The Best Budget Gaming Laptops for 2024
For users looking to buy a gaming laptop for the first time, one of the most significant factors is the value for money, especially when on a budget. Buyers may need to make trade-offs to ensure they get a gaming laptop that meets their needs without exceeding their target price range. This often includes having to shave off storage space for a better GPU or trading up from a high refresh rate screen to one with more visual fidelity. A budget gaming laptop can cost anywhere from $500 to $1500 or even higher, depending on one’s classification of what a budget gaming laptop represents and its expected capabilities.
Acer Nitro 17 Gaming Laptop AN17-41-R7G3
Best Overall Budget Gaming Laptop
Buyers often need to compromise on design aspects, such as how thin or light a laptop is, in order to stay within their budget. To help buyers narrow the search, Game Rant has selected some of the most competent laptops for gaming that anyone can buy without breaking the bank.
How To Choose The Best Budget Gaming Laptop
Picking an affordable gaming laptop is a relatively complex task for most users given the plethora of options that are available to them. Some of the key factors that determine what makes a gaming laptop a great budget choice include, but are not limited to:
CPU: The processor can be considered the brains of the operation when it comes to a gaming laptop. Newer laptop processors offer better performance, more efficiency, and tend to generate less heat than their predecessors. This is due to newer, more advanced manufacturing process nodes involved, better thermal designs, and significant architecture changes that see a higher core count across newer CPU families, from both Intel and AMD.
GPU: A modern GPU is the most significant factor for driving performance in games on a desktop and a laptop is no different. New mobile GPUs take advantage of better thermals and efficiency to pack in increasingly denser GPUs in smaller laptops. They even leverage newer AI sharpening tech, such as Nvidia’s DLSS and AMD’s FSR, to allow for a high playable frame rate in games, delivering driving experiences that were not possible in the previous decade.
RAM: As a rule of thumb desktops generally need 16GB of RAM on offer to allow for a smooth gaming experience without any significant performance dips. The same is true for laptops but with a caveat: some games are already pushing for a 32GB standard when it comes to memory. Other concerns that are in play could be picking a DDR4 RAM-based laptop versus one that utilizes the newer DDR5 standard, normally with newer CPU architectures in tow.
Storage: A laptop’s offered SSD storage (or older HDD capacity offering) is of paramount importance for a cheap gaming laptop as modern games become increasingly bloated in terms of size, with some popular titles even pushing past 200 GB at times. Thankfully, modern SSD upgrades are cheap and getting increasingly cheaper, making them a more accessible upgrade than they used to be.
Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Budget Gaming Laptops In 2024
Acer Nitro 17 Gaming Laptop AN17-41-R7G3
Best Overall Budget Gaming Laptop
A Powerful, Balanced Mid-range Option
$1150 $1400 Save $250
The Acer Nitro 17 Gaming Laptop is a large 17-inch gaming laptop powered by an efficient, but potent octa-core AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia’s mid-range RTX 4060 GPU. The display features Quad HD resolution and a high 165 Hz refresh rate for fast-paced gaming. That is all topped up with a large 1-terabyte SSD and 16 GB of DDR5 memory, making it an ideal desktop replacement for those looking to grab one.
- Brand
- Acer Nitro
- Storage
- 1TB NVME M2 SSD
- CPU
- AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS 8-Core CPU
- Operating System
- Windows 11
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 17” 3 QHD/2K 165Hz
- GPU
- Nvidia RTX 4060 8GB
- Network
- Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1
- RAM
- 16GB DDR5
- Model
- AN17-41-R7G3
- Card Reader
- Yes
- Keyboard
- Backlit
- Webcam
- Yes
- Has an incredibly efficient 8-core gaming-centric CPU
- Offers a decent mid-range QHD 165 Hz display
- Sports the latest RTX 4060 GPU with DLSS3 support and RT
- Significantly larger than comparable options
- Slightly expensive
The Acer Nitro 17 Gaming Laptop (AN17-41-R7G3) is an excellent gaming laptop simply because of the sheer number of boxes it ticks. It offers a fast, efficient CPU bundled with a relatively new, but capable GPU from Nvidia, in addition to decent RAM by default. With a focus on cooling, it keeps temperatures low and prevents throttling while sporting a large 1 TB SSD.
While the Nitro 17’s large form factor is a mixed bag, its excellent 17.3-inch QHD display with 165Hz and a full 4-zone RGB keyboard is not. The display and keyboard take advantage of the larger form factor to deliver more than some of its smaller peers. While some might like the Nitro’s ability to be a powerful desktop replacement, others might decry its large size as being a negative for portability despite its relatively low weight for its own spec and form factor class.
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At the end of the day, the Nitro 17 is a powerful, power-efficient, yet stylish cheap gaming laptop that has a unique value proposition for users who plan to use it on a desk more than on the go but can take advantage of all that it offers for its asking price.
MSI Thin GF63 15.6″ 144Hz Gaming Laptop
Best Mid-Range Gaming Laptop
Power At An Excellent Price
The MSI Thin GF63 15.6″ 144Hz Gaming Laptop comes with a 12th generation Intel Core i7 processor, the new RTX 4050 GPU that is a better, more efficient replacement to the RTX 3060 from the last generation, and a 512GB NVME SSD in tow to give users an excellent gaming experience at a price that nobody will balk at.
- Brand
- MSI
- Storage
- 512GB PCI-E 4.0 NVMe SSD
- CPU
- Intel Core i7-12650H 10 Core Processor
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- Battery
- 3-cell, 51Whr Li-Polymer
- Ports
- LAN, USB, HDMI, Audio
- Camera
- 720p HD Webcam
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- FHD (1920 x 1080)
- Weight
- 4.10 lbs
- GPU
- GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop 6GB GDDR6
- Form
- 15.6′
- Network
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Speakers
- 2 x 2W speakers
- Model
- 12VE-066US
- Power
- 120W AC Power Adapter
- RAM
- 16GB DDR4 (8GB x 2)
- Colors
- Black
- Dimensions
- 14.13″x9.99″x0.85″
- Sports the latest, slightly faster Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU
- Well-built and feels premium
- Has an excellent, capable Intel CPU
- Screen brightness is somewhat limited
- Runs hot when gaming
- The display screen is not intended for art or design-related work
There was a time when a laptop like the MSI Thin GF63 15.6″ 144Hz Gaming Laptop would be well out of reach for most gamers given its excellent build quality, power under the hood, and high-performance storage coupled with a smattering of I/O options. Thankfully, due to advances made in the industry, anyone can grab an entry-level gaming laptop with a powerful CPU, which also doubles as a capable work computer for under $1000 without compromising on performance, storage options, and build quality.
It houses a modern PCI-E 4.0 SSD under the hood, paired with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, while also offering an excellent deca-core Intel Core i7 CPU paired with an entry-level RTX 4050 GPU. This setup allows it to game reasonably well at its target FHD resolution without any major hiccups, even as it delivers a similar productivity experience. With a 144Hz display, users will be able to feel the ultra smoothness in their gameplay and that’s what matters the most in games that can reach over 100 fps.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (RTX 4060) Gaming Laptop
Best Compact Budget Gaming Laptop
Well-balanced Power In A Small Package
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 4060-based Gaming Laptop offers a powerful yet efficient Ryzen 9 CPU paired with an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU that allows it to qualify as a powerful mid-range but compact gaming laptop.
It also offers an excellent 500-nit display that can do up to 165Hz on its 2K resolution while touting a middling 512GB SSD for storage.
Weighing just over 3.5 pounds and measuring a razor-thin 0.73 inches, the G14 packs a significant amount of power in a relatively small chassis that appeals to both, gamers and professionals alike.
- Storage
- 512GB NVMe SSD
- CPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS
- Operating System
- Windows 11
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 14-inch, 2560 x 1440 (2K), 165Hz
- Weight
- 3.64 lbs
- GPU
- NVIDIA RTX 4060 8G
- RAM
- 16GB DDR5 4800 MHz RAM
- Camera
- 720p IR Camera
- Colors
- Moonlight White
- Offers a powerful-yet-efficient AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU
- Offers a very bright display with QHD resolution
- Extremely compact build
- May have issues handling RT-centric content
- Runs somewhat loud during gaming sessions
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 with the RTX 4060 and Ryzen 9 7940HS is hands-down Game Rant’s top pick for a compact gaming laptop on a budget, and it is considerably ahead of the competition when it comes to the price-to-performance ratio. It must be noted that it is a particular bargain when on sale at Best Buy, where it regularly dips to under $1200, making it a great purchase versus its MSRP of $1600. The discrete RTX 4060 GPU is a decent mid-range option that should handle users’ medium ray tracing requirements easily, while also allowing them to leverage Ada Lovelace’s better DLSS3/3.5 performance, in addition to providing better efficiency across the board.
