For an enthusiastic gamer, the ultimate goal is to find a gaming laptop that can be just as dependable as any gaming desktop. The only thing better than that is seeing one of the best laptops for gaming on a budget – say under $400.
So you will be getting the same perks but in lightweight, affordable, portable, and space-efficient packages.
But then the major challenge is often finding an excellent affordable laptop that can keep up with your competitive nature, especially if you’re a devoted player.
The good news is that you may still have an incredible gaming experience if you know what specifications to look for in a laptop for gaming on a budget.
This article will discuss the specifications to consider in a gaming laptop and the best laptops for gaming under $400.
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Best guides for getting the best laptop for gaming under $400
Here are some of the top specs you should look out for in a gaming laptop:
RAM
You will want a laptop with a RAM of at least 8GM. This will significantly reduce the lag time and ensure that your computer does not crash mid-game.
However, finding any of the best laptops for gaming under $400 with 8GB RAM may be challenging. It is often more common to find laptops at that price donning 4GB RAM.
CPU
CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of your computer. If you are a high-tech gamer, you should look for a CPU with multiple processors to support the audio and video feeds.
This will also ensure the seamless functionality and durability of your laptop.
Storage
If you are a casual player, you can get one of the best laptops for gaming under $400 with at least 512GB of storage. But if you will install AAA games, choose a gaming laptop with at least 1TB.
You can usually increase the internal storage on gaming laptops, but if that’s not your cup of tea, you can always buy an external HDD or SSD.
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Display
An FHD/IPS display is the best option for a gaming laptop in this price range. While IPS is better for color reproduction and wider viewing angles, FHD gives the most pleasing visuals.
You can still choose a TN/FHD laptop, as FHD/IPS displays are hard to locate in cheap gaming laptops. The common 1080p and 60Hz monitor is adequate in terms of resolution and refresh rate.
GPU
The graphics card is one of the most essential features to look out for in a gaming laptop. Think about this: the higher frame rates, resolutions, and better detail settings are all facilitated by a stable GPU.
However, if the money is not in question, look at our list of best gaming laptops in 2024.
Top 5 Gaming Laptops Under $400
Here are the 5 best laptops for gaming under $400:
#1. Acer Aspire 5
Specifications
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 Dual Core (3.5GHz)
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile
- Storage: 128GB SSD
- Display: (1920 x 1080) Full HD IPS
- Screen Size: 15.6 inches
- Weight: 3.97 lbs
- Battery Life: Up to 7 1/2 Hours
- Operating System: Windows 10 S
The Acer Aspire 5 is lightweight, modest, and stylish, making it one of the best laptops for gaming under $400. It is also the pinnacle of laptops in terms of specifications. Because of its AMD Ryzen 3 processor, it can run some robust apps more quickly than a regular laptop.
Also, it features 4GB of DDR4 RAM, excellent for multitasking. So, you have no trouble playing games and listening to your favorite music.
The new AMD Radeon 3 graphics card in the Acer Aspire 5 ensures a fluid gaming experience, allowing you to enjoy games like Need for Speed, GTA IV, and the PUBGM emulator on medium to high settings.
#2. Lenovo Chromebook C330
Specifications
- Series: IdeaPad C330
- Processor: Mediatek (2.1 GHz)
- RAM: 4GB DDR3
- Storage: 64 GB SSD
- Graphics: Intel Integrated
- Display: (1366 X 768) HD IPS
- Screen Size: 11.6 Inches
- Weight: 2.64 lbs
- Battery Life: Up to 10 Hours
- Operating System: Chrome OS
- Hard Drive: 64 GB Flash Memory Solid State
The 2-in-1 Lenovo Chromebook C330 is a cheap and very flexible gaming laptop. This incredibly portable laptop boasts a convertible design that makes it simple to carry around.
Plus, even though it is a Chromebook, you can play Roblox, GTA, Friday Night Funkin, and NFS Underground. Interestingly, the Chrome operating system is very user-friendly and intuitive.
A 4GBDDR3 RAM complements the quick integrated Intel graphics card to provide the most responsive and fluid experience possible.
The high point is that you can disassemble the keyboard to create a tablet.
