Gaming Laptops Under 500

What are the best gaming laptops for under $ 500?

It’s hard to find a good gaming laptop under 500 dollars if you want enjoyable gaming with the latest games. I will define pleasant gaming as one up to 1080p resolution with a decent level of detail and a sufficient number of frames per second (FPS) so that you don’t have a slide show on the screen.

The processor that could enable this in the desktop version is AMD Ryzen 5 5600G and Ryzen 7 5700G with an integrated Radeon RX Vega graphics card. The situation is a bit more complicated with laptops, especially in this price range when we ask for the most for the money invested. After a month of careful research, I chose five laptops that could satisfy a casual gamer who would be willing to make some compromises.

If you invest another $ 100 to $ 200, you’ll get a lot more, but if you’re not ready for a more significant investment, see what you can best get for about $ 500.

Top 5 gaming laptops under $ 500

 

1. HP 15-EF2127wm – best overall gaming laptop under $ 500

First impression

The HP 15-EF2127wm is an affordable gaming laptop, considering what it gives you for around $ 500. HP model runs on the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor with an integrated Radeon RX Vega 7 graphics card. The laptop weighs 3.75 lbs (1.7 kg), so it won’t be a problem to carry it in a backpack or bag daily. The body is plastic, without metal parts, but it doesn’t look cheap to look at and touch.

The keyboard is solid for this price range, the keys respond well to pressure, and the only thing I would like is some backlight, but I guess that would break this budget. The screen is quite good, and the colors are vivid and clean. The screen frame is thin on the left and right.

The integrated 720p HD webcam is quite decent quality for this price range. The resolution of the anti-glare screen is 1080p, and it has a built-in TN panel that doesn’t have great viewing angles. Maybe it would be better if the native resolution was a bit lower, say 720p, which would relieve many of the integrated graphics in gaming.

On the built-in M.2 NVMe SSD, we find Windows 10 Home 64-bit with a free upgrade to Windows 11. Windows 11 will be available to you through Windows Update. If you can’t wait, there’s a solution to install the new operating system manually.

AMD Ryzen 5 5500U

AMD Ryzen 5 5500U is a six-core processor that belongs to the Lucienne series or Zen 2 microarchitecture. The cores run at 2.1 GHz with the possibility of a boost at 4 GHz. Unlike the 5500U, the 5600U is based on the Zen 3 Cezanne architecture and has higher operating frequencies (2.3 GHz to 4.2 GHz).

The CPU supports dual-channel DDR4-3200 and four-channel LPDDR4-4266 RAM and has 8 MB of L3 cache. Unlike the Ryzen 5000 series desktop models, AMD has limited the Ryzen 5 5500U to a PCIe 3.0 interface. Another curiosity about this processor is that it’s soldered directly to the motherboard (Socket FP6), and you cannot simply replace it without replacing the complete motherboard.

The integrated graphics are Radeon RX Vega 7, which means it has 7-CU (448 shaders) and runs at 1800 MHz. Because integrated graphics don’t have VRAM, it uses system RAM for regular operation.

Installed RAM

HP has equipped this budget laptop with 8GB (2x4GB) DDR4-3200 system RAM. The motherboard has two memory slots that can accommodate a maximum of 64GB of RAM. 8GB of RAM is the minimum for any computer today (desktop or laptop).

With laptops, the amount of RAM is even more sensitive because RX Vega takes one part of its work. Since these are just two RAM slots, the upgrade requires you to insert two of the same memory modules for optimal performance (dual-channel mode). If you get this laptop, I highly recommend upgrading to 2 x 8GB DDR4-3200 when you can afford it.

Storage

The laptop has a built-in M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD, which isn’t a champion of speed with sequential read and writes of 1924 MB/s and 1245 MB/s, but it’s far better than any SATA SSD or HDD. The manufacturer made an excellent move to install a much faster PCIe NVMe SSD instead of the usual SATA III SSD. Still, unfortunately, this price included a capacity of only 256 GB.

Considering the smaller capacity of the SSD, you must have a good plan of which applications and games to install. Disk usage over 50% will inevitably lead to system performance degradation. I advise you to inquire when purchasing the difference in price for an SSD of at least 500GB because this move will save you many data storage problems.

