The Best Cheap Gaming Laptop

Cheaper laptops are being built with more powerful processors and GPUs all the time, and games are also getting more demanding. This year, affordable gaming laptops are set to launch with the newest generation of graphics cards and processors from Nvidia, Intel, and AMD, and we don’t recommend buying a laptop from the previous generation until this happens. If you can’t wait, we think the Acer Predator Triton 300 (PT315-53-79FG) is the best value with the fewest compromises for anyone who wants a cheap gaming laptop. But for around the same price or less, laptops with the newest hardware will start coming out in the next few months, and they should be able to support modern games for longer.

Recommended configuration

Processor:Intel Core i7-11800HScreen:15.6-inch 1920×1080 144 HzGraphics:Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 with 6 GB VRAMWeight:4.94 pounds*Memory:16 GBDimensions:14.25 by 10 by 0.75 inchesStorage:512 GB SSDTested battery life:6.3 hours

The powerful processor and graphics card at the heart of the Acer Predator Triton 300 (PT315-53-79FG) can run almost any game well on high settings. Most people won’t need more than the included 16 GB of RAM, and its 512 GB SSD has enough space to keep a few games installed. It’s also easy to pop open the lid and upgrade both the RAM and storage. The Triton 300’s battery life won’t last a full day of schoolwork or light web browsing, but few gaming laptops at this price will. If you want to run graphics-intensive games on it, expect the fans to be at maximum to keep it from overheating, which may drown out the quiet speakers.

Recommended configuration

Processor:Intel Core i7-11800HScreen:15.6-inch 1920×1080 240 HzGraphics:Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 with 6 GB VRAMWeight:4.89 poundsMemory:16 GBDimensions:14 by 9.75 by 1.25 inchesStorage:512 GB SSDTested battery life:4.3 hours

The beautiful display on the Gigabyte Aorus 15P (KD-72US223SH) has an impressive 240 Hz refresh rate, and it consistently delivered the highest frames-per-second (fps) rates of any laptop we tested across the board. It has the same great graphics card and processor as the Predator Triton 300, and both should be able to play games smoothly for years. However, the short battery life and unflattering webcam placement make the Aorus 15P less than ideal for leisure and work on the go. Also, the keyboard’s backlight shines only through the main letters and symbols on each key, which makes the secondary media keys and symbols that don’t light up a strain to read. Gigabyte doesn’t offer phone support, so the Auros isn’t a good choice if you aren’t comfortable doing some of your own troubleshooting, or waiting a few days for a response on a support ticket.

Recommended configuration

Processor:AMD Ryzen 5 4600H
or Intel Core i5-10300HScreen:15.6-inch 1920×1080 60 HzGraphics:Nvidia GTX 1650 with 4 GB VRAMWeight:4.8 poundsMemory:8 GBDimensions:14.3 by 10 by 0.9 inchesStorage:256 GB SSDTested battery life:6 hours

If you want the cheapest possible laptop that will play games decently, get the Acer Nitro 5 AN515-44-R99Q or AN515-55-53AG. Due to its less-powerful graphics hardware, the Nitro 5 can’t play the absolute newest, most demanding games at their highest settings, and it doesn’t support VR, but it’s powerful enough to play older games or less demanding modern titles for the next few years. The Nitro 5 keeps cool enough without blasting its fans. It also has a responsive keyboard and trackpad, and it’s easy to upgrade. But compared with our top pick, the Nitro 5 has a dimmer screen at the lower and more standard 60 Hz refresh rate. It also offers less storage for games and comes with a ton of bloatware installed.