Gaming Laptops Under $500 – Market relations are a beneficial environment for buyers. Manufacturers produce a variety of goods for everyone’s budget. But now many people face a problem of a completely different level. They can’t choose the model in such an ocean of options. They read numerous articles about inexpensive laptops, get tired, and finally pick at random. If they are lucky, they get a good gadget. But often, it’s a bad purchase.
Of course, it’s over-exaggerated a bit. But if you’ve recognized yourself at some point, then you have a similar problem. We’ll help you deal with the choice by providing a detailed guide. Scroll down to learn how to search for a budget notebook.
Besides, we’ve compiled a list of the best laptops under $500. Out top features 7 manufacturers that have proven to be reliable providers of high-tech devices. You’ll get 10 options that are leaders in their price segment in 2023. We’ve analyzed their characteristics, cost, professional reviews, and consumer reports. But first, let’s cover the preparatory steps. They’ll help you better sort out theoretically suitable and not-so variants.
What Do You Need the Budget Laptop For?
It’s vital to answer this question because it’ll affect the set of features to look for. If you want a powerful gaming gadget, then this list is not for you. First of all, they cost more than 500 USD. Secondly, we’ve focused on the balance between features, price, and quality. If you need a device for occasional gaming and working/studying, the article will be useful.
We’ve compared dozens of graphics cards, screen stats, batteries, and other elements. As a result, we sorted out 10 picks. They all respect the balance between price and quality.
A Short Checklist to Follow
Before you dive into the ocean of options, it’s essential to create a so-called sieve. It’s a list of tips that will help you sort out gaming laptops under 500:
- Be confident in why you’re buying it
Are you a student who needs it for studying only? This choice will lead you to devices with certain features. Are you a freelancing designer? Then your path will head in a completely different direction. If you pursue working and gaming goals, then you’ll focus on particular stats.
- Count your budget opportunities
This will help you significantly narrow down the variety of options. And it’s a good thing. You’ll cut off unwanted devices, still having lots of variants to look into. The list below is dedicated to good laptops under 500 USD.
- Study the market
Find out what manufacturers have to offer for this price. Read several top lists (our including). They’ll help you see if the leaders are more or less the same. Then write down the models you like and add their advantages over competitors. This can be tech-related things like graphics cards and just your preferences in style.
After this, apply to the opinion of professionals. Go to Youtube, find channels you trust, and watch video reviews. They reveal all pros and contras and show the device from different angles.
If you don’t like to conduct such research by yourself, skip the steps above. Just head to an offline store and talk to an assistant.
- Visit a store
Once you’ve narrowed down your list to 2-3 options, go and touch them. Evaluate their design and colors, use the keyboard, etc.
A tip: ask a seller if there is an opportunity to return a device. Use it for several days as a trial period. Some have such a service, sometimes for free with a full refund. Other sellers can offer this for payment.
- Wait for a couple of days before buying
Discuss your choice with friends, and consider all pros and cons. This time will allow you to make the most rational decision.
The List of 500 Dollar Gaming PC:
10. Microsoft Surface Go 2 – the good affordable laptop
| Processor: | 1.1 GHz Pentium |
| Graphics Card: | Intel UHD Graphics 615 |
| RAM Size: | 4 GB |
| Storage Size: | 64 GB |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1280 |
| Weight: | 1.18 lbs |
It’s a stylish tiny device that comes in 3 colors: blue, sandstone, and platinum. The design rocks with its elegant and portable features. It has a built-in kickstand and a keyboard to make its usage more convenient.
It offers a strong Intel processor Pentium Gold 4425Y or Core M3. The basic version comes with 4GB of RAM, but you can always opt for 8GB. The display is small but bright. It’s framed by elegant bezels that make its outlook even cooler.
All in all, it’s a great device to buy for:
- A family who needs a second computer for a kid (homework and gaming)
- Buyers who enjoy tiny technologies
- Users who travel a lot and need it at hand
The price of this best value laptop starts from $399 (Amazon)
9. Asus VivoBook 15 – the good cheap gaming laptop
| Processor: | 3.4 GHz core_i3 |
| Graphics Card: | Intel UHD Graphics |
| RAM Size: | 8 GB DDR4 |
| Storage Size: | 128 GB |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1080 |
| Weight: | 3.75 lbs |
The manufacturer wanted to make a style-reserved computer and managed to nail it. It doesn’t have any distracting elements, with a nice metallic topside. It comes in black, white and blue.
