We all love to get the most “bang for the buck,” so to speak, but how exactly do you know you’re getting the bang for your buck? Was it because the manufacturer or the salesman told you? That’s what anyone who wants to sell you something would say. But for laptops, you need to have a laptop price and budget guide; so you can know whether you’re actually getting the mythical bang for the buck.
Because as with all electronics, laptops also have their own budget or performance tiers. Well, most stuff being sold in society tends to be divided based on their respective customers’ economic classes, after all.
Laptops are simply no exception and their budget tiers are comparable or nearly identical to that of their desktop counterparts. There is a nuanced difference, however.
Laptops can go from extremely cheap ($200) to extremely expensive ($4000+); meanwhile, most budget or cheap computers can’t go lower than $300-$400 without losing to the cheapest laptops.
Now, if you’re in the market for a new laptop, you can refer to this laptop price and budget guide to know what you want and if getting what you want is a good deal for you.
RELATED: Best Laptops under $400 in 2022 – Reviewing Latest Models
Laptop Budget Ranges
To date, there are three or four main laptop budget ranges. We’ll explain how each one performs and what you can expect in a laptop with its price tag.
There are certain expectations each laptop in a budget segment must meet in order for you to consider it a “bang for the buck” purchase.
There are certain features or buzzwords that might warrant a higher price for a laptop despite the lower specifications; we’ll also go over those in a separate section.
Bare Minimum Laptop (Below $600)
These laptops usually don’t come with a discreet graphics card such as the Nvidia or AMD Radeon GPU in the spec sheet. As such, they’re not really intended for heavy gaming, though you can still play games on them.
They usually come included with an integrated GPU that can play a lot of video games at the lowest settings.
Of course, don’t expect much from these ultra-budget options.
They’re only a “bang for the buck” if they have some of these specs (not necessarily all of them combined):
- 16 GB of RAM (becomes rarer the lower the price)
- 256+ GB of SSD storage space
- An i3, Ryzen 3, i5, or Ryzen 5 CPU or better that’s no older than around three years since its release date
- A metal chassis with minimal plastic parts
- Upgradeable slots
If it has all of those specs or features, then grab the laptop immediately since it will sell out like a hotcake. You’ll find no better deal in this price range.
Do remember that even with those specs, you still won’t get much heavy usage in the latest video games; perhaps for digital media work, but don’t expect to be editing videos smoothly here. At best, it’s a good Excel machine or it will let you open 20+ Chrome tabs without crashing.
Entry-level ($700-$1,000)
Entry-level, low-end, or simply “budget” is a broad term that sometimes mixes with the bare minimum laptop category above. The difference is that an entry-level laptop for gaming might come equipped with a discreet GPU such as an RTX 3050, GTX 1650, or an RX 6500M/6400M.
Such a configuration will allow you to play the latest video games though likely only a low to medium graphical settings.
Moreover, these laptop models underwent some noticeable cost-cutting procedures. You might find them too bulky or that they’re too much plastic, giving off a cheap feel to the touch.
But since they’re sometimes marketed for entry-level gaming, then they tend to be bundled with 16 GB of RAM instead of 8 GB.
If you purchase a laptop in this laptop price and budget tier entirely for gaming, do not settle for just 8 GB of RAM. That will severely limit your gaming capacity.
Again, any laptop at this price point is a “bang for the buck” with some of these desired specs:
- Strictly 16 GB of RAM
- 500+ GB of SSD storage space
- At least an i5 or Ryzen 5 CPU or better that’s no older than around three years since its release date
- A metal chassis with minimal plastic parts
- Upgradeable slots
- 144 Hz display
You’ll usually find an impressive combination of all those specs during times like this when Nvidia, AMD, and Intel are poised to release a new generation of their CPUs and GPUs. So there’s no better time to scout for a good deal in this price range than now (at the time of writing).
If you’re lucky, you might even find an entry-level-priced laptop with mid-range specs such as an RTX 3060 or an i7 or Ryzen 7 CPU. Those will sell out fast, of course, as this is the Holiday season.
Mid-range ($1,000-$1,600)
You will have to give this price category a wiggle room of around $100 to $200 depending on the brand or the recency of the specs. Those sporting a newly-released and latest-generation GPU or CPU will likely be $100-$200 more expensive depending on where you live.
But generally, that’s mid-range price above.
These are the laptop models with which you can run the latest video games on high or ultra settings. It’s also the most common budget category. Gamers do prefer good graphics, after all.
