We examined the least expensive gaming laptops to assist you in selecting a low-cost beast.
Top 5 Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000 Playing video games on a PC might be costly. To play games, you not only need to purchase them but also have a suitable computer! However, you don’t need to shell out hundreds of dollars for a brand-new gaming laptop to get started. For less than $1,000, you can acquire a lot of gaming laptops with features like a discrete, gaming-ready GPU, a powerful CPU, and a 1080p display—enough for both work and competitive video games like esports.
It’s probable that certain systems won’t have the newest processors, which could prevent you from using some AI functions, and that some won’t have the strongest GPUs. Although single-channel RAM should be avoided if at all possible, it’s doubtful that you’ll find more than 8GB of RAM, and the amount of storage space may be constrained right out of the box. It will be up to you to decide what matters most to you.
If you have the extra cash, we advise gamers to spend a little bit more. We also keep rankings of the top gaming laptops under $1,500 and the top gaming laptops overall. As your PC ages, a more potent GPU, a larger SSD, and a sharper screen will come in handy, and you’ll probably end up with a higher-quality device all around.
A gaming laptop under $1K can be made better in the future. For example, you can usually increase the RAM or add more storage to your laptop yourself. If you want to increase your storage on your own, you can also search for laptops that have space for additional SSDs.
The majority of gaming notebooks under $1,000 these days are powered by the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, though if prices drop or there’s a nice deal, you might find the RTX 4060.
We know what constitutes a decent rig because we evaluate a wide range of gaming laptops from many companies every year. You should be able to play most games on the best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000, though you might need to lower your expectations for the settings and quality.
Table of Contents
The Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000
NO.1 : Acer Nitro 16
The Best Gaming Laptop Under $1,000
Pros
- Competent gaming performance
- Bright G-Sync screen
- Solid battery life
- Quiet fans
- Lots of ports, including USB 4
Cons
- Subpar webcam
- Hollow speakers
- Lots of bloatware
Taking over from the Acer Nitro 5, the Acer Nitro 16 maintains the legacy of offering a good balance between performance and cost, along with a few luxury features.
The AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS and Nvidia Geforce RTX 4050 that came with our $999 review unit performed admirably in the majority of our benchmark games. The 1920 x 1200, 165 Hz display with G-Sync support, which is excellent for high frame rate esports, is arguably the most stunning feature. It covered 91% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and measured 371 nits on our light meter.
Additional benefits include an extensive range of ports, which include USB 4, the most recent iteration of USB Type-C, and a battery life of more than 8 hours, which is excellent for a gaming laptop.
Although the webcam and speakers could be improved (if you value the audio, check out the MSI Katana below), the Nitro 16 is a great value at just under $1,000.
NO.2 : MSI Katana 15
Another Great Gaming Laptop Under $1,000
Pros
- Strong 1080p gaming performance
- Good speakers
- Excellent value
Cons
- Short battery life
- Washed-out display
The MSI Katana 15 barely missed the cutoff for our list at $999 as configured. However, the Intel Core i7-13620H and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 that the Katana possessed made it a strong 1080p gaming PC that offered good value.
It doesn’t hurt that MSI included a sizable 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD and 16GB of DDR5 RAM in the unit priced under $1,000. On low-cost laptops, you frequently see those specifications trimmed first (instead, the laptop just doesn’t have the highest-quality chassis). We were also pleased with the Katana 15’s unexpectedly good speakers.
While the 1080p display may not be the most gorgeous, esports players who need a fluid experience will greatly benefit from its 144 Hz refresh rate.
NO.3 : HP Victus 15
No frills and inexpensive.
Pros
- Strong entry-level gaming
- Solid productivity performance
- Inexpensive for a gaming laptop
Cons
- Display could be better
- Lots of preinstalled software
- Single-channel RAM in our review unit
A excellent place to start if you’re looking for something incredibly inexpensive is with the HP Victus 15. HP sells it with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 in its base configuration. As of the time of writing, it looks that there is now a $699.99 option with a smaller, 256GB disk. We tested it at $799.99 with a 512GB SSD.
