Minecraft is big business! Love Minecraft already and want to know how to optimise your game-play? We feel you. Or you are just getting into it, and just want to know what your best options for good laptops? One’s that work with Minecraft and regular use? We got that too! We have selected, for your consideration, 7 of the best laptops for Minecraft, crossing a variety of budgets, and offering you an array of hardware and software options.
With 176,000,000 units sold as of this year, Minecraft has become the most popular game, world-over! It has captured its audience though elements of story whilst giving oodles of room for imagination and play. As time has progressed, so has the game. And with it, an army of die-hard fans have built mods to boost game-play and personalise your experience. And this is where you will find Shader mods, resource and texture packs. You can choose colour schemes and styles that will drastically alter the look and feel of your world. And there is something oh so satisfying about that!
So, join us on this exploration of Minecraft, and the tools you will need to optimise your experience. We will look at the software and hardware required, and how those pieces operate together to make them good laptops for Minecraft; how shaders work and some warnings to be mindful of; and a variety of laptops in a range of budgets to suit you! You may have questions going in, but you should be confident in your ability to select a laptop by the end.
So, if you want to know more and which laptops are good for Minecraft, what are you waiting for? Lets take a walk…
What Specs do you Need to Play Minecraft?
You want to know what makes laptops good for playing Minecraft? First you need to look under the hood. The good news is you don’t necessarily require the latest software and technology. But, you do need a few of the more recent elements, circa the last seven or eight years. As Texture, Resource and Shader mods differ, they may require a little less or more in the wheel house, but it is best to follow the ‘rules of the road’ if you want smooth-running playtime.
As Shaders mods come from different makers, they will and be subsequent to some varying requirements. And therefor how your hardware functions in terms of frame rate. The game is huge, and the potential is even bigger. So you might want to consider investing in something that gives you all you need to keep playing at optimal levels, even when new versions arrive, or you fall in love with texture or shader packs that suck the life from your operating system (OS).
Bet lets look at both low end and high end to get a sense of what makes these laptops good for Minecraft.
Minimum requirements
When it comes to minimum requirements, the specs are still approaching mid-range. Whilst, as you may have already heard, you could play Minecraft on a toaster, a potato, or indeed a llama, you wont necessarily get the most satisfying experience.
The Computer Processing Unit (CPU) you are working with is the first thing to think about. It is recommended that you opt for the Intel Core i3-3210 running at 3.2GHz, or AMD A8-7600 Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) at 3.1GHz.
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Graphics are also super important, and in these two work in tandem out the gate. A Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) can be a dedicated processor with its own allocated RAM. Look out for Nvidia GeForce 400 Series or alternatively AMD Radeon HD 7000. You can also get integrated graphics from makers like Intel HD Graphics 4000 or AMD Radeon R5 series, though these are often less powerful and lacking dedicated RAM.
Hardware Storage or HDD, you will be looking for a laptop that has at least 1GB for game core, tools, maps, and any other files. Plus an additional 4GB . A refresh rate of 60Hz minimum is advised, though this will make using shaders and extra packs almost impossible if all running minimum requirements in all other areas. In terms of your OS, Windows 7 and above, or for MacOS, 10.9 Maverick or above set at 64-bit.
Recommended Requirements
But, if you are wanting to get into some of the best game servers around, add all the latest shaders, or perhaps make a few of your own, you need back up. You need to arm yourself with the latest software updates and internal hardware.
For this, you would be looking at a CPU in the realms of the AMD A10-7800 APU running at 3.5 GHz, or Intel Core i5-4690 3.5GHz. There is some speculation in the Minecraft world that the GPU is not as important as the CPU for in-game performance, though this is contested. Message boards are filled with advice to the converse and contrary. We feel it is better to have both operations running in harmony, and for that you need to have a decent dedicated graphics card running with your top-level CPU. You could of course go for an integrated graphics chip. Ideally, you want to invest in a better graphics card, but the processor needs to be speedy enough to boost it.
