In this post, you are going to see seven of the best gaming laptop under $500 and also know which one is the best among them.
This guide includes:
- Points that matter in a gaming laptop in this budget
- Gaming laptops from Asus, Dell, Acer, etc.
- Verdict on my favorite gaming laptop on the list
- And a lot more
Each of the seven low-cost gaming laptops featured has its own set of pros and cons, as well as selling prices. We focus on specifications such as GPU, CPU, memory, and display to help you choose between them.
Take a look at our best gaming laptop page if you want the greatest mobile gaming platforms available, regardless of price.
Continue reading if you’re looking for the cheapest of inexpensive gaming laptops.
So, if you want the absolute best gaming laptop under $500 USD, you will love this new guide.
Let’s dive right in.
How To Select The Best Gaming Laptop Under $500?
If you are a gaming person and want to buy a gaming laptop for yourself or gift it to someone, then you must be wondering if you can get anything under $500.
You will be relieved to hear that there is some wonderful gaming laptop under 500 USD. People who are gamers or aspire to become one, do not have to worry about the budget anymore.
Here is a list of well-researched top 5 gaming laptops that you can easily buy within your budget.
Usually, gamers look for the gaming capacity of the laptop, like a fine processing unit, a good design, etc, which is worth the money.
Let us have a look at the essential features of a good gaming laptop available on a miniature budget.
Processors
The CPU or the processors determine how fast the computer will work and process the information. And, a gaming laptop must have an excellent speed processor so that you can enjoy playing games on it.
Even high-end gaming laptops now come with a minimum Core-i5 processor, and some even have quad-processors.
So, choose a laptop with a super-fast processor to fulfill your super-fast gaming needs.
Display
When it comes to gaming, then visuals and amusement features are extremely important. The image quality plus the sound quality of the game enhances the whole experience of gaming.
The top-best gaming laptops have complete 1080p exhibits along with Blu-ray Disc drives to proffer the most amazing view.
Display dimensions and resolution is other important feature that you must check before buying a gaming laptop. A high-resolution display screen of a minimum of 1280 by 1024 is vital for a good gaming laptop.
Other features to consider are aspect ratio, native image resolution, size, and viewing perspective.
Graphic Cards
A high-quality graphics card is an absolute must for a gaming laptop. A graphic card that supports the latest games and makes gameplay seamless can greatly improve the gaming experience.
All the latest games require updated and modern graphic cards, or else it will give the feel of some game of 80s video game.
With the growing times, there have been a lot of advancements in gaming graphics, thus graphic cards should support the latest updates and games.
Under $500 you cannot expect world-class graphics but still can do some adjustments to your games to make them look appealing.
Many of the popular games support NVIDIA or AMD graphic cards. A Graphics card should be your priority when looking for a gaming laptop.
Hard drives
The current gaming laptops support hard drives that offer up to Terabytes of data storage.
The majority of gamers prefer SATA HDD, and SSD as it provides them with amazing functionality for extravagant bandwidth applications.
SSDs offer a very promising future in the area of gaming these are costly choices, but they are very reliable.
RAM
RAM is an important factor to consider as it determines how fast your laptop will run. A minimum of 8GB of memory is essential to play all games, but a majority of laptops now come with 8 or even more GB of memory.
Make sure you have a lot of rams when you are buying a gaming laptop as it comes at affordable rates. So, do not compromise in this regard.
More the RAM, more the graphics it can handle, so ensure you have as much RAM as possible. A lot of RAM is essential to have an amazing gaming experience.
Is the Best Gaming Laptop Under $500 worth buying?
When looking for the best gaming laptop under 500 USD, it’s important to understand the limitations that such a budget imposes on your selections.
You’ll only be able to get entry-level gaming performance at this price, but if you’re only going to be playing older, less demanding games, this shouldn’t be an issue.
These are truly low-cost gaming laptops that, in some ways, go beyond the notion of a ‘gaming laptop.’
We recommend skimming through the below list of the Best Gaming Laptop Under $500 in the market and making the best decision.
7 Best Gaming Laptop Under 500 USD 2023
Here is the list of the best gaming laptop under $500:
| Image | Product | Detail | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | ASUS VivoBook F510QA |
| Check Price |
 | Acer Aspire 5 |
| Check Price |
 | Dell Inspiron |
| Check Price |
 | Lenovo 330S- 15ARR |
| Check Price |
 |
| Check Price | |
 | HP 14″ Touchscreen |
| Check Price |
 | HP 14″ FHD IPS LED |
| Check Price |
1. ASUS VivoBook F510QA
ASUS VivoBook F510QA
Features
- AMD Quad CoreA12-9720P Processor
- 15.6” anti-glare full HD view display
- AMD Radeon R7 Integrated graphics chipset
- 4GB DDR4 2400 MHz DRAM memory
The ASUS VivoBook F510UA is a fantastic laptop with a modern and sleek design. It comes in a gunmetal blue color that is quite appealing.
