Realistically speaking, finding a good gaming laptop under 500 is problematic. If you want to enjoy the latest games, you should increase your budget from $600 to $800. However, it does not mean those good gaming laptops under 500 are not available. Keeping in view, we have shortlisted the top 12 best gaming laptops. Focusing on the needs of gamers like graphics cards, battery life, display, keyboard, and overall performance, the list given below includes the best gaming laptops for the price.
Top 12 gaming laptops under $500:
1: Acer Aspire 5-15 Inch HD:
If you are looking for the best laptop for 500 dollars, the Acer Aspire 5 is a good deal. By making available this best laptop for Facebook gamers, Acer did a perfect job. A dedicated GPU, an i5, and an SSD drive come with this best budget gaming laptop under $500. The result of this configuration is that the very 500 dollar gaming laptop is capable of running modern games with comfort on low setting and will rip through most crowd favorites with ease.
Moreover, this budget gaming laptop under $500 is armed with an excellent 15-inch HD display though a little dim, and outstanding build quality, and an exceptionally powerful CPU, by providing this good gaming laptop under $500, Acer have spotted a sweet spot in the market for those budget gamer who cannot afford the latest and greeted NVIDIA graphics. Overall, this best $500 gaming laptop is a good machine for gamers thanks to its extremely affordable dedicated Radeon graphics cards. So, if you are searching for a cheap gaming laptop under $500, the laptop at a glance is definitely a good choice.
| 1) 7.5 Hours Battery Life 4) 256GB SSD 2) 8GB DDR4 RAM 5) Windows 10 Home 3) AMD Ryzen 5 4500U 2.3GHz 6) 4.2 Ibs |
Pros
- High Quality IPS Display
- Affordable Dedicated Graphics Card
- Lightweight Build
Cons
- Flimsy Touchpad
- Moderate Battery
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2: Asus Vivobook F510UA-15 Inch HD:
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If you search for a great gaming laptop under $500 with enough screen space to enjoy playing games, the Asus Vivobbok F510UA may be a perfect choice for you. This best 500 dollar gaming laptop makes playing games stylish. Since arming with a recent i5 processor and an Intel UHD 620 graphics card, this gaming laptop under 500 dollars is one of the most powerful for the price it comes with. Except that, this affordable gaming laptop under 500 dollars is equipped with an HD display that is vibrant, bright, and sharp. That means playing games on this laptop with good graphics cards under 500 dollars is comfortable.
Along with that, what comes with this gaming laptop under 500 dollars is a clear audio system that is perfect for watching a movie or enjoying a game. If a thin and lightweight design is added to the features mentioned above, you have got a winner named the Asus Vivobbok F510UA, a great gaming laptop under 500 dollars.
Pros
- Clear Audio
- Vivid HD Display
- Good Performance
- Thin and Light with Good Build Quality
Cons
- Average Keyboard with no Backlighting
3: HP 17-X114dx-17 Inch:
If we make a list of top 5 gaming laptops under 500 dollars, HP 17-X114dx is among those decent gaming laptops under 500 dollars. With its 17-inch display, this best laptop under 500 for gaming is for big-screen lovers. Moreover, unlike the 17-inch laptops that are usually heavy and bulky, the under glance best cheap gaming laptop under 500 dollars is very lightweight at 5.85 pounds.
If we talk about the configuration of this best budget gaming laptop under 500, it comes with an Intel UHD 620 and an i5 CPU. That means this good 500 dollar gaming laptop can run games quite well. While playing games, you are required to have fast action, and you will like the comfortable keyboard of this top gaming laptop under 500 that won’t make you miss a move. In short, if you need a 17-inch gaming laptop under 500, this one is for you.
| 1) Windows 10 Pro 5) Intel i52) Almost 5 Hour Battery Life 6) 6GB RAM 3) 1000 GB HHD (5400 rpm) 7) 1-inch Thickness
4) 1600*900 Pixels of Resolution |
Pros
- Comfortable Keyboard
- Clear Screen
- Quite Light
Cons
- Short Battery Life
- Slow Hard Drive
4: HP Notebook 15-bso91ms 15.6-Inch:
The HP Notebook 15-bs091ms budget laptop, the best laptop under 500, is a welcome choice for those searching for a multimedia laptop that can do both work and playing games. Although the resolution of this best cheap gaming laptop under 500 is 1366*786, yet picture quality is sharp and decent. However, the viewing angles suffer because of a lower quality TN panel.
