10 Best Gaming Laptops Under 500

Wally Nowinski
editor

Our experts used the PerfectRec decision engine to comb through our laptop database and find the best gaming laptops under 500 available in 2024. Here are our top picks.

Our criteria for the best gaming laptops under 500:

  • Operating System: We limited the search to Windows laptops since there are more games available than on Mac.
  • Usage: We focused on gaming laptops.
  • Budget: We chose a small budget of $500, which should cover an entry level, budget gaming laptop on sale.
To consider others factors, try the PerfectRec decision engine to get your personalized laptop recommendation
Get your personalized recommendations

10 Best Gaming Laptops Under 500

1
Razer 18”

Blade 18

BEST RATING
Engineering & Design:
4.8
Gaming/AI: A-
Size: 18"
Overall Performance: Very Good
Portability: Thick, very heavy
Battery: Fair




Pros
  • Large 18-inch high refresh screen
  • Powerful Intel i9 processor
  • High-end Nvidia RTX graphics
  • Excellent keyboard quality
  • Robust build construction
Cons
  • Limited battery life
  • Heavy, affects portability
  • Loud fan noise under load
  • No touchscreen functionality
2
Razer 14”

Blade 14

BEST RATING
Keyboard Quality:
4.7
Gaming/AI: B+
Size: 14"
Overall Performance: Good
Portability: Thin, light
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
The Razer Blade 14 is a high-end laptop with a premium price, designed for gaming and performance-intensive tasks. It features a robust AMD Ryzen 9 processor alongside an Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, which makes it suitable for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software. With 16GB of RAM and 1024GB of storage, it's well-equipped for multitasking and large projects. The 14-inch display has a high resolution, very good color coverage, and a fast refresh rate, which is beneficial for both gaming and professional creative work. However, its compact size and relatively low weight also make it quite portable for a performance-oriented laptop. The battery life is solid for its class, contributing to its portability. It excels in build quality, heat management, and has a backlit keyboard but lacks an Ethernet port and a number pad. It runs Windows 11 Home and was released in February 2022.
Pros
  • High-resolution 1440p screen
  • Powerful AMD Ryzen 9 processor
  • Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics
  • Compact and lightweight design
  • Sturdy build quality
Cons
  • Limited to 16GB of RAM
  • No touchscreen available
  • Moderate battery life
  • No Thunderbolt ports
3
Lenovo 15.6”

IdeaPad Gaming 3

BEST RATING
Keyboard Quality:
4.4
Gaming/AI: B
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Fair
Portability: Thick, heavy
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a budget-friendly gaming laptop that comes with a decent storage capacity and moderate RAM. It's equipped with an AMD Ryzen processor and an Nvidia RTX GPU, which makes it suitable for gaming and other intensive tasks. The battery capacity provides a reasonable amount of usage time, and it sports a 15.6-inch display with a high refresh rate, suitable for fast-paced games, but it's an IPS panel which may not be the brightest. It's relatively heavy, affecting its portability, has a number pad, and features backlit keys, hardware ray tracing, and DLSS. Suitable for gaming needs, it may not be the top choice for very high-end gaming or professional engineering software but can handle general use and moderate 3D tasks well.
Pros
  • AMD Ryzen 7 processor
  • Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU
  • Backlit keyboard with numpad
  • Supports Ethernet connection
  • Available storage and RAM slots
Cons
  • Moderate battery life
  • No Thunderbolt or USB4
  • No touchscreen capability
  • Not very lightweight
4
ASUS 14”

Zenbook 14

BEST RATING
Portability:
4.6
Gaming/AI: B
Size: 14"
Overall Performance: Fair
Portability: Thin, very light
Battery: Good




Pros
  • High-resolution OLED screen
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Multiple USB-C ports
  • Good keyboard and trackpad
  • All-day battery life
Cons
  • Average speaker quality
  • Limited thermal management
  • Fair webcam quality
  • Moderate fan noise under load
5
HP 15.6”

Victus 15

BEST RATING
General Use:
4.2
Gaming/AI: B
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Fair
Portability: Thick, heavy
Battery: Fair




Expert Summary
The HP Victus 15 is a reasonably priced laptop with 512 GB of storage, 16 GB of RAM, and is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 processor paired with an Nvidia RTX 2050 for graphics. Its 15.6-inch IPS display offers a resolution of 1920 x 1080, with a high refresh rate but without touch capabilities. The battery capacity is decent, aiding in fair portability despite its somewhat heavy build. It excels in heat management, has a good-quality keyboard, and is targeted toward gaming with features like a backlit keyboard and hardware ray tracing. However, its color space coverage is on the lower end, which may not be ideal for color-intensive tasks. It runs Windows 11 Home and is endorsed as particularly suitable for gaming. With a combination of USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet ports, it offers a variety of connectivity options. Released in May 2023, it's a good fit for general use and gaming but may fall short for professionals in engineering and 3D/machine learning due to moderate performance scores in those areas.
Pros
  • Good general performance
  • Decent gaming, ray tracing support
  • Backlit keyboard with number pad
  • Multiple ports including Ethernet, USB-C
  • Fairly good screen refresh rate
Cons
  • Average battery life
  • Fair portability due to weight
  • Limited color coverage on screen
  • Fair performance for 3D/machine learning
6
Acer 14”

Swift Go 14

BEST RATING
Portability:
4.7
Gaming/AI: B
Size: 14"
Overall Performance: Fair
Portability: Thin, very light
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
The Acer Swift Go 14 is a laptop with a lower midrange price and comes equipped with 512GB storage and 16GB RAM, which should be sufficient for daily tasks and moderate multitasking. It features an Intel i5-1335U processor paired with Intel Iris Xe graphics, suitable for general use and light photo editing or casual gaming, but not for heavy 3D rendering or intensive gaming. The battery is fairly standard, ensuring around 8 hours of typical use. It has a 14-inch IPS display with good resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio, enhancing productivity with more vertical screen space. The laptop doesn't have a touchscreen, but it offers good color accuracy and contrast ideal for web browsing, document editing, and movie watching. It's quite portable at under 3 pounds and just 0.59 inches thick, making it easy to carry around. It offers a good selection of ports, including USB-C with charging support, but lacks Ethernet and dedicated gaming features. The Acer Swift Go 14 also includes a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader for added convenience and security.
Pros
  • Lightweight and portable design
  • Good battery life for typical use
  • High-quality keyboard and webcam
  • Backlit keyboard with a fingerprint reader
  • Solid performance for general use
Cons
  • Limited high performance for 3D and engineering
  • Mediocre speaker quality
  • Display not ideal for fast motion
  • Graphics not suited for ray tracing
7
BEST RATING
Battery Life:
4.7
Gaming/AI: B
Size: 14"
Overall Performance: Fair
Portability: Med. thick, light
Battery: Very Good




Expert Summary
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is a budget-friendly option with decent computing power, courtesy of the AMD Ryzen 7 processor, making it suitable for everyday tasks and some more demanding applications. It offers a satisfactory amount of storage and memory, with options for expansion. The integrated Vega 8 graphics can handle light gaming and graphical tasks, but may not be ideal for intensive gaming or high-end graphic design. With a weight that balances portability and build, it's a good fit for on-the-go use while maintaining a 14-inch display, which has a resolution favouring productivity and content consumption. Battery life is adequate for a day's work, and the laptop has a backlit keyboard, which is helpful in low-light conditions. Keep in mind, though, that while it's versatile enough for general use, professionals needing advanced computational or graphical capabilities may find it limited.
Pros
  • Affordable midrange price
  • Decent performance with Ryzen 7
  • Good display resolution
  • Solid battery life
  • Compact and lightweight
Cons
  • No dedicated graphics
  • Limited port selection
  • Build quality is average
  • Average speaker quality
8
HP 15.6”

Victus 15

BEST RATING
General Use:
4.3
Gaming/AI: B
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Fair
Portability: Thick, heavy
Battery: Fair




Expert Summary
The HP Victus 15 is a gaming laptop with a lower midrange price. It has a fairly ample storage space, a decent amount of RAM, and is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 processor accompanied by an Nvidia RTX 2050 graphics card, which makes it suited for gaming and productivity tasks. The laptop includes a 15.6-inch IPS display with a refresh rate that supports smoother visuals. Despite its battery being sufficient, it might not offer all-day usage. Portability is moderate given its weight and thickness. Additionally, it comes with a backlit keyboard that includes a number pad and supports hardware ray tracing for better graphical rendering. It runs Windows 11 Home and is capable of handling general use, engineering software, and 3D rendering. However, due to its gaming laptop appearance, it may not be the first choice for a premium business setting. Overall, it's a good choice for those who need a laptop capable of handling demanding tasks without going to the highest end of the price spectrum.
Pros
  • Excellent heat management
  • Good general performance
  • Backlit keyboard with number pad
  • Hardware ray tracing supported
  • Respectable build quality
Cons
  • Moderate battery life
  • Lower portability
  • Average screen color accuracy
  • No USB-C charging
9
Lenovo 15.6”

IdeaPad Gaming 3

BEST RATING
Keyboard Quality:
4.4
Gaming/AI: B
Size: 15.6"
Overall Performance: Fair
Portability: Thick, heavy
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a laptop that offers good general use and gaming capabilities at a lower midrange price. It has a decent processor and graphics card suitable for playing games and handling everyday tasks. The screen is a 15.6-inch IPS panel providing clear images with a high refresh rate, enhancing gaming and video experiences. It is not very light but should be portable enough for occasional transport. Battery life is moderate, suggesting you may need to stay close to a power outlet during long sessions. The laptop has a full-size backlit keyboard with a number pad and a good port selection including Ethernet and HDMI, but no Thunderbolt support. It's designed with a gaming appearance and released in late 2021, indicating relatively recent hardware. Its sound and webcam quality is good, while the build and heat management are fair. If gaming and general use are your priorities and you're okay with the weight and average battery life, this laptop could be a suitable choice.
Pros
  • Affordable gaming laptop
  • Decent performance for general use
  • High refresh rate screen
  • Good portability for a gaming device
  • Backlit keyboard with number pad
Cons
  • Basic build quality
  • Mediocre battery life
  • Limited RAM and storage
  • Modest screen color performance
10
ASUS 16”

Vivobook 16X

BEST RATING
Battery Life:
4.2
Gaming/AI: B
Size: 16"
Overall Performance: Fair
Portability: Med. thick, med. heavy
Battery: Good




Expert Summary
The ASUS Vivobook 16X offers a balance between performance and price, being in the lower midrange category. It features a large 16-inch IPS screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, suitable for productivity tasks but with a standard 60Hz refresh rate that's adequate for general use rather than fast-paced gaming. Powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS with integrated Vega 8 graphics, the laptop is capable of handling daily tasks and lighter creative workloads, though it's not designed for intensive gaming or high-end 3D rendering. Its battery life is suitable for several hours of typical usage, making it moderately portable at a bit over 4 pounds. The Vivobook 16X is equipped with 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, enhancing multitasking abilities. It also has a decent selection of ports including USB-C, HDMI, and an Ethernet port, plus a backlit keyboard with a number pad, enhancing utility for work and study. Overall, the Vivobook 16X is good for general use, fair for 3D/machine learning applications, and fair for engineering tasks.
Pros
  • Large 16-inch display
  • Reasonable battery life
  • Multiple USB-C ports
  • Number pad on keyboard
  • Good heat management
Cons
  • Heavy at over 4 pounds
  • No touchscreen or high refresh rate
  • Mediocre speaker quality
  • Limited color space coverage