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page title icon The 10 Best Gaming Laptops Under $600 in 2022 [Full Reviews]

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| Updated on October 6, 2022

Are you looking for gaming laptops on a tight budget? You’re not out of options! Check out these best gaming laptops under $600 for budget gaming!

While it’s true that you’ll need a gaming PC if you want to play the most demanding games, what happens when your budget can’t cover one? You’re not out of luck!

PC gaming hasn’t neglected its mobile cousins, and PC manufacturers have caught on to the more mobile gaming market.

I’ve covered a few of the best gaming laptops under $600 here, plus some specs you should look for. Read on!

Top 10 Best Gaming Laptops Under $600

Top 10 Best Gaming Laptops Under $600
Image feature: MSI; Asus

Here are some of the best gaming laptops under $600!

1.) Asus TUF Gaming F15 – Best Overall

Asus TUF Gaming F15

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Features:

  • 15.6-inch Full HD display
  • 10th-gen Intel core i5 chip
  • 8GB of 2933MHz DDR4 RAM
  • 512GB of SSD storage
  • NVidia GeForce 1650 GPU

The TUF Gaming F15 is the best gaming laptop under $600, and that’s because it’s perfectly equipped for playing games and smoking the competition.

This affordable gaming laptop features an H-series Intel core i5 chip and an NVidia graphics card that deliver stable and speedy performance in all games.

Speaking of speed, this gaming laptop comes with a 144Hz screen that will let you win matches before your enemies can react. However, note that it doesn’t have lots of stock RAM.

Despite only having 8GB of RAM, the TUF F15 can be upgraded easily, thanks to Asus’ easy upgrade design! With a few tools, you can upgrade your memory and SSD storage.

If you want to project your games onto a larger screen, this device has one USB-C port that’s up to the job.

Beware if you need this device for portability! Clocking in at almost 8lbs, this is not a light laptop.

This portable marvel has a dedicated GPU and a tough and sturdy chassis. You can pick up the Asus TUF F15 here.

ASUS TUF F15 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" 144Hz...
  • SUPERCHARGED GTX GRAPHICS - Gameplay graphics are silky smooth with the NVIDIA...
  • READY FOR ANYTHING - Use your gaming laptop to stream and multitask with ease...
  • SWIFT VISUALS – Stay one step ahead of the competition thanks to its 144Hz...

PROS

  • Military-standard toughness
  • Easy upgrade design lets you future-proof your laptop
  • Full-sized keyboard with Numpad

CONS

  • It only comes with 8 GB of RAM
  • Some users report wifi issues
  • Fairly heavy

2.) MSI GV15 – Best Value

MSI GV15

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Features:

  • 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display
  • 11th-gen Intel core i5 CPU
  • NVidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU
  • 144Hz Full HD resolution
  • 256GB of SSD storage

Coming in at no. 2 is this Full HD laptop from MSI! The GV15 is a svelte device packed with a high-powered Intel core i5 chip.

With 6 high-performance cores and a boost clock speed of 4.5GHz, you’ll be loading up your games in no time!

You also won’t be left wanting USB ports with this machine. You’ll be perfectly connected with a USB-C and HDMI port, plus an ethernet port!

One thing I dislike about the GV15 is the placement of its charging port. It’s smack in the middle of the laptop’s left side, which makes for a messier desk setup.

You’ll also want to adjust this laptop’s fan settings. They tend to flare up like a jet engine at the slightest thing, so this laptop isn’t ideal for use in libraries or classrooms.

The GV15 is a complete package with good battery life and a strong graphics card but has slight fan noise issues. You can pick up this powerful budget gaming laptop here.

Sale
MSI GV15 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop:...
  • Powered by Intel's 11th Gen 6-Core CPU: With PCIe Gen4 performance and DDR4...
  • It All Starts Now: Enjoy the latest generation Windows 11 Home for your everyday...
  • Equipped With NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Series Graphics: Powered by Turing...

