A mid-range rig barely scraping over $1,000
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I constantly have my eye on gaming laptop deals, which means I generally know the day to day price ranges for machines running each different graphics card configuration. That also means I get very excited when a rig drops below the expected budget. Not only has that happened with an RTX 4070 gaming laptop today, but the model in question is actually one of my favorite devices on the market as well.
Specs:Intel i7-13620H | Nvidia RTX 4070 | 16GB DDR5 RAM | 1TB SSD | 144Hz FHD displayBuy it if:
✅ You prioritize speed over resolution✅ You play with a gaming headset✅ You still want a good-looking laptop
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You need a slimline device
Price check:Walmart: $1,319.92|Amazon: $1,459.99
Should you buy the Asus TUF A15?
Asus’s TUF line has long been a go-to for those on the hunt for a cheaper gaming laptop without the bells and whistles for far more premium machines. I’ve tested several of these value-packed rigs, and even bought a few of them myself. The TUF A15 is one of the latest releases, usingNvidia’s newest graphics cards and previous-generation Intel processing power. I wouldn’t get too hung up about the age of that CPU, though, the 14th generation model is more of an iterative update that hasn’t shown much material improvement on performance in all my testing so far.
I would heartily recommend theAsus TUF A15to anyone looking to upgrade from an older RTX 3060 or RTX 3070 gaming laptop, and do so while sticking to a budget. While the 16:9 display did feel a little outdated in my testing, and the keyboard doesn’t stand up for more luxurious implementations, 1080p performance remains robust even in more demanding games like Returnal. I tested an RTX 4060 model with a Ryzen 7 processor and was confidently hitting over 100fps in High settings, with 96fps in Epic settings, on this particular title - an incredibly impressive result, and one that will only be improved with that boosted RTX 4070.
This is for one looking to get the most bang for their buck from a performance standpoint. You’re not getting the bright screen of thebest Razer laptopsor the slimmest form factor of thebest Asus gaming laptops, but if your machine’s staying on your desk (or being hooked up to a 1080pgaming monitor) it’s the best value for money on the market right now.
We’re also rounding up all thebest Alienware laptopson the market or, if you’re looking for something a little more portable, check out thebest gaming handheldsavailable now. Of course, you’ll also find our full guide to thebest gaming PCsas well.
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Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I’ve written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i’m focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector.
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