budget gaming laptop

Finding a "budget gaming laptop" is definitely possible in 2024, but it requires knowing exactly where to compromise. For around 600900, you can get a machine that plays modern games at 1080p medium settings. Here is the current state of the market and the best options available right now. The Golden Rule of Budget Gaming Laptops Do not buy a laptop with only 8GB of RAM. 8GB will cause stuttering and crashes in modern games like Call of Duty, Starfield, or Hogwarts Legacy. You must get 16GB of RAM. Many budget laptops come with 8GB, so you will need to either buy one with 16GB or budget an extra 40 to upgrade it yourself. The Best Budget Laptops in 2024 (By Tier) Tier 1: The "Real Deal" (750900) Best for performance per dollar. These have the latest CPU and a powerful GPU. Lenovo LOQ 15 (Intel/AMD) - Specs: Ryzen 5 7640HS or i5-13420H + RTX 4050 (6GB) + 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD. - Why it wins: The RTX 4050 with 6GB VRAM is a massive step up from older cards. It supports DLSS 3.0 (frame generation), which boosts FPS in games like Cyberpunk 2077. The build quality is solid. - Catch: The display is usually 120Hz but only 45% NTSC color gamut (colors look a little washed out). - Price: Often found for 750850 on sale (e.g., at Micro Center, B&H, or Lenovo's website). HP Victus 15/16 - Specs: Ryzen 5 7535HS + RTX 4050 + 16GB RAM. - Why it wins: Usually cheaper than the Lenovo by 50100. Excellent performance for the price. - Catch: The build is plastic, the hinge can feel flimsy, and the battery life is short (4 hours). The screen is also usually 45% NTSC. - Price: 680780 (This is the king of "I want the cheapest RTX 4050"). Tier 2: The "Max Value" (550700) Best for playing esports (Fortnite, Valorant, Apex) and older AAA games. Acer Nitro 5 (with RTX 3050) - Specs: Ryzen 5 7535HS or i5-12500H + RTX 3050 (4GB) + 8GB or 16GB RAM. - Why it wins: Very reliable cooling. A workhorse that can take a beating. Very easy to upgrade the RAM and SSD. - Catch: The RTX 3050 is limited by only 4GB of VRAM. It will struggle with modern titles (e.g., Alan Wake 2, Last of Us Part 1). You will need to turn settings to Low. - Price: 550650. ASUS TUF Gaming A15/F15 (with RTX 2050) - Specs: Ryzen 5 or i5 + RTX 2050 + 8GB RAM. - Why it wins: Military-grade build quality (very durable, drop-proof). Good keyboard and battery life. - Catch: The RTX 2050 is a rebranded GTX 1650. It is weak. Only buy this for 500 or less for esports/light gaming. - Price: 450550. What to AVOID at All Costs Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processors. They are too slow for modern games and will bottleneck the GPU. "Intel Celeron" or "Pentium" processors. These are e-waste. GTX 1650 / GTX 1650 Ti. This is a 5-year-old GPU. It cannot run modern games well. 8GB of RAM (unless you can upgrade it day 1). Refurbished "Gaming" Laptops from unknown brands. Avoid Dell Inspiron "gaming" or HP Pavilion "gaming" from 2021. Should you buy Refurbished? Yes, but only from Apple or Lenovo/HP directly. Best Refurbished Deal: A Lenovo Legion 5 (previous generation) with a RTX 3060 (6GB) . This card is actually faster than an RTX 4050 in raw rasterization (no DLSS 3.0), has more VRAM, and is a premium build. Price: Usually 700850 for a high-end "previous gen" machine. Where to buy: Lenovo Outlet, HP Refurbished Store, or "VIP Outlet" on eBay (Buy It Now, not auctions). Final Recommendation If you have 800: Get the Lenovo LOQ 15 with the RTX 4050 (6GB) and 16GB RAM. This is the undisputed king of budget gaming right now. If you only have 600: Get the Acer Nitro 5 with the RTX 3050, but immediately buy a 40 stick of 16GB RAM and install it yourself. It is very easy (one screw, one slot). This gives you a 600 laptop that can play most games, minus the newest AAA titles on high settings. Pro Tip: Wait for Prime Day (July), Black Friday (November), or Back to School sales (August). Laptops in this category regularly drop 100150 during these events.