Fortnitecontinues to be an enduring success in a market with plenty of battle royale alternatives, most of which embrace the free-to-play model to cater to as many players as possible. Much of this success boils down to a steady stream of content that can rival the best in the business and Epic’s massive upgrades to Unreal Engine over time, which powersFortnite.
The sheer amount of interest in the title also comes from the fact that it is available on many platforms, including the PC. It runs exceptionally well on most PC hardware with minimum specifications, essentially allowing most gaming-capable PCs built in the last decade to partake with varying levels of visual fidelity.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 2024 (RTX 4060)
Fortnite: PC System Requirements Revisited
Fortniteis a free-to-play game that aims to be playable on the largest possible set of gaming PCs and laptops, something that is rather apparent when one considers the minimum system requirements even allowing for an Intel HD 4000 or AMD Vega 8 integrated GPU. The underlying game engine, UE5, scales considerably well with higher-end hardware, however. That is visible thanks to a list of three potential tiers of hardware requirements for gamers, catering to the ‘minimum’ preset, recommended hardware, and the ‘epic’ quality preset, which requires a beefier CPU and a GPU with at least 8GB of VRAM.
This indicates thatFortniteoverwhelmingly benefits from higher-end hardware, especially when it comes to playing the title competitively for users vying for a spot on the ranked leaderboard. The team at Game Rant has published an up-to-date list of some of the best gaming laptops available currently to be able to game better while benefiting from higher resolutions, fidelity, and refresh rates to get a more polished and fluid experience.
ASUS ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop
The Strix Premium For Less
If you’re after a laptop that runs games well but doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, then the ASUS ROG Strix G16 may be the best choice for you. This mid-range modern gaming laptop boasts an impressive 14-core Intel i7 processor and a dedicated RTX 4060 GPU that is capable of handling most modern games on medium to high settings. Also included is a whopping 1TB of SSD storage, meaning you will experience faster start-up and load times on all installed games and programs. The 16GB of DDR5 RAM also helps to keep programs smooth and consistent, creating a luxurious experience that isn’t absurdly expensive.
Users looking to get the most out of their competitiveFortniteexperience can turn to one of the most balanced configurations of ASUS’s well-received G16 laptop’s 2024 iterations. Not only does it have better thermals on offer than the competition with build quality to match, but it also matches them with aesthetics that set the stage for its price range.
The G16 offers a 14-core 13th generation Intel Core i7 CPU that can easily handleFortnite’s needs and its accompanying RTX 4060 is no slouch either, throwing 8GB of VRAM into the mix to come close toFortnite’s “Epic” preset, which it should easily hit on its FHD 165Hz display.
With a price tag sitting at just under $1300 and better build quality than most of its peers, the G16 offers better value than other similar premium options. However, users can alwaysconsider grabbing an upgraded version of the samewith a better display and CPU/GPU configuration for a small premium.
Razer Blade 18 (2024)
Razer Supremacy At 300Hz
The Razer Blade 18 2024 edition brings the latest flagship Core i9 mobile CPU to deliver unparalleled performance in CPU-intensive operations, while also maintaining its hold on gaming through the RTX 4090 GPU. From its configuration to its display, every feature ventures into overkill territory, making sure no stone is left unturned.
The Razer Blade 18 is not a mainstream laptop. With its price tag and accompanying internals, it doesn’t profess to be either. That doesn’t change the fact that it is one of the fastest gaming laptops with a MiniLED screen that offers a 300Hz refresh rate, setting it apart from other premium gaming laptops, most of which offer an Intel Core i9 CPU and an Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU for a much smaller premium.
The Blade 18 has more than looks and an impressive display, however. It offers a large 2TB NVMe SSD configuration with 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM and unique upgrades that most of its competition has yet to catch up to. These include Wi-Fi 7, Thunderbolt 5 and 6 integrated speakers that allow it to pull ahead of the competition. It does have its quirks beyond the price tag, however, but most of them center around its 18-inch form factor, which makes it considerably less portable than most 16-inch competitors.
The Blade 18 is, in a word, overkill forFortniteand considerably so, but for users wanting the best performance and a display that can exhibit it onFortnite, it cuts a notch above its peers with relative ease.
Acer Nitro V Gaming Laptop
A Capable Budget-Friendly Compromise
The entry-level Acer Nitro V gaming laptop is powered by a capable 13th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU with a budget-friendly RTX 4050 GPU, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD.The laptop is a well-balanced machine for users on a budget for both gaming and work in 2024 even as it clocks well under $1000 unlike most of its peers.
