PC gaming can be an expensive hobby. Besides buying games, you also need a capable machine to play them on! But you can get started without spending thousands of dollars on a new gaming laptop. There are plenty of gaming laptops available for less than $1,000, which deliver the basics like a 1080p display, a strong CPU, and a discrete, gaming-ready GPU that’s enough for esports and competitive video games. And it will let you do some work or stream your favorite show when you’re done playing.In this price range, you’ll often find systems that don’t have the latest processors (which might mean you can’t use certain AI features), and you won’t find the most powerful GPUs. It’s unlikely you’ll find more than 8GB of RAM (though please, try to avoid single-channel RAM if you can!), and storage space may be limited out of the box. You’ll have to make decisions about what’s most important to you.
For people who game a lot, we recommend spending a bit more if you have the means: we also maintain lists of thebest gaming laptops under $1,500and thebest gaming laptops overall. A more powerful GPU, larger SSD, and a more vivid screen will mean a lot now and as your PC ages, and you’re also likely to get a better-quality machine overall.There are ways to improve a sub-$1,000 gaming laptop down the line. For instance, you can often add more storage orupgrade the RAM on your laptop(still an option primarily with gaming and workstation laptops these days) on your own. You can also look for laptops with room for extra drives so you can add one of thebest SSDson your own.The current swath of sub-$1,000 gaming notebooks is largely powered bythe Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, though you may find the RTX 4060 if prices come down or if there’s a good sale.We test a variety of gaming laptops every year from many brands, so we know what makes a good rig. The best gaming laptops under $1,000 should let you play most games, though you may have to temper your expectations about the settings and resolution you play at.
The Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000
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At exactly $999.99 when we tested it, you get a surprising amount of value out of theDellG16. Sure, it’s still a budget system with last-gen Intel Core i7-13650HX, but that CPU isn’t exactly weak. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 is a strong option for this price band and delivered very good gaming performance across our benchmark tests.
There are also asome other extras here that are great to see at this price, including a 2560 x 1600 display with a 240 Hz refresh rate, as well as a Cherry MX Mechanical keyboard, which Dell usually includes at a premium on its fancier Alienware gaming laptops.Not everything is peachy with the G16. At 6.3 pounds, it’s not exactly light enough for regular travel. And in 2024, it shouldn’t be too much to ask for a 1080p camera, even under $1,000.Read:Dell G16 (7630) review
The Acer Nitro 16 takes the mantle from the older Acer Nitro 5, but continues the tradition of bringing a solid mix of price and performance, with a handful of premium niceties.Our $999 review unit included an AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS and Nvidia Geforce RTX 4050, which played most of our benchmark games well. Perhaps the most impressive part is the 1920 x 1200, 165 Hz display with G-Sync support, which is great for esports at high frame rates. It reached 371 nits on our light meter testing and covered 91% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
Other plusses include a wide variety of ports, including USB 4, the latest version of USB Type-C, as well as battery life over 8 hours, which is solid for a gaming laptop.We wish the webcam and speakers were better (if you value the speakers, consider the MSI Katana listed below), but for the price, the Nitro 16 delivers a lot of value at just under $1,000.
At $999 as configured, the MSI Katana 15 just made the cutoff for our list. But with its Intel Core i7-13620H and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, the Katana proved to be a powerful 1080p gaming machine, providing solid value.It doesn’t hurt that in the sub-thousand dollar model, MSI added 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a roomy 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. You often see those specs cut first on budget laptops (instead, the laptop just doesn’t have the highest-quality chassis). We also appreciated the surprisingly decent speakers on the Katana 15.The 1080p display isn’t the most beautiful, but its 144 Hz refresh rate will be a boon to esports players who want a smooth experience.More:MSI Katana 15 Review
What to Expect From the Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000
Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000: Bottom Line
Even the best gaming laptops under $1,000 are an exercise in compromise. Some companies opt for lower-end GPUs, while others cut costs with small SSDs. You’re going to have to decide what you’re willing to give up. But if you make the right choices, you’ll be able to enjoy PC gaming on a budget, even if you have to turn down some settings or reinstall some games because of limited SSD space. And with some planning, you may be able to make some upgrades that will make for a dramatically better experience.Of course, there is more than just performance to consider. You’ll want to see how these laptops look and feel, and whether they offer the ports you want and a keyboard you like. So do some research and ensure you’re getting everything you need before you go out and buy something. If you may, check out the laptop in person before you buy.
Discounts on the Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000
Whether you’re shopping for one of the best gaming laptops or another model that didn’t quite make our list, you may find some savings by checking out our lists ofDell coupon codes,HP coupon codes,Lenovo coupon codes,Razer promo codesorNewegg promo codes.
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Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom’s Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom’s Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Threads@FreedmanAEand BlueSky@andrewfreedman.net.You can send him tips on Signal: andrewfreedman.01
