The holiday season has just ended and there are a whole bunch of new graphics games on sale that you want to buy. Your bank is strapped for cash, and you’ll never find a new gaming laptop under $ 1,200 that can support the new titles you want to play.
Gaming laptops are famous for their high price point because they are designed to give you a smooth gaming experience. The real question is whether they should break the bank.
We know it is difficult to find a balance between quality and cost; that’s why we’ve listed the best gaming laptops under $ 1200 while reviewing their performance to make sure you’re getting the most out of your laptop.
Best Gaming Laptops Under 1200 Dollars
If you are looking to buy a new high-end gaming laptop, you better be prepared with at least $ 1200 USD in your pocket. I know for that price you can quickly build your high-end custom desktop PC, but not everyone wants to be at home while gaming.
Professional players have to travel frequently to coffee shops and different cities for tournaments and competitions. Anyway, if you are ready to buy a gaming laptop for under $ 1200, then we have plenty of high-end options for you.
These machines can handle top-tier games like GTA 5, Payday 2, Hotline Miami, Sleeping Dogs, etc. I know you can find some decent laptops for under $ 1000 too, but you won’t believe how much you are missing out on due to $ 200.
Returning to the topic, these devices are equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor, large GPU, high-speed memory, and a screen of at least 15 inches. If you’re on a budget, you can also check out our guides to the best gaming laptops under $ 500 and $ 800. In this article, you will see machines from well-known laptop brands such as ASUS ROG, Alienware, MSI, Dell, Lenovo, etc.
Also Read: Cheap Gaming Laptop Under 100 USD
Best Gaming Laptops Under 1200 USD | Comparison Table 2021
| Image | Title | Brand | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14" VR Ready 120Hz FHD Gaming Laptop,8Core AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS(Beat i7-10750H),16GB RAM,1TB PCIe SSD,Backlight,Wi-Fi 6,USB C,NVIDIA GeForce RTX2060 Max-Q,Win10 (Moonlight White) | ASUS | Check Price | |
| 2020 Dell G5 15 Gaming Laptop: 10th Gen Core i5-10300H, NVidia GTX 1650 Ti, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, 15.6" Full HD Display, Backlit Keyboard | Dell | Check Price | |
| Dell Gaming G3 15 3500, 15.6 inch FHD Non-Touch Laptop - Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6, Windows 10 Home - Black (Latest Model) | Dell | Check Price | |
| Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop 2020: Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, 15.6" FHD 1080p 120Hz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, CNC Aluminum, Chroma RGB Lighting, Black | Razer | Check Price | |
| ASUS TUF A15 Gaming and Entertainment Laptop (AMD Ryzen 7 4800H 8-Core, 16GB RAM, 512GB SATA SSD, GTX 1650 Ti, 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080), WiFi, Bluetooth, Webcam, RGB Backlit KB, Win 10 Home) w/Hub | ASUS | Check Price | |
| MSI GF65 Thin 10UE-047 15.6" 144Hz 3ms Gaming Laptop Intel Core i7-10750H RTX3060 16GB 512GB NVMe SSD Win10 | MSI | Check Price | |
| Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop, 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, 15.6" Full HD IPS Display, 8GB DDR4, 256GB NVMe SSD, Wi-Fi 6, Backlit Keyboard, Alexa Built-in, AN515-54-5812 | Acer | Check Price | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) IPS Screen, AMD Ryzen 7 4800H Processor, 16GB DDR4, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GTX 1660Ti, Windows 10, 82B1000AUS, Phantom Black | Lenovo | Check Price | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop, Intel i7-10750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, 15.6" Full HD 144Hz 3ms IPS Display, 16GB DDR4, 512GB NVMe SSD, WiFi 6, RGB Keyboard, PH315-53-71HN | Acer | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best Gaming Laptops Under $1200 | 2021 Products Overview
1. ASUS ROG Zephyrus Top Gaming Laptop Under 1200 Dollars
- 14in Full HD Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution with 120Hz refresh rate, Latest AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS(beat 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H), 8 Core processor up to 4.30GHz
- 1TB SSD, 16GB DDR4 RAM
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics Backed by 6GB GDDR6 dedicated video memory, Virtual Reality Ready
- Speakers with Smart AMP Technology and Dolby Atmos, Two 2.5W speakers produce incredible Dolby Atmos sound, Wireless/Wired connectivity (WiFi 6 - 802.11 ax)
- Chiclet keyboard with white backlight, Allows you to enjoy comfortable and accurate typing, even in dim lighting., Weighs 3.64 lbs. and measures 0.7 thin, Windows 10 Home
- 8 cores and 16 threads for ultimate performance.
