CES never disappoints when it comes to showcasing the latest in laptops, and this year's event was no different. I explored the bustling show floor and various packed suites and showrooms to uncover the key trends shaping gaming laptops in 2025. Here are the major themes that stood out in the world of gaming laptops 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 productivity with gaming, pushing the boundaries of what high-end gaming laptops can offer beyond just raw hardware.

This year, you can expect gaming laptops to come in a broader range of designs. For instance, the Gigabyte Aero series showcases sleek, elegant designs that blend seamlessly into professional environments. On the other end of the spectrum, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI Dragonforged Edition features 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 particularly caught my eye with its AniME Dot Matrix LED display, which can showcase text, animations, and more on its lid using white LEDs.

While there isn't much reinvention in the design space, expect to see some intriguing novelties alongside the traditional range of bulky, high-performance machines and sleek, lightweight options.

AI Assistants are Coming

Last year, AI became a buzzword in the laptop industry, 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 to manually open software.

In one demonstration, an MSI representative used a chatbot to specify the type of game he wanted to play, and the assistant automatically adjusted the performance settings to match the game's intensity. While these systems are intended to operate 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 all displayed Mini-LED laptops with top-tier specifications and pricing. These laptops featured over 1,100 local dimming zones to minimize blooming and enhance contrast, along with impressive brightness and vibrant colors. While OLED still excels in contrast, Mini-LED's lack of burn-in risk and higher sustained brightness make it an exciting prospect for future models.

There were also some unique novelties on display. The ASUS ROG Flow X13, returning after a year's hiatus, now supports eGPUs via USB4, eliminating the need for proprietary connections. Asus showcased it connected to a new eGPU product rumored to include up to an RTX 5090, offering a powerful boost akin to a Microsoft Surface on steroids.

Elsewhere, Asus displayed the Zenbook Duo, a dual-screen productivity laptop, but Lenovo stole the show with the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable. This isn't a gaming laptop, but it's noteworthy as the first notebook with a rollable OLED display. With a simple button press, its 14-inch screen extends upward, adding 2.7 inches of screen real estate. While the first-generation product raises durability concerns, it's a promising innovation that's set to improve with time and further development.

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, often adopting the Ultrabook form factor. Gigabyte, for example, has revamped its Aero series to fit this mold, and the models I saw were impressive.

This trend makes sense for gamers who don't need to run the latest games at maximum settings. These new Ultrabooks allow you to enjoy gaming while maintaining exceptional portability and productivity. My review of the Asus TUF Gaming A14 last year demonstrated that it's possible to include a dedicated graphics card in these machines without compromising their on-the-go productivity.

Moreover, with the latest processors from AMD and Intel, you can achieve surprisingly good gaming performance even without a dedicated GPU. Technologies like AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution and Intel XeSS, along with frame generation, enable relatively demanding games to run smoothly. For casual gamers, this might be sufficient, raising questions about the necessity of lower-end GPUs like the RTX 4050M.

Cloud gaming also offers a viable option for these machines. Services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now have reached a level where you can enjoy a great gaming experience without needing a dedicated "gaming" laptop.

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