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However, you might find yourself fiddling with the in-game menu settings to achieve those higher frame rates when implementing heavy duty shader mods. We recommend opting for GeForce 700 Series or AMD Radeon Rx 200 Series. The latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, 2070 and 2080 if you can afford it, though having a processing unit of this size will boost the overall cost of the laptop. You can always choose a laptop that has a graphics amplifier, though this isn’t the most common feature. Still, we have one such laptop in our review! So keep reading.
For memory, an optimal level of 8GB RAM and 4GB Solid State Drive (SSD) is advised. You can get other forms of hardware memory, but the SSD delivers faster load speeds and are far more durable. For the OS its best to set to 64-bit with Windows 10, or 10.12 Sierra for macOS. You could also go for a Linux system beyond 2014.
A Note on Software
Some older versions of Minecraft required you to download Java, which is pretty much universally known to be glitchy and prone to errors. Since Mojang Studio’s release of Minecraft Java edition in 2017, the game has been running with an integrated form of Java. This runs inside Minecraft without affecting your OS at all. You can still opt for the older versions, however this will require you to install Java. We advise going for version 1.6 of Minecraft (released 2013) or above, if you are going down this route. Java edition is a great option to choose, however, thought there have been some reported issues with Windows 10. You can always purchase a version designed specifically for this OS, and anyone who did purchase Java edition before 2019 is eligible for a free upgrade!
As already discussed, its best to run your OS at 64-bit for game-play. It is also worth allocating enough RAM for the system. Half of the total amount you have is good, but don’t get greedy and add more. It isn’t necessarily going to add more bang to your gameplay. In fact, it can cause glitches, crashing and general instability. Whilst many other games work well with Adaptive Sync technology, it isn’t so great for Minecraft. So best to switch it off. And last but not least, you want a decent internet connection!
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Laptops for Minecraft 2020: the Good and the Great!
So now we know the basics needed, and what to be working with. We also know those shaders are a fantastic way of customising the look and feel of your world in Minecraft. They allow you to put a different stamp on the game, giving a new aesthetic and boosting that boring scenery!
There are a number of laptops featured here that cross various budget levels. Whilst some of the lower budget options give a good gaming experience on the lower end of the scale, it can fall short when adding mods. This can lower the frame rate and cause headaches and dissatisfaction whilst playing. If you are on a tight budget, one option is to download Optifine. This is a Minecraft optimisation mod that allows the game to run faster and look better. Finer textures and optimal game-play with differing optimisation options are at your finger tips.
Of course, if you don’t want to mess about installing this extra mod, many of the laptops featured here are going to boost overall performance just with their in-built features alone! Now, there are a whole bunch of laptops out there. so lets take a tour of the good and the great laptops for Minecraft.
Acer 14″ Swift 3
The first option in our review of good laptops for Minecraft is a fairly budget option. This is just to generate a good overview of why the cheaper options, while functional, aren’t always the best. This is not to trash talk the Acer Swift 3. It is a good price, and has all the capability to play a decent game of Minecraft with little issue.
This laptop comes with Windows 10, an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 4700U CPU (basically a fancy acronym for a processor), which is the updated series. This gives you lots of room for multi-tasking without slowing down. It also has 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB NVMe SSD. The 13.5″ IPS screen is 1080p, so has a great resolution and viewing angles. Unfortunately the sRGB colouration leaves a little to be desired at around 60% with little colour deficiency coverage. The Swift 3 also runs at an average of 250nits brightness, which isn’t fantastic for outdoor gaming, Not great if you’re wanting to edit images or video on the side, but fit for Minecraft purposes. Especially if you are going to use those shader mods.
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With regard to shader mods, this is a minor caveat. Minecraft will run on this laptop no problem, and many shader mods take up less space to slow down your average FPS. However, if you are wanting some of the more premium shader mods, this is when things can go awry. If you were to install Optifine, this would take care of a lot of your FPS issues. There are many small things you can do to speed up frame rate, generally by fiddling with certain settings in the game menu. But we wont go into that here.
