Cheap Gaming Laptops Under $500 In 2022

Finding a cheap gaming laptop under $500 is not an easy task. With the growing competition in the gaming industry, it has become even difficult to find yourself a good device. Even though finding a good device under budget is quite a hassle, it’s not impossible.

However, to make the process easier for gamers like you, our team decided to analyze the gaming market to find out what’s best in budget gaming laptops. So, if you are looking for the best cheap gaming laptop under $500 then you have come to the right place. 

Related Guide: Best Gaming Laptops Under $600 With SSD

Now, without further discussion, let’s get started.

Quick Overview: Top 7 Best Cheap Gaming Laptops Under $500

If you are a gamer then you will be aware of the fact that a good gaming device requires good features and high-end performance for smooth gaming experiences. But when you are on a budget, you might have to compromise some things as well.

Lucky for you, our tech team analyzed tons of laptops and after lengthy research, we found the top 7 cheap gaming laptops under $500 for your usage. 

Following is a list of the gaming laptops that we chose for you.

IMAGE	PRODUCT	FEATURES	PRICE
	Dell Inspiron	Display: 15.6″ Processor: Intel Core i5-7200U RAM: 8GB Hard Disk: 256GB SSD Weight: 5.07 lbs	Check Price
	Acer Aspire 5	Display: 15.6″ Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U RAM: 4GB DDR4 Hard Disk: 128GB SSD Weight: 3.97 lbs	Check Price
	Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15	Display: 15.6″ Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H RAM: 8GB DDR4 Hard Disk: 256GB SSD Weight: 4.96 lbs	Check Price
	2021 Newest HP	Display: 14″ Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U RAM: 8GB DDR4 Hard Disk: 256GB NVMe TLC SSD Weight: 3.11 lbs	Check Price
	Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14	Display: 14″ Processor: AMD Athlon 3050U(Up to 3.2GHz) RAM: 16GB Hard Disk: 128GB SSD + 64GB eMMC Weight: 3.24 lbs	Check Price
	Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K	Display: 15.6″ Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3350U Quad-Core RAM: 4GB DDR4 Hard Disk: 128GB NVMe SSD Weight: 3.97 lbs	Check Price
	2021 Lenovo IdeaPad 3	Display: 15.6″ Processor: Intel Core i3-10110U RAM: 8GB Hard Disk: 256GB Weight: 4.07 lbs	Check Price

Now, let’s move forward towards the in-depth review.

 

CPU and GPU

When it comes to performance, the first thing that comes to mind is the processor and graphics card of a laptop. In the case of Dell Inspiron I3567, you will get a 7th generation Intel Core i5-7200U processor. This processor is powerful enough to boost your favorite games so that you can get a better experience overall. This dual-core processor has a base frequency of 2.5 GHz. Meanwhile, in turbo mode, the base frequency becomes 3.1 GHz. 

Even though this device boasts a powerful processor, it comes with an integrated Intel Graphics HD 620 Graphics which binds you with low-end PC games such as Minecraft, Portal 2, Among Us, Assassin’s Creed, etc. You can get good frame rates in low-end games. But when it comes to AAA games like GTA V, Dell Inspiron I3567 allows you to play on low settings. But low settings equals low frame rates which can disturb the overall gaming experience.

RAM and Storage

The Dell Inspiron I3567 features 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD that speed up this laptop a little more. With 8GB of RAM, your device enables you to play different games with good performance and better frame rates. Meanwhile, getting a 256GB SSD allows you to download and install different games on the go. 

You can also save your game files with 256GB of Storage without facing any issues.

Keyboard and Display

Dell Inspiron I3567 comes with 15.6 inches screen size accompanied by a 1366 x 768p HD resolution. Given the price of this laptop, it should offer a full HD display for smooth visuals. However still, the overall resolution is good enough to provide an outstanding gaming experience.

The keyboard offered by this laptop is quite comfortable, however, it doesn’t support backlit technology.

Connectivity and Warranty

For ports and connectivity, the Dell Inspiron I3567 comes with a wide range of options. For instance, it features two USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port, Ethernet Connectivity, as well as Bluetooth technology.

Dell provides one year warranty with the Dell Inspiron I3567 laptop.

What makes it a good laptop?

This laptop is an excellent choice for gaming because of its processor, RAM, and storage capacity. Other than that the connectivity options and battery life of this device are also amazing. Combining all these specifications and plus points, the Dell Inspiron I3567 is a good gaming laptop.

 

CPU and GPU

First of all, let’s talk about the processor in Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L. This laptop is equipped with a dual-core 3.5 GHz AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor. The Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L is a base model in the Acer Aspire 5 lineup. 

