Are you looking for the best gaming laptop under $400? There are various affordable options available in the market but all of them cannot be good for gaming. If you are looking to buy a budget laptop for gaming, you’ve come to the right place. Here we have collected the best available budget gaming laptops under 400 dollars.
Under this price range, these laptops may not offer high-end features but you may still be able to kickstart your gaming hobby. Compared to other low-cost options, they are far better to fulfill your basic gaming needs. However, before proceeding to buy a gaming laptop for yourself, here are a few points you should remember to get the best value for your money.
Top 10 Best Gaming Laptops Under 400 Dollars
1. ASUS VivoBook 15 Ultraportable
- CPU: Intel Core i3-1005G1 Processor
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Display: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) NanoEdge bezel
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Battery: Up to 7 hours
- Weight: 3.75 lbs
This Asus Vivobook 15 is a sleek and lightweight ultrabook that can be the best choice for people looking for the best laptops under $400. It has a 15-inch full-HD display and a beautifully designed slate-gray chassis that makes it a premium laptop in this price range.
It comes with a powerful 10th generation Intel Core i3 processor with 4GB of RAM to handle all your multitasking efficiently. The storage of the laptop consists of 128GB of SSD space to save your files and data. The Vivobook 15 has Intel UHD graphics that make it able to run smoothly while playing low-setting games and HD movies.
Furthermore, Vivobook 15 is featured two traditional USB 2.0 Type-A ports, a USB 3.1 Type-A port, an HDMI 2.0 port, and an audio jack. There’s a USB Type-C port, a rarity for a laptop in this price range. The laptop has a full-size backlit keyboard where chiclet keys are comfortable to type on as well as backlighting lets you get words done in a low-light environment.
If we are concerned about its design, it’s a thin and clean look ultrabook with a slightly lighter weight of 3.7 lbs. Overall Asus Vivobook 15 is a great budget gaming laptop under $400 for people who need a laptop for light gaming.
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2. Newest Acer Aspire 5 Laptop Best Choice
- CPU: Intel Core i3-1115G4 Processor
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Display: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) Narrow bezel
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Battery: Up to 9.5-hours
- Weight: 3.97 lbs
The Acer Aspire 5 is a solid workhorse laptop for gaming from the Aspire series under $400 price range. This newest Aspire 5 is also a top-selling laptop on Amazon because of its high performance at this affordable price. This Aspire 5 laptop is finished in silver color and sports a 15.6-inch full HD touchscreen display, which you will feel pleasure to use.
It is powered by an 11th-generation Intel Core i3 processor with 4GB of ram and 128GB of a solid-state drive to easily multitask on this laptop. It is backed by Intel UHD 620 graphics making it nice to run some of the popular older games at low to medium graphics settings. It comes with a full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad and a preinstalled Windows 10 operating system.
This laptop offers a 4-Cell battery that can give a battery backup of up to 9.5 hours and it carries an average weight of 3.97 lbs. All in all, the Acer Aspire 5 is a great package for budget gamers who are searching for the best gaming laptops under 400 dollars price range.
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You may like to read: Top 10 Best Laptops Under $300
3. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15-inch Laptop
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3250U Processor
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Display: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) Narrow bezel
- GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics
- Battery: Up to 5-6 hours
- Weight: 3.30 lbs
Lenovo IdeaPad laptops are known for their decent hardware performance and their Ideapad 3 is one of the best gaming laptops under $400 for gaming lovers. Why? because it is equipped with a powerful AMD Ryzen 3 3250U processor with a frequency clocked up to 2.1 GHz that lets users play some of the popular games at low settings.
The Ideapad 3 boasts AMD Radeon graphics, which enables you to get your work done faster. The laptop has a 15.6-inch HD display with beautiful video and Dolby Audio. To be honest, the resolution is quite frankly low and viewing angles are limited. The laptop comes with 4GB of RAM, which is ideal to perform basic tasks, and 128GB of SSD storage to store your documents and all the personal information you need to take with you.
Speaking of its design, the laptop has a minimalist appearance of its matte black chassis with a smooth surface and plastic finish. The weight of this laptop is just 3.30 pounds which makes it good to carry anywhere. All-in-all, Lenovo Ideapad 3 is a good value for money if you want to buy a good gaming laptop under 400 dollars.
