The NVIDIA GTX 1060 graphics card is certainly one of the best things that have been launched in the world of gaming in recent times. Although more advanced versions of it (read 1070 and 1080) are currently available, the 1060 card is still a perfect, budget-friendly choice. In fact, not unless you’re a career gamer who wants to keep up with the trends, the GTX 1060 variety is good enough 99% of the time.
But as you probably already know, not all laptops are able to tap into the true power of this powerful graphics card. So, to help you make an informed choice here’s our in-depth account of some potentially good laptops on retail currently.
Contents
| Laptop Model | Weight | Storage | Screen Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell Inspiron G5 | 5.76 lbs | 1 TB | 15.6 inches | |
| Acer Predator Helios | 5.95 lbs | 256 GB | 15.6 inches | |
| Eluktronics N870HP6 | 6.9 lbs | 256 GB | 17.3 inches | |
| Eluktronics P650HP6 | 5.9 lbs | 512 GB | 15.6 inches | |
| MSI GS65 | 4.14 lbs | 256 GB | 15.6 inches |
1. Dell Inspiron G5 Gaming Laptop
The Dell I7577-7272BLK-P Inspiron promises a lot for under $1000 including the coveted GTX 1060 graphics. Its case is relatively strong and for its price, we feel that this unit offers a pretty good value for money.
The lid could, however, have been a bit more rigid. We also feel that its inner bezel could be improved to make it flat. Of course, those are minor issues that we think the manufacturer should take care to correct going forward.
As far as connectivity is concerned, this budget gaming laptop comes with a wonderful Thunderbolt 3 port. As you might be aware, this kind of port is usually reserved for higher-end laptops. So, we’re really glad to see that you can still find it on an under $1000 laptop.
What about its keyboard? Well, this Dell Inspiron comes with a Chiclet keyboard. This is complete with a red backlight which can always be adjusted in two levels of intensity.
We like the fact that the keyboard’s trackpad is slightly textured. As you know, a well-made trackpad is crucial to enjoying an unlimited cursor control experience. This feature makes up for the Inspiron’s integrated mouse keys which are pretty shallow in travel.
When it comes to the display, this machine presents you with a 4K UHD panel with a wide set of color options. This gives it all the power to relay videos and texts in a crisp and vivid manner.
Pros
- Powerful 4K UHD display
- Great outdoor visibility
- Comes with GTX 1060 and Core i7 processor for optimal output
- Great storage capacity as it has both 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD
Cons
- Its screen is a bit grainy though this isn’t significant to distract the user
- Its mouse keys could be improved
2. Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
It’s rare to come across well-written reviews of the Acer Predator Helios 300 and that’s probably because Acerr isn’t the most popular gaming laptop brand in town. But how come this laptop made it to this review? Well, a closer look at its specs reveals that it offers a really good deal to gamers.
For instance, it comes with the GTX 1060 graphics card from NVIDIA. As you know, this is one of the most powerful cards on the market so far. In other words, you can use this laptop to enjoy all kinds of Full HD games without lagging.
Another awesome attribute of this laptop is that it comes with a white-LED lit keyboard. The lit keyboard is quite practical and usable. And what’s more? You can always customize the keyboard with the necessary glow effects to suit your unique style of play.
The biggest selling point of the Acer Predator Helios 300 is that it has a great audio output. Fully loaded with a Sound Blaster Cinema 5 feature, this laptop has all that you need to immerse yourself in great auditory experience.
And still, with sound quality, this gaming laptop features the Reality 3D feature which goes a long way in producing an immersive auditory experience.
The only downside with this, otherwise well-made machine, is that its body is made of plastic. It may feel cheap to the touch though we believe the laptop is still very sturdy save for the lid which has some flex. However, the use of plastic makes this laptop quite light and easy to handle.
Pros
- Stylish and slim design
- Customizable back-lit keyboard
- Comes with the latest 8th generation processor
- Powered by a GeForce GTX 1060 Graphics card for intelligent graphics
- Light in weight
Cons
- Its plastic body feels cheap
- The battery heats up after long hours of use
3. Eluktronics N870HP6 Intel Core i7 Pro-X Gaming Laptop
This is one of the few under $1,500 laptops that can handle AAA games without hiccups. The Pro-X comes with a 17-inch display screen. To any serious gamer, that means more than enough real estate to explore. It also provides you with additional acreage complete with some room to grow as well as the freedom to explore an assortment of ports.
Moving on, the laptop comes fully equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor. That’s in addition to an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card.
In other words, you can use this monster to run heavy games with zero risks of it getting bogged down.
In general, if you’re looking for something that’s light and portable, this might just be it. We find that the laptop is compactly designed and weighs a paltry 6.8 pounds. That means that this machine is at par with other high-end machines, which though bulky, also tend to be conveniently portable.
Looking for a cheap laptop with a great screen resolution? This 17-inch laptop comes with the potential to deliver an incredible 1080p resolution. Still, the screen looks sharp; its picture quality is nothing short of stellar. However, there’s nothing really stunning about the quality of these pictures, especially when compared to what other high-end gaming screens deliver.
Pros
- Its touchpad and keyboard are well-constructed
- Powerful sound output thanks to its Sound Blaster Cinema 3 feature
- A large chassis which gives you wider room for customization
- Excellent graphics
- Great for gaming and even office use
- Well priced
Cons
- Using the laptop at high resolution and with a fully lit keyboard causes the battery to drain
- Lacks an optical drive
4. Eluktronics P650HP6 GTX 1060 VR-Ready Gaming Laptop
Ranked as one of the best GTX 1060 gaming laptops in 2018, the Eluktronics P650HP6 stands out with its sleek exterior. In fact, its simple design comes with quite a few key advantages. Overall, this VR-ready laptop comes with an RGB backlit keyboard.
It’s certainly not as thin as we’d have expected it to be, but we believe it’s worth every cent invested in it.
The major benefit of buying this machine is that it comes with a powerful and dedicated GPU. This complements its i7-7700HQ processor which is equally powerful. In other words, this laptop presents you with a well-thought-out combination of power and performance.
And to crown it all up, you get a 6GB GDDR5 VRAM which ensures all that power translates into measurable outcomes.
Another incredible attribute of the Eluktronics P650HP6 is that it offers a fantastic display. We’re looking at a 15.6-inch FHD display that’s complete with an IPS panel. So, even if you want to experiment with 4K display games, this laptop has all the muscle required to handle all that.
But while we think this laptop is great, it’s not really perfect. For instance, we’re concerned that it’s a bit bulky and, therefore, less suitable for gamers looking for a highly portable machine.
Pros
- Excellent NVIDIA GTX 1060 graphics card
- Great SSD SATA III storage capacity
- Greater processor and graphics card combination
- Above-average battery life
- Reasonably priced
- Great looking and sleek exterior
Cons
- Has a 512GB storage which might not be enough especially for video editors
- Its noise emission level is a bit overboard
5. MSI GS65 Ultra-Thin GTX 1060 Gaming Laptop
Most of the time, when looking for a great gaming laptop, you often have to settle for a chunky monster due to a shortage of light-weight and portable options. But what if you could find a sleek and incredibly portable choice that packs all the awesome features and doesn’t cost a fortune?
The MSI GS65 is one of the rare choices that you can bank on. This laptop is quite small in size and you could easily mistake it for an Ultrabook. A closer look at it, however, reveals a different story altogether. This is a classy machine that’s, further, decorated with a classy gold and black scheme.
At 4 pounds, this gaming laptop is only a few grams heavier than the MacBook Pro. Can you imagine that? And what’s more? It has an extremely thin bezel meaning its screen display is slightly larger than that of a traditional 15-inch laptop.
Its small size, however, means that you have to contend with a congested keyboard. However, the MSI’s designers seem to have done a great job of ensuring full-sized arrow keys are included. So, the keyboard is good enough for day-to-day gaming use.
The great track-record sustained by the machine so far arises from the fact that it’s powered by the finest NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics cards in town. On top of that, this sleek gaming laptop comes with a 256GB SSD NVMe storage with above-average reading and writing speeds.
And to crown it all up, this machine is powered by an Intel Core i7-8750H processor complete with a fantastic 16GB RAM.
Small qualms with the laptop, otherwise perfect, would be that it lacks biometric authentication features. Also, its keyboard looks a bit crowded and might be tricky to use for day-to-day work.
Pros
- Great FHD display screen
- Extra-thin bezel with anti-glare wide view
- Comes with an RGB, customizable keyboard
- The machine is Thunderbolt 3 ready
- Built-in fast cooling feature boosted by 3 fans and 4 heatpipes
- Great CPU performance
Cons
- 256GB storage is a tad too tiny especially if you like storing all manner of things in your laptop
- Due to its small size, its keyboard is a bit congested
Final Words
As you can see, no matter your style of gaming, there’s always something worth giving a shot. But at the end of the day, all you want to do is settle for the best GTX 1060 laptop that offers a great balance of power, performance, and user-friendliness. Hopefully, this review will help you narrow down your options so you can get good value for your money.
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