Need some help in making the best gaming laptop under $400 price range? We have compiled a list of the top ten options in the market, based on their specs, configurations, and overall system performance.
Let’s dive in!
Best Gaming Laptops Under $400 in 2021
1. Asus VivoBook 15 (F512FA-AB34)
One of the newest products from Asus, the Asus VivoBook 15 is the perfect choice for college students and for those that love traveling.
It comes in a slate gray color, which gives it a stylish and professional look. The Asus VivoBook is a 15-inch full HD NanoEdge bezel display that delivers an array of vibrant colors, which makes it perfect for watching movies or playing games.
There is also a backlit keyboard that is designed to make typing on it as easy as possible for anyone, and it has a touchpad that is quite responsive.
You will be getting all the essential slots and ports, and it also has an impressive Wi-Fi ability (fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5) and comes with Bluetooth 5 that you can use to connect your devices.
The Asus VivoBook is powered by an Intel Core i3-8145U dual-core and coupled with 8GB of RAM that is upgradable to 16GB to make sure that you will always have a smooth user experience.
In terms of storage space, the laptop comes with a 128GB of SSD paired with Intel UHD integrated graphics to ensure that you can run any heavy software seamlessly. The Asus VivoBook has a battery life of 7 hours and a preinstalled Windows 10 OS, which makes it perfect for anyone.
2. Dell Inspiron 3000 17 Inch
Dell has been known for many years to be one of the reliable brands when it comes to laptops, and the Dell Inspiron 3000 is no exception. It has a big 17.3 17.3 inches of LED-backlit display, which delivers an impressive gamut of colors and provides a lot of connectivity options that you can easily use.
The laptop is powered by an Intel Core i3 dual-core processor and coupled with 8GB RAM, 1TB hard drive, which gives you the necessary space to store your important media files, games, and documents. Dell Inspiron 3000 comes with the latest Windows 10 preinstalled and has a battery life of 8 hours.
Because it comes with a gigantic screen, this laptop will be perfect for photo editing and for playing all the popular games like Counter strike. A notable drawback is the massive weight. At 6.1 pounds, it may not meet the demand of frequent travelers who are looking to work on-the-go.
Overall, Inspiron 3000 has a lot of wonderful specs and features, making it a top choice for laptops under $400.
3. Lenovo Ideapad L340 15.6″
The new Lenovo Ideapad L340 is one of the most powerful laptops under $400, and the reasons are quite clear. It has some design similarities with other top Lenovo laptops, even though the specifications are obviously different.
Specs like the AMD AMD Ryzen 3 processor that can reach the turbo speed of 3.5GHz makes this laptop a top choice for such an affordable price. Apart from the powerful processor, the laptop comes with an 8GB RAM for the smooth running of apps and a 256GB SSD drive for documents and media files.
In terms of graphics performance, the Lenovo Ideapad L340 is powered by an AMD Radeon Vega 3 graphics, which makes it possible for users to carry out tasks like photo editing and light video editing.
The display screen is a bit discouraging because you will only be getting a 15.6-inch LED-backlit with the conventional 1920 x 1080 Full HD screen resolution, which is quite okay but will not produce a very clear under sunlight.
There are other essential features that come with the Lenovo Ideapad L340, which includes the standard required ports that you can use to connect your devices, an impressive Wi-Fi, and the standard Bluetooth and the battery life can last up to 7 hours which is also decent.
Overall, this laptop is a good choice for the price. The only drawback is the screen, which is quite negligible.
4. Dell Inspiron 5593 15-inch Laptop With 10th Gen Intel Processor
The Dell Inspiron 5593 laptop is another fantastic laptop that falls within the $400 price range. This laptop is currently the newest from the Inspiron series, and it comes in a silver color and looks similar to the previous models but more powerful.
Dell Inspiron 5593 has a 15.6-inch Full HD (LED-backlit) Display with 1920 x 1080 screen resolution and comes with an anti-glare coating that protects your eyes during long computing sessions. It is equipped with an Intel Core i3-1005G1 1.2 GHz Dual Core processor that can reach a maximum speed of 3.5GHz paired with 4GB RAM that ensures that you can multitask effectively.
The laptop has a big keyboard with enough space between the keys and has a responsive touchpad, which makes it easy to type without making mistakes. You will also be getting all the essential ports and slots.
The laptop has 128GB SSD storage space that you can use to save your necessary files, and it also comes with integrated Intel UHD graphics, which enhances the laptop’s performance.
However, it does not have an optical drive, so you will not be able to play or burn CD/DVD on it. Another notable drawback is that the battery can only work for 5 hours, which makes it a bit inferior to other laptops in the same price category.
5. Lenovo Ideapad 330S
If you are a gamer and you need a laptop that will handle the popular high-end games without breaking your bank, the Lenovo Ideapad 330S is a solid option. Although the design is not quite attractive, the performance level is impressive.
This fantastic laptop comes with the necessary hardware specifications that will allow you to multitask efficiently, even as you will be able to edit photos and videos smoothly. Lenovo Ideapad 3305 comes in a gray color and has a 15.6-Inch Full HD IPS LED-backlit Display with 1920 x 1080 screen resolution that delivers vibrant and accurate colors.
It is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 Quad Core 2 GHz processor that can reach the maximum speed of 3.6GHz and a RAM of 8GB (can be expanded to 16GB) which makes it the most powerful laptop that you can get under $400.
In terms of storage, you will be getting 128GB SSD that you can use to save your important files and movies. The Lenovo Ideapad 330S comes with an integrated AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics that ensure that apps run smoothly.
You will also be getting the important ports and slots and a battery life of 5 hours.
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6. Acer Aspire 5 (A515-43-R19L)
The Acer Aspire 5 is one of the few laptops under 400 dollars that comes with a high-definition display screen. It has a 15.6-inch Full HD LED-backlit IPS Display with 1920×1080 screen resolution that delivers a vibrant array of colors.
Built with quality plastic that makes it rugged and heat resistant and a touchpad that is highly responsive with a full backlit keyboard, this laptop will make a great choice for college students that are on a tight budget.
The Acer Aspire 5 comes with an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual-Core processor with 4GB of RAM paired with a storage space of 128GB SSD that enhances performance and overall system operations.
It comes with Windows 10 and all the important ports and slots that you will need to connect your favorite external devices.
It weighs just 3.9 lbs and has a battery that can work for at least 8 hours, which makes it decent for students and anyone that loves working on their laptop while traveling.
7. Lenovo Flex 14
The Lenovo Flex 14 is one of the most gaming laptops for $400 that you can get in the market right now. It has a 14-inch HD LED-backlit touchscreen Display with 1366×768 screen resolution that is perfect for watching movies and playing games.
The Lenovo Flex 14 is equipped with the latest Intel Core i3-8145U Dual Core 2.1 GHz processor, which you can rely on always to produce the necessary amount of power for multitasking. And it’s backed up by 4GB of RAM and storage space of 128GB SSD.
No doubt, the laptop has a lot of important features and hardware specifications, including two USB 3.1 Type-A, one USB 3.1 Type-C and HDMI ports to connect your devices, and a microSD card slot. Other exciting features include the latest Wi-Fi technology, the Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and the Bluetooth feature to ensure that you are always connected.
The battery can work up to 8 hours and preinstalled with Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS.
However, the only drawback is that it does not come with an optical drive, and there is no section for numbers on the keyboard, which might discourage some college students and business people.
8. HP 14-df0020nr
If you are in search of a budget laptop with a full HD display screen; you may want to consider HP 14-df0020nr. It has 14 Inch Full HD IPS Display with 1920 x 1080 screen resolution and an anti-glare coating that prevents eye strain.
This laptop comes in silver color with a brightly -lit HP logo at the rear to make for a stylish and attractive look. The keyboard is also decent and makes typing comfortable, although it is not backlit; it delivers mushy feedback while typing.
In terms of system power, HP 14-df0020nr is powered by the 8th Generation Intel Core i3-8143U 2.1 GHz processor. This, alongside the built-in Intel HD Integrated 620 Graphics, ensures that you have the necessary power to run most non-intensive software you throw at it.
Also, the laptop comes with Windows 10 preinstalled, and there is 128GB storage and a 4GB of RAM to complement your multi-tasking operations. The battery is not overly impressive but it is nott bad either, at least for its price.
HP 14-df0020nr has all the crucial ports placed on either side of the laptop for easy connection with external devices. Overall, it offers many features that you will hardly get from other laptops within the same price range.
9. Dell Inspiron 15 3593
The Dell Inspiron is another fantastic budget-friendly laptop from Dell that deserves a place on our list.
The laptop has a lot of incredible features and comes in a black glossy chassis for a very attractive look. It has a 15.6 Inch Full HD LED Display with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 that delivers an array of vibrant colors. Also, it comes with the anti-glare coating technology that prevents eye strain.
The touchpad is quite responsive, and the keyboard is ergonomically designed to make typing on it as comfortable as possible.
On the power side of things, Dell Inspiron 15 3593 is powered by Intel Core i3-1005G1 1.2 GHz processor with 8GB RAM and storage space of 128GB that can accommodate your important documents and a few heavy files. You will also be getting an Intel HD 620 Graphics that maintain a laptop’s high-performance level.
Considering all the exciting features of this laptop, I can assure you that you will have everything that you need to work and play. The Dell Inspiron 15 3593 has all the necessary hardware to multitask smoothly and enhance productivity; the laptop represents value or money.
10. HP 15z
The HP 15z is the perfect lightweight laptop that you can get under $400. The laptop is powered by an AMD A9-9425U Dual-Core APU that can reach a maximum speed of 3.7 GHz to deliver the best performance level.
It comes with an 8GB RAM that ensures that you can multitask smoothly. In terms of storage, it offers 128GB SSD coupled with an integrated AMD Radeon graphics that is good enough for light gaming activities and photo editing.
The HP 15z has 15.6 Inch Full HD Anti-Glare WLED Display that prevents eye strain and sports a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080. The WLED panel ensures that you can use the laptop under direct sunlight. The laptop comes with Windows 10 preinstalled, and the battery backup is quite decent.
