6 Best Budget Gaming Laptops for Students [Affordable]

Are you looking for the best budget gaming laptops for students?

Something that you can do your school work on and game on?

Then you’ve come to the right place, because that’s exactly what we’ll be covering in this post.

Some of these laptops will be cheaper than others. There’s something here for everyone.

1. HP OMEN X 2S (Best Overall)

Check Price of the HP OMEN X 2S

NVIDIA RTX 2080, 8GB

If you’re looking for a laptop that can max out insanely graphically demanding games, look no further. This comes with an RTX 2080, 8GB graphics card.

It can play Doom Eternal at 4K with an average of 75FPS.

Red Dead Redemption will play at 30FPS at 4K.

Borderlands 3 plays at an average of 30FPS at 4K.

Metro Exodus runs at 35FPS at 4K.

The Witcher 3 runs at an average of 63 FPS at 4K.[3]

As you can see, even the most graphically demanding games can be played at 4K with a playable framerate. Without an issue.

So if you’re doing any graphic design work, you can rely on this GPU to crush the task.

Intel i7-9750H

The Intel i7-9750H is one of the top processors Intel has available. It will chew through any task because of its hexa core architecture.

Sure, games can use more than 6 cores but as you saw, it’s still enough to handle most intense games. At high resolutions without any sudden lag spikes.

Touchscreen secondary screen

There’s a secondary display just above the keyboard. It’s a 1080P, IPS display with a solid glass screen. It’s responsive and you can use it to engage with different apps such as Spotify, Twitch, Discord, etc.

Saving you from having to minimize your game and switch between tabs.

15 inch 4K IPS anti-glare display

The display on this is mouthwatering. It has a 4K, IPS display. And what makes the screen even sharper is the 15 inch display. I have a 60 inch, 4K TV in my living room which looks stunning.

Now, imagine condensing those 60 inches into just 15 inches, how would the colors look? The answer, unbelievable. Doing normal day-to-day tasks on this is a joy.

Work is a joy. And of course, gaming is a joy. If you’re looking for eye candy, then look no further.

16GB RAM

Games are now using 16GB of RAM. It’s pretty much the norm when it comes to triple AAA titles. You’ll be pleased to know that you won’t be held back in the RAM department when it comes to running your games.

You can be playing games, opening different tasks, and general multitasking stuff without an issue.

1TB SSD

This has a 1TB SSD which is plenty to store your programs as well as the games you want to play. The average SSD is 7x faster than the average hard drive. Making day-to-day tasks and running games a breeze.

Are you ready for the ultimate gaming laptop where you can destroy your assignments at lighting speed?

2. Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop

Check Price of the Acer Predator Helios

GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB

This graphics card is incredible. You can play some of the most graphically intense games out there maxed out.

Whilst still getting a high frame rate. Doom Eternal at ultra settings runs at an average of 129FPS.

Red Dead Redemption 2 at ultra settings has an average of 32FPS.

Borderlands 3 at ultra settings has an average of 48FPS.

The Witcher 3 gets an average of 56 FPS on ultra settings. [1]

As you can see, you won’t have an issue running AAA games on this laptop. And running games like Fortnite, COD, Battlefield, Overwatch, etc. will be a breeze.

i7-9750H

This is a 9th gen processor and one of the best Intel has for their portable CPU line ups.

It’ll handle difficult tasks such as rendering, graphics design, and programming without an issue. Your school work will become a breeze with this.

IPS 1080p, 144Hz Display

This has an IPS 1080p display. An IPS display allows the colors to pop. The darker colors look deeper and brighter colors look brighter. Allowing for lots more detail on-screen.

A 1920x1080p display is plenty for a 15inch laptop. Your games will come to life on this screen and gaming is incredibly immersive. 144Hz allows you to take advantage of all those frames the graphics card is able to produce.

Giving you a buttery smooth experience. More Hertz means things will appear on screen sooner, therefore you will be able to react sooner.

This is a literal lifesaver when playing fast pace shooters such as Fortnite, Overwatch, Battlefield, etc.

3ms response time

What is response time? Response time is how long it takes for an input to be displayed on-screen.

For example, if you click the shoot button, the response time will dictate how long it takes for your display to show that on-screen.

You’ll be pleased to know that this has a response time of 3ms which is very short and you won’t feel any lag.

16GB DDR4 RAM

Games are eating up a lot of RAM these days. I remember when 8GB was enough but not anymore. Games are bigger than ever, so your RAM needs to reflect that. 16GB is plenty when playing a game.

Backlit keyboard

This has a backlit keyboard, allowing you to game in the night. Not having to rely on your display or a lamp for lighting.