Performance

Under load, the sensor shows a temperature close to 75°C, which is relatively high. A small fan with one heat pipe barely managed to cool the processor, but there were no operation problems and performance drops during the test. You can get one external laptop cooler that will undoubtedly lower the temperature by five °C or more.

Gaming Benchmark

In gaming, the HP 15-EF2127 performs well but only in 720p resolution with low details, where you can expect a solid FPS in most games. Online games like Fortnite and CS: GO will work quite well in 1080p with a low level of detail.

Connectors and more

 

From the external connectors, we have the following:

• USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C,
• 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A,
• HDMI 1.4b
• headphone / microphone combo
• multi-format SD media card reader

Other additions include:

• 720p HD camera with integrated dual array digital microphones gives a surprisingly sharp and clear image for a laptop in this price range.
• Realtek RTL8822CE 802.11ac WiFi Network Card
• Bluetooth 5.0

HP advertises that the battery will last as long as 9 hours, but count on it being far less and keeping the power outlet close to you when it comes to gaming.

With some minor changes in the form of more RAM and a larger NVMe SSD, this is the best 500-dollar laptop for gaming.

2. Lenovo Ideapad 3 – Runner Up gaming laptop under $ 500

First impression

For IdeaPad 3, Lenovo opted for high-quality ABS/polycarbonate plastic, which doesn’t heat much during laptop operation. It comes in a beautiful dark blue color with a scratch-resistant finish. The keyboard is very good, comfortable to use, and comes with a backlight that you can turn on by pressing Fn + Space. Good feature for a laptop in this price range.

The main drawback is that the TN panel comes in 1080p resolution but has poor viewing angles. The colors aren’t bright, and the lighting seems overemphasized. An IPS panel would undoubtedly be a better option, but you shouldn’t complain too much about the price. Also, the built-in speakers aren’t loud enough even at 100% volume in a slightly noisier environment, so I recommend using headphones for listening to music and gaming.

Windows 10 Home 64-bit is pre-installed on the SSD with a free upgrade to Windows 11.

AMD Ryzen 5 5500U

The laptop’s brain is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, which I said when reviewing the HP 15-EF2127wm.

Installed RAM

Ideapad 3 comes with 8GB DDR4-3200 in an unnecessary combination. Lenovo decided to solder 4GB of DDR4 to the motherboard. The second 4GB module, located in the slot under the laptop’s back cover, can be changed. If you are already purchasing this laptop, I recommend that you insert one 16GB DDR4-3200 module to have 20GB of RAM.

Storage

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 comes with M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD 2242, which is fast with sequential read and write of 2331 MB/s and 1592 MB/s, but I should note that instead of 2242, you can set up NVMe SSD in 2280 format. If you buy this laptop and your budget allows, I highly recommend buying a 500 GB SSD.

Performance

The performance is identical to HP 15-EF2127, so everything said about that model stands here. Temperatures are slightly lower for the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 and range around 65°C to 70°C degrees under load.

 

Connectors and more

From the external connectors, we have the following:

• USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C,
• USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A,
• USB 2.0
• HDMI 1.4b
• headphone / microphone combo
• multi-format SD media card reader

Other additions include:

• 720p HD camera, with privacy shutter, fixed focus
• 802.11ac WiFi 5
• Realtek ALC3287 sound card
• Bluetooth 5.0

The integrated Li-Polymer 42Wh battery lasts up to 9 hours of moderate use. You will hardly spend more than two hours without charging if you are a gamer, so the advice is to have a power outlet nearby.

Overall, IdeaPad 3 performance is like the HP 15-EF2127, but it has a few advantages and disadvantages. I don’t particularly appreciate that the system RAM is soldered to the motherboard with the Lenovo model, limiting you to 20GB of RAM. The screen isn’t great, and the viewing angles are characteristically bad for the TN panel, but HP is subjectively a better model in this regard. Still, Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is, without a doubt, the runner-up 500-dollar gaming laptop worth seriously considering.

