Looking for the best cheap gaming laptops? We’ve got you covered!
Gaming laptops are generally quite expensive as they require high-grade components, like a powerful CPU, dedicated GPU, excellent display, and an efficient cooling system.
However, that does not mean that you always have to spend endlessly to get a good-quality gaming rig. There is an entire category of budget gaming laptops that caters to new gamers, students, and generally those who can’t afford to indulge in every high-end gaming tech.
With these laptops, you can enjoy the same powerful components (or with little compromise) for a fraction of the price.
This article will walk you through the six best cheap gaming laptops, offering a sleek design and impressive performance without emptying your bank account.
Our Top Picks For The Best Cheap Gaming Laptops
If you are looking for affordable gaming laptops that don’t drain your bank account, the following are the best options.
1. Gigabyte Aorus 15 BMF | Overall Best Budget Gaming Laptop
| Price | $999.99 (Best Buy) |
| Perfect For | Kids, students, and first-time gamers on a budget |
| Specifications | Intel i5, RTX 4050, 512GB SSD, 8GB RAM, 15.6” screen, 7-hour battery life |
Gigabyte Aorus 15 BMF is the best budget gaming laptop you can get at $1000. It offers the latest gaming tech with a Core i5 processor, RTX 4050 GPU, and a 1080p camera, offering quite the value for money.
The gaming laptop features a well-built metal chassis with sleek lines, sharp edges, and multiple ports. It has an understated design, depicting its quality and performance.
Though the screen is lacking in the graphical outcome, the 15.6” display with a 144 Hz refresh rate does a decent job. It has a wonderful cooling system that keeps the device cool during long, heated gaming sessions.
Pros
- Long battery life
- Elegant design
- Value for money
Cons
- The screen is not up to mark
- Touchpad is lacking
2. HP Victus 15 | Budget Gaming Laptop With Best Performance
| Price | $1,099 (Amazon) |
| Perfect For | Gamers, students, office-workers |
| Specifications | 12th Gen Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 15.6” screen, 1080p display |
Equipped with an Intel 12th Gen Core i5 CPU and multiple NVIDIA discrete GPUs, HP Victus 15 gives a killer gaming performance. It’s geared up to handle your favorite AAA titles at 1080p at ease.
With a 15.6-inch screen, a spacious keyboard, and a responsive touchpad, you can expect a decent gaming experience. The only downside is that none of the displays are that bright, so you’d have trouble with night viewing. Moreover, the 144 Hz refresh rate might show some ghosting.
Though the display might put off some people, the overall performance makes up for it- especially with this price tag. The base model comes with 16GB memory and 512GB storage that you can add on later to speed up your computer.
Pros
- Good port selection
- Impressive CPU and GPUs
- Fast SSD
Cons
- Low color gamut
- No variable refresh rate
- A bit bulky
3. Acer Chromebook 516 GE | Best Cheap Gaming Chromebook
| Price | $544 (Amazon) |
| Perfect For | Good alternative to a budget gaming laptop, students, kids |
| Specifications | Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, IPS panel, Chrome OS, 9 hours battery life |
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE is an entry-level Chromebook especially designed for cloud-based gaming. Priced at around $544, the device becomes one of the best cheap gaming laptops.
It lacks a dedicated AMD or Nvidia GPU but still offers a solid gaming performance with high-end graphics. With cloud gaming, you use a virtual gaming rig, and the game is streamed to your device over the internet. All the processing takes place on the service provider’s server and you can enjoy a seamless gaming experience with a decent frame rate.
The Chromebook’s display is quite nice with a 16-inch QHD+ screen and a 120 Hz refresh rate. The anti-ghosting keyboard features a single-zone RGB lighting. Now take out terrorists in Rainbow Six: Siege or enjoy AAA titles on the cloud!
Pros
- Impressive performance
- 16-inch QHD+ display
- RGB keyboard
Cons
- No touch screen
- Gaming performance is a bit below a gaming laptop
- Small battery life (1 hour of gaming)
4. Dell G15 | Cheap Gaming Laptop With The QHD Display
| Price | $1,499 (Amazon) |
| Perfect For | Gamers, students, businessmen |
| Specifications | Core i5-12500H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, 15.6-inch display, 6-hour battery life |
Now protect the Hall of Heroes in Guild Wars or explore the Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 with the ultimate gaming beast, Dell G15 5520. You can configure it with powerful intel 12th generation CPUs, i5 or i7.
Multiple discrete NVIDIA GPUs, from RTX 3050 to RTX 3070 Ti, support high-end gaming performance without throttling. The 15.6-inch, 1080p display gives amazing visuals, but the 120Hz refresh rate causes a slow response time.
You can also opt for a QHD 240Hz display, paired with the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti to get a good frame rate and incredible visuals. The laptop offers three color options: Dark Shadow Gray, Specter Green Camouflage, and Obsidian Black Special Edition.
Pros
- Sharp 1080p display
- No thermal throttling
- User-replaceable memory and storage
Cons
- No variable refresh rate
- Bulky and heavy body
Hand-picked Content: Check out our detailed review of Dell Inspiron 15 5585, discussing its features and functionality.
5. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | Cheapest Gaming Laptop With RTX 3050 Graphics
| Price | $829 (Amazon) |
| Perfect For | Beginner gamers, budget-strapped individuals, students |
| Specifications | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 8GB of memory, 256GB of storage, 15.6-inch screen |
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a decent gaming performance, thanks to its AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, and various NVIDIA GPUs. It is the cheapest gaming laptop, priced around $800.
Though the CPU and GPU can handle extensive gaming, you’d have to compromise on the graphics setting. The 1080p display is good, but 120Hz causes a slow response, and hence, noticeable ghosting.
There’s a 165Hz display panel you can upgrade to, but it will require RTX 3060 to give an impressive frame rate and gameplay. The base model has 8GB of memory, which isn’t quite enough. Thankfully, it is user-upgradeable, so you can get up to 16GB of memory along with max 1 TB of storage.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a good option if you are very short on money; you can upgrade it as you like to make the best of this laptop.
Pros
- Long-lasting battery life
- No performance loss on CPU and GPU
- Under $1,000
Cons
- 8GB of memory hampers performance
- Slow response time
- Lack of color depth
6. ASUS TUF DASH F15 | Best Affordable Gaming Laptop
| Price | $849 (Amazon) |
| Perfect For | Gamers, students, office workers |
| Specifications | Intel Core i5 CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 144Hz display |
Combining the 12th Gen CPU and an RTX 3050 GPU, the ASUS TUF DASH F15 gives a solid 60 fps gaming experience. With a 15.6-inch 144 Hz display, you can enjoy high-graphics games with consistent frame rates.
Though it gets a bit hot and loud with extensive load, its performance remains steady-perfect for a gaming marathon with your buddies! You can also connect it to an external monitor via Thunderbolt 4 or HDMI port for an immersive experience.
The laptop features a Wi-Fi 6 adapter and an Ethernet port to provide a reliable internet connection for online gaming.
Pros
- Light-weight and portable
- Consistent performance
- Tactile keyboard
Cons
- Short battery life
- No variable refresh rate (screen tearing)
Final Verdict
There, you have it; our roundup of the best cheap gaming laptops! Most of these laptops cost around $1000 or less, allowing you to play your favorite games while staying within budget.
From the QHD display of Dell G15 to cloud gaming on Acer Chromebook, there’s something for every gamer. Whether you are a movie or an experienced gamer, these affordable gaming laptops can elevate your gaming experience without spending big money.