Are you searching for the best gaming laptops under $1200? If yes, then don’t need to worry about that because here I have chosen a few hand-picked laptops for gaming that you can buy under the $1200 budget segment.
Actually, these days you will get gaming laptops from as low as $500 and up to $3000 budget segment and more. But the $1200 budget is perfect for getting a decent gaming laptop which can able to handle almost all the latest games without any lag.
Although, there are many good gaming laptops available under $1000 price range, if you don’t want to spend $1200. But spending an extra $200 you will get a better gaming device, so it’s up to you. Actually choosing the best gaming machine from hundreds of laptops is not an easy task but to help you out I have created this gaming laptop buying guide.
Before I listed any of the laptops in this list, first I checked their reviews, specifications, and features and after that finally added them to this list of best gaming laptops under 1200 US dollars.
Below all the laptops have the latest and powerful processor, a good amount of RAM, a dedicated graphics card, and storage. But before we move towards the list, first you need to check which things need to expect from a good gaming laptop under $1200.
Contents
- Reviewing The Top 10 Best Gaming Laptops Under 1200 Dollars
- 1) MSI Katana GF66 12UD-436 – Our Top Choice
- 2) ASUS TUF Dash 15 Gaming Laptop
- 3) Acer Nitro 5 – Best 17 Inch Gaming Laptop
- 4) MSI GF63 11UD-260 Gaming Laptop
- 5) Acer Predator Helios 300 – Best Value For Money Laptop
- 6) ASUS TUF F15 – With Latest RTX 3050 Ti GPU
- 7) Dell G3 15 3500 Gaming Laptop – Best Bang For The Buck
- 8) CUK MSI GF65 9SD – Gaming Laptop With 32GB RAM
- 9) ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 – Thin & Light Gaming Laptop
- 10) Sager NP7859JQ Gaming Laptop
- Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
- Final Verdict
Things To Consider For Buying A Top Gaming Laptop Under $1200
1. Processor:
You are spending $1200, so you can expect 11th or latest 12th gen i7 processor or similar AMD’s Ryzen 7 series processor which is powerful enough to provide great performance.
2. Graphics Card:
Another most important thing in any of the gaming laptop is the dedicated graphics card, so in this budget segment, you can expect at least 4GB of NVIDIA GTX 1650 dedicated graphics card.
3. RAM:
Last but not least, a good amount of RAM is also important for a gaming laptop to provide you a lag free performance while gaming or doing heavy multitasking. And in this price range, you can expect 16GB of RAM.
4. Display (High Refresh Rate):
These days apart from display size and resolution, refresh rate is also matters in a gaming laptop which gives smooth gaming visual experience. Generally, laptops come with a 60Hz refresh rate display but in this price range you will get a 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rate screen.
I hope now you may know what to look while you are going to buy a brand-new gaming laptop. So without further ado let’s have a look at the below list of best gaming laptops under $1200.
In a Hurry? These Are The Best Gaming Laptops Under $1200
[ninja_tables id=”1618″]Reviewing The Top 10 Best Gaming Laptops Under 1200 Dollars
1) MSI Katana GF66 12UD-436 – Our Top Choice
Under $1200 budget segment this MSI Katana GF66 12UD-436 gaming laptop is one of the most powerful contenders, and this is the reason I have added on the top of the list. MSI name is enough for a gaming laptop, if you are a fan of MSI gaming laptops then this is one of the best options for you on a budget.
Display:
It sports a 15.6-inch of full HD display that delivers true-to-life visuals and also produces brilliant color clarity and contrast. On top of that, this panel delivers a 144Hz of fast refresh rate for smooth and vibrant gaming visuals.
Specs:
Move towards the specs of this gaming beast, it is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i7-12650H six-core processor with turbo boost technology up to 4.5GHz. To take care of multitasking, it has 16GB of RAM and the latest 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti dedicated graphics card for gaming.
Thanks for providing 512GB of solid-state drive to fulfill your storage needs. All these powerful specs are wrapped in a 0.9 thin profile which has 4.85 pounds of weight. This gaming machine runs on the latest Windows 11 operating system.
