The days when laptops were made just for office work on the go are history now, as they have evolved that turned into very capable devices, not to mention that there are way more categories now, including models designed especially for gaming.
As the laptop manufacturers in the market kept appearing, the costs of the devices have been facing a downfall and one can now get a very potent model, able to deal with the latest, graphics-challenging games without any hassle. And no, you don’t need to break a bank in order to afford a gaming laptop!
Today we’re taking a few moments to look at the best gaming laptops under $1500 you can currently buy, with top-notch specs and very aggressive designs. Oh, and we also took care of those who are on a tight budget as well, so we included a few models with a price tag of under $1000. Sound pretty good, right? Let’s see what we have for you guys…
The Best Gaming Laptops Under $1500 Reviewed
Acer Predator Helios 300
For starters, let’s look at a laptop with a more than decent price tag, coming from the folks over at Acer. The Predator Helios 33 is powered by Intel’s 7th Gen Core i7-7700HQ processor, running at up to 3.8GHz, thanks to the Turbo Boost technology. The CPU can be aided even by 32GB of DDR4 RAM, while the storage department is represented by a combo, consisting in a solid state drive of up to 1TB, for an overall performance boost, and a secondary 2TB hard disk drive.
Moving on to the graphics department, the Helios 300 features an NVIDIA GeForce GTX1060 graphics card, with 6GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM. Those amazing graphics generated by the card can be seen on a 15.6″ full HF IPS display, which looks really good alongside the Red-backlit keyboard.
Finally, let’s not forget about the ports – 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI 2.0, as well as the USB 3.0 port – and the 802.11 A/C wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, which make this laptop a more than a decent choice for portable gaming on a budget.
Razer Blade Stealth
Being one cent away from our budget limit, the Razer Blade Stealth is one of the best gaming laptops under $1,500 you can get right now, not to mention that it’s a real looker! Yes, these guys know that design is also important when it comes to such devices and they never cease to disappoint. Just look at that gunmetal grey finish…
Spec-wise, the Blade Stealth has an amazing 13.3″ QHD+ display, with a resolution of 3200 x 1800 pixels – it’s a touchscreen, by the way – able to deliver clear and vivid images, with a wide viewing angle of up to 178 degrees.
Under the hood, it comes with an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U processor, clocked at 1.8 GHz, but also able to reach Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.0 GHz. The spec sheet is completed by 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and, unfortunately, just an Intel HD Graphics 620 card. But still, it’s one great device for gaming on the go!
ASUS ROG Strix Hero Edition
Moving on, we have a Republica of Gamers laptop, the Strix Hero Edition, to be more specific, with a decent price tag, of under $1,500, considering its specs. Specifically, it’s a 15.6″ model, with a full HD resolution and a whopping 3ms response time. Oh, and the first thing that catches the eye is the AURA Sync customizable RGB keyboard, which nicely completes the aggressive ROG design.
The laptop is powered by the 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H processor, with six cores and able to reach even 3.9GHz, if you use the Turbo Boost technology. The graphics card is also a beast: NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti, with 4GB. Combine it with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a storage combo, consisting of a 128GB SSD and 1TB drive, and you will totally understand why this is one of the best gaming laptops under $1,500.
In the end, let’s not forget about a feature we really like, the anti-dust cooling system, which forces dust and debris to exit the laptop’s chassis, through a fan module. This prevents the thermal fins inside the laptop to become caked in grime, thus assuring lower temperatures constantly.
HP Omen 15
One of yours truly’s personal favorites, in terms of design, especially, the HP Omen 15.6″ is a pretty amazing laptop, with a very good price tag, so we had to put it on our list with gaming models under $1,500.
Ok, so going past the design – yes, that’s a Dragon Red keyboard, with RGB lighting – as specs are a bit more important: an 8th generation Intel Core i7-8750H chip, with six cores, running at 2.2 GHz, but it can also be taken up to 4.1GHz, being an Intel model. It has 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, a 128 GB solid state drive, along a 1 TB hard disk drive, where you can store all your stuff.
Last but not least, one of the major pluses of the HP Omen 15 is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, with 6 GB of GDDR5 dedicated memory and VR-ready. Just imagine the quality of the images you will see on the 15.6″ WLED display, with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels… Worth the money? Absolutely yes!
Lenovo Legion Y720
Lenovo has quite a few amazing gaming laptops in its portfolio and the Legion Y720 is one of the best examples, in terms of both looks and performance.
Starting with the aspect, this laptop is really aggressive, featuring a backlit-keyboard, red accents all over the place and a solid silver hinge system which will definitely last in time. And yes, you can tell that it’s a gaming machine after the first look!
Moving on to the spec sheet, we’re looking at a 15.6″ display, with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, while under the hood it has an Intel-made Core i7 chip, running at 2.8GHZ and aided by 16GB of RAM. Sounds like a pretty impressive gaming machine, right? And that’s not all since the whole setup is completed by a 1 terabyte solid state drive and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card. Not bad at all, don’t you think?
MSI Leopard-013
One of our favorite models in our top of the best gaming laptops under $1,500 is the MSI Leopard-013, which also happens to be one of the most expensive models we’re talking about today. But it’s totally worth the money if you ask us!
First thing first, it’s the display we really like: a 15.6″ full HD panel, offering a wide view and color anti-glare. Then, there’s the hexa-core Intel Core i7-8750H chip, able to run at speeds up to 4.1 GHz, thanks to the Turbo Boost technology, which, combined with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX1060 graphics card allow you to play pretty much any title you can think of.
A few additional features worth mentioning is the fact that the laptop is VR Ready and it features a SteelSeries-made full color backlit keyboard, with Anti Ghosting keys.
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro Black Edition
Yet another spectacular laptop from Acer, the Aspire V17 Nitro Black Edition is surely worth being included on our list, thanks to a couple of special features. At first, it may look like your average gaming laptop, with an aggressive design and some impressive spec sheet, but once you get into details, you will surely fell in love with it.
Starting with the specs, it’s powered by a 7th Gen Intel Core i7-7700 HQ, able to reach 3.8GHz, aided by 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a 1TB hard disk drive, working alongside a 256GB SSD. As for the graphics department, it’s represented by an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 card, with 6GB of memory. And this can be called the boring part…
The Acer Aspire V17 Nitro Black Edition features a 17.3″ full HD display, excellent for gaming on the go. There’s also the integrated Tobii Eye Tracking Technology, something you don’t see on every laptop, able to deliver a richer and more immersive gaming experience. Basically, it responds to where you look and what you see, mimicking actions that occur in real life. And this is what we like to call a real game changer!
Lenovo Y50
If you thought that gaming laptops are expensive, this model from Lenovo will surely make you forget about this concept, as it’s packing a great amount of processing power, while the price tag remains pocket-friendly, considering the category it belongs to.
For under 1000 bucks you’re getting a 15.6″ full HD laptop, powered by an Intel Core i7-4170HQ processor, which can be taken at 3.5GHz using the Turbo Boost technology, as well as 8 gigs of RAM. The storage capacity counts one terabyte, but the laptop also has a hybrid 8GB solid state drive, for quick startups. Finally, let’s not forget about the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M graphics card, with 2GB memory.
Overall, it doesn’t seem that impressive, compared to the previous models features in our top of the best gaming laptops under $1,500. Still, considering the price, you’re getting more than enough. Plus, the Lenovo Y50 looks incredibly good!
Alienware 15 R3
We simply can’t make a top like this without mentioning an Alienware product, so we decided upon the 15 R3, one sick model, allowing you to experience gaming at a whole new level!
The first thing that one can observe is the radical design, with a massive cooling system, so the system can stay cool under extreme gaming pressure. Besides this, aspects like the backlit keyboard and the red touches on the sides make it more than obvious that we’re dealing with a machine built to satisfy even the most demanding users.
At the core, we’re looking at an Intel Core i7-7700HQ chip, running at a maximum speed of 3.8GHz, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, 1TB of storage, thanks to a hard disk drive, and the amazing NVIDIA GeForce GTX1060, with 6GB of memory. Oh, and it passes the Oculus Ready and Vive Optimized certifications, so you can use it for VR as well! For us, this is pretty much a portable gaming machine…
Dell Inspiron i5577
Sure, we all love Dell’s Alienware line-up, but let’s not forget that the manufacturer also has a series of gaming laptop made for the Dell brand, with the Inspiron i5577 being one of the best examples.
At a first look, there’s nothing much – maybe except for the red details – saying that this 15.6″ laptop is actually gaming laptop, but it’s actually a very potent device, powered by a 7th generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor, running at up to 3.8GHz, aided by 16GB of DDR4 RAM. The latter can be expanded up to 32, by the way!
In terms of storage, the laptop has a 512GB solid-state drive, able to deliver great transfer speeds, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, with 4GB of memory, is in charge with delivering some stunning graphics. Looks like a pretty nice choice for a laptop that costs way less than $1,500, don’t you think?
And here we are, folks. This is where our top of the best gaming laptops under $1,500 comes to an end. We really like to believe that these 10 models we picked are among your favorites as well. Or, if you’re looking for a new model, able to satisfy your gaming needs, no matter the location, you might as well choose one of these!
Obviously, there are way more models you can opt for, but these are some of the most popular right now, being appreciated by users and not only.
Let us know, using the comments section below, which gaming laptop would you pick if you were on a fixed budget!
Last update on 2024-07-13 at 15:35 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API