Are you ready to get the best laptop for gaming and work?

3. ASUS ROG G531GT-BI7N6

Check Price of the ASUS ROG G531GT-BI7N6

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650

This isn’t a top tier graphics card that will run the latest game at 1080p, 60FPS. But it will be able to run a lot of graphically intensive games at max settings with decent frame rates.

However, if you just turn off a few settings, you’ll easily get a steady 60FPS at with great graphics.

It can play the Witcher 3 at ultra settings with an average of 35FPS. And high settings with an average of 62FPS.

GTA V can be run at ultra settings with an average of 43FPS.

Red Dead Redemption 2 will run at medium settings at an average of 45FPS [2].

So it’s very capable of playing very intensive games.

Intel Hexa-Core i7-9750H

This is a top Intel i7 processor. With 6 cores and 4.5GHz. Allowing it to handle intense tasks such as rendering items and programming.

1080p display

This has a solid 1080p display which provides rich amounts of detail and depth. It has a 15inch display so the things appearing on-screen will look even sharper.

8GB DDR4 RAM

8GB of DDR4 RAM is enough for most games. Yes, you will get more frames with 16GB but then this would cost more.

8GB is still a respectable amount of RAM when throwing intense games at it. It won’t cause lag spikes and will give you a satisfactory experience.

512GB SSD

This has an SSD to run the entire system. Making things faster, fluid, and snappier. Also, an SSD is less prone to becoming corrupt and failing.

This only downside to this is games are easily taking up 40gb of space so you can only have a few games installed at a time.

We would recommend getting an external hard drive to install your game both for your desktop and laptop. This way you can easily play games on either device.

Backlit keyboard

This keyboard lights so you don’t have to rely on an external source.

Overall, this is a solid laptop to do both your work and gaming. It comes at a reasonable price but can still handle intense tasks.

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4. Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop (Budget)

Check Price of the Acer Nitro 5

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650

We were shocked when looking at the benchmarks for this graphics card. This is an affordable graphics card but still does decently in games.

It gets an average of 72FPS at 1080p on Fortnite.

On Rocket League it gets an average of 135FPS.

Overwatch gets an average of 84FPS maxed out.

Rainbow Six Siege gets an average of 130FPS.

The Witcher 3 gets an average of 35 FPS on ultra settings. [4]

As you can see, this graphics card can handle some of the most popular games in the world with ease.

Whilst still giving you lots of frames on max settings. Even when it comes to a very graphically demanding game like The Witcher 3, it’s still very playable.

Overall, this is a very respectable graphics card with a good price.

9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H

This has a 9th Gen Intel i5 core. It’s not going to blow you away but it will get the job done. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing games or doing some rendering. This CPU packs a serious punch.

8GB DDR4 RAM

Sure, the latest games are eating up 16GB of RAM but 8GB is still decent. Don’t worry, you won’t experience lag spikes when you’re playing demanding games.

And if you’re playing games like LOL, Dota, Fortnite, Overwatch, etc. These games don’t use 16GB of RAM.

1080p, IPS display

The display is a very respectable one. It has a full HD, 1080p display. Games still look stunning in 1080p and you’re not missing out in my opinion. You still get to play the game as it was meant to.

The IPS feature takes the display to another level by making the colors deeper and richer.

256GB SSD

The only downside to this is the storage. It only has a 256GB SSD. Sure, you’ll be able to store your work here. But you will probably only be able to store a few AAA games.

Since they can take up to 40gb these days. However, if you’re playing games like Fortnite, LOL, Overwatch, etc. 256GB will get you through.

Beautiful backlit keyboard

This has a stunning keyboard. It lights up a hot, sexy red and looks incredible. You’ll easily be able to game in the dark without straining your eyes looking at the keys.

Affordable

We were surprised at how affordable this was, considering the specs. It won’t break the bank but will still produce a great amount of power.

Are you ready for a powerful laptop that won’t make your wallet cry?

5. MSI GF65 Thin 9SD-252

Check Price of the MSI GF65

GTX 1660 Ti 8GB

The GTX 1660 TI is a great entry level graphics card for high end gaming. It handles games well at full HD with great graphics settings and playable frame rates.

The Wither 3 runs at ultra settings with an average of 56FPS.

GTA V runs at ultra settings with an average of 71 FPS.
Borderlands 3 runs an average of 48FPS on ultra settings.

Red Dead Redemption at ultra settings gets an average of 32FPS.

Fortnite on ultra settings gets an average of 107FPS.

Rainbow Six Siege on ultra settings gets an average of 175FPS.

