Dan Ackerman/CNET

This budget gamer is based on Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3050 graphics and an AMD Ryzen 5 6600H CPU and 8GB of RAM. The 15.6-inch display features Full HD resolution and a speedy 120Hz refresh rate. It borrows the Alienware Command Center from Dell’s high-end Alienware line that lets you customize game and system settings. Two items keep it square in the budget category other than the entry-level RTX 3050 graphics: only 8GB of RAM and a display rated for only 250 nits of brightness, which makes the G15 a better fit for a dark den or basement than sundrenched room. Still, it’s one of the most affordable laptops available with RTX graphics with its current $200 discount at Best Buy. It’s sold in either black or silver; this sale model features the silver chassis.

HP

At $849, this 15-inch HP laptop is one of the most affordable RTX 3050 Ti-based gaming laptops you’ll find. In addition to the RTX 3050 Ti GPU, it supplies an octa-core AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB solid-state drive. The 15.6-inch display features a full HD resolution and a speedy 144Hz refresh rate.

MSI

With its $350 discount at Best Buy, this MSI Sword model is the rare example of an RTX 3060-based laptop that costs less than $1,000. It also features a Core i7-12650H, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 15.6-inch display has a full HD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate.

Gigabyte

This Acer Predator model is based on a high-resolution 15.6-inch display and RTX 3070 graphics. The display offers a QHD resolution for a finer picture than that of a FHD display. You may not play games above 1080p, but you’ll appreciate the high-res display in between gaming sessions. The display also offers a blazing 240Hz refresh rate for smooth gameplay. Paired with the RTX 3070 Ti GPU is a powerful Core i7-12700H CPU. It’s a hefty $700 off at Best Buy right now.

MSI

You can save $500 at Best Buy on this 15.6-inch Asus model that boasts GeForce RTX 3080 graphics and a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU. It’s an incredible deal at its sale price of $1,500, when you consider that nearly every other RTX 3080-based laptop costs $2,000 and up.

MSI

This MSI model is $600 off at Newegg to make it one of the least expensive gaming laptops with RTX 3080 Ti graphics. The rest of the component lineup is equally strong with a Core i9-12900H CPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 15.6-inch display offers a full HD resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. The keyboard is from Steelseries and features pre-key RGB lighting.