Gaming on a tight budget has always been an option for a student, even today. So, I have covered the Best Gaming Laptops that you can get for under $700. As you can see, the budget is not that great, so don’t expect RTX 3080 or RTX 2080 graphics card systems. The parts these products offer are enough for medium-high resolution gaming and will last around 2-3 years of upcoming games. Mostly the graphics card that will feature are GTX 1650 or MX350; these cards can game you around 60 fps in medium-high settings, and you don’t have to worry about the graphics work such as graphic designing or any design; these cards can handle all that.
Best Gaming Laptops Under 700 – Comparison Table
A Quick Look At The Best Gaming Laptop Under 700:
Best Gaming Laptop Under $700
All the products that are featured have excellent specs and provide high-quality gaming. Some are superior to others in some aspects of the components. Otherwise, all the devices give the same game performance. Gaming on a limited budget can get challenging, but it is not impossible; these products are a perfect example; they provide high-quality graphics in a low price range. So, don’t worry if you have a low budget; these laptops have your back.
#1 – Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop
Acer’s offering an excellent specs laptop that most companies sell in the range of thousand dollars. Still, Acer is offering the same but more high-end specs for $700. It comes with Intel Core i5 9th Generation Processor combined with NVidia’s GTX 1650.
CPU: 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H Processor GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM Display: 15″ Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit RAM: 8GB DDR4 2666MHz Storage: 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD Dimensions: 14.31 x 10.04 x 0.96 inches Operating System: Windows 10 Home Wireless type: 801.11ac Weight: 5.07 pounds
The specs Acer Nitro offers in seven hundred dollars price range is just perfect Strong CPU and Strong GPU, both combined, give an outstanding output. It has an excellent battery life, so don’t worry for 3-5 hours about charging after a full charge. The fans on this system do a great job in keeping the components cool consistently. It is lightweight and has narrow bezels.
The built-in speakers of the system are not of great quality; you will have a hard time playing games on the built-in speakers. No Thunderbolt 3 port.
Not only it comes with a good CPU and GPU, but also a 15.6 full HD IPS screen. It comes with 8 GB of DDR4 RAM and an NVMe SSD of 256 GB, and an additional M.2 slot for upgrading the storage in the future. Considering the specs it offers in such a low price range is outstanding. Acer made few changes to the design compared to its previous models; they have narrow the bezels making it slimmer, adding red styling to give a premium look. The keyboard comes with an RGB backlight, which looks stunning in the dark; some keys are closer to each other while some are on ideal distance. The typing feedback is quick and responsive; the power button is placed with the end of function keys. The port selection is excellent at this price. There are two USB 3.0 ports, one USB Type-C, an Ethernet connector, an HDMI input, and Kensington lock on the left side. It has one USB 3.0 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a power connector on the right side.
#2 – MSI GF63
MSI laptops are always high-end and high-performing; they always hit the top 3 list of best gaming laptops all the time. It comes with Intel Core i5 9th Generation CPU and NVidia’s GTX 1650 GPU. The specs are the same as Acer Nitro, but this laptop lacks mort and storage options that why it got 2nd position. You will have a hard time listening to audio from laptop speakers, as they are quieter. You will eventually need to use a headset, so keep in mind before buying this product. Although the port selection is good, it would have been better if it had Thunderbolt 3 port and an SD card reader. Overall this system is great and an absolute banger in this price range; you will not find a perfect laptop in the $700 price range.
CPU: Intel Core i5-9300H 2.4–4.1 GHz GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 [Max-Q] 4GB GDDR5 Display: 15 6″ FHD (1920*1080) IPS-Level 60Hz RAM: 8 GB DDR4 2666MHz Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD Dimensions: 14.13 x 9.99 x 0.85 inches Operating System: Windows 10 Home Wireless type: 802.11ac Weight: 4.1 pounds
It offers impressive performance in the budget price range. It has an extraordinary battery life that can last up to 4-6 hours. No lack in gaming performance, all the games that are compatible with this system experiences no fps drop at all. It is lightweight, and the build material used is also robust and reliable The average temperatures of all components are good and not high.