Connectivity options are fairly reasonable for a laptop of this budget. A generation 2, 3.2 USB-C port is included, capable of 10Gbps (gigabits per second), or USB fast charging or a DC-in 65W. There is also an additional charging port. Unfortunately it is not a thunderbolt port, so you won’t be able to support an external GPU to boost in game function and those shaders or texture packs. The laptop also has one HDMI, one USB 2.0 and a USB-3 port. A decent 720p webcam is included, and the fingerprint reader is also a nice personal touch. The 3-cell Li-ion battery provides around 7 hours of medium usage. Plus, the aluminium casing provides quality feel and protection.
All in all, this is at the forefront of good laptops for Minecraft on a budget. And if you are wanting to add on those mods, additions can be made to the system. Plus the solid amount of internal memory and 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 4700U gives you a fair amount of bang for your buck.
Product Features
- 8-Core AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
- 8GB RAM
- Radeon Graphics
- 512GB SSD
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Alienware 15.6″ M15 R3
Alienware have produced an insanely good laptop. And, while the price is at the very top end of products in this review, it is actually the best value for the features it provides! When compared to other laptops in this tier, that is.
At 1080p resolution, 7ms response time and 144Hz refresh rate, this Full HD laptop gives an average of 130 FPS with maximum GPU output. The IPS screen runs with a NTSC colour gamut and accuracy of 72%, and is fairly bright at around 300 nits. Though this is not likely to make outside gameplay comfortable, but most ambient light settings are catered for.
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The Intel Core i7-10750H is a powerful CPU that combines with the superior power of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6 graphics. As previously stated, this gives you the latest technology to play a variety of games aside from Minecraft with beautiful images, impressive response times and no lag or tearing. But if you are on the lookout for good laptops for Minecraft only, you have the ability to run mods, and new GTX updates that come out will all be supported by your superior system.
Plus! Alienware have provided a proprietary port for their external graphics amplifier. This is sold separately but is a great thing to have if you are into boosting the GPU for those shader mods. You could also get more memory and a higher refresh rate of 300Hz, though this will cost you a lot more. Still, 130 FPS on average means additional in game mods are likely to reduce the frame rate to a lower, yet manageable, level.
With 16 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD, there is also a lot of storage space within, and the inclusion of Wi-Fi 6 spells super fast speeds for online gameplay. As with most laptops in this review, it comes with Windows 10 as standard. connectivity is generous too, with three USB-A ports, SD Card slot, Micro USB-C port with thunderbolt 3, ethernet, HDMI port, and a mini DP. Plus that graphics input slot!
The whole item weighs around 2kg, though there is a reason for this. The chassis build is of magnesium alloy, steel and copper, giving a premium feel and mega-durability. the additional in-built Alien FX lighting bathes the whole space in an otherworldly glow while you play. It is also the lightest laptop Alienware have ever produced.
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Alas, the caveat comes in the form of battery power. It is on the lower end of the spectrum, at around 2-3 hours with medium usage. The Cryo-tech cooling system is a bonus, however. So once you are plugged in, extended gameplay will not leave your motherboard burnt out!
Product Features
- 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6 graphics
- Intel Core i7-10750H
- Generous set of connectivity ports
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Asus 14″ ROG Zephyrus G14 G401IV WQHD
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is another generous offering, making it not just good, but one of the great laptops for Minecraft. It holds the latest or the AMD processors, the Ryzen 9 4900HS CPU, and dedicated GPU, the 6GB NVIDIA RTX 2060. Having a dedicated graphics card is super beneficial for gaming. Not only does it work autonomously to process video, it also has a dedicated amount of RAM set aside for the task. Meaning more power, going right where you need it most.
