If you’re looking for a new top spec gaming machine that doesn’t cost the earth, the average laptop just won’t cut it. You’ll need a superior processor, a decent dedicated graphics card and a whole load more, so we’ve tried and tested the best gaming laptops, and whittled our choices down to the very best available.
We understand how important getting the right laptop is for you, and with so many things to look out for, where do you start?
What to look for when buying a new gaming laptop for under $1500?
- SSD vs HDD: An SSD is critical when looking for a gaming laptop. Solid state drives deliver faster load times for games, applications, and movies, they are lighter and more able to withstand being thrown in a backpack. In addition, solid state drives use less energy, allowing you to game 24/7 without your machine getting hot and bothered
- Screen size: Personal choice comes into play here, but at Laptop Den, we like the 14” and up models – easily portable, yet still allowing for an immersive experience.
- Graphics Card: Okay, so usually an integrated card is just fine, but for heavy duty gaming, dedicated is preferable to cope with the higher demands.
- Display: There’s no point having a decent graphics card if the display isn’t any good. As a minimum you need to look for a 1920×1080 display.
- RAM: For a gaming laptop you should be looking at at least 8GB of RAM, if you can stretch to 16 or even 32 GB then even better. Extra RAM is readily available and very cost effective.
So, dream big – browse our top gaming laptops, and with a budget of $1500, you’ll have an awesome gaming monster and plenty of change left!
1) Sager Thin & Light Gaming Laptop
The Sager NP8957 Gaming Laptop is super thin and light at a staggering 0.78 inches and 4.6 pounds, yet it packs incredible power within its deceptively small frame. The screen is 15.6-inch Full HD 144Hz display, which gives you super smooth gameplay. That is powered by an Intel Core i7-9750H processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, Nvidia RTX 2070 graphics card with 8GB DDR6 video memory, 500GB NVMe SSD, and a registered copy of Windows 10 Home Edition. That is an incredible set of specs, topped off with a full color RGB illuminated keyboard with numeric pad, Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 9560 WiFi, and Bluetooth connectivity.
2) Acer Nitro FHD Gaming Laptop
The 2020 Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop is a powerhouse of a laptop, courtesy of a brand known for their incredible laptops. This portable gaming machine is powered by an Intel i5-8300H quad core processor, 12GB DDR4 RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card with 4GB GDDR5 video memory, and 256GB PCIe NVME SSD. You can get super smooth gameplay, super fast boot times, and super clear visuals with its 15.6-inch Full HD IPS screen. All of that is packed inside a frame that is 1.1 inches thin and 5.95 pounds light. The whole thing is kept running by a four-cell lithium-ion battery rated for 5.5 hours of very decent battery life.
3) MSI GF63 Thin Gaming Laptop
The MSI GF63 Thin 9SC-614 Gaming Laptop from the makers of incredible gaming machines comes with an Intel Core i5-9300H quad core processor, NVIDIA GTX 1650 graphics card, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, and a registered copy of Windows 10. All that computing power comes through a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display 60Hz with incredibly thin bezels for maximum screen real estate. All of that is fit inside a package that weighs 7.54 pounds, which makes it not the lightest gaming laptop out there, but is still pretty light for its power, and much of that weight is thanks to its cooling solution that will ensure optimal performance at all times.
4) Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
From Acer’s premium gaming brand, the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop is all about performance and portability without compromise. The screen is a 15.6″ Full HD IPS display with a powerful 144Hz refresh rate for super smooth gameplay. That is powered by an Intel i7-8750H quad core processor, Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics processor with 6GB of video memory, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and 256GB NVMe SSD. All that power is kept cool with Aeroblade Metal Fans for optimal performance round the clock, so you need not worry about thermal throttling. It is all topped off by Gigabit Wi-Fi, Backlit RGB Keyboard, USB 3.1 Type-C port, and a 3320mAh Lithium-Ion battery with up to 7-hours of battery life.
$999.99 in stock
3 used from $929.00
5) Lenovo Ideapad L340 Gaming Laptop
The Lenovo Ideapad L340 Gaming Laptop brings a whole new dimension of gaming performance to those who await with its Intel Core i5-9300H quad core processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB NVME SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, and 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display. It also has advanced Dolby Digital audio technology for the most immersive sound you will ever get for your gaming experience. It also does well as a work laptop, letting you switch between Quick Mode for gaming and Quiet Mode for work and productivity. With a simple switch, you can shift gears between these modes instantly.
3 used from $599.00
6) Samsung Odyssey Gaming Laptop
The Samsung Odyssey Notebook brings the legendary engineering that Samsung is known for in their mobile devices, monitors, and TVs to gaming laptops with incredible refinement and power. It sports a 15.6-inch Full HD display, Intel Core i7 7-th generation quad core processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics card, and 1TB HDD. All of that is kept cool and smooth with cutting edge thermal management thanks to its HexaFlow cooling and ventilation technology. You can upgrade the specs easily with a single door upgrade system that lets you open it up easily. The keyboard has crater keycaps, which is not common for most laptops, so you can be sure your fingers will hit the right keys every single time while you game or work.
7) Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
The Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop is one of the latest additions to Acer’s gaming laptop line that brings extreme portability and performance to your hands. It is powered by an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor, Vega 3 Graphics, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 128GB SSD, and a registered copy of Windows 10 in S Mode, which then shows through the 15.6 inches Full HD IPS display in startling clarity. It also includes a USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, 2 USB 2.0 ports, and an HDMI port with HDCP support for all your media connectivity needs. It also has 802.11ac Wi-Fi, backlit keyboard, and up to 7.5 hours of battery life.
$345.00 in stock
9 used from $282.00
8) Asus TUF Gaming Laptop
The ASUS TUF FX505DT Gaming Laptop is a beast of a portable gaming machine, thanks to its hefty specs. It contains an AMD Ryzen 5 R5-3550H Processor, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics, 8GB DDR4, and 256GB PCIe SSD, all of which comes through its 15.6-inch 120Hz Full HD display with NanoEdge for 120 frames per second of smooth and immersive gaming experience. The Gigabit Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 lets you compete against other gamers from all over the world with little to no latency. All of that is kept running smooth and cool with dual fans that are protected with anti-dust technology for worry-free gaming.
2 used from $699.99
For more gaming laptops, check out our other pages here too!