Greatest gaming laptops below $1,500 in 2023

Selecting one of the best gaming laptop computer, particularly within the $1,500 worth level, isn’t simple. It’s fairly the feat to kind by the entire choices within the mid-range market and discover a laptop computer with the options you want. Are you trying to conquer the most recent AAA recreation releases with excessive body charges and ray tracing? Or perhaps you want an ultraportable that allows you to work and play?
When you’re uncertain the place to begin, we’re right here to assist. We’ve curated a listing of wonderful gaming machines that every one are available in below $1,500 to assist take the stress out of buying your subsequent laptop computer. We have now in depth expertise and hands-on testing with all of our suggestions. So with out additional ado, allow us to present you one of the best picks beneath.
To be taught extra about how we choose our greatest gaming laptops, scroll beneath our picks to learn all about our analysis course of. And for a good larger array of choices take a look at our roundup of one of the best gaming laptops at any worth level; or if you wish to save much more, take a look at our greatest gaming laptops below $1,000.
Up to date 05/12/2023: To incorporate the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Benefit Version as our alternative for finest battery life. Learn our abstract beneath to be taught extra about this ultra-efficient choose.
Lenovo Legion 5i – Greatest general

Professionals
- Good processor efficiency
- RTX 3060 delivers in gaming
- Glorious connectivity
- Robust bang-for-the-buck
Cons
- Uninspired design, mediocre construct high quality
- RGB keyboard backlight seems boring
- Mediocre show decision and picture high quality
- Quick battery life
Worth When Reviewed:
$1,549.99
With its snug keyboard, numerous connectivity choices, and powerful graphics efficiency, the Lenovo Legion 5i is the whole package deal so far as funds gaming laptops go. This rig comes outfitted with an Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of PCIe SSD storage. In our testing, the Legion 5i churned out a screaming quick 110 frames-per-second when working the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, which is a incredible end result for an RTX 3060 laptop computer. The keyboard, which manages to squeeze in a quantity pad on the appropriate hand facet of the tray, is spectacular as effectively. Our tester discovered the spacious structure each “snug and straightforward to make use of.”
Connectivity is vital for gaming laptops as a result of many people like hooking as much as an exterior monitor, mouse, and so forth. Fortunately, the Legion 5i “presents a wholesome dose of future-proof connectivity.” It’s rocking three USB-A 3.2, two USB-C 3.2, one HDMI, Ethernet, and a 3.5mm audio combo. It additionally has Thunderbolt 4 and DisplayPort 1.4 assist. The ports are largely rear-facing, which is ideal for cable administration when the laptop computer is sitting on a piece desk. You actually can’t get significantly better than that.
When you’re on the hunt for a funds gaming laptop computer that may actually ship, the Legion 5i is likely to be the one to choose.
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Lenovo Legion 5i overview
HP Victus 15 – Greatest funds

Professionals
- Glorious worth
- Good keyboard and touchpad
- Respectable processor efficiency
- Can deal with most video games at 30 FPS
Cons
- Generic design
- Disappointing construct high quality
- Unattractive 144Hz show
- 60 FPS is commonly out of attain
Worth When Reviewed:
$549.99
The HP Victus 15 is an outstanding worth for informal players. The worth is greater than cheap and it’s able to working most video games at 30 frames-per-second. The keyboard options an “edge-to-edge design,” which actually “makes most use of the laptop computer’s inside.” As for really feel, key journey is lengthy due to the deep chassis. Longer journey means much less unintentional keystrokes, which is what you need in a gaming laptop computer. A fast peek inside reveals an Intel Core i5-12450H CPU, an Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 512 of SSD storage. That’s sufficient oomph for light-weight gaming. That mentioned, given the specs, the Victus isn’t going to hit 60 FPS in most video games. When you can dwell with this limitation and are strapped for money, then the HP VIctus 15 is a incredible choose.
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HP Victus 15 overview
Asus Vivobook Professional 15 OLED – Greatest show

Professionals
- Good productiveness efficiency
- Very good show
- Rugged design
- Nice battery life
Cons
- Boring aesthetics
- Unimpressive 720p webcam
- Unreliable fingerprint scanner
- Poor port choice
Worth When Reviewed:
$1099.99
For individuals who would like to purchase a laptop computer and have cash left over for superior peripherals, the Asus VivoBook Professional 15 OLED is a superb possibility. It is available in at just a few hundred {dollars} cheaper than different picks on this checklist and it nonetheless has good general efficiency. It has a Ryzen 7 5800H CPU and a GeForce RTX 3050, which is sufficient to obtain respectable body charges in your favourite video games whereas engaging in your entire productiveness duties. However the true spotlight of this laptop computer is the gorgeous 1080p OLED show with distinctive shade efficiency and accuracy. It won’t be essentially the most thrilling laptop computer to take a look at, however to get this sort of efficiency and an OLED display in addition makes the VivoBook Professional 15 an excellent worth.
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ASUS VivoBook Professional 15 OLED Extremely Slim Laptop computer overview
Dell G16 – Greatest for work and play

