In an era where gaming is both a passion and a lifestyle, the quest for the ultimate gaming laptop that won’t empty your wallet has never been more critical. The world of technology is in constant motion, and staying ahead in the gaming arena often means keeping up with the latest hardware. But fear not, for we’re here to guide you through the arsenal of choices and help you uncover the Best Gaming Laptops For the Money.
With the global economy experiencing its share of turmoil, finding a gaming laptop that strikes the perfect balance between power and affordability is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Fortunately, there’s a thriving market of gaming laptops that offer exceptional value, packing cutting-edge components, vivid displays, and immersive experiences, all without sky-high price tags.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll unveil the top gaming laptops that provide maximum gaming prowess at prices that won’t send your budget into a tailspin. Whether you’re an esports champion, a dedicated RPG adventurer, or someone who enjoys a good game after a long day, our expert recommendations will help you make a sound investment in your gaming future.
Our Recommendations For You!
In the gaming arena, where high performance meets budget-friendliness, these laptops take center stage. They offer the perfect blend of budget-friendly pricing and top-notch capabilities. Explore our carefully selected list of affordable laptops for the money:
- Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58-57Y8 Gaming Laptop
- Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Gaming Laptop
- ASUS TUF F17 Gaming Laptop
- ASUS ROG Strix G15 Gaming Laptop
- MSI Thin GF63
Technical Specifications Table
Here is the tabular summary of all the Laptops for a quick comparison of the Best Gaming Laptops For The Money!
| Laptops | Specifications | Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58-57Y8 Gaming Laptop | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Gaming Laptop | ASUS TUF F17 Gaming Laptop | ASUS ROG Strix G15 (2022) Gaming Laptop | MSI Thin GF63 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | 12th Gen Intel Core i5 | 3.3 ryzen_5 | i5-11400H | 4.7 GHz ryzen_7 | i7-12650H |
| RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB DDR4 | 32 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB SSD | 512 GB SSD | 512 GB | 512 GB NVMe SSD |
| Display Size | 15.6 Inches | 15.6-inch | 15.6-inch | 15.6 Inches | 15.6-inch |
| Display Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels | 1920 x 1080 Pixels | 1920 x 1080 Pixels | 1920 x 1080 Pixels | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
| Refresh Rate | 144 Hz | 120 Hz | 144 Hz | 144 Hz | 144 Hz |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home | Windows 10 Home | Windows | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home in S Mode |
| Graphics | GeForce RTX 3050 Ti | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 – 8GB DDR5 RAM | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 |
Best Gaming Laptop For The Money Quick Overview
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58-57Y8
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Gaming Laptop
ASUS TUF F17 Gaming Laptop
ASUS ROG Strix G15
MSI Thin GF63
Detailed Review
1. Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop
Highlights:
- Upgrade your gaming experience with the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor for immersive performance.
- Experience ultimate gaming with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti and DirectX 12 Ultimate support.
- Enjoy fluid gaming on a 15.6” Full HD IPS display with a rapid 144Hz refresh rate.
- Dominate online with Killer Ethernet E2600 and Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 for superior connectivity.
- Connect all your accessories effortlessly with a variety of high-speed ports including Thunderbolt 4 and USB Type-C.
Review
Acer has earned its reputation as a leading tech company known for producing high-quality and high-performance products. Originally a technology distributor, Acer has evolved to create its line of laptops. Among its top-tier offerings, the Predator series stands out, designed exclusively for gaming enthusiasts. On the other hand, the Acer Nitro series, while more budget-friendly, doesn’t compromise on performance, making it a solid choice.
The Acer Nitro 5 is a remarkable gaming laptop that packs impressive power without breaking the bank. Equipped with the previous-generation NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti GPU, it delivers performance comparable to the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT. The dedicated 4GB GDDR6 RTX 3050 Ti boasts a boost clock speed of 1585 MHz. Powering this laptop is Intel’s Raptor Lake series processor, the i5-12500H, a 12-core 16-thread CPU with a boost clock speed of 4.50GHz. Its 95W turbo power consumption ensures snappy performance.
