The 9 Best Gaming Laptops Under $600 Price Range in 2023 (Detailed Review)

Today, there may be nothing more expensive than maintaining a love for games. You can’t expect a perfect performance for AAA games unless you splash off a lot of dollars. So being a gamer on a budget is nothing short of a pain. 

However, since market rivalry for giving more in less has grown, you may now ‌get your hands on a decent gaming laptop under a $600 budget. You should probably start by tempering your expectations. Because while this price range brings a satisfactory CPU and GPU performance to the table, it also includes compromises. 

To ensure that you make the fewest compromises and save the most money, we tested several laptops in this price range and selected some of the greatest deals you won’t want to pass up.

We concluded from our tests that the Acer Aspire 5 is the best powerful laptop for mid-range games, as it can easily play modern games at reasonable frame rates. But we also have a few other options. So let’s not waste a minute.

The Top Three Gaming Laptops Under 600

Comparison of the Best Gaming Laptops Under 600

IMAGE	PRODUCT	RATING	PRICE
Top Choice	Acer Aspire 5 A515 Slim Laptop Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3700U Quad-Core Screen Size: 15.6 Inch RAM: 8 GB  Storage: 256 GB	9.8	View on Amazon
Runner-up	Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H Screen Size: 15.6 Inch RAM: 8 GB Storage: 256 GB	9.7	View on Amazon
Best Value for the Price	MSI GF63 Thin Gaming Laptop Processor: Intel Core i5-9300H Screen Size: 15.6 Inch RAM: 8 GB Storage: 256 GB	9.6	View on Amazon
Top selling laptop	Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop Processor: 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H Screen Size: 15.6 Inch RAM: 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM Storage: 256 NVMe SSD	9.3	View on Amazon
Best Portable	ASUS VivoBook F512 Thin and Lightweight Laptop Processor: AMD R5-3500U Screen Size: 15.6 Inch  RAM: 8 GB Storage: 256 GB	9.4	View on Amazon
Best Design and Performance Combo	HP Pavilion 15 Gaming Laptop Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 Screen Size: 15.6 Inch  RAM: 8 GB Storage: 256 GB	9.1	View on Amazon
Value for money	Newest Acer R11 Intel Quad-Core Celeron N3150 Processor: Intel Quad-Core Celeron N3150 Screen Size: 11.6 Inch RAM: 4 GB Storage: 32 GB SSD	9.2	View on Amazon
Academic laptop	Lenovo Ideapad 320 15.6" High-Performance Laptop Processor: Intel Celeron N3350 Dual-Core Screen Size: 15.6 Inch RAM: 4 GB Storage: 1TB HDD	9.5	View on Amazon
Best Performance Laptop	Dell Inspiron 15 5000 AMD Quad-Core Ryzen 7 3700U Processor: 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 4-Core Screen Size: 15 Inch RAM: 16GB DDR4 Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD	8.9	View on Amazon

How We Did the Test for Under $600 Gaming Laptop?

To initialize the testing, we first chose the 10 top-rated gaming laptops in an under $600 budget on the market. Because we didn’t want to confuse you by listing plenty of options, we decided to recommend only two with the ideal performances throughout the tests. We ran these laptops through different testing stages based on the following factors: 

Performance We use a variety of productivity tasks and games to examine the laptop’s strengths and limitations while testing its performance. The performance test covered all areas of a laptop’s performance, from the processing chip to the storage.

Build Quality

We also tested each laptop’s build quality, including how portable and flexible the laptop is, what build material is used, and how well it handles the heat caused during long sessions of gaming.

Pricing

We rated the overall performance, build quality, and other features of each laptop to judge if the laptop’s price is reasonable, and to complete the recommendations with the best value.

With a modern look and strong components, Acer laptops have come a long way, flawlessly balancing the budget factor. The most recent release, the Acer Aspire 5, has stepped up the game in the budget market with excellent reviews and therefore, grabbed our attention for a checkout.

The Aspire 5 came out of the box as a well-designed, lightweight laptop, which isn’t surprising for a 15-inch laptop.

Don’t be fooled by the sturdy aluminum laptop lid’s first impressions; we wished the remainder of the body was made of the same material instead of plastic. But, aside from the plastic build, we didn’t forget about the upcoming compromises, which included a less bright 1080p display and a non-backlit keyboard.

The display may fall short, but what’s on the inside is what puts it on top. We had no doubts regarding the performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 processor with integrated AMD graphics.

