How to Get More for Your Gaming Laptop Budget

A gaming laptop can be a powerful asset, regardless of whether you’re primarily interested in video gaming itself or simply using this technology to increase productivity. Gaming laptops have all the bells and whistles associated with advanced modern computing – and they can do almost everything faster and better than comparable, traditional laptops.

As you might imagine, gaming laptops are more expensive than traditional laptops. Those advanced components don’t come cheap, so if you want one of the better models on the market, you’ll need to pay for it.

If you’re like most people, you don’t have an unlimited budget to spend on fancy new tech toys. So how do you make the most of the laptop budget you have?

Choosing the Right Gaming Laptop

When shopping for a gaming laptop, it’s not a good idea to simply shop for the best gaming laptop commercially available (unless that’s your prerogative). Instead, you should look for the right gaming laptop for your needs.

Most gaming laptop features are going to be associated with tradeoffs. For example, a more advanced CPU and GPU can increase your total processing power, but they’ll also increase the total cost of your purchase. A bigger screen might give you a more enjoyable gaming experience, but it will also increase the size and weight of the machine.

You may not need the biggest screen available. You may not need the latest graphics card technology. Adopt the mindset that you’re looking for a good fit for your unique situation.

How to Get More for Your Gaming Laptop Budget

How do you squeeze more value out of your gaming laptop budget?

• Decide what’s most important to you. Your first priority is to decide what’s most important to you, specifically. Yes, it would be exciting to have a computer with the most powerful GPU on the market. Yes, it would be cool to have a novel feature like eye tracking. But do you really need those things? Are they worth the extra money? Would your gaming experience or productivity be significantly impaired by not having them?
• Consider the future. Eventually, computer components all become obsolete. The most powerful CPU from 10 years ago pales in comparison to even the lowest-shelf CPUs available today. If you want more bang for your buck, consider the future in addition to the present. How long will this laptop serve you? Is it at risk of becoming obsolete in the near future? Are you planning to invest in a bigger, more powerful computer to replace this laptop in the near future? Depending on your answers, it may be wiser to seek a more or less advanced machine.
• Know the most important specs. You don’t need to be a computing expert to buy the right gaming laptop, but you should have at least a passing familiarity with the most critical specs associated with these machines. These include the CPU, GPU, RAM, and hard drive.
• Shop around. There are many laptop manufacturers and practically unlimited options for gaming laptops. If you shop around, you’ll develop the knowledge you need to make an effective decision – and you’ll be much more likely to find the best deal. Compare apples to apples whenever possible to properly discern the best laptops for the money.
• Wait for a good deal. If you buy a gaming laptop during a sale, you’ll likely get a much lower price than usual – even with all the same specs. A laptop that typically sells for $800 may be $600 or even $500 during a holiday sale – and if you stack incentives, you may be able to score an even lower price.
• Consider waiting even longer. Thanks to technological innovation and economic dynamics, laptop components tend to get cheaper and more widely available over time. In a few years, today’s most advanced specs will be mid-tier, and a few years later, they’ll be vastly outclassed. In some cases, it pays to delay your decision, though if you have an imminent need, this strategy may not be available to you.
• Invest in the right peripherals. You can make your gaming laptop more effective and enjoyable if you invest in the right peripherals. A second monitor, an ergonomic gaming keyboard, and a precision mouse can instantly elevate your gaming experience.
• Practice some setup. Once you buy your gaming laptop, practice some setup. Tinker with the settings to optimize your device for your desired purposes.

You may have a huge budget or a very tight, restrictive budget; either way, the right strategies can help you get more subjective value out of every dollar you spend. Do your due diligence, exercise patience, and employ these tactics to get the best possible gaming laptop within your fiscal bounds.