As you can see, this GPU handles heavy hitting graphical titles at playable frame rates. It’s not going to blow your mind with 4K graphics (display is not 4K) but it will play your games at respectable settings.

Intel Core i7-9750H

The Intel core i7-9750H is a respectable piece of kit. It runs at 4.5GHz and will handle the games and processing tasks you have without an issue. Your laptop won’t overheat and it will help keep things buttery smooth.

120Hz

The display is 120hz. So if you’re playing twitch shooters like Overwatch, Fortnite, CS Go, etc. it’ll help you in games. You’ll be able to see things on screen sooner and react sooner.

8GB RAM

The latest AAA games are using 16GB of RAM these days but you can still play them without an issue with 8GB. The frame rate will decrease a little but it won’t be a dramatic drop.

Also, if you’re playing popular games like LOL, CG Go, Overwatch, etc. these games don’t use 16GB.

1080p, IPS screen

You get a stunning 1080p, IPS screen with this laptop. You’ll be playing games at full HD settings with this, without an issue. With the IPS screen, colors are deeper and brighter.

Making for a better viewing experience and allowing for lots of eye candy.

Are you ready for a great all round laptop for gaming and studying?

6. Lenovo Ideapad L340 Gaming Laptop

Check Price of the Lenovo Ideapad L340

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB

This graphics card is budget friendly but can still handle itself when it comes to gaming.

It can run Overwatch on ultra settings with an average of 84FPS.

Rainbow Six Siege on ultra settings runs at an average of 130FPS.

The Witcher 3 on ultra settings runs at an average of 35FPS.

GTA V at ultra settings runs with an average of 43FPS.

Fortnite at ultra setting runs with an average of 72FPS.

Red Dead Redemption 2 on medium settings runs with an average of 45FPS. [6]

As you can see, this GPU can handle some of the most intense graphically demanding titles out there. Sure, they’re not maxed out at 60FPS but the settings are still good and the frame rates are playable.

Intel Core i5-9300H Processor

The Intel core i5-9300 processor is a respectable one. No, it’s not going to blow your mind with the amount of cores it has. However, it holds its ground when being tested in intense games and tasks.

You won’t be disappointed with this processor. Sure, it may not be the biggest on the block but it still packs a punch in performance.

8GB DDR4 RAM

Yet another gaming laptop with 8GB of RAM. As I’ve mentioned, the latest games can use up to 16GB of RAM. However, 8GB will still get the job done, without any stuttering.

15 inch, 1080p, IPS screen

This has a 1080p screen with an IPS panel. Coming in at 15 inches long it’s able to look ultra sharp. And the IPS feature allows for colors to pop and shine through.

518GB SSD

518GB is a decent amount of space to store your programs. However, if you’re looking to install the latest games, you’re probably going to want to get an external hard drive.

The latest AAA games can easily take 40GB of space. So it won’t be long until you need more space.

Budget friendly

For what you get, this laptop comes in at a reasonable price. It’s budget friendly but can still run the tasks you throw at it like a champ.

Are you ready for a great gaming laptop?

What should students look for when buying a gaming laptop?

Graphics card

First of all, you need to determine which graphics card is right for you. And this depends on the games you play. For example, let’s say you only play games like League of Legends.

If that’s the case, you don’t need a very powerful graphics card or laptop in general. It’s a lightweight title. However, if you play games like Fortnite, Overwatch, CS Go, Cod, etc.

You would need a slightly more powerful graphics card but not a top of the line GPU. However, if you plan on playing blockbuster titles like The Witcher 3, Borderlands 3, Tomb Raider, etc.

You’ll need a more powerful graphics card depending on the settings and resolution you’d like to play at. To determine which GPU is best for you, make sure to check the benchmarks.

Processor

It’s important to understand the kind of processor you’re getting. When we see more cores and gigahertz, we often think that the processor is more powerful.

This is a mistake as AMD has often stuffed their processors with cores yet there are stil Intel CPUs that perform better. With fewer cores.

The best way to figure out how good a CPU is, is by looking at it in a real world environment. For example, looking at benchmarks and reviews of the processor is a good way to determine if it’s good enough.

Display

What kind of display would you like? A simple 1080p screen will do the trick and still look great because of the laptop’s small screen.

But if you’ve got more money to spend and want more eye candy, a 4K display is something you’ll want to consider. To take your display to another level without spending lots of money, consider an IPS display.

IPS displays will make colors deeper and brighter. Colors will pop and look sharper. It’s a feature that’s often overlooked but can have a major difference.

Conclusion

So those were the best budget gaming laptops for students.

We made sure to research well into this topic and only bring you the very best.

These all have different price points and there’s something here for everyone.