The Gaming Laptop Trends of CES 2025

CES never disappoints when it comes to showcasing the latest in laptops, and this year's event was a treasure trove of innovations in gaming laptops. I explored the expansive show floor, along with various suites and showrooms, to bring you the most significant trends shaping gaming laptops in 2025. Here are the key themes that dominated the gaming laptop scene this year.

A Huge Diversity of Designs

Gaming laptops have always boasted a variety of styles, but this year's offerings felt particularly diverse. Brands like Gigabyte and MSI are increasingly blending the lines between productivity and gaming, pushing the envelope on what high-end gaming laptops can offer beyond just raw power.

This year, you'll find gaming laptops spanning a broader spectrum of designs. For instance, the Gigabyte Aero series presents sleek, professional aesthetics that seamlessly fit into business environments. On the other end of the spectrum, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI Dragonforged Edition boasts bold graphics on its lid, making a clear statement about its gaming prowess.

RGB lighting remains a staple, with innovations like wrap-around lighting rings, illuminated mechanical keyboards, and even trackpad lights. The Asus ROG Strix Scar series stood out with its AniME Dot Matrix LED display, which can showcase text and animations on its lid through a series of white LEDs.

While the core design principles remain familiar, expect to see some intriguing novelties alongside the traditional range of bulky powerhouses and sleek, lightweight models.

AI Assistants are Coming

Last year, AI integration in laptops was a buzzword, but the implementations often fell short. This year, however, multiple vendors showcased AI Assistants designed to enhance user control over their PCs without the need for manual software adjustments.

In one demonstration, an MSI representative used a chatbot to specify the type of game they wanted to play, prompting the assistant to automatically adjust the performance settings to match the game's intensity. While these systems are intended to work offline, I remain skeptical about their efficiency compared to manual adjustments. We'll need to see how these features perform once they're fully rolled out.

Mini-LED, Rollable Displays and Other Novelties

Mini-LED technology is finally making a significant impact in the gaming laptop market. Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte showcased Mini-LED laptops with top-tier specifications and pricing. These displays feature over 1,100 local dimming zones, reducing blooming and enhancing contrast, alongside impressive brightness and vibrant colors. While OLED still excels in contrast, Mini-LED's resistance to burn-in and higher sustained brightness make it an exciting prospect for future models.

Innovative novelties were also on display. The ASUS ROG Flow X13, returning after a year's hiatus, now supports eGPUs via USB4, offering a more versatile gaming experience. Asus also showcased the Zenbook Duo, a dual-screen productivity laptop, but Lenovo stole the show with the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable. This unique laptop features a rollable OLED display that extends from 14 inches to 16.7 inches at the push of a button. While the first-generation product raises durability concerns, it's a groundbreaking innovation that's set to improve with time.

Ultrabooks Continue to Rise, Even for Gaming

Ultrabooks are increasingly prevalent, even within gaming line-ups. Major manufacturers now offer thin, light, and premium gaming laptops, such as Gigabyte's revamped Aero series, which perfectly embodies the Ultrabook form factor.

This trend makes sense for gamers who don't need to run the latest titles at maximum settings. Ultrabooks provide a portable solution that excels in productivity while still allowing for gaming. My review of the Asus TUF Gaming A14 last year demonstrated that these machines can handle dedicated graphics cards without compromising their portability.

Moreover, with the latest AMD and Intel processors, even integrated graphics can deliver surprisingly good gaming performance. Technologies like AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution and Intel XeSS, along with frame generation, enable relatively demanding games to run smoothly. This could potentially reduce the necessity for lower-end dedicated GPUs like the RTX 4050M.

Cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now further enhance the appeal of these ultrabooks, offering a robust gaming experience without the need for a dedicated gaming laptop.

The world of gaming laptops is brimming with exciting developments, and we'll continue to cover these trends throughout the year. What caught your eye at CES? Share your thoughts in the comments below!