If you are looking for a $2000 gaming laptop, you probably have high expectations. You want a machine that can handle the latest games, run heavy software, and offer great performance on the go. But with so many options available, how do you choose the best one for your needs? In this article, we will review 7 of the best gaming laptops under $2000 in 2023 and help you find the perfect match for your gaming style and budget.
How to choose a $2000 gaming laptop
A $2,000 gaming laptop is a serious investment, so you want to make sure you get the best value for your money. But how do you know what to look for in a gaming laptop under $2000? And how do they differ from gaming laptops under $800? Here are some of the key features and specifications that you should consider before buying one.
CPU
The CPU is the brain of your laptop, and it affects how well it can run multiple tasks and programs at the same time. For gaming, you want a CPU that can handle intensive games without slowing down or overheating.
The minimum requirement for playing games like GTA 5 or Cyberpunk 2077 at maximum settings is an Intel Core i7 12th generation processor. However, most games will benefit more from a powerful GPU than a powerful CPU, so you don’t have to stress too much about this factor.
But if you see something older than the 12th generation, you might want to wait a bit, because you can’t upgrade your CPU later. You can only make this choice once.
GPU
The GPU is the most important part of a gaming laptop, and it determines how well it can render graphics and handle high-resolution games. Most games are GPU-bound, meaning that they depend more on the GPU than the CPU for performance.
In the $1800 – $2000 price range, we think that you should look for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 as this will allow you to play most games on the highest settings with ray tracing and DLSS features. This is a new generation of graphics cards that offer excellent performance and efficiency.
Moving up a bit, we have the RTX 4090, which is the most powerful series 40 card available. With this beast, you can play games in 4K resolution, get higher frame rates, and enjoy stunning visuals. But this would cost you around $3-4K, and that is a story for another day.
RAM
RAM is the memory of your laptop, and it affects how fast it can load and switch between applications and games. For gaming, you need more RAM than for normal productivity tasks. Normally, 8GB RAM would be enough for basic use, but for gaming, we recommend at least 16GB RAM.
A laptop at $1000 already has around 8GB RAM, so at this price point, you should be able to get at least 16GB RAM. However, unlike the CPU and GPU, RAM is upgradable, so you can always add more later if you need to.
Storage
Storage is where you keep your files, programs, and games on your laptop. For gaming, you want a fast and spacious storage device that can load your games quickly and store all your data. The best option for this is a solid-state drive (SSD), which is much faster than a hard disk drive (HDD).
Most of the gaming laptops in this price range will have an SSD of up to 2TB, which should be enough for most gamers. Some gaming laptops may also have a combination of an HDD and a small SSD, which is also acceptable.
Just like RAM, storage is also upgradable, so if you need more space later, you can easily replace or add another SSD.
Display
The display is how you see your games on your laptop, so it is also a vital part of your choice. If you are not planning to connect your laptop to an external monitor, then you want a display that offers good quality, size, resolution, refresh rate, and technology.
Size: The size of the display depends on your personal preference and portability needs. Bigger doesn’t always mean better when it comes to gaming laptops.
Resolution: For this price range, we think that 2560 x 1600 pixels is the best option. This is higher than full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) but lower than 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels). This way, you can enjoy crisp and clear graphics without sacrificing too much performance.
Refresh rate: For gaming laptops under $2000, we think that 144 Hz should be the standard refresh rate. This means that the display can show up to 144 frames per second, which is much better than the typical 60 Hz. However, to achieve this, you also need a powerful GPU that can deliver high frame rates.
Technology: For gaming laptops under $2000, we recommend looking for an LED display with an IPS panel. This combination offers good color reproduction, wide viewing angles, fast response time, and high brightness. OLED displays may sound appealing as they offer more vibrant colors and deeper blacks, but they also have slower refresh rates and higher power consumption compared to LED displays. So if you are mainly looking to play games, we suggest sticking to LED or Mini-LED displays.
Another feature that you may want to look for in a display is a thin bezel. This means that the border around the screen is very narrow, which gives your laptop a more modern and sleek look. It also reduces the overall size and weight of your laptop without compromising the screen size.
Top 7 Best Gaming Laptops Under $2000 in 2023
Now that you know what to look for in a gaming laptop under $2000, you may be wondering which models are worth your attention. To help you narrow down your choices, we have selected the top 7 best gaming laptops under $2000 in 2023 based on their features, performance, design, and reviews. Here they are, in no particular order.
Acer Predator Helios 16 – $1800
CPU: Intel Core i7-13700 HX
GPU: RTX 4070
RAM: 16GB
SSD: 1TB
Screen size: 16’’
Display resolution: 2.5K
Refresh rate: 165 Hz
The ACER Predator Helios 16 is our top choice for the best gaming laptop under $2000 in 2023.
It has a powerful combination of the latest Intel Core i7-13700 HX processor and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, which can handle any game at high settings with ease.
The notebook also has a large 16-inch screen with a 165Hz refresh rate, which offers smooth and immersive gaming visuals.
Moreover, it has an advanced cooling system with 3D AeroBlade 5th fan technology and COOLBOOST automatic technology, which keeps the laptop cool and stable even under heavy load. This is a gaming laptop that delivers amazing performance, graphics, and design for an affordable price.
