10 Best Gaming Laptop Under $1500 (All Rounders)
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Gaming setups are no longer limited to those costly and elaborate desktop machines that require you to spend thousands on accessories. Now, gaming laptops are your ticket to access the same quality of content with added benefits. Not only are they much cheaper, but you can always just carry them around.
And the laptop companies keep making them better and better. We have had some significant improvements in quality and weight in recent times. That, too, in reduced prices! The fact that gaming laptops are expensive is a thing of the past. Now you can easily buy very affordable laptops that pack everything you would expect from big gaming desktops.
These gaming laptops will be your savior if you are working on a tight budget! You will easily find gaming laptops under 1500. They would be able to sustain demanding AAA titles without a hitch quickly.
Now that we are here, we will take you through the best gaming laptops under 1500! These laptops are a perfect balance between performance and portability without denting your pockets!
Best Laptop Under $1500 Review
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Build  | ASUS TUF Gaming F17 Gaming Laptop
| 9.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
Best under Budget  | Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
| 9.5 | Check Price on Amazon |
Easy to Carry  | ASUS TUF Gaming Laptop
| 9.5 | Check Price on Amazon |
Best Overall  | Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop
| 8.8 | Check Price on Amazon |
Best Processor  | Acer Predator Triton 500 PT515-52-73L3 Gaming Laptop
| 8.6 | Check Price on Amazon |
Slim & Light  | OMEN 15 Gaming Laptop
| 8.2 | Check Price on Amazon |
Budget friendly  | 2021 New HP Pavilion 15.6" FHD Gaming Laptop
| 8 | Check Price on Amazon |
Best Overall  | Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop
| 7.7 | Check Price on Amazon |
Best for Multitasking  | Dell G5 15 Gaming Laptop
| 7.4 | Check Price on Amazon |
Lag-free performance  | 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
| 7.2 | Check Price on Amazon |
1. ASUS TUF Gaming F17 Gaming Laptop
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB GDDR6 Graphics [75W with Dynamic Boost 2.0]
- Processor: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11800H Processor (24M Cache, up to 4.6 GHz, 8 Cores)
- Display: 15.6” 144Hz FHD (1920×1080) IPS-Type display
- Memory: 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM
- Build: Durable MIL-STD-810H military standard construction
- FREE upgrade to Windows 11
Loaded with some of the most powerful hardware technology, it is the most affordable gaming laptop under 1500!
Performance
It comes equipped with Nvidia GeForce GTX 3050Ti GPU that gives premium graphics quality. If you purchase this gaming laptop, you can rely on this GPU system for heavy graphics lifting.
The Intel Core i7-11800H CPU and a highly ambitious 16GB RAM add to the laptop’s gaming performance and ensure smooth functioning. The dynamic boost of the F17 comes down to 95 watts- which is a mid-performance range.
Storage
As for the storage, the laptop comes with a 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD. It is enough to cover a whole lot of games without having to worry about space. However, you will find two SODIMM ports. They employ dual channel mode to extend the storage with 64GB each. This is a pretty good deal, given the price that it comes from.
Design and display
The laptop comes equipped with a Full HD display and a refresh rate of 144 Hz. It is finished with a matte cover to avoid reflections and glares.
However, the display as a whole would seem a little subpar when compared with other gaming laptops.
The brightness, too, is significantly less at just 264 nits. With a distribution of 79 percent, you will notice the apparent unevenness.
The plastic-made body is pretty durable and does not give a cheap look. It has a standard gaming laptop build with thin bezels around the sides, and a small protrusion on the top houses the camera.
Its very lightweight nature makes portability practically hassle-free. And if you find the RGB backlights annoying, you will find that this laptop comes in just one color throughout the board.
Battery
The battery life, as expected, won’t last long on high-performance mode. It will last you 5 hours of continuous usage without any battery optimization.
And although gamers do avoid optimizations for a better gaming experience, it can last 7 to 8 hours while turned on.
