The best laptop games are there for you whenever you're on break for work and you just need to kill some time before you get back to the grind. Because they're so easy to run, even cheap laptops will be able to play these games just fine.
Don't think you're getting some third-rate games here, either. Games like Disco Elysium are not only easy on your laptop, but engaging and hilarious to boot. The laptop games on this list are among the best PC games on the market right now, and really goes to show the flexibility that PC gaming offers.
Even if you're using one of the best gaming laptops , the games on this list have a lot to offer, even if they're not quite up to snuff to the mighty graphics in more powerful notebooks. This list is by no means extensive either: but we narrowed down the 10 games that everyone should consider installing on their laptops for some nice gaming on the side.
1. Disco Elysium
Ever had grand dreams of becoming the greatest detective in history? We know we did, and we have just the game for you. Disco Elysium is digital heaven for those who’ve always had a knack for problem-solving skills and fancy themselves the coolest (or most crooked) PI in their daydreams.
In this open-world RPG, among the best laptop games that you can play right now, you have unprecedented freedom to do whatever you want as a detective – whether that’s solving murder mysteries and helping people or taking bribes, manipulating others and becoming a millionaire. And, that’s with a plethora of wild skills and cool detective tools at your disposal.
The city you’re running around in, of course, has that certain mystery je ne sais quoi atmosphere to it, like Gotham-meets-Neo-noir. And, it only adds to this extremely charismatic title. If you’ve got hours to kill, or really even if you don’t, this game needs to be on your laptop right now.
2. Among Us
Among Us seems a bit more casual than other titles on this list, with each game lasting 10 to 15 minutes but that doesn’t mean you won’t lose hours playing it. The concept is relatively simple. 4 to 10 players are placed in a map, either a spaceship or space station, and are tasked with some menial errands. Up to 3 of the players are secretly imposters who pretend to do the same things but actually go around sabotaging things and killing other players. Emergency meetings can be called where players argue over who the imposter is and then vote to kick someone out. Considering how short each game is, just about everyone will have a chance to play as an imposter after a few games.
What makes Among Us such an enduring game is how it can bring friends together the way a good board game can, combining socializing and strategy in a way that most online games don’t.
3. Cuphead
You might be turned off by the tremendous amount of challenge it poses, but we promise you that Cuphead is worth a shot. If you don’t already find its vibrant, whimsical art style delightful, then you might be convinced by some backstory of how it was made.
Cuphead is from indie developer Studio MDHR (short for Studio Moldenhauer), named for the two brothers who started the project, Chad and Jared Moldenhauer. In fact, the whole company is made up of family members and friends who sought out to finish their dream project.
Marija Moldenhauer, Chad’s wife, was responsible for the inking and clean up in this hand-drawn ode to 2D platforming classics like Mega Man and 1930s Fleischer cartoons like Betty Boop. And, if the 19 bosses aren’t enough for you, Cuphead is getting a major DLC next year featuring new bosses, areas and a new playable character.
4. Humankind
If you’re a fan of history-based strategy games like Civilization or Age of Empires but are looking for something a little different, then Humankind is for you. This game takes that format and gives it a little twist, allowing you to customize your gameplay as you go. You can upgrade to different cultures as you progress and shape your empire with all sorts of decisions regarding religion, war, alliances, and more that can have long lasting impacts. In fact, every play through will be different.
You can wage nuclear war or destroy the world with pollution in Humankind, but your goal is to be the most famous empire by the end of the game to win. While it does seem to share a lot of similarities with the aforementioned giants of turn-based historical strategy games, that added level of customization, different mechanics for city-building and waging war, not to mention the ability to essentially rewrite history makes Humankind a worthy and unique addition to the genre.
5. Stardew Valley
If you’re obsessed with farming sims (and, considering how well the likes of Farming Simulator and Harvest Moon sell, there’s a few of you out there), then few games will get you jumping for agricultural joy more than the enchanting busywork of Stardew Valley .
Taking cues from the Harvest Moon games, Stardew Valley's top-down point of view and cutesy characters feel blended together seamlessly, making it one of the best laptop games available.
