Buying Guide: Top 6 Best Gaming Laptops Under $500

Buying gaming laptops under $500 is not an easy task. Since high-end gaming requires high-end specs and configuration, you need to spend higher on such laptops for gaming. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a nice deal for gaming laptop under your budget. Here we have listed top 6 best gaming laptops under $500. Get the best bang for your bucks. Buy a gaming laptop for just approx $500.

Whether you are a ‘League of Legends’ fan or ‘Fallout 4’ is your favorite game, you are going to need a souped-up gaming laptop to knob the onslaught. An efficacious gaming computer is capable of outperforming the latest consoles as it features an Ultra HD resolution and 60 frames per second. The better solution for attaining such a powerful rig is to build one yourself that has all the required features as it surely will save you some bucks. Considering price, building a powerful gaming laptop yourself is a better idea when compared to buying a gaming laptop under $500. Meanwhile, not forgetting that a do-it-yourself computer assemblage is no simple feat.

Rather than indulging yourself in such a technical task, buying a gaming laptop under $500 that complies with the basic gaming needs makes a ton of sense. The best thing about gaming laptop is that you will never have to worry about parts compatibility, drivers issue, nor is it necessary to purchase a separate joystick, keyboard, and monitor; as peripherals are fastened to the body of the laptop.

The only thing that can bother you while buying a powerful machine is the price tag. For a decent gaming laptop, you are looking to spend a good amount of money, and that is just to match the latest consoles. If you want to play “Grand Theft Auto” in 4K with all the graphics settings maxed out, you will need to buy Razor or other high-end gaming laptops that are going to cost you around $2000.

In this article, we have delivered our impressions on the five best gaming laptops under $500. Thus, spanning various top laptop brands under the budget of just $500. These are, cut the comedy, the finest gaming laptops you can buy in 2017. Not one is perfect, as indicated by the pros and cons of each entry, but every rig here is well stocked and ready to conquer the hell out of your littered Steam library.

Things to Consider Before Buying Best Gaming Laptops Under $500

For the best gaming and graphics performance, you would be yearning to outfit your laptop with the fastest components you can afford. Let us talk about what you should concede when you are thinking to pull the trigger on a gaming laptop under $500.

Screen Size

Size does matter when it comes to buying a laptop exclusively for gaming. The only thing one should take into account here is that the bigger size results in larger weight. You want to be able to play your favorite games in HD, but you have also got to be able to carry this machine around with you. It is all about what makes someone tick. If you travel around often, and perhaps have the personal desktop computer at home, you may want to consider a 15-inch mid range screen. This is the middle ground. A 13-inch screen is not a suitable choice when it comes to buying a gaming laptop under $500. The screen size you will lose is too much when you are buying a 13-inch laptop to play AAA games at the highest graphic quality.

Gaming laptops are packed full of hardware and cooling materials and can be a strain to carry around in a deliberate fashion. If this is going to be your main rig, though, you probably require a gaming laptop in the 17-inch range. That means you do not sacrifice screen size and can experience games at the highest level of graphical quality.

Price

Certainly, it is fair enough to talk about getting the biggest screen size, but sticking to a budget is also necessary. The price will be defined by the parts within the machine, and you always want to get the best deal identical to your price range. You want to have a machine that operates to the standard of games that you hanker to play but also suits your everyday needs.

GPU

The GPU is the powerhouse of your prospective machine, and it will be the principal thing you want to spend your money on. Everything within a laptop usually revolves around the GPU, as it entirely controls how impressive the games you enjoy on it are going to look.

The vital aspect to take care of when buying a gaming laptop is the distinction between mobile and dedicated GPUs. Some gaming laptops have designed to the point now where they have dedicated units inside. They are noticeably more expensive, but worth a look if it is within your price range.

CPU

A CPU should not be your primary concern once you have decided upon your graphics card. The machine paired with a CPU can handle it finely. However, it is good always to check and make sure that your GPU would not be chocked by the processing power of your CPU. If you like editing or compiling the videos, it might be a favorable idea to give your CPU a boost, as this can sedately help the speed of these actions.

RAM

RAM controls the speed by which you can access the data regardless of where it is stored on the hard-drive. The more RAM your laptop has, the more tasks you can perform at once without slowing down the speed. To put it directly, you are going to be steering for the 8–16 GB range right about now.

RAM certainly is not the most expensive part of your machine, so if conceivable, get as much as you can. Laptops also offer a means to swap out hardware nowadays, so if you cannot get enough at a base level, or if you find a cheap deal, that could be a sound way to add some more precious memory to your rig.

Battery

When you are buying a gaming laptop under $500, you will be hard pressed to find a good battery to go along with it. If you like to travel around, play a few casual games now and then, make sure you are buying a laptop that does not contain too much high-spec hardware. Otherwise, you have to keep it plugged-in at all times depending on your individual system, mainly when you are playing graphically intensive games.

