Although Football Manager 2026 may now be our next FM installment, FM 2024 is still going strong, making now as great a time as ever to fine-tune your setup and ensure you're ready to lead your club to glory. If you're considering an upgrade, finding the right laptop can give you a smoother, more immersive experience.
The good news? FM doesn’t demand high-end specs. Sports Interactive has kept system requirements low, so most modern laptops can run it well without breaking the bank.
For the best performance, look for a machine with a solid processor, at least 8GB of RAM, and a decent graphics card to handle 3D matches. Luckily, many of today’s top gaming laptops easily meet these specs, several of which we’ve highlighted below.
What is the Best Laptop for Football Manager 2024
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 could be considered the best for every task, while the Razer Blade 16 is arguably the best for gaming. However, there are plenty of other options to consider...
- Best laptop for everyday use and gaming - Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- Best gaming laptop for Football Manager - Razer Blade 16
- Best budget laptop for Football Manager - Dell G5
- Best lightweight laptop for Football Manager - Apple MacBook Air 15
- Best large laptop for Football Manager - MSI Katana 17
Why we chose the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is an excellent choice for playing Football Manager and handling everyday tasks. With its affordable price and powerful specs, including an AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS CPU and RTX 4050 GPU based on the Amazon US listing, it easily meets and exceeds the game's requirements. You’ll also get 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, offering plenty of space for additional games, documents, and saved formations when you tinker with tactics until you're the next Pep Guardiola.
The laptop's 15.6" FHD display, complete with a 120Hz refresh rate, ensures smooth visuals, whether you're managing your team or working on daily tasks. While the high refresh rate might be more than Football Manager needs, it guarantees a stutter-free experience.
Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a solid all-rounder that balances gaming and productivity. If you're in the market for an upgrade, this laptop is worth considering for both Football Manager and the future of football game titles.
TL;DR - Reasons to Buy
- Cheaper than rival gaming laptops.
- Exceeds the minimum system requirements and then some.
- Has a battery life that can last close to eight hours.
Why we chose the Razer Blade 16
The Razer Blade 16 is almost overkill for a game like Football Manager as it surpasses the recommended specifications tenfold, making it the ultimate device for long-term careers.
What sets this laptop apart for gaming is that it features a 16-inch 4K display, supported by a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card. Sure, Football Manager graphics may not be the most demanding, but at least you know you'll be able to play the game in 3D at the highest settings possible. Furthermore, the laptop offers a staggering storage capacity of 1TB from the SSD and an impressive 16GB of DDR5 RAM, allowing you to store multiple games on one device and quickly load up your saves in next to no time.
Of course, investing in a laptop of this caliber comes with a premium price tag. However, if you're an avid gamer playing games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and so on, and you're also in the market for a powerful laptop for Football Manager, the Razer Blade 16 is definitely worth considering.
TL;DR - Reasons to Buy
- Is good enough to play the most demanding AAA titles as well as FM.
- Its larger 16" screen helps you see more stats as well as the pitch.
- 4K visuals will help Football Manager look better than ever.
Why we chose the Dell G5
The Dell G5 is a fantastic budget laptop in general, not just for Football Manager, as it boasts some all-around great specs at a price that won't completely break the bank.
Although dependent on the configuration, one of the options we picked out comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 4600H processor, providing speeds of up to 4.5GHz. It also has a relatively strong AMD Radeon RX 5600M graphics card for the price. For a game like Football Manager, the GPU is more than good enough for it to deliver high-quality 3D visuals.
On top of that, it has a decent 256GB SSD, giving you ample storage, and 8GB of RAM that allows it to run Football Manager and other applications simultaneously relatively effectively. It also has an IPS-paneled, Anti-Glare, Full HD screen that boasts a 144Hz refresh rate, and it offers fast charging to keep you managing your club without the worry of a dead battery slowing you down.
Ultimately, the Dell G5 offers a lot for less, thus making it one of the best budget laptops out there for Football Manager.
TL;DR - Reasons to Buy
- Cheaper than comparable laptops
- Its CPU and graphics card are particularly strong for the price
- Charges quickly for non-stop football management
Why we chose the Apple MacBook Air 15
We all know about the MacBook, an extremely versatile device from Apple that's both incredibly powerful and sleek in its design. However, the Apple MacBook Air 15 stands out from the rest as it's one of the slimmest, lightest models to date.
It features an ultraslim profile measuring just 1.15cm, making it extremely lightweight and great to travel with and play Football Manager. It's also fanless, so it remains almost silent, even if you're processing the game 20, 30, or 40 years in the future.
Performance-wise, this MacBook has you covered. Featuring the impressive M2 chip, it's capable of running games like Football Manager with ease alongside other resource-intensive applications. And with 18 hours of battery life, you can play all day long without having the recharge.
It also features a visually stunning Liquid Retina display, supporting 1 billion colors, and boasts a 2880 by 1864 resolution. This might not be the most important factor for Football Manager, but it can definitely add to your immersion in games as part of your simulated managerial career.
TL;DR - Reasons to Buy
- Its M2 chip is built by Apple, for Apple products only.
- Has a battery life of up to 18 hours.
- So thin, you can play Football Manager whenever you are in the world.
Why we chose the MSI Katana 17
Anyone who has played Football Manager will appreciate it's best played on a bigger screen. With the MSI Katana 17, you get both a huge 17.3" display and some exceptional stats that make it ideal for gaming.
