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Mubeen Jalib
|  August 5, 2021  |  Gaming Laptops, By Price, Reviews 
Best Gaming Laptops under $500 - Cheap Gaming Laptops under $500

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Top Pick

Asus Vivobook 15

  • Processor: Intel Core i5-1035G1
  • RAM: 8 GB DDR4
  • GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD
  • Battery Backup: 5 hours 30 mins
  • The Asus Vivo Book 15 is a low-priced options from Asus that manages to deliver a premium look and sleek design. It has 15.6 inch Full HD (1920×1080) display. Its CPU has 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1. It is 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD. For fun gaming experience, it has Ergonomic backlit keyboard with fingerprint sensor.



    It is hard to find the best laptops under the range of 500 dollars, but it is certainly not impossible. Getting the best laptop under 500 does not mean you have to compromise on premium features because you did not pay the price. Under this price range, it is possible to find the laptops that offer full-HD display, solid performance, good battery life, best processing and all the ports you want. It all depends upon knowing what you want and doing a good research before making a purchase.

    Gaming laptops are a slight different from the regular laptops. They have extra features that make the gaming more interesting. A normal laptop has good specification suitable for office use and general purposes. Gaming laptop have much more exclusive specifications like great GPU, massive amount of RAM, VRAM, powerful CPU, and everything else needed to run latest games smoothly in high settings. They are unbelievably powerful to can handle any task you give to them.

    There is a common fact that the ‘gaming laptop is made specifically for gaming and to make a big hole in your pocket’. It is generally true. Gaming laptops costs you a fortune mostly. To find a gaming laptop under 500 dollars is much of a task. If you’re interesting in getting a cheap laptop under 500 dollars that have the best performance, weight, display quality, battery life, and price, we have make the job easier for you. We have found the best laptops under 500.

    Top Pick

    Asus Vivobook 15

  • Processor: Intel Core i5-1035G1
  • RAM: 8GB DDR4
  • GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD
  • Read Review
    Check Price
    Best Value

    Lenovo IdeaPad 3

  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3500u 2.1 GHz
  • RAM: 8GB DDR4
  • GPU: AMD Integrated Graphics
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD
  • Read Review
    Check Price
    Best Budget

    Acer Aspire 5

  • Processor: Intel Core i7-7200U with 2.50 GHz
  • RAM: 12 GB DDR4
  • GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3
  • Storage: 256 GBSSD
  • Read Review
    Check Price

    Best Cheap Gaming Laptops Under $500

    After hours of research and reviews, we have narrowed down to top sevenbest laptops that comes under $500.

    Comparison Table
    Preview ProductTop Pick
    Asus Vivobook 15
    FeaturesProcessor: Intel Core i5-1035G1
    GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
    RAM: 8 GB DDR4
    Storage: 512 GB SSD
    Availability
    Check Latest Price
    Read Review
    Preview ProductHP Laptop 15-EF1020NR FeaturesProcessor: Intel Core i7-7200U with 2.50 GHz
    GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620 4 GB
    RAM: 8 GB
    Storage: 2 TB
    Availability
    Check Latest Price
    Read Review
    Preview ProductBest Budget
    Acer Aspire 5
    FeaturesProcessor: Intel Core i7-7200U with 2.50 GHz
    GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3
    RAM: 12 GB DDR4
    Storage: 256 GB SSD
    Availability
    Check Latest Price
    Read Review
    Preview ProductHP 15-DY1036NR FeaturesProcessor: Intel Core i5-1035G1 10th Gen
    GPU: Intel UHD GPU
    RAM: 8 GB DDR4
    Storage: 256 GB SSD
    Availability
    Check Latest Price
    Read Review
    Preview ProductBest Value
    Lenovo IdeaPad 3
    FeaturesProcessor: AMD Ryzen 5 3500u 2.1 GHz
    GPU: AMD Integrated Graphics
    RAM: 8 GB DDR4
    Storage: 256 GB SSD
    Availability
    Check Latest Price
    Read Review
    Preview ProductHP 14 Gaming Laptop FeaturesProcessor: AMD Ryzen 3 3200Uwith 3.50 GHz
    GPU: Radeon Vega 3
    RAM: 8 GB
    Storage: 128 GB SSD (PCIe)
    Availability
    Check Latest Price
    Read Review
    Preview ProductNewest Dell Inspiron 15 FeaturesProcessor: Intel 2-Core 4205U
    GPU: ‎AMD Integrated Graphics
    RAM: 4 GB
    Storage: 1 TB HDD
    Availability
    Check Latest Price
    Read Review

