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If you’re on the lookout for a cheap gaming laptop that isn’t too hard on your wallet, basically right around that $700 price point, this is the guide for you. We thought the task of listing down the best budget gaming laptops would be a difficult one but it was a pleasant surprise to find out how wrong we were. There are some great options out there, and here they are at a first glance.
In this article, we aim to not only list the best gaming laptops that cost under $700 but also to list and evaluate the essential features to look into before making a choice.
While this article may rank the laptops on the basis of specifications and features, your choice depends on the desired aspects. This is why, regardless of the ranking, make sure to check out the specs to know whether a laptop matches your criteria.
What to Look For When Shopping for Gaming Laptops On A Budget
Here are some important specs and features, albeit limited, to look out for when shopping for affordable gaming laptops.
1. Processor
A quintessential factor for any PC. A good processor allows faster handling of demanding applications like video games and can prevent overloading and bottlenecking the GPU and the RAM.
2. GPU
Arguably the most defining factor for a gaming laptop. A powerful graphics card is what would enable your laptop to run the most graphically demanding games. The best gaming laptops come with GPUs as strong as even the recent Nvidia RTX cards.
3. Storage
The most graphically challenging games also occupy a lot of space. So, it’s important to make sure that the laptop has enough space. Quantity isn’t the only aspect of storage that matters. SSDs (Solid State Drives) is a much faster storage type than HDDs, which is why it’s important to at least have a 256 GB SSD. In addition to being much faster, SSDs are less power-consuming too.
4. RAM
More RAM will allow your laptop to handle powerful and/or multiple processes. A higher RAM will also reduce the pressure from the CPU and the graphics card by fetching data as quickly as possible.
5. Display
While a great display doesn’t necessarily improve a gaming laptop’s performance, it can significantly elevate the gaming experience. It’s also no use to get a gaming laptop with high-end GPUs that feature a screen that wouldn’t even let you enjoy the graphics to their fullest. A 15-inch display with at least a 1080p resolution
6. Battery
The most important aspect of any portable device. A battery life of at least four hours is necessary for gaming laptops. There’s no use in getting a laptop that doesn’t even run long enough.
The Best Gaming Laptops For Gaming Under $700
Here are the cheapest gaming laptops under the $700 budget to buy today.
1. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
GamesBustop Approved
Lenovo is one of the most prolific laptop manufacturing companies and continues to release a variety of laptops with formidable specs and beautiful designs.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is an excellent laptop and features great specs for its price tag. It comes with a 15.6-inch FHD IPS screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz, a 256 gigabyte SSD, a 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor, 8 gigabyte RAM, and an overpowered 4GB GDDR6 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card. Additional features include a webcam, 2 USB 3.0 ports, Wi-Fi, backlit keys, and Bluetooth.
The laptop is one of the best options for those who prefer AMD processors. Its battery also lasts almost 7 hours, which is phenomenal for a laptop with these specs.
- A decent 6-core Ryzen CPU
- GDDR6 graphics card
- Reliable battery life
- Upgradeable RAM
- Great wireless features
- 120Hz display.
- Small storage capacity of 256gig which means a limited number of games.
- The most demanding games mostly require a 16gig RAM but this laptop comes with an 8gig RAM.
2. ASUS TUF Gaming F15 Gaming Laptop
GamesBustop Approved
It’s easier and more common to find laptops in this range with Intel Core i5 processors. The TUF Gaming F15 is one of the most high-end ASUS laptops for this price range.
The laptop features a 15.6-inch FHD IPS screen with a remarkable refresh rate of 144Hz, a 512 gigabyte PCIe SSD, a 4-core Intel Core i5-10300H processor, 8 gigabyte RAM, and a 4GB GDDR6 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, which is debatably the best graphics card for this price range. It also includes a green backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 6, two USB 3.0 ports, and a USB 2.0 port.
As per ASUS, the battery can last around 8.5 hours, which is brilliant for a laptop with a 144Hz display. It’s certainly one of the best Intel laptops around this price range and is incredibly styled.
The TUF laptops are also regularly tested against vibration, drops, and temperature inconsistencies to verify their quality.
- A decent 10th Gen Intel CPU
- GDDR6 graphics card
- Outstanding battery life
- Upgradeable RAM with 144Hz display
- A higher storage capacity of 512 gigabytes
- Extremely affordable.
- The most demanding games mostly require a 16gig RAM but this laptop comes with an 8gig RAM.
3. MSI GF63 Thin 15.6″ FHD Gaming Laptop
GamesBustop Approved
With a price tag of almost $700, the Newest MSI GF63 Thin is one of the most powerful gaming laptops with an Intel processor. The only drawbacks are its battery, which lasts only 4-5 hours, and the 60Hz refresh rate.
The tremendous specs make up for the Newest MSI GF63 Thin’s refresh rate and battery shortcomings.
It comes with a 15.6-inch IPS panel with a refresh rate of 60Hz, a 512 gigabyte PCIe SSD, 16 gigabytes DDR4 RAM, a 4-core Intel Core i5-10300H processor, and a 4GB GDDR5 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card to strengthen the gaming experience on it.
Additionally, it includes Wi-Fi 6, backlit keys, USB 3.2 ports, Type-A and Type-C ports, a 720p webcam, and Bluetooth. It’s the best choice from the list for those looking for a laptop with stronger memory and storage.
- A decent 10th Gen Intel CPU
- A great GDDR5 graphics card
- Upgradeable 16GB RAM
- A higher storage capacity of 512 gigabytes.
- A display with a max refresh rate of only 60Hz
- Fragile battery life
- The price nearly exceeds $700.
