Best gaming laptop for Black Ops 6 beta: our top picks and alternatives

Get ready for the next Call of Duty installment and find the best gaming laptop for Black Ops 6. Gives you a way to play the game on the go, or if you don’t want to have a massive machine setup. It could be a reasonable solution given the fact the games tend to have low system requirements, and Black Op 6 follows the trend. So hopefully, you don’t have to get anything too massive or expensive to get a good experience either way and still have a capable machine for all the other things you want to do on it.

The franchise is returning to some of the fan favorites with the inclusion of zombies mode, with two brand-new maps being implemented. With the standard multiplayer getting 16 whole new maps at launch and plenty of old features, and there’s a singleplayer mode too, although how many people actually still play it is the real question. Either way, if you’re looking for that upgrade or a new piece of kit, here is our recommendation.

The MSI Raider GE78

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MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VHG

Hands-on Review

4 /5

Editor’s Rating

How We Review

Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core i9-14900HX
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop
• RAM: 32GB (2*16) DDR5
• Storage: 4TB NVMe
• Max Refresh Rate: 240Hz
• Resolution: 2560 x 1600
• Screen Size: 17″
• Panel Type: QHD+

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Our best pick for Black Ops 6 is the MSI Raider GE78 we reviewed, a true gaming laptop with the features and specs that make it a top choice for any real processing power you need. It doesn’t shy away from presenting that way either, unlike the Stealth series we also took a look at. As there is plenty of RGB and color in its design and with a pretty edgy and bold look on the outside as well, it’s probably not the ideal option for a school laptop, unless you turn off all the lights and put it on silent mode.

But that’s what makes it a strong gaming laptop, it doesn’t shy away from what’s needed. The massive cooling inside the laptop with the vents and fans gives the components the best chance to get the best performance before thermal throttling. That ensures you’re not losing out on any performance, and getting the most out of the already slower TDP and struggling laptop components.

MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VHG WASD, Image by PC Guide

MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VHG touchpad, Image by PC Guide

MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VHG rear, Image by PC Guide

MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VHG right side, Image by PC Guide

MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VHG top, Image by PC Guide

MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VHG arrow keys, Image by PC Guide

MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VHG left side, Image by PC Guide

MSI Raider GE78 HX 14VHG front RGB bar, Image by PC Guide

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Which leads us to find what actually powers the system itself. Featuring both the Intel Core i9-14900HX and the RTX 4080 laptop GPU which offer some of the top performance available especially in mobile format. Although neither will live up to the desktop capabilities with the limited thermal potential, in a laptop it’s still a lot on offer.

The rest of the components are also plenty powerful. As for memory, you get 32GB of DDR5 RAM along with 4GB of NVMe SSD storage, although these may vary depending on which version you get. Either way, it certainly is enough capacity and speed to install and enjoy Black Ops 6 with no issue, especially with COD’s rising space requirements.

All the power inside comes to usefulness with the display onboard the laptop as well. As it is a 1440p monitor in a 17-inch size it also runs at 240Hz refresh rate. Although it’s a standard ISP display instead of a Mini LED, it still offers a substantial improvement with such a high Hz. Making gameplay smooth and enjoyable, should give a good advantage when every millisecond matters in reflexes.

System requirements

Below you can find the outline of the system requirements as given by the games page. These are based on the desktop components though so if you are looking for a laptop equivalent, you need to upgrade by a couple of tiers. This is because the two aren’t equivalent, and the laptop versions are a bit lower in power with smaller TDPs and capabilities due to their form factor. But it should still give you a good idea of what it takes to run the game.

Alternatives

If the MSI Raider isn’t quite up to your needs, then there are plenty of other laptops you can opt for. As we’ve also tested other MSI laptops, we can offer our insight into those first. So if you’re something a bit more powerful, with a better screen and size, then the MSI Titan 18 is the one to go for. It has even more RAM and storage too so you can have an even better processing power for heavy memory tasks.

On the other hand, if you want something a bit more muted and inconspicuous, the MSI Stealth 18 is the most optimal choice for the job. It still has a high level of specs and features, similar to the Raider, but improves upon the display and tones down the looks. More useful to put out in the will without standing out too much, unfortunately leading to the throttling of its components with the low cooling capability of the thinner design.

Another solution we recommend is the Razer Blade 16, with a solid piece of kit inside, it also can bring a lot of performance to the table. But with the features and design of Razer that is known for its integration and quality. Or if you’re going for something a bit cheaper, the Acer Nitro 17 might be what you’re after, bringing more entry-level performance. With a low-level GPU and display, it hits the lowest tiers but gets you gaming on the cheap.

Final word

There you have our recommendations for the best gaming laptops for Black Ops 6. The MSI Raider GE78 is our top selection as an all-around capable machine, whilst the Titan 18 is a stronger and bigger option, with the Stealth 18 a good lowkey machine. Alternatively, the Razer Blade 16 and Acer Nitro 17 are both strong in their respective rights. You can always opt for a gaming PC too, so you might be interested in our guide to the best GPU for Black Ops 6 instead. But either solution can get you up and running with strong performances.