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4. HP 1W830UA 15.6″ Laptop
- CPU: Intel Core i3-1005G1 Processor
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Display: 15.6″ HD (1366 x 768) micro-edge WLED-backlit
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Battery: Up to 7 hours
- Weight: 3.70 lbs
This HP 15-inch is in the top place in our list of best gaming laptops under 400 dollars because of its impressive hardware specifications. It is one of the selling laptops for $400 price range. The laptop is powered by the 10th Generation Intel Core i3 processor with 4GB of RAM making it a good laptop for playing moderate games.
If we talk about its design, it is built with high-quality heat-resistant plastic to keep its temperature under control. It has a 15.6-inch HD LED-backlit Display with 1366 x 768 resolution and it is also backed with Intel HD graphics 620. The HP 15 is an ideal laptop for college or school students for their work.
If we are concerned about the battery, the laptop has an average battery life of up to 7 hours of run time on a single charge. Though the laptop has its drawbacks such as its display could be better. However, this is generally acceptable unless you’re ready to pay more. Overall, this laptop from HP is a very affordable and powerful gaming laptop under 400 dollars price range.
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Also read: Top 10 Best Laptops Under $300
5. Dell Inspiron 15 3000
- CPU: Intel Celeron N4020 1.1GHz Dual-Core Processor
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) Anti-glare LED-Backlit
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 610
- Battery: Up to 7.5 hours
- Weight: 3.91 lbs
This is another good laptop from Dell with the latest set of features in this price range. It would be a perfect laptop for those who don’t want to spend more on buying a gaming laptop. The Dell 15 sports a 15.6-inch touchscreen display with a 1366 x 768 resolution, which is perfect for watching HD movies and casual gaming.
It is powered by the Intel Celeron N4020 processor with up to 2.8GHz speed and 8GB of RAM which makes it a good option for office tasks and Internet browsing. The best part about this laptop is that its RAM can be upgraded up to 16GB to make it even more powerful. For storage, this Dell laptop comes with 128GB SSD storage, which is enough to store your games and movie collection.
The graphics on this device are managed by Intel UHD 610 graphics for robust performance on the laptop. The battery of this laptop is not up to the mark, which might discourage a few people from buying this laptop. But you should not ignore the other powerful hardware specifications that make Inspiron 15 the best gaming laptop in 400 dollars price range.
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If you’re looking for a portable laptop for gaming under $400, then you must consider Dell Inspiron 3494 in your list. It features 10th gen Intel Core i3-1005G1 processor, 4GB DDR4, 128GB Solid State Drive and 14-inch HD display. Check the price on Amazon
Also read: Best Laptops for College Students (For Every Budget)
6. HP 14″ Premium Laptop
- CPU: Intel Dual-Core Core i3-1005G1 Processor
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB M.2 SSD
- Display: 14-inch HD (1366×768) WLED Anti-Glare backlight
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- Battery: Up to 7 hours
- Weight: 3.25 lbs
HP has been the best laptop brand for many years and its laptops always give their best performance in all categories. If we talk about their HP premium notebook then it’s one of the best-looking and well-performing gaming laptop under 400 dollars.
It has a 14-inch WLED backlight HD display with a 1366×768 resolution. Also, this laptop is powered by the latest 10th gen Intel dual-core i3 processor with 4GB of RAM enabling it to handle most of the casual games. For storage, it contains 128GB of SSD which offers better performance and greater reliability. This laptop comes with preinstalled Windows 10, making it compatible with PC games.
The HP laptop offers a fast-charge battery with 7 hours of life that lets you work, watch, and stay connected all day. Overall it is a great package for many games but if you compared it with the AMD Radeon R7 performance, the R7 wins. But besides gaming, this laptop can be the best choice for students as well as for business work under $400 price range.
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7. Lenovo Ideapad 3 81WE011UUS
- CPU: Intel Core i3-1005G Dual-Core Processor
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Display: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) WLED anti-glare
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Battery: Up to 6 hours
- Weight: 4.07 lbs
This Lenovo Ideapad is one of the good gaming laptops under 400 dollars that offer powerful processors and a decent enough specs sheet. If you prefer to have a cheap gaming laptop with a bigger 15.6- inch display, then you must consider Lenovo Ideapad 3 on your list. The main reason for mentioning this laptop on our list is its latest 10th gen Intel Core i3 processor and graphics, which makes it the best deal for budget gamers.
It has a 15.6-inch widescreen LED HD display with 1366 x 768 resolution. The laptop is powered by the Intel Core i3-1005G Dual-Core processor with a 2.20GHz clock speed and 8GB of RAM for multitasking. It offers 256GB of solid-state drive to store your files, favorite movies, games, etc.
