Best Gaming Laptops Under 1200

Best Gaming Laptop Under 1200
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If you’re shopping for the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD, we’ve got you. After scouring the market, we came up with a list of 7 laptops. Out of all, Acer Predator Helios stands out as the best gaming laptop under 1200 USD.

Notwithstanding, we’re comparing the important features of all 7 gaming laptops for you.

So that in as little as the time it’ll take you to read through, you’d come out better informed.

And of course, ready to purchase the best gaming laptop under 1200 USD to suit your gaming needs.

Best Gaming Laptops Under 1200 USD

Comparison table of the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD

S/NProductImageSpecifications
1Acer Predator Helios LaptopProcessor: Intel Core i7
Display size: 15.6"
RAM: 16GB
Hard Disk: 512GB
Operating System: Windows 10
Weight: 5.07lbs
Battery life: Up to 6hrs
2Asus ROG FHD LaptopProcessor: Intel Hexa-Core i7
Display size: 15.6"
RAM: 16GB
Hard Disk: 1TB
Operating System: Windows 10
Weight: 5.32lbs
Battery life: Up to 4hrs
3Dell G5 15 Gaming LaptopProcessor: Intel Core i7
Display size: 15.6"
RAM: 16GB
Hard Disk: 256GB
Operating System: Windows 10
Weight: 3.79lbs
Battery life: Up to 4hrs
4Dell G3 Gaming LaptopProcessor: Intel Core i7
Display size: 15.6"
RAM: 16GB
Hard Disk: 512GB
Operating System: Windows 10
Weight: 7.68lbs
Battery life: Up to 3hrs
5Acer Nitro 5 Gaming LaptopProcessor: Intel Core i5
Display size: 15.6"
RAM: 8GB
Hard Disk: 256GB
Operating System: Windows 10
Weight: 5.07lbs
Battery life: Up to 8hrs
6Asus TUF Gaming A15 LaptopProcessor: AMD Ryzen 5
Display size: 15.6"
RAM: 8GB
Hard Disk: 512GB
Operating System: Windows 10
Weight: 5.07lbs
Battery life: Up to 4hrs
7HP Pavilion Gaming LaptopProcessor: Intel Core i5
Display size: 15.6"
RAM: 8GB
Hard Disk: 256GB
Operating System: Windows 10
Weight: 4.9lbs
Battery life: Up to 10hrs

Compare The Top 7 On One Page

1. Acer Predator Helios 300 Laptop 

best gaming laptop under 1200If you’re keen on fast-paced games with fantastic graphics (we know you are), the Acer Predator Helios 300 is highly recommended for you.

It stands out as the best gaming laptop under 1200 USD.

Design

The plastic body is intentionally designed to be attractive.

This is so that it doesn’t feel or look cheap.

There are shades of blue woven into the lid to complete the exciting look.

However, the panel flexes easily.

Screen

It features a brilliant 15.6″ 1920 x 1080 IPS display that has a refresh rate of 144Hz/3ms.

In addition, the viewing angles are brilliant and the colours crisp, vivid and bright.

Hence, you don’t miss out on any detail while enjoying your favourite games.

These factors tie in beautifully to provide you with a completely immersive visual experience.

Keyboard

The keyboard is very comfortable for typing and gaming.

Also, the touchpad is accurate, smooth and responsive

Furthermore, the innovative 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard gives it an edge over competitors.

Additionally, there’s a Predator button on the keyboard which opens an application that allows you to monitor the CPU/GPU’s temperature.

Hardware / Software / Connectivity

Helios 300 is powered by the very powerful 10th generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6 core processor, clockable to 2.6GHz.

Also, it comes with 16GB DDR4 Dual-Channel memory and a 512GB PCIe SSD with slots for upgrades available.

Furthermore, it has an overclockable NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB dedicated GDDR6 VRAM.

RTX 2060, being the newest architecture has the capability of ray-tracing.

In addition, the new 4th Gen AeroBlade 3D Fan Technology keeps the heat down perfectly.

Additionally, there are Wireless ports, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, HD Webcam, 1x USB Type-C port, USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, HDMI 2.0 port, display port and also a free protective sleeve included.

A noticeable design flaw is the downwards-facing speakers which make the sound quality less than desirable.