4. HP Victus 15.6″ 144Hz Gaming Laptop
GamesBustop Approved
The HP Victus 15-fa0031dx is a spacious gaming laptop with a high-end 12th gen Intel processor.
It could use some more RAM, but you can always upgrade it anyway. It does sacrifice style for the sake of substance, but the storage, the processor, and the display quality of this laptop are worth sacrificing the style for.
This laptop features a 15.6-inch IPS panel with an outstanding refresh rate of 144Hz, a 512-gigabyte NVMe SSD, 8 gigabytes DDR4 RAM, an 8-core Intel Core i5-12450H processor, and on top of that, a 4GB GDDR5 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card.
The battery life is not bad either and can last up to 6.5 hours. It also comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2 USB ports, and a 720p webcam.
- A phenomenal 12th Gen Intel CPU
- A great GDDR5 graphics card
- Upgradeable RAM
- Breathtaking 144Hz display
- Great wireless features
- A higher storage capacity of 512GB.
- The most demanding games mostly require a 16gig RAM but this laptop comes with an 8gig RAM
- Not stylish enough.
5. Lenovo Legion 5 15.6″ Gaming Laptop
GamesBustop Approved
The Lenovo Legion 5 is another valid option. It may fall short in some aspects, but it has powerful specs and a worthy Ryzen processor. The additional features are cherry-on-top.
Lenovo Legion 5 is a great budget-friendly gaming laptop that features a 15.6-inch anti-glare IPS panel with a refresh rate of up to 144Hz, a 256-gigabyte NVMe SSD, a 1 terabyte HDD, 8GB DDR4 RAM, a 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 4600H processor, and most importantly, a 4GB GDDR6 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650Ti.
This laptop is one of the better AMD options. The battery only crosses the bare minimum by lasting 4 hours. Its specs, however, are enough reason to opt for it, especially the amount of storage. Additional features include a webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3 USB 3.2 ports, and a backlit keyboard.
- A decent 6-core Ryzen CPU
- GDDR6 graphics card
- Upgradeable RAM
- Great wireless features
- 144Hz display
- A higher storage capacity due to an additional 1TB HDD.
- Fragile battery life
- The most demanding games mostly require a 16gig RAM but this laptop comes with an 8gig RAM
- The 1650-Ti is relatively weaker than the 1650.
6. Lenovo Ideapad L340 Gaming Laptop
GamesBustop Approved
A stylish and phenomenal Lenovo gaming laptop with a 9th gen Intel processor, that is held back only by its 60Hz refresh rate.
The Lenovo Ideapad L340 comes with a 15.6-inch IPS panel with a refresh rate of 60Hz, a 512-gigabyte NVMe SSD, 8 gigabytes DDR4 RAM, a 4-core Intel Core i5-9300H processor, and a 4GB GDDR5 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card.
The greatest aspect of this laptop, however, is its impressive 9-hour-lasting battery. It has a little bit of everything and only falls short in terms of refresh rate and RAM. Additional features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a webcam, cyan-backlit keys, and 2 USB 3.0 ports.
- A decent 9th Gen Intel CPU
- Great battery life
- A great GDDR5 graphics card
- Upgradeable RAM
- Great wireless features
- A higher storage capacity of 512 gigabytes.
- The most demanding games mostly require a 16gig RAM but this laptop comes with an 8gig RAM
- A display with a max refresh rate of only 60Hz.
7. MSI GF63 Thin 9SC-068 15.6″ Gaming Laptop
GamesBustop Approved
One of the nicest Intel gaming laptops below $700. The MSI GF63 Thin might just be the most budget-friendly option on the list despite its refresh rate and battery shortcomings. It’s basically the Newest MSI GF63 Thin, but with lower specs.
The MSI GF63 Thin features a 15.6-inch IPS panel with a refresh rate of 60Hz, a 256-gigabyte NVMe SSD, 8 gigabytes DDR4 RAM, a 4-core Intel Core i5-9300H processor, and as one would expect from a high-tier gaming laptop of this range, a 4GB GDDR5 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card.
The battery, at best, lasts between 4-5 hours, but that’s not too shabby for its price tag. It also features a red-backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi, and 4 USB 3.0 ports.
- A decent 9th Gen Intel CPU
- A great GDDR5 graphics card
- Upgradeable RAM
- Extremely affordable.
- A display with a max refresh rate of only 60Hz
- Fragile battery life
- Small storage capacity of 256gig which means a limited number of games.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Best Gaming Laptop Under $700?
The answer to that depends on the kind of specs you want in a laptop, but after weighing in on multiple aspects, we’ve concluded that the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 succeed in multiple key aspects.
Are $700 Laptops Good for Gaming?
Yes. The Nvidia Geforce GTX 1650 is one of the most powerful non-RTX Nvidia graphic cards even now, and that alone makes all of the laptops listed here a good option for gaming. Some of the laptops in this range have 9th to 12th gen Intel Core i5 processors and some have 4th & 5th gen AMD Ryzen 5 processors, all of which are decent. A refresh rate of either 120Hz or 144Hz makes the result even more pleasing too.
Are Gaming Laptops More Expensive Than Gaming PCs?
It’s a rule that the laptop equivalent of every PC would always be costlier, but considering the long-term scenario, they consume less power than a PC, and would thus result in lower electricity bills. The portability is also an obvious advantage of laptops and makes things easier for gamers who commonly travel or are outdoors.
We hope this article helped you pick the right gaming laptop for yourself. Don’t forget to check more of our articles on gaming PCs and laptops from the list below.
