It can be hard choosing a new gaming laptop on a budget, with so much hardware to consider, and with technology constantly evolving it can be even harder picking the right one, at the right price that is suitable for the games that you play.

There are tons of offerings featuring both AMD and Intel processors, all with their own unique quirks that might make them the perfect gaming laptop on a budget for you, so no matter if you are looking for an affordable powerhouse or a stunning display, there's a budget gaming laptop that's right for you.

Here are the best gaming laptops on a budget available today.

Premium pick

1. ASUS TUF Gaming F17

9.20 / 10
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The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is the ultimate gaming laptop on a budget, boasting a powerful 11th gen Intel Core i5-11400H, DDR4 RAM, and a super-speed NVMe SSD, day-to-day tasks will be a breeze, and with games being powered by a GeForce RTX 3050, you know they are going to look incredible.

It's not often you see an affordable gaming laptop with a great screen as well as powerful specs, but the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 Gaming Laptop boasts both, with its stunning 17.3-inch display and 144Hz refresh rate, it is a visual treat from a laptop that won't break the bank.

The only downside to the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is the 8GB of DDR4 RAM, but thankfully there is plenty of room for upgrades in the laptop, with room for a total of 64GB of DDR4 RAM, and even room for more storage.

Key Features
  • Windows 11
  • 144Hz refresh rate
  • Adaptive sync technology
  • Self-cleaning fans
  • Virtual 7.1-channel surround sound
Specifications
  • Brand: ASUS
  • Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-11400H
  • Memory: 8GB DDR4
  • Operating System: Windows 11
  • Battery: 4050mAh
  • Ports: Power, Ethernet, HDMI, 3x USB Type-A, Thunderbolt 4 and 3.5mm audio jack
  • Camera: 720p
  • Display (Size, Resolution): 17.3-inch, ‎1920x1080
  • Weight: ‎9.18lbs
  • GPU: GeForce RTX 3050
  • Dimension: ‎15.71 x 10.59 x 0.92 inches
  • Network: Wi-Fi 6
  • Speakers: Virtual 7.1-channel surround sound
Pros
  • 11th-Gen processor
  • Powerful graphics card
  • High refresh rates
  • Extremely fast NVMe storage
Cons
  • Only 8GB of RAM
Buy This Product
ASUS TUF Gaming F17
Editors choice

2. Acer Nitro 5

9.40 / 10
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The Acer Nitro 5 boasts Intel's 9th generation Intel Core i5-9300H processor, so you can expect how powerful it could be. Graphics-intensive video games run more smoothly on NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics with 4GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM.

With a display of 15.6 inches wide and a resolution of 1920x1080, you will be able to have the best possible gaming experience on a budget. As you play, Acer Cool Boost technology with twin fans and dual exhaust ports will keep your device cool and calm. Therefore it's recommended for gamers who enjoy long sessions.

If you're used to playing games with a mechanical keyboard and mouse, you'll be pleased to know that the Acer Nitro 5 features tactical keys; they have a travel distance of just 1.6mm, alongside backlighting that makes gameplay even more enjoyable.

Key Features
  • Acer Cool Boost technology
  • Full HD IPS Display
  • 9th-Gen Intel Core i5 Processor
Specifications
  • Operating System: ‎Windows 10 Home
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-9750H
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
  • Storage: ‎256GB SSD
  • Battery: ‎8 hours
  • Display (Size, Resolution): ‎15.6-inch, ‎1920x1080
  • Camera: 720p HD
  • Speakers: Waves MaxxAudio System & Acer TrueHarmony
  • Memory: ‎16GB
  • Ports: ‎2x USB 3.1, 1x USB Type-C, 1x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x 3.5mm Audio Combo, 1x Charging Port, 1x RJ-45
  • Dimensions: 14.31 x 10.04 x 0.96 inches
  • Weight: ‎4.84lbs
  • Brand: Acer
Pros
  • Good battery life of 8 hours
  • Wide display
  • Alexa integration
Cons
  • Fairly heavy
Buy This Product
Acer Nitro 5
Best value

3. Lenovo IdeaPad 3

9.00 / 10
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The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a laptop that's affordable yet decent enough to run most low to mid-end games. With 8GB of RAM, you'll struggle to play the latest AAA titles, but if you can stretch your budget to upgrade and double the RAM, you'll be able to enjoy a 1080p display with a GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card for some of your favorite games.

