A few of my favorite gaming laptop deals have dropped off the shelves this week (RIP Asus ROG Zephyrus G14), but if you're still on the hunt there's some excellent value out there. Right now I'm seeing the biggest offers towards the top of our $2,000 set budget. With RTX 4080 machines starting to creep down below this threshold and larger 18-inch rigs meeting them there. If you're browsing in the budget category, there are still some solid offers out there, but some of them have been around $50 cheaper in the past.
You'll find offers across all ends of the spectrum just below - whether you're looking for one of the best gaming laptops or have your heart set on a budget machine for casual experiences. I've capped my search for cheap gaming laptop deals at a budget of $2,000 / £2,000 and split my findings between true budget rigs (under $1,000) and the more premium models on the shelves.
You'll find all my top picks for this week's best cheap gaming laptop deals just below, but if you're after something more permanent I'd also recommend checking out all the latest cheap gaming PC deals.
Cheap gaming laptop deals under $1,000
Gaming laptop deals under $2,000
What is considered cheap for a gaming laptop?
Defining a cheap gaming laptop usually comes down to setting a value to the individual parts inside each rig. For example, an RTX 4070 machine with a current-gen i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD is going to be cheap if it's priced around $1,000-$1,500, depending on the chassis itself. However, an RTX 3050 with an i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD would be considered overpriced in this range.
However, a lot of this determination comes from the brand and model. The best Razer laptops, for example, are particularly well-engineered machines with a whole suite of premium features and display technology. That means a 'cheap gaming laptop deal' on one of these rigs will still be a lot more expensive than the average going rate for the specs inside. The same goes for cheap Alienware laptops as well.
Can you buy a gaming laptop for under $500 / £500?
It's becoming increasingly rare to find budget gaming laptops at under $500 / £500, though you may still find some offers in this price range hitting the shelves during larger sales events. The rigs behind these price tags will always be incredibly entry level, though - so it might be worth setting your budget a little higher to truly maximise your value. $500 might get you a lot further when put towards an RTX-enabled configuration than it would in a budget GTX buy.
Which are the best budget gaming laptops?
The best budget gaming laptops right now are the Acer Nitro 5, HP Pavilion Gaming, MSI GF63, and Asus TUF Dash F15. These are all rigs that sacrifice some of the fancier features of more premium chassis' to ensure you're getting great components at an affordable rate.
If you already know which GPU you're after, it's worth checking out our weekly roundups of RTX 3050 laptop deals, RTX 3060 laptops, and RTX 3070 laptop deals. We're also showing you where to find all the latest RTX 3080 laptop deals as well. Once you've snapped up a bargain, it's worth checking our guide to the best laptop backpacks for more accessories.
