7 Best Gaming Laptops Under $2000 In 2023 – Buyers Guide
In the world of gaming laptops, it can be hard to find a good balance between price and performance. But if you’re looking for an affordable laptop that still has plenty of power for your gaming needs, then look no further than this list of the best gaming laptops under $2000 in 2023!
We’ve done extensive research and testing to bring you our top picks for budget-friendly gaming machines with enough juice to run all your favorite games.
Whether you prefer PC or console titles, these laptops have everything you need at prices that won’t break the bank. Read on to discover our seven recommended picks for the best gaming laptop under 2000 dollars in 2023 – plus some helpful tips on what features are important when shopping around!
What Are The Best Gaming Laptops Under $2000 In 2023?
The best gaming laptop under 2000 dollars should include enough hardware, so you can play your favorite games. We made a list right here of our top choices for the best gaming laptops under $2000 that can give you an amazing gaming performance. Check out the list right here:
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1. ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 Gaming Laptop
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 Gaming Laptop is a power machine of epic proportions. Equipped with the 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H Processor, it enables smooth and accurate gaming with insane speed.
On the graphics side, The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti allows for stunning ray-tracing visuals, as well as advanced AI features like NVIDIA DLSS.
To keep this machine running cool, ASUS added Thermal Grizzly liquid metal, Arc Flow fans, and 0dB Ambient Cooling.
The 15.6” FHD/300Hz IPS Type display provides a fast response time of 3ms for games that require split-second responses.
Massive storage is offered in the form of 1TB SSD and 16GB DDR5-4800 RAM to carry all your games efficiently.
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Pros
- Ultimate gaming performance
- NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3070 GPU
- 300 Hz gaming screen
- High-powered Intel i9 CPU
- Lots of space on 1TB SSD
- Good microphone
Cons
- No camera
Our Opinion
If you are looking for a high-performance gaming laptop that looks and feels amazing, the ASUS Rog Strix Scar 15 is the one! With an i9 CPU and a 3070 RTX graphics card, you can run any game you want without worrying about the settings. The quick gaming screen makes sure to capture all of this with amazing pictures. This is one of the best gaming laptops under $2000 in 2023.
2. Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop
The Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop has all the power that gamers need with its 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti.
Its 17.3” Full HD IPS display also offers a lightning-fast 144Hz refresh rate to provide smooth frames during even the most intense gaming session.
To ensure your laptop never overheats, it comes equipped with dual fans and a quad-exhaust port design for efficient cooling.
The Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop comes with 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM Memory but can easily be upgraded to 32GB if you are looking for more memory, plus you’ll have ample storage space on its 1TB SSD hard drive.
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Pros
- Great CPU and GPU
- Good-size screen with high resolution
- 1TB SSD
- A lot of value for money
- Cool backlit keyboard
Cons
- Not the best plastic quality
- Can struggle with battery life
Our Opinion
This is an amazing choice if you are looking for gaming laptops that give you a lot of value for your money. With the i7-12700H CPU and an RTX 3050 TI graphics card, you can play almost any game in the market with good settings. You also get a 144 Hz monitor which is essential for a smoother gaming experience. For the price, this is definitely a top choice on our list!
3. ASUS TUF F15 Gaming Laptop
With this ASUS gaming laptop, you’ll get a great graphics experience with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6. The Intel Core i5-10300H processor and 8GB of 2933MHz DDR4 RAM allow you to stream, multitask and more while the 144Hz 15.6” Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Type Display gives you a competitive edge over opponents.
And with a 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, you get fast load times so even graphically intensive games run smoothly and look great. Plus, it’s made of sturdy materials and conveniently equipped with an easy-to-upgrade design with nice anti-dust technology. You will get a gaming laptop for a good price that is easy to upgrade for future games.
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Pros
- Good speakers
- Great screen resolution with 144 Hz refresh rate
- Sturdy materials and lightweight
- Easy upgradable design
Cons
- No detachable battery
- No optical drive
- 8 GB RAM might be too low
Our Opinion
The ASUS TUF F15 is one of the cheaper choices on the list. This is the perfect gaming laptop if you want to play games like League of Legends, CS:GO, or Fortnite and you don’t plan on dribbling into more graphic-heavy games. The 8GB RAM is a bit too low for many newer games so I’ll recommend upgrading these at some point. But for way under $1000, this is a great choice for many.
4. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 Gaming Laptop
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 is a top-of-the-line gaming laptop perfect for gamers who crave the latest technology.
Boasting an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 8GB GDDR6, an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS processor, a 15.6” 165Hz IPS-Type Quad HD (2560 x 1440) display with adaptive sync, 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, and RGB Backlit Precision Gaming Keyboard, you’ll have no shortage of power when it comes to your gaming needs.
All this cutting-edge hardware is conveniently packed into the 0.78” thin, 4.2 lbs ultraportable form factor for easy portability; and when you’re not gaming on the go you can rest assured that the ROG Intelligent Cooling system with self-cleaning anti-dust tunnels will conserve cooling performance and system stability as you game.