Latest technology laptops plugged-in to a power source can see a significant increase in frame-rate and graphical capacity since the battery supercharges and boosts the tech inside.

Our Pick of Top 5 Best Gaming Laptops Under $500

1. Lenovo G50 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop Under $500

With a 15.6-inch screen, this Lenovo laptop is not the smallest or lightest Windows OS device out there. Anyhow, it strikes a good balance between ample screen space and portability. A top-notch keyboard and trackpad, coupled with a great display, makes the Lenovo G50 a joy to play and browse the web on for very little money at all. On the other hand, if you are willing to shell out a bit more for an attractive design and upgraded performance, the classy Lenovo G50 might be more your style.

This Intel-powered Lenovo G50 gaming laptop boasts a moderately powerful i5-4210U, which processes at a reasonable 1.7GHz. Along with that, this stylish gaming laptop offers a hard drive and an integrated Intel HD 4400 Graphics chipset.

You can enjoy tons of games like Skyrim, GTA IV and GTA V in 720p, and you will be able to pull 30fps most of the time. Frankly speaking, you cannot expect much more from a gaming laptop under $500 price range. The G50 is a decent entry-level gaming laptop, but it falls short of the top spot by not offering a good enough price vs. performance ratio. Still, it makes a good place in affordable gaming laptops under $500. See all specs and features.

Specifications	Pros
Processor: i5-4210U 1.7GHz Graphics: Integrated Intel HD 4400 RAM: 6GB DDR3L Storage: 1TB 5400RPM HDD Display: 1366×768, TN, 15.6″ Operating System: Windows 8.1 Weight: 5.5 lbs Battery Life: Up to 5 hours Price: $492.99 at Amazon	Built-in mic & webcam Dolby Advanced Audio Less than 1 inch thick Built-in CD/DVD drive Integrated Bluetooth & Wi-Fi

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2. ASUS X550ZA 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop

Unlike many iterative laptop upgrades, the ASUS X550ZA feels like an entirely different gaming laptop than its predecessors. Now embellished with edgier looks (literally, as the edges are far more defined) and an aluminum-like chassis, the ASUS X550ZA is quite the stunner.

That is without going on to detail its superior, 15.6-inch display, which is 0.6 inches bigger than its predecessors. The real feat, however, is that the ASUS X550ZA retains a similarly sized shell, not to mention a slimmer body, despite the added screen real estate. The banging set of speakers is a bonus. The sound quality of speakers in this model is dramatically improved than the previous versions.

Featuring a 2.5GHz AMD A10 CPU along with an 8GB of 1600MHz RAM and an integrated Radeon R6 Kaveri GPU, this small laptop surprisingly only weighs 5.1 pounds. However, it still packs a punch and will run the majority of games on medium settings, some newer games like ‘Fallout 4’ or ‘GTA V’ might cause some issues.

Conclusively, the ASUS X550ZA is a great entry-level laptop which works pretty good for gaming and features to do anything else you would want to do on a laptop machine. So, if you are in the market for a smart gaming laptop in the $500 range that is also going to work great for gaming, then the ASUS X550ZA should be your top contender. See all specs and features.

Specifications	Pros
Processor: AMD A10-7400P @ 2.5GHz GPU: Integrated Radeon R6 Kaveri RAM: 8GB DDR3L Storage: 1TB 7200RPM HDD + 128GB SSD Display:1366×768, TN, 15.6″ Operating System: Windows 8.1 Weight: 5.1 lbs Battery Life: Up to 5 hours Price: $437.88 at Amazon	Powerful AMD CPU & Integrated graphics 8GB of RAM Built-in mic & 720p webcam Built-in CD/DVD+RW drive Integrated Bluetooth & WiFi

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3. Lenovo Z50 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop Under $500

One glance at the Lenovo Z50, and you would think it belongs in a mansion. What you may be surprised to discover is that not only does it boast a premium appearance, but the Lenovo Z50 is as powerful as the latest MacBook Air and for a lower price at that. From the beautifully designed hinge to the optional Intel Processor configuration to the trio of USB-C ports, you will not only look like you have one of the most capable (not to mention future-proof) laptops around, but you actually will.

Although it only boasts a 1080p screen which is normal for a gaming laptop, that criticism is trumped by a work of excellent industrial design. Summarizing, the Lenovo Z50 is a level-up from the G50, and it offers more powerful components all-around than other gaming laptops. From the more powerful AMD A10-7300 to a faster grade of GDDR3L RAM.

From the outside, the Z50 is identical to the lesser-ranked G50, which is awesome if you are a fan of a metal-looking laptop. Thin and light with a battery life that exceeds 6 hours which is exceptional for this kind of gaming laptops. The Z50 is going to be able to handle games like CS: GO, DOTA2, Minecraft, and other popular titles on “high” settings while pushing up to 40+fps. It is a great buy, as far as best gaming laptops under $500 go. See all specs and features.

