The best cheap gaming laptop deals in January 2025

Acer Nitro 16 gaming laptop open on a wooden table
(Image credit: Future)

This week's gaming laptop deals have dropped their prices at the cheaper end of the spectrum once more, but now it's that mid-range $1,000 - $2,000 selection giving us a little trouble. Models like the Acer Nitro V and HP Victus are offering some fantastic value in the three-figure price bracket, but it's down to MSI and Gigabyte to bring the heat slightly further up the scale this week. Still, my absolute favorite gaming laptop, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 is offering a new sale price at the moment - so there are wins to be found.

You'll find offers across all ends of the spectrum just below - whether you're looking for one of the best gaming laptops or have your heart set on a budget machine for casual experiences. I've capped my search for cheap gaming laptop deals at a budget of $2,000 / £2,000 and split my findings between true budget rigs (under $1,000) and the more premium models on the shelves.

You'll find all my top picks for this week's best cheap gaming laptop deals just below, but if you're after something more permanent I'd also recommend checking out all the latest cheap gaming PC deals.

Today's best gaming laptop sales

Cheap gaming laptop deals under $1,000

Acer Nitro V 15.6-inch RTX 4050 gaming laptop | $949.99 $599.99 at Best BuySave $350 -

Acer Nitro V 15.6-inch RTX 4050 gaming laptop | $949.99 $599.99 at Best Buy
Save $350 - This is a starter spec for sure, but if you're looking for a budget gaming laptop for indies and smaller titles this $599.99 sales price is looking particularly strong. I've only ever seen that price dip to $699.99 in previous sales.

Specs: AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS | Nvidia RTX 4050 | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD | 144Hz FHD display

Lenovo LOQ 15.6-inch RTX 4050 gaming laptop | $908.99 $759.99 at LenovoSave $149 -

Lenovo LOQ 15.6-inch RTX 4050 gaming laptop | $908.99 $759.99 at Lenovo
Save $149 - This RTX 4050 entry level Lenovo rig was back up to $799 last week, but it's just dropped back to $759.99. That's a solid rate for this cheaper device, and you're still picking up 16GB RAM under the hood as well.

Specs: AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS | Nvidia RTX 4050 | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD | 144Hz FHD display

MSI Cyborg 15.6-inch RTX 4050 gaming laptop | Ubisoft+ Classics 6 months | Assassin's Creed: Shadows | $999.99 $789.99 at NeweggSave $210 -

MSI Cyborg 15.6-inch RTX 4050 gaming laptop | Ubisoft+ Classics 6 months | Assassin's Creed: Shadows | $999.99 $789.99 at Newegg
Save $210 - I would have liked to see a little more cash off this RTX 4050 configuration, but with that free subscription and Assassin's Creed: Shadows pre-order it's still worth a look this week. The MSI Cyborg is a budget machine, but this configuration is workable for those looking to spend as little as possible right now.

Specs: Intel i7-13620H | Nvidia RTX 4050 | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD | 144Hz FHD display

HP Victus 15.6-inch RTX 4050 gaming laptop | $1,099.99 $799.99 at Best BuySave $300 -

HP Victus 15.6-inch RTX 4050 gaming laptop | $1,099.99 $799.99 at Best Buy
Save $300 - It's a barebones RTX 4050 configuration, but you're getting this HP Victus 15 for just $799.99 at Best Buy this week.

Specs: Intel i7-12650H | Nvidia RTX 4050 | 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD | 144Hz FHD display

Dell G15 15.6-inch RTX 4060 gaming laptop | $1,149.99 $849.99 at DellSave $300 -

Dell G15 15.6-inch RTX 4060 gaming laptop | $1,149.99 $849.99 at Dell
Save $300 - The Dell G15 is a more budget-minded gaming laptop, but it's still looking pretty strong at just $849.99 with a Ryzen 7 7840HS processor and a 165Hz display. Dell is saving you $300 on this rig right now.

