7 Best Gaming Laptops Under 500 Dollars to Play Games in 2023
Get the best gaming laptops under 500 dollars guide based on real-life user experience who have used the computer to play games, run applications such as 3D modelling, video editing and content creation.
Searching for the best gaming laptop under 500 will take a lot of time if you want to do a proper gaming laptop research before making a purchase. I have a personal technique I use whenever I want to make a laptop purchase.
And if you are concerned with the SSD laptop within the same price range then you can go through the list of SSD laptops under $500.
All prices are accurately below $500 for brand new gaming laptops based on Amazon and eBay prices. We always give accurate estimates.
5 Best Gaming Laptops Under 500 Dollars
What are those gaming laptops you can get for exactly under 500 dollars? Not slightly above $500 but accurately under $500. The best gaming laptops under 500 dollars start from $456. The cheapest gaming laptop for 500 dollars is $429.
1. Lenovo Z50 Laptop – Best Gaming Laptops Under 500 Dollars
Lenovo Z50 Flagship is the best gaming laptops under 500 dollars because it has the highest performing graphics card, tall RAM size, and CPU Processor speed. I also did a google search on AMD Radeon R7 graphics card, and I saw an article on Notebookcheck, which shows the games AMD Radeon R7 can handle at High, Medium and Low settings.
A brief rundown of the games the Lenovo Z50 can run:
- Resident Evil 2017 – Low settings
- Watch Dogs – Low settings
- Call of Duty Infinite Warfare 2016 – Low settings
- Titanfall 2 – Medium settings
- Farming Simulator 2017 – Medium settings
- Battlefield 1 – Low/Medium settings
- FIFA 17 – High settings
- Overwatch – Medium settings
- Rainbow Six Siege – Low settings
- Sims 4 – Medium settings
- GTA V – Medium settings
- The Witcher 3 – Low settings
- Battlefield 4 – High settings
- BioShock Infinite 2013 -High settings
Key Specifications
- AMD Radeon R7 dedicated graphics
- 12GB DDR3 RAM
- AMD FX-7500 Quad-Core (2.10 GHz with Turbo up to 3.30 GHz)
- 1TB 5400pm Hard disk drive
- 15.6 inch HD LED Display (1366 x 768)
- Windows 10
- Battery: 4-cell lithium-ion (up to 5 hours)
Product Description
Pump up the power for work and play with the mighty Lenovo Z50. It comes with a speedy AMD FX-7500 processor, massive 1TB hard drive, and 12GB of memory, making it a great for multitasking at the office or serving as a multimedia hub at home
Windows 10 operating system. Windows 10 brings back the Start Menu from Windows 7 and introduces new features
15.6 inch HD LED Display. Typical 1366 x 768 HD resolution. Natural finger-touch WLED backlight. AMD FX-7500 (2.10 GHz with Turbo up to 3.30 GHz). Entry-level Quad-Core processor
12GB system memory for basic multitasking. 1TB 5400 RPM HDD memory. AMD Radeon R7 with the shared graphics memory
On-processor graphics with shared video memory provide everyday image quality for Internet use, basic photo editing, and casual gaming. 1 USB 3.0 port. 2 USB 2.0 ports, Quick plug-and-play connectivity for your devices and accessories
HDMI output expands your viewing options. Connect to an HDTV or high-def monitor to set up two screens side by side or see more of the big picture
Built-in media reader for simple photo transfer. Supports select memory card formats. Wireless network connectivity. High-speed wireless LAN built into the screen. Basic software package included
Additional port. Headphone/microphone combo jack
Lenovo Z50 Pros
- Affordable Price
- 12GB RAM Size
- Best AMD graphics cards
- Elegant Design
- AMD Quad-core processor
- Big 1TB hard drive storage
- Good battery lasting up to 5 hours
Lenovo Z50 Cons
- Can’t play latest AAA games on high/ultra settings
- No dedicated graphics
- No FHD display
- No SSD drive for better performance
- No backlit keyboard
Awesome Content – The 4 terbaik Gaming PC di bawah 500 dolar (2019 edisi)
2. Lenovo Premium Laptop – Second Best Gaming Laptops Under $500
The Lenovo Premium Built High-Performance Laptop is the second-best gaming laptops under 500 dollars because of its high performing graphics card, large RAM size, and CPU Processor speed. I also did a google search on AMD Radeon R7 GPU and got an article on Notebookcheck, which shows the games AMD Radeon R7 can handle at High, Medium and Low settings.