The screen is considerably bigger than the previous model: 15.6” of Full HD display. The processor has the respectable performance to power high-quality video games. A decent sound system makes it an ideal model for watching films/playing digital adventures. A mid-quality camera allows you to participate in video calls.
Asus VivoBook 15 is still a small device. It has a lightweight build (3.75 lbs): perfect for working, studying, gaming, and traveling. However, its disadvantage is the battery life which can’t run the whole day long.
If you’re looking for affordable laptops, try this one. It can be found for as low as $384 (Amazon)
8. Lenovo Yoga 7i – the best laptop for college students or working from home
| Processor: | 3.7 GHz core_i5_1035g4 |
| Graphics Card: | Intel Iris Plus |
| RAM Size: | 8 GB DDR4 |
| Storage Size: | 256 GB |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1080 |
| Weight: | 2.98 lbs |
The model comes in 2 colors – slate gray and dark moss. Its design oozes premium aesthetics. This Lenovo transformer can be shaped into different form factors: laptop or tablet.
The screen has adaptive brightness and is a pleasure to use. Luckily, the processor is pretty powerful. The battery lasts for as long as 18 hours without additional charging! The construction is lightweight. It’s only 1,4 kg and weighs less than bulky gaming PCs.
The device provides a high level of privacy. A fingerprint reader won’t give access to other people. Extra protection is a webcam shutter at the top of the display. It won’t let criminals see you even if they’ve penetrated the system.
Lenovo Yoga 7i is a great model for everyday use, with a good 1M camera and convenient key travel distance. This is the best laptop for college students or working from home.
Can be found for $769 (Amazon)
7. Acer Aspire 5 – the best laptop for price
| Processor: | 3.5 GHz ryzen_3 |
| Graphics Card: | Intel UHD Graphics 615 |
| RAM Size: | 4 GB |
| Storage Size: | 128 GB |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1080 |
| Weight: | 4.00 lbs |
Acer Aspire 5 is another leader among laptops under $500. The cover (made of sandblasted aluminum for extra safety) doesn’t collect fingertips. Several colors (black, blue, silver, golden, pink) are designed for every taste.
The touchpad is big and convenient enough, so buying a mouse is not necessary. All keys can be backlit. It is useful when you have to work or play in a dark room.
The performance is pretty good. But the Acer device is better for working/studying than gaming. It’ll launch video adventures but not at the highest settings. The gadget’s autonomous time is also above average in this price segment.
All in all, it’s a very beneficial purchase for such quality and cost. The price can be as low as $369 (Amazon)
6. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i – the best gaming budget laptop
| Processor: | 3 GHz core_i5 |
| Graphics Card: | Intel UHD Graphics |
| RAM Size: | 4 GB DDR4 |
| Storage Size: | 128 GB |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1080 |
| Weight: | 4.59 lbs |
Another interesting transformer from Lenovo comes in gray, dark gray, and blue. The laptop is made of hard matte plastic that is pleasant to touch. If we look at the design, it’s reserved with no screaming elements.
The screen is sensor-powered. A special mechanism allows you to use it as a notepad. If you need the keyboard, its quality is ok: nice response speed and travel depth. By the way, it’s also equipped with backlighting.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i is oriented for working and studying. It’s lightweight and powerful enough for that. The keys are too small and inconvenient for gamers. Yet it’ll run some digital adventures.
The lowest price seen online is $380 (Amazon)
5. HP Stream 11 – the best inexpensive laptop
| Processor: | Intel Celeron N4020 |
| Graphics Card: | Intel UHD Graphics 600 |
| RAM Size: | 4 GB |
| Storage Size: | 64 GB |
| Resolution: | 1366 x 768 |
| Weight: | 2.37 lbs |
Hewlett Packard – This one is definitely among the best laptops for college students under $500. It’s made of plastic that looks like aluminum. The variety of colors will be able to satisfy different tastes and preferences. It has a convenient keyboard with a surprisingly nice button travel (considering its small size).
