Are you looking for a cheap gaming laptop?
Since most good gaming laptops come with a price of around 1000, half of this budget is enough for an entry-level affordable laptop that will run most games.
So, take a look at the best gaming laptops under 500 in 2021 below.
Contents
10 Best Gaming Laptops Under 500 Right Now
1. ASUS VivoBook F510UA
| CPU | Intel Core i5-8250U (up to 3.4 GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Internal storage | 1TB HDD |
| Display size/Resolution | 15.6″ FHD (1366 x 768) |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Battery life | 5 hours |
If you are looking for an ordinary gaming laptop that is within the budget of $500, the ASUS VIVOBOOK F510UA is one of the best ones around. I use it to play CS GO, and GTA 5 at moderate settings and always get a great performance. The battery life of the laptop is decent, and it features a pre-installed Windows 10.
There are two variants available, and they include HDD and SSD. I have lots of games and movies to save, so I prefer to go for an HDD option. However, if you are a game enthusiast, you could go with SSD. Note that the laptop price will increase with the SSD upgrade.
There are ports and connectivity available to meet your needs. Also, it comes with impressive hardware and boots up without wasting time. Even though the keyboard does not have a unique design, I think it does a great job, and it’s fair for the price.
Additionally, the sound quality is clear and loud, making it a perfect choice for people who don’t like using headsets. The laptop also comes with a thin bezel, which contributes to its lightweight and makes it look smaller physically. Besides, the display does not glare. Overall, it is right for you if you like playing games and watching movies.
2. Acer Aspire E15
| CPU | 8th Gen 2.2 GHz Intel Core i3-8130U |
| RAM | 6GB DDR4 |
| Internal storage | 1TB HDD |
| Display size/Resolution | 15.6” FHD (1920 x 1080) |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Battery life | 12 hours |
Are you looking for an entry-level gaming laptop that offers excellent battery life? This ACER computer is one of the best in the market. It comes with an Intel UHD 620 integrated graphics that produce bright and vivid colors of images on the computer screen. The 8th Generation Intel Core i3 8130U 2.2 GHz processor included makes it perfect for a wide range of gaming activities. So, whether you want to play old games or new games, you can go ahead without worries.
What more does this laptop offer? It comes with 6GB dual-channel RAM, which makes it possible for you to multitask and access more programs easily. Adorned with 1TB hard disk space, you can store as many games, documents, videos, music, and applications as possible. Also, the crystal clear audio features make games more engaging.
With the more than 12 hours battery life, USB ports with type-c included, wireless technology, full HD and a widescreen display, and other excellent features, this is no doubt a perfect laptop for gaming. I recommended it to my brother, he bought it, and he is always happy to have it.
3. Dell Inspiron I3567
| CPU | Intel Core i3-7100U 2.4 GHz |
| RAM | 6GB DDR4 |
| Internal storage | 1TB HDD |
| Display size/Resolution | 15.6” HD (1366 x 768) |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Battery life | 6 hours |
I really like this laptop for its impressive specifications. This DELL INSPIRON I3567-3657 is ideal for gaming because of its tons of multimedia features. It features widescreen and a touchscreen HD display that provides the right picture quality for your images.
The laptop comes with the latest 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U dual mobile processor that ensures you run high-end games effortlessly. Also, the system is adorned with 6GB DDR SDRAM that allows for multiple tasks without hanging every time you are using it. If you need more, you can upgrade the RAM to 16GB.
Additionally, the Intel HD 620 chipset graphics included should be able to handle both other games and some new games with little to no effort. I like the hard disk space of 1TB it comes with because you may not need to look for external storage if you have lots of files to store. Even though the keyboard this system comes with does not have backlighting, it is easy to use, making it a perfect option for both college work and gaming.
4. HP 15 Touch
| CPU | Intel Core i5-7200U |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Internal storage | 2TB HDD |
| Display size/Resolution | 15.6” HD (1366 x 768) |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Battery life | 8 hours |
If you are looking for the upgraded version of HP 15 inches laptop, HP 15 touch offers high-end features that are ideal for gamers. As one of the best laptops for gaming under $500, it comes with 1080p resolution and excellent performance. With the well-spaced keyboard and latest graphics included, I would prefer this laptop to some of its counterparts like HP Envy 15.
When I checked other websites, I found out that this laptop does not have less than four stars. The full HD display is fantastic at all angles and very satisfying when playing games. Also, the computer features a high-quality plastic build that looks like aluminum. This high-quality exterior makes it durable and attractive.
Additionally, the HP 15 touch comes with 8GB Ram, USB ports, quality webcam, HDMI port, Bluetooth, 2TB hard disk space, and other features to meet your gaming needs. Although I am not a fan of HP laptops and I have used many different brands such as ASUS, Lenovo, and more, none of them compare with this HP 15 touch when it comes to the quality of its exterior and performance.
5. Dell Inspiron 13 7000 Series
| CPU | 4th Generation Intel Core i3-4010U and i5-4210U |
| RAM | 4GB and 8GB DDR3 |
| Internal storage | 500GB HDD |
| Display size/Resolution | 15.6” FHD (1366 x 768) |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 4400 Integrated |
| Battery life | 5 hours |
Here comes a 2-in-1 convertible notebook that is suitable for both college students and people who play games casually. This laptop is often compared with Dell XPS, but I would prefer the 13-inch Dell Inspiron i7347 because it is more powerful and bulkier. If you are always on the move, this device can be an ideal option for you because it is portable. On Amazon, I saw many users recommending it to people that are always on the go.
One of the reasons I am recommending this laptop is because it comes in different styles. What do I mean? You have an option to choose the configuration that will best suit your needs. You can either choose the one with 4GB RAM and Intel Core i3 processor or the one with 8GB RAM and Intel Core i5 configuration.
Additionally, it features pre-installed windows 8, touchscreen for easy use, and 500GB hard disk size enough to take care of your files. Also, it comes with an LCD technology that prevents the screen from possible burn-in. Even though it is a notebook that is fast and light with high efficiency, I won’t advise you to use it as a tablet.
| CPU | AMD Core A9-9420 3.0 GHz |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Internal storage | 2TB HDD |
| Display size/Resolution | 15.6″ HD (1366 x 768) |
| GPU | AMD Radeon R7 |
| Battery life | 7 hours |
Do you need a laptop that offers smooth performance and comes with the latest hardware? The HP Premium High Performance is an affordable gaming laptop and perfect option. It comes with a full HD display, which makes it perfect for basic computing tasks and multimedia purposes.
The laptop features the 6th generation processor, AMD Core A9-9420 3.0 GHz. This feature makes the device run high-end games with little or no effort. Also included as one of its features is the sharp 15.6” touchscreen display that maintains the color of your video and photos vividly. The metallic design also makes it appealing to the eye.
I would prefer this laptop for its high-bandwidth and adequate RAM that makes the computer run multiple applications smoothly. Besides, this laptop is adorned with a hard drive that provides enough storage for you to save your files, such as documents, movies, photos, and music.
With the HD camera included, I was able to get a vibrant clarity during a video chat. Even you don’t have to worry about the image of the camera getting blur under low light condition. Furthermore, the three USB ports, one HDMI port, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and headphone jack port that comes with the laptop, make its connectivity stress-free.
7. Acer Aspire 5
| CPU | 8th Generation Intel Core i7 8565u |
| RAM | 12GB DDR4 |
| Internal storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display size/Resolution | 15.6” Full HD (1920 x 1080) |
| GPU | Nvidia Geforce mx250 |
| Battery life | 9 hours |
Are you looking for an entry-level gaming laptop that offers excellent battery life? This ACER computer is one of the best in the market. It comes with an Intel UHD 620 integrated graphics that produce bright and vivid colors of images on the computer screen. The 8th Generation Intel Core i3 8130U 2.2 GHz (Up to 3.2GHz) processor included makes it perfect for a wide range of gaming activities. So, whether you want to play old games or new games, you can go ahead without worries.
What more does this laptop offer? It comes with 6GB dual-channel RAM, which makes it possible for you to multitask and access more programs easily. Adorned with 1TB hard disk space, you can store as many games, documents, videos, music, and applications as possible. Also, the crystal clear audio features make games more engaging.
With the more than 12 hours battery life, USB ports with type-c included, wireless technology, full HD and a widescreen display, and other excellent features, this is no doubt a perfect laptop for gaming. I recommended it to my brother, he bought it, and he is always happy to have it.
8. HP 15″
| CPU | 7th Generation Intel Core i3-7100U 2.40 GHz dual-core |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Internal storage | 1TB HDD |
| Display size/Resolution | 15.6” Full HD (1366 x 768) |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Battery life | 6 hours |
Another series laptop from HP that can handle your games and provide you the fun and performance you seek. If you ask me why I like this device, I will tell you that it is because of its decent specifications and unique features such as the DVD burner.
Many users marvel about its boot time, and when I tested it, I realize it is indeed worth marveling about as it takes less than a minute to boot up and be ready for use. Surprisingly, high-end and latest games like GTA 5 works on it without any hiccup. Are you wondering why it is super-fast when it comes to booting and gaming? It is due to the HP 15-T8TJG 7th generation processor and 8GB RAM.
This is a high-end gaming device, and you won’t go wrong by choosing it instead of its counterparts. The quality of material, screen quality, value for money, performance, touchscreen, and lightweight are what makes gamers and other users become a big fan of this laptop.
9. Asus Vivobook F705MA
| CPU | 8th Generation Intel Core i7 |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Internal storage | 1TB HDD |
| Display size/Resolution | 17.3” HD+ (1600 x 900 pixels) |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, 6GB of VRAM |
| Battery life | 9 hours |
This is one of the few laptops that comes with a low-budget price and still remember to feature a bulk of top-notch features. I am recommending the ASUS VIVOBOOK F705MA as one of the best laptops for gaming under 500 because of its ultrabook feel, full-size keyboard, DDR4 RAM, and 7th generation processor.
The screen size is another reason I would prefer this device. It comes with a 17.3” screen size that makes the characters in your game appear as if they are at your front physically. With the 8th Generation, Intel Core i7 processor, and design, this device offers a perfect combination of beauty and performance. Connecting devices with the laptop are quick and easy, thanks to the SD card reader, LAN, and USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1 included.
When playing games or doing other things on this device, you will get realistic and vivid imagery. Also, it comes with visual optimization technology that offers four modes, including normal, vivid, eye-care, and manual modes. Overall, the performance makes it a go-to laptop for gamers who will be playing lots of games.
10. HP Pavilion X360
| CPU | 8th Generation Core i3-8130U |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Internal storage | 500GB HDD |
| Display size/Resolution | 14” (366 x 768 HD) |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Battery life | 10 hours |
When you talk of lightweight, sturdy, and attractive device for gamers, the HP PAVILION X360 is one of the best laptops for gaming under 500 that comes with such characteristics. It comes with an 8th generation processor, 8GB of RAM, and 500GB storage, which makes it up to the task when you are playing a game.
Also, the 14” screen size that is touchscreen and gives an HD display makes it easy for you to navigate through the screen quickly.
Additionally, it comes with Intel 620 UHD graphics. One of my friends using this laptop set it at low to medium graphics, and he can play a lot of popular games on it. You can also convert it into a notebook. The fact that it is convertible makes it portable and easy for users to carry it with them anywhere.
Overall, it is a budget gaming PC that is versatile. So, whether you are a student, gamer, or working in the office, it can be an ideal choice for you.
What to Look for in the Laptop Under 500 for Gaming
What type of game will you be playing on the laptop?
To be honest, if you are thinking of playing high-end games like Fortnite, Call of duty, GTA 5, Sims 4, and Fallout 4, they may not run smoothly on most laptops under $500. However, games such as Minecraft, League of Legends, and the likes should work fine.
Consider the features
These include the processor, graphics, RAM, and battery life. I will recommend that you should go for a powerful processor, 8GB of RAM, and efficient graphics that can handle most of the high-end games correctly. Also, a battery that uses an average of 6 hours should get the job done for you.
Take note that if you are looking for features such as high-quality audio, keyboard with backlit, and other top-notch features, you may have to go beyond spending 500.
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