Students will love this laptop too since it comes with Windows 11, 256GB M.2 storage, a webcam, Bluetooth, speakers, and plenty of ports. It offers everything you need to work and play at an entry-level price, without cutting too many corners.

The build quality is superb and the included backlit keyboard adds a nice touch to those who like to game or work later into the evenings. Better yet, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is pretty lightweight despite its components; ideal for traveling or taking it to your friend's house for a gaming session. However, you'll need to take the power cable with you as it eats into the battery life pretty quickly.

Key Features
  • FHD IPS display
  • Backlit keyboard
  • HD webcam with privacy shutter
  • Windows 11
Specifications
  • Operating System: Windows 11
  • CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7
  • GPU: Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • Storage: 256GB SSD
  • Battery: Up to 7 hours
  • Display (Size, Resolution): 15.6-inch, 1920x1080
  • Camera: 0.3MP, with Privacy Shutter
  • Memory: 12GB
  • Ports: 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI, 1 x SD, media card reader, 1x 3.5mm Headphone Jack
  • Dimensions: 13.8 x 9.1 x 0.75 inches
  • Weight: 3.74 lbs
  • Brand: Lenovo
Pros
  • Great value
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • Bright display
Cons
  • Limited battery life
Buy This Product
Lenovo IdeaPad 3

A brushed chassis and a blue-backlit keyboard make the Lenovo Ideapad a competitor of ASUS and Acer laptops. One thing that differentiates this machine from other brands is its modest price and sturdy design.

Furthermore, its 512 GB storage capacity allows you to download heavy games with hefty file sizes and the 8GB RAM enables it to run multiple games simultaneously. Thus, a high storage and memory mix is key to maximizing efficiency.

Additionally, two USB ports along with HDMI, type-C, and Ethernet ports allow you to connect headphones and other gaming accessories simultaneously. The laptop delivers crystal clear sound without generating echo with Dolby audio technology, enabling you to stream live video more effectively.

Key Features
  • Steadfast graphics unit
  • Eye-care mode
  • Quiet mode for working
  • Jaw-dropping Dolby audio
Specifications
  • Operating System: ‎Windows 10
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-9300H
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
  • Storage: 512GB SSD
  • Battery: ‎9 hours
  • Display (Size, Resolution): ‎15.6-inch, 1920x1080
  • Camera: HD 720p
  • Speakers: Dopoundsy audio technology
  • Memory: ‎8GB
  • Ports: ‎2x USB 3.0
  • Dimensions: ‎14.29 x 10.02 x 0.94 inches
  • Weight: ‎4.84lbs
  • Brand: ‎Lenovo
Pros
  • Best for long gaming sessions
  • No heating issues
  • Wide display with enhanced visuals
Cons
  • Display doesn't support 4K resolution
Buy This Product
Lenovo Ideapad L340

The Swift 3 laptop from Acer is a lightweight gaming laptop. The AMD GPU is optimized for gaming at 60 frames per second while 512 GB of storage provides enough space for dozens of games, so installing a new one doesn't require removing your old one first.

This machine extracts all heat away from underneath and is pretty good at exhausting heat to cool the system making it ideal for gamers who enjoy high-resolution video games since standard PCs tend to overheat during those games.

Besides being ideal for casual gamers who want more portability, this laptop can also be used for photo and video editing thanks to its high-quality display.

Key Features
  • IPS LED-backlit display
  • Acer Purified Voice with two integrated microphones
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi
  • 11.5 hours of battery life
Specifications
  • Operating System: Windows 10 Home
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core
  • GPU: ‎AMD Radeon Graphics
  • Storage: 512GB SSD
  • Battery: 11.5 hours
  • Display (Size, Resolution): 14-inch, ‎1920x1080
  • Camera: Integral HD webcam
  • Speakers: Acer Purified Voice
  • Memory: 8GB
  • Ports: 1x USB Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x DisplayPort, 1x USB, 1x USB 3. 2 Gen 1 (featuring power-off charging), 1x USB 2.0, 1x HDMI
  • Dimensions: 12.73 x 8.62 x 0.63 inches
  • Weight: 2.65lbs
  • Brand: Acer
  • Model: SF314-42-R9YN
Pros
  • Powerful processor
  • Relatively cheap
  • Light-weight
  • Integrated HD webcam for dual-player games
Cons
  • The sound quality isn't good
Buy This Product
Acer Swift 3

MSI's GF63 thin laptop is explicitly tailored for casual gamers who don't want to spend thousands of dollars. With this machine's ultra-thin design and 15.6-inch FHD display, you will enjoy a seamless gaming experience. Furthermore, the Intel Core i5-9300H processor coupled with 8GB RAM allows it to support most mid-range games.

