15 Top laptops for playing Overwatch in 2023 (with budget options)

Ah, Overwatch. One of the most exciting and intense first-person shooters out there, not to mention one of my favorite games to play with friends. As anyone who's played the game knows, it's all about quick reactions, teamwork, and impeccable aim. To truly get the most out of Overwatch, you're going to need a laptop that can keep up. And that's exactly what this guide is all about – helping you find the best laptop for Overwatch that fits your specific needs and budget.

But first, let's talk a bit about what makes a laptop great for Overwatch. You're going to want a machine with a powerful processor that can handle running the game at a high frame rate. You'll also need a dedicated graphics card that can provide smooth, stable gameplay without any hiccups. And of course, you'll want a laptop that has a fast and responsive keyboard and mouse, as every fraction of a second counts when you're in the heat of battle. With that in mind, let's dive in and take a look at what to keep in mind when shopping for the perfect laptop for Overwatch.

Processor

There are plenty of games that require a fast processor to play, but Overwatch isn't one of them. This means that you can get away with just about mid-range processor. However, it might be a good idea to invest in a high-end processor if you're planning on playing other games, such as Warzone, PUBG, Fortnite, or Valorant.

Requirements

As far as requirements go, Overwatch doesn't need a top-of-the-line CPU. This is why I recommend getting the Ryzen 5 3500U or the Core i5-10300H. These processors will provide you with the performance you need to enjoy Overwatch without dealing with micro stutters.

Recommendations

If you're looking for a laptop that can play Overwatch at its full potential, I recommend AMD Ryzen 7 4800H and Intel Core i7-10870H. Some of you might ask whether these are the best CPUs on the market right now. They aren't, but as I said, you don't need the best processor out there to get great framerates. If, despite that, you're looking for the absolute best laptop for playing Overwatch – then I have to recommend Intel Core i9-10980HK and Ryzen 9 5900HS (and HX). These are the top dogs of laptop processors. Do not expect to find these puppies in laptops under $2,000. But if you have money to spare – they might be the right option. Just make sure to check the reviews for cooling since it will be the limiting factor if you're pushing every limit.

Graphics card

This is not the first time I'm writing about Overwatch. It's an old game, but a well-optimized one. This means that any decent graphics card will suffice for playing it.

Minimum graphics (under $1000)

If you're are on a budget, you'll be pleased to know that the game doesn't need too much GPU muscle to run smoothly. With an integrated graphics card, you can reach 45 FPS on low settings. Of course, I wouldn't expect anyone but the most casual gamers to be happy with that.

I recommend buying an entry-level card – GTX 1650 – if you're trying to save money and don't mind playing on low settings.

Recommended graphics ($1000 – $1800)

You can get an upper entry-level card – RTX 3050 – which can reach 60 FPS on ultra settings for a slightly higher price. If you can't find any reasonably priced laptops with RTX 3050 in stock – GTX 1660 Ti is a decent alternative. For most players, this is the sweet spot for choosing the best laptop graphics cards for playing Overwatch. A GTX 1660 Ti can run the game at an average of 200 FPS on the highest settings with no problems.

Best graphics ($1800 and up)

The cream of the crop in terms of graphics cards for Overwatch are top-of-the-line RTX 3070, RTX 3070 Ti, and RTX 2080 models. If you're playing on a 4K monitor or 240+ Hz display, then these will be your go-to choices.

These cards deliver ~240 FPS on ultra settings on 1920×1080, which is by far the most common resolution in gaming laptops. Of course, if you plan to play OW on a QHD or 4K screen – expect that FPS to be slashed in half.

What about RTX 3080 and 3080 Ti? I don't find these cards necessary for Overwatch, but if you're OK with spending $3k on a laptop – then these are an option.

How much RAM does Overwatch need?

In short – Overwatch doesn't need much RAM at all. Even 8 GB is enough. Despite that, I advise getting more for other reasons.