Because it is a low-cost machine, you should not expect an aluminum body, but its plastic enclosure is rigid and thin. Its lid has a cool surface that resembles a lenticular lens.
It measures 0.816.29.6 inches in length. Its keyboard is spacious, comfortable to use, and silent. Its plastic material may flex occasionally beneath the fingertips, but this is not a cause for concern.
This gaming laptop has no backlighting and good audio but no bass.
Pros
- The screen display is deeply engaging.
- Its HDD space is superb.
Cons
- No dedicated graphic card
- The battery life is not satisfactory
2. Acer Aspire 5
Acer Aspire 5
Features
- Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS
- Intel UHD 620 Graphics
- 15.6Full HD IPS display
- 256 GB SSD
- Up to 8 hours of battery life
Acer is the undisputed king of low-cost laptop design, and it proves its worth with each new model. It provides powerful machines that are both affordable and accessible.
The Aspire 5 is one of the best gaming laptop alternatives because it has an Intel Core i5-8265U quad-core processor, a large battery backup, a 15-inch screen, and a slim plastic body.
It has a classy appearance because it is covered by an aluminum sheet. It has many ports and a full 1080p resolution, which is ideal for preventing eye strain from harmful blue light. It has very sharp and crisp visuals.
Because of its excellent design and features, this laptop provides an exceptional user experience. It is a powerful and portable machine that can handle any task.
Pros
- Great port assortment
- Offers a powerful performance
- Bright display with 1080 HD resolution
- Very affordable machine
- Thin design and just 4 pounds weight
Cons
- It does not have an SD card slot
- The graphics are not outstanding
- Build quality is not strong
3. Dell Inspiron
Dell Inspiron
Features
- 8GB of DDR4 memory
- 7th Gen Intel i5 Processor
- Integrated Intel HD Graphics
- Integrated Bluetooth 4.0
- No DVD optical drive
The Dell Inspiron 15.6 laptop is an ideal gaming laptop as it is a storehouse of amazing features. Its battery is a 4-mobile lithium-ion battery and the machine weighs 5.07 pounds.
Its screen size is 15” which means you can easily carry it anywhere with you and take pleasure in large viewing as well.
The laptop has a sophisticated appearance and a professional vibe. It includes a one-month trial of Microsoft Office and a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Its specifications are suitable for daily entertainment and work. Given its low price, it is one of the top contenders under $500.
Its SSD hard disk drive is five times faster, allowing for faster information retrieval. This gaming laptop is in high demand around the world due to its combination of 8GB RAM and a 7th-generation CPU.
As a result, there are no issues with stocking or freezing on this laptop. The audio system is installed, and the battery life is excellent.
Pros
- The touchscreen is very impressive
- This laptop can do multitask
- It has plenty of storage space
Cons
- It does not have a DVD Optical Drive
- There is no Touch Support
4. Lenovo – 330S-15ARR
Lenovo 330S- 15ARR
Features
- Processor model AMD 2nd Generation
- 15.6” Full HD display
- Energy-efficient LED backlight
- DDR3 SDRAM memory type
Lenovo 330s-15ARR is a well-known brand that offers an extensive range of laptops. Their 330s-15 series is not bulkier or heavier like the 330 series laptops.
It has a powerful Quad-Core/Eight-ThreadAMD Ryzen 5 2500U processor, 8 GB of DDR4-2400MHz RAM, and a 128 GB hard drive.
The screen size is 15.6” with a 1920×1080 (FHD) resolution screen.
The audio works decently with OK clarity. Its dual-band wi-fi is quick and does not create any issues.
This gaming laptop serves even the most demanding programs and even allows multi-tasking.
It is easy to use and proffers a wonderful experience. Lenovo has done fantastic work by giving the premium look and keeping the price affordable.
Pros
- The specifications are superb for the price.
- The FHD IPS screen is very sharp.
- It gives a fast and very smooth performance.
- It uses the RX Vega 8 graphics card, which is more powerful than NVIDIA.
- It comes with a 2.5inch drive bay in case you require more storage.
Cons
- The battery life is not satisfactory.
- The speaker placement is not good.
5. Lenovo Ideapad Premium 15.6
Features
- 15.6” display with Full resolution
- Bluetooth 4.1 support
- Intel Core i5-8550U Processor
- 4 GB DDR4
- Windows 10 Home
This Lenovo laptop is a good laptop to be considered for gaming, with an AMD Radeon R4 graphics card, an AMD Radeon 540, and 4 GB RAM.
You may not be able to run all the games on this but is decent for many of the best games, around 250 out of 1000.
This laptop has a 15.6″ screen, which is ideal for gaming. Its 4 GB memory allows for decent multitasking and good bandwidth RAM to run games and photo-video editing applications quickly.
