Dota 2 (or Defense of the Ancients) is a well-known game that has aged remarkably over the years. It’s a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) that was released in 2013 by Valve Corporation. It’s also one of the most popular MOBA games and that’s why so many people ask what is the best laptop for Dota 2.
When talking about laptops, we need to take into consideration the game’s minimum system requirements in order to know what you should aim for.
Dota 2 Minimum System Requirements
Here are the minimum requirements according to Steam:
- OS: Windows 7 or newer
- Processor: Dual-core from Intel or AMD at 2.8 GHz
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8600/9600GT, ATI/AMD Radeon HD2600/3600
- DirectX: Version 9.0c
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Hard Drive: 15 GB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Now, you must know that when developers talk about minimum system requirements, they talk about the specs you need to play a game in the lowest possible settings. To get a really smooth gameplay, you’ll be better off with at least a 7th-10th generation processor, 8GB RAM, Nvidia’s GTX 10 series graphics and FHD screen.
You should go for any CPU above 3GHz. CPU has virtually no effect on game performance. Still, you should opt for the most recent Intel HD or AMD Radeon to get a lag-free experience. We recommend getting at least 8GB of RAM. You could technically do well with a 4GB RAM, but 8 will be your best option. And in terms of storage, SSDs will make help to launch the game faster.
Best Laptops for Dota 2
Now let’s check a list of laptops that have everything you need to run Dota 2 with the highest FPS to avoid as much as possible heavy frame drops. A lot of the laptops in this list use Windows 10, so check out this guide in case you want to speed up Windows 10.
Acer Nitro 5
Amazon product| Processor: | Intel Core i7-9750H |
| RAM: | 16GB DDR4 |
| Graphics: | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
| Storage: | 256GB NVMe SSD |
| Display: | 15.6″ Full HD |
| Weight: | 5.07lb |
| Battery Life: | 5 hours |
Acer is a laptop manufacturer recognized worldwide for its outstanding products and its high-end technology. The Acer Nitro 5 is proof of that. This model is an excellent choice for casual gamers. The plastic body feels somewhat bulky, but the strong CPU makes up for that.
Another remarkable feature it’s its price. The Acer Nitro 5 has to be one of the best deals when it comes to gaming laptops for Dota 2 or any MOBA. This is an excellent choice for anyone who was a short budget but doesn’t want to miss the fun.
It also has a killer combination of GPU and CPU. The 9th generation processor with up to 4.5 GHz is just what you need for a game like Dota 2, which mostly relies on the CPU, rather than the GPU. So you can feel safe to know that you’ll easily get your beloved 100FPS on the highest settings. And you don’t need to worry about overheating your laptop thanks to the twin fans and the CoolBoost technology.
Extra features include intelligent audio with Waves MaxxAudio, which will give you rich and immersive sounds to really submerge in your gaming experience. Another highlight has to be the backlit gaming keyboard with an actuation point of 1.6 mm for precise game movements.
Truly, the Acer Nitro can wear the title for the best gaming laptop for Dota 2 thanks to its quality and price.
What We Like
- Great cooling system.
- Very low price.
What We Didn’t Like
- Chunky size.
MSI GL65 Leopard 10SFK-062
Amazon product| Processor: | Intel Core i7-10750H |
| RAM: | 16GB DDR4 |
| Graphics: | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 |
| Storage: | 512GB NVMe SSD |
| Display: | 15.6″ Full HD |
| Weight: | 9.13lb |
| Battery Life: | 3.5 hours |
The MSI GL65 Leopard 10SFK-062 is another option to consider when you’re searching for the best laptops to play Dota 2. This model has all the necessary technology for a lag-zero experience with an incredible performance.
The body might feel a little cheap, but the internal hardware will reach the highest standards. The i7-10750H processor has a clock speed of 2.6 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 5 GHz. All of that goes accompanied by a 144Hz Full HD monitor that will unleash the full power of the RTX 2070 GPU and will allow you to play at the highest FPS without serious framedrops.
With CoolerBoost 5, you’ll get dedicated cooling solutions for both the GPU and the CPU. It contains a total of 7 pipes to ensure that even the most hardcore and dedicated gamers can keep playing under the hottest and most extreme conditions.
It comes with a customizable per-key RGB keyboard made by SteelSeries. This keyboard will turn your regular game sessions into pro-looking sessions.
The response times are phenomenal and the images are immaculate. The MSI GL65 Leopard 10SFK-062 does its job tremendously. Without any doubt, it’s one of the best laptops for Dota 2.
What We Like
- Amazing performance.
- High-end internal hardware.
What We Didn’t Like
- The outer body feels a little cheap.
- Short battery life.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
Amazon product| Processor: | AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS |
| RAM: | 16GB DDR4 |
| Graphics: | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q |
| Storage: | 1TB PCIe SSD |
| Display: | 14″ Full HD |
| Weight: | 3.64lb |
| Battery Life: | 7 hours |
The Zephyrus G14 makes the case for gaming laptops all over the world. It’s light, it has a powerful battery life and an incredibly powerful CPU that competes wonderfully with the Intel line. An outstanding choice for anyone looking for the best Dota 2 laptop.