When put to the test, it proved to be a multitasking master with 8 GB of memory and outstanding performance in demanding games. We had a sufficient 256 GB SSD onboard for storage, which contributed to the fast performance.

Another plus is the battery backup time of 7 hours as tested using Wi-Fi. You may need to check the battery several times while gaming. While we’re confident that the pros outweigh the cons, this isn’t a device to be taken lightly.

Technical Specifications

Screen Size	15.6-inch
Resolution	1920×1080
Storage	256 GB
Memory	8 GB
Weight	3.9 lbs
Colors	Silver
Material	Plastic
Dimensions	14.31 x 9.86 x 0.71 inches
Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)Bluetooth version 5.1
USB Ports	2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type A) 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type C) 1x USB 2.0 (Type A)

Lenovo is known for the best affordable laptops with comfort hidden in everything, whether it’s a portable design holding a pretty stunning display or a laptop with power components. But set to deliver the budget users, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 is more about a decent performance and less about compromises that you’ll still see in the design.

With a black slab look, this Lenovo product is a heavier option in weight. The port placement is made on the left side, which might give an odd experience. Upon opening the lid, a 15.6 inches HD panel and webcam with a shutter show up sandwiched between thick bezels. Also, The keyboard feels comfortable to type on.

However, the AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 might make you want to give a warm welcome to this one. And not to forget the 8 GB sufficient memory, which is rare in like-priced laptops having a 4 GB memory. The combined performance of all this and the fast 256 GB SSD excelled in the tests, with smooth gameplay and fast boot-ups.

The battery tests lasted an incredible 6 hours of time. So we don’t think design is a big deal when a juicy performance for your gaming thirst is right around the corner.

Technical Specifications

Screen Size	15.6-inch
Resolution	1920×1080
Storage	256 GB
Memory	8 GB
Weight	4.95 lbs
Colors	Chameleon Blue, Onyx Black
Material	Plastic
Dimensions	‎14.16 x 9.92 x 0.95 inches
Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)Bluetooth version 5.1
USB Ports	2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type A) 1x USB 3.1 (Type C)

For the ones looking for the popular Sims 4, Fortnite, or PUBG partner, but not wanting to spend a fortune, the MSI has taken the back. MSI laptops are long known for providing the best gaming performances. Good for us that they’ve some budget options on their shelf too. Their MSI GF63 Thin Gaming Laptop readily attracts attention with its aesthetics and performance.

The MSI GF63, like its budget rivals, makes compromises in terms of build quality, with more plastic and less aluminum. However, the excellent balance of a 15-inch with a lightweight and thin design is worth praising. When you open the lid, the slick black keyboard with red trims captures your eye. Fortunately, the 15.6-inch FHD panel features minimal bezels for a more spacious view, although the dull brightness couldn’t make out through our tests.

Performance tests were pretty fun with the MSI GF63’s Intel Core-i5 chipset, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, and 8 GB memory. We were able to play modern games smoothly on low settings. However, if you try to increase the graphics quality, you may experience lags. While the 256 GB SSD allows for quick file duplication and boot-ups.

Unfortunately, the MSI GF63 couldn’t break the trend of low battery timing in gaming laptops when it came to battery life. However, it still managed to surf the web for 4 hours. So, if build quality and a rather dull display aren’t a concern, the MSI GF63’s powerful chipset and dedicated GPU will best satisfy.

Technical Specifications

Screen Size	15.6-inch
Resolution	1920×1080
Storage	256 GB
Memory	8 GB
Weight	4.1 lbs
Colors	Black
Material	Aluminum
Dimensions	14.13 x 9.99 x 0.85 inches
Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)Bluetooth version 5
USB Ports	3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type A) 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type C)

The Body material cover made of brushes looks higher than it actually is, or a single touch removes the illusion. This laptop is made of mostly plastic, However, it is a subtle way to improve Nitro 5’s remote control. 

And even though no one has any love for the red and black color scheme, you just shout Best Gaming Laptop under $600, which is different from the jewelry tone used here is eye-catching and a little bit more expensive than usual. Like Nitro 7, We found ourselves using Nitro 5 to write essays more often than expected.

8GB of RAM is standard, though, and at least Acer has installed two SO-DIMM modules for the system to run in dual channel mode. The only downside is that you have to change both modules if you want to upgrade to 16GB or more, but that’s a small bundle.

Nitro 5 has stereo speakers like most laptops. Speakers produce very high tones with precision comparisons but with medium and low-frequency emissions. In contrast, only G5 15 5587 of our comparison devices can improve our review unit here, and some select ones eat more than Nitro 5. 

