If you’re a gamer, then you know just how expensive gaming equipment can be. Building a decent gaming PC can cost you tens of thousands of dollars, and that’s money that not everyone has.
Thankfully, gaming laptops come to the rescue in perfect bundles that provide you with excellent performance at wonderfully affordable prices. In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the best gaming laptops under $2,000. Read on for the full reviews.
Gaming Laptops Under $2,000
1. Eluktronics Prometheus XVII 2022 Gaming Laptop
Starting us off is the Prometheus XVII from Eluktronics, which comes packed with fantastic specs in a compact machine that still has a large display. It comes with some nifty advanced features, such as its enhanced thermal design.
Review
When it comes to powerful desktop replacement laptops, the go-to design often involves an incredibly chunky chassis that can combine optimal cooling solutions with desktop-grade components. The Prometheus XVII proves that desktop replacements can still be very compact and portable while still combining top cooling solutions, powerful specifications, and a chassis that is just under 1-inch thick.
While this Prometheus doesn’t integrate any desktop-grade components, the high-end configurations that Eluktronics offers can easily replace a standard desktop rig, thanks to its wide range of tuning options and one of the best thermal designs on the market right now. The 2022 Prometheus is also the first to feature AMD’s mobile processors.
Thanks to this, two of the three configurations – the cheapest and most expensive ones – feature APUs from AMD, while the mid-range configuration comes with a CPU from Intel. The cheapest configuration comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H 8 Core CPU, a 6GB GDDR6 VRAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU.
One step up will get you an Intel Core i7-10875H 8 Core CPU, 8GB GDDR6 VRAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070. Finally, the most expensive Prometheus XVII configurations come with an AMD Ryzen 5800H 8 Core CPU, 16GB GDDR6 VRAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080. The great thing about each of these configurations is that none of them breach the $2,000 mark, so you won’t have to worry about breaking the bank to achieve fantastic specifications.
All three of the configurations come with a large glass touchpad, an RGB backlit keyboard with a customizable RGB light bar, an HD webcam with an IR sensor and dual array mics, as well as a wide variety of connection ports. The only real problem with this laptop is that it is quite heavy, which might make it slightly inconvenient to carry around every day.
Pros
- Powerful desktop replacement
- Fantastic thermal design
- Great specs for a good price
- Plenty of port options
- RGB backlit keyboard
Cons
- Heavy to take around with you
2. Alienware M15 R4 Gaming Laptop
While the Alienware M15 R4 does share its design with its predecessor, it includes the crucial addition of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 Series GPU, providing improved gaming performance and 60fps ray tracing to this standout gaming laptop. It also has a surprisingly long battery life for its laptop class.
Review
This gaming laptop from Alienware stands out with its unique styling and the muscle to back it up. The M15 R4 is a component-level revamp that uses the same chassis as the previous version while adding the GeForce RTX Series from Nvidia. The mid-range configuration comes with the RTX 3070, which delivers noticeable framerate increases over the previous versions, especially when playing at higher resolutions.
When it comes to its size and design, this edition of the M15 is pretty much identical to the previous. This is because the updates are entirely internal, with the new GPU being the star of the show. The styling features a prominent science-fiction aesthetic that adds some unique flare but might make the laptop a little polarizing.
Like we mentioned earlier, the 8GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 GPU is the main draw for this laptop. It is one of the first laptops ever with an RTX Series 30 GPU. The mid-range configuration of the M15 comes with an Intel Core i7-10870H processor, 16GB of memory, and 1TB of SSD storage. The cheaper model will get you the same memory, processor, and GPU as the mid-range version, but with only 256GB of storage and a 300 Hz 1080p display.
While many gaming laptops opt to include full mechanical keyboards, the Alienware M15 chooses to keep things simple with its elegant membrane setup. Each key has a good feel to it, with quick actuation, short travel, and speedy spring-back. The keyboard also features RGB lighting, which looks particularly stylish with the all-white versions of this laptop.
The gorgeous display on this laptop offers an average of 460 nits of brightness, which might feel a little bit overwhelming if you are playing at night. The only real gripe we have with this machine is that its fan can get very loud after a short while.
Pros
- Futuristic design that looks great
- Great performance for a good price
- Good keyboard
- Responsive touchpad
- Customizable to suit your needs
Cons
- Fan can get loud
3. Acer Nitro 5 Premium Gaming Laptop
Acer usually markets its Nitro gaming laptops as budget machines, but with its RTX 3070 and Ryzen 7 5800H, the Acer Nitro 5 looks to be a more powerful mid-range contender. While the Nitro 5 hasn’t stepped fully into the future, opting to maintain its chunkier build, it is still a fantastic machine that provides excellent gaming performance.
Review
The Acer Nitro 5 has lots of red accents and chamfered edges that emphasize its power, though the details do tend to look a little cheaper, and the overall plastic build is something of a fingerprint magnet. The horizontal bezels are around 1 centimeter in length, while the bezel above the screen is just over 1 inch thick. However, this chunkier build does mean that the laptop is able to fit a lot of ports, all of which are well distributed.