Minimum (8 GB)

A lot of casual players are content with 8GB of RAM. It's enough to play OW without any issues but I wouldn't advise it simply because even everyday applications such as a web browser can easily consume 2-4 GB .

Recommended (16 GB)

If you're looking for a more cost-effective option, then 16GB is your sweet spot. It's more than enough for most games and should keep you in the clear with Overwatch.

Best (32 GB)

If you're looking for the best possible experience, then go for 32GB of RAM. It should be more than enough for any game out there, even when streaming. If you have the money to spare – go for it!

Storage

What do you think about a laptop with a storage capacity of 256 GB? I know, you probably can't make it to the end of this sentence before telling me it's not enough. Well, we've got a little surprise for you – a lot of people use laptops with that size. Is it optimal? Not really. I find even 500 GB to be somewhat constraining. But would that be enough for a budget laptop for Overwatch? Sure.

Is HDD an option?

These days HDDs are no longer a viable option. In the past few years, SSD has become the de facto choice for laptop storage and not for the wrong reasons. HDDs are heavy, more prone to damage, and no longer competitive in terms of price. That's why I'll only consider laptops with SSDs.

Picking an SSD

There are some important distinctions to make. Obviously, laptops with NVMe PCI-e SSDs are preferred over models that use SATA connection. Beyond that, it would be wise to check some basic read/write benchmarks but apart from that, getting the right is easy.

The right size depends on your needs. For most, I'd expect 500 GB to suffice. But if you tend to let your downloads folder get out of hand, or you keep plenty of games in your Steam library – then it can become an issue.

Recommendations

Here are a few solid recommendations for a budget Overwatch laptop storag:

• 250 GB SSD – ideal for entry-level gaming and everyday laptops ~$500
• 500 GB SSD – most popular mid-range option that's a lot more common ~$1000 mark
• 1 TB SSD – best option for a power-user – found in laptops ~$1500 and above
• 2 TB SSD – prices widely vary, starting at $2k and going up to $5k laptops

Keep your eye on the prize and remember that storage is a problem that can be easily fixed. In the meantime, I'd recommend you migrate your files to the cloud.

Display

It's time to choose the best laptop display for playing Overwatch. This is no easy task – if you're looking for a quick answer, you won't find it here.

But what I can do is provide you with a lot of information to help you make a decision. To get started, let's list the basics:

Resolution

Many people believe that Full HD is just fine. And if you're playing Overwatch at low settings – it's true. But if you want to play Overwatch at high settings – it's time to upgrade to QHD or 4K. For competitive players, this is a no-brainer.

Refresh rate

It's not enough to have a high framerate – your display must be able to keep up. There are three options: 60Hz, 120Hz, and 240Hz. I recommend 240Hz, but it's expensive and only available in certain laptops. If you can't afford it – 120Hz is an excellent choice.

Response time

The response time is how long it takes for a pixel to change from one color to another. It's important for competitive players because fast response times means less input lag and better competitive performance. However, if you're playing Overwatch casually – this doesn't matter much.

Adaptive sync

Adaptive sync helps to reduce screen tearing and stuttering, but these are usually not big issues for Overwatch players. I recommend using adaptive sync only if your monitor supports it.

Panel and image quality

Panel type is an important consideration when buying a laptop display for Overwatch. TN panels are cheaper and offer the fastest response times, but their colors are washed out and viewing angles are poor. IPS panels offer good colors and viewing angles, but they cost more and their response times are slower than TN panels. OLED panels offer the best color accuracy and viewing angles, but they are prohibitively expensive and usually not worth the price. My recommendation: get an IPS panel laptop if you can afford it – otherwise get a TN panel laptop and accept its limitations (which are mostly unnoticeable).

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Table of Best Laptops for {topic}

Laptop	Price (approx)

6 Best Laptops for Overwatch

Table of the Best Laptops for Overwatch

Laptop	Price (approx)
ASUS Zenbook
HP Omen 16
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4
ASUS ROG Strix Scar
Eluktronics MECH 17 GP2 Liquid Cooled