These features make Minecraft operate with just about any shading mods you desire. It also takes enabling RTX ray tracing in its stride. Asus have tipped their IPS screen as WQHD (Wide Quad High Definition), giving a 2560x1440p resolution. This gives impressive viewing angles and decent image rendering. This model also maximises on internal storage a 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD and 16GB of DDR4 RAM. The 120Hz native refresh rate is also a decent addition.
With a Benchmark test return of around 36 FPS, it may seem a little low. However, this can be boosted to around 215 FPS if optimised at 32-bit. This is basically the running speed of your CPU and can be changed to suit your gaming operation. And generally, Minecraft should operate at 64-bit. A frame rate of 32 per second isn’t terrible though, and as previously discussed, there are a bunch of YouTubers out there making videos that show just how you can boost your frame rate by making a few menu mods. So, those high end shaders are still attainable.
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Connectivity is fairly good, with two USB-C, two USB-A, an HDMI, DP, and of course one 3.5mm audio jack. You can charge the laptop via USB-C, however you can also use the 180W adaptor via the dedicated jack. Alas, the USB-C port is not thunderbolt 3 enabled. Which is a caveat of not being an Intel core processor.
This laptop also holds a new innovative feature: the AniMe Matrix display. This allows you to customise animated icons and system information on the lid of your device. It’s a little gimmicky, but a fun personalisation tool nevertheless. This model also Includes fingerprint recognition, so opening your laptop is also personalised, quick and easy.
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While another option close to the top in terms of price, this is one that is not just good, but in the league of the great laptops for Minecraft. If you are serious about those mods and the latest updates, and you have a wealth of other games to play, this is a great all-rounder. It even has the capability for video and photo editing, given its impressive colour gamut and beautiful IPS display.
Product Features
- Dedicated 6GB NVIDIA RTX 2060 GPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS
- 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD and 16GB of DDR4 RAM
- WQHD IPS Screen
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Acer 15.6″ Predator Helios 300 PH315-53
The Acer Predator has all the top qualities that make this a great laptop for any gamer. This is not just one of the good laptops for Minecraft! the 10th generation Intel Core i7-10750H is in the optimum category for your Minecraft set-up. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti graphics also gives a solid boost to your operation. This means that not only current versions of Minecraft are playable with no lag issues, but also you are future-proofed for newer versions. It also adds value to anyone who is really into their shader mods, and wants to use the latest and more intensive options.
With the Acer Predator, you can still achieve impressive frame rates without having to do many fiddly system changes. Or installing Optifine. All you will need to back up this impressive CPU is a decent GPU, like the 2060 RTX. The native GTX 1660Ti will handle a lot of your best graphics-intensive games and wont cause much in the way of issues, but you can always choose to upgrade the graphics card at a later date. Whilst shaders with the most hardware-taxing will still only garner around 30-50 FPS, it is still a decent change from budget laptop options.
Whilst the 144Hz refresh rate wont matter for Minecraft necessarily, it does work very well with the CPU and GPU. These features plus its 3ms response time (in Overdrive mode) boost high octane gaming, with zero screen tearing or blur. It has a solid amount of storage, with 8GB RAM, 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD) and 1TB HDD. The keyboard is also RGB customised, with 4 zones distinctly coloured for easier gameplay when you need it.
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Whilst this is toward the top tier in terms of price range, but it has a tonne of desirable features that create the best gaming environment whatever you are playing. Plus, Acer’s custom cooling technology means no more irritating fan sounds, and extended gameplay without overheating! The Predator is most definitely a gamers laptop, and that makes it a good runner to be top of our list!
