It’s always fun to check out the most expensive gaming laptops on the market. They are, after all, dripping with high-end features, impressive performance hardware, and a gorgeous display with a high refresh rate. But some of the excitement wanes when you arrive at the price tag.
The best gaming laptops can easily reach into the realm of thousands of dollars, and that simply isn’t feasible for all PC gamers. If you don’t often play demanding AAA titles, you can spend a lot less on a gaming laptop and still have a great time.
The HP Victus 15.6 is always considered an affordable gaming laptop, but this deal at Best Buy has it down to an almost unbelievable price. AMD laptops usually undercut Intel siblings, and that’s no different here. A Victus 15.6 with an AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS CPU, 8GB of upgradeable DDR5-4800MHz RAM, upgradeable 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, discrete AMD Radeon RX 6550M GPU, and a 15.6-inch display with 1080p resolution and 144Hz refresh rate is now just $479.99 at Best Buy.
It’s perfect for more casual PC gamers — including younger users just getting into PC gaming — who don’t want to overspend on a great way to take their favorite titles everywhere. Yes, Amazon’s October Prime Day and Black Friday are coming up soon, but I can’t imagine this laptop getting any cheaper even during more focused sales events.
The performance to expect from the Victus 15
Many of what we consider to be the best gaming laptops on the market in 2024 — through in-house testing and personal use — cost more than $1,000.
Buying a gaming laptop for less than $1,000, never mind less than $500 like the Victus 15.6, definitely comes with some concessions. Seasoned PC gamers and enthusiasts might balk at the specs on offer here, but I’m certain that this laptop makes a strong argument for casual and cash-strapped PC gamers.
I’m not going to give anyone false hope when it comes to the performance capabilities of the gaming laptop. Its AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS processor (CPU) has six cores, 12 threads, and a boost clock up to 4.55Hz, and it’s backed up by 8GB of DDR5-4800MHz RAM and a 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD. The good news here is that the memory and storage can be upgraded after purchase.
The discrete AMD Radeon 6550M graphics card (GPU) is built for laptops, and that’s reflected in the 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM. While many of the most demanding titles will give a card with even 8GB of VRAM some trouble, that’s not where this laptop is targeted.
The Radeon 6550M is roughly on par with NVIDIA’s RTX 3050 laptop GPU, and it’s capable of handling less demanding titles with ease. Love indie games? Love competitive shooters? Love Minecraft?! This laptop’s performance hardware will get the job done. As long as you don’t buy this laptop expecting ray tracing and high frame rates in games like Cyberpunk 2077, you will no doubt come out the other side quite happy.
The 15.6-inch display has a 1080p resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate, which is ideal for the performance hardware on offer. You might not reach the 144Hz ceiling in most games, but it’s there for when you can maximize performance. Connecting your favorite gaming accessories should be easy thanks to the USB-C, USB-A, HDMI 2.1, RJ45 Ethernet, and SD card reader. As for wireless connectivity, you’re covered with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3.
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What about a gaming handheld?
Gaming handhelds really came into style in recent years thanks to the Steam Deck, which spawned a ton of competition from major laptop manufacturers. The ASUS ROG Ally and its ROG Ally X successor, in our opinion here at Windows Central, took the crown away from Steam thanks to its stellar performance, Windows OS, and sharp display.
In Windows Central Editor Rebecca Spear’s ROG Ally X review, she noted:
“There is no denying that the ROG Ally X is better than the original Ally in several different ways. The battery lasts much longer, the black casing looks better, the handheld has better ergonomic grips without being too heavy, and the updated buttons and joysticks are responsive. Plus, games run smoothly on the handheld, and the IPS screen still displays imagery really well, thanks to its color gamut and VRR support.”
Gaming handhelds are ultra-portable and convenient, but a major part of their appeal comes at the price point. The original ROG Ally costs about $650 while the ROG Ally X costs about $800.
You’re not going to get quite the same on-the-go convenience with a full-size gaming laptop like the HP Victus 15.6, but its discounted $480 price tag will undoubtedly be enough to make up the difference, especially since it comes with a discrete GPU. And the Victus 15.6 is also great if you need a laptop for productivity work, as it includes a number pad and plenty of screen real estate for multitasking.