The advantage of the Lenovo model is a shade of better cooling, a backlit keyboard, and a better build. IdeaPad 3 also has a higher price compared to HP. So, weigh yourself and decide what you like best. If you want more mobility, a 14″ screen, and the exact specifications and performance of the 15.6 model, see the smaller Lenovo Ideapad 3.

3. Acer Aspire 5  – great design

First impression

Acer also has this affordable model in its rich range of laptops with the Ryzen 3 3350U 4-core processor. Aspire 5 A515-46-R14K will be enough for school obligations, home office, and casual gaming, but not-so-new gaming titles. This laptop could be the right choice if you want to go as cheap as possible when buying, but also have decent performance.

Aspire 5 has a great design and is only 0.71 inches thick, so it looks sleek and compact. An interesting detail, for this price, the upper cover is made of aluminum, which further contributes to the positive aesthetic impression that may remind you of a MacBook.

The laptop has a 15.6 IPS inch anti-glare screen in 1080p with ComfyView technology to reduce eye strain. In addition to ComfyView, the screen has BlueLightShield technology that protects your eyes from unhealthy blue light. The colors look great, and the IPS screen has good viewing angles, unlike the TN panel.

It’s also hard to see a fingerprint reader on a laptop in this price range, but Acer has also implemented that. Of course, this is a handy security add-on that you can use to log in to your computer without a password. Like the Lenovo model, the Acer also has a backlit keyboard, which is very handy if you work in darker rooms.

AMD Ryzen 3 3350U

Acer has built AMD’s Ryzen 3 3350U mobile processor with four Zen + cores (Picasso) without SMT/Hyperthreading(only four threads). The processor has a 4MB L3 cache, operating clock at 2.1 GHz with a boost at 3.5 GHz. The integrated graphics Radeon RX Vega 6 come with 6-CU (384 shaders) clocked to 1200 MHz. An integrated dual-channel memory controller supports RAM speeds up to DDR4-2400.

Installed RAM

The Acer laptop comes with 4GB of DDR4-2400 MHz. To expand the RAM, you have one memory slot to insert a module with a max of 16GB. If you opt for this laptop, I recommend inserting one 4GB or 8GB DDR4-2400 module. The 4GB of RAM installed is enough for the operating system and some light applications but not for pleasant gaming.

Storage

The Acer Aspire 5 comes with the M.2 NVMe SSD 2280, which is an excellent solution in terms of speed but not a capacity of just 128GB. If you opt for this laptop, I highly recommend getting an SSD of at least 256 GB. However, if your budget is limited, you can leave your existing 128GB NVMe SSD as your primary drive and purchase a SATA SSD of at least 500GB for your games and frequently used applications.

Performance

The Acer Aspire 5 responds well and easily copes with everyday work challenges. However, there is a lack of RAM, primarily if you work with multiple applications simultaneously. The first thing you need to solve is upgrading to more RAM. Under load, the temperature is around 62°C, pretty acceptable, but the fan can be noisier.

Gaming Benchmark

I inserted another 4GB RAM module for the test, so the laptop had 8GB. As we can see, newer games will work acceptably but only in 720p with low details. As for 1080p, this resolution isn’t for pleasant gaming, except for some older games. CS: GO, and Fortnite will work solidly, but I advise you to install at least 8GB of RAM in a free memory slot for comfortable work and decent gaming.

Connectors and more

From the external connectors, we have the following:

• USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C,
• 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A,
• USB 2.0
• HDMI 2.0
• headphone speaker line-out
• RJ-45 LAN 1GbE

Other additions include:

• HD camera
• 802.11ax WiFi 6 Dual-Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz featuring MU-MIMO technology
• Bluetooth 5.1

The Acer Aspire 5 comes with a 48Wh 3-cell Li-ion battery, for which the manufacturer advertises 8 hours of non-rechargeable operation. The reality is different because, with moderate work and no gaming, it’s around 6 hours, which isn’t so bad for this price. Expect the battery to last about two hours if you are gaming.

So if you’re looking for an affordable laptop under $ 500 for college, office, or even light gaming, you have this beautifully designed and well-equipped Acer Aspire 5. The mid-range AMD Rayzen 3 3350U processor will suffice for anything but gaming with newer games. Look for a more potent processor for that, like Ryzen 5500U. Whatever the job, upgrade your laptop with RAM and storage as soon as possible.

