Even though just about everything is getting more expensive these days, it’s still possible to find a few cheaper gaming notebooks under $1,000. If you’re just looking to hit 60 fps to 120 fps of performance, or you just want to play the latest games without cranking up your graphics settings, these are the notebooks to consider. You’ll still find high refresh rate displays, as well as modern CPUs and GPUs. Just be prepared to live with slightly flimsier build quality, as well as plastic cases.
Quick Overview
Table of contents
Best budget gaming laptops for 2025
acer
Screen size: 15-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: Intel Core i7-13620H | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB | Weight: 4.6 pounds | Display: 15.6-inch 1080p 165Hz LCD
The Acer Nitro V is a solid budget notebook with a 13th-gen Intel CPU, 16GB of RAM and NVIDIA’s still solid RTX 4050 GPU. It also comes with 1TB of storage, so you can actually install a few massive games all at once. Acer has plenty of experience building PC gaming machines, so this will likely survive years of extreme play. The Nitro V’s multi-colored RGB backlit keyboard and rear red accents give off a strong gamer vibe, but overall its design is fairly restrained.(Acer’s Nitro 16 may also be worth considering when it’s on sale below $1,000. It has a larger screen and newer RTX 5050 GPU.)
$950 at Amazon
msi
Screen size: 15-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: NVIDIA RTX 4050 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB | Weight: 4.85 pounds | Screen refresh rate: 144Hz
While it’s typically above $1,000, MSI’s Katana is still far cheaper than most other gaming laptops out there. It sports a relatively understated design from MSI, a reliable laptop maker, as well as a 13th-gen Intel chip and NVIDIA’s RTX 4050. While the Katana will likely perform similarly to other budget notebooks on this list, its build quality looks and feels slightly higher. That alone may be reason enough to splurge a bit beyond $1,000.
$1,052 at Amazon
What is a budget gaming laptop?
To get a high-end gaming experience, you can easily spend $5,000 on a fully tricked-out notebook like the Razer Blade 18. But when it comes to the best budget gaming laptops, we’re focusing on the other end of the pricing spectrum: laptops under $1,000. Rising prices due to tariffs and a more chaotic economy has made it tougher to find these inexpensive gems, but they’re still around if you look hard enough.
Stepping up a bit to systems between $1,400 and $2,000 puts you firmly in mid-range territory, which is beyond the scope of this guide. Still, it’s worth keeping an eye out for sales that can push those higher-end models below $1,000. Be sure to check out our guide to the best gaming laptops for a general overview of what to look out for in these more expensive systems.
Are cheap gaming laptops worth it?
Cheap gaming laptops are definitely worth it if you’re trying to save money and are being realistic about what you can get at this price range. You can expect to find Intel and AMD’s latest (but not greatest) CPUs, as well as entry-level GPUs like NVIDIA’s RTX 4050. Budget models are also typically paired with FHD (1080p) screens running at a respectably high refresh rate of 120Hz or beyond — ensuring smooth frame rates in your favorite games. You’ll occasionally see some 16-inch budget options, like Alienware’s Aurora 16 when it dips below $1,000 on sale.
Many cheap gaming laptops also skimp on specs like RAM and hard drive space. We’d recommend getting at least 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage at a minimum. Modern games need a decent chunk of memory to run, and they also tend to be large, so you wouldn’t be able to fit much alongside Windows 11 on a 256B SSD. You might be tempted to jump on one of those dirt-cheap gaming laptop deals from Walmart or Best Buy, but it’s just not worth it if you’re stuck with 8GB of RAM or a tiny SSD. You can’t upgrade those components down the line, which gives super-cheap laptops a short lifespan.
As for build quality, expect to find more plastic than metal on budget gaming machines. Still, the best budget gaming laptops we’re recommending should be sturdy enough to last a few years. Affordable systems will also be heavier and thicker than mid-range and higher-end models, and often don’t have the best Wi-Fi or connectivity options. Battery life is another trade-off, though even the most expensive gaming laptops can struggle with longevity.