Professionals
- Robust efficiency for the value
- Versatile and vibrant 16-inch 16:10 QHD show
- Thunderbolt 4 on board
Cons
- Cumbersome, boring design
- Mushy keyboard, tiny touchpad
- Grainy 720p webcam
- A lot of fan noise
Worth When Reviewed:
$1,499.99
The Dell G16 is an effective possibility for each work and play. When it got here to processor efficiency, it smashed the competitors to smithereens. The Dell G16 nabbed the highest spot within the PCMark 10 benchmark, which measures efficiency primarily based on normal use duties like workplace productiveness and video chatting. It additionally turned in 131 FPS when working the Rise of the Tomb Raider benchmark. You may thank the {hardware} for these numbers. It has an Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. The G16 isn’t the sexiest-looking laptop computer we’ve ever reviewed, nevertheless it will get the necessities proper and that’s what actually issues. In response to our tester, it’s “one of the highly effective RTX 3060-based laptops we’ve examined.”
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Dell G16 overview
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Benefit Version – Greatest battery life

Professionals
- Excellent all day battery life
- Attractive and clean FHD+ 16:10 show
- Strong chassis with US navy grade certification
Cons
- Left-side port orientation gained’t swimsuit left handers
- Keys really feel a bit mushy and fatiguing
- The 720p HD digicam isn’t one of the best
Worth When Reviewed:
$1,099
Gaming laptops aren’t recognized for having one of the best battery life on account of their power-sucking elements. Nevertheless, that’s not the case with the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Benefit Version. This factor is packing a large 90 watt-hour battery, which lasted an unbelievable 11 hours throughout our testing. In fact, intensive gaming will cut back this considerably, however it’s best to nonetheless anticipate to get round seven hours of steady 1080p gaming with out having to plug into an AC outlet. That’s method higher than many of the opponents on this checklist. That’s an incredible end result contemplating most gaming laptops will solely final between three and 6 hours. It additionally has a strong chassis and durable general design, that means you don’t have to fret concerning the occasional bump or knock whereas out and about.
The Asus TUF Gaming A16 Benefit Version is not any slouch in relation to efficiency both. It comes with respectable {hardware} together with a Ryzen 7 processor, AMD Radeon RX 7600S graphics card, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. It scored very effectively in our Shadow of the Tomb Raider recreation benchmark checks, outpacing many dearer competitor laptops. All of this makes the A16 a superb possibility for 1080p players—particularly those that wish to take pleasure in untethered gaming on the go.
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Asus TUF Gaming A16 Benefit Version overview
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook – Greatest Chromebook for gaming

