The 3 Best Budget And Cheap Gaming Laptops - Spring 2023 Reviews

The best budget gaming laptop we've tested in a 14-inch size is the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022). It isn't a budget model per se; however, because it was released in 2022, and ASUS has released a newer model, it's often on sale for around $1,000, putting it squarely in the budget category. If you missed the sale, it's worth looking around or waiting a bit, as it's a really good deal at its sale price. It has a fast AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU, and you can choose between an AMD Radeon RX 6700S or 6800S GPU. Both configurations provide a smooth gaming experience in AAA titles at 1440p.

The display is a 16:10 QHD+ IPS panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a fast response time to deliver a clear image in fast-moving scenes and supports FreeSync to reduce screen tearing. Above the display sits a 720p webcam, doubling as a Windows Hello facial recognition camera for quick logins. There's only a single 1TB storage option, but it's user-replaceable, meaning you can add more later. The battery lasts only around an hour or so when gaming; this is normal, as gaming is a pretty intensive task. The only other complaint is that this laptop gets hot and loud under load.

If you want a gaming laptop with a larger 15-inch screen, go with the Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 6 15 (2021). It isn't very portable, as it's a little bulky and heavy, but it feels very well-built, especially for a gaming laptop in its price range. You can configure this laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H or Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, and there are multiple GPU options, from an entry-level NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 to an RTX 3070. If you want to play games with ray tracing on, we recommend getting a model with an RTX 3060 or 3070, as the RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti can't maintain high frame rates due to ray tracing's high-performance cost. Memory and storage max out at 32GB and 1TB, respectively, and both are user-replaceable.

As for the display, you also have multiple options. The 165Hz 1080p or 1440p panel will provide the best visual experience, as they have the fastest response time and support variable refresh rate to reduce screen tearing; however, make sure you pair it with a GPU that can take advantage of the high refresh rate, like the RTX 3060 or 3070. The keyboard feels great to type on and won't cause fatigue during those long gaming sessions, and it's backlit, so you can locate your keys when gaming in the dark. Ports include four USB-As, two USB-Cs, an HDMI 2.1, and an Ethernet port. The USB-C port doesn't support Thunderbolt 4 since this is an AMD system.

Our pick for the best cheap gaming laptop in the 15-inch category is the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021). You can configure this laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H or Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, both powerful enough to handle AAA titles. GPU options range from an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 to an RTX 3060. The GTX 1650 is an entry-level GPU that'll give you a good 1080p gaming experience at 60 fps, albeit with low graphical settings. If you want better visuals or higher frame rates, get a configuration with an RTX 3050, 3050 Ti, or 3060.

All of the available displays have a 1080p resolution. The 165Hz display is the best, not only because it has the fastest refresh rate and response time but because it gets brighter to combat glare and doesn't look as washed out as the other panels. Unfortunately, this laptop gets hot and loud under load, and like most laptops with a dedicated GPU, the battery life is very short, so you'll have to play with the laptop plugged in most of the time. Port selection is passable; you get two USB-As, a USB-C, an HDMI, and Ethernet.