Other Features:
The battery life is decent of this gaming machine as it provides up to 3.5 hours of battery backup on a full charge. Moreover, this gaming laptop gives the best performance even under pressure, the reason is that it has Cooler Boost 5 technology that keeps the system cool and stable.
Hardware Specifications Of MSI GF63 9SC-066 Gaming Laptop
| Processor | (12th Gen) Intel Core i7-12650H Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 512GB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD Display |
| Weight | 4.85 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 3.5 Hours |
- Latest & Powerful CPU
- RAM is upgradable
- 144Hz refresh rate screen
- Dedicated cooling technology
- Doesn’t have thunderbolt port
2) ASUS TUF Dash 15 Gaming Laptop
ASUS has built the TUF series laptops, especially for gaming. And this ASUS TUF Dash 15 laptop is built for the next generation of gamers who are looking to take their gaming to the next level.
Design:
If we talk about the design of this laptop, then overall it looks and feels premium. The outer body of this laptop is passed the tests of drops, vibration, humidity, and extreme temperatures to ensure its durability.
Display:
Regarding the display, it has a 15.6-inch full HD IPS display with 1920 x 1080 pixels of resolution. As a gamer, you may be thinking about the refresh rate of this screen, so it comes with a 144Hz panel which is standard at this price point.
Specs:
This gaming machine melds with the latest 12th-Gen Intel Core i7-12650H Hexa-Core processor and turbo boost up to 4.7GHz. To fulfill all the gaming needs and impactful gaming performance it is equipped with 6GB of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 dedicated graphics card. Moreover, for a buttery-smooth gaming experience, this laptop is coupled with 16GB of blazing-fast 4800MHz DDR5 RAM.
Thanks for providing a 512GB of SSD drive which is good enough space to store all your games and other data. And the best thing about the SSD drive is that it is few times faster than the normal HDD drive.
Other Features:
It comes with dual fans with self-cleaning Arc flow fans that help to keep the system cool while an intense gaming session. On top of that its anti-dust technology forces dust and debris to exit from the chassis and improves the lifespan of the system.
Hardware Specifications Of ASUS TUF Dash 15 Gaming Laptop
| Processor | (12th Gen) Intel Core i7-12650H Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 512GB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Display |
| Weight | 4.41 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 3 Hours |
- Strong military grade durability
- Powerful CPU & GPU
- Dual fans with anti-dust technology
- Thunderbolt 4 support
- Mediocre battery life
3) Acer Nitro 5 – Best 17 Inch Gaming Laptop
Acer has launched the Nitro series laptops especially for gaming and this Acer Nitro 5 is from that series.
Design:
If you are in search of a laptop with gaming looks, then I am sure you will definitely love this laptop. If we talk about portability then it has wrapped all the powerful specs in a 0.98 thick profile which weighs 6 pounds, which is a little bit heavy but as a gaming laptop, it is not that much heavy.
Display:
If you like to play games on a bigger size display then this laptop is a perfect match for you. As it sports a big 17.3-inch of full HD IPS display which delivers accurate colors from a wide-angle. Further, its narrow bezel gives 80% screen-to-body and it looks amazing.
Specs:
Let’s move towards the internals, this gaming machine is powered by the 11th Generation Intel Hexa Core i7-11800H processor with 2.3GHz of base frequency and turbo up to 4.6GHz for superior gaming performance.
To let you enjoy your gaming session without sacrificing performance, this laptop is equipped with 16GB of RAM and 4GB of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti dedicated graphics card. In $1200 price range getting this powerful dedicated graphics card which makes it our top choice.
On the storage front, to store all your favorite games in this device it comes with a huge 1TB of SSD drive, which is more than enough space to store all your games and other personal data. This machine comes with an empty slot for both RAM and storage which makes it future-ready.
Other Features:
The keyboard of this gaming laptop is a full-size red backlit keyboard that helps you to continue your gaming session even in dim light conditions. Overall, if you are looking for a dedicated gaming laptop from Acer then this is the best option for you under the budget of $1200.