The Best 14 Inch Laptops for Gaming in 2024
From a high core count CPU to GPUs with ray-tracing capabilities, these 14-inches gaming laptops provide an excellent gaming experience.
With a high-end, 512 GB PCI-E 4.0 SSD in tow, coupled with one of the best mobile CPUs money can buy, there is plenty on offer in terms of both gaming and productivity performance. ASUS endows the Zephyrus G14 with one of the best displays in the business: a 2K QHD display that is rated at 500 Nits of brightness. The laptop’s display supports Dolby Vision HDR and offers a refresh rate of up to 165Hz, making it an ideal companion for high-fidelity gaming on the go.
MSI Katana 15 15.6″ 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop
Best High-End Budget Gaming Laptop
A Blade With An RTX 4070 To Back It
The MSI Katana is an excellent budget-centric high-end gaming laptop that outperforms most of the high-end laptops in its price bracket while maintaining an efficient, value-for-money approach to offer the latest and greatest in PC hardware to its audience.
- Brand
- MSI
- Storage
- 1TB PCI-E 4.0 SSD
- CPU
- Intel® Core™ i7-13620H
- Memory
- DDR5 5200Mhz 16GB (8GB x 2)
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- Battery
- 3-cell 53.5Whr Li-Polymer
- Ports
- USB A, USB C, HDMI, Audio Jack, Ethernet
- Camera
- 720P Webcam
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS-Level 144Hz NTSC 45% Panel
- Weight
- 4.96lb
- GPU
- GeForce RTX 4070 8GB GDDR6 Laptop GPU
- Form
- 15.6′
- Network
- Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit Ethernet
- Speakers
- 2 x Speakers 2W
- Power
- 240W Power Adapter
- Colors
- Black
- Dimensions
- 14.13 x10.20 x0.98 inches
- Powered by a powerful RTX 4070 GPU
- Comes with the latest 10-core Intel Core i7 processor
- Excellent value for money
- Quite a low battery life while gaming
- Mediocre peak brightness
For gamers with a larger budget, the MSI Katana 15 15.6″ 144Hz FHD gaming laptop is a surprisingly well-endowed package that can rival laptops that cost nearly $500 more with ease in terms of raw spec count. It runs relatively cool for a laptop of its caliber and packs most of the highest-end hardware one would normally look for in a laptop that costs sub $2k. With DDR5 RAM, the latest 13th generation Intel Core i7 processor, and an RTX 4070 in tow, there isn’t much this variant of the MSI Katana can’t handle in terms of modern games at a respectable frame rate.
Its powerful configuration is able to play games on ultra settings where users would be able to enjoy the vivid details on its IPS panel that provides super smooth movements. If one could make a wishlist of improvements, one would probably want to talk about the somewhat abysmal battery life while gaming coupled with a better screen than the one included. But at the price point it competes at, the Katana outpaces its competition, making it Game Rant’s pick for the best high-end gaming laptop on a budget thanks to its uncompromising focus on performance while delivering adequately on other fronts.
ACEMAGIC AX16 PRO Gaming Laptop
Best Thin and Lightweight Budget Gaming Laptop
ACEMAGIC AX16 PRO is an entry-level yet potent laptop for gaming without a discrete GPU. With a powerful power-efficient Ryzen APU, this laptop is able to outperform its Intel counterparts on a budget and brings adequate system RAM to eliminate bottlenecks.
- Storage
- 512GB NVMe SSD
- CPU
- AMD Ryzen 7 5700U
- Operating System
- Windows 11
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 16.1″, 1920x1080p
- Weight
- 1.7Kg
- GPU
- Radeon RX Vega 8
- RAM
- 16GB DDR4
- Very lightweight and measures just 0.66 inch in thickness
- Highly power efficient
- Great battery backup
- Not suitable for intensive titles
- Just 512GB of storage capacity
Gaming on a tight budget has never been easy, but since the time when Ryzen APUs entered the market, things have changed drastically. While APUs aren’t ideal for running modern titles, they are more suitable for casual gaming or gaming in low to medium settings. This is what Acemagic AX16 Pro is all about. With its powerful Ryzen APU, it is able to handle both gaming and work on a tight budget. It isn’t meant to handle very heavy loads, but it can certainly run most CPU-intensive applications without breaking a sweat, thanks to the Ryzen 7 5700U APU, which boasts 8 cores and 16 threads, is enough for modern-day programs.
