When you’re in the market for a new gaming laptop, you need to consider many factors. You’ll want to find one that’s powerful enough for your needs, and also offers features that make it easier to game on the go. And, of course, you’ll have to pay attention to your budget, because you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for a machine that will only last a few months before it becomes obsolete.
The best way to keep up with the latest games is to invest in a high-quality gaming laptop, but it can be hard to decide which model is right for you.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options for gamers looking for the best buy gaming laptop. We’ve rounded up five of our favorite systems to suit a range of budgets and needs, so check them out below!
1. Dell XPS 13 9310
The Dell XPS 13 9310 is one of the best laptops for gaming and productivity. It has a sleek design, powerful performance, and long battery life.
The XPS 13 9310 comes in a range of configurations that let you choose between a UHD+ display or an OLED panel. Professional reviewers generally prefer the OLED option, saying that it makes colors on the screen very crisp and defined.
Regardless of the type of display you choose, it’s a good idea to opt for a resolution that’s higher than 1920 x 1080, as this will allow for better viewing angles. The Dell XPS 13 9310 also supports an optional Intel Optane memory storage system, which can boost performance.
It’s also a great choice for video editors and photographers, as the laptops’ dedicated graphics cards can see you through tasks like 4K photo editing.
Another plus for this model is the Intel HD 620 integrated graphics chip, which will help you play your favorite games with little or no lag. It’s a little less capable than the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti, but it’s still enough to handle most tasks that a dedicated GPU would be required for.
The Intel Core i7 processor, paired with 8GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is more than enough to handle most basic productivity tasks. You can also opt for a second drive, or a microSD card slot for expansion.
You’ll also get a premium keyboard with backlit keys and enough travel to feel your way through typing. The trackpad is also top-notch, thanks to a luxurious feel and reliable responsiveness.
In addition, the laptop ships with a one-year warranty. This is an excellent deal, as it includes both onsite and remote support through Dell’s Customer Connect program.
The XPS 13 9310 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-performance Windows machine that doesn’t break the bank. It offers plenty of features, a comfortable design, and a beautiful display, all for under $1,500. And since it’s older, you can expect to find a bargain on it around major retail events, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
If you need a powerful gaming laptop but don’t have a lot of money to spend, the Dell XPS 13 9370 is a great option. It has a 4K display, eye-popping graphics, and an AMD Ryzen processor, all of which make it a strong option for those who want to play some of the latest games on a PC.
2. HP Spectre x360 14
The Spectre x360 14 is a premium 2-in-1 laptop that delivers the performance and features you’d expect from a top-tier gaming machine. Its 11th-gen Core i5 or i7 processor, 13.5-inch 3:2 display, and solid build quality make it one of the best options in its class.
It’s also easy to work on thanks to a great keyboard and precision touchpad. The keyboard is edge-to-edge, with large square keycaps and ample and satisfying travel. It’s backlit and has a two-stage contrast that makes it easier to see in low light.
This is one of HP’s most comfortable keyboards, and it feels good to use for long periods of time without typing fatigue. The keys are slightly firmer than most other laptops in this class, and there’s plenty of space between the keys to accommodate long typing sessions.
The display is the real star of the Spectre x360 14. It’s 13.5 inches wide, with a 3:2 screen ratio that gives it more vertical space than most 2-in-1 laptops. This is a big improvement over 16:9 displays, and it will allow you to see more text, code, spreadsheet cells, or whatever else on the screen.
It’s a 2K screen, and it has excellent color reproduction, as well as accurate color balance. It’s a bit brighter than many other 13-inch displays, which helps when watching videos or playing games.
For video calls, the Spectre x360 14 has a 1080p webcam that’s great for Zoom meetings. It also has IR capabilities, so you can sign in with face recognition or a fingerprint reader.
If you’re looking for a premium gaming laptop, you’ll have to spend more than $1,000 on the HP Spectre x360 14. However, you’ll get all the features you’d expect from a top-tier machine and a beautiful design.
The Spectre x360 14 is available in three colors: Nightfall Black, Poseidon Blue (accented in silver), and Natural Silver. The chassis’ bronze accents and diagonally cut edges distinguish it from other laptops in this class. It also features a USB-C port installed on the base’s three-sided edge, instead of at a 90-degree angle. That helps keep plugged-in devices from getting stuck in the notch.
You can configure the Spectre x360 14 with an 11th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and 256GB to 2TB SSD storage. You can even get it with Intel Optane memory for faster storage, but that’s an extra cost.
