Why laptops are different
A laptop graphics card shares its name with a desktop card but runs at a lower power limit, so it is slower. A laptop RTX 4060 performs closer to a desktop RTX 3060 than to a desktop RTX 4060, and a laptop RTX 4050 sits near a desktop RTX 3050 to 3060. Our tables list laptop cards separately for that reason, and so do all the tools here.
Check the exact name of your graphics chip, not just the model number on the box. On many laptops it is shown in the Windows Task Manager under the Performance tab, or in the manufacturer's spec sheet. The Detect button on the checker reads the name your browser reports.
Buying a gaming laptop
If you are shopping, compare laptops by their graphics card first and the processor second. Two laptops with the same chip name can differ a lot in power limit and cooling, which changes frame rates by 15 percent or more, and thin laptops usually sit at the low end. Our GPU tier list shows where each laptop card falls, and the Can I run it checker tells you what to expect from a specific game before you pay.
What to look at
Laptops with two graphics chips (a small one built into the processor and a separate one) use the separate one for games only when Windows is told to. If a game runs far worse than the estimate, set the game to use the high performance graphics chip in Windows graphics settings. Laptops that throttle when hot, or run on battery, can also fall well below the estimate, so plug in and keep the vents clear.
Memory is the other common limit. Many laptops ship with 8 GB, which is the minimum for new games and a hard stop for some. Choose 8 or 16 GB in the checker so the answer reflects what your laptop has.