With the rate technology is evolving the future of gaming is just getting brighter. While PCs and gaming consoles are built stronger and faster by the year, the new era of gaming laptops has followed close behind. Not too long ago, a laptop was the last place to turn for high-definition graphics or any kind of immersive gameplay.
However, with advanced graphics cards and refined cooling systems gaming laptops are more viable than ever. So is the accessibility of a good performing wireless gaming mouse to go along with it.
This article lists a few of the best gaming laptops under $2000. There’s no reason to break the bank when looking for a suitable machine. With a little helpful guidance, it can be very easy to snag a reliable, high-performance gaming laptop.
TLDR
Gaming Laptops under $2000 for Beginners
While all the laptops on this list are the best of the best in terms of mid-range gaming laptops, there are a few that shine in certain categories. Everyone wants a decent laptop that can manage the basics but some prove to be a little more complicated than others. What works for game design may not work for video editors.
For beginners, just getting started on their gaming journey, here are a few laptops that prove to be worthy candidates for an enjoyable introduction into gaming antics. The best of this category is without a doubt the Acer Predator Helios. The Helios is an uncomplicated machine that is easy to navigate. Another good pick on the list includes:
Top Gaming Laptops Under 2000 for Photo and Video Editing
The best product in this category is undoubtedly the Lenovo Legion 5. With enough power to handle bigger tasks and good performance, this is a laptop to keep your eye on. Other amazing laptops in this category include:
Best Gaming Laptop $1500 or Lower
With insanely good value for money, the Acer Nitro 5 is the best laptop in this category. This laptop has a high-class design and performance with the price of a much lesser laptop.
Best $2000 Dollar Gaming Laptop for Professionals
The MSI Stealth is a reliable laptop for the professional gamer. Both stylish and effective, you can’t go wrong with this laptop. Some other gaming laptops that professionals will love include:
Best Gaming Laptops under 2000 Comparison Table
This table offers a short overview of the best gaming laptops under 2000 dollars. Read further for more in-depth reviews of each product after taking a look at these quick comparisons.
Best Gaming Laptop under 2000 Reviews
From serious gamers looking for peak-performance, transportable machines to gaming beginners, this article covers the best of the best gaming laptops on a budget. While a gaming desktop may not be feasible, these gaming laptops have sufficient capabilities at reasonable prices.
ASUS TUF Gaming A17 Review
- Operating system: Windows 10 Home
- Processor: Quad-core AMD Ryzen 7 R7-4800H
- Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet, HDMI
- Screen Size:3 Inches
The Asus Tuf A17 is a powerful beast among gaming laptops. Gaming sites and channels ring with praises from positive user reviews and for good reason. This laptop boasts real-world durability as well as the firepower to handle serious gaming sessions and multitasking.
At an affordable price, the A17’s Ryzen 7 4800H chip handles amateur and professional work with ease. This machine keeps up a very satisfying processing speed for something of the mid-range laptop CPU class. The dual fans ensure comprehensive cooling and self-cleaning technology to extend system longevity. While these fans can get loud sometimes, it’s a small price to pay for the overall effectiveness of the A17.
The 120Hz screen is one of the best for the budget in this regard. Sharp and bright as possible for a mid-range gaming laptop, even the most picky of tech-junkies will be satisfied with the quality. With data transfer rates of up to 1.7Gbps, the A17 features one of the fastest Wi-Fi standards available to date. All this and more make the Asus Tuf a worthy candidate for the best gaming laptop under 2000 dollars.
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Acer Nitro 5 AN515-55-53E5 Review
- Operating system: Windows 10 Home
- Processor: Hexa-core AMD Ryzen 5 3GHz-4600H
- Screen Size:6″
- Standard Memory: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM
The Acer Nitro 5 is an affordable gaming laptop under 2000 with a decent keyboard and solid battery life. With Wifi 6 support and RAID 0 support, the Acer Nitro 5 is a feasible device for those looking for good results without breaking the bank.
One of the only major downsides to this device is the all-plastic build and soft lid. Furthermore, while the Acer Nitro 5 has a full HD resolution and comfortable viewing angles, it also has poor color coverage and uses harmful PWM. With a slow pixel response time, this laptop is not ideal when gaming daily for long periods of time.
The Acer Nitro 5 has fairly decent performance for the price. However, it might be a good idea to increase your budget if you’re intending to power on daily.
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MSI Stealth Review
- Operating system: Windows 10 Home
- Processor Count: 4
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Screen Size:6 inches
The MSI Stealth is a speedy laptop with insanely good specs. Capable of running big games without noticeable issues, this device is a good buy for the passionate daily gamer/developer. Alternatively, the powerful Intel Core i7-11375H processor enables this laptop to function decently for other productivity tasks as well.