On the graphical side, the Spectre x360 14 can handle games like Civilization VI, Cyberpunk 2077, and Dirtbike, though it didn’t perform quite as well as other laptops in our testing.
3. Lenovo Legion Y520
The Lenovo Legion Y520 is the best buy gaming laptop for gamers on a budget. It has a great graphics processor and plenty of ports that gaming enthusiasts love.
Its 15.6-inch screen is a good size, and the speakers aren’t overpowered or tinny. Its design is subtle, which is great for environments like college or work that don’t allow flashy designs.
A 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ quad-core processor powers this laptop, as does NVIDIA’s GTX 1050 Ti graphics card. This setup delivers enough performance to handle a broad range of Windows Store games at high settings without getting bogged down.
In addition, this laptop has plenty of memory to handle multiple tasks and a 256GB M.2 SSD that can be upgraded to a larger drive at a later date. The laptop also has a full-size HDMI port, USB 3.0 and a headphone jack.
The Y520’s keyboard is a bit large for the size, but it has decent key travel and offers a tactile feel. It also sports a two-step backlighting system that’s red in color to match the rest of the laptop.
Its speakers are also angled to fire directly at the user, rather than on the bottom of the keyboard. This is a better design than many of its competitors, and it gets loud enough for gaming with headphones attached.
While this laptop doesn’t have a built-in web camera, it does come with an optional one that lets you stream games to YouTube and other services. It’s a good feature, but it’s not a must-have.
To get this laptop at its low price point, Lenovo had to sacrifice some things that gamers care about most. The missing camera and backlit keys don’t detract from the Y520’s performance or its decent screen, though. Its battery life is also below average.
The Y520 is a solid mid-range gaming laptop for gamers on a tight budget. Its design makes it easy to pack in a bag, and its performance is excellent for a laptop at this price. The only downsides are that it doesn’t last very long on a charge, its screen doesn’t have the best color accuracy and its speakers are a bit tinny. But that’s a small price to pay for a laptop that can handle everything from Windows Store games to video encoding.
You can configure the Legion Y530 with an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, with memory and storage options available ranging from 8GB to 512GB. You can even buy a hybrid model with a solid-state drive and hard disk.
The Y530’s keyboard has been updated and a lot of space is taken up by big arrow keys that don’t seem to be needed for typing at all.
4. Dell Inspiron 15 5000
The Dell Inspiron 15 5000 is a great choice for gamers looking for a budget laptop that can play games at high settings and resolutions. It’s available in three configurations with Intel’s 8th-gen Whiskey Lake CPUs and a range of memory and storage options.
The Inspiron 15 5000 comes with a 720p, 30fps (frames per second) HD camera that offers an impressive view. It also features intake vents on the top of the keyboard, which draw hot air from the laptop to the surrounding area, keeping it cool.
For gaming, the Inspiron 15 5000 is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce MX350 graphics card that comes with 2GB of GDDR5 vRAM. It has a very good 3D Mark 11 video card benchmark score of 2875, which is quite impressive for this type of laptop.
When it comes to performance, the Inspiron 15 5000 scores 2,210 in PCMark’s Home Conventional test. This is significantly better than Toshiba’s 2,527 and HP’s 2,159.
One of the best features of the Inspiron 15 5000 is its ErgoLift hinge. This hinge lifts the keyboard to a 3-degree angle on opening the lid, which increases circulation and cooling.
In addition to this, the Inspiron 15 5000 has a full-length standard keyboard that’s easy to use and provides plenty of space for typing. It’s also lightweight and compact, so you can carry it around without any problems.
The Inspiron 15 is also well-built, with a sturdy aluminium chassis that’s finished with a premium plastic bezel. It’s also got a lid that raises the base slightly to improve airflow and tilts the keyboard slightly to help with key travel.
There are a number of ports on the Inspiron 15 5000, including two USB-A 3.0 ports, a USB-C port, a HDMI port, and a microSD card slot. It’s also got a headphone jack and a power jack. Its only downside is that it lacks a Thunderbolt port. But if you’re looking for a great-looking laptop that won’t break the bank, this is the one for you!
The Inspiron 15 5000 isn’t the lightest machine in its class, but it’s very sturdy and doesn’t feel too cumbersome to carry around. It’s only 0.78 inches tall and weighs 4.8 pounds, which isn’t too bad compared to some other machines in its price range.