Hardware Specifications Of Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop
| Processor | (11th Gen) Intel Core i7-11800H Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 1TB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti 4GB |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Display | 17.3 Inch Full HD Widescreen LED-backlit IPS Display |
| Weight | 6 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 3.5 Hours |
- Bigger display size
- Easy upgrade option
- Massive storage space
- Latest & fastest Wi-Fi 6 connectivity
- Doesn’t support thunderbolt 4
4) MSI GF63 11UD-260 Gaming Laptop
This MSI GF63 11UD-260 is another gaming laptop from MSI in this list of best gaming laptops under 1200 dollars, but this one is also a powerful machine.
Display:
The display of this laptop is a standard 15.6-inch of full-HD IPS 144Hz thin bezel display with 45% NTSC, which provides better color reproduction.
Specs:
Let’s move towards the specifications, it is powered by the latest 11th Gen 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-11800H processor with max clock frequency up to 4.6GHz. And this i7 CPU of this gaming laptop is coupled with 16GB of DDR4 RAM with 3200MHz speed. On top of that, if you want to upgrade its RAM then you can do that as it allows you up to 64GB.
For a real gaming experience, this machine has got powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics with 4GB GDDR6 dedicated memory which can handle almost all the latest gaming titles. On the storage front, this laptop is equipped with 512GB of NVMe SSD, which is enough space to store all your favorite games and other data.
Other Features:
And to give you a smooth gaming experience even after a long gaming session it has a Cooler Boost 5 technology, which maximizes the graphics performance with innovative cooling technology. To connect the external gaming console it has got all the required port options.
Overall, if you want a full gaming experience then this MSI GF63 11UD-260 is the best gaming laptop in this list which you can buy right now.
Hardware Specifications Of MSI GF63 11UD-260 Gaming Laptop
| Processor | (10th Gen) Intel Core i7-10750H Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 512GB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti 6GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Display |
| Weight | 5.14 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 4 Hours |
- Powerful processor & graphics card
- RAM is expandable
- 144Hz refresh rate display
- Little Bit Heavy
5) Acer Predator Helios 300 – Best Value For Money Laptop
This Acer Predator Helios 300 is one of the best gaming laptops which comes with the latest and powerful set of hardware configs also in a good budget. And this is the reason this is the beast of this gaming laptop under 1200 dollars list.
Display:
If we talk about the display then it has got 15.6 inches full HD widescreen LED-backlit 144Hz high refresh rate display with IPS technology which delivers brilliant color from any perspective.
Specs:
Speaking about the performance, it runs on the Windows 11 operating system and is powered by the latest 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H 8-Core processor with a max clock speed up to 4.60GHz. To deliver smooth gaming experience, it comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB of PCIe SSD.
An interesting thing is that if in the future you want to expand its storage and RAM then it is further expandable with its extra empty accessible slot. As far as graphics is concern, for full-throttle gaming acceleration, it is equipped with overclockable NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics with 6GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory.
Other Features:
Apart from this, it has all-metal AeroBlade 3D fans that offer advanced aerodynamics and superior airflow which keeps the system cool and stable while an intense gaming session. And the best thing about this gaming laptop is its battery life, it provides up to 4-hours of battery backup.
All in all, this gaming laptop will give you an amazing gaming experience with its performance, look, and its RGB Backlit Keyboard.
Hardware Specifications Of Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
| Processor | (11th Gen) Intel Core i7-11800H Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 512GB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Widescreen LED-backlit Display |
| Weight | 5.07 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 4 Hours |
- Great specs & features for the price
- Empty bay for storage & memory
- Innovative cooling system
- RGB gaming keyboard
- Can’t charge laptop with usb c port
6) ASUS TUF F15 – With Latest RTX 3050 Ti GPU
This ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is another gaming laptop in this list from the ASUS TUF gaming series. If we compare the look of both the gaming laptop then both have got a fully gaming look which takes your gaming experience to the next level.
As far as durability is concerned, it has military standard construction which saves you from daily wear and tears.
Display:
Let’s talk about the display first, it has got standard 15.6 inches of full HD IPS 144Hz high refresh rate gaming display with 1920 x 1080 pixels of resolution. And this 144Hz display delivers more frames at the same amount of time as compared to the standard 60Hz of display, which means you will get a smooth visual experience.
Specs:
Speaking about the performance, for better graphics visuals and powerful gaming performance, this device is equipped with a powerful 4GB of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti dedicated graphics card with dynamic boost. This gaming machine is powered by the latest 11th gen Intel Core i7-11800H 8-core processor and paired with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, which can tackle any task with ease.
