A guide to getting the best gaming laptop under $500 can be a little tricky because of the budget constraint. But thanks to our team of experts, it’s finally here. Irrespective of whether you are a student, a household, an employee, or a developer, there is one common aspect that everyone uses their laptop for. Any guesses? Well, it is undoubtedly the gaming caliber of a laptop of which every user aspires about. Not all the laptops out in the market can be justified as a gaming machine, and not everyone can afford the expensive gaming laptops. Therefore, we have brought you the best available budget laptops in the market which are ideal for gaming along with all other day-to-day activities.
Before you proceed, here’s something that you should know…
The bitter truth of Buying sub-$500 Gaming Laptops!
Buying a gaming laptop under $500 can be quite subjective. Evidently, at this budget one cannot expect the laptop to run most graphic-intensive games at higher frame rates because $500 is still a starting range to buy the gaming laptop.
With that said, I am not underrating the gaming laptops under $500 by any means. They are the best power-packed budget laptops to play games, but the fact is, they will only be able to run the older games like CS GO, League of Legends, Minecraft, etc.
You cannot expect to run the newer gaming titles like PUBG, Fortnite, or GTA 5 on these laptops because they aren’t capable enough to run them. There may be a possibility, that some budget laptops might run these games but they will still struggle to deliver the smooth gameplay.
Therefore I highly recommend you increase your budget to at least $800 because gaming laptops in $800 price range are capable enough to run most of the new games at decent graphics settings.
Well if you don’t want to increase your budget and want to buy the gaming laptop within your 500 dollars budget then finding a laptop that is fit for your need and budget is no less than a herculean task. It also requires a lot of patience and skill to settle things up. To help you out, below are the best available gaming laptops in the market for under $500 which are handpicked by our team of experts.
Every laptop here in the list justifies each and every penny of yours that you are going to spend on it. So, you can purchase any laptop from the list below and enjoy your favorite games on it.
Let’s start now with the list. Shall we?
1. Acer Aspire 5 Gaming Laptop
Acer is doing a remarkable job when it comes to manufacturing the budget laptop with powerful specifications. Accordingly, the latest Aspire 5 is a $500 price-range gaming laptop which is meant to satisfy all the gamers around the globe who are tight on budget.
Speaking about the exterior of the laptop, it comes with a beautiful silver color finish and stands out in looks from any other ordinary laptop out in the market. Moreover, it comes with great ergonomics making it comfortable to hold. Speaking about the specifications of the device, under the hood, the laptop is powered by an Intel Core i5-10210U quad-core processor paired with an 8GB of RAM. It sports a 15.6-inch Full-HD IPS display with fairly thin bezels and it comes with Acer’s proprietary Color Intelligence system which helps to reduce eye strain by reducing harmful blue color. Storage on the laptop is backed by a 256GB of SSD which is fast and offers enough room to store your favorite games, photos, music, movies, and other data.
The laptop comes with a long list of ports and also has a good heat exhaust system, making it a perfect choice for gamers and all other hardcore users. Moreover, it supports the newest and fastest WiFi 6 which will aid to get better ping and latency in online games. As far as the graphics on the laptop are concerned, it comes with the Intel UHD 620 integrated graphics. All in all, the laptop offers an excellent set of specifications for a little above $500, but considering the design and performance of this laptop, we think it’s worth it.
| Hardware Specifications of Acer Aspire 5 Laptop | |
| Processor | 10th Generation Intel Core i5-10210U 1.6 GHz Quad-Core Processor (Turbo up to 4.2GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD 620 Graphics |
| Display | 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 9 hours |
| Weight | 3.9 lbs |
The Acer Aspire 5 is also available with the Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 4GB RAM, and 128GB SSD. It’s not as capable as the above-mentioned variant, but if you are on a budget, then you can get this laptop and upgrade its RAM and storage, later on, to make it a decent machine to play some great old gaming titles.
2. HP 15t Laptop
The HP 15t is one of the best laptops for gaming in $500 price range. It offers powerful hardware packed inside a durable and professional looking chassis that weighs just 3.8 pounds.
Starting with the things that aren’t that great first, it comes with the 15.6-inch HD display which isn’t bright enough to use comfortably in well-lit areas and colors also look vanished. Moreover, it offers just 256GB of storage, but it’s an SSD so performance-wise it’s way better than the HDDs found on other laptops. By buying this laptop, you might have to start using the external hard drives, but if you are serious about gaming, then this laptop probably has the best gaming compatible specs.
It comes with the newest 10th Gen quad-core Intel Core i5 processor paired with 12GB of RAM. Thanks to the integrated Intel UHD graphics this laptop can run some of the newest games at low to medium graphics settings. Moreover, the audio on this laptop is powered by B&O Sound which makes watching movies and gaming on this laptop more immersive.
