It is not a secret that Microsoft has put in massive efforts in creating improved Surface laptop models. They have developed models with better performance capabilities and enhanced specs, making the brand a force to reckon with in technology. The Surface Laptop 3 is one of the Surface series developed by Microsoft, capable to be used for various functions.
So, is Surface Laptop 3 good for gaming? The Surface Laptop 3 is a good option for gaming due to its excellent features that will make your gaming experience quite captivating. Its great keyboard and sleek design make it easy to handle while gaming. Furthermore, it has excellent performance capabilities that can handle a wide range of games.
The Surface Laptop 3 is known for its strong computing abilities. Therefore, if you are a gamer, read on for the features that make it a good pick.
Some of the features that make the Surface Laptop 3 good for gaming include its sizeable RAM (memory) and storage, excellent design and build, several ports and connectivity, and excellent battery life. All of these features make the Surface laptop 3 ideal for gaming, especially for certain games. As much as it is not class-leading in gaming, this beauty will give you a good playing experience.
RAM and storage are essential features for any device, and the Surface Laptop 3 seems to have got them right. It has 8 GB of RAM that is ideal for running a wide range of games. Even though this size isn’t exceptional, it is good enough to support your favorite games. There is also a 128 GB SSD storage that you can use to store downloaded games and folders.
Also, its solid-state hard drive interface operates at a remarkable 7200 RPM. This allows you to access your games and other folders as quickly as possible. It is also durable and won’t break down even after extended use. Also, if you need more storage for your games and files, all you have to do is use the laptop’s built-in OneDrive feature. This allows you to store them in the cloud safely.
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Another feature that makes the Surface Laptop 3 good for gaming is its design and build. As much as there aren’t extensive colossal changes in its system design, this laptop has an improved overall design that is good for gaming. It lacks the Thunderbolt 3 ports, which is a minor setback for gamers that like diversity. Nonetheless, you can opt for other alternatives that will enable you to enjoy your games. It also has a fast Intel Core i5 processor and a much more improved SSD.
With its adequate storage, the design is a perfect supplement that makes the Surface Laptop 3 a good gaming option. Furthermore, it has an “Instant On” feature that is good for professional tasks and gaming. Its system is secure and fast enough to handle several tasks at a go. The presence of a trackpad also makes it easy to navigate. In addition, the Surface Laptop 3 has better Wi-Fi connectivity standards, making it ideal for online gamers.
Apart from its outstanding design that is elegant, sleek, and clean, this laptop is also built to precision. It has a unique chassis design that keeps it light in weight. In fact, it weighs only 3.40 pounds thanks to the careful selection of its system’s innards. Therefore, you can easily carry it from one point to another, especially if you have designated gaming locations.
The Surface Laptop 3 is perfect for gaming, thanks to its ports and connectivity. As much as their number is limited, the system’s ports offer you several ways to link with external devices. The laptop comes with both USB Type-A and Type-C ports. Apart from allowing you to connect your external devices, these ports will also allow you to charge your accessories. This is an added advantage because some laptops don’t have that capability.
Furthermore, these ports offer you more accessible and advanced ways to connect to the improved studio mics and the all-important interactive touchscreen. This feature also allows users to wake on voice. The fact that surface laptop 3 has better connectivity than most devices makes it a reliable option. To get the best connectivity with this laptop, explore its Wi-Fi 6 compatible feature. This will help improve your gaming experience significantly.
Its good and long-lasting battery is also a stand-out feature. It uses a Lithium-ion battery that powers the laptop for long hours. As much as the battery life depends on how you use your laptop, it mostly lasts up to 12 hours. This is excellent battery life, especially for gamers that spend extended periods enjoying games.
When the battery dies, you won’t have to spend long hours waiting for it to charge because it has a rapid charging ability. It takes around an hour to get its battery to 80% when charging. This means that its battery is adequate and good enough to power it through long gaming sessions. However, you are warned not to leave your laptop connected to the charge after it’s fully charged; it can affect its capabilities.
When using a laptop to game, you are most likely to use the keyboard for directions. Keyboards play a role in determining how good the laptop is for gaming. This is why you should consider the Surface Laptop 3. It has a unique keyboard that not only makes gaming easier but also exciting. The buttons are spaced perfectly and are soft to press. They are also shaped uniquely to create room for your fingers. This laptop can also use a backlight keyboard for easier night gaming.
What Are the Cons of Using the Surface Laptop 3 as a Gaming Device?
As much as the Surface Laptop 3 has some features that can give you a good gaming experience, some can negatively affect it. As mentioned earlier, this laptop is not class-leading in gaming, and there are reasons for that.
Some of the cons of using the Surface Laptop 3 for gaming include its extreme screen resolution, inadequate display size, and problems with running some games. These setbacks can be pretty frustrating to the extent that some gamers don’t use this laptop for gaming at all. However, it is essential that you know them before making a decision; some setbacks could be easy to fix while others might not be.
