A few years ago, buying a gaming laptop meant you had to spend thousands of dollars for a big and bulky thing that could barely play most video games for more than an hour. Luckily, that has changed drastically in the past two to three years, and you can now get some really excellent laptops, even at budget prices. That said, gaming laptops do remain expensive compared to non-gaming laptops, especially if you want to play some of the best PC games, which is why we’ve gone out and found our favorite gaming laptop deals for you. We’ve picked several choices at different prices and performance brackets, so you can pick something that fits your needs best, and if you’re not totally convinced and might want something else, you can check out these laptop deals.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is an excellent budget option, and while it won’t be able to play the latest games at max settings, it’s still pretty good. Under the hood it has an RTX 3050, which is an entry-level GPU that will handle most free-to-play games relatively ok with lower graphical settings. It also comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS processor, which is a mid-range option and will handle most games just fine, plus will let you get some productivity work done as well. As for the screen, it’s 15.6 inches big and runs at FHD at 120Hz refresh, which won’t massively stress the RTX 3050, which is good.
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 — $800, was $1,200
Acer
If you want something with a bit more power and yet still budget-friendly, this Acer Predator Helios Neo is the perfect match, especially since it runs an RTX 4050 under the hood which, again, is an entry-level GPU, but it does give you access to DLSS 3.0. You also get a larger 16-inch screen with a whopping 165Hz refresh rate, although the resolution sits at FHD, which actually isn’t a bad thing considering you’re more likely to hit a higher refresh rate with the lower resolution. Luckily, even for being a budget gaming laptop you get 16GB of DDR5 RAM, so you won’t have trouble running lots of windows an apps, although the 512GB of storage could be a bit bigger in an ideal world.
The Acer Nitro 5 is a good gaming laptop to consider if you’re looking for some value. It has internal hardware that’s hard to find at such a great price, including a 12th-generation Intel processor with eight cores, 16GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, which is an entry-level GPU. These work together to make your gaming experience immersive and smooth, and a 512GB solid-state drive makes for a lot of space to store your favorite PC games. You also get an impressive 17.3-inch screen that runs at FHD and a 144Hz refresh rate, although the RTX 3050 might struggle with that without graphical setting compromises.
Dell G16 gaming laptop — $1,000, was $1,200
Dell
From one of the best laptop brands, the Dell G16 gaming laptop is a tempting proposition. It has a 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor paired up with 16GB of memory and 1TB of SSD storage. Already onto a good thing with the storage and memory, there’s also an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card, which is great for the majority of the latest games. Perhaps the biggest highlight is its 16-inch QHD+ screen with 2560 x 1600 resolution and 165Hz refresh rate ensuring everything looks super sharp. It all fits into a shell that’s the same size as a 15-inch laptop so it’s more portable than you’d expect.
Lenovo Legion Slim 7i gaming laptop — $1,340, was $1,770
Arif Bacchus / Digital Trends / Digital Trends
Packing a 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor with 16GB of memory and 512GB of SSD storage is a good start for the Lenovo Legion Slim 7i. It also has an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card so it’s all up to date. Paired with that is a 16-inch WQXGA screen with HDR 400 support, 100% sRGB, 500 nits of brightness, 240Hz refresh rate, and 2560 x 1600. That means whatever you play will look gorgeous. Other useful extras include a per-key RGB backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader, and 1080p full HD webcam. It’s sleek and lightweight as you’d expect from the maker of some of the best thin and light gaming laptops. It’s ideal if you have ambitions to stream your gaming time.
Alienware m18 gaming laptop — $1,410, was $1,770
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
From one of the best gaming laptop brands, the Alienware m18 is a great gaming laptop if you want a desktop replacement. It has a 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor paired with 16GB of memory and 1TB of SSD storage. There’s an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, too, but the true highlight here is the huge 16-inch full WQXGA screen with 2560 x 1600 resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and 3ms response time. It means it isn’t the most portable of laptops but it’s perfect if you don’t have the room (or inclination) for a desktop gaming PC. Alienware Cryo-tech advanced cooling gives you plenty of system stability while there’s Dolby Vision support, Dolby Atmos, a great keyboard and much more.