One another noticeable issue is the heating problem. So, if you want to prolong its life, it would be best to purchase a cooling system to accompany it.
Connectivity
The gaming laptop integrates the latest Thunderbolt 4 to connect all the new types of equipment.
Besides this, it comes with standard ports like USB, HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Audio Jack. The concentration of port is on the left side, which is pretty convenient for the right-hand users. An SSD card reader is amiss in the connection availability.
Other features
You will find the speakers to be a bit underwhelming. The two DTS: X Ultra speakers are certainly loud, but they lack bass. This is a bit disappointing if you prefer quality.
Pros:
- Very affordable
- Excellent graphics with a fast processor
- Thunderbolt 4 port
Cons:
- Underwhelming speakers
- Less brightness
- Heating issues
Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
- Processor: 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core Processor (Up to 5.0 GHz)
- GPU: Overclockable NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM
- Display: 15.6″ Full HD LED-backlit IPS display (144Hz Refresh Rate, 3ms Overdrive Response Time
- Memory: 16 GB DDR4 2933MHz Dual-Channel RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD (2 x M.2 slots)
Performance
The Acer Predator Helios 300 comes saddled with an Intel Core i7-10750H processor. Complete with a 16 GB RAM and Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, it can run all contemporary games and modules.
Looking at the gaming benchmark of the Acer predator, it can efficiently run high-end games at 60+ on high performance and graphics mode.
You won’t be surprised if I say that this laptop can easily handle designing software like Revit, Sketchup, Unreal Engine, and more
Storage
The internal storage of Acer Predator Helios 300 comes down to 512GB, storing an extensive array of games.
But if you don’t find it enough, then no worries! The three internal storage drives supported by the Acer Predator gaming laptop are no joke!
The two M.2 SSD slots and 2.5-inch drive bay allow you to extend the storage up to 2 TB easily.
Design and display
The refresh rate offered by this Acer Predator Helios 300 laptop is simply a treat not to be missed. With a 240 Hz rate, the picture quality is silky smooth.
The brightness is ample, and the matte coating deters any reflections or glares.
The distribution of brightness is 100 percent. This means that you won’t notice any screen bleeding on the sides, which is a problem with Asus TUF F17 Laptop.
The keyboard is a beauty as well, with its four-zone RGB separation. You can set red, green, and blue values for each zone separately. Even better is the dedicated button which launches the app.
The partial aluminum design of the body is a little disappointing, provided that this laptop is in the higher end of gaming laptops under 1500.
Gaming laptops under this spectrum tend to offer metal finishes. But despite the material, the laptop is indeed durable and would last quite a while.
Battery
The new model of Acer Predator has undoubtedly received a boost up in battery life.
At a more sustained level, life comes down to seven and a half hours. More optimized usage would probably last around 10 hours.
Connectivity
Unfortunately, this gaming laptop lacks Thunderbolt 4. But it makes it up with a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port (5Gbps), Type-C ports, HDMI 2.0b, an audio combo jack, and Killer E2600 2.5Gbps Ethernet jack.
Since it hosts a Killer AX1650i wireless card, it supports Killer DoubleShot Pro, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5. Other than the power cord at the back, all others are on the sides.
Other features
The speakers are very well made with a loud sound, with volume level above the sounds of fans. The bass and tones are beautiful with their detailing and wouldn’t make you wish for external devices.
The cooling fans of Acer Predator Helios 300 are very convenient as well. They are so quiet in their operation that you will hardly notice their presence.
They are efficient in keeping the system cool even over an extended period that you won’t feel the requirement for a cooling pad.