It doesn’t seem all that exhilarating, tending to fields, growing produce and raising livestock – but that’s the beauty of it. There’s a special kind of peace to the mundanity of Stardew Valley’s minutia as you expand your farm, catch some fish down at the river and even head into the village to strike up friendships (and maybe something a little more) with a cast of NPCs. Farming has never been so much fun or addicting.
6. Age of Empires IV
Fans of RTS games rejoice! Age of Empires IV is here and it takes everything that made previous entries so much fun and updates it. Not only does the game receive a fresh coat of paint but the AI and mechanics have been updated as well.
You can select one of eight civilizations to play your way through four distinct campaigns covering 500 years of history, ending at the Renaissance. You don’t have to stick to the single-player campaign however. You can also play with friends in PvP or multiplayer co-op as well. And, more importantly, you don’t need a hefty GPU to play, making this a great game to play on your laptop. You just need integrated graphics as good or better than Intel HD 520, which has been around since 2015.
7. Night in the Woods
In more than a few ways, we’re inclined to describe Night in the Woods as Life is Strange meets Bojack Horseman. The interactive dialogue bits are reminiscent of the former while the overarching themes of dealing with mental health issues ring true in the latter.
Night in The Woods itself was developed in Unity by Infinite Fall, the virtual studio comprised of coder and composer Alec Holowka and Twitter jokester slash illustrator and animator Scott Benson. Together, these two have designed not just a game, but a stunning world full of relatable characters that should hopefully resonate with you.
You take on the role of Mae, a cat who dropped out of college and recently returned to her hometown of Possum Springs. It’s a completely narrative-driven game, as modern point-and-click adventure games tend to be, with very few gameplay hooks that will hold your attention. So, if you’re into Telltale Games or Life is Strange, Night in the Woods might be the best laptop game for you.
Best of all, it will run fairly smoothly on integrated graphics, given that it has an attractive, but not highly demanding, art style. Surely, this is a title we’ll be talking about for years and years to come, even if it was snubbed at The Game Awards.
8. Command and Conquer: Remastered Collection
The 90’s are still alive in the form of the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection . This doesn’t just have a remastered version of the original game from 1995. It also has Red Alert as well as the games’ three expansion packs for over 100 missions and over 250 multiplayer maps. That’s quite a lot of content in this release.
Among the best laptop games to dig into this 2020, this remastering includes upscaling the cinematics, remastering the music (including 20 re-recorded tracks), and most importantly, setting the game in 4K resolution. The controls have been updated for a modern experience including the ability to use hotkeys. And, the game comes with mod support for those who want to add their own spin to the game.
The core of the game is still mostly the same as it was in the 90’s so if you’re looking for a great looking, great sounding blast from the past, then this is the perfect escape for you.
9. Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire
While it’s a 2018 title and has a reasonably massive following, your laptop’s integrated graphics can still run Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire . It has mostly the same forgiving system requirements as its predecessor, so if you are a fan of that game, you should be able to engross yourself in this best laptop game as well.
Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire drops players on the Deadfire archipelago and tasks them with hunting down a rogue god. And, just like its predecessor, it features rich storytelling and deep RPG gameplay that harkens to the days of Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights.
While all the backgrounds are in 2D and viewed from a top-down point-of-view, they’re still lovely to behold. Plus, the numerous spell effects will keep you bewitched as you work your way through the intense and tactical combat.
And, because it's coming from Obsidian, a studio known for making the best RPGs of all time, you can be confident that you’re getting an adventure, and one of the best laptop games, that’s worth every penny.
10. Papers Please
If somebody told you a game about working in a border control office would be one of the most addictive games ever, would you scoff and walk off shaking your head?
Well, you might give a little indie gem by the name of Papers, Please a chance. Set in a fictional take on the Eastern Bloc, you’re an immigration clerk tasked with processing refugees from a hostile neighbouring nation.
The core concept is simple: check each person’s documents against a clear set of rules, process those who meet the requirements and detain those with false papers.
