Gaming laptops are one of the most popular forms of compact gaming on the market. With the thousands of games available to PC gamers (as opposed to the limiting restrictions placed on console games and the even more paltry offerings for handheld consoles), anyone who is looking to truly take their gaming to the next level should be prepared to invest in a gaming laptop. But with a wide range of options to choose from (and some astronomical prices thrown in for good measure) it can seem nearly impossible to choose the best gaming laptop available.
Click here to view our favorite gaming laptops on Amazon
There are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a good gaming laptop. The first thing to check is the graphics card included. While this may seem like a small factor for the uninitiated, a graphics card can make or break a good gaming laptop faster than you can say “spawn kill.” Another thing to keep in mind is the processing capacity of each laptop. While the average laptop will never come close to the processing power of a computer tower built especially for gaming, you want to ensure that your new laptop can actually handle modern games. And while you’re at it it’s best to consider the amount of memory available to your new laptop, as most modern games can require at least 80GB of space, with others capping out at 200 GB. Seem complicated? Not to worry, we’ve gone ahead and picked out the top 4 best gaming laptops under $1,500, so you can get a better idea of what you’re looking for before you jump head-first into the world of gaming.
Our Favorite Gaming Laptops Under $1500
With a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Overclockable Graphics and 6 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM, the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop PC is a force to be reckoned with. The 15.6” full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-backlit IPS display offers a 144Hz refresh rate for the most up-to-date visuals no matter what game you’re playing at the time. The built in fan system helps prevent overheating during intense gaming sessions, while the 7 hours of battery life allows you to go unplugged when you have to without worrying about dying mid-stream. The metal chassis and backlit keyboard give this laptop a classic gaming aesthetic without being too overpowering to the overall computer, and the additional harddrive or SSD compartment allows for full customization and upgrading of your new laptop. However, this much power in one device does come with a downside, and as one reviewer notes, “As many reviews will tell you, this thing gets HOT when overclocking even with fans set to max, I will be investing in a very nice cooling pad for it.”
No products found.
Anyone who’s anyone recognizes the name Alienware right off the bat. With an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB graphics card, 6GB 2400 MHz DDR4 Memory for fast processing, and a 1TB HDD, this laptop can handle some more intense gaming sessions without getting too bogged down in the process, though as with any gaming laptop you may want to invest in additional memory in the long run. As a bonus, the 1TB HDD allows you to download even your largest games with ease without worrying about overwhelming your system, keeping you from having to prioritize your collection between your PC and laptop. As one reviewer noted, “Let me first say that this machine is great. Gaming performance is really good as I was having a constant 60 fps in overwatch. Build quality is fantastic. It feels sturdy. Love the premium materials used and love the ability to customize the lighting…the original storage this comes with is way too slow [for most intense games]. I’d recommend getting an SSD (either m.2 or sata ssd) to help with performance.”
No products found.
With an impressive display size of 17.3 inches, the Sager NP7876 boasts an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6 graphics card. While the internal storage is only 500GB, this can be easily bolstered by a SSD without issue. The backlit keyboard and full HD screen design make for better accuracy and display presence, helping bring out even the smallest detail in your favorite games. As one reviewer noted, “I ran several system and game performance tests, and all came back with excellent results. Results at or better than other brand/models with similar specs. Screen is crystal clear with vibrant colors. I could not find anything else close these specs for the price. I have only 1 minor gripe: the fans exhaust to both sides instead of out the back of the laptop, so if you use a mouse close to the laptop your hand will get warm.”
No products found.
By far the best gaming laptop available for its price, the Eluktronics N857EK1 Pro-X Special Edition Gaming Laptop offers the best of the best. With a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Graphics Card, 2TB hybrid storage on top of a 512GB Ultra Performance PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, this thing can handle even the most graphically taxing of games out there without a sweat. As a bonus, the full HD 2.0MP Webcam is perfect for streaming or recording your latest victory, and the anti-glare display will save both your eyes and your aim the next time you play. Don’t just take our love of this laptop for granted, however. As one satisfied customer notes, “I’ve had my computer for over a year now and it’s still running strong. The only complaint I have is that the USB ports are at the front of the computer and I prefer them towards the back…. yeah… that’s legitimately my only complaint. This computer has not run slow, not had issues, and handles a multitude of webpages and programs at once with relative ease. For gaming, I played Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 on it and for both, it was GREAT considering what I paid for this thing. If you buy it you won’t be sorry.”
No products found.
