It can be difficult to select the finest gaming laptop, particularly within the $1,500 price range. Finding a laptop with the characteristics you require after sifting through the plethora of moderate options available is quite an accomplishment.
Do you want to dominate the newest games released with ray tracing and high frame rates? Perhaps an ultraportable that enables you to work and play is what you need? If you’re a game lover, you are aware of the importance of having the correct laptop. For those who enjoy gaming, gaming laptops are a contemporary convenience.
We provide a variety of options to suit your needs, including portable gaming consoles and powerful systems capable of handling the newest games. All you need to do is check the top-ranked list of the best gaming laptops for around $1500 that is included in this review article.
We can assist you if you need help figuring out where to begin. We’ve made a list of top-notch gaming laptops that all cost less than $1,500 to assist you in enjoying the hassle-free laptop shopping experience.
5 Best Gaming Laptops Under $1500
The majority of sub-$1,500 gaming laptops will be powered by Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4050 and RTX 4060 graphics cards. Most of these systems ought to include the newest chips from AMD and Intel, but if you’re ready for older technology, you might find some nice offers.
Having said that, try to avoid getting merely 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage at this price range. Particularly on the high-end, you ought to be able to do a little bit better. As we delve deeper into the topic, you should be able to run 1080p games smoothly at high or even ultra settings on one of the best gaming laptops under $1,500, depending on the title.
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro Gaming Laptop: The Best Overall
With the latest Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics and Intel 13th-Gen processors, the new Legion 5 Pro seeks to further support this. They offer a significant improvement over the model from the previous year and keep the Legion 5 Pro as the recommended gaming laptop for anyone on a budget of around $2,000.
Regarding low-cost gaming laptops, the most recent Lenovo Legion 5 Pro model is the whole deal thanks to its robust graphics performance, varied networking options, and comfortable keyboard. The new Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, 512GB of PCIe SSD storage, and an Intel Core i7-13700HX CPU are all included with this setup.
Key Specifications
- Intel Core i7 processor
- NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU
- 16 inches display
- 512GB SSD storage
- 1080P webcam
- 16GB RAM
- 80-Watt-hours battery capacity
- 5.51lbs weight
- WIFI 6E, Bluetooth connectivity
Key Features
The black and navy-blue chassis of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is understated. Compared to alternatives, it manages to convey a more polished, professional impression through the use of basic, primarily untextured plastics that don’t appear or feel outstanding.
Intended for performance, this laptop won’t draw unwelcome attention during a meeting. The keyboard is very striking, and it also fits a number pad on the right side of the tray. As you type, it offers a satisfying haptic snap and lots of key travel.
Connectivity characteristics are crucial for laptops used for gaming. An expensive dock may be necessary to connect everything, although many people choose to connect to an external monitor, mouse, or other peripherals.
In terms of connection, the Legion 5 Pro excels. Impressive features include three USB-A ports, one USB-C port with DisplayPort but no power delivery, and another with 140 watts of power and DisplayPort Alternate Mode.
It is practically unheard of for a laptop these days to have five USB ports. For easy cable management, when the laptop is resting on a workstation, the majority of the ports are oriented backward. The Legion 5 Pro is the best option if you’re looking for an affordable gaming laptop that can deliver on its promises.
MSI Katana 15 FHD Gaming Laptop
With an efficient and cost-effective strategy to provide its customers with the newest and best PC technology, the MSI Katana is an outstanding high-end gaming laptop that surpasses the majority of other high-end laptops in its price range.
Packed with features, the MSI Katana 15 15.6″ 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop comes equipped with an Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a powerful current-generation Intel Core i7 CPU. It isn’t quite under $1500, but it’s close enough to the queue to be taken into account, especially considering what you get in return.
Key Specifications
- Windows 11 OS
- Intel Core i7 processor
- GeForce RTX 4070 GPU
- 1TB SSD storage
- 15.6 inches display
- 720p webcam
- 4.9lb weight
- 240W power adapter
- WIFI 6 and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity
Key Features
Even though its battery life is compromised and its display only supports Full HD and 144Hz, its internal components enable it to function as a hybrid desktop replacement and gaming laptop, especially considering the limits imposed by its battery.