In order to provide better visuals and graphics, this laptop comes with AMD Vega 3 graphics card. This laptop is a good fit for casual gaming, however, if you want to enjoy playing high-end games then you will have to configure them with low graphics settings. The overall performance of this laptop is quite good.

RAM and Storage

Next up, we will discuss the RAM and storage space in this laptop. Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L is equipped with 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD Storage to help store most of your files. I must say that I’m quite satisfied with the storage space but you can find better models on this list that offer more than 4GB RAM.

Keyboard and Display

This laptop is equipped with a 15.6 inches display screen followed by a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The screen of this laptop features an In-Plane Switching panel to provide better color quality and vivid images. Overall, the display quality of the Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L is quite good. 

The keyboard offered by this laptop is of great quality. The best part is that it is equipped with backlit technology as well. When typing or when playing games the keyboard becomes very flexible. 

Connectivity and Warranty

When it comes to ports and connectivity, Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L offers an HDMI port, a LAN port, two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Acer provides a one year warranty for Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L.

What makes it a good laptop?

This laptop is a good fit because it is an all-rounder device. It runs smoothly during gaming sessions, and you can also perform multiple tasks on it without any hassle. 

CPU and GPU

First of all, let’s talk about the performance of this laptop given its processor and graphics card. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 comes with AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor which gives a strong performance boost to this laptop.

Other than the powerful CPU, it comes with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card. Even though this device comes at an affordable price, the addition of the GTX 1650 allows you to play almost all of the high-grade games at maximum resolution easily.

RAM and Storage

The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB Storage. In my opinion, 8GB of RAM will be enough for your gaming tasks. But the storage space can become a little less to download your favorite games. 

Keyboard and Display

The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 boasts a full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution along with a 15.6 inches display screen. The best thing about the display of this laptop is the refresh rate. You see, Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 provides a 120Hz refresh rate which means you can get more than 120 frame rates per second in your favorite game while playing on a full HD resolution.

The keyboard of this device comes with RGB lighting with different colors for every zone in this laptop. Moreover, Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a comfy keyboard that gamers like you will love for sure.

Connectivity and Warranty

This laptop comes with rich ports and connectivity options. In Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 you will get two USB 3.1 type-A ports, a headphone jack, a USB Type C port, an HDMI port along a LAN port.

Lenovo offers a year warranty for this device.

What makes it a good laptop?

Well, the reason why Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is a good laptop is that it is equipped with a high-quality display, a powerful processor, and a strong graphics card. The combination of all these components makes this device unbeatable among other budget gaming laptops.

Also Consider: Gaming Laptops Under $1300

CPU and GPU

First, let’s discuss the overall performance of this laptop involving its processor and graphics card.

The 2021 Newest HP 14” is equipped with a 3.2 GHz AMD Athlon 3050U processor to boost the efficiency of this device up to a good level. Moreover, with this processor, you can experience smooth gaming as well.

As for the graphics card, this device provides AMD Radeon graphics, which is good for simple and casual gaming, to play high-end games you have to go with low graphics settings.

RAM and Storage

The best part regarding this budget gaming laptop is its 16GB of RAM which gives a potential boost to your overall performance. Due to its RAM, you can seamlessly do other tasks such as video editing on this device as well. For storage space, the 2021 Newest HP 14” offers 128GB SSD and 64GB eMMC storage to help you store large gaming files on the go. 

Keyboard and Display

This laptop comes with a 14 inches display with an HD resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. To be honest, given the price of this laptop I was expecting a full HD 1080p resolution. There are other gaming laptops that are providing an FHD resolution at the same price. However, you don’t have to worry about it because 768p isn’t that bad for your gaming tasks. 

The keyboard offered by this device is comfortable and smooth upon touch. However, it doesn’t offer backlit technology.

Connectivity and Warranty

For connectivity, this device is equipped with a USB Type-A port, a USB Type-C port, an HDMI port, a LAN port, and an audio line-out slot.

HP provides its users with a 1-year warranty for this device.

What makes it a good laptop?

Well, although I’m not impressed with the graphics, I still think this device is a good one because of its fast performance. You can play simple games on this laptop but you can do other high-grade tasks without any hassle on this device. 

CPU and GPU

First of all, we will talk about the processor and graphics card attached to this device. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14 is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor which allows users to get exceptional performance. 

With the addition of this powerful processor, you will be able to enjoy most of your favorite games with a speedy experience. Moreover, this laptop can also run high-end software for different tasks.