Pros:
- Bright and vibrant display
- Three internal storage drives
- Excellent battery life
- Loud speakers
- Efficient cooling fans
Cons:
- Lacks biometric features
- No Thunderbolt 4 port
- Partial aluminum build
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5 (Base: 1395MHz, Boost: 1560MHz, TDP: 50W)
- Processor : Intel Core i7-9750H Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.5GHz)
- Display: 15.6” 144Hz FHD (1920×1080) IPS-Type display
- Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | 8GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM
- Build: Durable MIL-STD-810G military standard construction
This is a super budgeted gaming laptop for gamers who want rooted prices for their tech.
Performance
The ASUS TUF FX505 Gaming Laptop enables its performance through Intel Core i7-9750H Processor with 8 GB DR4 2666MHz RAM and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card set.
The hexacore CPU houses a base frequency of 2.60 GHz, which bumps all the way up to 4.50 GHz.
These are some impressive numbers when you consider the amount of money that you are giving against it.
Although being a gaming laptop, you might want to consider upgrading the RAM almost immediately. 8 GB RAM is all that you will get.
And if you plan to run any recent games, then this would be a better choice. You can extend it up to 32 gigs, but even 16 should do the trick.
Storage
This Core i7 packs 512GB SSD space, which should be enough to sustain all the major gaming requirements. But if you do ever feel the need, you can always add an extra drive in its 2.5″ slot.
Design and display
This Asus laptop certainly takes the game with its display capacity and its massive 120 Hz rate. And when we said massive, we meant quite literally.
It is almost double the amount you will find in its competitor laptops of this range and even some more expensive ones.
Besides the display, the entire build of the laptop adds to the gaming experience. The thin bezels with an FHD display give an anti-blur and lag-free gaming.
The sharpness and responsiveness alone make it amongst the best gaming laptop under 1500.
Battery
It offers an average battery life, as you would expect from a 48Whr Li-Polymer battery pack.
If you plan some heavy-duty gaming sessions, then it would be best to keep it plugged in throughout.
But of course, this means that your system would heat up. Best invest in some cooling pads or external fans to avoid any issues!
Connectivity
The laptop comes with quite an assortment of ports. The ports present on the left side include USB 2.0 Type-A, HDMI, 1 x RJ-45, USB 3.2 Gen-1 Type-A, and audio jack. You will find the latest Thunderbolt 4 amiss.
Other features
The sound is a little bleak and lacks the tone distinction. Bass, too, falls a bit flat. But overall production of sound is loud and certainly enough to fill a small room.
Pros:
- Impressive specs at an affordable price
- Fast refresh rate
- No blurs or latency
- Loud speakers
- Extendable RAM
Cons:
- No Thunderbolt 4 port
- Low RAM
- Average battery
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 4800H mobile processor
- Memory: 16GB 3200MHz DDR4, & 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD storage
- Display: 144 Hz refresh rate and a 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti GPU
- Legion Coldfront 2.0 for thermal tuning
The laptop equips itself with the latest technology within a bulky frame. No doubt it is one of the best laptops under $1500, ideal for music producers, designers, and even businessmen.
Performance
This Lenovo Legion 5 gaming laptop features an AMD Ryzen R7 5800H processor, a RAM of 16 GB, and a 1660Ti graphics card.
This lineup is something that you will find in high-end gaming laptops, and this itself is pretty stunning.
When compared to competitors, this laptop easily comes out at the top. If we compare benchmark performance, the laptop leaves the more expensive gaming laptop behind.
But remember that the 1660Ti is an entry-level GPU, so you might have to tone down the graphics a bit.
It won’t affect the general gaming experience much, but you might face some heating issues without optimization.
Storage
For the internal storage, you would be getting 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD storage along with 1Tb of HDD storage.
So, the one thing, amongst others, that you can remain assured of is the ample storage space. You certainly won’t be running out of it anytime soon!
Design and display
Compared to other gaming laptops on our list, this Lenovo Legion has preferred function over form.
It comes with a large, bulky frame to accommodate all its parts. But despite the weight, it still manages to deliver on its looks—the phantom blue hood fashions a matte finish with the Legion logo on the sides. To give the best possible cooling, it hosts vents on the sides as well as back.