In case if you want to upgrade its RAM and storage then it allows you to do through its expansion options. Thanks for providing a faster 512GB of SSD and this is enough space to store all your collection of games, movies, songs, etc.
Other Features:
Moreover, it has multiple heat pipes and self-cleaning fans that give you a stable gaming experience without any throttle. With this notebook, RAM and SSD upgradation is very easy and quick through its bottom cover.
Hardware Specifications Of ASUS TUF F15 Gaming Laptop
| Processor | Intel Core i7-11800H Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 512GB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Display |
| Weight | 5.07 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 3.5 Hours |
- Powerful i7-11800H CPU
- MIL-STD-810H strong chassis
- Easy upgrade for SSD & RAM
- Mediocre battery life
7) Dell G3 15 3500 Gaming Laptop – Best Bang For The Buck
Dell has launched the G series laptops especially for gaming and this Dell G3 15 3500 gaming laptop comes from that series. To give this Dell laptop to sleek look it comes in a home eclipse black metal finish chassis with eye-catching blue accents. Dell has built this gaming laptop by keeping in mind the demanding needs of the gaming audience.
Display:
Thanks for providing 15.6 inches of full HD IPS anti-glare display with 300 nits brightness which delivers stunning clarity and superior color richness from a wide-viewing angle.
Specs:
This gaming laptop has a powerhouse of the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H 6-core processor and coupled with 16GB of RAM. The gaming essential of this device is handled by the latest and powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650Ti graphics with 4GB of dedicated memory.
To load apps and run this machine faster it comes with 512GB of Solid State Drive, which is an ample amount of storage space.
Other Features:
Moreover, it has an innovative dual-fan cooling system that helps to keep the system cool while the action heats up. For a better audio quality and experience every beat, it comes with two tuned front-firing speakers which are powered by Nahimic Sound Center.
Overall, if you are looking for a Dell gaming laptop then this Dell G3 15 3500 laptop is the only option in this list which you can buy right now.
Hardware Specifications Of Dell G3 15 3500 – Best Dell Gaming Laptop
| Processor | (10th Gen) Intel Core i7-10750H Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 512GB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650Ti 4GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Anti-Glare Display |
| Weight | 7.68 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 5 Hours |
- 300 nits anti glare display
- Dual fan cooling system
- Build quality is sturdy
- Heavy In Weight & Not Portable
8) CUK MSI GF65 9SD – Gaming Laptop With 32GB RAM
This CUK MSI GF65 9SD is the third laptop from MSI in this best gaming laptops under $1200 list. Actually, any of the gaming laptop buying guide is incomplete without adding a MSI laptop. If we talk about the design of this laptop then it has got a decent gaming look and not a hardcore gaming look.
Display:
The display of this laptop is a 15.6-inch of full-HD 120Hz display with IPS panel which gives sharp visuals from virtually every angle.
Specs:
It has inside 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core processor which is paired with massive 32GB of DDR4 RAM which makes it ideal in this list. The thing which makes this device to gaming is its powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics with 6GB GDDR6 dedicated memory.
And it allows you to play games at higher settings with smooth and realistic gameplay for a more immersive on-screen experience. To ensure faster performance and better storage reliability it has huge 1TB of SSD storage. This much of storage is good enough to store all your collection of gaming, videos, songs, etc.
Other Features:
Besides this, it has dedicated thermal solutions that let you experience uninterrupted gaming and also keep the system stays cool during an intense gaming session.
Hardware Specifications Of CUK MSI GF65 9SD Gaming Laptop
| Processor | (10th Gen) Intel Core i7-10750H Processor |
| RAM | 32GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 1TB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Display |
| Weight | 5.4 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 5 Hours |
- Good Amount Of RAM
- 3-Year CUK limited warranty
- Thermal Solutions
- No Optical Drive
9) ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 – Thin & Light Gaming Laptop
This is another laptop from ASUS in this list, but this ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a thin and lightweight powerful notebook. It has got an eye-catching look with a smart and sophisticated Eclipse Gray metal finish chassis, which looks premium.
This VivoBook has packed all the powerful sets of configurations in a 0.7 thin profile which has a weight of 3.64 pounds only, which makes it an ideal in this list.
Display:
When it comes to display, it sports a compact 14-inch FHD display with thin bezels on the sides that look amazing.
Specs:
Let’s move towards the specifications of this notebook, it features AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS 8-core processor and is paired with 16GB of RAM for effortless multitasking. And this AMD processor can beat the latest 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor. For flawless graphics visuals for gaming, it is equipped with 4GB of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 dedicated graphics card.
If you are concerned about the storage of this device then it comes with a huge 1TB of SSD which is good enough space to store all your favorite games and personal data.
Other Features:
A worth mentioning feature of this notebook is it has dual fans that ensure to stay the system cool even after long hours of use. This ASUS laptop has got all the required ports and slots for connectivity. And the keyboard of this laptop is a chiclet keyboard with white backlit keys which provides a comfortable typing experience in dim light conditions.
All in all, if you are looking for a thin and light professional-looking laptop for your work and gaming then this is a good option for you which you can buy right now.
Hardware Specifications Of ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 – VR Ready Gaming Laptop
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 1TB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Display | 14 Inch Full HD IPS Anti-Glare Display |
| Weight | 3.64 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 4 Hours |
- Powerful AMD processor
- Compatible with Oculus Rift & HTC Vive
- Portable gaming laptop for travelers
- Without CD/DVD drive
- No webcam
10) Sager NP7859JQ Gaming Laptop
Last but not least, this Sager NP6858EQ is a pure gaming laptop and many of you don’t know that is Sager is also known for building a dedicated gaming laptop.
Display:
You will enjoy gaming on its 15.6 inches of full HD 144Hz display with a matte panel which will never disturb you from the glare while you are playing games.
Specs:
This gaming machine has inside the latest Intel Hexa-Core i7-11800H 11th gen processor with a base frequency of 2.30GHz and max frequency up to 4.60GHz. To handle all your favorite and latest gaming titles on this laptop it is backed by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics with 4GB of GDDR6 dedicated memory.
To take care of the multitasking on this device it comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, which is powerful enough to give you buttery smooth gaming experience. On the storage front, this laptop has a huge 1TB of SSD drive, which is good enough space and it also provides better performance as compared to HDD drive.
Other Features:
Apart from the hardware, the keyboard of this gaming machine is full size multi-color illuminated keyboard which takes your gaming experience to the next level. If you are concerned about the connectivity, then it has got all the required ports and slots.
Overall, after going through this Sager NP7859JQ laptop’s specs and features I can say that it is worth spending your hard earned money on that.
Hardware Specifications Of Sager NP7859JQ Gaming Laptop
| Processor | (11th Gen) Intel Core i7-11800H Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Hard Disk | 1TB SSD |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Display | 15.6 Inch Full HD Wide View Display |
| Weight | 4.85 Pounds |
| Battery Life | Upto 3 Hours |
- Latest CPU & GPU
- Fast NVMe SSD
- Multi color backlit keyboard
- Lack of optical drive
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
The thing which makes any laptop to the best is its specs. So I suggest you before making any buying decision just go through all the laptops and compared their specs, which makes it easier to choose the best one.
But if you are asking me from in this list then Acer Nitro 5, Acer Predator Helios 300, ASUS TUF F15, and Sager NP7859JQ are the best gaming laptop for under $1200.
Final Verdict
So these are our most recommended best gaming laptops under $1200 price range. And I hope you can find the best gaming laptop which suits you as per your budget and needs. All the above laptops have a powerful processor, RAM, and graphics card which can handle all your favorite and latest gaming titles.
Also, almost all the above laptop has SSD and it helps to improve the overall performance of the laptop. Here I suggest you before choosing any of the laptops, first you need to read short reviews and hardware configurations and then decide which one is perfect as per your requirement.
Still, if you have not got any of the laptops as per your need, then feel free to comment below. I will definitely help you out to find the best one as per your requirement.
Hello! I am Robbin Simmond a senior editor & writer of this blog. By profession, I am a computer hardware engineer with a passion for gaming and technology. With a deep understanding of the intricate workings of computers, I have spent years researching and testing the latest advancements in gaming laptops.