CES 2024 showcased a plethora of gaming laptops, revealing key trends shaping the market. This report highlights the most significant developments.

Diverse Design Language

While gaming laptops have always offered stylistic variety, this year felt exceptional. Manufacturers like Gigabyte and MSI are blurring the lines between productivity and gaming machines. High-end models are striving for more than just raw power, resulting in a broader design spectrum.

This translates to a wider range of aesthetics. Sleek, professional designs like the Gigabyte Aero series cater to diverse users, while others, such as the MSI Titan 18 HX AI Dragonforged Edition, boast bold, gamer-centric aesthetics.

RGB lighting remains a staple, with innovative implementations like wrap-around lighting, illuminated keyboards, and even trackpad lighting. Asus ROG Strix Scar's AniME Dot Matrix LED display, capable of displaying text and animations, stood out.

Expect a continuation of this trend, with both familiar form factors and innovative designs.

The Rise of AI Assistants

AI integration in laptops gained momentum last year, but often fell short. This year, several vendors showcased AI assistants enabling PC control without dedicated software.

An MSI demonstration showed an AI assistant automatically optimizing performance settings based on the selected game. While the effectiveness and offline capabilities require further evaluation, this technology holds potential.

Display Innovations: Mini-LED and Beyond

Mini-LED technology is finally making a significant impact. Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte all presented Mini-LED gaming laptops with high-end specifications. These laptops boast impressive features like over 1,100 local dimming zones for enhanced contrast and brightness, and vibrant colors. While OLED still leads in contrast, Mini-LED offers a compelling alternative with higher sustained brightness and no burn-in risk.

Beyond Mini-LED, other innovations were on display. The ASUS ROG Flow X13 returned with eGPU support via USB4, eliminating proprietary connections. Asus also showcased its Zenbook Duo, a dual-screen productivity laptop. However, Lenovo's ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable stole the show with its innovative rollable OLED display.

While not a gaming laptop, and potentially niche, the rollable display technology is a significant step forward, although durability remains a concern.

Ultrabooks in the Gaming Arena

Ultrabooks are increasingly prevalent in the gaming market, with major manufacturers offering thin, light, and premium gaming laptops. Gigabyte's revamped Aero line exemplifies this trend.

These Ultrabooks offer a compelling proposition for gamers who don't require maximum settings on the latest titles. They provide excellent portability and productivity capabilities, often paired with powerful integrated graphics and performance-enhancing technologies like AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution and Intel XeSS. This raises questions about the long-term viability of lower-performance dedicated GPUs like the RTX 4050M.

Cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now further enhance the appeal of Ultrabooks for casual gaming.

The gaming laptop landscape is evolving rapidly, and we will continue to cover these advancements throughout the year. Share your thoughts and observations in the comments below!