    1. Asus Vivobook 15

    Asus Vivobook 15 Gaming Laptop

    Specifications

    CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G1
    GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
    RAM: 8GB
    Storage: 512 GB SSD
    Display: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080
    Battery: 5:20
    Size:  14.1 x 9.2 x 0.8 inches
    Weight: 3.7 pounds
    Operating system: Windows 10 Home

    The Asus Vivo Book 15 is a low-priced options from Asus that manage to deliver a premium look and sleek design.

    ASUS VivoBook15 is a compact laptop having a frameless four-sided Nano Edge display that offers an ultra slim 5.7mm bezel to give an 88% screen-to body radio. Such features make the visuals supremely immersive. It has Ergo Lift hinge design that tilts the keyboard up for comfortable typing. Vivo Book 15 is powered by up to the latest AMD Ryzen™ 5 processor and dual storage drives to help you get things done with the least amount of fuss. 

    It has 15.6 inch Full HD (1920×1080) display. Its CPU has 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 CPU. For RAM, it is 8 GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD. For fun gaming experience, it has Ergonomic backlit keyboard with fingerprint sensor.

    Given the price, the overall size and weight of the Vivo Book 15, a laptop with a 15.6-inch screen, 512 storage and 8GB RAM is a pleasant surprise and worthy purchase.

    Pros
    • It has a beautiful and premium design.
    • It has a battery life of 4-5 hours.
    • It has many ports available.
    Cons
    • It has dim display
    • The audio system is not strong.
    Want to Buy? We’ve got you covered.

    2. HP Laptop 15-EF1020NR

    Specifications

    CPU: Intel Core i7-7200U with 2.50 GHz
    GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620 with 4GB graphics memory
    RAM: 8GB
    Storage: 2 TB
    Display: 15.6-inch, 1366 x 780
    Battery: 5:20
    Weight: 2 kg
    Operating System: Windows 10 Home

    HP touchscreen laptop is a great choice for unparalleled performance. It has a 15 inch wide screen with 1366 x 780 resolution. It has two terabytes of memory so you are free to download any heavy sized game you desire. It is also packed with 8 GB RAM to ensure multi-tasking performance is ensured. The graphics processor is the Intel HD Graphics 620 that presents a well-enhanced visual display by rendering clear, bright, and sharp pictures and videos. 

    It is packed with Intel Core i5- 7200U CPU with 2.50 GHz rendering unbeatable performance. It has a smooth ride keyboard along with a numeric pad. The keyboard is soft to touch and play. The laptop can withstand high pressure games and is a prochoice for heavy games.

    It has 31 WH Li-Ion battery offering 8 hours of performance. In short, the laptop performance is very smooth and delivers good speed when you are working on CPU demanding tasks like gaming. The laptop is very strong in performance and light in weight to carry.

    Pros
    • The laptop is fast and reliable
    • The laptop runs smooth with no issue of heating up fast or freezing
    • The keyboard is nice and soft
    • The battery life is impressive. It can work eight hours straight.
    Cons
    • Software upgrade causes issue
    Want to Buy? We’ve got you covered.

