Best cheap gaming laptop deals

This is a pretty appealing price for a capable 16-inch gaming laptop with a modern GPU. Sure, it's an RTX 5050, which needs to be affordable to be worthwhile, but this Acer Nitro V 16 AI is certainly that. It has a good screen for the money, too. A 180 Hz, 1200p IPS. Oh, and while the storage capacity isn't great, there's space for another drive under the hood.

Key specs: RTX 5050 | Ryzen 5 240 | 16-inch | 1200p | 180 Hz | 16 GB DDR5 | 512 GB SSD

Yup, that's nearly a $500 saving on a machine we were already pretty impressed with in terms of pricing. That makes it an easy recommendation, though there are a couple caveats to note. Our favorite thing about this machine is the excellent 1080p gaming performance, but what you don't get is a good memory/SSD config. At 16 GB DDR5 it's not bad on the RAM capacity front, but it's single channel. You're also only getting a 512 GB SSD for the money, which is pretty miserly. But at this price, with that performance, it's a pretty easy pill to swallow.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 250 | RTX 5060 (115 W) | 16 GB DDR5-5600 (single channel) | 512 GB SSD |

Gigabyte's budget gaming laptops are creeping into the discount range once more, and it's good to see them back. This one's got a well-weighted set of components for the price, including an 85 W variant of the RTX 5060. That puts it on the lower-powered side of things, but at least it can take advantage of Multi Frame Gen and DLSS 4. Plus, a 1200p screen is a good match for this particular GPU, and its 165 Hz refresh rate is plenty nippy. It might not be mega-powered, but it's got the sort of specs that make it a very well-rounded laptop for all sorts of tasks, especially as you're getting 32 GB of RAM and a good-sized SSD thrown into the bargain.

Key specs: RTX 5060 | Core i7 13620H | 16-inch | 1200p | 165 Hz | 32 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Amazon $1,235.32

Boo, boo to the 512 GB SSD. Still, it's one of the easiest things to upgrade on any gaming laptop, and this one provides you with a lovely OLED display, which is rare to see on a laptop at this price. The RTX 5060 might be one of Nvidia's lower-stack mobile GPUs, but DLSS and Frame Gen will be the great equaliser here to make the most of that 1600p panel. Lenovo makes some excellent gaming laptops, and this one gives you a fair bit of bang for your buck for the money.

Key specs: RTX 5060 | Ryzen 7 260 | 15.1-inch | 1600p | 165 Hz | 16 GB DDR5 | 512 GB SSD |

Price check: Lenovo $1,314.99

I reckon this Gigabyte machine is a fairly handsome beast, and although the price has jumped around a lot recently, it's a still a very good deal on an RTX 5070 machine. It might be an 85 W variant, but DLSS 4 and Nvidia's AI doohickies should make up a fair bit of the difference when pushing that 1600p panel. 32 GB of DDR5 is nice to see, and it looks like there's plenty of upgrade potential here too, should you wish to up the RAM or cram in a bigger SSD.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Ryzen AI 7 350 | 16-inch | 1600p | 165 Hz | 32 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Amazon $1,599.99

With a 110 W version of the RTX 4070, with wee Acer has plenty of grunt about it, and that 120 Hz refresh 1600p panel will make a really crisp screen for a 14-inch laptop. You're also getting a full 1 TB SSD alongside your 16 GB of soldered memory (no upgrades happening there) and a decent Meteor Lake CPU at its heart. It's one of Intel's more efficient chips, with six Performance and eight Efficient cores, which ought to help with the battery life of this portable machine.

Key specs: RTX 4070 | Core Ultra 7 155H | 14-inch | 1600p | 120 Hz | 16 GB LPDDR5X | 1 TB SSD |

Continuing on the RTX 5070 laptop discount train, how about this TUF beastie? Sure, it's only got a 1200p screen, but that just means that mobile GPU shouldn't struggle making the most of the 165 Hz refresh rate, particularly when Multi Frame Generation is thrown into the mix. It's also got 32 GB of RAM, which makes a real change at this price point from the many, many 16 GB laptops we were finding up until recently. A very tidy gaming laptop for the cash, and one I'm eyeing with my personal funds.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Ryzen 9 270 | 16-inch | 1200p | 165 Hz | 32 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Amazon $1,829

An OLED display, a full-fat RTX 5070, and a 20-core Intel CPU? Don't mind if I do. This Lenovo lappy has a serious amount of firepower for the cash, but the real star feature is that 16-inch 1600p panel. You'll still need a dose of DLSS and perhaps the odd dash of Multi Frame Generation to really make the most of it, but this is a laptop with a handsome set of features (and a lovely chassis) for very sensible cash, and quite the desirable thing.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Core Ultra 7 255HX | 16-inch | 1600p | 165 Hz OLED | 16 GB DDR5-5600 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Best Buy $2,103.06 (32 GB variant)

If you did a double take, you're in good company. This HP machine is the first RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptop I've seen drop below the $1,500 mark, even if it's only by a single cent. That's a remarkably powerful GPU (here in top-wattage spec), combined with a chonky eight-core AMD chip and a pleasingly well-weighted 1200p display, which means it should have no issue spitting out plenty of frames to make the most of its 165 Hz refresh rate. The RAM is a little meagre at 16 GB, and the SSD is very small, but both can be upgraded with relative ease—and compromises have to be made somewhere at this price.