A brief rundown of the games the 2016 Lenovo Premium Built High-Performance Laptop can run:
- Resident Evil (2017) – Low
- Watch Dogs (2016) – Low
- Call of Duty Infinite Warfare (2016) – Low
- Titanfall 2 – Medium
- Farming Simulator 2017 – Medium
- Battlefield 1 – Low/Medium
- FIFA 17 – High settings
- Overwatch – Medium
- Rainbow Six Siege – Low
- Sims 4 – Medium
- GTA V – Medium
- The Witcher 3 – Low
- Battlefield 4 – High
- BioShock Infinite (2013) – High
Key Specifications
- AMD Radeon R7 with the shared graphics memory
- 8GB DDR3 1600 MHz RAM
- AMD FX-7500 Quad-Core (2.10 GHz with Turbo up to 3.30 GHz)
- 1TB 5400pm Hard disk drive
- 15.6 inch HD LED Display (1366 x 768)
- Windows 10 Home
- Battery: 4-cell lithium-ion (up to 5 hours)
Pros
- One of the cheapest
- 8GB RAM
- High Performace laptop
- Premium design and build quality
- AMD Quad-core processor
- Big 1TB hard drive storage
- Good battery lasting up to 5 hours
Cons
- Can’t play latest AAA games on high/ultra settings
- No dedicated graphics
- No full HD display of 1920x1080p
- No SSD drive for better performance
Recommended Article: My Nigerian Gaming Setup Updated October 2017
3. Lenovo Ideapad 310 – Best Storage Gaming Laptop Under $500
The Lenovo Ideapad 310 15.6″ Laptop is ranked 3rd on my list just because it has a lower graphics card than the Lenovo Z50, but it’s still a high performance with a robust 12GB DDR4 RAM storage, AMD Radeon R5 GPU and AMD Quad-Core A10-9600p processing power of up to 3.2 GHz. It’s won a solid 3rd place in this ranking in our best gaming laptops under 500 dollars.
To meet the needs of the present and future, DDR4 delivers higher performance, lower power consumption, higher density, and increased reliability. This laptop’s internet speed is up to three times faster thanks to 802.11a/c WiFi technology. This means faster media streaming and web browsing. Equipped with the latest processors and HD graphics, the IdeaPad 310 delivers serious horsepower without breaking the bank.
Key Specifications
- Display: 15.6″ LED backlight HD (1366 x 768) Display
- Processor: AMD A10-9600P processor 2.30GHz (with Max Turbo Speed of 3.20GHz)
- Memory: 12GB DDR4, 2133 MHz
- Hard drive size: 1TB 5400 RPM HDD
- Operating system: Windows 10 Home, 64-bit
- PC type: Laptop
- Optical drive: DVD±R/RW
- Media drive: 4-in-1 reader (MMC, SD, SDHC, SDXC)
- Video: AMD Radeon R5 Graphics
- Ports: 1 x DC-in, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Headphone/Microphone, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x VGA
- Battery Life: Up to 4 hours
- Camera:720 p HD Webcam
- Wireless: 802.11ac
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.1, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
- Dimensions: 14.92″ x 10.24″ x 0.9″
- Weight: 4.8lbs
- Color: Black
Lenovo IdeaPad 310 Pros
- The cheapest gaming laptop under 500 dollars
- 12GB DDR4 RAM
- The highest processor speed of 3.2GHz on this list.
- Big 1TB hard drive storage
Lenovo IdeaPad 310 Cons
- Low resolution
- Cheap plastic build
- Can’t play latest AAA games on high/ultra settings
- No dedicated graphics
- No SSD drive for better performance
- Low graphics card
4. ASUS VivoBook – Best Lightweight Gaming Laptops Under 500 Dollars
The ASUS VivoBook Laptop is the first gaming laptop under 500 dollars to have an SSD drive which is huge for the overall performance of the computer which means game opens and runs quicker and when paired with the AMD Radeon R5 graphics card expect the best gaming output the laptop can handle.
The processor also has one of the highest processing power starting at 3.0Ghz which can go as high as 3.6Ghz all thanks to the AMD Dual-Core A9-9420 processor.
