Best Gaming Laptops under 300 – Top 10 Picks of 2021

Gaming on a budget build has always been a scarce topic for many generations. What things you have to include and what to exclude has always been a topic of discussion in the consumer market. If your budget is $300 and you’re thinking of buying a laptop for gaming in this price range, then we’ve got you covered. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how you can buy the best gaming laptops under 300 price range.

You can either build your custom PC or buy a console. But when the question of portability arrives, the laptop will always be the preferred product. At the end of the day, you can use that as a PC and a gaming device too. Laptops are light in weight and can easily carry around in the backpack or on the go.

Buying a laptop is not an easy task. There are some things that you’ve to consider first and some prior knowledge of what your actual need is. If you’re planning on playing some AAA games, you can get decent FPS on Low to Medium settings. Below we’ve mentioned a detailed guide on what are the basic things that you should consider while buying a $300 laptop including our top selection for the topic.

If you have 100 more buck’s, then you may also check best gaming laptops under 400.

Our Pick for the Best Gaming Laptops under 300 dollars

Now that we’ve covered what components are important in this range, and on what components we can slightly neglect, let’s check our top selection in detail for the best gaming laptops under $300.

To make up the list, we’ve scrapped the internet and provided the best laptops in this price range. All of these laptops meet the standards of playing some modern-day games with decent FPS.

1. Acer Aspire 5 – Best Laptop for Gaming in 2021

The Acer Aspire 5 codename A515-43-R19L is the newest edition in the Aspire 5 series with a powerful chipset, High standard connectivity options, and 1080p Full HD Display. In terms of processing power, you’ll get AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual-Core processor with a base clock of 2.6GHz and Max Boost Clock of 3.5GHz.

The chipset alone ensures that you’ll get the maximum performance while gaming with multitasking. The Ryzen Vega 3 Graphics further push the limits of the graphics and provide decent FPS in most modern-day games. It features a 15.6-inch IPS Full HD 1920x 1080p display with the vibrant color scheme in a matte finish look.

In terms of design, the laptop is slim, well-furnished, and has a silver chiseled on the back. For storage, it comes with 128GB SSD combined with 4GB of DDR4 Ram that can be upgraded to 32GB by using 2 expansion slots. In this price range, The Acer Aspire 5 is the best value of money under a $300 budget gaming laptop.

You can also check best gaming laptops under 500.

 

2. Lenovo IdeaPad 130 – Best Affordable Laptop

Lenovo IdeaPad codename 130-15AST is a powerful laptop for your everyday gaming usage. The laptop offers AMD 7th generation A9-945 Dual-core chipset with a clock speed of up to 3.10GHz. The processor paired with AMD Radeon R5 ensures that you’ll get most FPS on demanding games.

Gaming on a budget laptop is like never before, the Radeon R5 GPU chipset provides more integrated processing power than the Intel HD integrated graphics. The built-in passive cooling system ensures that everything stays on point while on maximum usage.

The IdeaPad offers a 15.6 inch 1366×768 60Hz display with AMD IMAP technology for better color saturation. In terms of storage, you’ll get 4GB DDR4 RAM with an expandable capacity of up to 32 GB and 128GB SSD storage.

Also, check the best gaming laptop under 600.

 

3. Lenovo IdeaPad 320 – Best Performance Gaming Laptop

The Lenovo IdeaPad 320 can handle most of your everyday laptop usage with great performance on the gaming side. The best part of this laptop is that it comes with a great processor, 8GB ram, and expandable storage, which is the best value of money in this range.

The laptop features a Core i3 8145U processor running at a clock speed of 3.50GHz. It comes with an 8GB DDR4 RAM with a memory speed of 2400MHz. For storage, you’ll get multiple options like 128GB SSD, 512GB SSD, or 1TB 5400 RPM SATA. Providing quality experience and ideal gaming experience, the IdeaPad 320 features a 15.6-inch Anti-Glare HD Display that ensures that your eyes won’t get affected by the blue-light emission.

The laptop is also compatible with multiple connectivity options including ethernet cable, HDMI ports, 1xUSB2.0, 1xUSB 3.0 port, and an SD memory card reader. The Ideapad 320 laptop is the best gaming laptop under $300 to take on the go. The laptop offers all the latest trends that we see in high-end gaming builds.

