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So it’s wanting like Google AI Mode could turn out to be the default choice of looking out — changing the normal search mannequin with generative AI search that scrapes a complete host of webpages to craft a solution.
Yes, Google lead product supervisor Logan Kilpatrick did stroll this again slightly, saying that “more AI Mode responses and functionality” are coming to AI Overviews — slightly than a straight up alternative. But given how this experiment continues to broaden at a lightning tempo, it would not shock me if this was the last word mission.
Just to make clear, wasn’t saying AI Mode is changing principal Search. As Robby and I talked about on Release Notes, thrilling to see extra AI Mode responses and performance coming to AI Overviews, which you get from the principle search field, and I personally like to see frontier AI…September 8, 2025
Of course, I may go into the large threat this poses to the methods individuals discover data on-line, or how this might severely harm the quantity of visitors web sites that depend on Google search get (utilizing techniques often known as website positioning).
But I need to take a look at it a special means and ask one easy query: if that is to be the way in which individuals seek for product suggestions, how good are Google AI mode’s suggestions actually?
So, ignoring the recommendation I usually give individuals, which is to go to purchasing guides like our best gaming laptops list for authentic recommendations, what happens when you just use AI?
And what follows is a cautionary tale — if you trust Google’s AI mode to help you pick consumer tech, you’re probably wasting your money. Let me explain.
This isn’t sour grapes
Am I annoyed that generative AI search is taking traffic away from consumer tech news sites like our own? More than a little, yeah. But this is about me, and this isn’t why I’m running this experiment over the next few weeks.
The reason why I’m running it is that more and more, this is becoming the way people are searching for information, and I’m disappointed with the recommendations it gives. Our life’s work is to make sure you have all the information, hard-tested advice and know-how to make the best buying decisions.
The test
I gave Google AI mode a simple prompt: “Recommend the best gaming laptop for…” To give it a price position, I aimed for “under $1,000” and “under $2,000.” Hitting enter, it all looks pretty official — nicely laid out too.
This is what I’ll be doing for other key categories in computing too. New laptops, desktops and peripherals can get expensive, especially if you want anything particularly good that will last you a long time. So AI mode has to get this right…right!?
Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. It fumbles the ball in a big way.
The (somewhat) good
As you know, it’s perfectly possible to get the latest RTX 50-series gaming laptops for less than $2,000. For less than $1,000, there are some pretty impressive 40-series options — I’ll go into all of these later.
Well, let’s start at below a thousand bucks, and in all honesty, Google AI mode has made some good decisions here. Typically, this constrained price point puts you in this realm of specs: an RTX 4050, 13th Gen Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD.
However, this is where we run into the first issue. Google AI is good and all, but it doesn’t seem to be too great at keeping up with recent developments, cross-referencing information from different sources or finding savings that satisfy the criteria.
For example, RTX 4060 laptops are regularly available for less than $1,000. I’d point you to the MSI Sword 16 for this for instance, which with $200 off means you will get way more in your cash. AI mode didn’t spot this, which implies it could be good at discovering editorial solutions to your questions, however not that nice at recognizing financial savings to get you extra bang in your buck.
The ugly
Then I flip my consideration to the less-than $2,000 choice. This is loads of headroom to get one thing packing an RTX 5070, and perhaps even an RTX 5080 in the event you look exhausting sufficient. So why on earth is Google AI mode recommending the Asus ROG Strix G16 with RTX 4070!?
Not solely that, however an off-the-cuff (and conventional) Google search will present this feature really blows previous the $2,000 funds. Some hallucination has clearly occurred right here. That’s to not say the G16 is a foul laptop computer, however we’ve moved ahead considerably since this got here out final yr. The recency context appears to be means off in what’s sourced — highlighted by the very fact a key supply utilized in its search was a greatest laptops information from April 2025.
But most concerningly, the place did the Alienware M16 R2 come from? I mean, it’s fine, but not something to write home about with a cheap chassis, loud fans and a dull display. Well, as it turns out, Google AI mode sourced this information directly from Dell’s website.
It scraped the retailer’s website and presented this (clearly biased) information as a straight-up recommendation. This is incredibly problematic as you’re being told to buy a laptop based on marketing materials alone.
I’m sure this could get better over time, but with AI mode essentially being a black box that has to be coerced over time, and given Dell built a page called “best gaming laptops” that this is being sourced from, it’s not been weighted towards real editorial expertise vs marketing tactics.
What is the fix?
How do we tackle this? Well, there are two key options to make sure you see us and other trusted outlets in your search results:
- Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News: While Google search turns into more and more AI-fied, Google News continues to be an excellent place to comply with publications with a direct feed of stories tales.
- Add Tom’s Guide as a most well-liked supply: Google just lately launched a characteristic to allow you to set your most well-liked sources. This maintains visibility of your trusted publications, and we’ve bought the step-by-step on learn how to do it.
If you’re in AI mode, simply be sure to examine the sources Google’s pulling its reply from on the aspect column — it pays (actually) to watch out that you just’re not being hoodwinked by advertising messaging that has simply been assumed to be reliable.
What you should actually buy
But I don’t want this to end on me ranting, without actually giving you advice. If you came here after being disappointed with the Google AI mode recommendations, let me point you in the right direction of what you actually should purchase at these prices.
Best gaming laptop under $1,000
Best gaming laptop under $2,000
More from Tom’s Guide
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