Furthermore, the IdeaPad 3 comes with powerful Intel UHD 620 Graphics makes it perfect for your everyday tasks. It is a midnight-blue color laptop having a weight of 4 pounds which readily qualifies the same as the best cheap laptops. Overall, Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a good deal for those who want to buy the best gaming laptop under $400.
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You may like to read: Top 10 Best Laptops Under $500
8. HP 14 inch HD Laptop – Latest Model
- CPU: AMD Athlon 3050U Processor
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB SSD + 64GB eMMC
- Display: 14-Inch WLED-backlit HD anti-glare (1366 x 768)
- GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
- Battery: Up to 10 hours
- Weight: 3.24 lbs
This budget-friendly gaming laptop deserves to be on this list of best laptops under 400 dollars because of its great hardware specifications. This is a good choice for people who want to buy the best 14-Inch gaming laptop under $400 price range. If we look at its design, the laptop has a woven texture pattern finish with jet black color making it look premium.
It has massive 14 inches LED-backlit display with 1366 x 768 resolution for sharp images with vibrant colors. The HP 14 comes with a pre-installed Windows 10 Home with a powerful AMD Athlon Silver 3050U processor clocked at 3.2GHz frequency. It offers 8GB of RAM with 128GB SSD to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once. Supporting the AMD Radeon Graphics makes it capable of multitasking and running most casual games.
A good thing about the HP 14 is that it comes with a full-size keyboard with a numeric display and good battery timings of up to 10 hours. It is slightly lighter in terms of weight (3.24 lbs) than the other ordinary 15-inch laptops. So, based on its overall features, we can say that it is the best 14-inch gaming laptop under $400 price range.
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HP 14″ laptop is another great option in a $400 range for those who are looking for a small screen laptop. The laptop has a 14-inch bright View glossy touchscreen display with 1366 x 768 HD resolution. It is powered by the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB of SSD. The laptop weighs 3.22 pounds and offers a decent battery backup on a single charge. | Check the price on Amazon
9. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 Latest Model
- CPU: Intel Core i3-10110U Processor
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 64GB eMMC SSD
- Display: 13.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Touch Display
- GPU: Chrome OS
- Battery: Up to 10 hours
- Weight: 2.97 lbs
The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13-inch laptop is one of the selling laptops under $400 you can buy in 2023. This portable laptop comes with an Intel Core i3-10110U processor with a clock speed of 2.1 GHz paired with 4GB of RAM.
Unlike other Lenovo laptops in this list, this laptop also comes with a 13-inch 1080p resolution touchscreen display that provides a wider viewing angle. The graphics on this laptop is handled by Intel UHD graphics making it suitable for playing games in low to medium setting. The best part of this Chromebook is that its battery lasts up to 10 hours of continued support so you can bring your device with you anywhere, anytime.
This 2-in-1 laptop combines a keyboard and touchscreen that make it easy to interact with the display. For connectivity, it offers two USB 3.1 Type C ports, one USB 3.1 Type-A port, or a microphone jack that lets you enjoy fast data transfer, multimedia streaming, and battery charging on a single port. Overall, Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 is probably worth buying the laptop under 400 dollars for gaming and other basic tasks.
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10. Acer Aspire 5 A515
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual-Core Processor
- RAM: 4GB DDR4
- Storage: 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Display: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) LED-backlit
- GPU: AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics
- Battery: Up to 7.5 hours
- Weight: 3.97 lbs
This is another version of Acer Aspire 5 that we’ve already mentioned in this list. The laptop is powered by the AMD Ryzen 3 processor paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage for faster data rendering and quick OS loading. Furthermore, the Aspire 5 features exceptional Wireless connectivity standards and a comfortable backlit keyboard.
The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch full HD display having a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels that offers sharper viewing angles. The graphics on Aspire 5 are backed by AMD Radeon Vega 3 mobile graphics card which makes it suitable not only for gaming, but it is also a good laptop for college students as well.
The laptop offers a decent battery life of up to 7.5 hours which lets you stay productive for a long time. Running on Windows 10, the laptop is capable to run most of the basic applications with no lag performance. Overall, it is another great affordable laptop from Acer to buy under $400 price range.
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Things to know about $400 Gaming laptops
A good gaming laptop requires a powerful processor and high-end GPU, but it can be difficult to find these requirements under $400 gaming laptops. I’m not saying that you can’t play games on gaming laptops under $400.
There are some new laptops from trusted brands that offer good performance on this budget. But you still have to compromise with graphics to play new games.
Therefore, we highly recommend you increase your budget to at least $700 because gaming laptops under $700 are capable to play highly modern games.
