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Best High-Performance Laptops for Under $2000 – Buying Guide

Dave Miller with Online Cloud Security

Dave Miller – Tech Enthusiast & Security Expert – July 24th, 2022

best laptops for under 2000 dollars

Having a laptop with top-notch is crucial for your productivity; therefore, I am here with the best laptops under $2000 that will take you to the next level. Choosing the right laptop for your requirements and budget is essential. Still, it may be overwhelming because so many alternatives are available now that, rather than assisting you, may cause you more confusion. The most recent CPUs, graphics and video cards, a sizable quantity of RAM, and SSDs often found in high-performance devices. However, there are a few other necessities that consumers frequently overlook.

To learn more about selecting the best laptops for performance and your current options, continue reading the article.

Best Laptops for Under $2000

Laptops – What Makes Them So Worthy?

putting laptop in backpack

The development of computers has simplified many of our regular tasks. When the PC revolution began, laptops were bulky and heavy, and there had to be a performance trade-off compared to a desktop device. But today, with all the advancements, the laptop gets not utilized for just one purpose, as modern laptops are far more valuable. It may function independently as your primary workstation, gaming station, and overall a tool to assist you with all other computing tasks.

When you get the best laptops under $2000, you have the freedom and flexibility to complete your task wherever you are and whenever you want. High-performance laptops may initially be pricey, but they generally pay for themselves when appropriately utilized. You can ignore this list and read the reasons below if you want to discover why you should invest in high-performance laptops instead. If you get convinced, you can review the listed options.

Best Laptops Under $2000 – Top 5 Options

We all know that buying a laptop is an investment, so you must pick the ideal one because you are already paying more than the typical person. Here is my pick of the best laptops under $2000, suitable for serious gaming and the professional workstation you will find nowhere else.

1. GIGABYTE AORUS 15P YD Laptop

GIGABYTE AORUS 15P YD Laptop

The world-famous G2 Esports team has recognized and approved the AORUS 15P as a professional gaming laptop with the best mobile eSports platform that satisfies professional player criteria. With GIGABYTE AORUS 15P YD, You get 100% output performance thanks to its 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11800H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop graphics, 32GB RAM, and Gen4 1TB SSD.

Added to all of this, Microsoft Azure AI, a ground-breaking technology, is included with the AORUS Laptop. The artificial intelligence will dynamically determine the ideal CPU and GPU wattage settings. The game will running concurrently to provide the best gameplay experience.

The 360Hz gaming panel from AORUS offers superb images due to its wide color range. You will receive the X-Rite Pantone Certified 15.6″ Thin Bezel FHD 1920×1080 IPS Anti-glare Display LCD. It has a unique cooling system called WINDFORCE Infinity. It helps players keep themselves and their gadgets cool in hot gaming situations.

The AORUS Fusion technology enables you to assign a distinct color to each key and an essential macro function. Overall, the gaming portion of the Gigabyte Aorus 15P YD is flawless. This product is one of the best-performing laptops with 3080s on the market; you can throw anything to it.

Buying Options: You can buy directly from Amazon and explore stores on Gigabyte Websites

Quick Specifications: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, AORUS Fusion Per-key RGB Keyboard​,15.6″ Thin Bezel FHD LCD

Pros

Cons

2. Alienware M15 R6 Gaming Laptop

Alienware M15 R6 Gaming Laptop under $2000

Every user may experience superior performance with Alienware laptops thanks to built-in sophisticated engineering technology. Similarly, The Alienware M15 R6 comes with 11th generation Intel Core i7-11800H processors, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB hard drive that collectively provides outstanding performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is a robust graphics card that guarantees crisp gameplay and a smoother graphics-intensive load. The NVIDIA G-SYNC technology matches the performance of the GPU. It is capable of up to 360Hz FHD refresh rate on your screen. Additionally, blue light technology improves comfort without sacrificing visual quality.

Regarding the design, the Alienware M15 R6 has a 4-zone RGB N-Key rollover, anti-ghosting technology, and a very mechanical fee keyboard. Alienware Cryo-TechTM cooling for optimal cooling of the core components during heavy processing, dual fans draw cold air from vents and blow exhaust out. In addition, this model allows gamers to update their memory after the fact by using the two accessible SO DIMM slots. Overall, it is a compelling laptop that doesn’t restrict or impair your portability and convenience and full fill your budget criteria 

Buying Options: You can buy from Amazon for under $2000 as the price is lower than the official Dell store and falls under your budget. If you want to buy from the Dell store for the same price, you may need to call Call 1-877-717-3355 and check the Price Match Guarantee.