If you have high budget, then you may also check the best gaming laptop under 700.

 

4. Asus Vivobook 15 – Best Laptop for Work and Gaming

Asus Vivobook 15 codename F512DA-EB51 is a 15.6-inch beastly laptop that offers tons of amazing features without costing you a fortune. Although it’s not considered as a true gaming laptop, it can still run most casual games thanks to the integrated Graphics Support.

The laptop offers a Core i3-8145U processor with a fundamental frequency of 2.1 GHz and boosts the frequency of 3.6 GHz. The processor offers more core and threads, making it ideal for multitasking. The chipset comes with UHD Intel 620 Graphics that can squeeze framerates on the most decent games by up to 60. The laptop comes in 2 options, Intel 8th generation chipset or AMD 3500U chipset with 128GB or 256GB SSD storage respectively. You’ll get 8GB DDR4 RAM with either of these options.

While Asus Vivobook 15 is quite rich in features, it has a stunning design with different color options. You’ll get a classic slate with a gray finish and a brand new hinge design from Asus. The entire notebook can rotate 2 degrees when you open the lid.

Also, check the powerful best laptop under 400 computing machines.

 

5. ASUS X551 – Best Cheap Gaming Laptop

The Asus x551 is the recent addition in the cheap gaming laptop genre. It comes with entry-level specs such as 4GB RAM, HD Display, 500GB HDD, and a dual-core Celeron Processor. All of these specs are flexible for casual gaming.

Asus x551 is all-round consider as a good gaming laptop under 300 dollars. The laptop processing power is provided by Intel Celeron N2830 2.41 GHz processor that offers enough adequate processing power for casual gaming and multitasking. The laptop mounts a 15.6-INCH HD display with a max supported resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It is a widescreen display with enough decent colors to provide you with extended use of multimedia support.

The Graphics card is the Intel UMA combined with Asus shared memory system for an extra boost while gaming. Although these specs are not considered as a true gaming laptop, it can provide decent FPS on most basic games.

In terms of connectivity, the laptop offers VGA, HPMI, 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x USB 3.0 port, Ethernet Connector, and a media card reader. All of these specs are powered by a 3-cell lithium-ion battery that has an approximate runtime of 5hours on a full charge.

 

6. Lenovo 330s – Best Battery Life Gaming Laptop

The Lenovo 330s come with a squeeze of customization options for your everyday gaming routine. The laptop comes with Intel 8th Generation Core i3-8130U processor, which you can upgrade to the Intel i5 or i7 processor. In terms of storage, it offers 4GB DDR4 RAM, and 128GB SSD storage that you can extend up to 12GB RAM, 2TB of HDD, or 256 GB of PCIe SSD storage.

All of this combined with a 7-hour battery life makes this laptop a perfect choice for gaming as well as your everyday usage. Once you open up the lid, you’ll see a bezel-less 1366×768 display with intel UHD 620 Graphics.

Yes, the laptop has a huge bezel on the downside of the screen, but in this price range, we can make some exceptions. The laptop is lightweight and the connectivity options are well suited for the Lenovo 330s. On the left side, you will get a DC Charger port, an HDMI, USB 3.0, and a Type-C port. On the right, you’ll get USB 3.0 port, Kensington lock, and an SD card reader. This leaves nothing to complain about and it is safe to say that the Lenovo 330s is the best gaming laptop under 300 dollars budget.

 

7. Asus VivoBook L203MA – Best Thin Lightweight Laptop

The Vivobook L203MA is designed to help you with the productivity of all day. The compact and lightweight design of the laptop makes it an ideal choice for work and casual gaming. The laptop dominates 3 factors in any of the aforementioned selections which are small footprint, long battery life, and low cost. Like any other laptop, there are some slight limitations of the build quality. For example, the laptop head is plastic, which is a fingerprint magnet, and heats up if you run any casual game on high settings. On ideal room temperature, it works fine.

In terms of specification, you’ll get Intel Celeron N4000 Processor with a core speed of 2.6GHz combined with integrated UHD 600 Graphics. There’s a 4GB DDR4 Ram with the base unit comes in 64GB of em Flash storage. Other features include a 1366×768 display, 4.00 pounds of weight, Windows 10 pre-installed, and hardware configuration option.