The game is created to test your attention to detail, as well as the strength of your moral compass. Sometimes you’ll have to decide if specific sympathetic characters should be granted asylum, even if it goes against the rules.
The twist is good performance effectively feeds you family, while mistakes put their lives in danger. It’s dark, but engrossingly so.
iPhone SE 4: what we want to see
The iPhone SE 4 is probably a long way off – after all the iPhone SE 3 (also known as the iPhone SE 2022) only launched in March 2022, and these aren’t typically even yearly releases.
But having used the iPhone SE 2022 extensively we have a very good idea of what we want from the iPhone SE 4, because the current model is far from perfect. We want to see more entries to our list of the best iPhone , so we need upgrades. So with that in mind we’ve created a wish list below of what we want from the next version.
But before that, you’ll find information on the possible release date and price, along with any other news and rumors. Right now we don’t know much – though we have heard a few things – but as information rolls in we’ll be updating this article, so check back soon.
Cut to the chase
iPhone SE 4 release date and price
It’s hard to say when the iPhone SE 4 will land since, unlike most phones, we don’t get a new one every year. The iPhone SE 3 landed in March 2022, but the iPhone SE 2 was unveiled in April 2020, and the original model landed in March 2016.
So a March or April launch is likely, but the actual year we’ll see it is more up in the air. That said, there are some rumors, with Ross Young (a leaker with a solid track record) claiming that we could see it as soon as 2023 , though he’d previously pointed to 2024.
As for the price, there’s no news on that front but we’d expect it to be similar to the iPhone SE 2022, which starts at $429 / £419 / AU$719. That said, rumors point to some significant improvements, which could mean the price will rise a bit.
News and leaks
The iPhone SE 4 could mark a big change for the line, as Ross Young (a leaker) claims that the screen will be 5.7-6.1 inches. That’s up from just 4.7 inches on the current model, though it will apparently stick with LCD.
They don’t comment on the design of the phone, but that larger screen size could suggest a move to a more modern design with no home button and smaller bezels, since keeping those things would make the phone enormous if it also had a screen in that size range. If the design does change, that would likely mean Face ID would be added too.
An earlier leak from the same source suggested the iPhone SE 4 might have a punch-hole rather than a notch, but while the iPhone 14 Pro is rumored to have this change, we’d be surprised if the next SE did. Most recently, Young suggested that the most likely size was 5.7 inches .
Elsewhere, Ming-Chi Kuo (an analyst with a great track record for Apple information) has also said – via a note seen by MacRumors - to expect a larger screen, and that the iPhone SE 4 will have 4GB of RAM (which is the same amount as the iPhone SE 3 has – though at the time Kuo predicted 3GB for the current model, so take this with a pinch of salt).
The iPhone SE 4 is also sure to support 5G (since the SE 3 does), and it will most likely have a new chipset – but which one will depend on when it launches.
What we want to see
We don’t know much for sure about the iPhone SE 4 yet, but we know what we want from it, including the following things.
1. A new design
The design of the iPhone SE (2022) is more than old – it’s ancient, with even the cheapest of cheap phones showing it up in many ways.
So we really, really want to see a design refresh for the iPhone SE 4. This shouldn’t be hard for Apple – it has plenty of phones with a more modern design that it can copy after all. The good news is that signs suggest Apple might actually do this.
2. More starting storage
The iPhone SE 3 has a starting capacity of just 64GB, which in 2022 is frankly not enough, especially given its mid-range price and lack of a microSD card slot.
So for the iPhone SE 4 we want to see 128GB be the starting size – and for that to happen without a price jump.
3. A lower price
Speaking of prices, the iPhone SE (2022) already costs more than the iPhone SE (2020), so not only is a price hike an unwanted prospect, but we ideally want a lower starting cost, so that this truly is an affordable iPhone again.
Given rumors of a larger screen and possibly a new design, this probably won’t happen, but we live in hope.
4. A larger display
The iPhone SE 3 is absolutely tiny with its 4.7-inch screen, and arguably that’s too small even for most fans of compact phones, so we’d like to see the iPhone SE 4 increase in size.
