Gaming laptops can be expensive due to the components needed to run the latest games. Even the options for cheap gaming laptops usually cost between $ 700 and $ 1,000, but you can really get decent gaming performance at these prices and they are thinner and lighter than the gaming laptops were just a few years ago . Playing Fifteen days, CS: GO, PUBG, Minecraft and Apex Legends it won’t be a problem for them. You can save even more money if you look for refurbished or open box gaming laptops from sources like Best Buy, Amazon, Micro Center and Woot.
We updated this list of the best cheap gaming laptops while reviewing new products; our recommendations to help you find your ideal gaming experience based on our reviews and tests are below. And if you want to improve your gaming and work at home experience, you may want to look at some cheap play equipment to help you do that.
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The Acer Nitro 5 comes in sizes of 17.3 and 15.6 inches. A 17-inch laptop is a rarity with basic gaming laptops; most gaming laptops under $ 1,000 have 15.6-inch screens, and the larger Acer screen lets you dive in and get lost in whatever world you’re playing in.
On the other hand, you can get Nitro 5 with a 15.6-inch screen for just $ 670, including an AMD Ryzen 5 4600H processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card. At this level, you can play current games in resolution FHD with medium to high graphics settings, depending on the game you’re playing, of course. Still, the Acer is an affordable gaming laptop that comes with some interesting extras, like direct power and cooling controls and upgraded memory and storage access. Read CNET’s review of the 17.3-inch Acer Nitro 5.
Lenovo
Legion 5 is an updated version of Y540 from last year, which was one of our favorite gaming laptops for its design and value. There are some changes in the design of this game machine, but mainly what has changed inside, including the choice between AMD (Legion 5) and Intel (Legion 5i) processors. Prices still start below $ 1,000. If you need to keep costs down, the company’s IdeaPad Gaming 3 laptop starts at about $ 700.
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While the G5 is still our preferred choice, the G3 is available with many of the same components, including CPUs and graphics chips, but for less money. The other features and build quality are not as good as that of the G5, but the G3 is thinner and lighter. It is a good choice if you are looking for a school or home office laptop that can also play the latest games. Read our review of the Dell G3 15 gaming laptop.
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It’s the bright green keyboard that really shows that HP’s 15.6-inch Pavilion Gaming laptop is not just a normal midsize notebook. Of course, there are some very large rear ventilation openings, but otherwise the chassis is quite tame and all black except for a slight green tone on the HP logo on the cover. Inside, there is an excellent combination of components that are good for games and also for work. Read our review of the HP Pavilion Gaming 15.
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The Aspire 7 is not a “gaming” laptop, but it is a great option if you are looking for a home office laptop that is also good for gaming. Along with an Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics card and a 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor, you get a nice 15.6-inch full-HD display and a bunch of ports for $ 800.
The Aspire 7 is somewhat robust, however. For those who prefer something thinner and lighter, the Aspire 5 hits the mark and is available with an MX250 graphics card for less than $ 1,000. Read our review of the Acer Aspire 7.
Tips for Buying a Cheap Gaming Laptop
Older laptops with Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 10 series GPUs are still around, but the business options for laptops are not as good as before. Laptops with a basic GTX 1050 Ti card typically cost around $ 700, if you can find them. This chip offers enough graphics performance to play the latest demanding games in low to medium configurations. Spending between $ 800 and $ 1,000 (or a little more) will give you a laptop with a GTX 1650, 1650 Ti or 1660 Ti or a newer mid-size Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 for a great gaming experience. Plus, with the 6 GB version of the GTX 1060, you can experience a little bit of the ray tracing effects available with the most expensive RTX cards.
For the best gaming experience with a low-cost gaming laptop, you’ll want to make sure you get the maximum graphics power you can afford from the start, as it can’t be upgraded later, unlike memory or storage. If you are on a tight budget, choose a newer Nvidia Geforce GTX 1050 Ti or 1650 graphics card, which will give you good performance in newer games in medium or high configurations with prices starting at $ 600. If you can afford it close to $ 1,000, it will be better, in the long run, to buy a laptop with an older Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 with 6 GB of memory or a newer 1660 Ti.
In addition to the graphics chip, look for:
- A ninth or tenth generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor or AMD Ryzen 4000 series processor
- At least 8 GB of memory (also known as RAM) and the ability to add more post-purchase
- At least one 256 GB solid state drive, a combination of 128 GB SSD storage and hard drive, or a large solid state hybrid drive
Most, if not all, gaming laptops allow you to easily expand or upgrade your memory and storage, so again, it is better to put your money on the GPU and processor. Sure, you’ll get more for your money with a gaming desktop, but if you don’t have space for one or need mobility, these affordable laptops are worth the investment.
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