Moreover, the plastic-made chassis of this 5-star laptop under 500 though looks cheap, but these aesthetics are affiliated with budget laptops. Because of the lightweight, you are easily carrying this light gaming laptop under 500. Coming to the configuration of this gaming laptop, around 500, it comes with a 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U 2.4 GHz processor, 8GB of RAM, and Intel HD 620 graphics. The Intel HD 620 graphics allow to play light games on this laptop under 500 with dedicated graphics with games such as DOTA 2, LOL, and CS: GO running with comfort.
Moreover, the large 5400 RPM mechanical hard drive is slow, but 1TB of storage space of this best laptop for league of legends under 500 makes up the loss. Moreover, good comfortable though not backlit keyboard, sufficient port connectivity, and moderate battery life of around 6 hours are some features of the best laptop for gaming and school under 500. To sum up, for those who wish to have the best cheap gaming laptop under 500, the HP Notebook 15-bs091ms is a good choice.
| 1) Windows 10 Home 3) 6 hour battery life 2) 1000GB 5400 RPM HDD 4) 4.85 Ibs |
Pros
- Large HDD
- Decent Processor
- Good Performance
Cons
- Middling Display
- Feels Slightly Cheap
5: Acer Aspire E 15:
If you have saved a little bit extra amount for having the best gaming experience, the Acer Aspire E 15 is one of the top gaming laptops under $600. It comes with a modern NVIDIA GeForce MX150 dedicated graphics card, Intel i5-8250U, 8GB of RAM that will make it possible to run heavy tasks easily on this best $600 gaming laptop. Due to the modern NVIDIA GeForce MX150, multitasking will no longer be a problem on this refurbished gaming laptop under $600.
Moreover, the RAM will let you run more than one application at one time. RAM of this laptop with a dedicated graphics card under 600 is also ungradable. Although it comes with a small SSD, yet an additional SSD or HDD can be added if you need it. Except that, a full HD display, solid battery life of up to 8 hours, and comfortable keyboard and touchpad are some additional features of this top gaming laptop under $600. In short, if you are looking for the best budget gaming laptop with rock-solid battery life and a powerful graphics card, the E15 E5-576G-5762 is one of the best computers for gaming under $600.
| 1) NVIDIA GeForce MX150 2GB GDDR5 3) 256GB SSD 2) Windows 10 Home 4) 8 to 15 hour battery life |
Pros
- Full HD Display
- Decent 8RG RAM
- Solid Battery Life
- Good Intel i5-8250U CPU
Cons
- Limited Storage
- Dim Screen
- Potential Quality Control Issues
6: MSI GL62M 7RD-1407 15.6-Inch:
MSI has revolutionized the market with its GL62M 7RD-1407 entry-level gaming machine. Coming with an NVIDIA GTX 10 series card that gives better performance as compared to integrated graphics or the MX150 equipped laptop, this best laptop for gaming under $500 is one of the cheapest deals. Although the look is somehow cheap, yet this best gaming laptop under 500 bags pretty good components under the hood. Be it a full-HD Edp display, a very impressive keyboard, or 8GB of RAM, a good gaming laptop under 500 has similar ingredients. Since its low price, the components of this gaming laptop under 500 that are very good will surprise you. For example, induction of the NVIDIA GTX 1050 card for such a price thoroughly shakes. Such is an appeal of this best gaming laptop for $500. Being an entry-level card, it can run current games in the lower setting with ease.
