GoKawiilAlienware 15 (left) vs. Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 (right) Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
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In the throes of the RAMpocalypse, checking prices on new gaming laptops is enough to make you ragequit. Luckily, there are some good budget gaming laptops out there, and it's never been a better time to give them serious consideration.
I compared two of the best bang-for-buck gaming laptops on the market right now: the Alienware 15 (2026) and the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15. Both of these laptops hover around the $1,200 mark, opt for lower-end (but still competitive) hardware, and forego bells and whistles like RGB lighting to keep prices down.
Also: I tested Alienware's new budget gaming laptop, but these 3 might be smarter buys
All things considered, they're very similar laptops with similar strengths and weaknesses. They're both around five pounds and have limited battery performance compared to consumer laptops. But each have solid performance where it counts. Either is a good option for gamers on a budget -- here's how they stack up.
Specifications
Alienware 15 (2026) Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Display 15.3-inch IPS, WUXGA (1920 x 1200), 300 nits, 16:10, 62.5% sRGB, 165Hz refresh 15.6-inch IPS, FHD (1920 x 1080), 300 nits, 16:9, 100% sRGB, 144Hz refresh Weight 4.85 lbs (2.2 kg) 5.07 lbs (2.3 kg) Processor Intel Core 7 (Series 2) 240H or AMD Ryzen 200 Series Intel Core i7-13650HX Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 5050, 5060 Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060
RAM 16GB, 1x16GB, DDR5, 5600 MT/s, dual-channel capable, 2x DDR5 SODIMM slots 16GB 1x16GB, DDR5, 4800 MT/s, dual-channel capable, 2x DDR5 SODIMM slots Storage 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Gen 4 SSD, 1TB PCIe 4 Gen 4 SSD
512GB M.2 2242 PCIe 4 NVMe x4, Two M.2 2242 PCIe 4 x4 slots
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