    3. Acer Aspire 5

    Specifications

    CPU: Intel Core i7-7200U with 2.50 GHz
    GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics
    RAM: 12GB
    Storage: 256 GB
    Display: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels
    Weight: 3.97 lbs
    Operating System: Windows 10 Home

    Acer Aspire 5 comes with 15.6 inches Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED backlit IPS Display and for graphic processing, it has AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics. It has 3-cell lithium-ion that works up to 6 hours battery life mixed-use. RAM is upgraded to 12GB DDR4 memory for multitasking. It has adequate high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run the high storage games.  

    The Hard Drive comes with 256GB SSD provides massive storage space for huge files, hence you can store important digital data and work your way through it with ease.

    It is packed with 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Port, 2 USB 2.0 Ports & 1 HDMI Port with HDCP support,802.11ac Wi-Fi; Backlit Keyboard. It has all the good features to make it to our list.

    Pros
    • It has plenty of ports including one for USB-C and Ethernet.
    • It has a smooth keyboard with backlighting.
    Cons
    • None
    Want to Buy? We’ve got you covered.

    4. HP 15-DY1036NR

    Specifications

    CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G1 10th Gen
    GPU: Intel UHD graphics card
    RAM: 8GB DDR4
    Storage: 256 GB Flash Memory Solid State
    Display: 15-inch, 1920 x 1080
    Weight: 3.97 lbs|
    Operating System: Windows 10

    The HP 15-dy1036nr is a well-designed notebook that offers a strong performance at a very fair price. It has surprisingly very few faults for a value laptop. The HP 15 weighs 3.5 pounds. It has a 15-inch 1920 x 1080 resolution. It has the 10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 to ensure strong performance matched with efficiency.

    It has 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage to give it a serious boost over similar machines with traditional rotating hard drives. For graphics, you have Intel UHD graphics card that is quite usable for basic tasks that utilize an integrated card, though itself is definitely not enough to power AAA gaming. Its battery life lasts about 9 hours.

    Pros
    • It has a strong processor and performance.
    • It has a tactile keyboard.
    Cons
    • Display gets dull with time.
    • It lacks backlit keyboard.
    Want to Buy? We’ve got you covered.

    5. Lenovo IdeaPad 3

    Specifications

    CPU: 2.1 GHz ryzen_5_3500u
    GPU: AMD Integrated Graphics
    RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
    Storage: 256 GB Flash Memory Solid State
    Display: 14-inch, 1920 x 1080
    Weight: 3.3 lbs
    Operating System: Windows 10

    The Idea Pad 3 comes with 14-inch resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels. It has Radeon AMD integrated Graphics that is enough to withstand your powerful games and tasks. It has integrated Intel UHD Graphics G1 setup that is suitable to run high graphics games. It has h 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 256 GB of SSD internal storage.

    It comes with the Windows 10 S Mode that you can switch to the Windows 10 Home for free. It has battery life of 3-4 hours. This laptop can run applications and websites very smoothly. It has a smooth and durable laptops, making the extensive hours of typing and gaming easy.

    Pros
    • It has a durable and strong built-up.
    • It has a good keyboard, making the typing experience comfortable.
    Cons
    • Screen get dull. It could be brighter.
    • It has an average battery life.
    Want to Buy? We’ve got you covered.

    6. HP 14 Gaming Laptop

    Specifications

    CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3200Uwith 3.50 GHz
    GPU: Radeon Vega 3 Graphics
    RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM
    Storage: Solid-state drive (SSD) 128GB
    Display: 14-inch, 1366 x 768
    Battery: 5:20
    Weight: 1.47 kg
    Operating System: Windows 10 in S Mode

    This HP 14-dk0731ms is a lightweight and portable home as well as a business laptop. The display of this HP 14″ touchscreen home and business laptop is a 14″ touchscreen display, with LED backlight and 1366×768 HD screen resolution.

    This HP 14” touchscreen home and business laptop has AMD’s new CPU processor, the Ryzen 3 3200U processor. It is considered as a gaming laptop because it has integrated graphics, the Vega 3. This graphic card lets you play light games at lower resolutions and settings.

