Best gaming laptop under $500 | In the realm of budget-friendly gaming, finding a laptop that balances performance and affordability can be a challenging quest. However, the pursuit is not in vain, as the market is rife with options that offer a fulfilling gaming experience without breaking the bank. This guide delves into the top contenders vying for the title of the “best gaming laptop under $500.” By navigating through the amalgam of specifications, design elements, and user reviews, enthusiasts can unearth a gem that delivers smooth gameplay, respectable graphics, and overall satisfaction, all while staying within a wallet-friendly budget.
This article features the best laptops under $500 for gamers. Our expert team has created a list of the best laptops for you. These machines will give you a professional gaming experience. You can also click here. Best GAMING laptop under $1000
Minimum Gaming laptop requirements
| CPU | Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 series |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060/1070 or AMD Radeon RX 480 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Display/Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Operating system | Windows 10 or 11 (64 bit) or apple MacOS |
| SDD | 256GB |
| USB ports | USB 3.0 port (two) |
| Video output | HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.3 |
What are some good gaming laptops for under 500$?
- HP 15.6in FHD Business Laptop
- Luqeeg Notebook Computer Gaming Laptop
- Lenovo IdeaPad L340 Gaming Laptop
- Dell Inspiron 3000 Laptop
- Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
- Lenovo Newest Ideapad 3 Laptop
1. HP 15.6in FHD Business Laptop
HP 15.6in FHD Business Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5 5500U 6 core CPU (Beat i7-1160G7, up to 4GHz), 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, AMD Radeon Graphics, WiFi, Windows 11, Blue + Generic Accessories
| Brand | HP |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Hard Disk Size | 512 GB |
| CPU Model | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U |
| Ram Memory Installed Size | 8 GB |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Graphics Coprocessor | AMD Radeon Graphics |
About HP 15
- 15.6” FHD Anti-glare micro-edge Display: The 1920 x 1080 resolution boasts impressive color and clarity. The thin and lightweight laptop packs a 6.5 mm micro-edge bezel display to showcase your media in high definition.
- AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Mobile Processor: Create. Play. Work. Educate. Entertain. The possibilities are infinite. Be anywhere, go anywhere. Powers ultrathin notebooks that offer supreme performance, astonishing battery life, and modern features you need on-the-go.
- Upgraded to 16GB system memory for advanced multitasking: Substantial high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run your games and photo and video-editing applications, as well as multiple programs and browser tabs all at once.
- Upgraded to 512GB SSD Storage: Boot up in seconds, get to files faster, and have room for loads of files with the lightning-quick solid state drive.
- AMD Radeon graphics: Get world-class performance with AMD Radeon graphics, designed to deliver breathtakingly lifelike visuals, new levels of immersion, and must-have features for the ultimate entertainment experience.
- System ram type: ddr4 sdram
- Wattage: 45.0 watts
- 802.11 ABGNAC
2. Luqeeg Notebook Computer Gaming Laptop
Luqeeg 16 Inch Laptop, 2560×1600 IPS HD Notebook Computer Gaming Laptop for N5105 CPU, Quad Core, 16GB RAM, Fingerprint Unlock, Mechanical Keyboard, 2.4G 5G Dual Band WiFi (16GB+1TB US Plug)
| Brand | Luqeeg |
| Screen Size | 16 Inches |
| Ram Memory Installed Size | 16 GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Resolution | 4K |
| Number of Processors | 4 |
| Chipset Brand | Intel |
| Specific Uses For Product | gaming |
About Luqeeg
- 16 Inch Laptop: 16 inch laptop with mechanical keyboard, for N5105 CPU (four core, four threads 2.9GHz), support fingerprint unlock, blue switch design, plug in magnetic suction 2MP 30 frame HD camera.
- Powerful Functions: Support for 11, excellent window layout options, better multi monitor functionality, improved performance features, new video game options and features.
- 16GB RAM: 16GB of high bandwidth RAM runs multiple applications and browser tabs smoothly at the same time, and PCIe NVME M.2 SSD (multiple capacities optional) allows for fast startup and data transfer.
- IPS HD Display: Features 16 inch IPS HD display (resolution: 2560×1600), LED backlit nontouch display, for UHD graphics card with shared graphics memory.
- Interface: Support 2.4G 5G dual band WiFi, built in BT 4.2, 1 Micro Storage Card reader, 2 USB3.0, 1 power supply, 1 High Definition Multimedia Interface Mini, 1 headphone and microphone port.
3. Lenovo IdeaPad L340 Gaming Laptop
Lenovo IdeaPad L340 Gaming Laptop, 15.6-Inch FHD (1920 X 1080) IPS Display, Intel Core i7-9750H Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD, 256GB NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, Windows 10, 81LK000EUS
| Brand | Lenovo L340 Gaming |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Hard Disk Size | 1 TB |
| CPU Model | Intel Core i7 |
| Ram Memory Installed Size | 8 GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Graphics Coprocessor | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 |
About Lenovo L340
- With 9th-generation Intel Core i7-9750h Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD + 256GB NVMe SSD Storage, This gaming notebook has all the power you need to outshoot, outrun, and outsmart anyone
- The 15.6-Inch Screen delivers a stunning full HD IPS Display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, anti-glare technology, 250 nits, 45% Color gamut
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 graphics deliver faster, smoother gameplay and more power-efficient performance
- This Lenovo Gaming notebook is game ready – are you? With cool blue ambient lighting, extended battery life (up to 9 hours), and a 720P HD camera with privacy shutter, you’ll be ready to play anytime, anywhere
- Final product may vary slightly from image
4. Dell Inspiron 3000 Laptop
Dell Inspiron 3000 Laptop, 15.6 HD Display, Intel Celeron N4020 Processor, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD, Online Meeting Ready, Webcam, WiFi, HDMI, Bluetooth, Win10 Home
| Brand | Dell Inspiron |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Hard Disk Size | 1 TB |
| CPU Model | Celeron N |
| Ram Memory Installed Size | 16 GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Graphics Coprocessor | Intel UHD Graphics |
About Dell Inspiron
- 【Dell Inspiron Laptop】16GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once; 256GB PCIe NVME M.2 Solid State Drive + 1TB Hard Disk Drive for ample storage space.