So overall, the HP 15t is a very good laptop that checks some of the most important boxes of the things that make any laptop ideal for gaming. Hence, it is one of the most recommended gaming laptops under $500 right now.
| Hardware Specifications of HP 15t Laptop | |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1035G1 Quad-Core Processor (Turbo up to 3.6 GHz) |
| RAM | 12GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Display | 15.6-inch Diagonal HD WLED-backlit display with 1366 x 768 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 7 hours |
| Weight | 3.8 lbs |
The recently launched HP 15-dy1036nr laptop with 10th Gen quad-core Intel i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD is another excellent budget gaming laptop to consider. It has slightly less RAM than the above mentioned HP laptop, but you’re trading that for a better display. It has a 15.6″ full HD display, which is a lot better in terms of sharpness and color reproduction than the HP 15t laptop mentioned above. Plus, it features the newest WiFi 6 and has a lot better-looking chassis. Although its MSRP is $599, it is frequently discounted and can be bought for around $520 from various retailers.
3. Lenovo Ideapad S340 (Best For Light Gaming)
This laptop is a perfect and affordable desktop-replacement when we speak about power and performance. The laptop is stuffed with the latest and updated set of features making it a perfect choice for gamers who don’t want to spend their fortune in buying a laptop.
Speaking about the design of the laptop, it is a very slim looking laptop weighing just 3.9 pounds. There’s nothing exceptional about its design but it’s a good looking laptop overall and it blends well in all types of environments. The laptop sports a 15.6-inch full HD touchscreen display with anti-glare coating for prolonged gaming sessions and its bezels are small which makes playing games and watching movies immersive. The laptop is powered by the newest Intel Core i5 quad-core processor with powerful UHD integrated graphics and a decent 8GB of RAM.
Moreover, the laptop comes with a speedy 256GB of SSD which gives it slightly an edge over other gaming laptops in this price range. The laptop comes with great battery life as well, making it creep into our list of best budget gaming laptops under $500.
| Hardware Specifications of Lenovo IdeaPad S340 Laptop for Gaming Under $500 | |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1035G1 1.0GHz Quad-Core 10th Gen Processor (Turbo up to 3.6GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Integrated Graphics |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Anti-Glare Touchscreen Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 8 hours |
| Weight | 3.9 lbs |
4. Dell Inspiron 5585 (Best Gaming Laptop Under $500 of 2020)
Dell is back in the market with its latest budget notebook in the form of Dell Inspiron 5585. This is an interesting variant from the Inspiron series of laptops from Dell, as it offers a very good set of specifications for the asking price. It sports a large 15.6-inch full HD display which is decent for gaming, and it is anti-glare so playing games for prolonged periods wouldn’t be stressful to your eyes. Moreover, it is a fairly lightweight machine weighing just 3.9 pounds which is very good considering the kind of performance it offers.
It is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 processor with a clock speed of up to 3.7 GHz and is paired with 8GB of RAM. The storage department is handled by a quick 256 of SSD which offers a decent amount of space to store games and other data. It comes with a backlit keyboard with a dedicated number pad, and thanks to its well-spaced keys it delivers a comfortable typing experience.
The graphics on the device are managed by AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics which makes this laptop capable of handling some of the most popular games. Overall it is one of the excellent options for budget gamers who are searching for best gaming laptops under 500 dollars in the market.
| Hardware Specifications of Dell Inspiron 5585: Best Budget Gaming Laptop under $500 | |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Quad-Core 2.1 GHz Processor (Turbo up to 3.7 GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon Vega 8 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD Anti-Glare LED-backlit Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 5 hours |
| Weight | 3.9 lbs |
5. ASUS VivoBook 15
ASUS VivoBook 15 is a recently launched budget all-purpose notebook for people who are seeking for the best combination of entertainment and gameplay within 500 dollars. It is a well-built laptop like all other VivoBook series of laptops with excellent ergonomics and usability.
It sports a 15.6-inch full HD LED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Under the hood, the laptop is powered by the AMD Ryzen 3 processor enabling it to handle most of the games and other essential tasks. For multitasking, the laptop comes with 12GB of RAM, and for storing data, it comes with a speedy 256GB of SSD. It also has one extra RAM slot to increase the RAM up to whopping 16GB in the future.