Battery

Helios 300’s battery life is designed to last up to 6 hrs which is great for a heavy-duty gaming laptop.

However, this might drop under heavy gaming so be sure to keep your charger close.

Weight

It weighs 5.07 lbs.

PROS

  • Good screen resolution
  • Powerful processor
  • Great graphics
  • Fantastic cooling system

CONS

  • Fans become noisy as laptop warms up.

Helios Predator 300 Laptop is a great price-performance machine and is easily one of the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD.

To buy on Amazon, click the image above. 

2. Asus ROG FHD Gaming Laptop

best gaming laptops under 1200
ASUS ROG 15.6″ FHD Gaming laptop is also one of the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD.

It’s a very good choice if you need a sturdy, powerful and affordable gaming machine that doubles as a work laptop.

Design

Although Asus ROG is solidly plastic in build, it certainly doesn’t look or feel cheap.

It has a sturdy design which helps to protect it from damages.

Screen

It boasts of an absolutely impressive visual experience with its beautiful 15.6″ 1080p FHD display.

Also, it comes with energy-efficient LED backlight for full effect.

Keyboard

The backlit keyboard is solid, responsive and smooth, with good travel.

Also, the trackpad and buttons are smooth and responsive.

Hardware / Software / Connectivity

Asus ROG runs on 9th Gen Intel Hexa-Core i7-9750H mobile processor, with Max Turbo frequency up to 4.5GHz.

Add this to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU and you’ve got a speed monster running on brilliant graphics.

Furthermore, it comes with 16GB DDR4 SDRAM memory for high-level multitasking.

In addition, it features a 1TB HDD + 512GB SSD.

Although this means there’s less storage than HDD, nevertheless, you have the advantage of faster bootup, reduced noise, reduced heat generation and lower demands on the battery.

It has a great thermal management system and also comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Home OS.

To connect to external peripherals, you have ports like headphone combo jack, 3 x USB 3.0, 1 x HDMI, etc.

However, there’s no Webcam and optical drive included.

Battery

The battery life is up to 4 hours.

Weight

Asus ROG weighs 5.32 lbs.

PROS

  • Strong
  • Powerful CPU / GPU
  • Responsive keyboard and trackpad
  • Great visuals

CONS

  • No optical drive & webcam

To buy on Amazon, tap the image above.

3. Dell G5 Gaming Laptop

best gaming laptops under 1300 USDDell G5 15inch laptop is another very good option if you need a very durable and classy gaming laptop.

It’s definitely one of the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD.

Design

Dell G5 comes in an elegantly sleek and stylish metallic design.

It has a polished metal finish on the palm rest and captivating blue accents for a classy look.

Screen

The large 15.6″ 1920 x 1080 FHD LCD display with wide viewing angles is just right for an immersive gaming experience.

Also, it has a 144Hz refresh rate that adds to the exciting gaming experience.

Although it’s non-touch, it comes with antiglare and LED backlight.

Keyboard

Furthermore, Dell G5 features a beautiful RGB keyboard that you can customise to suit your taste.

There are different exciting lighting options to choose from for a fully personalised experience.

In addition, the keys have just the right depth and bounce for a great typing experience.

Overall, it feels great for everyday typing.

Hardware / Software / Connectivity

Dell G5 is engineered with 9th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GTX GPU and 16GB memory for a powerful gaming experience.

The GPU card features powerful multiprocessor capable of handling complex modern games.

Also, it has multiple storages which include dual drives with 256GB M.2 SSD and 1TB 5400 rpm SATA HDD.

Hence the system loads faster and the laptop runs quieter.

This also ensures a power-driven multitasking and adequate storage.

Also, there’s the innovative dual-fan cooling system with an advanced thermal design.

This ensures the laptop remains cool and doesn’t unnecessarily heat up under intense use.

Furthermore, it runs on Windows 10 OS.

Battery

The battery life is not very impressive. It lasts up to 4 hrs so you’d have to move around with your charger.

Weight

It’s relatively lightweight at weighs 3.79 lbs.

PROS

  • Slim and sleek design
  • Powerful CPU & GPU
  • Great graphics
  • Fantastic heat management
  • Good screen resolution

CONS

  • Fans could get noisy as activities become intense.

Dell G5 is a slim, above-average gaming machine with capabilities to handle intense activities without slowing down.