 

4. ASUS VivoBook 15

First impression

Asus VivoBook 15 is solid plastic made that doesn’t crack or twist. Quite a simple design that doesn’t stand out with anything special. The Slate Gray color fits perfectly, and no fingerprints remain visible. The laptop is relatively light at 3.75 lbs (1.7 kg) and will not be a problem to carry in a backpack or bag.

The anti-glare screen comes in 1080p resolution and is quite pleasant for everyday work. The screen is nothing special. As with other models, the TN panel is the most common choice for budget laptops. Everything said about the TN panel also applies here.

The frame around the screen is relatively thin, but the laptop is only 0.8 inches thick, which certainly gives it a more modern look.

The keyboard is suitable for this price range. It is pretty comfortable to type on and has a backlight. Asus has also implemented a fingerprint reader, making a well-rounded offer for this price.

Core i3-1005G1

The 10th generation Intel Core i3-1005G1 is a dual-core processor based on the Ice-lake CPU generation. It has two cores but four threads thanks to HyperThreading which runs at a base clock of 1.2 GHz with a boost up to 3.4 GHz.

The CPU comes with a Gen11 Integrated Graphics Processor called UHD Graphics G1. The integrated graphics has 32 EUs and runs at 300 to 900 MHz. The integrated memory controller supports modules up to 3200 MHz.

The processor performs everyday tasks quickly in actual work, especially if there is no multitasking. Given the specification of the processor and integrated graphics, you can plan the laptop for gaming some light gaming titles and older games. When loaded, the fan manages to dissipate heat from the processor and does not make more noise than necessary.

Installed RAM

The laptop has soldered 4GB of DDR4 to the motherboard and 4GB of upgradeable RAM. So, you can replace this one 4GB module sooner or later with a 4, 8, or 16GB module, which will raise performance to a higher level, especially if you are working with multiple applications simultaneously.

Storage

Asus VivoBook 15 comes with M.2 NVMe SSD 2280, but due to the price, this isn’t PCIe but SATA III SSD with only 128 GB. I recommend upgrading this SATA NVMe to a PCIe version of 256 GB or higher. If you are upgrading, don’t leave this SATA NVMe SSD as the primary drive, as the motherboard supports the installation of PCIe NVMe SSDs, which are much faster.

Performance

For everyday work, the Asus VivoBook is more than a good laptop with great response for most office and internet tasks. In actual operation under load, the temperature is around 52°C, which is excellent considering that the fan isn’t noisy.

Gaming Benchmark

The Intel UHD G1 can’t keep up with newer gaming titles. I can hardly call this playful except for CS: GO (from 2012), which holds well in 1080p. If you take Asus VivoBook 15 mainly for gaming, bypass this laptop because you have around $ 500 better solutions in AMD Ryzen 5500U CPUs.

Connectors and more

From the external connectors, we have the following:

• USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C,
• USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A,
• 2x USB 2.0
• HDMI
• headphone speaker line-out
• microSD card reader

Other additions include:

• 720p HD camera
• 802.11ac WiFi 5
• Bluetooth 4.1
• Fingerprint reader

The Asus VivoBook 15 is a solid laptop that will be enough for most everyday tasks in college or a home office. A decent design, comfortable backlit keyboard, good 720p camera, built-in fingerprint reader, card reader, and USB-C port will be enough for many to buy. This laptop will be enough if you are a casual gamer who sometimes likes to play with older gaming titles.

The biggest problem is the slow SATA III NVMe SSD with a small capacity. It’s not a problem to replace it when buying, or if you are on a budget, you can do it later. Of course, in any case, install a fast M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD of at least 500GB.

5. HP 14-dq2020nr

 

First impression

The HP 14-dq2020nr is, as the label suggests, a 14″ laptop that comes in silver. The build quality is standard, although it doesn’t look cheap. You can still see flex around the corners of the screen or pressing the keyboard. HP put a little effort into the makeup, putting its chrome logo on the cover. The laptop weighs only 3.24 lbs (1.4 kg), is suitable for portability, and is ideal for pupils and students due to its size.

