Best Budget Gaming Laptop: Top 5 Picks
Gaming rigs can run in the thousands for a top of the line laptops. The majority of the costs comes from the graphics card and processor. Fortunately, there are several different choices available that deliver impressive results without breaking the bank.
This article is going to cover the five best budget gaming laptops available today. These choices are sure to delight even the most dedicated gamers with their performance capability and exceptional pricing.
Five Best Budget Gaming Laptops Available Today
1. Asus ROG GL552
The Asus ROG GL552 is one of the best budget gaming laptops that is under $1,000. It has a powerful sixth generation Intel i7 processor that can easily handle multiple tasks while providing exceptional response time.
The laptop also comes with the powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M chipset. This card features 2GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory and can handle playing a large portion of games at even the highest settings. Below are the main specs of the laptop.
- Processor: Intel Core i7 6700HQ
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Memory: 16 GB SDRAM
- Storage: 1 TB HDD
- Display: 15.6″ IPS FHD
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M with 2G GDDR5 VRAM
2. Inspiron 15 7000
The Inspiron 15 7000 is another one of the best budget gaming laptops available. It’s starting price is about $200 less than the Asus ROG GL552 above. However, don’t let the lower price fool you. This unit still comes with many features that many it a great choice for those seeking one of the best budget gaming laptops available.
The base unit comes standard with a 7th Generation Intel Core i5-7300HQ Quad Core processor. This powerhouse can handle a wide range of gaming and multimedia task with ease. It also comes with 8GB of DDR4 ram that can be upgraded to 32 GB. As for graphics cards, the base unit comes with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 chipset with 4GB of GDDR5 memory. Below are the main specs of the laptop.
- Processor: Intel Core i5-7300HQ
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Memory: 8 GB SDRAM
- Storage: 1 TB HDD
- Display: 15.6″ IPS FHD
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 4GB GDDR5 VRAM
3. Aspire V Nitro
For those looking for one of the best gaming laptops available, the Aspire V Nitro is a great choice. The laptop comes with a powerful Intel Core i7-6500U processor that clocks at 2.5GHz. The unit also has built-in Dolby Digital Plus Digital Theatre technology. This makes it perfect for immersion in your favorite movie or video game.
The graphics card is a bit weaker than the other two laptops reviewed. However, the NVIDIA GeForce 945M is still more than adequate for playing the vast majority of video games with optimum settings. As for RAM, the laptop has an impressive amount of memory. It has 12GB of DDR3 VRAM. Below are the main specs of the laptop.
- Processor: Intel Core i7-6500U
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Memory: 12GB VRAM
- Storage: 1 TB HDD
- Display: 15.6″ IPS FHD
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 945M with 2GB DDR3 VRAM
4. OMEN 15t
The OMEN 15t is another one of the best budget gaming laptops available today. The base unit comes with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor and a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card. This laptop is built to handle whatever multimedia and gaming task you throw at it with ease.
In addition, it has 8GB of DDR4 memory to ensure the laptop is quick and responsive. This is great for those who regularly multitask. The laptop comes with a standard 1TB SATA hard drive that is more than adequate for storing photos, games, and other media. The base unit retails for under $900. You also have the option to upgrade specs for an additional fee. Below are the main specs of the laptop.
- Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Memory: 8GB DDR4 VRAM
- Storage: 1 TB HDD
- Display: 15.6″ IPS FHD
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 2 GB GDDR5 VRAM
5. IdeaPad Y700
While Nvidia typically dominates the competition in terms of gaming, the IdeaPad Y700 is one of the best budget gaming laptop picks and is the only one that uses AMD graphics. This unit incorporates a powerful 6th Generation Intel Core i5-6300HQ Processor that clocks at 2.30GHz. For graphics, it uses the AMD Radeon R9 M375 with 4GB of dedicated memory.
While this card is not quite as powerful as its Nvidia counterparts, it still does an excellent job playing most games on high detail. The laptop also has 8GB of DDR4 memory helping to ensure quick response time. One downside is that the screen size is smaller than the other laptops reviewed. However, this can be a plus for those who want a laptop that is more portable. Below are the main laptop specs.
- Processor: 6th Generation Intel Core i5-6300HQ
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Memory: 8GB DDR4 VRAM
- Storage: 1 TB HDD
- Display: 14″ IPS FHD
- Graphics Card: AMD Radeon R9 M375 with 4GB of dedicated memory
Gaming laptops can become quite expensive as you add more features and upgrades. However, this list of best budget gaming laptops proves that you do not have to break the bank to experience exceptional gaming.
Feel free to check out our best budget gaming laptop picks above and let us know what you think. If you have any recommendations of your own, please feel free to tell us about it below. As always, your comments are welcome and appreciated.