The display that it comes with is not up to the mark, it has a slow response time, and the colors feel dull. Fans are loud, even in an idle state.
It comes with a 15.6-inch FHD IPS panel with a 60 Hz refresh rate. The RAM it comes with is 8 GB DDR4, and it comes with a 256 GB NVMe SSD. Acer Nitro offers an additional slot for you to upgrade the storage according to your need, but this device doesn’t, so that’s the main reason it ranked 2nd. The build quality is the same as its previous model, GF63. The build quality is impressive, and the color designing used gives a classic MSI look. The keyboard is the same red RBG backlight that was featured in GF63, but the keys on this one are improved and have a fast response time. The port selection on this laptop is not good at all, as Acer Nitro is offering various ports in the same price range. It comes with two USB 3.1 ports, one USB Type-C, and two separate 3.5mm jacks for headphones and a microphone on the right side. On the left side, it has one USB 3.1 port with a power connector. The HDMI input is on the rear side of the device.
#3 – Acer Aspire 5
Acer’s one more laptop made it to the top 3 rankings, and it is not surprising because Acer produces the best budget gaming laptops. It comes with Intel Core i5 10th Generation processor and NVidia’s GeForce MX350 2 GB VRAM graphics card. The display it features is dull compared to its competitors, a more colorful and bright display would have been nice. Also, the fans on this laptop do a great job in keeping the system cool, but they are quite loud when doing it, or they can be quite loud when the laptop is idle. This laptop is not a bad choice; it lacks only a few aspects; otherwise, it is perfect for gaming at $700.
CPU: 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 Processor (Up to 3.6GHz) GPU: NVIDIA GeForce MX350 with 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM Display: 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-backlit IPS RAM: 8GB DDR4 Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD Dimensions: 14.31 x 9.86 x 0.71 inches Operating System: Windows 10 Home Wireless type: 802.11ac Weight: 3.97 pounds
It offers a strong 10th Gen Intel processor that is alone capable of doing heavy tasks. It offers more SSD storage capacity than other laptops in the budget range. The screen quality is fantastic as the colors feel vibrant and the screen is not dim. It is easily upgradable to better components. The battery life of this system is impressive.
The laptop is even prone to small scratches and dent because it uses poor building material. You will have to be extra careful with this device. The keyboard keys are hard to press.
The other specs are also ideal for a 700 device; it comes with a 15.6-inch FHD IPS display. The RAM it comes with is 8 GB DDR4 and a 512 GB NVMe SSD; this model offers more storage at less price. The screen has touch support, and it also has a fingerprint reader fitted onto the body. The building material used in this laptop is plastic and aluminum. The material is not strong enough to withhold most scratches. The laptop’s design is done in a way that lifts the laptop from the ground for better airflow. The keyboard keys are not well placed, and it can get tricky for users who type fast. The port selection on this device is fair, seeing its price is below seven hundred dollars. You get a USB 2.0 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and Kensington Lock on the right side. On the left side, you get an Ethernet connector, an HDMI input, two USB 3.1, one USB Type-C, and a power connector.
#4 – HP Pavilion
Hp Company is well known for its high end and reliable products. The same thing goes with the Hp Pavilion. Hp has a series called Omen that is dedicated to gaming laptops, but they are costly. The Hp pavilion comes under the budget of 700. The keyboard used on this device is not of great quality; the keys give fast response time, but they are harder to press, and the placement is also unusual making it harder for a user to type fast. This device lacks a strong build material; it is prone to the smallest scratches or dent. Acer produces high-quality products, but this one lacks in some aspects of the laptop, that’s why this laptop received the 3rd ranking. However, there are no issues regarding the performance of the system.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 4600H Processor GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics Display: 15.6″ Full HD Micro-edge display RAM: 8 GB DDR4 Storage: 256GB solid-state drive Dimensions: 20.43 x 12.13 x 2.72 inches Operating System: Windows 10 Wireless Communication Standard: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth Weight: 4.4 pounds
It features a strong AMD processor. Processor combined with GPU gives an excellent performance, and it doesn’t get any fps drop-in games. It features a free SATA slot for you to connect SSD or hard drive for more storage. The keyboard feedback is impressive, and the green backlight gives a premium look. It offers a good battery life.