The good news is that rumors point to a 5.7-6.1-inch screen on this, which would be a notable increase, while still just about being compact, especially if the smaller of those sizes is used. In fact, paired with a new design and smaller bezels, the overall footprint needn’t be much bigger.
5. More camera lenses
The iPhone SE 3 has just one camera lens on the back, which even for a mid-range phone isn’t enough. Sure, it’s a quality camera, but it’s also limited, giving you just a wide field of view. So for the iPhone SE 4 we want a second lens added, offering either ultra-wide or telephoto functionality.
Why F1: Drive to Survive season 4 can only ever disappoint
Netflix is no stranger to top-tier factual programming. The very best Netflix documentaries pluck the most fascinating of unknown stories from obscurity, heightening their emotional impact with talking heads, simulated role-play and an animation or two for audiences to enjoy in comfort and disbelief.
The latest season Formula 1: Drive to Survive, though – which began streaming on Netflix this weekend – has the particularly tricky task of dramatizing the events of a sporting season that defied even the imagination of the show’s usual scriptwriters.
No amount of ominous narration or slow-motion camerawork could ever do justice to the jaw-dropping spectacle that unfolded during the final lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a moment of pure ecstasy for Max Verstappen fans and heartbreak for those supporting Lewis Hamilton.
An impossible task
Of course, Drive to Survive season 4 still employs all the familiar tricks to help its audience relive those fist-clenching scenes: cut shots of sadness to mirror the on-track woes. A particularly energetic crew member embodying the tension of a high-speed overtake. It's still one of the best Netflix shows , don't get me wrong.
But it’s also clear that Drive to Survive's latest episodes can't conjure the same feeling of awe that reality presented us with in 2021 – a pleasant reminder that sport is at its best when the unthinkable unfolds before our eyes.
That’s not to say the interviews and forensic reliving of the entire racing year won’t entertain and provide a fascinating level of insight, but the finale in Abu Dhabi still exalts and hurts fans in equal measure, and no documentary can ever hope to replicate that lived experience.
In the past, criticism has been levelled at Drive to Survive for its tendency to exaggerate action on and off the race track. Supposedly fictional rivalries, dirty politics and backstage bust-ups have become a feature of a show that has been credited with revitalizing interest in a traditionally inaccessible sport.
In some cases, that criticism holds water – in season 3, for instance, on-screen tensions between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz were later rubbished by the drivers themselves.
It figures, then, that some have claimed – in a racing season which saw title challenger Verstappen dethrone Hamilton in exceptionally controversial fashion – that the sport itself now plays second fiddle to the Netflix series it inspires (an allegation the show’s producers have fiercely denied ).
Could race organizers really be sacrificing the integrity of Formula 1 for the sake of TV drama? Few know the real answer, but this writer remains sceptical.
In truth, the best moments in Drive to Survive’s four seasons have come from the little guys – from the stories swallowed up by the greater championship narrative in any given year.
How many times do we see or hear from Guenther Steiner on a Grand Prix weekend? Rarely. But the Haas team principal is indisputably the best personality to emerge from this supposedly fly-on-the-wall series, and so it’s true again with season 4.
Yes, the battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton hangs over proceedings like a dark cloud, but it’s the stories told in Drive to Survive’s earliest episodes that prove the most engaging – the stories that really do demand a fly on the wall to eavesdrop, else they go untold.
When else would we get to hear Steiner remark – particularly poignant given his recent dismissal – “that’s why people hate you” to his driver, Nikita Mazepin?
All this is to say that Drive to Survive season 4 – like all three seasons before it – succeeds most when showing us things we don’t already know.
You can’t replicate the magic of a championship finale when your audience already knows the outcome, but you can surprise and entertain with insight into the lives of those kept away from the media spotlight.
Netflix's latest ode to burning rubber is by no means a failure, then, but its creators would do well to remember that the show's driving force lies in bringing to light the unknown. In an often frantic race to the finish line, it's the smaller stories that consistently prove Drive to Survive's real apex.