Back-to-School Gaming Laptops 2026: A Builder’s Buyer’s Guide
I build desktops for a living and I get the same question every August from family and friends: 'my niece is starting college, should I get her a gaming laptop or just build her a desktop?' This buyer's guide walks through the same desktop-versus-laptop calculus I do for relatives, picks the right laptop when laptop is the right answer, and is honest about when you should just build the desktop instead.