Expert Consulted: Adrian Gardiner. Years of experience buying both computers and computer parts for my own new customer builds has given me a keen eye for spotting great deals when shopping. In this article, I’ll be sharing my knowledge and tips with you to find the best gaming laptop under 2000 dollars.
If you’re looking to upgrade your mobile gaming experience, this article will have all the details you need, featuring five amazing gaming laptops, all for under $2000.
These powerful machines combine the latest hardware, packed with loads of RAM, fast NVMe storage, and stunning LED displays, providing a fabulous gaming experience that you can take around with you.
All the laptops reviewed are going to give you superb performance, with the ability to play most current games at maximum settings (some games do require more than 8 GB DDR6 RAM to run at max settings). The only question remaining is which to choose.
Read on to discover what amazing value gaming laptops you can buy today for $2000.
At the time of putting together this review, all of these laptops were available for just under $2000. However, please note that prices and stock levels are changing all the time, so the prices of the items reviewed will almost certainly vary over time.
My intention is to review this article now and then to try and keep it up to date.
The ‘Check Latest Price‘ link underneath each option will allow you to check the current price.
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5 Best Gaming Laptop Under 2000 USD (Reviewed & Ranked)
The rest of my article will cover my top five gaming laptop selections, all under $2000, each delivering excellent gaming performance with great value.
I’ve provided a range of laptops covering different budgets and specifications while sticking to our budget limit of $2000 – hopefully something for everyone.
The laptops I’ll be recommending are all from well-known, reliable brands in the industry, fitted with high-end processors, at least 16 GB of RAM all the way up to a huge 64 GB!
Fast NVMe M.2 SSD storage plus brilliant graphics capability finishes off the ideal specification required to enjoy gaming on the move.
| Laptop Model Reviewed | Reason for Selection | |
| 1. | EXCaliberPC 2023 MSI Raider GE76 | Best Specification Option |
| 2. | ASUS ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop | Best Graphics Card Option |
| 3. | MSI GF76 KATANA Gaming Laptop | Best All Rounder Option |
| 4. | ASUS 2022 TUF Dash F15 Gaming Laptop | Best Value Option |
| 5. | Lenovo Legion 5 Pro Gaming Laptop | AMD CPU Option |
No. 1 – EXCaliberPC 2023 MSI Raider GE76 – (Best Spec. Option)
The EXCaliberPC 2023 MSI Raider GE76 offers impressive power and performance for mobile gaming enthusiasts.
Equipped with a 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H processor and a massive 64GB of RAM, it’s capable of delivering smooth multitasking and a top-tier gaming experience.
Its large 17.3″ IPS FHD thin bezel display with a 144Hz refresh rate ensures stunning visuals, while the RTX 3060 graphics card produces excellent graphics performance for great gaming.
The laptop also features a Steel Series RGB keyboard and a range of ports for seamless connectivity.
The main specification is as follows:
- Display Size: 17.3″ IPS FHD (1920 x 1080) 144 Hz
- CPU: Intel Core i9-12900H
- RAM: 64 GB DDR5 4800 MHz
- Storage: 2 TB NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060
- Webcam: 1080p FHD
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- Weight: 6.39 lbs
PROs
Huge 64 GB of DDR5 RAM
Steel Series RGB Keyboard
1080p Webcam
CONs
None.
No. 2 – ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023) Gaming Laptop – (Best GPU Option)
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop is a powerhouse designed from the ground up just for exceptional gaming performance.
Powered by a top-level 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13980HX processor and an RTX 4070 GPU, as you’d expect, this laptop will deliver exceptional graphics and smooth gameplay.
The only negative is the rather small 16GB of DDR5 4800MHz memory, which could do with doubling up to 32 GB (it’s a simple upgrade). Storage is good at 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD for excellent all-round performance.
The Strix G16 features an intelligent Tri-Fan cooling system with Thermal Grizzly’s Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal on the CPU and a MUX switch for optimized gaming performance.
The main specification is as follows:
- Display: 16″ FHD 165 Hz
- CPU: Intel Core i9-13980HX
- RAM: 16 GB DDR5 4800 MHz
- Storage: 1 TB NVMe M.2 SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 4070
- Webcam: 720p HD
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- Weight: 2.5 kg / 5.51 lbs
PROs
Excellent Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU, the fastest in this review
Stunning graphics power with an RTX 4070
Excellent Tri-Fan Cooling System
CONs
No webcam
Only 16 GB RAM – easy to upgrade though
No. 3 – MSI 2022 GF76 Katana Gaming Laptop – (Best All Round Option)
Super slim and light, the MSI GF76 KATANA Gaming Laptop by Rock eDigital offers the promise of impressive, no-compromise gaming performance.
With a 17.3″ Full HD IPS-level display and 144Hz refresh rate, it’s going to deliver great gaming visuals.
Powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H processor and a massive 64GB of DDR4 memory, this laptop has everything you need to play most current games available at their highest settings.
Storage is taken care of with a large 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, providing ample space for all your games and fast data access.
With an RTX 3060 graphics card, you’re going to get excellent visuals and plenty of gaming grunt.
The main specification is as follows:
- Display: 17.3″ (1920 x 1080) FHD, IPS, 144 Hz
- CPU: Intel Core-i7-12700H
- RAM: 64 GB DDR4
- Storage: 2 TB NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060
- Webcam: 720p HD
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
- Weight: 5.73 lbs
Pros
Plenty of space with 2 TB SSD
Huge 64 GB of RAM
Backlit keyboard
Cons
None
No. 4 – ASUS 2022 TUF Dash F15 Gaming Laptop – (Best Value Option)
ASUS never disappoints with its gaming kit, and the ASUS 2022 TUF Dash F15 Gaming Laptop is no exception.