- 【Processor】Intel Celeron Processor N4020 (2 cores, 2 Threads, 4MB Cache, up to 2.8 GHz)
- 【Display 】15.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) Anti-Glare LED-Backlit Non-touch Display, Intel UHD Graphics with Shared Graphics Memory
- 【Tech Specs】802.11ac 1×1 WiFi and Bluetooth, 1 x SD Card Reader, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x Wedge-shaped lock slot, 1 x Power, 1 x HDMI 1.4b, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x Headphone & Microphone Audio Jack, Win10 Home
- 【Operating System】Windows 10 Home-The Windows 10 Home operating system offers built-in security and app like Mail, Calendar, Photo, Microsoft Edge, and more to help keep you safe and productive
5. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
Acer Aspire 5 A515-45-R74Z Slim Laptop | 15.6″ Full HD IPS | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Hexa-Core Mobile Processor | AMD Radeon Graphics | 8GB DDR4 | 256GB NVMe SSD | WiFi 6 | Backlit KB | Windows 11 Home
| Brand | Acer A515-45-R74Z |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Hard Disk Size | 256 GB |
| CPU Model | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U |
| Ram Memory Installed Size | 8 GB |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Special Feature | Backlit Keyboard |
About Acer Aspire 5
- AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Hexa-Core Mobile Processor with AMD Radeon Graphics.Maximum Power Supply Wattage 45 W
- 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED-backlit IPS Display
- 8GB DDR4 Onboard Memory and 256GB NVMe SSD
- 1 – USB 3.2 (Type-C) Gen 1 port (up to 5 Gbps) | 2 – USB 3.2 Gen 1 Ports (one with Power-off Charging) | 1 – USB 2.0 Port | 1 – HDMI 2.0 Port with HDCP support
- Wi-Fi 6 | Backlit Keyboard | Up to 11 Hours Battery Life | Comes with Windows 11 Home
6. Lenovo 2022 Newest Ideapad 3 Laptop
Lenovo 2022 Newest Ideapad 3 Laptop, 15.6″ HD Touchscreen, 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 Processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD, HDMI, Webcam, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth, Windows 11 Home, Almond
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Hard Disk Size | 256 GB |
| CPU Model | Core i3 |
| Ram Memory Installed Size | 20 GB |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Special Feature | Anti Glare Coating |
| Graphics Card Description | Integrated |
About Lenovo Ideapad 3
- 【Memory & Storage】Memory is 8GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once. Hard Drive is 256GB PCIe Solid State Drive which allows to fast bootup and data transfer
- 【Processor】11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 Dual-Core 3.0GHz Processor (6MB Intel Smart Cache, up to 4.10GHz) Intel UHD Graphics
- 【Screen】15.6″ HD Touchscreen (1366 x 768) Display
- 【Ports】2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combination Audio Jack, 1 x Multi-format SD Media Card Reader, Wireless-AC Wi-Fi 5 + Bluetooth Combo
- 【Operating System】Windows 11 Home
Best gaming laptop under $500 – faq
- What is a good gaming laptop under 500?
- Editor’s Choice: Lenovo IdeaPad L340 is a good gaming laptop under $500
- Should I buy Intel or AMD for gaming laptop?
- You can get both Intel and AMD for gaming laptop. Both are excellent options.
- Is 8GB enough RAM?
- 8GB of RAM is sufficient. However, 16 GB of RAM is recommended for high-level performance.
Can you get a gaming laptop for $500?
While it might be challenging to find a high-end gaming laptop for $500, you can still find budget-friendly options that can handle some gaming tasks. Keep in mind that at this price point, you may need to make some compromises in terms of performance and features. Look for laptops with integrated graphics or entry-level dedicated graphics cards.
Here are a few tips to help you find a gaming laptop within your budget:
- Refurbished/Used Laptops: Consider looking for refurbished or used gaming laptops. These can offer better specs for the price compared to brand-new options.
- Sales and Discounts: Keep an eye out for sales, discounts, and promotions. You might find a gaming laptop with reduced prices during certain times of the year.
- Lower Graphics Settings: With a $500 budget, you may not be able to play the latest games at ultra-high settings. However, many games can still be enjoyable on lower graphics settings.
- Online Retailers: Check online retailers, both large and small, for deals on gaming laptops. Websites like Amazon, Newegg, and Best Buy often have various options.
- Acer, ASUS, Lenovo, HP: These brands often offer budget gaming laptops with reasonable specifications. Look for models with AMD Ryzen or Intel Core processors and at least entry-level NVIDIA GeForce or AMD Radeon graphics.
- Consider Older Models: Look for laptops that might be a generation or two old but still offer decent gaming performance.
- Local Classifieds and Auctions: Check local classified ads, online marketplaces, and auction sites for secondhand gaming laptops.
Remember that while you may not get the latest and greatest gaming laptop for $500, you can still find a machine that can handle a range of games and provide an enjoyable gaming experience. Be sure to read reviews and compare specifications before making a purchase to ensure you’re getting the best value for your budget.