The keyboard is pretty sleek as well. With customizable RGB backlighting and evenly spaced keys, you can make the most out of it.
The display features an FHD display with a 2,560-by-1,600-pixel resolution. The screen size seems a bit unusual given its ratio of 16:10, but the extra space on the length is very convenient. The display itself is sharp and precise, with bright and vibrant tones.
Battery
This gaming laptop disappoints with its less than average battery life. It even falls behind the ASUS TUF FX505GT, a more budgeted model.
The charging takes ample time, so it would be better always to keep it hooked in with power.
Connectivity
There is one perk of the sizeable bulky frame – its ability to accommodate all sorts of ports.
You are getting a USB Type-C port, a headphone jack, a USB Type-A port, and a webcam kill-switch button on the two sides.
On the back, there are three other USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-C port, an RJ45 Ethernet port, and an HDMI port.
Other features
The bottom-firing speakers on the gaming laptop are surprisingly very loud but lack clarity and quality.
There is an imbalance in the tones, instruments, and bass, although not too noticeable. And unfortunately, it does not come with Mini DisplayPort.
This means that you would have to find some roundabout way to connect VR.
Pros:
- Stylish build
- Good performance
- Bright and vibrant display
- Loud speakers
Cons:
- Average battery life
- Bulky frame
- Processor: 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core Processor
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q & 8 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM
- Display: 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) LED-backlit IPS display, NVIDIA G-SYNC technology
- Memory: 16GB DDR4 2933MHz Memory; 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- RGB Backlit Keyboard
This Acer Predator laptop lives up to the hype of the brand.
Performance
Our Acer Predator model has an Intel i7-10750H, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super graphics card, and 16GB Dual-Channel DDR4 RAM.
Tweaking a price around a bit can get you more RAM speed. But honestly, this configuration is enough to deem it as amongst the best gaming laptop under 1500.
The setup is perfectly balanced against the 15-inch screen without under or overwhelming it.
Storage
The laptop comes with a 512GB SSD that can be extended through an external SSD. The SSDs are pretty snappy and provide a fast response time.
Design and display
Built with a metal chassis, the body of the Acer Predator is quite sturdy. It gives the laptop a premium look.
The play with colors white and blue is delightful and adds to the already sleek look. The back features vents that host independent lights as well.
You will get a full HD IPS to display with 300 Hz, which is impressive, to say the least. The fast refresh speed is accompanied by an incredible matte display that deters any reflection.
The resolution fits perfectly against the GPU and works effortlessly with AAA games.
You can expect a high frame rate at 1440p. However, it has the chance of running into trouble of overheating if the maximum speed is maintained for a long time.
Battery
You will face issues with the battery life. The maximum we can expect from the gaming laptop is 4 hours of optimized usage.
If you plan some heavyweight games, we recommend a constant power connection.
Connectivity
The gaming laptop comes with all the possible ports that you can require. You will find a USB 3.1 Type-A port, an Ethernet jack, audio jacks, and an HDMI port on the left flank.
While on the right are the USB-C connection with Thunderbolt 3 support, USB 3.1 ports, and a mini DisplayPort connection.
Other features
We found the speakers to be surprisingly very crisp and loud. The bass and tones are very evident and pleasant to listen to it.
VR, too, is supported by the laptop with proper ports and support system.
Pros:
- Sleek and durable design
- High frame rates with AAA games
- 300Hz G-Sync display
- An extensive array of ports
Cons:
- Short battery life
- Heating issues
6. OMEN 15 Gaming Laptop
- GPU: Nvidia Geforce Rtx 2070
- Display: 15.6-Inch Diagonal Full Hd With 144Hz Refresh Rate
- Memory: 16 Gb Ddr4-2933 Mhz Sdram & 512 Gb Pcie Nvme
- Build: Thin, Lightweight, & Portable Gaming
- Battery Life: Up To 6 Hours And 15 Minutes
It is a perfect budgeted laptop for competitive gamers.
