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Best gaming laptop under $600 in 2024 – our top picks

The best portable machines on a respectable budget
Last Updated on April 15, 2024
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For many of us, gaming is a way of life. It is as ingrained in our daily routines as brushing our teeth. Usually, we have dedicated space, a gaming room, or a desk for our PCs that we have built from the ground up, carefully selecting each component to suit our needs.

But what happens when you don’t have the desk space or need something more portable? We can hardly set a gaming PC up on a train, can we? So what is our option? Gaming laptops, of course!

In recent years, laptops have upped their game! Fitted with speedy processors, heaps of memory, and RAM, they can deliver the speeds needed for gaming with the handy convenience of being lap-sized!

But with so many on the market, how do we select the best gaming laptop? Especially when we are on a budget? It can be overwhelming, can’t it? The numbers swirl around until you are in a CPU-induced sweat.

But fear not! Your friends at PC Guide are swooping in on our digital steeds to save the day! We have found and are proud to bring you the best gaming laptop under 600! Save your pennies and your search engines, and stick with us for portable gaming!

Products at a Glance

How we picked

Here at PC Guide, we pride ourselves on only selecting and including the best products. It’s why we set ridiculously high standards that products must reach before we dream about recommending them. We want you to trust us, and therefore would not recommend a product we would not use ourselves.

And when it comes to gaming laptops, it is no different. To find the best gaming laptop under 600, we looked at the CPU, overclocking capabilities, RAM, storage, screen resolution, and connection ports available.

We also considered the price, size, battery life, and customer reviews to ensure that we only included the best laptops. The laptops today are fantastic options for gameplay, portability, and any streaming you desire. But don’t just take our word for it; check out the products yourself!

 

Our Recommended

Product Reviews

1
PROS
  • The AMD Ryzen 5 3550H processor can be overclocked for fantastic speeds.
  • Beautiful display on a 15.6-inch screen that features ComfyView and Full HD IPS resolution
  • Fantastic audio features and microphone for an immersive gaming experience
  • 256GB SSD offers incredible memory, teamed with 8GB of DDR4 memory
CONS
  • Some customers reported the fan to be noisy at times.

Taking number one position and our winner today is the Acer Nitro AN515-43. The 15.6-inch screen laptop sits comfortably in our price range and delivers performance that will blow your overclocking socks off!

The laptop features a Ryzen 5 3550H processor, which can be overclocked to 3.5GHz, offering insane speeds. Teamed with the 256GB of SSD space and 8GB of DDR4 memory, speed and fast data transmissions will be standard.

Using Windows 10, the laptop also features a stylish backlit keyboard that you can also customize! The lights are great for gaming in the dark or low light and will add a great atmosphere to your experience.

The screen is beautiful for gaming too. The 15.6-inch screen is full HD and uses IPS to deliver bright, accurate colors. The bonus ComfyView technology ensures that any nasty blue light glare is banished so that you can game with ease and minimal eye strain.

It’s not just the visuals that make gameplay smooth. The audio features on Acer’s laptop are insane! MaxxAudio offers an immersive sound that breaks the barrier between you and the game. Completed with Acer’s purified voice technology and two built-in microphones, you can communicate with ease.

The laptop has fantastic features that will only enhance your gameplay! The touchpad is super precise, so you don’t necessarily need a separate mouse! You will still get unbelievable precision. There is also an HD webcam that is great for streaming or seeing your friends while you game.

Connectivity will be no issue either! Acer’s laptop features a range of USB slots, including a Type-C for fast data transfer, an SD card slot, HDMI, RJ45, and a headphone/mic combo jack. Whether you want to add your mouse or headset, there are plenty of ports to suit your needs.

The laptop also has a great battery life, ensuring that you can game on the go without having to worry about your laptop dying in the middle of a battle. Customers praised the excellent battery life, along with the fantastic graphics and speed of the laptop!