- It is such a gaming machine that gamers have longed for quite a long time.
- The Zephyrus G14 sounds unrealistic Over 11 hours of battery life, great execution for gaming and VR
2. Dell G5 15 Laptop Under 1200
- 10th Generation Intel Core i5-10300H (8MB Cache, up to 4.5 GHz, 4 cores)
- 15.6 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) 120Hz WVA Anti- Glare LED Backlit Narrow Border Display (non-touch)
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB GDDR6
- 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive, 8GB DDR4-2933MHz 2x4G RAM
- Backlit Keyboard, Wifi AX, Bluetooth 5.1, Windows 10
- The G5 15 gaming laptop features a dual-fan cooling system
- Experience faster boot ups and more storage options with dual drives
- Core™ i7 processors, you can revel in powerful performance without interrupting your gaming, streaming or videos.
- games in 4K, DirectX 12 and gameplay streaming.
Also Read: Best Gaming Laptops Under 400 Dollars
4. Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop Under $1200
- More Power. The 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor provides the ultimate level of performance with up to 5.0GHz Max Turbo and 6 cores
- Supercharger: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics is a blazing-fast supercharger for today’s most popular games
- More Frames: Incredible performance paired with the fast 120Hz 15.6 Full HD thin bezel display helps edge out the win
- Thin and Compact: The CNC aluminum unibody frame houses incredible performance in the most compact footprint possible, while remaining remarkably durable and just 0.78 thin
- Ready To Connect: Fully loaded with ample connectivity including a webcam, wireless-AC, Bluetooth 5, 2X USB Type-A, 2X Type-C ports, and more
- 256GB SSD (M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4) + Open M.2 Slot (Supports PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA)
- Single-zone RGB powered by Razer Chroma
- 16GB Dual-Channel (8GB x 2) DDR4-2933MHz
5. ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin & Light Laptop
- 15.6-inch Full HD 4 way NanoEdge bezel display with stunning 88% screen-to-body ratio
- Powerful AMD Quad Core Ryzen 7 3700U Processor (2M Cache, up to 4.0Ghz)
- AMD Radeon Vega 10 graphic with Windows 10 Home
- 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Ergonomic chiclet backlit keyboard with fingerprint sensor activated via Windows Hello
- Frameless 4-sided Nano Edge display boasts an ultra-slim 5.7mm display
- Average cooling efficiency
- ultra-slim bezel, an HD camera is still located on the top bezel
- HD camera on top of laptop
6. MSI GF65 Thin Gaming Laptop
- 15.6 FHD, IPS-Level 144Hz 45%NTSC | 1920x1080 16:9
- Intel Core i7-10750H 2.6-5.0 GHz
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX3060 Max-Q 6GB GDDR6
- 16GB (8G*2) DDR4 3200MHz; 2 Sockets, Max Memory 64GB | 512GB NVMe SSD
- RTL8111HS-CG | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201(2*2 ax) | BT 5.1
- Higher single core frequency is better for gaming experience.
- worlds fastest laptops for gamers and creators.
- Dedicated thermal solutions for both the CPU and GPU with up to 6 heat pipes, work harmoniously by minimizing the heat and maximizing the airflow for smooth gaming performance in such compact chassis.
- Immerse yourself in lossless music and enjoy the premium sound quality with Hi-Resolution Audio.
7. Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop
- 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H Processor (Up to 4.1 GHz)
- 15.6 inches Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit display; NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM
- 8GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory; 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD (2 x PCIe M.2 slots - 1 slot open for easy upgrades) & 1 - Available hard drive bay
- LAN: 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port); Wireless: Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 AX200 802.11ax
- Backlit keyboard; Acer Cool Boost technology with twin fans and dual exhaust ports
- Two slots for M.2 PCIe / SATA SSDs1
- Now clocking up to 5.0GHz3 Turbo with up to 4 cores and 8 threads
- The 3ms overdrive response2 also makes kicking this laptop into high gear a tear-free, seamless experience with minimal ghosting.