    It has DDR4-2400Mhz 8GB RAM which is installed in two RAM slots. (2x 4GB). This dual-channel memory gives 20-30% improved performance. There is a 128GB of SSD in this HP 14″ touchscreen home and business laptop. This laptop does not have a fingerprint scanner. This laptop has USB-C port, USB 3 port and an SD slot.

    Pros
    • It’s a touchscreen machine
    • It is light-weight and easy to carry.
    • It has fast performance due to Ryzen 3-3200U processor.
    Cons
    • It has no fingerprint scanner.
    Want to Buy? We’ve got you covered.

    7. Newest Dell Inspiron 15

    Specifications

    CPU: Intel 2-Core 4205U Processor
    GPU: AMD Integrated Graphics
    RAM: 4GB RAM
    Storage: 1 TB HDD
    Display: 15-inch, 1366 X 738 pixels
    Weight: 4.8 lbs
    Operating system: Windows 10

    The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 comes with 15-inch resolution 1366 x 768 pixels. It has Intel Pentium N3710 processor.  It has integrated Intel UHD Graphics 610 that is suitable to run high graphics games. It has 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 1 TB of HDD internal storage. It comes with the Windows 10. It has battery life of 3-4 hours.

    This laptop can run applications and websites very smoothly. Dell has a good constructed keyboard, which feels smooth to the touch but is very flexible. This laptop built-up can support small graphics games.

    Pros
    • It has a durable and good build-up.
    • It has a decent battery life.
    Cons
    • It has a dim display.
    • Its performance gets slow when used for hours.
    Want to Buy? We’ve got you covered.

    Looking for Gaming PC instead? Check out Best Prebuilt Gaming Setups

    Buyer’s Guide to Best Cheap Gaming Laptop under 500 USD

    What is the best gaming laptop under 500 and What to expect?

    It is always a difficult task to choose one laptop out of million others. To select a good laptop, first you have to set up your budget that falls within your affordability. After that you have to see the brands that offers the laptops under those budget. To select a good gaming laptop you need to have a knowledge of gaming laptops specifications and features. There are specific features that a gaming laptop should have to give you an unparalleled gaming experience. To give you a good knowledge about the specifications and features of the laptops beforehand, here is a detailed explanation of all the specs and features a gamer should know of!

    If you are looking for a best laptop under 500. Here is a buyer’s guide to explain you what to look for a good gaming laptop in your tight budget.

    CPU

    Under this price, you can a Core i5 processor or Core i7 processor. However, for a gaming laptop you need a quality GPU than a CPU.

    GPU

    The GPU are the essential things you need for an optimum gaming performance. GPU stands for ‘Graphics processing units’- a specialized processor that is designed for graphics rendering. Here are the best GPUs you can consider in the gaming laptops. At the moment, the majority of gaming notebook comes with Nvidia GeForce GTX or RTX GPUs. The latest graphics cards on the Nvidia series are the newest RTX 30-series cards, from the RTX 3060 Max-Q through the RTX 3080. On the AMD front, there’s the Radeon RX 5000M series, which consists of the RX 5500M for budget systems, the RX 5600M and RX 5700M. Though under 500 dollars, you a buy an entry-level gaming, you can get a GTX 1650 or RX 5500M. It will let you let all the games almost.

    RAM

    Gaming laptops need a good RAM capacity. Under this price range, 8GB is our recommendation. You can go for 16GB also on a gaming PC. If you can’t get your laptop with 16GB of RAM now, consider upgrading it in the near future. Memory is upgradeable in many gaming laptops, so you can upgrade later.

    STORAGE

    A gaming laptop should have at least 512 GB storage to install a few games. But if you are planning to install several AAA title games, you need at least 1 TB of data storage space. Like memory, storage is often upgradeable in gaming notebooks. So if you need more space, you can upgrade it in a 2TB.

