How to Frugally Find a Gaming PC.
When it comes to gaming, you often fall into one of two camps. You are either
primarily a console gamer, or a PC gamer. A console gamer values convenience
whilst the PC gamer values quality and customization. However, when it comes
to budgets, the latter camp is always going to have a harder time purchasing a
setup while keeping costs to a minimum. When building a PC, you need to buying
casing, CPUs, graphics cards, peripherals, monitors and various other
components and this can cost a pretty penny.
Fear not though, as there is an option that can help players avoid the stresses of
building a PC and help cut costs. This is by purchasing a gaming laptop. These
machines are built with all the necessary components already included, meaning
that you have everything you need to jump straight into the action and best of all.
You can get some great laptops for much less than you would think. So with that
in mind, we have done the research and came up with the best options for any
gamer looking for a suitable laptop on a budget. These are the best laptops for
under $1,000 in 2021.
1 – Acer Nitro 5 7300HQ
First off we start with the Acer Nitro 5, a budget laptop that doesn’t skimp on
quality. This laptop is capable of delivering a 1080p resolution and thanks to the
Ryzen 5 processor, you’ll be able to play even the most recent games in a
smooth 60FPS. It’s quite a heavy unit and it doesn’t have as much storage as a
number of other laptops on this list. However, the laptop makes up for this with a
slick design, strong performance qualities and for the price you pay, it is also
graphically rather strong too.
You’ll end up paying approximately $989 for this model, which is an absolutely
brilliant deal and makes this the ideal laptop for anyone that wants to get into PC
gaming without spending ludicrous amounts of cash to do so. So, for those on a
tight budget, the Acer Nitro 5 is a super pick.
2 – Lenovo Ideapad L340
If you are looking for a comprehensive gaming experience that’s value for money,
arguably there is nothing better than the Lenovo Ideapad L340. For many, this is
the mid-range laptop of the moment and you can see why. With Intel Core i5-
9300H and Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1650, this laptop runs incredibly smooth. We
will admit that you won’t hit the lofty highs of ultra-graphics settings but it’s a
small price to pay for 1080p 60FPS gameplay on just about any game you can
think of.
It’s got a super display, a number of great built in features and you
can pick up this device for about $830 at time of writing. Many laptops will brand
themselves as gaming laptops solely because they have a decent GPU but for
someone that wants the whole package on the cheap, this is a great start.
3 – ASUS VivoBook F510UA
If you are looking for something that can offer both great gaming experiences and
productive working features, then the Vivobook is the best of both worlds. This
mid-range laptop is powered by the Intel Core i7-10750H CPU and the NVIDIA
GTX 1650 Ti GPU, this laptop offers a very capable gaming setup. All the while
offering a working environment that is perfect for the esteemed professional that
likes to game on their lunch hour. It’s this versatility that is the big selling point for
this machine.
It’s got a stylish design, it’s got a high refresh rate of 120hz and most importantly,
it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. You can pick up this laptop for around $950.
So if you want a business meets pleasure sort of setup, we can think of no better candidate.
4 – Acer Aspire 7
Now we have the Acer Aspire 7, a laptop that is an all-rounder with an aptitude
for gaming performance. This laptop has an Intel Core i5-9300H, a NVIDIA
GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, an excellent battery life for those long sessions away
from your charger, it has a stylish and compact design and aside from all the
great gaming related features, this laptop is also fantastic for productivity and
everyday use as well.
Admittedly, it does have some drawbacks. The first being the memory which only
comes in at 8GB which is pretty average. Plus, the display is a little
underwhelming with a dim and color deficient screen that doesn’t lend itself to
the more graphically focused games out there. However, as a whole, the Aspire 7
offers a lot to gamers and at an affordable price. At the time of writing, players
can pick this one up for just $800 which is a great price for a great device. So
if this tickles your fancy, be sure to pick this one up.
5 – Dell G5 15 5590
If you are looking for a mid-range laptop that can deliver high performance
gaming experiences, then the Dell G5 is an excellent choice. This powerful laptop
is able to play games seamlessly in 1080p and also has a 144hz refresh rate,
which is ideal for multiplayer gaming too. It has great audio quality thanks to it’s
built in Nahimic 3D audio. Plus, this laptop also runs with a Ryzen 5 processor,
so anyone that likes to stream will be able to do so with this laptop rather
comfortably.
