
These are worthwhile trade offs if you're looking to save money, though, and even the priciest gaming laptops struggle with battery life. Affordable systems will also be heavier and thicker than mid-range and premium models, and they typically don't have great battery life. Still, the best cheap gaming laptops we're recommending should be sturdy enough to last a few years. You might be tempted to jump on one of those dirt-cheap gaming laptop deals from Walmart or Best Buy, but it's just not worth it if you're stuck with 8GB of RAM or a tiny SSD.Īs for build quality, expect to find more plastic than metal on budget systems. Modern games need a decent chunk of memory to run, and they also tend to be large, so you wouldn't be able to fit much alongside Windows 11 on a 256B SSD. Also removed the Best Compact category, as the Huntsman Mini is a compact board. We'd recommend getting at least 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. May 29, 2023: Replaced the Razer Huntsman TE with the Razer Huntsman Mini as the top pick it performs slightly better but costs less. Many cheap gaming laptops also skimp on specs like RAM and storage. There are some exceptions though: Dell's G16 (currently discounted to $900) is notable for its 16-inch quad HD+ screen.
#Best budget gaming laptop rtings 1080p#
Budget models are also typically paired with 1080p screens running at 120Hz or beyond. You can expect to find Intel and AMD's latest (but not greatest) CPUs, as well as entry-level GPUs like NVIDIA's RTX 3050. Are budget gaming laptops worth it?Ĭheap gaming laptops are definitely worth it if you’re trying to save money and are being realistic about what you can get at this price range. Be sure to check out our guide to the best gaming laptops for a general overview of what to look out for in these more expensive systems. Still, it's worth keeping an eye out for sales that can push those PCs below $1,000.


Stepping up a bit to systems between $1,000 and $2,000 puts you firmly in mid-range territory, which is beyond the scope of this guide.