The lightest laptop in this review and powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12650H processor, it’s fitted out with a nice 32 GB of current spec. DDR5 RAM.
A beefy 2 TB NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD for storage means it has all the right high-performance components for no-holds-barred gaming.
Display needs are taken care of with a 15.6″ 144Hz IPS level Full HD screen for smooth visuals and an RTX 3070 graphics card for exceptional gaming and multitasking performance.
The main specification is as follows:
- Display: 15.6″ FHD, IPS, 144 Hz
- CPU: Intel i7-12650H
- RAM: 32 GB DDR5 4800 MHz
- Storage: 2 TB NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3070
- Webcam: 720p HD
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- Weight: 2 KG / 4.41 lbs
PROs
HD IPS Micro Edge LED Display
Good sized 2 TB SSD storage
Lightest laptop in this review, so it’s better for carrying around.
CONs
None.
No. 5 – Lenovo Legion 5 Pro Gaming Laptop – (AMD CPU Option)
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro Gaming Laptop offers impressive specs with a 16″ WQXGA IPS 165 Hz display providing smooth visuals.
Powered by a high-end AMD Ryzen 9-6900HX CPU and equipped with an equally powerful RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, this laptop is ready for pretty much anything you care to throw at it.
It’s running a huge 64GB of DDR5 RAM and with a nicely sized 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD providing ample storage capacity.
The main specification is as follows:
- Display: 16″ WQXGA (2560 x 1600), IPS, 165 Hz
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9-6900HX
- RAM: 64 GB DDR5 4800 MHz
- Storage: 1 TB NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3070 Ti
- Webcam: 720p HD
- OS: Windows 11 Home.
- Weight: 2.49 kg / 5.49 lbs
Pros
More than ample 64 GB of DDR5 RAM
Excellent Ryzen 9-6900HX processor
Cons
None.
Before You Buy
Before making any purchasing decisions, I have a few other areas that I recommend you check out first.
Budget
I would always recommend setting a budget before shopping for your gaming laptop to avoid the temptation of more expensive equipment. As we already have our budget set at $2000, we can start looking to see what’s available, including my time-saving review as above.
Specification
When looking for a gaming laptop, I recommend you consider the following items, which I’ve listed in order of importance in terms of how much they will affect your gaming performance.
For a great gaming laptop within a budget of $2000, I would aim for the following specifications:
- Processor (CPU) – I recommend, at a minimum, that you select either an Intel Core i9 (like the Intel Core i9-13980HX) or an AMD Ryzen 9 processor (like either the Ryzen 9 7945HX or Ryzen 9 5950X). Either of these will be excellent.
- Memory (RAM) – 16 GB (absolute minimum), but I would go for 32 GB
- Storage – Aim for a minimum of 1 TB of M.2 NVMe SSD storage, but look for 2 TB – the more, the better, as games are taking up huge amounts of storage space.
- Graphics Card (GPU) – Our $2000 budget means we can expect some superb top-end graphics cards like those seen in our review – Aim for a 4070 if at all possible, as it will usually come with 12 GB DDR6 RAM – Some games are now requiring more than 8 GB of RAM if you want to max out the games optimization settings
- Screen Size – At this price point, you can expect to get a 17.3″ display, which will really make your gaming stand out – like PC gaming, a bigger screen is always better. It will mean a heavier laptop to carry around, but the better screen will be worth it!
Options
I can recommend a few other items that will help elevate your gaming experience that little bit more.
Hardware
- Wireless Mouse – I’ve never really been a fan of laptop touchpads as a mouse replacement, so I recommend a good quality wireless mouse like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight
- Headphones – a good set of headphones that you can rely on is a must – the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is a nice bit of kit, a bit pricey, but really good. You could also try the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Gaming Headset. My son had some of these and rated them highly. It’s quite affordable, too, compared to the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, anyway.
- Laptop Cooling Pad – Gaming laptops can run really warm, especially over long gaming sessions, so one of these can definitely help keep your laptop going a bit longer.
Conclusion
Our budget of $2000 certainly gets you a great specification that should last you quite a while.
Again, as with any of my gaming equipment reviews, I try to make sure that those parts that can’t be upgraded, like the processor and graphics card, are the most powerful and cutting-edge that we can get within our budget.
Other components like RAM and storage are pretty easy to upgrade as and when you need more of each.
All the laptops reviewed here are great and are ranked closely; as a result, the ASUS Rog Strix would have ranked higher had it been fitted out with more RAM or had a larger screen.
My personal No. 1 choice would be the MSI GE76 Raider Gaming Laptop because it combines a huge 17.3″ screen, which is great for gaming, a fast Core i9-12900H CPU, and a plentiful 64 GB of current spec. DDR5 RAM.
With an excellent RTX 3060 GPU, loads of USB ports, and a backlit keyboard, it’s an easy choice for me.
If it weren’t for the Raider’s 17.3″ screen, I would have definitely selected the ASUS ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop with its colossal spec. and that wonderful RTX 4070 card! Upgrading the 16 GB of RAM would be an easy and affordable upgrade to make this laptop complete.
Which to choose seems to be a fight over laptop screen sizes!