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#3. ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop
Specifications
- Processor: Latest Intel Core i3, 10th Gen. (4M Cache, up to 3.4 GHz)
- RAM: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Storage: 128GB SSD
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics
- Display: (1920 x 1080) FHD
- Screen Size: 15.6 inch
- Weight: 3.75 lbs
- Battery Life: Up to 5 Hours
- Operating System: Windows 10 S
The Asus Vivobook 15 is for sure one of the best gaming laptops on a budget, especially if you want an efficient laptop with excellent multitasking ability.
The 10th Gen. Core 13 processor inside the Asus VivoBook ensures swift and fluid operation.
Even though it’s a pretty thin gaming laptop, Asus generously offers enough screen real estate with its 15.6” full HD 1080p vivid and vibrant display.
The combination of the Intel UHD GPU with 8FB DDR4 RAM, which provides a quick and fluid user experience, is another fantastic feature. So you can play Counter-Strike, Fortnite, and Minecraft.
Additionally, the fact that it includes a damage protection guarantee is even more icing on the cake.
#4. HP 14 inch
Specifications
- Processor: Dual-Core AMD Ryzen 3 (3.5 GHz)
- RAM: 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Storage: 128GB SSD
- Graphics: AMD Radeon™ Vega 3 Graphics
- Display: 1366 x 768
- Screen Size: 14 Inches
- Weight: 3.2 lbs
- Battery Life: Up to 8 Hours
- Operating System: Windows 10
Even though they are pretty affordable, the HP 14” specifications are impressive, allowing you to play AAA games on medium to high settings.
Windows 10 OS powers it – the best choice if you want to run all the newest games efficiently.
Additionally, it utilizes an AMD Ryzen 3 processor, which is excellent for most entry-level games. And the 4GB DDR4 RAM and 128GB SSD ensure you get the most responsive gaming experience possible.
You can even seamlessly play Project IGI, GTA, NFS, Counter-Strike, and Call of Duty.
Then there’s the impressive 14-inch HD screen!
Ultimately, the HP 14” is an ultra-lightweight, compact, and cheap yet reliable gaming laptop.
#5. Lenovo 130S-11IGM
Specifications
- Processor: Intel Celeron N4000 (1.1 Celeron)
- RAM: 4GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Storage: 64GB EMMC
- Graphics: Intel integrated UHD
- Display: (1366 x 768) HD
- Screen Size: 11.6 inches
- Weight: 2.5 lbs
- Operating System: Windows 10
The Lenovo 130S-11IGM is the best choice for gaming laptops on a budget for on-the-go gaming. The IdeaPad notebook is portable and light, weighing only 2.5 pounds. With a thickness of just 0.7 inches, it is small enough to fit in your suitcase or backpack for regular travel.
The high point here is the battery life. The Lenovo 130S is an absolute powerhouse. Most gamers can play for 8 to 10 hours on a single charge.
However, playing sophisticated video games on this laptop may not be the best idea. But, with its dependable Intel Celeron processor, novice gamers will undoubtedly enjoy themselves with the Lenovo 130S-11IGM without breaking the bank.
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6. CHUWI LapBook Pro 14.1
Specifications
- Core: 1.1GHz, Quad Core
- CPU: Intel Celeron N4100
- Graphics Chipset: Intel HD Graphics 500
- OS: Windows 10
- Graphics Card Frequency: 200MHz – 700MHz
- External Memory: TF card up to 128GB (not included)
- RAM: 8GB
- Display Ratio: 16:9
- Screen size: 14.1 inch
With just a thin bezel around the lid, the CHUWI LapBookalmost appears to be without a frame. It features a webcam on the top of the laptop with a screen size of 14.1 inches and images in full HD IPS.
Additionally, it features a touchpad without buttons, a backlit keyboard, and ergonomically designed buttons that allow for a comfortable typing position.
The graphics are also provided by Intel UHD graphics 600 on the 90% screen-to-body ratio. Plus, it takes advantage of the newest Intel Gemini Lake N4100 quad-core 64-bit processor, ensuring a decent performance.
If you are seeking tons of storage space, its 256 GB SSD and 8 GB DDR4 memory will come in handy as one of the best laptops for gaming under $400.
7. Jumper Windows 10 Laptop
Specifications
- Graphic Processor Intel HD 500
- Processor Intel Celeron Dual Core N3350
- Display Features Full HD LED Display
- Display Size 14 Inches (35.56 cm)
- Dimensionswxhxd 330 x 220 x 21 mm
- SSD Capacity 64 GB
The Jumper Windows 10 Laptop’s screen size is 13.3 inches. However, the full HD still provides sharp, clear, and wide-angle images.
Also, it features a regular keyboard, a button-free touchpad, and the Microsoft Windows 10 Home OS.
Some of the new features in Microsoft Windows 10 include the Edge Web browser, allowing you to annotate web pages on your screen.
Similarly, the GPU uses an Intel Graphics 500 Core and combines a 64 GB eMMC hard drive with 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, all in a 2.7 pounds package.
8. 2024 Acer Aspire 15.6
Specifications
- CPU 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor 2.4 GHz (8M Cache, up to 4.2 GHz, 4 cores)
- OS Windows 10 Genuine
- Screen 15.6-inch IPS Display; HD (1366 x 768 pixels) resolution
- RAM 4GB DDR4; Expandable up to 32GB
- Storage 1TB HDD; Dedicated SSD slot for storage expansion
- Memory DDR4 SDRAM
- Weight 4.19 LBs
To augment the images, the 2024 Acer Aspire 15.6 incorporates stereo speakers and a webcam at the top of the 15.6-inch LED display screen.
It also features a regular keyboard, a touchpad without buttons, a mouse pad, and an HDMI cable with the laptop.
This laptop has a strong CPU powered by an Intel Celeron N4020 dual-core processor, as Intel UHD graphics 600 provides the visuals.
It combines a 64GB eMMc with 4 GB DDR4 of RAM to provide useful storage space. So, this is the best choice if you want one of the best cheap gaming laptops.
9. Lenovo Chromebook S330 Laptop
Specifications
- Processor MediaTek™ MT8173C Processor (1.70 GHz, 4 Cores, 4 Threads)
- Operating System Chrome OS
- Display 14.0” HD (1366 x 768) anti-glare, 220 nits
- Graphics Integrated PowerVR GX6250
Lenovo Chromebook has a webcam on the top of the laptop with a 14-inch display screen to show images. It also includes a conventional keyboard and a touchpad without buttons.
Built-in virus protection keeps you safe and free of viruses. And it comes with an Intel integrated graphics card for one of the best laptops for gaming under $400.
Similarly, it provides storage space with 64GB of flash memory and 4 GB of LPDDR3 RAM for the hard drive in a 3.3-pound build.
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FAQs on the best laptops for gaming under $400
Honestly, I don’t think you can get a gaming laptop deal for under $400. Even though there are occasionally listings on Walmart that are close to $400, they frequently list last-generation parts and are often not the best deal. A clear sign that a laptop is misrepresented as a gaming laptop is if it lacks a dedicated graphics card, such as an Nvidia RTX or AMD Radeon RX.
Fortunately, cheap gaming laptop offers are frequently featured at most major retailers, so there is always a wide selection for gamers on a budget. Nevertheless, high periods throughout the year, particularly significant sales occasions like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Labor Day, and Amazon Prime Day, often have fair deals.
It truly depends on the kind of gaming, but the chances of getting good gaming Chromebook laptops are slim. Web and Android games run smoothly on Chromebooks. However, a Chromebook won’t cut it if you want to play the most recent, high-end AAA games because it doesn’t run Windows and probably has insufficient graphics capability.
It basically boils down to taste and intended application. The ideal size for an ultraportable laptop for frequent travel is between 13 and 14 inches. If all you want to do is play games, a screen size between 15 and 17 inches would be excellent. Don’t forget to weigh the laptop before you purchase it as well.
Read also: How To Update Zoom On Chromebook
Final thoughts
So we have discussed the best laptops for gaming under $400. While it is undeniable that gaming laptops on a budget will have a few shortcomings, these are the best gaming laptops with solid performance, promising a remarkable gaming experience.
We hope that you find a good choice from our list.
References
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