While the fans can get a little loud, this issue is easy to overlook in light of the many pros this model possesses. With good brightness, and a full RGB backlit keyboard, the MSI Stealth stands out among the rest. Another one of the good gaming laptops under 2000 dollars, this machine comes with an 16GB RAM configuration perfect for carrying graphically heavy games.
With a slim build and a high-quality performance, the MSI Stealth is a worthy candidate for the best $2000 gaming laptop.
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Lenovo Legion 5 15 Review
- Operating system: Windows 10 Home
- Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet, HDMI
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB
- RAM: 16 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 15 boasts an excellent, sturdy build and decent specs. Portable and with a slick design, this device is an impressive laptop considering the low price.
A few downsides to the Lenovo Legion five is the poor battery life which lasts about 4hrs max. While the sound quality is alright, the speakers are decent to mediocre. However, these are slight blemishes that can be overlooked if you’re intending on using headphones and not traveling with your machine.
This Lenovo has a few notable upsides as well, including an impeccable screen-144Hz and 300nits, and the GTX 1660ti is perfect for gaming and video editing.
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Acer Predator Helios 300 15.6 Review
- Operating system: Windows 10
- Screen size:6 Inches)
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB
- Processor Count: 4
This laptop is valued for its portability as well as impeccable performance. The Predator Helios has an impressive NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20-series graphics card which allows for noticeable improvements in performance and power efficiency in comparison to the older model.
Although this device has a fairly average battery life, it makes up for this with steady performance. The Predator Helios is one of many decent laptops in the mid-range category. What makes this one special is the value for money aspect. The Predator Helios is top tier for quality higher than the price range.
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HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop Review
- Operating system: Windows 10
- Processor Count: 4
- Screen Size: 6 Inches
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB
Another ideal candidate for entry-level gamers, the HP Pavilion is both budget-friendly and effective. While unable to effectively run the latest and largest games, this laptop is still a small powerhouse for the price.
The HP Pavilion also boasts a high 9478 multi-core processing Cinebench score. This allows good performance across the board.With a high refresh rate and sharp graphics, there are few complaints to be had with this model. Complete with a pleasantly springy keyboard and cool, quiet performance, the HP Pavilion is one of the best gaming laptops under $1500.
The only real complaint with this machine is the weaker battery life. However, this is a minor issue that can be overlooked in light of the quality performance of this laptop. If you’re looking for a reliable machine to stream minecraft for hours at a time, this might just be the laptop for you.
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MSI GL66 Gaming Laptop Review
- Operating system: Windows 10
- Processor Count: 4
- Hard Disk Size: 521 GB
- Screen Size: 3 Inches
The MSI GL66 Gaming Laptop is one of the few good gaming laptops under 1500 dollars. Built to deliver high frame rates and low load times, this is a decent enough laptop for a beginner gamer looking for good performance without breaking the bank.
Although nothing to write home about in terms of flair and show, this laptop does what it needs to do both effectively and efficiently. Some of the minor qualms with this device are the flimsy hinge and plastic frame. While cracks and bends are unavoidable, these issues crop up earlier in this design than most. While not entirely a deal-breaker, this is something important to keep in mind.
With no-nonsense efficiency and good performance despite the lower price, this is an affordable laptop with good reviews to boot.
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ASUS Zephyrus ROG F17 Review
- Operating system: Windows 10 Pro
- Screen Size: 17,3 Inches
- Hard Disk Size: 1 TB
- Resolution: 1080p
The Zephyrus F17 boasts some fantastic attributes, for a 2000 dollar gaming laptop. Although lacking a webcam and reaching high temperatures after extended use, the F17 is a cut above the rest in terms of mid-range gaming laptops, as well as decently priced.
This laptop is valued for its speedy boot-up and shutdown as well as its brilliant screen quality. With a crisp, clicky keyboard and sleek build, the Zephyrus F17 is an asset to avid gamers around the globe.
This device has superior battery life compared to most mid-range laptops as well as some pretty powerful speakers. The Zephyrus F17 is possibly the best gaming laptop for 2000, it’s safe to state this device is an affordable dream machine.
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HP Omen 15 Gaming Laptop Review
- Operating system: Windows 10 Home
- Hard Disk Size: 1TB
- RAM: 16 GB DDR4 (1596MHz)
- Weight:46 kg
The HP Omen 15 would not be a competitor against powerhouse machines like the Razor Blade 15. However, for a 2k gaming laptop, this device is an ideal beginner computer for students and baby gamers alike.