- Monitor and manage your system in real time with NitroSense, covering temperatures, fan speeds and more.
- The WASD and arrow keys are also highlighted for easy visibility
8. Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop
- Welcome to the next generation of gaming performance with the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H mobile processor, 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 memory, and 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD storage
- Enjoy fast refresh and deep colors with a 144 Hz refresh rate and outstanding clarity on a 15.6 FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display
- The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti GPU is a blazing-fast supercharger for your favorite games and the newest titles
- Get maximum performance via Dual Burn Support, which pushes the CPU and GPU together for improved framerates, and Legion Coldfront 2.0 for thermal tuning
- The Legion TrueStrike keyboard with soft-landing switches delivers hair-trigger inputs
- Backlit - White - US English
- BATTERY 4 Cell Li-Polymer 60Wh
- Camera 720p HD
9. Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop Under 1200 USD
- 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core Processor (Up to 5.0GHz)
- Overclockable NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU with 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM, NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Dynamic Boost 2.0, NVIDIA GPU Boost
- 15.6 Full HD (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED-backlit IPS Display (144Hz Refresh Rate, 3ms Overdrive Response Time & 300nit Brightness)
- 16GB DDR4 2933MHz Dual-Channel Memory | 512GB NVMe SSD (2 x M.2 Slots | 1 Slot Open for Easy Upgrades) | 1 - Available Hard Drive Bay
- Killer Double Shot Pro: Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX 1650i and Killer Ethernet E2600 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN
- 4-Zone RGB Backlit Keyboard | DTS X: Ultra Audio | 4th Gen All-Metal AeroBlade 3D Fan
- Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Also Read: Best Gaming Laptops Under 900 Dollars
How to Choose Best Gaming Laptops Under 1200 Dollars | 2021 Unrivaled Guide
When embarking on the purchase of a gaming laptop PC, there are generally three points to watch out for.
After decades of unchallenged domination, Intel has finally lost the performance crown! It is now AMD that offers the best CPUs both in terms of power and price. And if the majority of models on the market still offer Intel-based configurations, the best machines are to be found in the reds.
As for the graphics circuit, it is still Nvidia which dominates, with its very convincing brand new RTX 3000s. Be careful though: the brand offers GPUs with very varied performance under the same name
RAM and storage
For these components, aim for a minimum of 512 GB of SSD and 16 GB of RAM. Less than that, and you will quickly be cramped, especially with games that are becoming more and more comfortable. Call Of Duty Black Ops Cold War thus takes the trifle of 125 GB on the hard drive. Fortunately, most of the machines selected here allow you to upgrade these two components quite easily and inexpensively.
Screen
Choosing a 4K screen at 60Hz, if you want to play… that’s not what you need. Especially if it has an entry-level graphics card. For now, favor a Full HD or QHD display with at least a 120Hz refresh rate. If you want a versatile machine, the 4K screen is very comfortable, but it takes a lot of resources to play.
Also Read: Best Gaming Laptops Under 600 Dollars
The connection then
If gaming laptops are “all-in-one” devices on which you can launch and play video games directly, the best is still to be able to connect an external screen or its own keyboard/mouse. And to do this, it is necessary to carefully monitor the connections. At a minimum, therefore check that an HDMI socket and USB type-A or type-C ports are present.
The brand
In general, favor gaming laptops from major brands when shopping. Acer, Asus, MSI, Razer, Aorus are brands that we strongly recommend to you. Unknown brands are often much cheaper … but also much less reliable and have a much less efficient after-sales service than the big players.
Also Read: Best Gaming Laptops Under 700 Dollars
Final Words...
Having a good laptop for your gaming sessions doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. Believe it or not, you can even get the best gaming laptop under $ 1200 and be able to run all the latest titles at maximum settings. It seems impossible, doesn’t it? Well, it is not. Try out the Acer Predator Helios 300 and see for yourself.
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