One of the only gaming laptops under 500 dollars to have the full HD 1920 x 1080p display experience.
Key Features
- AMD Radeon R5 integrated graphics
- Fast 256GB Solid-State Storage
- 8GB RAM for fast boot time and application and game performance
- AMD dual-core A9-9420 processor 3.0 GHz (Turbo core to 3.6GHz)
- 14-Inch Full HD 1080p Display
- Windows 10 Signature Edition Pre-Installed
- Extremely portable design: 0.9” thin and 3.6 lbs light
- Lightning-fast dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi keeps you connected through any congestion or interference
Asus VivoBook Pros
- Has an SSD drive for faster processing speed
- 12GB DDR4 RAM
- Full HD display of 1920 x 1080p
- Thin, lightweight portable gaming laptop
- Windows 10 Signature Edition installed
Asus VivoBook Cons
- Weak graphics card
- Can’t play latest AAA games on high/ultra settings
- No dedicated graphics
5. Lenovo Ideapad 500 – Most Expensive Gaming Laptop under 500 Dollars
This is the most expensive gaming laptop under 500 dollars is the Newest Lenovo IdeaPad S145 and it’s ranked 5th on my list because, over the Asus Vivobook which has an SSD drive, this has a mechanical 1TB 5400prm HDD and I am not a fan of hard disk drives anymore because of how awesome using an SSD drive is.
It’s also a little bit overpriced because with a much less amount you can get the Lenovo Z50 which is the best gaming laptops for under $500 for just $429 which means you are saving $70 easy.
Key Specifications
- AMD A10-8700P accelerated processor
- 8GB system memory for advanced multitasking
- 1TB hard drive for ample file storage space
- 15.6″ Full HD display 1920 x 1080 resolution
- AMD Radeon R6 graphics
Lenovo Ideapad 500 Pros
- Full high definition 1920 x 1080p display
- 8GB RAM
- Premium build quality
Lenovo Ideapad 500 Cons
- Most expensive on this list.
- Has the weakest graphics card on this list.
My Personal Gaming Laptop Research Technique
This is my gaming laptop research routine. You can follow my steps because they are going to help you when you making your next gaming laptop purchase.
My routine starts with a google search based on my budget and my search would typically look like “Best gaming laptops under 500 dollars”.
I get a list of blogs which has already done most of my work for me and provided a list of gaming laptops under $500.
I copy the list of gaming laptops into a .txt file or word document and do another google search on the first gaming laptop which was top of the list.
For example Lenovo Ideapad 500 reviews. I always click on Reddit posts because there you get unfiltered end users experience with the laptop you want to buy, you can easily see and relate with the problems they are facing and how they fixed them. This way you cut across all the advertising schemes pushed in the media by advertisers for you to buy their products.
My routine continues by doing a simple google search based on the graphics card. Why the graphics card? Well because gaming laptops are always changing with new technology like Nvidia paschal technology that enables laptops to have virtual desktop reality (VR) ready graphics cards like GTX 1060, 1070 & 1080.
What should a Gaming Laptop under 500 dollars have?
A gaming laptop under $500 would not have the best graphics card, CPU or RAM size but what exactly should it have? I wrote a detailed list of what to expect when you buy a gaming laptop under 500 dollars below.
- Dedicated Graphics. Nvidia Geforce or ATI Radeon graphics (AMD Radeon R7)
- Fast CPU processor with more than 2.0 GHz and above processing power (AMD FX-7500 Quad-Core).
- High RAM Size possible more than 6GB RAM. Recommended 8 or 12GB (12GB DDR3L 1600 MHz).
- Fast and High capacity hard disk drive. SSD recommended or 1TB HDD.
- Crisp display. Recommended 1920 x 1080p display (15.6 inch HD LED Display (1366 x 768) ).
- Windows 7. I recommend Windows 10 because you have more security against virus because windows defender is more potent in Windows 10 if updated regularly.
How I filtered Amazon Search to Get $500 Gaming Laptops
I went to Amazon, went to their laptop category then filtered by Price $500, New, Dedicated Graphics: Nvidia Geforce and ATI Radeon.
More Awesome Content
Dalam kesimpulan
The Lenovo Z50 comes first and is the best gaming laptop under 500 dollars because it has the most powerful kartu grafis among the rest of the list. So many hours were put into this collection so please like, share and leave a comment below.