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Pros
- Ultra slim gaming laptop design
- High-end graphics card
- Great AMD processor
- Can play many demanding games
- Tons of storage
Cons
- No webcam
My Opinion
With the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 Gaming Laptop, you get a laptop with a super smooth ultra-slim gaming laptop design with no compromise on hardware. With a 3080 graphics card and the Ryzen 9 5900HS CPU, you will have no trouble competing in games with your friends. This is a great gaming laptop for everyone that wants to play a lot of different games.
5. Alienware M15 R5 Gaming Laptop
The Alienware M15 R5 is a powerful and stylish gaming laptop sure to please even the most serious of gamers. It features an AMD Ryzen R9 5900HX 8-Core processor with 20MB Total Cache and up to 4.6 GHz.
Additionally, it features an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6 display for crisp visuals when playing your favorite games.
With 32 GB high-bandwidth RAM for smooth multitasking and 1 TB NVMe PCIe Solid State Drive, you boot this computer up in no time and easily tab in and out of games.
Other features include USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports with PowerDelivery and Video, Killer Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2. With its impressive performance, sleek aesthetics, and bonus extras; this gaming laptop should be top of your list!
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Pros
- Amazing CPU and GPU
- 360 Hz screen with 1 ms response time
- 32 GB RAM is perfect for gaming
- Great design
Cons
- One of the more pricy laptops
Our Opinion
The list would not be complete without a gaming laptop from Alienware. This is without a doubt a powerful machine with both a high-end AMD processor, NVIDIA graphics card, and enough RAM to last you a lifetime. The gaming laptop looks amazing and for excellent visuals, you get a 360 Hz monitor. If you don’t want to worry about being able to run future games, this is the gaming laptop for you.
6. MSI Stealth 15M Gaming Laptop
The MSI Stealth 15M Gaming Laptop is an impressive piece of hardware with plenty to offer even the most demanding gamers. The large 15.6” 144hz display provides crisp, true-to-life visuals at high refresh rates for that extra edge you need for competitive gaming.
Its 11th Gen. Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 make it powerful enough to handle the toughest games and applications without breaking a sweat. Its lightweight design makes it easy to carry around wherever you go, while MSI’s Cooler Boost Technology ensures optimal cooling so your laptop never overheats during intense gaming sessions.
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Pros
- Can play a lot of different games
- Has one of the better graphics cards
- Powerful CPU from gen intel core i7 series
- Slim gaming design
Cons
- Poor battery life
- Can get hot when playing demanding games
Our Opinion
The MSI Stealth 15M Gaming Laptop is also one of our top choices for this year’s affordable gaming laptops. It brings great hardware and is very portable with a slim gaming design. It can run all the popular games today but we recommend placing it on a desk when gaming.
The bottom part of the gaming laptop can get a bit hot if you are playing very demanding games. Other than that, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this piece of a gaming laptop, and you do get a lot of hardware for your money.
7. Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3
The Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 is the perfect gaming laptop for gaming and content creation. With the latest generation AMD Ryzen 5 6600H processor and a 3500 GeForce RTX GPU, you get both powerful performance and stunning graphics.
Plus, with a 15.6″ FHD IPS screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, your games will always look really good. Its signature Lenovo gaming keyboard provides an optimal user experience for media control and number pads with all the right features.
And with excellent battery life you can take this powerful gaming laptop with you wherever you go; when your battery runs low a quick Rapid Charge will boost it by 40% in just 15 minutes.
Connectivity-wise, you have built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, two USB-A ports, one USB-C (DisplayPort 1.4, Power Delivery 3.0), HDMI 2.0, RJ45, and an audio jack – all the ports necessary for extended gaming sessions or creating exceptional digital content!
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Pros
- Great price
- Good graphics card for the price
- Smooth and simple design
- 120 Hz monitor
- Good battery life
Cons
- Not as powerful as many other options
- Not the best speakers
- 8GB RAM is low
Our Opinion
If you are looking for a cheaper choice, then the Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 is a great choice to look at. For a fraction of many other gaming laptops, you still get a good CPU and GPU for your money. You might want to look into upgrading RAM and maybe the SSD in the future. The 258GB SSD is not much storage if you are playing games of a different kind.
What To Look For In Gaming Laptops
When looking for the best gaming laptop under $2000 in 2023, there are many factors to consider. As gaming laptops become more powerful, it’s important to understand what features you need and which ones you can live without. Here are some of the key characteristics to look for when choosing the right laptop so you have a better understanding of finding the best gaming laptop for you.
Price
Price is of course important for you to look at it. When it comes to gaming laptops, the price range can vary greatly depending on the specs and features of the gaming laptop. Generally speaking, gaming laptops with powerful hardware tend to be more expensive than their counterparts.
If you want a good gaming laptop under $2000, consider looking for models that prioritize performance over brand name or aesthetic appeal. Most mid-range gaming laptops cost around $1200 to $2000 and offer a good balance of hardware and features that can handle even the most demanding games.
Design
When it comes to the design of gaming laptops, there are many factors to consider.
