Best cheap gaming laptop deals

Decent gaming laptops for under $1,000 are extremely hard to find at the moment, as stocks of RTX 40-series machines are nearly dry and most of the new RTX 50-series models refuse to budge down to three-figure sums. However, this Lenovo machine manages to squeak under the wire. The RTX 5050 isn't the most exciting of GPUs, but combined with a bit of DLSS 4 magic it should still provide a good gaming experience at 1080p—and the screen is pretty speedy, too.

Key specs: RTX 5050 | Core i5 13450HX | 15.6-inch | 1080p | 144 Hz | 16 GB DDR5 | 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. You'll struggle to find RTX 5060 laptops for lower at the moment, and I'd take this over a no-name model any day of the week.

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

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

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 |

I reckon this Gigabyte machine is a fairly handsome beast, and although the price has jumped recently, it's a still a decent 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: Best Buy $1,349.99

This is one of the cheapest RTX 5070-toting machines I can find right now. With an 80 W TGP, the mobile GPU is a relatively low-power variant, but it shouldn't have much trouble feeding the 1200p screen regardless. The Intel CPU is a six-Performance core model, but again, it's still a speedy-enough component for gaming in 2025. So, there might be the odd caveat to be aware of, but this is still the best price you'll find on a good RTX 5070 gaming laptop as the market currently stands.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Core i7 13620H | 16-inch | 1200p | 165 Hz | 32 GB DDR5 | 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

Well, here's a laptop I'd stump up my own cash for in a heartbeat. For a start, you're getting a 1600p 165 Hz OLED display paired with a 115 W variant of the RTX 5070. That's not the top spec of Nvidia's mid-range mobile GPU, but with a dose of DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation, games are going to look pretty gorgeous spread across that panel. The CPU is a grunty eight Performance core, 12-efficient model, the 1 TB SSD is perfectly decent, and the RAM is... okay, here's where I'd make some modifications of my own. Still, 16 GB is fine to get started with, and SODIMMS are cheap. We've seen it for slightly less than this, but it's still a fabulous deal at this price.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Core i7 14700HX | 15.1-inch | 1600p | 165 Hz OLED | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Lenovo $1,684.99

Beyond the 115 W variant of the RTX 5070 sitting at its heart, you're also getting a beefy eight Performance core, 16 Efficient Intel chip, 32 GB of DDR5, and a 2 TB SSD thrown in with this particular machine. Oh, and a speedy 240 Hz screen, making for quite the specs sheet. It's not got a fancy OLED panel, but otherwise this is a very well-rounded package for a fair bit less than many RTX 5070 machines we're finding right now.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Intel Core Ultra 9 275H | 16-inch | 1600p | 240 Hz | 32 GB RAM | 2 TB SSD |

Price check: Best Buy $2,099.99

Sitting somewhere under the RTX 4080 and well above the RTX 4070 in terms of gaming performance, the RTX 5070 Ti is a great mid-range laptop GPU. Our Dave tested the Vector 16 HX AI for weeks, and came away very impressed with the RTX 5080 version, and the RTX 5070 Ti version promises much of the same. The 1200p IPS screen is a good match for the GPU and CPU, which is of 20-core Intel stock, and while I'd like to see more RAM, it's a very easy upgrade to perform. The price has risen recently, so it might be worth keeping an eye on this one to see if it drops again. Still, it's one of the cheaper RTX 5070 Ti machines you'll find right now, discount or not.

Key specs: RTX 5070 Ti | Core Ultra 7 255HX | 16-inch | 1200p | 144 Hz | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Amazon $2,299.99 (32 GB variant)

I know, I know, it's a lot of cash. But the truth is, it's difficult to find many RTX 50-series laptops for anything less than silly money right now, and this one's got the big boi RTX 5080 for a just about reasonable sum. 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 $2,499.99

Our Dave's absolute favorite Razer gaming laptop is somehow still rocking a hefty $400 discount right now, proving that some deals just keep going and going. In his Blade 14 review he said: "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 just checked.

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

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 |

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 |

Our new favorite gaming handheld might not have a discount at the moment, 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

There's no deal on the Steam Deck right now, but since the launch of the OLED model, you can buy the mid-sized LCD for a good price. It's still a wicked handheld, too, most of all because of its custom SteamOS operating system.

Key specs: SteamOS | 256 GB

Good 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 the 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: Amazon £999.99

Gigabyte have long made some excellent budget gaming laptops, and this one has a very good specs sheet for the price. The GPU might be a relatively low 80 W variant, but combined with a 1080p 165 Hz screen it should still game like a good 'un. The CPU is a decently grunty eight core 16-thread model, the chassis is rather handsome (if a tad thick), and it's close to a grand. Pretty good going if you ask me.

Key specs: RTX 5060 | AMD Ryzen 7 260 | 16-inch | 1080p | 165 Hz | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Amazon £1,099.99 (Intel Core i7)

The bad news here is you're getting an 85 W variant of the RTX 5070. The good news is, it's a very slim and svelte machine, and thanks to DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation, this sleek lappy should be able to pump frames (AI-generated or otherwise) at its 1600p 165 Hz display with aplomb. RTX 5070 machines are yet to see substantial discounts in the UK, but this one is definitely worth a look if you want to get on the DLSS 4 train for reasonable cash.

Key specs: RTX 5070 | Ryzen AI 7 350 | 16-inch | 1600p | 165 Hz | 32 GB DDR5-5600 | 1 TB SSD |

Price check: Amazon $1,499

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 downright reasonable for the components you end up receiving, although we have found it for cheaper before. 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.

Key specs: RTX 5080 | Core Ultra 9 275HX | 16-inch | 1600p | 240 Hz | 32 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD |

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