But, if you don’t want to increase your budget, don’t worry we’ve some best collections for you under $400 budget. All of them are the best available gaming laptops under 400 dollars that will fit your needs and be worth your money.
However, you need to consider a few important points while buying the best budget gaming laptop. Let’s check them out.
Processor – The processor plays the most important role in laptop performance. A high-end processor can deliver outstanding performance while doing intensive tasks such as gaming. Under the $400 range, the latest Intel Core i3 processor or AMD Quad-Core processor would be great to handle low to medium-setting gaming.
RAM – RAM plays a vital role in a gaming computer. A laptop with high RAM can handle multitasking with ease. When buying a gaming laptop, consider at least 8GB of RAM to perform at peak levels.
Display – A gaming laptop requires a large display. You can’t enjoy a true gaming experience with an 11-inch laptop. We always recommend you buy a laptop with 15-inch or 17-inch as they tend to be the ideal size for gaming.
Graphics – The other most important factor for overall laptop performance is its graphics card. It is responsible to provide the visuals more crispy and smooth during intensive gaming sessions. In a $400 price range, you can’t expect a high-end GPU, but options like Intel UHD Graphics 620 and AMD Radeon R7 are capable to run low to medium-setting games.
Other Features – The other additional features you should consider are the battery life, connectivity ports, touchscreen, DVD drives, and more. These features will help you to improve your overall experience and let you choose the best budget laptop for gaming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Buy a Gaming Laptop Under $400?
Buying a gaming laptop with a price tag of $400 or less can be a real challenge as you will have to compensate for some aspects. With a regular laptop, you can play light games such as Minecraft, Sims 4, Dota 2, GTA V, etc. Do not expect high-end hardware specifications in this price range.
How much RAM do I need for gaming?
The Minimum recommended RAM is 4GB. However, if you are going to perform multitasking on your laptop, then you should not set for anything less than 8GB DDR4 RAM.
Can I get a dedicated graphic card gaming laptop in the $400 budget?
No, you can not expect a dedicated GPU in this price range. Actually, for this budget, you can look for a good integrated graphics card. AMD Radeon is also a good choice for decent gaming.
Can a cheap gaming laptop handle modern games?
A gaming laptop for less than 400 dollars may be able to handle some modern games, but it may struggle with more demanding titles. You should look for a laptop with a dedicated graphics card and a powerful processor for the best performance.
What are the specifications I should look for in a gaming laptop within $400 budget?
When looking for a gaming laptop in this budget, you should look for a dedicated graphics card, a powerful processor (such as an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5), at least 8GB of RAM, and a decent amount of storage (such as a 256GB SSD).
Can I upgrade a laptop for under $400?
Upgrading a laptop under $400 may be difficult or impossible, as these laptops often have limited upgrade options due to their lower price point.
Are there any drawbacks to buying a cheap gaming laptop?
Yes, there are some drawbacks to buying a cheap gaming laptop. These laptops may not have the best build quality, may have limited upgrade options, and may struggle to run more demanding games.
How long can I expect a budget gaming laptop to last?
The lifespan of a gaming laptop will depend on the specific model and how well it is maintained. However, these laptops may not last as long as more expensive models due to their lower-quality components.
Which brand offers good affordable gaming laptops?
There are several brands that offer good gaming laptops for less than $400, including Lenovo, HP, and Acer.
What are some tips for finding the best gaming laptop under $400?
When looking for a gaming laptop, look for a dedicated graphics card, a powerful processor, and a decent amount of RAM and storage. Read reviews and do research to find the best option for your needs and budget.
How much storage and RAM should a $400 gaming laptop have?
A gaming laptop for around 400 should have at least 8GB of RAM and a decent amount of storage, such as a 256GB SSD.
Can a cheap gaming laptop also be used for work or other tasks?
Yes, a gaming laptop in this budget can also be used for work or other tasks. However, you should keep in mind that these laptops may not have the best build quality or battery life for extended use.
Which gaming laptop brand is best?
Nowadays, almost all brands offer high-end gaming laptops. For a budget gaming laptop category, Acer, Asus, and Lenovo are the best choices.
Final Words
Choosing a laptop under $400 price range is not an easy task when there are so many options in the market. We hope our buying guide will help you to choose the best value for your money.
These are the top recommended gaming laptops to buy for under 400 dollars. Keep in mind that not every laptop can be suitable for gaming. Hence read reviews and hardware specifications of every product and choose your pick accordingly.
We hope you like this review guide of the best gaming laptops under 400 dollars. If you have any questions about the budget laptops, let us know in the comment section below.
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