Best Gaming Laptops under $400

Things you need to know about gaming laptops under $400:

Gaming laptops require powerful graphics and processors. Such requirements are generally met after paying a higher price. So finding good gaming laptops under $400 becomes a task. Playing a game on a laptop under $400 might not satisfy you as much as it would have if played on a slightly higher-priced laptop. But, you definitely can play games on a laptop under $400 too.

A few trusted brands can provide gamers with an opportunity like this. However, you will not find the graphics to be too good. Moreover, not all the new games can be played on such laptops. Anyway, people who are only looking to play slightly older games or who are ready to compromise with the graphics will not be disappointed. There are a few laptops under $400 with good value for money along with the necessities to play a decent game. However, you need to consider the following important points while buying a laptop under $400:

Processor – A major portion of a laptop’s performance depends on its processor. A high-end processor can help a gamer with games as well as other tasks.

RAM – The RAM also has an important part to play. High RAM can let the laptop handle multitasking easily. As far as gaming is concerned, a laptop with at least 8 GB of RAM is recommended.

Display – A gaming laptop requires a good display. You can go for larger displays like 17 inches. For gaming, 15 – 17 inches of the display is recommended.

Graphics – The graphics card is another most important factor in deciding a laptop’s performance. It can provide you with sharp and clear visuals during a game. Under $400  a high-end GPU cannot be expected, but choices like Intel UHD Graphics 620 and AMD Radeon R7 cab be satisfactory. For better graphics, laptops under $500 can be examined without highly tempering the budget.

Other Features – For other features, the battery life must be considered. Connectivity ports, touchscreen, etc. can be considered too. These features help in adding qualities to a gaming experience.

Here are a few gaming laptops under $400:

1. Lenovo Ideapad 330s

Lenovo Ideapad 330s is neatly designed and portable. Its chassis is made of aluminum, enhancing its look, altogether.  On opening the laptop you will find its 15.6 inches screen supported by slim bezels. It has a resolution of 1366 x 768. Its hinge is strong enough to let it swivel through 180 degrees. The keys for its keyboard are soft but the arrow keys are cramped into a small rectangle.  The trackpad is made up of plastic but can be relied upon.  The laptop does not lag even when it multitasks. Lenovo Ideapad 330s comes with a powerful 8th gen Intel Core i3 processor with frequency clocked up to 3.4 GHz allowing its users to play a few of the popular games at good resolution.

Lenovo Ideapad 330s has powerful Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics that steps up the gaming experience of gamers. Its 8 GB of RAM only adds to the list making this the best purchase for a laptop under $400.  This device just weighs  4.85 pounds, becoming a preference for travelers. Talking about its cons, it does not have good viewing angles. The brightness becomes unusually low if you view the screen from the sides. Moreover, its peak brightness is below average, that is, just 200 nits. The color accuracy was however fair.

2. Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576-392H Notebook

This laptop can be the perfect one for laptops under $400 if we overlook a thing or two. Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576-392H Notebook weighs about 5 pounds but looks attractive because of its design. It cannot fit into the category of ultraportable laptops but its features definitely compensate for that part. Typing or using its keyboard can be enjoyable. The key placement is comfortable with the trackpad right beneath the space bar in the middle of the laptop.  The trackpad is both smooth and responsive and is basically better than the expectations of people for the price that it is quoted. Coming to its speakers, the delivery of sound is powerful but lacks bass. Anyway, being reminded of the budget, the speakers seem satisfactory. Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576-392H Notebook’s 720p webcam does not disappoint. The display is not sufficiently bright with its peak brightness at 230 nits. It also does not provide good viewing angles, lacking an IPS panel.

On the left side of this laptop, there is a USB 3.1 Type C port (up to 5Gbps), an ethernet jack, a VGA port, a full HDMI port, and a pair of USB 3.0 Type-A ports, and a Kensington laptop lock. While on the right-hand side, there is a charging port, a DVD tray, a USB 2.0 Type-A port, and a combo audio jack. The battery life for this device is approximately 8 hours which could have been more. Joining all the bits together, the laptop does not let you down and is a decent machine for mediocre gaming.

3. Asus vivobook max

It comes with a decent design with its lid having a pattern that does not attract fingerprints. The quality could have been better as it is mostly having a plastic finish.  It has a spacious palm rest area and the keys have been placed with good spacing between each one.  All the major ports are housed on the left-hand side. There is one USB Type-C port, two standard USB ports (1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0), 10/100 Ethernet, VGA, HDMI, and a headphone/ microphone socket. The DVD writer is housed on the right side. The SD card reader has been placed just below the power and battery status LEDs, on the front of the laptop. It comes with a non-removable battery as the bottom is sealed, enclosing the battery. 

Vents are also provided on the left to let the hot air out. The Asus VivoBook Max X541UA comes with a 15.6-inch full-HD resolution screen. The contrast is just fine and the viewing angles are below average. It produces dull colors and has an anti-glare panel. There is banding visible on the display even while playing 4K videos which is a letdown. The text and small icons on the screen do not appear to be jagged at all which is quite impressive at such a price. The laptop also does not heat up easily and can be used for several hours even on your lap. However, the battery life is not supportive of long gaming/work sessions. It is only about 5 hours.

4. HP 17.3″ HD Premium Laptop

It comes with great hardware specifications and deserves to be one of the best gaming laptops under $400. It can prove to be a good choice for people looking for a 17 Inch screen under $400. It sports a premium design with an attractive finish. This variant of HP comes with a 17.3 inches LED-backlit display along with 1600 x 900 resolution for sharp images and clear images. The colors are impressive and vibrant enough. The preinstalled Windows 10 Home ensures smooth control over everything. The powerful AMD Dual-Core A9 processor clocked at 3 GHz frequency offers a satisfactory performance. There is 4 GB of RAM with a 1 TB hard drive to store your data. It has Integrated AMD Radeon R5 Graphics to make gaming engrossing. Multitasking becomes no hurdle in the performance of this machine. Almost all popular games can be played at good resolution. Its full-size keyboard is comfortable and does not fail to impress. The battery life is below average, though. It weighs 4.67 lbs and can be put in the category of lightweight laptops that consist of 17-inch displays.

A wise decision before buying a laptop under $400 can bring you a good gaming session without having to spend a lot of bucks from your pocket. The market is flooding with new laptops every other month but as of today, the above-mentioned cab is relied upon.

Also Read: Best Gaming Laptops Under $500