6 best cheap laptops of 2024: Tested and reviewed
Read Mashable’s full review of the Acer Nitro V 15. We tested a configuration with an Intel Core i7-13620H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.
Who it’s for:
Gedeon put things succinctly in her review: “If you’re just looking for a gaming laptop that ditches all the bells and whistles for impressive gaming performance, the [Acer] Nitro V 15 is the one for you.”
Why we picked this:
The Mashable’s Choice Award-winning Nitro V 15 is all about power, power, power. And while it strains the definition of “cheap,” we do think it’s the best budget gaming laptop under $1,000. The $999.99 model we tested is “packed with delicious internals that can handle triple-A gaming,” said Gedeon, including a 13th-gen Intel Core i7 H-series processor for desktop-level brawn and nice NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 graphics. She found it capable of running Cyberpunk 2077, “one of the most graphics-intensive games on the market, like a champ.”
Unsurprisingly, Acer’s made some serious concessions to offer that level of oomph at this price point, namely in the realms of display quality (it’s not bright or vivid) and extra fixings (there’s no RGB keyboard or 1080p webcam). Its pathetically short battery life also means it’ll set up permanent shop on your desk — preferably with a microfiber cloth at the ready nearby, as it clings to fingerprints with a passion.