Users looking for a gaming laptop to playFortniteon a budget can look at the Acer Nitro V Gaming Laptop, which offers all of the requisite hardware (sans a RAM upgrade thatGame Rant recommends getting with the laptop). It packs a decent 8-core mid-range CPU and a balanced RTX 4050 GPU to match a price tag that sits under $800 at multiple retailers.
For this, prospectiveFortniteplayers also get a decent IPS display with an FHD resolution and a respectable 144Hz refresh rate, even as the laptop runs cooler than most of its peers. While its 512GB SSD is nothing to write home about, it is an understandable yet upgradeable compromise for gamers looking for more space down the line. On its own, however, it is more than enough for one’sFortniteexperience, but an upgrade might be required for gamers looking to install more than a few games at a time.
MSI Katana 15 Gaming Laptop
A Different Kind Of Blade
The MSI Katana is an excellent budget-centric high-end gaming laptop that outperforms most of the high-end laptops in its price bracket while maintaining an efficient, value-for-money approach to offer the latest and greatest in PC hardware to its audience.
The easiest way to summarize the MSI Katana 15 is a workhorse entry-level gaming laptop that offers superior internals for a lower price tag. The Katana manages to put in an RTX 4070, pairing it with a respectable 13th-generation Core i7 CPU with adequate RAM and SSD storage while keeping costs under $1400 at most retailers.
It also offers excellent thermals but compromises on both. Its display feels underwhelming for the price point and its battery is considerably smaller at a sub-50WHr 3-cell offering, making a power adapter a necessary keepsake with the laptop, even when one is not gaming. With that being said, the Katana offers excellent value for money, solid performance, and hardware that pulls considerably ahead ofFortnite’s requirements, especially at a 1920 x 1080 resolution at 144Hz.
The Katana 15 is not going to win accolades for being the best-looking laptop or the best RTX 4070-based laptop out there. Given its price point, it doesn’t have to. However, it does a splendid job offering value to gamers looking to up their game while turning up the graphics presets with a surprisingly capable keyboard.
Acer Predator Helios 16
More Power For Less
The Predator Helios 16 from Acer is a great performer with its Core i9-13900HX CPU, Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. It features a 16-inch 2560x1600 IPS panel with 240Hz refresh rate. The laptop comes with a 90Wh battery and a 330W power adapter.
Users looking for more power than the Katana 15 can turn to Acer’s Predator Helios 16, which offers a better CPU, GPU, and display while essentially doubling the RAM to 32GB for an additional $500 at the time of writing. The IPS QHD+ 240Hz display and the RTX 4080 are two of the biggest upgrades the Helios 16 offers that allow it to push the requisite frames at maxed-out presets inFortnitewithout any issues.
The 24-Core Intel Core i9 CPU is no slouch either, but it does suffer from thermal throttling. The Predator Helios 16 is also a fingerprint magnet, something that most gamers might not like if they plan to move it around regularly or use its keyboard extensively. With that being said, the Predator Helios 16 does offer decent build quality, impressive internals, and a deep discount at the time of writing, all of which make it a great pick to playFortniteon a gaming laptop under $2000.
Good Things Come In Small Packages
The 2024 model of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 comes with an AI-infused 8-Core AMD Ryzen 9 CPU in addition to Nvidia’s mid-range RTX 4060 GPU. With 16GB of LPDDR5X memory on offer and a large 1TB PCI-E 4.0 SSD.It offers a high PPI 14-inch 3K OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a backlit chiclet keyboard while clocking in at just under 1.5 kg.
Users needing to playFortniteon the go without wanting to sacrifice portability can opt for the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14. It offers an AI-capable octa-core AMD Ryzen 9 CPU, a capable RTX 4060 GPU, and an excellent 3K OLED display. The display refreshes at 120Hz while clocking in at exactly 1.5kg, an impressive feat for the 14-inch gaming laptop.
The G14 does offer a slim profile and a relatively larger battery than most of its peers for a similar form factor. This, coupled with a large 1TB NVMe SSD and adequate RAM for one’sFortniteneeds, makes for an excellent if slightly pricey gaming laptop at MSRP with its screen arguably being one of its most premium features out of the box.
FAQ
Q: What is Fortnite’s VRAM Requirement?
While Fortnite does not specify a minimum VRAM requirement, it recommends GPUs with a minimum of 2GB and states that users need at least 8GB to play at a maxed out “Epic Quality Preset”
Q: Does Fortnite Require an SSD?
While an SSD is not necessary to play Fortnite, Epic recommends having one to have smoother gameplay and considerably reduced load times in 2024.