The Katana can easily be upgraded to gaming laptops that push at about the $2,000 mark at a fraction of the cost, thanks to upgradeable RAM and storage. This version of the MSI Katana 15 is a compromise; it has a great CPU and GPU but skimps on the battery and display.
However, the overall compromise appears to favor gamers because of the outstanding value it provides. It is the best gaming laptop under $1500 since it packs a powerful punch in terms of raw power for productivity and gaming.
HP Victus 16 Gaming Laptop
At its price range, the HP Victus 16 is an excellent laptop thanks to its bright 16.1-inch display, strong gaming performance, and lengthy battery life. We like how comfy the keyboard is, as it works well for both work and gaming.
The Victus 16 has a stylish, minimalist appearance. The keyboard is coated in a somewhat lighter shade of grey, but the entire chassis is made of robust, grey plastic. Other than a huge chrome on the lid, there are no other design elements that draw attention to the laptop.
This also implies that the keyboard will have basic white LED lighting rather than RGB lighting.
Key Specifications
- Intel Core i7 processor
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU
- 16GB RAM
- 1TB SSD storage
- 16 inches display
- WIFI and Bluetooth connectivity
- 1080p webcam
- 83WHr battery
- 230W power adapter
- Windows 11 OS
- 5.15 lbs weight
Key Features
The style is uncomplicated yet refined. It can play games, for sure, but if you take it into the office or coffee shop, it won’t stick out. The display is bright and clear; according to a light meter, it reaches 313 nits, which is marginally brighter than what HP claims.
Purchasing the Victus requires careful consideration at the appropriate time and location. However, an even more potent model with a GeForce RTX 4060, 1TB SSD, and 32GB of RAM is available regularly. To obtain the best price and configurations, make sure to check with several vendors.
A 16.1-inch 1080p display with a refresh rate of 144 Hz and a 300-nit rating is used by the Victus 16. Every Victus 16 configuration has a 1080p monitor by default. The Victus 16’s keyboard features strong, silent keys that make it quite comfortable to use.
ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 OLED Laptop
The Asus VivoBook Pro 15 OLED is a fantastic choice for people who would rather purchase a laptop and still have money left over for fantastic peripherals. It performs admirably overall and is a few hundred dollars less expensive than other options on this list.
A Ryzen 7 5800H CPU and a GeForce RTX 3050 can handle all of your productivity duties and play your favorite games at respectable frame rates. For a mid-range 15-inch laptop, Asus offers a powerful processor. For the class, battery life is also excellent.
Even though 3D performance isn’t as great, several games manage to achieve 60 frames per second.
Key Specifications
- 16GB RAM
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU
- 15.6 inches display
- 512GB SSD storage
- 720p webcam
- WIFI 6 and Bluetooth connectivity
- 63WHr battery
- 3.64lbs weight
- Fingerprint reader
Key Features
The Asus VivoBook Pro 15 OLED lacks visual appeal, much like previous new models in the Asus VivoBook Pro series. It is correct that the color calm blue is listed on the specification sheet. It’s silent.
It isn’t made any easier to notice by the laptop’s matte metallic coating, which gives the impression of sucking ambient light into another world. The touchpad is not very good. Yes, it’s big enough, but the surface doesn’t feel all that different from the palm rest around it.
The breathtaking 1080p OLED display on this laptop, with its superb color accuracy and performance, is its real standout feature. Even while the VivoBook Pro 15 doesn’t have the most visually appealing design, its performance and OLED screen make it a terrific buy.
As a result of its surprising affordability, OLED screens are already widely used in laptops. This pattern is advantageous for Asus’ VivoBook Pro 15 OLED. At an economical price, it has an exceptional 15.6-inch 1080p OLED non-touch display.
MSI Sword Gaming Laptop
The MSI Sword 15, which retails for less than $1,400, features a muted white look and numerous connections for connecting external storage and accessories. Intriguing and reasonably priced, the MSI Sword 15 is a gaming laptop.
Microsoft plays it safe with a basic black-and-white color scheme and cool blue keyboard backlighting, while many gaming laptops are eye-catching with tonnes of RGB and flashy designs. Because the 15.6-inch chassis weighs just under five pounds, it should fit neatly into a laptop bag when on the go.