    DISPLAY AND KEYBOARD

    You should not be getting anything less than a full HD display of resolution 1920 x 1080. The 15-17 -inch Display is an optimum choice. The keyboard should have a smooth flow and have LED backlighting to provide the precision you need even in complete darkness.

    Best Cheap Gaming Laptops Brands

    Here are some brands that offers you cheap gaming laptop under 500.

    Asus

    Asus is a Taiwanese multinational computer and phones based company. There products include desktop computers, laptops, netbooks and mobile phones. Asus is world’s 5th biggest PC vendor. It also appeared in BusinessWeek’s “InfoTech100” and “Asia’s Top 10 IT companies.

    HP

    HP that now goes by HP Inc. is one of the largest information technology based multinational company in the America. HP develops and provides a wide range of electronics including the laptops. HP laptops are backed up with smart designs and great battery life.

    Acer

    Acer is a Taiwanese company well-known for affordable laptops. Its laptops are famous for being great machines with exceptional value for money. It offers from windows convertibles to chrome books. Acer share similar specifications with HP, but in the affordable range.

    Lenovo

    Lenovo is a computer brand based in China and incorporated in Hong Kong. It is considered as a good brand because of their wide selection of laptops and specifications it offers. They offer some of the best quality and durable laptop brands.

    Dell

    Who does not know Dell? Dell is a multinational based in the US. Dell is known for its wide range of laptops, docks, monitors, and computer based applications. Their laptops and desktops use Windows Microsoft. There is a Dell product for every user! Dell have a wide range of great durable laptops to select from and some of those falls into our 500 dollars budget!

    For the Gaming at comfort, Check out Best Gaming Chairs for Big Guys

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

    Is Core-i5 processor good for gaming?

    Yes. It is good enough for gaming. Intel Core i5 is a great processor that is made for mainstream users that can boost the performance, speed and graphics. Core i5 is suitable for most of the tasks, even the heavy gaming.

    How much RAM is required for gaming?

    You need at least 8 GB RAM for gaming. Your PC will run most of the games smoothly with this much RAM.

    What is a cheap laptop for gaming?

    We can’t define a clear-cut value as the definition for cheap laptops. We have taken 500 dollars as a cut-off value and reviewed some of the best laptops in this range.

    What is the best laptop for gaming under 500?

    It is true that gaming laptops for less than $500 exists. The selection of best gaming laptop depends upon the types of game you play and the level of graphical settings. If your need is a low graphics demanding game, then you can surely get a best gaming laptop under 500.

    Pro Tips for Best Gaming Laptop under 500

    Here are some tips to optimize your gaming laptop and enjoy the best gaming experience!

    1. Keep the laptop dust-free and clean to improve your gaming experience. Dusts and dirt are enemies of the performance so you have to keep your laptop away from them. As they disturb the airflow and results the system to heat up.
    2. Switch on the gaming mode available on your Windows 10. Window 10 is equipped with an Xbox app that features screen recording, streaming and game mode. Go to settings > gaming > Xbox Game Bar and switch on the gaming mode. Once the gaming mode is on, the window 10 will run the games with optimum settings.
    3. Manage your automatic updates and downloads for smooth gaming process. The uninstalled updates and reminders impact the system’s performance and can ruin your pro gaming experience.

    Final Verdict

    All of the laptops we have selected are fantastic option for gaming laptops. They are of great value and have all the needed features that are required to give an excellent among experience.

    When choosing a gaming laptop, the first thing you will go for is the budget. Once you have set your budget, see the GPU, screen resolution and CPU of the gaming laptops you’re aiming for. Also, make sure that the laptop has good battery life and keyboard to ensure a fantastic gaming experience.

    Also, look for the companies the laptops are from. Some of the best laptops are of HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer and Asus. We would recommend you to go for a laptop from our list of cheap gaming laptop under $500.

    You do not have to spend thousands of bucks to have a good gaming laptop. There are good options for a laptop too under $500. Go through our list, select a laptop, read Amazon reviews about them and make the purchase!

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