Some customers reported the fan to be noisy at times. Few customers reported the issue, with the majority only experiencing a loud fan when the laptop was running high spec games or multiple programs.

You should not experience this yourself, but if you do, swapping the fan is an option worth considering.

If you are after a speedy laptop with excellent overclocking powers and outstanding visuals, then call off your search, for the Nitro 15 is sure to be the answer to all your prayers!

More time to browse, keep reading for our other great choices today!

2
PROS
  • The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor can be overclocked for excellent speeds.
  • The 15.6-inch display features a NanoEdge display for an immersive gaming experience.
  • Vega 8 discrete graphics with Windows 10 home allows for fantastic visuals while gaming.
  • A backlit keyboard with a finger-print sensor allows for a seamless and comfortable experience.
CONS
  • Some customers noted distorted sound when used at high volumes.

For those seeking a breathtaking gaming experience, Asus’ VivoBook 15 could be the one for you! Featuring a 15.6-inch full HD screen, you see more of the game than ever before! The NanoEdge bezel display provides you with an 88% screen-to-body ratio, offering a wide view of your game, documents, or any streaming sites.

Customers raved about the quality of the screen, with many citing it as the best available on a smaller budget! The clear screen offered great wide viewing angles and very little graininess when gaming! A bonus, we think!

Power goes hand in hand with the stunning screen too. The laptop uses a Ryzen 5 3500U processor that you can overclock to 3.6GHz for incredible speeds! There is also a Vega 8 discrete graphics card to ensure your games run smoothly on the Windows 10 home.

You aren’t likely to run out of space either with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 256GB of storage on PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD memory. There is also a great range of ports that deliver excellent connectivity! There is a range of USB ports, HDMI, and Wi-Fi 5 to ensure you get a speedy transfer of your files or a superb connection for an additional mouse or keyboard.

The keyboard features an ergonomic backlit design with fingerprint sensors! You can also use this to activate Windows Hello for hands-free use of your laptop. The sensors are extremely sensitive and accurate, allowing you only to touch lightly to get the results you need.

Customers praised the fast speeds of the laptop, taking five seconds for it to start up! They found it to provide fantastic speed not just when gaming but also by streaming movies, editing documents, and playing music.

Although the sound quality and speakers are good on this laptop, many found that the sound distorted when played at higher volumes. Distorted volume can be a common issue on laptops; their speakers are small and often thin, which does not allow for true and deep replication of sound.
A way around this is separate speakers connected to your laptop or headphones, a common solution for gamers on the go! Few customers reported the issue, and if you intend to use headphones or additional speakers, it should not be a problem for you!

After a great gaming laptop with outstanding visuals and sturdy construction? Look no further than Asus’ Vivobook 15!

3
PROS
  • AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor that you can overclock for incredible speeds
  • 15.6-inch full HD widescreen display
  • Enhanced memory and DDR4 SDRAM allows for fantastic multi-tasking and streaming capabilities.
  • Range of USB and HDMI ports for additional mouse, keyboards, etc.
CONS
  • Some customers reported issues with the sound volume.

That’s right; we have another fantastic offering from Acer for you! Sitting at the top of the budget, their Aspire 5 features excellent RAM and memory to allow for speedy gaming on the go!

The laptop features a 15.6-inch screen with full HD resolution. The widescreen is LED-backlit with an IPS display to provide outstanding graphics and clarity. Using the Radeon Vega 3 mobile graphics card, your games are sure to look clear and have minimal lag!

You get some great added extras with this laptop, too, setting it apart from others included today! The Aspire 5 features Ghost Manta Accessories such as an HDMI cable, USB extension cord, and mouse pad, making it an excellent option for first-time buyers in need of these items!

Acer’s Aspire 5 features a Ryzen 3 3200U processor that can reach overclocking speeds of 3.5GHz, offering fantastic performance even during high-speed gaming. Car chases and shoot-outs will operate smoothly.