Acer equips the device with a 57wh battery, power equivalent to batteries on our comparison devices, and allows it to experience excellent gaming times.

Technical Specifications

Model	AN515-54-5812
Display	15.6″
Memory Speed	4.1 GHz
Operating system	Windows 10
Dimensions	14.31 x 10.04 x 0.96 inches
Flash Memory Size	256 NVMe SSD
Weight	5.07 pounds
Max Screen Resolution	1920 x 1080
Ram	8 GB DDR4 SDRAM

The ASUS VivoBook F512 is the ultimate inexpensive laptop, but it’s also one of the fastest among its peers. This features a great combination of a fast processor and enough memory, but the display and SSD storage is below-average. However, its performance in demanding work and mid-profile games put it in front of other laptops in the same price range.

The ASUS VivoBook F512 has a simple design and is made of gray-colored plastic with a strong feel. And, as the name implies, the lightweight design makes it easy to carry. A 15.6-inch HD display with thin bezels provides a wide but overly bright view.  But we had no concerns when using it on fewer brightness settings.

The backlit keyboard received compliments, with well-distant keys that felt pleasant to type on. As tested, the performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 powered chip and integrated Intel UHD graphics killed the productivity tasks easily and delivered seamless gameplay at medium settings. The 256 GB SSD may appear insufficient at first, but it easily allows multiple games.

Lastly, a good thing comes up in the face of the battery that delivered up to 8 hours of battery timing during the tests. Which is even better than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15’s 6 hours of battery. Therefore, it’s all proved that ASUS values your hard-earned money and has a perfect solution for your budget gaming.

Technical Specifications

Screen Size	15.6-inch
Resolution	1920×1080
Storage	256 GB
Memory	8 GB
Weight	3.5 lbs
Colors	Slate Gray
Material	Plastic
Dimensions	14.1 x 9.1 x 0.75 inches
Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)Bluetooth version 4.2
USB Ports	1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type A) 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type C) 2x USB 2.0 (Type A)

Finally, HP joins the arena with the HP Pavilion 15, their ultimate budget gaming laptop. This one’s more similar to the MSI’s GF63 because both are game-oriented. But the HP Pavilion 15’s AMD Ryzen 5 chipset has a different taste.

When you open the box, you’ll see a matte-black, all-plastic yet solid laptop with a sleek style that appeals to gamers. Because, like other gaming laptops, this one is hefty, you’ll miss the portability. When you lift the lid, you’ll see a full-size keyboard with elegant green trimmings around each key. The 15.6-inch IPS display has minimal bezels but is also a compromise, having a washed-out appearance.

The AMD Ryzen 5 chipset with dedicated NVIDIA GeForce 1650 graphics was seen to be capable of running AAA games at low settings while maintaining smooth gameplay. But under heavy loads, it becomes hot and noisy. Another amazing feature is that you’re free to expand its 8 GB memory and 256 GB SSD as needed.

Also, it outperformed the MSI GF63’s 4 hours of basic battery usage with 6.5 hours of battery life. So, aside from the display, the HP Pavilion 15 offers good value for the money.

Technical Specifications

Screen Size	15.6-inch
Resolution	1920×1080
Storage	256 GB
Memory	8 GB
Weight	4.4 lbs
Colors	Black
Material	Plastic
Dimensions	20.3 x 12 x 2.6 inches
Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)Bluetooth version 5.2
USB Ports	3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type A) 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type C)

The Acer Chromebook R11 is much better than the Chromebooks, thanks to its 360-degree hinge door. The Acer Chromebook R11 uses Chrome OS to its fullest, so it doesn’t need the best specs to give a smooth feel like butter.

 The best Chromebooks are unlike any other laptops. According to history viewed as a direct route to the Google Chrome browser, its functionality was limited to what you can accomplish on the web. The weather is different now as most Chromebooks are compatible with Android apps via the Google Play Store. In this regard, the Acer Chromebook R11 is no different.

According to the specs, the Chromebook R11 falls directly into the market and the entire Chromebook market. Powerful Intel Celeron N3150 processor for 1.6GHz, as well as 2 or 4GB of RAM. Inside, there is also 32GB of storage, which may seem small, but it is essential to remember that it is not possible to store a ton of files on the machine itself. In our experiment, including writing this review, opened twelve tabs.