Despite its price tag, the whole thing looks premium and doesn’t conflict with the fact that it’s using an entry-level chipset. The screen looks bright, it got a great connectivity option, it’s lightweight and pretty much gets the job done.

 

8. Lenovo IdeaPad 110 – Best Budget Gaming Laptop

The Lenovo IdeaPad 110 is one of the most budget gaming laptops you can buy online. The laptop comes in various models, customization options, and price range. In terms of design, it comes in a plastic build material with a matte finish on the front and backside. The laptop 15.6-inch display has a resolution of 1366×768 TFT non-IPS screen. In this price range, the 720p factor is the standard in the most budget gaming laptop.

The laptop comes in a Quad-core AMD A6 processor with a boost clock speed of up to 2.4 GHz. In terms of memory option, you can upgrade the pre-built 4GB DDR3 Ram to up to 12GB. On the storage side, you can either opt for 128GB SSD Storage or 500GB 5400rpm of SATA storage.

The keyboard and trackpad on this laptop are excellent as both are very responsive and accurate on key mapping. Things like light gaming are durable on the laptop, Thanks to the Radeon R4 integrated graphic chipset. It can handle basic internet usage, photo, and video editing. Finally, the battery life of IdeaPad 100 is decent and lasts up to 5 hours on high usage and 7 hours on low usage.

 

9. Asus Chromebook C202SA – Best Chromebook for Gaming

If you think that a Chromebook is not capable of gaming than you might have to think again. The Asus Chromebook C202SA is a 2-in-1 Convertible laptop with 180 Degree Hinge design. It has an 11.6-inch Ruggedized and Spill Resistant display that can be used as a laptop or tablet. It is a 1366×768 HD Anti-glare display that is highly optimized for efficient battery usage.

The all-aluminum chassis finish and premium grey and the black color combination provide the look of a high-end premium quality build. In terms of gaming, the laptop is powered by an Intel Celeron N3060 Processor, 4GB DDR3 RAM, and 32 GB Flash Storage. Although there’s no Optical drive option, the laptop does offer various connectivity ports that you can use easily. You’ll get an HDMI port 2xUSB 3.0 ports, Card Reader, Charging cord, and a Headphone jack.

Chromebook C202SA runs on the latest Chrome OS – an operating system designed by Google to provide the highest productivity and performance on your working routine. It also means that the Chromebook comes pre-installed with all Google essential apps and Microsoft office files. All in all, this laptop is designed for productivity, it can handle some decent gaming title with a stutter-free gaming experience.

 

10. Dell Inspiron I3567 – Perfect Gaming Laptop

The perfect gaming laptop doesn’t always rely on compact gaming, it should also perform your day to day task with good efficiency and performance. The final selection for our best gaming laptops under $300 budget list is the Dell Inspiron I3567. Under the hood, you can find a 7th generation Intel Core i3 7130U Dual-Core Processor which runs up to 2.7 GHz. The Windows 10 OS and other multitasking software run seamlessly on this device.

Ram for the dell Inspiron I3567 consists of 8GB DDR4 technology, which is the maximum amount you can get in this category. For all your gaming file storage purpose, this laptop comes with 128GB SSD storage that you can extend up to 256GB SSD or 1TB HDD.

Although the laptop comes in black color only, the stylish black chassis combined with a matte finish on the front side makes this laptop beautiful and stunning from all prospective. In addition to this, the laptop is enhanced with the 15.6-inch 1366×768 HD touch screen display, integrated with intel HD 620 Chipset.

Whether you’re watching movies or viewing media on the web, the laptop can display some pleasant color scheme even for a budget price range. For connectivity options, you’ll get a LAN port, HDMI, USB 3.0, SD Card Reader, Microphone, and a Power Cord. The dell Inspiron isn’t your everyday day to day laptop, it contains all the recent hardware and software that combines excellent performance under $300.

 

What things you should consider before buying a $300 gaming laptop

Here are some of the highlighted things that you should consider first.

Processor: This is the brain of the whole operation. It is your personal choice to go for AMD or Intel build. The thing to consider here is the generation, base clock speed, boost clock speed, and express technology.