Product Features
- Intel Core i7-10750H CPU
- 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD and 1TB HDD
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti
- 144Hz
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ASUS 15.6″ TUF FX505DT
At a mid-price level, this is a pretty decent option for good laptops for playing Minecraft. You can enlist those higher settings at a good frame rate, and get an overall vibrant experience. And with very little fuss. The Full HD screen with 144Hz refresh rate is very decent for the price point, and when combined with other internal features. The AMD Ryzen 5 3550H 4 count processor works with the dedicated 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 to bring you a smooth ride. It has also be shown to turbo boost up to 3.7GHz. Plus, the backlit IPS LED screen renders colours very well, with little need to play with the settings. It also supports wide viewing angles.
With some tweaks, you can achieve 120-130FPS with those high settings. If you are using heavier shader mods, you are likely to achieve between 50-70 FPS. As the shader types can differ so wildly, it really depends on what you are working with. This is the beauty of Minecraft, to be honest.
The keyboard is also one of the better options in this series. Whilst none are anything to write home about (aside from the Asus Predator) TUF has a full keyboard with the WASD keys lit up in white. It also features a full number pad and delivers a great typing experience.
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Connectivity is again fairly decent, with One HDMI, ethernet, and 3 USB-3. Sadly no USB-C or thunderbolt, but still a good amount of ports to be getting along with. Storage space is well covered, with 8 GB RAM, 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD. This puts it at the top of the pile in the running for good laptops for Minecraft.
Product Features
- AMD Ryzen 5 3550H
- Dedicated 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650
- 144Hz refresh rate
- 8 GB RAM, 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD
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Lenovo 17.3″ Legion 5 FHD
If you are wanting something a little larger, the Lenovo Legion’s 17″ FHD IPS panel will be more than meet requirement. And it has a host of features that make this one of the good laptops for Minecraft. The 10th generation, 6 core Intel Core i7-10750H CPU and NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti GPU are a decent duo. With these two plus 120Hz refresh rate, smooth running is a near a certainty. If you are wanting to engage shader mods, some settings will need to be played with to ensure you run up a decent frame rate. But with 8GB of DDR4 RAM, a 512GB PCIe SSD, there is plenty of storage to keep your system running well.
With a 144Hz refresh rate, brightness level of 300 nits, anti-glare coating, the IPS screen really boosts your performance and makes gameplay feel fresh. Whilst at the mid to top end on price-level, this is another great OS for those who want to run a variety of games. Benchmark testing put a 64-bit output at around 30FPS as standard, though this can be boosted with tweaks.
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This model is thin, at 26mm, but on the heavier side at around 3kg in weight. This system does pack a decent punch though, and the extra weight isn’t too much to be fussed about. The Harman Kardon speaker system is fairly good, delivering passable sound quality without much need for an external set up. Plus, the Dolby Atmos headphone support means that you are covered when you want to plug in and drift away. Lenovo have also added Quick and Quiet mode, allowing you to switch seamlessly between the two, for instant cooling when your system needs it most.
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In terms of connectivity, this one is a little different. It has ports on three sides. On the left and right sides, one USB-A port; at the back, one ethernet, one USB-C (but no thunderbolt sadly), two USB-A, an HDMI port, and power cable jack. The inclusion of Wifi 6 also gives the gamer supreme speeds! It is a decent amount of connectivity, albeit fairly low-grade ports overall.
Whilst not specifically designed for gaming, this laptop does have the qualities that make it an accessible option, and with great CPU and GPU for graphics intensive games. It also hold the capability to play a decent game of Minecraft, and include those shader mods. Plus, there is also the option to install Optifine, as always.
Product Features
- NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti GPU
- Core i7-10750H CPU (6 Core)
- 144Hz refresh rate
- 8GB DDR4 RAM, a 512GB PCIe SSD
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Acer Nitro 5 AN515-44 15.6 Inch
Last but not least is the second entry from Acer. It has similar features to the Asus TUF: namely the NVIDIA GTX 1660Ti GPU, 8GB of RAM, and the 4 count Intel Core i5-10300H Processor is just as powerful as the AMD Ryzen 5 3550H. It also has a Full HD 144Hz Display and Windows 10 as standard.