Extreme screen resolution is one of the most significant setbacks of Surface laptop 3 when gaming. Even though it has a beautiful 2496 × 1664 display, it is hard to play some games with this resolution. Instead, you will have to opt for a lower resolution in the range of 1080p. This means that you won’t get much out of the laptop when it comes to gaming. To fix this problem, experts recommend that you plug in a monitor with lower screen resolution.
Another problem with the Surface Laptop 3 is its inadequate display size. Instead of a 16:9, this laptop has a 3:2 aspect ratio. In theory, this size can work, but not practically. Playing games on a device with a 3:2 display will most likely cause issues. Games like World of Warcraft sometimes fail to accept a 3:2 ratio, meaning their graphics will significantly be distorted.
You will also experience the same problem with Civilization VI, a game that won’t play completely on a 3:2 aspect ratio; it only plays on a 16:9 window. Unfortunately, this problem doesn’t only affect the latest games as older ones could have the same issues. You might have difficulties rebooting them or be restricted to playing them only in window mode.
This is why the Surface Laptop 3 can be quite problematic when it comes to gaming. As much as most modern games can play on various resolutions, you will still experience problems due to the smaller screen size. It is hard to find the 3:2 aspect ratio since most developers are creating games that run on a 16:9 aspect ratio.
The Surface Laptop 3 is also a disappointment for those that think it is speedy. Even though it has a fast performance, its speed could lag in some games. In simpler terms, its performance is far less than a typical gaming laptop’s. This laptop is far off the mark compared to major gaming laptops like Spectre X360 15, XPS 15, and MacBook Pro 15.
To make things worse, it is costlier than most of the top gaming laptops. This means that anyone looking to buy a gaming laptop will overlook it for better and cheaper options. However, the Surface laptop is an excellent option if you intend to use it for other purposes apart from gaming.
What Should I Consider When Buying a Gaming Laptop?
With the different screen sizes, processor options, and many other elements, buying a new gaming laptop can be challenging. When looking to buy a gaming laptop, you need to go for one with the best features on the market.
Some of the factors you should consider when buying a gaming laptop include the graphics processing unit, the keyboard, upgradability, and battery life. These features determine how good a gaming laptop is and its efficiency in running games. You need to scrutinize every feature before making your decision.
The GPU and CPU are a gaming machine’s performance drivers. These are vital parts of a gaming laptop, and you must ensure they meet the standards before purchasing one. If a gaming laptop has a good GPU and CPU, it will dish out a better overall performance. Today, the best gaming laptops have 10/11th Gen Intel Core-i7 processors. It would help if you also went for the best GPU devices that guarantee a good gaming experience. Experts also advise that you get a gaming laptop with a faster processing speed. This will help load games faster.
Another option you should consider when buying a gaming laptop is the keyboard. When gaming on a laptop, the keyboard is mostly the primary input method. This is most likely to be the case when playing strategy-based or shooting games. Therefore, it is important to consider vital aspects like actuation and key travel. You should also consider details like n-key rollover and anti-ghosting. These features are important because they help you press several buttons at once.
The recommended key travel distance is between 1.5mm and 2mm. Furthermore, it would help if you also considered keys that are not too hard or too soft to press. Backlighting is crucial when it comes to keyboards. Luckily, most gaming laptops come with some backlighting on their keyboards. Even though most of the keyboards feature a white/red backlight, some come with RGB lighting that is more effective. RGB lighting looks more relaxed and makes it easy to find keys when playing in the dark.
If you intend to upgrade your RAM in the future, you should consider getting an upgradable gaming laptop. Upgrading a gaming laptop’s RAM is highly recommended, especially when games are too big for it. Typically, a good gaming laptop should have at least 16GB of RAM. As much as this seems enough, games are getting bigger with time. Therefore, getting an upgradable gaming laptop is a good idea, especially if you intend to play many games.
The battery life is also an important factor to consider when buying a gaming laptop. In most cases, gaming machines are heavily resourceful and often empty the battery quickly. A good gaming laptop has a battery that lasts up to around 8 hours. However, the battery life shouldn’t be a factor to reject a gaming laptop because most of them don’t last beyond 8 hours. Therefore, you should be okay with anything between 6-8 hours, especially if it meets all the other requirements.
Final Word
The Surface Laptop 3 is a product of Microsoft. It is a good laptop, especially for partial gamers. Some features that make the Surface Laptop 3 good for gaming include the sizeable RAM and storage, excellent design and build, several ports and connectivity, and excellent battery life.
However, some setbacks such as extreme screen resolution, inadequate display size, and problems with running some games affect this laptop’s gaming capabilities. Therefore, you need to weigh your options thoroughly when buying the Surface Laptop 3 for gaming.
