Have you been to Shadowlands? It is the enthralling, spine-chilling universe of World of Warcraft—the multi-player online game that came out in 2004, and has since captivated millions of people around the globe.
WOW (World Of Warcraft) was developed by Blizzard Entertainment as the successor to Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. If anything, it has set the frozen throne ablaze and become one of the highest-grossing games the world has known.
If you’re an ardent gamer and seeker of adrenaline spikes, you’re probably no stranger to WoW. But do you have a partner competent enough to give you an edge in the fantasy universe? Yes, we’re talking about your gaming computer.
Minimum and Recommended System Requirements for WOW Shadowlands
While many relegate gaming to their desktops, refusing to believe that laptops could ever be that adept, it ain’t true.
The right gaming laptop can be powerful enough to deliver fast-paced thrill and immersive graphics at a far lower price point than a full-purpose gaming desktop. Here are the minimum system requirements that you’ll need to run WoW on your machine:
| Minimum System Requirements For WOW Shadowlands |
|
| CPU | Intel Core i5-3450 or AMD FX 8300 |
| RAM | 4GB RAM (8GB if using supported integrated graphics) |
| Operating System | Windows 7 64-bit |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 2 GB or
AMD Radeon RX 560 2 GB or Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
| Free Disk Space | 100GB SSD/HDD |
Willing to go the extra mile? If you have a bigger budget and prioritize gaming splendor over compromise (lucky you!), here is what WOW recommends for the very best experience:
| Recommended System Requirements For WOW Shadowlands |
|
| CPU | Intel Core i7-6700K AMD Ryzen 7 2700X |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 64-bit (with the latest service pack) |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 8 GB or
AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 8 GB or better |
| Free Disk Space | 100GB SSD |
Notice how both configurations recommend you to have 100GB of SSD disk space available? Since WOW is an intensive game, it can take up to 4GB of memory all by itself. You’ll need that kind of extra accommodation to run anything else you want on your machine.
Our Picks: 5 Best Laptops for WOW Shadowlands 2023
- ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 (2022) (i9-12900H + RTX 3070Ti)
- Alienware m15 R7 Gaming Laptop (i7-12700H + RTX 3070Ti)
- Acer Predator Triton 500 SE (i9-12900H + RTX 3080 Ti )
- ASUS TUF Gaming F15 (i7-12700H + RTX 3060)
- Razer Blade 14 (AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX + RTX 3070Ti)
How to Select the Best Laptop for WoW Shadowlands
Now that you know the requirements to play the game, how should you go about selecting the ideal laptop? What should you prioritize—CPU speed, battery backup or graphics—and what tradeoffs are permissible?
Check the cooling mechanism: With great power comes great heat, and long sessions of WOW are likely to create an inferno for a machine ill-equipped to stay cool. Look for a laptop with superior thermal management.
Get 256GB+ storage space: As we already discussed, WOW consumes not only your mind but your laptop’s drive too. Anything lower than 256GB is unlikely to suffice.
Look for 1080p display: This is the ideal resolution for WOW, and most quality gaming laptops should provide you with this. Going above this might be overkill as you’ll wear your laptop out and could suffer from poor scaling. What about a lower resolution, say 1366 × 768? That might work if you’re okay with slightly pixelated visuals.
Ask yourself—multiplayer or questing? If you’re keen on going it solo, even budget laptops with a dedicated graphics card can deliver a smooth experience at low settings. Of course, if you’re warring with several players in metropolitan areas, you’ll experience a lower frame rate with cheaper laptops.
Don’t fret about the battery life: Why? Because WOW is a high-power game that leaves most gaming laptops unable to do much when not plugged in. You’d be well-advised not to make this a prime consideration while selecting a laptop for WOW. Quick tip: Turn to integrated graphics when you’re not gaming to prolong your battery life.
So, which of these gaming laptops caught your fancy? To get the most out of WOW, you need a reliable computer that performs speedily, has an excellent display and graphics, and offers minimal lag.
When laptop shopping, ensure to look for an able processor (i5 and above), adequate memory and storage space (4GB+ and 256GB+ respectively), and a dedicated graphics card, preferably NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 64.
A good deal of the excitement of this game lies in the details of the stunning universe, so you’d not want to compromise on the quality of the graphics with this one.
Also, remember that if your budget allows you to get the very best (say, #1 or #2 on this list), go all out. But if you’re scouting for a gaming laptop that gets the job done without costing you a fortune, then #3, #4 and #5 on the list are smart options. They hail from the MSI, ASUS and Acer families respectively—renowned for their understanding of the gaming populace—and you’ll be getting yourself style and power on a budget.
Whatever you do, bring your best to Shadowlands and give WoW the attention it deserves—there is no space there for half-heartedness!