On the left, you’ll find two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, an RJ-45 connection, a 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo, as well as a Kensington lock slock. The right side comes with just one USB 3.2 Type-A port that supports power-off charging, one USB 3.2 Type-C port, as well as an HDMI connection.
The mid-range configuration of the Acer Nitro 5 comes with a Ryzen 7 5800H processor, RTX 3070 laptop GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The machine is able to run most new AAA gaming titles at roughly 60fps at a 1080p resolution, which is certainly more than enough for a gaming laptop. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Far Cry: New Dawn, and Borderlands 3 run as smooth as butter.
For non-gaming use, the Nitro 5 has some superb productivity power. It has a 15.6-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 that runs a refresh rate of 165 Hz. We were a little disappointed to find that this laptop still makes use of a 16:9 aspect ratio rather than 16:10, which has become far more common for gaming laptops, but it’s not a total train smash. You’ll still be able to get good visuals even at this ‘inferior’ aspect ratio.
Pros
- Strong performance even with lower price
- Great viewing angles
- Accurate audio sounds great
- Lots of port options
- Great productivity power
Cons
- Chunky design is clunky to transport
4. Eluktronics HP OMEN 15 Gaming Laptop
Here we have another contender from Eluktronics, with their OMEN 15 gaming laptop, which is an extremely lightweight model that is easy to transport while still providing great performance and specifications. While it is one of the more expensive models on this list, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.
Review
The port options on the Eluktronics HP OMEN 15 are unique in that it offers two mini-DisplayPorts, while the majority of gaming laptops have negated them entirely. You also won’t find Thunderbolt 3 on this laptop, which might be a problem for some consumers. The keys on this laptop are light in their feedback and produce minimal clatter when compared to other laptops.
Its touchpad is decent in its size but is still on the smaller side. Cursor control is very reliable and wonderfully smooth. The integrated mouse keys produce a satisfying click when you press them, and their feedback is more on the spongy side of life. You are definitely going to want to use an external mouse if you are doing a lot of dragging and dropping on your desktop. As for the display, the OMEN 15 provides a fast black-white response and a great contrast ratio.
Its color space is about 59% and 92% of the AdobeRGB and sRGB standards, respectively, which is similar to most other high-end gaming laptops in its price range. However, if you are looking for a machine that provides deeper colors, we suggest that you look for a model with OLED options. Raw CPU performance is the area in which the OMEN 15 truly shines.
Its processor is lightning fast and allows you to perform all of your gaming and work without worrying about delays, lagging, or drops in frame rates. It is a fantastic laptop for anyone that does a lot of work in intensive applications like Blender or Photoshop, which are generally quite taxing on a machine’s processor.
We’re also big fans of the overclockable Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card, which comes with 8GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM, Nvidia DLSS, Nvidia Dynamic Boost 2.0, and even Nvidia GPU boost.
Pros
- Features 2 mini DisplayPorts
- Good cursor control
- Very quick processor performs really well
- Powerful GPU with many features
- Great for gaming & productivity
Cons
- Does not support Thunderbolt 3
5. MSI GE66 Raider Gaming Laptop
To end this list off, we have the GE66 Raider gaming laptop from MSI, which is a behemoth in the world of gaming equipment. With its aluminum build, RGB light bar keyboard, and trim design, this is one of the most beautiful laptops on the market right now and costs less than $2,000.
Review
The keyboard on the MSI GE66 is from SteelSeries and offers per-key programming using the SteelSeries Engine 3 software – the same goes for the light bar. Its aluminum lid comes in a modern shade of gray that is fitting for the dragon shield that sits atop it. The laptop’s sleek black deck is mostly smooth, with a very subtle shimmery hint that just gives it that extra finesse.
When it comes to gaming performance, the GE66 is easily able to hit 60fps thanks to its RTX 2080 Super Max-Q GPU. You’ll be able to enjoy the newest gaming titles like Battlefield V at fantastic frame rates at the highest graphics settings. Add raytracing, and you’ll have a wonderfully immersive gaming experience, though you might experience slight frame drops when things get intense.
The screen on the GE66 Raider comes with a lightning fast 300 Hz refresh rate, in addition to its 3ms response time. This is part of a growing trend that we’re seeing in gaming laptops, where they sport insanely high refresh rates. While the screen on the Raider might update with new information 300 times a second, your graphics card might not be that quick, depending on the game that you’re playing.
When it comes to hitting 300fps with the GE66 Raider, you’re not going to achieve that with AAA titles. However, esports games like FIFA, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, and Rocket League will all make it past the 250fps threshold without so much as a hiccup. In terms of its image quality, the screen on this laptop has some great color reproduction, both when watching movies and when gaming.
Pros
- 300 Hz display
- Great performance for gaming
- Good RGB light bar
- Premium build quality for a great price
- Nice color display
Cons
- Keyboard can feel cramped
Wrapping Up
If you are on the market for a new gaming laptop but are working on a tighter budget, we highly recommend that you consider the products mentioned above. They offer fantastic gaming and productivity performance for a wide range of users and are all affordable.
Our favorite is the Alienware M15 R4 Gaming Laptop thanks to its futuristic design that looks great and it has a great performance for a good price. The touchpad is very responsive and the keyboard is good. Plus, it is customizable to suit your needs.