The best gaming laptops can easily reach into the realm of thousands of dollars, and that simply isn't feasible for most PC gamers. If you don't expect Ultra settings in demanding AAA titles, you can spend a lot less on a gaming laptop and still have a great time.
The Victus 15.6 is geared for more casual PC gamers — including younger users just getting into PC gaming — who don't want to overspend. While the original $450 deal on an AMD version of this laptop has expired, Best Buy continues to offer the Intel version for $515. That extra cost gets you an NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU instead of a Radeon 6550M for a bit more power, as well as a CPU with more cores.
Disclaimer
Update October 7, 2024: The original $450 deal for the AMD-based laptop has expired, but there's still an awesome $515 deal available on an Intel-based system. Update October 9, 2024: The price has dropped even further to $515.
The performance to expect from the Victus 15
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. 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.
While the original deal on an AMD version was slightly cheaper, this model with an Intel Core i5-12450H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3050 Laptop GPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD brings better GPU and CPU performance to the table. At about $515 at Best Buy, it's still well within the realm of budget gaming PCs.
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 pass on the specs, but I'm certain that this laptop makes a strong argument for casual and cash-strapped PC gamers.
The discrete NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU is slightly more powerful than the Radeon 6550M. 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.
🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃
- 📺Amazon Fire TV Stick | $24.99 at Amazon (Save $25!)
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- 💻Dell XPS 14 (Core Ultra 7) | $1,449.99 at Dell (Save $550!)
- 💻HP Envy 2-in-1 14 (Ryzen 7) | $649.99 at Best Buy (Save $400!)
- 💻HP Spectre x360 14 (Core Ultra 5) | $999.99 at HP (Save $450!)
More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals
We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:
- Xbox controller deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg
- Xbox SSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg
- Gaming headset deals: Walmart | Dell | Target | Best Buy | Amazon
- MicroSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg
- Gaming handheld deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg
- Laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg
- Copilot+ AI laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg
- Monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg
- Mini PC deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg
- Gaming keyboard deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg
- Gaming mice deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg
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 $515 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.
