The MSI Katana is now the best budget gaming laptop I've tested so far, beating Asus for the first time in years

The best gaming laptops on the market have welcomed a newcomer to their ranks. After weeks of testing the MSI Katana (specifically the RTX 5060 15 HX B14W model), and running benchmarks against the Asus TUF A15 and Acer Nitro V 16 AI this budget-minded giant has reclaimed its throne in February. That's no mean feat - this is a category Asus has been clinging onto for at least two years now.

Why? The MSI Katana has two key benefits that push it to the top of my recommendation list whenever anyone needs a budget gaming laptop. It's configurable with a QHD+ display, and its in-game benchmarks can see it beating rigs with slightly higher price tags. Considering display is often one of the first sacrifices one makes when hunting down cheap gaming laptops, the MSI Katana has plenty going for it right now.

There's just one problem. The RTX 5060 configuration I've been testing is currently inexplicably more expensive than the RTX 5070 options readily available. An RTX 5050 GPU will get you closer to $1,000 in this week's gaming laptop deals, but I'd recommend skipping the middle child right now.

That QHD display is pretty rare. The Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 10 is the only other gaming laptop I've tested in this price point to match it (and it does up the ante with an OLED panel), but at a slightly higher MSRP, it's already sitting pretty in the 'best value' slot on our guide.

Otherwise, you're looking at FHD panels from the likes of the Lenovo LOQ, with 1200p picture from the Acer Nitro V 16 AI.

Then we get to the nitty gritty. The configuration I tested (Intel Core i7-14650HX / RTX 5060 / 16GB RAM) made short work of in-game QHD benchmarks, often scoring higher framerates than the Lenovo Legion 7 Gen 10 and even the Alienware 16X Aurora in this RTX 5060 testing pool. Dropping that resolution down put the Katana more inline with the rest of the pack, and it just managed to keep up with more premium rigs in 3D Mark tests as well.

It's those two pillars that have catapulted the MSI Katana into the second position on my top list this month, but a QHD display and excellent performance aren't the only features that impressed me in testing.

To keep that cost low while gaming laptop prices only ever seem to rise, MSI has opted for an all-plastic chassis - but this isn't like the shells of yore. Everything feels incredibly dense and well supported, even sporting a 180-degree hinge that won't make too much of a difference in gaming but gives you a little extra versatility compared to the competition.

This is still a Katana, so expect a chunkier, boxier feel than ultrabook-like luxury rigs. It's still only one inch thick, though, significantly thinner than the budget gaming laptops of yore.

Even the keyboard surprised me in testing. While I'm used to soft, mushy decks from the cheapest gaming laptops on the market, this is light, springy, and impressively tactile.

The rest of the best cheap gaming laptops

Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 10

If the MSI Katana doesn't quite tick all the right boxes for you, the Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 10 would be my very next recommendation. This OLED-toting speedster is currently down as the best value gaming laptop I've tested overall and only comes in a little more expensive than the Katana day to day. That's with an improved panel type, a more slimline feel, and still excellent RTX 5060 performance.

It's got a little less room to breathe compared to the chunkier chassis of the Katana, which means performance isn't quite up to the same par. You're still closing in on 60fps in Cyberpunk 2077 RT Medium at full QHD+ resolution, though - and that can easily be notched up with some tweaks here and there. This is a machine for those after a budget gaming laptop that doesn't sacrifice on more premium display features.

Acer Nitro V16 AI

The Acer Nitro V16 AI is a far more recent release with either an RTX 5060 or RTX 5070 GPU and AMD's range of AI processors at the helm. This is a 1200p display that drags behind MSI's in resolution and overall punch, but still does a solid job across the board. It's still an impressively sturdy all-plastic chassis that feels just a little more solid than the Katana, though. That's true everywhere except the main hinge which presented with some significant wobble and flex during my testing.

Unfortunately, the RTX 5060 / 32GB RAM configuration I tested couldn't keep pace with its competitors when the benchmark tests rolled out. While some lighter in-game tests recorded scores slightly higher than the Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 10, this rig was largely at the bottom of my RTX 5060 pack, just teetering under the 60fps position in more demanding runs. This is a budget gaming laptop I'd only recommend to those who prioritize a more compact shape over raw performance.

HP Victus

The HP Victus is still available with an RTX 40-Series graphics card, which one would assume would make it dirt cheap by now. Who knows, maybe by 2026's standards this $850-odd gaming laptop is sturdy value but if you can move closer to that $1,000 bracket the performance increases are easily tangible.

I reviewed the RTX 4050 HP Victus 16 and it's clear to see this is a line that prioritizes component performance over other luxuries like display brightness and keyboard snap. My benchmarks do trail behind the kinds of numbers we're seeing from RTX 5060 rigs these days, but if you're looking for 1080p gameplay across lighter games this is still a 60fps+ machine.

It looks and feels like a cheaper gaming laptop than the MSI Katana, doesn't offer the same kind of visual punch, and won't grant you those RTX 50-Series benchmark numbers (or the DLSS 5 to improve upon them).

Asus TUF A16

The Asus TUF A15 that I reviewed has now been replaced with a larger-screened version and the Asus TUF A16 still holds its own in the budget gaming laptop arena. I've always been a fan of the TUF chassis design (RIP my Asus TUF Dash F15), these machines typically use higher quality build materials than the likes of MSI and Acer. Still, you're more likely to find older RTX 40-Series configurations of these bad boys when considering a budget buy.

For less than $1,000 you're getting 1080p performance that can stick impressively close to 100fps in lighter games, even holding that position across Returnal and Hitman 3 in my testing. That's not easy to do, so while the MSI Katana will be better equipped to handle today's blockbusters those looking to catch up or kick back with some strategy or simulation titles will be well served here.

How much should you spend on a budget gaming laptop?

Cheap gaming laptops aren't what they used to be. I'll get that out of the way right up front. I remember buying an RTX 3060 Asus TUF rig for about $800 back when the RTX 30-Series was the current generation, that certainly wouldn't happen today.

Right now you can expect to pay between $700 and $1,000 for a previous generation RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 gaming laptop, with newer RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 rigs taking you from $1,000 to $1,300 when at their cheapest. Budget friendly RTX 5070 rigs do exist, but you'll be moving closer to $1,300 - $1,500 for this mid-range GPU.

Ultimately, your budget will be set by how much you can invest in a current-generation GPU or whether you're happy with an older model. The RTX 4050 and RTX 4060 can still get away with some solid framerates if you're more into lighter games. Catching up on the last five years of releases is certainly doable on these rigs, but their overall value doesn't quite hold up to the cheapest RTX 50-Series gaming laptops.

If you want to keep yourself future-proofed for the next few years of releases, I'd recommend spending between $1,000 and $1,400 on an RTX 5060 or particularly cheap RTX 5070 machine.

I'm also rounding up all the best Asus gaming laptops as well as the best Alienware laptops and the best Razer laptops of the current generation.