CES 2025 Reveals Latest Gaming Laptop Trends

CES never disappoints when it comes to showcasing the latest in laptops, and this year's event was no different. I thoroughly explored the bustling show floor and numerous packed suites to identify the prevailing trends in gaming laptops for the current year. Here are the standout themes that are shaping the world of gaming laptops in 2023.

A Huge Diversity of Designs

Gaming laptops have always been known for their diverse styles, but this year, the variety felt especially pronounced. This trend is driven by brands like Gigabyte and MSI venturing further into the intersection of productivity and gaming, alongside a push for high-end gaming laptops to offer something beyond just raw hardware performance.

This year, you can expect an even broader range of gaming laptop designs. From the sleek and professional Gigabyte Aero series that blends seamlessly into business environments to the bold and visually striking MSI Titan 18 HX AI Dragonforged Edition with its eye-catching graphics, the options are vast.

As always, RGB lighting remains a key feature in many gaming laptops. I encountered an array of lighting solutions, from wrap-around lighting rings and illuminated mechanical keyboards to side-lights, rear-lights, and trackpad lights. The Asus ROG Strix Scar series, in particular, stood out with its AniME Dot Matrix LED display on the lid, which can showcase text, animations, and more through a series of white LEDs.

While the core design elements remain consistent, anticipate seeing some innovative novelties alongside the traditional spectrum of large, heavy laptops to slim, lightweight ones, all equipped with varying hardware configurations.

AI Assistants are Coming

Last year, AI was a buzzword in the laptop market, but the integrations often fell short of expectations. This year, however, several manufacturers showcased AI Assistants designed to enhance user experience by allowing control over the PC without the need to manually open software.

In a demonstration, an MSI representative showed how the chatbot could adjust performance settings based on the type of game being played. While these systems are intended to operate offline, I'm skeptical about their efficiency compared to manual adjustments. We'll need to see how these AI assistants perform once they're fully rolled out and understand their true capabilities.

Mini-LED, Rollable Displays and Other Novelties

Mini-LED technology is finally gaining traction in the gaming laptop market. Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte displayed Mini-LED laptops with top-tier specifications and premium pricing. This technology, which we've seen in its early stages before, now appears more refined with over 1,100 local dimming zones to minimize blooming and enhance contrast, delivering exceptional brightness and vibrant colors. While OLED still excels in contrast, Mini-LED's advantages, like no burn-in risk and higher sustained brightness, make it an exciting prospect for future models.

This year also introduced some intriguing novelties. The ASUS ROG Flow X13, returning after a hiatus, now supports eGPU through USB4, eliminating the need for proprietary connections. Asus showcased it connected to a new eGPU featuring up to an RTX 5090, reminiscent of a Microsoft Surface on steroids.

Elsewhere, Asus displayed the Zenbook Duo, a dual-screen productivity laptop, but Lenovo stole the show with the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable. While not a gaming laptop, it's noteworthy for being the first notebook with a rollable OLED display. At the press of a button, its 14-inch screen extends, adding an extra 2.7 inches of screen real estate. Although the initial design might seem awkward and durability concerns linger, it's a pioneering product that will likely improve as the technology matures and other manufacturers adopt it.

Ultrabooks Continue to Rise, Even for Gaming

The rise of Ultrabooks has permeated the gaming laptop market, with major manufacturers now offering thin, light, and premium designs. Gigabyte, for instance, has transformed its Aero series into an Ultrabook form factor, resulting in sleek and appealing models.

This trend makes sense for gamers who don't require the highest settings for the latest games. Ultrabooks offer portability and productivity without sacrificing gaming capabilities. As demonstrated in my review of the Asus TUF Gaming A14 last year, adding a dedicated graphics card to these laptops is feasible without compromising their on-the-go productivity strengths.

Moreover, by tweaking settings, gamers can bypass the need for a dedicated graphics card altogether. The latest processors from AMD and Intel are impressively capable for gaming, as evidenced by recent handheld devices. With enhanced integrated graphics and features like AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution and Intel XeSS, along with frame generation, even demanding games can be played satisfactorily. For casual gamers, this might be sufficient, raising questions about the future relevance of lower-performance chips like the RTX 4050M.

Additionally, cloud gaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now have matured to a point where a dedicated "gaming" laptop may no longer be necessary for a quality gaming experience.

The gaming laptop landscape at CES showcased numerous exciting developments, and we'll continue to cover these trends throughout the year. What caught your attention? Share your thoughts in the comments below!