When we thought that the limits were set, the AMD Ryzen 4900HS sets the bar even higher. This CPU can compete with the latest Intel line in a fair match. It has 8 cores, 16 threads, and a clock speed of 3.0 GHz that can reach up to 4.30 GHz. That’s power turned into a gaming laptop.
This strong processor was somehow mixed with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q GPU, a 14-inch FHD screen with a display of 120 Hz. The cherry on the top would have to be the 1TB SSD and the 16GB RAM built-in for an amazing experience with some of the most demanding games. Although the cooling system might fall short for some AAA titles, it should still work efficiently with a title like Dota 2.
Laptop gaming used mean budget gaming, but with a laptop like the Zephyrus G14, it truly means pro gaming. You should pick this laptop in case you want to play more titles other than just Dota 2.
What We Like
- Fantastic battery life.
- It can take up demanding games.
What We Didn’t Like
- No webcam included.
- The CPU sometimes gets hot.
Razer Blade 15
Amazon product| Processor: | Intel Core i7-9750H |
| RAM: | 16GB DDR4 |
| Graphics: | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
| Storage: | 512GB SSD |
| Display: | 15.6″ Full HD |
| Weight: | 4.63lb |
| Battery Life: | 5 hours |
In case you’ve been living under a rock, we’re pretty sure you know Razer. Well, for those who don’t know Razer, they are one of the top technology brands in the market, and this time they bring us the Razer Blade 15. But hey, don’t get fooled by its size, this little guy sits as one of the best laptops for Dota 2 for several reasons.
With an integrated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU and a 9th generation Intel Core i-7-9750H 6-core processor with 2.6-4.5GHz, this laptop will be able to deliver great gaming sessions at Dota 2 and pretty much any AAA title. NVIDIA chips have been getting faster and better, and with this laptop they managed to deliver a remarkable result.
It has a 15.6-inch FHD screen with a clock speed of 144Hz that delivers stunning visuals all the time. The speakers deliver good-quality sound, but aren’t as loud as you’d expect.
The aluminum body feels durable and portable. It has also multiple ports:
- Three USB 3.1
- Thunderbolt 3
- HDMI 2.0
- Mini Display Port
- Kensington Lock Slot
- Headset Jack
- Power Port
Without doubts, Razer succeed at making the Razer Blade 15. We have an aesthetically pleasing design with a powerful built-in hardware that will prove to be helpful when playing Dota 2.
What We Like
- Amazing graphics.
- Leading-edge design.
What We Didn’t Like
- Weak audio.
Asus TUF VR Ready
Amazon product| Processor: | AMD Ryzen 7-4800H |
| RAM: | 8GB DDR4 |
| Graphics: | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
| Storage: | 512GB SSD |
| Display: | 15.6″ Full HD |
| Weight: | 5.07lb |
| Battery Life: | 8 hours |
Asus brings us yet another top laptop for Dota 2. The TUF VR ready is an easy-to-carry-around laptop with a light design and fantastic features.
With an AMD Ryzen 7-4800H processor with a clock speed of 4.20 GHz and 8 cores and 16 threads, it surely delivers awesome results. It features a 15.6-inch FHD screen with a display of 60Hz, which it’s amazing given its size. This should be more than enough to play Dota 2 on this laptop smoothly.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 helps to deliver an incredible performance. Although it’s weird to see such a powerful GPU and CPU compacted in a 60Hz screen.
Another extra feature has to be that this laptop has the capacity to run Virtual Reality hardware and software. So it’s compatible with Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality Ultra. The backlit keyboard is a plus for anyone who likes RGB colors in the darkness.
This laptop would run pretty much anything you throw at it and will run it with at least 60 FPS.
What We Like
- Lightweight and simple design makes it ideal to carry around.
- Powerful GPU delivers optimal results.
What We Didn’t Like
- Loud fan.
- Can get hot after extreme usage, so it’s recommended to get a cooling pad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dota 2 doesn’t lean that much on graphics. You’ll be better with integrated graphics like NVidia GTX 750 or above / AMD Radeon RX 470 or above. An Rx 570 should do just fine.
The minimum RAM you need to run Dota 2 is 4GB, while the recommended RAM is 8GB. We absolutely recommend you to have 8GB of RAM or more. Dota 2 can quickly take 1GB by itself, so with 8GB, you’ll be planning ahead.
Dota 2 is a CPU heavy game, not a GPU heavy game.
Conclusion
All of the laptops in this list will run Dota 2 smoothly and efficiently by delivering the best performance with the greatest amount of FPS and near-to-zero framedrops. Although they’re all very lightweight, they can still take up some space, that’s why many people consider getting a vertical laptop stand.
If we had to pick one to be the best laptop for Dota 2, we’d choose the Acer Nitro 5 because it has the best price of them all and still manages to have an excellent quality. But feel free to judge yourself every model and make a wise decision on your own.
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