You can also use it for Skype communications, sending audio messages, watching videos, and typing essays. Although it won’t launch titles with heavy graphics, something like Warcraft 3 will run just fine.
It’s a lightweight (2.37 lbs) device with a passive cooling system (very quiet).
It’s among the best affordable laptops: the price is about $249 (Amazon)
4. Dell Inspiron 14 – 2 in 1 touchscreen laptop for under 500 dollar
| Processor: | 8th Gen Intel Core i3-8145U |
| Graphics Card: | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| RAM Size: | 4 GB |
| Storage Size: | 128GB SSD |
| Resolution: | 1366 X 768 |
| Weight: | 2.90 lbs |
The operating panel and the bottom of this gadget are made of plastic. Aluminum is used to make the upper cover stronger. The overall impression from the materials is pleasant. The balance between style and price in this regard is moderate.
Dell Inspiron 14 can be used for conference events through Zoom, Skype, etc. It’s also alright to watch a lecture through YouTube: the quality is nice. The touchpad is convenient but the keyboard is less so, according to reviews.
Some users don’t like that the backlighting of the buttons works only for short periods. Games like World of Tanks and Fortnite will only run at low graphics settings.
The price starts from $499 (Amazon)
3. Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3, Touchscreen WUXGA – the best affordable laptop
| Processor: | 2 GHz Mediatek MT8183 |
| Graphics Card: | Arm Mali-G72 MP3 |
| RAM Size: | 4 GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage Size: | 64 GB |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1200 |
| Weight: | 1.12 lbs |
Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 is an ideal choice if you’re looking for a small device. You can switch between 2 modes and use it as a laptop or notebook. Powerful magnets attach the keyboard to the bottom of the screen with an assuring click.
Again, taking into account the sizes, the keyboard is fine. The screen has good colors and is convenient for the office, college, and school. Among other benefits, the gadget comes with a removable and always charged stylus pen.
All in all, there is a great balance between aesthetics, usability, and price.
Can be purchased for about $323 (Amazon)
2. Acer Swift 3 – the best laptop under $500
| Processor: | 2.3 GHz AMD R series |
| Graphics Card: | AMD Radeon™ |
| RAM Size: | 8 GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage Size: | 256 GB |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1080 |
| Weight: | 2.65 lbs |
Acer Swift 3 is made of aluminum and magnesium alloy. It doesn’t leave any fingertips and looks luxurious. The screen is bright and has an anti-reflective coating.
The keyboard is standard, with a fine key travel effect and convenient layout. There is backlighting, but it only works for 20 seconds without touching the buttons.
The device weighs about 1 kg and is convenient to take to work, college, and school. This inexpensive laptop can power some video games at medium graphics settings.
All in all, it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a cheap windows 10 laptop.
Some online stores offer Acer Swift 3 for $569 (Amazon)
1. Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip – the best cheapest laptop for gamers in 2023
| Processor: | 3.2 GHz Apple A8 / Apple M1 chip |
| Graphics Card: | Integrated Apple GPU with 7-cores |
| RAM Size: | 8 GB |
| Storage Size: | 128 GB SSD |
| Resolution: | 2560 x 1600 |
| Weight: | 2.80 lbs |
Apple is known for producing devices of the best quality. This gadget is no exception. It’s made of all-aluminum material of gold, silver, and space gray colors. The screen is bright and allows you to work even on a sunny day outside. It has a Truetone feature that protects your eyes and adjusts to the lighting around.
The touchpad has the most pleasant haptic feedback ever. You can use a built-in fingertip scanner to protect the laptop, purchase online, etc. The passive cooling system produces no noise. Its productivity allows you to render 4K videos with 60 FPS.
Convenient widgets, backlit keyboard, weight… The technological marvel has many more advantages. If you buy it, the device will change your attitude toward what quality really looks like.
It’s possible to find high-quality trade-offs for lower than $769 (Amazon)
The Best Gaming Laptops Under 500: The Number One Pick – best value
If you’re looking for the best laptop for a moderate price, check the MacBook M1. The new device starts from $1000, but trade-off models work just as fine. For $500 and lower, you can get a really powerful gadget. For working, studying, and occasional gaming.