Specs: AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Nvidia RTX 4060 | 16GB DDR5 RAM | 512GB SSD | 165Hz 1080p display

Gaming laptop deals under $2,000

Gigabyte 16-inch RTX 4060 gaming laptop | $1,199.99 $1,049.99 at Best BuySave $150 -

Gigabyte 16-inch RTX 4060 gaming laptop | $1,199.99 $1,049.99 at Best Buy
Save $150 - Sure, it's only a $150 discount but you're getting a massive 32GB of RAM inside this RTX 4060 Gigabyte gaming laptop. That's plenty of headroom for newer releases, alongside the i7-13620H processor. This model is also generally only ever $100 off.

Specs: Intel i7-13620H | Nvidia RTX 4060 | 32GB RAM | 1TB SSD | 165Hz WUXGA display

MSI Sword 16-inch RTX 4070 gaming laptop | $1,599.99 $1,129.99 with rebate at NeweggSave $470 -

MSI Sword 16-inch RTX 4070 gaming laptop | $1,599.99 $1,129.99 with rebate at Newegg
Save $470 - Another classic Newegg rebate deal here, you can grab $370 off the RTX 4070 MSI Sword direct on the site, but savings reach $450 with that extra $100 rebate included. Not only are you getting a fantastic spec for your cash there, but this bundle also comes with Ubisoft+ Classic for six months, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

Specs: Intel i7-13700HX | Nvidia RTX 4070 | 16GB RAM | 1TB SSD | 144Hz FHD+ display

Alienware M16 R2 16-inch RTX 4060 gaming laptop | $1,699.99 $1,399.99 at DellSave $300 -

Alienware M16 R2 16-inch RTX 4060 gaming laptop | $1,699.99 $1,399.99 at Dell
Save $300 - This is the very latest Alienware M16 on the shelves and you're scoring it for $300 off this weekend. With an Ultra 9 at the helm that's excellent value for money, especially considering the new chassis design serves this laptop so well.

Specs: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | Nvidia RTX 4060 | 16GB RAM | 1TB SSD | 240Hz QHD+ display

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 9 16-inch RTX 4060 gaming laptop | $1,799.99 $1,481.99 at LenovoSave $318 -

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 9 16-inch RTX 4060 gaming laptop | $1,799.99 $1,481.99 at Lenovo
Save $318 - The Legion 7i Gen 9 is a premium machine (and the best I've tested so far), but this $318 discount grabs you the mid-range RTX 4060 configuration for a good chunk of change less this week. A top of the range Intel i9 processor and high resolution display don't go amiss here either.

Specs: Intel i9-14900HX | Nvidia RTX 4060 | 16GB RAM | 1TB SSD | 165Hz 3.2K (3200 x 2000) display

What is considered cheap for a gaming laptop?

Defining a cheap gaming laptop usually comes down to setting a value to the individual parts inside each rig. For example, an RTX 4070 machine with a current-gen i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD is going to be cheap if it's priced around $1,000-$1,500, depending on the chassis itself. However, an RTX 3050 with an i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD would be considered overpriced in this range.

However, a lot of this determination comes from the brand and model. The best Razer laptops, for example, are particularly well-engineered machines with a whole suite of premium features and display technology. That means a 'cheap gaming laptop deal' on one of these rigs will still be a lot more expensive than the average going rate for the specs inside. The same goes for cheap Alienware laptops as well.

Can you buy a gaming laptop for under $500 / £500?

It's becoming increasingly rare to find budget gaming laptops at under $500 / £500, though you may still find some offers in this price range hitting the shelves during larger sales events. The rigs behind these price tags will always be incredibly entry level, though - so it might be worth setting your budget a little higher to truly maximise your value. $500 might get you a lot further when put towards an RTX-enabled configuration than it would in a budget GTX buy.

Which are the best budget gaming laptops?

The best budget gaming laptops right now are the Acer Nitro 5, HP Pavilion Gaming, MSI GF63, and Asus TUF Dash F15. These are all rigs that sacrifice some of the fancier features of more premium chassis' to ensure you're getting great components at an affordable rate.


If you already know which GPU you're after, it's worth checking out our weekly roundups of RTX 3050 laptop deals, RTX 3060 laptops, and RTX 3070 laptop deals. We're also showing you where to find all the latest RTX 3080 laptop deals as well. Once you've snapped up a bargain, it's worth checking our guide to the best laptop backpacks for more accessories.

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Tabitha Baker
Managing Editor - Hardware

Managing Editor of Hardware at 12DOVE, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector.