The 2 affordable (but good) gaming laptop deals today you'll want to see

Best Buy has a few good gaming laptop deals this week

asus tuf gaming laptop black
(Image credit: ASUS)

Immediately following the Best Buy Memorial Day sale this past weekend, a handful of new deals on gaming laptops have shown up at the retailer that shoppers short on cash might appreciate.

The seven included gaming laptop deals are only around this week, but within that small selection are two intel i5 and AMD Ryzen 7 RTX 3050 Ti gaming laptop deals that both deserve a look. While not quite the best gaming laptop deals available today, they're a good choice for more budget-conscious shoppers.

Both machines offer a pretty balanced set of specs under the hood, offering a high-end 1080p gaming experience at a friendly price tag:

The week long gaming laptop sale at Best Buy features discounts of up to $350 off some of the best gaming laptops available today. The price tags can shoot up to $1,800 on some models, however, so those on a tighter budget may want to keep reading.

If you're not super technical when it comes to laptops, than good news: I'll keep this as simple as possible. From a power perspective, both of these laptops are essentially on par with each other. The main difference is whether you'll want to choose an Intel-powered machine or an AMD-powered one.

Until Amazon Prime Day arrives, there's also no guarantee you'll find deals like these again after this week. So if you're hoping to buy a cheap gaming laptop on sale, one of these offers may be the pick for you. Read on to get a full breakdown of these two gaming laptop deals, and which one we'd choose to go with.

ASUS TUF Gaming F17

2021 Asus TUF Gaming A15

The Intel-powered laptop is $50 cheaper and offers a bit more for the bargain

(Image credit: Asus)

ASUS TUF Gaming F17

For the price this an unbeatable FHD gaming laptop

Specifications

Processor: Intel i5-11260H
Maximum CPU Speed: 4.4 GHz
Screen Size: 17.3"
Resolution: 1920x1080 FHD
GPU: RTX 3050 Ti 4GB
Max Refresh Rate: 144Hz
OS: Windows 10
Storage: 512GB SSD PCIe

Reasons to buy

+
11th Gen Intel i5 delivers great performance for the price
+
Slightly less power draw increases battery life
+
Larger screen offers a better viewing experience
+
Higher maximum refresh rate for smoother gameplay
+
Super durable TUF Gaming chassis offers better protection

Reasons to avoid

-
Dual fan cooling system is solid but system will run hotter overall

Many would argue that Intel-based systems offer a more consistent gaming experience, with smoother overall performance offering an enticing machine for the price. I am inclined to agree myself, as with many AMD-based systems I've tried in the past have been a bit lackluster in some areas of performance.

This machine will handle most of the latest titles at refresh rates of up to 144Hz in some cases, albeit at FHD resolutions. Not the end of the world, considering this a budget machine we're talking about, but I'd argue that a smoother gameplay experience trumps a higher resolution any day.

The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 deal at Best Buy offers a solid gaming laptop for the price, however. While it won't outperform the AMD counterpart offer below by a huge margin, it definitely gets a slight edge in terms of value for the dollar. It's $50 less and offers a slightly better – and more reliable – machine for the price.

Grab the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 on sale for $749.99 at Best Buy

Dell G15

Dell G15

Better airflow and exclusive Alienware features are hard to beat

(Image credit: Dell)

Dell G15RE

While $50 more, some features are worth the extra cash

Specifications

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
Maximum CPU Speed: 4.4 GHz
Screen Size: 15.6"
Resolution: 1920x1080 FHD
GPU: RTX 3050 Ti 4GB
Max Refresh Rate: 120Hz
OS: Windows 11
Storage: 512GB SSD PCIe

Reasons to buy

+
AMD Ryzen 7 5800H features 8 cores over the Intel i5's 6 core design
+
Multitasking performance a step above the other machine
+
Alienware Game Shift dynamic performance mode improves gameplay
+
Dual air intake through keyboard and bottom deliver cooler operation

Reasons to avoid

-
Windows 11 isn't the most gamer-friendly UI on the market
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Slightly smaller screen and lower refresh rate

With a smaller screen and lower refresh rate, some may be leaning towards the Intel machine at this point. However, there's a bit more under the hood that the Dell G15 offers towards gamers that is worth consideration. While it comes in at $50 more, the slight bump in price doesn't take away from this gaming laptops overall value.

As with the Intel model, the AMD-based system will handle most modern games at higher settings thanks to some perks from Alienware – specifically the Game Shift dynamic performance mode. This offers a great performance boost in some games, and thanks to the G15's air flow design, delivers an even smoother experience in the long run.

The only downside some out there may have is with the Windows 11 operation system. While Windows 10 isn't exactly the best platform for gaming available (Windows XP an 7 anyone?), it's a bit less intrusive than Microsoft's latest OS is. That said, it won't deter much from an absolutely killer gaming experience for the price.

 Grab the Dell G15 on sale for $799.99 at Best Buy

More Budget-Friendly Gaming Laptop Deals

Best Buy's sale does have a couple of great offers to check out, but there's plenty more out there. Amazon has a few good deals on gaming laptops happening, as well as Walmart and even specific brands including Razer. You can check out some of the deals below if the offers above don't suit your needs.


Editor's Recommendations

Troy Fleming

As Deals Editor for T3.com, Troy is here to help readers do one thing – save money on the products they love. Holding a background in analytics and eCommerce for over 10 years, understanding just how retailers think and perform when it comes to sales is what he understands best. When he isn't scouring the net for deals, Troy is an avid art fan and enjoys painting, music, fitness and of course the great outdoors.