Performance
The HP Omen 15 gaming laptop is a beast when it comes to solid performance.
Saddled with Intel Core i7-10750H, 16 GB DDR4 RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, you can take up some serious gaming with this one.
The frame rate averages 80 fps and 90fps and is as high as 100fps when used in high-performance mode.
Even after a couple of frame drops, it quickly regained with 30fps. The GPU performance is fantastic as well- something that you will expect from the higher end of budgeted laptops.
Storage
The storage comes down to 512 GB, which is enough to store and upgrade large games. But should you need it, the memory can be extended.
Design and display
The build of this gaming laptop has a charm of its own. Despite being bulky, it looks stylish and sleek. Unlike all of our other models, the entire screen panel does not sit on the lower.
Instead, its hinges stop right at the middle, which gives it a unique look.
Battery
The battery life is disappointing and falls behind the competitors. Coming down to just four hours, the life is less than you would expect from a mid-range gaming laptop.
Connectivity
You are getting quite an amount of ports with this laptop. This includes an SD card reader, HDMI port, an RJ-45 (network) jack, headphone jack, two Type-C USB ports, and a power connecter.
Other features
The speaker and sound experience are definitely out of the world. Compared to Acer Predator Triton 500, a high-end budgeted laptop, the speakers of this laptop give a much better performance.
Pros:
- Great for multitasking
- Astounding gaming performance
- Bright display
Cons:
- Bulky frame
- Bad battery life
7.2021 New HP Pavilion 15.6″ FHD Gaming Laptop
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics with 4GB GDDR5
- Display: 15.6″ FHD micro-edge display
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 4600H
- RAM & Storage: 16GB high-bandwidth RAM, 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD (Boot) + 1TB 5400 RPM HDD
Lowest priced gaming laptop on our list with unique specs.
Performance
You can expect some decent performance from the laptop with its 8 GB of RAM, Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics card, and an Intel Core i5 quad-core processor.
The specs are a bit outdated compared to all other gaming laptops, but keep in mind the price. For the amount paid, you are getting some outstanding values.
By paying 300 dollars more, you can get a Legion Y570, but with an improvement of just GPU. So, it is better to stick to this one and upgrade on your terms.
And we would recommend an up-gradation on the part of RAM if you plan to run some latest games.
Storage
For the base storage, you would be getting 256 GB which we would suggest upgrading. And you can easily do it through the PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, which supports 512 GB and 1 TB storage. However, it would cost you some extra bucks.
Design and display
The gaming laptop gives the look of being built with metal, but it is actually plastic chassis. But despite this fact, the frame is durable under daily usage.
We absolutely adore the keyboard! On the contrary to our expectations of a membrane keyboard, this keyboard is mechanical.
It gives a beautiful click while typing and is generally very smooth. It would make you feel as if you’re working on a high-end laptop.
Leaving the Acer Nitro 5 behind, this gaming laptop comes with a 144Hz refresh rate. It is a spec you would expect from a pricier laptop, but we are certainly not complaining!
To top is the bright and stunning display. Though given its GPU, sometimes the graphics might appear wacky, but it is nothing that optimization won’t solve.
Battery
The battery life is quite disappointing. Since the base model isn’t designed for high-end gaming, the low-end gaming usage would make it last around 2 to 3 hours, a below-average battery life.
But it tends to run cool. Quite an amount of gaming would make it hot, but the fans would bring it right back.
Connectivity
Its assortment of ports includes Ethernet, USB-A 2.0, USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, HDMI 2.0, USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, SD card reader, and 3.5mm headset jack.
Other features
The dual speakers are good enough, though they might sound a bit feeble in medium-sized rooms. The bass and tones are clearly lacking.