Hp disappoints with its screen performance, the viewing angles are not good, and the screen is dimmer. It is lightweight, but it is also light in build quality; this device can get scratches, dents, or even break easily.
It comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor and NVidia’s GTX 1650 graphics card. It comes with built-in RAM of DDR4 8 GB, and for storage, an NVMe SSD of 256 GB is used. The screen it offers is 15.6 inches FHD micro-edge display. The color combination used for the design looks fantastic from the back view and inside view—the grey-black color on the body and green on the back logo and on the keyboard’s backlight. The keys are the same as older Hp models, great as always; however, arrow keys have been shortened slightly. The port selection on this device is above average, but the ports are not fairly placed. On the right side, you will get a USB 3.1 port, USB Type-C, an Ethernet connector, an HDMI input, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an SD card reader. On the left side, you get one USB 3.1 with a power connector.
#5 – Lenovo Ideapad L340
Lenovo Ideapad is an excellent gaming laptop that features an extraordinary display with good specs, but the price of this product is slightly higher compared to other products. It comes with Intel Core i5 9th Generation processor and combined with NVidia’s GTX 1650 4 GB VRAM. The screen used in this device doesn’t give the right viewing angles, and it is dimmer compared to its competitors. The next thing this device lacks is strong build quality, the build material used in this is of poor quality, and there is always a risk of breaking it. Talking about the overall performance, this performs really well in gaming, giving you fps above 60 on medium to high settings. I would recommend this to users who are frequent Hp product users; this laptop will not disappoint you.
CPU: Intel Core i5-9300H Processor GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Display: 15.6 Inch FHD IPS Display RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM Storage: 512GB Nvme SSD Dimensions: 14.29 x 10.02 x 0.94 inches Operating System: Windows 10 Wireless Type: 802.11ac Weight: 4.84 pounds
It gives a decent performance on high-end games. The storage capacity is excellent as it offers 512 GB NVMe SSD The device panel is matte IPS that provides high-quality viewing angles. The display quality is fantastic as it is not bright nor dim; it’s the perfect screen for a system. The battery life on this device is impressive, as it can last for approximately 4-6 hours.
There are no modern ports on this laptop, which is crucial today as most devices feature modern ports. The wifi card reader is slow, and you might experience slow internet or latency issues during gaming.
The other specs give a good gaming experience when combined with CPU and GPU. It offers a 15.6 full HD IPS display that supports a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080p. The RAM it offers is 8 GB DDR4, and it comes with a great storage capacity of 512 GB NVMe SSD. It offers various other features with good specs, such as quick mode and quiet mode. Quick mode is for users who want to play games with a maximum potential of their specs, and quiet mode is for those who want to work quietly without any noise from a fan or any other sound from the laptop. Lenovo L340 only features necessary ports and doesn’t feature a great variety of ports. All of the ports are on the left side of the body except Kensington Lock; they made this design to help better gamers utilize their desk space. The ports are; two USB 3.1, one USB Type-C, an HDMI input, an Ethernet connector, a combined 3.5mm audio jack, and the power connector.
#6 – Asus TUF
Asus TUF are budget laptops designed, and they have primarily focused on giving good performance on a low budget; it’s the same case for this device. The processor that it comes with is AMD Ryzen 5 3350H and NVidia’s GTX 1650 4 GB VRAM graphics card. This great laptop has its downsides too, the wifi reader on this card is somewhat slow, and sometimes latency issues might occur. If they would have divided the ports fairly and not forcefully and added more ports such as an SD card reader, more USB Type-C ports, a DisplayPort, then it might have been better. Other than some minor flaws, this system is great for gaming, and it will surely give you one heck of experience in the budget.
