New Intel & AMD processors paired with good entry-level graphics chipsets mean great performance for less budget. Today, you can buy worthy gaming laptops from 700 to 1,000 dollars. They come with the latest AMD or Intel processors, displays with faster refresh rates, and later entry-level discrete graphics. It means that you are not limited to low-resolution gaming on these machines & can get an impressive experience playing games such as Minecraft, Fortnite, PUBG, GO, and Apex Legends. If you want to buy a budget gaming laptop, you can consider the following recommended options:
Best Budget Gaming Laptop
Dell G15
Dell G-series gaming laptops can be considered for you who want a gaming laptop with low budget. In this case, Dell G15 is the best choice. It only offers one chassis with various configurations. It is powered by an 11th generation of Intel processor/AMD Ryzen 5000 H-series processor. Those processors can be paired with 6 GB Nvidia RTX 3060, 8GB or 16GB & 256 GB SSD/512GB SSD. Basically, they are a more budget-friendly version of those from its Alienware division. However, they can still capable of playing the newest AAA titles. Lately, prices have been up & down due to supply issues. Therefore, if you are a gamer on a budget, you should be careful to find the best deal.
Acer Nitro 5
The next recommended option is Acer Nitro 5 where it comes in both 15.6” and 17.3” screens. Usually, gaming laptops come in 15.6” screens and cost 1,000 dollars. 17.3” Acer Nitro 5 is the largest option available today. If you want the more affordable one, you should consider the 15.6” version as it costs 720 dollars. With an affordable price, this gaming laptop is equipped with AMD Ryzen 5 4600H processor & Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics. With this laptop, you can play current games at Full HD resolutions with the medium to high graphics settings, depending on the game you play.
HP Pavilion Gaming 15
HP Pavilion Gaming 15 is not only a normal mid-size notebook. However, it also comes with an excellent mix of components that are great for gaming and work. Then, you can find ready-to-ship options at Best Buy, Walmart, or configure your own at HP.com. but the current shipping wait time is around a month. At Walmart, HP Pavilion Gaming 15 costs 750 dollars.
Lenovo Legion 5/5i
It is an updated version of Y540. It is well known with its good design. You have a choice of AMD for Legion 5 or Intel for Legion 5i. how about the price? If you are looking for a gaming laptop that costs a bit above 1,000 dollars, this one can be the best choice. If you want the more affordable option, you can consider IdeaPad Gaming 3 laptop where its price starts down about 749 dollars. And this laptop does have a good design and it’s not easy, of course, the performance is captivating. The price offered is also still in the normal level for all of us.
Tips in Buying a Budget Laptop
Today, laptops with Nvidia GeForce GTX 20 series GPU can still be found easily. However, the options are not as good as they once were. Normally, an affordable gaming laptop that comes with an entry-level GTX 1650 costs from 700 dollars. At this price, the gaming laptop provides enough graphic performance. If you spend 800 to 1,000 dollars or a bit higher, you will get a gaming laptop that comes with a GRX 150 Ti, a 1660 Ti, an RTX 3050 or an RTX 3050 Ti for a better experience.
For the best experience o gaming with an affordable gaming laptop, you will need to make sure that you get the most graphics power that you can afford from the start as long as it cannot be upgraded later, unlike storage or memory. If you are limited by your budget, you can even go with an Nvidia 1650 graphics card. This can still give you good performance of gaming on later games at high or medium settings. You can find a laptop with Nvidia 1650 graphics card from 600 to 1,000 dollars. If you are able to afford to spend almost 1,000 dollars, it will be better for you to look for the following:
- A 10th or 11th generation of Intel Core i5, i7, or AMD Ryzen 4000 or 5000 series processor with awesome performance.
- 8 GB of RAM memory & the capability to add more post-purchase in the world.
- A 256 GB solid-state drive, a hard drive, a combo of 128 GB SSD, or a large solid-state hybrid drive.
Most gaming laptops allow you to expand or upgrade your storage and memory easily. Therefore, it is best for you to put your money into the GPU & processor. Of course, you will get more for your cash with a gaming PC. However, if you have no room for one or you must have mobility, these options of low-budget gaming laptops are worth the investment.
Are Budget Gaming Laptops Worth It?
Budget or not, a gaming laptop should allow you to forget that you are playing on a laptop. Make sure that you use a laptop that comes with powerful internal components, a well-designed chassis, good performance and a decent display. A good gaming laptop should deliver a full gaming experience. So, are gaming laptops great? Yes, they are great if you pay for them.
The gaming laptop market finally achieves a balance between price & performance. There are many good gaming laptops you can find out there such as Acer Predators, Razer Blades, etc. However, it becomes a big problem because they cost more than 1,000 dollars and its so expensive for all.
In fact, most gaming laptops cost 1,000 dollars or higher. However, you can also opt for a laptop with good performance. The fact is that there are many non-gaming laptops that can still perform smoothly for playing games.
Anyway, a budget gaming laptop is still the priority. You will be able to find a gaming laptop under 1,000 dollars with satisfying performance. Besides the price, you will certainly need to consider other components such as its RAM, internal memory, and GPU. So, your laptop will be able to run games smoothly without worrying to lag and also make your happy for gaming.