Pros:
- Impressive specs for a low price
- 144 Hz refresh rates
- Mechanical keyboard
- Powerful cooling fans
Cons:
- Average battery life
- Less RAM speed
8.Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop
- Processor: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor
- GPU: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
- Display: fast 120Hz 15.6″ Full HD thin bezel
- Thin and Compact: CNC aluminum unibody frame, just 0.78″ thin
A powerful gaming laptop at an affordable price.
Performance
This base gaming laptop by Razer comes with an Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, and 16GB RAM.
The configurations are pretty suitable against the price. It would give you an average frame rate from 50 to 70 fps.
This falls behind the average of 88fps that you expect from a premium laptop, which is definitely saying something.
Storage
The 512 GB is again something that you will expect from the laptops of this range. With a 602 megabytes per second transfer rate, it is just below the premium rate of 843 MBps.
Design and display
Delivering a 2560 x 1440-pixel resolution display with 165Hz refresh rates, the gaming laptop gives vibrant colors.
But the 271 nits of brightness will provide you with a dim screen. The detailing offered by the laptop is simply immaculate and does not disappoint.
The only problem you will face is with the dark scenes. It would certainly be hard to understand any detail. The screen is matte finished and avoids any glares.
The design of this gaming laptop is certainly one to desire. The metal chassis with the green logo gives it a very sophisticated look. The bezels are pretty thin and do not obstruct the viewing experience.
Though the one thing we felt was a bit inconvenient was the keyboard. It lacks the standard optical keyboard, a specialty of Razer, and does not offer a smooth typing feel.
In order to lower the key travel, the company built the keys too close to the surface. This causes a slight imbalance in typing and throws one-off.
The backlit keyboard features RGB lights in one zone and cannot be separated. The glass touchpad is very smooth and light to touch.
The clicker makes pleasant sounds and aligns itself quite right with Windows 10’s functions.
Battery
The battery averages a 5-hour mark. And when compared to its competitor like Lenovo Legion 5, it is well above good.
Connectivity
The laptop comes equipped with ports on each side of the laptop. One USB Type-C port, a power jack, one USB Type-A port, an Ethernet port, and a headphone jack on the left side, while the right side hosts an HDMI port and a security lock slot, one USB Type-C port, and two USB Type-A ports. It lacks Mini DisplayPort.
Other features
The speakers are, simply said, bad. They do not have volume or quality.
This is disappointing when considering the under $1000 HP Pavilion 15.6″ FHD Gaming Laptop, with better sound quality.
You might probably want to invest in a nice pair of headphones if you do plan to purchase this laptop.
Pros:
- Awesome graphics performance
- Great color spread on display
- Smooth touchpad
Cons:
- Lacks brightness
- Terrible speakers
9. Dell G5 15 Gaming Laptop
- 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) anti-Glare LED backlight non-touch narrow border IPS display
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB GDDR5 Graphics
- 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750h (12MB Cache, up to 4. 5 GHz, 6 Cores)
- 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM
A killer combo with an immersive gaming experience.
Performance
With a 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H, this CPU set is perhaps the most advanced one on our entire list.
In fact, with the NVIDIA GTX 1650 and 16 GB RAM, you are signing up for the best gaming laptop under 1500. The RAM and CPU are pretty strong and would give you a fast response time.
The graphics card is entry-level, but despite this, the graphics are top-notch and would give an excellent gaming performance.
Storage
You would be getting two 128GB M.2 SSDs with a 1TB SATA for the storage. This should last you quite a while, even after storing some big-sized games.
Design and display
Built with a mixed chassis of metal and plastic, the laptop’s body gives a very robust look. And on top of this sturdiness, you would get portability.
It is incredibly lightweight and easy to carry around. The hinge opening on the top does feel a bit out of place, but Dell makes it up with the ribbed chassis on the sides.
As for the display, you are getting the standard FHD display with a 144Hz refresh rate. It sports the IPS panel, which is good enough with display and brightness. The colors are just right, but nothing too vibrant to stand apart.