Key specs: RTX 5070 Ti | Ryzen AI 7 H 350 | 16-inch | 1200p | 165 Hz | 16 GB RAM | 512 GB SSD |

Should you wish for an RTX 5070 in a very portable frame, well, normally you'd have to pay a serious sum for it. But this HP machine is a very tempting offer at this sort of price, given the firepower that's been crammed inside the 14-inch chassis. Dollars to donuts its a low-wattage RTX 5070 variant, and the 1800p panel means you'll need to make use of DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation to make the most of the 120 Hz refresh rate, but still—hyper portable laptops come with caveats, and this has relatively few. Plus, an OLED display? Lovely.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285H | 14-inch | 1800p | 120 Hz OLED | 32 GB RAM | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: HP $2,529.99 (spec in configurator)

A 240 Hz OLED display, a 115 W RTX 5070 Ti, a speedy, 24-core Intel chip and it's all wrapped up in a relatively slim and stylish form factor? Yep, this laptop is a real winner for $1,600. I've often marvelled at Acer's new Predator Helios Neo designs (what a sentence) at trade shows, and this sleek customer is a very nice thing to slip in your bag. And then give back, in my case, but you can own one and I can live vicariously through you. Excellent.

Key specs: RTX 5070 Ti | Core Ultra 9 275H | 16-inch | 1800p | 240 Hz OLED | 32 GB RAM | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Amazon $2,199

Our Dave's absolute favorite Razer gaming laptop is somehow getting cheaper and cheaper, proving that some deals just keep going. In his Blade 14 review he said it's "a huge improvement over last year's model, and there's now no other gaming laptop I'd want to have my digits on or spend my money on." And he stands by that. I've asked him, and everything. It's incredibly portable, gorgeous to behold, and pretty much the most desirable lappy on the planet right now. How's that for a deal?

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Ryzen AI 9 365 | 14-inch | 120 Hz OLED | 1800p | 32 GB LPDDR5X-8000 | 1 TB SSD |

I know, I know, it's still a lot of cash. But the truth is, it's difficult to find most RTX 5080 laptops for anything close to $2,000 right now, so this one actually represents pretty stunning value. Our Dave has been playing with this particular model recently and likes the value proposition you get when you take into account that mega GPU, although it is a bit of a hairdryer on full whack. Still, stick it in Balanced mode and the noise is much more reasonable, and it still performs about as well as the other RTX 5080 machines we've tested. Which is to say, very well indeed.

Key specs: RTX 5080 | Core Ultra 9 275 HX | 16-inch | 1600p | 240 Hz | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Best Buy $1,999.99

"A new age of power is born" says Dell in this Alienware laptop's blurb. Well, while I wouldn't quite go that far, it is a remarkably beefy machine with a huge discount, and that's good enough for me. This RTX 5080-toting lappy has a 300 Hz 1600p 18-inch screen, of all things, which should really be able to show off that mobile GPU's chops with aplomb. It's also got 32 GB of RAM, a 24-core bleeding-edge Intel chip, and... a 1 TB SSD. Surely a 2 TB model would be more suitable for Dell's new age? Whatever. It's still a mega gaming laptop—although being 18-inches, I doubt you'll want it in your backpack for too long.

Key specs: RTX 5080 | Core Ultra 9 275 HX | 18-inch | 1600p | 300 Hz | 32 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Amazon $4,465.99

It's still a bit of a teeth-clencher on the price front, but this HP machine gets you a 240 Hz 1600p OLED panel in combination with a max-wattage RTX 5080, and that's a very good place to be. Plus, it's all wrapped up in a slim and stylish chassis, with a firebreather of a 24-core CPU, 32 GB of RAM, and even a 2 TB SDD thrown in to the bargain. Okay, bargain might be a bit much, but this is still a good deal given the sheer quality of the components involved.

Key specs: RTX 5080 | Core Ultra 9 275 HX | 16-inch | 1600p | 240 Hz OLED | 32 GB DDR5 | 2 TB SSD

Price check: HP $3,299.99 (1 TB variant)

Our best high-performance gaming laptop pick features a monstrous collection of components, and while it can be found on discount at various retailers right now, this is the cheapest I can find it for in full game-crunching trim. The RTX 5080 is a full-strength 175 W variant, the panel is a 240 Hz OLED stunner, the Intel CPU is mega, and as our Dave found in his review, the gaming performance is simply excellent. It's one of the fastest laptops we've tested to date, yet comes wrapped in a chassis you'd actually want to show off—although it must be said, it's a pretty sizeable machine to lug around if you plan on taking it on your travels.