CPU: AMD Quad Core Ryzen 5 3550H Processor GPU: Nvidia Geforce GTX 1650 4GB Display: 15.6-inch FHD Display RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM Storage: 256GB Solid State Drive Dimensions: 14.17 x 10.31 x 1.02 inches Operating System: Windows 10 Home Wireless Type: 802.11ac Weight: 4.85 pounds
The screen this device comes with is impressive as it offers FHD crystal clear resolution and unique colors. The SSD and the RAM it offers are extremely fast; the system doesn’t lag at all. The keyboard quality is excellent, and it also features an RGB backlight. The battery life is also impressive as it can last hours on extreme gaming. It consumes less power.
The storage capacity it offers is less as it only offers 256 GB, which is less for modern games. This device doesn’t feature any modern ports, including USB-Type C, which is the most important port now as most devices have shifted to USB Type-C.
The other components are reasonable in this price range, and they are enough for medium-high gaming. It comes with a 15.6-inch FHD screen; it doesn’t supports IPS. The RAM it offers is 8 GB DDR4, and the storage it offers is 256 GB NVMe SSD. The storage is low considering the price, but hey, you can always upgrade that. The case is designed to be lightweight and slim. The metal lid used on the top gives a typical Asus look, which people love. The keyboard used in this device features an RGB backlight that provides the keyboard with a boost in ranking, but the typing experiences of users are mixed; some appreciate it while some criticize it. The quality of feedback depends on the design and your preference for the keys. Ports on this laptop are somewhat lacking; it mostly doesn’t feature any modern ports; all ports are on the left side except Kensington Lock, which is on the right side of the body. The ports on this device are; one USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, a 3.5mm combined audio jack, an HDMI input, an Ethernet connector, and a power connector.
#7 – ASUS VivoBook
Another Asus laptop makes it into our list; Asus is well-known for its high-end component laptops. It’s in the 7th position because it has some flaws that we will discuss later. First, the two major components, the CPU it features is AMD R5-3500U, and the GPU is of Nvidia GTX 1050. It offers great components that combined give an outstanding performance, but this device lacks port quantity and variety. It doesn’t feature any modern ports such as USB Type-C, DisplayPort, and Thunderbolt 3. The storage capacity could have been better to at least 512 GB. Besides the port variety, this laptop has no major downsides; you can purchase this product and be assured that it will last with you for a long time.
CPU: AMD Quad Core R5-3500U GPU: GeForce GTX 1050 Graphics Display: 15.6″ Full HD RAM: 8GB DDR4 RAM Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD Dimensions: 14.7 x 10.1 x 0.86 inches Operating System: Windows 10 Home Wireless Type: Bluetooth, 802.11ac Weight: 4.32 pounds
It is a perfect lightweight laptop that is light and provides essential ports. The fans on this system do an excellent job in keeping the system cool. The system is quiet, even when under load. The display provides accurate colors, and the screen doesn’t tear. The battery life is impressive as it can last for hours during gaming sessions.
The keyboard on this device is not of good design, and the keys are harder to press as they are poorly placed. The turbo boost technology doesn’t provide consistent performance.
A 15.6-inch FHD screen backs the two components. The RAM it comes with is 8 GB DDR4, and the storage capacity it offers is 512 GB PCIe SSD. It also has some fantastic features, such as a fingerprint reader and an HD webcam. The build quality of this device is quite impressive as it is made from solid plastic. It is lightweight and provides narrow bezels for display. It is the ideal design and quality for a light laptop. Talking about keyboard quality is not that great; the material used on the keys feels like cheap plastic, and the feedback is not fast. The ports are evenly divided into both left and right sides. On the right side, you get on USB Type-C, one USB 3.0, an HDMI input, an Ethernet connector, an SD card reader, and a power connector. You get two USB 2.0 ports, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and Kensington Lock on the left side.