The Victus excels in certain aspects of appearance. Although it doesn’t look cheap, it is. It actually resembles a corporate computer more than a laptop meant for gaming. You can work and play more simultaneously if you’d like to; the Victus 15 and its Intel Core i5-12450H performed admirably in our productivity tests.
Some games may require you to lower the settings due to the GTX 1650 GPU. Although it received passable ratings on most of our testing, the best consistent frame rates will probably require you to reduce your resolution or some other settings.
You may update the GPU to an RTX 3050 Ti on HP’s website. More storage space to accommodate more games is also a worthwhile improvement if you have the funds. (If you would like to do this yourself at a later time, our model had a secondary SSD slot.)
NO.4 : Dell G15 (5520)
Strong 1080p gaming for the money
Pros
- Affordable
- Design has been refined
- Decent gaming performance for the price
Cons
- Display is a bit washed out
- Tons of bloatware
The Dell G15, which retails for $899.99 at launch (and during our testing), provides good 1080p gaming value. You will still need to lower settings in order to play demanding games with high frame rates, with the exception of some competitions.
Similar to other laptops in our list, there is ample space for customization. We discovered 8GB of single-channel RAM when we disassembled our review machine, which makes an easy upgrade. A few games may fit on the 512GB SSD, but it might be upgraded later on (other low-cost gaming laptops have even less capacity!)
During our testing, we discovered that the Dell G5 has a bright screen and operates reasonably cool (at least in comparison to other low-cost gaming laptops). Having said that, the touchpad can stick a little and the keyboard is a little mushy. When gaming, you’ll probably want to at least get some accessories.
NO.5 : Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
Around $700 to Start
Pros
- Relatively low price
- Sleek, modern styling
- Excellent speakers
Cons
- Single-chaneel RAM and 256GB SSD in base model
- You’ll need to turn down game settings
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 doesn’t have the greatest specs right out of the box, just like a lot of gaming laptops under $1,000. With a Core i5-12500H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, we tested it for $709.99.
The SSD was tiny, and the RAM was single-channel. However, considering that it costs about $700, some consumers on a tight budget might be able to improve it by upgrading the RAM and storage.
You get sleek, current appearance despite the low cost, which is wonderful because a lot of low-cost laptops seem like they were made decades ago. The speakers are decent for the price, and the 1080p monitor, which can reach 120 Hz for competitive games, is included.
If you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind adjusting settings, the IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a solid option. Additionally, if you have a slightly larger budget, you might be able to locate something under four figures that still has more RAM or storage.
What to Expect From the Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000
GPU: When it comes to high resolutions and a multitude of effects, your gaming laptop’s graphics card is probably going to have the most impact on how effectively it plays games. While more and more gaming laptops are employing the better and more modern (and increasingly popular) RTX 4050, the cheapest gaming laptops we’ve tested use Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1650, an older GPU that requires you to tone down several settings. Don’t pass up a system with an RTX 4060 in this price range if you see one on sale. As of yet, none of these laptops’ GPUs are AMD-based.
Screen: Since a 15-inch laptop seems to be the most common size at this price range, that’s what you should expect. Having said that, 14 to 18-inch laptops are usually used for gaming. Only 1080p will do for resolution, which is acceptable given that these PCs’ low-end GPUs aren’t suitable for 2K or 4K gaming. These laptops can have screens as high as 144 Hz, however the least expensive models will only have 60 Hz panels. If you run your esports games at low enough settings to get those kinds of frame rates, the 144 Hz is a benefit.
CPU: This isn’t the place to be too picky. Though occasionally you may find anything with an i7 or R7, the majority of these laptops have an AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5 processor. While not all laptops in this price range use outdated chips, many do, such as Intel’s 12th or 13th Gen. They most certainly won’t have the newest processors with AI capabilities.