For better graphics in most of your games, this device comes with AMD Radeon 7 graphics card. This graphics card is capable of running most of your modern and high-end games, such as Grand Theft Auto 5, Valorant, and Call of Duty: War Zone, etc at high resolution.

RAM and Storage

The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14 is equipped with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD Storage to help you store your important data and game files on the go.

In my opinion, 8GB of RAM is enough to offer a speedy performance but the storage space is quite less. Given the size of the majority of modern games, 256GB isn’t a good idea.

Keyboard and Display

The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14 is equipped with a 14 inches display screen followed by thin bezels that help you enjoy playing games even more. Other than that, this device also provides a full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) to enhance the overall game visuals.

This laptop comes with a convenient and soft keyboard for your ease. The key travel among the keys is ideal. Moreover, the touchpad of this laptop is quite responsive as well.

Connectivity and Warranty

For ports and connectivity, this device comes with a total of three USB Type-A ports, a single USB Type C port, an HDMI port to help connect with an external display, a headphone jack, and an SD card slot. This laptop also provides Wi-Fi 6 support along with wireless Bluetooth connectivity.

Lenovo provides a year of warranty for Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14.

What makes it a good laptop?

There are a lot of things regarding the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14 which make it a good laptop. For instance, this device offers speedy performance with high-end graphics for gaming. Other than that, it features a good storage and RAM combination along with vast connectivity options.

CPU and GPU

For better performance, the Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K is equipped with a quad-core AMD Ryzen 3 3350U processor. Originally, this laptop was designed to be a powerhouse for professionals to handle most of their tasks. But due to its sturdy components and exceptional performance it became a good choice for budget gaming as well.

Well, for graphics Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K features an Integrated graphics card, that is Intel Iris Xe Graphics. I was quite disappointed with the graphics card but given the price of this laptop, the GPU is suitable. You can still play games like Minecraft, etc.

RAM and Storage

Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K comes with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage to speed up the performance. You can easily store all of your important documents, media, and game files on this laptop as well. 

For storing your game files, 128GB Storage may seem low to some people, but for a budget gaming laptop, it is a good addition.

Keyboard and Display

The Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K offers a 15.6 inches display screen followed by a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The display screen of this laptop is equipped with In-Plane Switching panels that deliver an exceptional color quality along with wide viewing angles. The peak brightness of this laptop is around 267 nits making this device a perfect choice for indoor and outdoor usage.

Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K features a comfortable keyboard with a narrow 10-key Numpad as well. Its keyboard also features backlit technology that seems to be absent in most of the laptops coming at the same price.

Connectivity and Warranty

The ports and connectivity options offered by this device are quite rich. With Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K you will get two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C port, a LAN port, a USB 2.0 Type-A port, and an HDMI port to connect with external displays. 

The Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K offers a limited warranty of one year.

What makes it a good laptop?

There are a lot of things that make the Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K a good laptop. The main reason why I think this laptop is a good fit is that it provides exceptional performance, it is equipped with a high-quality display and the connectivity options are also rich. 

The best part is that this device comes at an affordable price.

CPU and GPU

First of all, let’s talk about the performance of this laptop which mainly involves the processor and the graphics card. In the case of the 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad 3, you will get the 10th generation Intel Core i3-10110U processor with more than 4.10 GHz speed. This processor makes it easy to play games easily without any hassle. 

For graphics, the 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 comes with an Integrated Intel UHD Graphics GPU. Well, I was quite disappointed with the graphics card of this laptop. Given its price, I think the GPU could have been better than Intel Integrated Graphics. Unfortunately, for gamers who are into modern games that require more video graphics then this laptop isn’t a good choice. You can check out other options on our list or else if you want a device to play simple games then go for the 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad 3.

RAM and Storage

To make the overall performance better, this device comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM to help play games and use different applications without any issue. Other than the high-bandwidth RAM, this device features a 256GB SSD storage space to store your game files and other essential data easily.

Keyboard and Display

The 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 provides a 15.6 inches screen accompanied by a screen resolution of 1366 x 768 HD. I know, you might be a little disappointed with the resolution but the good thing is this laptop provides a 10-point multitouch screen as well. 

On the contrary, this laptop comes with a comfortable keyboard with a number pad as well.

Connectivity and Warranty

For ports and connectivity, the 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 offers endless options. For instance, you will get a USB 2.0 port, a pair of USB 3.0 Type-A ports, an HDMI port, a headphone/mic jack, and an SD card reader as well. The 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 also provides Wi-Fi 5 compatibility with Bluetooth connectivity as well.