The HP Omen 15 dons a minimal design compared to some of the flashier gaming laptops in the category. However, despite its modest appearances, the Omen is a powerful laptop that has fast made a name for itself as one of the best middle ground machines in the game.
This device boasts a number of compelling features that punch above the price range. Those looking to optimize graphics, processing power, etc, will appreciate the different configurations available. The HP Omen also has a large number of ports which proves useful for streamers and content creators.
Lastly, The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 3070 graphics card options prove capable of running most games with ease. Aside from some noisy fans and a flimsy casing, the HP Omen is a reliable laptop for the fairly passionate gamer.
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Best Gaming Laptop Accessories Reviews
Now that you’ve taken a look at some of the best gaming laptops under $2000, perhaps you’d be interested in some useful accessories.
Every gaming setup, professional or not, would not be complete without the proper Laptop Accessories. Here are some of the best add-ons to make your gaming experience an enjoyable one.
ASUS Optical RGB Gaming Mouse – TUF M3
Complete your setup with the ASUS Optical RGB Gaming Mouse. This product is for committed entry-gamers determined to refine the gaming experience. This is a wired gaming mouse with a tracking speed of 100 inches per second (IPS) and a 7000-DPI sensor for improved accuracy.
Enjoy lag-free gaming and a lightweight, comfortable design. The TUF M3 is also equipped with a specialized coating for durability. Avoid the wear and tear of other gaming mice with this affordable option.
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EVERKI Gaming Backpack
The EVERKI Ranger backpack is equipped with a water-repellent material and can fit a 18.4 inch laptop with ease. Built for gaming on the go, this versatile backpack comes with multiple pockets for your accessories and the soft, fine-felt lining ensures your laptop and accessories stay safe inside.
This backpack can also open up 180 degrees for easy access. Travel in style and take all your necessary components with you with this top-tier laptop backpack.
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Alienware 7.1 Gaming Headset
Alienware is known for its cutting-edge gaming tech and this gaming headset is no exception. This noise-canceling headset boasts multi-platform compatibility and the custom-tuned 50mm 20Hz-40kHz drivers offer a high-resolution auditory experience.
With a useful clamp to avoid slippage during gaming and discord certification, you can’t go wrong with this immaculate headset.
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Best Gaming Laptops Under 2000 Buyers Guide
There are a few important factors to take into consideration when buying a gaming laptop. It’s all good and well to go for the flashiest design but it’s the internal mechanics that are most important for ensuring a top-notch gaming experience.
Hard Drive and Storage
A hard disk drive – or HDD – is arguably the most important component of any good gaming laptop. Every file, be it the operating system, software, or pictures of your cat is stored here. Most modern AAA Games are much larger in file size so a larger HDD is an important consideration. You don’t want to be in the position of having to choose which games to remove to make room for new ones.
Good storage space is a necessity when picking a good gaming laptop. While it’s possible to buy an extra hard drive to add more memory to your computer, most laptops will come with a built-in HDD. The HDD is essential for gaming itself as you would never be able to download a file otherwise.
Graphics Card
Having a graphics card is a huge plus for gaming as it will increase the overall performance of your machine. An essential part of any computer, the graphics card processes color and is pivotal for immersive gaming.
The role of the graphics card is to render processed data into a video signal before sending it to your laptop display. A good graphics card makes for vibrant colors and better visuals. A good graphics card will allow for the playing of AAA games at the higher frame rates that are possible.
Resolution
Screen resolution essentially affects both the clarity of text on screen and images. Good screen resolution is necessary for an incredible gaming experience as the better the resolution-the better the visual appeal on screen.
Furthermore, the higher the resolution-ie more pixels-the more you will see on your screen without having to scroll. While this makes the images sharper, text and icons will also look smaller. While screen resolution alone should not be the main driving force for purchasing a particular laptop, it is most definitely an important factor to consider.
Summary of Best Gaming Laptops Under 2000
Whether you’re looking for a good laptop that can provide you with the basics or thinking of expanding your gaming experience, there is a gaming laptop out there for you – at an affordable price.
There is no reason gaming should take up all your expenses and these gaming laptops under $2000 are proof of that fact. With all that in mind, pick out a laptop best suited to your needs and enjoy premium gaming at a comfortable price.
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Matt is about 80% nerd, 10% writer, 10% animal lover. His love for PC’s started at the tender age of 4 and his love for animation and motion graphics fairly soon after. You can normally find him behind a computer screen or playing with his dog Rusty.