8 Best Cheap Gaming Laptops Under $200

Having a limited budged doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a laptop that fits you just right. Equally, for that price, it isn’t rare to find laptops that really lack on quality, are not durable, or have bad user experience. To make choosing easier for you, we’ve prepared a little selection of laptops that are really at the top of their game in this price range. Read on to find out the best options today for laptops under $200.

Let us preface this with a word of warning though: you’ll have to keep your expectations in check. By definition, a budget laptop won’t necessarily let you do everything that a very expensive one would. When your budget is $200, you have all the more reason to be careful about what you’re looking for.

Budget laptops won’t let you play the newest games, or use heavy software such as video-editing because it is simply not what they were meant for. The laptops on this list run on lightweight operating systems like Windows 10 S. Moreover, they use less powerful CPUs, together with little RAM and storage. All this means that these laptops are not meant for demanding tasks that use up a lot of power. So think carefully about what you need them to do. If you only use your laptop to surf the web, edit documents, write emails, work on small Excel sheets or play indie PS3 or Xbox 360 Era games, these laptops will work great for you. As an added bonus, they often come in a more compact form and are lighter, making it easier to carry them around.

Best Laptop: Lenovo Ideapad 15.6″

The Lenovo Ideapad is a 15.6 inch laptop with awesome technical features. It uses a 128GB SSD, dual-core AMD A9 processor, 4GB of RAM and integrated AMD Radeon R5.

In terms of design, it’s a pretty simple but elegant laptop in a monochrome dark grey. It is thin, relatively light (4.63lbs) and has a sleek, matte finish. It’s ideal for those looking for a more understated laptop that really does the job.

Overall, Lenovo’s Ideapad is the best laptop in its budget category. It runs smooth and fast, and has quite a bit more power than others on the list. With its 128GB SSD, it is much faster and quieter than most in this price range. Not only is its SDD great in terms of starting time, it also helps this laptop to reduce power draw on the battery and overheating. It’s a great laptop that is powerful, and can run Windows 10 and quite a few older games like Skyrim. On the downside, it can also be a bit more expensive, being at the very top of the $200 price range. If you are willing to pay a bit more for a truly great laptop however, this is the one for you.

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Best Value: Lenovo Ideapad 11.6″

Our best value laptop on this list is another one by Lenovo. This one is quite a bit smaller than its bigger brother, but also impresses with its technical features. The Lenovo Ideapad 11.6″ has an impressive 64GB of flash memory for its price, and an Intel Celeron processor N4000 with 4GB of RAM that make it able to handle more heavy-duty tasks. The screen is of great quality, with integrated Intel UHD graphics 600 that make it a great option for gaming.

In terms of its design, this one is also a crowd favorite. Its small screen means that it is also a lot lighter (only 2.54lbs!) and thinner (0.7″). Its black and metal design make it quite similar to a Macbook at first sight, and it certainly is light enough to compete with one!

Although this laptop has a considerably smaller screen than others on the list, it’s our best pick for the best value for money gaming laptop. The processor makes it fast while the screen takes care of great graphics, making it a real pleasure to use for less heavy gaming material. It provides an immersive gaming experience and allows you to complete assignments rapidly. If you’re willing to compromise with little memory and a small screen, then this is the best value affordable option.

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Most Affordable: RCA Cambio 10.1

This tablet/laptop hybrid looks more like a tablet with its small size (10.1″) but has a detachable keyboard, making it usable for much the same functions as a laptop. It is powered by an Intel Atom Z8350 1.44 GHz quad core processor and 2GB of RAM.

Go for this unique and affordable option if you’re not afraid of your laptop looking a little bit like a tablet! This one has the added advantage of being lightweight (2.1lbs) and coming in a few different color options. Get it in Black, Silver, Blue, Charcoal, Pink or Purple. With its rounded edges, it is an easy product to handle, and definitely a favorite for its price point.

If you’re looking to save big bucks on your next laptop purchase, why not go with this tablet/laptop hybrid? For the price, you won’t find any with a better technical record, screen and interface. And who knows, you might just fall in love with the practicality of using your new tablet as a laptop! This hybrid comes with Windows 10 and a clean and intuitive user interface. Its Intel HD integrated graphics let you play some great indie and classic titles like Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion or Don’t Starve.

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Big HDD: ASUS X541

ASUS have decided to bet everything on HDD with this option. This is an amazing laptop with 500GB HDD (unheard of for that price). It uses AMD A6-9225 processor and 4GB of RAM to provide you with an even better gaming experience.

The ASUS X541 is both solid and lightweight (under 4lbs), a great option for carrying around with you everywhere. It also has a very attractive design with its brushed metal finish and subtle keyboard speakers. For this price, this laptop also delivers on design;

If HDD is an important consideration for you, then this is really the best laptop which you can get for that price. Although some of its other technical features could be improved on, its ease of use and sleek design make it a great compromise. This is an amazing laptop with 500GB HDD (unheard of for that price) that lets you play many classic games including RE5, Borderlands 2 or Life Is Strange. Some might find its boot time and hard drive a little slow, but this is the price you have to pay for that level of HDD.

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Best Battery Life: HP Stream 11

This tiny laptop (11″!) actually hides an incredible battery life. the HP Stream 11 is powered by a 1.6-GHz Intel Celeron N4000 processor, with Intel UHD Graphics 600 and 4GB of RAM. The speakers on this laptop are way above average too. And, as an additional bonus, the laptop comes with a free 1 year membership to Microsoft Office—perfect for students and professional alike!

It’s a petite laptop with rounded edges which is simple yet sleek. It comes in a deep black color, with a rigged pattern on the back of the lid.

If all-day battery is really what you’re after, look no more! At just under $200, the HP Stream 11 has the best which you can get for such a small price, and might even impress you with its other features. If you’re ready to downsize, then this is actually a great gaming laptop, lightweight and high-performing. Its performance is very decent and lets you play many classic games. For small tasks and lightweight games, it is efficient and fast.

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Beautiful Design: HP Stream 14

This is a beautiful laptop with a pretty great performance record. It runs with 1.1GHz Intel Celeron N4000 CPU and has 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.

Where the HP Stream 14 really shines is in its design, which is as unique as it is fun. With its bright blue color, it’s not for everyone. However, it is sure to be a favorite with anti-conformists, and color lovers. The ridges on the lid add some texture and grip, while the keyboard is in a beautiful, white accent color.

If aesthetics matter to you as a gamer, then this is probably the most beautifully-designed laptop which you can find in that price range. And this one is not just a pretty face either. Use it to run everyday tasks smoothly and efficiently, and even to play some of your favorite classic games! It has a long battery life, works well and fast on basic tasks and could even run such classic AAA games as Skyrim or Mafia 2.

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Other Gaming Laptops Worth Mentioning

Asus L402WA-EH21

This is a great all-rounder option for a cheap gaming laptop that does its job well. The Asus L402WA-EH21 features an array of different ports and a comfortable keyboard, making it a joy to use day to day. In terms of performance, it combines 4GB DDR3 RAM, integrated Radeon R2 graphics powered by AMD E2-6110 1.5GHz Processor that let you run a ton of crowd favorite classic games.

With a decent screen and nice design, this is also one of the prettiest laptops which you can find for that price. It is highly portable, light, and reliable. Its monochrome, black color make it a discrete, yet very elegant choice, with a lid material that feels more expensive than that of many on the list.

If you want a great laptop under $200 that does well on every count, this is a solid option for you. We love the Asus L402WA-EH21 for its reliability, ease of use and design. And we have no doubt that it can become a favorite for you too! For its price, it has a lot of great features and is a great option to consider for those looking for an affordable laptop that is portable, good looking and reliable.

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ASUS VivoBook E12 E203 MA

The ASUS VivoBook E12 has 4GB of RAM, 11.6″ screen and uses Inter Celeron processor N4000. It’s a smaller laptop that is best suited for lightweight tasks, but scores very high on affordability.

The ASUS VivoBook E12 E203 MA is lightweight and well-built. With a charcoal base and black lid, it is a bit different from other monochrome laptops on the list. And, just 2.18lbs, its weight might also influence your choice.

Overall, this is a very affordable laptop that will satisfy those with lesser gaming needs. Take some time to ask yourself what you want out of a computer. If your budget comes first, and you can deal with lesser power and battery life, then this ASUS VivoBook is for you. This may not be the best performing laptop on the list, but it does well considering its very low price. If you’re after a very affordable, low-performance laptop to run classic AAA games, then this one is a good option. Please note that it doesn’t have the nicest screens, or a great battery life. However, when it comes to running very simple games, it does so well and efficiently.

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Final Notes

Choosing a great laptop under $200 shouldn’t be a struggle. Just remember that a low-budget computer usually has different specifications, and might not allow you to run your heavier programs. We hope that this list has helped you make up your mind as to which low-budget laptop would be the best for you. And remember, put your gaming experience first! You don’t have to spend over $500 to get a great laptop for your gaming needs, but you need to be careful about choosing one that is at the top of this game. You might also want to branch out a bit, and look at options you haven’t considered. What about a smaller screen laptop? Or one that is a tablet/laptop hybrid? With your budget, you will have to compromise on some details, make sure they are the ones you are willing to compromise on.

How To Switch Out Of S Mode in Windows 10

Some laptops, especially those with a smaller budget, come with Windows 10 S preinstalled. According to Microsoft, 10 S works faster and more efficiently than the regular Windows version. Unfortunately, users tend to find that Windows 10 S is just a version of Windows in which you can’t install apps outside of the Windows Store. The operating system also doesn’t let you change out of Edge as the default browser, and you might well be missing out on some additional programs. If that sounds like it could be problematic, don’t worry. Switching from Windows 10 S to Windows is actually easy and free. Here’s what to do:

1- Press Windows Key and X. A menu will appear; select “Systems’.
2- Scroll until you can click “Change product key or switch to Windows 10 Pro”, it might also say ‘Windows 10 Home”.
3- Click on “Go to Store”.
4- Click on “Get”. The button will change.
5- Click on “Install”.
5- Click on “Yes, Let’s Go”.

As you can see, this is a fairly simple and intuitive process. Although Windows strongly encourages users of low-budget computers to use Windows 10 S, it remains easy to opt out!