Th Acer Nitro’s system features proves that is another decently priced options for good laptops for Minecraft. The average frame rate of 32-36 is not too bad, and of course this can be affected by the in-menu changes that can be made in Minecraft to enhance FPS. But this is also a great option for playing a variety of fast paced, graphics intensive games. So a decent all-rounder for daily use and heavy gaming. Plus, NitroSense allows you to monitor the temperature of your processing units (CPU and GPU) adjusting fans speeds to suit. You can also engage CoolBoost technology, which can boost fan speed by up to 300rpm. Great for those all-night sessions!
Both the GPU and CPU within this model are decent enough to run well with large or heavy-duty shader mods. Smooth and generous rates of 100FPS or more are attainable at various settings. Again, the heavier the shader mod, the bigger reduction in frame rate. This all depends on what you are using, but frames rates of 70-80 per second are achievable if you were to use a higher end Chocapic shader at a high setting. Of course, there are various levels to this shader, to suit you, so you can have fun playing with this. With a little tweaking and some testing you could even reach between 150-300FPS for certain shader packs at high settings.
The overall look and feel of the keyboard is nice, with red accented keys and a number pad featured to the side. With connectivity setting a decent pace with one HDMI 2.0, one USB-C and two USB-A, and a one USB 2.0 port (all generation 1). Whilst the connectivity isn’t award winning, you have a decent amount of ports to be working with. Albeit at slower speeds of 5Gbs per second. However, the Acer Nitro will still give you one of the best gaming experiences for a very decent price.
Product Features
- AMD Ryzen 5 3550H
- Intel Core i5-10300H Processor
- NitroSense technology
- 144Hz IPS display
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What is the Best Cheap Laptop to Play Minecraft on?
For best budget laptop, look no further than the Asus TUF FX505DT. This 15.6″ laptop is a decent value option, and one of those laptops good for Minecraft and a host of other tasks. It has some factors that make for a great Minecraft laptop. With an AMD Ryzen 5 3550H CPU combined with the dedicated 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, you are already kitted out from the get-go. Whilst the Nvidia RTX cards are more powerful, for this range, the GPU works beautifully. You also have the option to customise your purchase and add the RTX, though this will boost the cost. That 144Hz IPS screen with 8 GB RAM, and 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD, gives you plenty to work with.
This is a great option not just for Minecraft gaming, but for a variety of other games as well! Images are crisp and clean, with great viewing angles and no blurring, ghosting or screen tearing.
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What Laptop is Best for Minecraft
This was a hard choice. Two came out on top, but the Asus Zephrus G14 just pipped the Alienware M15 R3 to the post. Both of these laptops aren’t just good for Minecraft. They’re great! Whilst the latter is almost matched to the Asus, and has a generous set of ports, it is a little heavier overall, and the highest price point in our review. The Asus model gives you all the best options for gameplay, with dedicated graphics card, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, and the latest CPU technology with the AMD R9-4900H processor. It also has a 14″ IPS Wide Quad HD screen, with great colour rendering and decent refresh rate.
This is the go to if you want to boost your gameplay with mods and packs, and also play other fast-paced, graphics intensive games with impunity. Plus, the full keyboard is streamlined and satisfying to use, and the fingerprint recognition and AniMe Matrix display on the lid make for an even more customisable device. Thats customisable in game and in life!
We hope you feel confident to go out and choose your best laptop by now. Just remember the big four:
- Generous CPU (Intel i5 Core or above, or AMD A10-7800 APU
- Graphics card: GeForce 700 Series or AMD Radeon Rx 200 Series. Or the dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, 2070 and 2080 if you are feeling fancy and have cash to splash!
- Internal memory or 8GB RAM and 4GB SSD
- an operating system of Windows 10 or above, or MacOs 10.12 Sierra and above
If you have any friends looking for a way to boost their Minecraft experience, why not share this with them. Perhaps you can even compare notes? There is strength in numbers after all. Happy creating!
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