The 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 comes with a limited warranty of one year.

What makes it a good laptop?

In my opinion, the 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a good laptop for professional tasks and casual gaming. This is because it provides good performance, followed by high-bandwidth RAM, and good storage space as well.

Buying Guide: Best Gaming Laptop Under $500

There are a lot of things to look for while buying a gaming laptop. Imagine spending hundreds of dollars on a device without research and it can’t even run your favorite game. Well, that definitely sucks.

If you want to avoid such situations then the best thing to do is to remember a few things before you buy a gaming laptop under $500.

Lucky for you, we have compiled a detailed buying guide so let’s get started with it.

Performance (CPU and GPU)

First of all, you have to check the performance of the gaming laptop that you’re about to buy. For better performance, your laptop requires a strong processor and a good-quality graphics card. 

In terms of processor, your laptop should support an Intel Core i5 processor or better than that for a good gaming experience. As for graphics cards, you would definitely require something from NVIDIA if you want to play high-end games.

Display Screen & Resolution

The next important thing to look for is the display of a laptop that mainly comes with its screen size and resolution. In the case of laptops, the ideal screen size of gaming is from 14 to 17 inches. Moreover, the screen resolution of your laptop should be 1920 x 1080p full HD if you want to get the ultimate gaming experience.

Other things that also count in the overall display quality include the panel type, peak brightness, response time, refresh rate, and contrast ratio. What we recommend is to get a laptop that comes with In-Plane Switching panels to get wide viewing angles and amazing color quality in your games. 

Other than that, a peak brightness of 250-300 nits would be ideal to use your laptop in indoor and outdoor environments. With In-Plane Switching panels you will get around 2-3 ms of response time which is ideal for gaming. Moreover, the refresh rate of your laptop should be at least 60 Hertz. What we recommend is to get a laptop with 120 Hertz of refresh rate for better FPS in games.

RAM and Storage

Another important thing that counts up to the performance of your gaming laptop is the RAM and storage space. Well, for gaming purposes, I strongly recommend you to get at least 4GB of RAM. The ideal RAM for a gaming device is 8GB. You can definitely check our detailed product reviews where we have listed laptops with 4GB, 8GB, and even 16GB of RAM.

For storage, a solid-state drive is far better than a hard drive. Truth be told, an SSD makes your laptop even faster as compared to a hard drive. So while choosing the best gaming laptop for yourself, check out the ones that offer storage space of 512GB SSD or 1TB SSD (which is even better). However, for budget gaming laptops, you are more likely to get 256GB of SSD storage which is a great drawback because most of the games have file sizes ranging from 70 to 100GB.

Connectivity Options

A budget gaming device should provide USB Type-A ports, USB Type-C ports, a single HDMI port would be better for connecting your device with an external display. Other than that, a microSD card slot is preferred along with a headphone jack.

For connectivity, check if your gaming laptop provides Wi-Fi 6 compatibility as well as BlueTooth connectivity or not. 

Battery Life

Another important thing to consider is the battery backup of your gaming laptop. Your device should provide a battery life of at least 7 to 11 hours so that you can get undisturbed gaming experiences.

If you are under budget, then you are more likely to come across devices with 6 to 9 hours of battery life. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get a good gaming laptop under 500?

Yes, you can definitely get a good gaming laptop for under 500 dollars. In fact, if you want a good gaming device under budget then you can check out our list where we have listed different laptops coming with powerful processors, high-end graphics cards, high-bandwidth RAM, long battery life, and SSD storage.

How much RAM do I need for gaming?

If you like to play high-end games then I think an 8GB of RAM should be enough. However, with the increasing updates launching for several AAA games, the demands of having more RAM are constantly increasing. That’s why if you want a one-stop solution go for 12 GB of RAM.

Does RAM increase FPS?

If your device has lower RAM then upgrading it to more might increase your FPS in most of the games. You will feel a difference in your gameplay after upgrading your RAM. So give it a shot.

Does SSD increase FPS?

No, an SSD doesn’t increase FPS or affect your gaming performance at all. A solid-state drive enhances the overall performance of your device and makes it faster but it has nothing to do with your gaming experience. 

Conclusion

So this was all about the best cheap gaming laptops under $500. I hope that by the end of this article you will be able to choose the right gaming device that suits your needs. Well, if you haven’t then make sure to follow our detailed buying guide before finalizing your device.

Our tech team has researched dozens of gaming laptops available in the market to find out the best ones for you. Still, at some point if you are confused about something or if you have any questions then let us know in the comments section.