Specifications	Pros
Processor: AMD A10-7300 1.9GHz GPU: Integrated Radeon R6 Kaveri RAM: 8GB DDR3L Storage: 1TB 5400RPM HDD Display: 1366 x 768, TN, 15.6″ Operating System: Windows 8.1 Weight: 5.3 lbs Battery Life: Up to 6 hours Price: $419.98 at Amazon	Built-in mic & 720p webcam 8GB of RAM Dolby Advanced Audio Less than 1 inch thick Built-in DVD/RW drive Integrated Bluetooth & Wifi

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4. HP 15-ay011nr FHD 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop

If you are looking for a Windows alternative to Apple’s latest rose-tinted MacBook, the HP 15-ay011nr might be more your speed. Though it sounds like a Cupertino design from every angle, it is superior to Apple’s creations in most of the features. HP 15-ay011nr is a premium gaming laptop under $500 with 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 processor and Intel graphics. It has 1TB storage and 8GB RAM.

From beautiful design to its sharp display and hearty helping of built-in storage space, the HP 15-ay011nr puts Windows back in style with its crisp design, long battery life and all. While the low-cost is enticing, if you are shopping for something with a bit more horsepower (not to mention an even more compact design), look no further than the HP 15-ay011nr as it is the best gaming laptop under $500 that you buy. See all specs and features.

Specifications	Pros
Processor: 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 RAM: 8 GB DDR3L SDRAM Storage: 1 TB Display: 1920 x 1080, 15.6″ Operating System: Windows 10 Weight: 4.7 lbs Battery Life: Up to 5 hours Price: $459.99 at Amazon	Built-in mic & 720p webcam 8GB of RAM Advanced Audio Very thick laptop Integrated Bluetooth & Wifi

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5. Acer Aspire E5-571-588M 15.6-Inch Laptop for Gaming

The Acer Aspire E5-571 is an excellent laptop under $500 hindered only by its efforts in trying to be a gaming laptop. Price-wise, it has the upper hand against key competitors, but do not be fooled with an Intel i5-4210U processor, the latest Acer Aspire E5-571 is more powerful and power-efficient than ever. Moreover, if you are looking for a more traditional laptop under $500, The Acer Aspire E5-571 is a great gaming laptop for a person on a student’s budget, who also wants to game out from time to time.

It comes with a significantly better processor than the ASUS X551, as well as upgraded integrated graphics. The i5-4210U has a base clock of 1.7GHz but can boost up to 2.7 when the turbo kicks in. You heard it right. This gaming laptop of yours would be turbo powered. It may not be as small as other Laptops, but the Acer Aspire E5-571 still looks beautiful and feels fantastic to use. So, you get amazing build quality and design and some of the best hardware currently powering modern laptops.

Popular games like Minecraft, and DOTA2 or even CS: GO would run well on the Acer Aspire E5-571. If you are looking to spend around $400 on a laptop to use for gaming, this should be the one you pick. See all specs and features.

Specifications	Pros
Processor: i5-4210U @ 1.7GHz Graphics: Integrated Intel HD 4400 RAM: 4GB DDR3L Storage: 500GB 5400RPM HDD Display: 1366×768, TN, 15.6″ Operating System: Windows 8.1 Weight: 5.5 lbs Battery Life: Up to 4 hours Price: $398.00	Built-in mic & webcam Built-in CD drive Backlit Keys Integrated Bluetooth & WiFi

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6. Acer Aspire E5-575G-57D4 Gaming Laptop (Bonus)

Acer Aspire E 15 E5-575G-57D4 according to us is the best gaming laptop for just above $500 as it offers latest 2GB NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics and it has a 7th generation Intel Core i5-7200U processor. Acer Aspire E 15 comes with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM.

The laptop comes with an excellent battery life up to 12-hours. We have added this gaming laptop in our bonus list because it is a full of gaming package for just above $500. See all specs and features.

Specifications	Pros
Processor: 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 940MX RAM: 8GB Storage: 256 SSD Display: 1920×1080, 15.6″ Operating System: Windows 10 Weight: 5.3 lbs Battery Life: Up to 12 hours Price: $549 at Amazon	Built-in mic & webcam Advanced Audio Integrated Bluetooth & WiFi

Click Here to Buy this gaming laptop!

The Pro Review from TechReviewPro

This brings our pick for the top cheap gaming laptops under $500 to a close. Not everyone can justify spending substantial amounts of money on a gaming computer, especially if you are a student or you are on a fixed income. But, that does not mean you cannot enjoy PC gaming, it just would not be at its finest.

We hope our top 5 best gaming laptops under $500 list helped you come to a decision. The choice is all yours now.

Happy shopping!

Also Read:

1. Buying Guide: Top 13 Best Laptops for College Students