The frames on both sides of the screen are pretty thin, opposite the upper and lower edges. The 1080p IPS screen is faded and unconvincing, the brightness and contrast could undoubtedly be better, but we can’t complain too much given the price.

The keyboard is quite correct, although it has an unusual echo as you type. Of course, this laptop size lacks the numeric part, so look at other models on the list if you can’t do without the Numpad. Also, the keyboard doesn’t have a backlight, which can be a problem working in a darkened room. HP has built a fingerprint reader into this price, which is a good move to increase security.

The sound is relatively flat and without bass on all these laptops, weak even at the highest volume, so I recommend headphones for easy listening to music, watching movies, or gaming.

Intel Core i3-1125G4

The main star of this laptop is Intel’s Core i3-1125G4 quad-core processor based on the Tiger Lake-U generation. Each core can run from 2GHz to turbo mode at 3.7 GHz (single-core gain). All CPU cores can run up to 3.3 GHz.

An Intel UHD graphics processor is based on the new Intel Iris Xe technology. Intel UHD Graphics thus runs at a minimum clock speed of 400 MHz to a maximum of 1250 MHz. Integrated graphics and CPU can use 8 MB of L3 cache together.

The Intel Core i3-1125G4 supports PCIe 4.0, AI hardware acceleration, and partial integration of Thunderbolt 4 and WiFi 6 into the chip.

Installed RAM

The laptop has one 4GB DDR4-2666 RAM module that takes up one memory slot. The second memory slot is free, and you can put a 4GB RAM (or higher capacity) memory module in it, which I highly recommend.

Storage

The HP 14 comes with an M.2 NVMe SSD 2280, but due to the price, this isn’t a PCIe but a SATA III SSD and has a capacity of only 128 GB. If you want this laptop, I strongly recommend you inquire about the surcharge for a 256 GB or 500 GB PCIe NVMe SSD.

Performance

In real life, HP has proven to be fast, and the only thing that limits it from providing its full potential is the amount of 4GB of RAM and the slow SATA III NVMe SSD. So, if you have the opportunity, you need to eliminate these two bottlenecks (RAM and SSD) to achieve the best performance.

Gaming Benchmark

Again, Intel UHD Graphics isn’t up to newer games. If gaming isn’t your goal, this is an outstanding laptop where you can play CS: GO and Fortnite from time to time with a fair number of frames per second, but all other newer games will be a painful experience. So, the recommendation is to go for a minimum of AMD Ryzen 5500U for gaming on a laptop.

Connectors and more

From the external connectors, we have the following:

• USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C,
• 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A,
• HDMI
• headphone speaker line-out
• microSD card reader

Other additions include:

• 720p HD camera
• 802.11ac WiFi 5
• Bluetooth 4.1
• Fingerprint reader

The battery performed well during moderate operation, including office work, internet surfing, and video playback. In such conditions, you can expect to work up to 10 hours without charging, which is a pretty good result considering the price range of HP laptops. Of course, the battery drain is drastically reduced to just over two hours if you play games.

The HP 14-dq2020nr works quite decently, thanks to a great Intel processor until you get to gaming. If you like to play newer gaming titles occasionally, bypass Intel-based laptops because the AMD Ryzen APU will give you much more for the money invested.

Conclusion

So, is it possible to find a good gaming laptop for under $ 500? It depends on what kind of games you want to play. When it comes to newer games, you will hardly be satisfied if the laptop doesn’t have a stronger integrated graphics card, such as the Radeon Vega RX 7 in AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor.

Expect the best gaming performance in 720p with the Ryzen 5500U in HP 15-EF2127wm and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 models. Don’t expect enjoyable gaming in 1080p with newer games on gaming laptops under $ 500. Every laptop on this list will serve you if you are a casual gamer and occasionally like to play some older game titles.

In any case, consider upgrading the RAM and SSD storage space. I recommend 16GB of RAM and at least 500GB of M.2 NVMe SSD. Considering more capacity, consider which M.2 NVMe PCIe SSDs are best for gaming.

However, if you want a laptop with a discrete graphics card that will blow away everything you put in front of it in 1080p resolution, look at a selection of the top 5 laptops for under $1000.

Lastly, if you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.