#8 – Acer Swift 3 Thin & Light
Acer Swift is an impressive laptop that offers good specs in a low price range. It offers AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor and AMD Radeon Graphics. It doesn’t feature any external graphics card, but that doesn’t mean it can’t game. The major flaw of this device is its turbo boost technology. It offers that to reach the maximum potential of components, but it fails as it is not able to provide that quality consistently. The other is its keyboard, it’s poorly designed, and the keys are harder to press. It’s a great product other than these downsides, as the design it offers is lightweight and rare to find in gaming laptops as, mostly, they are bulky. So, if you are looking for a light system, then this system is perfect for you.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Octa-Core GPU: Radeon Graphics Display: 14″ Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit display RAM: 8GB LPDDR4 Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD Dimensions: 12.73 x 8.62 x 0.63 inches Operating System: Windows 10 Home Wireless Type: 802.11ax Weight: 2.65 pounds
The RAM it offers is extremely fast and can do multiple tasks simultaneously without any lag. It offers a fantastic keyboard with a fast response time and good keys feedback. It offers a quick and accurate fingerprint scanner and an HD webcam. It performs amazingly well in the price range it comes with. The silver color and slim design give this system a premium look.
The port quantity is less, and it doesn’t have some major ports, including an Ethernet connector. The display it offers is of low quality, and the size of the screen is also shorter than other products.
The RAM it offers is high-speed; it’s 8 GB DDR4, and the storage capacity is 512 Gb NVMe SSD. the screen it provides is a 14-inch FHD IPS display. It also has other features such as a fingerprint reader, an HD webcam (720p), and a built-in Alexa. The device has a minimalist silver design and an Acer logo on the back. It is designed to be lightweight, and it is. The display quality of the screen is average, and it provides a maximum resolution of 1080p. The keyboard it features has a classic design; it has white keys with a white backlight. The response time is impressive, and the feedback is also great. The quantity of the ports is less due to its lightweight design, but it has different varieties and features, most modern ports. You get one USB 3.2, one USB Type-C, and an HDMI input on the left side. On the right side of the body, you get one USB 2.0 with a 3.5mm audio jack and a Kensington Lock.
How To Detect A Suitable Gaming Laptop Under 700?
Before buying any product, I always check that its requirements are met, and it is the right choice for you. The same case is for laptops, it is an expensive product, and you have to consider some factors before buying a system. The display size it offers is less, as most laptops’ starting size is 15.6 inches, whereas this only gives 14 inches. The screen’s quality is also not great as it is dim and doesn’t provide good quality colors. Gaming on this laptop might be limited as it features Radeon Graphics, which is understandable as it is the cheapest laptop on the list. So, if you want a system with minimum gaming and excellent build quality, this product is for you. I will discuss some main factors: GPU, CPU, keyboard, storage, ports, and RAM. These factors will clear your mind if you have any confusion regarding any system. Related guides:
Best Gaming Laptops Under 500 Dollars Best Gaming Laptops Under 600 Dollars Best Gaming Laptop Under $2000 For Professional Gamers!
Refresh Rate & Screen Resolution
The display plays an important role as the display quality will not matter on your CPU and GPU but also on the screen quality. The color and the clearness of the screen determine how well the graphics will look and how enjoyable the game will feel. The minimum and maximum screen resolution for a gaming laptop should be 1920 x 1080p. This resolution is considered full HD, and it’s ideal for gaming. Higher-resolution laptops are also available, but 1080p is more than enough for high-quality gaming. The refresh rate is also valued as it determines how smooth the screen will feel. Higher refresh rates are getting common in competitive gaming, but 60 Hz is enough for a refresh rate in the $700 budget.