Quick Specifications: 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6 Graphics, 5.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 360Hz Display, 32GB, DDR4 Memory and 1TB SSD

Pros

Cons

3. Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-70EH Gaming Laptop

_Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-70EH Gaming Laptop

The Acer Predator Helios 300 series laptops can handle everything you ask. This Acer laptop series gets designed to take on the challenge of performing all graphically demanding tasks without breaking the bank. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics cards and an Intel Core i7 2.40 GHz processor get included with the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-70EH model. This discrete graphics card has a memory capacity of up to 8 GB. It offers exceptional performance in various graphical applications and a combination of 1 TB HDD and 16 GB of RAM.

NVIDIA® G-SYNC® prevents any possible tearing. The 15.6″ display’s 2560 x 1440 resolution, high refresh rate, and quick reaction make your gameplay fast-paced and smooth. You can analyze your system, overclock, create macros, set RGB preferences, and more with the Predator Sense custom utility program.

Among 15.6-inch gaming laptops, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is an excellent deal. With a colorful display and a spacious keyboard, it offers its users exceptional performance.

Buying Options: You can buy from Amazon or directly from Acer’s official store

Quick Specifications: Intel Core i7 2.40 GHz, GeForce RTX 3070, 15.6″ display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 1 TB HDD, 16 GB RAM

Pros

Cons

4. ZenBook 14X OLED Space Edition (UX5401)

ASUS ZenBook 14X OLED Space Edition (UX5401) Laptop under $2000

If you are a fan of aesthetics, a spectacular, out-of-this-world laptop ZenBook 14X OLED Space Edition, marks ASUS’celebration the 25th anniversary of the laptop that got sent into space.   With laser etchings and striking space-themed designs, this special edition’s lid also has a futuristic OLED touch screen display for customized alerts. I could speak about this design all day, but I’ll stop now.

In terms of features, it boasts a TÜV Rheinland-certified eye care system and a 14-inch, 1610, 2.8K OLED NanoEdge display that has been PANTONE® validated. You receive the most recent Intel Core i9-12900H processor, Intel Iris Xe graphics, TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD support, and 32GB LPDDR5 RAM. The more demanding AAA games released in recent years may get played at 30–40 frames per second with these specifications.

It has dual fan ice-cool technology to keep it cool while doing the hard job. A magnetically attached stylus gets included with it in the box as well. The ASUS Pen is a comfortable, active pen that can distinguish between 1,024 different pressure levels.

Overall, it will function adequately for your everyday job activities but suffers with gaming and offers nothing particularly noteworthy for gaming. But investing in the ZenBook 14X Space Edition is no shame if you appreciate design and want to invest more in aesthetics.

Bonus Info: The ZenBook 14X OLED Space Edition has a few carefully concealed surprises for you to find that get shown in graphics or Morse code all around the laptop!

Buying Options: You can buy from Amazon or directly from the ASUS official store

Quick Specifications: 12th generation Intel Core i9-12900H Processor, Intel Iris Xᵉ Graphics, 14″ 2.8K 16:10 OLED Touch Screen display, 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM, fingerprint sensor

Pros

Cons

5. Apple M1 Pro

Apple M1 Pro laptop under $2000

The Apple M1 Pro is more than a dream come true for most Apple lovers since it completes the Apple ecosystem. Apple is known for patiently creating masterpieces, and this laptop ends your hunt for the best laptops under $2000. So, whether you want to concentrate on specialist graphical work or have a gaming contest, Apple M1 Pro is here to take care of it. 

The M1 Max has the same fundamental architecture as the M1 chip, which yields the same primary capabilities. Due to the robust M1, the Max chip in this MacBook Pro will provide the most satisfactory performance. The 32-core GPU offers up to 13x better performance for graphics-intensive programs and games. The 10-core CPU provides up to a 3.7x quicker version, and 16-core Neural Engine for machine learning performance is up to 11 times quicker. This model includes 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage.

This MacBook has a stunning 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion technology with a very high dynamic range and contrast ratio, up to 17 hours of battery life. It is among the most incredible offers available and weighs only 3.5 pounds. If you want to have a laptop for years to come. M1 Max will also probably become a more upcoming chip in the future, and You could not think of any other options at the moment.

Buying Options: Amazon’s price of $1,799.00 is less than that of the Apple Store, which would cost you around $1999.

Quick Specifications: Apple M1 Pro with 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 8 TB SSD, 14-inch Display

Pros

Cons

Factors To Consider Before You Buy The Best Laptops Under $2000

If you’re in the market for a new laptop, there are many different price points accessible. If you’re looking for the best laptops under $2000, you may quickly get a high-end laptop within this budget. However, you must ensure that the additional funds you are paying for the high-performance laptop receive the most effective return. I considered a few things when making the list you just read. If you purchase from the list above, these aspects get already taken into account; otherwise, you can read them to have some basic technical knowledge of choosing a laptop.