Thanks to the 512GB of PCIe SSD storage, you can save files quickly and more of it too! The PCIe-powered SSD is fantastic for gamers, allowing applications multiple servers and daily backups. Expect to see up to fifteen times faster performance than a traditional hard-drive! Now that is the speed we all want!

There is also 16BG of DDR4 SDRAM alongside your SSD memory, which allows for better performance, especially when multitasking. It’s great for streaming too, and won’t be slowed down by multiple internet tabs being open.

There is a range of ports on the laptop, too, that allows for fantastic connectivity. You get USB ports and an HDMI port with HDCP support to fulfill all your wildest gaming dreams.

You get fantastic battery life with this laptop too. Expect up to 7.5 hours of battery life depending on the tasks completing, more than enough time to pull off a heist without wires weighing you down!

Customers loved the lightweight design of the laptop and how fast it was to boot up. They praised the quick conversion from Windows 10 to Windows S, allowing them access to better security and performance, something we are sure you will love too!

Some customers did not issue with the sound, though. They found that the speakers were very low; even with the volume at 100, they found the speakers quiet. If you are using external speakers or a headset, this should not be a problem for you, but it is something to consider when purchasing your laptop.

After a lightweight laptop that has excellent speeds and great added extras? Why not grab the Acer Aspire 5 today?

4
PROS
  • 10th generation Intel Core i3 processor delivers fantastic speeds and performance for gaming
  • 15.6-inch Full HD display resolution allows games and HD movies to be viewed with ease
  • Intel UHD graphics card features shared video memory which is great for everyday browsing as well as photo editing, and light gaming
  • PCIe-powered SSD memory provides great servers and daily backups for all your gaming needs
CONS
  • No backlight on the keyboard

For those seeking an option that comes in under-budget and still with great specs, it’s the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 laptop for you! With an Intel Core i3 processor, you will get fantastic speeds, and gaming performance like you have not seen before!

The processor features a Smart dual-core four-way processing system that delivers HD-quality computing in a compact laptop! Teamed with 8GB of system memory and a high-bandwidth RAM that transfers data quickly, the laptop allows games and any editing programs to run smoothly.

The performance will not be an issue with this laptop. It boasts PCI-e SSD drives that allow you to save more files and data than standard hard drives! The PCI-e powered SSD drives offer multiple servers, daily backups and provide fantastic performance for all major gaming applications! They will enhance your experience, allowing you to game more efficiently without worrying about your last point saving!

Lenovo’s laptop uses a 15.6-inch screen with full HD resolution, allowing your games to be displayed with undeniable clarity and accurate color. Intel’s UHD graphics card uses shared video memory with the CPU to provide fantastic image quality whether browsing online, editing photos and videos, or gaming.

An HD webcam and microphone are built-in to the laptop, allowing you to game and communicate with friends easily. The webcam provides a clear picture while remaining discrete in the laptop itself.

There’s a decent range of ports here, too, allowing you to connect your laptop and tailor the setup to your needs. HDMI outputs and a range of USB ports will enable you to communicate to other screens, keyboards, and mice with ease. All ports provide fast and secure connections, too, allowing you to game or work worry-free.

Customers loved the laptop, praising the long battery life and lightweight feel! Many customers also noted the screen’s matte finish provided excellent anti-glare when used, reducing eye strain caused by extended screen use.

Compared to other laptops included, the keyboard has no backlighting, which some customers did cite as a downside. If this is not a problem for you or you intend to use an external keyboard, you should be fine!

After a great gaming laptop capable of delivering speeds for most mainstream games? Look no further than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3!

5
PROS
  • AMD Ryzen 5 4500U 2.3GHz processor included
  • 14-inch FHD IPS LED display and an HD webcam for outstanding graphics
  • 8GB LPDDR4 RAM for fast data transfers across your laptop.
  • 512GB PCIe ready SSD
CONS
  • Some customers reported issues with the backlighting on the keyboard.