Alienware x14 R2 00 $1,500, was $1,900
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
While there is a lot of focus on bigger screens, there are a lot of great smaller gaming laptops that pack a punch. For example, the Alienware X14 R2 has a 14-inch display, but it runs a 2560 x 1600 resolution and can hit an impressive 165Hz refresh rate. It also comes with an RTX 4060, which should be powerful enough to do a hundred frames or so at medium settings at this resolution, although that can be increased if you play a game that runs on DLSS 3.0. You’ll also be happy to know you get 16GB of DDR5 RAM, an impressive 1TB SSD, and an Intel Core i7-13620H processor, which will easily knock most games and productivity tasks out of the park.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 — $1,600, was $1,950
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends / Digital Trends
If you want one of the best bangs for your buck when it comes to gaming laptops, then the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 is probably it since it balances all the specs really well. It runs an RTX 4070, which is a solid 2K GPU, while also running a 16-inch 2K monitor, so neither is overpowered or underpowered. The monitor can also hit a 240hz refresh rate which, granted, you’ll struggle to hit without serious graphical compromises, but at least you have the option to prioritize what is important for you. It also comes with an Intel Core i9-13900H, one of the most powerful CPUs on the market, so you could even potentially stream to Twitch or YouTube with this laptop, which is neat.
More gaming laptop deals we love
We’ve only touched the surface when it comes to great gaming laptop deals. While we’ve highlighted the very best options, there are many more. This includes some cheap deals as well as some high-end gaming laptops. Brands include HP Omen, Alienware, Lenovo Legion, Asus, and many others. Take a look below at what’s out there.
Hurry! The insane 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 monitor is $300 off
A major purchase from gaming PC deals deserves a top-of-the-line screen like the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 curved gaming monitor, which you can currently get with a $300 discount from Samsung. Instead of $1,300, you'll only have to pay $1,000 for this display, which is a pretty reasonable price for its specifications and features. You're going to have to hurry if you want to make the purchase with this level of savings though, as there's no telling how much time is remaining before this offer ends.
Why you should buy the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 curved gaming monitor
Your gaming desktop's ability to play the best PC games on their highest settings will be wasted if you're stuck on a basic screen, so you should upgrade to the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 curved gaming monitor. The large screen features dual QHD resolution and a 1000R curvature, which will wrap your peripheral vision with the video game that you're playing, plus a 240Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time for smooth action and blur-free frames. The gaming monitor also supports AMD's FreeSync Premium Pro, which eliminates stuttering for a completely immersive gaming experience.
This Lenovo Legion gaming PC deal just dropped below $1,000
A decent gaming PC usually costs more than $1,000, but you can get one for less than that today by taking advantage of Lenovo's offer for the Lenovo Legion Tower 5 Gen 8. From its original price of $1,500, it's down to a more affordable $994 following a 33% discount. There's no telling how much time is remaining before you miss out on the $506 in savings, so if you're interested in this deal, it's highly recommended that you complete the transaction as fast as you can. Today if possible, because tomorrow may already be too late.
Why you should buy the Lenovo Legion Tower 5 Gen 8 gaming PC
If you want to get into PC gaming for a relatively affordable price, the Lenovo Legion Tower 5 Gen 8 is an excellent choice. It's not the most powerful machine out there, but it will be enough for you to enjoy the best PC games with its AMD Ryzen 7 7700X processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, plus 16GB of RAM that's the best place to start for a gaming PC, according to our guide on how much RAM do you need. It's also equipped with an air cooling system and meshed front vents to keep it cool even after hours of playing.
Save $950 off the Alienware x16 gaming laptop with RTX 4080
You should be prepared to spend some serious cash if you want to buy a powerful gaming laptop like the Alienware x16, but fortunately, there are savings that you can enjoy with your purchase. Dell has slashed the machine's price with a $950 discount, so it's down from $3,450 to $2,500 -- it's still not a budget-friendly device, but it's a reasonable price considering its capabilities. This bargain may not last long though, as gaming laptop deals almost always expire sooner than you think, so you have to proceed with the transaction as soon as possible if you're interested.
Why you should buy the Alienware x16 gaming laptop
Get serious about PC gaming with the Alienware x16, which challenges the performance of the best gaming laptops with its Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card, combined with the 13th-generation Intel Core i9 processor and 32GB of RAM that our guide on how much RAM do you need says is the sweet spot for high-end gamers. These specifications will not only let you play the best PC games on their most demanding settings, but also leave you prepared for the upcoming PC games of the next few years.