Moreover, the GPU is assisted by an impressive Intel i5-7300HQ and 8GB of RAM. This best low-cost laptop is not only a solid choice for gamers but also for people who want video and photo editing. However, the 256GB M.2 SSD of this best budget gaming laptop is small, but fast and boot up times will be quick. But battery life is a compromise you will have to make if you buy this good laptop for gaming. Overall, the laptop we are reviewing is an affordable and really good cheap gaming laptop.
| 1) Intel Core i5-7300HQ 2.5GHz 3) 256GB SSD 2) 15.6-inch display with 1920*1080 pixels 4) 5.29 Ibs 5) 8GB DDR4 RAM 6) Windows 10 Home |
Pros
- Fast SSD
- Runs cool
- Great CPU
- Best NVIDIA GTX 1050
Cons
- Keyboard Flex
- Poor Battery Life
7: Lenovo IdeaPad 3:
Since it supports an AMD’s Ryzen 5 3500U CPU, the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is the best gaming laptop under $500. The integrated Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics ensures excellent performance as compared to competing Intel integrated graphics. This best laptop for college students under 500 has made a mark in a market dominated by lackluster integrated graphics performance. This cheap gaming laptop under 500 is supporting a powerful CPU and solid entry-level graphics. Coming with only 3.3 Ibs and a professional design, this cheapest gaming laptop works well at school or work.
Moreover, due to its lightweight, this really good cheap gaming laptop is easy to carry. That means this best laptop under 500 will not only satisfy your gaming needs but will also tick all the right boxes to be your all-in-one mobile workstation. In short, this cheap but great gaming laptop makes playing games stylish.
| 1) 8GB DDR4 RAM 3) 256GB SSD 2) Windows 10 Home 4) 3.3 Ibs 5) 14-inch with 1920*1080 Pixels |
Pros
- Professional Design
- Lightweight and Portable
- Powerful value for Money AMD Hardware
- Radeon RX Vega 8 Graphics
Cons
- Poor Viewing Angles
- Flimsy Touchpad
8: Acer Aspire 5 Slim:
If you are looking for a cheap laptop for league of legends, the Acer Aspire 5 Slim is a good choice that is armed with a full-HD high-quality IPS display, an AMD Vega 3 Mobile Graphics, and a high-quality audio engine. Unfortunately integrated AMD graphics card of this medium end gaming laptop is not capable of handling newer games that are more demanding. However, this good laptop for Minecraft under 500 can run games at medium setting at 1366*786 resolution.
These include popular games such as CS: GO, League of Legends, and DOTA 2 that this best laptop for gamers can handle with ease. Moreover, if you are happily playing older games, this best gamers laptop has the best-looking display you can get at this price. To add the beauty of this gaming computer under 500 dollars, a backlit keyboard and a low-key premium lightweight design are other traits. However, the below-average touchpad and moderate battery life of this best and cheapest gaming laptop are criticized. In short, if you want to play older games and display quality are at the top of your priority, this best mid-level gaming laptop will do the trick.
| 1) AMD Radeon RX Vega 3 2) 3.97 Ibs 3) AMD Ryzen 3 3200U 4) 128 GB SSD 5) Windows 10 Home 6) 7.5 Hours Battery Life 7) 4GB DDR4 SDRAM RAM |
Pros
- Backlit Keyboard
- Lightweight Design
- High quality IPS Display
Cons
- Flimsy Touchpad
- Moderate Battery
- Graphics only Suitable for Older Games
9: Dell Inspiron 3000 3543:
If we talk about the best gaming laptops under 500, Dell has done an excellent job in the name of Dell Inspiron 3000 3543. This cheap laptop that can run games comes with a 15-inch display with 1366*786 pixels resolution. Although this inexpensive laptop for gaming lacks a bit of RAM and an HD display, yet it is a really good cheap gaming laptop. Moreover, this laptop with a good graphics card is armed with the most powerful graphics card and processor. This configuration enables this most popular gaming laptop to run games with ease and comfort. In short, if you are looking for a cheap laptop to play league of legends, this model is for you. That means good gaming power, the feature of this affordable gaming laptop.
