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.
Best Dell XPS deals: Save on Dell XPS 13, Dell XPS 15 and Dell XPS 17
Dell has been around for a couple of decades now, and is one of the best laptop brands out there, with a massive variety of options to pick from, whether you want something on the high-end or something budget friendly. That said, one of Dell's most well-known models is the XPS lineup; Dell's answer to the MacBook and a solid alternative if you're looking for the same sort of Apple hardware performance and size at another brand. Of course, much like MacBooks, they can be quite expensive, which is why we've gone out and found all the best Dell XPS deals we could find and compiled them for you below. So, be sure to check out all the options thoroughly, or, if you haven't quite found what you're looking for, check out these other great laptop deals.
Best Dell XPS 13 deals
The Dell XPS 13 is the smallest in the Dell XPS line. It's great for commuters and students. These laptops don't generally have powerful GPUs, but they're fast, reliable and sleek.
These Razer Blade discounts for Amazon Gaming Week are rogue-like
Ahead of Amazon Gaming Week in May, Razer is offering some incredible deals on its Blade series of gaming laptops. Amazon's Gaming Week celebration, if you're not familiar with it, is filled with deals and promotions for all types of gamers, from the avid streamer and competitive PC gamer to console aficionados and beyond. Razer's deals, specifically, are some of the best for PC gamers looking to upgrade their gaming setups for the latest titles. Take , for instance, that drops the price by $700 to $2,300. It has a 15-inch QHD+ 240Hz display, an Intel Core i7 13800H processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, and a 2TB solid-state drive. That's plenty of power packed inside to play the latest games on high or above with stable framerates, plenty of storage to download and install a few big titles, and a price that won't empty your bank account. I highly recommend browsing to see what deals Razer has available, you won't regret it.
What else is discounted for Razer's Gaming Week sale
Okay, so I know it's technically Amazon Gaming Week, but these Razer deals are firmly in the category of "best in class" for discounts on PC gaming laptops, so I'm giving them a call out. You can expect to save anywhere from $400 to $700 on these powerful laptops in the Razer Blade series, from the Blade 14 to the Blade 18. Also, they all feature the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs, offering a ton of power to play the latest titles like Helldivers 2, Baldur's Gate 3, Dragon's Dogma 2, and more.
This flash deal gets you 80% off a 2-year SurfShark VPN subscription
It's highly recommended for everyone to have a VPN (virtual private network) in their devices, as you can never be too sure when it comes to your online privacy. The good ones don't come cheap though, which is why VPN deals always attract a lot of attention. Here's one for you to shop -- a two-year subscription to the SurfShark VPN Starter Plan for only $57, following an 80% discount from StackSocial on its original price of $290. You're going to have to hurry with your purchase if you're interested though, as we expect the offer and its savings of $233 to get sold out quickly.
Why you should buy the SurfShark VPN Starter Plan
First, you need to understand what is a VPN. Simply put, it's a necessity these days due to how much our daily lives rely on online activities. A VPN will protect your personal and financial information from cybercriminals, preventing headaches caused by identity theft and unauthorized charges on your credit cards. It will also allow you to bypass any geoblocking restrictions as you can have your device appear as if it's located in another place.
