Side-by-side comparison based on expert reviews and community consensus.
Gigabyte Gaming A16
Best Expert-Endorsed Budget PickHP Victus 15
Best Under $700Price
$700-$900
$550-$750
Summary
Wirecutter's top pick for budget gaming laptops, and it actually outperformed their top pick in testing. Better battery life than most rivals makes it the best option for gaming away from an outlet.
The HP Victus is the top recommendation when the budget is tight — it's the laptop Reddit points to most often for buyers who can't stretch past $700. PCMag also includes it in their tested cheap gaming laptop picks.
Pros
- Wirecutter's top pick for cheap gaming laptops in 2026
- Outperformed Wirecutter's own top pick in head-to-head testing
- Better battery life than most budget gaming laptop competitors
- Budget variant (CMHI2US893SH) offers strong value at a lower price point
- Most frequently recommended laptop for strict budgets on Reddit
- PCMag lists HP Victus 15 (2025) among top tested cheap gaming laptops
- Widely available at Best Buy and other major retailers
- Decent 1080p gaming performance for the price
Cons
- Less community discussion and ownership data compared to Acer/HP/Lenovo rivals
- Battery still won't last a full day of work or browsing
- Gigabyte's after-sales support and software ecosystem are weaker than major brands
- Reported thermal throttling issues affecting gaming performance
- Build quality is below average for the category
- Battery life is poor even by gaming laptop standards
- Display quality is a weak point at this price
Our take
Wirecutter doesn't hand out top picks lightly, and the Gigabyte Gaming A16 earned it by outperforming expectations in real tests. If you trust expert benchmarks over Reddit hype, this is your laptop.
The Victus isn't perfect — Reddit has flagged thermal throttling issues — but at this price, nothing else is as consistently available and capable. It's the default answer for tight budgets.
Buy