The Drive Power storage is 128 GB SSD and provides faster speeds. It has a backlight LED and 1366×768 HD resolution.
It has a simple design with a plastic body and an aluminum lid. This one can also be considered for gaming and will fall under your budget.
Pros
- Its RAM and storage are upgradeable
- The price is affordable
- It has a 4-in-1 card reader
- It comes with full-size Ethernet
- It is compact and well-built
Cons
- The webcam quality is poor
- The keyboard does not have a backlight
Also, Read This:
6. HP 14” Touchscreen Home
HP 14″ Touchscreen
Features
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor
- Radeon Vega 3 Graphics
- 14-inch screen size
- 8 GB DDR4 RAM
- SSD 128 GB storage
The HP 14″ Touchscreen Home and Business laptops are excellent choices for gaming, and the touch screen is smooth and provides an excellent experience in this price range.
The AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Processor is fast and offers four-way processing performance for HD-quality computing. Its touchscreen is 14 inches with a typical 1366×768 HD resolution. The backlight LED is energy-efficient.
Its touchscreen is 14 inches with a typical 1366×768 HD resolution. The backlight LED is energy-efficient.
The memory is SSD(Solid State Drive) with DDR4 2400 MHz RAM, which makes it feasible for gaming ad doing advanced multitasking. It can run multiple programs and browser tabs, all at once.
It has a built-in webcam with a microphone as well. It comes with a natural finger-touch navigation to help you make the best of Windows 10.
Pros
- Great design and a user-friendly machine
- Battery life is good
- The touch screen is accurate
- Its natural finger-touch navigation is very good
- It allows complete multitasking and gaming
Cons
- It gets keyboard issues when in stand mode
- It becomes hot at times
7. HP 14” FHD IPS LED
HP 14″ FHD IPS LED
Features
- Full HD 14-inch (1080p) screen
- i5 10th Gen Processor
- 8 GB DDR4 2666 SDRAM
- Windows 10 with backlit keyboard
- Intel UHD graphics
- Wireless and Bluetooth 5.0
The 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G4 Processor at 1.1 GHz is the USP of the HP 14″ FHD IPS LED laptop. Its maximum turbo frequency is 3.7 GHz.
It also includes a 6 MB Intel Smart Cache, 8 GB DDR4 2666 SDRAM, and 128 MB SSD storage.
These features provide responsive performance while navigating Windows 10. The 14-inch full HD screen boasts impressive clarity and colors with a 19201080 resolution.
The laptop includes IPS technology, which allows for a wide range of viewing angles. A front-facing HP true-vision HD webcam with an integrated digital microphone is also included.
It is not compatible with optical drives. It may not be a high-end gaming laptop, but it will do the job at a reasonable price.
Pros
- RAM is upgradeable
- Efficient navigation and multitasking
- The keyboard is backlit
- An affordable gaming laptop and lightweight
Cons
- The fan is loud at times
- Battery life is not satisfactory
FAQ on Best Gaming Laptop Under $500
What Is The Best Gaming Laptop Under $500?
In our opinion, the Acer Aspire 5 is the finest overall gaming laptop for individuals on a $500 budget right now, however, each option on our list has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, based on your specific priorities, needs, and budgets.
How Good Is A $500 Gaming Laptop?
The truth is that the gaming laptop you’re likely to acquire for $500 is likely to be of poor quality. You won’t be able to play any of the latest games unless at the lowest graphical settings, and even then if the game is exceptionally demanding, a laptop at this price would struggle. Our recommendation is to save up and get a gaming laptop for at least $1,000, or if portability isn’t a requirement, a prebuilt desktop gaming PC for $500 or $800.
What Is A Good Budget Laptop For Gaming?
There is no clear definition of what defines a ‘budget’ laptop, but we’d say anything under $1,000 qualifies. To see which laptops we presently recommend within these price ranges, check out our guides on the best gaming laptops under $800, $700, $600, and $500.
Quick Links:
- Gaming Laptops under $600
- Gaming Laptops Under $700
- Gaming Laptop Under $800
- 5 Best Laptops For Solidworks
Conclusion: Best Gaming Laptop Under $500 2023
For all of you gaming addicts out there, any old laptop will not suffice to keep you up to date on the latest video games.
Before you decide to buy a gaming laptop for $500, you should first determine your needs and expectations.
My personal recommendation for a $500 laptop is the Acer Aspire 5. Because I believe it provides better value for money than the other laptops on the list.
It has 8 GB of RAM, an 8thGen i5 processor, and also 256GB SSD storage. These specs are hard to find at this price point.
Make this investment sensibly because it is a long-term investment, and you should buy the most up-to-date technology even if it costs a few extra dollars.
Your gaming laptop should fulfill not only the current but also the near-future developments of the gaming world.