As far as software on the laptop is concerned, it comes with Windows 10 Home, making it compatible with all the PC games. The laptop renders most of the new computer games smoothly in conjunction with the powerful integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics. Moreover, it barely heats up even under continuous heavy gaming sessions. The laptop operates quietly with the least sound and is undoubtedly the best gaming laptop under $500 right now.
| Hardware Specifications of ASUS VivoBook 15 F512DA High-Performance Gaming Laptop | |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual-Core Processor (Turbo up to 3.5GHz) |
| RAM | 12GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon Vega 3 Integrated Graphics |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD Anti-Glare Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 7 hours |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs |
6. HP 17-by1053dx (Gaming Laptop)
This budget-friendly gaming laptop from HP promises to provide very stable yet power-packed performance for the asking price. It offers an AMD Ryzen 5 processor and integrated Radeon Vega 8 Graphics which makes it an able laptop for light gaming. It can run games like GTA 5 at around 50 fps with scaled-down graphics settings and resolution which is not bad for the laptop that costs under $500. It comes with 12GB of RAM to take care of the multitasking and offers 256GB of SSD for storage.
The laptop sports a 17.3-inch HD touchscreen display which offers colorful and sharp visuals. As far as the design and looks of the laptop are concerned, the laptop looks neat and sleek and is slightly lighter than the other 17-inch laptops.
To wrap up things, this laptop from HP is a very affordable and powerful gaming laptop and is surely one of the best options if you are looking for a 17-inch gaming laptop under 500 dollars.
| Hardware Specifications of HP 17-by1053dx High-Performance Gaming Laptop | |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Quad-Core 2.1GHz Processor (Turbo up to 3.7 GHz) |
| RAM | 12GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics |
| Display | 17.3-Inch WLED-backlit touchscreen Display with 1600 x 900 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 5 hours |
| Weight | 5.6 lbs |
7. Acer Aspire 5 Best Budget Gaming Laptop
Dominant performance, along with pleasing aesthetics are the unique aspects of this laptop. Speaking about the exterior of the laptop, Aspire 5 is wrapped in a silver-colored polycarbonate surface with a very well-finished chassis.
The laptop feels good in hands and comes with a smooth texture adding to the ergonomics of the laptop. It sports a 15.6-inch full HD screen which is colorful and bright, but it has slightly lousy viewing angles. Moreover, it comes with a full backlit keyboard which is impressive considering its price.
Internally, the laptop is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5-3500U processor which can turbo boost up to 3.7 GHz, and it has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of solid-state drive that backs multitasking and aids in handling games. If you think that the RAM and storage drive capacity of the Acer Aspire 5 is too less, then you needn’t worry as it has two RAM slots inside that can support up to 16GB of RAM and its storage drive is also easily replaceable.
The Acer Aspire 5 is one of the best choices when it comes to playing demanding games because its integrated Vega 8 graphics can run most of the modern games at decent fps. Moreover, it comes with some hard to find features at this price range such as full HD display, the backlit keyboard, and easy hardware upgradability, the Acer Aspire 5 is the best budget gaming laptop under $500 you can buy right now.
| Hardware Specifications of Acer Aspire 5 15.6″ Gaming Laptop under 500 Dollars | |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 3500U dual-core Processor (Turbo up to 3.7 GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD LED-lit IPS Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 7.5 hours |
| Weight | 3.9 lbs |
8. Dell Inspiron 3593 (Gaming Laptop With 256GB SSD)
This laptop from Dell is the high-performance notebook that offers an impressive set of specifications for a price of less than $500. The laptop sports a 15.6-inch Full HD LED-backlit touch display with true to life picture quality.
Speaking about the internals of the laptop, it comes with an Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB of RAM. Graphics on the device are managed by the integrated Intel HD 620 graphics which can run some of the most popular older titles at decent frame rates. Moreover, the storage segment on the laptop is bolstered by a speedy 256GB of SSD, which boots windows and loads apps and games faster. The laptop is also well-designed and it looks and feels great on hands making it a perfect choice for gamers.
The laptop doesn’t come with a backlit keyboard, but it is comfortable to type. Overall, this budget gaming laptop is best for playing games at home and taking it to work or school.
| Hardware Specifications of Dell Inspiron 3593 (Newest Model) | |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1035G1 Quad-Core Processor (Turbo up to 3.6GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD LED-backlit Anti-Glare Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS |
| Battery Life | Up to 5 hours |
| Weight | 4.8 lbs |
All the aforementioned laptops are the best budget gaming laptops that you can buy for under $500, but as I said earlier, these laptops won’t be able to run all the latest games.
However, if you can extend your budget a little more, then there’s an excellent laptop available with powerful hardware specifications. It can run graphics-intensive games like GTA V, The Witcher 3, and more smoothly!
Use one of the buttons below and reveal our most recommended budget gaming laptop of 2020.
Now we have done all the hard part for the users and have come up with the most powerful and complete value for money gaming laptops under $500. Each laptop in the list above excels over one another in terms of either one or more specs. However, we suggest our readers go through the entire list before making their choice to find their perfect next laptop.
We hope this gaming laptop buying guide help you in buying the best gaming laptop under 500 dollars for yourself. Please get back to us again for an updated list of laptops.