PROS

  • 7 hours of battery life
  • Blazing fast resolution
  • Sturdy metal build

CONS

  • Extremely loud fans
  • Stock storage space is fairly small
  • Chunky top and bottom bezels

3.) Asus Vivobook F515 – Best Budget Pick

Asus Vivobook F515

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Features:

  • 15.6-inch FHD screen
  • 10th-gen Intel core i3 chip
  • Intel UHD graphics
  • Built-in fingerprint reader
  • SD card reader

Next up is the Vivobook F515. In a first for these laptops, this laptop is a touchscreen device that can also do some light gaming! Once you get past its flat design, this laptop’s a capable machine.

Packed with 12GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, the F515 can deliver steady performance and fast load times. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a dedicated GPU.

This limits the games you can play on it, but it’ll run the classics like CS: GO and GTAV at a nice and even 30fps just fine.

A nice bonus to this device is its keyboard. Asus keyboards are all pretty standard, but the F515 has a pleasantly tactile and decent keyboard for the price.

It’s even backlit and has a full Numpad if you need to do some number-crunching. The trackpad has a fingerprint reader for easier unlocking and greater security.

The F515 has a micro SD card reader and an HDMI port so that you can interface with multiple other devices. You can pick up this light and versatile laptop here.

ASUS VivoBook 15 F515 Thin and Light...
  • 【Processor】10th Generation Intel Core i3-1005G1 Processor (4MB Cache, up to...
  • 【Display】15.6 inch Full HD NanoEdge bezel display with stunning 83%...
  • 【RAM and Storage】RAM is upgraded to 12GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run...

PROS

  • Comfortable backlit keyboard
  • Good selection of USB ports
  • Wide and responsive touchscreen

CONS

  • Function keys are a little small
  • Unusual power button placement
  • The design is extremely plain

4.) HP Pavilion

HP Pavilion

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Features:

  • 17.3-inch HD display
  • 11th-gen Intel core i3 chip
  • 512GB of SSD storage
  • Intel UHD graphics
  • 16GB of RAM

This HP laptop cuts a fairly plain figure, but its subtlety appeals to me. It’s a desktop replacement-sized device that’s no-nonsense.

If the screen size didn’t tip you off, this isn’t exactly a compact laptop. Based on my recommendations down below, the HP Pavilion isn’t a very portable laptop.

The Pavilion’s lack of portability is compensated for by its screen size and brightness! This laptop runs at a pleasantly bright 300 nits and has 17.3-inches of real estate for your games.

It’s also equipped with 16GB of RAM under the hood, so you won’t have trouble running your games. The only caveat is the lack of a GPU.

Without a discrete GPU, you can expect to run games on more modest settings with the Pavilion. It may look blurry on its massive screen, but I’d recommend lowering the resolution for better results.

With this laptop, you can achieve stable 720p gaming, but expect to spend extra time changing settings in the in-game menu. You can pick up an HP Pavilion here.

HP Pavilion Laptop (2022 Model), 17.3"...
  • Upgraded: RAM is upgraded to 16 GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple...
  • Processor: 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor (6MB Intel...
  • Display: 17.3'' diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, anti-glare, 300 nits, 100%...

PROS

  • It has a full-sized keyboard with Numpad
  • Surprisingly lightweight for its size
  • Fairly bright display

CONS

  • No backlit keyboard
  • No dedicated graphics card
  • Some users report an erratic battery life

5.) Lenovo Ideapad 5i Pro

Lenovo Ideapad 5i Pro

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Features:

  • 16-inch QHD IPS display
  • 11th-gen Intel core i5 chip
  • NVidia GeForce MX250 GPU
  • Backlit keyboard
  • 75Wh battery with Rapid Charge Express function

Now while this doesn’t have the parts to rival a Lenovo Ideapad for gaming, this laptop is still perfectly capable of some light gaming and other tasks. That’s thanks to the Ideapad 5i Pro’s entry-level MX250 GPU!

I can’t mention the GPU while ignoring the processor. This laptop packs an 11th-gen H-series Intel core i5, designed to deliver more performance.

While you’re plugged in, you’ll be able to draw out more power and performance for your device. You may also find an AMD Radeon Vega-equipped model with comparable performance.

Regardless of which variant you pick up, you’ll get a well-designed device with just enough power to run the game of your choice; at least once, you lower the settings a little.

I love this laptop’s chassis. This device has a sleek metal build that offers a 4-in-1 SD card reader, an HDMI port, and more ports than you’ll know what to do with!

There’s a configuration of this laptop that has 1TB of storage space, but this bumps up the price by a fair amount. The 512GB you get out of the box is decent for casual gaming.

With decent battery life, a bright and responsive screen, and an integrated GPU, the Ideapad 5i Pro is perfect for students and casual gamers. You can pick up an Ideapad 5i Pro here.

Lenovo Ideapad 5i Pro Laptop, 16" QHD...
  • 【Memory & Storage】8GB high-bandwidth Onboard 3200MHz DDR4 RAM to smoothly...
  • 【Unconstrained Performance】11th Genernation Intel Core i5-11300H Processor...
  • 【Superior Views】 16" QHD 2.5K (2560 x 1600) IPS Non-Touch 350-Nit Display...

PROS

  • Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5 capable
  • Powerful yet affordable components
  • Very bright display and wide aspect ratio

CONS

  • No fingerprint reader
  • Some models attract smudges and fingerprints
  • The USB-C port doesn’t support Thunderbolt

6.) GIGABYTE U4

GIGABYTE U4

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Features:

  • 14-inch 1920×1080 FHD display
  • 512 GB SSD storage
  • 11th-gen Intel core i5 chip
  • 16GB of DDR4 RAM
  • Complies with MIL-STD 810G

The Gigabyte U4 is unlike other laptops in the Gigabyte family because it’s a middle-ground device. Typically, Gigabyte focuses on its 2 major lines: Aorus and Aero.

A laptop from the Aorus and Aero lines will often have a dedicated graphics card and be priced accordingly. Still, they’re specialized devices for content creation or extreme gaming performance.

In contrast, the U4 is like the “other laptop” in the family. This lightweight subnotebook can do light tasks or play games on the side!

This laptop is equipped with Intel Iris XE graphics, like the advanced version of Intel UHD graphics. You can play games at a pretty good frame rate on the U4 UD.

The UD’s got good connectivity, too, with a micro SD card reader and 2 USB-A ports. However, there are 2 small issues I have with this laptop.

The first strike is its webcam, which is pretty dim and only 720p quality. The second strike is this laptop’s power button placement.

It’s on the laptop’s right side, meaning it can be accidentally bumped if you’re not careful. Apart from that, this is a fairly good gaming laptop. You can pick up the Gigabyte U4 here.

GIGABYTE U4 UD - 14.0" Thin Bezel FHD...
  • Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1155G7
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD

PROS

  • Features Intel Iris XE graphics
  • Lightweight and speedy
  • Stiff and durable aluminum chassis

CONS

  • Unfortunate power button placement
  • The built-in webcam is dim and fairly grainy
  • Performance is much weaker when not plugged in

7.) Lenovo Ideapad 3

Lenovo Ideapad 3

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Features:

  • 14-inch FHD display
  • AMD Ryzen 5 5500U chip
  • AMD Radeon Vega 7 graphics
  • Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5 capable
  • 256GB storage space

The Ideapad line is held in high esteem because they’re affordable and reliable. But now and then, a standout device like the Ideapad 3 14 comes around, and Lenovo’s popularity is justified.

At 14-inches, the screen size is standard, but its strength lies in its bezels. They’re slim and discreet, letting you enjoy more of the screen regardless of what you’re doing.

The bezels also let you take advantage of the display’s wide viewing angles, so you don’t have to worry about sitting in the right spot while using this Ideapad.

The Ideapad 3 14 delivers great bang for your buck with its processors, featuring an AMD CPU and AMD Radeon Vega graphics.

I’m not a fan of its stock storage and RAM, but that’s the only downside to this portable wonder. You can pick up this all-in-one package here.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14 Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5...
  • Powerhouse performance from AMD Ryzen 5 5500U mobile processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM,...
  • The IdeaPad 3 14-inch laptop has 4-side narrow bezels that let you see more of...
  • Quieter and cooler with intelligent thermals, plus you can calibrate performance...

PROS

  • Rigid plastic chassis
  • Up to 11 hours of battery life
  • Webcam has a sliding privacy shutter

CONS

  • Stock storage capacity is too small
  • Needs more RAM
  • Speakers are weak and tinny

8.) Acer Aspire Vero

Acer Aspire Vero

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Features:

  • 15.6-inch FHD display
  • 11th-gen Intel Core i5 chip
  • Intel Iris XE graphics
  • Windows 11 OS
  • 256GB SSD

The Vero is a technological innovation from Acer that’s also capable of running less-demanding games. The Aspire Vero is Acer’s offering of an environmentally-conscious design.

With a chassis made from 30% recycled plastic and 50% recycled plastic keycaps, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Vero’s chassis feels flimsy or shoddily constructed.

However, this laptop defies expectations with its sturdy body that feels fresher than its parts. Its internals are just as robust as its externals, too!

This fully Intel-equipped device has a strong processor and perfectly decent graphics. You can do some low-impact gaming on this device with no problems.

I found 2 small points against the Vero, both related to power. First, this laptop doesn’t have a charging light, so you can’t tell whether it’s charging or not.

Second, its battery life isn’t that special considering its specs. Battery life isn’t an issue if you’re not traveling often, but it’s still essential.

You can pick up this environmentally-friendly laptop here.

Sale
Acer Aspire Vero AV15-51-5155 Green PC |...
  • Great performance meets long battery life with the Intel Core i5-1155G7...
  • 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED-backlit IPS Display (100% sRGB &...
  • 8GB DDR4 Memory and 256GB NVMe SSD

PROS

  • Eco-friendly chassis and design
  • Powerful parts at an approachable price
  • Easy to open and upgrade

CONS

  • It lacks a charging light
  • It comes preinstalled with some bloatware
  • Standard battery life

9.) Lenovo Ideapad

Lenovo Ideapad

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Features:

  • 14-inch FHD IPS display
  • AMD Ryzen 5500U chip
  • AMD Radeon Vega 7 graphics
  • 1 TB SSD storage
  • It has a fingerprint reader for additional security

This final Lenovo Ideapad is similar to the earlier Ideapad 3 14, but it’s got a much better configuration.

With 1TB of SSD storage, you can store 4 times more data on this device than the previous one, plus it’s got most of the same specs to boot!

Normally, RAM is installed in multiples of 8, but this device has 20GB of RAM brimming under the hood. This means it’s more than capable of running modern games.

The only issue is the lack of a discrete GPU. Without a discrete GPU to take advantage of its RAM, this Ideapad has to rely on its AMD Radeon Vega graphics.

Just tweak the settings, and your gaming experience will be solid. You can pick up this Ideapad here.

Lenovo IdeaPad Laptop, 14.0" FHD IPS...
  • 【Storage & RAM】Enjoy up to 15x faster performance than a traditional hard...
  • 【Processor】AMD Ryzen 5 5500U 2.10GHz 6-Core Processor (11MB Cache, up to...
  • 【Display】14" FHD (1920x1080) IPS 300nits Anti-glare, 45% NTSC

PROS

  • 4-in-1 SD card reader
  • Excellent USB port selection
  • A good amount of storage

CONS

  • It comes preinstalled with some bloatware
  • No dedicated GPU
  • The display is a little dim

10.) Asus Vivobook 15

Asus Vivobook 15

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Features:

  • 15.6-inch FHD display
  • AMD Ryzen 5 4600H chip
  • AMD Radeon graphics card
  • 256 GB SSD storage
  • 8GB of RAM

The last gaming laptop I’ll cover is the Asus Vivobook 15, outfitted with a full-AMD CPU and GPU. Like most laptops under $600, this laptop has a 15.6-inch display.

With thin bezels and an FHD screen resolution, this laptop’s display is big and bright enough for all your gaming and daily tasks.

The Vivobook is also up to the task if you intend to play in dimmer conditions since it has a full backlit keyboard that’s springy and a joy to type on.

Any games you play will load quickly thanks to the AMD CPU within. This 6-core Ryzen 5 chip has a maximum boost clock speed of 4GHz, which is fast enough for gaming.

My only issue is with the stock storage. 256GB is serviceable but not ideal, so I recommend upgrading it if possible. You can pick up a Vivobook 15 here.

Sale
ASUS VivoBook 15 Laptop, 15.6" Display,...
  • ASUS VivoBook 15 laptop comes with 15.6” FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 aspect ratio...
  • Latest AMD Ryzen 5 4600H Mobile Processor (6C/12T, 11MB Cache, 4.0 GHz Max...
  • Fast storage and memory featuring 256GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD and 8GB DDR4 on...

PROS

  • Webcam has a built-in privacy shutter
  • Extremely flexible 180-degree hinge
  • Very slim bezels mean more screen space

CONS

  • Stock storage is fairly small
  • Function keys may be too small for some users
  • The charging port is on the right side

Are $600 Gaming Laptops Worth It?

While it’s always nice to see a reasonable price, are gaming laptops under $600 worth it? I’d say they’re fine as an entry point. Budget gaming laptops won’t be able to match their pricier cousins, but that’s unavoidable.

If you’re planning on playing older games (think roughly 4-6 years ago), then the laptops here will be able to play them on medium to high settings and 60fps, no problem.

However, if you want to play the latest and greatest, you’ll have to get creative with the in-game settings menu first. Fortunately, most current games have low graphics presets.

The best gaming laptops under $600 won’t always have a dedicated graphics card, so you may have to make do with Intel UHD graphics or AMD’s integrated graphics instead.

I’ve covered a few great gaming laptops under $600 here, but I’d also advise saving up a bit more until you can move up to an $800 or even a $2000 laptop.

Choosing the Best Gaming Laptop Under $600: Factors to Consider

A fairly standard gaming laptop needs multiple standard parts as a baseline if you want to do any gaming on it.

Don’t try to find a gaming laptop with everything you’ll need because your budget will, unfortunately, limit you.

Think of this section as a checklist for what makes a good gaming laptop. Note that the best gaming laptops under $600 may not have everything on this list, so be sure to mix and match!

1) A Discrete Graphics Card

Most gaming laptops will have a dedicated GPU, but some gaming laptops under $600 won’t have one.

It’s common to find budget gaming laptops under $600 with Intel UHD graphics instead of NVidia GeForce cards. I’ve also found a few promising devices that feature AMD Radeon graphics cards.

Budget gaming laptops usually won’t be fully kitted-out with everything you’ll need for gaming, but with a few tweaks to your in-game settings, you’ll be fine.

If you want a great laptop that fits your budget, look for devices with an NVidia GeForce 1650 or 1660 GPU. These cards are reliable and offer good value for the money.

None of the laptops on this list have RTX cards, but you can also look for RTX 3050-equipped gaming laptops for a more modern device.

2) Display Quality

Before picking up a new gaming laptop, ensure that all choices feature a Full HD resolution or FHD.

A laptop with an FHD display means you’ll get a screen resolution of 1920×1080, which is the industry standard.

A screen with more pixels means a clearer image; you’ll need that during a tense match! This is a must for decent gaming performance and will give you some breathing room.

With a higher screen resolution as your laptop’s baseline, you can adjust any games you play to run at smaller resolutions like 1366×768 for better performance at a slight hit to quality.

High-quality displays also typically have high refresh rates, which can be crucial to winning a competitive game. Higher refresh rates are great for fast-paced games.

Standard laptops have 60Hz refresh rates, which is nice and stable. Keep an eye out for laptops with refresh rates like 120Hz or higher if you intend to play fast-paced games.

3) Screen Size

Resolution is one thing, but you won’t be able to game properly if your gaming laptop is too small. You can get by with a smaller display for lighter tasks like word processing, but not for gaming!

A larger screen will help you take advantage of whatever resolution you’ve set your games at. With more space to stretch out, the image will clear up.

However, you should know that higher resolutions will strain your graphics card. Loading more pixels all the time is taxing on your system!

There’s also your laptop’s aspect ratio to consider. A 15.6-inch 1920×1080-resolution screen will have an AR of 16:9, which is standard.

However, a few other laptops have different screen sizes and aspect ratios, like 16:10. You can always adjust your display settings if you don’t like your current resolution.

4) CPU

With so many different gaming laptops under $600 available, you’ll find different combinations of CPU and GPU. Normally it would be best to prioritize the GPU over the CPU.

However, it’s best to balance these two parts of your device. Playing games will often require the best of both chips, so it would be good to balance them.

Look for a gaming laptop with a newer i3 or Intel core i5 chip or an AMD Ryzen 3 chip. These will have enough power to give you a decent gaming experience without breaking the bank.

5) Storage Capacity

This buying factor goes beyond gaming. All kinds of files nowadays are getting larger and larger, making greater storage space more vital for everything you’re probably planning on doing.

Fortunately, most mainstream laptops have moved past the HDD and adopted the SSD. This means you can get high-speed storage regardless of which gaming laptop you pick!

Don’t pick up a device with less than 256GB of storage if you can help. Newer games tend to be very large, with file sizes of 100GB and higher becoming more common.

I’d advise getting a gaming laptop with 512GB of storage space for greater flexibility. 512GB is more than enough for a few games and lots of extra documents and movies on the side!

6) Battery Life

I’ll level with you here: “Excellent battery life” isn’t usually a big part of what makes a “Great” gaming laptop, but if you travel or move around frequently, you’ll need a laptop with good battery life.

A single charge lasting 7-9 hours is the sweet spot because that’s around a full day of work or light tasks.

This will shorten considerably when your laptop’s under load, even if you only use it for basic gaming. It’s also generally unwise to play games while your laptop’s unplugged.

Regardless of how energy-efficient or large your laptop’s battery is, a laptop battery simply cannot match the same amount of energy and performance that being plugged in provides.

7) Portability

You don’t have to worry about carting around the large and cumbersome laptops of yesteryear; It’s easy to find a nice and portable laptop that’s also fairly powerful!

However, higher-end gaming laptops will also be heavier. A dedicated graphics card will produce lots of heat, so your gaming laptop will need a good cooling system to compensate.

Look for a lightweight laptop that weighs 2Kg without the power supply. The charger’s additional weight will tip the scales from “light” to “manageable.”

Laptop users who need to be on the go will need a light laptop to take some strain off their backs, but note that light laptops won’t have enough space for stronger parts or better cooling.

8) Connectivity

“Connectivity” refers to both the USB ports and the connection technologies in your laptop. Any laptop worth its salt should ideally have both Bluetooth and Wifi capabilities.

While Wifi 6 is the newest generation, Wifi 5-equipped devices are still good and will be more widely available. Bluetooth 5 is also necessary if you use Bluetooth-equipped tools like headphones.

Your laptop needs a few standard USB ports for general use. These include USB-A, USB-C, and HDMI ports.

9) Extra Features

You may be shopping for a budget laptop, but some of these devices have extra features for added functionality! They may not always improve your gaming experience, but they’re nice.

If you plan on gaming in dim conditions, look for a laptop with a backlit keyboard. You’ll need an SD card reader if you often transfer files from your phone.

Some laptops also have a fingerprint reader for additional security, which is always helpful. These features won’t give you extra game performance, but they’re good add-ons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about budget gaming laptops here!

How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last?

One thing you should consider is the lifespan of your rig. A gaming laptop under $600 can last long, as long as you take good care of it.

A decent gaming laptop should last about 3 years on average, while a higher-specced device can last for 3-5 years.

You can extend your laptop’s lifespan by cleaning the dust from it every 6 months and repasting it if necessary. Contact a professional if you don’t want to risk damaging anything.

If you care for your laptop properly and get it checked out whenever the laptop appears to be glitching out, you can keep your rig running for 5-7 years!

How Much Should I Spend on a Gaming Laptop?

Answering this question will depend on a combination of several different things. The first is which kind of games you intend to play on your gaming laptop, and the second is your budget.

If you intend to play fast-paced but older titles like League of Legends, you can get away with picking up a gaming laptop under $600. League isn’t a demanding game, especially nowadays.

However, if you want to play games like Total War: Warhammer III or Red Dead Redemption 2 on higher settings, you’ll likely spend upwards of $1000.

It’s helpful to think of 4 digits as the barrier between “budget laptops” and “mobile gaming PCs.” Other laptops, like the Acer Nitro or Lenovo Ideapad Gaming series, serve as in-betweens.

Unfortunately, these in-between gaming laptops usually cost more than $600. I think $800 is a good middle ground between budget and gaming performance.

How Much RAM Does a Gaming Laptop Need?

If you check out any PC game online, you’ll be able to find “Minimum” and “Recommended” system requirements. These will typically list CPU, GPU, and RAM, among other details.

The threshold for basic gaming has risen slowly over time, so 4GB of RAM isn’t enough anymore. The bare minimum your gaming laptop should have is 8GB of RAM.

8GB is enough for playing older games and the lightest tasks you can do on a laptop, like web browsing or watching videos.

What Are Good Budget Gaming Laptop Lines?

The Acer Nitro and Lenovo Ideapad Gaming lines are some of the best gaming laptops if you’re on a budget. I didn’t mention them here because they tend to be pricier than $600.

Acer’s Nitro line of laptops is a budget-friendly and middle-ground option between their high-end Predator series laptops and the rest of their devices.

Lenovo is well-known for making laptops at all price points and all configurations, so they expanded their Ideapad line with some more gaming-centric options.

However, the Asus TUF and MSI GV15 covered here are comparable to, if not better, an Acer Nitro at the same price. They’ll give you an equivalent gaming experience and more value.

Summary of Top Picks

Here are my top picks for the best gaming laptops under $600!

Best Budget Pick – Asus Vivobook F515

The Vivobook F515 is affordable, light, and features all the ports you’ll ever need. It’s also ready to be tested in light games!

Best Value – MSI GV15

If you want power, durability, and speed, then the GV15 is the device for you. Just remember to adjust this gaming laptop’s fans before you bring this laptop out!

Best Overall – Asus TUF Gaming F15

The best gaming laptop under $600 is the Asus TUF Gaming F15. While its parts may seem a little dated by today’s standards, the F15 will still deliver solid and reliable gaming performance.

Final Words

A low-budget laptop is normally a cause for concern. After all, you get what you pay for, right? Not with these devices!

While they may not have the raw power that a more premium laptop can offer, these gaming laptops under $600 are great whether you want to watch movies or do some basic gaming.

Don’t get lost among all the “Intel core i5” and “AMD Radeon Vega” devices. Find a gaming laptop that fits your budget!

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