEMORY: 16GB DDR4 • DISPLAY: 15.6″, 144Hz, Full HD, IPS • STORAGE: 512GB NVMe SSD
Acer Predator Helios 300 - 2020 offers a lot for its price. You can play most of the latest games without a problem as it has a powerful RTX 2060 6GB GPU. With extra storage slots, you can easily upgrade for more disk space. It also has a screen refresh rate of 144Hz.PROS / CONS
✔ Price/performance
✔
✖ Battery life
Last update on 2024-04-20.
Gameplay Example:
An example how Red Dead Redemption 2 runs on the Acer Predator Helios 300 (10th Gen. i7, RTX 2060):
MSI GL65 Leopard
Key Components:
PROCESSOR: i7-10750H • GRAPHICS: GeForce RTX 2070 • MEMORY: 16GB DDR4 • DISPLAY: 15.6″, 144Hz, Full HD, IPS-Level • STORAGE: 512GB NVMe SSD
MSI GP65 Leopard is an excellent all-around “jack of all trades” gaming laptop. While the chassis looks and feels a bit cheaply made, the hardware inside is excellent for the money. Considering the price, the Full HD LG display is phenomenal. Response times are very quick, and the 144 Hz refresh rate makes the gameplay look beautifully smooth at higher framerates.PROS / CONS
✔
✔
✖ Weak speakers
Last update on 2024-04-20.
Razer Blade 15
Key Components:
PROCESSOR: i7-10875H • GRAPHICS: GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q • MEMORY: 16GB DDR4 • DISPLAY: 15.6″, 144Hz, Full HD, IPS • STORAGE: 512GB NVMe SSD
Razer Blade 15 packs lots of power with the 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, high-end graphics with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, and a fast 144Hz FHD matte display for an obscene competitive advantage in high-FPS games. All this performance is packed into in a durable, precision-crafted aluminum chassis that remains as compact as ever at 0.7-inches thin.PROS / CONS
✔ Attractive aluminum chassis
✔ Huge battery life
✖ Relative expensive
Last update on 2024-04-20.
MSI GS66 Stealth
Key Components:
PROCESSOR: i7-10750H • GRAPHICS: GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q • MEMORY: 32GB DDR4 • DISPLAY: 15.6″, 300Hz, Full HD, IPS • STORAGE: 512GB NVMe SSD
The MSI GS66 Stealth is a strong player in this field, with a nice build and high-end features that match its high price. It’s a reasonably portable, high-performing machine.
It has plenty of advanced features and will perform at very high frame rates in all games. The price tag is quite high, though, so I can only recommend it to hardcore enthusiasts with big budgets.
PROS
✔ Impressive 300Hz display
✔ Plenty of ports
✔ Sturdy but portable metal build
CONS
✖ Relative small storage for the price
Last update on 2024-04-20.
Gigabyte AORUS 15G
Key Components:
PROCESSOR: i7-10875H • GRAPHICS: GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q • MEMORY: 16GB DDR4 • DISPLAY: 15.6″, 240Hz, Full HD, IPS • STORAGE: 512GB NVMe SSD
The Aorus 15G is a well-designed laptop with outstanding performance, that’s for sure. It’s quite an investment, but a smart one if your pockets allow you. From the mechanical keyboard to the cooling system, packing the latest CPUs (10th Generation H-Series) from Intel and GPUs (GeForceRTX Super) from Nvidia, the Aorus 15G is a winner of gaming laptops to date.PROS / CONS
✔ Mechanical keyboard
✔ Strong graphics and overall performance
✔ Long battery life
✖ Aggressive design (for some may actually be a Pro)
✖ Awkward webcam placement
Last update on 2024-04-20.
Conclusion
All these laptops would run Red Dead Redemption 2 just fine. Staying within the reasonable game settings for specific GPU you can enjoy playing the game smoothly. If you have a large budget to spend then go for some high-end laptop listed here and crank the graphics settings up to the roof. Otherwise, the RECOMMENDED machine is a great deal and compensation between price and performance.
Have fun playing the game!
Take care! 🙂