The Acer Chromebook R11 performed impressively, despite a few hiccups. The combination of the Intel Celeron N3150 processor and 4GB of RAM kept things surprisingly fluid even when you type on Google.

Technical Specifications

Model	Acer R11
Display	11.6″
Memory Speed	1.6 GHz
Operating system	Windows 10
Dimensions	11.57 x 8.03 x 0.76 inches
Flash Memory Size	32 GB SSD
Weight	2.8 pounds
Max Screen Resolution	1920×1080 Pixels
Battery Type	Lithium-Ion
Ram	4GB DDR4 RAM

The feature that has positive attention is the glossy and elegant Lenovo logo on the upper left corner laptop. The chassis has an awkward, two-tone design above the silver. This almost deceives you into thinking that it is aluminum. According to the colorimeter, the IdeaPad panel covers 67% of the sRGB color scale, which loses 77% of the average laptops.

Not surprisingly, the color reproduction of IdeaPad has been at such a low level, as the Aspire E 15 (62%), VivoBook Flip 14 (69%), and Swift 1 (66%) have reached the same level. 

While the IdeaPad 320 offers something for its low price, it retains Lenovo’s signature keyboard quality. These matte gray, shield-shaped buttons were neatly typed. With 4GB of RAM, it managed to handle 15 Google Chrome tabs and 1080p YouTube videos before it started showing downtime. Even the Windows 10 search bar is still missing while we try to drag the device manager.

The low power of the IdeaPad 320 comes with a single silver concrete: it stays cold. After the laptop broadcast a 1080p video for 15 minutes, the underside hit 83 degrees, which is below our 95-degree rating.

 The Lenovo IdeaPad 320 has two redirecting features: its keyboard layout and its wide selection of ports. However, amid the low battery life of the IdeaPad 320, moderate performance, and low-resolution displays, it is hard to recommend.

We compile all the features almost for your ease. Now it’s up to you what you want for your work and gaming. We think it’s the Best under $600 laptop on our list.

Technical Specifications

Model	Lenovo 15.6
Display	15.6″
Memory Speed	1.10 GHz
Operating system	Windows 10
Dimensions	14.88 x 10.24 x 0.9 inches
Flash Memory Size	1TB HDD
Weight	5.5 pounds
Max Screen Resolution	1366 x 768Pixels
Battery Type	Lithium-Ion
Ram	4 GB DDR4 SDRAM

The Inspiron 15 5000 is an AMD version of the Intel-powered Inspiron 15 5000. However, this is more than just a CPU switch as there are significant differences between the two models in terms of chassis, motherboard, battery life, and all performance, as our review below will show. 

The series is intended to be an inexpensive alternative to fancier flagship models such as those from the Dell XPS series, the Asus ZenBook series, the HP Specter series, or the Lenovo Yoga 900 series.

The palm and keyboard lounge area are cheaper than the outer cover, and the plastic bezels are almost as shiny as the glass bezels on the XPS 15 edge. Construction quality is incomplete in our test unit, and we can see an unequal gap between the chassis and the hinge.

All Inspiron 15 5000 ports are here but with a new USB C port and a slight change in the port setting. All ports are easily accessible most of which are now firmly attached to the left edge. It is safe to say that the RJ-45 port is only Fast Ethernet and does not support Gbps transmission rates.

The Ryzen 7 3700U is an alternative to the AMD 15 W Intel Core i7-8565U and Core i7-8550U. While operating at high cTDP up to 35 W, it delivers faster graphics performance than those listed above Intel. Although the 42 WH battery is small, the actual playing times are longer than usual for the Inspiron 15 5000 in its budget section.

There is a condition where we are able to record a Wireless signal operating time of 7 hours compared to almost half of the Inspiron 15 and other competitive laptops when faced with similar conditions.

Technical Specifications

Model	Dell 15 5000
Display	15″
Memory Speed	2.3 GHz
Operating system	Windows 10
Dimensions	15.96 x 10.06 x 0.89 inches
Flash Memory Size	512GB PCIe SSD
Weight	5.5 pounds
Max Screen Resolution	1920 x 1080 Pixels
Battery Type	Lithium-Ion
Ram	16GB DDR4 RAM

Conclusion

These were the finest recommendations that outperformed in our tests. These options are not only suitable for gaming, but also provide a complete and speedy computing experience for anything you intend to do with them. However, if you feel puzzled out after seeing this many laptop options, you can place a blind bet on the Acer Aspire 5. Because the specifications it holds can quench your thirst for gaming with the most popular AAA games.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)