Best budget gaming laptop 2021
The best gaming laptops come in all shapes and sizes, for different needs and budgets. Because while a tricked out $5,000-plus model with the highest-end graphics and best display might give you the best gaming laptop experience, most of us can't afford a rig like that. Our picks here are often high-end models (we're an enthusiast site, after all), but most come in a variety of configurations at various price points. Show
Thankfully, there are more gaming laptop options now than ever, from budget-friendly to desktop replacements. Some come with full-size Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards, while others go for the more efficient Max-Q designs that enable thinner chassis and (sometimes) quieter fans. While many of the best gaming laptops come with a 1080p display and high refresh rates, some include 4K screens, so you can pick between fidelity and resolution. Several gaming laptop go as fast as 360 Hz. To help you find the best gaming laptop today, we've compiled a list of the best models we've tested and reviewed recently. For much more on how to narrow down your list of best gaming laptop considerations, check out our best gaming laptop buyers guide. But here are a few quick tips to get you started down the road to the right portable gaming rig for you. While many gamers may go to desktops to get the most performance for their money, try lugging a tower, monitor and keyboard around in your backpack. When you need a powerful rig you can take with you, there's no substitute for a gaming laptop. Quick Gaming Laptop Shopping Tips
Best gaming laptops at a glance
Best Gaming Laptops You Can Buy Today1. MSI GE76 RaiderThe Best Overall Gaming LaptopSpecificationsCPU: Intel Core i9-12900HK GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Display: 17.3 inches, 1920 x 1080, 360 Hz Weight: 6.39 pounds (2.9 kg) TODAY'S BEST DEALS View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Amazon See all prices (83 found) Reasons to buy+ Strong CPU and GPU performance +Plenty of ports +Striking RGB light bar Reasons to avoid- Fans run loud -Display is dimmer than prior model -Expensive at top-tier configurations If you're looking for a laptop with desktop-level power, the MSI GE76 Raider is about as close as you'll get, though you may also have to spend a ton of money to get there. Still, with its high-end components like the Intel Core i9-12900HK and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. We tested this laptop at $3,999, which is enough to make you tear up when you check your bank account. That's an awful lot to spend on a laptop (we imagine DDR5 memory partially brings that price up), but it's also the best performer we've seen recently. 2. Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model (Late 2021)Best Thin and Light Gaming LaptopSpecificationsCPU: Intel Core i7-11800H GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU Display: 15.6 inches, 2560 x 1440, 240 Hz Weight: 4.4 pounds / 2.01 kg TODAY'S BEST DEALS Low Stock View at Walmart Low Stock View at Walmart View at Amazon See all prices (9 found) Reasons to buy+ Thin and well-built +Strong gaming performance +QHD resolution +Lots of ports +1080p webcam Reasons to avoid- Shallow keyboard -Pricey -Productivity performance could be improved The latest Razer Blade 15 makes some incremental improvements, but they're noticeable and make for a better experience. Read: Razer Blade 15 Advanced model review 3. Razer Blade 15 Advanced ModelBest Thin and Light Gaming Laptop (Alternate Pick)SpecificationsCPU: Intel Core i7-10875H GPU: Nvidia RTX 2080 Super Max-Q Display: 15.6 inch, 1920 x 1080, 300Hz Weight: 4.7 pounds (2.1 kg) TODAY'S BEST DEALS View at Amazon View at BHPhoto View at Razer See all prices (8 found) Reasons to buy+ Thin and light +Stunning design +Great selection of ports +300 Hz Display Reasons to avoid- Uncomfortable keyboard -Expensive If you want higher specs and are willing to pay more for a thin and light gaming laptop, the Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model is a strong choice. It has a sleek design thats easy to take with you anywhere, and has a nice selection of ports if you also want to plug in a bunch of peripherals. While the Zephyrus stops at an RTX 2060, the Blade goes up to an Nvidia RTX 2080 Super Max-Q. It also has options for a faster 300 Hz display, which is great for esports. Instead of a Ryzen chip, Razer has opted for Intels 10th Gen H-series processors to power the Blade 15. Its not as power efficient, but offers strong performance. Read: Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model review 4. Alienware m17 R4Best 17-inch Gaming LaptopSpecificationsCPU: Intel Core i9-10980HK GPU: Nvidia Geforce RTX 3080 (165W TGP) Display: 17.3-inch 1920 x 1080 360Hz Weight: 6.6 pounds / 3 kg TODAY'S BEST DEALS Check Amazon Reasons to buy+ Unrivaled performance +Snappy keyboard +Attractive design Reasons to avoid- Noisy fan -Heavy A 17-inch gaming notebook gets into the desktop replacement category, and that's exactly what the Alienware m17 R4 is. At its top-end configurations, like how we reviewed it, it can get very pricey, but you also get the top-end Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU with 165W TGP. There are options for 4K or our 1920 x 1080 360Hz option for esports aficionados. It also has a nice, snappy RGB keyboard and the design, at 0.87 inches, is still fairly stealthy for a notebook packing this much performance. Read: Alienware m17 R4 review 5. Acer Nitro 5The Best Budget Gaming LaptopSpecificationsCPU: AMD Ryzen 5 4600U GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Display: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 Weight: 5.3 pounds / 2.4 kg TODAY'S BEST DEALS Low Stock View at Walmart Low Stock View at Amazon View at Best Buy See all prices (13 found) 92 Walmart customer reviews Reasons to buy+ Great value +Comfortable keyboard +Good webcam Reasons to avoid- Dim display The Acer Nitro 5 is the best gaming laptop for those on a tight budget. For the price, youll get a great value on entry level performance. While youll sacrifice a bright display, the keyboard is comfortable and you even get a decent webcam. If youre handy, theres plenty of room for upgrading (and youll want to consider it down the line with just 256GB of storage in our review unit), but for $700, youre getting a lot for the money. Read: Acer Nitro 5 (AMD) review 6. Acer Nitro 5 (Alternate Configuration)A Souped Up Version of our Budget PickSpecificationsCPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800U GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Display: 15.6-inch, 2560 x 1440, 165 Hz Weight: 4.85 pounds / 2.2 kg TODAY'S BEST DEALS Check Amazon Reasons to buy+ Strong performance +Good viewing angles Reasons to avoid- Pricier than other Acer Nitro models Since we reviewed the Acer Nitro 5 above, the company has released more models with updated specs. The most recent one we reviewed uses a Ryzen 7 5800U and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070, allowing for stronger performance and ray tracing in select games. 7. Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage EditionThe All-AMD Gaming LaptopSpecificationsCPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6800M Display: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080, 300 Hz, IPS Weight: 6.61 pounds / 3 kg TODAY'S BEST DEALS View at Best Buy View at Walmart View at Amazon See all prices (71 found) Reasons to buy+ Solid gaming and productivity performance +Long battery life for a gaming notebook +Dolby Atmos audio +Cool at most touchpoints Reasons to avoid- Middling SSD -Display could be brighter -No webcam The Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition is the first laptop under AMD's Advantage program, which pairs the company's CPUs and GPUs in premium designs meant to use solid screens and be built for comfortable gaming. The Strix delivers on several of those points by offering strong performance through the Ryzen 9 5900Hz, Radeon RX 6800M and SmartShift technology to move power between the two. 8. Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733The Best Esports Gaming LaptopSpecificationsCPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Display: 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080, 360 Hz Weight: 5.95 pounds / 2.7 kg TODAY'S BEST DEALS Low Stock View at Walmart Check Amazon Reasons to buy+ 360 Hz Refresh Rate +Comfortable keyboard +Strong productivity performance +Bassy Audio Reasons to avoid- Divisive Design -Short charging cable If you want to play esports like a professional, you'll want a laptop with the fastest screen you can find. The Asus ROG Strix Scar G733 offers a 360 Hz refresh rate on its FHD screen and has top-end components to power esports titles to get to frame rates that can actually use it. The design feels premium but has an interesting mix of dark materials and clear plastic. It's reminiscent of both a hot rod car and a 90's MP3 player, which might turn some people off. Read: Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733 review 9. Lenovo Legion 5 ProA 16-inch Esports OptionSpecificationsCPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Display: 16-inch, 2560 x 1600, 165 Hz Weight: 5.4 pounds / 2.45 kg TODAY'S BEST DEALS View at Walmart View at Walmart Check Amazon See all prices (71 found) Reasons to buy+ Beautiful, high-res display +Strong performance +Comfortable keyboard Reasons to avoid- Bulky design -Middling Audio If you're willing to sacrifice your refresh rate for higher resolution, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is one to check out. While some other gaming notebooks opt for 300 Hz, the Legion's 165 Hz, 2560 x 1600 screen is a stunner in its own right. It also has a 16:10 aspect ratio, which we appreciate for productivity use. We were also impressed with this laptop's keyboard, which seems to have benefitted from the excellence of Lenovo's business-oriented ThinkPads. Read: Lenovo Legion 5 Pro review 10. Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE GX551The Best Dual-Screen Gaming LaptopSpecificationsCPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Display: 5.6-inch, 3840 x 2160 primary display, 3740 x 1100 ScreenPad Plus Weight: 5.29 pounds / 2.4 kg TODAY'S BEST DEALS View at Amazon Reasons to buy+ Excellent productivity performance +Bright, colorful displays +Good battery life (for a gaming laptop) Reasons to avoid- No webcam -Input devices are awkward Asus' latest ROG Zephyrus Duo uses AMD's top-end RYzen 9 5900HX paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 for powerful results, while using a second screen that lifts up to provide more ventilation to improve cooling. The two displays are both bright and colorful, and at a bit over 4 hours and 52 minutes on our battery test, it's endurance is good (for a gaming notebook, anyway). Best Gaming Laptops Compared
Discounts on the Best Gaming LaptopsWhether you're shopping for one of the best gaming laptops or another model that didn't quite make our list, you may find some savings by checking out our lists of Dell coupon codes, HP coupon codes, Lenovo coupon codes, Razer promo codes or Newegg promo codes. MORE: How to Buy a Gaming Laptop MORE: Best Gaming PCs MORE: Best Ultrabooks and Premium Laptops Round up of today's best deals Reduced Price MSI GE76 Raider $1,613.99 $1,539.97 See all prices Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model 2021 $3,469.20 See all prices Reduced Price Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model $2,899.99 $1,999.99 See all prices Low Stock Acer Nitro 5 $839 See all prices Reduced Price Asus ROG Strix G15 AMD Advantage Edition $1,699.99 $1,499.99 See all prices Low Stock Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733 $3,499 See all prices Lenovo Legion 5 Pro $1,389.99 See all prices Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE GX551QR-XS98 $3,999.99 See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by |