To purchase on Amazon, click on the image link above.

4. Dell G3 Gaming Laptop

best gaming laptop under 1200The second Dell gaming laptop on this list is the newer G3 model.

Worthy of being considered as one of the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD, you’d want to hold this one tight as a gaming option.

Design

Just like the G5 model, D3 comes sleek and beautiful.

It has stylish blue accents incorporated on the logo on its lid as well as the other touchpoints.

Screen

It has a matte-textured 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 300 nits IPS Anti-Glare LED-Backlit display.

You can adjust the brightness from the keyboard.

Keyboard

Similar to G5, G3 features an optional 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard.

The backlight can be turned off and on as you want.

The trackpad is smooth and responsive to taps and clicks.

Hardware / Software / Connectivity

G3 runs on Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen processor as well as NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti 4GB GDDR6 GPU.

Also, it comes with 16 GB memory and 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD and also equipped with a dual-fan cooling system.

Hence, heat is evenly spread and the system remains responsive always.

The cooling feature also maximises the speed of the fans in order to keep the system cool while the processor works.

Interestingly, the fans are reportedly quiet in operation.

There’s the Game Shift function feature which you can control from the keyboard.

This function increases the fan speed so the processor can further be kept cool.

It’s also credited with helping to prioritise Game data over every other background app.

In addition, G3 comes complete with all the ports you require but has no CD/DVD drive.

The webcam has a privacy indicator to show you the status.

Lastly, it comes pre-installed with Windows OS.

Battery

After a full charge, the laptop would take you up to 3hours of surfing and gaming.

With intense multitasking, this might even drop lower so you’d have to keep your power source close.

Weight

At 7.68 lbs, it’s bulky.

PROS

  • Sleek and sturdy design
  • High-quality display
  • Good heat management
  • Efficient processor and GPU
  • Great keyboard & trackpad.

CONS

  • Poor battery life
  • Relatively heavy

Though it might be slightly underwhelming for hard-core gamers, superior speed and capabilities make it perfect for normal gaming activities and work.

Click the image above to buy on Amazon.

5. Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop

best gaming laptops under 1200Yet another winner and the second Acer on this list is the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop.

With a great combination of low price-point, powerful specs and advanced features, we can’t begrudge its position as one of the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD.

Design

It’s solid, sleek and very decent in build.

Although the body is mostly plastic and leaves a lot to be desired aesthetic-wise, it’s neither fragile nor flimsy.

In actual fact, it has some good design features that speak for it.

For instance, the red trimmings on the keyboard, trackpad and backlight gives it a fun, attractive and eye-catching look.

Screen

Like the other listed laptops, Acer Nitro 5 comes with a beautiful 15-inch 1920 x 1080p IPS FHD display.

The images are clear and sharp and to add to this, it has good viewing angles and 144Hz refresh rate.

You hardly miss a thing.

Keyboard

The keys feel tactile and have a good travel distance of 1.6mm.

They come in vibrant red accents and are decently smooth.

We can’t say the same about the trackpad considering the complaints of stiffness and having to press harder to get things moving.

Also, it comes with an exciting backlight.

Imagine playing in a dimly-lit environment with the red-backlit keyboard!

Exciting, right?

Hardware / Software / Connectivity

Acer Nitro leverages on the speed and brute power of the 9th Gen Core i5-9300H processor (up to 4.1GHz).

In addition, the high-performance NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU which is driven by NVIDIA Turing architecture completes the intense gaming experience.

It also comes fitted with 8GB DDR4 and 256GB SSD with 1 slot open for easy upgrades and 1 available bay for the hard drive.

The Acer CoolBoost technology with 2 fans and dual exhaust ports ensure a very efficient heat management system which is user-controllable.

Also, you can check the performance of the fan with the NitroSense application.

You also get to enjoy deeper and richer audio with the integrated Waves MaxxAudio and Acer TrueHarmony.

Furthermore, you are able to get more done with Alexa built-in for you to assist you.

It also comes with a 720p HD Webcam that supports SHDR, 1 x USB 3.1 Type C Gen 1 port, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen ports, 1xUSB 2.0 port, 1 x HDMI, audio jack, etc.

Battery

The battery life is up to 8 hours of varied usage which is absolutely fantastic.

Weight

It weighs 5.07 lbs.

