Choosing hardware for your gaming hobby can be a pain in the ass, which is why I took it upon myself to do the work for you and do research on my own. Thing is not everyone can, or want, to afford a $2000 gaming PC with sick specs, or if you do have it, you may prefer the mobility and would rather have a budget for your laptop to play your favorite games while on the go. So, if you’re on a budget and can’t decide on a good laptop, I present you my top 5 best gaming laptops under $500.
Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576-392h
Good graphics performance 8th Generation Core i3-8130U Intel Processor and Intel Graphics 620 with 6GB RAM plus a 1 TB hard drive. The screen stretches at 15.6 inch HD display with sharp quality. This laptop has a good battery life of up to 13 hours, depending on how much you strain it.
It has two inbuilt speakers with more than decent audio. And the 1 TB allows you to have plenty of room for your games. This baby can also take a lot of punishment while still maintaining a cool temperature, and it has a wide range of ports for accessories. Definitely a laptop worth looking into.
Acer Aspire 5 A515-54-51DJ
This one has a beautiful design that looks and feels elegant. Slick design with 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8265U Processor. The display renders video and internet amazingly, and it’s really easy to set up. The CPU is optimal for multiple everyday tasks. It has a silver finish that makes it look modern. Considering how many budget laptops lack one way or another in some aspects, this one is pretty well-rounded.
Lenovo 15.6’’ Signature Laptop
Low price, but slower processor as well. It’s actually rare to find touchscreen laptops at this price that also have good performance, yet Lenovo brings it home with this one. It does have a very good storage space of 1 TB HDD. It also doesn’t come with any bloatware, so forget about those musky programs that try to sign you up for a paid version as soon as you boot it up. Another downside, however, is that screen resolution only goes for 1366 x 768 pixels.
ASUS VivoBook S15
Super lightweight, ideal for people who are on the move. This laptop has striking visuals, although not the best colors in the market. For some, that may be a big deal, while others don’t mind sacrificing a bit of color for a more faithful graphical experience. The keyboard is comfortable and can be tilted toward you a bit, which makes it easier to play. The RAM is only 4 GB, so it’s not optimal, and the battery life is not the best, but definitely a solid choice for any gamer on a budget.
ASUS VivoBook F510UA
Lightweight, yet equipped with a large 17.3″ screen that provides vivid colors with a beautiful resolution, best for the most graphically-enhanced games. The audio has a bit to be desired but not horrible, either. The keyboard is spacious, and the keys are so quiet, you’ll be able to type silently. Solid performance with a 1 TB Firecuda Hybrid drive. An amazing laptop on its own right.
Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576g-5762
At this point, you’d think I’d be sponsored by Acer. I’m not, they just happen to make great gaming laptops, it’s like their thing. This laptop comes enforced with NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics card. One of the best laptops you’re going to find at this price range with 8 GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage, while it doesn’t sound like much, it can be expanded if needed. Battery life can up as high as 15 hours. This is my number one recommendation overall.
Things To Keep In Mind
At this price range, the graphics are not going to be optimal for most gaming laptops. Expect to play older titles and AA games with little to no issues, but keep in mind that if you intend to run any AAA titles, the system is going to struggle, unless you can lower the graphic settings, and still, in that case, I would recommend you to save a little bit more if you’re the type to enjoy looking at every little spec on dust on the screen of the latest games. But don’t sweat it, you can always go around to catch discounts and clearance articles. At the end of the day, your device should meet your personal needs.
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