Winning gaming laptops for less than $1,000

CNET has picked Dell G5 15 as one of the... — CNET has picked Dell G5 15 as one of the best gaming laptops for less than $1,000. Credit: CBS Interactive

By CNETJuly 19, 2019

Gaming laptops running Nvidia's top-end graphics cards are now readily available—for a price. But you've got a bit of a wait ahead before their prices drop below their current $1,500 level. The good news is the prices on older laptops with Nvidia's GeForce GTX 10-series GPUs started dropping long ago. These four not-very-old machines are well-configured 15.6-inch laptops that run for less than $1,000.

The following CNET staff contributed to this story: section editor Dan Ackerman and senior editors Joshua Goldman and Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit cnet.com.

Dell G5 15
CNET rating (out of 5)
4 stars out of 5 (excellent)
THE GOOD This refinement of the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming laptop offers good entry-level gaming performance with extras like Thunderbolt 3 and PCIe NVMe.
THE BAD Some might find the color, contrast and brightness of the full HD display disappointing.
THE COST $699.99
BOTTOM LINE It rises to the top as one of the best entry-level gaming laptops you can buy despite being just a minor update from its predecessor.

Lenovo Legion Y530
CNET rating (out of 5)
4 stars out of 5 (excellent)
THE GOOD The laptop delivers on entry-level gaming performance and has a useful design that makes it as good for travel as it is on a desk hooked up to a monitor, keyboard and mouse.
THE BAD The display is somewhat dim with dull color. The keyboard might be a little too soft for some. Webcam is below the display.
THE COST $823.99
BOTTOM LINE It offers one of the best mixes of performance and design you can find.

Acer Predator Helios 300
CNET rating (out of 5)
3.5 stars out of 5 (very good)
THE GOOD The Nvidia 1060 graphics card is overclockable, and cooling is assisted by a patented superthin fan. For a 17-inch virtual-reality-ready gaming laptop, the price is very reasonable, and the 15-inch version with the same GPU costs less than $1,000.
THE BAD The 1,920x1,080 screen resolution doesn't pop. The part-plastic body is a yawn.
THE COST $999.99
BOTTOM LINE It’s packed with a lot of unique features—and a big screen.

HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop
CNET rating (out of 5)
3.5 stars out of 5 (very good)
THE GOOD The laptop has a respectable mix of components to perform solidly for everyday tasks and gaming. The design is nicer than most other mainstream gaming laptops.
THE BAD HP's configuration options are limited compared to its competitors and other features are behind the curve, too. No gaming-oriented extra features, beyond its green glowing keyboard.
THE COST $999
BOTTOM LINE It boasts solid gaming performance and just enough of an edge to keep things interesting.

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