The Nitro 5 can support up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM or LPDDR5 RAM with a transfer speed of 5200 MT/s. It has 2x RAM slots and one slot comes pre-fitted with 16GB DDR4 SDRAM at 3200 MHz, leaving room for user upgrades. You can upgrade the RAM of your laptop to DDR5 by removing the provided 16GB DDR4 RAM; it is up to the user. The laptop sports a 15.6-inch LCD with a crisp 1920×1080 resolution and a smooth 144Hz refresh rate. Its 512GB SSD, slotted in a PCIe Gen 4.0 slot, offers both speed and upgradability options.
Connectivity is robust with ample USB Type-C ports and the addition of a Thunderbolt 4 port for swift data transfers. With its sleek black design, it not only performs but also looks stunning for a gaming laptop. Weighing in at 2.4kg, it’s not the lightest, but its robust specifications make it an excellent choice for gamers.
2. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Gaming Laptop
Highlights:
- Elevate gaming with AMD Ryzen 6000 Series CPU and 15.6″ FHD IPS display at 120Hz.
- Enjoy realism with GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs, featuring ray-traced graphics and AI features.
- Lenovo gaming keyboard with media controls and number pad included.
- Excellent battery life lets you take this gaming laptop with you; use Rapid Charge to boost your battery by 40% in just 15 minutes
- Stay connected: this Windows gaming laptop offers built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, two USB-A ports, one USB-C (DisplayPort 1.4, Power Delivery 3.0), HDMI 2.0, RJ45, and an audio jack
Review
Lenovo, a renowned Chinese tech giant with nearly four decades of industry presence, has consistently delivered durable and innovative tech equipment. Notably, their Legion Slim and Pro gaming laptop series have garnered attention for their cutting-edge specifications, including Raptor Lake processors and RTX 40 series GPUs; however, such power comes at a premium price.
Lenovo’s gaming laptop journey began with the IdeaPad series, an accessible line that spans notebooks to ultrabooks. In this review, we focus on the 2022 version of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 gaming laptop. Powered by the NVIDIA RTX 30 series GPU, specifically the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, this laptop promises impressive gaming capabilities. The RTX 3050 features a base clock speed of 1065 MHz, sufficient for running most AAA titles, and offers a dedicated 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM, rivaling even RTX 40 series GPUs in performance.
Under the hood, the IdeaPad 3 boasts an AMD Ryzen 5 6600H processor, armed with 6 cores and 12 threads. With a base clock speed of 3.3GHz and a boost clock of 4.5GHz, this 45W TDP processor strikes a balance between power and efficiency. It supports dual-channel DDR5 RAM with a frequency of up to 4800 MHz or 1x LPDDR5 RAM with speeds up to 6400 MHz. The laptop comes with 8GB of DDR5 RAM, and its two RAM slots allow for a maximum of 32GB memory. Storage-wise, it houses a 256GB SSD for swift performance; some users might find this storage capacity to be less than ideal and choose to upgrade to meet their specific requirements.
The IdeaPad 3’s 15.6-inch Full HD (FHD) display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate caters to gamers’ needs. Moreover, its commendable 8-hour average battery life during normal usage makes it an ideal choice for daily tasks.
In terms of connectivity, the laptop offers 2x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 ports, 1x HDMI port, and 1x Novo hole for easy system recovery.
3. ASUS TUF F15 Gaming Laptop
Highlights:
- Memory and Storage: 32GB RAM and 512GB SSD included.
- Processor: Powered by Intel 11th Gen Core i5-11400H, a high-end hexa-core SoC for gaming laptops and workstations.
- Display: 15.6″ FHD 144Hz display with adaptive sync, minimizing screen tearing during gaming.
- Graphics and Connectivity: NVIDIA RTX 3050 4GB GDDR6 Graphics, Wi-Fi 6 support (802.11ax), front-facing camera, and backlit keyboard.
- Additional Features: Equipped with a 3-cell lithium-ion battery and runs on Windows 11 Home OS.
- Bundle Inclusions: Comes bundled with a High-Speed HDMI Cable supporting 4K content.