With a GeForce GTX NVidia graphics card, you can enjoy exceptional visuals while playing games on an energy-efficient laptop. Due to its resolution of 1920x1080, its GPU promises to provide the best visual experience from a 1080p laptop.

Thanks to the Lithium Polymer battery, you can play video games continuously for approximately seven hours. Furthermore, its enthusiastic cooler boost five technology prevents the system from overheating, making it an ideal machine for playing graphics-intensive games.

Key Features
  • Up to 7 hours of battery life for long gaming sessions
  • Dedicated thermals ensure extreme performance
  • Carefully constructed design
Specifications
  • Operating System: ‎Windows 10
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-8300H
  • GPU: ‎NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
  • Storage: ‎256GB SSD
  • Battery: 7 hours
  • Display (Size, Resolution): ‎15.6-inch, ‎1920x1080
  • Camera: HD 720p
  • Speakers: NAHIMIC 3 NEXT LEVEL AUDIO
  • Memory: ‎8GB
  • Ports: 4x USB 3.0
  • Dimensions: ‎14.13 x 9.99 x 0.85 inches
  • Weight: ‎7.48lbs
  • Brand: ‎MSI
Pros
  • Crimson backlit keyboard
  • Provides high-definition gaming experience
  • Substantial battery life
Cons
  • Heavy in weight
Buy This Product

The Gigabyte G5 GD is a great gaming laptop in many ways; it is good value when you compare its components to its cost, but there are several areas that let it down, preventing it from being a high-end gaming laptop.

For starters, the Gigabyte G5 GD comes with 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, RTX 3050 graphics, and an 11th gen Intel processor. These components alone make for a great gaming laptop, allowing you to play some AAA titles and most mid-level games with ease. However, you will be tied down by its limited battery life of up to four hours which isn't ideal for traveling.

Despite the processor being excellent in its own right, if the Gigabyte G5 GD came equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H or 5800H, it would have made this budget gaming laptop an absolute steal. Still, it's plenty powerful enough if you're not using it all the time and don't mind it being plugged in constantly.

Key Features
  • 144Hz refresh rate
  • IPS display with anti-glare
  • NVIDIA DLSS support
Specifications
  • Brand: Gigabyte
  • Storage: 512GB SSD
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-11400H
  • Memory: 16GB
  • Operating System: Windows 11
  • Battery: Up to 4 hours
  • Ports: 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x 3.5mm jack
  • Camera: HD camera
  • Display (Size, Resolution): 1536-inch, 1920x1080
  • Weight: 4.8lbs
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
  • Dimension: 10.15 x 14.21 x 1.09 inches
  • Network: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2
  • Speakers: 2x 2W
Pros
  • Good value
  • High refresh rate
  • Decent hardware
Cons
  • Processor lets it down slightly
  • Battery life is poor
Buy This Product
Gigabyte G5 GD

FAQ

Q: Is 500 Dollar Gaming Laptop Worth It?

Playing demanding games on a $500 machine won't be ideal. The GPU may not be high enough to give you the best visuals. The processor and RAM won't be high-end and you can't expect it to last for long gaming sessions. Furthermore, low-budget gaming laptops are prone to heating issues. To get a reliable machine, pump up your budget.

Q: Which Brand Is Best For Gaming Laptops?

While there are many budget gaming laptop brands, not all of them will offer the same level of performance at an affordable cost. One of the most reliable and high-performance budget gaming brands is Acer.

Q: How Much RAM Do I Need For Gaming?

In general, 8GB RAM is sufficient for a laptop with a good processor. If you want your gaming machine to be able to run high graphics-intensive games without much difficulty, upgrading it to 16GB will be worth it.

However, you should also carefully choose your GPU, processor and check your machine's heat efficiency before deciding which laptop is best for you.

Q: Do Gaming Laptops Overheat Much?

A gaming laptop is usually equipped with a performance processor and a dedicated graphics card. When playing graphics-intensive video games, these components produce too much heat, which can cause gaming laptops to overheat.

Most manufacturers indeed install dedicated cooling systems, but there are times when the heat being emitted by the laptop outweighs the heat being released from it. No matter how much money you spend on your gaming laptop, you expect it to heat up occasionally.