Professionals
- Giant, vibrant 2560×1600 show
- Superb wi-fi and wired connectivity
- Good show, robust audio system
Cons
- Unimpressive design
- Mediocre keyboard and touchpad
- Lackluster webcam and microphone
Worth When Reviewed:
$569.99
While you consider gaming laptops, Chromebooks won’t be the very first thing that involves thoughts. However Lenovo has achieved an excellent job at making gaming accessible to Chromebook customers with its IdeaPad 5 Gaming. It comes loaded with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a vibrant 16-inch 2560×1600 show. Additionally, in a rarity for any sort of laptop computer, the audio system are surprisingly robust.
If you wish to recreation on a Chromebook, although, you’ll must do most, if not all, of your it by a cloud gaming service. It is because ChromeOS doesn’t assist most trendy video games. However for the month-to-month price of a cloud gaming service, you’re in a position to stream the perfect trendy video games straight from the cloud to your Chromebook. In our checks we even discovered that we may stream AAA video games at good resolutions and as much as 120Hz on the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook—that’s not unhealthy for a laptop computer that prices much less then a 3rd of what you’d pay for a stronger Home windows gaming rig. See our roundup of one of the best cloud gaming companies to find out about choices.
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Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Gaming Chromebook overview
How we examined
The PCWorld crew places each Home windows laptop computer by a sequence of benchmarks that check GPU and CPU efficiency, battery life, and so forth. The concept is to push the laptop computer to its limits after which examine it in opposition to others we’ve examined. Beneath, you’ll discover a breakdown of every check and the explanation why we run them.
Home windows laptops
- PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is how we decide how effectively the laptop computer handles lighter duties like net shopping, phrase processing, spreadsheets, and so forth.
- HandBrake: HandBrake is extra intensive than PCMark 10. It principally measures how lengthy a laptop computer’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
- Cinebench: Cinebench is a short stress check of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a brief time frame.
- 3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D efficiency stays constant over time by working graphic-intensive clips.
- Video rundown check: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video utilizing Home windows 10’s Films & TV app till the laptop computer dies.
What it’s best to search for in a funds gaming laptop computer
In terms of choosing the right gaming laptop computer, it actually is dependent upon what you wish to do with it. Do you propose on taking part in light-weight indie titles like Stardew Valley (no shade, I really like this recreation) or one thing extra visually demanding like Cyberpunk 2077? Are you going to make use of the machine for work in addition to play? It’s doable to get dependable efficiency out of a gaming laptop computer that prices below a grand, however you’ll must take a tough have a look at the person elements. You don’t want a robust GPU for one thing like Fortnite. The heart, my associates. That’s what issues.
- GPU: The factor concerning the GPU is that it will probably’t be swapped out and upgraded later, so you have to be actual picky about which one you choose, as this element will decide how effectively your machine runs video games. Fortunately, you don’t want one of the best of one of the best to get dependable gaming efficiency. The GTX 1650 is an entry-level GPU that’s inexpensive and ok for 1080p gaming with mid-to-high graphics settings. That mentioned, anticipate decrease body charges on newer titles. When you’re on the lookout for a bit extra energy, we advocate choosing a GTX 1660 Ti or increased, or a extra present RTX 30-series GPU.
- CPU: Just like the GPU, the processor can’t be upgraded both, so that you’ll wish to be selective. For Intel, we advocate an Eleventh-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 or newer (Thirteenth-gen is now obtainable). For AMD, you’ll wish to spring for a Ryzen 4000 or 5000. A processor with no less than 4 cores is nice, however six cores or extra is best.
- RAM: You’ll need no less than 8GB of RAM. When you can afford 16GB of RAM, go for it. Reminiscence is often upgradable, so you’ll be able to at all times swap it out and add extra afterward.
- Storage: Storage impacts what number of video games and functions you’ll be able to set up in your laptop computer. Like RAM, storage is upgradable and might be swapped out later. Nevertheless, it’s best to intention for no less than 512GB of SSD storage plus a tough drive, as AAA titles are inclined to eat up a variety of area. SSDs load video games quicker, as information is saved on chips quite than spinning disks.
- Show: 1080p is what you’ll be able to anticipate at this worth vary. Funds gaming laptops don’t at all times have one of the best shows, as that’s the place producers have a tendency to chop corners to maintain the fee low. When you’ve acquired a dim show, you’ll be able to at all times choose up an exterior monitor to plug into.
- Battery life: Typically talking, gaming laptops are recognized for having poor battery life. That’s as a result of they use a ton of energy. Additionally they are usually heavier than different laptops as a result of they want extra space for heatsinks and different cooling elements. Relying on the use, most will final wherever from 4 to 6 hours on a single cost. That mentioned, there are just a few exceptions. The HP Envy 14 (featured above), for instance, hit the 15-hour mark throughout our battery check.
FAQ
Are Chromebooks good gaming laptops?
It actually is dependent upon the kind of gaming you plan to do, however almost certainly no. Chromebooks can deal with net video games and Android video games simply superb. However for those who’re trying to play the most recent high-powered AAA video games, a Chromebook gained’t reduce it, as a result of a) it doesn’t run Home windows, and b) it in all probability doesn’t have enough graphics energy.
With that mentioned, Google is attempting to convey cloud gaming to Chromebooks and it’ll doubtless be obtainable sooner or later. Cloud gaming companies use a distant PC or console to play video games streamed by the cloud onto the Chromebook. Till that service is up and working although, Chromebooks won’t be able to compete within the gaming enviornment.
Are you able to recreation with built-in graphics?
These days, the most recent processors with built-in graphics can run fairly just a few trendy PC video games at cheap settings. Intel’s new Iris Xe line of processors with built-in graphics, for instance, have been proven to run among the newest video games at 1080p and 30fps. Take be aware although, as not all built-in graphics are able to the identical issues.
Intel and AMD’s built-in graphics have made large leaps lately with regard to gaming efficiency. When you’re on a funds or on the lookout for an extremely skinny laptop computer with built-in graphics you’ll be able to nonetheless take pleasure in some gaming as effectively. Try our article about Intel’s Core Twelfth-gen Iris Xe and AMD’s model new Ryzen 6000 RDNA 2 for extra.
What measurement laptop computer is finest?
This actually comes down to private desire and supposed use. When you plan to journey rather a lot together with your laptop computer, then a small ultraportable measurement within the neighborhood of 13 to 14 inches is finest. Nevertheless, if gaming is all you wish to do, then one thing within the 15- to 17-inch vary could be excellent. Additionally, don’t neglect to verify the burden of the laptop computer before you purchase it. Extremely skinny laptops can weigh a featherlight 2 kilos whereas beefy gaming computer systems high the scales at three or 4 instances that.