How to build your ideal laptop gaming setup

When you’re building a laptop gaming setup, there are many ways to optimize. Personalize your PC gaming setup for the way you game, add essential accessories, choose your own aesthetic, and get the most out of your devices with these tips.

The importance of accessories

Some accessories are must-haves for gamers. A mechanical keyboard, headphones, and controllers can create a comfortable gaming environment and help you elevate your game.* Further enhance your gaming experience by connecting your laptop to an external monitor with a high refresh rate and excellent resolution. If you’re looking to connect multiple external monitors, use a docking station that supports not only 4K monitors, but includes ports to charge and connect several devices at once.

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Consider cooling solutions

Gaming computers run hot, and this can hamper performance and generate lag. To maintain optimal performance during extended gaming sessions, invest in a laptop stand that elevates the base of your device, so the internal fans can work more effectively to prevent overheating. These stands can also prevent dust from accumulating in vital places. Cooling pads and external fans can also help your laptop maintain peak performance without thermal throttling, which can damage sensitive components.

Tweak your software for optimal performance

Optimize your laptop for gaming by tweaking the settings of your operating system, gaming platform, and graphics. Make sure that you have the latest drivers installed. Apps from manufacturers can help you make the most of their hardware and components for finer control over performance, temperatures, and fan speeds.

Customize your gaming setup to your heart’s content

When you’re figuring out how to make a gaming setup with a laptop, don’t forget aesthetics. Personalize your gaming hardware and space to reflect your style. You might put in RGB lighting that can change colors according to the mood of your video games and movies. Add speakers around your space to create immersive surround sound, and put up decorations or collectibles that can show up on camera when you’re streaming.

From a more practical standpoint, use cable management solutions to create an organized aesthetic for otherwise messy cables and chargers. These additions help create an immersive and visually appealing gaming environment.

Choose the right PC to fit your gaming needs

Advanced performance used to be limited only to desktop computers, because the hardware required—powerful processors, multiple RAM cards, large hard drives, and dedicated graphics cards with built-in fans—are all vital for smoother gameplay, but they’re usually found in larger devices.

However, the more technology advances, the more processing power gets integrated into smaller devices. Today’s laptops encompass a wide variety of devices that can hit the sweet spot between portability and performance.

For a gaming-centric setup, consider models with higher specifications such as the Surface Laptop Studio 2. It combines the latest 13th Gen Intel® Core™ processor with NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ graphics cards—a powerhouse combination that would have been unheard of in a laptop even a few years ago.

If you’re looking to take your show on the road, consider Surface Laptop Go 3, which weighs less than 2.5 lb. That doesn’t mean that it’s a performance slouch: an Intel® Core™ i5 processor, plus up to 16 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, can handle any games you throw at it.

A gaming laptop setup doesn't have to sacrifice power or performance. Investing in the right hardware and software optimizations, combined with personal touches, can create a dedicated gaming space or enhance your on-the-go gaming experience. Compare Surface devices to find a great fit for your immersive gaming experience.

[*] Chargers, software, accessories, and devices sold separately. Availability may vary by market.