Key specs: RTX 5080 | Core Ultra 9 275HX | 16-inch | 240 Hz OLED | 1600p | 32 GB DDR5 | 2 TB SSD

Price check: B&H Photo $3,499

Okay, the Steam Deck may have had an OLED refresh and there are heaps of more powerful handhelds around, but the original version is still the archetype of what a mobile PC gaming device should be. It's just as powerful as the OLED model, so all those Steam Deck compatible games should run well. It's the OG PC gaming handheld, and it still demands respect, although this particular version does have quite a small SSD. Replacing it later with a larger unit is no great hassle, however.

Key specs: 256 GB SSD | SteamOS |

If you want a great big screen you can enjoy at a distance—thanks to detachable controllers—the original Legion Go has your peepers covered. A real indie machine if ever I saw one.

Key specs: Ryzen Z1 Extreme | 16 GB LPDDR5 | 1 TB SSD | 2560 x 1600, 144 Hz | 8.8-inch screen

Our new favorite gaming handheld might not have a discount right now, but it's still the best you can get thanks to its magnificent SteamOS integration. That's one of the best things about the Steam Deck, too, but here you're getting much more powerful hardware and a supremely comfortable chassis that makes the Legion Go S SteamOS an absolute delight to game on.

Key specs: Ryzen Z1 Extreme | 8-inch screen | 32 GB RAM | 1 TB SSD

Most RTX 5060 machines have yet to be hit by the heavy deals stick in the UK, but this one has a decent smattering of specs for a low price. It's a 75 W variant of the RTX 5060, which isn't exactly turbocharged, but with some DLSS help it shouldn't have much trouble with a 1080p display, and the refresh rate is nice and speedy to make the most of Multi Frame Generation, too. Plus, a 1 TB SSD in a budget gaming laptop: Heavens be praised!

Key specs: RTX 5060 | Core i7 13620H | 15.6-inch | 1080p | 165 Hz | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Laptops Direct £999.97

If you like your gaming laptops on the larger side, this Asus TUF 18-inch model is well worth a look. It's got a decently-powerful eight-core, 16-thread AMD CPU, a 115 W RTX 5070, and a sizable screen that should show off your games with aplomb. Sure, it's only 1200p, but that's the sweet spot for keeping your frame rates high without too much DLSS help, and your digital adventures should look lovely regardless.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Ryzen 7 260 | 18-inch | 1200p | 144 Hz | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

This HP lappy has a seriously chonky CPU, in combination with a 140 W RTX 5070 and 32 GB of RAM, making it a very well balanced setup. Sure, it's only got a 1200p screen, but that means the GPU should have little issue pumping out plenty of frames, and it all comes wrapped in a very stylish chassis design, too.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Ryzen 9 8940HS | 16-inch | 1200p | 144 Hz | 32 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD

Lenovo gaming laptops often make for excellent machines, and this one looks to be no exception. It's got that familiar "take it to a meeting without laughter" chassis design, a 115 W RTX 5070, and a punchy 14-core (six Performance, eight Efficient) Intel chip, in combination with a generous amount of RAM and a decently-sized SSD. And the cherry on top? A speedy OLED display, all for an excellent price. I'd be more than happy to rock one of these as my main gaming machine, and so would you, I'd wager.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Core i7 13650HX | 16-inch | 1600p | 165 Hz OLED | 32 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

We've been very impressed by the RTX 5080 version of this particular laptop for the value proposition it provides, and the RTX 5070 Ti variant is unlikely to be a slouch, either. While most RTX 50-series lappys are still priced into the stratosphere, this 16-inch machine is a fantastic price for the components you end up receiving. That's apart from the SSD, unfortunately, which is far too small. Still, sticking a 1 TB drive in a laptop is one of the easier hardware tasks you can perform, and the rest of the components are pretty stellar for the cash.

Key specs: RTX 5070 Ti | Core Ultra 7 255HX | 16-inch | 1600p | 240 Hz | 32 GB DDR5 | 512 GB SSD

RTX 5080 machines are still eye-wateringly expensive for the most part, but we're big fans of this Vector lappy, especially because of the price. It might not have the prettiest chassis, but it's as fast as a very, very fast thing for a fair bit cheaper than most of the competition—with a speedy 240 Hz IPS panel thrown into the bargain, too. That makes it a genuine value proposition in a laptop market that's still starved of stock and filled with extremely pricey equivalents. A smart buy right now, no doubt, although I'd stick a touch more RAM in it for cheap to really bring it up to mega spec.

Key specs: RTX 5080 | Core Ultra 9 275HX | 16-inch | 1600p | 240 Hz | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Amazon $2,883.90 (2 TB variant)