Specifications

Your laptop’s specs will define its capabilities, making them the most crucial factor to consider when choosing a laptop. With a budget of $2000, you will undoubtedly be able to purchase high-end laptops. But that does not mean you should not go overboard and choose specifications that may exceed this range.

CPU

The CPU determines the performance of your laptop—the faster and more fluid the experience, the better and higher the CPU model. There are primarily two brands: AMD and Intel. Make sure to get a computer with the most recent multi-core processors if you’re a specialist who wants a high-performing system. You may always compare the options you choose for yourself with the most recent models.

GPU

GPU speeds up the creation, rendering, management, and improvement of video and graphics quality. The quantity of graphics card memory is crucial. So if you want to game at 1080p, acquire a card with at least 6GB and ideally 8GB or more. Integrated graphics processors get included in the manufacturing process. However, if you want to engage in serious gaming, The GPU is under a lot of stress in most modern games—possibly even more than the CPU. Two of the leading producers of graphics processing units are Nvidia and AMD.

Notes: Despite having superficial equivalence on most features, Nvidia and AMD are comparable. Nvidia’s implementations are typically better but more costly. However, AMD is the apparent victor when you compare performance to cost.

RAM

You usually won’t require more than 8 to 12GB of laptop RAM if you’re an ordinary user who doesn’t do any intensive data processing. However, 12GB, 16 GB, 32GB, or even 64GB RAM laptops are good alternatives if you want to push the envelope and run numerous huge apps simultaneously. But bear in mind that having too much RAM won’t help a CPU that is not fast enough

Storage

250 to 320GBs of storage will be adequate for most non-professional users. However, the user has to be aware that the utilization of the hard drive or SSD will undoubtedly increase with time. If you want to push the storage space limits for gaming, 1 TB or 2TB gets advised. It is an excellent idea if your laptop has space for both an SSD and an HDD. It enables high performance and a substantial overall capacity at a reasonable cost.

Display Specification

A laptop with a minimum resolution of 1920 x 1080 should always be your first choice unless you’re buying a remarkably inexpensive one. And if we discuss size, Larger screens frequently boost productivity and provide a more immersive experience. Some laptops now provide the ability to utilize the monitor as a touchscreen.

Wide viewing angles, anti-glare technology, and a more excellent brightness nit rating are all desirable attributes for a display. Also, 200 nits are on the low end but still useable, while 400 nits or more is above average, coupled with a fast refresh rate. As for gamers, a 4K screen should be accessible, and a screen that seems smoother and gentler on the eyes has a greater refresh rate. So a refresh rate of 120 Hz is ideal if you want to reduce eyestrain.

Battery Life

The average capacity of a laptop battery is between 2,000 and 7,000 mAh. It indicates that laptop batteries typically have a capacity of 2 to 7 amp hours. A faster CPU will use more battery power, and more storage devices will also be available. Any connected external USB devices also contribute to battery consumption. Therefore, you should choose it if the battery life is above average.

Extra Features

A laptop for which you spend above average should have several ports, Wi-Fi 6 capabilities, and cutting-edge Bluetooth connectivity. It should also have high-quality cameras with privacy shutters. And if you’re a gamer, you might miss the RGB mechanical keyboard. The package should be in a superb design with cutting-edge cooling technology to keep thermals under control and performance unaffected.

Reasons To Invest More In Laptops – Don't Go For Cheap Options

It may seem like a terrific way to save money to buy cheap laptops. Every Black Friday, there are special sales where you can get a ton of garbage for as little as $250. But let me tell you that while different professions have very diverse demands. You probably don’t also need a professional-grade laptop if you don’t know what those needs are. But if you know what you’re doing, consider a few things before spending money on a robust machine.

Convenience & Usability

The portability and usability of laptops are among the main justifications for purchasing one. More than ever, laptops are smaller, lighter, and have larger, more valuable screens. Having a laptop with you makes it easier to manage your time effectively if you have work to get done anywhere. Although a PC may be more powerful than a laptop, your workstation will allow you to leave that table. You may work from anywhere and earn a living with a laptop.

Durability

Companies are constantly developing new and innovative technologies to satisfy consumer demand, but how durable are laptops? Daily, internet users spent 3 hours and 27 minutes on laptop or PC screens globally as of 2019. Therefore, figure out how many hours you will require your laptop to work at its best if this typical user retained a laptop for just three years. And for all those hours, you need your laptop to be durable.

