Best gaming laptops under $1,000
Lenovo Legion Y545
The Legion Y545 starts at $860, but depending on the deals Lenovo has for it, the price can be as low as $800 for a good middleoftheroad configuration. Our system performed really well with its Nvidia Ge Force GTX 1660 Ti and ninthgeneration Core i7 hitting more than 70fps for “Far Cry 5” and “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” tests. However, it does look a little more like a traditional gaming laptop. Lenovo’s Legion Y540 is more streamlined in appearance and is available in both 15 and 17inch sizes and start at less than $950.
Acer Nitro 5
The 17.3inch Acer Nitro 5 brings something extra to entrylevel gaming laptops, and not just a larger display. The screen is certainly a big part of its appeal, though: Most sub$1,000 gaming laptops have 15.6inch displays, and the Acer’s larger screen lets you sink in and get lost in whatever world you’re in. If you’re looking for a bit more oomph, but still at reasonable prices, check out the redesigned Predator Helios 300 with ninthgen Intel processors and Nvidia RTX graphics and a smaller, thinner body. The previous model, with a 15.6inch fullHD IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate, an Intel Core i78750H CPU, Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB of memory, 16GB of system RAM and a 256GB NVMe SSD, is available on Amazon for $1,089.
Dell G5 15
Dell’s Gseries gaming laptops are cheaper than those from its Alienware division, but still capable of playing the latest AAA titles. There are three separate models — the G3, G5 and G7 — available in 15and 17inch sizes. The 2018 G3 15 was slimmer in design than the G5 and G7, which were styled more like a gaming laptop. The 2019 G3 leans more toward the G5 and G7 design, too. The midrange G5 15 hits the mark with an excellent pricetoperformance ratio, build quality and design.