Review
ASUS, a leading Taiwanese tech company, has earned its reputation as a technology-focused giant. Initially specializing in motherboards, ASUS expanded its horizons to laptops in 1997, marking the inception of the Republic of Gamers (ROG) gaming laptop series, still hailed among the top gaming laptops. Among ASUS’s offerings, the TUF series stands out as a budget-friendly option, available in 15-inch and 17-inch screen sizes.
The ASUS TUF series, known for its popularity, includes a wallet-friendly gem: the ASUS TUF F15. This 15-inch powerhouse houses an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU and an Intel Tiger Lake processor, the i5-11400H. The mobile NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 boasts a base clock speed of 1545 MHz and a boost clock speed of 1740 MHz, making it an ideal choice for running many AAA titles at 1080p. With a dedicated 4GB GDDR6 VRAM, it pairs seamlessly with the Intel i5-11400H processor. The i5-11400H features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 2.70 GHz and a commendable 45W power consumption.
TUF F15 supports dual-channel memory, providing 2x RAM slots, offering a total RAM capacity of 32 GB. It comes with a single stick of 8GB DDR4 memory at 3200 MHz, leaving the other slot customizable according to user preferences. Storage-wise, it boasts a speedy 512 GB SSD, ensuring swift game loading times.
The laptop sports a 15.6-inch screen with a Full HD (FHD) resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a 144Hz refresh rate, promising smooth gaming experiences. Weighing in at 2.3 kg, the TUF F15 is a gaming-oriented beast designed for performance.
While its weight may be a concern for some, it’s worth noting that gaming laptops tend to be hefty. The laptop features a dedicated Type-C port that doubles as a Thunderbolt 4 port. Additionally, it offers 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and an RJ45 LAN port—making it a comprehensive solution for gamers who frequently connect external devices.
4. ASUS ROG Strix G15 Gaming Laptop
Highlights:
- Performance Powerhouse: G15, powered by Windows 11, AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU (95W Max TGP), handles demanding games effortlessly.
- Swift Multitasking: 16GB DDR5-4800MHz RAM and 512GB PCIe 4×4 storage ensure quick multitasking and faster loading times.
- Crystal Clear Display: FHD 144Hz panel with Adaptive-Sync delivers exceptional gaming and viewing experiences.
- Efficient Cooling: Equipped with premium features like liquid metal on the CPU, ensuring sustained high performance during long gaming sessions.
- Enhanced Gaming: MUX Switch boosts gaming performance by directing frames straight to the display, bypassing the iGPU for more FPS.
Review
The ASUS ROG series, standing as ASUS’s oldest and most esteemed line, is synonymous with pushing the envelope in terms of specifications year after year. The current offerings in this series include the G15 and G17 laptops, featuring expansive 15-inch and 17-inch screens designed for immersive gaming experiences.
While ASUS ROG typically caters to high-end laptop enthusiasts, the 2022 version of the ASUS ROG Strix G15 presents an affordable option. Equipped with an RTX 30 series GPU, specifically the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, it pairs seamlessly with the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS processor. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, a formidable integrated 4GB GDDR6 graphics card, boasts a base clock speed of 1065 MHz and a peak frequency of 1343 MHz, ideal for smooth 1080p gaming, even in demanding titles like RDR2.
The RTX 30 series GPUs come equipped with ray tracing capabilities, elevating gameplay and visuals to new heights. Paired with high-end processors, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS, a mobile CPU with 8 cores and 16 threads, boasting a base clock of 3.2 GHz and a max turbo boost of 4.7 GHz, this laptop can tackle demanding workloads with ease.
The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS supports dual-channel RAM connectivity with DDR5-4800 RAM modules, slotted into a PCIe 4.0 slot. Although the processor is locked for overclocking, it ensures the stability and longevity of the laptop. The Strix G15 comes equipped with 16GB of DDR5 RAM, delivering a brisk frequency of 4800 MHz. For storage, the ASUS ROG Strix G15 houses a 512GB SSD, although some users may find this capacity insufficient and opt for upgrades as per their needs.