It is highly power efficient with a default TDP of just 15W but can be configured according to the needs. It brings a Vega 8 graphics unit with 8 GPU cores clocked at 1900MHz, which runs a lot of games with playable frame rates. Other specs include 16GB DDR4 memory, and a 512GB fast NVMe SSD. All in all, it’s adequate for a lot of users who aren’t invested too much into heavy gaming. The best part about this laptop is its build quality, which makes it super lightweight and thin, which helps carry it effortlessly.
Acer Predator Helios 16 PH16-71-72YG
Best High Refresh Rate Budget Gaming Laptop
Acer Predator Helios 16 provides high-end specifications for under $1500 and an outstanding display for enthusiasts. The 240Hz screen makes sure users are getting those fluid movements on the screen while the i7 13700HX and RTX 4070 combo ensures the games can reach a high framerate consistently.
- Storage
- 1TB PCI-E SSD
- CPU
- Intel Core i7 13700HX
- Operating System
- Windows 11
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 16″, 2560×1600
- GPU
- Nvidia Geforce RTX 4070
- RAM
- 16GB DDR5
- Brand
- Acer
- Model
- Predator Helios 16 PH16-71-72YG
- Display type
- IPS
- Connectivity
- WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1 or above
- Very high refresh rate of 240Hz for great fluidity
- Highly potent hardware for gaming and productivity
- RGB-backlit keyboard
- Rapid battery consumption
Finding a high refresh rate laptop is challenging, particularly when the budget is below $1500. Fortunately, Acer has this Predator model that not only boasts a super high refresh rate of 240Hz but also has a very capable configuration to crunch numbers and do intensive gaming sessions. The laptop boasts a 16-inch IPS display with G-Sync to provide a tear-free gaming experience. It is powered by the Core i7 13700HX, which is a 16-core/24-thread processor with a max turbo clock of up to 5.0GHz. This insanely fast mobile CPU doesn’t break a sweat in rendering, compilation, encoding, or similar processes.
The Best 2-in-1 Laptops in 2024
2-in-1 Laptops are great for versatility, making them perfect for professionals, students, or entertainment— and here are Game Rant’s top picks.
The GPU used is the popular Geforce RTX 4070 which brings 8GB VRAM to maximize the graphics settings. The RTX 4070 can max out any title at 1440p resolution and can leverage the abilities of DLSS 3 to improve performance without losing visual quality. As both the CPU and GPU can run at a high TDP, the power consumption of this laptop is also higher, resulting in a rapid depletion of the battery. Apart from that, this laptop is for competitive enthusiasts who cannot compromise on fluidity and frame rates.
FAQ
Q: Are budget gaming laptops worth it?
Absolutely. There are a handful of pocket-friendly gaming laptops on the market that pack some decent specs. Additionally, GameRant’s guide on budget laptops features some of the most reasonable options available to anyone looking to save money on a new laptop purchase.
Q: Is 4 GB of RAM enough for a gaming laptop?
This would potentially result in a strong performance bottleneck in multiple titles. Most games come with at least an 8GB minimum spec requirement in tow. To be able to play modern titles without performance issues, a laptop with at least 16 GB of RAM is strongly advised.
Q: Is 4 GB of GPU VRAM enough for a gaming laptop?
A GPU’s VRAM is where it tends to perform a lot of its memory-intensive calculations and often holds textures, shaders, and lighting information. While most recently released GPUs with 4GB of VRAM can run games at low or medium presets, it can be a performance impediment or directly affect the maximum visual fidelity on offer as a result.
Q: How much SSD do I need for gaming?
With games’ installation size steadily growing, getting an SSD of at least 500 GB should be reasonable for several titles. Whether one chooses to upgrade to a higher storage capacity depends on their budget and preference. Some titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone do tend to be more demanding in terms of space requirements.