Firstly, you should think about the size and weight of the laptop. In general, larger laptops are more powerful but can be heavier and less portable than smaller models. However, if portability and battery life are important to you, then look for ultra-slim gaming laptops that come with powerful hardware.
Other design features to consider include the build quality of the laptop, the type of display and its resolution, and whether or not it comes with a backlit keyboard. There is also the general feel of the gaming laptop. Sometimes it’s just nice to have a great-looking design that feels amazing when you use it and paying a bit extra for that might just be the right way for you.
If the design is especially important for you. Then you should look for a few gaming laptops that really focuses on that. We do recommend focusing more on the hardware since that will give you better gaming performance in the end. You can definitely find a good combination for gaming laptops under 2000 dollars.
Storage And RAM
Storage and RAM are important for your gaming PC to be able to store games and run programs. Storage is responsible for storing all your games, applications, and other files, while RAM allows your laptop to multitask smoothly.
High-end gaming laptops usually offer plenty of storage and RAM options, so you’ll be able to store a lot of files and run multiple applications at once. When looking for the best gaming laptop under $2000, make sure it has enough storage space (ideally a minimum of 256GB SSD) and at least 16 GB RAM for gaming.
Processor And Graphics Card
CPUs and GPUs are some of the most important components for any gaming laptop. The processor is the heart of the laptop, responsible for executing instructions and processes, while the graphics card is responsible for rendering images and graphics on your display.
When looking at processors, make sure you look for something that can run the games you would like to play.
This is also a great place to save money if you don’t need a high-end gaming laptop.
For the graphics card, look for something from Nvidia’s latest RTX line or AMD’s RX series. Both these GPU manufacturers have GPUs that are powerful enough to handle even the latest video games so you can enjoy a smooth gaming experience.
Battery Life
When shopping for a gaming laptop, battery life is an important factor to consider. In general, gaming laptops tend to have shorter battery lives than their traditional counterparts due to the more demanding hardware requirements. However, if you’re looking for a gaming laptop under $2000, you’ll find that some models offer good battery life.
This might not be an important factor for some. Even though the laptop is portable, most gamers want to play with their laptop plugged in for optimal performance. But having a couple of hours of game time on your battery is nice though.
Screen Size, Resolution, And Refresh Rate
Screen size and resolution are two important factors to consider when looking for the best gaming laptop under $2000. A larger screen size allows you to see more of your game, making it easier to play at a comfortable distance, and a higher resolution provides sharper images and more vibrant colors.
The ideal screen size for gaming is between 15.6” and 17.3″ with a minimum resolution of 1080p (Full HD). QHD (2560×1440) and 4K (3840×2160) resolutions are also available on some higher-end gaming laptops, for those who want to experience the highest-quality visuals.
You should also look at the refresh rate for your screen. 144 Hz has become the industry standard for many gamers because of the smooth feeling of the gameplay. Depending on your wants and needs, you can settle with less.
The last factor for your laptop monitor is the response rate. For quick fps games, you want a monitor with a fast response rate. Look for something with at least 3 ms. That will get you a long way.
If you plan on using an external gaming monitor for your setup, then this part is not as important. Using your own gaming or streaming monitor can be beneficial in some points.
Connectivity And Other Features
Finally, consider the connectivity options on the laptop. Look for features such as Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt 3 ports, and USB Type-C to ensure you have a fast connection for gaming and other tasks. Additionally, make sure it has enough USB ports so you can connect all your peripherals and other devices.
Ultimately, finding the best gaming laptop for under $2000 is all about understanding what hardware and features are important to you and then comparing different models to find the one that fits your needs. With a bit of research, you can easily find a great gaming laptop without breaking the bank.
FAQ – Best Gaming Laptop under $2000
What Is The Best Gaming Laptop But Cheap?
The best gaming laptop under 2000 is the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 Gaming Laptop. But if you want something cheaper, you should take a look at the ASUS TUF F15 Gaming Laptop.
Which Laptop Brand Is Best For Gaming?
There are tons of different gaming brands. All the laptops from gaming brands like ASUS, Acer, Alienware, MSI, and Lenovo are great choices. It all comes down to the hardware inside a solid gaming laptop.
Is 1000 Dollars Good For A Gaming Laptop?
Yes! The best gaming laptops don’t have to be the most expensive. You have to find a gaming laptop that fits your needs. There are many amazing gaming laptops for under 1000 dollars in the gaming world and some are even on this list.
Wrapping Up
With the right research and understanding of what hardware you need, it is possible to find an excellent gaming laptop under $2000. Make sure that your laptop has enough storage space, RAM, a good processor, and graphics card as well as all the cool features that will help you in your gaming sessions.
Additionally, look for a screen size between 15.6″ – 17.3″, with at least 1080p resolution and 144 Hz refresh rate for optimal performance. A portable gaming laptop with great battery life is also worth considering. Many gaming laptops are also used for school and great battery life can make difference here.
We have given you a list of the best gaming laptops under $2000 right here. We made sure to include the best gaming laptops in different price ranges so you can find the one that fits your needs within your budget the best.
