If you are an informed consumer, you wouldn’t be swayed by the habits of other shoppers, who just pick out the laptop they believe suits them best and walk away with the package from the counter. Not going to work.
Informed buyers know that it takes time, research, and knowledge before they can find the perfect laptop for them. Especially for gamers, features such as the highest-performing RAMs, processors, core counts, graphics cards, and storage, among others, should be considered.
But then again, the more powerful the gaming laptop is, the more expensive it is. Hard truth. Yet, it is possible to strike the balance. In this discourse, you will get to know today’s best and most affordable gaming laptops.
Best Budget-Friendly Gaming Laptops Of 2024
1. MSI Cyborg 15
Price: Around $1,185
At that price, the MSI Cyborg 15 will definitely be part of this list. It smartly utilizes the latest entry-level parts in faultless blending to provide its users with a decent 1080p gaming experience. That is precisely what they are looking for.
Its 13th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4050 GPU are cutting-edge attributes for this low price, ensuring the steadiest frame rates even at high settings. You will also love its design and battery life.
2. Gigabyte AORUS 15 BMF
Price: Around $1,616
At this price, the downsides are present. But don’t worry, they are normal. The Gigabyte AORUS 15 BMF gaming laptop is still a top consideration, as the features and benefits outweigh the cons.
In fact, it performs better than the rest, delivering such a sophisticated build, a 1080p camera, an efficient Core i5 performance, a decently long battery life, and a wide selection of ports. You wouldn’t ask for more from a gaming laptop at this generous price.
3. Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
Price: Around $1,095
Rawr at that name! If you want to save more as you bargain hunt your gaming laptop, leave the 17- and 18-inch laptops for now. They are pricier. But you won’t regret it if you opt for 16-inch laptops such as this from Acer.
Its screen is more extensive than many budget-friendly 15-inch gaming laptops around, and with that size, it stays within your budget.
Not just that, its performance is also at its peak after testing this laptop with an Intel Core i5-13500HX processor, as well as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. Don’t mind the weight of its overall chassis. Its 165Hz display, bigger and brighter, is all worth it.
4. Lenovo LOQ 15
Price: Around $1,000
As you can see, this gaming laptop is the cheapest on this list so far. It is part of Lenovo’s LOQ line, which vividly represents the brand’s entry-level offering.
The base model features a snappy AMD Ryzen 5 7000-series processor, which is more than enough for power, considering that you are getting this gaming laptop at that price. It’s already an effective laptop at that.
What are you waiting for? Snag this today.
5. ASUS TUF Gaming F17
Price: Around $1,526
TUF, tough, TUF, tough. You get it. This gaming laptop is among the toughest of the bunch. For one, you won’t spot several budget laptops at this superb screen size right now. The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is a solid 17-incher. At that price, right? Amazing.
Aside from its big screen, you can enjoy the coveted mainstream gaming experience and a good port selection with this laptop. If you are a gamer who feels it all with a laptop rather than a desktop, this gaming laptop from ASUS is a good investment.
6. Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8
Price: Around $1,988
Here’s another gaming laptop from Lenovo, the Legion Pro 5i Gen 8. You can see it’s the most expensive so far on this list according to its price as of press time (prices indicated here are as of the time of writing), but it is still within the budget-friendly range.
At this price, the treasures – the features, we mean – are waiting to be discovered. These include its wide array of ports, a Core i7 HX chip, a GeForce RTX 4060 with G-Sync, a 512GB SSD, and RTX 4060. You better believe it.
7. Acer Chromebook 516 GE
Price: Around $650
What is it again? Price is around $650?! Whoa, whoa, whoa. Yes. It’s time to change your notions about Chromebooks being just suited for work. When paired with a cloud gaming service such as the NVIDIA GeForce Now, and a fast and steady Internet connection, you can start playing your favorite games at the highest detail settings. This even competes with your desktop GPU. Setting the bar high? Setting the bar high.
Honorable Mentions
Other budget-friendly gaming laptops that deserve mention are:
- Dell G5 15 SE – Around $990
- HP Gaming Pavilion – Around $1,005
- Acer Nitro 5 – Around $1,705
- Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 – Around $898
How To Choose The Best Gaming Laptop
Many gamers prefer to play on a gaming laptop rather than a desktop, primarily because of portability. They can’t bring the whole desktop system if they want to play games in a coffee shop, so they invest in a gaming laptop. But how do you actually choose the best gaming laptop? Read on.
When choosing the optimal gaming laptop, start by looking for dedicated graphics cards from reputable brands for smoother gaming experiences. Meanwhile, to guarantee the swift processing of game data, choose those with high-performing processors.
Furthermore, adequate RAM will not just support smoother gameplay, but also multitasking – if you, say, want also to use the same laptop for work. You must also prioritize cooling systems to prevent the unwanted event of overheating during intense gaming.
Considering these things when shopping for your laptop will lead to the best choice.