| 1) Intel i5 2) 4GB RAM 3) 500 GB HDD (5400 rpm) 4) 4.8 Ibs 5) 8 hour battery life 6) Windows 10 Home |
Pros
- Good Graphics and CPU
- Good Build Quality
- Sufficient Battery Life
Cons
- No HD Screen
- Lacks a bit of RAM
10: Dell Inspiron 5000 i5555:
If we make a list of top gaming laptops under 500, the Dell Inspiron 5000 i5555 will be listed. This best gaming laptop for its price features a 15.6-inch display with 1366*768 pixels of resolution. Moreover, a decent budget graphic card and CPU also come with this best gaming pc under 500 dollars. If you want to run recent games, this excellent gaming laptop will do the trick at medium settings. But for playing the latest games, this older gaming laptop is not suitable. However, with the $500, this cheap but decent laptop should be on your list that makes playing games stylish. In short, this best gaming and work laptop is an excellent all-around laptop.
| 1) 8GB RAM 2) Windows 10 Home 3) 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) 4) 5.27 Ibs weight 5) 6 hour battery life 6) 0.9-inch thickness |
Pros
- Comfortable Keyboard
- Good Build Quality
- Good Overall Performance
Cons
- Moderate Battery Life
- For Older Games
11: Lenovo IdeaPad 320:
If you want to buy a sleek-looking laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad 320 will do the trick because this is the cheapest and best gaming laptop. As far as playing games is concerned, this best laptop for low price is equipped with enough power to play not-too-demanding games. Moreover, you can install all the games with its 1 TB hard drive, thanks to the i5 processor and Intel UHD 620 graphics card of this great gaming computer under 500. But a non-HD display that lacks color, vividness, and brightness is the drawback of this best low-cost laptop. Even will all this, if your preference is look and performance, not display quality, the Lenovo IdeaPad 320 is the best laptop to play games.
| 1) 1000 GB HDD (5400 rpm) 3) 8GB RAM 2) Windows 10 Home 4) 6 hour Battery Life 3) Intel i5 6) 4.85 Ibs Weight |
Pros
- Sleek Look
- Clear Audio
- Good Overall Performance
12: Lenovo IdeaPad 100:
If someone is searching for a good school laptop under 500 and for occasional games, the Lenovo IdeaPad 100 is a pretty good choice. This top affordable gaming laptop features a 15.6-inch display with 1366*768 pixels of resolution. The model, at a glance, is though a budget-friendly gaming laptop but an entry-level laptop in the IdeaPad series. Moreover, this top laptop for gaming has a decent build quality that adds to its beauty. Being armed with an i3 processor, this best gaming and work laptop possesses enough power to run games and other computing tasks. However, an area to compromise is the battery of this decent laptop under 500. To sum up, the Lenovo IdeaPad 100 is an excellent low cost laptop for casual gaming.
| 1) 500 GB HDD (5400 rpm) 3) Intel i3 2) Windows 10 Home 4) 4GB RAM 5) 4 hour Battery Life 6) 5.07 Ibs |
Pros
- Decent Build Quality
- Comfortable Keyboard
Cons
- Disappointing Battery Life
- Lacks RAM
Wrapping Up:
So, if you are looking for the best gaming laptops under 500, the models mentioned above will do the job. What the best laptops for gaming possess is also the part of these well-priced gaming laptops. However, some drawbacks are found in these cheapest gaming laptops, but the overall performance of less than 500 is satisfactory. To pen off, if you want to have the best gaming laptop under 500, any one of the above-described models will be the right choice.
Buying guide for 500 dollar gaming laptop
Gaming is an expensive hobby. There’s no sugarcoating it. Gamers spend thousands of dollars on the best laptop. But not everyone can afford it though they love gaming. You are here because you belong to that category.
Our buying guide focuses on specifications like GPU, CPU, RAM, storage, display, and everything you need to be sure about before buying a $500 gaming laptop. So, let’s get started.
Is getting a $500 gaming laptop worth it?
Let’s be realistic first. A $500 laptop will not be the best for all sorts of gaming. You can run most old titles or some of the new ones in low-mid settings. But realistically speaking, a $500 gaming laptop will struggle to deal with AAA titles such as The Witcher, Halo Infinite, Resident Evil Village, Life is Strange, and so on.
So, does this mean you won’t be able to play games with a $500 gaming laptop? Absolutely not. If you are careful and know strictly what to look for, you can. We have written this article for people like you. So, you know the things you need to consider before getting a gaming laptop within $500.