Legion 5 Pro 2023 – $2000
CPU: Intel Core i9-13900 HX
GPU: RTX 4070
RAM: 64GB
SSD: 2TB
Screen size: 16’’
Display resolution: 2.5K
Refresh rate: 165 Hz
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is another great option for the best gaming laptop under $2000 in 2023.
With a powerful configuration with the Intel Core i9-13900 HX processor and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, this laptop can run any game smoothly and fast.
It also has a huge 64GB RAM and a 2TB SSD, which offer plenty of memory and storage space for multitasking and gaming.
The laptop has a modern and sturdy design with a luxurious gray color and a durable structure. It has a 16-inch screen with WQXGA resolution, anti-glare technology, IPS panel, Dolby Vision technology, and a 165Hz refresh rate, which deliver stunning graphics and visuals for gaming and entertainment.
Moreover, it has a smart cooling system with Legion Coldfront 4.0 technology, which keeps the laptop cool and stable even under heavy loads. This is a gaming laptop that offers superior performance, style, and quality for a reasonable price.
Alienware m15 R7 – $2000
CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H
GPU: RTX 3070 Ti
RAM: 32GB
SSD: 2TB
Screen size: 15.6’’
Display resolution: 2.5K
Refresh rate: 240 Hz
The Dell Alienware M15 R7 is another excellent choice for the best gaming laptop under $2000 in 2023.
The M15 R7 has a 12th generation Intel Core i7 processor and an RTX 3070Ti graphics card, which can handle any task and game with ease with a huge 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD.
The laptop has a 15.6-inch screen with FHD resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate, and NVIDIA G-Sync technology, which offers smooth and sharp gaming visuals.
Moreover, it has a new cooling system called Cryo-Tech, which keeps the laptop cool and stable even under heavy loads. You can also adjust the fan speed through the Alienware Command Center software.
The keyboard is equipped with Cherry MX switches, N-Key Rollover, Anti-ghosting technology, and a 4-zone LED RGB system, which offers a great gaming experience and customization.
This is a gaming laptop that offers superior power, quality, and style for a reasonable price.
MSI Katana 15 – $1900
CPU: Intel Core i9-13900H
GPU: RTX 4070
RAM: 32GB
SSD: 1TB
Screen size: 15.6″
Display resolution: 2.5K
Refresh rate: 144 Hz
The MSI Katana 15 is another amazing option for the best gaming laptop under $2000 in 2023 with a strong and stylish design with black color and square lines.
The MSI Katana 15 has a powerful configuration with the Intel Core i9-13900H processor and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, which can run any game and task smoothly and fast.
It also has a 15.6-inch screen with Full HD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate, which offers sharp and smooth gaming visuals.
This is a gaming laptop that meets all your gaming needs with superior performance and quality for an affordable price.
Acer Nitro 16 – $2000
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9
GPU: RTX 4070
RAM: 16GB
SSD: 1TB
Screen size: 16″
Display resolution: 2.5K
Refresh rate: 165 Hz
The Acer Nitro 16 Phoenix is another impressive choice for the best gaming laptop under $2000 in 2023.
It has a rugged and modern design with a matte black color and hologram-colored Nitro logo with a robust frame that ensures a good cooling system for the laptop.
The Acer Nitro 16 Phoenix has a powerful performance with an AMD Ryzen 9 processor, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card.
It also has a 16-inch display with WQXGA resolution, an IPS panel, super-thin bezels, and a 165Hz refresh rate.
This is a gaming laptop that offers excellent performance, design, and quality for a reasonable price.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 – $1900
CPU: Intel Core i9 12900H
GPU: RTX 3070 Ti
RAM: 16GB
SSD: 1TB
Screen size: 15.6″
Display resolution: 2.5K
Refresh rate: 165 Hz
The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 is another awesome option for the best gaming laptop under $2000 in 2023.
The display refresh rate of the Strix SCAR is 165Hz refresh rate with a 2ms response time.
The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 15 has a powerful performance with the latest Intel Core i9 CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD. It can run any game and task smoothly and fast without any lag or issues.
It also has a sophisticated cooling system with liquid metal thermal paste and external vents, which keep the laptop cool and stable.
This is a gaming laptop that offers exceptional performance, design, and quality for a reasonable price.
MSI Creator M16 – $2000
CPU: Intel Core i7-13620H
GPU: RTX 4060
RAM: 32GB
SSD: 1TB
Screen size: 16″
Display resolution: 2.5K
Refresh rate: 165 Hz
The MSI Creator M16 is another amazing choice for the best gaming laptop under $2000 in 2023.
This one has a powerful performance with the latest Intel Core i7 13th generation processor, which can handle any professional multitasking task. I
t also has the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, which supports the NVIDIA Studio and offers twice the display performance and graphics memory of the previous generation. It can edit RAW HDR video up to 8K and work with massive 3D models with ease.
The MSI Creator M16 has a brilliant display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, FHD+ resolution, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, Delta-E <2 accuracy, and True Color technology.
Moreover, it has an optimized cooling technology with Cooler Boost Trinity+, which ensures optimal cooling and multitasking performance. This is a gaming laptop that offers exceptional performance, design, and quality for a reasonable price.