RAM: The majority of gaming laptops under $1,000 still use DDR4, even though more costly laptops now use DDR5. On the low end, expect 8GB, however some systems manage to fit in 16GB. Some systems come with a single 8GB RAM stick, or single-channel memory. It is highly recommended that you upgrade to 16GB, either by paying more at the time of purchase or by purchasing additional RAM and installing it yourself.
Storage: An SSD with 256GB or 512GB is probably what you’ll find. A 512GB SSD is a significant benefit in this situation because a 256GB disk cannot hold that many games. (Remember, Windows requires space as well.) Compile your upgradeability homework. During testing, we discovered that a few of these laptops contain space for additional drives, which you may add at a later time for less money than what laptop suppliers will charge you.
Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000: Bottom Line
Even the most excellent gaming laptops under $1,000 require some trade-offs. While some businesses use smaller SSDs to save money, others choose lower-end GPUs. It will be up to you to determine what you can live without. However, if you make the correct decisions, you may enjoy gaming on a PC on a budget, even if you have to reload some games or lower the settings due to SSD space limitations. Additionally, you might be able to implement some improvements that will result in a noticeably better experience with a little bit of forethought.
Of course, factors other than performance need to be taken into account. Make sure these laptops have the ports and keyboard you desire, and that they feel and look good. Therefore, before making a purchase, be sure you’re obtaining what you need by doing some research. Try to have a hands-on look at the laptop before making a purchase.
Top 5 Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000 : FAQS
Q. What makes the Acer Nitro 16 different?
Acer Nitro 16 is a powerhouse of a device, packing the latest AMD Ryzen or Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics. Beside its high refresh rate display, customizable RGB keyboard, and decent cooling system, this laptop does not disappoint any gamer who wants as much bang for their buck.
Q. Why is the MSI Katana 15 Recommended?
This would be the MSI Katana 15, which comes loaded with a very powerful hardware setup—notably an Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti GPU. Besides that, it has a sleek design, high refresh rate display, and responsive keyboard for a highly immersive gaming experience.
Q. What are some key features of the HP Victus 15?
The HP Victus 15 is a well-balanced notebook for both performance and value, with the AMD or Intel processor inside and NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics. Additionally, there’s a 15.6-inch Full HD display, a comfortable keyboard area, and it is preinstalled with HP’s Omen Gaming Hub software for easy customization and optimization.
Q. How does the Dell G15 (5520) stack up against its peers?
What makes the Dell G15 special is its solid build quality, super-powerful Intel processors, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics. Its refresh rate goes up to 120Hz or 165Hz, an advanced thermal design, Alienware Command Center software for tuning performance.
Q. What is special about the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3?
What separates the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 from others is the fact that it is pretty affordable but with reliable performance. Under the hood, it packs AMD Ryzen processors and NVIDIA GeForce graphics, along with a comfortable keyboard that has optional RGB backlighting. Moreover, Lenovo Vantage software has been brought along with this laptop in order to make it easy to manage and optimize the system.
Q. Can gaming laptops be used for content creation and productivity?
Indeed, all the gaming laptops here come with powerful processors and graphics, giving them the potential to do content creation and stay productive in things other than gaming. They are packed with high-performance hardware with plenty of storage options against multitasking and creative work.
Q. Will they be able to handle more modern games at higher settings?
Yes, most of the listed laptops, especially those equipped with at least an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, would be able to play the latest games on high settings. High refresh rate displays further enhance the gaming experience by providing smoother visuals.
Q. Do these gaming laptops have good battery life?
Although battery life is usually a weak point in gaming-specific laptops, the models listed above are able to do fairly well for everyday tasks and, of course, for some medium-level gaming. Users may have to plug into a power source for long gaming sessions.
Q. Where can I buy these $1,000 gaming laptops?
You can avail these gaming laptops via online stores like, the electronics shop offline, or even on the manufacturer’s official websites. Bestfluencer puts links to trusted retailers in the article for your convenience.