Things to consider before buying a $500 gaming laptop
Buying a good gaming laptop is not easy, primarily because of the abundance of options and a low budget. We have compiled a list of considerations to help you pick a better laptop. The following considerations must be taken into account before buying a $500 gaming laptop.
Expectations from a low-budget gaming laptop
A low-budget gaming laptop is not capable of high performance in modern-day games. A low-budget laptop has to cut corners to accommodate the necessary stuff.
It is unlikely that you will get high FPS in a $500 laptop for starters. You will not get those buttery smooth 120Hz, 144Hz displays on these laptops. Many $500 laptops don’t even come with a dedicated GPU.
You may get decent frame rates in some older games. But the recent ones will struggle on a $500 laptop. If you don’t play demanding titles or do extensive graphical projects, it’s possible to get a decent laptop within $500.
Consider refurbished gaming laptops
We don’t recommend refurbished laptops usually. There is always a question of quality while using refurbished products. If you’re not careful, you may not even notice significant issues with the product. However, many people buy them. If you can get them from retailers that come with a quality warranty, they are worth considering.
You may not get a super-powerful gaming laptop under $500. But you can get a great refurbished laptop within 500 dollars. But remember, you will never get the quality assurance and warranty with refurbished laptops like brand new ones.
Processor
A powerful processor is the backbone of a good gaming laptop. No matter what you have, if the processor is incompetent, you will suffer. Make sure your computer has the latest processor. If you need to sacrifice other things, do it.
Intel Core i5 & i7 processors are recommended. If you prefer AMD Ryzen processors, go for Ryzen 5 & Ryzen 7 series. When buying gaming laptops, make sure the processors are the latest, as much as possible.
GPU
A dedicated GPU is highly recommended for gaming laptops. Modern processors have integrated graphics cards. These graphics cards can deal with simple gaming and creativity.
If you want to do productivity or get a better gaming experience, you must pick a laptop with a dedicated GPU. Try to get a computer with a dedicated GPU and 2GB VRAM. It’s tough to find laptops with higher VRAM at this price.
RAM and storage
RAM is another critical component of a gaming laptop. It serves as the temporary data storage for your computer. This data can be accessed rapidly. A high amount of RAM will increase frame rates and pacing while playing games.
Modern-day games require an enormous amount of storage. You need a laptop with a high amount of storage. You will run oust of storage fast with low storage. We recommend at least 512 GB of standard storage. SSDs are the fastest kind of storage. Games load faster with an SSD.
However, it is impossible to get a laptop with a 512 GB SSD within $500. You can check and make sure that your laptop storage can be upgraded. You can combine 128 GB storage with an HDD.
Screen refresh rate
Higher screen rates enhance the gaming experience. 120Hz is quite common in gaming laptops. But you will not get a 120Hz display in a $500 laptop. This shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for you if you are buying a $500 gaming laptop.
Display quality
Gamers love OLED panels. But $500 laptops won’t have OLED displays. However, LED displays are pretty good. Most laptops come with a Full HD display these days. You don’t need to worry about it. If you want better displays with better resolution, then you will need to spend more.
Color gamut (replication)
Color gamut is the reproduced range of colors within a spectrum on an output device. But the good news for you, many $500 gaming laptops have an excellent color gamut. However, you will not get 100% sRGB color replication. If you want a great color gamut and sRGB replication, you will need to spend a lot more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a $500 gaming laptop good?
A $500 gaming laptop will have some shortcomings. But you shouldn’t be surprised. Gaming takes a toll on your computer. You need a high configuration for playing games. A $500 gaming laptop will get the job done. But don’t expect much from it.
What is a good screen size for gaming laptops?
We recommend laptops with 15.6-inch displays. If you cannot afford that, 14-inch laptops will do. But we don’t recommend buying laptops with smaller displays.
How much RAM do you need for gaming?
The minimum amount of RAM for gaming laptops is 8 GB. You cannot really get good gaming performance from 4 GB RAM. Almost all gaming laptops come with 4 GB RAM.
Conclusion
Gaming laptops are expensive. You need powerful computers for playing games. $500 isn’t the ideal budget for a gaming laptop. But if you know what to look for, you can still get a decent one. Hopefully, you have found this article useful. Thanks so much for reading.