The laptop boasts an FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, a 144Hz refresh rate, and adaptive sync technology for a smoother user experience. ASUS further enhances frame rates with its renowned MUX switch technology, enabling direct access to frames without routing them through the integrated GPU.
In terms of connectivity, it offers 1x HDMI 2.0b port, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, accommodating various external devices.
5. MSI Thin GF63
Highlights:
- Powerful Performance: Equipped with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 Processor, providing high-performance gameplay and seamless streaming capabilities.
- Windows 11 Experience: Runs on the latest generation Windows 11 Home for everyday use, with a recommendation for Windows 11 Pro for business applications.
- Smooth Gameplay: Features a 15.6” 144Hz display for vibrant and smooth gameplay experiences.
- High-Speed Technology: Utilizes SSD Gen 4×4 and DDR4-3200 memory for fast data transfer, system speed, and responsiveness.
- Efficient Cooling: Incorporates Cooler Boost 5 with 2 fans and 6 heat pipes for optimal thermal dissipation, ensuring an excellent gaming or creative experience.
Review
MSI, renowned initially as a motherboard manufacturer, has cemented its reputation as a premium designer in the tech industry. Their entry into the laptop market, coupled with sponsorship of top Esports teams like Fnatic, by 2008, marked their ascent. Among MSI’s iconic series, including the MSI Stealth and MSI Raider, the MSI Thin series, while older, remains on par with contemporary laptops.
In 2023, the MSI Thin GF63 emerges as a standout choice, defying expectations in the $1000 price range with its top-tier components. This laptop boasts the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series GPU, coupled with Intel’s 12th generation processor, making it a true value powerhouse in terms of specifications.
Under the hood lies the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, a 6GB GDDR6 graphics card with a clock speed of 1605 MHz, easily ranking among the top 5 GPUs on the market. However, a laptop’s performance isn’t solely determined by its GPU; the processor plays a pivotal role. The MSI Thin GF63 features an i7-12650H processor, armed with 10 cores and 16 threads, clocking in at a robust 4.70 GHz, a perfect complement to the GPU, delivering a high-end gaming experience.
Memory options are equally impressive, with support for dual-channel 64GB RAM, whether you opt for DDR5 RAM with a 4800 MHz frequency or LPDDR5 RAM clocked at 5200 MHz. The laptop arrives with 16GB of DDR4 RAM by default at a frequency of 3200 MHz, and the RAM is user-upgradable for those seeking more memory or upgraded memory type. Regarding storage, the MSI Thin GF63 houses a 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD in an M.2 slot, ensuring lightning-fast data transfers between all components.
The laptop’s display is a 15.6-inch FHD panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a buttery-smooth 144Hz refresh rate. The IPS-level display ensures vibrant color reproduction, enhancing the gaming experience. As for connectivity, the laptop offers 1x Type-C USB3.2 Gen1 port, 3x Type-A USB3.2 Gen1 ports, and 1x HDMI port, allowing for an external 4k resolution screen with a 30Hz refresh rate.
Outro
In a market where gaming laptops often come with hefty price tags, finding top-notch devices for around $1000 or less is a challenging endeavor. However, after carefully checking the details and prices, we’ve discovered these five excellent laptops that give great value to gamers who are mindful of their budget.
Acer Nitro 5, ASUS TUF F15, and MSI Thin GF63 stand out among our top picks. The Acer Nitro 5 and ASUS TUF F15 deliver outstanding performance, allowing you to run most AAA titles at a smooth 1080p and 60 FPS. On the other hand, the MSI Thin GF63 goes the extra mile, capable of handling even the most demanding games and allowing adequate gaming at 4k resolution.
What makes these choices even more appealing is that they come from renowned companies, providing reliability and trustworthiness for your gaming needs. Keep in mind that the best laptop for you depends on your unique preferences and priorities, whether it’s gaming performance, content creation, or daily productivity. We hope that our curated list of the Best Gaming Laptops For The Money has helped you navigate the budget-friendly laptop market and find the perfect fit for your needs. With these laptops, you can enjoy an exceptional gaming experience without breaking the bank.
