Discussing whether the specifications of a $500 laptop are adequate for gaming. Thoughts?
It’s a solid choice for $500. Don’t expect top-tier performance in the latest games, but it’s more than capable for many popular titles.
Lennon said:
It’s a solid choice for $500. Don’t expect top-tier performance in the latest games, but it’s more than capable for many popular titles.
It can run games at 60fps at 1080p with Ray Tracing and DLSS enabled. I’d suggest a RTX 4060 for a bit more power, but for $500, this is a no-brainer.
@Max
Would be better with DDR5 RAM though, especially considering it’s 2025 and DDR4 is quite outdated.
Lennon said:
It’s a solid choice for $500. Don’t expect top-tier performance in the latest games, but it’s more than capable for many popular titles.
It’s a great deal for $500. You can handle most new games decently with DLSS. Note that it comes with DOS, so you’ll need to install Windows yourself.
@Mai
You can get a cheap Windows activation key for around $5 online, or use command-line methods for free.
Lennon said:
@Mai
You can get a cheap Windows activation key for around $5 online, or use command-line methods for free.
Just download the Windows 11 ISO directly from Microsoft for free. Activation isn’t necessary unless you want advanced features.
@Casey
Downloading is free, but activating Windows is different. However, there are ways to activate it at no cost.
Lennon said:
@Casey
Downloading is free, but activating Windows is different. However, there are ways to activate it at no cost.
You can use tools from GitHub like Massgrave for activation.
For $500, you’re typically looking at GPUs like the 2050 or 3050, so getting a laptop with these specs is a real bargain.
If it includes Nvidia Optimus technology, it’s an exceptional deal.
This is a solid deal for the price. If you can, try to get a model with a RTX 4060 for a bit more longevity, especially with the extra VRAM.
I use a 4050 laptop and it performs well at 1080p, just don’t expect ultra settings on newer titles.
At $500, you’re getting a great deal. It should handle medium to high settings in many games without issue.
I paid nearly $900 for similar specs, so $500 is definitely a steal.
Snap it up! It’s usually around $600-$700 for these specs.
Why does it come with FreeDOS instead of Windows?
It’s a great deal, but be aware that the 12th gen Intel processor it comes with may run hot.
Can you provide a link to where you found this deal?
Thayer said:
Can you provide a link to where you found this deal?
Please share the link.