PC gaming can be an expensive hobby. Besides buying games, you also need a capable machine to play them on! But you can get started without spending thousands of dollars on a new gaming laptop. There are plenty of gaming laptops available for less than $1,000, which deliver the basics like a 1080p display, a strong CPU, and a discrete, gaming-ready GPU that's enough for esports and competitive video games. And it will let you do some work or stream your favorite show when you're done playing.
In this price range, you'll often find systems that don't have the latest processors (which might mean you can't use certain AI features), and you won't find the most powerful GPUs. It's unlikely you'll find more than 8GB of RAM (though please, try to avoid single-channel RAM if you can!), and storage space may be limited out of the box. You'll have to make decisions about what's most important to you.
For people who game a lot, we recommend spending a bit more if you have the means: we also maintain lists of the best gaming laptops under $1,500 and the best gaming laptops overall. A more powerful GPU, larger SSD, and a more vivid screen will mean a lot now and as your PC ages, and you're also likely to get a better-quality machine overall.
There are ways to improve a sub-$1,000 gaming laptop down the line. For instance, you can often add more storage or upgrade the RAM on your laptop (still an option primarily with gaming and workstation laptops these days) on your own. You can also look for laptops with room for extra drives so you can add one of the best SSDs on your own.
The current swath of sub-$1,000 gaming notebooks is largely powered by the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, though you may find the RTX 4060 if prices come down or if there's a good sale.
We test a variety of gaming laptops every year from many brands, so we know what makes a good rig. The best gaming laptops under $1,000 should let you play most games, though you may have to temper your expectations about the settings and resolution you play at.
The Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000
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At exactly $999.99 when we tested it, you get a surprising amount of value out of the Dell G16. Sure, it's still a budget system with last-gen Intel Core i7-13650HX, but that CPU isn't exactly weak. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 is a strong option for this price band and delivered very good gaming performance across our benchmark tests.
There are also asome other extras here that are great to see at this price, including a 2560 x 1600 display with a 240 Hz refresh rate, as well as a Cherry MX Mechanical keyboard, which Dell usually includes at a premium on its fancier Alienware gaming laptops.
Not everything is peachy with the G16. At 6.3 pounds, it's not exactly light enough for regular travel. And in 2024, it shouldn't be too much to ask for a 1080p camera, even under $1,000.
Read: Dell G16 (7630) review
An AMD gaming laptop under $1,000
The Acer Nitro 16 takes the mantle from the older Acer Nitro 5, but continues the tradition of bringing a solid mix of price and performance, with a handful of premium niceties.
Our $999 review unit included an AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS and Nvidia Geforce RTX 4050, which played most of our benchmark games well. Perhaps the most impressive part is the 1920 x 1200, 165 Hz display with G-Sync support, which is great for esports at high frame rates. It reached 371 nits on our light meter testing and covered 91% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
Other plusses include a wide variety of ports, including USB 4, the latest version of USB Type-C, as well as battery life over 8 hours, which is solid for a gaming laptop.
We wish the webcam and speakers were better (if you value the speakers, consider the MSI Katana listed below), but for the price, the Nitro 16 delivers a lot of value at just under $1,000.
Read: Acer Nitro 16 Review
At $999 as configured, the MSI Katana 15 just made the cutoff for our list. But with its Intel Core i7-13620H and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, the Katana proved to be a powerful 1080p gaming machine, providing solid value.
It doesn't hurt that in the sub-thousand dollar model, MSI added 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a roomy 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. You often see those specs cut first on budget laptops (instead, the laptop just doesn't have the highest-quality chassis). We also appreciated the surprisingly decent speakers on the Katana 15.
The 1080p display isn't the most beautiful, but its 144 Hz refresh rate will be a boon to esports players who want a smooth experience.
More: MSI Katana 15 Review
What to Expect From the Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000
- GPU: The graphics card is likely to have the biggest effect on how well your gaming laptop plays games, especially when it comes to high resolutions and lots of effects. The cheapest gaming laptops we've tested are using Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1650, which is an older card that will require you to turn down some settings, though more and more are using the RTX 4050, that's better and more recent (and increasingly common). If you see a system on sale with an RTX 4060 in this price range, jump on it. We haven't seen any AMD-based GPUs in these laptops just yet.
- Screen: Expect a 15-inch laptop, which appears to be the most popular size in this price range. That being said, gaming laptops typically range between 14 and 18-inches. You won't get anything higher than 1080p resolution, which should be fine considering that the low-end GPUs in these PCs aren’t good for gaming at 2K or 4K. It's possible to see a 144 Hz screen in these laptops, though the cheapest will come with a standard 60 Hz panel. The 144 Hz is a bonus for esports games, assuming you run them at low enough settings to achieve those types of frame rates.
- CPU: You can't be too picky here. Most of these laptops come with an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, though you may occasionally see something with i7 or R7. A number of laptops in this price range are using older chips, like Intel's 12th or 13th Gen, but not all of them. They likely won't come with the latest AI-powered processors.
- RAM: While more expensive laptops have moved on to DDR5, most gaming laptops under $1,000 are still using DDR4. Expect 8GB on the low-end, though some systems do squeeze 16GB in. Some systems give you just one stick of 8GB RAM, known as single-channel. Strongly consider upgrading to 16GB, either by paying extra at purchase time or by buying more RAM and installing it yourself.
- Storage: You're likely to find either a 256GB or 512GB SSD. A 512GB SSD is a big advantage here, as you're not going to fit that many games on a 256GB drive. (Remember, Windows takes up space, too!) Do your homework on upgradeability. In our testing, we found some of these laptops have room for more drives that you can add yourself later at lower costs than what laptop vendors will charge you.
Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000: Bottom Line
Even the best gaming laptops under $1,000 are an exercise in compromise. Some companies opt for lower-end GPUs, while others cut costs with small SSDs. You're going to have to decide what you're willing to give up. But if you make the right choices, you'll be able to enjoy PC gaming on a budget, even if you have to turn down some settings or reinstall some games because of limited SSD space. And with some planning, you may be able to make some upgrades that will make for a dramatically better experience.
Of course, there is more than just performance to consider. You'll want to see how these laptops look and feel, and whether they offer the ports you want and a keyboard you like. So do some research and ensure you're getting everything you need before you go out and buy something. If you can, check out the laptop in person before you buy.
Discounts on the Best Gaming Laptops Under $1,000
Whether you're shopping for one of the best gaming laptops or another model that didn't quite make our list, you may find some savings by checking out our lists of Dell coupon codes, HP coupon codes, Lenovo coupon codes, Razer promo codes or Newegg promo codes.
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