Making a laptop play like a gaming set-up
A laptop can run games well, but two things hold it back: heat, and the controls. A thin case leaves little room for air, and a long session can make it run hot and slow down. The built-in keyboard and trackpad are made for typing on the move, not for quick, repeated presses. This page brings together the ranges that help with both.
What is on this page
This page is put together from whole ranges, not product by product. Every product in the ranges named here is on it, so when a range gains something new, it appears here too. Each product also stays in its own department, and some are on more than one of the pages for different people as well as gamers.
Heat first
Lenovo's advice is that an overheating laptop slows itself down, and that cooling pads help most when a laptop would otherwise sit on a soft surface. Apple says not to use a laptop on a pillow, blanket or anything soft that can block its vents. So before anything else, give the laptop a hard, flat base with air underneath: a cooling pad or stand does that and adds its own fans. Clean the vents now and then too. The guide on how to keep a laptop cool explains more.
Choosing keys and switches
Mechanical switches come as linear, tactile or clicky, and makers give them colour names. The colours often hint at the kind, but they differ from one maker to the next, so read the description. On a mechanical keyboard the keycaps pull off, which is why the keycap sets here can change a keyboard's colour or feel; check they fit its switches and layout.
Questions people ask about gaming accessories for laptops
Wired or wireless mouse for gaming?
A wired mouse needs no charging or pairing. Many wireless gaming mice here connect through a small 2.4GHz receiver as well as, or instead of, Bluetooth; the guide to gaming on a laptop goes through the choice.
Will a controller work with my laptop?
Each controller's page lists what it works with. Check it names Windows or PC, and whether it connects by cable, receiver or Bluetooth.
How long does delivery take?
Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.
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