Although almost everything is becoming more expensive these days, it is still possible to find some cheap gaming notebooks for under $1,000. If you’re just looking to achieve performance ranging from 60 fps to 120 fps, or you want to play the latest games without increasing your graphics settings, these are notebooks worth considering. You’ll still get high refresh rate displays, as well as modern CPUs and GPUs. Just be prepared to live with slightly shaky build quality as well as plastic cases.
Quick Overview
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Best budget gaming laptops for 2025
acer
screen size: 15 inches Touch Screen: No Processor: Intel Core i7-13620H To hit: 16 GB 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-generation Intel CPU, 16GB of RAM, and NVIDIA’s still solid RTX 4050 GPU. It comes with 1TB of storage, so you can install some really big games at once. Acer has a lot of experience making PC gaming machines, so it will probably last for years in extreme gaming. The Nitro V’s multi-colored RGB backlit keyboard and rear red accents give off a strong gamer vibe, but overall its design is quite restrained. (Acer’s Nitro 16 might also be worth considering when it’s on sale for less than $1,000. It has a larger screen and the new RTX 5050 GPU.)
$950 on Amazon
msi
screen size: 15-inch | Touch Screen: No | Processor: nvidia rtx 4050 | To hit: 16GB | storage: 1TB | weight: 4.85 pounds | Screen Refresh Rate: 144Hz
Although it typically tops $1,000, MSI’s Katana is still significantly cheaper than most other gaming laptops. It sports a relatively minimalist design from trusted laptop maker MSI, as well as a 13th-generation 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 a little higher. This alone could be reason enough to spend over $1,000.
$1,052 on 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 have made these cheap gems harder to find, but they still exist if you look deeper.
Moving slightly further into the system 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 on sales that could 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 for in these more expensive systems.
Are cheap gaming laptops worth it?
If you’re trying to save money and are realistic about what you can get at this price range then cheap gaming laptops are definitely worth it. You can expect to find the latest (but not greatest) CPUs from Intel and AMD, as well as entry-level GPUs like NVIDIA’s RTX 4050. Budget models are usually paired with FHD (1080p) screens running at a respectably high refresh rate of 120Hz or higher – ensuring smooth frame rates in your favorite games. You’ll occasionally see some 16-inch budget options, like Alienware’s Aurora 16 when on sale for under $1,000.
Many cheap gaming laptops also skimp on specifications like RAM and hard drive space. We would recommend at least 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage. Modern games require a good chunk of memory to run, and they’re big too, so you won’t be able to fit much with Windows 11 on a 256B SSD. You might be tempted to jump on one of the cheap gaming laptop deals from Walmart or Best Buy, but it’s not worth it if you’re stuck with 8GB of RAM or a small SSD. You can’t upgrade those components down the line, which gives super-cheap laptops a short lifespan.
As far as build quality is concerned, 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 for a few years. Affordable systems will be heavier and thicker than mid-range and high-end models, and often don’t have the best Wi-Fi or connectivity options. Battery life is another compromise, though, as even the most expensive gaming laptops can struggle with longevity.