Key Specifications
- Intel Core i7 CPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU
- 16GB RAM
- 1TB SSD storage
- 15.6 inches display
- 720P webcam
- 53WHr battery
- 240W power adapter
- Windows 11 OS
- 4.9lbs weight
Key Features
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 and Intel Core i7-12650H worked well together for gaming performance, but you will have to put up with some loud fans from MSI to keep the parts cool. In MSI Centre, you can attempt to change them.
This device has some upgrade possibilities, featuring a second M.2 PCIe SSD port in case you decide to enhance your storage later on. The Sword 15 has a 15.6-inch matte-finish 1080p IPS display. The keyboard deck’s touchpad is positioned to the left of the center and is 2.5 by 4.12 inches.
MSI had the option to enlarge and broaden the touchpad, but they decided against it. The Sword 15 is still powerful enough for some work while you’re not playing, even though it didn’t meet our productivity requirements. Nonetheless, you should continue to leave it plugged in the majority of the time.
Since the Sword 15 only has a 720p webcam, you won’t be receiving the greatest quality possible. In the current era of working from home, the webcam, which is conveniently situated above the display, is only tolerable. The poor resolution makes colors appear flat and lifeless, and the brightness is mediocre.
How to Choose the Best Gaming Laptop Under $1500?
Choosing a gaming laptop ultimately boils down to numbers, which can be calculated based on user requirements along with technical specifications, which greatly facilitates comparison shopping between options.
Before making a decision, users typically wish to think about the following options:
- Potential Performance
Gaming laptops often require adequate hardware below, and their usefulness is determined by their overall performance capability, which is the product of all of its constituent pieces. Performance is a fickle beast because bottlenecks are a serious worry in desktop gaming and laptops because of their limited power draw and somewhat more expensive and less upgrade-friendly design.
Users must, therefore, consider performance potential and investigate any potential bottlenecks, which may include hardware selections, upgradeability, or even operational thermal constraints.
It is crucial to put performance first because all of these things do a significant amount to improve the consistency of the gaming experience.
- Pricing
Even though gaming laptops are typically thought of as more expensive than comparable laptops without the additional GPU and cooling system expenditures, deals are frequently found. Because of this, choosing a gaming laptop requires careful consideration of the finest gaming laptops available for a given price range, taking into account possible upgrades, past pricing, and offerings from other companies.
This enables consumers to get more use out of an investment they make in a device that they hope to use for years to come for either gaming or working concurrently.
- Screen Size
Though the most popular size is 15 inches, gaming laptop screens come in a range of sizes from 14 to 17. Among the top gaming laptops under $1,500, you can anticipate 1080p resolution and a refresh rate of 120-165 Hz.
All those are good figures because the machine won’t be able to support higher frame rates or resolutions than those refresh rates. Pay attention to minute variations in hue and luminosity. If a laptop has a QHD screen, take that as a plus, but unless the model is on a major sale or closeout, you’ll need to put more effort into this screen resolution.
- Storage
A 500GB NVMe SSD, which provides good performance but just enough capacity for a few games, is probably standard on the best gaming laptops for around $1,500. A 1TB drive is a major bonus if you can find one.
A 256GB disc, barely sufficient for the operating system and possibly insufficient for space-guzzling games, is a feature seen in many models under $1,500. A new primary SSD or secondary drive, both of which should cost less than $100 for 1TB, should be upgraded in either scenario.
- Compatibility and Portability
Larger batteries, higher power draws, and improved cooling are typical advantages of gaming laptops. For this reason, they are typically seen in greater proportions, frequently approaching the dimensions of an 18-inch screen.
Due to this and the additional consideration given to the large screen size and internal components, gaming laptops frequently find themselves in the middle of the spectrum between gaming desktops and portable laptops.
To help users select a good fit, it’s critical to establish weight limitations for gaming laptops early on based on their preferences.
Final Words
Even with comparable primary specifications, there are discernible variations in gaming laptops. It is not possible to determine performance differences between two systems that have the same graphics card and CPU by simply reading a spec sheet or observing the laptop in person.
Instead, system performance may vary depending on how well-cooled each system is. Higher frame rates are possible with a machine that runs cooler because it can reach and sustain higher clock speeds. Finally, careful evaluation of several aspects is required while choosing the best gaming laptop under $1500.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a casual player, a good gaming laptop can make all the difference in your gaming experience. Use the variety of options available in this price range to find the ideal gaming laptop.