The Modern Type Of Storage
Modern storage is getting common as new NVMe SSD’s are featuring in most modern laptops and PC. NVMe SSD is much faster than regular SSD. Regular SSD also gets the job done as it’s also faster and cheaper than NVMe, but people prefer mostly the faster one. Hard drives are now getting harder to find (also read this: NVMe vs SATA) in new devices because they are extremely slow. Hard drive only has one benefit that it provides humongous storage capacity at an extremely low price than SSD. Still, most people prefer a hard drive as they want more storage other than anything.
An Adequate Amount Of Ram
RAM, as soon as you hear it, you always know how important this component is. You have always heard higher RAM capacity provides great gaming, but that’s true at some point; storage capacity matters as well as the speed of the RAM. The most common RAMs for gaming devices have been 16 GB, but they come at a high price, so if you are planning to buy a budget product, then 8 GB will be enough for you. You will always have the option to upgrade the RAM afterward if you feel it’s less.
Graphics Card & Processor
Graphics card and processor, the two main things that determine how strong your system is; a strong processor is the foundation of your system and the most important part of your system. Having a limited budget limits your option in choosing the right processor that will run games in high settings, but there are multiple options out there that provide good performance on a low budget. Now talking about the graphics card, it is the component that allows you to game in high quality. Graphics cards from Nvidia are coming in a budget, and they also give a good performance. The most common budget card is GTX 1650; you’ll find various laptops with the same graphics card and different processors. Having a budget limits your option, but surely it doesn’t limit your performance.
Important Ports Are Available
Ports, for me, is the first thing I check in a laptop because it determines how new this product is and what devices I might be able to connect in the future. Most products in this budget will not feature all modern ports, but they will have a considerable amount. Some common modern ports are USB-Type C, SD card reader, USB 3.1. If the devices have these, then you can go ahead and purchase them. Quick tip, always read the port speed reviews, as it will tell you how fast the devices work.
Decent Keyboard & Design
Now the last thing to consider before buying is its design and keyboard quality. Nobody wants high-performing specs with ugly-looking designs. Most companies focus on designing the system lightweight and colorful with RGB. So, find a system that you find suitable by design. The keyboard plays a vital role in laptops, the touchpad is eventually replaced by an external mouse, but that’s not the case with the keyboard as they are expensive and they take space and one main USB port. So always check the keyboard quality, make sure the key placement is acceptable, the keys are softer, and the overall design is great. Competitive gaming on a budget laptop is still possible; many players start on a budget system then upgrade to a better one. The budget systems are always the go-to choices for students, as it gets both the study and gaming done smoothly. You can’t expect high-end gaming on a $700 budget, as the latest games feature high graphics quality, and the GPU used in these laptops isn’t capable of that. It is still worth it if you are a casual gamer and don’t need any high-end quality, just you and a game.
#1 – Can an under $700 laptop support high-end games?
Yes, it can support high-end games provided that the processor and GPU are compatible. The graphics quality will not be that high, but it is playable. The game will work on medium to high settings on an average fps of 60.
#2 – What is the best gaming laptop under 700?
There are dozens of laptops that provide excellent specs, but for me, it will be Acer Nitro 5. It is the best laptop in the $700 price range; it offers Intel i5 9th Generation processor and Nvidia’s GTX 1650. It can run most high-end games on medium-high graphic settings smoothly.
#3 – Are 700 dollars gaming laptops worth it?
It is worth it if you don’t have a higher budget and want to do gaming on a limited budget. It can get the job done, and you won’t have any complaints regarding the performance because the companies that produce these products know what spec is best for laptops in the limited price range.
#4 – What can I expect from a 700 USD laptop?
Of course, you can’t expect high-end gaming on new games with these specs, but what you can expect is that the latest games will run smoothly on medium settings, or some might even work on high settings. The GPU and CPU used in these laptops are powerful enough to get the job done.
#5 – Are budget gaming laptops still good in 2023?
Yes, they are still good even in 2023, because the GPU Nvidia and AMD produce are set to work for almost five years, so don’t worry if you have a limited budget, you can always buy a good system, and if in the future you have the money than you should upgrade it if you feel the need of it.