The manufacturers made no compromises and produced a really high-quality marvel. It’s pleasant to use and will retain its characteristics for years to come. Buy this laptop and enjoy its smooth performance.
When Is the Most Beneficial Time for the Purchase?
If you’re not hurrying to buy a new gadget, you can get it even cheaper. Just pick the right timing when different stores offer the best deals of the season. As a rule, they make heavy discounts on Black Friday. Tags are also lower before Christmas, etc. It can happen throughout the year, so monitor the prices. Wait for them to fall. In this way, you’ll get a good device and save your budget.
If you’re deciding in which store to buy, go for big chain stores. They have a higher turnover and can afford to make prices a bit lower.
It may seem that your best shot is to purchase from online stores. Especially if you take something like Aliexpress. It’s true: there are a lot of items that cost way less. At least less than in your country, online or offline. However, you risk a lot.
First of all, the shipment can be rough, the device can be damaged. Secondly, some sellers are dishonest. They’ll take the money and send you a second-hand gadget. Or even a broken one or a plastic fake (there are such cases).
Protect Your Purchase: Best Covers
If you’ve set your mind on a laptop, congratulations! But your hard journey is not yet over. You need to find the right accessories. We won’t touch upon such things as mice, pads, external cameras, etc. They are optional, and most people don’t need them at all.
The Top 10 Best Gaming Laptops 2023
But a laptop cover is very important. It protects the device from damage when you keep it at home or take it somewhere. So, it should be reliable, preferably waterproof, and stylish. We won’t make a list of the best options in this article. Just take this information into account and look into the matter yourself.
The best materials are neoprene, EVA, polyester, and leather. Take a look at hard-shell plastic options as well. They have additional layers of padded interior and better protective features.
Some prefer to buy a special backpack with a section for laptops. In this case, you need a thin material to protect your device from minor scratches. You can craft it yourself or buy a cheap laptop sleeve of the right size. It looks like a fabric envelope and is sold in most chain stores. Look for it in the stationery and office supplies section.
Where to buy gaming laptops under 500
US:
UK:
Comparison of Gaming Laptops Under $500 by Specs and Price
| UNDER $500 GAMING LAPTOPS | SPECIFICATIONS | BEST PRICE | RATING |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Surface Go 2 | $399 | 7.9 | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 | $384 | 8.1 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 7i | $769 | 8.4 | |
| Acer Aspire 5 | $369 | 8.5 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i | $380 | 8.6 | |
| HP Stream 11 | $249 | 8.8 | |
| Dell Inspiron 14 | $499 | 9.0 | |
| Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 | $323 | 9.3 | |
| Acer Swift 3 | $569 | 9.6 | |
| Apple MacBook Air M1 | $769 | 9.8 |
FAQ About The Best Laptops Under 500$
If you’re looking for a laptop under 500 USD, the best option is MacBook M1. It’s lightweight, powerful enough, and has an attractive outlook. It’ll be great for studying, launching some games and working. The material is reliable: it’s made of aluminum that will provide high-level protection.
Yes, they can. The market is vast, some manufacturers offer decent gadgets at a low price. But the key focus should be on the gadget’s features. Compare different characteristics. Check if manufacturers managed to deliver the balance between the laptop cost and quality.
There are 3 different ways to make your purchase more beneficial for you.
- First of all, wait for big discounts in chain stores.
- Secondly, buy online, it’s cheaper, but watch out for criminals and unscrupulous sellers.
- The third way is also online but from abroad (Aliexpress). The price can sometimes get twice lower! But this option has its risks and downsides as well.
Some people also like a mouse better than a touchpad. Additionally, you may want to get an external camera (it’s usually of better quality). But the most important thing is a protective laptop cover. It can be a sleeve, bag, etc. Anything will do to avoid serious damage and minor scratches.
It’s safe as long as you purchase from reliable companies with a good reputation. They have special algorithms to check already used devices. They fix them to be in a good working condition. Such laptops may have scratches and signs of wear and tear. But they’ll keep their main features, and they’re way cheaper than the new ones.