Fact: According to statistics, a laptop purchased for less than $700 will last 2-4 years, and a laptop purchased for between $700 and $1,000 would survive up to 5 years. And a laptop purchased for more than $1,000 might last up to 7 years.

Although the appearance of the current laptop has been improving regularly, average cheap laptops get not always built to withstand rough use when it comes to durability. So make sure it is of the best quality you can afford if you use it daily. Accidents sometimes occur, and even a brand-new laptop may require repairs that are too costly to be justified.

Fact: According to HP, a durable laptop gets made to survive temperature fluctuations, adverse climatic conditions, years of usage, and accidental damage. The HP program mandates a minimum of 115,000 hours of testing for each device to ensure durability.

All Purpose Laptops are Not Cheap

Budget laptops get frequently constructed using the least expensive parts to reduce expenses. It includes low processing power, low screen refresh rates, and lower storage options. You will thus be more concerned with functioning than getting the task done. You may always buy a cheap laptop for your everyday computer tasks, and you don’t have to worry as much about destroying it. Still, your productivity will suffer as a result.

Choosing a laptop involves more than simply considering how long you want it to endure. Instead of settling and staying with inexpensive laptops, you should choose an all-purpose powerhouse. You will need to make a financial sacrifice if you want a laptop that will serve as your primary workstation and gaming computer. It also has several customization choices and distinctive features that make them stand out from standard laptops.

Extra Features Demands Extra Budget

Most expensive laptops come with extra functionality that would often cost extra on desktop computers. In addition to the built-in keyboard, touchpad, size, style, ports, cooling technology, cameras, and battery life. Biometric scanners, RGB keyboards, and other customization choices come at extra expense, necessitating paying from an additional budget. Therefore, you might want to invest in a more expensive alternative with all the different features. If you require a more powerful machine or want one that will last longer.

Laptop Statistics – A Trend Not to Miss

The startling laptop statistics will make it clear that, given the expanding need for computers, purchasing a laptop is something that many people are already doing.

The expenditures associated with developing technology that is both sufficiently portable and performs to expectations are the primary factor in why laptops can get more expensive than desktops. Since you are seeking laptops that cost more than the average available in the market. The best laptops under $2000 will get you a reliable device for many years, and a decent laptop should last three to five years, depending on your use.

My Choice – Best Laptops Under $2000

The list of the best laptops under $2000 is now complete. The choices I’ve provided are distinctive and aren’t on every list you might have seen. If I were to share my preferences with you, I would choose three possibilities and tailor them to suit various purposes.

  • The GIGABYTE AORUS 15P YD is the only gaming-ready PC you need if you want to stand out from the crowd.

  • The Apple M1 Pro is the obvious choice if you’re a professional looking to add a little aesthetics to your professional graphics-intensive job.

  • The Acer Predator Helios 300 is made especially for you if you want a powerful computer that you can use with even intensive gaming and graphic work.

The GIGABYTE AORUS 15P YD is my pick for the best laptops under $2000, in my opinion.

Bottom Line

With all I’ve told you today, I hope you now understand that you can buy a laptop for less than $2000 with a lot to offer. Even though several models not mentioned here may provide the same characteristics at a lower price, not all laptop manufacturers are the same. You can choose from any of the abovementioned options to meet all the requirements. If you have not found the right choice yet, you may continue searching for the best laptops under $2,000 while keeping all the points I have listed here.

Best Laptops for Under $2000 for Performance & Security - FAQs

Do Laptop Brands Matter?

Although all manufacturers employ readily available parts, such as the CPU and GPU, they are the same regardless of the brand you choose to purchase. Every manufacturer has different goals, and each has several benefits and drawbacks. Therefore, you must base your choice on the brand’s offerings and their popularity with the target market.

Will Laptop Prices Decrease Soon?

The largest US multinational corporation, Intel, best known for creating microprocessors, has warned that a global silicon chip shortage is anticipated to last at least until 2023 and would reduce the availability of laptops. It gets expected that laptop prices will increase by the end of 2022, and investing is thus best done right now.

**Onlinecloudsecurity.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate we earn affiliate commissions from qualifying purchases.**

Dave Miller with Online Cloud Security

Dave Miller

IT Consultant at Online Cloud Security

Dave Miller is an IT Consultant for Online Cloud Security and has over 7 years of experience in the Information Technology space. He also specializes in repairing laptops & computers. In his spare time, he loves to talk about new technologies and hosts monthly IT and Cyber Security meetings in the Houston area.

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About Online Cloud Security:

Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information. 

Recent Posts:

Online Cloud Security Logo (500x500px)

About Online Cloud Security

Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information. 

Recent Posts: