Best gaming laptops under $1000 2023 – top cheap picks

It’s no secret that gaming is an expensive hobby, and so, to help minimise your spending, we’ve collected the best gaming laptops under $1000.

Gaming laptops are high-tech bits of kit. The best ones often include the latest mobile CPUs, either Intel 12th or 13th Gen, or Ryzen 5000 or 7000 series processors, the latest Nvidia or Radeon mobile GPUs, and ultrafast displays with full HD resolution.

As if that wasn’t enough, you then also want 16GB of RAM and an SSD. These high end components can all too quickly rack up and that’s before you even realise you might want the best cheap gaming mice and the best keyboards. This means that, with this list, you should be able to save both time and money.

We’ve covered a variety of gaming laptops here. Different games have different computing requirements, so we’ve prioritised variety, though all are high-spec enough to handle most games. Let’s get this list rolling.

Like a number of other picks on this list, the Gigabyte G5 K5 features a current-gen RTX 4060 GPU, boasting Lovelace architecture and advanced ray tracing cores

Though the display is not especially high quality at 1080p, it manages to get the most out of it. It has satisfying contrast, very accurate colour reproduction and surprisingly high brightness. This makes it, for me, a better display than a washed-out dim but higher-resolution counterpart.

It has an understated mature look with an all-black plastic but sturdy chassis and just a single colour of backlighting for the keyboard. Three of the cables, including the power cable, are around the back which is a nice touch, allowing for easier cable management. The most glaring downside is the short battery life, around 2 hours when playing a taxing game. Another small one is its volume, with the fans sounding at over 40 decibels when measured from an average distance.

Gaming laptops don’t get much more budget than sub $1000, but if you’re really looking to tighten your purse strings there are a few, still, very capable, laptops to cater to your needs. In our opinion, the chief among them is the HP Victus 15.

This laptop has an excellent price to performance ratio. Do not let your expectations get away from you though, this gaming laptop is for casual gaming and will not be able to play the latest and greatest AAA games at the top settings.

That’s not to say it does not provide bang for the buck. The specs speak for themselves, with an adequate GTX 1650 GPU, and a 12 Gen Intel i5, rather than the quicker i7 seen on this list. Meanwhile, its grown-up, sleek display means you can bring it to work inconspicuously. The all black chassis is made from plastic and doesn’t feel too flimsy either.

The display is crisp and well-defined, and you can really feel the 144Hz refresh smoothening up gaming play, the only real catch is a brightness lower than many would desire.

If you’re a casual but budget-conscious gamer the only thing that should give you real pause for thought are the other laptops on this list, some are pretty close in price and do offer a step up in graphic capabilities.

This speedy laptop is our top pick for budget-conscious buyers who still want to play today’s games. Featuring Nvidia’s previous gen RTX 3050 Ti that boasts Ampere technology, you can expect a solid gaming performance on a nice looking 144Hz IPS display with VRR.

The sub $1000 price is evident in the older 11th gen Intel CPU, still packing a punch but significantly slower than the 13th gen chips we’re seeing today. Having the latest and greatest isn’t essential though, even for playing more demanding titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 which can get pretty CPU intensive by Act 3.

The 512GB memory might need upgrading if you plan on having a large gaming library on this laptop. Luckily though, it features a generosity of ports including two M.2 PCIe slots. There’s also the option to connect a more powerful external GPU or monitor if you’re a multitasker. Overall, a great pick, the main downside being the previous-gen PC components.

The hugely popular MSI Cyborg is worth every penny if you’re looking for a portable gaming powerhouse. Standout features include 16GB of DDR5 RAM which fares well for the most demanding AAA titles today. It’s also one of the best small gaming laptops we’ve seen in a while, making it an ideal choice for anyone who travels a lot.

While the previous gen i7 Intel processor is a little old now, it still performs well in demanding scenarios and is especially suited to those who multitask on their laptop a lot. Beware though that the Cyborg is known to run hot. Its design is also a little limited by its single NBMe SSD slot. Still though, the battery life is good on this laptop, and it overall ticks the box for an affordable gaming laptop costing less than $1,000.

5. MSI GF63 – Best value laptop under $1000

MSI Thin GF63 (RTX 4050)

CPU

Intel Core i7-12650H

GPU

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050

RAM

16GB DDR4

SSD

512GB NVMe

Display

15.6-inch FHD 144Hz

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Pros

• Under $800
• Ada Lovelace architecture
• Robust cooling system

Cons

• Not enough storage for a massive games library

The MSI GF63 is our pick for those wanting a decent enough gaming laptop with a sturdy and reliable body. Avoiding the usual spiel that it won’t be getting consistent frame rates on high settings, let’s get into where this laptop excels.

It’s one of the best and cheapest RTX 4050 laptops currently on the market, delivering strongly where it matters. The hardware includes an i7 CPU which still delivers a strong, entry-level performance despite being last-gen. The 16GB of RAM also stands in good stead of AAA gaming which frequently requires up to 16GB of RAM.

You may have to compromise on the relatively small 512GB NVMe SSD, so if you’re planning on importing a decade-old games library, consider investing in a second SSD. Despite this caveatOverall for its price, this laptop offers a good return on investment.

How to choose the best gaming laptop under $1000

The main things you need to factor in when considering the best gaming laptop under $1000 is CPU, GPU and RAM. It’s also worth understanding your specific needs including display ports and storage space if you’ve got an idea of the specific games you’re after.

CPU

If you’re unsure, we’ve broken down the differences between CPU vs GPU so we’re absolutely clear on what each bit of hardware does. A CPU is an important component that determines the frame rates and software you can run on your laptop. If you’re looking to spend less on your gaming laptop, it’s likely you’ll be looking at either Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5000 series CPUs.

To be clear, you’ll likely be choosing between Intel and AMD who make consumer laptop processors. The Core i3 is the least powerful, while the Core i9 is the most. Generally speaking, you’ll be looking at i3, i5, i7 and i9 processors.

Sadly, it’s unlikely you’ll find a gaming laptop under $1000 with Intel’s 13th Gen CPUs, though we have rounded up the best Intel 13th Gen laptops for the job if you’re interested.

Best gaming laptop under 1000 – FAQs

There are so many things to consider when looking for the best gaming laptop under $1000. Often it’s the same sort of stuff coming up again and again, so, to save time, we’ve tried to answer a few of them here.

What gaming performance can you expect from a laptop under $1000?

Generally speaking, you can expect a solid performance from a gaming laptop under $1000, though don’t expect to play in the highest game settings. Most gaming laptops of this price range will feature a Nvidia RTX 30-series graphics card and a Ryzen 5 CPU or equivalent, giving a solid 1080p performance that could potentially reach 1440p.

You’ll also need to consider the brand of laptop you’re going for since some brands excel in specific areas. We’ve considered Dell vs. HP laptops which are great for gaming as well as more general uses. Then there are brands like ASUS and Acer which have a heavy gaming focus.

Should you buy a gaming laptop for less than $1000?

While $1000 is still a lot of money it is more affordable for many and, considering you can use your gaming laptop for your studies, job or casual computing they can be a very sensible investment compared to traditional gaming consoles like the PS5 or Xbox Series X.

These are devices for casual to semi-intense gaming, they are capable of playing the AAA games, though not always at the highest settings. If you consider yourself a serious gamer or want to future-proof yourself for the next few years of gaming releases, it is worth considering a laptop in the mid to high price range.

Finally, if you’re looking for a laptop with a specific game in mind, we’ve specially chosen the best laptops for Sims 4 and the best laptops for Minecraft – both of which are not particularly demanding games.