This laptop is currently available from several major retailers at $899.99. Making
this one a steal for any gamer that wants to enjoy crisp, smooth and immersive
gameplay without breaking the bank. So pick this one today.
6 – Medion Erazer E10
Next up, we have a make that may not be a household name but when it comes
to mid-range gaming laptops, Medion know what they are doing. This laptop
offers a lightweight build, a spacious and comfortable keyboard, a 10th-gen Intel
Core-i5 processor with 8GB of RAM, an Nvidia GTX 1650Ti GPU with 4GB of
RAM and a 256GB SSD. Meaning that this machine is the full package for
anyone who wants to switch to PC gaming inexpensively.
We will admit that it hasn’t got the sharpest display and storage is a little bit
lacking at 256GB. However, as an overall system, this one is a great choice for a
beginner to the PC gaming scene. You can pick this one up for around $1,000. This
is perhaps one of the least value for money offerings on the list but if you do
choose this one, you get what you pay for.
7 – ASUS TUF A15
Now we have the ASUS TUF A15 which just sneaks onto the list priced at around
$979 in some retailers. However, if you do spend your entire budget, you will
reap the rewards with a system that is the pinnacle of mid-range gaming. This
system offers players an AMD processors, a wonderful battery life, an Nvidia
RTX 2060 GPU which helps to provide some stunning visual displays, even with
the more recent gaming titles out there. Plus, this machine offers 16GB of RAM,
meaning that for any streamers out there, this laptop is the ideal choice.
The downsides to this one is the rather strange design that will divide opinion.
Plus, it can be very noisy when playing games that test your system. However,
aside from this, this laptop is probably the best laptop you can purchase within
the budget allocated. So if you are happy getting no change from your purchase,
this is the way to go.
8 – MSI GL63 8SC-059
Many might be shocked to see an MSI gaming laptop available in this price
bracket. However, for just $950 you could be the proud owner of the MSI GL63.
This machine offers players unparalleled sound quality for the price range, a high
performance that allows for overclocking, a Core i7 processor, Nvidia GTX
1660Ti graphics and it even has RGB lighting which is a nice bonus. The
downside to this machine is that you are paying for the brand.
The design isn’t that amazing considering the price tag, the battery life is poor,
the refresh rate is only 120HZ at max and it’s a very bulky unit, meaning it isn’t all
that mobile when compared with more compact models. Overall, it’s a decent
choice but if you are looking for value, you might be better looking at other
brands.
9 – Asus FX504
Now we have our bargain section of the list. The ASUS FX504 is a system that is
the epitome of the phrase jack of all trades but master of none. The laptop will
give you decent storage, a lot of RAM for the price tag, a well-constructed
keyboard and a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti GPU. The area that this laptop let’s
you down is in the display department. Despite the strong GPU, the visuals are
average at best and the laptop can be quite slow due to the hybrid hard drive that
is implemented here.
However, when you take into account that you can pick this laptop up for $947
from selected retailers, it becomes a lot easier to overlook the smaller issues
regarding this device. So, if you want to save your money and go with an entry
level laptop with some nice features. This is perhaps the ideal laptop to go with.
10 – HP Pavilion 15
Then lastly, we have the HP Pavilion 15. Now, HP are more commonly known for
their productivity-based laptops and rightfully so. However, this gaming setup has
a surprising number of great features. The main downsides to this laptop are the
poorly constructed keyboard and the all-plastic framework. However, on the plus
side, you have 512GB of storage as standard, 16GB of RAM and this laptop is
capable of housing Nvidia GPU’s such as the GTX 960M. Making this a laptop
which can do just about anything you ask of it.
So if you aren’t to precious about the build quality of your laptop and care more
about how the machine actually runs. Then the HP Pavilion 15 is a super choice
and an absolute steal with some retailers stocking this at just $669. So move fast
and get yourself one today.
So that’s our list of the best gaming laptops on the market for under $1,000. What
do you think of our list? Do you think you will be purchasing any of these laptops?
Are there any other great mid-range systems that we completely missed? Let us
know in the comments section below and as always, thank you for reading.