You’ll also see a lot of laptops at this price point bombarded with gamer culture iconographies such as RGB, fast refresh rates, fast WiFi, and that iconic black or white chassis with aggressive lines and grills.
You’ll know when you see it. Anyway, ignore all that marketing bait, they don’t dictate whether your mid-range laptop is a bang for the buck; on the other hand, these specs will:
- At least an RTX 3060 or RX 6600M running at max TDP or wattage (ask for this)
- An i5, Ryzen 5, i7, or Ryzen 7 CPU or better that’s no older than around three years since its release date
- 1 TB of SSD storage space
- At least a 144 Hz display
- Strictly 16 GB of RAM
- A metal chassis with minimal plastic parts
- Upgradeable slots
The TDP (thermal design power) or wattage part of the GPU is significant here. Some mid-range laptops might be cheap but there’s a hidden caveat in the form of a lower TDP or wattage. They might have the same name (i.e. RTX 3060) but they’re weaker or slower than a max-TDP variant.
So do be wary of differences in TDP, especially in the mid-range budget category where stealthy cost-cutting practices are rampant.
High-end ($1,600 and above)
High-end is also a broad term here since it at the current laptop generation, it typically starts with the RTX 3070 or RX 6700M and the i7 or Ryzen 7 specs. This can go all the way to laptops equipped with the RTX 3080 Ti or RX 6900 and i9 or Ryzen 9 processors.
The latter ultra-high-end configurations can run anywhere from $2,500 to $4,000, probably higher depending on the recency of the specs.
At this price point, you can expect few compromises or cost-cutting practices, if at all. Sure enough, also expect to play the latest video games at ultra settings, or even higher resolutions such as 1440p or even 4K.
These specs are also important for a lot of digital media professionals who want perfect color accuracy or large resolutions and powerful processors.
The high-end category also has lots of added features at this price point that serve to bloat up the cost though they can come in handy. As always, don’t be led astray by the luxurious temptations, look for these specs to see if you’re getting a good deal:
- At least an RTX 3070 or RX 6700M running at max TDP or wattage (ask for this)
- At least an i7, or Ryzen 7 CPU or better that’s no older than around three years since its release date
- 1 TB of SSD storage space
- At least a 144 Hz display
- At least a 1440p resolution (1080p is okay but with a 360 Hz refresh rate)
- Strictly 16 GB of RAM
- A metal chassis with minimal plastic parts
- Upgradeable slots
Everything else is optional or inconsequential. Do keep the GPU’s TDP in mind again, there’s still quite a substantial amount of stealthy cost-cutting involved in this price point.
Enthusiast ($3,000 to $4,000+)
To be frank, you’re no longer concerned about getting the best “bang for the buck” in this budget range. But there are still some stealthy cost-cutting procedures here such as a lowered TDP which can cause some buyer’s remorse.
If you’re already spending this much on a laptop, know that you deserve the best current specs such as:
- RTX 3080 Ti or RX 6900 running at max TDP or wattage (ask for this)
- The latest i9 or Ryzen 9 CPU
- 1+ TB of SSD storage space
- 4K resolution
- 32 GB of RAM
- A metal chassis with minimal plastic parts
- Upgradeable slots
The Bold Outliers
Now there are certain features that can and will inflate a laptop’s price even if the primary specs don’t correspond to the price point.
Take note of these special configurations as they can easily launch a laptop to a higher price or budget range despite the primary specs.
In any case, prepare to give more sugar to these babies:
- 2-in-1 – These count as both a laptop and a tablet; they also usually come with a 360-degree hinge.
- Touchscreen – The inflated price is justified by the fact that it’s also a tablet and typically is combined with 2-in-1 configurations. You can use stylus pens here to draw.
- “Work” or “Office” models – Some lineups such as Lenovo’s IdeaPad or ThinkPad or Dell’s XPS series are likely made to look more luxurious or have better build quality since they’re made for professional office environments.
- OLED screen – OLED screens are expensive to make but they offer the best color accuracy out of all screen technologies available right now.
- Dual screen – Some laptops such as the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo come with another screen on the laptop body for multimedia work.
Also, these ones are notorious for their increased pricing:
- Razer Blade
- Alienware
- MacBook
There might be more special considerations in mind, but do note that these models, brands, or setups don’t typically follow the general laptop price and budget guide. Just keep that in mind when shopping around, and you’re pretty much all set. Good luck finding that Holy Grail of a good deal!
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