This isn’t bad for a gaming laptop.

PROS

  • Very affordable
  • Efficient processor
  • Great keyboard
  • Decent screen

CONS

  • Stiff trackpad

Acer Nitro 5 is known for delivering more value for less and is perfect for reasonable gaming needs.

Hence, it’s one of the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD.

Click the image above to buy on Amazon.

6. Asus TUF Gaming A15 Laptop

best gaming laptop under 1200Here is another fantastic Asus gaming laptop, the Asus TUF A15.

Design

One thing that would strike anyone at first glance is the sturdy military-grade standard construction of the laptop.

Particularly, the MIL-STD-810H build standard ensures that the device is able to survive short-falls with no damage.

In effect, you’re assured of the durability of the laptop as you move it around on your daily travels.

Notwithstanding the ruggedness, it still maintains a sleek and stylish outlook.

Screen

The 15.6″ FHD IPS display is both sharp and clear.

The wide viewing angle provides greatly consistent images, regardless of the angle you’re viewing the screen from.

Keyboard

The RGB backlit keyboard is beautiful, responsive and smooth.

It’s rated for 20 million keystroke durability.

Hardware / Software / Connectivity

To begin with, the laptop runs on AMD Ryzen 5 4600HH processor and GeForce GTX 1650 GPU.

With this, the speed and performance are top-notch.

Secondly, it has 8GB memory, 512GB PCIe SSD and comes pre-installed with Windows 10 OS.

It also comes with dual fans in addition to an efficient self-cleaning anti-dust technology.

Hence, you are assured of the longevity of the laptop.

It has lots of input/output ports available to enable you to connect your favourite devices. Ports such as Ethernet, HDMI, 2 x USB Type-A and USB Type-C, etc.

Also, the DTS Ultra technology gives you theatre-quality audio with stereo headsets.

Battery

The battery life is up to 4 hrs.

Weight

It weighs 5.07lbs.

PROS

  • Durable with military-grade build
  • Powerful CPU and GPU
  • Attractive design
  • Good resolution
  • Responsive keyboard with backlight

CONS

  • Loud fan

To buy on Amazon, tap the image above.

7. HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop

best gaming laptop under 1200Last but definitely not the least on this list is the HP Pavilion 17″ gaming laptop.

We consider it one of the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD.

Design

For a gaming laptop, it’s ultra-cool and sleek in design.

Also, the aluminium body is matte and has a smooth finish.

In addition, we think the green futuristic matrix-like backlight is pretty cool.

The logo is also embossed on the lid in a bright green colour.

You’d love it.

Screen

Expectedly, the 15″ diagonal FHD IPS Anti-Glare micro-edge WLED-backlit 1920 x 1080 IPS display is totally enjoyable for gaming.

This is because of the vivid, clear and crisp imagery.

We might add that the refresh rate is 60Hz which isn’t as great as the other laptops with 144Hz.

Keyboard

It comes with smooth keys and the touchpad is responsive.

Besides the clicky sound it makes while typing, you’ll enjoy your typing experience on this beauty.

Hardware / Software / Connectivity

It runs on the 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300h which also comes with Turbo Boost and high-grade NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050.

You can take on the latest games with the amazing speed and power efficiency.

Also, it comes with an upgradeable 8GB memory and 256GB SSD for fast booting and file-transfers.

Worthy of note is the enhanced thermal design and IR sensor. They keep your laptop cool while maintaining the output quality and stability.

It has front-firing speakers with Audio by B&O which delivers a very powerful and rich audio experience.

For you to easily connect to all your well-loved external devices, you have different ports like the USB Type C, 3xUSB Type A, audio jack, Media reader, HDMI, etc

Battery

The battery life is up to 10 hours of mixed usage.

Now, this is absolutely fantastic.

Weight

It weighs 4.9lbs

PROS

  • Efficient processor
  • Sleek and sturdy design
  • Great graphics
  • Great battery life

CONS

  • Low refresh rate

Buy on Amazon by tapping the image above.

Conclusion on The Best Gaming Laptops Under 1200 USD

When shopping for gaming laptops, you’re definitely spoilt for choice.

However, with a limited budget, you’d want to get the best within your limits; the best gaming laptops under 1200 USD are featured here.

Simply click on any of the images to purchase on Amazon.