Gaming laptops have been a solid competitor for gaming PCs in the past few years. They provide all the necessary features you want from a gaming rig.
However, they aren’t complete without some accessories.
In this post, we’ll discuss various necessary accessories you need for laptop gaming.
Quick Summary
By the end of this post, we’ll cover the following topics:
- 7 accessories for laptop gaming
- Important tips that you should know about
Without further delay, let’s get you started.
7 Essential Accessories for Laptop Gaming
It was a thing of the past when gaming laptops weren’t considered a viable alternative for PC gaming. However, with recent technological advancements, they are even better in some cases.
Even though you have all the necessary tools to operate the laptop, it still needs quite a few accessories for a complete gaming experience. Let’s check out what they are.
Gaming Mouse
First of all, you’ll need a gaming mouse. It is possible to play some games with the mousepad but it isn’t convenient.
Games require a lot of fluid and quick movements and a mousepad just can’t keep up. This is why it is better to get a dedicated gaming mouse.
What sort of gaming mouse should I buy?
There are multiple options available on the market that you can get with regard to your budget. However, there are some staple options we must mention.
- Logitech G502
- Razer DeathAdder
- SteelSeries Sensei
All these options provide a stable gaming experience with longevity. These mice can easily survive for 2-3 years.
Gaming Headphones
Next accessory you need is a pair of gaming headphones. Gaming laptops like Alienware have solid audio speakers but they aren’t enough for immersion.
Besides the immersion aspect, they also provide a competitive edge in FPS and MOBA games. The surround sound can help you locate your opponents rather easily.
What are the best gaming headphones I can get?
Even though gaming headphones are quite expensive, you can still find some viable options in an affordable range.
We recommend that you get headphones from SteelSeries or HyperX. Specifically, SteelSeries Arctis 5 and HyperX Cloud.
Cooling Pad
It is no surprise that gaming laptops can heat up easily even in a cool environment. This is mainly because of the limited airflow channels.
To avoid this, you can use cooling pads. They are installed with huge ventilation fans to provide cool air for the laptop’s internal airflow.
Which company has the best cooling pads?
Usually, it is a good choice to go for companies that produce cooling hardware. We recommend that you either choose CoolerMaster or Thermaltake.
Both companies excel in making cooling components for PCs and laptops. Moreover, they are quite affordable.
Disk Drives
Next up, we have disk drives for your laptop. Most gaming laptops come with hard disk drives mainly because it is the market standard.
The only problem is that it highly increases the loading times for offline and online games. You can overcome this problem with the help of solid-state drives.
What is the appropriate storage size for SDDs?
It depends on how many games you want on your laptop. To be on the safe side, we recommend that you get at least 128 or 256 GB SSD for your laptop.
Gaming Keyboards
It is a matter of debate whether a gaming keyboard is necessary or not. However, it can significantly improve your gaming experience.
Some people don’t like the default keyboard keys of gaming laptops. You can get a compact wired or wireless gaming keyboard to eliminate that problem.
Which gaming keyboards are suitable for laptops?
It depends on your personal preference. You can either get a 60% keyboard or a full keyboard.
Some of the popular options available on the market include Logitech G613, Keychron K2, and Corsair K63.
Laptop Backpack
People often overlook the importance of a proper laptop backpack. However, it is quite essential to keep the laptop safe and in optimal performance condition.
A backpack will also help you store other accessories as well. You can carry your charger, cooling pad, mouse, keyboard, and even portable disk drives.
Do I need a specific backpack for my gaming laptop?
As a rule of thumb, you should always pick a backpack with a sturdy build. It will keep dust and other environmental elements away from your laptop.
You can get some affordable options from Razor, Corsair, Lenovo, and SteelSeries. Moreover, they also provide waterproof backpacks as well.
D-pad Controller
When it comes to gaming laptops, d-pad controllers can help you elevate your gaming experience. RPG and open-world games are often best played with a controller.
With new updates to the Windows firmware, you can now connect PS and XBOX controllers. On top of that, they also feature Bluetooth connectivity.
Which controller is suitable for gaming laptops?
In terms of functionality, PS and XBOX controllers are a personal preference. They have identical performance and features.
However, when it comes to portability, it is easier to carry a PS controller in your backpack. On the other hand, XBOX controllers are bulky.
Honorable Mentions
Besides the essential accessories, there are some non-essential accessories you can get as well. Let’s take a look.
Mousepad
A mousepad can help you gain better performance for your gaming mouse. It provides an even surface for better tracking.
Webcam
A webcam can help you stream your games on Twitch or just simply have a video chat with your friends on Discord.
Cleaning Equipment
Lastly, you can also keep cleaning equipment along with your other accessories. It includes a clean piece of fabric and a small brush.
Important Tips to Keep in Mind
Let’s take a look at some of the important things you need to keep in mind at all times.
- A cooling pad should be big enough to cover the base of your laptop. Otherwise, it will be tough for you to keep your laptop cool.
- Pick a mouse according to hand size. Otherwise, it can cause a lot of strain on your wrists.
- It is good practice to clean your laptop after a few days. This will help also help the internal airflow channels to stay in optimal condition.
- You should always go for 60% keyboards for your gaming laptop. They are compact and quite convenient to store in a backpack.
- Always carry your headphones in a separate backpack. They are quite sensitive and prone to internal damage.
Wrapping Things Up…
With this, we come to the finish line of our post on Accessories of Laptop Gaming. We hope that you can use this information to your advantage.
Gaming laptops are quite sufficient on their own but their overall experience can be enhanced with multiple accessories. You can get separate mice, keyboards, and even headphones.
Which gaming accessory is essential for you? Do let us know in the comments below.