RAM: While most laptops are shipped with 4GB of RAM, it is recommended that you update them on a later date. Look for a laptop that offers more RAM or have an additional RAM slot.

Graphics Card: This is the brawn of the whole operation. Here you’ll mostly see two vendors; AMD or Nvidia. Graphics cards in laptops are usually matched with the performance of the processor. They are tested on manufacturer levels to provide a bottleneck free gaming experience. Most of the laptops in this price range usually contain an integrated GPU paired with rest to the chipset.

Battery Life: Although it’s not as much as important than the above three points, a good battery laptop with more cells is always preferred. This helps your productivity levels outside of the gaming zone.

Storage: Check the storage capacity of the laptop and the technology used. It can either be an M2 SATA, an HDD, or an SSD.

Resolution: Mostly you’ll see 1366×768 resolution in this range with a screen size of 15-inch or above. Higher screen resolution offers a more refresh rate, hence a better gaming experience.

Other Features: If you want to get the maximum performance on a budget device, you have to make some cutouts. Although these features are as much important as other things that we have mentioned, you can compromise on them. This includes the screen size, resolution, backlit keyboard, cooling system, and SSD or SATA storage, etc.

You can also read how to keep your gaming laptop healthy.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a good gaming laptop under 300?

Acer Aspire 5 undoubtedly tops the list whether we talk about it being the best $300 gaming laptop or a good one. Its AMD Ryzen 3 processor combined with integrated graphics and a full HD 1080p screen could help you play games like PUBG Mobile at a steady fps rate.

The second good gaming laptop under 300 is Lenovo IdeaPad 320 as it also features a super-fast 8th gen. core i3 processor along with an anti-glare HD display. Both these gaming laptops would offer you an immersive gameplay experience at an extremely affordable rate.

2. How long should a 300 dollar laptop last?

It depends upon how you use it. A normal $300 gaming laptop has a lifespan of around 3 to 5 years if you use it with proper care and attention. I remember using my Acer Aspire 5 for straight 5 years and apart from battery, I didn’t need to replace a single accessory in it. So, it all depends upon your usage.

If you don’t utilize it with care and attention, the laptop could barely last only 12 to 24 months. Use it with all the precautions given by the manufacturer and you’d carry on with your current $300 laptop for many years to come.

3. Is the Acer Aspire 5 good for gaming?

Acer Aspire 5 is a gaming beast when we talk about affordable gaming machines. The laptop is backed by a Ryzen 3 CPU. More than that it comes with 8GB DDR4 memory and offers full HD graphics at the same time. You can easily play games like Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, GTA V, and Need for Speed The Run on this laptop averaging 30 to 50 fps. It’s more than enough considering how cheap the price tag is.

4. Can you use a gaming laptop for everyday use?

Yeah, you can. Latest gaming laptops have got minimalist designs with a lightweight body. Brands like Acer, Asus, and LG are now focusing on making gaming laptops as lighter as possible. That’s one of the reasons you’ll see video editors, engineers, architects, and high school students using gaming laptops in 2021.

Conclusion:

To sum up the topic, here are some guidelines that will help you to choose your perfect need for the laptop. First of all, make a list of all the games that you want to play. If you’re looking to play some casual or low-medium graphics settings games than the products that we’ve mentioned will provide you a decent FPS. If you want to play some AAA titles in Medium-High settings than you have to increase your budget a little bit further.

The next thing you want to consider is the Processor, Ram, and HDD. It is better to go for a High generation chipset, preferred in the 7th and 8th generation category. RAM should be at least 8GB because it is the standard of most games nowadays. Also, the storage capacity should be SSD, because it provides more core speed while loading the game files.

We have carefully reviewed the best gaming laptops under 300 dollars having both high-end and entry-level specs. All of these products are brand new and comes with extended customization options. For our top selection on the list, we’ll pick Acer Aspire 515. It is packed with Ryzen newest 3rd generation 3200U processor, combined with Vega 3 Graphics, 8GB DDR4 Ram and 128GB Storage. There are various models and extended storage options on this laptop. The laptop also features a Full HD 1080p display, which is by far the highest in our list.