Battery
Simply said, the battery is nothing noteworthy. It will hardly last you three hours of gameplay over full charge.
Gaming laptops are generally known for fewer battery lives, but this one falls behind the average.
Connectivity
The HDMI covers all the connectivity bases, a USB-C with Thunderbolt 3 port, three USB A ports, an SD card reader, LAN, and Mini Display Port.
Other features
The 2.1 Klipsch Speakers falls a bit flat and lacks any dimension. We won’t recommend the speakers for any gaming session due to the lack of visible tones.
But it takes the throne with the VR. It gave an excellent performance and scored perfectly in the StreamVR test.
Pros:
- Excellent performance at an affordable price
- Comfortable keyboard
- High frame per seconds
- Durable chassis
Cons:
- Awful webcam
- Feeble speakers
- Less than average battery life
10. 2021 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5-5600H Processor
- Display: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS 250nits Anti-glare display with 120Hz refresh rate
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6
- Memory: 16GB DDR4 RAM; 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
- White Backlit Keyboard; Dual Array; Stereo Speakers; Front Camera/Webcam;
A good value proposition with powerful hardware.
Performance
It comes with AMD Ryzen 5-5600H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6, and 16GB DDR4 RAM, which is a good lineup against the price.
All of these are configurations are the most basic specs that a gaming laptop can offer. The CPU can be compared to the Intel i5 series, the basic version of Intel as well.
If you keep these specs intact without any up-gradation, you can run just the older titles at higher settings. Any new titles would require you to bring the quality down to the medium settings.
Storage
As common with other gaming laptops, this too comes with 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage.
Design and display
The sleek black cover is accentuated with teal highlights, which gives it a very sophisticated look.
Contrary to the striking look fashioned by gaming laptops, this Lenovo Ideapad 3 comes with a very subtle look.
And as expected from a budget laptop, it is built with plastic. But it retains its sturdiness and durability.
We get a full HD IPS display with 1080p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The matte finish gives excellent viewing angles and an anti-glare surface.
And although you will notice some instances of screen bleeding, it is nothing too noticeable. It is bright too, with 295 nits, so dark scenes would be very detailed.
The keyboard is very tactile with soft-touch keys. The backlit keyboard offers two levels of brightness which is very convenient for night usage.
However, you will find just one color with no option to switch colors.
Battery
Equipped with a small 45Wh battery, you shouldn’t expect long gaming hours without constant charge.
It lasts just 6 hours on light usage, which will probably come down to just an hour or so with heavy use.
Connectivity
It comes with the conventional gaming laptop set up with HDMI 2.0, RJ-45 ethernet, a power jack, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen-1 Type-A, combo audio jack on the left side, and USB 3.2 Gen-1 Type-A port on the right.
Other features
Equipped with dual bottom-firing speakers, the laptop gives a decent audio experience. They are pretty loud, enough to cover a small room, but lack any quality.
The fans are pretty loud during operation so that they might drown out the audio.
Pros:
- Clean look
- Pleasant and tactile keyboard
- Teal highlights
Cons:
- Bad battery life
- Lacks high color accuracy
What makes a good gaming laptop under 1500?
Even being on a budget does not mean that you need to settle for just any new gaming laptop. The best gaming laptop under 1500 must match your gaming pursuits! So, when you are out to buy one, keep these factors in mind:
Performance
A laptop can be deemed as the best gaming laptop only if its gaming performance is top-notch. And the contributing factors to this performance are CPU, GPU, and RAM:
GPU
It is vital to obtain a gaming laptop that offers a dedicated graphics card. Under this budget range, the GPU would range from Nvidia Geforce GTX 1060, at the very least, to Nvidia Geforce RTX 2060, the best one.
Don’t settle for anything less than GTX 1060, as it won’t be able to run any complex AAA games.
CPU
In terms of processor, you will most likely get an Intel Core i7 processor, the standard CPU under this price range.