That’s right, bringing up the end of our list today is yet another laptop from Acer! Their Swift 3 sits at the top of our budget and boasts excellent speed in a lightweight and portable gaming laptop!

Acer’s laptop features the Ryzen 5 4500U processor, capable of delivering speeds of 2.3GHz, perfect for gaming and streaming alike! A six-core processor is an excellent option for gaming, allowing you to enhance your performance!

Alongside a speedy CPU, there is also great RAM and storage capacity! The 8GB RAM allows for quick data transfers without slowing your system down! You can run multiple programs or have a few internet tabs open without the laptop slowing down.

Acer’s laptop features 512GB of PCI-e-powered SSD memory, allowing you to store more data without suffering from poor performance. These drives enable you to regularly backup your games without the dreaded ‘low memory’ flashing in your eyes! Prepare for incredible speeds and games running smoothly on your lap!

The laptop features a slightly smaller 14-inch screen than other laptops included today. But its smaller size does not mean you need to compromise on quality. The screen features a full HD resolution with an LED IPS panel to deliver fantastic color and brightness. Your games are sure to look stunning on this screen!

You will be able to connect with friends and other gamers quickly too. Acer’s laptop features a built-in HD webcam and microphone that provides excellent clarity. Why not get your mates together for a high-quality heist without any lagging?

Customers praised the quality of the laptop. They praised the lightweight style and found it easy to travel with. Many customers found the laptop to have everything they needed allowing them to work, stream, or game problem-free!

Some customers reported issues with the backlighting on the keyboard. They found that some areas were brighter and dimmer than others which were distracting while using the laptop. Few customers reported this issue, so you should not experience it, but it is worth mentioning.

If you are after a lightweight laptop with excellent performance and memory for speedy gaming, why not get the Acer Swift 3 today?

Things to consider

CPU

When it comes to your laptop, one of the essential features to consider is its processor. The CPU is responsible for the speed of your laptop and often cannot be replaced as it would in a PC.

You will want a powerful CPU capable of delivering speeds that will allow for smooth gameplay and multiple tabs or programs to be open and running smoothly. When considering your CPU, it is worth checking out its overclocking ability too.

Overclocking

When it comes to speeds, being able to overclock your CPU changes the game! Look out for laptops that allow overclocking, allowing access to faster speeds that will make you forget you are on a laptop!

An overclocking speed of over 3GHz will provide fantastic speeds that will deliver games and graphics without lag or poor quality. If you are spending more on a laptop with higher quality and faster CPU, overclocking might not be needed.

Display

When it comes to gaming, your graphics are vital. We all want crystal graphics that refresh quickly, don’t we? When it comes to selecting the right gaming laptop, there are a few aspects of the display that you should consider; let’s take a quick look at those now.

Resolution

Ideally, you will want a resolution that provides crystal clear graphics. Full HD resolution should be purchased, which should be feasible with the $600 limit; four and 5k gaming might be out of your reach on this budget.

It is also worth keeping an eye out for any added features that the display boasts. Anti-glare screens, ComfyView technology, and IPS panel screens will all provide a comfortable viewing experience without the eyestrain we are all blaming computer screens for. Consider what features are of importance to yourself when searching for your gaming laptop; also, to want a lightweight and portable laptop, so be sure to check the weight and thickness of the laptop.

The screen size is essential, as you will want ample space to view your games comfortably. A 15-inch or larger screen will provide you with an excellent viewing experience and be within your $600 budget.

Our Verdict

And just like that, we have arrived at the end of the road. As you can see, there are many great gaming laptops on the market, all under your $600 budget! When it comes to making your purchase, it is worth keeping in mind what is important to you and the factors we have covered today.

We are confident that any of these laptops will make a fine purchase and are sure to be a pleasant gaming experience, whether it is on your lap in bed or a crowded train on your morning commute.