Alongside Windows 11 Home, you get an Intel i5 CPU and RTX 3050 GPU that exceed the recommended system specs and then some. You also get a handy amount of RAM at 16GB, plus a sizable 1TB SSD to store more games than just this one.
However, the screen is the true highlight here. Its high refresh rate, coupled with its 1080p resolution, will help keep Football Manager looking great, all while you're able to delve deeper into those stats and attributes on the bigger screen to help you pick out your next signing.
The MSI Katana 17 is a bit of a gem for gaming, all things considered. While its specs may be a little overkill in places, at least you know you've got a device that can absolutely get the best out of this year's Football Manager.
TL;DR - Reasons to Buy
- It boasts a bigger screen to help you view even more stats
- More than enough storage for Football Manager and other games
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Laptops can sometimes be quite difficult to get your head around, especially for gaming, but don't worry because we've answered some of the most commonly asked questions.
Do you need to meet the system requirements for Football Manager on PC?
Yes, you need to meet the minimum system requirements to run Football Manager on a PC or laptop.
Unlike the mobile version, Football Manager for PC requires certain hardware and software specs. According to Sports Interactive, the minimum system requirements for FM 2024 include:
- Requires: a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10/11
- Processor: Intel Core 2 or AMD Athlon 64 X2
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Intel GMA X4500, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, AMD/ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 7 GB available space
However, we'd suggest going for a slightly more powerful laptop to run the game quicker and to showcase the 3D graphics at their max. capacity. This is especially important if you're looking to run a save for multiple years, as there'll be a ton of data to process each day you want to progress further in your get.
How do you configure your settings for Football Manager?
You need to optimize your power and graphics settings to get the best performance.
To run Football Manager efficiently, follow these steps:
- Access your control panel and select the 'Maximum Performance' or 'High Performance' power settings. This will maximize your device's performance during gameplay.
- Check that you have the correct graphics card selected for Football Manager. If you have an NVIDIA card, open the NVIDIA control panel. Navigate to '3D settings' and 'program settings', then add 'fm.exe'. It is advisable to run the game using the more powerful NVIDIA card rather than integrated graphics. For AMD/ATI Radeon cards, go to Graphics > PowerPlay. Set this to 'Plugged In' and the battery to 'Maximum Performance'. Then, if the option is available, go to Graphics > 3D and move the slider across to Optimal Performance.
- Open your Catalyst Control Center and locate the switchable graphics tab. Set it to 'Optimal Performance'. Repeat the same process for Steam.
By applying these settings, you can optimize your device for running Football Manager and ensure smoother gameplay. Remember, specific steps may vary depending on your graphics card version, so consult the relevant control panels or documentation for detailed instructions.
How much should you spend on a laptop for Football Manager?
It depends on your needs, but budget gaming laptops often work well.
Football Manager is relatively undemanding in terms of graphics, so you don’t need an expensive laptop. That said, if you like to:
- Load huge databases
- Run multiple leagues
- Play with full 3D match visuals
...you’ll benefit from a laptop with more RAM, a strong processor, and dedicated graphics. Budget gaming laptops are usually a great fit, but always stay within your personal budget and consider upgrading in the future if needed.
Can you play Football Manager on a MacBook?
Yes, Football Manager is compatible with macOS.
You can play FM on a MacBook if it meets the macOS system requirements, which are similar to Windows but require:
- macOS 10.13.6 or later (up to macOS 11)
- A 64-bit system architecture
Performance will vary depending on your MacBook's specs, with newer models with better CPUs and more RAM handling the game more smoothly.
What size laptop should you get for Football Manager?
A 15" laptop offers the best balance between screen space and portability.
If you're primarily using the laptop for Football Manager, a larger screen (15” or more) lets you view more information at once, helpful for seeing player stats and match data. If portability is key (e.g., for work/school), a 13” to 15” screen strikes a good balance. You can also connect your laptop to an external monitor for an even larger view when stationary.
How important is a high refresh rate display for Football Manager?
No, a high refresh rate is not that important for FM.
Football Manager doesn’t rely on fast-paced visuals. A 60Hz display is more than enough since the game is mostly menus, stats, and simulation-based graphics.
However, if you plan to use the laptop for other games or video editing, a high refresh rate could be worth it, though for FM alone, it’s not necessary.
Does Football Manager drain battery life?
Yes, Football Manager can drain your battery quickly.
The game requires significant processing power and graphical rendering, especially when simulating matches or long saves. To preserve battery:
- Plug in your laptop while playing
- Lower graphics settings
- Reduce screen brightness
These adjustments can help extend playtime if you’re not near a power outlet.
Can Football Manager be played offline on a laptop?
Yes, Football Manager can be played fully offline after setup.
You only need an internet connection to download the game, verify with Steam, or receive updates. Once it’s installed and authenticated, you can:
- Save your progress offline
- Play single-player modes
- Access full gameplay without needing Wi-Fi
Online features like multiplayer or custom downloads will require internet access.
Final Thoughts
No matter your budget or gaming preferences, there's a perfect laptop out there to enhance your Football Manager experience. Whether you're looking for a budget-friendly option or a high-end powerhouse, choosing the right device will ensure you stay ahead in the footballing world.