Sometimes, you might find the Ryzen 7 processor, which falls within the same capability range as the i7. Both of these processors can easily sustain heavy games like PUBG and Fortnite.
You can also look out for AMD processors- they are the cheaper alternative with the power to multitask.
RAM
Be sure to obtain at least 16 GB of RAM. Anything less than 16GB and your games would be too slow even to load.
Be sure to get a perfect balance between the three- GPU, CPU, and RAM. The imbalance would cause a dip in performance because some parts will be overwhelmed by the enormous needs.
Storage
Gaming files are typically large size in size, and their added updates take up a lot of space. We would recommend a minimal 512 GB of storage to store everything that the game would require. Anything less than that, and you will be stuck with just two games at max.
Generally, most gaming laptops come with SSD (solid straight drive) for better speed and faster loading time.
If you manage to get a combination of SSD and HDD, then it would get even better! It would mean that the gaming files will load on the SSD while the rest will be stored in HDD.
Design & display
We can agree that the best part of gaming is the sheer amount of visuals with unique colors and brightness.
Without an engaging display, you won’t ever get the real essence of gaming. As for a gaming laptop under 1500, you can expect at least FHD (1080 x 1920) with a 60Hz refresh rate.
It might be hard to get a 4k display given the limited GPU available under this budget, but you can always bump the refresh rate up. You can increase it to 120Hz or 144Hz.
With the display, you also need to consider the build of the gaming laptop. A lightweight frame with portability convenience is essential.
This needs to factor in with durability. No point in investing in a gaming laptop gives away halfway through.
Almost all gaming laptops under 1500 come with nicely spaced keys with a backlight. It gives them a unique and stylish look.
Proper spacing amongst the key is another factor that gives comfortable hand placement for appropriate gameplay.
Battery life
One thing that you need to keep in mind is – Games drain battery. Every gaming laptop sacrifices battery life for better gaming performance.
So, if you plan to sit for a long session, you might have to keep the laptop’s charging plugged in. Everyday life is just of few hours.
Also, beware of the heating problems. The specialized hardware tends to heat the entire system quite significantly.
The built-in internal fans might not prove to be beneficial. We would recommend purchasing external fans or cooling pads to prevent any issues.
Connectivity
Gaming is an endeavor that requires quite an amount of connectivity ports. You would need independent ports for the mouse, keyboard, controllers, and an external monitor.
So, make sure that the gaming laptop hosts an array of ports- from USB, HDMI to display ports.
Other features
Besides this, you need to look out for the speaker’s quality. Under this budget, you can easily find Bang & Olufsen audio or DTS: x Ultra surround sound.
They produce high-quality sound with high bass, ample volume, and minimal distortion.
If you are into virtual reality games, you might also need to consider the VR compatibility of the laptop. You will find that some gaming laptops under 1500 are already VR-ready.
You will require at the very least an Nvidia 1060 GPU, with an i5 processor or better, and 8GB RAM.
Verdict
And there you have it!
These are our top picks for the best gaming laptops under 1500 dollars! With an array of options ranging from HP, Asus to Acer and Lenovo, each laptop has something unique to offer.
Be it the gaming system, long battery life, excellent gaming performance, or the affordable price, all of them seek to fulfill some specific requirement that you might have!
So, remember before anything else, you need to consider the needs that you have and go for one that matches it.
With so many choices you don’t have to settle for anything less than the best gaming laptop under 1500!
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By Sam Rhodes
Hi, I’m Sam Rhodes, a passionate tech reviewer, and gamer. I started Geekyslug with the motive of sharing my knowledge about tech gadgets like gaming laptops, tablets, graphic cards, keyboards, and whatnot.
I also share troubleshooting guides, helping people resolve issues with their gadgets. When I’m not writing, I prefer playing Valorant, Call of duty, GTA5 or outdoor activities like skateboarding and off-roading on my bike.
