The best budget gaming laptops in 2021
Just a couple of years ago it would be impossible to find a gaming laptop under $2,000 that will run almost all AAA gaming titles at high frame rates and in high settings. Mid-range gaming laptops sit between 1,500 and 2,500 dollars. The emerge of 10th generation Intel processors and new NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards 3000 series significantly reduced the prices of the most vital components for gaming laptops. Today, it is possible to compose a list of the cheap and best gaming laptops under 1000 dollars, it is even possible to find an excellent cheap gaming laptops under 800 dollars.
To find the best cheap gaming laptops in 2021 is not an easy task, but the mission is not impossible. Strong processors from previous generations are affordable, as well as NVIDIA’s RTX 2000 series or GTX 1000 series (standard in budget gaming laptops) have never been cheaper. Luckily for us, cheap gaming laptops are here, and now there are several best gaming laptops under 1000 dollars.
What are the important things for a good cheap gaming laptops under 1000 dollars?
So, what makes a laptop a gaming laptop? A good gaming laptop needs a powerful processor, a strong, dedicated graphics card, enough RAM, and SSD storage. Also, it needs good thermal management and silent cooling fans. And, what will a gaming laptop be without a keyboard RGB backlighting? That seems a lot to ask for a cheap gaming laptop under 1000 bucks, but it is doable.
Of course, for that money, you cannot expect a top of the class gaming laptop. In my list of the best gaming laptops in 2021, you will find premium gaming notebooks from several brands. For a budget gaming laptop, you have to be prepared for some downsizes. Usually, it is the build quality. You cannot expect to get full metal or aluminum chassis. Sometimes, for better performances, you have to cope with a bit louder cooling fans, and similar.
1000 dollars is a lot of money, although in terms of gaming laptops that means an entry-level for some series, and there are some exceptional gaming laptops under 1000 bucks. Lenovo Legion 5, in my list of the best laptops under 1000 dollars is the winner, and for sure is a candidate for the best gaming laptop under $1,000.
| Image | Name | Processor | GPU | Memory | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSI GF65 | i5 | GeForce RTX 2060 | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 | Ryzen 7 | GeForce GTX 1650 | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Dell G5 15 | i7 | GeForce GTX 1650 | 16GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Acer Nitro 5 | i7 | GeForce RTX 2060 | 16GB | SEE ON AMAZON | |
| Asus Rog | i7 | GeForce GTX 1650 | 8GB | SEE ON AMAZON |
| MSI GF65 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Lenovo Legion 5 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Dell G5 15 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Acer Nitro 5 | SEE ON AMAZON |
| Asus Rog | SEE ON AMAZON |
Here is the list of the best gaming laptops under 1000 dollars. My pick as the best budget gaming laptop will be Acer Nitro 5. It has the best gaming performances, but also slight issues with the thermal management and fans noise. Another excellent gaming laptop under $1000 is Lenovo Legion 5, and perhaps the best all round cheap laptop on the list. Check out my list of the best gaming TVs if you want to expand your gaming experience.
MSI GF65 review
Excellent cheap gaming laptop under $1,000
MSI GF65 specifications:
- 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX2060 6GB
- 8GB RAM single-channel
- 512GB SSD
- 15. 6″ 120Hz display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 3 hours
Excellent gaming performances
Very good 120Hz display
Very good thermal management
Lightweight
Portable
Plastic case
Low battery life
Single-channel RAM memory
MSI GF65 is an entry-level gaming laptop from MSI. It is an impressive cheap gaming laptop for under $1,000. From my list, only MSI GF65 and Acer Nitro 5 has NVIDIA’s RTX 2060 graphics card with 6GG of video RAM. Other gaming laptops from the list have less powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics cards with 4GB of VRAM, which is some sort of a standard for budget gaming laptops.
MSI GF65 comes with a 9th generation Intel i5-9300H processor with 8MB of the cache. It has 4 cores and 8 threads in total. It is a high-end processor for laptops, but it is worth mentioning that it is the only laptop on the list with the i5 processor. Other laptops have i7 or Ryzen 7 processors. In addition to the powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card, it is showing excellent gaming performances. You will be able to run all new AAA gaming titles in high settings.
Only downsize, regarding the performances is the single-channel 8GB of RAM. If you can afford it, I would recommend buying an additional 8GB of RAM and make it a dual-channel, faster memory. Regarding the storage, 512GB of SSD memory is enough and common for budget, affordable gaming laptops under $1000.
MSI GF65 has a good and fast display for a cheap gaming laptop
This gaming laptop has a 15.6″ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. That is a very good refresh rate for a gaming laptop. Chassis is mostly built of plastic. It is hard to expect a premium quality build for a cheap gaming laptop. The keyboard is comfortable and relatively big, without a numeric pad giving it more space. All keys have a red backlight, again, it is hard to expect lightning customization per key in this price range.
Thermal management is very good, considering the strong components under the hood. Although, fans may get a bit louder under the heavy workload. MSI GF65 weighs only 4.1 pounds (around 1.8 kg), and it is a very light laptop. But, battery length is not perfect. Playing games can give you only 2.5 to 3 hours of battery life, which is anticipated considering the strong configuration.
Overall, MSI GF65 is an excellent cheap gaming laptop under 1000 dollars, with excellent gaming performances and a very good, fast display. The only downsizes are short battery life, single-channel RAM (which can be upgraded to dual-channel), and plastic chassis. Nothing unexpected for a budget gaming laptop.
Lenovo Legion 5 review
One of the best budget gaming laptops under 1000 dollars
Lenovo Legion 5 specifications:
- AMD Ryzen 7-4800H octa-core
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB
- 8GB RAM single-channel
- 512GB SSD
- 15. 6″ 120Hz display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 7 hours
Excellent 120Hz display
Excellent performances
Exceptional battery life for a gaming laptop
Exceptional thermal management
Silent fans
Portable
Single-channel RAM
Plastic case
On my list of the best laptops under $1000, Lenovo Legion 5 was one of the best overall picks. When looking for a good gaming laptop you must search for excellent performances, excellent thermal management, and fast display. Lenovo Legion 5 has everything above to offer and even a bit more.
Lenovo Legion 5 has a powerful octa-core processor with 16 threads. In addition to a strong CPU, it has AMD Radeon and NVIDIA GeForce 1060 with 4GB of VRAM graphics cards. The laptop supports graphics card switching, which is the main factor for high autonomy. GeForce 1060 is a common standard for cheaper, mid-range gaming laptops.
This version has a single-channel 8GB of RAM. I would recommend choosing a dual-channel 16GB RAM version if you can. 512GB SSD storage is enough for a cheap gaming laptop. The display is excellent and fast, and it supports a 120Hz refresh rate.
The design is simple and beautiful. Someone may consider it dull, but I like it. The screen is gentle leaning to forward giving it a subtle racing touch. The keyboard is very comfortable, with concave keys known to Lenovo. It has a white backlit, and for an additional $30 you can choose 4 RGB keyboard backlight.
Excellent thermal management and silent cooling fans
The thermal management is excellent. The laptop is not getting overheated during long gaming sessions, and colling fans are exceptionally quiet. Like every good gaming laptop, Lenovo Legion 5 has a button for Performance mode. But, that mode will significantly raise the temperature and noise level.
The laptop weighs around 5 pounds and with long battery life is an excellent portable laptop. Taking everything into consideration Lenovo Legion 5 is my favorite gaming laptop under $1000 with excellent performances, great display, and long battery life. Especially if you are able to find a version with dual-channel 16GB RAM.
Dell G5 15 review
Excellent budget gaming laptop under 1000 dollars
Dell G5 15 (G5590-7679BLK-PUS) specifications:
- 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB
- 16GB RAM dual-channel
- 256GB SSD + 1TB SATA HDD
- 15. 6″ 60Hz display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 4-5 hours
Excellent gaming performances
16GB dual-channel RAM memory
4 zone RBG backlit keyboard
Good port combinations
Lightweight
60Hz screen
Plastic chassis
Dell G5 15 is Dell’s fighter among the budget gaming laptops under $1000. It comes with the 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H, a very powerful processor with six cores and 12 threads. So, it is not unexpected that the laptop has slight issues with thermal management. In addition to 16GB dual-channel memory and NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1650, it is providing excellent gaming performances. One of the best on the list of cheap gaming laptops.
This version has only 256GB of SSD storage, but it comes with 1TB of SATA HDD. I would recommend buying more SSD, of course, if you can. 256GB of RAM may be inadequate considering that modern AAA gaming titles have more than 100GB.
15.6″ screen is perhaps the weakest link of this otherwise an impressively affordable gaming laptop. It has only a 60Hz refresh rate, which is low for any serious gaming. Unfortunately, it is kinda dim with light bleed in the bottom.
Thermal management is satisfactory considering the powerful i7 processor. Cooling fans are quiet unless the laptop is under a heavy workload. Dell G5 15 has good port combinations. Unfortunately, there is no Thunderbolt 3 port, but it is not unexpected in this price range for gaming laptops. The keyboard has a four-zone RGB backlight, which is highly welcomed.
The laptop weighs only 3.8 pounds (around 1.7 kg), but battery life is only around four to five hours. Chassis is mostly built of plastics, but that is also expected in this price range.
Overall, Dell G5 15 is an excellent budget, mid-range gaming laptop. It has great gaming performances, a very good keyboard and it is lightweight. Unfortunately, the display should be slightly better as well as battery life.
Acer Nitro 5 review
Best gaming performances for a budget gaming laptop under 1000 dollars
Acer 5 Nitro (AN515-54-728C) specifications:
- 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H
- 16GB RAM dual-channel
- 256GB SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 15.6″ 144Hz display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 4-5 hours
Superior gaming performances in its class
Very good and fast display
Excellent keyboard
Good battery life considering the configuration
Gaming design
Problems with overheating
Loud cooling fans
Acer Nitro 5 has the best configuration for gaming on this list of cheap gaming laptops in 2021. It comes with a strong 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H with six cores and twelve threads. For the gaming processor unit, there is NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB of VRAM. In addition to 16GB of dual-channel RAM, this is the most powerful gaming configuration on the list.
Considering its strong configuration, and mid-range tier, it is not unexpectable that there are some issues with the thermal management and noise. The thermal design consists of two cooling fans, four radiators, three heat pipes, and thermal plates on top of the components and secondary electronics. That is impressive thermal management, more appropriate for more pricey Acer Predator Helios 300. That’s why it’s surprising that there are thermal issues with the Acer Nitro 5.
During gaming sessions of demanding games, some parts of the keyboard may get to over 50 degrees celsius. This is not encouraging, but it is important to mention that WASD keys do not get over 30 degrees. Another problem is with the noise from the cooling fans. When the laptop is on battery power the cooling fans are quiet, but as soon the laptop is plugged in fans get noisy.
Excellent and fast display for a cheap gaming laptop
The display is excellent and it supports a 144Hz refresh rate. That is an excellent display speed found on premium gaming laptops. The keyboard is another excellent component of this budget gaming laptop. Keys are comfortable and large with exposure for WASD keys. The backlight comes in two versions, the one with four-zone RGB or the red one.
The chassis of the laptop is mostly built from plastics, and that is expectable for cheap gaming laptops. Battery life is around four to five hours which is respectable for the powerful computer configuration.
Acer Nitro 5 is a powerful gaming laptop for under 1000 dollars. It has the best gaming configuration on the list and a very fast 144Hz display. But these excellent performances for this price range must come with some downsides. There is a thermal issue, but as previously mentioned WASD keys do not get heated over 30 degrees, and cooling fans may get loud.
Asus Rog review
Very good cheap gaming laptop under $1000
ASUS ROG G531GT-BI7N6 specifications:
- 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB
- 8GB RAM single-channel
- 512GB SSD
- 15. 6″ 60Hz display
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: up to 5 hours
Solid gaming performances
Very good keyboard
RGB backlight
Good thermal management
No webcam
Not the great 60Hz display
Asus Rog G531GT-BI7N6 is an entry-level gaming laptop from Asus. It has a similar configuration as other budget gaming laptops from the list. It comes with a 9th gen Intel Core i7-9750H processor with six cores and twelve threads, and a GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card with 4GB of dedicated VRAM. This configuration seems like a standard configuration for a cheap gaming laptop currently. Also, it comes with 8GB single-channel RAM. I would recommend getting a 16GB dual-channel memory.
Asus Rog will provide solid gaming performances, and you will be able to run all AAA gaming titles. It has 512GB SSD storage which will be sufficient. Unfortunately, the screen should be better. It has only a 60Hz refresh rate, and it is not the most colorful display.
The thermal management is appropriate. During long gaming sessions, the keyboard will mostly get heated to not hot 40 degrees celsius. It is important to mention that WASD keys will rarely ever get even close to that temperature even during heavy workloads. Speaking about the keyboard, it is excellent and comfortable with RGB backlight. There is no numerical pad, but there is a Numpad on the touchpad, similar to the ZenBook series.
The laptop has a recognizable Republic of Gamers design with RGB everywhere. Build quality is excellent even it has a plastic chassis, which is a common practice for affordable gaming laptops. The battery will provide a solid four to five hours of life. Asus Rog weighs around 5.3 pounds (2.4 kg), and it is a fairly portable laptop.
Overall, it is a good, cheap gaming laptop with excellent build quality, a recognizable gaming design, RGB lights everywhere, and good gaming performances. But the display should be better, and there is no webcam.
How to choose the best gaming laptop under $1000?
Whether you are looking for a premium gaming laptop, or an affordable, budget gaming laptop, you have to pay attention to the same things. With one big distinction, you can leave the most important part – the budget. When looking for a cheap gaming laptop you already know how much you may spend.
In this post on the best gaming laptops under 1000 dollars, I have concentrated on the entry-level, budget gaming laptops. Today, you can buy an excellent gaming laptop for around 1000 dollars. It seems that 1000 dollars are a magic number for affordable gaming laptops. So, there are several key points to look for when choosing a gaming laptop under $1000. The most important is the laptop configuration and gaming performances. Then, I will say it is the display quality, thermal management, and of course, the gaming design. Battery life is important, but not the most significant. You cannot expect excellent battery life in gaming laptops with strong configuration.
Configuration and specification for the cheap gaming laptops
Most laptops on the list have 9th generation Intel i7-9750H processor with six cores and twelve threads. The only exceptions are Lenovo Legion 5 with AMD Ryzen 7 4800H with eight cores and sixteen threads, and MSI GF65 with a 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H. Intel i7-9750H is a very powerful processor, but Ryzen 7 4800H has a significantly better CPU mark score.
Perhaps the most important component in gaming laptops is the graphics card. Some sort of standard in the budget gaming laptops is the NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB of dedicated video memory. But laptops like MSI GF65 and Acer Nitro 5 went for more powerful GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB of VRAM. The latter is a more powerful graphics card with better performances.
Since we are talking about affordable gaming laptops the majority of laptops on the list have a single-channel 8GB of RAM. But, again Acer Nitro 5 is better than the competition with 16GB of dual-channel RAM. When talking about memory and storage, it is usual that laptops are using fast SSD storage, and every laptop on the list has it. The only difference is if they have 256GB or 512GB of SSD storage. Only Dell G5 15 and Acer Nitro 5 have 256GB of SSD, but Dell G5 15 has 1TB of SATA HDD also.
The Acer Nitro 5 stood out with the best configuration and performance.
What kind of display is important for a budget gaming laptop?
All laptops on the list have 15.6″ screens. It is hard to expect a larger 17.3″ displays in this price range. You should pay attention to the screen speed, or the refresh rate. For a gaming laptop, screen speed or the refresh rate is very significant. Again Acer Nitro 5 stood out with the fastest display with a 144Hz refresh rate.
Thermal management and cooling fans
The next important thing is thermal management and the noise from the cooling fans. You do not want a laptop that is overheating during gaming sessions. Especially if the keyboard gets very hot that you can’t even touch it. Also, you don’t want loud cooling fans.
Regarding thermal management MSI GF65 and Lenovo Legion 5 has the best solutions. The keyboard is not getting overheated and the fans are not too noisy. This is the only part, but the significant one, where Acer Nitro 5 is below the par. Its keyboard gets heated to over 50 degrees celsius during the heavy workload. But, it is important to mention that the WASD keys never get heated above 30 degrees. Also, cooling fans on Acer Nitro 5 may get very loud. If the laptop is on the battery power, the cooling fans are silent, but as soon it is plugged in, they get noisy.
Battery life for affordable gaming laptops
Battery life is not the most significant part of gaming laptops, but it is important. Even premium gaming notebooks, like Alienware Area 51M, have an issue with the poor battery life. But since computer components in this price range are less powerful and less power consuming, the expected battery life is somewhere around four to six hours. That makes them fairly good portable laptops, which is highly welcomed.
Design and the build quality of the cheap gaming laptops
Last but not the least, the design in gaming laptops is almost as important as performances. Asus Rog is the winner here, with the best build quality and design. The RGB lighting is everywhere, the keyboard is large and comfortable with a nice solution for the Numpad on the touchpad. Runner up is Acer Nitro 5 with a premium quality keyboard and lovely gaming design.
Check out my list of the best budget 4K gaming TVs if you want to expand your gaming experience.
What is the best gaming laptop under 1000 dollars?
If you opt for any laptop from the list you will not make a mistake. All are good gaming laptops with excellent gaming performances, and you will get great value for the price. But, you have to expect some downsizes in this price range. You cannot expect premium build quality and all-aluminum or metal chassis. Sometimes you need to make compromises with the RAM or cooling fans noise.
Taking everything into consideration, the best overall gaming laptop under 1000 dollars is Acer Nitro 5. It has the best performances, great display, the best graphics card, a great keyboard, and a very good battery life. The only issue with it is the thermal management and the noisy cooling fans.
Another great gaming laptop under $1000 is Lenovo Legion 5. It may have slightly worse gaming performances, although it has a much stronger Ryzen 7 processor, I would say it is the best all round laptop on the list.
